Fences Schmences—Why Going Indie Was Easy

Lately I’ve seen several comments in other forums where an unpublished writer mentions they’re not sure if they should self-publish or go the traditional route. As an indie writer who has friends in both camps, I realized that their indecision was due to a lack of knowledge of each process.

Now, before all you experienced indie (and traditional) authors excoriate me with your “How the heck can a writer STILL be on the fence about this?” I want to remind everyone that they were newbies once and there’s a whole lotta information out there, some good, and some that smell worse than crab guts left in the garbage for longer than five minutes on a hot day (yes, I left them in the house overnight and yes, we almost had to move).

In an effort to help make this decision easier, I’ve listed some important considerations when contemplating whether you should go indie or try the trad route. Continue reading “Fences Schmences—Why Going Indie Was Easy”

Polls Open for Flash Fiction Challenge

Who will be the next Flash Fiction Star? It’s time for IU readers to choose.

Check out this week’s entries here. Vote for your fave then use those share buttons at the bottom of the post to spread the word.

Remember, all our winners will be included in the next edition of the IU Flash Fiction Anthology. So, support your fellow writers and participate in this week’s voting, then spread the word, bang the drums, and share the link to let everyone know the vote is on.

Polls close tomorrow at 5 PM.

 

Who is your choice for the next flash fiction star?

  • AV Carden (48%, 12 Votes)
  • Jon Jefferson (44%, 11 Votes)
  • Mandy White (8%, 2 Votes)

Total Voters: 25

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NOTE: Entrants whose submissions exceed the 250 word limit are eliminated from the poll.

Can You Verify That?

I’m guessing you’ve all seen the notation on customer reviews for an “Amazon Verified Purchase” like this one.

I imagine many (most?) people don’t pay much attention to which reviews have or don’t have this, at least most of the time. However, if a review seems suspicious for other reasons, it is used by some people as “evidence” that their suspicions are correct. I’ve also been told that some of the book promotion sites are now looking at the number or percentage of Amazon reader reviews that are verified purchases as part of their vetting process. There is some confusion as to when an Amazon reader review will or won’t show as a verified purchase. So I’ve mucked about and think I have the answers. As it turns out there are several different scenarios and this isn’t as straightforward as you might think. Continue reading “Can You Verify That?”