Finding Help in Unexpected Places: The Experience of a Self-Published Author

The thought of publishing my first novel and becoming an indie author was simply daunting. For many months I was focused on finishing my historical romance novel, then self-editing, finding a company who supported self-publishing authors, until finally I got there.

The book was launched. A fantastic launch in my opinion (although I might be a little biased).

Now what?

There are so many things you need to do as a self-published author and here are my top four things I hadn't thought about:

1. Distribution and getting physical copies out into the market

2. Audiobook

3. Marketing and advertising

4. Social media (I am listing this separately as this is a beast! A fantastic, magical beast you need to build muscles you never knew you had to navigate it - the booktokkers and the bookstagrammers community is huge and awe-inspiring!)

Help came in amazing and unexpected ways, through fellow author Arini Vlotman, Cheryl Uys, and the ROSA community. Hang in there my fellow authors, and soon to be authors. Follow your dreams, and in a world where everyone wants to make their dreams come true, be kind, be selfless - help people and aspiring authors .... all that good can only come back to you a million-fold.

Thank you to all those who have helped me on my journey so far!

Simi Ramdutt is a South African Indian indie author known for her captivating historical romance novels. A passionate foodie and avid traveller, she draws inspiration from her family, work, castles, and her adventures. Simi cherishes her private family life while sharing her vibrant literary world with readers worldwide.

You can find Simi at:

1)     simiramdutt.org

2)     @ssrhandmade (Tiktok)

3)     @ssr_hand_made (Instagram)

4)     Simi Ramdutt (Author of The Journey of Love) | Goodreads 

5)    https://www.amazon.com/author/simiramdutt