SPLAT

A very short story -- for fun, and as a caution to keep our wits about us at all times. 

Also, it's another 'not accepted' submission of mine, and I am learning that re-purposing such pieces into my own distribution channels is a smart way to breathe life into my writing process.  

SPLAT

Esmé had lingered ten minutes longer than 

she should have with the delightful Pierre. 

Now she ran for the bus 

to make the morning meeting. 

Blind and deaf to the ambulance 

racing down the street, 

she crossed against the red. 

Brakes shrieked. 

Siren silenced. 

The morning meeting 

no longer mattered.

~~~

More and more writers are choosing to get their work out into the world by self-publishing their books or essays in e-formats of some kind. While once frowned upon as ‘vanity publishing’, this new approach to reaching readers is gaining traction. Articles abound about how to self-publish your book, the pros and cons of doing it all yourself, and what is different (or not) about the new indie scene. One thread that runs through all the advice is how essential it is for indie authors to develop their brand, profile and platform via social media; a blog is one channel to reach readers, and there is much advice out there about how to set one up (for example: here, here and here).

After five years of publishing my own writing on this blog, I would offer this advice to someone contemplating a move to indie publishing:

1. Stop worrying about not knowing everything; just start already. There’s plenty of help a Google search or Facebook group away. 
2. Creating your own channel through which to reach readers bypasses the gatekeepers (aka, editors and publishers) and puts you in charge of everything; while this can be anxiety producing, it is ultimately very satisfying. 
3. It’s not all or nothing. Today, many writers publish some of their own work and submit other work to editors and publishers for consideration. This hybrid mode is possibly the best of all writing worlds.

The hybrid approach is the one I am pursuing these days. Thank you for finding your way into the world of my writing; you are a key citizen in it for (with) me. 

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Land acknowledgement: I respectfully recognize that I live on the original lands of Anishinaabe, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota and Dene peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation.

Photo by Alexandre Boucey on Unsplash