Ellen ES Ceely

To the inspiring Indie author women out there: you’re killing it! You inspire me every day in so many ways. I was at a standstill with my writing for longer than I wanted because of moving. In the silence of my own platform, I got to witness yours more fully. It was so beautiful to watch and continues to be amazing even now that I’m back.

This is my toast to you, my letter of thanks, and my public declaration of admiration for who you are.

Indie Author Women Take Risks

Being an Indie author holds a lot of risk with a lot of questions. If you pour your money and time into a book and it tanks, what will you do? How about if you offend someone you didn’t mean to offend? What if someone reads your book and hates it?

You don’t have a big publishing house backing you up. You don’t get a check up front for all your hard work. Every expense is on you: book cover design, editing, advertising – the list goes on. Of course, there are wonderful things about everything being up to you, but these are realities Indie’s live with every day. When someone reads your book and gives it a 2-star review, you will question everything you’ve done. You will fear how your overall rating and sales will be affected on any given platform. It doesn’t matter that the reviewer gives an average rating of 3 stars and doesn’t seem to like anything they read.

No matter what you choose to write about, you open yourself up to criticism. It takes bravery to walk in the footsteps of women like Anne Bronte and write about the realities of the world. Those of us who write fantasy or Sci-Fi are still reflecting what we see as good or problematic in the world.

The Indie author women I follow take risks, and I am inspired by them every day!

Indie Author Women Show Up

Indie author women show up in amazing ways. They don’t give up. Poor sales? They keep trying. Bad reviews? They continue to write. Social media tanking? They keep posting. Do you know how much grit and determination it takes to keep going after your dream even when things don’t go well?! I do! The amount of effort it takes to show up for yourself and your art is astounding.

Even women with amazing support teams will still struggle with doubt and discouragement. At the end of the day, the only way we can show up is if we’ve decided deep down that we will. No one can make us. There’s nothing magical about the process of writing and publishing either. We must choose to show up. We must choose to take the next step when things get difficult.

I see Indie author women do this every day and it warms my heart in ways I cannot explain.

Indie Author Women Write with Heart

When I say Indie author women write with heart, I mean they write about the things that matter to them. Passion practically oozes out of them. No one is forcing us to write the stories in our hearts. None of the authors I’ve connected with have ever even hinted at trying to write something they don’t love or don’t believe in either. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find an Indie author who writes, pays for, and publishes work they don’t believe in.

The characters we create are a part of us. The people and places in our books are a reflection of what we believe and who we are. Our hearts are on display for all to see in the words we write. It’s a beautiful, raw, and inspiring sight to behold!

Shout-Out to Some of my Favorites!

Ellen Vandever, Kelly Morrison, Jess Scurlock, Lina Amarego, Anna K. Moss, and Chelsie Prince are some of my favorite people to follow. These women are all unique in what they write and who they are. Within their writing you will find YA fiction that talks about the difficulties of being a teenager, the harsh realities of sex trafficking, compelling dark fantasy, heart-wrenching poetry, and wonderful mystery. I have not been able to read all of their work yet. I hope to, but until that happens I will continue to enjoy the snippets I see online.

However, what they all have in common is a fierce determination to write and publish what they love. Their creativity, kindness, and ability to warm my heart as they create beauty is unmatched. There are so many others I follow and am inspired by, but these ladies are the first that come to mind. I’ve seen them stand against wrong and embrace good. They don’t give up. They don’t back down. These women are brave and bold and absolutely, stunningly inspiring!

Final Thoughts

If you’re feeling lost and alone, I encourage you to find your people. Find the people who inspire you to keep going. If you’re not an author or an artist, this advice still applies. You need people in your life and on your screen who encourage you to pursue the things you love. For me, it’s Indie author women who consistently show up and fight to make the world a better place with their words.

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