What makes an author an author?

                             
I have noticed an interesting trend on facebook and other topics of conversation. Some are of the mind that if we are an indie author, we aren't really an author. We are just striving to be one. We have written, edited, re-written, edited again and finally published a book. We then market, promote it, edit the story again, and advertise our book. A recognized author is one who has found an agent to do everything for them except write the book. The author writes and the agent markets the book.

 I have noticed that some indie authors who find themselves conversing with agented authors suddenly are above the rest of the indie people. Many more though, still work hard to hopefully some day be accepted as an author. We work on our craft, we strive to be better and do better. We look up how to format and how to space and indent. Which font to use, which format to save in. We do all this in hopes to someday be accepted as an author. The only thing I have to say to this is, "Wake up!" We are authors! We are Agents! We are Editor's and formaters and publishers! We do the work that a whole building of people normally do for one author! We work harder and longer for less money and a whole lot less respect.

What those of us as Indie authors need to realize is this, "We are Authors, We are Writers." We are also so much more because we have to do so much more. We have arrived. We are there. Our name is in print, our book can be bought online from a site. Our hopes and dreams are in those words that are bundled nicely in a book. The artwork that many have painstakingly worked on to get "just right". The cover, the introduction of the book, the brief outline that is needed to describe the book. All of our blood sweat and tears are in those pages.
Oh and just to set a record straight. One thing I have noticed about agented authors who have made it. (Not all) If you ask them how they made it and what steps they took to get there, its like a huge secret that can only be passed to another of their kind. While an Indie author will help each other out no matter who it is. So if someone wants to know who I would rather be? I would rather be an Indie author and help others out and give information freely about how to become a writer and help someone else acheive their dream then to become closed off and not help anyone but myself.
To sum it all up, If you have written a book and published it through Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords, Createspace, PubIt or the many other sites out there, then guess what? You are an AUTHOR! if you are working on a book, novella, novel, short story or even a book of poetry, then you are a WRITER! You are there you have arrived!

Diary of a Mad Woman (frustration at its finest!)

http://www.amazon.com/Kais-Journey-World-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B0067RJZS8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341086647&sr=8-1&keywords=kai%27s+journey+by+charles+siefken

This is our book, this is the book that is causing a lot of strife and controversy amongst authors and indie authors a like. We have been trying to learn all the ways of marketing and promoting by following others and seeing if what they are doing will work for us. Some ideas I haven't taken to becuase it just didn't feel right. Now this latest venture I had done due to a book titled, "How to increase Sales without flooding networks!" Well, heck, I thought, why not try it! obviosly me being all over the facebook, twitter, blogspot and Wordpress amongst others hasn't done much of anything for us. I decided to give this a try. One plan in particular seemed promising. Some seemed far fetched and frankly not a very good idea. But I figured, "hey even a broken clock is right twice a day" So I gave it a shot. Now all this controversy of whether it was against the rules of Amazon or not. Whether its considered "tacky" or not. On and on and on!
I have sort of complained about this before, we are supposed to be indie authors and publish how works best for us. Well as of yet, I haven't figured out the secret to that golden ticket of author stardom. We are trying the best we can with what we have. This week has been especially trying in the book sales and trying to just keep up with everything and some of the hardships we are going through. I am getting stubborn and bull headed about this and will find a way to make all this work. I know I don't have a formal education in it or even much of a practical one yet. But I am working on it. I am learning what to do and what not to do. Some lessons are going to be hard, I accept that. But don't burn me due to an honest mistake.
I have helped a lot of people on my journey just as a lot of people have helped me too. Some don't understand why I help out so many for nothing in return. I have done author interviews and they couldn't understand why I did it for nothing. Because I am also trying to get our name out there too! silly! So anyway, that is our plan. Not much of one a this point. We keep getting told to put our books out where our customers will see it. well, yeah, but where is that exactly? what sites? Does it cost money? Can I do it for free? Am I going to get into trouble for posting our book on that site or that blog or that tweet? I have tried gorrilla marketing, nothing, I have tried getting us in the local paper, nothing, I have tried doing interviews with other authors, nothing, I have tried us doing interviews with bloggers and radio show hosts. again and still nothing. I have helped others with their marketing to other facebook sites and tweets. I have gone to Amazon and liked, shared, tweeted and downloaded books. I have written reviews. Mostly without a mention of our book, only the last few a mention of our book. still nothing. We are pretty steady at 4 to 6 a month. People say word of mouth, well, I am running my mouth about our book, and others. I have mentioned to friends of mine about people's books on facebook that I think they would like. V.A.M.P.S Atl, is one example. Raymond Frazee's book is another example. I have helped in ways I never thought I would be helping others out. But still, not there yet.
We were told by the brick and mortar places that our story wasn't to their type or fit. One agent told us it was due to having werewolves, zombies and dragons in the story, plus being unknowns on top of it. Is this blog a gripe? Yes, I am tired and I am weary of struggling and trying. There is so much, so much stuff, I'm just tired I guess. I will close this rant for now. But still not happy with being shoved at the brick and mortar ways when they rejected us flat out. I just want to do whats right and make my son proud of our accomplishments. Of what we did together. Is there a positive to this? I don't know yet, unless its keep moving, keep working at it. Don't give up.