Amazon has announced a fall-themed event sure to get any book lover to set down the pumpkin spice latte and snatch up their Kindle. The Powered by Indie event is a celebration of the great books that self-published authors and small press publishing houses have released, and Amazon is offering some pretty incredible opportunities for readers and writers alike.
“Throughout October, Amazon is celebrating great writing published via Kindle Direct Publishing, CreateSpace and Audiobook Creation Exchange. The celebration includes a vast spectrum of books presented to entertain, excite, and inform. Our authors share their paths as independent writers and showcase their favorite books to take readers on a journey of fact and fiction.”
While Amazon might seem to be retail-centric on this one, complete with a reader hashtag for social media that they can use to share what they’re reading, the company also reached out to individual indie authors in the weeks leading up to the event, inviting specific authors to take part in the month-long event. One such author, P.K. Tyler, received an email from Amazon announcing that her book had been chosen to be featured in the event’s promotions. While any amount of publicity can benefit an author through increased visibility, being an independent author means far more to Tyler than just having a single title chosen for a brief time.
“Being indie means being a part of a long literary history of non-compliance,” Tyler explained to Goodereader. “It means saying what needs to be said, not what a company thinks will sell. It means taking control of your work and brand in a way I don’t believe is possible in the traditional publishing world.”
Tyler’s work has its share of “non-compliance,” and that made the author take a good look at the state of the publishing industry before deciding to move forward. The experience with her first book also prompted her to consider indie publishing for her upcoming release, The Jakkattu Vector.
“My first book, Shadow on the Wall, had interest from traditional publishers, but they wanted too much changed. It was too controversial, too political, too visceral. In the end I decided that for me, it was more important to stick with the soul of the book and self-publish instead of compromise on story. Now I’m lucky to both self-publish and work with a wonderful indie publisher (Evolved Publishing) where I’m permitted, and encouraged, to pursue quality art.”
For authors who were not contact by the retailer, Amazon did have some advice for other indie authors on ways they can get involved in the October celebration and hopefully reach new readers.
“Share why you love being an indie author in social media and on your blog. Feel free to create videos, photos, and posts about your experience! Remember to use the hashtag #PoweredByIndie so we can share your stories as well. Visit the official landing page www.amazon.com/poweredbyindie to discover great indie titles and learn more about indie authors.”
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Mercy Pilkington is a Senior Editor for Good e-Reader. She is also the CEO and founder of a hybrid publishing and consulting company.
