As an indie author, I knew I'd have to do lots of writing. Initially, I figured that all of that would be fully dedicated to creating and re-tooling my books. I foolishly assumed any additional writing would be to publishers seeking a book deal.

Stop write ... I mean right there.

I hadn't given a solitary thought to the writing that supports the writing.

Like updating Facebook and Twitter statuses, creating and maintaining accounts on Goodreads and Librarything, writing guest blogs and other promotional material to help promote the book.

Cut to three months after releasing The Shadow Guardian: Lost Dreams and I couldn't believe that's all I had done! I remember feeling a massive sense of shame. I cowered and remained oddly silent in author groups because I felt like a huge stain on the name of indie authors for not creating anything else.

But the sad truth is that indie authors have to do all of the heavy lifting for all aspects of their books. And as time has gone on, I've found a few tools that have made getting back to writing a gazillion times easier.

1. Hootsuite - this social media hub lets you plan posts for various media. Setting up an account is easy and free and it posts directly to the main social media accounts.

2. Plan ahead - I did some research before I launched my book. But not enough. I didn't check well enough to realize that all review sites don't cater to all books and how the rules for properly using media like Goodreads and Authonomy. Know the rules for properly utilizing these sites and I also suggests you setup accounts as you discover them and create a plan for using them prior to and during your book launch.

3. Set a schedule - these days I dedicate a certain amount of time to what I call 'administrative matters' such as blogging for my book and the rest to writing. That way I know for sure I get at least a little bit of both done.

4. Turn to others - I know, I know. You have 500 Facebook friends but only 3 of them bought your 99 cent book. I know the feeling. I have a family member who bought AND helped me to promote mine, but never read it. But if even a single one of your friends is super-supportive, don't be afraid to ask for help proof-reading and offering advice. Failing that, there are tons of great author groups on Goodreads and other sites. Support helps you to avoid second guessing yourself and wasting your valuable time.

5. There's no silver bullet - we always get distracted by phenomenal success stories which we try to mimic and meet with only minimal results. My suggestion is to try everything; have high standards, but low expectations. I know others who have done book swaps and gotten awesome results and more who have felt it was a complete waste of time. My experience implies that there are very few situations that apply to all situations. I've even come across others who have done all of the above with no results, but then tweaked just a few key search words and - boom! - on one of the top 100 lists in one of the Kindle categories.


6. You are now a brand - what do you stand for? What's your target audience? What's your budget? Sounds like questions for a political campaigner, but trust me, they apply to indie authors too. Everything from your cover to your blurb to the way you Tweet makes a difference. And it saves a ton of time to work this out in advance.

7. Don't be afraid to have bold ideas - nothing ventured, nothing gained. Being a writer is about being an entrepreneur; your book is your product in a very competitive market. The number of new indie releases reach tens of thousands every month. We all have to find our own path for clawing our way to the top. However, be cognizant of how your marketing affects your brand.