Indies Unlimited is a site full of amazing resources, and a space providing interaction for writers and readers. First, let's talk about exactly what Indies Unlimited is if you are unfamiliar with the site. In short, their focus is on promoting indie authors and the writing community as a whole. An indie author is an author who is not represented by a major publishing house—this means that they will be self-published, published with a small or regional press, or sometimes traditionally published on a smaller scale.
First and foremost, Indies Unlimited is a blog. They are not a self-publisher, but rather, they help authors grow their audience, gain knowledge about the industry, connect with readers, and of course, forge a writing community between multitudes of authors. This is something that most authors find invaluable—a group of people striving for the same goals who understand how difficult and confusing the industry is, while also being there for support and brainstorming.
Sifting through the overwhelm
All the resources for independent authors on the web can feel overwhelming. There are a lot of conflicting ideas, and even simply too many resources on the web, that it's difficult to know which ones to trust. Indies Unlimited has had a lot of success and rave reviews, and they provide tons of resources all in one place. Even if you don't browse around other sites, you will be able to find pretty much everything you could need on Indies Unlimited.
Promotions for writers
Some favorite aspects of Indies Unlimited are free promotional tools. They have set up numerous promotions to assist in engagement between authors and readers, and these promotions also form a semblance of consistency. One of the promotions they offer is Thrifty Thursday, where authors can list their free or 99 cent e-books and where readers will be directed to find them all in one place. As readers, we know that we're always looking for a bargain or good deal, so with readers aware that Thrifty Thursday takes place each week, it is an opportunity for authors to get their books in front of a whole new audience. This is something that readers can stay tuned into and look forward to each week as they set out to find new authors.
The next promotion Indies Unlimited offers is Print Book Party, which takes place on the first Sunday of each month. This is where authors can promote their print books listed at $15 or less, allowing readers to find a large selection of bargain paperbacks in one place. This is another deal that readers definitely won't want to miss out on when it comes to saving on books. Once again, this is a day of the week that readers can anticipate, ready to find their next great read in the comments section of the blog. They also offer, on the third Friday of each month, "Kindle Unlimited Friday," where authors can post their books that are free within the Kindle Unlimited program.
However, the Guest Post Feature may be the most effective of all the promotions offered on IU. This is where authors have the opportunity to write a guest post for the Indies Unlimited blog. Since they have such a vast following, your blog could have the potential to be featured for a whole new audience of writers, readers, reviewers, and publishers alike. The guest feature does not actually showcase any books, but rather lends to more exposure, which is ultimately beneficial to growing one's audience in the long run. You can reach out to Indies Unlimited with the topic you'd like to write a blog about to be considered for a guest spot. We are always told that networking and creating more exposure to multiple audiences is the most effective way to market. Well, this guest opportunity does just that.
Author advertising
In addition to the many free promotion options given by Indies Unlimited, they also offer advertising options. There are several packages available to choose from for marketing a product, service, or event. This is another great tool to give authors, or anyone related to the writing field, more exposure given Indies Unlimited's high-traffic site. You will have the opportunity to advertise as an author or a vendor with the different package options to choose from.
According to the site, "We do not actually accept paid advertising from authors because it's our mantra to never take money from authors. Everything available to authors is free. We occasionally accept paid advertising from service providers, but only after they've gone through a stringent vetting process to make sure they are on the up-and-up and will not take advantage of authors. Accepting paid advertising is rare, and maybe happens twice a year. Otherwise, the expenses to run the site fall solely on our admin/executive director K. S. Brooks (Kat)."
Author research
Aside from promotion, marketing, and networking, Indies Unlimited is invested in helping authors obtain as much knowledge as possible in this field. They have so many resources and articles available, covering any topic imaginable related to books, writing, and publishing. The best part is that they have all these resources in one place, so there's no need to search around the web aimlessly.
The KnowledgeBase tab is definitely worth checking out for anyone, whether you're a novice or have years of experience. They cover topics within publishing like book covers, book trailers, reviews, beta readers, and the publishing process as a whole. If you're looking to improve your craft before reaching the publication stage, then they have resources for you, as well, like grammar, punctuation, characters and story building, and resources on the all-important editing process. They also talk about other tools for authors like social media, newsletters, press releases, giveaways, and so much more.
No matter which stage of your writing career you're at, Indies Unlimited has resources for you that you will not want to pass by. As writers, we have to be our own teachers, editors, critics, and businesspeople—even if we have others in place for these positions already. So, there is no amount of knowledge within the field that could be too much. As mentioned in the beginning of this article, there are so many competing ideas out there, it's tricky to know which methods, rules, and approaches are best for you as a writer. So, even if you don't look at any other databases of knowledge—the KnowledgeBase will have you well on your way to sorting out that confusion.
Book promotions
A more specific tab when it comes to resources on the Indies Unlimited site is the Book Promo tab. This lists any and all sites that authors who are published or getting ready to publish will want to research and familiarize themselves with. Some of the sites listed are free and some must be paid for, but they all deserve attention in deciphering if they are right for you and your publication goals. With so many sites about book promotion out there, it is easy to get lost and confused, and especially frustrated. So, the fact that Indies Unlimited has compiled these sites in one place with descriptions about each can save an author a lot of time and headache.
Flash fiction
Now, let's say you haven't written a book, or aren't ready to publish your book, and don't think any of these amazing resources are right for you. This is highly unlikely, but even so, you can still engage with Indies Unlimited. How? They host a flash fiction contest every Saturday. That's right, not only do they offer free promotions, paid advertisements, links with a wealth of knowledge on every writing topic imaginable, and book promo resources, they even have a fun contest open to everyone, with no commitment.
The flash fiction rules are simple: Write 250 words or less that incorporate the provided image and prompt. It's quick and fun! And the most fun part of this contest? The winners are chosen using polls that readers personally participate in, with a readers' choice and editors' choice poll. The polls and contest are open for a few days, so even if you can't get to the computer right at that moment, you have time to make sure you don't miss out. Indies Unlimited has ways for subscribers (and anyone) to interact with their site every day of the week. There are very few sites that can accomplish this.
A final note
Finally, Indies Unlimited has gear and titles for purchase, as well as a full staff of very qualified individuals. They are definitely in the market of helping authors navigate this confusing business, as well as giving them outlets to engage with one another and have fun.
If you think Indies Unlimited could be beneficial to you (which we assume you would after reading about all their amazing services and engagement) then we highly suggest subscribing to their newsletter. If you are an author, reader, or have any sort of interest in the publishing world, then this is a letter you won't want to miss. They will send you a weekly email full of valuable resources and articles that they provide. Plus, the fact that it's only a weekly newsletter means you won't get aggravated with countless spam emails—it will be an email you actually look forward to. It will assist you through your craft and writing goals each week—and don't forget, they're always available for questions at Indies Unlimited.
So, head to the site, sign up, start reading about and planning your promotion, and working on your flash fiction contest entry. Most importantly, keep on writing and sharing your work with the world. Indies Unlimited will support you at any stage and offer you the outlet to focus on your writing every day of the week, or as often as you need.