Authors and the power of community
The day after I moderated four panels at Indie Author Day, I watched a heartbreaking TikTok video by fellow indie author J.C. Wade. At a school where she works, she met another author who was signing books for the library. When she told her she was also an author, the visiting author gave J.C. “the sideways look” and asked, “Who’s your publisher or are you an indie?” She told her she was published by a small press and now publishes independently. The visiting author replied, “Oh well, I’m published with one of the Big Five.” J.C. said the experience seemed “rather icky” and left her “seething inside.” She felt like that author was questioning her contributions as a writer, her books, and her voice.
I wished that J.C. could have been at our Indie Author Day. She would have seen how much voices like hers and ours are valued and appreciated by readers. She would also know that we writers don’t stand alone.
First, we need to look at some truths about getting picked up by a Big Five publisher. Here’s what author Candice Jarrett revealed from a recent Department of Justice lawsuit against a Big Five publisher.
