I thought I’d share some links and communities for indie authors looking for resources as I know it can be difficult to even know where to start. Starting off without a reader base makes getting one challenging, but there are ways to showcase your works from the start!*
*I have not used all of these websites personally, as some of these have been recommended to me, so do let me know if anything needs amending!
Blogs
For those looking to offer advance reader copies (ARCs) of their books, there are master posts of bloggers seeking ARCs at The Indie Reviewers List, The Book Reviewer Directory, The Book Blogger List, 100 Best Blogs for Book Reviews and Shirley’s Book Blogger List. There are also places like the self-published/indie authors community on Livejournal where you can post about your book, and Loyal Lyre where you can submit it for consideration for Book of the Month.
Voracious Readers Only is another option, where they advertise your book to readers seeking indie options. In my experience, VRO is a really great resource and I definitely recommend giving it a go. The trial period is free and you get to send ARCs to readers themselves, thereby adding readers to your newsletters! There’s Reedsy, a community for both reviewers and authors to connect. You can also try creative writing contests.
Goodreads
Goodreads communities are another fantastic place to connect with bloggers. The Indie Authors & Books community welcomes authors, readers and bloggers to share their books, sites and recommendations. There’s also a Twitter (@Book_Spotlight). Some other really great GR ones are: For Love of a Book, (Indie) Authors At The Round Table, Advanced Copies for Review & Book Giveaways, Making Connections, Authors & Reviewers, Shut Up & Read, Free Books, .99, Giveaways & Reviews, Bookworm Bitches, Readers That Love Giveaways, Ebook Deals, and Free Books, Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy. Be sure to read the rules before posting/submitting. Each community has different requirements. 🙂
Blog Tours
Blog tours are another great option to advertise your book to readers: A Novel Take, Let’s Talk! Promotions, Xpresso Book Tours, Be My Book Boyfriend, Rockstar Book Tours, Promotional Book Tours, R&R Book Tours, Storytellers on Tour, The Write Reads, Bewitching Book Tours, TBR and Beyond Tours, Psst Promotions, Turn the Page Tours, The Book Terminal, Blackthorn Book Tours, Random Things Tours and Booktamins all offer blog tours.**
[**Note: I have not used all of these personally, but have been linked to them and wanted to share. :)]
Indie Magazines
If you’re looking to write short stories and want to try submitting to a magazine, there are some great magazines calling for submissions and I found a wonderful compilation of links here. I also found How to Write a Proper Short Story Cover Letter very helpful. There’s Authors Publish Magazine, a magazine for writers.
In more recent news, Indie Bites is a fresh quarterly indie fantasy anthology that’s accepting submissions from self-published, independent and new authors. They are also on Twitter (@Indie_Bites).
Cover Designers
If you’re looking for book cover help, I can highly recommend Heather Maddalozzo, Black Jazz Design, and BespokeBookCovers.
If anyone has any lists they think should be added, leave a comment below and I’ll add it to the post.
I hope this helps anyone looking for resources! (ɔ◔‿◔)ɔ♥
