I am an Indie

My name is Marcella Denise Spencer. And I’m an indie. I write and produce my own work.

Though, I will confess, I did not want to self- publish. I went into self-publishing “kicking and screaming.” I wanted the traditional route badly. Even while I was researching self-publishing, learning how to form my own company, etc… I was still sending out queries to agents and small presses.

The general responses to my queries to literary agents were the same: No. There is no market for your work. And it’s the truth. I could’t find books similar to what I write in the bookstore. I was unable to reference books like mine, to see who their agent was, what publisher released the book, or how that book sold. Why? I write Christian, historical, multicultural books, a niche audience for certain. I found plenty of Christian fiction, many historical as well, but none set in ancient times with African characters.

Four years ago, when I opened my publishing company Hamitic Press, publishing outside the traditional routes was still looked down upon. And now? Now self-publishers are getting respect. Now on Amazon’s Top Selling Kindle List there are several indies. And now I have two completed works done under Hamitic Press, with a third book due for release this spring 2011. And I started a new imprint, Date Palm Publishing (A division of Hamitic Press). Under the Date Palm imprint, I intend to write and publish stories based entirely in the ancient Near East.

Being an indie appeals to my entrepreneurial side, I love having my own business. Although having to do everything, and I do mean everything by myself has been both fun and frustrating. Why do I keep going? I love it. I enjoy the entire process of producing a new book; and I intend to keep doing it whether the books sell or not.

I hope that my upcoming novel, “The Scepter and Diadem,” is better written and better plotted than my last project, “And the Sons of Ham.” My goal as an indie writer and publisher is to keep improving with every book.

I will be a regular guest blogger here on Black Authors Books. If you’re an author, I’d love to hear about your journey to publication.