Indie Thoughts
Interviews w/ Indie Authors. Featuring author P. Storm.
Honoring the collaborative spirit of the indie author community, Indie Thoughts is a brand new initiative to gather helpful marketing insight from the indie authors out here putting in the work to make their dreams come true. It is my hope that by sharing helpful tips and different techniques, we can strengthen the community. Indie Thoughts will be included alongside the For Indies newsletter. Be sure to subscribe and get each new interview, as well as each new article, delivered straight to your inbox.
Kicking off our Indie Thoughts is an author I’ve admired for years. While the genres we write in may be a bit different, P. Storm is a marketing force to be reckoned with. She has graciously taken time out of her hustle to answer a few questions of mine. You can follow her on Instagram (p.s.author) and on TwitterX (peys_pen).
What made you decide to be an indie author? Do you have plans to switch gears and go the traditional route, or will you stay indie?
I like the freedom that comes along with being an indie author and being able to bet on myself instead of trying to convince someone else to. Becoming a hybrid author is something that I wouldn’t rule out if the opportunity presented itself and felt right, but as of right now, I’m happy as an indie.
What would you say is your biggest challenge as an indie author? Are there any specific challenges to being an indie romance author?
My biggest challenge is that I’m a one-woman show. Sure, I have an editor, formatter and I don’t attempt to make my own covers, but balancing the creative and admin side of things isn’t always easy, and sometimes one can stunt the other. Balance is key. A romance-specific challenge? Romance sits at the top of the genre demand list, so it’s heavily saturated with limitless options, which in turn makes it that much harder to be seen and for readers to take a chance on my books.
How do you market your books? Do you have a set schedule, or do you just post when inspired?
Visuals play a huge role in my marketing. We live in a time of constant scrolling, so I strive to catch the eye first with visuals, words second. Each book in my Ocean Falls Trilogy has a very specific, deliberate color scheme. Those colors are then assigned to each book’s marketing approach. That consistency creates a connection with the reader, so no matter how fast they’re scrolling, if they see a glimpse of purple, they’re more likely to stop and read because, oh, that’s Hardpressed’s color, is it on sale? New merch? Etc.
Secondly, real world events that also take place in my books. My trilogy begins with an NFL draft prospect, so I use the NFL schedule and the buzz each event generates to plan my marketing. The NFL draft, the beginning of the new season, Wild Card Weekend, the Super Bowl, are all opportunities to run sales, freebies, or even just get my covers in front of more eyes. And best of all, it costs me nothing.
Timing wise, I like to take advantage of the daily hashtags on IG such as #tropetuesday, #wipwednesday, as well as monthly author challenges where each day you share a little something about you, your process and/or current and future projects.
Is building community important to you? How do you go about doing that?
A genuine, authentic community is very important to me, but on a quality over quantity basis. I think that what you put out there, you get in return. I don’t sugarcoat the process, the ups and downs of this journey, and I think some fellow authors find comfort in seeing that, no, they’re not the only ones struggling with this or that. I root for fellow indies and offer support how and when I can. When one of us wins, we all do.
Regarding social media, which platform would you say is your favorite? Is there one you consider more successful than the other? What’s your least favorite?
I’m not a fan of social media in general, but I do recognize the need for it. It’s a bit of a necessary evil for me. I think the success rate fluctuates a lot, but the #bookstagram community is proving to be a great resource, and I’m meeting a lot of amazing people in the process. My least favorite is X-Twitter for many, many reasons.
If you had any tips for indie authors starting out, what would it be?
Create an author website, a home base where readers can always find you. Not everyone is on social media, not everyone is on multiple platforms. You don’t own your social media profiles, nor do you have control over the stability of the host(s).
Give yourself grace. There will be ups, there will be downs, and it’s important to celebrate those ups while also learning/growing from the downs.
Utilize the plethora of free resources out there to help you through all phases.
Most importantly, determine your “why’s” and never lose sight of them.
Give us a little plug about your latest projects.
Now that my Ocean Falls Trilogy is complete, I’m looking ahead to 2024, which will bring a poetry collection, short stories, and my first paranormal romance/urban fantasy novel featuring angels, demons, humans, and vampires.
P. Storm is a multi-subgenre adult romance author and poet. When not writing fast-paced, turbulent romance and letting her poetic pen wind her words, she’s daydreaming between innings, complaining about bad officiating, and reaching for her notebook when inspiration strikes.