Writing a book looks like this Have you ever wanted to write a book? This post will take you through the common emotional stages of writing a book. Of course, not everyone's emotional stages of writing a book are the same, but here's a glimpse into mine: IDEA - Inspired Come up with an idea - This is exciting! PLANNING - Overwhelmed Struggle with how to make the idea work and worry that you can't do it justice. Begin to plan, but it all feels too big and confusing. Become ove

Do you love to read? Want me to point you in the direction of your next favourite book? Here are 10 reasons why you should add The Silver Sheep to your TBR (To Be Read) list. Family Dysfunction All families are dysfunctional in some ways, aren't they? And who doesn't want to read about families that are even more dysfunctional than your own? When you read about families that are even worse than your crazy, whack fam, then you can feel better about your own, can't you? Therefo

What is an indie author? Who are they, and where can they be found? Why do they do what they do? How much do they make? And how can you succeed as an indie author? This link list will answer ALL of your indie author questions! What do indie authors do? Pretend to read their own book for photographs, of course! * Let's dive right in: Q. What are indie authors? A. Let me tell you: What is an indie author? Q. Are indie authors self-published? A. Yes. For more information, rea

I recently updated my bio to say: 'Marley writes emotionally rich women's fiction books about dysfunctional families and personal growth'. "Cool," you say, "What the heck does 'emotionally rich' mean?" Good question! Let's find out... Okay, yes, I confess... The term 'emotionally rich' is just book jargon, but it does create some expectations about a book. If a book cover says that it's 'packed with adventure,' then you're going to expect an exciting journey; If it says that

Curious about the life of an indie author? What exactly does an indie author do ? Here is a list of 51 random things that indie authors do (that aren't writing) in no particular order whatsoever. Dive in! Manage social media accounts and schedule posts (this can be a MASSIVE time-suck) Pitch articles and other creative ideas (i.e. Be brave!) Obsessively check sales results, especially around launch periods (refresh, refresh, refresh) Accept rejection and criticism (= grow thi

My second stallholding experience was at Clunes Booktown Festival last weekend. Discover how it was for me as an indie author stallholder, look at the pros and cons, and contrast it with my first stallholding experience at a small, local farmer's market. Just one of the many marquees at Clunes Booktown (just before opening time) Clunes Booktown is a festival just for bibliophiles; It is ALL books. Hundreds of trestle tables set up in large marquees all the way down the main

Two months ago, I wrote this blog post: To Market, To Market: On Failure and Mentally Preparing Myself for my First Market Stall . Well, last weekend market happened, so it’s time for a post-market review and summary. Here’s what I learned, what worked, what didn’t, and how it went down. First up, I need to say that I literally lost sleep being anxious about my first market. I slept poorly for the three nights beforehand, too busy thinking (and catastrophising). I wrote this

Ask 10 different people, "What is the key to self-publishing success?" and you're likely to get a few different suggestions, but I assure you that rapid release will be at least one of those suggestions. Rapid release is not a guaranteed success strategy, but it could help. Let's discuss what it is and how it works. This is me rapidly releasing books (in case you were wondering) What is rapid release? Rapid release is when an author releases their books quickly, one after ano

Hello! Look, I am smiling. Please approach me. I've been wanting to have a go at selling my books face-to-face at markets and events, but I've been scared and have put it off for YEARS! It's now time. My first market stall application has been submitted, public indemnity insurance has been purchased, and stock has been ordered. Together, let's mentally prepare for my first market stall. Two days ago, I spent over $1000 on my own books, which feels like quite a declaration of

Whether you create to make a living or as a hobby, setting goals for a new year can help you thrive! Here's what goal-setting looks like for me as a self-published author, poet, artist, and blogger. Hopefully, this will help and encourage you to set your own goals as a creative for every new year. Hello there! THE FIRST STEP Before I can start setting goals for a new year, I need to review my goals for the finishing year and try to work out what worked, what didn't, and why.

If I said that not much has happened in 2025, I would be lying. I certainly didn't top bestseller lists or go on a worldwide tour, but things are happening that I am happy and encouraged about. So, here's the yearly recap of an indie author and creative human for 2025. Hrmmm I had a go at reviewing my goals partway through the year in this post: There's Still Time! Reviewing my Goals (for 2025) . This was a broader look at the goals I set and how I was tracking towards them (

Want to read an 89-page novella called The Silver Maid for FREE? Learn how you can read books for free through group free book promotions and discuss why indie authors participate in them.

Motherhood is not all bedtime stories, bear hugs, picking flowers, and drawings on the fridge, right? It's freaking hard. Sometimes overwhelmingly, suffocatingly, identity-shatteringly, soul-destroyingly HARD . If you can relate and want to feel seen, then Other Than Mother is the book for you. Searching for relatable family life fiction about motherhood? This book is it. Becky Tenneree is a burned-out mother of four who needs to get some time away from the suffocating a

Curious to find out more about the Family Life Fiction book category? Read this blog post to learn about genre characteristics and what to expect when you pick up a Family Life Fiction book. Read on! Just regular family life in the Betts household Where did the ‘Family Life Fiction’ label come from? Okay, from now on, I’m going to refer to Family Life Fiction as FLF. Amazon has categories for all items available on their website, including books. Authors must identify what th

Did you set goals for 2025? At the time of writing, there are still 98 days left to get things done. So, it's time for us to revisit...

This is an answer to an 'Answer the Public' question. I was curious. I did the math. It's not pretty. I have 3 physical books: 1 gift...

Would you like to know how to tell if a book has been written by an indie author? Do you need help determining if a book has been...

Ask for things you associate with 'Indie' and I'm guessing you'll hear terms like: small, alternative, non-mainstream, and different. An...

Let that sink in for a minute. Only 10% of authors can make a living, that is, earn enough money from their writing to support...

Would you like to set up your own market stall in Australia? This blog post is going to discuss some of the things you may need to...