Resources Part Two: Contacts

Let's face it, in any indie business it's all about who know and how well you network. I for one am someone who hates social networking and face to face networking is a huge challenge for me. However, getting out meeting new people can help. Before you groan and moan about it, I urge you to actually look at the people you know and see if they have any skills that can help you. I.E. When I write, I have an army of friends (who will be honest about their opinion, that is important.) to beta read for me. I have a friend that can do edits for me, and I have a friend who can do covers for me.

Talk to these people and find out if they are willing to help you out. I bribe my editor with coffee since I'm currently too poor to actually pay her for the wonderful service she provides me. As part of the deal, she gets to put the projects on her resume, so she can build that up. It's a win win situation right there. My beta readers volunteer to read, most of them come from the words, "I want to read something you wrote!" and I offer to let them become beta readers. Now, cover art is a little trickier because you want someone who is actually good. Trust me on this, the cover is the make it or break it. How many times have you judged a book by the cover? Hm?

Jamie Wilson's cover for A.L. Kessler's
Midnight Symphony, Feb 12th, 2013

I'm lucky with this again...I know a girl who can do amazing work and did the cover art for another friend's book. Jamie Wilson has amazing skills, knows how to do it, and knows the licensing needed. (Including Fonts, how many of you knew that fonts had licenses? Because until last weekend, I had no idea.) If you need a cover at a good price, check her out. Contact either Mia or I for the information on how.

So before you pay someone big bucks to do some of this stuff, look around at your contacts, see who know first.