A self-published author's diary, podcast

An indie author yearly review: The highs and lows of my self-publishing career in 2021.

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Episode 45

Before diving right into my yearly review as an indie author: if you’re struggling or know someone who is struggling (or maybe even just mention it or post it or share this resource with people in your life): https://www.crisistextline.org/ Text HOME to 741741 to reach a volunteer Crisis Counselor.

Today, on the podcast, I talk about the highs and lows of my self-publishing career in 2021.

Some of my lows included:

  • Dealing with my own career expectations and the reality,
  • What it means to not be using a pen name,
  • Feeling like I’m letting down some of my collaborators in royalty-share agreements…

Some of my highs included:

  • Having the French version of #TheLeftoverBride reach the #9 on Apple Books Chart 
  • Having the French version of #TheLeftoverBride sit next to The Hating Game by Sally Thorne on the charts…
  • Reading wonderful emails from readers around the globe

And more…

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Numbers: A TikTok Experiment As an Indie Author (the yay, the nay, and what it costs), pre-order numbers and more A self-published author's diary: The Ups and Downs of Self-Publishing (and everything in-between)

This one's a numbers-and-behind-the-scenes episode. I share a full preorder update across all five of my current books, platform by platform, the good and the zero, and where I'm at ten days into a thirty-day TikTok experiment in 2026 (I know, I know).The BookTok part is genuinely interesting to me: one video crossed 2,000 views and somehow racked up more than eight hours of total watch time, while its near-identical twin stalled at 94 and I have no idea why. That's kind of the whole lesson. I get into what's working, where in the world people are actually watching from (hello, UK), how many of them clicked through (spoiler: two), and yes, what it's costing me in focus, because I opened the app nineteen times in one afternoon and that felt worth admitting out loud.Plus: the Belgian VAT answer that arrived in eleven pages, the Barnes & Noble payment I'm still chasing, a trip to the ER that cancelled a posting day, and trying to use my phone less.And I'm going to interview the chemical engineer about how to write a believable one. If you've got a question for him, send it to elodie@elodienow.com. He refuses to see them in advance. So. :-)If you've tried TikTok and it worked for you, or really didn't, come tell me. We can commiserate, or you can show me your data.BeccaCon + Becca Syme's Write Better-Faster Patreon — the author-business conference and the experiments-homework that started all this: https://betterfasteracademy.com (Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/beccasyme/posts)Wide for the Win Circle (where I posted about the Barnes & Noble delay): https://wideforthewin.com/L. Penelope — "The Fire That Forges You" (My Imaginary Friends), on documenting your process while you're in it: https://myimaginaryfriends.substack.com/p/the-fire-that-forges-youJami Albright — The Summer That Changed Us — the book that wrecked me (Steel Magnolias meets Schitt's Creek with the heart of This Is Us): https://books2read.com/b/mdZvPW — jamialbright.comMy Christmas Wish-List (preorder, now July 31st): https://books2read.com/MyChristmasWishCancer Is Not My Brand (preorder): https://books2read.com/cancerisnotmybrand/Nice Guys Don't Kiss Like That at Christmas: https://books2read.com/NiceGuysDontKissLikeThatA New Year's Eve Like No Other (third in the Nick & Em series): https://books2read.com/ANewYearsEveLikeNoOtherFrench editions — Ma Liste de Noël and Un Réveillon Pas Comme Les AutresIf the episode was useful, a rate-and-review would make this self-published author's day. Happy writing, and happy, happy reading.www.elodienowodazkij.comwww.elodienow.com
  1. Numbers: A TikTok Experiment As an Indie Author (the yay, the nay, and what it costs), pre-order numbers and more
  2. Writing and revising, Author Taxes & the Emergency Room: 3 Days in My Self-Published Life
  3. Numbers: Amazon blocked one of my e-books (one that had been live for ten years)
  4. ROMO Or My Reality (Realities) Of Missing Out In the Self-Publishing World…
  5. Numbers: The Book That Had 23 Preorders and…became my most read book.