Behind the scenes of the indie creative world - honest reflections, daily joys, doubts and wins
Follow Hidden Voices
Indie authors share their journeys, from publishing choices and writing routines to AI, cover art, and lessons learned. Hear A.K. Gilbert and Ansley Johnson on navigating the realities of self-publishing today.
Follow Hidden Voices
Self-publishing is full of roadblocks, hard work, and tough decisions. In Part 1, Joseph Cruey explores what it really takes to write, edit, and publish your own book, before hearing from other indie authors.
Follow Hidden Voices
Writing doesn’t become heavy because you’re failing. It becomes heavy because you care. Because the journey has deepened. When the spark dims, return to why you boarded the train in the first place.
Indie Life
What if tension in a story doesn’t come from explosions or villains, but from the quiet shifts between people? In When Community Becomes Character, Emma Forrester explores how shared rituals, silences, and relationships can carry the deepest emotional weight in storytelling.
Indie Life
In this Indie Life reflection, Randie recalls the childhood imagination that first sparked her love of storytelling and the unforgettable moment when a stranger read and reviewed her novel for the first time, reminding her why the journey of writing is worth every step.
Indie Life
In a culture obsessed with speed, indie creators are choosing something quieter: sustainability. Slow growth builds trust, deepens craft, and makes staying possible. The real revolution isn’t going viral, it’s creating work you can continue without losing yourself.
Indie Life
Teaching students with disabilities has shown me the power of listening. From helping a Deaf child’s parent learn ASL to guiding students with Autism, I’ve learned that truly hearing someone can transform lives and inspire courage in unexpected ways.
Indie Life
Behind every published indie book is an unseen emotional labor: doubt, hope, isolation, and quiet persistence. This piece explores the inner life readers rarely notice — the courage it takes to keep writing when no one is watching.
Indie Life
Creative freedom means choosing honesty over approval and trusting your voice even when no one is watching. It’s not easy, but it’s deeply worth it.
Indie Life
For many indie creators — writers, artists, small publishers — marketing isn’t just difficult. It feels wrong. Not because we don’t understand the mechanics. But because the language of marketing often clashes with the reasons we create in the first place. We write to explore, to remember, to make sense
Indie Life
Every indie author knows the moment. The moment when doubt creeps in quietly, usually late at night. When the page is blank, the sales are slow, the audience feels invisible, and the question surfaces: Why am I doing this? Unlike traditional publishing, there is no external structure holding indie authors
Indie Life
Indie publishing often feels like standing in a crowded room where everyone is shouting, and you’re quietly whispering your story, hoping someone turns their head. In a world of bestseller lists, viral launches, movie deals, and flashy milestone posts, it’s easy to wonder whether your slow-but-steady