Dear Readers,

If you follow me on Twitter, you know that I have been vocal about Amazon’s shady rule allowing customers to return read ebooks for full refunds. Indie authors on Twitter have been speaking out about the financial harm they’ve experienced because of the pernicious return policy. I ended up having some insightful conversations with fellow indie authors, including Cendrine Marrouat, the co-founder of several inspirational projects and the creator/host of The Haiku Shack Podcast.

Cendrine and I met last year when I interviewed her and co-author David Ellis about Auroras & Blossoms. She’s one of the most engaging authors I follow on Twitter, and her dedication to helping provide exposure for other indie authors is an example we should all follow!

Cendrine’s work differs vastly from my own (and the visual art she brings to her writing is amazing), but we both understand the struggles of navigating the indie publishing space. We understand how difficult it is for indie and self-published authors to establish a sense of community, learn from one another’s experiences, and gain useful exposure for our books.

For this reason, we’ve decided to try something a little different to help bring together indie authors. We’re launching a Twitter chat, and you’re invited!

The #AuthorIndieSpeak Chat is a monthly invitation to all indie authors who are interested in discussing the self-publishing industry and building meaningful relationships in their field.

While we envision #AuthorIndieSpeak as a meet-and-greet type of event, we will also sprinkle questions in the mix. Further, we would love for indie publishing experts (editors, proofreaders, cover designers, marketers, etc.) to join us to share valuable advice and insights.

After the chats, I will feature my favorite tweets in a roundup post on Waking Writer.

Day: July 28, 2022 (last Thursday of the month)

Time: 4 pm PDT / 6 pm CDT / 7 pm EDT

Duration: 60 minutes

Hosts: Cendrine Marrouat and Berneta L. Haynes

How to participate: Include the #AuthorIndieSpeak hashtag in your tweets so we can see you and interact with you. That’s it!

Important rules:

• The #AuthorIndieSpeak Chat is not a self-promotional chat. Participants will only be allowed to promote themselves at the end of each session.
• While the #AuthorIndieSpeak Chat is meant as a casual event, remember that anything you tweet will be public. Remain professional at all times.
• The #AuthorIndieSpeak Chat is inclusive. No matter who you are, you are welcome to join us.
• We want this to be a safe space for everyone. As such, we have a zero-tolerance policy for spammers, bullies, conspiracy theorists, and trolls. Offenders will be warned once, after which we will hit the block and report buttons.

Do you want to be kept in the know about the #AuthorIndieSpeak chat?

Add your Twitter link or username in the comment section below, so I can notify you directly. Alternatively, you can subscribe to receive Waking Writer posts in your inbox. I will publish an announcement on Waking Writer a day or two before the chat.

Hope to see you there!

Warmest Regards,

Berneta L. Haynes