As an indie author, you've got to be a bit of a braggart. You've got to shove yourself in other people's faces constantly. If you're shy by nature, that's a big problem. It's one you're going to have to learn how to overcome.
What Worked for Emily Dickinson...
It's not enough for you to write amazing stuff and then keep it all to yourself. Emily Dickinson did it, and it didn't really make her happy. If it had, she wouldn't have written so many poems about death and dying. If you're naturally shy, you have to learn how to pretend not to be. As an indie author, you have to find ways to be extroverted. So you have to find a way to flip your personality.
Be shy. Be yourself. ...When you're with your friends and family. When you're in author mode, you have to be a different person. Here's how:
- Pen name: It's a lot easier not to act like yourself if you're not actually being yourself. Create a pen name. And with it, an entire persona.
- Create a personality for yourself: If you're shy, then don't be you when you're being an author. Be a more outgoing you. Take a step outside of yourself and become the indie author you are. You may be shy, but the indie author inside you is not.
- Get inspired: If you're shy, you may not even know how to be outgoing. Look at other author social media profiles, blogs and websites to get inspiration. See what they're doing to reach out to fans, and find a way to make their methods work for you.
You can't maintain shyness if you're going to be an indie author in today's world. You have to brag, show off, reach out. You have to be an extrovert. So stop being yourself! Step into the role of indie author, and save the shyness for when you're just being you.
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