Indies Suppoting Indies is monthly live chat for indie authors to support each other through the wild world of publishing.
What it’s All About
Publishing independently is empowering—but it’s also complex and overwhelming. Once a month, we gather in a chat thread on Substack. The goal is to help each other solve real publishing challenges.
Bring your questions. Share your experience. We’ll figure it out together.
What to Expect
We will meet the second Sunday of each month on Substack’s chat feature
One to three writers will share a challenge they’re facing (formatting, launch strategy, metadata, sustainability, etc.). Challenges will be selected on a first come first serve basis. If no challenges have been shared for the month, I will provide a prompt that will still get us chatting and sharing out advice and experiences.
The rest of us will listen, reflect, and share solutions that worked for us
We’ll close with quick wins, shoutouts, and helpful takeaways
How to Join In
If you have a challenge:
Keep it short (1–2 sentences to start). Leave a comment or DM me, Reina Cruz ahead of time, or bring your challenge to the chat.
Let us know what you’ve tried + where you’re stuck
Be open to ideas that come from different paths
If you’re listening or supporting:
Share insight, not rules. There’s no one way to indie.
Respect each writer’s goals and offer ideas that meet their vision
Be kind, generous, and encouraging
A Few Examples of Topics:
“I’m overwhelmed by metadata. Where do I even start?”
“Which POD platform worked best for your illustrated book?”
“How do I know when to stop tweaking my book cover?”
“Any tools that helped you organize your indie business?”
Chat Etiquette
Say hi if you’re just listening! 👋 You’re welcome here.
If you share a tool or link, let us know how you’ve used it
Don’t hesitate to share your challenges! Even if we don’t make it this month to discuss, we will be continuing next month.
Hosted & Facilitated by Reina Cruz
I’ll guide the flow, make space for everyone, and share any additional tips and tricks from my own experience. We’re here to learn together.
Have a challenge you would like to bring to Indies Supporting Indies? Let me know!