The Back Road to Success

Number one Amazon best-seller Rachel Abbott knocked-back a traditional publishing deal because ‘it didn’t feel right’.

Number one Amazon best-seller Rachel Abbott knocked-back a traditional publishing deal because ‘it didn’t feel right’. How many independent authors can say they’d have the courage to make that decision?

So many authors feel they haven’t ‘made it’ till they secure a traditional publishing deal. And that’s ok. If your dream is to see your books in bookstores then go for it.

I think having a book visible in bookstores can only add impetus to sales, particularly on Amazon and iBooks. But for Rachel Abbott, the path to success was through independent publishing- having written a damn fine psychological thriller in the first-place of course! And she’s followed that initial release with a bevy of high-quality thrillers that leave her fans breathless with anticipation for the next.

But the publishing world is tough and restless- books come and go at the top of the charts in a heartbeat. Rachel’s success, I believe, is also due to her appetite for sheer hard work, preparedness to engage responsibly in social media and here’s the biggie- her generosity of spirit.

Take a look at her blog- there’s no self-aggrandisement there - just news, opportunities to buy certainly, but most importantly in the context of this blog, she offers her time and advice to other independent authors and those offering services to them. You can’t ask for any more than that.

Rachel Abbott’s success is well-deserved and her selfless attitude to her craft and fellow authors is a beacon for what the community of independent authors could be- and is hopefully headed for — a future where authors support each other to offer readers a wider choice, beyond the narrow genre-based confines of traditional publishing.

Write-on Rachel- a long and very successful career awaits.