A Community of Collaboration

Over and over, I'm impressed by the spirit of openness and willingness to share within the Indie community.  The online world is filed with Indies who are collaborating, advising, and helping to promote each others' work.  There's a feel-good kind of vibe out there, and it makes me proud to be part of this amazing Indie movement, especially when I stop to think about it for a moment.


The thing is, when we help each other out, we're helping the competition.  It's an insane fact,
especially when you consider that most of us are fighting tooth and nail just to get our books seen.  Seriously, does this kind of thing happen in any other industry?


Honestly, I think I spend as much time on promo for other authors' books as I do on my own.  On a personal level, this is entirely explainable.  You see, those other Indie books that I've read and loved-- I can tell people about them without feeling obnoxious.  I'm not trying to sell anything.  I'm just sharing something I loved with the world.  And I feel good helping other authors, even if they are the competition, because, yeah, there's a kind of kindredness shared by Indies that is powerful enough to smother any spirit of competition.  


 
So this one is for all you fellow Indies (bloggers and readers included), who take time out of your own lives to help spread the word about other authors' books.  What a wonderful gift you give to each other, and what a wonderful example you set for the world.  :)