Interview with Indie Author Andrew Einspruch

You’re a busy creator if your two sites are anything to go by, how do you balance your time between managing and creating new material?

This is always tricky. I have a Day Job, I have my writing, and I run (along with my wife and daughter) Australia’s largest farm animal sanctuary (deeppeacetrust.com). Never a dull moment.
I do my best to write every day, usually first thing in the morning, and where possible, opportunistically during the day (I’ve been known to tap out paragraphs on my iPhone while sitting on a bale of hay I’m about to distribute to cows or sheep.)
I tend to do the business-y part (promotions, marketing, emails, etc.)  later in the day and at night. There’s always a lot to do around here so often I’m back at the computer keeping owl hours.

Where did your love of the arts come from?

For me, a love of the arts came from early exposure and participation in them. I’ve always been a reader, and loved being taken away to the other worlds  stories open up to you. It’s the same with films and series—a good one brings a smile or opens your mind or heart (and sometimes both). I also played clarinet in junior high and high school.  Playing and listening to music brought a lot of joy .  I was also attracted to performing improv and sketch comedy and did that for many years because it was fun. The same with filmmaking. When you are a creative, you need that outlet in the arts. It’s your place in the world.

You have written many books! What inspires you to write and what motivates you to keep going?

My publishing career has had two distinct phases. Starting in the mid-90s, I traditionally published around 120 children’s books, mainly for primary-aged readers in the education market. These books were done, for the most part, to publisher specification, so I did not have much scope for creativity. There wasn’t a lot of inspiration there, although I was grateful for the opportunity to be published that way.
This year starts a new phase: publishing novels for older readers, starting with my humorous YA fantasy series The Western Lands and All That Really Matters. It began as a yearning to write what was bubbling away inside of me, and I wanted to create this story that was fun for both me and hopefully, audiences. What keeps me going are the characters who want their full story told. And what’s encouraging is the responses I’ve had from readers saying how much they’ve liked the books!  

Why the decision to self-publish and where do you see it leading you?

We self-published my wife’s book, Secret Animal Business (https://billiedean.com/product/secret-animal-business) in 2008, as the publishers she was talking to wanted a book she didn’t want to write. So, that was our first step in that direction.
I started taking my novel writing seriously in 2016, and at the time, having been trad published for the kids books, I figured I’d probably do the same for the novels. And then I started listening to author-oriented podcasts, like Mark Dawson’s Self-Publishing Formula and Joanna Penn’s The Creative Penn, among others. I also bought Dawson’s online courses. It became clear that going indie was a viable approach, and that if I was going to have to  promote and market on my own anyway even if I had a publisher, then I might as well take responsibility and reap the rewards.
My hope is that is leads me to an audience who likes what I do and who’ll come along with me from book to book as I explore the creative path in the coming years.
That, and world domination.

Of your Indie author career so far, what aspect(s) do you enjoy the most and why?

I love the writing. When the muse provides something worthwhile, there’s a real feeling of joy.
I’ve also enjoyed working with beta readers, my editor, my proofreader, and my cover designer, who each bring something that helps make the books better.
And my interactions with readers have been lovely too. Some have been kind enough to write and tell me how much they’ve enjoyed my books. It’s a great feeling when people like what you do. Because your story wants to be told, and as a writer, I want to make people smile and be delighted with the character’s journey.

What challenges you the most as an Indie?

I’m still in the early stages of being an indie, and there’s so much to do and a huge amount to learn. Wide vs. exclusive. Formatting. Building an email list and establishing a relationship with readers that suits both temperament and time. A year from now, I’ll know a lot more about it all than I do now, but the learning curve remains steep at the moment.

Who are your role models in the writing world and why?

I’ve long been inspired by author William Gibson (who became the father of cyberpunk with Neuromancer). The way he brings out book after book full of interesting worlds, thought-provoking ideas, and just good yarns is highly inspiring to me.  My only regret is that there aren’t more of them.
Indie author Kev Partner is another inspiration  At the time of writing, he has a streak of 550 or so consecutive days writing at least 10 minutes. I remember when he passed 200 days, and what his word count was, and thinking, “I gotta do that.” So I set myself very modest daily writing goals, and met them for months on end. I’ve broken my streaks a couple of times, but Kev’s slow, steady consistency was very inspiring.
And then there are all the indie authors who’ve tread the path before me. I mentioned Dawson and Penn, but also the countless others who have proven that you don’t have to be Dan Brown to have a following and make a living. You just have to be consistent, create something people want, and find those people who happen to like what you do.

With the knowledge and experience you’ve gained so far, what advice would you give to aspiring Indie authors wanting to make a living from their writing?

First, math is your friend. If you can write just 350 words a day, you’ll write 127,750 words a year. That’s three novellas or a decent-sized fantasy. It only takes 685 words a day to crack a quarter million words a year. So, small goals, achieved daily, can create a result.
Second, you have to find what works for you. When you write, what you write, what you publish, who you’re writing for—the combination of all these things is unique to you. And the only way to figure it all out is to put stuff out there, and keep going.
Third, when you finish something, start the next thing right away. Don’t lose momentum.

What does your writing/creative process look like? Are you fixed on routine or do you work in cycles?

Like I said, I try to write in the morning, and when I can during the day. I’m not a detailed outliner, but I definitely need a sense of where I’m going. Otherwise, I bog down. I don’t write particularly fast, but by the time the book has gone through beta readers and gets to the editor, it is very clean.

How do your spiritual values integrate into your work?

I’m extremely aware of what I put out into the world, and the effect it might have. I once heard an interview with Sting. The Police had a massive hit with “Every Breath You Take,” which he wrote on a lark, but which put out a terrible, stalkery message to the world. He deliberately wrote, released, and made a hit of “If You Love Someone, Set Them Free” as a kind of antidote.
This really struck me. I want to put out books into the world that will make me proud, spread a little laughter and light, and which I won’t have to later think, “I wish there was an antidote.”
I’m also very animal-oriented. It’s no coincidence that in my fantasy series, the humans and animals interact as equals. This also lets me explore the interactions of different kinds of people. I truly believe that we will only have peace on the planet when we extend our circle of compassion to those who share the planet with us, both human and non-human. It shapes who I am, and by extension, what I write.
As a small example, I’m vegan because that’s a path that helps decrease suffering in the world. I don’t necessarily wear it on my sleeve, but it does mean that when I’m writing a scene that’s supposed to have a fantastic meal, it’s all awesome plant-based foods (there are lots of searches in my search history for “gourmet vegan food”).

What personal qualities do you think an Indie author needs to have and why?
  • Tenacity. You have have to stick with it.
  • A willingness to learn what needs to be learned.
  • Flexibility. You have to adjust what you’re doing to meet whatever is going on.
  • A willingness to be responsible for the whole process. You’re not just handing over your book to the publisher with a, “Here’s my baby. Go for it.” You have to be responsible for everything from the first idea to the last bit of ad copy, from the covers to the AMS ads. It’s a very different mindset.
What is your idea of success?

There are several kinds of success, and they’re all relevant. There are the big broad ones, like having a successful home life, and doing good in the world. There are the small ones, like clicking the Publish button, having uploaded your finished book. But I’m also pretty fond of the tangible, measurable kind of success—the dollars and cents. Ultimately, I’m building a career as an indie author, which means making enough to sustain me, my family, and our large family of animals.

Andrew Einspruch is the author of the humorous young adult fantasy series The Western Lands and All That Really Matters.

The first book is The Purple Haze available from Amazon.


You can download a free copy of the series’ prequel novelette, The Wombanditos, here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/5zkdne5hux


For more about Andrew and his work visit his main website HERE
Buy his books on Amazon HERE
And talk to him on facebook and twitter








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