Support for Indie Authors discussion

I haven't been very active lately. Been going through an awful lot. Now I need advice.

Here's the situation:

I have Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
It's one of the more scary cases, with serious organ involvement and constant trips to the doctor. I wear a medic alert bracelet, lol.

Last time I tried to travel, I collapsed in line at the airport and the EMTs had to haul me away. Needless to say, I was out the money for my non-refundable ticket and had to miss my little sister's wedding. Also, I was much sicker than I wanted to be.

Since then, I've developed lots of extra anxiety about leaving the house. I've also been put on some scary new meds because the health issues have compounded. The meds are immune suppressants (pretty high dose). I'm not in the high risk category and have to take extra precautions to not get sick or injured. Avoiding crowded places is on my list of precautions.

I have a local authors' book fair tomorrow. I committed, and paid, for two other large events this year. Now, I'm scared, but I also don't want to pull out. Organizers might never want to work with me again. I'm not sure how they will feel about me showing up on one of those germ masks...It's necessary, but unsightly. I'm also nervous about what happens if I suddenly get sick in the middle of everything. I've been feeling okay this week, but things can sometimes change very quickly. I'm on the verge of being truly afraid to even leave my house. And that is a career killer for an indie author.

I just need to know how other indie authors would handle this situation. I feel the details were necessary for everyone to fully understand.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading this entire post.

Sincerely open to advice here,
Adrienne

Hi Adrienne,
First of all, I'm sorry to hear about your health and my first bit of advice is regardless of anything, you do what is best for your health first. Worry about the book stuff after that.

You might want to contact the organizers of the events and ask them how they feel, or perhaps, given the extreme circumstances, they might be understanding and give you a full refund.

As to this being a career killer, that's highly debatable. There are many authors who do tons of signings, cons, etc, and there are others like me who would rather stab their own eye than deal with that much face to face anything. I do just fine.

Christina wrote: "Hi Adrienne,
First of all, I'm sorry to hear about your health and my first bit of advice is regardless of anything, you do what is best for your health first. Worry about the book stuff after that..."

Thanks for telling me it's debatable. I think my main worry is being unsuccessful because of inability to do certain things. I've read so many articles about how to be a good indie author, and going to events is always on the list of things to do, lol.

Hi Adrienne,

I'm sorry to hear about your health issues. I agree with Christina, your health comes first; don't risk it for any commitments. My suggestion is to let the organizers know the situation; they may get annoyed; big events have a built in stress factor, but if they are reasonable they will understand. If there is anyone who could do the event for you, that might be an option. Or maybe the organizers have a list of people who did not sign up in time and can fill in from that.

About being an indie author and needing to leave your house, I think it's the opposite, and that for me is a huge attraction. It's the trade guys that have to be at the beck and call. The best advice is to keep writing. Best of luck!

Do any of these people know you by sight?

Get an imposter!! A stand in!

M.L. Roberts wrote: "Hi Adrienne,

I'm sorry to hear about your health issues. I agree with Christina, your health comes first; don't risk it for any commitments. My suggestion is to let the organizers know the situati..."

Thank you! I will definitely keep writing. :-)

Martin wrote: "Do any of these people know you by sight?

Get an imposter!! A stand in!"

As soon as I can afford to pay a lookalike, I will. Unfortunately, people know what I look like.

I'm sorry to hear about your health problems. I agree with Christina, let the people know about what's going on so they know ahead of time and will be more aware of the situation for you.

If you have a scooter, or can rent one, maybe that will help? While it's clearly not the same thing, I see people using them at large tech conventions and at the airport. For example, the convention centers in LA or New Orleans are huge, and you could walk a full mile between sessions. Such a device might give you mobility and comfort. Your convention contacts might be able to tell you if they have scooters for rent at their facilities. If it's in a hotel, maybe the hotels can provide one instead if the convention cannot.

(PS: are they still called scooters, or is there a newer term for these personal transportation devices? Please correct me if I'm wrong...)

I'm really sorry to hear about your health. I am with Christina on this. I'd rather poke my eye (but my right, since it's already messed up) rather than appearing in public for signing or reading or whatever.

I am sure you won't be going there by yourself and you'll have someone you can rely on with you. At least, I hope you will. That should alleviate your worries. As others say, warn the organizer of your condition.

Many people are used to others wearing mask. For instance, when at the chemo therapy, the risk of infection is great. People with symptoms of cold all have to wear a face mask. Some cancer patients just don't want to take chances and wear one too. I would think in areas where a lot of people are gathering, seeing someone with a mask shouldn't be a huge surprise. Whether they think you are sick or you don't want to catch anything shouldn't be a great deal. If it is, well it's THEIR lost.

Good luck!!

Just one thing to say: Tell the organisers in good time.

If you tell them what is happening, but that you want to go ahead with the appearance anyway, they will think you are wonderful for keeping going and not breaking their schedule. They may well be able to lay on something to help you speak, such as a special microphone, and explain what is happening when introducing you.

I've been involved in a lot of technical presentations in the TV industry. I can say categorically that anything that is known can be managed so that it doesn't matter.

Hi Adrienne,

Have you told your doctors about your writing events and ask what they suggest?

Adrienne wrote: "I haven't been very active lately. Been going through an awful lot. Now I need advice.

Here's the situation:

I have Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
It's one of the more scary cases, with ser..."

Wow! you have been through hell, poor you! I hope life gets better soon. Talk to the organizers and if they can't help you, perhaps you could get a good friend to attend on your behalf? Someone who knows your book & willing to help you out. Remember nothing is more important than your health - I have found that acupuncture helps with my anxiety issues. Good luck and feel better soon

If you are a speaker at any of the events, definitely talk to the organizers and see what accommodations they can make. If you have a booth to sell your books, have a friend or two go to help, even if you have to hire them for a reasonable fee for the weekend. You can have a bunch of your books presigned so they can cover if you have to leave or can't make it at all. You could even have a sign with your picture thanking people for visiting your booth and saying how much you wish you could be there, but your health didn't allow it. Good luck and keep taking care of yourself!

Just look after yourself FIRST

Thanks, everybody. I think I have come up with a good plan based on your feedback.

I am a panelist for two of the author events. Both are three day conferences, so they will require a great deal of energy. I have arranged a travel companion for the one in July. I am still looking for a travel companion for the one in September.

I will also contact the organizers and let them know that I will do my best to keep to my commitment, but my health may dictate a change.

The local event today was pretty low-key, and the organizer was very helpful. Everyone was way more understanding than I expected. My anxiety level was high because I wasn't sure if I could physically handle being out of the house all day. It's been almost a year since I've out of the house for that long, lol.

Now that I know I can handle more than I thought I could, I feel optimistic and hopeful about my other engagements.

Thanks again for taking the time to read this post and respond.

:-)

Good luck and better health to you

Adrienne wrote: "Thanks, everybody. I think I have come up with a good plan based on your feedback.

I am a panelist for two of the author events. Both are three day conferences, so they will require a great deal ..."

Consult with a physical therapist for recommendations on improving your stamina, so you are less fearful of standing in lines at the airport, or walking longer distances. They can help you to gradually build up your energy with the medical understanding of SLE which a trainer in a gym would not have.
If this has been your goal as a writer, go to the conferences. Do not let the illness defeat you. Learn to manage the illness. And you will not need to wear a mask as a panelist.

Adrienne: I'm glad the event today went well. Talking to the organizers was definitely the right move.

I'm not sure what country you live in, but here in the United States we have the Americans with Disabilities Act. People are required to give those with disabilities the same opportunities as everyone else. This might mean making accommodations for those who need them. I would read up on the laws regarding disabilities in your country. Know your rights.

And remember, if anyone tries to make you feel bad about having SLE, they're not worth your time. Your health is important. You are doing a powerful thing by managing your health and continuing your career as a writer. Be kind to yourself.

I have a disability, and when I attended the local Author's Day a few years ago, I was a total wreck. I was sure everyone else would look at me like I was a weirdo. But to my surprise, all the people there were so nice. Nobody was mean to me and I had a great time. So give other people a chance to surprise you, I guess is what I'm saying.

I wish you the best of luck with your future endeavors.

Adrienne wrote: "I haven't been very active lately. Been going through an awful lot. Now I need advice.

Here's the situation:

I have Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
It's one of the more scary cases, with ser..."

Sorry to hear you have SLE. It's a tough condition. Do you have an OT that you work with? If so, the OT should be able to help you with this.