There is nothing on this spinning rock we call a planet that grows as slowly, painfully, and stubbornly as an author. The only attention you attract early on isn’t praise or recognition — it’s the predators. The snakes in suits, as I call them.

Some of us get lucky. Most don’t.
And today, I want to tell you the truth I had to learn the hard way — the truth that very nearly ended my writing career before it even began.

The Early Mistakes (That Every Author Makes)

You toil over your book for months… maybe years.
Long nights, bad coffee, aching fingers, a brain that won’t switch off.

And then — the first mistake:

You overthink.
You over-edit.
You rewrite the opening chapter so many times that even your laptop sighs when you open the document.

But eventually, somehow, you finish.

You grab your favorite author’s book from the shelf and rush through the front and back matter — those sections you should study, but don’t — because all you want is to hit “Publish.”

You imagine the reaction:
Friends and family calling you the author in the family.
You imagine the comments, the congratulations, the pride.

Then comes the cover.
DIY or paid — your focus is simply slapping your name on it.
Top, bottom… who cares? You’re just desperate to be seen as an author.

And here comes the first harsh reality:

Experienced authors have no mercy.
They are unforgiving, and their words sting like a hornet’s bite.
You’re an intruder to them — stealing space, oxygen, and readers.
heir dismissal nearly made me quit right at the beginning.

The Dashboard of Doom

Then the big day arrives.

You log into your indie publishing dashboard, high on hope, and—

Subtitle? Categories? Keywords?

“What the actual fuck?” your brain screams.

Another trap.
Another crucial step you rush through.

Two of my early titles sank like the Titanic because I handled these fields like a drunken pirate taking a math exam.

You stumble along, maybe even pay a “marketing expert” (snake in a suit) to help you.
Then you get to the pricing section — every country listed separately.

Priced too low? Readers think your book is rubbish.
Priced too high? No one will buy the work of an unknown author.

So you choose your gut feeling.
And guess what?

Indie authors’ gut feelings lead to fiction, not success.

But you hit publish.

And wait.

And check your inbox.

Nothing.

Ten minutes.

 Nothing.

Finally, you go to bed — exhausted and defeated.

Morning comes, and you rush to your computer.
Emails! Yes!

But no.

Warnings about margins, bleed, ISBN issues, grammar, typos.
A nightmare.

Enter the Snakes in Suits

This is where the predators swarm.

A Facebook follower says they know a cover designer.
They lure you in slowly.
They respond late.
They tell you they’re oh-so-in-demand.

And because you’re desperate, you fall for it.

I paid $150 for the ugliest cover I had ever seen.
Two weeks later, they vanished — gone like smoke.

But you push on.
You publish.
You celebrate.

You share your book everywhere — Facebook groups, promo pages, anywhere you can.

Warning:

Those groups are nests of snakes in suits.

They watch you.
They smell your desperation.
Then — a sale!

Nope.
That was a snake buying your book to set you up.

Suddenly your inbox fills with messages:

“I can help you reach thousands.”
“I can guarantee reviews.”
“I can boost your book into the charts.”

All lies.

Then comes the next tactic:

The Impersonator Authors

They spoof acclaimed authors’ profiles.
They reach out, pretending to “help.”

Why would a bestselling author message a beginner?
They wouldn’t.

They lure you into buying book trailers, graphics, marketing packages.

Don’t pay them.
I learned the hard way.

Today, I create better book trailers myself — with free tools.

The Book Club Scam

Another favorite tactic:

Professional-looking emails.
Polished. Friendly. Praiseful.

“Can we add your title to our book club?”
“We help new authors gain visibility.”

All lies.

Snakes in suits, every last one.

What I’ve Learned After Years of Writing

I’ve been:

• A journalist

 • A lead technical writer

 • A fiction author

 • A survivor

And only now — years later — am I finally seeing real results.

I share my mistakes here so you don’t have to repeat them.

Lessons Every Indie Author Needs Tattooed on Their Soul

📌 1. Your success is yours alone.

 You chose this path — own it.

📌 2. Trust your instincts.

 If something feels off, it is.

📌 3. Instead of paying scammers, invest in a real book marketing course.

📌 4. Build an author website.

 Your subscriber list is GOLD.

 Treat them well — give them a free book, a thank you, a human connection.

📌 5. Put writing above social media.

 Your readers want you, not noise.

📌 6. Try everything.

 Over time, the puzzle pieces click together.

📌 7. Have fun.

 Seriously. Protect your joy.

📌 8. Read constantly.

 Leave reviews. Reach out.

 I met authors I once idolized — now friends — simply by showing up.

📌 9. And exercise.

 No idea why I added this. But do it anyway.

How I Shut Down Scammers Instantly

My secret weapons:

Option 1:

 I send them a Google Analytics screenshot of one of my high-performing sites and ask:

 “Can you guarantee the same results?”

Option 2:

 I simply say:

 “How can you promote my work if you don’t know my target audience?”

Silence.

 Every time.

If you want my list of tools — writing, marketing, newsletters, automation — message me.

And if you have a story about your run-in with snakes in suits, I’d love to hear it.
Your experience might save another writer.

Thanks for reading.

 And may your journey be yours — not theirs.