Sonia M. Rompoti, MSc, bsc

Here’s the thing about being an indie author: my “office” changes more often than my Wi-Fi password. Sometimes it’s a sun-bleached balcony with cicadas screaming in the background. Sometimes it’s a café where the barista knows I’ll order a freddo cappuccino and sit there too long, pretending I don’t hear my laptop begging me to hit “save.”

That’s the secret nobody tells you when you start this whole indie author thing: you’re not just writing books. You’re building a lifestyle. And if you play your cards right, that lifestyle can mean working from wherever you happen to live, or wherever your suitcase takes you.

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Greece as a Writing Partner (Not Just a Backdrop)

I currently live in Greece, which sounds glamorous until you realize half of my drafts have feta crumbs on them. But honestly? This country is the best co-author I could ask for.

• Mornings smell like fresh bread from the bakery downstairs (which somehow turns into a scene where my heroine stares at a love interest over a croissant).
• Afternoons are filled with that weird golden light that makes even my messy desk look Instagram-worthy.
• Evenings? I’ll admit it: they’re my downfall. Because when the neighbors fire up the grill and the air smells like souvlaki, productivity goes poof.

Still, Greece gives me something priceless: atmosphere. Every indie author I know is chasing that feeling of “being somewhere.” I get to soak it up daily.

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Writing While Traveling (Without Losing Your Mind)

Here’s where it gets funky. Indie authors don’t need five-star hotels or an official “writing retreat.” Our retreats are wherever we open our laptops. On a ferry. On a train. In a tiny Airbnb where the chair squeaks every time you type the letter “P.”

The beauty? You’re still working. You’re still publishing. You’re still growing your career—even while you’re half a traveler, half a writer with coffee stains on your hoodie.

That’s the real indie author flex: freedom.

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Becoming a Traveler Without Leaving Home

Even if you’re not jumping on planes every month, you’re still a traveler when you’re an author. Why? Because every page you write is movement. Every time you sit in a new café and eavesdrop on strangers for dialogue fodder, you’re traveling.

My daughter laughs at me because I’ll stop mid-walk to jot down a note about how the old man at the kiosk muttered to himself. But that’s the stuff that makes books real. You don’t have to fly to Santorini to capture magic (though hey, if you can, do it). You just have to pay attention.

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The Indie Author Advantage

Traditional publishing often tells you where, when, and how to exist. Indie publishing? It hands you the keys and says, “Drive wherever you want.”

That’s why I love this life. I can take my deadlines to the beach. I can edit in a noisy square while kids kick soccer balls around me. I can plan a whole release calendar around summer ferry trips. It’s not just a job: it’s a lifestyle experiment.

And when you learn to actually love where you live, the whole thing stops feeling like work. It feels like adventure.

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