I have first hand knowledge of how Independent Published Authors "pay it forward."
I have made some of the best professional and personal friendships with several virtual communities over the last three years. I know without the support of the Indie Community, I would not have been able to navigate the rough waters of independent publishing. You need tentacles like an octopus to handle all the details involved in birthing a book.
Events like the group Book Boyfriend Bed Hop led by Authoress, Shannyn Leah are truly "paying it forward" to provide a 'free" vehicle for authors to talk about their books, meet new readers and meet new authors. I participated in my first event with BBBH in October. The event was fun. I made some new friends and colleagues as well as collected a few pre-order purchases for my Halloween release of The Watcher.
STALK BOOK BOYFRIEND BED HOP HERE: