The difficulties of being an independent developer, and my suggestions

DISCLAIMER: I am perpetually one week away from financial disaster, so listen to my advice at your own risk, lol. I am also only 32 years of age, so certainly don't know everything. I do have a unique experience, working so hard to remain independent.

I hate whining, and don't intend to do it here. However, there are some hurdles to being an independent developer, and I'd like to introduce people to some of those. Perhaps my personal ways of dealing with them will help some burgeoning developer.

1. There is all sorts of crapware out there which your products must rise above
   With all the snake-oil and malware in the world, it is sometimes difficult to rise above the crowd. An independent developer needs to convey the message that he/she isn't some money hungry company out to make a buck more than create quality software. Explain why your software does what it does. Give evidence and demonstrations... and don't be scared to 'call out' other products that are snake oil (though retribution may come from their authors, so perhaps you should do it anonymously, lol).
2. There are lots of negative Nancy's in the world ...
   There will always be someone to come and say something negative. These people usually have no idea what they are talking about and/or are just cynical. You have to learn to ignore them, as inspiration and passion are required to survive. You have to keep the faith, no matter what anyone else says.
3. Automation is the key to maintaining productivity
   It is very easy to get overwhelmed with minor daily chores and maintenance. This problem isn't easily solved, but the key is automation. Design everything to require minimal manual maintenance later. It requires more work on the front-end, but saves countless hours later. This applies to everything, from localization (translation) support, build systems, to back-end order processing systems.
4. Don't forget your roots - keep it simple
   Stay focused on the task at hand and keep everything small and simple. It is easy to grow too quickly, causing a feeling of being overwhelmed.
5. Keep learning and growing as a developer
   No matter how much of an expert you are, there is always something more to learn. Keep learning. Learning is the key to growth, which is the key to being successful.
6. Appreciate your users
   Without users, your software has no use other than to yourself. Appreciate your users and bring them into the development process. They give invaluable feedback and you meet lots of great people (in contrast to the people you may meet on some random forum or review site).
7. Don't get greedy
   People can see greed. Its obvious. Its ugly. Avoid this sin at all costs.

Well, that's my daily rant ;)... for whatever its worth to maybe someone out there.