Why I choose to be an Indie Author
I’ve been an indie author for close to a decade now, and throughout that time, I’ve often heard people say, “Oh, if only you could get a publisher to pick up your work.” Every time I hear it, I wince. I choose to be an indie author and likely always will. Here’s why.
Full Control
What many people don’t realise is that a “publishing deal” can mean a whole host of things. There are various types of deals, ranging from vanity publishing (where authors are essentially duped into paying to have their book published—read why this is never the way to go here) to traditional deals where a publisher offers an upfront cash sum for the author to write their novel. Often, these deals also mean that the publisher attains full rights to the book, and the author is tied to tight deadlines.
Being indie, however, means that I have full control over my writing. I can write at my own pace and explore the creative paths I choose. I’ve heard numerous stories of publishers instructing authors to rewrite or remove entire sections of a book—something I never have to do as an indie author.
Writing is a deeply personal experience, and the scenes we create are an extension of ourselves. Don’t get me wrong—I’m always open to criticism and willing to make alterations if they don’t compromise the story or my vision. This is where beta readers come into play, as they can suggest what works well and what doesn’t. Being indie means that I am free to follow their ideas or not.
Publishers Don’t Guarantee Success
I recently received a message from a publisher regarding one of my already self-published books. They said they loved the story but that it could benefit from a developmental edit. They then put me in contact with an editing company, to whom I sent the manuscript.
As of writing, I’ve not heard back from them, but the experience made me think. I checked out the other authors that the publisher represents and their books, and I discovered that every single one of them was ranked far lower than any of mine.
Often, publishers don’t advertise their authors' books effectively, and even the biggest ones often insist that the author does much of the legwork themselves. I’m a one-man band, yet I sell more books than authors with publishing deals behind them. In short, it’s clear that having a “proper” publisher does NOT guarantee success when it comes to book sales or making money.
In 2021, I hit #1 in the Sword and Sorcery category all on my own, with some help from Bookbub.
Cover Art
One of my favourite aspects of being an author is finding artists or creating and designing my own book covers. I love it, and I love the flexibility that being an indie author allows for this. Finding a fantastic artist to create your book cover at a good price is an excellent feeling, and there’s nothing better than showing off original artwork for your books. Some indies don’t have the budget for a good cover, and there’s a plethora of terrible ones out there. Fortunately, cover design is another skill that can be learned, and with free online tools like Canva and Paint.net, there’s really no excuse for truly awful covers. If you’re an author and want a well-priced, eye-catching cover, check out the EPIC Inide author resource section on our website for some excellent services.
The Disadvantages of Being Indie
Don’t get me wrong—there are downsides to being an indie author too. Having a professional editor on call is very expensive, and this is something most traditional publishers cover. Authors who struggle with cover design often have that taken care of as well, although there have been some high-profile examples where big-name authors have expressed disappointment at the covers chosen by their publishers.
Literally all aspects of book creation and promotion are on your shoulders, and there are few places to turn that don’t turn out to be scams or nefarious companies and individuals seeking to exploit your needs.
My advice is to try and learn all areas of the process. You don’t have to be great at everything, but some knowledge in each area will go a long way and help you avoid the pitfalls.
Are you an indie author? Would you rather have a traditional publishing deal, or do you prefer the freedom that being indie brings? Let me know in the comments below.
I really enjoyed reading this. I've been an indie author since about 2016 and I've probably only recently started to fully embrace that. I've been fortunate enough to have experience as a writer of scripts were they've been selected to be produced (mainly theatre, sketches with BBC or short film) which I've loved but a lot of the stuff I write or produce I do independently. I would still, I think, like the experience of being traditionally published or having an agent but I find the querying process like screaming into the void and a process that takes me away from writing. I also think being an indie author allows us to take control of being a writer rather than waiting for permission for one of the gatekeepers to allow you through and "legitimise" your writing. We can write on our own terms, publish it and the move onto the next project. As an indie author, you don't need to wait for someone to call you an author, you get to call yourself that. I also really enjoy designing book covers for my projects and would love to find indie artists for future projects. I'm still trying to figure out the best way to find readers with any of my indie books and do the marketing process right but I guess that will come.
A really great piece here, very thoughtful and encouraging. You've definitely helped me move closer to wearing the moniker of indie author as a badge of honour.
My husband is an indie author as well. He and I do prefer it for the reasons you have said, but we struggled very hard to find a market. He has 6 books out in 2 series but we have a hard time selling books and getting found by readers or having follow through - we will sell books in person at a show but not see a pump later online to indicate follow through on purchases. It's very frustrating.
So we've been lately looking at perhaps trying to be hybrid - he has been writing short stories to submit to anthologies to 1) gain some exposure through the anthology sales, hoping that if folks like the story he wrote they will look him up for what else he's written and 2) because we don't know what is wrong with his stories but as, you said, as a indie author, we cannot afford to have a big name, expensive editor going over the titles.
But its one thing to sell short stories; my husband doesn't mind that. But when it comes to his series, he likes the control of being indie, like you said!