What Is an Indie Author?
By: Elena Welsh
There are hundreds of thousands of books out there, and hundreds of thousands of authors writing them—especially now that the path to publication has expanded, giving writers more opportunities to publish on their own terms. One of these options is independent publishing, which is the path an “indie author” takes to get their books published.
But what exactly is an indie author? And no, it has nothing to do with Indiana Jones.
“Indie author” is a modern term for a self-published author—an author who oversees the production of their own book and is responsible for its publication, distribution, and marketing.
Although authors have independently published their work for centuries, online platforms like Amazon, B&N Press, IngramSpark, and other websites have made it much easier for indie authors to get their books out in the online (and sometimes physical) world.
What Is the Difference Between an Indie Author and a Self-Published Author?
These terms are very similar, with only slight differences and, in many cases, they can be interchangeable. In my mind, they are similar to rectangles and squares. A self-published author is an indie author, but an indie author is not always self-published. Here’s a bit more about the differences.
Self-Published Author
According to EBSCO, “[s]elf-publishing is a method by which authors independently print, promote, and sell their own books, bypassing traditional publishing houses.”
Because of websites like Amazon that make self-publishing so accessible, the term (although it has been around much longer than “indie author”) has gained the connotation of poorly produced books with questionable writing quality.
In my opinion, quality can vary whether a book is self-published or traditionally published, so this skepticism seems arbitrary and more about the (sometimes limited) resources available to a self-published author.
Indie Author
“Indie author” doesn’t have one universally accepted definition. However, I like the one presented by the Independent Book Review (IBR): “a writer who either self-published their book or got it published by an indie press.”
This is a broader term than “self-published,” since it includes authors who seek publication through smaller, often local or niche presses, known as “indie presses,” as another alternative to traditional publishing.
For example, an author published by Graywolf Press, an independent nonprofit publisher, will have their book acquired, edited, produced, and marketed through a conventional publishing process. These authors are published by an independent press, but are not self-published authors.
Additionally, the more modern term “indie author” reflects how much self-publishing has changed in recent decades. Many indie authors have a team of people around them to help with marketing, promotion, raising funds, or just reading their book. Indie publishing is not a path that has to be (or should be) done alone. And I think that is crucial to keep in mind for anyone looking to self-publish a book.
Pros and Cons of Being an Indie Author
As the team behind an independent press, Mom and I know a thing or two about the potential positives and negatives of taking the independent route.
Pros
Traditional publishers are often risk-averse and won’t take on a book that they don’t think will sell. This can lead publishers to favor familiar or currently popular types of books over less proven ideas (remember the mid-2010s YA dystopian era?).
You can build an audience personally, like what we’re doing here on our website, in our newsletter, on social media, and in person! We love getting to take the time to personally respond to and meet future readers, and have already met so many new people just by starting Curious Whisker Press.
You retain creative control and a larger share of the proceeds. This is the reason I believe most people choose to become indie authors. While it can be a lot of work, being fully in control of the art you create makes it worthwhile for so many people.
You can work on your own timeline and not waste time on querying and all of the other logistical loops of traditional publishing. When life happens or you have a great idea that will require a lot of edits, being an indie author gives you the freedom to take all the time you need to make your book something you can be proud of.
Cons
Indie publishing is time consuming. Beyond writing and promoting the book, you have to find professionals to help produce it and coordinate your schedule with theirs. At CWP, we’re putting in dozens of hours every week to make sure we’re ready for when our first book comes out into the world.
You maintain full financial responsibility, for better or for worse. Making a book is expensive, and the return on that investment can be small. As an indie author, you retain a larger share of the proceeds, but you are also responsible for all of the costs.
Marketing yourself is hard, especially when there is so much content in the world. I often feel like almost everything I see is trying to sell me something… and now I have to try to enter that oversaturated market and convince people to buy a book? It takes patience and consistency to gain any traction, and even then, the work doesn’t always guarantee sales.
There are lots of options, but little clarity. Our team has spent a good chunk of time over the last few months trying to decide the best way to print and distribute our books. Believe it or not, Amazon is not the only option! Now we’re navigating the struggle of having several options and trying to pick what works best for our books.
What an Indie Author Is Not
Indie authors are not necessarily writing poor-quality books. They are not unmarketable or unable to get a deal with a traditional publisher. They are definitely not taking the easy route.
Whether you’re looking to become an indie author or just want to know more about them, I hope you learned something from this blog. And I also hope you decide to stick around to see what our little independent press will be releasing in the near future!
