A Manifesto for Independence

For those of you who may be wondering exactly what’s meant by "indie author" or self-publishing, who may think of "vanity publishing" when you hear it, or who may wonder why on earth I and numerous other authors have chosen to go it alone, let me do my best to describe its challenges and its joys.

What Self-Publishing Is

Self-publishing (a.k.a. “self-pub”) is an alternative to the traditional publishing route with which most of us are familiar. It is sometimes referred to as “indie” (independent) publishing*, which I feel is more illuminating because at its heart, you are independently undertaking the business of transforming a manuscript into a publishable book, regardless of whether you choose to sell it.

It differs from traditional publishing in that it is the author alone who handles all aspects and expenses of publication. Traditionally, a publishing house is the one who reviews manuscripts, has them edited, formats them, prints/uploads them, markets them, and distributes them. A self-published or “indie” author handles everything, even if they contract others to handle a certain aspect for them (such as designing the cover, or physically printing copies).

Simply-put, compared to even ten years ago, there are now a bevy of platforms and services that enable us to do it ourselves. It is a rapidly-evolving landscape, and so I expect definitions to evolve, too.

*It's worth noting that sometimes you may hear "indie publishing", "independently published", etc. refer to independent presses (small publishing houses) as well.

What Self-Publishing Isn’t

“Self-publishing” was once synonymous with “vanity publishing”, which is arguably the dirt from which it sprung. However, the distinction is much clearer nowadays. “Vanity presses”, as the name suggests, are printing services that charge an upfront cost to authors to print their book, often in bulk. They are uninvolved with the development of the book, its marketing, and its post-publication life. This approach is regarded negatively by both authors and other publishers, despite the on-paper similarities to self-publishing.

“Why?”

If you’ve read the above and thought to yourself, “That sounds like a lot of work, money, and stress.” – you’re correct, it is or can be. If you’ve then asked, “Why would anyone want to do that?”, read on.

There are as many reasons why an author – whether they’ve been previously published or are just starting out – might choose to self-publish as there are authors. But, here are some of the common ones:

With the exception of folks who are only publishing for themselves or family and friends, all of the above doesn’t mean we’re completely ignoring the publishing industry at large. While profit and popularity are themselves on a sliding scale of importance for every author, a significant portion of authors are still treating their book like a business: they’re conducting market research, performing some version of cost-benefit analysis, and cultivating a certain image for their chosen audience. In other words, they’re still thinking of their reader at the end of the day.

It also doesn't mean we have less care for producing a quality book. While it's true that we don't always have access to the same tools and our budgets are slimmer, the vast majority of indie authors are striving for – and achieve – a book that's indistinguishable in quality and content from a traditionally-published book. After all, we care about our readers. Why would we want to give you something we're not proud of?

Inevitably, both of these things mean that self-publishing is full of challenges. It can be a trial-and-error journey at times, and we do not undertake it because it’s easy, but its rewards can be incredibly fulfilling.

What About You?

I chose to self-publish for a mix of the reasons listed above. I like having more control and to work to my own timetable, but honestly, I also enjoy learning all of the ins and outs! This isn’t to say it can’t be frustrating at times, or that I haven’t needed help or made mistakes – and it definitely needs a different hat to the one I wear as a writer – but by and large, the pros have outweighed the cons.

By far one of the biggest blessings to choosing this route has been the gratification of building my readership from the ground up. I feel much more in tune with my readers this way, and better-able to form lasting relationships – which, to me, was what writing was all about in the first place.

What Can I Do To Help?

I'm so glad you asked! Take a look at Support Indie Authors next. I'll go into the why, and most importantly, the how.