Why indie publishing is a viable option for authors

Today I will share information about indie publishing and why this form of publishing is a viable option for many authors. This post is the first in a series that will answer the most popular questions. Here are four top questions that will help clarify things:

• What does “Indie Publishing” mean?
• Who are the most famous indie authors and how did they do it?
• What are the three distinct ways to go about publishing?
• What are the top ten questions authors should ask an indie publisher before committing to one?

Today let’s dive into the first question: What does indie publishing actually mean?

To fully answer this question, it’s important to understand the difference between self-publishing and indie publishing.

Today, self-publishing for the most part means you tackle all of the steps yourself to get your manuscript into book or eBook format completely alone. If you have the time and knowledge to go about doing this and still be able to compete in a very competitive marketplace—meaning you have great content that satisfies a need in the marketplace, a defined target audience, a professional book cover and interior layout, you’re properly registered to the trade on all of the publishing databases and know how to compete globally—that’s a great place to be! If you have the time, knowledge and the resources I encourage you to go that route.

However, most self-published authors are relatively new to this industry and are not aware of what is involved in the entire publishing process. Many realize later that libraries and bookstores won’t accept their books because they do not satisfy all of publishing requirements. Some go from point A to point Z without knowing there’s all this stuff in between. Independent (indie) publishing companies are available to do just that—help authors with all of the A-Z professional publishing services. Some are better than others, so authors need to be mindful of that and choose the right one for them. (See future blogs about the top 10 questions to ask a publisher before committing to one.)

Today, many independent bookstores and even chains like B&N are embracing books from indie publishing sources and that’s great news for all you indie authors. However, there are some criteria for an author to make it past the initial bookstore pitch, especially with the bookstore chains.

Check back for my look at successful indie authors (Blog 2) and how they indie publishing helped to fulfill their dreams!