Indie Books: The Future of Publishing

[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress..." data-large-file="https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress..." width="867" height="833" src="https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress..." alt="" class="wp-image-3469" srcset="https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress... 867w, https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress... 150w, https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress... 300w, https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress... 768w" sizes="(max-width: 867px) 100vw, 867px" />Photo by Emre Can Acer on Pexels.com

When I was a child, I adored my library. Going there was a weekly joy, to wander the stacks, pulling out titles at random when a spine caught my eye and reading the blurbs of an ever-growing pile of books. With this came a delicious sense of anticipation as I try to imagine which of these books was going to capture my imagination, pull me into new adventures and transport me to far-off places.

Now? My experience finding and reading books couldn’t be more different. I click “hold” on my library app for all the books I keep seeing popping up on Instagram. All of these books are published by The Big Five corporate publishers. I’m drowning in a never-ending pile of tbrs that I couldn’t get through in several lifetimes, all to keep up with the absolute must-reads that everyone else has already read. Reading has become less fun, and more of a chore.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? I’ve decided to make some changes to my reading habits this year. The answer … indie books.

My 2024 resolution is I am going to find and support more indie authors. Because, as it turns out, it actually really matters, both on a small-scale, personal level, as well as a big-scale level when it comes to society as a whole.

[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress..." data-large-file="https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress..." loading="lazy" width="768" height="1024" src="https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress..." alt="" class="wp-image-3478" srcset="https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress... 768w, https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress... 113w, https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress... 225w, https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress... 975w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" />Photo by Alana Sousa on Pexels.comWhy is Supporting Indie Authors Important?

The rise of indie authors goes right to the heart of the publishing industry, which has been, er, flagging over the past decade or so. Instead of dozens of different book publishers as there used to be in the past, there are now five major book publishers in the world (although word on the street is that could soon go down to four). When you hear an author or editor refer to “The Big 5” they mean Hachette, Harper Collins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster. While there are many imprints under these parent companies, all the big book-purchasing decisions are being made by very few people at the top.

Publishing under these five publishing companies has often been referred to as “traditional publishing,” but it is beginning to now be called “corporate publishing.” When you call it traditional, it sounds sweet and vaguely archaic, harkening to dusty bookshops and quaint booksellers and curling up in front of the fire with some amazing stories.

However, corporate publishing might be more accurate, for better or worse. The idea that the big five are trying to bring you the best and brightest of a generation is not the real picture. Because these publishers are in the business of making money. New ideas and debut authors don’t sell money immediately – it takes time and investing to build up an author’s reputation. What does sell is established authors, as well as celebrities. This is what is being pushed out by the publishing companies right now.

[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress..." data-large-file="https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress..." loading="lazy" width="1007" height="823" src="https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress..." alt="" class="wp-image-3481" srcset="https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress... 1007w, https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress... 150w, https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress... 300w, https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress... 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1007px) 100vw, 1007px" />Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

And yet, the publishing industry is floundering with the advent of independent publishing – the ability for authors to bring their work directly to the public, or through small, non-profit publishers. Because while the big five have a stranglehold on what is being given to the public, it turns out the public doesn’t always like to be told what to do.

For the longest time, the big publishers have been the “gatekeepers” of what books get an audience in the world at large. But in this day and age, the odds of an unknown author receiving a book deal are vanishingly small, if they don’t have built-in followers or celebrity.

But it wouldn’t be fair to assume that a book “wasn’t good enough” to make it with the Big 5 because an author went the indie route. That stigma belongs in the past. Most readers don’t actually look at the publisher before buying – they just want a quality story that looks good and reads well.

[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress..." data-large-file="https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress..." loading="lazy" width="1024" height="387" src="https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress..." alt="" class="wp-image-3483" srcset="https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress... 1024w, https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress... 150w, https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress... 300w, https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress... 768w, https://cordeliakelly.files.wordpress... 1852w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Photo by Josh Hild on Pexels.com

The truth is, while indie authors do not have the same support financially as those published by the big five, it doesn’t mean the quality of their books suffers. The author simply has to pay out of pocket to get the same level of editing, meaning they invest far more in their work than established authors. For example, one of my books has been developmentally edited by the same editor of The Hunger Games, which was an amazing experience for me. Authors can access excellent editing, it just costs them.

Some famous indie books that I absolutely loved include:

Hugh Howey, with WoolLisa Genova, with Still AliveAndy Weir, with The MartianRupi Kaur, with milk and honeyMargaret Atwood, with Double Persephone

There are so many more, so many untapped sources of incredible stories if you’re willing to look! So if you’re interested in finding the gems that nobody has seen before, the answer is indie authors. They are bringing fresh, new work, allowing us to go back to the days when we could discover something new. And it can make a big difference to an author’s life on a personal level.

Indie authors adore their fanbase, and they love it when readers engage with them. And you know that when you support an indie author, your dollars are going (partly) to support a real person (don’t punish indie authors because you hate a certain global conglomerate that has a stranglehold on the indie publishing space – indie authors don’t really have other choices).

By supporting indie authors, you get to decide what you read, you rebel you. And you might find your next favourite author and get to be the one to introduce them to the world.

How to Support Indie Authors

So what are the best ways to support indie authors?

Interact on their social media accounts! Indie authors will likely respond because they are sincerely invested in their fanbase. And hearing that someone liked their book is an easy way to make someone feel wonderful.Buy their books! I know this sounds obvious, but that financial support means everything to a struggling author. Sometimes you find an indie book through the library or second hand bookstores. This is how I find 99% of the books I read. If the author is indie, though, I make a point of either supporting their Patreon if they have one, or purchase an ebook of theirs to ensure they are seeing some support come in. I could mean the difference of them being able to write their next book!Review their book – reviews are gold for authors. This is a way for people to find books out of the millions available. Seeing people’s true comments about what they enjoyed (or didn’t) is going to help like-minded readers make up their minds on whether to read or not. Even if it’s only a few lines, it makes a huge difference.Share your love of the book, on social media or just with your friends. Crazy as it sounds in our tech-savvy world, word of mouth is still one of the top ways that people find out about their next favourite read.

Obviously, I have a bias here. I have two novels coming out this year. They are being published under a small press label, Brown Cat Press. While I am delighted to have this support, the financial and marketing burden is nearly entirely my own. So if you’re interested in supporting this new author, consider preordering my debut novel The Well of Souls, a young adult fantasy that combines the paranormal elements of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with the action and adventure of Indiana Jones.

I will be actively seeking new indie books, so you can check out what I find on my Instagram (@bookoracle1). I will also be showcasing my favourites on my newsletter, so sign up here: Cordelia Kelly newsletter.

Indie Authors! I’d love to hear from you. Reach out and let me know about your book. I read fiction only, and have a preference for genre books over literary. But I’m always interested in what’s going on in the indie scene so get in touch.

Coming April 2, 2024

View more on Cordelia Kelly's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on January 08, 2024 08:59

No comments have been added yet.

Curl Up With a Good Blog

Lots and lots of book recommendations, usually broken into interesting categories: women in horror, world history non-fiction, books set in the circus ...

Cordelia Kelly's profile
16 followers