Independent publishing isn’t a side lane for writers who didn’t make the Big Five anymore. It’s the engine driving the entire book world.

Indie authors now publish more books each year than the Big Five combined, and in digital formats, they’ve achieved nearly half of all U.S. eBook sales. Audiobooks, the industry’s fastest-growing format, are booming thanks in large part to indie creators. And as direct-to-reader platforms surge, authors are becoming their publishers, distributors, and bookstores, overturning the traditional power structure.

Let’s hear from our experts about which forces are driving indie publishing. 

Trends Expand Access to Indie Press and Voices

Independent publishing will be influenced by many trends in the near future. Self published authors who have found success using Kindle and Patreon; as well as diversity and inclusiveness of the content which reflects the current state of society, are both examples of current trends that will make independent publishing more accessible and relevant to all than it has been in the past.

Jan Van Zeeland, Deputy Editor, Game Designing

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Indie Paths Empower Debuts and Celebrate Human Originality

I believe that independent publishing is providing another way to help debut authors bring their books into the world. The reason that authors are loving independent publishing is that they have more of a stake in the creative process of their books. Book clubs, a variety of indie bookstores, and Book Tok are supporting independent publishing in terms of giving attention to some well-deserved, award-winning books. Finally, in the age of AI, independent publishing still focuses on the originality of an author and illustrator and focuses on how to capture those human aspects throughout the entire publishing process and when introducing the author, illustrator, and debut book into the world.

Kathryn Starke, Founder, Author, and National Literacy Consultant, Creative Minds Publications

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AI and Niche SEO Help Indies Outpace Giants

Things have changed for independent publishers, and now you can actually compete with the bigger players. AI tools handle keyword research and help with writing, so filling content gaps isn’t such a headache anymore. I’ve found that when you focus on specific, niche keywords, Google indexes your stuff way faster. My advice is to find platforms that help readers discover your content quickly and use any tech that keeps you one step ahead.

Vlad Ivanov, CEO, Search GAP Method

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Local SEO with Natives Drives Global Indie Reach

I’m seeing how independent publishers are now using SEO to find readers in different countries. We did the same thing when growing our international communities. Instead of just translating, we figured out what people actually search for locally. That brought in a lot of search traffic from new regions. My advice is to find native speakers early. Getting their help is what makes you visible to more people.

David Cornado, Partner, French Teachers Association of Hong Kong

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Human-Authored Books Rise as Direct Sales Grow

With artificial intelligence becoming increasingly common in all spheres of writing, including publishing, we’ve seen authors specifically note the creation of “AI-free” works. Readers who are seeking out books written without the use of AI are drawn to these books, and other writers who prefer not to use AI are eager to support authors who feel similarly. The Authors Guild even has its own “Human Authored” Certification for its Guild members.

We’ve also seen some authors shift from selling their books on platforms like Amazon and instead use their own websites to sell their books. Of course, Amazon is still the largest bookseller globally, but authors who are turning to their own sites are doing so for a few reasons, including having control of pricing and inventory. Authors often (but not always) receive more compensation per book sold when they sell their books directly to readers; however, this requires the author to put time and effort into maintaining an inventory and shipping books themselves. Still, many authors feel that it’s worthwhile.

Emily Deaton, Editor and Book Coach, KWE Publishing

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