Is indie publishing the same as self-publishing?

They often mean the same thing. Sometimes indie publishing refers to smaller, independent publishers who work with authors, and self-publishing refers to authors who take on the responsibilities of publishing themselves. To be very clear, someone could say they are a self-published indie author.

Do indie authors make more money than traditionally published authors?

Yes, the profit percentage is much higher for indie authors. The catch is that traditional publishing houses often have marketing departments to help sell books. But the majority of traditionally published authors never out-earn their advance and do not receive royalties.

Can a self-published book become a bestseller?

Yes. Books like Matt Dinniman's Dungeon Crawler Carl, E.L. James's Fifty Shades of Grey, Andy Weir's The Martian, and Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad were all self-published before becoming bestsellers.

Do I need a literary agent if I want to self-publish?

No. Literary agents help authors get traditionally published. If you are self-publishing, you are not looking for a publisher, so an agent is not necessary.

What is the biggest disadvantage of self-publishing?

The biggest disadvantage of self-publishing is that all of the responsibility falls on you to put out a flawless book that also hits all the hallmarks of its genre — cover design, formatting, editing, and more.

Natalie Saar 10/13/26 Natalie Saar 10/13/26

Meet Mohamed Ahmed Elbossily Mohamed, author of “Caves of Comfort — Part One”

Spend a few minutes getting to know independent, self-published author Mohamed Ahmed Elbossily Mohamed.

Natalie Saar 10/11/26 Natalie Saar 10/11/26

Meet Jonathan Karma, author of “The Warrior’s Way”

Spend a few minutes getting to know independent, self-published author Jonathan Karma.

Natalie Saar 10/7/26 Natalie Saar 10/7/26

Meet James Stela, author of “The Ultimate Dry Mix Pantry Cookbook for Beginners”

Spend a few minutes getting to know independent, self-published author James Stela.

Natalie Saar 10/4/26 Natalie Saar 10/4/26

Meet Ronald Jackson, author of “Beyond the Backstage Door”

Spend a few minutes getting to know independent, self-published author Ronald Jackson.

Natalie Saar 1/12/26 Natalie Saar 1/12/26

Meet Lynn Busby, author of “The Scent of Water”

Spend a few minutes getting to know independent, self-published author Lynn Busby.

Meet Mohamed Ahmed Elbossily Mohamed, author of “Caves of Comfort — Part One”

Meet Jonathan Karma, author of “The Warrior’s Way”

Meet James Stela, author of “The Ultimate Dry Mix Pantry Cookbook for Beginners”

Meet Ronald Jackson, author of “Beyond the Backstage Door”

Meet Lynn Busby, author of “The Scent of Water”

The Indie Authors Digest

Happy writing!