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.

Self-publishing vs. Traditional publishing: What's right for me

Royalties, formatting, marketing, and, of course, writing — this course covers it all so you can feel confident about your choice to pursue self-publishing, traditional publishing, or maybe a mix of both (yes, that’s an option).

Start Course Continue Course Retake Course Preview Course Learn More

- Is self-publishing or traditional publishing right for you
  
  Start here to learn the differences between self-publishing and traditional publishing.
  
  Start here to learn the differences between self-publishing and traditional publishing.
- Publishing earnings comparison
  
  Learn more about how earnings work in both types of publishing.
  
  Learn more about how earnings work in both types of publishing.
- Myths vs. reality of self-publishing and traditional publishing
  
  We break things down into simple, manageable parts so you never feel overwhelmed.
  
  We break things down into simple, manageable parts so you never feel overwhelmed.
- Which path is right for you?
  
  We break things down into simple, manageable parts so you never feel overwhelmed.
  
  We break things down into simple, manageable parts so you never feel overwhelmed.
- BONUS: Extra materials to download
  
  We break things down into simple, manageable parts so you never feel overwhelmed.
  
  We break things down into simple, manageable parts so you never feel overwhelmed.

Retake this course?

Retaking this course from the beginning will reset all of your tracked progress.

Retake

Self-publishing vs. Traditional publishing: What's right for me

Chapter 1

Is self-publishing or traditional publishing right for you

Chapter 2

Publishing earnings comparison

Chapter 3

Myths vs. reality of self-publishing and traditional publishing

Chapter 4

Which path is right for you?

Chapter 5

BONUS: Extra materials to download

Happy writing!