by Joe Walters

Writers, it’s about that time.

You’ve done the work. You’ve written, you’ve revised, revised again, gotten beta readers, implemented their feedback, edited, edited again, polished, and now you’re feeling confident that your book is pretty damn good. 

First of all, hell yeah.

Second of all, where do you go from here?

It’s easier to publish a book in 2023 than it has ever been. But that doesn’t mean you should necessarily take the easy route. Sometimes it could be the best decision; sometimes it could be the worst. Take your time and choose with confidence (and maybe a little guidance from me). This post includes info & tips for writers looking to publish with an indie press, to self-publish, or to publish with a major publisher.

Here’s an essential guide to publishing companies (with 50+ publishers included).

I’ve never shouted, “I love indie presses!” from the rooftops, but that’s only because I don’t like rooftops.

Independent presses run the full gamut—large, small, niche, broad, great, not-so-great, you name it. There are a lot of people out there who love books enough to publish them. An indie press can be a side-gig for a book lover or it can be a million-dollar business for a CEO with major connections and funding. 

Indie presses are important to book publishing. So many books in your local bookstore come from the same five publishers and their imprints–more on this in part 3!–but traditional indie presses expand the horizon of books and ideas. Many of these presses take risks on books they believe should be published even if they don’t fit a common model like salability and neat genre fits. I salute them (and review them) as often as I can!

So how do you publish with an independent press?

That depends on the press! Some indies require agented submissions, while others you can submit without an agent. You just have to follow each specific press’s guidelines, write your best book, and cross your fingers.

My biggest recommendations for publishing with an indie press:

• Actually read a couple books from the press. Not only do you want to find out if their vision matches that of your book’s, but you also want to see if it’s professionally formatted and something you’d be proud to share a shelf with.
• Follow their submission guidelines exactly. They receive a lot of queries, and you don’t want to miss your chance at the very beginning.
• Google them & their books to find out any book publicity they’ve received. You want to see what kind of coverage your book could get.
• Make your book as good as it can be ten times over. Many indie presses want to take books that can slide right into a publishing queue. Since they pay their editors on their own dime, it’s a lot less of an investment to take on a book that requires fewer editing-hours to complete.
• Write and get feedback on a compelling query letter.
• Some presses take breaks in their reading periods. Don’t submit outside of them, and if you think your book is the best fit for that press anyway, wait for them to re-open.
• Many indie presses publish books across genres, but some ask for specific genres. Don’t submit if your book doesn’t fit.
• Some publishers frame their submissions as contests or awards. This is fine! You may have to pay to submit, but it usually helps pay an advance to the winning author, something not every indie press does.
• Actually like the look and applicability of their website! The online marketplace is an important one.
• Research what they do to market their books. Do they run a regular newsletter? Are they active on social media? Do they get a lot of book reviews?
• Ask their authors what their experience has been.
• Try university presses! (Not included in list below)
• Peruse more lists like on Duotrope, NewPages, P & W, and Bookfox.

Want to know what people would say about your book if it was published today? Try group beta reading!

Self-publishing is the right route for some people. There’s no getting around the fact that you get complete creative control AND a considerably higher royalty percentage than publishing with a press. You can publish that thing today if you wanted to, or you can transparently use it as a business tool to funnel clients straight into your business. 

You know what that means? More money!

But you know what it also means? More competition & less free help!

But before we get anywhere, it’s imperative that you recognize which part of the publishing process you are skipping: The gatekeeper.

An agent receives thousands of queries. Publishers do too. They choose only a select number of them per year—could be two, could be twelve, could be two hundred. It depends on what that particular person or organization is planning to do with their business. 

They choose only the books that they think will: sell, get acclaim, move readers emotionally, get optioned into a movie, or some other business-specific reason.

By skipping this gatekeeper step, you are not putting your book to the test in the market. I want you to have a published book too, but sometimes that book isn’t ready. You publish it early, and some readers don’t love it. Some might even find things hurtful inside it. That’s a big reason why beta reading and getting feedback is so important. Test the market. Take your time. Make that thing shine before publishing.

And if you do go the self-publishing route, make sure you read up on book marketing! Taking an honest look at what you’re up against—like the amount of actual work hours it’ll take to market—will help you decide if self-publishing companies are the right decision for you.

In addition to doing it all yourself, you can self-publish with a vanity or hybrid press.

A vanity press is one that you can pay to publish your book for you. They do the dirty work like uploading, designing, and accounting. Depending on whichever services they offer in your contract, they may also provide developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, cover design or illustration, and marketing. 

A hybrid press is a press that either A) requires some money to publish your book, but will front other costs; B) Doesn’t publish every book that is submitted to them; or C) a press that publishes some books on their own dime and other books by being funded by the author.

Some vanity or hybrid presses are awesome to work with. They care about their authors, provide great customer service, and are upfront about their fees and requirements. Others are not as awesome. Some have poor or nonexistent customer service and mislead authors to expect the brightest lights in exchange for more money. 

Some questions to ask your vanity or hybrid press:

• How much is the basic service and what specifically does it entail?
• What does the upgraded service include specifically? 
• Do you charge me when I need to make changes to my book or my book listing?
• How often are you available for marketing help and guidance?
• How many book cover mock-ups does your designer provide?
• Does the basic service include developmental editing, copy editing, and proofreading?
• Are there any yearly fees?
• Can I get freelance services elsewhere and still use your company to publish?
• How long will it take to edit, design, and publish the book?
• Can you show me some books in a similar genre that you’ve published?
• Can you share any other authors’ contact information so I can ask their opinion of your company?

Don’t be afraid to say no to hybrid or vanity publishing companies. There are others out there. 

Here are some of our favorite indie books of 2022.

The big five publishers—listed below—publish many of the top-selling books of a given year. These books appear on reading lists, major media outlets, celebrity book clubs, and bookstores all over the world. They have many imprints and have published a ton of books for a long time. They are a sort of 1%, except they’re probably more visible than that.

As an author, these things probably sound great to you. If you want to get an advance and get financial backing for your book, publishing with a big five publisher is something you probably want to try.

But wait! 

In order to publish with them, you have to find a literary agent to represent you. Then they have to successfully convince a publishing house to publish your book. This is not easy.

Authors spend years perfecting their craft, making connections, publishing short form works in recognizable outlets, getting grants, increasing their social media following, and beyond in order to impress agents and publishers to increase their chances. But again, this doesn’t guarantee anything.

Yet again, some authors don’t take years. Some take one incredible story to blow the doors off, get signed, and get published. 

Lesson of the day: Write the best book you can. Pitch agents strategically. And write more books.

Parting words

Publishing a book is complicated. Choosing the right path, pursuing it at the right time, dealing with the repercussions of your choices: It’s all stressful but only because you care so much.

Take your time, publish the best book you can, and keep writing. That’s what it’s all about anyway, isn’t it?

What is the most important thing you need from from publishing companies? Let me know in the comments below!

About the Author

Joe Walters is the editor-in-chief of Independent Book Review and the author of The Truth About Book Reviews. He has been a book marketer for Sunbury Press, Inkwater Press, and Paper Raven Books. When he’s not doing editorial, promoting, or reviewing work, he’s working on his novel, playing with his kids, or reading indie books by Kindle light.

Thank you for reading “50+ Publishing Companies for Traditional & Self-Publishing: A Guide for Writers“ by Joe Walters! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

The post 50+ Publishing Companies for Traditional & Self-Publishing: A Guide for Writers appeared first on Independent Book Review.

by Joe Walters

Publishing a book is more possible than ever.

You’ve written a book. Maybe it’s a cozy mystery. A self-help or business book. A wickedly entertaining tome of literary fiction. Regardless, your beta readers say it’s amazing and you’re proud of it.

So how do you get it published?

Lucky for you, you’re approaching this publication in a time when getting a book published is as accessible as ever. While there are four primary options for publishing a book, you’ll want to know the pros and cons of each one so you can make the best decision for you.

Here are your primary options for publishing a book.

Option 1: Traditionally publish with a major publishing house

You know those books that appear in nearly all of the bookstores around the country? How about the ones that get picked up by major book clubs like Reese Witherspoon’s and Emma Watson’s?

If you want to get your book seen by the most amount of people, you probably want to try traditionally publishing with a major publishing house.

A major publishing house could be a press within the big five publishers (like Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster) or it could be a larger independent press like Graywolf Press.

But you can’t just go knocking at PRH’s door asking for a contract. You’ll need a literary agent first.

Major publishers and larger indie presses do not accept unsolicited submissions from the author, so you’ll need to send a query letter, synopsis, and a few sample pages to a literary agent. If an agent wants to represent you, they’ll submit your book to editors at one of the major publishing houses for you. You both will have to sit back and hope the publisher will purchase the rights to your book.

If you want to take this route, you should be aware of a few things:

• It might not work. All you can do is write the best book you possibly can and start querying. So write, rewriter, revise, revise again, go through beta reading, revise again, and send that baby out there.
• For fiction, you’ll need to finish writing your book before you query.
• For nonfiction, you may be able to send a book proposal instead of finishing the project first. Just check out the agent’s submission guidelines.
• Do your research on literary agents before you query. Don’t send out large batches of queries to every agent you can find. Each agent specializes in certain types of books, so check out which genres they’re looking for and a few of the books they’ve already gotten published.
• Literary agents work on commission. When your book sells, your agent gets a portion of the sale. Do NOT pay an agent upfront to take on your manuscript.
• When a major publishing house decides to give you a contract, they may give you an advance. It could be pretty high or relatively low. But regardless of how much it is, don’t spend it all in one place. It could get you into some iffy financial situations.
• You’ll need to earn out your advance before you start earning royalties. This means that you won’t get paid per book sold until you make enough to cover how much the publisher gave you at the beginning of the process.
• There are tiers within traditional publishing. If your press believes a certain book could make more money than another, that certain book will receive a higher advance and book marketing budget. Your agent will likely communicate this stuff with you as well as help you make the decision if being lower tier in a major house is actually better than being higher tier at a smaller house.
• If you have no money to expend on getting your book published, this is your best shot at having the best product.
• Major publishing houses often use bookstores as one of their primary marketing targets. If you have a dream of walking into a random bookstore and finding your book there, shooting for a major publishing house might be a good place to start.
• This is a terrifically lengthy process. You might wait years after querying your book to be published, so put on your comfy pants and get working on your next project.
• In 2023, even major publishing houses don’t use a lot of their marketing budget on book tours. It’s possible that some of them do, but if you’re looking for a book tour, just be aware that you might be covering the travel expenses.

Want to know what people would say about your book if it was published today? Try out group beta reading!

Option 2: Traditionally publish with a smaller publisher

If you’re looking through my window, you can see me jumping up and down while I type this, chanting, “SMALL. PRESSES. RULE. BABY!” A small press is a publishing house often made up of less than ten staff members who work their butts off to publish books they believe in.

Oftentimes, that means they’re taking on books that won’t be accepted by major publishers for any number of reasons. One of those reasons? Maybe a major house thinks your book doesn’t have a salable hook, so they don’t buy it. But a small press? They might not care. If they find a terrific book in their slush pile, they’ll get to work on making sure it reaches its audience. Small presses also accept submissions directly from the author, so you won’t need a literary agent for them.  

A small press’s goal is often about putting an amazing book in front of its audience. They work on books regularly, giving them the expertise to understand how things sell and how they can utilize their personal connections to get you into bookstores, do author events, and get your book reviewed. A small press might give your book more attention than a major publishing house would (especially if you’re published on a lower tier with a major), so it could give you immense joy to be able to work with them. The small press community is one of the kindest I’ve come in contact with, and I couldn’t be more grateful to work with them at IBR to spread the word about their great books.

If you decide to take this route, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• You may not get a large advance or any advance at all. Small presses do not usually have large budgets, so you and the press might move directly into the earning-royalty phase.
• Much of the marketing work could fall on your shoulders. While these small presses can offer you increased validation when pitching for events, shelving queries, reviews, and more, you may still need to be the one pitching it. But the press will likely give you pointers and offer the help they can. I give book marketing tips too!
• Some small presses take different royalty percentages than others and publish in different formats than others. Just make sure you do your research and agree to their terms before you sign the contract. It’s okay to turn them down.
• If you’d prefer not to spend too much money on your book, this is your second best option. You’ll likely have to pay a few fees for optional marketing (like events, conferences, editorial reviews, or maybe even contests), but you won’t be asked specifically by a small press to give them any money.
• While many major publishing houses are stuck in New York, small presses can be anywhere. That means if you’d like to shoot for a local press, you’ve got a great shot at finding one near you.
• Did you know that indie and small presses are often the recipients of major book awards? Well, you do now. Small and indie presses publish risky and non-commercial material that don’t always get picked up by major houses, and in return, judges recognize the uniqueness of the concepts, ideas, and writing with awards. If you think you’ve got a special book that might not fly off the shelves but will impress whoever it’s read by, you should check out smaller indies.
• All in all, a small press is a team of publishing professionals who believe in your work and want to help readers find it. If you run into anyone running a small traditional press, give them a high-five for me. I’m sure they’re busy with their other jobs, but I’m also sure they’d love to hear that they appreciate the work they are doing. I know I do.

Discover new publishers by reading about these impressive indie press books!

Option 3: Use a hybrid or vanity press

This publishing option is perhaps the most controversial.

If you head onto your favorite social media group or publishing forum, you’ll get advice from people telling you that you should never pay to publish your book. While this advice is well-intentioned, it also spreads unnecessary anger toward companies who offer valuable services to authors.

The terms “hybrid press” and “vanity press” have one major thing in common: the author pays a publishing company to provide the service of publishing a book. Each vanity press has a different model of how these payments work. Some presses accept only specific types of books, others accept anything they can get their hands on, and a few will only take on products they truly care about.

Regardless, vanity or hybrid publishing is a form of self-publishing where the author receives all of their author services in one place. As a self-published author, you will need to purchase author services anyway, so you might find the convenience of getting them all in one place is great for you.

However, you’ll also want to be picky when choosing your hybrid publisher. There are a few presses out there that have caused outrage when it comes to poor customer service, hidden fees, and an overall outlook that has a problematic goal of taking your money instead of helping you. These problematic businesses exist in every industry, but just because a few companies have backward goals does not mean that every one does.

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you are considering hybrid publishing:

• Weigh your options heavily. Do your research and discover the pros and cons of using a hybrid publisher instead of self-publishing.
• Understand your goal prior to hybrid publishing. If your goal is to have a book that you can love out in the world, this could be a good option. If your goal is to make money off of your fiction, it’s possible that a hybrid publisher could get you there—but it may be a bit more difficult.
• Some hybrid presses operate on a model that will not benefit you. Ask questions about how much things cost, why they cost the way they do, and if you would prefer to do it on your own or with someone else. It’s possible that a mean-spirited hybrid press feels pushy and/or makes promises that seem unlikely. It’s fine to say no.
• There are some truly wonderful hybrid publishing companies. They have kindhearted staff members who want to see you succeed and do everything they can to help you get there. They may work in publishing full-time, and this may be your first time trying to sell a book. Utilize their expertise and experience.
• If you enjoy your experience with a hybrid press, make sure to share it with other authors. There is so much negativity surrounding this type of press, and I think publishing forums and social media groups would be a better place if we all approached these different types of publishing with respect.

Looking for something new to get for your birthday this year? Check out these gifts for writers!

Option 4: Self-publish your book

With the advent of new technology, the process of making a book available to the public has become easier than ever. But that doesn’t mean self-publishing a book successfully is easy. And really, if you’re considering publishing a book, that should be the number one goal: doing it right.

If you self-publish with strategy, you can take advantage of the much-higher royalty rate and potentially pave your way to making a living with your writing. Honestly, this might be the best way to make a living with your writing.

Before you go hitting the publish button though, you should consider a few things:

• When you self-publish, you are doing the job of multiple people at a traditional publishing house. Prepare yourself for a ton of work and not enough time in the day. And because of that, you’ll want to hire some experts for your production team.
• Just like a traditional publishing house, you’re going to need a realistic budget to work with. If you skimp on paying for essential services like cover design and copy editing, your product will suffer because of it. And once you put something out on the market, you won’t want to make the mistake of having to fix stuff afterwards. You only have a few shots to impress your first fans, and if you rush the process and skimp on a budget, you could lose those lifelong readers.
• At traditional publishing houses, the staff members have valuable experience and an expertise that could stop you from making a huge mistake. When you’re self-publishing, you are all on your own. There’s no one telling you that you cannot leave that problematic scene in your book. Your editor might suggest that you remove it, but it’s up to you to make the final decision. Just make sure you get plenty of input from outsiders before you publish: from developmental editing to beta reading and beyond.
• Do your research on trustworthy author services. It’s important to trust and believe in the people working on your book, so before you hire your developmental editor, make sure you believe they can do the best job for you. There are quite a few out there, so get sample edits and hire the one you believe in and can see yourself working with.
• Take. Your. Time. There are a million reasons why traditional publishing takes a long time, but perhaps the most important is that you need to do loads of preparation before a book is made available to the public. Don’t set a publishing date as a goal and force yourself to finish it if things get pushed back. It’s more important to do it right than to just do it in general.
• Treat your book like a business. This is a product. And you are the owner of that product. How can you make sure your production team is offering everything you need while also giving you the time to be the content creator (or writer) who can come out with the next product?
• You could be putting yourself in the position to make the most money off of a book sale as possible. Not too shabby! Only downfall? You’ll have to front the cost of the book’s production, which means if you don’t have much money when you begin your project, you may be better off trying to traditionally publish instead.
• It is a bit more difficult to get self-published books in bookstores. Due to returns and other bookstore policies, your dream of seeing your book at Barnes and Noble may be a bit harder to achieve. Not impossible though!
• Self-publishing can be extremely rewarding, so if you’re thinking about taking the plunge, I wish you the best of luck! And send us your book to get reviewed after you do!

What do you think is your best path for publishing a book? Let me know in the comments below!

About the Author

Joe Walters is the editor-in-chief of Independent Book Review and the author of The Truth About Book Reviews. He has been a book marketer for Sunbury Press, Inkwater Press, and Paper Raven Books. When he’s not doing editorial, promoting, or reviewing work, he’s working on his novel, playing with his kids, or reading indie books by Kindle light.

Thank you for reading “Publishing a Book in 2023: Which Path Should You Take?” by Joe Walters! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

The post Publishing a Book in 2023: Which Path Should You Take? appeared first on Independent Book Review.

by Joe Walters

What does the phrase “indie books” mean?

Weirdly enough, this a complicated question. 

Different companies and different people consider an “indie book” different things, almost like the ambiguity of “blurbs.” For an industry so obsessed with words, this makes sense to me. Oh, it needs analysis? Sign some book nerds up!

So I’m throwing this out there…

This is how IBR defines an indie book: “a book that is either self-published or published by an independent press.”

You may ask, “Why not just choose one word for indie press authors and one word for self-published authors? Why use only ‘indie book?’” 

Well…

There are a TON of similarities between the two types of indie books.

Let’s look at it first from the perspective of a person entering a bookstore.

Maybe it’s Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million, but my vote is for the indie bookstore down the block from you. You walk in and see books on tables and books on shelves, and you want to read them all. (Or I do.)

But did you know that most books in most bookstores come from the same five publishing houses or their imprints? 

You might know their names: Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, Harper Collins, and MacMillan. These companies publish books by celebrities, by Stephen King, by Booker Award winners. They use large marketing budgets to sell large amounts of books to their large customer bases. And a lot of the time, they’re excellent books by brilliant authors & experts.

But just because they’re published by these companies doesn’t mean they’re better than the books that are published elsewhere.  Just because they’re all over your local bookstore doesn’t mean that they’re the only authors and books worth reading.

Books by indie presses win major awards every single year. These presses publish and promote books that break boundaries, take risks, and change the way we see our world. (I’m looking at you, Braiding Sweetgrass!). 

Now, here’s the thing…

Books by self-published authors can be just as or better than traditional publishers. They see this is a business decision–one in which they can launch when they want to, build their brand how they want to, control the output, and receive considerably more in in royalties. There are so many good self-published books out there, with hustling authors pumping out bestselling books. 

I guess what I’m really trying to say here is:

Put your trust in indie books.

I’m not telling you to stop reading books by the major publishers. Actually, I’ll tell you to read more of them (because *plot twist* books are awesome). It’s just–you should also make room on your nightstand for the best indie books.

Don’t balk at your purchase when you see “Independently Published” in the Product Description box. Make indies a regular part of your reading habit so that you can see all of the amazing things that authors and presses can do with their limited budgets and unlimited creativity.

My company (IBR, the site you’re on RIGHT NOW) reviews only indie books and curates lists of them. We want to give both types of “indie author” the opportunity for publicity & recognition. We want to shout indie books from the rooftops since the Big Five publishers already have real estate up there.

But before you go scrolling more of our book lists, let’s put to rest some indie publishing anomalies.

What is an indie press exactly? 

It is a publishing house that is not connected to the Big Five publishers except in relation to distribution. Indie presses can be as small as one dedicated individual in a basement to full offices of full-time employees. The departments can include editing, marketing, design, legal, accounting, management, etc. An indie press can even have a number of imprints.

What is a small press?

An indie press (just smaller)! A small press may consist of only a few employees and publish a few titles a year, while bigger indies with bigger staffs publish 100+ books a year. Things can also get a little mixed-up with that “small” designator when the books make it big via huge sales and big awards.

Since I know you’re wondering! Some of my favorite small presses are Future Tense Books, Thirty West Publishing, and June Road Press.

What is an indie author?

At IBR, we consider an indie author to be a writer who either self-published their book or got it published by an indie press. Some people choose only to describe self-published authors as indie authors, but I like indie presses & their authors way too much to leave them out of the distinction.

Yes, this means that bestselling authors with major indie presses and wide distribution wear the same “indie author” moniker as a self-published author who has to do most if not all the work themselves. So why put them in the same category?

By going with an independent press, these big-name bestselling authors are still contributing to a break away from the at-times singular vision of the same five companies & their imprints. New minds, idea expansion, risk-taking, groundbreaking–indie authors can sell a ton of books or none; they’re both still indie to us.

What are some more similarities between self-published & indie press authors?

If you publish with an indie press, you may receive services like editing & cover design for free. (If you publish with a vanity indie press, you pay them for the services). 

When your book comes out, the press may do some marketing on your book’s behalf too. Maybe they send an email, post it on social media, and pitch for reviews. It benefits them to sell books because they get a portion of the royalty. 

But beyond this help from the press, they share almost everything with self-published authors. Many indie presses use Print on Demand services instead of printing large quantities of books at a time. 

Like self-published authors, indie press authors are responsible for doing the bulk of the marketing: pitching for reviews & interviews, doing readings, operating email lists, paying for book promotion, etc.

This is hard, time-consuming work—one of the many reasons why I want to make things a bit easier on indie authors with IBR. These humans are out here actual sweating—selling, producing, and writing great books all wiping their brow.

Where can I find & support indie books?

1. Independent Book Review! We review only indie books, and we curate our collection by delineating our favorite books (Starred Reviews) and we put together book lists regularly that highlight some of the amazing work being done in the indie publishing community.
2. Kindle Unlimited & Scribd! These eBook subscription services are highly utilized by indie authors. Not all of them will be indie published, but if you check out the “Product Information,” they’ll share if the book was independently published or published by an indie press.
3. Deal sites like BookBub, BargainBooksy, and Fussy Librarian! If you subscribe to email lists like the ones provided here, you’ll get notifications of free or discount books. And who utilizes this service often? Indie authors! 
4. Amazon bestseller lists! If you go to specific genre bestseller lists, you’re bound to find indie books scattered throughout. Like I said earlier, indie authors know how to make this thing work. You can find out if the book is indie by clicking on the title and scrolling down to the Product Information section.
5. Your local indie bookstore! Maybe! Hopefully! Some indie bookstores respect the struggle AND believe that these books can sell, so they stock indie books. Some bookstores that come to mind are A Novel Idea (Philly), Greenlight Bookstore (NYC), and Powell’s (Portland)!

And…indie book 101 is complete. Thanks for stopping in! Let us know your favorite indie books in the comments below.

About the Author

Joe Walters is the editor-in-chief of Independent Book Review and the author of The Truth About Book Reviews. He has been a book marketer for Sunbury Press, Inkwater Press, and Paper Raven Books. When he’s not doing editorial, promoting, or reviewing work, he’s working on his novel, playing with his kids, or reading indie books by Kindle light.

Thank you for reading Joe Walters’s blog post “What Are Indie Books? (and Other Indie Publishing Anomalies)!” If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

The post What Are Indie Books? (And Other Indie Publishing Anomalies) appeared first on Independent Book Review.

by Sonia Ahmed

Discover these 10 fantastic indie writers from Pakistan making their mark across the globe

The colonial project introduced the subcontinent to the novel, an entirely new literary form for the region. With its spectacular power of imagination, the novels brought a sense of creativity and ingenuity. Today, novel writing is the most famous literary form appreciated all over the world–Pakistan included!.

Though the colonized nation took the novel with ambivalence, they embraced it with much validation in a matter of time. After the partition in 1947, Pakistan inherited this literary tradition with fervor.

As expected, the novel flourished in Urdu in Pakistan. However, it didn’t take Pakistan long to get her first English novel, The Heart Divided, by Mumtaz Shahnawaz in 1948, only a year after the partition. 

Since then, the nation has excelled in Urdu and English novel writing, marking its identity worldwide. The majority of the people are aware of prominent English writers like Bapsi Sidhwa and Mohsin Hamid from Pakistan. However, upcoming talents are doing some incredible things too. They are either self-published or associated with smaller publishing houses but thriving on the strength of their skill and passion.

Here are 10 Indie Pakistani Writers You Should Read in 2021

#1. Sarah Fawad

Sarah Fawad completed her education and earned her Master’s in English Literature after getting married. Her parents and her husband supported her dream of becoming a writer and assisted her in many ways, from preparing the final draft to getting it published, but it’s her own writing skill and humor that propels her to top of my list.

Fawad wrote her first novel, How (Not) To Be A Good Housewife, in 2018, a modern satire taking down the societal mentality. During the lockdown due to COVID, she penned down another fantastic, humorous memoir Desi Distancing that showcases her wit and won her praise from around the world. Her book is available on Amazon, winning accolades from amused readers.

Sarah Fawad is a mother of three children and managing her writing passion smartly while making a home.

#2. Sidra F. Sheikh

Mongrel Books published another bright Pakistani writer, Sidra F. Sheikh, to bring her terrific work into the literary world. After completing her B.Sc. from The London School of Economics and becoming a mother, Sheikh decided to explore her creative side and satiate her hunger for writing.

She is a professional lawyer with a license to practice in England and Pakistan. Even with such a serious background, Sheikh decided to pursue her writing skills by inscribing a humorous sci-fi novel. The Light Blue Jumper revolves around a war where the protagonist with mystical powers is involved in saving the planet.

It’s a novel filled with comedy, oppression, imperialism, and bad manners. Sheikh is the first Pakistani writer who introduced the science fiction genre to the country. If you’re up for some comic relief, this book is your partner!

#3. Aaina Batool

Aaina Batool is a BBA graduate following her passion for writing and creating exciting content. To give her writing skills a chance to woo the world, Batool published her first book, A War Within, in 2018 through Daastan Publications. The book follows the drama genre, where she explores the human capacity to please their love.

Encouraged by the immense praise she received for her first book, Batool wrote a second book, Savior, in 2019. It’s a fictional story, its protagonist trapped in an alien world.

Today, Aaina Batool is a successful writer who is part of different literary forums. Her story is also featured in Salty Tales, an anthology of stories about oceans by various writers, published by Stormy Island publishing.

#4. Shema Bukhari

Weaving a world of words with a charismatic feel is what makes Shema Bukhari different and unique. She is an Assistant Professor of Media Sciences by profession but craves for expressing herself every moment of life.

Being an avid traveler, Bukhari loves to write about her experiences and observations from her perspective. With her interest in non-fiction, she wrote her first book Earthlings – The Weaklings. The book explores the weaknesses of humans and how they cope with these shortcomings. Bukhari partnered with Daastan Publication House, a small press promoting indie writers, for this book.

She then published two more books: short story collections named Word Choices and The Isle of Sounds Volume 1. She is currently working on its second volume.

#5. Farees Ahmed

Daastan Publications, through their Amazon-like self-publishing platform Mera Qissa, gave Farees Ahmed the opportunity to showcase her talent to the world. She is a witty and playful Pakistani writer who lives in Toronto, Canada.

Ahmed is a part-time existentialist and a full-time philosophical writer who pens down her thoughts and keen observation. To add the fun element in her novels, she mostly addresses herself in the third person.

Her first novel, The Damsel in Distress, is in the drama genre, where she explores the lives of two very different persons, a prostitute and a common man with unique mentalities. She later experimented with the fantasy genre with her novel, Talismalore’s General Store, where two friends travel a mystery world together.

#6. Sarim Baig

Being an advocate of the independent press, Sarim Baig partnered with Mongrel Books to publish his first book. Being a new writer, Baig juggles his job as a Computer Science teacher and writing all the time.

His novel Saints and Charlatans is a fictionalized story set in Lahore. It’s a book of interlinked stories exploring the intolerance of society. Consequently, some people become the ‘saints’ while others are just ‘charlatans’ faking their way through society.

Even though all the stories in his novel are independent, they still hang by a common thread. These stories connect the dots revealing the hidden past of the writer himself.

#7. Kinza Asghar Khan (Akasious)

Known by the pen name Akasious, Kinza Asghar Khan is an emerging talent with much promise. Belonging to the small city of Khanewal, Khan always had a passion for expressing her emotions through writing.

Khan is a pharmacy student with good scholastic standing. But the flame of writing and the thirst for expressing herself kept her awake at night, so she penned her first novel, Lone Wolf till Last Breath, and published it on Amazon.

Her recent novel The Ice is Black is taking her places, and her first poetry book, The Ashes of Feelings, is a collection that I think every poetry lover should read. For these two books, Khan partnered with Auraq Publications, a small but prestigious publishing house in Pakistan.

#8. Emad S. Rahim

Dividing time between working as a co-founder at Robomart in California and as a poet, the Pakistani American Emad is successful in both. He is a passionate writer who expresses complex viewpoints through a poetic medium.

Rahim published his first narrative-poetry collection, The Cave, with Marking’s Publications. It’s about a merchant from Istanbul who immerses himself in others’ tales to escape his troubles.

In his poems, Rahim explores the themes like faith, love, temptation, retribution, fantasy, lust, escape, and chaos. He is currently working on the next volume of his narrative-poetry book while working full-time in America.

#9. Shazaf Fatima Haider

Shazaf Fatima Haider is a full-time mother and a part-time novelist. Her readers deeply appreciate her insightful commentary on the middle-class, which is often a focus of her writings.

She penned her first novel, How It Happened, in 2013. It’s a satire on arranged marriages in Pakistan and their effects on society and the people involved. Later she partnered with Liberty Books in 2018 and wrote another hit novel, A Firefly in the Dark. The book was widely acclaimed and even won the Children’s Peekaboo Prize in India.

Since Haider explored the psychosis of middle-class families related to the Jinns, her novel was made into a television series. Currently, she is working on her third novel about marriages and divorces.

#10. Komal Salman

Following Anne Frank’s quote that papers are more trustworthy than people, Salman started writing to express her hidden feelings. Using the power of a pen and paper, she vented out the bottled-up feelings that were bothering her since her childhood.

She published her first tragedy novel in 2020 through Daastan publication. Her book Bleed, Breathe, Sing is based on real-life events. The book touches on complex yet sensitive topics such as abduction, complicated families, rape, relationships, and mental health. She dedicated her book to her best friend, who had been an inspiration for her novel.

Salman made sure her book covered all the bleeding aspects of life that aren’t just what she experienced herself, but many women of our society suffer and endure.

And that’s it, my friends – for now! These are some fantastic Pakistani writers who are new to the literary world and hold immense potential. These books are interesting to read and give you a first-hand glimpse into young Pakistani writers’ varied viewpoints. If you’re curious, make sure to check them out!

About the Author

Sonia Ahmed is a short story writer and editor of Penslips Magazine. She is an avid reader and loves a good story that inspires readers and challenges their core beliefs. A dreamer at heart, she writes tales of the ordinary people of the society and believes every story is worth telling. She also writes non-fiction on subjects ranging from eco-friendly lifestyle to religion, science, and healthy living.

Thank you for reading “10 Indie Pakistani Writers You Should Read in 2021” by Sonia Ahmed! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

The post 10 Indie Pakistani Writers You Should Read in 2021 appeared first on Independent Book Review.

Curated by Joe Walters

Happy #IndieApril! Let’s talk about some eye-catching self-published books, shall we?

What kind of book are you looking for?

If you’re like some readers, you’re looking for a popular one. One in the literary canon. One that’s getting talked about in book clubs and talk shows. One that your friends have read and recommended.

But if you’re like other readers, all you’re looking for is something good. Something that can transport you to a fascinating new place, that can teach you something you didn’t know, that can captivate you from the first page to the last.

If you’re the second reader, I’ve got some great news for you: You’ve. Got. Options!

Not only can you turn to the shelves of your local bookstore for major publishers’ recent releases and popular classics, but you can also check out some amazing under-the-radar books that small presses and self-published authors are putting out.

In this blog post, I’ve put together a listicle of some of the standout self-published books that have come across my screen during my time with Independent Book Review. This list includes books that have been published by the authors themselves or by hybrid and vanity presses, proving to readers everywhere that there’s something worthwhile going on in the self-publishing world.

Please note that this list is in no particular order.

Without further ado, here’s “31 Standout Self-Published Books for Your TBR!”

General Fiction

Gathering Storm by Sherilyn Decter

Genre: Historical fiction

Author: Sherilyn Decter

Blurb:

She left criminal life behind. Will her new business venture send her to sleep with the fishes?

Florida Coast, 1932. Edith Duffy might be grieving her gangster husband’s death, but she’s no damsel in distress. Leaving the sordid world of Philadelphia bootlegging, she settles in a small town outside Miami and buys a speakeasy. But when she launches a lucrative rum-running operation, indignant locals conspire to destroy her.

Edith lands squarely back in gangland culture, with a Bible-thumping preacher campaigning to shut her down and smugglers resentful of her skill. And now she must forge alliances and make unlikely allies just to survive. Luckily, her mentor is none other than the wife of the notorious Al Capone…

Will Edith’s fondness for underworld profits lead her to a dead end?

All About the Benjamins by Zev Good

Genre: LGBTQ+ Literary

Author: Zev Good

Blurb:

It has been less than a year since Susan Benjamin succumbed to cancer and her family has yet to come to terms with her death—and their own secrets. Her daughter Amy, reeling from a divorce, struggles to parent her teenaged son without controlling him as her own mother had done. Her son Adam, thirtysomething and gay, feels untethered in his mother’s absence and drifts through a series of unrewarding jobs and relationships even though he craves love and stability. Her husband Joel, father of Amy and Adam, is fifty-eight and about to come out for the first time as a gay man.

Joel’s coming out is at the center of All About The Benjamins , Zev Good’s first novel, and is, ultimately, what forces the family to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves and each other while they try to accept what no one could have prepared for: their father is gay and was unfaithful to their mother for the course of their thirty-eight year marriage. As he did in his short story collection, A Map of the World, Zev Good offers a nuanced, tender, and often darkly comic view into loss, identity, and the unbreakable bonds of family.

Of Metal and Earth by Jennifer M. Lane

Genre: Linked short story collection, literary

Author: Jennifer M. Lane

Blurb:

Seven ordinary lives are changed by their extraordinary relationships with a little green Jeep in Of Metal and Earth, a tale of restoration and redemption.

James survives a fierce Vietnam battle by hiding beneath his Jeep. He loses his friends and returns home alone, surviving the town’s pity by hiding in the bar. Emotionally scarred, he only finds the determination to lift himself up when he realizes what remains to be lost. He buys a little green Jeep, like the one that gave him shelter in the war, and hopes it will lead to salvation again. But the fortune it brings tarnishes, and James is left to sacrifice the thing that gave him hope for the people who need him most.

Over the next thirty years, the Jeep changes hands, passing between friends, family, strangers, and lovers. A single mother who buys a car for her reckless son nearly destroys a friendship with a man who silently loved her for two decades. An insecure youth at the start of his career learns that the most important lessons are the ones you never set out to learn. A family torn apart by their differences finds that love can be the hardest road to take. And a city architect must choose between the easy way to restoration or a difficult path that could save more than a rusty old Jeep.

Twelve and a Half Hearts by Ian Cahill

Genre: Coming of Age

Author: Ian Cahill

Blurb:

She is perfect. She is beautiful. She has a secret.

Follow Sue Anderson and the relationships she forms along the way from high school valedictorian through her thirties as she attempts to overcome a devastating discovery. Hear her story through the eyes of those that cross her path. They share in her joys and pains as she pushes and pulls them in and out of her life.

No God Like the Mother by Kesha Ajose Fisher

Genre: Literary short stories

Author: Kesha Ajose Fisher

Blurb:

*A 2020 Oregon Book Award Finalist*

Kesha Ajọsẹ Fisher’s No God like the Mother follows characters in transition, through tribulation and hope. Set around the world—the bustling streets of Lagos, the arid gardens beside the Red Sea, an apartment in Paris, the rain-washed suburbs of the Pacific Northwest—this collection of nine stories is a masterful exploration of life’s uncertainty that will draw readers in and keep them riveted.

Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense

The Career Killer by Ali Gunn

Genre: Crime

Author: Ali Gunn

Blurb:

When young women are murdered and their bodies posed like marionettes in tourist hotspots around London without a single witness seeing the killer come and go, the case ought to go to a detective with decades of experience investigating serial murder.

Instead, newbie DCI Elsie Mabey lands the case, bringing with her a ragtag team of misfits and rejects. Rather than the Met’s finest, they’re the “not quite fired” of London policing.

She faces an impossible task: finding an invisible killer while fighting her own invisible illness.

Lying in Judgment by Gary Corbin

Genre: Legal Thriller

Author: Gary Corbin

Blurb:

Peter Robertson, 33, discovers his wife is cheating on him. Following her suspected boyfriend one night, he erupts into a rage, beats him and leaves him to die… or so he thought. Soon he discovers that he has killed the wrong man – a perfect stranger.

Six months later, impaneled on a jury, he realizes that the murder being tried is the one he committed. After wrestling with his conscience, he works hard to convince the jury to acquit the accused man. But the prosecution’s case is strong as the accused man had both motive and opportunity to commit the murder.

The pressure builds, and Peter begins to slip up and reveal things that only the murderer would know – and Christine, a pretty and intelligent alternate juror, suspects something is amiss.

As jurors one by one declare their intention to convict, Peter’s conscience eats away at him and he careens toward nervous breakdown, revealing details about the crime that had not been disclosed in court.

Ms. Never by Colin Dodds

Genre: Metaphysical mystery

Author: Colin Dodds

Blurb:

Farya Navurian seems like an ordinary young woman trying to get ahead in the city while struggling with depression. But her depression is anything but ordinary – it has the power to destroy time and space. Growing up the moody daughter of a space-faring hero of The Greater Anointed Imperial Ohioan Commonwealth, Farya annihilated most of that world and its history, leaving behind the husk-like Buckeye State.

One day at a record swap, she meets Bryan, a divorced telecom CEO. More than record collecting, what they share is that they each carry a howling secret. Bryan’s business is a cover for a bigger operation that buys human souls and sells luxury afterlives using shady terms of service in mobile-phone contracts.

The two of them fall in love, and as they start a life together, their secrets back them into a corner where they have to come clean – and take drastic steps – to save themselves, and possibly reality itself.
Ms. Never is a distinctly 21st-century vision of consent, memory, and the ways we create and destroy the world every day

Romance

The Wanderlust Diaries by Maria Martinico

Genre: New adult, travel romance

Author: Maria Martinico

Blurb:

Charlie has rarely left the concrete confines of Flint, Michigan before she steps on a plane with an around-the-world ticket. A hospice nurse with a lust for life, she hops across exotic South Pacific destinations leaving a wake of rescued elephants, spilled beers, broken surfboards and rejected flings behind her.

Her plans to remain unattached are tested on a remote Fijian island when she falls for Malakai, a handyman who gives the demigod Maui a run for his money. She finds herself in his surf spot (and in his shower) more often than she means to, but their cozy island bliss is torn apart by a natural disaster.

Held accountable for her crimes, she returns home and must decide whether to accept the familiar dysfunction of the life she tried to escape with an old love, or take a chance on returning to the devastated island to find Malakai and a new version of herself.

Weak for Him by Lyra Parish

Genre: Work romance

Author: Lyra Parish

Blurb:

I was made an offer I couldn’t refuse, one that would change my life forever.

Join the Elite, become one of Finnley’s girls. If I sign the contract, there are strict rules I must follow: Mainly I can never fall in love.

Unfortunately, I didn’t realize how hard that would be.

I find myself falling hard and fast for the man I can’t have, the man who’s deadset on giving me away to the highest bidder. And in the end, it might destroy me.

His Boy by Dean Cole

Genre: LGBTQ+ Romantic comedy

Author: Dean Cole

Blurb:

Charlie Stone has problems. He’s just found his boyfriend and his new BFF in bed together, and that’s only because he failed to show up for his fortnightly back, crack and sack wax. Furious, he speeds away from the gates of his luxury home into the unknown.

When he finds himself stranded on the side of the road in a remote village, his future looking bleak, his dreams wasted on a fairy tale that turned out to be a nightmare, he doesn’t expect the handsome but shaggy-looking bookshop owner, Nathan Marshall, to come to his rescue. A Divine Intervention if Charlie ever saw one.

A darkly comic look at love, death, dysfunctional family, emotional trauma and finding yourself. With a huge cast of characters, it’s more than a romance. It’s a story of self discovery.

Speculative

Duckett & Dyer: Dicks for Hire by G.H. Nair

Genre: Sci-Fi Comedy

Author: G.M. Nair

Blurb:

Michael Duckett is fed up with his life. His job is a drag, and his roommate and best friend of fifteen years, Stephanie Dyer, is only making him more anxious with her lazy irresponsibility. Things continue to escalate when they face the threat of imminent eviction from their palatial 5th floor walk-up and find that someone has been plastering ads all over the city for their Detective Agency.

The only problem is: He and Stephanie don’t have one of those.

Despite their baffling levels of incompetence, Stephanie eagerly pursues this crazy scheme and drags Michael, kicking and screaming, into the fray only to find that they are way out of their depth. They stumble upon a web of missing people that are curiously linked to a sexually audacious theoretical physicist and his experiments with the fabric of space-time. And unless Michael and Stephanie can put their personal issues aside and fix the multi-verse, the concept of existence itself may, ironically, no longer exist.

Necromancer Rising by Ashton Abbott

Genre: Paranormal vampire romance

Author: Ashton Abbott

Blurb:

The delicate balance of this world is threatened when Babd, goddess of war, is unleashed. With the help of other immortals drawn to her cause, she seeks to free her sisters and merge with them once more to form The Morrigan.

Adeline Verone was prophesied to be the Queen of the Dead, the most powerful necromancer to ever grace this earth. The problem? She can’t access her powers. A group of immortals make it their mission to capture her, forcing Adeline to run for her life…and when that doesn’t work; to trust a brooding werewolf that is hiding an agenda of his own.

William Flynn had his life turned upside down at the loss of his brother. When a witch falls under his protection he makes the choice to betray her in order to protect his pack. He didn’t realize how much he would regret that decision.

Can Adeline and William ally for the sake of defending the world against The Morrigan, goddess of war, fate, and death? Or will William’s betrayal and the uncontrollable lust they feel for one another be their downfall?

The Blighted City by Scott Kaelen

Genre: Dark Fantasy Horror

Author: Scott Kaelen

Blurb:

To challenge the gods is to invite their wrath. So it is written of Lachyla, the Blighted City, in the Codex of the Ages. But who reads codices? And who really believes the tall stories of the Taleweavers?

Dagra does. If it’s a story about the gods – even a dead god – he believes every word. When his sellsword team is offered a contract to cross the Deadlands and find a burial jewel in the crypts of the Blighted City, Dagra wants no part of it. His companions are undaunted by the legend; to them, the blurred divide between the living and the dead is superstitious nonsense.

Completing the contract would earn their guild’s failing reputation a much-needed boost and secure them the bounty of a lifetime. They’re going, with or without him. Torn between the convictions of his beliefs and the importance of his friendships, Dagra reluctantly journeys into the godless region in search of the fabled city. But the Deadlands are only the first challenge.

Sinister Magic by Lindsay Buroker

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Author: Lindsay Buroker

Blurb:

I’m Val Thorvald, and I’m an assassin. When magical bad guys hurt people, I take care of them. Permanently.

This doesn’t make me popular with the rest of the magical community—as you can tell from the numerous break-ins and assassination attempts I’ve endured over the years. But thanks to my half-elven blood, a powerful sword named Chopper, and a telepathic tiger with an attitude, I’ve always been able to handle my problems with aplomb. Maybe some cursing and swearing, too, but definitely aplomb.

That changes when my boss is afflicted with a mysterious disease, a government agent starts investigating me, and a godforsaken dragon shows up in the middle of my latest job. I’ve taken down vampires, zombies, and ogres, but dragons are way, way more powerful. And it doesn’t look like this one is going to like me. Worse than that, he wants to use his magic to compel me to do his bidding, as if I’m some weak-minded minion. That’s not going to happen. I’d die before being some dragon’s slave.

But if I can’t figure out a way to avoid him, save my boss, and get rid of the government spook, I’m screwed. Or dead. Or screwed and dead. And that’s never comfortable.

Nonfiction

I, Dragonfly by Kerrie Baldwin

Genre: Memoir, eating disorder

Author: Kerrie Baldwin

Blurb:

At thirty-three years old, Kerrie was managing a freelance career, her three young children, and a closeted battle with anorexia that had plagued the past ten years of her life. But once the mounting misery finally becomes too much, she embarks on a treacherous two-year journey to remission from this lethal and pervasive neurobiological condition.

I, Dragonfly chronicles the physical and psychological transformations of her recovery, including the panic of witnessing her body expand to unfamiliar proportions and the contention with exhaustion and pain in her limbs that last much longer than she anticipated, as well as the delight of responding to overwhelming hunger and the release of cultural fallacies around weight and health. As Kerrie learns to surrender to the recovery process, she cultivates the authentic self that had been arrested a decade prior, which eventually comes at an agonizing cost to her and her family.

Through the scientific evidence–based approach to recovery introduced in the foreword by Gwyneth Olwyn, author of Recover from Eating Disorders: Homeodynamic Recovery Method, Kerrie achieves a state of remission—a seeming impossibility to those trapped in starvation. Her brutal yet liberating path serves as a reassuring roadmap for millions of sufferers worldwide who seek to reclaim themselves. At the same time, her candid and inspiring story reflects a universal passage to self-actualization.

Tattle Tales by Brandy Isadora

Genre: Interviews & photography

Author: Brandy Isadora

Blurb:

Through photography and interviews Brandy Isadora’s book, Tattle Tales: Tattoo Stories & Portraits, presents the growing society of people who are getting tattooed and helping to bring this burgeoning art form into the mainstream. The popularity of tattoos has risen so dramatically that 40% of American households have at least one person with a tattoo. Tattle Tales is a collection of portraits and interviews of people from different backgrounds who have tattoos.

Teachers, lawyers, nurses and many others who work in professions, that until recently did not tolerate tattoos, explain why they have chosen to permanently ink their bodies. Many choose tattoos in memory of their loved ones, while others get tattoos because they love the art. Even though tattoos have increased in popularity and become mainstream, stereotypes and discrimination still exist. By sharing their stories, the people in the book humanize an art form that has long been stigmatized by society.

Mixed Nuts: or What I learned Practicing Psychotherapy in Plain English by Rick Cormier

Genre: Memoir of life in psychotherapy

Author: Rick Cormier

Blurb:

Speaking to the layperson and the practitioner alike, even Rick’s irreverent humor can’t hide his wisdom, his deep understanding of mental illness, his desire to help heal it quickly and effectively, and his pragmatic and often creative approach to treatment.

“Some people assume that all therapists are new-agey hand-holders who just listen and nod like bobbleheads, then suggest an astrology reading, a gluten-free diet, and your choice of complimentary love flower or polished healing stone on your way out the door.

“That’s not me. My job is to help fix what’s broken.”

Young Adult & Middle Grade Fiction

Get In My Head: Jared’s Story by S.M. Holland

Genre: Young Adult contemporary, mental illness

Author: S.M. Holland

Blurb:

Everyone at some point in their lives has to ask themselves if they are crazy. We all experience the world differently — but what if your thoughts and actions are too different? When people venture away from societal norms, those around them become afraid. They don’t understand. But what if you could understand? What if you could get in someone else’s head?

All Jared wants to know is what he did wrong. Abandoned by his family and made to live in a mental hospital that feels more like hell, Jared is forced to face the monster within.

On the outside he might seem like your average teenage boy, but on the inside, his mind is threatening to tear him apart.

What Are Friends For? by Sarah Sutton

Genre: YA Romance

Author: Sarah Sutton

Blurb:

A close, easygoing friendship can all change with just one kiss. Seventeen-year-old Remi Beaufort learns this the hard way when she plays a blindfolded kissing game at a party.

She thinks she’s kissing Jeremy, the totally hot basketball player she’s been crushing on. And the kiss…it’s amazing. Heart-stopping, world-changing, toe-curling. The kiss makes her forget about her overbearing mother, the next-door neighbor’s drama, and the probability that she’ll fail her senior year. The best kiss of her life makes all that fall away.

Until her blindfold falls off, and she realizes that instead of kissing her crush, she’s kissing Elijah, her best friend since third grade.

Though she manages to convince Elijah that he was kissing his girlfriend, Remi can’t get the thought of his lips on hers out of her head. As things between them grow more and more complicated—because it turns out her fantasizing about his mouth is more of a problem than it sounds—Remi has to make a choice: does she live the rest of her life loving her best friend in secret? Or does she tell the truth and risk ruining their friendship forever?

Sisters of the Perilous Heart by Sandra Vasher

Genre: YA Medieval Fantasy

Author: Sandra L. Vasher

Blurb:

What would you do to save a sister?

As the last mortal kingdom of Kepler resists the Immortal Empire, its young queen faces a devastating attack. Queen Vivian is two minutes into her reign when an arrow pierces her heart and infects her with the Immortality Virus. But she has too much magic to become immortal and not enough to survive. She must find more magic fast, or she’ll die.

Meanwhile, another young mortal faces an uncertain future of her own. Carina is fleeing for her life, but her magic is a tracking beam for immortals. She must learn to harness and control it, or she’ll be captured and killed. Then she meets the queen of South Kepler.

Vivian needs Carina’s magic, and she can offer safe haven in exchange. But can Vivian trust this common girl? Carina isn’t on the kingdom’s registry of magicians. What if she’s a Northern rebel? A spy for the Immortal Empire? And will the truth be revealed in time to save them both?

A Feather’s Force by Jacy Sellers & Nicole D’Arcangelo

Genre: YA Fantasy Action & Adventure

Authors: Jacy Sellers & Nicole D’Arcangelo

Blurb:

Sixteen-year-old high school track star, Ember, wants to run as far and as fast as she can, away from the pain of her father’s recent death. Instead, she’s hiding out in the basement of her dad’s coffee shop—at least now no one can ask her how she’s doing for the millionth time. She finds a doorway to Espereva, a magical world from her childhood bedtime story. There, she unlocks a power that has lain dormant in her blood for years.

Unfortunately, the more she learns about the world, the darker it becomes. The king captures and conducts gruesome experiments on the inhabitants in order to steal their powers. Espereva is being torn apart and her family is at the root of it all. Horrified at the atrocities but driven for the need to understand who and what she is, Ember joins and trains with a group of rebels plotting the king’s downfall. Still struggling with her grief and the secret her family has kept from her for years, Ember can barely control her new found abilities. But when one of her rebel friends is kidnapped and destined to be the king’s next victim, Ember must embrace all that she is and set aside her personal struggles to rescue her friend—because losing someone else is not an option.

The Lord of Long Shadows by M. Anderson

Genre: YA Sword & Sorcery Fantasy

Author: M. Anderson

Blurb:

Twenty-year-old orphan Alex Winters’ quiet life is shattered when a chance encounter transports her to a world beyond her imagination and into the adventure of a lifetime.

After saving an old man on her way home from work, Alex Winters finds herself abruptly teleported to the world of Aquillon, where humanity suffers at the hands of the Court of Hours, a group of malevolent demons who have ruled for a thousand years. Given only a single clue to find her way home, Alex sets out on a journey to discover her place in a world she barely understands.

Over the course of her adventure, Alex befriends brave allies and evades cunning and sinister enemies, all the while discovering more and more about a destiny she feels unprepared for, while facing challenges and dangers that will push her courage to the limit.

Filled with action, adventure, and humor, The Lord of Long Shadows is a thrilling young-adult fantasy adventure perfect for middle and high school fans of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson novels, as well as fans of fast-paced adventure and fantasy of all ages. The Lord of Long Shadows is a page-turner that will leave readers laughing and excited to see what happens next as the adventure of Knights of the Fallen Realm unfolds.

Knightmare Arcanist by Shami Stovall

Genre: YA Pirate Adventure

Author: Shami Stovall

Blurb:

Gravedigger Volke Savan wants nothing more than to be like his hero, the legendary magical swashbuckler, Gregory Ruma. First he needs to become an arcanist, someone capable of wielding magic, which requires bonding with a mythical creature. And he’ll take anything—a pegasus, a griffin, a ravenous hydra—maybe even a leviathan, like Ruma.

So when Volke stumbles across a knightmare, a creature made of shadow and terror, he has no reservations. But the knightmare knows a terrible secret: Ruma is a murderer out to spread corrupted magic throughout their island nation. He’s already killed a population of phoenixes and he intends to kill even more.

In order to protect his home, his adopted sister, and the girl he admires from afar, Volke will need to confront his hero, the Master Arcanist Gregory Ruma.

Waypoint by Deborah Adams & Kimberley Perkins

Genre: YA Science Fiction Dystopia

Authors: Deborah Adams & Kimberley Perkins

Blurb:

In the blink of an eye, it was out. All the power on the planet…gone, and now society was hanging by a thread. Twin brothers Simon and West Harper lived very different lives, but when the key to fixing it all falls in their hands, they’ll team up and travel 500 perilous miles to fix it.

In a terrifying new world, can a brainy gamer and a high school jock actually survive the journey on their own? Alexandria Camden was just a girl who needed West’s help until feelings developed, and their secrets threatened to tear them apart. And when the street-smart girl of Simon’s dreams turns out to be the enemy he’s running from; will he be able to save his heart and the world?

With time running out, they have little choice but to get the key to Waypoint, because if they don’t, their failure will leave the world in darkness…

Animal Control by Travis Howe

Genre: Middle Grade Superhero Action & Adventure

Author: Travis Howe

Blurb:

Foster-child Jack Robberts lives in a grimy old attic, dreaming that one day he might join the league of heroes known as Animal Control. But this dream comes to a crashing halt when Jack’s decision to run away ultimately leads to a devastating tragedy – for which he blames himself.

Now Jack lives a quiet life in a quiet town, believing his adventures are over. But when a mysterious package arrives in the mail, and a gang of murderous wolves come looking for it, Jack will find himself at the heart of Animal Control’s most dangerous mission yet.

From the mind of animator Travis Howe comes a story about adventure, mystery, and the courage to follow your dream. From the peaks of the snowy Moledun Mountains to the depths of the ocean, Animal Control: The Hero’s Apprentice is “brimming with heart and excitement […] Readers will want to follow this endearing, courageous young rabbit anywhere he goes.” (Eliot Schrefer, New York Times Best Selling Author of “Endangered”).

Seed Savers Treasure by Sandra Smith

Genre: Middle Grade Dystopia, Agriculture

Author: Sandra Smith

Blurb:

It’s 2077. There’s no apocalypse, but some things are different. Things like the weather, the internet, and food. In twelve-year-old Clare’s world, blueberry is just a flavor and apples are found only in fairy tales.

Then one day Clare meets a woman who teaches her about seeds and real food. Ana tempts Clare with the notion that food exists other than the square, packaged food she has always known. With Ana’s guidance, Clare and her friends learn about seeds and gardening despite suspicions that such actions are illegal.

When the authorities discover the children’s forbidden tomato plant and arrest their mother, Clare and her brother flee. Clare has heard of a place called “The Garden State,” and with their bikes, a little money, and backpacks, the children begin a lonely cross-country journey that tests them both physically and spiritually. Will they succeed in their quest to find a place of food freedom? And can they, only children, help change the world?

Children’s Picture Books

Curlilocks and the Big Bad Hairbrush by Yolanda King

Age level: 3-7

Author: Yolanda King

Blurb:

When Curlilocks delivers pies to her aunties, she finds each pie tempting. The Big Bad Hairbrush warns Curlilocks about nibbling the Auntie’s pies. Will she listen?

The Dirt Girl by Jodi Dee

Age: 4-10

Author: Jodi Dee

Genre:

When Zafera goes to school for the first time, all the children laugh and tease. But, Zafera does not understand so she just smiles. A beautiful story about shining bright no matter what, because our differences are our greatest gifts. And if you do, others will eventually see. Now available on Amazon! Zafera is a normal, beautiful little girl, yet she often has dirt on her hands and twigs in her hair. When Zafera goes to school for the first time, all the children stare and tease. Find out how she becomes the most popular girl in school!

Ricky the Rock that Couldn’t Roll by Jay Miletsky

Age: 3-8

Author: Jay Miletsky

Genre:

When the rocks get together to play and roll around their favorite hill, they find that one of their friends, Ricky, can’t roll with them. Unlike all of the others, who are all round, Ricky can’t roll because he’s flat on one side.

His friends didn’t get it,
“Come Roll!” they would chant.
So Ricky tried, but replied,
“I’m sorry, I can’t.”

Determined not to leave their friend behind, the rock friend set out to help Ricky roll around – one way or another.

Happy #IndieApril! I hope you enjoyed this list and consider taking a shot on one of these standout self-published books. If you’re an author and would like to be considered for a list in the future, please consider submitting for review.

About the Curator

Joe Walters is the editor-in-chief of Independent Book Review. When he’s not doing promotional work, he’s working on his novel and trusting the process. He tweets @JoeWalters13.

Thank you for reading “31 Standout Self-Published Books for Your TBR!” If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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by Sandra Y. Desjardins

When I started writing ten years ago, I had no idea where to go or who to turn to when it came to the editing process.

Over the course of writing my first book and meeting other writers, I knew there were several options available to me, but as the story goes for most novices, I didn’t have a good grasp on how to find the best person for the job, so I began my search online and I was blown away by the results.

There were literally hundreds of editing agencies to choose from, all of which offered different services and different price ranges. To say it was overwhelming is an understatement, but I knew I needed an editor to review my manuscript before I began the querying process, so I dove into the search results, hoping to find a good, affordable editor.

What happened next took me by surprise.

After careful consideration, I selected an editor who I thought would be a great fit, but when I received my manuscript back from her, I was dumbfounded by her blatantly rude commentary, which was not only unprofessional, but it also hurt my tender writer’s heart. Her feedback was so critical that I stepped away from writing for a couple of weeks afterward, so disheartened by the experience that I couldn’t bring myself to revise my manuscript.

Naturally, after a few more weeks of reflection, I got back on the proverbial horse and I got back to writing. Then I sent my manuscript to another editor. She was awesome, and it was through our relationship that I finally understood that writers need to shop around to find their perfect editor. That first woman I worked with may have been the best editor in the industry, but she wasn’t the best editor for me, and that’s all right!

Over the years, I’ve found that a lot of new authors feel as though they’re locked into an author-editor relationship even when they’re unsatisfied with the feedback they’re receiving. I’m here to tell you that should never be the case.

The author-editor relationship is one of the most important unions you’ll have during your writing journey, so shop around and speak up!

Just because you hire someone doesn’t mean you have to stick with them. Instead, if you find yourself unhappy with their services, make a careful assessment of why you feel that way, as one of the most difficult parts of the editing process is learning the best ways to receive constructive criticism, and then move on to another editor.

As for my personal journey, it took me a while to find the right editor, and unfortunately, along the way, I discovered that there are folks out there who ask for a lot of money but offer little in return.

It can be a murky road to traverse, so here are some valuable tips I learned along the way:

1. Shop Around

There are hundreds of editorial agencies, so do your research. Compare prices and services offered. Some agencies may charge more because they have previously worked with well-known authors, but that isn’t to say they will make the best editor for you.

If you can’t afford the cost that is usually associated with these agencies, try newer, smaller ones that are just getting established. Many times, these agencies have talented editors who are beginning their careers, so they may have the expertise and affordability you’re seeking.

2. Interview

In the beginning of my writing journey, I didn’t think I had the right to question anyone’s authority. I was, after all, a student learning a trade, and so I didn’t feel comfortable opening up an earnest line of communication with my editor, but that’s exactly what I should have done and what I encourage every writer to do now.

Don’t just shop and settle for an editor. Open an avenue of communication so you can learn his or her editing style. Ask about the services they offer (i.e., copy editing, developmental editing, or line editing) and ask about other things too, like turnaround times.

3. Reflect

Before signing a contract with an editor, let him or her know exactly what you’re looking for. Be honest in where you feel your manuscript is and where you’d like to see it go. This part is often difficult for novice authors because in the beginning of their careers authors have a way of seeing their work through rose-colored glasses, so if you aren’t entirely sure what you think is best for your manuscript, be honest with yourself and with your editor.

Some things to consider are if you want to self-publish right away (in which case, you’re undoubtedly looking for a copy editor) or if you’re more open to taking your time so you have a fully polished piece to send out to agents (in which case, a beta read or developmental edit may work best). Talk to your prospective editor about this up front so they can help guide you in the right direction.

4. Communicate

Once you’ve found an editor who seems like the best fit and you know the direction you want to take your project, open up an honest avenue of communication. Ask all the hard questions. What type of editing do they specialize in? Do they have experience working with novice or seasoned writers?

You’ll also want to take this opportunity to get the logistics out of the way as well. Are you emailing your documents to the editor who will later return them in the same manner, or is there a print and mailing fee? Will there be an actual face-to-face discussion (usually conducted online), or will everything regarding your project be done via email? Once these important questions are resolved, you can safely move onto the final stage of hiring an editor…

5. The Trial Run

Over the years I’ve found that to ensure you’re hiring the right person for the job, you should conduct a bit of a test drive. What I mean by that is to talk to the editor about the possibility of a free consultation to review a sample of your writing.

Naturally, because the editor will provide this service free of charge, I recommend sending in the first five pages or 2,500 words of your project. I’ve found that this sample size works best to give the editor an opportunity to make an honest assessment of your work and in return, it allows the writer to learn the editor’s style. When both parties are happy with the end results, each will have peace of mind as they move forward with the editing process.

6. The Takeaway

After signing your contract, you and your editor should establish soft deadlines so the editor has adequate time to review your manuscript. In the meantime, your editor should keep you up to date on his or her progress, and when you receive the final critiqued draft, all the tracked changes and comments should be insightful, informative, and clear.

If at any time you feel that something needs clarification, the professional relationship you’ve developed with your editor will make it easy to address any questions and concerns, and when you’ve completed the necessary revisions, you should be left with a fully polished, ready-to-move-forward manuscript!

This post was originally published at Charmed Editorial Boutique.*

About the Author

Sandra Y. Desjardins is an avid bookworm and adores helping authors achieve their dreams of publication. With ten years of editing experience and a Master of Arts in Creative writing, she copy edits and proofreads for several publishing houses, Charmed Editorial Boutique, and Independent Book Review.

Thank you for reading “The Author-Editor Relationship” by Sandra Y. Desjardins! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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by Brie Junichi

Struggling with writer’s block? Don’t be discouraged. It’s inevitable and happens to every great writer at some point. There are several possible reasons for writer’s block, and it differs from author to author. But the good news is, there are as many ways to deal with writer’s block as there are causes of it.

Here are 4 of my favorite tips for how to beat writer’s block:

Take care of yourself

In anything that you do, not just in writing, it’s important that you take care of yourself physically and mentally. And while it’s clear enough that being physically ill can block us from writing well, the University of Colorado School of Medicine’s Dr. Helen Coons highlights the more subtle role that mental health plays in affecting our performance. We’re more likely to feel fatigued when we don’t take care of ourselves, and Coons recommends putting effort into self-care to have the energy to do what’s important to you.

Besides, neglecting your own needs to stare at a blank page can make things worse. Not prioritizing your health can cause even more stress and fatigue, which could lead to the deterioration of your mental health. Maryville University reveals that the state of your mental health is connected to how well you can learn, which means that if you’re trying to learn or try something new for your novel but are not mentally okay, you’re unlikely to register anything properly.

That said, take care of yourself by doing mindful meditation, getting enough sleep, eating the right food, and drinking plenty of water. These simple things will help nourish your body and mind, which are the vessels your writing flows through.

Write freely

One way to get around a writer’s block is through an uninterrupted free writing session. When you’re writing your novel, you tend to have that inner voice, that editor in you, that’s always asking questions, making you pause to think and criticize your own work. In free writing, you shut down that inner voice and let yourself write whatever it is that comes to your mind.

To start free writing, take a single word and write it at the top of a page. Then for 10 to 15 minutes, write anything and everything that comes to your mind about your chosen word. Let go of your fear of being a bad or dull writer. Disregard punctuation and grammar and just let yourself write freely. You might jump from one thought to another, and that’s okay. Let yourself be vulnerable, since there’s nothing you will put on the page that you have to share with the rest of the world.

Looking for some productive procrastination? Learn more about the editing process with “Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Your Book Like a Pro.”

Break the routine

Sitting and writing at the same desk, in the same room, in the same house or office every single day doesn’t exactly spark creativity. Indeed, Fast Company points out that our routines limit the brain’s ability to build skills and knowledge. As routines can ruin your creative thinking needed for that novel you’re writing, you might want to pack your laptop or notebook and go to a new location to write, like a café, park, or library for a change.

Your new surroundings may breathe new ideas or topics that can help you get through your writer’s block. If you don’t feel like going out, you can simply move to a different room or area in your house or office.

Routines help you become more productive, but they limit the information you take in, and therefore affect your creative thinking. So, when you’re experiencing writer’s block, be open to breaking your routine and experiencing something new and different.

Give your brain a rest

Last but not least, give your brain a rest. Writing can be very exhausting for your brain. And if a brain is overworked, it is not going to function at its best. An overworked brain can lead to hours of wasting time staring at a blank screen or page.

Don’t know how to start? Author Alexander Smith has previously shared with us how he gave his mind a rest from writing by hiking the beautiful forest trails of the Big River Management Area in West Greenwich. His break from writing gave him the boost he needed to keep writing his novel. But giving your mind a rest doesn’t have to involve going to a far area with a magnificent view.

You can simply take a walk at the park or have a chat with a friend — anything that can help distract you from putting pressure on yourself to write something for your novel.

What are your tips for beating writer’s block?

About the Author

Brie Junichi enjoys writing and collecting porcelain dolls. Her idea of a perfect Friday night is in bed with a mug of hot cocoa and a new favorite book.

Thank you for reading “4 Tips for How to Beat Writer’s Block” by Brie Junichi! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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by Jenn Gott

Let’s say you’ve taken all the right steps: you’ve written your book, edited it to perfection, and learned all about the self-publishing and traditional publishing processes. Now you’re getting ready to take the plunge. First off, congratulations! But don’t think this means you can rest on your laurels. After all, no one can appreciate your mastery of literary devices, your high-stakes plot, or your excellent use of metaphor if they don’t know your book exists.

That’s right: today, we’re talking about book marketing resources!

I can hear you groaning from here, but don’t worry—marketing doesn’t need to be scary. In fact, with the right tools, you too can start climbing the sales ranks.

Without further ado, here’s “7 Must-Know Book Marketing Resources for Indie Authors.”

#1. BookBub

If you’re ever running promotions on your book, you’re going to want to submit to BookBub. A listing in BookBub’s Featured Deals is considered the Holy Grail of sales promotion, and it’s easy to see why—BookBub consistently earns you a high return on investment, and being featured has even boosted more than one author up bestseller lists.

Competition for the spots is fierce, so it’s not always possible to get a Featured Deal every time you submit. But since you don’t pay unless you’re accepted, it never hurts to try!

#2. Publisher Rocket

If you’re publishing on Amazon, I couldn’t recommend Publisher Rocket enough. It’s the go-to resource for Amazon publishing. Want to find out how competitive your categories and keywords are? It can do that for you. Curious about the sales data for your closest rivals? Publisher Rocket can pull up the numbers for you. It will even build a list of suggested keywords for AMS ads, cutting out the guesswork and expensive trial-and-error.

You can use it every step of the way: from identifying hot genres to write in, to crafting descriptions that target your specific audience, to guiding you through your ad campaign. Publisher Rocket will save you time, money, and frustration, allowing you to focus on what really matters—writing more books.

#3. MailChimp

Mailing lists are often the cornerstone of many successful authors’ marketing campaigns. Where else can you connect one-on-one with your most loyal readers? Including a sign-up link in the back of your books is only the first step. After that, you’ve still got to build engaging and useful updates to send out to your fans.

Thankfully, Mailchimp is an email marketing service that has easy tools for creating beautiful newsletters. It also offers in-depth tracking systems to let you see which campaigns are working—and which still need more work. All you need to do is write the news you want your readers to see, and Mailchimp will make sure you never lose touch again.

#4. AMS

Enter Amazon Marketing Services, or AMS. AMS is behind the “Sponsored Products” that you see when you browse Amazon search results or product pages, and they’re available for self-published authors. By running regular AMS campaigns, you can keep your sales up even when you’re between promotions and new releases.

And with the option of creating multiple versions of your ad at once, you’ll be able to “A/B test” to determine exactly which ads earn you the most profit. It can take some time to learn the tricks of running a successful campaign, but luckily there are lots of courses and marketing resources out there that will help you understand how to use AMS ads to their best advantage.

#5. BundleRabbit

What do people love more than a deal on a single book? A deal on multiple books! BundleRabbit makes it easy to connect with other authors who’ve written books similar to yours, allowing you to bundle them together in a virtual boxset. By combining forces, authors can take advantage of a wider pool of readers, while simultaneously dividing the cost and effort of marketing.

BundleRabbit takes care of all the logistics for you, so you don’t need to worry about pesky things like how to divide royalty payments across a team of hungry authors. You can list your books in their catalogue to see if anyone is putting together a bundle you might fit in with, or if you’re feeling proactive, you can become a curator and organize one around your brand!

Looking for an alternate option to spread the word about your book? Audiobooks are increasing in popularity and are only getting easier to produce for indie authors. Check out this article to learn more about getting started.

#6. Reedsy

Does all this still sound overwhelming? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered there, too. Reedsy Marketplace is a fantastic way to connect with professional marketers and publicists (or even developmental editors, if you want to make sure that your book’s foundations are strong) who will do a great job and take the marketing work off your hands.

Simply browse the list of freelance professionals, and request free quotes for their services. The best part? Reedsy researches and vets all their freelancers, so you can rest easy knowing that you’re only getting quality industry insiders.

#7. Independent Book Review

Getting book reviews is perhaps the number one way to attract new readers. And while you should absolutely pursue reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, you should also be chasing reviews on blogs and trade publications.

Independent Book Review publishes book reviews for small press and self-published authors only, meaning that anyone who is published outside of the major publishers is invited to submit for free or guarantee a review with their editorial book review service.

Fun fact: IBR is on Kindlepreneur’s Ultimate List of the Best Book Review Blogs AND Feedspot’s 25 Best Indie Book Blogs and Websites!

About the Author

Jenn Gott is an indie author and a writer with Reedsy, so she basically spends all her time either writing books, or helping people learn how to write books. She firmly believes there is no writing skill you cannot learn with practice and the right guidance. When she’s not working, she enjoys keeping up with the latest superhero movies, reading, and swimming.

Thank you for reading “7 Must-Know Book Marketing Resources for Indie Authors” by Jenn Gott. If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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by Gary Corbin

Have you “gone audio” yet?

Audiobooks are perhaps the fastest-growing segment of the book publishing industry right now. It’s analogous to the early days of eBooks, with an established but undersupplied market, ripe with opportunity and growth.

My own book sales since “going audio” bear out audio’s fast growth numbers. So far in 2019, audio accounts for almost half of all of my unit sales – even though only three of my six titles are out on audio (with two more dropping any day now). Now that I have used both major audiobook publishing platforms (ACX and Findaway), I have a firm grasp on the pros and cons of both, so I decided it was time I helped other indie authors make their decision.

So how can you jump on the bandwagon and make an audiobook?

This blog post addresses the key questions for an author to consider when facing the question of whether to produce an audio version of their already-published or soon-to-be-published book—and how to do it. It is broken up into the following sections for an easier reading experience:

• Why you should consider producing an audiobook
• How and where to publish your audiobook
• Pros and cons of DIY production and hiring out (with pricing information)
• Selecting a narrator
• More!

Without further ado, here’s “Going Audio: How to Make an Audiobook for Indie Authors.”

Why you should make an audiobook

People want to enjoy books, but they’re strapped for time. Audio formats allow busy people to read while walking, working, driving, cleaning their house, etc. Many people are seeking alternative forms of entertainment like podcasts and audiobooks, and who better to provide them that option than you?

Technology is getting better daily and chances are your readers already have it in some form. Smartphones, tablets, computers, even TVs come equipped with all the apps and connectivity they need to enjoy an audiobook.

The cost of audiobooks has also gone way down. It’s not uncommon to find audiobooks priced as low as paperbacks and less than hardcovers. Subscription services have driven prices even lower, and readers can even “borrow” them from the local library for free!

So how do you get started?

Ask yourself these questions before you make an audiobook:

1. Is my book a good candidate for audio?
2. How and where do I publish?
3. Should I self-narrate and produce, or hire it out?

1) Is my book a good candidate for audio?

The best candidates for audio are those with a strong narrative and those that appeal to a wide audience.

By “strong narrative,” I mean fiction or nonfiction with a compelling storyline. Ideal genres include romance, horror, humor, mystery, or fantasy. Literary fiction and poetry work, too, but it is even more important to get a strong reader in these categories. In the nonfiction world, memoirs, biographies, and business books do well.

A wide appeal is key. While you likely think your book will be great for all audiences, you should ask yourself if your specific target market would be classified as niche. You might be excited to hear your book on audio, but don’t forget that it is hard work and occasionally a bit pricey to make an audiobook. So is it worth it for you? How-to books, quotation books, and highly technical books like informational nonfiction may not be good candidates for the audiobook format.

Speaking of compelling storylines! Check out our recent blog post for writers called “31 Specific Strategies for Improving Your Novel.”

2) How and where do I publish?

Realistically, you have two good options for audiobook production: Amazon’s ACX platform and Findaway Voices. The choice between these two parallels your choices for producing print and eBooks: should you go deep (with Amazon) or go wide (with Findaway)?

The short answer to that question is: it depends. As one writer friend put it: “Do you want to keep feeding the Amazon beast, or do you want to keep fighting City Hall?” It’s up to you.

I’ve done both, because my needs for each project have varied. When I self-narrate, Findaway Voices works best for me. When hiring it out, ACX wins hands-down. I’ll explain why.

What ACX and Findaway both offer:

• Options. Both platforms offer the option of producing your own audiobook or hiring it out.
• They both offer a stable of skilled, capable narrators who can produce the book for you. You can list your project for narrators to bid on and for them to submit audition samples.
• Intuitive sales reporting and reasonably quick royalty payment (30-60 days after close of the monthly sales reporting period).
• Bounties. Amazon pays you a $50 cash bounty for any new subscriber that chooses your book first when they subscribe to Audible. Findaway passes on those same bounties from ACX as long as you enable the ACX channel when you publish.
• Share programs. “Share” programs make it possible for you to hire a narrator and produce an audiobook for little to no upfront cost. You’ll be splitting royalties with the narrator, and their programs differ in important ways, but regardless, both platforms do offer these “share programs.”

The benefits of publishing with ACX:

• The Empire. ACX, even more than Kindle Direct Publishing, ties you to the Amazon empire. They only distribute to their own channels, but you do harness the immense Amazon distribution monster for your book. ACX is the biggest game in town, and readers often look to Amazon first.
• Larger narrator pool. ACX has a great pool of narrators to choose from. It provides more extensive narrator profiles, and, through their “Audible Approved” program, ACX sets a higher standard for narrators. You can review narrator profiles and production history, and you can listen to multiple samples before starting a project. Findaway doesn’t offer this option (yet).
• ACX’s Royalty Share program lets you produce an audiobook with no upfront cost, but you sacrifice 50% of your royalties for seven years.

The benefits of publishing with Findaway Voices

• Wide distribution. Findaway distributes to 32 audio channels and retailers – basically everyone, including Audible/ACX. This is important: the vast majority of my sales have come from non-Amazon channels like Bibliotheca and hibooks.
• Indie-friendly. Findaway’s entire process simplifies things for the indie producer, in ways far too numerous and nuanced to contain in this blog post. Here’s a key way, though: if you publish your eBooks through Direct2Digital or Smashwords, setup for your audiobook is simplified.
• Voices Share. Findaway Voices’ Share program asks you to pay 50% of the narrator’s hourly rate in exchange for 50% of the royalties for 10 years. It’s the one way Findaway is less indie-friendly than ACX.

3) Should I self-narrate and produce, or hire it out?

Narrators don’t just read your book – they perform it. A good one will bring your prose and characters to life. Thus, selecting a narrator is a key step in your production process – whether it’s you or someone else.

The best candidates for audio are those with a strong narrative and those that appeal to a wide audience.

Should you narrate your own book?

Readers enjoy hearing authors tell their own stories. It also saves you a lot of money (or earns more, depending on how you look at it). But it’s not for the faint of heart. Ask yourself a few tough questions before you decide to do it on your own:

• Do you have a strong, clear speaking voice?
• Do people like hearing you read?
• Do you read with good diction? If people don’t always understand what you say, narrating may not be for you.
• Are you comfortable speaking into a mic?

Producing an audiobook isn’t just about narrating, though. You also have to create, edit, and produce the actual audio files. It requires some technical savvy. So ask yourself:

• Are you patient and detail-oriented? Listeners expect very clean audio, which requires meticulous editing to remove stray sounds and redubbing to remove errors.
• Do you have the time? A 70,000-word novel turns into about 9 hours of finished audio. But that 9 hours of audio might take you 45-60 hours to produce—once you get good at it. On my first audiobook, I probably spent closer to 100 hours, learning from my many, many mistakes.
• Do you have dedicated quiet space for your recording? It doesn’t have to be large, but it MUST be quiet. The more background noise on the original, the longer it takes to edit.
• Do you have the hardware and software (or can you afford to buy it)? You can probably expect to spend about $300-400 on this.
  • Alternatively, you can rent a studio with the equipment, but it’s likely to cost several times more. But for some, it’s the only option.

If you answer “yes” to all of those questions, you’re a great candidate for doing it yourself. If not, you might want to hire a narrator.

I self-narrated and produced Lying in Judgment in my own recording studio in 2018. You can check out the final product (and listen to a sample) here.

Should you hire a narrator?

If you choose to hire a narrator, your job gets much easier. But you have an important up-front question to answer: what’s your budget?

• Do you have around $2,500 available to invest in your audiobook? If so, you can hire it out in the traditional way and reduce your own workload and stress.
• Do you have around $1,000–$1,500 to invest? If so, you’re a candidate for ACX’s Royalty Share Plus or Findaway’s Voices Share program.
• Do you have close to no cash available? ACX’s Royalty Share is for you.

Once you have your payment plan figured out, it’s time to get started on finding your narrator.

4 Steps for Hiring an Audiobook Narrator:

1) Create a publisher account

This is an easy one! Just make sure you create a publisher account (not a narrator account!) on your preferred production site: ACX or Findaway.

If you’re on ACX, preview some narrators by heading into the “Find a studio professional page.” Then, use the filtering options on the left side of the screen and check out narrator profiles and production history. Get a feel for it all.

2) Create your project

Each platform has different steps here. Just make sure you answer their questions honestly and completely. This will help them recruit potential narrators for you. This is particularly important when it comes to voice (male/female, accents, etc.), genre, and whether you prefer a Share or traditional agreement.

As I mentioned earlier, if you’re on D2D or Smashwords, you can initiate a project easily at this stage and save yourself a lot of setup time!

3) Begin auditions

You’ll need to write and upload an audition script. Typically, an audition script is 1-2 pages (250-500 words) from your book that will give you and the narrator a strong sense of how the book will sound when read aloud. You’ll want some narrative and some dialogue, with multiple characters if possible.

Set a reasonable deadline for receiving responses. Keep in mind, audition tapes can take several days to produce, and the longer the period, the more bids you’ll likely receive. I like to give a week for auditions. (On Findaway, the 1-week period is automatic.)

Within a few days, the system will provide links to interested narrators. Listen to the auditions (as well as any other samples on their profiles), check out their production history, and select the narrator that best fits your project. You’ll then sign an agreement online to hire the narrator, make the up-front payment, and establish deadlines for interim milestones and the final project.

4) Review and approve your narrator

You’ll get a chance to review audio files and provide feedback before you give final approval. This can be tedious, but giving good feedback is critical. Don’t nit-pick or tell the narrator how to do their job, but be firm about fixing errors that would change your intended meaning or spoil the experience for readers.

How to update your book cover for audio

Whether you do it yourself or hire it out, you’ll need to restretch your cover to fit the square specs (2400×2400 px) required for audiobooks, and add a credit for your narrator. For my self-narrated books, I simply add, “Narrated by the author,” under the author credit or book title.

You’ll also need to ensure that none of the text (title or credits) lies in the lower right corner, as ACX may cover that area with their own splash logo. This may also require moving your book title or credits around.

Resources

Production sites and partners:

• Amazon ACX
• Findaway Voices
• Draft2Digital
• Smashwords

Microphones:

• Insignia USB Condenser Mic
• Blue Snowball USB Condenser Mic
• Blue Yeti USB Condenser Mic

Software:

• Audacity
• Adobe Suite

What are you waiting for?

Audiobook production requires a commitment of time, money, and faith, but it also provides significant opportunities for expanding book sales and your pool of faithful readers. We’re at that sweet spot where markets are maturing, technology is cheap and available, and help is plentiful. Whether you self-produce or hire it out, it’s not too late to catch the wave – even get ahead of most other writers.

So what are you waiting for? Go make an audiobook. You’ll be glad you did.

About the Author

Gary Corbin is the author of six novels, five of which have been produced as audiobooks. In his latest release, A Woman of Valor, rookie policewoman Valorie Dawes pursues serial child molester Richard Harkins, but Valorie’s past includes childhood abuse trauma of her own, and her battle with this cunning, vicious criminal awakens #metoo memories and emotions she’d rather forget. The audio version will be released on Audible/ACX any day now, joining his four other audiobooks – Lying in Judgment, Lying in Vengeance, The Mountain Man’s Dog, and The Mountain Man’s Bride, released via Findaway Voices on all audio retail channels. Gary also narrates audiobooks and provides a full range of editing services for indie writers. For more information, visit garycorbinwriting.com.

Thank you for reading “Going Audio: How to Make an Audiobook for Indie Authors” by Gary Corbin! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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by Joe Walters

Do you know someone who has published a book?

If so, awesome! Congratulate them and send them my way. Writing and publishing a book is no small feat, especially for those who don’t publish with a big 5 publisher.

Who’s that? you ask.

Well, in a nutshell, the Big 5 publishers are the companies that stock your local Barnes & Noble. They’re the ones you see in every bookstore across the US. They’re usually the ones that get the blockbuster movie deals, the foreign rights, the big book tours. They are Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan Publishers, and Simon and Schuster.

If you take a stroll through your local bookstore, do me a favor and take a peek at the bottom of the spine or at the copyright page. Chances are, they’re published by one of the big 5 or an imprint of the big 5, meaning they’ve still got a leg up on the competition.

So what does that mean for the author in your life?

Well, this publishing process is going to be a whole lot harder. They could have published with a small or indie press or they might have published the book themselves. Either way, they are most likely in charge of their own marketing and promotion. You know what that means?

• Printing books (which costs money)
• Shipping books (which costs money)
• Advertisements (Cash rules everything around me)
• Travelling for book tours (Dolla dolla bill, y’all)
• And much, much more.

Because of all the work they have to endure, indie authors need your help. Will you be the one to offer it?

Here’s my guide for “10 Ways to Support Indie Authors.”

1. Go to their events

If your indie author managed to procure an event at a local bookstore, coffee shop, bar, etc., recognize that the venue did not come to them. Whether it was their small press that reached out or if the author did it themselves, they had to convince the venue that it would be beneficial for them, too. One step further: what if the event takes place in the author’s hometown? The author is hoping that their family and friends (i.e. you!) will stop by and fill out the audience.

Don’t worry about if you’ve never been to a reading before. Don’t worry if you feel like you won’t understand it because you’re not good at listening to people read. Just the fact that you are there helps the author, and really—you might end up enjoying the night out.

2. Post about it on social media

If you’re alive and kicking in 2019, you know how important social media is for small businesses. They’ve got a product they want the world to see, and social media is a free tool where real life human beings can come in contact with the things they want to buy.

So if your indie author has an event coming up, tweet about it. Tag the venue. If you just got your indie author’s book in the mail, snap a picture and let #bookstagram know that you can’t wait to read it. Talk about it on Facebook before, during, and after reading it. Any bit of validation helps.

3. How to buy the book

First of all, hell yeah. I’m so glad you’re considering taking the plunge and supporting your indie author. They spent a ton of time trying to produce this thing, and they’re proud of it. However you want to buy their book, the author will be grateful for your help.

But if you want to make sure you’re making the right decision, here’s a guide:

• Directly from the author
  • If you want to give your indie author the most money, buy it in person or through their website. When they’re selling the book, that means they probably already have the copy and won’t send it back to the printer if it doesn’t sell. They’ve already paid for it (or the small press has), meaning that there could be books just chilling in their garage. Might as well help them out with a few extra bucks.
• Local Indie Bookstore
  • While making the most money might sound like the best way to support your indie author, this one might be even more supportive. When you order a book from your local indie bookstore, someone is sitting behind the counter making the order. That same person gets notified about the book, might read about it, and if it seems like demand might be there for their customers, could potentially order more copies to stock at the store. In order to buy it from them, you can use Indiebound, request it in person, or send your local indie an email with the title, author name, and ISBN number.
• Amazon
  • Amazon is an incredible resource for indie authors. When you buy from them, you’re helping their book climb the rankings in their category and potentially grab an elusive “Amazon Best Seller” moniker. Also, when you purchase on Amazon and plan to leave a review there, it gives you one of those fancy “verified purchase” tags that tells future Amazon browsers that someone else in the world wanted to purchase the book and liked it enough to review it. It makes a big difference.

4. Request it from your library

If anybody understands the difficulties of supporting indie authors financially, it’s indie authors. So don’t you dare think that if you’re short on cash that you can’t support them. When you request the author’s book from your library, that library has to purchase the book in order to store it. And guess what? Chances are that they will! Sometimes that opens the author up to host events at their location, and when you return it to the library, future browsers could find it and help promote it on their own.

5. Write a review

Just like your favorite podcasts, YouTube channels, and local shops, indie authors are in extreme need of reviews. Nothing quite says validation like heading onto your indie author’s book page and finding that the book has been read and reviewed by 25+ people. While those authors might not be hounding you to review it after you’ve read, they probably wish they would have.

So if you read the book, just drop a line or two on one of Amazon, Goodreads, or both. If an indie author has 25+ reviews on Amazon, the website actually might start doing free promotion for them. Once they hit that number, they’ll also be accepted into spectacular book promotion websites like BookBub. So really, they can’t do it without your reviews. And it should only take a few minutes.

6. Give their book as a gift

When you recognize something that someone else would like, your instincts aren’t off. There’s a reason why you remembered that Agatha enjoys Sci-Fi, that Mike reads business books, and that Sandra used to write poetry. It’s because you want to help your indie author.

Whether you buy another copy or just share your own, sending the book to someone who might enjoy it puts this thing into the hands of another reader. That means that this someone is reading a book they would have not read otherwise. They might talk about it with their friends or family, and holy smokes is that helpful. Even if it just sits on their bookshelf, it puts the book in a new visible position. And if they’re a book blogger, they might even write about it!

7. Request it to your book club

First of all, great job being part of a book club. Whether it’s digital or in person, you’re doing something special in sharing books and stories with those around you. (If you’re looking for book recs, think about these titles.)

But wait! Before you recommend any of the books on that list, request that your group reads your indie author’s book instead. Oftentimes when book club members agree to read something, they all will purchase the book in order to read it. And honestly—what better way to make some real concrete sales for the author in your life?

8. Keep it visible!

I go to a coffee shop about two or three times a week. And fun fact: I always bring a book with me regardless to whether I’m reading or not. I lay it down on the table while I work. You’d be amazed at how nosy strangers are, especially when they’re readers! They might fall in love with the cover, title, and/or recognize it from the book blog they’ve been paying attention to. And when that happens, intrigue builds in their mind and sometimes, it sends them straight to the purchase button.

But it’s not just about reading or displaying it in public. If you’re like me and like to keep your books in a bookshelf or in an attractive display of some sort, don’t be afraid to give that book a little exposure. Whenever I go to someone’s house and see their bookshelf, I stop listening and start browsing. (Sorry, friends). If I find a book I like the sound of, I’ll pick it up and learn about it and maybe fall in love with it enough to save it in my phone. Do that for your indie author. It’s the small things that help.

9. Rep their merch (stickers, bookmarks, t-shirts, etc.)

Just like the last one, it’s important to put your indie author’s product in the faces of potential buyers as much as possible. Sometimes, authors purchase merchandise like stickers and bookmarks to help spread the word about their books, and if you’re willing, put that baby in a noticeable place!

I know one terrifically talented author who sent out stickers with his book cover on it for readers to slap on the back of their laptops, on their water bottles, etc. And if you like the book, why not let that sticker go to use?

10. Read the book

If their book doesn’t sell, authors will survive. If they don’t get a movie deal, it’s fine. But if no one actually reads their book, their hearts might explode.

When you make that purchase or grab your copy from the library, set off a bit of free time and give it a shot. You might not like it, but you also might fall in love with it. Indie authors are capable of just as much and sometimes more than the books that get the most exposure, so go ahead and give it a shot. And when you do, tell your author about it. Share the thing that you enjoyed most. You’ll make your author proud. And if that’s it? Well, you’ve done your job in supporting them.

About the Author

Joe Walters is the editor-in-chief of Independent Book Review. When he’s not doing editorial or reviewing work at IBR, he’s working on his novel and trusting the process.

Thank you for reading “10 Ways to Support Indie Authors” by Joe Walters. If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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