By Jamie Lackey  Everyone agrees that reviews are important for book sales and visibility, but getting reviews can be an uphill battle. Most casual readers don’t bother leaving reviews, and it’s hard to get the attention of new readers who do. That’s where NetGalley comes in. They connect librarians, booksellers, educators, reviewers, and bloggers with […]

By Michael Edelson I’m old enough to remember widespread use of the term “vanity press,” and although that is thankfully a thing of the past, the stigma attached to self-publishing still persists. But the reality is that the publishing industry is changing, and independent publishing is gaining an ever-increasing market share. [1–3] As early as […]

By R J Theodore An author promoting their upcoming release might feel like Sisyphus, because the effort to keep people aware of your book is neverending. When you let up on promotion, you and your boulder wind up back at the bottom of the slope. When you do benefit from a flash of attention, you […]

By Kim Fielding Until fairly recently, it was impractical for most self-published authors to produce audiobooks. Now, however, almost anyone can easily produce a high-quality one. This is good news, because audio constitutes a significant—and profitable—portion of the publishing market. According to IBISWorld, the audio market grew 8.1% between 2017 and 2022, and is now […]

By Sherrie Cronin While independent authors can find many expensive ways to promote their books, and a few free ones, SWFA offers an opportunity for gaining both income and that coveted exposure all authors seek. For the past five years, SFWA has collaborated with StoryBundle (website) to produce annual collections of fantasy and science fiction […]

By J. Scott Coatsworth Note: All recommendations in this article are the opinions of the author and do not reflect an approval or endorsement by SFWA. Two Paths to Indie Greatness As an indie author, you have two basic choices for distribution:  Go all-in on Amazon—eBooks, paperback, and Kindle Unlimited (KU). Or “go wide,” and […]

By Kim Fielding Editor. That’s a term guaranteed to strike fear into the hearts of nearly every writer. It’s terrifying to witness someone approach our beloved work with a critical, even clinical eye. Indie authors might feel especially fearful because the decisions about and costs of the editing process are entirely upon us, unlike with […]

Editorial note: This article is the first in our new series from SFWA’s Independent Authors Committee – THE INDIE FILES! Expect a new addition to The Indie Files once a month.  By Anthony W. Eichenlaub You thought you were done. You’ve been reading new books for ages. Year-end approaches, and you’ve read every new science […]

Author Websites is part of our Indie Pub 101 resource. This section covers the basics of creating your online website presence. Head here for the Indie Pub 101 main page. An Overview of Author Websites Do you need a website? If writing is a hobby for you, you probably don’t. But if you plan to […]

 Marketing and Promotion is part of the Indie Pub 101 resource. This section primes authors for the daunting task of driving interested readers to their work. Visit the Indie Pub 101 main page here. Marketing and Promotion Many independently published authors will tell you that marketing is the hardest part. They know how to write a book, […]