The Hardships of Self-Publishing

Caution, Indie Writer Rant incoming.

When most of us decided to self-publish, we did so to avoid the traditional gatekeepers of the publishing industry. The agents, the publishing companies, whose insane percentages leave us as nothing more than literary sharecroppers

To them, we were forced to fork over to a greedy industry that only sees us as mules they can ride until they’ve squeezed us until we’re broken down and useless. When it’s over, they don’t even have the decency to put us out of our misery. Instead, they leave out in the desert to die of exposure and thirst.

For a brief period of time, we had our freedom. It was a golden age for the little writers. We stood or fell on our own merits and not at the whim of anyone except the winds of fate and the Amazon algorithm.

Now, a new darkness stares us in the face.

The more successful indie writers seem to have decided they are the new gatekeepers.

They say we need to use every layer of editing and proofing the big boys use if we want to be real writers.

They say we need brand new original covers, no stock images, and no photoshopping if we want to be real writers.

They say we need slick “professional formatting” if we want to be real writers.

They say if we can’t afford to do these things, then we have no business trying to publish because we won’t be real writers.

I do a lot of self-editing and make my own covers, sometimes really bad ones. I format my own books. I do all of these things because being a writer is all I’ve ever wanted to do.

I’m a writer, and more importantly, I’m an Indie Writer, and I take my craft seriously.

*Note – None of the vast majority of Indie Writers are in any way like the ones I described above. *

- Josh (06/09/2024)