book marketing

Trad vs Indie in 2026, Part III

/ INDIE PUBLISHING, Planning, Publishing & Production, Stoicism & Perspective / 6 minutes of reading / 1 Comment

Most authors aren’t confused about how traditional and indie publishing work. They’re confused because they’re emotionally attached to what they want those systems to be. In 2026, choosing between trad, indie, or anything resembling “hybrid” isn’t about legitimacy or dreams of a writing career. It’s about understanding which system you’re willing to depend on — corporations behaving well, or yourself. This is the part nobody says out loud.

Trad vs Indie in 2026, Part III Read More »

Trad vs Indie in 2026, Part II

/ INDIE PUBLISHING, Planning, Publishing & Production, Stoicism & Perspective / 7 minutes of reading / Leave a Comment

If Part I was the brutal, unsentimental comparison of trad vs indie — advantages, disadvantages, and the cold math of each — then Part II shifts gears completely. Part II dives into what modern indie publishing actually looks like in 2026, because most writers still imagine the 2013 version: KU gold rushes, cheap ads, write-to-market hamster wheels, and algorithmic rituals. That world is gone. Today’s indie career is a full business model built on direct sales, diversified income, long-tail backlist revenue, platform resilience, and storytelling that can’t be replicated by AI. If you don’t understand this version of indie, you can’t choose your publishing path intelligently — and Part II lays it out without sentimentality, delusion, or nostalgia.

Trad vs Indie in 2026, Part II Read More »

AI Just Went Mainstream. Here’s What That Means for Indie Authors

/ Technology, Tools & AI / 3 minutes of reading

AI has officially gone mainstream—and that matters more than you think. This week on the blog, we’re looking at what the AI tipping point means for indie authors (hint: it’s not time to panic, but it is time to get your author platform AI-friendly). If your site doesn’t tell a chatbot what kind of stories you write, you’re already losing visibility.

Let’s fix that.

AI Just Went Mainstream. Here’s What That Means for Indie Authors Read More »

The Two Survival Strategies Every Indie Author Needs Now

/ Marketing, Planning / 4 minutes of reading

The indie publishing world has fractured into a thousand niche markets, and the old one-size-fits-all advice just doesn’t cut it anymore. To thrive now, you need two things: a platform that keeps your readers close, and an experimental mindset that helps you navigate the mountain of conflicting advice. These aren’t just tactics—they’re survival strategies for the modern indie author.

The Two Survival Strategies Every Indie Author Needs Now Read More »

No, It’s Not Your Imagination. Publishing Is Tough Now.

/ Attitude, INDIE PUBLISHING, Marketing, Planning / 4 minutes of reading

If it feels like publishing is tougher than ever — it’s not your imagination. The market is saturated, algorithms are pay-to-play, and readers are trained to expect endless content for pennies. But that doesn’t mean you’re doomed. It means the game has changed. And smart indie authors are adapting by building direct reader platforms, redefining success on their own terms, and learning to market without selling their souls. The old paths are gone — time to blaze your own.

No, It’s Not Your Imagination. Publishing Is Tough Now. Read More »

Review of The Artisan Author by Johnny B. Truant

/ Attitude, Creativity, INDIE PUBLISHING, PRODUCTIVITY & ORGANIZATION, Prolificacy, Publishing & Production / 6 minutes of reading / 3 Comments

At its heart, this book offers a liberating proposal: don’t play the game as it’s currently defined. Walk away from algorithm worship, punishing release schedules, and the grind of selling at 99 cents to churn-hungry subscription readers. Instead, write what you want to write, at the pace that suits you, and charge a fair price for your work.

Review of The Artisan Author by Johnny B. Truant Read More »

Scroll to Top