If you’ve been in indie publishing for a while, you’ve probably felt it: the slow, creeping decline in book sales. You’re writing as fast as you can, launching books regularly, marketing like mad… and yet, it feels like you’re running uphill in quicksand.
Here’s some perspective: According to ALLi’s Dan Holloway, 2.6 million indie titles were published with ISBNs in 2023—a 7.2% increase from 2022. By comparison, traditional publishers released just over half a million titles, a drop of 3.6%. That means indie authors are publishing five times more books than traditional publishers, and that’s just counting books with ISBNs. Add in non-ISBN self-published books, and the number becomes mind-boggling.
Oh, and then there’s the AI factor. AI-generated books are already here, and their numbers are likely to explode in the coming years. So if your sales are sinking, this might be why: your book is competing in an ocean of millions of others.
The Old Indie Mantras Aren’t Working Anymore
When I first dipped my toe into indie publishing, the formula for success was clear: Release a book every 90 days. Keep the Amazon algorithm happy. Feed the beast.
Then the “Amazon Cliff” dropped to 60 days. Then 30. Many of us—myself included—did our best to keep up. And for a while, it worked.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth: It doesn’t work anymore.
The algorithms have become too unpredictable, the competition too vast. Even if you could keep up the breakneck pace of rapid release, would it be worth it? At what cost to your creativity, your quality, or your sanity?
It’s Time to Reframe “Prolificacy”
I love the idea of being prolific. Isaac Asimov wrote prolifically over decades, producing hundreds of books that have stood the test of time. He wasn’t cranking out novels to keep pace with algorithms; he was building a legacy.
For me, prolificacy isn’t about writing as much as humanly possible in the shortest time frame. It’s about this:
“You’re prolific when you’re writing and releasing as many books as you can, in the time you have available to write them, and at a pace that keeps you happily writing over the long term.”
This doesn’t mean you should slow down your actual writing speed. If you’re churning out 1,000 words per hour and loving the process, keep at it. That’s your flow state, and it’s where your best ideas live.
But what if you kept writing at your usual speed but gave yourself more time around the writing? Time to brainstorm killer concepts and craft plots that wrench at the reader’s heart and refuse to let go. Time to polish your draft until it gleams and sings. Then, once the story is ready, invest even more time in devising a marketing campaign that doesn’t just shove the book out the door but makes readers stop, look, and say, “I need this!”
Stand Out By Being More Human
Joanna Penn has been saying for years that the key to thriving in a saturated market is to write beautiful, deeply human books. Books that connect with readers on an emotional level. Books that stand out in the sea of sameness.
In today’s market, being prolific isn’t enough. You have to be remarkable.
Instead of trying to keep up with the algorithms, why not:
- Write at a sustainable pace. Give yourself the time to plot, write, edit, and rework your books until they sing.
- Focus on your platform. Your ability to capture and hold a reader’s attention matters more than ever. Build a newsletter. Foster a community of readers who stick with you because they love you.
- Rethink your marketing. Social media’s effectiveness is waning. Instead of shouting into the void, create marketing strategies that play to your strengths and truly connect with readers.
- Bring back book launches. Your book deserves more than a quick upload and a whisper into the void. Plan a launch that gets readers excited to hit that “Buy Now” button.
Play the Long Game
Being prolific doesn’t have to mean rushing. It can mean consistency, longevity, and creating a body of work you’re proud of.
Write fast, sure—but give yourself the space to write well. Make your books unforgettable. And build a career that will last for decades, not just a few fleeting moments on an algorithmic radar.
