This year, 2026, is the 15th anniversary of the publication of Her Dear & Loving Husband. I’ve written those words several times now, and I still can’t quite believe it. In 2026, James and Sarah Wentworth continue to find new fans all over the world. I still can’t quite believe that either.
I’ve been a proud independent author for all of those 15 years. I’ve written before about my journey into independent publishing, particularly in The Swirl and Swing of Words, so I’ll share the short version here. I originally tried to have HDLH published traditionally. I dutifully sent my queries to agents, and most requested full manuscripts. Then they passed. Only it wasn’t the standard form rejection letter I received. I received personal feedback with comments like “I love the story, and I see your talent, but I don’t know who to sell this to.” It was a huge lesson for me because it was the first time I realized that writing a wonderful book alone isn’t enough to make your way in traditional publishing.
This was 2010-2011, at the cusp of the independent author revolution. I learned everything I could about independent publishing (things were very different then) and I decided to give it a go. The thing is, I knew the agents were wrong. I believed in my very gut that there was an audience out there for James and Sarah if only readers had a chance to meet them. I took a gamble on myself and won. To date, the Loving Husband Series has sold over 300,000 copies worldwide.
That’s not to say that the road of an independent author is easy. In some ways it’s easier than traditional publishing because I don’t have to wait for a gatekeeper to approve of my writerly existence. In other ways it’s harder because everything that would normally fall on a publisher is my responsibility. Mainly, I enjoy that responsibility. Sometimes, I don’t.
Other writers have asked me if they should publish independently. My answer is: it depends. When people hear the phrase independent author, they often imagine two extremes. On one end, total creative freedom, flexible schedules, and full control over your work. On the other end, isolation, endless self-promotion, and endless worries about self-promotion that fall into the “Am I doing enough?” category. Here’s what I’ve learned about the pros and cons of being an independently published writer.
PROS
Creative Freedom Is Real
The greatest gift of independence is creative autonomy. I choose what stories to tell, how to tell them, and when they’re ready to meet the world. There are no committees deciding whether my book fits the market, and I’ve written a wide range of books about everything from Biblical Jerusalem to vampires to Victorian England. I write the story that my Muse wants to tell. Now I’m writing a Gothic mystery set on a fictional college campus. I write what I want to write when I want to write it. That freedom to have my creative career my way means the world to my independent spirit.
Unlike other authors, I don’t feel any pressure to chase trends that don’t align with my vision, and I don’t need to change my vision to make my work more commercial. When I had HDLH reviewed by a beta reader, she wanted me to turn the story into a more traditional romance. She wanted me to completely change James’s personality (she thought he wasn’t “alpha” enough). In the end, I chose to stay true to my vision, and thousands of readers all over the world are perfectly happy with the story as it is. For an author like me, who cares deeply about atmosphere, theme, and emotional resonance, the freedom to write in my own voice is nothing short of transformative. I’m allowed to write the book I feel compelled to write and not the one someone else thinks will fit easily into a trope.
You Control Your Career
I don’t need to wait years for gatekeepers to respond to my queries and then, more likely than not, reject them. I decide when my book is finished, and by today’s standards I’m a slow writer. I began work on my current #WIP in September 2024, and it will be published in 2026, which will mean it took me about two years to write. I also decide on the publication date. This sense of momentum matters. It keeps my creativity alive and it reduces the emotional whiplash that can come from endless waiting or from writing so quickly that I burn myself out. Progress becomes something I can actively shape rather than something I hope for from someone else.
Direct Connection With Readers
One of the particular joys of independent authorship is the closeness it allows between writer and reader. Hello friends! Emails, messages, and conversations often feel more personal and immediate. My readers often send me emails, which I love beyond measure. It’s the most satisfying thing for an author when readers take the time to let me know how much they love my stories. If you want to say hi, you can find me at the Contact Me link above. I love that readers find me here on the blog, and I love that I’m not separated from my audience by layers of industry machinery. Readers find me, not just my book. Over time, that connection builds trust along with a loyal community that looks forward to my next book. I’m still in touch with readers who read HDLH way back in 2011, and, to me, that alone is worth being an indie author.
Ownership of Your Work
My stories are mine. I retain control over the story itself, as well as editing, pricing, covers, editions, promotions, and rights. This ownership can feel both empowering and grounding, especially for those of us who see our work as a long-term creative legacy. I’m not just publishing books but building something that belongs to me.
CONS
You Are Everything
Writer. Editor. Marketer. Designer. Strategist. Accountant. Tech support. And a bunch of other things I can’t think of…
Independence means wearing many hats, and not all of them fit comfortably, especially if you’re not a techie like me. The part that truly aggravates me is the fact that outsourcing different tasks isn’t always easy. Cover designers are a dime a dozen. Talented cover designers are worth their weight in gold. I’ve worked with some of the best cover designers out there, but the best designers I’ve worked with have left design to do something else. I’ve also worked with lousy cover designers. I recently worked with someone from Reedsy and her work was so bad that I had to redo the covers myself in Canva, and that’s after I paid her for her work. While cover design seems simple, there are nips and tucks that we non-designers don’t always understand that makes it more difficult than it looks. There are some covers I’ve had redone several times and they’re still not entirely correct. I’ve had the same issues with freelance editors. Not all are created equal. I’ve had one of my books edited several times by several different editors and there were still mistakes. Ugh! This part of being an indie author is not fun, friends.
If you know a great book cover designer who actually understands the concept of book cover design, particularly paperback covers, let me know. Please and thank you.
Readership Is Earned, Not Guaranteed
This is the part that I find most new writers have the most trouble with. Writing a book is an extraordinary accomplishment, especially because so many people want to write a book but never do. But just writing a book and putting The End on the last page does not mean that other people will want to read what you’ve written. It’s better to spend several years learning the craft of writing than rushing something out just because you can. Take the time to grow into the kind of writer you want to be. My first published piece, a short story in a small literary journal, was published in 2000. Before that, I had been writing seriously since about 1995. In other words, I was writing for 16 years before Her Dear & Loving Husband was published. Remember Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000-hour rule, that you need to practice for 10,000 hours before you get good at something? Take it seriously.
Discoverability Is Also Earned
And then, even if you do everything right and you write a wonderful story, you’re still not guaranteed readers. I was lucky with Her Dear & Loving Husband because 2011 was the height of vampire fever so the book caught on quickly. Interest in vampire stories has ebbed and flowed over the past 15 years, but we seem to be in an uptick, which I’m seeing in my sales. Discoverability requires sustained effort and some luck. There’s always something new to learn, such as experimenting with various types of promotions, finding where your readers hang out, and showing up consistently. For me, this blog is my main source of discoverability. The struggle for discoverability can feel discouraging, especially when you’ve poured years into a book and it enters the world quietly. Most books will enter the world quietly, but being independently published means that I’m not tied down to a six-week release splash. In the traditional world, if a book doesn’t break out quickly, then it’s forgotten. As indies, we can publicize our books whenever we want. Readers don’t care when a book was published. If they’ve recently discovered it, then it’s new to them even if the book is 20 years old. Indies can work according to our own timelines. Patience becomes a necessary skill, as does resilience.
Financial Uncertainty
An author’s income is rarely predictable. Sales fluctuate. Algorithms change. AI is disrupting everything. Vampires go in and out of fashion. Promotions work one month and fall flat the next. This unpredictability can create anxiety, particularly for writers who tie their self-worth to their numbers. Being an independent author means that you have to separate your value as a creator from the performance of a single book. Some genres, like romance, sell more briskly, so if that’s your genre you may sell more books than those who hang out in the literary fiction aisle like me.
Most traditionally published authors, if they are being honest, have multiple sources of income. Most indie authors, if they are being honest, have multiple sources of income. There is no shame in this and it’s important to be honest about the financial realities of being an author. That doesn’t mean you should give up your dream. It means that whether you are traditionally or independently published, you will more than likely need to find multiple sources of income.
Isolation Can Sneak In
Without a built-in team, it’s easy to feel alone, especially during difficult stretches. There’s no agent or editor checking in, no launch team by default, no shared office chatter. Independent authors must actively seek community, whether through writing groups, online spaces, or trusted creative friends. Without that support, the work can feel heavier than it needs to be. I have a few writer friends I commiserate with. It’s always helpful to have someone who understands the ups and downs of what we do.
Here’s the main thing I’ve learned about being an independently published author: the same freedom that allows me to write what I love requires me to advocate for it. The same ownership that empowers me to write the stories of my heart demands accountability. For me, being an independent author means that I’ve learned to trust my instincts, my creative vision, and all the rest of it. It has also forced me to confront perfectionism and fear. And damn annoying book covers. Being independently published suits my personality and my skill set and I wouldn’t trade this freedom for anything.
What is the verdict then? Is independent authorship worth it? Well, that depends on what you value. If you crave control, creative ownership, and a direct relationship with your work and readers, independence can be deeply fulfilling. If you need external validation from a traditional gatekeeper like an agent or a traditional publisher, then being independent can be challenging. Neither path is better. They’re simply different. You do you.
For writers like me who are willing to grow alongside their work, to learn, adapt, and stay rooted in why they write in the first place, then being an independent author can become a creative philosophy. For me, that’s worth the trade-offs. Though I would still love to find a great paperback cover designer.
