Indie Authors Are Being Priced Out Of Publishing...Let’s Talk About It
Are you an indie or self-published author struggling to see returns on your books? Or a reader who wants to better support the authors you love? This post is for both of you. Hawthorn & Aster breaks down the real financial realities of self-publishing, the symbiotic relationship between authors and readers, and what you can actually do to make a difference—whether you're writing the books or reading them. Because visibility matters, skilled labor deserves compensation, and this community is worth fighting for.
We did the SEO. You know the drill. Keep reading for the real stuff.
Hi Authors.
This may seem like a strange post from a company like ours—after all, we make our living providing services to authors. That said, we have eyes, we see what's happening. Most of all, we have hearts.
We have lost track of the number of authors we've heard say "I don't know if I can continue doing this if I'm not seeing any returns."
To say that it's heartbreaking is putting it lightly. We've seen so many talented voices go quiet, just because they can't afford to keep going.
This blog is a little bit different—this isn't just for authors. This is for readers who love indie and self-published authors.
The Problem
When you publish a book, you have a lot of unseen expenses (we have a free spreadsheet available for authors, by the way). Not only do you have to worry about things like editing (the multiple rounds that it takes), but you need cover art, some kind of marketing, and all the unseen things like typesetting (interior book formatting), platform fees, ISBNs, etc.
We want to be fully transparent about our stance as service providers: skilled labor deserves to be paid for. Full stop. And ordinarily, if you see someone with "too good to be true" prices, either they're just starting out, or they're (deliberately or not) undercutting the rest of the market. Or worse, they're using AI—don't even get us started.
A lot of authors share this mentality—hard, good work is worth the price. After all, if you want it done right, you want a professional.
The ugly truth is that not a lot of authors see returns on their books. Especially not their first few. So, investing in their dream can ultimately feel like a money pit—especially during the hard times when the author is grinding on social media trying to get someone to even look at their book.
Reader Psychology Plays a Part
Some readers are obsessed with the indie publishing market and do everything they can to support their authors. They read the books, post reviews on multiple platforms, order the physical copies, repost and share what the author is posting. All of this is deeply valuable and so helpful.
And then there are some readers who receive a free copy of the book, never post a review, but quietly love it from beneath their pile of blankets. Truth is, most readers don't fully understand that the indie and self-published market operates as a fully symbiotic ecosystem.
Without the readers, the authors have nothing. Without the authors, the readers don't have unique stories that they likely wouldn't have found in mass-market publishing.
What Can We Do?
Authors, we're going to say something that may sound a little harsh: pinch your pennies in the beginning of your publishing journey. There's no guarantee you'll make back the money you're putting in. Here is what you need for your book:
Editing
A marketable cover
That's it.
Our advice? Start with just a digital copy of your book. You can always release a paperback at a later date, but the costs of cover design, typesetting, and additional ISBNs all catch up to you. As far as affordability goes, ebook is the way to go.
Everything you make in sales and revenue should be funneled back into your author journey. Use that money for the extras—the character art, the custom bookmarks, the stickers, the marketing.
Let us de-influence you for a second: social media is misleading. We've all seen the posts of authors signing hundreds of books and stuffing them into perfectly curated PR boxes. For some authors, this is what it looks like—a small, select group. For others, it's asking readers to pay for shipping while they wrap their book in honeycomb wrappers and free USPS supplies.
But here's the thing—if you start small, you still have room to grow. Be smart, be frugal, pace yourself. Overnight successes are far less common than you think. Most people published for years before catching that "big break."
Readers: do not underestimate your value in this. Every interaction, every repost, every review, every purchase directly contributes to an author's career. We understand that not everyone can afford to purchase every book they read—it's hard out there. But just by leveraging your platform to showcase an author, you may be introducing them to someone who can. And, as it bears repeating, your reviews actually boost authors in the algorithms—and that's vital for their discoverability.
The Unfair Truth
Creatives are unfairly compensated across the board. We hear a lot of people scoff at the price of services (editing, illustration, covers, character art, etc.), and we've similarly heard readers balk at the cost of a paperback.
Art, in all its forms, deserves compensation. It is a skill—not just that, but a vital piece of culture.
Authors, we need your books. Just like we need art, just like we need music.
One of the most beautiful things about humanity is our ability to create something that can fundamentally connect us to other humans. What you're doing is important. It's meaningful in ways that may feel hard to recognize during the low phases.
So, from us to you, hang in there. We've got your back—a pep talk, resources (just subscribe to this blog), or feral protective energy (Ivy is a Scorpio—did you know that?).
And readers, we're here to connect you to authors. Not just that, but to elevate voices that traditional publishing often overlooks.
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