If you ask an Indie author who has been in the business for a while, they will probably tell you that having a strong resource library is like having a bookshelf of bffs to help guide you through the ever changing world of all things Indie. If you are looking for books for indie authors, you are in luck! The nice thing about independent authors is that they are eager to share their experiences: what is working and what is not in the current markets, best tips for all the things, and how to navigate a dynamic and growing space.
Luckily for us, Indies are prolific publishers, so the resources are ever growing. TBRH has curated a list of our favorites to bring you the Best Books for Indie Authors. Whether you are just starting out, or are an old hat looking to overextend your groaning bookshelf (we’re coming up with a list of best bookshelves too!), this list is a great place to get started.
1. The Indie Author Mindset, by Adam L. Croft
Featured on The Book Review Haiku!
Don’t change your writing—
Change your mindset on your craft!
A business approach.
The Indie Author Mindset: How changing your way of thinking can transform your writing career, by Adam L. Croft helps writers to shift their mindset and grow their writing into a career. As many successful Indies will emphasize, your writing offers many opportunities to turn books into multiple streams of income, to diversify your business.
What We Like:
- Approaches writing from a business perspective and offers ideas on how to shift into a business mindset
- Dives into profits and demystifies advertising
- Motivational!
2. How to Make a Living With Your Writing, By Joanna Penn
Featured on The Book Review Haiku!
Think of your writing
As a career, a journey
To the life you seek
Joanna Penn is one of our favorites! She has a “pay it forward” mentality, and provides lots of fantastic resources for Indie authors, all based on her personal transition to a full-time Indie. How to Make a Living With Your Writing: Turn Your Words into Multiple Streams Of Income is one of many resource books she has penned over the past decade. Joanna Penn is great about keeping her content “evergreen”, so you will often see multiple editions of each of her works. This one in particular focuses on how to market your books for multiple streams of income and make writing a viable primary source of income. Packed full of great and timely advice, this book will help you navigate your own Indie career.
What We Like:
- Writing is easy to digest and applicable
- Shares resources, websites, and experiences generously
- A great resource for someone planning their transition
3. The Business of Being a Writer, by Jane Friedman
Featured on The Book Review Haiku!
Writing is business,
Even for us creatives.
Show us the way, please.
The Business of Being a Writer, by Jane Friedman is an extremely accessible guide to making a go at a writing career. This book is relevant for many audiences, from those looking to try traditional publishing tracks and Indies. Mostly, this book is a great resource on the business side of writing. It is a crash course on the industry, with tips on how to navigate the space. People who are drawn to the creativity of writing often are not well-versed in the writing industry, and this book helps to orient writers to understanding the business mentality behind successful writers.
What We Like:
- A great guide based on 20+ years of experience in the industry
- Provides straightforward and useful guidance
- Demystifies the business side of writing
4. Write. Publish. Repeat
Featured on The Book Review Haiku!
Write, Publish, Repeat
How? Make writing a habit.
Write, and then write more!
Write, Publish, Repeat: The No-Luck Required Guide to Self-Publishing Success, by writing team Johnnie B. Truant and Sean Platt describes their tried and true process for writing quickly, editing, publishing, and moving on the the next project. Ever entrepreneurs, Johnny and Sean divide and conquer to write at an amazing pace to increase readership and market share. This book shares their process in an accessible and easy-to-digest way. Whether you take to their style or not, the book has ideas that are applicable to many writers looking to create unique and quality content.
What We Like:
- Easy to digest guidance
- An inside look at a unique writing process
- Tips that are widely applicable
- Entertaining to read!
5. How to Self-Publish Your Book
Featured on The Book Review Haiku!
Set your goals! Sequence.
Business begins long before
The pen hits paper.
How to Self-Publish Your Book: A Complete Guide to Writing, Editing, Marketing & Selling Your Own Book, by Dr. Jan Yager is a comprehensive “how to” guide for new Indie Authors who are just venturing into the business. There is a lot to learn about the business of writing, and this book helps it audience to grapple with the many nuanced steps of turning a manuscript into a professional, finished work, and (hopefully) onto lots of bookshelves.
What We Like:
- Gets authors into a business plan mindset long before the manuscript is ready for prime time
- Great for writers who are just setting out, but…
- Also a great resource for established authors to keep up to date on changes in the industry
Further Reading
Check out some additional articles on the business of writing.