I’m an indie author—through and through. That means I self-publish my books without going through a traditional publishing house like Penguin Random House or Scholastic. And honestly? I love it that way.
One of the best lines I ever heard (shoutout to the Self-Publishing Show) is: “No gatekeepers between me and my readers.” That mindset perfectly sums up why I chose the indie path. It gives me full creative control, the ability to move quickly, and ownership over every aspect of my publishing business—from writing and editing to formatting, marketing, and beyond.
Yes, it’s a lot. But I genuinely enjoy learning the ropes and building something that’s entirely my own.
My Publishing Setup
I publish through two main platforms:
- Amazon KDP – my primary distributor for paperbacks and eBooks
- IngramSpark – my secondary distributor, mainly for hardcover and library distribution
To keep everything buttoned up, I also formed an LLC around my author business—because, yes, I take this seriously.
If you’re thinking about going the indie route, my advice is this: do as much as you can in-house, at least at the start. You might not love every task (metadata, anyone?), but developing a strong understanding of each part of the process will help you make smarter decisions and optimize your business long-term.
I format my books using the guidelines provided by Amazon KDP, and I’ll be sharing some of my favorite formatting tips and tools in a future post—stay tuned for that!
Advertising & Getting Sales: The Indie Reality
Let’s talk about selling books—because writing them is only half the battle.
I keep things focused by advertising on a single platform: Amazon. That’s where most of my readers are, and since time is my most limited resource (hello, parent life!), I’ve chosen to go deep instead of wide. In other words, I don’t currently sell on every platform imaginable. I stick with what works.
IngramSpark is my backup distributor for expanded reach (think libraries and bookstores), but Amazon is where the bulk of the action happens.
Would I love to someday sell books directly from my website? Sure. Maybe even order in bulk from overseas and fulfill myself? Absolutely. But I’m playing the long game—and that means not trying to do everything all at once.
If you’re just starting out, I highly recommend beginning with Amazon KDP. Learn the ropes, figure out what resonates with your audience, and pace yourself. Indie publishing is a marathon, not a sprint—and burnout is real.
Wrapping It Up (for Now)
That’s all for now! I’ll be diving deeper into things as questions come up from social media (find me on instagram Dr. Dhoot) or various other sources. If you’re on a similar journey, I hope you’ll stick around.
To all my family, friends, and fellow aspiring authors—thank you for your support and curiosity. My goal in sharing all of this is to encourage you to finally write that story that’s been rattling around in your brain. The “Why, What, How, When, Where, and Process” I’ve shared is mine—and yours will look different. That’s part of the beauty of being indie: you get to chart your own path.
Oh, and heads up: some of the resources I mention may include affiliate links—but they’re all tools I personally use and recommend.
Until next time, keep practicing, keep writing, and don’t forget to enjoy the ride.
Note: I only recommend products I believe in, and this post may contain affiliate links to those products.
