Top Indie Authors Making Over $100k a Year

Top Indie Authors Making Over $100k a Year

by | indie publishing

One of the most alluring promises of self-publishing is the potential to earn a full-time living off your books alone. While only a small percentage of indie authors will join the six-figure earnings club, some savvy writers have cracked the code and built impressively profitable author careers. 

Here, I explore the journeys of three top indie authors who have each earned more than $100,000 annually through book sales: Kiersten Modglin, Cecilia Mecca, and Elana Johnson.

Let’s look at these top indie authors and study what sets them apart.

Top Indie Author Kiersten Modglin

Kiersten Modglin is an indie suspense and thriller author from Columbus, Ohio. She self-published her debut novel, The Truth About Ruby Valentine, in 2018 after failing to find a traditional publisher.

Since then, Modglin has published over 20 books that have sold more than 500,000 copies and been translated into multiple languages. Her breakthrough came with the release of The Missing, which captivated readers with its intense plot and unexpected twists. 

She left her teaching career in 2020 to write full-time and now easily clears over $100k in annual income from her psychological thrillers. Her knack for suspenseful storytelling has garnered a dedicated fanbase, nicknamed The Mod Squad. They call her the ‘Queen of the Twist’.

Modglin credits her rapid success to choosing a popular, in-demand genre, marketing directly to engaged reader groups, and maintaining a consistent release schedule to keep readers hooked. She publishes 4-6 new books every year.

Top Indie Author Cecelia Mecca

Historical romance author Cecelia Mecca started self-publishing in 2016 and just two years later was already earning a six-figure salary from her books. 

She published her debut novel, The Thief’s Countess, in 2017. Set in the mediaeval era, her series quickly gained popularity for its rich historical detail and engaging love stories.

One of the things I love about her books is that they are set in the Scottish Borders. So many historical romances are set in the Scottish Highlands. It’s nice to see other parts of the country getting some love!

 

She has published over 25 novels and novellas since then.

Mecca attributes her fast revenue growth to serving an underrepresented niche, leveraging Facebook ads to find her ideal readers, and always focusing on improving her craft through courses and feedback.

She maintains her income by sticking to a regular release schedule, diversifying into audio books, and continuously testing new marketing strategies. Her success is a testament to the power of niche markets and dedicated readerships in independent publishing.

She also attributes her success to Mark Dawson’s The Self-Publishing Formula.

Top Indie Author Elana Johnson

Elana Johnson is a successful indie fiction author known for her captivating young adult and science fiction novels. She entered the indie publishing scene  in 2018 and quickly gained popularity for her engaging plots and imaginative world-building.

Initially published traditionally, Johnson later transitioned to indie publishing, embracing the creative freedom and financial potential it offered.

Since then, Johnson has become a prolific writer, penning over 100 books across various genres, including young adult, contemporary romance, and urban fantasy. Her ability to write compelling stories in different categories has helped her build a diverse readership and maintain a steady income stream.

Her strategic approach to marketing and fan engagement has played a significant role in her success. By leveraging social media and building a strong community of readers, Johnson has effectively increased her visibility and sales. 

Strategies of Top Indie Authors

While their genres and stories may differ, these top earning indie authors share common strategies:

– Release Books Frequently: At least 4-6 novels per year, plus extras like novellas.

– Build Engaged Communities: Directly interact with readers via email, social media, etc. 

– Diversify Products: Expand into audiobooks, box sets, paperbacks.

– Find Profitable Niches: Identify underserved genres with ravenous fans.

– Constantly Test: Experiment with new marketing angles, ad platforms, etc.

– Never Stop Improving: Take feedback, courses, workshops, master the craft.

Final thoughts: The Self-Publishing Dream

While earning $100k+ from your indie fiction may seem unattainable, these authors prove it’s possible. By combining sound business strategies with top-notch storytelling, your books can absolutely soar.

It takes immense dedication, perseverance and a willingness to keep learning and improving. But with the right approach, big earnings await the most driven indie authors.

What strategies have you found most effective? Share your experiences in the comments below!

21 Days of Writing Inspiration

If you’re a beginner writer and need help getting started, I invite you to sign up for my video series, 21 Days of Writing Inspiration. It provides daily motivation to get you unstuck so you can build momentum with your writing. Who knows, maybe you’ll be earning $100k from book sales one day!

 

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Emma Dhesi

Emma Dhesi is a Certified Author Accelerator Book Coach and bestselling author who helps writers let go of perfectionism, self-doubt and writer's block through her signature programme, Unlock Your Creative Block.

She is the host of the YouTube Channel, Emma Dhesi, where she interviews debut and experienced authors alike.

Through her 1:1 coaching programme, Emma helps new authors start and finish their first novel.

Emma provides personal written feedback on their pages and guides them through the emotional rollercoaster that is writing a novel!

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5 reasons to self publish

5 reasons to self publish

by | indie publishing, inspiration

I’m going to give you 5 reasons to self-publish.

If you’re at the beginning of your writing journey, you most likely have dreams of signing to one of the big five publishers.

You visualise your book advertised on huge billboards, on the side of buses and in train stations across the country.

You imagine your book on the table at the front of Waterstones, along with a prominent window display featuring your face and multiple copies of your book.

That’s certainly the dream I always had, and why not?

1. Amazon

But then along came Amazon, which changed the face of publishing forever and will undoubtedly be the leader in any future changes. But for now, they, and several other platforms, offer writers not only the opportunity to get their books on sale but also the chance to build a business.

I’ve thoroughly researched the pros and cons of both traditional and self-publishing so, if you’ve ever thought about indie-publishing your work, here are five reasons to really consider self-publishing: 

  • Authors traditionally published receive less than 15% profit from their book sales. Agents, publishers and Distributers all take their cut from the sale price. Indies get 70%.
  • Authors lose control of the rights to their work for the duration of the contract. That usually includes paper rights, electronic rights, audio rights and all translation rights. If you’re a debut author with no clout, you don’t get a say.
  • Authors have no control over the editorial of their work, nor the cover design. If you don’t like what the publisher chooses, tough luck.
  • Debut authors get no marketing budget. You still have to publicise your novel.
  • If you are already a business owner, you might as well run this business too!

2. Not an Amazon fan? I’ve got you covered.

Amazon is not the only player online. Scott Allen from selfpublishing.com listed some of the best online publishers:

  • Kindle Direct Publishing
  • Barnes & Noble Press
  • Kobo
  • Apple Books
  • Self-Publishing School
  • Reedsy
  • IngramSpark
  • Publish Drive
  • Draft2Digital
  • Smashwords
  • Streetlib

Allen says in his article that no two publishing platforms are the same and he strongly recommends you do your due diligence to discover which one aligns best with your way of working.

Allen also takes you through who the publishers are and what their role is in your business. He flags up some of the common terminology you should get used to and then takes you through each of these twelve publishers.

3. Self-publishing is not vanity publishing

In addition to all these practical reasons, I also had a mindset shift. Independent publishing (another term for self-publishing) is not the same as vanity publishing. Indie authors worth their salt have their books professionally edited and hire someone to create a professional book cover to rival any covers you’ll see in the bookshops.

The days of throwing any old rubbish onto Amazon and hoping it sells have gone. Competition for sales is fierce and, ultimately, if your book isn’t any good, nobody will buy it!

4. Market your books for you, not for a publisher

Unfortunately, the days of leaving all the promotion and publicity in the hands of the publishers marketing team have gone. Even the likes of Stephen King, JK Rowling and Lee Childs have to do their fair share of marketing. Even if you are published by one of the big houses, you’re still expected to do most of the marketing yourself.

Debut authors get a tiny marketing budget. Your publisher might organise a couple of events for you if you’re lucky, but that won’t be enough to sell all the books you’ll need to sell to recoup your advance.

You’ll still need to arrange publicity for yourself. That means going to local bookshops to do readings, Q&As and signings. That also means going to libraries – and I don’t mean the British Library! – and doing readings in cold, pokey rooms.

You’ll also need an online presence. My blog post Do Fiction Writers Need A Platform, outlines just why this is so important and how you can ‌start building your online presence. Ultimately, it’ll be your job to let readers know you and your book exist.

It’ll be up to you to let people know if your book’s on sale or part of a group offer. You’ll need to find podcasters to interview you and you’ll have to approach newspapers or magazines to do a feature on your book and get it reviewed in the local press.

Mark Dawson is the poster boy for self publishing and in the clip below he shares his own experience of being a debut novelist with a traditional publisher.

5. Global Reach

It took me a while to realise this, but when a book is e-published, it’s sitting on a global bookshelf, not just the bookshelf in my local Waterstones. The US is the biggest English-speaking market, and after the US comes India and China. 

As Isadora Felix writes, if she wants to sell in Japan or Mexico, she can. She doesn’t have to print and send stock, wait years for the publisher to agree a contract and she will retain the bulk of the earnings.

Do you need an author website?

As part of my research into the indie publishing world, I’ve discovered that having an author website is a vital part of your author career. Even if you’re unpublished. Read here to find out how to get started.

This is the right time to self publish

What I’m saying is – the world is your oyster!

Be prepared for change

You’ve already seen just how much the publishing industry has changed in the last ten years or so – and it’s still evolving. Audio is a booming market, with millions of us turning to podcasts and audiobooks, something that is only going to continue as AI becomes commonplace.

When Jericho Writers speculated on the likelihood of the future consolidation of the existing traditional publishing houses, they determined it is 100% likely.

This means it will be even more difficult for new writers to break through into traditional publishing. It will be pot luck as to whether you fit what publishers think readers want. It will be a lightning strike to be their debut novelist who hits upon the zeitgeist and has that breakout novel.

Jericho Writers also speculate that the majority of traditionally published authors will look for hybrid book deals. This isn’t surprising when you learn the average author earns only £10,000 a year. That sum isn’t enough to live on and is one of the reasons why so many authors have a day job and only write in their spare time!

Opportunity knocks

We are so lucky to be writing in the digital age. As an indie author you get to decide the length of your book, its title, the cover design and pricing. You even decide the markets in which you sell. 

You are the boss. You have control.

You’ll be a true Authorpreneur and will build a sustainable income for you and your family. That is something you could not even have dreamed of 30 years ago.

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Do You Need An Author Website?

Do You Need An Author Website?

by | indie publishing, marketing, the creative penn

As part of my research into the indie publishing world, I’ve discovered that having an author website is a vital part of your author career. 

Even if you’re unpublished? The answer is a resounding yes!

As you can imagine, there is a plethora of material out there to guide people in how to best market their books. To date, one of my favourite marketing gurus is Dan Blank.

Why do you need an author website?

It’s important for you to build relationships with your readers. You want them to like you as well as your work so that they feel connected to you and want to buy your new book. If they discover you later down the road, they will want to go back and read your full catalogue.

To do that, you need an author website.

It’s one of the simplest ways of connecting with your readers (or future readers). When a reader truly connects with you, not only do they want to know what other books you’ve written, they want to know about you.

I’m always curious about my favourite writers. I want to know where they live, what jobs they’ve had, their journey to writing and their favourite books.

It helps me form a bond with them and makes me a lot more likely to buy their next book.

Is an author website part of your author platform?

Indeed it is. Your writer ‘platform’ comprises your website, blog, social media accounts, podcast or YouTube videos. 

It is also the networking events you regularly attend. These are ways of connecting to people who want to learn more about your novels and your author life.

What do you use your author website for?

Just about anything!

For example, if you’re a woodworker you can show images of yourself busy in the workshop. If you’re an artist, you may want to share images of your work in progress and the inspiration behind the piece (as my good friend Jody Little does).

Perhaps you import clothing or shoes and want to showcase those. Followers are often keen to see how the business side works, as well as seeing the finished product. A glass designer I know regularly posts about her latest projects.

She shows her followers the drawings she uses as the basis of her designs, photographs of her at work and, of course, the finished result. She uses her platform to great effect.

Remember, you want to give people a sense of shared understanding. It’s the story behind the experiences that interests readers, not just factual news articles. Story telling not only builds your online platform, it develops your brand.

Why an author website rather than social media?

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The reason your website is so vital to your business is that it’s yours. You own it.

You can build a huge following on Facebook, but if the algorithm changes, you can lose your whole following in one fell swoop.

You own your website, nobody can take that away from you. It’s your home base and everything you do comes out of there. 

It’s where you tell followers about yourself and showcase your books.

Should you choose to, it’s where you host your blog, post your videos and embed your podcasts. 

From there, you can branch out into the sites you don’t control: Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Linked In, etc. 

Ultimately, all roads lead to your website.

When do you build your author website?

Blank recommends you build your website as soon as possible, before you’ve even published your first book.

The reason is you want to be ‘findable’ so that, when you market your book, people have somewhere to find out more about you and, if they like what they see, buy your book.

What do you share on your author website?

The purpose of your site is to let people connect with you, learn about your books and stories.

In addition to a simple bio and photograph, your author website can be a way for people to join your mailing list.

Let prospective subscribers know what they can expect from you if they sign up. As a thank you, you can send them a short story or novella. Perhaps something related to the series you’re writing, like a map of the location if you’re writing fantasy or, if you’re writing a crime novel, a document about a suspect’s background.

It’s all about connecting with your reader and making them feel valued. 

Don’t feel you have to put on a front or be ‘professional’. Rather, be yourself and share things that mean something to you. For example, if you write cosies and collect teapots, let readers know that.

If you’re a crime writer and love true crime documentaries, share that with your audience.

If you’re a sci-fi writer, share your influences and how you come up with your ideas. Maybe you’re a keen traveller and it’s your trips that spark an idea.

When building relationships, Dan Blank advises you be as authentic as you can, and I agree.

Think of your reader as a friend. You’re dropping them a line and letting them know what you’re up to and how your latest novel is coming along.

Teach them something about writing, tell them a funny anecdote, share an experience, relay what you learnt during your book research.

As mentioned previously, readers love to see what goes on behind the scenes – me included!

I want to know how Val McDermid plans out her books, how Lisa Jewell writes so prolifically, and how Kate Atkinson comes up with her time travel story ideas.

Here are a few things to consider as you build your author website.

  • Establish your online personality

Choose the parts of your personality that you want to showcase to people. For example, perhaps you have a sarcastic scene of humour. Don’t hide that! That authenticity will resonate with equally sarcastic, funny and nerdy people, who will follow you.

  • It’s not about you.

At the same time as showcasing you and your talent, it’s also about your readers. If you get a positive email or comment from someone, give them a shout out on your next blog posts. They will love being publicly acknowledged and feel appreciated.

  • You will screw up

Nothing is ever perfect the first time around, and that’s okay!

When you first start writing, your work will not be your best. It takes time to learn this new way of writing. Remember that ‘copy’ is very different from writing fiction. Don’t be surprised if you find it difficult and need a bit of time to find your voice. You’ll get there, give yourself some grace.

How do you start designing your own author website?

I’m not going to reinvent the wheel here. I’m going to send you to the person who taught me, in two half-hour tutorials, how to create my own basic website.

Joanna Penn, who has been marketing her books for over a decade now, kindly put out these easy to follow videos on how to create your own author website.

https://www.thecreativepenn.com/authorwebsite/

Final Thoughts: Take your time

Building a following takes time. It’s a slow process that is done by taking one step at a time. This leads me back to one of my favourite business books, The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. His mantra is; it’s easy to do something, and it’s easy not to. It’s been a game changer in my life.

By just doing one small thing a day, you can achieve more than you ever thought possible. It’s like writing a book; you take it one word at a time.

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