Indie Author Survival Guide

by Susan Kaye Quinn

This book is for every author who's thinking about indie publishing, or has already taken the leap, and wonders why no one told them about the sharks, the life-sucking social media quicksand, or the best way to avoid sales-checking, yellow-spotted fever. This is a guide for the heart as much as the head. And because I promised myself that I wouldn't write a book about how I made a gazillion dollars publishing ebooks, I would write about the fear: owning it, overcoming it, facing it. From a person who didn't pursue a creative life for a long time, and then discovered creativity can set you free.

Note: gazillion is a technical term, which in this case means something less than a million and more than the average income in my state.

Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling Mindajck Trilogy and Debt Collector serial, and has been indie publishing since 2011. She’s not an indie rockstar or a breakout success: she’s one of thousands of solidly midlist indie authors making a living with their works. This book is a compilation of her four years of blogging through changes in the publishing industry—updated, revised, and supplemented to be relevant in 2013. It’s a guide to help her fellow writer-friends take their own leaps into the wild (and wonderful) world of indie publishing... and not only survive, but thrive.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Self Help

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 4, 2013

About the author

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Susan Kaye Quinn has designed aircraft engines and researched global warming, but now she uses her PhD to invent cool stuff in books. Her works range from hopeful climate fiction to gritty cyberpunk. Sue believes being gentle and healing is radical and disruptive. Her short fiction can be found in Grist, Solarpunk Magazine, Reckoning, and all her novels and short stories can be found on her website. She is the host of the Bright Green Futures podcast.

SOLARPUNK
collections
Bright Green Futures: 2024 (edited by SKQ)
Halfway to Better

novels
Nothing is Promised series
When You Had Power
You Knew The Price
Of Kindness and Kilowatts
Yet You Cry When It Hurts

short stories
A Moon Goddess to Watch Over Me (Luna Station Quarterly) (hopepunk)
It's in the Blood (Reckoning 8)
Once and Future Kilowatts (Solarpunk Magazine)
Rewilding Indiana (Little Blue Marble)
Seven Sisters (Grist)
The Joy Fund (DreamForge Magazine)

SCI-FI
Singularity Novel Series
The Legacy Human
The Duality Bridge
The Illusory Prophet
The Last Mystic

Stories of Singularity
Restore
Containment
Augment
Awakening
Harvest
Defiance
Resistance

YA SF
Mindjack Series
Open Minds
Closed Hearts
Free Souls
Locked Tight
Cracked Open
Broken Wide
Mindjack Short Story Collection

WATCH the award-winning live-action Mindjack Book Trailer!

STEAMPUNK ROMANCE
Royals of Dharia
Third Daughter
Second Daughter
First Daughter

CYBERPUNK
Debt Collector
LIRIUM (Season One)
WRAITH (Season Two)

WATCH the Debt Collector Book Trailer

ANTHOLOGIES
Synchronic
Telepath Chronicles
AI Chronicles
Dark Beyond The Stars
Future Chronicles
Cyborg Chronicles
CLONES: The Anthology

MIDDLE GRADE FANTASY
Faery Swap

WATCH the Faery Swap Book Trailer

CONTACT SUSAN
Susan's Website | Sue on Bluesky | Sue on Mastodon
Susan's Email: sue@twistedspacepub.com

Reviews

[Nikki Jefford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a lazy researcher. I love information, but I don’t enjoy scanning scads of writing blogs or author boards. I like it all in one tidy digital package and that’s just what Susan Kaye Quinn’s Indie Author Survival Guide is. It works equally well for writers looking to get in the biz along with seasoned veterans interested in personal, financial, and professional growth.

Here are some (of the many) reasons I loved the guide. It motivated me to:

- Recognize & celebrate my successes (something I don’t do nearly enough)
- Set goals
- Manage my time more efficiently
- Turn my focus back to Writing books, not Selling them
- Become more self-sufficient in terms of submitting directly to retailers like Kobo and Apple, opposed to relying on a distributer
- Save up for a Mac!

In this ever evolving eWorld, I appreciate a current take on writing and publishing in the digital age. I miss a lot on social media and it was serendipitous that I happened to see a launch party for the guide on Facebook earlier this month and downloaded that sucker immediately. (I recommend you do the same.)

My favorite bit of advice (which is so true!): “Want to know the secret to doubling your sales? Write another book.”

And: “Write for your fans, not your critics.”

After languishing in a bit of a writing slump the past five months, I am so grateful to Susan Kaye Quinn for taking time out of her own busy writing schedule to give something back to the creative writing community.

[Kara Jorgensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book on indie/self-publishing I have read thus far. This is the book I wish I read before I published my first book instead of diving head-first into the publishing pool.
Okay, enough gushing. Susan Kaye Quinn is an experienced indie author who knows her stuff. She takes prospective and established indies through the process of publishing, formatting, looking for editors or cover artists, dealing with sales, marketing, and anything else an indie author could possibly have questions about. Not only is Quinn positive, but she is realistic, which I think is what every author needs. She also brings in the current state of the rapidly changing publishing industry in a way that doesn't completely diss or support either side of the industry. Both have challenges and positives that she explores.
Overall, the book is informative, straight-forward, upbeat, and impossible to put down. I wish my MFA classes would use this as a textbook, it's THAT informative.

[Anna Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd heard a lot of good stuff about this book, so when the second edition came out and I had money (i.e. Amazon gift card balance), I decided to get it. Also, I was there as a book blogger when she first released Open Minds, and then she started becoming like this big name in something like 2 - 3 years, and I'm thinking, dang, how did she do that?

Then it sat in my kindle for ages and ages and ages until this month (Jan), when I'm working on releasing my novella (Coexist) and getting the jitters.

Well, the Indie Author Survival Guide has tonnes of good advice, some of which I read and went *phew! I'm doing that*, some of which made me cringe, like *oh noooooo am I making a huge mistake here?*, and others which are just, okay, I'll work on that once I get the stuff I'm working on out of the way.

I guess it's the most beneficial to those who are just starting on the journey - or better still, before you start on the journey so you avoid some obvious mistakes - though I'm sure older hands will also be able to glean some nuggets of gold from it as well.

[Nina Arce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is encouraging - but also realistic! While the web is full of blogs and free resources touching on many of the same concepts brought up in this title by Susan Kaye Quinn, this book has a more personal perspective and what I found to be a very sympathetic tone. It's more than just a survival guide; it's getting a friend who has been there, done that, and is willing to show you how. Recommended for anyone who wants to make their dream of a career as a self-published writer something more than just a dream.

[Marian Cheatham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed my life. It was a revelation and a must-read for anyone considering self-publishing. Susan Quinn gives the reader concrete step-by-step instructions on how to self-publish a book. She has an easy to understand style flavored with personal insights into her own publishing hits and misses. The Appendix at the end is a wonderful resource of editors, cover designers, and more!

[Martin Rinehart · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I had to pick just one of Grahl, Penn, Gaughran, ... this is the one I'd pick.

A five star book, save for the two star format. Cutesy Aheads (My, That's a Cute Backpack). The author's name on every page (but not chapter names, Ahead names,...). Graphs with solid information (I hope) two small to read. (Mine's the print edition. Apparently not the best.) Worst, she actually has two chapters on formatting. (And assumes that we use the expensive MSWord instead of the equally capable, and free, LibreOffice.)

I'm trying to figure out how to market my first novel. Less of Grahl's relentless helpfulness, less of Penn's breadth (book trailers and podcasts for newbies?), less of Gaughran's search for Amazon bestseller listings. More of the solid info I think I can turn into a marketing plan that might work.

I love you, Susan! But, uh, if you get a moment...

[Siobhan Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic blueprint if you are an aspiring or debut author as it's jam packed with tons of relevant information which will guide you on your new self-publishing journey. Even though most of it was stuff I already knew at this stage of my career, I still came away with a few little gems. I love the writing style - it's warm and personable and full of humor as well as being clear in instruction. Most of all what I enjoy about Susan's books and posts for authors is how much they motivate and inspire me. They are a great pick-me-up and reminder when I'm having a bad day.
Highly Recommended.

[Jade Eby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gah. I just love Susan Kaye Quinn. I've been following her for years since she first started blogging and of course I've followed these chapters on her blog religiously. I loved them so much I wanted to help support her by purchasing and re-reading the book. I believe this is a must-read for indie writers. I'd say it up there with The Naked Truth about Self-Publishing.

When I get a free minute, I'll update with a proper review.

[Katja Vartiainen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give it 4and 1/2 stars. This book is a must read if you are an indie writer. Lot of helpful tips, about writing, the 'scene', marketing, and thinking patterns. Quinn knows what she's talking about and luckily shares it with us. Half a star away, because of slight repetition towards the end. Just get it, there is no pint of me rambling more about it.

[Christine Fonseca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down one of the most INSPIRATIONAL reads this year. THANK YOU Susan...
Just THANK YOU

[Tyrean · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful addition to any author's personal collection of writing and publishing books. Quinn's section on writing the back of the book blurb is priceless and practical!

[Heather Hunter]

Great info for newbies

Thanks so much for this Susan! It helped me to realize that indie publication is the route that's best for me.

[K.S. Trenten · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an essential read for me as a budding professional writer, hoping to learn more about independent publication. It pointed me in the direction of Dan Holloway and the Alliance of Independent Authors. It made helpful suggestions of how to spot dorsal fins on potential sharks that might try to swallow the unsuspecting. Best of all, this book validated my own instincts, encouraging me to trust my own judgment in deciding what I wished to do as a writer. It suggested ways to make a plan to satisfy those wishes, how to use my own goals to judge whether or not to make certain major decisions.

This book was one of the most empowering and helpful books I’ve been fortunate enough to read. It forced me to think in a positive way about my career. Not all of the information related may still be relevant in the rapidly changing world of publication. Not all of it was relevant to me. Some of it was very personal to the author, as she shared her own journey as a self published writer, offering it as resource material in what she’d learned about the business. For all of that, this book changed me, awakening my brain to an active, creative state, kindling a self awareness rather than sending me into the seductive, passive trance I find myself in when absorbing an excellent read. For all of these qualities, I give this five stars.

[Sheri Meshal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Needed Deprogramming... and Reprogramming

I took an exceptionally long time to finish thos book, because I had to let go of a lot of false beliefs and learn to embrace new beliefs to rebuild a stronger foundation and writing career. Now, thanks to Susan, I'm finally excited about rebuilding from a new perspective. This has been a priceless experience.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you a new writer wondering if you're ready to share your work with the world? Are you a seasoned, published writer looking to explore publishing on your own? Are you just a writer looking for some new ideas? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this book is a great read for you!
What I like about this book is that it is an accumulation of Susan Kaye Quinn's experience and insights that she's organized and made available to one and all. It is not necessarily a how-to manual, but it is definitely a comprehensive and informative guide.
The book reminds you that while writing is an excellent creative outlet and should be treated as such, it is also a skill that needs to be honed as well as a business that can provide you with a conduit to make a good living.
The book provides sound business advice and multiple references which can be used to improve your writing skills or help you develop a strong team to support you during your publishing journey.
For me, the most powerful thing about the book is how candid Susan is about her struggles as a writer, whether she was dealing with putting words on the blank page, pushing herself to be a stronger storyteller, or figuring out the best way to get her work into the hands of readers.
The book is highly motivational, and encourages the reader to take the chance on themselves and own the process of putting their own work out on the market for readers.
Overall, I found the book to be full of great info for all writers at any stage of their career, and I encourage everyone to take the time to read the book, you are guaranteed to learn something that will help you grow as a writer and entrepreneur!

[Shelley Sly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally bought the Indie Author Survival Guide in 2013, back when I was still deciding whether or not I wanted to self-publish. I took handwritten notes on the Guide (filled up half a notebook!) and after going through my notes, I decided 100% that I was meant to be an indie author. Not that I was brainwashed, but that I was now well-informed by Susan Kaye Quinn's detailed explanations on everything from where to publish, to formatting, to everything post-publication, including sales and reviews.

Fast forward to 2015. The Second Edition has been released, and I got just as much valuable info from this book the second time around. Not only was the new content very helpful -- the publishing world is always changing, so it was great to see updates -- but even the parts of the Guide that I'd already read were helpful to re-read, because I was in a different position than I was when I first read the book, now having published two books and preparing my third. (I took notes this second time around, too.)

Although I think this book is fantastic specifically for newer indie authors and writers planning to self-publish, I don't think there's a single type of writer that I would not recommend this book to. Even traditionally published, even veteran indie published, even not-sure-if-I-ever-want-to-publish -- everyone will get something out of this. The How To Publish aspect of the Guide helped me when I first started out, but the encouraging messages about the indie author career path is what I'll keep coming back to this Guide for. A definite 5 out of 5 stars!

[N · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best thing about Indie Author Survival Guide is how clear-headed and enthusiastic Susan Kaye Quinn is about the world of self-publishing. It's like having a very smart cheerleader (a rocket scientist cheerleader, no less!) sitting on your shoulder. Quinn reiterates time and time again that it's writing (and writing well) that matters in self-pub, which is heartening, considering how easy it is to get mired in marketing and formatting hell.

However, this is another one of those "blog posts bundled into a book" jobs and, unfortunately, it feels like a series of blog posts. Especially towards the end, the whole thing just becomes incredibly random and disjointed. (If I wanted to read your blog, I'd read your blog. But I purchased a book, so I'd like to read a book.)

Worst of all is when Quinn includes little editorial notes like, "I wrote this a few years ago and I don't really agree with it anymore, but I thought I'd leave it in for the sake of it, lolololololol". In most of Survival Guide, Quinn makes an excellent case for taking self-pubbed books very seriously, but it's stuff like this that completely undermines her case. Sigh, sigh.

I'd probably recommend reading Self-Printed and Let's Get Digital before Survival Guide, but if you're looking for another perspective on self-publishing, there's a lot to like in this one.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aspiring indie authors, this one's for you! Seriously, if you're considering a full-time writing career, then go get this book right now. It's a steal for the price and it's one of the best self-publishing books I've read (which is saying a lot, because I've been devouring them lately).

Indie Author Survival Guide is an ideal mix between a writing self-help book and a how-to publishing guide. This isn't the kind of book that focuses on exploiting Amazon algorithms as a success strategy: it focuses on motivation and WRITING as a success strategy. Seems logical, right? Well for some of us, writing is the hardest part, and Susan targets her publishing advice to writers who face that same issue: FEAR. She's honest, witty, and encouraging until the last page. I never felt overwhelmed or confused, because I got the sense that she knew what I was going through as a new author.

I now know the importance of goal-setting. I now understand that it's not just the Hugh Howeys and the Amanda Hockings making a living from indie publishing. Mid-list indies are just as important to the industry, and perhaps someday my name will be among them! :)

This book was a jolt to my courage and confidence. I recommend it - times infinity.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indie Author Survival Guide is quite possibly the best guide on indie pub I have ever read. No joke. It's not gimmicky, "get rich quick", or a hate letter to traditional pub like a lot of indie pub guides are, but exactly what it says it is--a indie publishing survival guide. IASG was practical, conversational, easy to understand, and at times spit-your-coffee-out funny. There wasn’t a part of this guide that wasn’t helpful, but for me the most helpful sections were the 5-year plan and marketing plan sections, the book blurb section, and the “Are We There Yet?” sections. After reading IASG I feel like a have a better idea of what I need to do to succeed and flourish in the indie ecosystem, and even a game plan to make it happen. Seriously if you have ever had any inclination to go Indie, or if you’re already in the trenches with the rest of us, then get this book! It might just be the best $3 you ever spend.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am SO glad I bought this book! The Indie Author Survival Guide is practically the Hitchhiker's Guide to self-publishing, in that it might as well have "DON'T PANIC" in large, friendly letters on the cover. It's practical, straightforward and easy to understand, while being entertaining and understanding of the fears that so many of us have going into this. It answered many questions that I had, and more than I hadn't yet thought to ask. I feel much more confident after reading this book.

This isn't a book about how to write a bestseller, but it is a fantastic guide to getting your work out there in the cleanest, prettiest, most enjoyable and least stressful way possible.

(And I'm definitely going to have to check out the Debt Collector serial...)

[J.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Indie Author Survival Guide, Quinn offers great words of inspiration as well as sage advice on the nuts and bolts of indie publishing. This book is a great value and an excellent read from a successful mid-list indie fiction author. In case you missed her credentials, she has a PhD in engineering and is a former rocket scientist for NASA. She replaced her engineering income by publishing indie books. If that doesn't provide sufficient motivation, you must be dead. But do not worry...her methods are not rocket science. They are good, sound business practices.

She has included a very helpful list of service providers...graphics designers, editors, etc. ... at the end of the book.

If you are considering indie publishing, this is not merely recommended...it is required reading!

[Quinn Fforde · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is exactly for people like me--people on the verge of self-publishing. There is so much information out there that you can drive yourself crazy trying to read and distill all of it. Ms. Quinn gives us the benefit of her experience in clear terms. This is not a rehash of everything else that is on the internet already. It is useful information that can help you grow as your skill improves and as the market changes. This second edition adds even more information and experience. There is an extensive table of contents so you can find exactly what you want to know. Also, Ms. Quinn has all of her work professionally edited, and it shows. I recommend this highly to anyone who is considering self-publishing.

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susan Kaye Quinn's Indie Author Survival Guide is the perfect starter book for any author seeking to navigate the waters of self-publishing. For me, the best part about this book is that it isn't a "how-to" on making a ton of money. It's about writing your mission statement, making goals, and finding your way to be a smarter writer and publisher. Written in 2013 and amended in 2015, Indie Author Survival Guide does now have some out-dated information, but don't fear! Susan Kaye Quinn has since revised this nonfiction title into her new book 10 Step Self-Publishing BOOT CAMP: The Survival Guide For Launching Your First Novel published under S.K. Quinn. I hope to read that one soon.

[Suzanna Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was SUCH a help to me. Not only was it super informative for a newbie indie author like myself, it also made me feel like I was not alone in this 'lost' feeling that comes with being the new kid on the block.

Susan wrote this book in a way that makes you feel like a friend is giving you good advice, instead of a list of 'to dos' that most books on this subject offer.

This is definitely a valuable piece of equipment for anyone wanting to be (or who has already started the journey into) an Indie Author. Further down the line I plan to read it again to refresh my thoughts on self-publishing.

[Eliza Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. Anyone who loves to write HAS to read this book. Not optional. I would have paid $100 for it and still got more than my money's worth.

Not only does this book talk about the business side of things, but it's extremely helpful in the creativity and writing habits area, too! After finished it I'm so excited to get back to my writing and put off the pre-launch planning and nitty gritty stuff for my true love: writing.

This isn't just for indie authors, I think it has a lot to offer writers in general, no matter what your career goals and dreams are. I would recommend this to trad pub authors too.

[Lisa Harp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book for Indie Authors!

This book gave more useful information than any I have ever read. Whether it dealt with reviews, sales, how to work with Amazon, or a multitude of other helpful tools, Susan Kaye Quinn helps emerging authors navigate the overwhelming task of being an Indie Author! I bookmarked so many pages, I am sure I will have to go back and read it again. Thank you, Sue, for helping me and never letting me feel I am second best or should pursue a traditional publishing avenue. Sue's advice is spot on and she gives examples and advice that let you know "she has been there". I will read anything Sue has to offer!

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good, solid introduction to the world of "indie" publishing and writing. I feel like I've read dozens of these -- I can't seem to stop myself. This didn't add a huge amount to the sum of my knowledge but I would recommend it for beginners, especially because it seems to point the reader towards more realistic, less flashy goals (i.e., break even, rather than making the NYT bestseller list). It actually made me want to turn my sights to more modest goals, which is probably a good thing.

[Kristy McCaffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Ms. Quinn through her short story in the anthology 'Synchronic', which led me to this book. For anyone thinking of independent publishing, or if you're already in the midst of it as I am, there's a wealth of information here. She addresses practical considerations such as marketing and formatting, but what I really appreciated was her emphasis on maintaining creative flow. "Make time for your creativity, protect it, nurture it, build it, sustain it: these are the most important things you can do with your time." Excellent insights.

[Jacqueline Mudge-Cooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I really enjoyed this book for all of it's tools and bits of encouragement. I think the only thing that bugged me (Before going any further, note that I read the print version) is that the lines of the links were underlined on the page. While great to just click and go if it was the e-book. I just would really like it if they tidied the book up a little bit.

Otherwise great book for a writer who is thinking of going Indie and does not know where exactly to begin. For the world of Indie publishing is still a new terrain.

[Lucinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading this today. If you're an indie author, or a writer considering going indie, or even a traditionally published author who needs to grapple marketing on her own, I totally recommend it.
I've been studying indie publishing for 1 1/2 years now and, while there's nothing completely revolutionary in it, the way the information is presented is what makes it an essential read.
It feels good to know that I'm on the right path with the goals I've made.