Independent Publishing: Industry advice for authors

  • Publishing as a business: how to set up a small business in Australia

    You’ve now decided to self-publish so the first question you need to ask yourself is, are you a hobby or are you a business? It’s important to establish whether you’re approaching publishing as a business or a hobby early on as it will affect your tax and deductions. When running a business, you pay tax…

  • Self-publishing essentials with Ellie Marney: Money matters for self-publishers

    Dealing with money and totting up figures … It’s not exactly the first thing a writer imagines when they’re thinking about their next book. But if you’re self-publishing, you’re not only working creatively—you’re running a small business. If you want your business to succeed (because paying the bills allows you to keep writing, right?) it’s…

  • Michelle Morgan on ‘Flying through Clouds’

    The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Spark Award recognizes excellence in children’s books published through an independent or non-traditional route. Michelle Morgan, who won the 2017 SCBWI Spark Award in the Books for Older Readers category, spoke to Independent Publishing about her winning novel Flying through the clouds and her self-publishing journey. Describe your latest book in…

  • Upcoming events

    May NT Writers Festival, (24-27 May) Darwin, NT. Big Sky Readers and Writers Festival, (25-27 May) Geraldton, WA. Feminist Writers Festival, (25-27 May) Vic. Latrobe City Literary Festival, (25-27 May) Vic. June Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival, (1-3 June) WA. Abbotsleigh Literary Festival, (5-7 June) Sydney, NSW Henry Lawson Festival, (7-11 June) Grenfell, NSW…

  • EWF 2018 program launched

    The Emerging Writers’ Festival (EWF) has announced its 2018 program, which runs from 19-29 June in venues across Melbourne’s CBD and surrounding suburbs. Timmah Ball, Tony Birch and Neil Morris will reflect on their ‘storytelling inheritances’ at the opening night event, which aims to ‘inhabit, question and critique our literary canon’. The opening night will…

  • Self-publishers among 2018 RWA ‘Ruby’ award finalists and Ngaio Marsh 2018 longlist

    Five self-published books are among the finalists for the Romance Writers of Australia (RWA) Romantic Book of the Year Award, also known as ‘the Ruby’. Ruining Miss Wrotham by Emily Larkin and The Sicilian List by Robby Dennis are finalists in the Long Romance category while K M Golland’s Plight and Anna Hackett’s Unmapped made the ‘Short Romance category. The Romantic…

  • Authors create #SelfPubIsHere campaign to amplify self-publisher voices

    A number of self-published Australian authors, including Dionne Lister, A B Patterson and Lisa Fleetwood have pledged their support for a campaign to have self-publishing recognised and included in Australian literary festival programming. The #SelfPubIsHere campaign, started by authors Pauline Findlay and Robin Elizabeth, grew out of a Facebook self-publishing group post that expressed frustration…

  • Subbed In Chapbook Prize expands in 2018

    Sydney-based literary organisation Subbed In is expanding its Chapbook Prize—previously open to NSW residents only—to writers across Australia. Launched last year, the Subbed In Chapbook Prize aims to support emerging writers (including those who have not previously published a book) who are working in the forms of poetry, microfiction/nonfiction or ‘a blend of these mediums’.‘We…

  • Indie book reviews: why you need them and 5 top tips for getting them

    When it comes to promoting an indie book, you don’t have a whole marketing team behind you like a traditionally published author does. Authors on contracts with publishing houses generally have a whole campaign developed for them, not only saving the author time and money but also potentially leading to a wider reach for the book.…

  • Upcoming events

    April Unearthed Pemberton, (26 April – 6 May) Pemberton, WA. Supanova, (27-29 April) Gold Coast, Qld. Speculate: the Victorian speculative writers festival, (28 April) Melbourne, Vic. Sydney Writers Festival, (30 April – 6 May) Sydney, NSW.   May Queenscliffe Literary Festival, (4-27 May) Queenscliff, Point Londsdale, Vic. Boonah Writers Festival, (5-6 May) Boonah, Qld. Clunes Booktown…

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