Knowing habits and tips to help your process is priceless

The indie publishing path is equal parts thrilling and terrifying.

You wear all the hats: writer, editor, marketer, and CEO of your creative brand. And while there’s no one-size-fits-all roadmap, there are practical strategies that can set you up for long-term success.

Whether you’re starting your first manuscript or gearing up to publish your tenth, these ten writing tips will help sharpen your craft and sustain your momentum.

1. Write Like No One’s Watching — Edit Like Everyone Is

Let your first draft be messy, raw, and wildly imperfect. This is your sandbox. Get the story out without self-censorship. But when it’s time to revise? Bring your sharpest critical eye. Editing is where your book becomes a product. It’s the bridge between inspiration and a reader’s trust.

Tip: Separate drafting and editing days to avoid creative whiplash.

2. Create a Consistent Writing Routine

Writing when inspiration strikes isn’t sustainable. The indie life rewards consistency, not chaos. Find a rhythm — daily, weekly, or seasonally — that aligns with your lifestyle, then protect that writing time like it’s a business meeting.

Think of it this way: If you only write when you’re motivated, you’ll have a pile of ideas and very few finished books.

3. Start With a Roadmap — Even If It’s a Rough One

You don’t have to outline every scene, but having a basic structure can save you weeks of rewriting. Knowing your inciting incident, midpoint, climax, and ending gives your story a skeleton. Everything else can evolve around that.

Especially for series: Planning ahead prevents plot holes and continuity issues down the line.

4. Write the Blurb Before the Book

This may sound backward, but writing your book’s elevator pitch early clarifies your story’s promise, genre, and tone. It keeps your writing focused and ensures you’re writing a book readers will understand and want.

Bonus: You’ll thank yourself later when it’s time to market.

5. Invest in Professional Editing

No matter how strong your writing is, a second (or third) set of eyes is essential. Editors catch what you can’t — plot holes, character inconsistencies, pacing issues, and grammar slip-ups that spellcheck won’t save you from.

Tip: Budget for at least one round of developmental editing and one round of line or copy editing.

6. Write With Marketing in Mind — But Don’t Let It Stifle You

Know your genre. Understand reader expectations. Be aware of tropes — not to copy them blindly, but to subvert or satisfy them with intention. Writing to market doesn’t mean compromising your voice; it means creating awareness.

Ask yourself: Who is this for? Why will they care?

7. Use Beta Readers Wisely

Beta readers give you the reader’s perspective before the public does. They can highlight confusion, pacing issues, or emotional beats that didn’t land. Pick a mix of people — some familiar with your genre, some not — and give them clear questions to answer.

Beta readers are different than alpha readers. Alpha readers find grammatical mistakes whereas Beta readers receive the most polished version.

Pro tip: Don’t try to please everyone. Look for patterns in the feedback.

8. Treat Your Back Matter Like Gold

Your book’s final pages are prime real estate. Use them to guide the reader to your next book, your newsletter, or a free short story. This is where readers decide if you’re a one-time read or a new favorite author.

Include: A call to action, a teaser for your next project, or a link to sign up for your newsletter.

9. Keep Learning — From Authors Who Are Ahead of You

Study successful indie authors in your genre. Analyze their covers, blurbs, and release strategies. Follow their blogs, join their newsletters, and don’t be afraid to invest in courses, workshops, or conferences that help you grow your skills.

Important: Don’t compare — learn. Your voice is yours alone.

10. Don’t Wait for Permission

The beauty of indie publishing is that you get to do this. No gatekeepers. No querying. You can publish your work on your own timeline. But with that freedom comes responsibility. You have to show up. You have to be patient. And you have to believe in the long game.

Repeat after me: Done is better than perfect. Growth is better than instant success.

Being an indie author means stepping into the role of creator and entrepreneur.

The writing itself is only half the journey — but it’s the part no one else can do for you. Keep showing up for your story, and eventually, readers will show up for it too.