“In celebration of indie fiction authors”
It was in this month ten years ago, June 2015, that I published my first novel, Harry’s World. It had taken me the preceding five years to write it, doing so as my second job. Now, ten years on, I am still writing for my passion, and, alas, still doing another job, the one that pays the bills. So, the writing is much slower than I’d like, but my passion for it is as strong as ever.
Since 2015, I’ve published the second Harry novel, a set of Harry short stories, had several short stories published in American anthology magazines, edited and published two anthology collections, and had a novella published by an indie publishing house, Uncle B Publications, in the United States. And the third Harry novel is in final editing stages right now. It will see the light of day before the end of the year.
In these last ten years, I have got to know the indie writing scene and many of the fine authors operating in that world.
Of the nine fiction books I’ve read so far in 2025, all nine of them are by indie authors. Last year, about 70% of my fiction reads were indies. The year before it was about 50%. This trend has an easy explanation: the sheer quality of the storytelling and the uncensored bliss of the writing.
There are three realms within the fiction publishing world.
The first is the “publishing Establishment” as I call it: the traditional (trad) publishing houses, dominated by the Big Five and joined by smaller publishers. These more minor players may like to call themselves independent, but they are still mainstream, following the conventional dogma of carefully curated and moderated output.
Then there are the true independent (indie) publishing houses, invariably tiny outfits run by a handful of dedicated, often unpaid, authors and editors. And they are often niche publishers catering to a certain genre. Many of them, however, are true champions of freedom of expression and uncensored writing.
The final realm is that of self-published authors. Also categorized as indie publishing, this outlet is the most libertarian in terms of editorial control. Consequently, in this realm you’ll also find some glorious raw and honest writing, as well as some of questionable quality. But it is the ultimate democracy in the publishing world.
I sit in both of the indie camps, having self-published my work and also been published by indie publishers.
For me, one of the main problems with mainstream trad publishing is how “correct” (read “woke”) it has become. And correct becomes vanilla and, frankly, boring. Sure, there are exceptions, but wokeness is slowly castrating the field. Stories are churned out to formulae and edited to the nth degree to ensure that no one is possibly offended or upset or disturbed. Or challenged to think!
Now, trad publishers will defend their curation (see “censorship”, in my language) of the writing world on the grounds that they are the expert arbiters of literature and that their output is what sells. They are in it to make money, after all. But this is a self-serving argument, as what sells is what they offer for sale. And so, we go around in a circle, a circle of gatekeeping, control, and corporate profits. It’s not about the art of literature anymore, unless your “art” happens to fit the approved mould. Yes, book buyers are buying the vanilla mediocrity, because that’s what’s made available to them in the mainstream bookshops. And reviewed in the mainstream media. And so on. And as for trad publishing houses being the only arbiters of good writing, that is just pretentious arrogance.
I read a lot, and I don’t want vanilla: I despise mediocrity. I want multi-flavoured, with nuts and choc sprinkles, covered in potent liqueur, with a smouldering Cuban sitting in the neighbouring ashtray, a bottle of red, and some Irish whiskey to round it out. I want my reading material to make me think, make me feel, leave a seared image in my brain, make me laugh, gag, cry, whatever. I want to get to the end of a book thinking that was so damned good, I need to read everything by this author.
And that’s what the indie authors I’ve been discovering have, on the whole, given me: the beautiful, rich, memorable reading experience.
And this is why I am starting a new blog series called “Authors Uncensored”. I will be bringing you two to three indie authors a month with commentary on their work and insights from them into their writing and their storytelling. You will get to meet some fascinating human beings and get the opportunity to explore new authors and uncensored writing. Stay tuned!
Long live indie authors and freedom of expression!
Cheers, ABP
It was in this month ten years ago, June 2015, that I published my first novel, Harry’s World. It had taken me the preceding five years to write it, doing so as my second job. Now, ten years on, I am still writing for my passion, and, alas, still doing another job, the one that pays the bills. So, the writing is much slower than I’d like, but my passion for it is as strong as ever.
Since 2015, I’ve published the second Harry novel, a set of Harry short stories, had several short stories published in American anthology magazines, edited and published two anthology collections, and had a novella published by an indie publishing house, Uncle B Publications, in the United States. And the third Harry novel is in final editing stages right now. It will see the light of day before the end of the year.
In these last ten years, I have got to know the indie writing scene and many of the fine authors operating in that world.
Of the nine fiction books I’ve read so far in 2025, all nine of them are by indie authors. Last year, about 70% of my fiction reads were indies. The year before it was about 50%. This trend has an easy explanation: the sheer quality of the storytelling and the uncensored bliss of the writing.
There are three realms within the fiction publishing world.
The first is the “publishing Establishment” as I call it: the traditional (trad) publishing houses, dominated by the Big Five and joined by smaller publishers. These more minor players may like to call themselves independent, but they are still mainstream, following the conventional dogma of carefully curated and moderated output.
Then there are the true independent (indie) publishing houses, invariably tiny outfits run by a handful of dedicated, often unpaid, authors and editors. And they are often niche publishers catering to a certain genre. Many of them, however, are true champions of freedom of expression and uncensored writing.
The final realm is that of self-published authors. Also categorized as indie publishing, this outlet is the most libertarian in terms of editorial control. Consequently, in this realm you’ll also find some glorious raw and honest writing, as well as some of questionable quality. But it is the ultimate democracy in the publishing world.
I sit in both of the indie camps, having self-published my work and also been published by indie publishers.
For me, one of the main problems with mainstream trad publishing is how “correct” (read “woke”) it has become. And correct becomes vanilla and, frankly, boring. Sure, there are exceptions, but wokeness is slowly castrating the field. Stories are churned out to formulae and edited to the nth degree to ensure that no one is possibly offended or upset or disturbed. Or challenged to think!
Now, trad publishers will defend their curation (see “censorship”, in my language) of the writing world on the grounds that they are the expert arbiters of literature and that their output is what sells. They are in it to make money, after all. But this is a self-serving argument, as what sells is what they offer for sale. And so, we go around in a circle, a circle of gatekeeping, control, and corporate profits. It’s not about the art of literature anymore, unless your “art” happens to fit the approved mould. Yes, book buyers are buying the vanilla mediocrity, because that’s what’s made available to them in the mainstream bookshops. And reviewed in the mainstream media. And so on. And as for trad publishing houses being the only arbiters of good writing, that is just pretentious arrogance.
I read a lot, and I don’t want vanilla: I despise mediocrity. I want multi-flavoured, with nuts and choc sprinkles, covered in potent liqueur, with a smouldering Cuban sitting in the neighbouring ashtray, a bottle of red, and some Irish whiskey to round it out. I want my reading material to make me think, make me feel, leave a seared image in my brain, make me laugh, gag, cry, whatever. I want to get to the end of a book thinking that was so damned good, I need to read everything by this author.
And that’s what the indie authors I’ve been discovering have, on the whole, given me: the beautiful, rich, memorable reading experience.
And this is why I am starting a new blog series called “Authors Uncensored”. I will be bringing you two to three indie authors a month with commentary on their work and insights from them into their writing and their storytelling. You will get to meet some fascinating human beings and get the opportunity to explore new authors and uncensored writing. Stay tuned!
Long live indie authors and freedom of expression!
Cheers, ABP
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