Self-publishing used to be dismissed as a vanity project — but thanks to TikTok, Kindle Unlimited and booming ebook sales, indie authors are now turning their stories into real income streams
Could self-publishing become your next money-making side hustle?
With BookTok driving huge book sales and readers devouring everything from cosy fantasy to romance, more aspiring authors are skipping traditional publishing deals and releasing books themselves.
But while social media is full of “six-figure author” success stories, the reality is often far less glamorous. Printing costs, marketing, editing and Amazon fees all eat into profits — and success rarely happens overnight.
To find out what self-publishing is really like, I spoke to debut author Alexis Rose, who left her job in January 2026 to publish her first fantasy novel independently. Just four months later, she’s already making money from her books — and building a growing fanbase in the process.
“It hasn’t been easy,” she admits. “But it is possible if you’re willing to put the work in.”
‘I spent a year writing before I quit my job’
Although Alexis officially left work at the start of this year, she had spent months preparing for the leap.
“During 2025, I wrote one-and-a-half books because I already knew I wanted to release them close together,” she says.
Her books, The Wellbegood Witches Part One and Part Two, form a dark cosy fantasy duology with a paranormal mystery at the centre.
Unlike traditional publishing — where readers can wait years between books — self-published authors often rely on “rapid release” schedules to keep audiences engaged.
“In traditional publishing, there might be two years between books in a series,” Alexis explains. “But when you self-publish, readers expect new releases much faster.”
However, she’s adamant that speed should never come at the expense of quality.
“This doesn’t mean using AI to churn books out quickly,” she says. “Platforms are already cracking down on low-quality AI content, and readers are turning away from authors who rely on it.”
Instead, she says aspiring writers should focus on learning the craft properly.
“Take the time to decide what story you actually want to tell and make it the best it can be.”
Why fantasy can be profitable
Alexis chose urban fantasy because it’s a genre she genuinely loves — but also because it has a loyal readership.
“My books are paranormal fantasy with mystery elements, and there’s a really dedicated audience for that,” she says.
Publishing trends can change rapidly. While “romantasy” has exploded in popularity over recent years, other genres like horror and science fiction are beginning to surge too.
“The biggest market is almost always romance because romance readers read a lot ,” Alexis says. “Many authors make money by writing to market.”
But she warns writers against simply chasing trends for profit.
“Readers are savvy,” she says. “They can tell when someone genuinely cares about the story they’re telling — and when they’re just trying to cash in.”
Why series are better formaking money
One major decision for self-published authors is whether to release standalone novels or build a series.
Alexis believes series offer stronger long-term earning potential.
“With a series, readers finish one book and immediately want the next,” she explains. “That’s especially useful for subscription services like Kindle Unlimited.”
A standalone novel can still succeed, but it often requires far more marketing effort to maintain visibility.
“There’s no right or wrong approach,” she says. “But a series makes it easier to build momentum.”
How self-published authors actuallymake money
Alexis currently earns income from several different sources, including:
- Paperback sales on Amazon
- Ebook sales
- Kindle Unlimited page reads
- Direct sales through her own website
- In-person events and conventions
- Future crowdfunding campaigns
Her ebooks are enrolled in Kindle Unlimited, Amazon’s subscription service, where authors are paid according to how many pages readers complete.
“It works out at roughly 0.0042p per page,” she says. “For my shorter books, that’s around 30p per full read.”
That might not sound like much — but the idea is that earnings build over time as authors publish more books.
Alexis is also preparing to expand into libraries and independent bookshops through IngramSpark, a distribution platform widely used by indie authors.
And live events are becoming increasingly important too.
“I’ve already booked five events this year and another five in 2027,” she says. “Meeting readers face-to-face is one of the best ways to create loyal fans.”
Audiobooks are another huge opportunity
Audiobooks are one of the fastest-growing areas of publishing, and Alexis plans to release audiobook versions of The Wellbegood Witches later this year.
“Audiobooks are massive now,” she says. “Lots of people listen while commuting, exercising or doing chores.”
Although AI-generated narration tools are becoming more common, Alexis says many listeners still strongly prefer human narrators.
“You can reduce costs by agreeing a royalty split with a narrator instead of paying upfront,” she explains. “That means you share the profits rather than paying a huge fee initially.”
How much money has she made?
In four months, Alexis has sold around 1,000 copies of her books. But she says people are often surprised by how quickly costs eat into profits.
“There are printing costs, editing costs, advertising costs and platform fees,” she explains.
For example, Amazon can take roughly 30% commission on ebook sales, while paperbacks have printing costs deducted before authors receive royalties.
So far, Alexis says she has made around £500 profit overall. However, she hasn’t spent any of it on herself.
“I’ve reinvested it straight back into marketing — mainly Meta ads — because building visibility is the biggest challenge,” she says.
Self-publishing, she explains, works more like running a small business than a hobby.
“It’s definitely not instant success. You have to build momentum slowly.”
Do you need money to self-publish?
Technically, no. Amazon provides free ISBNs for authors publishing through Kindle Direct Publishing, while free tools like Canva can help with cover design.
But Alexis says there’s one thing writers should spend money on if they possibly can. “If you pay for only one thing, pay for an editor,” she says. “A professional editor will save you so much heartache later.”
She also recommends finding beta readers — trusted early readers who can provide honest feedback before publication.
“You don’t need expensive extras like character art, fancy websites or trailers immediately,” she says. “Those things can come later.”
‘Don’t rush’
If Alexis could give one piece of advice to new authors, it would be simple: slow down.
“I rushed some decisions early on and it cost me money, ” she admits. “I ended up redesigning my covers several times because I tried to save money initially.”
And while social media can make self-publishing look easy, she warns against prioritising speed over quality. “If readers think your book is rushed or poorly edited, they’ll leave bad reviews — and that can damage your future sales,” she says.
Instead, she advises treating self-publishing as a long-term project. “It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme,” she says. “But if you’re patient and consistent, it can become profitable.”
What’s next for Alexis?
Alexis is already planning the next instalment in her paranormal Canham Cove universe. Her upcoming novel, Aftermath , launches in Autumn 2026, with another eight books already mapped out.
Alongside those, she’s also developing audiobooks, special editions and romance novellas under the pen name Willow Beaux. Not bad for someone who only published her first book four months ago.
