Indie Author vs. Self Published

doesn't really matter to me. Most people use the terms interchangeably.

"Indie" originates as independent publisher. Formerly, the term was used to describe publishers who were not part of large syndicates. They were standalone, independent from any subsidiary affiliation. They published works of writers not from the publisher's staff. Anymore, many indie publishers publish more of the staff's works than outside writers'. That type of indie is really a self-publisher. Such operations often attempt to conceal their self-publishing nature and maybe are open for unsolicited submissions.

I suppose an "indie author," therefore, is independent of subsidiary affiliations. Self-employed and freelance are similar terms. Not under contract obligation could be another qualification. Self-published fits those criteria. Any implicit or tacit contract or obligation of a self-published writer is the writer's to respect or not. Maybe an implied contract with fans to meet expectations and fulfill an ongoing series' installment completion. Otherwise a self-publisher or "indie author" is an independent journeyperson. An indie author, also, may not self-publish, may publish through a genuine indie publisher or through one of the syndicates' impressions and only be contractually obligated for that one title's writer responsibilities.

Another qualification could be an indie author makes a financially-independent living from independent writing. That qualification for a self-publisher is not a limitation, albeit, financial returns are usually desired.

Interesting thoughts, thanks for sharing!

I'm of the mind that like many things involving terminology, it doesn't really matter as long as you and whoever you're talking to are on the same page. An author is an author. The adjectives are only important as far they aid communication.

I've found talking about a writing life is less complex if I say I'm an editor, which I am. And "author" to me is a sacred term that is best used judiciously and then only when others speak of a writer, nearly always never when a writer speaks of the self.

I've found talking about a writing life is less complex if I say I'm an editor, which I am. And "author" to me is a sacred term that is best used judiciously and then only when others speak of a writer, nearly always never when a writer speaks of the self.

"Writer" and "Author" are roles. The role of writer is quite simple. As a writer, you write. The author role, however, isn't about writing per say, but rather presenting yourself and your writing to an audience. So as an author, you would do such things as set up a website, write a blog, be interviewed, conduct a workshop, find an agent, find a publisher, submit a story to a contest, etc. In other words, the author role is the business side of writing.

For me, again, "author" is a sacred label. The tangibly empirical activities of writer self-promotion, nonetheless, are everyday profane from their assertions of self-interested and vain self-worth value to the public, and are singularly subjective assertions too often without substantive support. Far more noble and effective promotion for others -- more than a few for best publication outcomes -- to toot a writer's horn, to ring the belfry bells, to proclaim a writer's value, to label and crier a writer as author.

The single most effective promotion activity, and one that is as elusive as will-o'-the-wisps, is word-of-mouth buzz. Self-labeled author, to me, preempts, possibly defuses that promotion method's strongest potentials; that is, a consensus agreement of a writer's merits asserted so that others who align with a consensus's assertions amplify buzz creation and expansively promote a work of art to a larger audience.

"Author," to me, means creative artist, a determination of auditors, even if a writer proclaims the self as artist. And "writer," as it were, accommodates equivalent and humble empowerment of all publication competitors, and appreciates writer responsibility and obligation as much as privilege and right to participate in the social conversation that is publication.

Hans Christian Anderson's "The Emperor's New Clothes" delightfully, satirically, ironically exposes the vice and folly of uncalled-for self-worth assertion and perils of uncritically accepting worth assertions sight unseen.

This is my opinion, though, as controversial as this position may be, based on a complex interrelational analysis of publication culture paradigms: creator, distributor, and consumer, the publication community.

Call me Captain Sparklepants if you want as long as I'm reaching readers and making money from doing so.

Call me Captain Sparklepants if you want as long as I'm reaching readers and making money from doing so.

Oh, so that's what it takes? I'd go dig out my Bedazzler right now...

No I'm sorry. I'm too old fashioned. Not Captain Sparklepants.

Major Sparklepants, I'll consider.

Make it Colonel Sparklepants and we might have something to discuss.

Now Brigadier Sparklepants - that would be something.

Dibs on Overlord Sparklepants.

Dibs on Overlord Sparklepants.

Then I get Galactic Emperor Sparklepants

I'm kind of shy, so I'll go with Private Sparkle Pants.

Grunge Mob Spare Dance!?

Surprised no one went for Pan-Galactic Gargleblaster Sparklepants.

Godfather Sparklepants, head of the Galactic syndicate.

But back to the point of this thread,

I'm a bit late to this party but having read the column I have to say--oh I didn't know there was that big a difference between Self-publish and Indie publish. In context the term Self-publish is the wider term which Indie would be under, but could include any type of publishing someone does on their own.

As I understood the term Indie it came from the music side of publishing. With the internet and new devices, musicians started to put out their own music without a label of any size. When writers started to do that-except with prose not music-they adopted the term Indie.

I consider myself an Indie writer and publisher since I have put out four books that I did all the publishing stuff myself then used disturbers to get them sold. I have even come up with a name for my publishing company which puts out just my stuff. Technically it's not a company yet but it will be.

BobSanDiego of the House Rejection, the First of his Name, the Unburnt, King of Typos, King of the Forgotten Submission and the Rhoynar and the First Draft, Khal of the Great Blank Page, Breaker of Symbolism, and Father of dispair, Sparklepants.

BobSanDiego of the House Rejection, the First of his Name, the Unburnt, King of Typos, King of the Forgotten Submission and the Rhoynar and the First Draft, Khal of the Great Blank Page, Breaker of Symbolism, and Father of dispair, Sparklepants.

You win, sir. You win.

BobSanDiego of the House Rejection, the First of his Name, the Unburnt, King of Typos, King of the Forgotten Submission and the Rhoynar and the First Draft, Khal of the Great Blank Page, Breaker of Symbolism, and Father of dispair, Sparklepants.

You win, sir. You win.

Indeed