The Rise of Self-Publishing

Something really interesting happened to me recently. One of my 2026 goals is to show up consistently and intentionally on LinkedIn, so, fuelled by coffee and new-year energy, I made a post "manifesting" my dream projects for 2026 — one of which included my personal love, non-fiction.

Thanks to that post, which I should mention received only a modest reception, I received several enquiries from emerging non-fiction publishing businesses. Half of which were self-publishing services, and the other half hybrid publishers.

This really got me thinking.

Surely it's no coincidence that, in my little corner of LinkedIn, I happened to bump into a number of small businesses, all offering self-publishing support in the same week. All specialising in non-fiction, no less. I can only imagine what's happening over in fiction.

So, I had a look.

A very leisurely scroll through Google search results for "self-publishing UK" introduced me to more self-publishing services than I could count. This is excluding the big self-publishing platforms (like KDP, IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, and Lulu), excluding presses that offer hybrid and vanity models, as well as all the resources available on how to self-publish (of which there were plenty).

The plethora of options available to self-publishing authors today is miles ahead of what was available back when I had first heard the term during my MA publishing course.

Back in 2019, self-publishing was dismissed as a quirky niche far removed from proper publishing, at least this was how it felt in the academic sphere. A mere six years later, a Bookseller article reported it is now the "'Golden age' of self-publishing for indie authors". According to Wordsrated, between 2018-2023, the number of self-published books has increased by 264% and is expected to grow at a rate of 17% CAGR per year in comparison to the 1% expected of the global publishing market. In 2023 alone, 2.6 million self-published books hit the market.

After mentioning that I work with self-publishing authors and services by day, and run my own cosy fantasy indie press, Asteria Press, by night, one of my new contacts asked me about my thoughts "between traditional and self-publishing". Perhaps she was curious where my loyalties lie as a professional who has a foot in both worlds, I was very honest in my answer.

I personally feel that there is a place for both traditional and self-publishing — they are not competing routes, but simply different choices in a diversifying publishing landscape.

I'm excited to see that the future of publishing is diversifying, offering a range of publishing options, terms, and easier ways to self-publish at every price point. It's certainly great for authors to be able to have as many choices as possible.

Writing and publishing are two different areas that require different skill sets. Some authors really relish and blossom in having full control of every part of the publishing process, and they may have the time, tenacity, and resources to self-publish. Some authors may feel overwhelmed by the prospect of going solo in (let's face it) what is essentially akin to starting a business, and prefer to focus on their craft, leaving the rest to publishing professionals. Others may lack the time or resources for self-publishing (according to Reedsy, an average self-published book costs between £2,000-£4,000 investment upfront). Having options allow authors to publish in the way that they prefer and that their circumstances can allow.

There are, of course, pros and cons for both the traditional and self-publishing routes. Authors choosing the traditional route can leverage the advantages of a pre-existing audience, the trust built by the press's brand, and the expertise of the professionals that publish books for a living. In contrast, self-publishing authors need to find, court, and form their own community of readers, build their personal brand, and either teach themselves or hire those with cross-department publishing skills in editorial, design, marketing, production, sales, and rights. That being said, the emergence of self-publishing services now provides a fully-packaged alternative for authors considering self-publishing, making self-publishing more accessible whilst allowing authors more flexibility, control, and share of royalties.

With the lines between traditional and alternative methods of publishing continuing to blur, perhaps a key difference lies in who has the final say.

Traditionally, publishers have had full authority over making important publishing decisions and are trusted to do so by authors (most of the time), whereas self-publishing services can only offer advice based on their expertise as the final decision is ultimately made by the author. Both have advantages and disadvantages.

At the risk of going down a rabbit hole, I want to end this mini-essay by circling back to my initial answer. We should celebrate the fact that authors now have more choices than ever to publish, whether it's via the traditional route or otherwise. Whilst some critics have turned their noses up at self-publishing as contributing more books to the world than we can ever read (isn't this a beautiful age-old "problem", though?), especially slop "of no interest" (the many bestselling authors with a self-publishing background firmly disproves this), the rise of self-publishing has enabled the publishing landscape to diversify in a way that's quite revolutionary.

Barriers of entry into the literary sphere for voices from marginalised communities, different socioeconomic backgrounds, championing niche genres and topics are breaking down.

In an increasingly polarised society, diversifying the voices, stories, and learnings we consume and have access to through literature can only be a good thing.

Whether you're an independent press, self-publishing agency, or an author navigating this 'Golden Age' of self-publishing, the goal remains the same: a book that looks and feels like it belongs on a curated shelf. If you are looking for a thoughtful designer of book covers, interiors, and marketing assets to join your team, please get in touch or visit my website to find out more about my work.

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Hi! My name is Wendy. Based in the UK, I'm a book designer and typesetter with a Master's degree in Publishing and over 5 years of industry experience. I love helping indie publishers and authors bring to life their manuscripts through great cover and interior design. As a designer, I am curious, communicative, and continuously learning. When I’m not reading or designing books, you can catch me cosy-gaming, journaling, and obsessing over self-development!