Indie Publishing

Trad vs Indie in 2026, Part II

/ Tracy Cooper-Posey

If Part I was the brutal, unsentimental comparison of trad vs indie — advantages, disadvantages, and the cold math of each — then Part II shifts gears completely. Part II dives into what modern indie publishing actually looks like in 2026, because most writers still imagine the 2013 version: KU gold rushes, cheap ads, write-to-market hamster wheels, and algorithmic rituals. That world is gone. Today’s indie career is a full business model built on direct sales, diversified income, long-tail backlist revenue, platform resilience, and storytelling that can’t be replicated by AI. If you don’t understand this version of indie, you can’t choose your publishing path intelligently — and Part II lays it out without sentimentality, delusion, or nostalgia.

A Few Good Things Are About to Happen

/ Uncategorized

SRP has been quietly building behind the scenes, and now we’re opening the doors a little wider. In this first official post on the new SRP blog, Mark lays out what’s coming: a cleaner store experience, a proper SRP Starter Library, the debut of erotica author Morgan Pearce, more behind-the-scenes content on Substack and YouTube, smarter Kickstarters, and a renewed focus on genuine community over algorithm-chasing. It’s a glimpse of the SRP we’ve been working toward—and the one we’re excited to share.

Editing King Arthur (Again): Notes From the Once and Future Hearts Trenches

/ Author Services, Editing, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Historical, Historical Fantasy, Historical Romance, Mark Posey, Romance

Editing a thirteen-book Arthurian saga isn’t for the faint of heart. Mark pulls back the curtain on his years in the trenches with Once and Future Hearts—from navigating character continuity and protecting authorial voice to the diplomatic art of asking, “Are you sure, Tracy?” as the finale, Camlann, heads into its early-release Kickstarter celebration.

Trad vs Indie in 2026

/ Tracy Cooper-Posey

Traditional publishing and indie publishing aren’t just two different business models — they’re two different belief systems. Trad authors think they’re building a career as an artist. Indie authors know they’re running a business. In 2026, that mindset divide matters more than ever. With AI flooding the marketplace, platforms deep in enshittification, bookstores shrinking, and rights tied up tighter than a banker’s fist, the only way to make good choices is to understand exactly how each system really works — not how you wish it worked. This is the brutal, unsentimental guide to both paths.

The Big Kickoff

/ Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Historical, Historical Fantasy, Historical Romance, Romance, Tracy Cooper-Posey

After thirteen books, too many late nights, and a kingdom’s worth of research, the Once and Future Hearts series is finally drawing to a close — and we’re going out with a bang. For the first time ever, we’re releasing a 13-book hardcover collector’s set, exclusive to Kickstarter. If you’ve loved this saga — or are just discovering it — this is your chance to own the entire series in a beautiful, keepsake edition… and get the final book, Camlann, six months ahead of the public release.

Curious? Click “Notify Me on Launch” and help make some Arthurian magic happen.

AI Just Went Mainstream. Here’s What That Means for Indie Authors

/ Tracy Cooper-Posey

AI has officially gone mainstream—and that matters more than you think. This week on the blog, we’re looking at what the AI tipping point means for indie authors (hint: it’s not time to panic, but it is time to get your author platform AI-friendly). If your site doesn’t tell a chatbot what kind of stories you write, you’re already losing visibility.

Let’s fix that.

Your Personal Weasel Word List (and Why You Should Actually Use It)

/ Non-Fiction, Reference, Tracy Cooper-Posey

Before you dump your draft on an editor—or on your future self—you should be doing a ruthless cleanup pass. That starts with your own personal Weasel Word List: those sneaky, repetitive words and phrases that dull your prose and clutter your scenes. You’ve got ‘em. Everyone does. The trick is to catch them before your editor does. Bonus: clean manuscripts make ebook compilers very, very happy (and don’t randomly explode on Kindle).

The Mid-Holiday Writing Retreat: Claim Your Time, Writer

/ Tracy Cooper-Posey

Feeling like your writing time keeps getting chipped away by the holiday chaos? This post explores how to reclaim your creative space with a personalized mid-holiday writing retreat. Between Christmas and New Year is the perfect window to refocus, recharge, and write your heart out—without leaving home.

The Two Survival Strategies Every Indie Author Needs Now

/ Tracy Cooper-Posey

The indie publishing world has fractured into a thousand niche markets, and the old one-size-fits-all advice just doesn’t cut it anymore. To thrive now, you need two things: a platform that keeps your readers close, and an experimental mindset that helps you navigate the mountain of conflicting advice. These aren’t just tactics—they’re survival strategies for the modern indie author.

No, It’s Not Your Imagination. Publishing Is Tough Now.

/ Tracy Cooper-Posey

If it feels like publishing is tougher than ever — it’s not your imagination. The market is saturated, algorithms are pay-to-play, and readers are trained to expect endless content for pennies. But that doesn’t mean you’re doomed. It means the game has changed. And smart indie authors are adapting by building direct reader platforms, redefining success on their own terms, and learning to market without selling their souls. The old paths are gone — time to blaze your own.

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