From the Productive Indie Fiction Writer:
There was a time—blink and you missed it—when the indie publishing world felt like the Wild West, but in a good way. You could throw up a half-decent cover, scribble a quick blurb, hit publish, and maybe make rent. If you were savvy (or lucky), you could follow someone else’s blueprint to success.
That time is gone.
The indie publishing industry has splintered into a thousand niche ecosystems, each with its own reader quirks, market rhythms, and rules (that no one agrees on). And here’s the kicker: the map to success that worked for your favorite six-figure indie darling? It probably won’t work for you.
But don’t despair. That fractured landscape isn’t a death sentence—it’s an invitation. An invitation to take control of your writing career in a much deeper, more strategic way. And that starts with mastering two things:
1. Build Your Platform
This isn’t news, exactly. Indie authors have been told for years that they need a platform—readers who know who you are and come back for more. But it’s no longer optional.
When you have a strong platform, you’re not scrambling for visibility every time you publish. You’re not praying that the algorithm gods favor you this week. You’ve got your people. You’ve built a relationship with them. They trust you. They’ll read your next book. And maybe your next ten.
But platform isn’t just a mailing list. Or a Facebook group. Or TikTok. It’s not about being everywhere—it’s about being where your readers are and giving them a reason to stick around. That’s going to look different for every author, because every genre and subgenre has its own reader behavior.
I’ve dug into this a lot on the blog, because platform is that important. If you’re just getting started or need a refresher, check out What is an Author Platform (And Why You Need the Best You Can Build)?, Platform Will Save You, and even Should Fiction Authors Bother With Blogging? (spoiler: maybe yes). These posts go deeper into how to build the right platform for your fiction career—no cookie-cutter advice included.
2. Adopt the Experimental Mindset
You’ve probably already noticed: every time you ask for advice on publishing, marketing, or productivity, you get fifteen conflicting answers. (“Write to market!” “Write what you love!” “Rapid release or die!” “Take your time, quality matters!”) All of it delivered with evangelical certainty.
Here’s the truth: most of that advice isn’t wrong. It’s just not universally right.
That’s why the most valuable skill you can develop right now is the ability to experiment. Think of it as A/B testing for authors—but less clinical and more creative. You’re not just testing subject lines or ad graphics (though you can). You’re testing everything: how you write, how you launch, how you connect with readers.
It’s not a one-time thing—it’s a mindset. A systematic, curious, data-informed way of figuring out what works for you. You try a thing. Measure what happens. Tweak. Try again.
I’ve talked about this mindset in several posts: What to Do About That Thing You’re Supposed to Be Doing, Dealing with Discouragement, and especially How to Manage the Tsunami of Information. That last one breaks down the connection between indie overwhelm and how the scientific method can help you survive it.
Because really, this is just science in disguise. You observe, hypothesize, test, evaluate. Scientists do it. Entrepreneurs swear by it. Marketers build entire careers on it. And as indie authors navigating a chaotic, ever-shifting industry, we should absolutely be doing it, too.
Why These Two Work Together
Platform and the experimental mindset aren’t just two separate tools—they’re partners. They reinforce each other.
Your platform gives you readers to test with. Want to see if a new genre twist lands? Ask your mailing list. Thinking about serializing a book on Substack? Try it with your superfans first. They’ll give you feedback and, if you’ve done your job, they’ll cheer you on even when you change direction.
Meanwhile, your experimental mindset helps you build your platform smarter. Not sure whether your readers prefer bonus scenes or author commentary? Test both. Wondering if Instagram is worth your time? Set up a small trial. You don’t need to guess anymore—you can know.
The Indie Landscape Is Fractured. That’s Good News.
Yes, the industry is fractured. But that means you’re not competing with everyone—you’re connecting with the people who want what you create. And these two strategies—platform and experimentation—are how you find them and keep them.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, buried in advice, or stuck waiting for the “right” strategy to fall into your lap, here’s your permission slip:
Stop waiting. Start experimenting.
Build your platform like it matters—because it does. And treat every piece of advice (even this post!) like a hypothesis, not gospel.
You’re not chasing trends. You’re building your version of success.
Tracy Cooper-Posey
SRP Author and owner of The Productive Indie Fiction Writer
