When I tell people that I write back cover copy for romance novels, their reactions vary. Expressions of incredulity, fascination, envy, and even sometimes mockery appear on their faces. That someone could do this for a living—and enjoy it—seems strange to them. That romance novels are popular enough to support my livelihood surprises them even more.

But more people are reading romance than anyone realizes. Romance novels are a huge part of the publishing industry—especially the e-book market. Amazon alone offers 60 categories of romance. Whether it’s historical, contemporary, paranormal, Western, suspense, Christian, erotica, or “sweet” romance, there’s something for everyone. Readers know it … and so do romance authors.

When Amazon launched its e-book self-publishing platform in 2007, it opened up a new avenue for both romance readers and authors. Suddenly there were more new readers, more ways to read, and even more options for authors bringing their books to market. And it unleashed a firestorm in the industry.

“Ninety percent of all romance purchases are e-books,” reported AuthorEarnings.com about the last quarter of 2017. “And we can see that science fiction and fantasy, with roughly 75 percent of sales now e-books and audio, is not that far behind.”

If you’re writing—or thinking about writing—romance, chances are good that Harlequin Enterprises (a division of HarperCollins) leaps to mind. It's a household name in romance, but it's certainly not your only option. So who are the “indie” publishers, and what's the path to this kind of publication? Read on to find out.

What we talk about when we talk about “indie romance”

The rise of e-books (which carry a lower production cost) and the popularity of the romance genre have made it possible for more new book publishing companies to emerge. Many of these are independent publishers, and some of them focus on digital-only releases. On the list of indie romance publishers, you’ll find names like eXtasy, Siren Hill, Entangled Publishing, Blushing, Red Sage, Kensington, Amazon Publishing’s Montlake Romance imprint, and more. (Check out BookFox for a list of romance publishers who might want your romance novel.)

These smaller publishers provide many of the perks that make traditional book publishing so attractive to authors—experienced editors, graphic designers, marketing and promotional support—all while offering (in some cases) substantially higher royalties than the traditional “big” publishing houses. And like the big houses, the book-shopping process remains familiar for authors. A book is pitched and accepted, contracts are signed, and the author works with an editor to improve the book, while the marketing team gets to work on planning covers, promotional copy, and a launch plan. Because these independent publishers are so popular, they carry their own audiences, have access to greater resources for marketing, and have a larger presence for online sales than authors would have access to if they published entirely on their own.

However, courting an indie press also carries many of the same challenges for authors that working with a big house does: pitching editors or trying to find representation, getting your book noticed, negotiating a book deal, and then ultimately discovering that you’re still responsible for some of your own marketing and promotion.

After months and even years of pitching and querying, some authors decided to take the “indie romance author” moniker even further and self-publish their own books. With this new publishing model, authors could retain complete creative control and net up to 70 percent in royalties for every sale.

“As an author, I was not high up on the publishing food chain and [my ideas] were rarely ever listened to,” bestselling author Bella Andre told Yahoo. “I took my friend’s advice and I dove right into self-publishing.” And it worked. Andre’s first book netted her $20,000 in month one. Now, she’s sold over 3.5 million books and even started her own publishing company, Oak Press LLC.

And she’s not alone. Andre, E. L. James, Amanda Hocking … these are all huge indie romance bestseller success stories.

The joys and challenges of digital publishing

According to Publishers Weekly (and others), sales of fiction have been falling across both print and digital formats. The consensus? That creating any kind of exposure for novels is becoming increasingly challenging for authors, especially those in fiction. In the past, finding a new book was as easy has browsing your local bookstore. What bookworm among us hasn’t stared up at that deliciously tempting wall of books, pondering our next read, our eyes caught by some cover or inviting book description? But with the advent of digital books and the decline of brick-and-mortar bookstores, this kind of tangible browsing has all but disappeared.

On top of that, according research done by the Codex Group, readers' buying decisions are increasingly based on author recognition—being able to spot an author’s name and know what genre and books they’ve written. Add to that the enormous numbers of indie romance books and limited review space in magazines, newspapers, and blogs and you’re left with a pretty discouraging chance of someone finding your new book.

Thus enters Amazon, the bookselling Goliath. Commanding the greatest share of romance e-book sales and setting industry-changing trends, authors are opting to throw their lot in with the Big Bezos Behemoth: Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). Not only will giving Amazon exclusive rights net you a greater share of the royalties, it offers a means of plugging authors into the biggest bookstore on the planet—and all its readers. Those sales opportunities grow even greater with the arrival of Amazon Marketing Services (AMS), which allows authors to purchase ads to increase the visibility of their books. The addition of Kindle Unlimited—a paid subscription service that allows readers to “borrow” e-books—has also changed how customers are buying books. Romance readers are nothing short of committed. Often devouring a book a day, they’re looking for good reads for low prices. And that means that what Amazon is offering can be irresistible.

But Amazon can also pose a danger to emerging romance authors. Remember when Facebook changed the algorithms in its feeds? Suddenly authors and small businesses were finding it harder to reach their audiences without ads. And according to some critics, this kind of algorithm change could potentially play out the same way for authors selling their books exclusively on Amazon. A story in Forbes recounts the impact when Amazon “deranked” some erotic romance titles while they were fine-tuning their algorithms. The result saw some authors’ sales plunge significantly, from thousands of dollars to mere hundreds. For authors who depend exclusively on Amazon for their sales as per the exclusivity contract, this could be devastating. This has pushed some authors to diversify and “go wide”—by accepting a smaller share of profits on Amazon and selling their books on other platforms such a Nook, Kobo, the Apple Store, and more.

Joining the indie ranks

If you’re thinking of exploring the exciting and occasionally tense world of indie romance, your best possible chances for success come from being prepared and being willing to put in the work. With that in mind, here are a few tips if you’re thinking you might self-publish a romance novel: 

1. Make sure your books are at their best. Don’t just concentrate on the cover and copy; polisho the book itself. A poorly edited book with mistakes is the fastest way to tarnish your reputation and tank your sales.

2. Write constantly. Romance readers are voracious, and if they enjoy your books, they’ll want to read as many as they can as soon as they can. And the bonus? With each new book you release, you will see a bump in sales for your back catalogue (previously published books).

3. Don’t skimp on your marketing and promotion. We can’t say this enough, but start planning and implementing your social media and marketing efforts as soon as you have a release date for your book. This should include ads, promotions, reviews, and more.

4. Think about going wide. Think long and hard about whether you want to sign exclusively with Amazon or whether you want to to release your book widely. There are risks and costs with each, so do your research and think about what your long-term goals are.

5. Be good to your readers. Romance readers are probably the most committed and dedicated readers of any genre—and there are a lot of them. Take the time to reach out to them, participate in online communities, and thank them for buying your books.

And finally, it's important to support other romance authors. It’s a big world with lots of readers. Don’t make the mistake of seeing other authors as evil competition. Romance authors often share amazing advice about their journeys, and the community can only strengthen as authors work together to support one another. Celebrate each other’s successes … whether you’re a traditional bestseller or a romance indie queen.