At first glance, it might be obvious what defines a successful indie author. A deeper dive into the topic, however, tells another story. Let me explain. When I started as a self-published author, I suspected that success meant a loyal following, being on the best-sellers list, winning awards, and the like. Now, I’m three years into my journey and feel differently. Yes, experiencing the aforementioned potential criteria are signs of success, but there is so much more. I haven’t yet reached best-seller status, and I don’t necessarily have a loyal following. I’ve only won one award, but I still believe I’ve reached a level of success. The reason is that success means different things to different people. For me, I feel successful because last year, I had book sales every month. I even sold three copies of my first children’s book at a local book shop. One of my activity books has had sales almost every month last year, and the same book has had two sales this month. Yet, my success is more than sales. I’ve also had several podcast appearances and grown in my ability to speak on camera. Not only that, I now have enough self-publishing experience so that I feel confident sharing my experiences online to help other indie authors. I’ve even assisted a couple of family members in self-publishing their books. You may have different measures of success, but that’s the beauty of self-publishing.

For the most part, we’re in control of what we publish and when. That means we decide what success means to us. It’s okay if book sales are what matter most to you or if winning many awards is what you value. There’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to success as a self-published author. On the other hand, maybe you can’t figure out what success means to you. That’s okay, too, but if you’d like help determining your definition of success, here are two suggestions. First, consider what means the most to you. Another thing you can do is imagine how you’d feel if certain things didn’t happen in your indie author journey. For example, if you don’t get a certain number of sales or win an award, and you’d feel bad about that, it’s a good indication of what success likely means to you.

For myself, the longer I’m in this industry, the more I realize that success isn’t only a numbers game for me. I value the journey, too. After all, I’m not in a race to earn a particular amount or win a particular award. I’ve come to accept exactly where I am right now. Bigger goals aren’t my top priority anymore. I believe that’s because I’ve learned to enjoy the process and simply do the best I can. Something that has helped me reach this point is becoming a book reviewer. Giving back by encouraging other authors has taken the pressure off. If the stress of not reaching the success you want is weighing on you, giving back may be a way to combat that. Regardless, may you now realize that success is subjective and that you can be successful no matter where you are in your indie author journey.