Who Are We?

Indies & Ink is more than online bookstore, it is a home for indie storytellers

Our mission is simple: to give independent writers a cozy, curated space to showcase their stories and to offer affordable merch and services designed specifically for the indie author journey. The more voices we bring together, the more magic we create for both authors and readers.

At Indies & Ink, we are dedicated and determined to support indie authors in every way we can. From budget-friendly formatting and custom covers to being a listening ear when you’re stuck in plot fog, we’re here to help you shine. Think of us as your one-stop haven for inspiration, support, and creative tools designed to make your indie author experience better than ever.

It’s indies supporting indies, one story at a time

What to expect when you become an Indie Author with Indies & Ink:

At Indies & Ink, we’re dedicated to building a warm, inviting community where indie authors can proudly share their stories and connect with readers on their terms. Joining us as an indie author is FREE, with no listing fees, upfront costs, or hidden charges. Once accepted, you’ll receive your very own personalized Indie Author Page. From there, the choice is yours: sell your products directly through our website or simply showcase your work with your Author Page. How you engage is completely up to you!

If you want to sell your books or bookish products through the website, you’ll be part of our Indie Author Marketplace. This optional path means that we would sell your products directly on the website! For printed books, you would send the print-ready files, including the cover, and we would handle printing and shipping through a trusted print-on-demand service. For downloadable content (Prints and Kindle books) they go directly on the website! You earn royalties on each sale, minus printing (Physical Product only), shipping (Physical Product only), and an 18% service fee to cover website management. Authors are paid on the 15th of each month for any items sold during the previous month. If you don’t sell anything, you don’t pay anything, simple as that.

If you don’t want to sell directly through the website, no worries! You can still have your very own Indie Author Page where we’ll feature your books and include a link to purchase them elsewhere (like Amazon, your website, or another shop). You’ll still be eligible for all marketing opportunities, even if you’re not selling on our platform.

Every author also receives one free custom t-shirt design that will be listed and sold through our site. You’ll choose from three design styles, and we’ll personalize it with your book title, character names, quotes, whatever makes it yours. Custom t-shirts are sold at cost, meaning there is no profit margin built into the sale price. This allows us to make your design available to readers at the most affordable rate possible, but it also means that authors do not receive royalties from shirt sales. These shirts are intended to support personal branding and reader engagement, not generate income. Please note: this design is free, but we’re not able to provide a free physical shirt. If you’d like to own one, you’re welcome to purchase it through the shop like any customer.

We also offer a variety of additional services for authors including formatting, cover design, expanded merch opportunities, and more. You’ll find all available services under the Author services tab above!

We’re here to give you full control of how your books and products are shared. Whether you’re listing for sale or just linking to your work, Indies & Ink is your cozy corner of the internet, run by indie authors, for indie authors.

I'm in! What's next?

Hooray! We’re thrilled you want to join the library of Indies!
Your next step is to fill out a short application so we can get to know you and your work. Once received, our small (and book-obsessed) team will carefully review your submission. Yes, we may even buy your books, because we truly can’t resist a good read.
(And don’t worry if your book isn’t out yet, that’s totally okay!)

After review, someone from our team will reach out to go over the details and get you officially added to our story-filled shelves.

Click here to Begin your Journey

FAQs

  • Nope! Indies & Ink is completely free to join. There are no upfront or listing fees for having your very own Author page! If you would like to be a part of the Indies Author Market, we only take a small 18% fee from each sale to help keep the site running plus any shipping/printing cost. If you don’t sell anything, you don’t pay anything.

  • Not at all! Selling directly through the site is optional. If you’d rather link your book to another platform (like Amazon, your website, etc.), we’ll include a purchase link on your author page. You can still take part in all marketing opportunities even if you’re not selling directly on our site.

  • We make selling your books easy, no inventory, no shipping headaches. Here’s how it works:

    You Submit Your Book Digitally

    • Send us your print-ready files (PDF, cover art, etc.).

    • We set it up on our trusted print-on-demand service.

    We Handle Printing & Shipping

    • When a customer orders your book, we print it and ship it directly to them.

    You Earn Royalties

    • We take the amount of printing and shipping, alongside a small 18% service fee.

    • You receive the remainder of the retail price as your royalty.

    Example Breakdown

    • Retail price: $20

    • Printing & shipping: $8

    • Indies&Ink service fee (18%): $2.16

    • Author royalty: $9.84

    This ensures your book is delivered professionally while you earn money, and we handle all the logistics behind the scenes.

    Why This Works

    • No upfront costs for you — no need to print or store books.

    • Scalable — sell as many copies as you like without worrying about inventory.

    • Professional fulfillment — your book arrives looking polished, every time.

  • Every author gets one free custom t-shirt design created by us to sell on the website. You’ll choose between three base styles and personalize it with your book title, character names, or quotes. You don’t receive a free physical shirt, but you can purchase one through the shop if you'd like to own it. If you want more than one design listed, there’s a $10 one-time fee per additional design.

  • As an author with Indies & Ink, your primary responsibilities are:

    • Providing accurate product information (book details, descriptions, pricing, etc.)

    • Submitting any required files or assets (print-ready files, cover images, digital files, merchandise input forms)

    • Completing a W-9 form if you're based in the U.S., so you can receive payments

    • Reviewing and approving custom merchandise mockups before they go live on the site

    • Promoting your page and products, if you'd like to increase visibility and sales

    Indies & Ink handles the rest, from product listings and order fulfillment to customer service and monthly payouts.

  • We welcome all types!! Fantasy, cozy, dark fantasy, paranormal, magical realism, sci-fi, dystopian and any and all storytelling that fits within a whimsical or imaginative world. Physical Books, downloads, merchandise, can all be accepted, as long as it’s appropriate. We love spice here at Indies & Ink but let’s keep the visuals in words and not in prints or covers.

  • Yes! Just reach out to us anytime if you want to update your book info, author bio, product images, or anything else.

  • Authors are paid monthly on the 15th of each month, for any sales made the previous month. Payment methods include PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, etc. (you choose your preference during onboarding). If you don’t have any sales that month, no payment is sent.

  • Absolutely! You can still have your very own Indie Author Page on our site. We’ll feature your books and include direct links to where readers can purchase them, whether that’s Amazon, your personal website, or another shop. You can also upload digital downloads or Kindle copies to sell directly through us, and your custom author shirt will still be available in our store. And if you change your mind later and want to join the marketplace with physical products, just send us an email and we’ll get you set up!

  • We try to review all applications within 1–2 weeks. We’re a small team (and big bookworms), so thank you for your patience while we read, review, and prepare your place on the shelf!

  • You can end your partnership at any time for any reason. Just let us know, and we’ll remove your author page and products from the website.

  • The mission of Indies and Ink is to help indie authors build their brand and share their stories with the world. We provide each author with their own dedicated space and even offer custom merchandise, like the personalized tees, to help get their name out there. Authors can showcase their work and choose to sell through our online shop, giving them another avenue to reach readers.

    Our long-term vision is to attend markets, book fairs, and other events to sell our authors’ books in person and spread the word about our platform. One day, we hope to grow Indies and Ink into a full brick-and-mortar bookstore where indie voices can truly shine. We may be starting small, but our dreams are anything but!