Think self-published books can't compete with traditional publishing? Think again.

Some of the biggest names dominating bestseller lists, racking up millions of sales, and building devoted fanbases started as indie authors. These writers proved that you don't need a Big Five publisher to create compelling stories that readers obsess over.

Whether they stayed indie or eventually signed traditional deals, these authors built their success on their own terms first. If you've been sleeping on indie authors, you've been missing out on some of the best books being published today.

Here are 10 massively successful authors who started self-published—and absolutely crushed it.

1. Lucy Score

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Current Status: Still proudly indie

Why You Know Her: Lucy Score has become a romance powerhouse, with books like Things We Never Got Over dominating TikTok and hitting major bestseller lists. Her small-town romances are packed with swoon-worthy heroes, sharp banter, and emotional depth.

The Indie Story: Score self-published for years, building a loyal readership one book at a time. Her dedication to consistent releases and connecting with readers paid off massively when BookTok discovered her backlist. Now she's a multi-million copy bestseller who still maintains complete creative control of her work—and she's not signing with traditional publishers anytime soon.

Start With: Things We Never Got Over (Knockemout series)

2. Colleen Hoover

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction
Current Status: Hybrid (both indie and traditional)

Why You Know Her: Colleen Hoover is arguably the biggest indie success story in modern publishing. It Ends With Us became a cultural phenomenon, selling millions of copies and sparking important conversations about domestic violence.

The Indie Story: Hoover self-published her debut Slammed in 2012 after traditional publishers rejected it. She built her career independently, connecting directly with readers through social media. Even after signing with traditional publishers for some titles, she continues to self-publish alongside her traditional releases, proving indie isn't just a stepping stone—it's a powerful long-term strategy.

Start With: It Ends With Us or Verity

3. Laura Thalassa

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy Romance
Current Status: Hybrid (both indie and traditional)

Why You Know Her: Thalassa's The Four Horsemen series and The Bargainer series have captivated readers with dark, romantic fantasy worlds. Her fated mates, morally grey love interests, and addictive world-building have earned her cult favorite status.

The Indie Story: Thalassa built her entire career through self-publishing, creating sprawling fantasy worlds that rival traditionally published series. After proving her massive readership, she signed with Bloom Books (an imprint of Sourcebooks) for some titles while continuing to self-publish others. Her books consistently hit bestseller lists either way.

Start With: Rhapsodic (The Bargainer series) or Pestilence (The Four Horsemen series)

4. Rebecca Yarros

Genre: Fantasy Romance, New Adult
Current Status: Traditional (signed after indie success)

Why You Know Her: Fourth Wing and Iron Flame have taken the book world by storm, becoming massive TikTok sensations. Dragons, enemies-to-lovers romance, and addictive plot twists made Yarros a household name.

The Indie Story: Before becoming a fantasy romance queen, Yarros self-published contemporary romance and romantic suspense for years. She built a dedicated readership independently before signing with Entangled Publishing, then eventually Red Tower Books (a Macmillan imprint). Her indie roots taught her how to connect with readers—skills that fueled her traditional publishing success.

Start With: Fourth Wing (The Empyrean series)

5. Penelope Douglas

Genre: Dark Romance, Bully Romance, New Adult
Current Status: Still indie

Why You Know Her: Douglas pioneered the bully romance subgenre with Bully and the Fall Away series. Her morally complex characters and intense emotional stakes have made her a favorite among readers who like their romance dark and angsty.

The Indie Story: Douglas has remained completely independent throughout her career, proving that indie authors can build massive, sustainable businesses. Her books regularly hit the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists, and she maintains complete control over her content, covers, and release schedule.

Start With: Bully (Fall Away series) or Corrupt (Devil's Night series)

6. Vi Keeland

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Current Status: Still indie

Why You Know Her: Keeland's standalone romances consistently hit bestseller lists. Her alpha male heroes, witty banter, and emotional depth have earned her millions of devoted readers.

The Indie Story: Keeland started self-publishing in 2013 and has never looked back. She frequently collaborates with other indie authors (like Penelope Ward) and has proven that indie romance authors can achieve the same level of success as their traditionally published counterparts—often with better royalty rates.

Start With: The Bam Trilogy or Stuck-Up Suit (co-written with Penelope Ward)

7. Amanda Hocking

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy, Paranormal
Current Status: Hybrid (both indie and traditional)

Why You Know Her: Hocking became one of the first self-publishing sensations in the early 2010s with her Trylle trilogy. She sold over a million self-published ebooks before most people even owned Kindles.

The Indie Story: In 2010, Hocking started self-publishing her YA fantasy novels after countless traditional rejections. She became a millionaire within a year, proving that indie authors could achieve massive financial success. She eventually signed a $2 million traditional deal with St. Martin's Press but continues to self-publish some titles. Her story inspired countless authors to consider the indie route.

Start With: Switched (Trylle trilogy)

8. Anna Todd

Genre: New Adult Romance
Current Status: Traditional (signed after viral indie success)

Why You Know Her: After became a global phenomenon, spawning a movie franchise and making "bad boy romance" a cultural touchstone. If you were on Wattpad in the 2010s, you knew After.

The Indie Story: Todd originally wrote After as Harry Styles fanfiction on Wattpad, where it gained over a billion reads. She self-published the revised original fiction version before Simon & Schuster signed her to a major deal. The series has sold millions of copies worldwide and been adapted into multiple films.

Start With: After (The After series)

9. LJ Shen

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Enemies-to-Lovers
Current Status: Still indie

Why You Know Her: Shen writes angsty, emotional contemporary romances with complex characters and devastating plot twists. Books like Vicious and Angry God have made her a staple in the romance community.

The Indie Story: Shen has built her entire career independently, releasing consistently and connecting with readers through social media. Her books regularly hit the USA Today bestseller list, and she's known for her dedicated reader community. She's proven that staying indie doesn't mean staying small.

Start With: Vicious (Sinners of Saint series)

10. Mariana Zapata

Genre: Slow Burn Romance, Sports Romance
Current Status: Still indie

Why You Know Her: Zapata is the queen of slow burn romance. The Wall of Winnipeg and Me and From Lukov with Love have become modern romance classics, proving that readers will wait hundreds of pages for the payoff if the journey is worth it.

The Indie Story: Zapata started self-publishing in 2013 and has remained indie throughout her career. Her dedication to the slow burn romance subgenre has earned her a cult following. Readers know that a Mariana Zapata book means delayed gratification—and they're here for it. She's a New York Times bestselling author who's never needed a traditional publisher.

Start With: The Wall of Winnipeg and Me or From Lukov with Love

The Indie Author Revolution

These ten authors represent just a fraction of the incredible indie talent reshaping publishing. They've proven that self-published doesn't mean lower quality—it means authors who took control of their careers, built direct relationships with readers, and created sustainable businesses on their own terms.

Some stayed indie. Others went hybrid. A few signed traditional deals after proving their worth. But they all started the same way: believing in their stories enough to publish them independently.

The next time you pick up a bestseller, check if it's indie. You might be surprised how many of your favorite books were published by the authors themselves.

Want to discover more incredible indie authors? Shelf-Made is an online bookstore dedicated exclusively to self-published authors. We curate exceptional indie books, feature authors in our newsletters and subscription boxes, and help readers discover hidden gems they won't find on mainstream bestseller lists.

Browse our collection and support independent authors across the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Visit Shelf-Made today.