7 Self Publisher Business Success Stories [2024]

Pat Walls

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Updated: November 1st, 2023

Start A Self Publisher Business

A self-publishing business helps authors self-publish books through technology, services, education, and other means. Self-publishing businesses fall into three classifications: publishing platforms, author services, and self-publishing education companies.

To start a self-publishing business, you must file a “Doing Business As” (DBA) or form a limited liability company.

Self-publishing business is not a new phenomenon. The business dates back to the 18th century, and today it is increasingly becoming the first choice for writers.

Here are some real life success stories of starting a self-publisher business:

1. BowTied Opossum ($72K/year)

BowTiedOpossum is a paid Substack newsletter that provides actionable advice on running digital businesses, helping aspiring entrepreneurs navigate the industry with real-world experience and insights.

Opossum, the founder of BowTiedOpossum, initially started as an anonymous Twitter account providing actionable advice on eCommerce. After gaining a following, he decided to monetize his expertise by launching a paid newsletter on Substack. Within 9 months, he grew the newsletter to $3k in monthly revenue and plans to focus on organic search and link building for future growth.

How much they make: $72K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
Current team size: 0

How I Anonymously Launched A Newsletter While Keeping My Day Job [$3K/Month]

BowTiedOpossum founder shares how he grew his anonymous paid newsletter to $3k per month in 9 months using Twitter as his main acquisition strategy.

About

BowTiedOpossum started BowTied Opossum over 2 years ago

Revenue

BowTiedOpossum grew the business to $6K/month

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2. Merrative ($24K/year)

Harshala Chavan, the founder of Merrative, came up with the idea for her business after noticing a lack of dedicated spaces for people to discuss literature. After attending a book club meetup, where she had a great discussion with others who had read the same book, she wondered if she could bring this experience online at scale. She validated her concept through participating in BPlans and growing her Instagram page, which eventually led to the launch of Merrative as a community-led marketplace for publishing talent.

How much they make: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
Current team size: 0

How I Bootstrapped A $2K/Month Online Community To Discuss Literature

Merrative, a community-driven marketplace for publishing talent, generates an average of $1,500 per month in marketplace transactions from their 5,000+ strong community of readers, writers, journalists, and scholars.

About

Harshala started Merrative over 3 years ago

Revenue

Harshala grew the business to $2K/month

Costs

It cost Harshala $100 to start the business

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Read by 3,219 founders