r/selfpublish

Community Overview
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About r/selfpublish

A place to discuss just about everything in the world of indie books. *Not* a place for self-promotion.

The community at a glance

r/selfpublish is a Subreddit for Writers with roughly 253K members. It has been around since 2011. It uses a forum format for communication. It is the 7th largest community in the Writing topic page.

Roughly 67K members have joined in the past year. Popular discussion topics include Book, Publishing, and Marketing. Common discussion themes are Advice Requests and Solution Requests. Product recommendations often mention children’s book illustrator, best way to promote, and type of books sell the best.

On Reddit
Established 2011
253K Members

Community Topics

Community Features

Forum

This community has a forum

Subreddit Analysis

via GummySearch
Yearly: +67K members
Growth: +35.8% / year

Member growth over time

All time (yearly)

  • 2013: 3K members
  • 2014: 3K members
  • 2015: 2K members
  • 2016: 2K members
  • 2017: 3K members
  • 2018: 6K members
  • 2019: 16K members
  • 2020: 20K members
  • 2021: 19K members
  • 2023: 37K members
  • 2024: 43K members
  • 2025: 63K members
  • 2026: 33K members

Past year (monthly)

  • Jul: 5K members
  • Aug: 5K members
  • Sep: 4K members
  • Oct: 5K members
  • Nov: 8K members
  • Dec: 5K members
  • Jan: 7K members
  • Feb: 6K members
  • Mar: 6K members
  • Apr: 6K members
  • May: 5K members
  • Jun: 4K members

Themes

  • Advice Requests
    13 posts in the past month
    1. Is It Realistically Possible to Make a Living with 5–7 Books on Amazon Kindle?
    2. My first week as a published author — and questions for those with experience
    3. [help] How do you promote your self-published books?
    #1
    Advice Requests
    Is It Realistically Possible to Make a Living with 5–7 Books on Amazon Kindle? · My first week as a published author — and questions for those with experience · [help] How do you promote your self-published books?
    13
  • Solution Requests
    11 posts in the past month
    1. For goodies that come with your book (bookmarks, stickers, etc.), how do you print them/where do you buy them from?
    2. Advice 🙏🏻 non-KDP print-on-demand recommendations for niche series
    3. Help needed for marketing
    #2
    Solution Requests
    For goodies that come with your book (bookmarks, stickers, etc.), how do you print them/where do you buy them from? · Advice 🙏🏻 non-KDP print-on-demand recommendations for niche series · Help needed for marketing
    11
  • Pain & Anger
    11 posts in the past month
    1. Giving up on being a full time author, and why this isn't a bad thing.
    2. What would you guys do about an over zealous ARC reader?
    3. PSA: Book Awards and Magazine Ads are essentially never worth it
    #3
    Pain & Anger
    Giving up on being a full time author, and why this isn't a bad thing. · What would you guys do about an over zealous ARC reader? · PSA: Book Awards and Magazine Ads are essentially never worth it
    11
  • Money Talk
    3 posts in the past month
    1. Who spends thousands on a book few will read?
    2. How much do you earn (those who publish regularly)?
    3. I've got $20 to spend on some variety of promotion. My goal is getting the book into the hands of 1~3 readers most likely to leave reviews. What are my best options for succeeding that aren't "paid reviews"?
    #4
    Money Talk
    Who spends thousands on a book few will read? · How much do you earn (those who publish regularly)? · I've got $20 to spend on some variety of promotion. My goal is getting the book into the hands of 1~3 readers most likely to leave reviews. What are my best options for succeeding that aren't "paid reviews"?
    3
  • Self-Promotion
    3 posts in the past month
    1. I DID IT (again)! Yesterday, I finally released my second book ever. This post includes a bit about what I did better than last time and what I'm going to do next time.
    2. Self-published my first book!
    3. Weekly Self-Promo and Chat Thread
    #5
    Self-Promotion
    I DID IT (again)! Yesterday, I finally released my second book ever. This post includes a bit about what I did better than last time and what I'm going to do next time. · Self-published my first book! · Weekly Self-Promo and Chat Thread
    3

Topics

  • Book
    84 posts in the past month
    1. I sold more books on Amazon in the First 8 hours of a Bookbub featured deal than I did in the entire month after my book was featured in the New York Times Book Review
    2. I’ve been writing for years. I have 3 published books. And I’m still being told the secret is to write the next book.
    3. I sold my first book!!
    #1
    Book
    I sold more books on Amazon in the First 8 hours of a Bookbub featured deal than I did in the entire month after my book was featured in the New York Times Book Review · I’ve been writing for years. I have 3 published books. And I’m still being told the secret is to write the next book. · I sold my first book!!
    84
  • Publishing
    66 posts in the past month
    1. Assistance with Publishing
    2. I need publishing help
    3. Author publishing, websites, all that - what do you all do?
    #2
    Publishing
    Assistance with Publishing · I need publishing help · Author publishing, websites, all that - what do you all do?
    66
  • Marketing
    63 posts in the past month
    1. Results of increased marketing was mixed and interesting
    2. Faceless Marketing
    3. A helpful marketing metaphor
    #3
    Marketing
    Results of increased marketing was mixed and interesting · Faceless Marketing · A helpful marketing metaphor
    63
  • Struggling
    48 posts in the past month
    #4
    Struggling
    48
  • Self Publishing
    45 posts in the past month
    1. First-Time Self Publishing: KDP, IngramSpark, or Something Else?
    #5
    Self Publishing
    First-Time Self Publishing: KDP, IngramSpark, or Something Else?
    45

Flair

  • Marketing
    31 posts in the past month
    1. I’ve been writing for years. I have 3 published books. And I’m still being told the secret is to write the next book.
    2. Help: a bookstore created an Instagram of me, with my face and book using AI. I'm a very an anti-AI author.
    3. Finished My First Novel and Realizing I Might Not Be Cut Out for Self-Publishing
    #1
    Marketing
    I’ve been writing for years. I have 3 published books. And I’m still being told the secret is to write the next book. · Help: a bookstore created an Instagram of me, with my face and book using AI. I'm a very an anti-AI author. · Finished My First Novel and Realizing I Might Not Be Cut Out for Self-Publishing
    31
  • Tips & Tricks
    11 posts in the past month
    1. Banned from KDP, non-American. Now what?
    2. Has anyone had a table at a large event like the Texas Book Festival?
    3. Key to a successful debut
    #2
    Tips & Tricks
    Banned from KDP, non-American. Now what? · Has anyone had a table at a large event like the Texas Book Festival? · Key to a successful debut
    11
  • How I Did It
    6 posts in the past month
    1. I sold more books on Amazon in the First 8 hours of a Bookbub featured deal than I did in the entire month after my book was featured in the New York Times Book Review
    2. Author Panels
    3. Debut author with over 20 ebook preorders and 50 physical preorders, how I did it and how much it cost me.
    #3
    How I Did It
    I sold more books on Amazon in the First 8 hours of a Bookbub featured deal than I did in the entire month after my book was featured in the New York Times Book Review · Author Panels · Debut author with over 20 ebook preorders and 50 physical preorders, how I did it and how much it cost me.
    6
  • Reviews
    6 posts in the past month
    1. Fair Warning: Book Bounty
    2. New author here — where can I promote my book without breaking Reddit rules?
    3. Unusual amount of reviews?
    #4
    Reviews
    Fair Warning: Book Bounty · New author here — where can I promote my book without breaking Reddit rules? · Unusual amount of reviews?
    6
  • Editing
    5 posts in the past month
    1. Please don't skip editing!
    2. Found multiple errors that my Reedsy editor missed. Book has already sold physical copies, just feel overwhelmed.
    3. Can't afford an editor
    #5
    Editing
    Please don't skip editing! · Found multiple errors that my Reedsy editor missed. Book has already sold physical copies, just feel overwhelmed. · Can't afford an editor
    5

Product recommendations

  • children’s book illustrator
    2 posts in the past month
    1. Best place to find a children’s book illustrator
    2. Best place to find a children’s book illustrator
    #1
    children’s book illustrator
    Best place to find a children’s book illustrator · Best place to find a children’s book illustrator
    2
  • best way to promote
    2 posts in the past month
    1. Best way to promote?
    2. Best way to promote?
    #2
    best way to promote
    Best way to promote? · Best way to promote?
    2
  • type of books sell the best
    2 posts in the past month
    1. What type of books sell the best? why do you believe so?
    2. What type of books sell the best? why do you believe so?
    #3
    type of books sell the best
    What type of books sell the best? why do you believe so? · What type of books sell the best? why do you believe so?
    2
  • best place to find a children’s book illustrator
    2 posts in the past month
    1. Best place to find a children’s book illustrator
    2. Best place to find a children’s book illustrator
    #4
    best place to find a children’s book illustrator
    Best place to find a children’s book illustrator · Best place to find a children’s book illustrator
    2
  • best way to promote?
    2 posts in the past month
    1. Best way to promote?
    2. Best way to promote?
    #5
    best way to promote?
    Best way to promote? · Best way to promote?
    2
View full analysis on GummySearchSynced 6/20/2026

Frequently asked questions

Who is r/selfpublish for?
Best for Writers enthusiasts looking for a Reddit-based community with forum discussion.
Is r/selfpublish free to join?
This listing is not marked as paid-only. Access rules and any fees are decided by the community.
How many members does r/selfpublish have?
Roughly 253K members, based on figures reported by the community or its host. Member counts are approximate and change over time.
What platform is r/selfpublish on?
r/selfpublish runs on Reddit. Reddit communities (or "subreddits") are forum-based groups on the popular social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website Reddit. Reddit is commonly known as "the front page of the internet". Users submit content to the site such as links, text posts, and images, which are then voted up or down and discussed by other members. From investing Reddit communities, to professional ones, to ones just for laughs, you're likely to find a community for you on Reddit.
What topics does r/selfpublish cover?
On the Hive Index, r/selfpublish is organized under Writers.
How do I join r/selfpublish?
You can join r/selfpublish by clicking this link, or pressing the "Go to community" button above.
What are the Writing communities like?
Communities for writers of all kinds, from fiction and screenwriting to technical writing and journalism. Discord and Reddit have large general writing communities for feedback and accountability, with more specialized groups for specific genres, craft topics, and publication paths like self-publishing and traditional querying.
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Added 2/24/2021

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