Self-Publishing Weekly Update: April 6-16, 2025

Industry News

- Unbound Enters Administration: Crowdfunded publishing company Unbound has gone into administration, leaving many authors unpaid.

- AI in Publishing: Startup Spines plans to publish up to 8,000 books using AI, drawing criticism over quality and originality concerns.

Market Trends

- Book Sales Update: Children's and YA fiction/nonfiction sales have grown, while adult fiction sales have declined.

- Self-Publishing Growth: Indie sales now rival major traditional publishers, showing rising influence of self-published authors.

Opportunities for Authors

- Publishers Open to Submissions: Orbit Works, Legend Press, and Crooked Lane are accepting direct submissions this April.

Upcoming Events

- Self Publishing Show Live 2025: Set for June 25-26 at London's South Bank, offering indie authors networking and learning opportunities.

Author Insights

- Amazon KDP Income Reports: Authors are sharing updated insights into strategies and income potential from KDP publishing.

SOURCES:

Unbound enters administration
→ Wikipedia – Unbound (publisher)

AI startup Spines to publish 8,000 books
→ The Guardian – Writers condemn startup's plans to publish 8,000 books using AI

Book sales trends (Children’s/YA up, Adult Fiction down)
→ Jane Friedman – Book Sales Update (April 2, 2025)

Self-publishing growth compared to Penguin Random House
→ Jane Friedman – Self-Publishing Sales Represent a Whole Other Penguin Random House

Publishers open to submissions
→ Authors Publish – 10 Manuscript Publishers Open to Direct Submissions (April 2025)

Self Publishing Show Live 2025
→ Facebook Group – Self Publishing Show Live

Amazon KDP author income reports
→ YouTube – Amazon KDP Income Report 2025