How do you measure success? Some measures of it are quantitative, while others are not. Sometimes, success can be hard to define, particularly in a subjective field such as writing where so many factors – not least personal preferences and luck – are at play. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to measure success in independent publishing. Here are some of the main ones, and do feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments.

Sales figures

However much we tell ourselves we’re not that interested in our sales figures, we actually are that interested in our sales figures. They’re one of the key measures that tell us how well our book is doing, and they are important for writing success (not least because more sales = more money). How many books we’ve sold is not all that matters, but it is a key indicator of how well we’re doing.

Chart position

It’s not just about the sales, though. Chart position – closely related but also different to sales figures – also shows how well we’re doing in independent publishing. It’s worth having goals such as breaking into the top 1000/100/10 books of particular charts as it gives you something concrete to work towards – and the achievement of getting there is something you’ll always remember.

Reviews

OK, so we can’t always get the amazing sales figures or be top of the book charts. We can, however, still get reviews (hopefully). Good reviews (hopefully). It’s important to remember that reader reviews represent the views of one person and so aren’t all that representative of all readers of your book, but there’s no denying the ego boost that comes with a good review. Even if the review isn’t that great, it still shows that someone has thought about your book enough to pass comment on it, and that’s still a form of success.

Reader response

The slightly less formal side of reviews – general reader response – can also be an indicator of success in independent publishing. Are people telling you that they liked the book? Are they taking action based on it? Sometimes, one person telling you that they thought the book was wonderful or inspired them in some way means more than one hundred sales.

Skills gained

You can also measure success in terms of the skills you gain through independent publishing. You might master cover design, for instance, or learn how to format an e-book or get better at editing. Those are all successes, and they can all help you to be more successful in the future.

Social media presence

Social media, and other forms of author platform/marketing activities, can also be a sign of success. You might notice a spike in your Twitter followers, for instance, or see an increase in the number of people reading your blog following the publication of your book.

Personal satisfaction

Finally, there is the deep personal satisfaction that comes with an independent publishing job well done. Sales figures, reader response and everything else aside, if you’ve published your own book, that’s a huge success in itself. Not only have you written a book – a massive achievement – you’ve also taken the time to get it ready for publication and been brave enough to put it out there. And if that isn’t a sign of your achievement, I’m not sure what is.