Before Amazon launched self-publishing in 2007, authors either had to find an agent or publisher for their books or pay a publisher to produce them.

Since then, the rise in independent or indie authors, who publish their own books, has increased significantly. While this is great news for anyone who wants to publish their work, can readers be sure of what they’re buying?

With traditional publishers, there’s a belief that the books and author must be good. Or at the very least, these authors must have attained a sufficient standard or quality to be taken on.

It doesn’t mean indie authors can’t produce works of an equal or better quality. Take LJ Ross, who sells millions of books with her distinctive crime fiction series.

Many authors have left their publishers to turn independent. Some are dumped by their publishers. Not all books sell well or sell enough to provide a living for authors. Royalties paid by publishers are not as competitive as those paid by Amazon, Apple and other online sellers to indie authors who use the platforms to produce eBooks and paperbacks.

When you consider the millions of books available in stores and online, it’s not a market for the faint hearted. Even well-known celebrities can struggle to sell their books.

Being traditionally published or well known doesn’t mean you can write compelling books or sell them.

You could point to those indie authors who couldn’t find an agent or publisher to take them on. It doesn’t mean there isn’t an audience for their work. It’s down to money and the likelihood of a publisher making a profit on book sales. Then there are trends and fashions, which often mean a market filled with derivative books.

Indie authors can publish what they want for an audience of their choice. They don’t have to pass tests or prove they have thousands of followers on social media. You can have millions of followers, but it doesn’t mean they want to read your book.

When I wrote No Accident, it was published by Penmore Press, an independent US publisher, in June 2016. It was an interesting experience. The self-confidence boost enabled me to improve my writing and storytelling, but the process that followed was a sharp learning curve.

So, why did I leave them after one book to self-publish all my novels, including the one they took?

Put simply, I wanted control over my work, the covers, blurb and the marketing. I’m not suggesting Penmore didn’t do their best. We simply had different visions for my book, that’s all.

Did this mean a drop in the standard of my writing or novels?

I still write to the same exacting standards I’ve always set myself. I employ a professional editor to read my books and point up issues that need attention. I work with and pay a graphic designer to produce my covers to the standards publishers expect. I make sure the content is as free from errors as possible.

This I do at my cost because my readers deserve the best books I can produce.

It means I work harder than a published author, who has editing, cover design and descriptions provided by the publisher.

As a reader, I would suggest you do what you would do with any book or author that’s new to you. Check out the cover, the description and the reviews. Then read a sample before you decide whether to buy.

Unless I’m a fan of an author, I always read a sample. Even then, these authors produce new series and books that aren’t to my liking.

As readers can feel reticent about trying a new author, I’ve reduced the price my first novel, No Accident at £1.99/$1.99. It’s less than the cost of a frothy coffee and should stay hot for longer.

And at that price, why not enjoy a latte or cappuccino while you read No Accident.

A search on the internet produced some interesting results and misconceptions.

• Traditional publishers don’t give anyone any kind of ‘credibility.’ In today’s market, savvier readers know ‘traditional’ publishers often charge more for books that are quite often below the standard offered by indie publishers.

• Readers know that indie authors have as much ‘credibility’ as their traditionally published counterparts. In many cases, indie authors offer a more enjoyable read.

• Indie authors have exactly the same access to a “good editor” as a traditionally published or legacy author has.

• In many cases, legacy authors get paid around 50% less in royalties than indie authors, who have as good, if not better, control over artwork, formatting, editing, and story.

• The belief that “many indie books have lots of errors” is not accurate. Both traditional and indie books contain errors.

• Shrewd readers know the best stories are the ones closest to what the author intended; they’re not written by committee.