When you sit down to read a book, do you ever wonder how it got published? Many Irish female authors are taking various routes to get their books published and there are different ways to become an author, other than the more traditional one.

There is no single route to becoming an author anymore. One woman may be approached by a publisher, another may independently publish, another may find an independent press, and another may spend years writing before finally deciding that her story, hidden away in a drawer, is ready to be shared.

From memoir and women’s fiction to romance, thrillers, children’s books and poetry, independent publishing is opening the door for women to tell stories that may never have found their way onto a traditional publishing list.

Covid authors

In 2024, I founded Storylane PR after spotting a gap in support for independent authors in Ireland. Having published my own first book, Talk Learn Connect, during Covid, I quickly realised writing was the easy part. I immersed myself in publishing and marketing workshops, but discovered it was PR and telling authors’ stories that I had a passion for. Since then, I’ve built a network of authors, attended publishing events, found my tribe and helped many new writers gain media visibility.

I also realised there are now many different routes to becoming a published author. Writers no longer have to wait years for a traditional publisher to say yes. The independent publishing community is growing, and authors are increasingly taking control of their own stories and finding their readers.

There are so many genres and it’s important to find the one that represents your writing. Orla Bakeberg from Mayo found her author voice by combining her love of photography and poetry. She shares, The idea for Life Threads started long before the book. I’ve always loved notebooks and poetry, but after losing my parents in 2015 and moving back to Ireland in 2018, I realised how much we lose when memories aren’t written down. Encouraged by my husband Brian, I created a book combining my photographs, affirmations and the poems they inspired, with space for readers to add their own memories.”

“What held me back was confidence. I didn’t believe I could create something people would want to read. Self-publishing gave me complete control over the vision and allowed me to keep it authentically mine. Holding the first copies in July 2023 was a moment I’ll never forget. I realised I hadn’t just written a book – I had also created another way for others to write in a bespoke journal. I do think if you have words in you, write them. Even if it’s just for yourself at first.”

Traditional publishing V Indie-Publishing

We have been led to believe as a writer, being traditionally published is the ultimate dream goal. But more and more writers, who have been lucky to get published this way, have also tried indie-publishing. Some have continued to be independent authors, including Irish journalist Jillian Godsil. Jillian says, “I wrote Running out of Road ten years ago, after my brush with home repossession, a business collapse, followed by changing the law and running in the European Parliamentary Elections in 2014 as an independent. I took all that energy and put it into my novel. I independently published and got some good reviews and then forgot about it as life intervened again.”

“Then last year, an American independent publisher, Whitney Morgan Media, picked up my novel and the publisher, Rionna Whitney Morgan, loved it. She wanted to print it under her imprint. At the same time, I got cancer and then got rid of my cancer, but it gave me an impetus and a new energy. It is currently being converted into an audiobook and I am also developing it as a screenplay. It really can depend on who your book gets in front off and a dollop of pot luck. It has been interesting seeing both sides of publishing and they both have pros and cons.”

Independent publishers

Oakleaf Press is an independent publishing support service founded by Derry author Jane Buckley. Drawing on her own experience of independently publishing her Stones Corner series, Jane helps authors navigate the journey from manuscript to published book, connecting them with trusted editors, designers and other specialists while allowing them to remain in control of their work. Jane’s own new book, Project Children: The Legacy, will be published in October 2026. Oakleaf also offers worldwide distribution through IngramSpark, including Amazon, while authors can still manage their own signed book sales in Ireland and the UK.

Catherine Farren recently published her poetry collection, Retreat, Breathe and Rise Again, with Oakleaf Press: “I was determined to get my poetry out into the world and didn’t want someone else deciding whether my work was good enough. Meeting Jane Buckley in person, she understood exactly what I wanted and supported me throughout the publishing process, launch and marketing. Holding the finished book, with months of work, heart and soul inside it, was incredibly emotional.”

There are very different publishing journeys depending on the book and the author; another example is scholarly publishers, including UCD Press, which will be publishing Marian Keyes and the Politics of Commercial Fiction by Dr. Maria Butler in 2026. The book examines Keyes’s literary and cultural significance and her treatment of issues such as addiction, depression, abortion and shame. This book is an example of how women’s writing that was once dismissed as ‘commercial’ is now being taken seriously in academic publishing. I have a feeling it will appeal to a much wider consumer audience than academia alone.

Irish International writers

And what about our Irish international connections? Tara MacLean may be Canadian-born, but she has Irish roots and a strong connection with Ireland. Her memoir, Song of the Sparrow, has brought her writing journey here, where she has been sharing the book and music with Irish audiences.

Her route into publishing was very different from the independent authors featured here. The memoir began as an essay about being a woman in the music industry and body image, which led to an agent and eventually a publishing deal with HarperCollins. For Tara, writing became a way of healing, sharing experiences she had kept private and hopefully helping other women realise that their past does not have to define them

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that there is no right or wrong way to become an author. Some authors are traditionally published, others choose an independent press, while others take complete control and independently publish. And publishing yourself can certainly lead to huge success. Fifty Shades of Grey began as a self-published book before becoming a global bestseller, while Theo of Golden was also originally self-published before being picked up for a wider publication. It shows that a book doesn’t need to begin with a big publishing house to find a huge audience.

Ultimately, what matters is telling the story. Sometimes all it takes is for a writer to stop waiting for someone else to say yes and just write the story.

Published in Woman’s Way magazine, October 2026 issue.