Trad vs Indie Publishing: No Facts Just Feelings

January 12, 2026

This week, it’s just us—no guests, no filters, just a real conversation about where we’re at in our writing journeys.

We talk honestly about being in that in-between stage: finishing edits, querying, waiting on full requests, and questioning everything you thought you knew about publishing. From beta readers to developmental editors to the unexpected emotional rollercoaster of feedback, this episode dives into the messy middle of writing a book and figuring out what comes next.

We also unpack the shift from traditional publishing expectations to exploring indie publishing, the appeal of creative control, and what it actually means to bet on yourself as an author. If you’re somewhere between “almost done” and “what the hell do I do now,” this episode is for you.

In This Episode

• Being in the “messy middle” of finishing a manuscript

• Editing struggles: pacing, plot holes, and final revisions

• Writing with limited time (kids, work, life… all of it)

• Insomnia, creative overwhelm, and knowing you’re close to the end

• Beta readers: when to use them and who to trust

• Querying agents: stats, full requests, and rejection reality

• Decoding agent feedback (and what it actually means)

• The emotional toll of waiting during the querying process

• Discovering indie publishing as an option

• Traditional vs. indie publishing timelines and expectations

• Creative control, ownership, and making money as an author

• Hiring a developmental editor (and what that process is really like)

• Why your book’s path doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s

• The importance of community during the writing process