Which Author Model Fits You Best? (Take the Quiz)

Because your creative path deserves a model that actually fits.

Which Author Model Fits You? Traditional, Indie, Direct Sell or eCommerce

If you’ve ever felt torn between chasing visibility, protecting your creativity, or finding a sustainable path to long-term income… this quiz is for you.

Writers today face more publishing paths than ever, but most advice is confusing, overwhelming, or just doesn’t speak to who you really are.

That’s why I created this self-assessment. It’s not about chasing trends. It’s about identifying the author model that fits your lifestyle, creative energy, and long-term vision.

Because the truth is, not all writing careers are built the same.

Take the Quiz:

Grab a pen and jot down your answers. Go with your gut, not your guilt. At the end, use the scoring key to discover your strongest alignment, and what it might reveal about your next best step.

The Quiz

1. What’s your biggest turn-on in a publishing model?

• A. Prestige and access to traditional industry platforms.

• B. Speed, visibility, and rapid scalability across genre audiences.

• C. Creative autonomy and direct reader feedback.

• D. Full control over the reader experience, including customer data, sales funnels, and branded story delivery.

2. When you picture your author career 5 years from now, what excites you most?

• A. Holding a prestigious publishing deal or major literary award.

• B. Having 10+ books earning steady passive royalties across one or multiple retailer platforms.

• C. A loyal reader base supporting my work both directly through crowdfunding/subscriptions or multiple retailer platforms including my own storefront.

• D. A devoted community of premium readers who invest in high-value special editions, merchandise, and curated experiences on my own storefront (e.g. Shopify store).

3. Which best describes your ideal release rhythm?

• A. One or more polished book(s) every year or two.

• B. Rapid-fire, fast-paced releases to maintain visibility (5 or more books per year).

• C. A mix of rapid releases and campaign-driven sprints with intense deadlines and delivery pressure.

• D. A slower, less intense release schedule-made possible by a reliable revenue backlist, evergreen product funnels, and additional revenue streams from book adjacent products (e.g. merchandise etc).

4.What’s your preferred way to get paid as a writer?

• A. Royalties and advances paid per contract on traditional publishing timelines.

• B. Book sales and page reads paid out 60 to 90 days after purchase.

• C. Book sales, reader memberships, crowdfunds, or direct support with payouts ranging from immediate to 90 days depending on the platform.

• D. Book, product, and merchandise sales with higher average order values and payouts within 1 to 2 days of purchase.

5. How do you want to interact with your readers?

• A. Through interviews, features, reviews, and publisher-led PR.

• B. Through Amazon reviews, newsletter updates, and occasional platform-based outreach.

• C. Through direct messages, emails, behind-the-scenes updates, or community comments in subscription spaces.

• D. By using story-selling-driven emails, branded content, and curated sales/landing pages to build relationships, resonance, and reader culture.

6. What is your philosophy on using paid advertising to find new readers?

• A. I expect my publisher to handle the advertising budget and strategy as part of the publishing deal.

• B. I focus on running ads that drive immediate sales and improve my rank on retailer platforms like Amazon.

• C. I prefer organic growth, but often use ads to boost a specific campaign like a Kickstarter or grow my newsletter.

• D. I see ads as a key investment for driving traffic into my owned funnels, acquiring customer data, conversions and building a long-term, scalable business.

7. How do you feel about creating marketing content to promote your books?

• A. I honestly hate the idea of “marketing”—I just want to write and let someone else promote it.

• B. I’ll do what I have to-blurbs, newsletters, tropes-whatever helps boost visibility or sales.

• C. I enjoy authentic marketing content that connects me to readers: letters, vlogs, and real-time reflections.

• D. I have a marketing-first mindset and use marketing as an extension of my authenticity that deepens reader connection and drives long-term revenue.

8. What does branding mean to you as an author?

• A. My agent or publisher will guide that, it’s not my main focus.

• B. Genre-appropriate covers, keywords, and vibes that fit the market.

• C. A reflection of my voice and values, I want it to feel personal and consistent.

• D. A full sensory experience that turns my storyworld into a recognizable and immersive identity.

9. How would you most like to grow your audience?

• A. Through book awards, media features, and publisher outreach.

• B. Through genre visibility, also-boughts, and volume-based launches.

• C. Through personal connections, email lists, and small-but-loyal support with a focus on intimacy over scale.

• D. Quietly grow a high-value audience over time through strategic systems, email segmentation, and brand-aligned content funnels.

10. What kind of data feels most valuable to your author business?

• A. Sales reports and royalty statements from my publisher.

• B. Bestseller tags, KU page reads, and ad ROI across retailer platforms.

• C. Email open rates, reader replies, and short-term engagement from ads or launches.

• D. Checkout conversions, customer lifetime value, traffic to funnel performance, and long-term ad ROI.

11. When it comes to the business systems behind your writing (like sales platforms or email), what is your mindset?

• A. I prefer for a traditional partner (publisher/agent) to manage all business systems.

• B. I am willing to manage the core systems required by major retailers (e.g., Amazon KDP).

• C. I am motivated to learn and use platforms that allow for direct reader connection (e.g., Patreon, Substack or my own storefront).

• D. I want to own and control my business's core infrastructure, including my dedicated storefront (e.g. Shopify) customer data, and sales funnels.

12. What’s your preferred approach to building a sustainable writing career?

• A. Focus on craft - let industry professionals like my agent or publisher handle the business side.

• B. Hustle hard - write more, promote more, stay visible.

• C. Build relationships - grow through authentic reader connection.

• D. Build strategic systems that prioritize reader relationships and generate reliable, long-term revenue.

Self-Grading Key:

• Mostly A’s = Traditional Author

• Mostly B’s = Indie Author

• Mostly C’s = Direct Sell Author

• Mostly D’s = eCommerce Author

What Your Results Say About You:

Mostly A’s — Traditional Author

You thrive on structure, prestige, and deep creative focus. You value industry support and would rather let agents and publishers handle the business side so you can focus on the craft. You dream of awards, bookstore placements, and timeless works.

Watch for: Industry delays, limited control over rights or audience relationships, and potential creative gatekeeping.

Your superpower: Refined voice, deep polish, and long-game dedication.

Mostly B’s — Indie Author

You’re agile, prolific, and ready to hustle. You love the freedom to release on your own terms, master genre trends, and build visibility through volume. You’re open to learning ads, platforms, and algorithms—and aren’t afraid to work fast.

Watch for: Burnout, over-reliance on launch cycles, and chasing trends instead of your core voice.

Your superpower: Speed, strategy, and genre-savvy growth.

Mostly C’s — Direct Sell Author

You crave real connection with your readers—and you’re not afraid to break the rules. You’re drawn to email-first marketing, crowdfunding, Patreon, Substack, or direct storefronts. You want flexibility and loyalty, even if it means slower growth.

Watch for: Feast-or-famine launches, emotional fatigue from over-giving, and inconsistent cash flow.

Your superpower: Emotional resonance, community building, and intimate reader journeys.

Mostly D’s — eCommerce Author

You’re a storyteller and a visionary builder. You want layered income, control over customer data, and the power to scale at your own pace. You dream of high-value readers, premium editions, and a storefront that funds your creative rhythm—not burns it out.

Watch for: Tech fatigue, complexity creep, and comparison to faster-paced models.

Your superpower: Ecosystem thinking, long-term vision, and high-converting story-selling systems.

Want the Backstory Behind This Quiz?

This self-assessment grew out of a personal realization I shared back in May:

“I never quite fit the publishing models we were handed. So I stopped trying to be like everyone else… Quietly. Rebelliously. I built my own.”

That post is where I first introduced the 4 Author Models—and why I believe it’s time for new definitions.

Read: “The Publishing Quadrants of Modern Authors” [LINK]

(AKA the moment I said goodbye to burnout and hello to alignment.)

Final Thoughts

There’s no “right” answer—only the one that aligns with your values, energy, and goals. You might be a hybrid. You might be evolving. And you might be ready to shift models entirely.

If this sparked something for you, I’d love to hear it in the comments. And if you’re leaning into the eCommerce Author path, that’s the world I write from here on Substack. Stick around. Quiet empires are rising.

Your model. Your rhythm. Your rebellion.

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