Why Indie Authors are Increasing Revenue with Foreign Rights in 2025
In recent years, the independent publishing world has undergone a radical transformation. Interestingly, some of the most prominent trends have been the revitalisation of back catalogues, traditionally published authors turning to self-publishing, and the exploration of new revenue streams such as audiobooks, subscription models and serial publishing. In 2025, however, one of the most significant shifts has been the growing recognition of the power of foreign rights. Indie authors who once focused solely on their home markets are now finding remarkable success by tapping into international audiences. Today, we set out to analyse why foreign rights have become a game-changer for indie authors looking to scale their income and expand their reach.
Global Demand for Diverse Voices
According to statistics from Bowker and this article from Publishers Weekly, in both 2022 and 2023, self-published titles outpaced traditionally published books by more than two million titles. Partly, this can be attributed to the emergence of user-friendly services, such as IngramSpark, Kindle Direct Publishing, and Draft2Digital. But, according to Mark Coker, founder of Smashwords, part of this shift in the publishing landscape is because “self-published authors are able to form closer, more reader-pleasing relationships with their audience.”
Thus, it is not surprising to find that readers around the world are increasingly hungry for diverse narratives and fresh perspectives as well. Self-published authors often write stories that mainstream publishers tend to overlook, making them highly appealing to international publishers and readers alike. Countries like Germany, Brazil, Spain, and France have seen a surge in interest in indie titles, especially in genres like romance, fantasy, and thriller.
Easier Access to Foreign Markets
As stated above, digital publishing platforms and service providers have made it easier than ever to distribute books globally. Services like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Kobo, and StreetLib allow indie authors to upload and sell their work in dozens of countries with minimal barriers. In addition, marketplaces like Proz.com, LinkedIn, Translators Cafe, and Reedsy connect authors with freelance literary translators, editors, and proofreaders, enabling them to offer their books in multiple languages.
Strategic Use of Translation
While machine translation tools have become more advanced, and there is no denying the increasing use (or misuse) of AI technologies, the most successful authors invest in professional human translators. However, new audiences can be as easily conquered as scared away for good. High-quality translations capture the voice and cultural nuances of the original text, resonating more deeply with international readers. The result? Better reviews, more word-of-mouth buzz, and increased sales. Success!
Before setting out to translate their entire catalogues, authors should research each market and consider what makes the most sense for their books. How well do their genres perform in the target markets? Some indie Historical Romance authors have found great success in the German market; however, in our latest interview, Historical Western author Kristy McCaffrey explains and advises:
“I’ve always considered translations to be a long-term investment because American historical Western romances are a smaller genre than others. It helps to study the markets in other countries before moving forward. One way to do this is to study the top listings at Amazon in the language you’re interested in and see if there are any books like the ones you have. For instance, I looked into translating in Portuguese but couldn’t seem to find any books like mine doing well in that market.”
Right Licensing as a Passive Income Stream
Selling foreign rights allows indie authors to license their books to foreign publishers, who handle the translation, marketing, and distribution in their territories. Although the author doesn’t have much say on the translated titles, this model offers a stream of passive income and opens doors to print runs, audiobook deals, and even media adaptations that would be difficult to secure independently.
In a recent interview with Historical Romance author Kate Bateman, she shared her experience, both hiring translators and selling her foreign rights. On the latter, she comments:
“For my Brazilian translations, I was contacted by Leabhar, a relatively new publisher in Brazil, and offered them the rights to translate my indie books. I negotiated the deal and contracts myself, and agreed to no advance, but a royalty split (Leabhar pay for the cost of the covers and translations). This suited me, since each translation costs several thousand dollars, so the onus and risk are on the publisher’s part to market the books so they get the cost of the translation back, at the very least! When those initial translations went well, and the sales were good, they contacted St. Martin’s Press and actually ended up buying the rights to all of my traditionally published books as well, which was a great result.”
Reader Enthusiasm for Translated Fiction
Global readers are more open than ever to translated fiction, thanks in part to successful crossover hits and social media platforms promoting global storytelling. This shift in reader behaviour means a well-translated indie book can become a bestseller abroad, even if it had modest success at home.
This is why authors teaming up with translators, editors, and social media managers have a higher success rate and manage to engage with their foreign audiences. Time-travel historical romance Mariah Stone, for instance, not only has released her entire catalogue in German, French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish, but she also has newsletters set up for each market and social media marketers creating fresh and engaging content for each audience.
Strategic Partnership with Linguists
Some indie authors are forging long-term relationships with translators and editors in order to keep consistency in their foreign editions. Thus, authors not only recognise translators as copyright owners of the translated titles, but they also offer them royalty-share agreements in addition to their fees.
This sort of partnership, however, creates a collaborative model where both parties are invested in the success of the translated book. Furthermore, not only does it provide a consistent workflow for the linguist team, but it also leads to higher-quality results and better market outcomes.
Conclusion
In 2025, foreign rights are no longer an afterthought for indie authors. On the contrary, they’re a powerful revenue driver and an essential part of a successful publishing strategy. With access to global platforms, talented translators, and a world of readers eager for fresh stories, independent authors are turning their books into global assets. For those willing to invest in translation and navigate international markets, the rewards can be substantial. Proceeding with caution and due diligence, however, is still vital for an author’s success in any new markets.
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