Are you an avid reader? If you are an adventurous reader who enjoys finding new and upcoming writing talent, odds are you aren’t checking The New York Times bestseller lists for your latest read.
Like never before, indie authors are having their moment. Forgoing traditional publishing, indie authors self-publish their works online, and you, dear reader, reap the benefits.
Wondering where to find some up and coming authors? Here is a roundup of the best fiction platforms online to discover new indie authors. Patronizing self-published authors means you support them directly when you purchase their books, so you know exactly where your hard-earned dollars go. And the best part? You can read for free or for a discount!
Best for speculative fiction, serial fiction
If you’re looking for one of the best new fiction platforms to discover fresh writing talent, you’ve found it. Fictionate.Me is a platform that specializes in speculative fiction (horror, sci-fi, and fantasy), but you can find other genres here, like murder mysteries, literary fiction, short stories, and poetry. You can read completed books or ongoing serials and novels published chapter by chapter.
Create a free account and begin reading immediately right in your browser! You can also listen to eBooks at no extra charge, making your books even more accessible. Read for free, or for a discount (most books are priced between $0.99 and $2.99). Preview free chapters before you buy and engage with your favorite authors on their book landing pages. Stay tuned for the iOS app for reading and listening on the go!
Best for a social reading experience
If you’re looking for a fiction platform that feels more like social media, Movellas might just be the platform for you! Discover new talent in your favorite genres like romance, fantasy, crime, fanfiction, even poetry and screenplays. Meet other readers from all over the world with the same interest as you and create your own little community.
Sign up for free in seconds with your email, Google, or Facebook info, and begin customizing your reading experience right away! After choosing your favorite genres, you’re directed to your home page, complete with suggested titles and authors. You can also utilize the Mumble feature, which is basically like tweeting, to help you discover new friends. Also, check out the app for reading on the go, or read in your browser.
Best for comics, fanfic, serials
If you love great ongoing reads like web serials and light novels by indie authors, Webnovel is another good place to start. Creating a free account takes seconds, and you can begin reading in your browser immediately. Books on this site are all free, but authors have links to their Patreon and PayPal, so you can pay for your favorite novels and support your favorite authors.
Webnovel specializes in novels, comics, and fanfiction, in all your favorite genres like sci-fi, fantasy, and romance. Browse by best rated to find the top fiction on the site and engage with your favorite authors via private message. You can also vote to help your favorite works make it to the top of the list.
Best for Asian literature
What began as a small niche site to bring Chinese culture and literature into the Western world has become the premiere destination for Chinese-to-English web novels with millions of readers each day. Wuxia World employs the world’s top Chinese-to-English literary translators, so you can rest assured you’ll get the best translations on the market. Korean translations have now been added as well.
Make a free account, customize your experience, and begin reading or listening in your browser. Romance, fantasy, and mystery are top-sellers here, complete with gorgeous manga-style covers. Search by popular titles and genres, and read reviews of books before you jump in. You can read for free or purchases paid novels using Google Play or your credit card.
Best for finding diverse genres
The most well-known of the fiction platforms listed here, Wattpad is popular for helping unknown indie authors rise to bestseller status. Some authors even have their Wattpad novels optioned for TV or movies, like Anna Todd’s mega- popular YA novel After, which is now a Netflix original.
Like the other platforms in the list, creating an account is free, and you can customize your reading experience with just a few clicks (you’ll need to add payment info if you plan to purchase tokens, which are required for Paid Stories). Narrow your search by genre, or by free or paid stories. You can also check out Rising Stars, so you can discover rising authors before you see their names on the bestseller lists. There is a wide variety of genres here, so there is something for everyone.
Best for mobile-only reading
If you’re looking for a completely mobile reading experience, look no further than Radish. Radish, a serialized fiction app, brings you “bite-size” fiction you can read anywhere. Radish’s selection is carefully curated, meaning you get premium content published in short episodes.
This free app features over 10K fantasy, romance, mystery, and thriller stories available on Apple App Store or Google Play. After you download the app, create a free account with Facebook, Apple, or your email info. A notable feature is content is filtered by age, so mature content is not accessible without the user’s permission. Read for free or purchase (or earn) coins to read paid stories.
Best for multi-genre readers
If you’re looking for the best fiction platforms online to discover new indie authors and you’re not tied to just one genre, Smashwords is a great start. Here you can not only find every genre of fiction and nonfiction you can think of, but you can also find plays, screenplays, poetry, and essays.
Creating an account is free, but you will need to enter your payment information if you plan to make purchases. However, with 88K free titles to explore, you might not need to spend any money! Read right in your browser in the customizable online reader or download in a variety of formats to read across devices, including Kindle.
We hope you found this list helpful! To find some delightful book recommendations and book-related articles, visit our blog or find us on social media!
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