Free author story submission

Tell us the story readers can’t get from a blurb.

This form is for authors who want their book considered for a richer Indie Book Stories feature. You do not need to force everything into one answer: the form is split into clear sections, including a dedicated Story behind the book section for the deeper detail.

Start the story form What should I write?

Free and optional. All submissions are reviewed. Publication, traffic, downloads, rankings, reviews, and promotional performance are not guaranteed.

Why detail matters

Short answers are hard to feature.

Readers respond to texture: the moment that sparked the book, the place you wrote it, the feeling you wanted to leave behind, the strange detail that makes your world yours.

There are separate questions for those details later. Start with the essentials, then use the story section to go deeper.

  • 1 Be specific.
    A real memory beats a generic marketing phrase.
  • 2 Write for curious readers.
    Help them feel why the book exists.
  • 3 Avoid sales copy.
    No hashtags, hype, or “buy now” language.

Readers want

The human spark

Why did this book need to exist? What changed for you while writing it? What real-life question, frustration, fascination, place, or memory started it?

Readers want

The reading experience

Not just the plot. Tell us how the book feels: tense, hopeful, strange, comforting, funny, unsettling, romantic, reflective, or escapist.

Readers want

Specific details

Share the images, symbols, characters, locations, influences, and small details that help us build a richer feature around your book.

Before you start

A few review requirements

These checks help keep Indie Book Stories useful and trustworthy for readers.

  • Your book must be listed on amazon.com.
  • Your book should have at least 3 reviews, with a minimum rating of 3.5 stars.
  • Your book should have a professional cover.
  • Your book should contain at least 100 pages, excluding children’s books.
  • Your book must not contain offensive material, such as hard pornography or hardline political or religious views.

Acceptance is at our discretion. Strong, thoughtful answers help us understand the story behind your book, but do not guarantee publication.

How this form works

You’ll be guided through it step by step.

Start with the basic author and book details. Later, the Story behind the book section asks for the inspiration, reader experience, cover meaning, writing journey, and visual details we need for a richer feature.

1. Identify the book Title, genre, Amazon link, and a clear short summary.
2. Share the story Use the deeper prompts below for the human, original detail.
3. Review and submit Thoughtful answers help us assess feature potential.

Part 1

About you

Give readers a sense of the person behind the book. A good author bio does not need to be grand; it just needs to feel real, relevant, and specific.

Author Photo (jpg or png)
Tip: Mention what you write, why you write it, and one detail that makes your author journey memorable.
Tell us about any social media pages you have

Part 2

About your book

These details help us identify the book correctly and understand where it sits for readers. Keep this section practical. The deeper creative questions come next.

Optional for books with long titles or subtitles.
Example: amazon.com/dp/B28YHS08SJ
Important: Use this field for a clear, short reader-facing book summary only. Please do not put your full author journey, inspiration, cover meaning, or writing process here — the next section asks for those details properly.
Aim for the premise, genre, main hook, and reading experience. Avoid hashtags and sales phrases such as “buy yours today”.

Part 3

The story behind the book

This is the most important section. This is where your longer, more reflective answers belong — not in the book description above. These answers give us the original, reader-facing material needed for a deeper Indie Book Stories feature.

Worth spending time on: You do not need perfect marketing copy. Specific, honest answers are much easier to shape into a compelling feature. Think memories, influences, turning points, symbols, places, emotions, strange details, and the feeling you hope readers carry away.
Image prompts help: Describe scenes, characters, objects, locations, or visual moods that capture the world of your book.
Can you describe 6 images that shows the characters or tells the tale of your story? For example: "a white wolf looking up at the moon and howling"

Part 4

Other retailers

Only add extra retailers where the book is genuinely available and relevant.

Please only enter retailers where your book is available.

Example: books.apple.com/us/book/id1281048181
Example: play.google.com/store/books/details/?id=56tqSwAAQBAJ
Example: kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/your-book-slug
Example: barnesandnoble.com/w/1123201589

Final step

Review and submit

Before submitting, check that your strongest answers explain why the book exists, who it is for, and what kind of experience readers can expect.

I agree to the Terms of Service Terms of Service and understand that submitting does not guarantee publication, promotion, traffic, sales, downloads, reviews, or rankings.

Send me occasional author updates and opportunities from Indie Book Stories, including free author features, optional services, platform updates, and promotional opportunities. I can unsubscribe at any time.

We review submissions for suitability, completeness, and story potential.