Books: The Cork indie authors going it alone

Ireland’s book market is not just holding firm, it’s growing steadily.

Recent figures from www.nielseniq.com show print book spending in Ireland is up 1.5%, while the UK dipped slightly, and non-fiction emerging as the strongest category.

It’s not surprising when you look at what’s been happening in the independent publishing scene here in Ireland.

This current wave didn’t happen overnight; it really began to gather pace during covid, when more people were reading and many writers - myself included - turned to independent routes.

Manuscripts that had been sitting quietly for years in drawers were finally brought to life, without waiting on replies from traditional publishers’ emails, if any replied at all.

I published my first book in 2022 and, like so many others, had to figure it all out from scratch, but that shift towards doing it independently has changed the landscape, and it’s still shaping it now.

Groups and new publishing presses popped up and have managed to carve out lucrative businesses supporting new indie writers.

One group called Indie Authors Ireland began as a Facebook group in 2023, created by Cork author Claire O’ Connor. It quickly grew and now has over 300 active members sharing advice, tips and successes. Claire says: “The need for a supportive community was evident straight away. The group is a great channel for networking, knowledge-sharing and encouragement.”

A strong, supportive indie community emerged with authors from all over Ireland, including Cork, sharing their own journeys.

One of them was Alex Secam, based in Mallow, who writes dark, near-future thrillers and horror shaped by real-world tensions rather than the supernatural.

Alex is a life-long reader who came to writing later in his life and has spent the past decade building it into a routine alongside his everyday life.

His debut novel Destruction Unit (2025) is a dystopian take on eviction set in Cork, with more work on the way, including a horror road trip around Ireland.

Secam says: “There is a strong and vibrant indie author scene here in Ireland. I think it shows people want to embrace creative activities more and try out something for themselves. Something outside of the banality of work and life commitments. Something that enriches themselves.”

Emma Davis is another author based in West Cork and has always written stories around her own life - from early childhood tales to poetry, and more recently, books inspired by family life.

While juggling writing with full-time parenting, she created her two children’s books, Three Mucky Pups and Pups, Pancakes And Pandemonium, inspired by her daughters’ adventures in the rugged Cork landscape.

Davis says: “I have been writing for as long as I can remember and continue to juggle full-time parenting with my writing endeavours. I have always drawn from the world around me and my own experiences in life.”

After the success of her children’s books, Davis’s most recent collection, Scribbles From The Moments In Between, reflects on life, nature and everyday moments, with each piece illustrated by Cork artist, Amadita Rea.

Yvonne Brewer has lived near Midleton in East Cork for 25 years. Originally from Offaly, she has been writing since childhood - starting out with letters and pen pals. Motherhood deepened that connection to writing, leading her to self-publish Breathe & Bloom: Soul Mother Meditations in 2013. Her recent move to poetry has been a support while caring for her son, who lives with M.E. Brewer says, “It has been a way to stay connected, creative and grounded through what can often be an isolating experience.”

Many successful authors from Cork have gone down the route of smaller, less known presses and also a hybrid route to publishing.

Anise Eden (her pen name) is a multi-award-winning writer of romantic thrillers and paranormal suspense. Originally a psychotherapist from the US, Eden moved to Mallow in 2018 with her husband, who is from Cork, and now works as a social science lecturer and researcher in Cork city.

Her books, including the Things Unseen series, set between the US and Ireland, reflect both her background in mental health and her own move to Ireland. After facing plenty of early rejections, she has built a loyal readership, with her work now widely recognised and available in audiobook as well as print.

Eden says: “Writers are very fortunate now to have so many pathways to publishing.”

With a growing interest in indie publishing, there’s a real appetite not just to write, but to understand the business behind it. The Indie Network Ireland Conference, held in Dromoland and now in its second year, is quickly finding its place - drawing authors from Ireland, the UK, Europe and the U.S.

Founded by Clare-based author Siobhan Purcell and her daughter Jade, it was created as a space where independent writers could connect, learn, and share openly, through a mix of practical workshops and authentic conversations.

Over its three days, I met authors from all over Ireland and further afield, all at very different stages but with the same focus - to build something meaningful and enjoyable for themselves. There was a real sense of sincerity, people sharing what works, what doesn’t and what they have learned along the way.

Siobhan explained that the idea came after attending a major indie conference in the U.S., where the readiness to share knowledge stood out. She wanted to bring that same energy to Ireland - to show there isn’t just one path to publishing. Siobhan says: “It is a community where real friendships are formed.”

And that’s exactly what it feels like - it’s not a place where anything is being sold to you but somewhere people come to learn and leave seeing things a little differently and with also new like-minded friends.

What once felt like an alternative route to publishing now has its own energy - a space where writers are publishing on their own terms and connecting directly with readers.

It might still feel small, but it very much feels like it’s only getting started.