Why We Exist

indieBRAG seeks to discover talented self-published authors!

According to publishing industry surveys, 8 out of 10 adults feel they have a book in them. But traditional or mainstream publishers reject all but a tiny percentage of manuscripts. Historically, this has presented a classic catch-22, in that you had to be a published author in order to get a publisher.

The advent of self-publishing companies and print-on-demand technology has changed this. Now anyone can publish a book and the number of books being self-published is exploding, reaching into the hundreds of thousands annually. However, there is virtually no control over what is published or by whom, and industry experts believe that up to 95% of indie books are poorly written and edited.

Compounding this problem, these books are rarely reviewed in The New York Times Book Review or by other leading sources. Additionally, the reviews and ratings at online booksellers are often provided by the author’s friends and family, and are therefore unreliable.

There are professional book review services and writing competitions within the self-publishing industry that help address this problem. However, none provide an independent, broad-based and reader-centric source to advise the public which indie books merit the investment of their time and money.

This is precisely the reason that indieBRAG and the B.R.A.G. Medallion exist. We have brought together a global group of readers who are passionate about reading, and who love to help us discover talented self-published authors.

Would you like to join us?

Becoming a member of our reader group, either as an individual or as part of a book club, is a win/win/win: i) you continue to do what you love, ii) deserving self-published authors gain recognition as a result of your efforts, and iii) the general public has a single source to discover exciting and interesting books. If you or your book club would like to be considered to be a part of our reader group, we encourage you to apply. Please note that we only consider digital books. To join our reader group you must have an ebook reader, or have the ability to download an ebook onto your computer or tablet.


Apply Now!