The Rise of Female Authors in Self-Publishing

Women are transforming the ebook publishing world. This blog celebrates how female authors are leading global trends across fictional, non-fictional, and children’s books through creative independence.

How women are changing the game in authorship and publishing

For decades, the publishing world leaned heavily male. But a sea change is happening. Women are not only publishing more books than ever—they’re doing so on their own terms through self-publishing. Whether you’re an author, ghostwriter, editor or small publisher, the shift toward female authorship offers opportunity, fresh voices and a new era of book publishing success.

A Historic Shift in Authorship

In a landmark study, economist Joel Waldfogel found that for the first time by 2020, women were publishing more books than men—both fiction and non-fiction. weforum.org+1 What’s more: prior to this, female authors wrote roughly 20 % of new titles in the 1970s—by 2020 women were at over 50 % of published titles. indiependent.co.uk+1

This means the industry is not just more equitable—it’s becoming female-led in many segments.

Why Self-Publishing Unlocked Opportunity for Women

The rise in female authorship is particularly pronounced in self-publishing, and there are clear reasons why. Platforms like Kindle Direct Publishing, Draft2Digital and others have lowered barriers to entry, enabling women to publish without gatekeepers. According to one source, women wrote at least 60% of self-published books—and women also authored 67% of the top-ranking indie titles. diggypod.com+1

The result: more women writing, more books published, and more diverse voices reaching readers.

Female Authors: Better Earnings & Bigger Impact

More than just volume, women in self-publishing are achieving real results. According to the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) data, two-thirds of respondents identified as cis-female. The Self-Publishing Advice Center Also, women self-published authors are, on average, closing the long-standing gender gap—or even reversing it. This is important for authors, ghostwriters and book editors looking to serve female voices and leverage this momentum in book publishing and ebook publishing.

Genres, Communities & Female Authorship

There’s also a genre story here. Women dominate genres like romance, YA, children’s eBooks and certain categories of non-fiction—areas that have thrived in indie publishing. For example, women authors writing children’s stories and eBooks tap into loyal reader bases and social media communities (e.g., #BookTok) that amplify their reach. Combined with the fact that female authors often bring fresh perspectives to both fictional books and non-fictional books, this trend is both commercial and cultural.

Strategies to Harness the Rise as an Author or Service Provider

If you’re an author or provide services like ghostwriting & book editing, here are actionable ways to ride this wave:

Tailor your niche: Identify a topic, genre or audience where female voices are thriving—such as empowerment non-fiction, children’s books, romance/spiritual fiction.
Build community: Use female-author networks, social media groups (especially women-led), and engage with readers who actively support women writers.
Highlight authenticity: Readers often connect with authenticity—especially from under-represented authors or voices. This is a strong differentiator in self-publishing.
Offer value-added services: If you’re editing or ghostwriting, understand the unique storytelling styles and needs of female authors and position your offerings accordingly.
Leverage self-publishing platforms: Because women dominate self-publishing volumes, self-publishing is a proven path—use the platforms, keep output consistent, focus on series or back-catalogue, just like the successful female indies.

Challenges Still Exist—And Opportunities Ahead

While the rise of female authors is encouraging, challenges remain. Access to resources, marketing budgets, visibility and genre biases still affect many. One article notes that although women now dominate output in some sectors, their readership may still be skewed female, limiting broader exposure.

However, these challenges also signal opportunity. Female authors who can break into crossover markets, expand into audio, translation or international editions will find less competition and more room for growth.

Why This Trend Matters for the Publishing Ecosystem

The rise of female authors isn’t just good for gender equality—it’s good for business. Waldfogel’s research showed that increased female authorship contributed to a revenue rise for the industry of between 10-20 %. weforum.org For book publishing, ebook publishing, children’s eBooks, and services like ghostwriting & book editing, this means more diversity—not just in voices but in markets, genres and reader communities.

It also means that female-led content is more likely to connect with female readers, which are a major book-buying demographic. Understanding that dynamic shifts things from guesswork to strategic publishing.

Final Thoughts & Related Reads

Women have moved from the margins to the centre of the self-publishing revolution. For authors and publishing professionals, this isn’t simply a trend—it’s a movement stocked with momentum, innovation and new storytelling frontiers.

If you’re eager to explore how other publishing trends intersect with this rise, check out our related blogs:

Embrace the shift. Whether you’re writing your own book, editing someone else’s, or managing publishing journeys—you’re in an era where female authors are not just participating, they’re leading.