When indie publishing first became a reality, authors had to navigate the new landscape on the fly. Fast forward to 2025, and there’s such a plethora of courses, how-to books, and memberships that it can be overwhelming to know what you really need to learn. We often buy courses expecting they’ll move the needle, only to have them sit unwatched or discover they don’t fit our career stage.
Thankfully, there are steps you can take to ensure the course you choose is right for you and that you’ll actually finish it. Here are ten tips to help you break the cycle and get back to studying.
1. Define Your Burning Need
What specific problem are you looking to solve? Are you facing marketing struggles, craft issues, or platform-building challenges? Be honest about the precise areas you want to improve. List them in a logical learning order. Understanding your current knowledge level and urgency will help you decide where to start.
2. Choose with Your Head, Not Your Heart
Don’t select courses based on hype, buzzwords, or an instructor’s personality alone. If an advanced course promises deep strategy but you haven’t mastered the basics, it’s probably not the right fit. Review what you’ve already purchased—perhaps you already own the resources you need.
Pro Tip: Indie Author Training offers a “one-stop shop” for author courses at various skill levels, letting you compare multiple instructors on the same topic.
3. Read Reviews, and Be Skeptical
Not all reviews are impartial—some reviewers are affiliates. Cross-reference ratings on multiple platforms, forums, and topic-specific groups to find genuine feedback on a course’s effectiveness and real-world application. Verify instructor credentials, especially if they promise bestseller results.
If you find few or no reviews, proceed with caution. A new course may be unproven, or the instructor less experienced. Make sure the content and price align with your expectations.
4. Take Advantage of Free Trials, Sample Modules, or Money-Back Guarantees
Use free previews or single-module trials to test teaching style and content quality. Webinars can offer insight into an instructor’s methods, but remember they’re promotional. Write down what you already know about each topic and your first steps toward mastery to help prioritize focused learning.
If there’s a timed money-back guarantee, diary your cut-off date and review the first modules to decide if you’re satisfied.
5. Community Matters
Is there an active forum or support group? Does the instructor participate in discussions or host office hours? A vibrant learning community can boost motivation and provide real-world application tips.
Pro Tip: Engage with every element of the course—even quizzes and discussion threads. You may find critique partners, collaborations, or new connections at conferences.
6. Time Management Is Your Friend
Schedule dedicated study slots in your calendar as if they were meetings. Consistent study times train your brain to focus. If you miss a session, note why—you may uncover patterns sabotaging your progress. Adjust times to when you’re most alert and free from other pressures.
7. Understand What Kind of Learner You Are
Do you absorb information best by reading, listening, or hands-on practice? Track your habits in a journal and note which formats help you remember most. Online personality tests and peer tips can also shed light on your learning style.
Award yourself for milestones—small rewards can increase your chances of completing the course and applying the material.
8. Start Small to Build Confidence
Swap a few minutes of social media scrolling for a short module or practice exercise. Set a timer for 20–30 minutes and reward yourself when the timer stops. Even brief, consistent bursts of study can add up and help you build momentum.
If your course community has an accountability thread, use it—checking in with others keeps you on track.
9. Apply the Theory Immediately
Courses stick when you use them. Block time after each lesson to outline how the new strategy will help your business and plan its application. These short reflection sessions can spark real progress.
Pro Tip: Upon course completion, continue using your study blocks to implement tools, processes, or practice. This revision cements your new skills and primes you for the next course.
10. Track Your Progress and Adjust
What gets measured gets improved. Keep a journal of your learning, goals achieved, and breakthroughs. Tracking how applied strategies impact your business can motivate you to start and finish your next course.
If you’re scouting for courses that fit your goals, platforms like Teachable or Thinkific let you compare offerings from multiple experts on the same topic. Indie Author Training, the sister site to Indie Author Magazine, continually expands its course library across marketing, craft, editing, design, and sustainable business building. All courses include a 30-day money-back guarantee and instructor-led discussion groups for peer learning. Visit https://indieauthortraining.com to explore more.
Choosing the right course for your independent writing career can feel daunting—the options are endless, and it's easy to get lost in marketing hype. But what truly matters is finding support that helps you achieve your publishing goals, not just adding to your to-do list. True progress comes from investing in yourself, not just buying more things to do it with.
Karen Guyler
Always being the new girl at nine schools on two continents was no fun at all, so books became the only constant in Karen Guyler’s life—even if they didn’t help her get out of sports days. Now settled in Milton Keynes, England, Britain’s best kept secret, she juggles reading with writing twisty, thrilling stories, her children, husband, and two grand-puppies—a much nicer mix! She also teaches Creative Writing for Adult Education, with lots of laughter amid the word-wrangling and discovery.
