Fable and Everand Are Merging Which Might Create More Opportunities for Indie Authors
My early reflection and perspectives on how this strategic merger might empower book authors to reach engaged and censorship-free audiences across borders.
Link to the Medium version of this story and a copy on my author platform.
Dear friends, I wrote this important story today because my mission is clear: to support every authentic writer in my community in becoming a book author by the end of 2025 and to amplify their voices across a broader, more supportive audience through my content ecosystem in 2026. If you are an aspiring writer or a book author, this story might resonate with you.
To make my goal possible, I established the ILLUMINATION Book Club on Substack.com as a natural evolution of the ILLUMINATION Book Chapters on Medium.com.
By thoughtfully integrating these two large platforms into one ecosystem using Design Thinking principles, I aim to empower aspiring writers and indie book authors with visibility, continuity, financial freedom, and meaningful reader engagement.
As an author of 40+ books, coming from a traditional publishing background originally, and now as an independent author since 2018, I have published my work across numerous great platforms, including KDP, Kobo, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Angus & Robertson, Thalia, Vivlio, Google Play, Smashwords, Marketplace, and more.
But some of the most surprising and rewarding outcomes have come not through those dominant players, but from two seemingly quieter forces: Fable and Everand.
Over the past six years, both platforms have published many of my books and helped them reach entirely new audiences, readers who might have never discovered my work through conventional channels.
These platforms not only distributed my writing but also amplified its context by pairing it with conversations, book clubs, curated recommendations, and thoughtfully designed user experiences.
When I learned that Fable was joining Everand today, now part of Scribd Inc., I saw something more than a company merger. It sounded like a strategic evolution in the publishing world, one that matters deeply to Indie book authors like me or perhaps like you.
Scribd Inc. is no longer just the “YouTube for documents” that it was once called. Since its founding in 2007, it has grown into a multi-platform content ecosystem, now operating three distinct services:
Scribd, which hosts over 195 million documents and academic materials,
Everand, a premium digital library offering millions of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, podcasts, and even sheet music,
And SlideShare is a global hub for over 15 million expert presentations.
Coming from an academic background, the company’s roots are relatable and compelling to me. For example, a co-founder and former CEO. Trip Adler, a Harvard University graduate, was inspired by his father’s struggle to publish scholarly research.
Trip's personal frustration sparked a broader vision to democratize access to knowledge and eliminate the gatekeeping that stifled timely sharing. That mission continues to guide Scribd’s platforms today, and it means a lot to Indie authors, particularly those whose voices are suppressed by rigid publishing companies.
As a successful entrepreneur and recognized thought leader, Trip Adler has received multiple honors. He was named one of TIME’s Tech Pioneers of 2010, included in Bloomberg Businessweek’s list of Best Young Entrepreneurs, and featured in Forbes’ 30 Under 30.
When I saw my own stories featured on Everand and audiobooks are mentioned, alongside bestsellers and award-winning nonfiction, it felt like a quiet affirmation that indie voices matter in the larger literary and intellectual landscape.
The recent integration of Fable, with its deeply social reading experience, only strengthens this.
Fable has never been just a reading app. It helped build and nurture 100,000+ active book clubs where authors, BookTok influencers, and everyday readers meet to talk, reflect, and grow together.
Fable transformed reading into a communal ritual, not a solitary task. Now, with the operational stability and reach of Scribd Inc. behind it, Fable is poised to become even more powerful in shaping the emotional and educational lives of readers and in giving Indie book authors new ways to build lasting relationships with them.
Scribd’s quiet revolution has been underway for over a decade. From early partnerships with HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster to expanding into audiobooks, comics, and podcasts, the company has continually evolved to meet readers where they are, without compromising on the depth of content.
Unlike other platforms that compress reading into a click or a scroll, Scribd and its branches offer an intentional reading space and now, through Fable, a deeply human one.
For indie authors, this matters.
We are not just looking for distribution, we are looking for relevance, sustainability, and respect. Scribd, Everand, and Fable offer a new kind of ecosystem: one that supports discovery, encourages community engagement, and respects intellectual integrity.
The fact that my stories live in this space alongside research papers, curated reading lists, audiobooks, and thoughtful discussions tells me we are no longer on the fringes. We are being woven into the fabric of the reading world.
If you are an aspiring writer or a curious reader watching these shifts, I encourage you to explore these platforms, not just as tools, but as signals of where reading and publishing are headed.
The walls between research, storytelling, and education are coming down. And Scribd Inc., through Everand and Fable, is helping make that possible.
This looks beyond a structural merger to me. It looks like a movement. And for writers willing to adapt, it is an invitation to think bigger, write deeper, and build something that lasts. Books are not dead, and they will not die soon. They just change forms and shapes. I explained it in a comprehensive story before.
How I Empower Indie Authors as an Editor, Publication Owner, Curator, and Content Marketing Strategist
Long before Substack rose to prominence, I believed in creating inclusive spaces where book authors and readers could connect meaningfully, without waiting for permission from traditional gatekeepers.
That belief led me to launch ILLUMINATION Book Chapters on Medium back in 2021. At the time, Medium showed signs of evolving into a platform that could serve long-form storytelling.
It even announced plans to acquire Glose, a reading and book-sharing platform designed to bridge the gap between authors and readers. Inspired by that vision, I curated a dedicated publication to help writers share their books, one chapter at a time, with a built-in audience of millions.
I created detailed submission guidelines and editorial support systems. Many aspiring authors joined and, for a time, we saw real progress. Some found beta readers. Others gained the confidence to finish their manuscripts. I interviewed authors, promoted their books, and elevated their chapters through curation.
But over time, the limitations of Medium’s algorithm became impossible to ignore. Despite our efforts, book chapters were systematically buried, rarely recommended, never boosted, and often invisible to paying members. Even my own books, shared in full on the platform, received fewer than 100 views per chapter.
This was not due to a lack of quality or effort. It was the result of an algorithm that never recognized long-form book content as worthy of distribution. That reality was hard to accept, but it gave me clarity. I needed to build something different. Something sustainable. Something built for writers, not just readers.
That realization brought me to Substack, where I launched the ILLUMINATION Book Club, a more advanced, intentional space for authors and readers to engage without gatekeeping. I decided to curate stories on the ILLUMINATION Writing and Reading Academy for story and book lovers.
Unlike Medium, where opaque systems govern distribution, Substack sends every published chapter straight to readers’ inboxes. Authors do not have to guess how their work will be treated.
There is no algorithm quietly limiting reach. In my case, the same book chapters that received 100 views on Medium now reach 100,000+ readers across Substack, the app, and the web.
Why I like Substack even more, subscribers respond privately and publicly. They comment. They review. They support the authors behind the stories.
More importantly, Substack empowers book authors to sell their books with no censorship or restrictions. For example, my book sales tripled after sharing some sample chapters on Substack.
Now, I empower authors in multiple roles:
As an editor, I help shape and elevate their writing.
As a publication owner, I provide supportive spaces to publish and be discovered.
As a curator, I match compelling work with the right audiences.
As a strategist, I teach authors how to build momentum that lasts through content marketing, email list building, audio storytelling, and reader relationships.
I also produce accessible resources, like Substack Mastery, the Advanced Substack Newsletter book, and Substack for Avid Readers, and exclusive guides like the From Zero to Substack Hero training program, so that authors can succeed without depending on large marketing budgets or commercial publishers.
What Scribd is now doing (bringing Everand and Fable together to support thoughtful reading and community-based discovery) mirrors the vision we have been building quietly through ILLUMINATION.
It signals that authorship is no longer confined to legacy platforms. Independent voices can be heard, valued, and sustained if we choose the right tools and nurture the community.
The history of ILLUMINATION Book Chapters taught me that algorithms cannot replace trust. Community support matters. Technology should serve writers, not the other way around, as is now in some rigid platforms that don’t care about creators.
That is what I continue to build with my capability through my content ecosystem: platforms that help authors not just publish, but thrive.
Thank you for joining my writing and reading community on Medium, Substack, and Digitalmehmet Content Ecosystem, which will be a significant integrated platform for Indie authors in 2026 as part of the Substack Mastery Boost Pilot program.
In 2022, I documented another merger (Draft2Digital and Smashwords) that significantly helped Indie authors. Here is the link to that nostalgic story
If you are planning to turn your stories and newsletters into a book or if you are an avid reader who wants to meet book authors and access their content, you can find the services of the Illumination Book Club network valuable. Now this network has thousands of book authors and readers, which is a new Substack publication that will curate content from book authors for our avid and supportive readers.
To sustain this initiative, ILLUMINATION Book Club will be a monetized publication at an affordable fee as a value proposition of the Substack Mastery Boost Pilot. I know how economically challenged writers and readers are.
So, to make it easy for everyone, I will offer five publication benefits for just $5 monthly. So, members who subscribe to just one of the Substack Mastery Boost Pilot publications will have complimentary access to exclusive content and tier 2 benefits. Some content will still be free. Our publications are not for profit. The fee will cover administration, marketing, editing, and delivery costs.
Many new subscribers to Substack publications coming through my website and LinkedIn had never heard of Substack before, but after learning about its value, they are now eager to join.
To support these readers, I have written a new book titled Substack for Avid Readers, leveraging the contents of my course materials. No one has explored this topic before, as everyone covers writing aspects. If you are a writer and only serve writers, you are missing a big audience.
I also uploaded my Substack Mastery book, the Advanced Substack Newsletter book, and Aiden’s From Zero to Substack Hero training program to my publication as educational resources. Without fundamental education, it is hard to find success on Substack.
I will also integrate our Goodreads community with the new book club. Our upcoming ILLUMINATION Writing Academy will empower book authors.
My vision is to create an engaged book community where authors and readers collaborate meaningfully. ILLUMINATION Book Club will be one of the most powerful tools to make this happen and help us achieve our goals to make Substack Mastery Boost a successful program in 2026 to empower millions of freelance writers.
I am grateful and have complete confidence in my vision, my team’s capabilities, and our members’ support.
This club marks the beginning of our education and marketing initiatives. If you are an author or a book lover, I invite you to join this movement. I will share more details, including submission guidelines, soon.
Now, we have four powerful networks: Health/Wellness, Freelancing, Book Club, and Technology Excellence & Leadership Network. I will integrate them as one network to create a fusion. Health is essential to my readers and me.
An editor has interviewed me for monthly updates, and the newsletter will be available via the ILLUMINATION Library for Freelance Writers soon.
If you are a writer, book author, or researcher, you may find great value in my new story about Bohrium. Several subscribers described it as mind-blowing and asked me to share more about how to use this integrated breakthrough tool effectively. I share such stories on the Technology Excellence and Leadership Network, which I will introduce in another story.
I created several free initiatives to help Medium and Substack writers share their stories, newsletter links, or Notes with profile and publication URLs, which are automatically converted into blog posts and distributed to my subscribers. You can find the links in this story and start using them. They take only one minute.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.