In an era where publishing is dominated by blockbuster franchises and mass-market releases, one independently published novel is capturing attention from readers, critics, and industry professionals alike. Water Finds a Way, the heartfelt debut novel by American author Meghan Perry, has been named the Overall Winner of the 2025 Best Indie Book Competition, a prestigious award that highlights excellence in independent publishing and cements the book’s rising profile in the literary world.
The Best Indie Book Competition, organized annually by Shelf Unbound, is one of the most respected arenas for semi-professional and self-published authors to gain visibility beyond the crowded ecosystem of small presses and digital self-publishing platforms. Selected from hundreds of submissions across fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and memoir categories, the competition’s overall winner is considered among the strongest works in indie publishing for the year.
A Simple Story with Deep Resonance
Water Finds a Way follows the journey of Blake Alvares, a woman returning to her coastal hometown in Maine after serving time in prison. As she works to rebuild her life, reconnect with her fractured family, and reconcile with the community she left behind, Perry’s novel explores themes of redemption, belonging, and the emotional depth of human endurance.
Judges praised the book for its “cinematic atmosphere,” “emotional clarity,” and “striking sense of place,” elements that helped set it apart from other finalists in the fiercely competitive field. Perry herself has described the emotional core of the story as rooted in nature and human resilience, noting that “water—both in its beauty and in its force—is a metaphor for the choices and changes that shape our lives.”
This deeply human narrative, unbound by genre conventions or commercial formulae, exemplifies the type of literary storytelling that has found a receptive audience among independent book communities and sophisticated readers seeking alternatives to mainstream publishing.
From Shelf to Spotlight
Before winning the Best Indie Book Competition, Water Finds a Way had already begun to gain momentum across multiple indie channels. It has also picked up honors from prominent awards like the National Indie Excellence Awards, the Eric Hoffer Award, and an IPPY Silver Medal—a suite of accolades that collectively indicate both critical and community recognition.
What makes the novel’s journey significant is not just its accumulation of honors, but the way it has reached readers organically, through word-of-mouth, bookstore recommendations, and independent review circuits. In a publishing landscape where algorithm-driven exposure often dictates success, Water Finds a Way stands out for building momentum the old-fashioned way: through engaged readers and passionate book lovers.
Independent bookstores have played a notable role in elevating the book’s profile. Many small shops across the United States have featured the novel in staff picks, reading lists, and local author showcases, creating a groundswell of grassroots visibility. These endorsements often translate into surprising sales bumps for indie titles that might otherwise go unnoticed beyond niche communities.
What This Means for Indie Publishing
The success of Water Finds a Way reflects a broader trend in contemporary publishing: independent and self-published books are not just proliferating—they are carving out meaningful cultural space.
According to Publishers Weekly and other industry sources, independent publishers and self-published authors continue to challenge traditional barriers, showcasing diverse narratives that might have been overlooked by more risk-averse commercial presses.
While mainstream bestseller lists remain dominated by big-name authors and franchise expansions, lists curated by indie booksellers, such as the Indie Next List, highlight works that are creative, daring, and deeply personal. In May 2025, My Friends by Fredrik Backman topped the Indie Next list—a nod to the sustained influence of independent booksellers on reader discovery and book culture.
Additionally, initiatives like the newly launched prize recognizing Bookstagram favorites further democratize literary recognition, drawing attention to titles that resonate with online book communities outside traditional marketing pipelines.
Growing Lists and Reader Curiosity
The rise of books like Water Finds a Way is accompanied by a broader expansion of small press and indie recommendations across platforms. For instance, Literary Hub recently published a list of the 100 Notable Small Press Books of 2025, featuring a wide array of works that span genres and challenge conventional storytelling norms.
Book blogs, independent review sites, and curated reading lists are playing an increasingly influential role in helping readers navigate an abundance of published material. According to Book Riot, lists of the best new books of recent months include numerous titles championed by indie booksellers, demonstrating sustained interest in alternative publishing voices.
Author Profile: Meghan Perry
While Water Finds a Way is Perry’s debut novel, the author appears to have tapped into something transcendent beneath the surface of a regional narrative. Her ability to blend introspective character exploration with an atmospheric sense of place has earned her praise not only from judges and booksellers, but also from early readers who have shared the book through grassroots networks.
In interviews, Perry has expressed gratitude for the recognition, emphasizing that her work was driven by a desire to tell a meaningful story rather than chase awards or metrics. That authenticity seems to have resonated with readers who feel increasingly fatigued by mass-produced literary content and algorithm-optimized publicity.
Looking Ahead
As Water Finds a Way reaches more readers and continues to garner attention, its success highlights a publishing truth: a compelling story, supported by passionate readers and independent advocates, can rise to prominence without the backing of a large commercial publisher.
In an industry where visibility often equates to viability, the journey of Water Finds a Way offers hope to aspiring writers and readers alike that impactful literature can still emerge through originality, craft, and community support.