Introducing the #YAIndiePath Series

In case you missed it, I’m a young adult indie author. What does that mean? It means I’m not traditionally published. It also means I’m part of an ever-growing community of authors who have chosen to take full control of their books by publishing on their own instead of getting agents and going through publishing houses. Some people might also call us crazy, which might be a valid assessment at times. 

I’m not here to tell you which path is right for you. I’m here to take you through my journey as I try to grow my sales while balancing budget, family, and time for writing more. I’ve noticed in my research for marketing that there aren’t any guides particularly targeting YA authors. Why is this important? Because the tactics used for one genre might not work as well for the next.

I’ve actually been a marketing director for a small press in my previous publishing life. I love books, and I love pimping out books, but this was probably one of the most frustrating roles I’ve ever had (even though our team was amazing and I love and adore them!). Why? Because marketing is a beast. Not only that, but it’s a beast that just keeps changing and growing. 

This change is definitely evident as I step back into the publishing world for the first time in years. When I first released Heirs of War, blog tours, Twitter, and Facebook parties were all the rage. Now? Blog tours are still a thing (maybe?), and Tik Tok is the place for authors to be, with Instagram seemingly a runner up. 

Naturally, I dove into research to find out what’s working. I literally just downloaded Tik Tok, so I don’t think I’m going to instantly figure out how to navigate it and gain a million followers overnight. So Tik Tok is on the back burner for now. But what else is there? How do I get my book out there? 

I have no idea, but this blog journey is here to hopefully answer that question and help other YA indie authors figure out what to do or what not to do.