Story Time

I began my freelance design business not too long after I got married in 2019 but it really took off in 2022 when I was hired by a medium-sized traditional press and my covers started to get attention. I am a self-taught graphic designer (had been doing design for a prior job since around 2012) and really fell into designing covers after I’d spent a lot of time doing promotional graphics for myself and then for other authors.

One day, I started looking at all the books on my shelf (I was also ghostwriting during this time with a dream of becoming “my own” author some day) and thought to myself…I could design a book cover.

The rest is, in some ways, history as my design business has continued to grow and grow each year. I book my clients (with traditional houses and those publishing independently) 6 months+ in advance and I truly have a blast with each new cover I get to work on.

A shift

I’d say I saw the first big shift in working with clients after about the two to three year mark. I gained a footing in confidence, design eye toward marketing, and an understanding (to the extent I could) of the market and trends. I started to realize I actually really did know what I was talking about.

With those (rather validating) realizations came something else: confusion.

I started to see a divide between indie clients and publishers. To be clear: this was not necessarily a negative divide, just a difference. If I were to break it down into the simplest difference it would be this: many (though not all) indie clients expected me to recreate their ideas for the cover whereas publishers gave me info about the book but left it up to my design intuition.

The shift was subtle and I’ll admit I didn’t even realize what was happening at first. I started to feel…something. It wasn’t quite frustration but perhaps confusion mingled with questioning.

I’d have a lot of freedom with the publishers who I worked for and find that the covers I created for them far surpassed what I was doing for many of my indie clients. Internally, I’d compare the two and think…why don’t I like this cover as much?

The answer to that leads me to my first gentle pain point when working with indie authors.1

Indies want things their way

Yep, I can say this because I am an indie author and this is me! And no, I don’t believe this is true across the board and it’s not true for many of my clients, but the biggest difference I’ve seen when working between trad and indie is a double edged sword.

On one hand it’s a GREAT thing that Indies know what they want. They can know their market (if they’ve done their research) and know what they are looking out for.

However, they sometimes know the story too well. Think of it this way - a traditional publisher, while wanting to make sure the cover fits the author’s work, is much more concerned with salability and market interest than whether or not “her hair color matches”. I say this with a laugh because I’ve heard from many readers about traditional books where a characters hair color doesn’t even match the character in the book! (This is, quite obviously, not a good thing!)

Takeaway: You may need to “kill your darlings” (aka: your personal favorite concepts for your cover) for something that’s better. This is where we Indies can take a page from publishers and consider first the most important aspect of a book cover—it’s job to cause people to pick up the book! Sometimes that means a cover that isn’t your preference but it fits best in your market.

Indies often think they know best (and sometimes they do)

As I said above, sometimes we Indies really do know what is going to land best with our audience (and with the wider market) and in those instances it is crucial your designer listens to you! If you know a certain aspect or image or treatment of the cover will not land well, you push back until it’s right. I fully support that.

There are other instances though where a designer might be hesitant to do something as it goes against current conventions (in a bad way) or whatever the indie is requesting will throw off the design in some other way.

When it comes to the second point here, my suggestion is always to think back on why you’re working with the designer you are. If you’ve seen their work and loved it, more often than not what you’re seeing in that work is that artists creativity. That is why you hired them. So go back to your requests and, if you can, honestly ask the designer what they think of the changes you’re requesting. Will pushing them to make changes to their design be something they are only doing to please you? Or do they agree with the new direction?

Takeaway: Seriously consider major changes to a design by asking yourself if you want them to fit your idea for the cover or if the designer is on to something. In the end, go with your gut!

Indies sometimes don’t have the right experience

I say this with all compassion, but if you’re hiring a cover designer, you’re hiring them for their experience and likely based on their backlist of work. If they deliver a design to you that isn’t exactly what you asked for, consider why they might be doing this. Were they just trying to throw something out there? Or did they actually find inspiration in something you said in your brief and their imagination got creative?

This is not to say that you the author don’t have a say - you 100% do! Just consider whether your reaction to seeing the cover(s) for the first time is because it’s not what you wanted or because it’s just different and that difference could mean your book standing out vs fitting in?

Takeaway: More than anything, know what you don’t know. And know what you do. If you’re going into cover design for the first time with a designer (or in general) do your research. See what types of covers are trending in your genre and what you like (and don’t like) and clearly communicate that to your designer. If they don’t hit that sweet spot, push back (that is expected) but also take time to ask yourself whether it’s a personal thing or perhaps you’re not seeing what a designer is. Ultimately, I can say for myself (and hopefully most designers) we want you to love your cover so that is top priority. Have a convo with your designer and see if you can’t find common ground.

Indies can rely too heavily on “the crowd”

Being an indie author means you need community. It’s crucial! So please don’t hear me downplaying that. What I mean by this point is the fact that most of us have “our people” that we go to when discussing important things like cover design. The pain point here is when that crowd is not equipped to give the right feedback.

Hear me out.

When working with publishers the main contact points are often a very small subset of the publishing company that initially has design input. They don’t send it out to everyone in the company. Instead, the input is given by industry professionals who (assuming here) know the market and know what will sell. Yep, sell. They aren’t even thinking about the story at this point, just what cover is most eye-catching, on brand, and will market well.

When an indie gets their cover options a lot of the time they go to friends and/or family. Heck, I do this with my own covers!!! But, I have made a point to go to specific industry professionals that I’ve made contacts with when considering a big cover decision for my books.

The problem can be that those friends and family members (even readers of your books) don’t have an unbiased opinion and they don’t have a market opinion. It doesn’t mean you don’t enlist their opinions, but those must be weighted with other Indies who are perhaps a bit further ahead in their career.

Takeaway: Your crowd’s opinions matter, but don’t let them: a) sway you from something you love b) convince you of something that doesn't line up with current market trends c) influence you to go against what will be best for your book2.

The good

I’ve been rough on us Indies and I don’t want to make this be only a negative post. In fact, I hope that it can be helpful for you who want to work with cover designers in the future. Here are some awesome things working with Indies brings.

Indies can be willing to try new things

While working with publishers can be rewarding in that they allow a lot of creative freedom, that isn’t always the case. In working with indie authors I’ve found many clients who are willing to “go for it” with a new concept or idea because they believe in me as a designer and love the concept. There freedom within their own publishing path allows greater risk and sometimes leads to greater reward as well, where publishers are limited by what they think they can sell.

Indies have flexibly

As a freelancer with a life, I cannot overstate how amazing it is to work with Indies who understand you’re a person behind the screen. I have had so many amazing messages from clients when I’ve faced hardships/sickness/issues and they often have more flexibly than a trad publisher. But more than that, they are in the trenches with you and get how things happen. We have grace of each other and it’s pretty amazing to witness!

Indies communicate with you

Not saying publishers don’t, but for an indie, their book cover is a focus. It’s just one of many things they are juggling and the majority of the time they will be right there to answer any questions you have or give you any info you need in a super-timely manner.

Indies know their books & (often) their audience

This is kind of a counter point to one above, but I do believe that, if you’re an indie author who's done your research and knows your market, you will know what works and what won’t for your book cover. And you’ll know how to communicate that (to an extent).

This is hugely crucial. It means Indies can pick a designer that will produce a product that fits their book and market. It means they have a good idea of what they want but it also means that they are not micromanaging things that aren’t their wheelhouse. It’s often why we hire editors and designers and formatters and audiobook narrators. We know that truly “independently publishing” a novel takes a village and each village member works best in their lane.

Indies are where this market is heading

I fully believe that traditional houses are diminishing at an alarming rate. Either their numbers are down, they are pursuing publishing paths that aren’t going to be long-term profitable, or they are banking on titles from 10 years ago to carry them since they can’t predict where the market is going (and they can’t pivot fast enough to get there).

Enter: indie authors.

We really are the future of publishing. Indies will be the ones writing and publishing the books quickly enough to satisfy a hungry market looking for a new category. We’ll be the ones filling the holes in the market and doing it well.

Looking to hire a designer?

I hope this post is educational and helpful. If you’re an indie author and you’re wondering about working with a cover designer, see how the takeaways above line up with your experience. Do you know what you “don’t know”? Do you see where you need to invest some additional time in either researching your market or researching your designer? Do you think you have “too clear” of an idea for your cover and, if you’re going into a design experience, are you willing to let some of that go in hopes that what your designer comes up with could be even better than what you (think) you want?

If I may make a plea on behalf of my fellow designers, trust us.3 The beauty about working with a team as an indie means that each team member has expertise. Your designer (if they know what they’re doing) is out there doing their own research, looking at trends, looking at your market, as well as taking into account the things you said you liked.

If they hand over a design and you’re not sure about it, consider what the issue may be.

• Did you give so much direction that they weren’t able to be creative and their recreation of your concept is lacking? > If this is the case, ask what they might do differently if you hadn’t outlined the concept so narrowly.

• Perhaps they went their own way and didn’t stay true to what you wanted/know will work for your audience. >If this is the case, point out the areas that won’t work well for your audience (and why) and, if you can, suggest something new and/or show them a few other covers4 that do what you want and suggest changes based on that.

• Does their design lack the “wow” factor? >This is a hard one, but speaking from personal experience, sometimes it takes several iterations (or different versions) of a cover to truly hit the “right” feel for the cover. While it can be frustrating for both parties, don’t give up5. This is part of the creative process. You’re drawing two people in to a creative space and trying to get their ideas to align. Sometimes that doesn’t happen on the first, second, or even third try.6

What do you think? Was this post helpful? I’d be happy to do more posts directed at cover design (knowing how to work with a designer, questions to ask, things to look out for in a contract etc.). If those are things you’re interred in seeing drop a comment below!

If you enjoy pulse-pounding action, sizzling but no spice romance, and enjoy a Star Trek vibe to your sci-fi mixed with fantasy elements like in Star Wars, check out the Xerus Galaxy Saga. Award-winning author Nadine Brandes said, "E. A. Hendryx pulls no punches (and spares no kisses!) in this galaxy-worthy sci-fi romance."

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Sometimes it’s subtle. Sometimes it’s obvious. Sometimes it even happens by accident, but I don’t think a writer’s life is ever totally removed from their work.

Who we are, what we think, and what we value seeps into what we do. It’s actually a beautiful thing that means we impart some of ourselves into our art.

But on the other side, that means our art can take something from us.

I spent the better part of last year working on one book, Rising From the Galaxy.

I joked that this is the book that would unalive me, but it slowly became less of a joke and more a reality the longer time went on.

Here’s the reality: I was once a ghostwriter for 8 years. I know what it means to write a book, and write it fast. I was often working on 2 projects at once, 4-5k words on each every day. One year I wrote 1 million words (this was long before AI so don’t come at me). And I would often write 10k words a day when needed.

So to take a whole year on one book1?

But this wasn’t just any book. This was the conclusion to my trilogy. The BIG one. The book to end it all.

And it felt like it did. It took everything in me. My focus, my sleep, my time, my anxiety, my excitement, fears, my life (to an extent) all in the name of creativity. And I gave it freely because there were readers wanting it, Kickstarter backers needing it, characters demanding it, and my own promises to keep.

But you know what? I finished it. I sent it off to my editors, I got it formatted, the covers done, and I published that baby. What a relief!

However, when it was finished my focus shifted to: what now?

I had lived that book for so long I wasn’t sure I knew how to function without hours of my day spent tackling that beast2. To say I was burned out would have been a massive understatement. I felt like I’d given given given and now there was not much left to give.

When I find myself in that situation I am often ready to hole up and say “forget it” to everything else (obviously something I can’t do). So, instead, I have gotten into the habit of doing a few things that help me heal that creative burnout in a healthy way (for me).

4 Ways I Heal Burnout

1) I rest

No matter how much is on my plate, if I can’t focus on the work, there’s no point in trying. Either what I create will be flawed or lacking in true creativity so I set it aside for a time.

Mostly, this looks like me actually taking the weekend (or part of it) off to clean the house, spend time with my family, take long walks or a run, and enjoy not being creative for a time.

It’s not always possible to take long rest breaks, but no one said rest had to be 36 hours. Shoot for 1-2 hours if that’s all you can manage, but make that time count3.

2) I replenish

Obvious, but refilling that creative well is crucial.

I read good books, watch good movies, listen to good music, talk to good friends, and let myself be inspired by others’ creativity. If I need to be working on a specific project I often look for things not in that genre as a refresh.

3) I reflect

I take stock and ask myself what I really need.

Is it a day off? A few days? Maybe just an hour or two? Is it a nap? A meal? Going to bed early? A walk? Maybe it’s even to clean my space so I have less mental clutter created by visual clutter.

This step is important because it’s not just saying “I’m not going to write for a while”. While this may be the step to take, burnout could be coming from a few areas and zeroing in on them specifically will mean you can heal them more effectively.

4) I remember

Perhaps the most important of all is remembering WHY I do this. Why am I a writer? Why do I pour myself into my stories? Why even go this route if it’s going to take so much from me?

Recently I got a message that was the *perfect* reminder of my WHY.

This is why...

Friends, reading this message not only brought tears to my eyes, but it acted as a solid reminder of why I pour everything I have into my books. Why they are a priority, why it matters what I put into them, why I care so much about having an uplifting, God-honoring message in them4.

While I don’t write Christian fiction, I do write from my worldview and that means good will always win, the romance will always be sweet, uplifting, and healthy, there won’t be profanity, and, while my characters will struggle with real issues, they’re going to learn valuable lessons by the end.

So, if you’ve been tempted to give up, faced with your own burnout, or you’ve forgotten why you’re writing in the first place, take a moment to

• rest

• replenish

• reflect

• remember

And if you’re a reader, never underestimate the power of sharing how a book has impacted you!

We authors spend a lot of solitary time working on our novels and hearing that the work we’ve done has made an impact is invaluable.

Emilie is the author of the Xerus Galaxy Saga, a fast-paced and swoony, no spice YA Science Fantasy space adventure with harrowing stakes, high action, and humor. It’s perfect for fans of Skyward, The Lunar Chronicles, and Star Wars. She’s also got a ✨FREE✨ to read serial on Substack called Dragons in Space. New episodes dropping soon.

Check out Dragons in Space

I’ve been going back to some “classics” in my devotional reading recently. Not exactly old old classics, but the kind that have always promised me revelation when reading their works. Elisabeth Elliot is one such author.

I’ve read Let Me Be A Woman multiple times and, while somewhat dated by today’s standards, I find such wisdom in her words. After finishing a recent 50 day devotional by Nancy DeMoss Woglemuth, I felt the urge to read another Elliot book. I’m so glad I did.

From the start, Elliot informs the reader that Keep a Quiet Heart is “Mostly … about learning to know God.” It’s a compilation of articles she sent out in her newsletter over the course of several years in the 90s, each (typically short) passage is about a different aspect of God, or faith, or just a short anecdote.

I love this style as it is fast-paced and interesting at every turn.

A note here: I wrote this article in spurts as I was reading and something new would hit me. I have tried to smooth it out for readability. Quotes taken from Keep A Quiet Heart.

Push into suffering

Over and over again in this book I saw a (I think unintentional?) theme:

Don’t shy away from suffering, it’s what draws you near to God.

This is so antithetical to what we humans want, but also such a different message from what is popular today. Today, in church and out, we hear “if it’s hard, avoid it” but certainly Elisabeth Elliot, who lost her husband early in their marriage (among many other difficulties), didn’t avoid the pain of loss or the difficulties she faced after. She leaned in and, in the process, learned how to better rely on God.

I’m not sure if it’s just me or what, but so much in this book felt refreshing. A deep reminder that I often avoid the challenging things that God could be using to teach me. Or, if not avoid, bemoan them and look for a way out. Right. Now.

Not so with Elisabeth and those she speaks of in this book. Frequently they were reminding each other to count their sorrows as joy1, to take the suffering as an opportunity to learn more about God, and to turn to Him in the midst of the pain - not to simply avoid it.

I’d wager that we don’t take this approach often today. If we know God, we cry out to him to fix the issue. We ask for prayer for our desired outcome. We try to avoid the challenge. And, while I won’t say we should revel in difficulty, I do wonder if we should approach it differently?

I didn’t see a pattern in these pages of Elisabeth suggesting we ride things out until they are better. Instead, I saw consistently that our mindset should be to look for what the Lord is teaching us in the tough moments and to learn what we can about His character in the depths. No timeline. No waiting until things were better. Just consistency in living a life devoted to Him no matter what.

Reliance on God is not optional

This statement is obvious to anyone who understands what being a Christian means, but I felt that, in reading this book, I was reminded that our reliance on God is daily—moment by moment even—and had nothing to do with our circumstances.

This connects with the concepts of suffering above, but something I began to focus on as I read was a statement she’d made at the very beginning of the book.

It was painfully clear within these pages that Elisabeth is pointing out only way to truly live fulfilled is to live a life reliant on Him.

It is relatively easy to live my life independently. Most days I can wake up and direct my day, make choices, and fulfill plans without much thought to anything other than “my plan for the day”, but due to the focus on suffering in this book and the subsequent focus on how we then must rely on God, I think it’s smart to take a step back from day-to-day life to ask: am I really relying on Him?

As I read through this book I was drawn to take all things to the Lord. To remember that, in the most mundane tasks of the day, He is present. And to practice reliance on Him while things are good, in preparation for when things are hard.

God is very personal

Sometimes I forget.

I forget how He moves in our lives and how we can trust Him with all things. I know God cares, I know He loves me, but sometimes I forget just how well He knows me.

In many of Elliot’s stories she makes mention of amazing circumstances where something miraculous, or even just amazing, happens only to then tie it back to a time when others were praying. Every time I’d read a story like that I’d get chills thinking—that hasn’t stopped, we just stopped looking for it.

Obviously, that’s a bold statement and I don’t want to claim that for all, but perhaps it’s better to say I don’t get to hear about these types of things often, but reading them here reminds me how personal God is.

He allows things to happen—sometimes good, sometimes bad—but it’s never for nothing. I love how she puts it here:

In all, we have the chance to know God, but it’s more than that. He cares about us. He understands us. He loves us. And, in the midst of any suffering we may face, we can rely on Him and He will be with us as He’s promised2.

A few more quotes…

There was so much more that I took from this book, but I think these are enough reflections for now.

I think the main thing I walked away with was the reality that we have slipped into thinking that, if things are hard, something must be wrong. And yes, something is wrong with this world,3 but that doesn’t mean that everything should be easy.

I walk away from this book and desire to have a new perspective on any suffering I may face.

I highly recommend Keep A Quiet Heart and other books by Elisabeth Elliot and for now I’ll leave you with a few more amazing quotes:

You probably aren’t and that’s okay!

It’s rare in this economy for any author to truly be “making it” with fewer than 6-8 books published. That may seem like a lot, but it’s common knowledge among indie authors.

The problem?

As writers, we often romanticize our first book or first series. We have poured our heart and soul into publishing those books and, once they are out in the world and book-shaped in our hands, we tend to think that was the biggest hurdle. It wasn’t.

There are three things (among many others) that authors so after publishing their first book that I think leads to less success…

#1 They are overly focused on that first book

This is not to say that these authors aren’t promoting and marketing their first book—they are, and that’s a good thing! But oftentimes the person who has seen less success is so focused on selling book one they forgot the most important thing: a successful author is (often) more than just one book.

#2 They agonize over why that first book isn’t doing better

At this point the focus shifts to why. Why haven’t I sold more copies? Why wasn’t my book a #1 bestseller? Why won’t Barnes & Noble call me up for a signing? They forget that one book in a sea of millions of books is nothing. It is something, don’t get me wrong, but one book often does not make you a best-selling author. It makes you a published author seeking success.

#3 They keep trying to make that first book “a thing”

This, to me, is the most challenging one. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve seen writer acquaintances trying over and over again to sell their first (and only) book. This is not a dig on authors marketing their first book at all. That is needed and necessary! It is a note on authors who haven’t written anything else and it’s been X-many years since their book was published. If that was all they wanted to write, good on them! But if they are bemoaning the fact that their book isn’t selling…I’ve got news for them: it likely won’t magically start selling on its own.

Are these really all just versions of the same thing? Pretty much. But the reality is they are all true and I have personally seen author friends do this to their own detriment.

What’s the next right step?

You’ve heard me say it, but I’ll say it again (and again):

Seems simple, and it is, but it will help sell your existing book(s). It’s not a surefire way to increase sales, but if you write the next book (and the next) and do it well, there is a good chance that readers who find that new book will go back to find your other books.

The backlist is such a big resource for authors and I firmly believe that the first several years of an authors career should be dedicated to building up that backlist.

Why is this so hard to understand?

There are a few reasons I think this isn’t more common knowledge.

First, is the fact that writers don’t always know what they are doing. Shocking, I know, but it’s relatively easy these days to go to a big retailer, put a book up for sale, and call yourself an author. You can even have a good cover and decent editing, but that doesn’t mean everyone understands publishing.

Secondly, it is a natural thing to truly love your first work. You might even think it’s the best thing you’ve written1 and go about trying, over and over again, to keep selling it because you just know it will be successful if you just get XYZ number of sales or that person to read it or an audiobook deal etc.

Thirdly, we’re not patient creatures. Building up a backlist takes time and resources. It costs money to publish well2 and oftentimes an author gets burned out (either physically, mentally, or finically) before they reach book 6 or 8.

Fourthly, when done right, publishing a book is rewarding and you can see some success off the bat. You get that algorithm “new release” boost and your friends and family are buying and maybe even some random strangers on the internet and you start to think…hey, I’m doing this thing! But then sales drop off and things start to look bleak.

Out of that morass of difficulty you are supposed to move on to the next book, but at that point you might be feeling down. You may even start to second guess if you’re supposed to do this whole writer thing at all! Which leads me to…

Why community matters

I’ve been in the book industry for over 14 years by this point. Not to say I’ve been published that long, but I do have 15 books published across pen names, have written over 100 books as a ghostwriter, and have talked with a lot of writers (did you know I have a podcast?).

Through that whole time one thing has become very clear to me:

Without community, I wouldn’t be where I am.

When you’ve hit that lull in sales or you’ve marketed your first book to death and don’t want to step into the next story, community is what keeps you going. When you don’t know what to do next with your career, community is there to advise you. When you aren’t sure you’re cut out for this writer thing and think moving to the woods and becoming a hermit might just be the best choice…community will pull you off that ledge3.

The hardest part? Finding that community.

And no, I didn’t mean to write this whole article as a sales pitch4, but as I got to this point I realized the main thing that’s kept me going when my sales have not been what I’d like them to be is my writer’s group5.

So, in hopes of helping not selling, I do want to highlight something my podcast co-host Christen and I are doing this fall. We’re calling it The Margins Cohort and you can read about it in our article, but I’ll give the high points here: It’s a committed time between September 1st and December 1st where writers join with a goal in mind and enter into a fun yet focused time of accountability together.

If you struggle to reach your goals, don’t know how to set them, or maybe are where this article talks about, you’ve written a book but it’s not doing as you hoped it would or sales have slowed, consider joining us in The Margins Cohort6.

My approach

So what do we do with all of this? Well, I don’t know about you, but I can tell you my approach.

1. I celebrate the win of my trilogy being completed, I market the heck out of it, but I didn’t stop there. I’ve already written the next book (a standalone) and have planned several others to release next year7.

2. I talk with my writers group about goals, ask for their advice on career moves, how I will achieve the success I’d like to have for my books, and ask them to keep me accountable to those goals.

3. I keep going. Sounds simple, but nothing really sells your previous books like your next book so I set a writing schedule I can keep and stick to it8.

4. I recognize publishing is a long game. Most authors will not find instant success in their publishing career9, so don’t bank on it—work for it instead. Dream big, but then put your effort into making your next book the best it can be (and then repeat that).

It’s not easy to be an author. In fact, most of the people who say they want to be an author never even finish their first book, but if you can get that first book down, chances are you’ve got more books in you.

Emilie is the author of the Xerus Galaxy Saga, a fast-paced and swoony, no spice YA Science Fantasy space adventure with harrowing stakes, high action, and humor. It’s perfect for fans of Skyward, The Lunar Chronicles, and Star Wars. She’s also got a ✨FREE✨ to read serial on Substack called Dragons in Space. New episodes dropping soon.

Check out Dragons in Space

Note: I started writing this post on my phone a few months ago (after finishing the book I talk about below) and it’s stayed in my drafts for a while. After recent news/chatter about a certain book and adult content included in that book I felt it was time to hit publish.

I’ve read yet another Young Adult book with adult language and an open door intimate scene in it. A book marketed to teens. And I can help but think…this is not what YA fiction needs.

To be fair, I’m a no spice, no strong language, “clean” YA author, so perhaps my perspective is skewed, but the more adult-feeling YA books I read the more I’m sickened that this is what we are pushing to our youth.

A reminder: Young Adult books are meant to be read by 13-18+ year olds and often times kids as young as 9 years old will read YA.

Nine. Years. Old.

Let that sink in.

Do we really want 13 year olds (or 9 year olds!) reading detailed intimate scenes? Do we want them exposed to characters who (without thought) use copious amounts of language and experience underaged drinking and the use of illegal drugs as if it were a regular occurrence? Do we want to encourage them to live like mini-adults in situations that they aren’t equipped (emotionally) to handle yet?

I know the argument opposed to my perspective is that they are hearing and doing this anyway so why not be true to “real life”. But the majority of the adult content in YA books that I’ve read is written as if the teens were adults. They act like adults, talk like them, make decisions like them, deal with dark things adults deal with, but have the freedom of teens to do what they want. To me, that reads more like fiction for women my age wanting to enjoy the fantasy of younger years without the consequences of adulthood.

However, I would challenge that many teen readers are NOT doing these things and there is a desire among them for fiction without these things in it1.

The book I finished reading recently was a highly popular YA book. It made top lists. Got awards. Received a lot of hype. I’ve seen it all over bookstagram and booktok. Many of my friends (around my age *ahem*) have read and loved it. And, while I liked it, I couldn’t help but think that it was written more for adults than teens but didn’t have quite enough “content” for an adult novel.

(Side note: I see this a lot. Books are marketed as upper YA (though they still sit in the YA category in bookstores) and just don’t have quite “enough” adult content to make them fit in the adult category (and their protagonists are usually too young to be considered adult), but if we’re being honest they are adult books with adult content and are just “tame” for the adult category.)

I suppose the thing that bothered me the most about this book was that in bookstores it will sit on the Young Adult shelves without any warning label. It will look beautiful in its stunning cover (not to mention all the limited editions coming out) and will attract all manner of teens. Then it will give them a very adult version of a fantasy world where teens can do as they please (including experience intimacy for the first time). Barely any adults mentioned.

If you want younger characters (18-25 for example) but adult content (even if it’s “less than” what we see in adult books), labeling your book as YA is misleading at best and damaging at worst.

The reality is we’re asking too much of our teens. We’re tempting them with good/fun/exciting story premises, delivering that alongside content only suitable for adults, and then asking them to decipher what’s real and what’s not. They are experiencing things through novels without the guidance of an adult (assuming their parents are fine with them reading “whatever is on the YA bookshelf” in the library or at a bookstore) and potentially being exposed to things they never would have at that age just because a book was labeled “young adult” and assumedly written for kids 13+.

The reality is that not every teen will have sex as a teen. Not every teen swears without thought. Not every teen can handle heavy, dark things in their fiction (the books that should be a fun and thrilling escape from reality). And not every teen can be mature enough to know when a book is too much for them2.

To me, that’s why we have (had?) a YA section in stores to begin with. They are there to delineate between content created for adults and content created for teens.

And newsflash: this content should be different.

I cannot highlight how important appropriate content in young adult books is. I feel like I shouldn’t have to say that. I feel like it should be obvious that intimate scenes shouldn’t be in books written for kids, and yet here we are.

I understand there are nuances here. One person will be okay with their teens reading some content where others will not, and I do recognize that I’m coming at this as a Christian who has certain morals and values that I place in what I think is or isn’t appropriate, but I also think there are just certain lines we shouldn’t cross.

Descriptive and detailed intimate scenes is one of the biggest for me in addition to excessive swearing (I prefer no swearing but that’s a more personal perspective). If parents don’t care if their teens read these things then (while I hate to say this) they can “shop” in the adult category, but I don’t think it should be contained in books marketed to teens (13-18).

I’m going to say something crazy here: Let’s keep romance sweet and healthy in young adult fiction.

Let’s give our teens something to look out for. Less emphasis on how hot the boy or girl is and more emphasis on their compassion toward others. Less focus on only the physical aspects of a relationship and more on how emotionally the characters are affected. And finally, can we tread extremely carefully and be very clear when unhealthy relationships are shown? Let’s not uplift controlling or manipulative guys/girls. Let’s draw some clear lines between what is acceptable and healthy in relationships and what’s not.

While I posit the question “is this the fall of YA” I can confidently answer this and say NO it’s not. The reason for that is I’m not alone in wanting to write and publish great books meant to be read by teens (and enjoyed by all ages).

As an indie author I have found that there are so many of us indies who write with these things in mind - keeping the “young” in young adult. We want to write fun and exciting stories to offer to teens so they can read without the worry of stumbling on adult content and so that parents can feel confident handing over their stories to their teens.

This is not going to be the case for most (if not all) traditional publishers3 though so, parents and those in charge of giving books to teens, please please be careful what you hand your teen. Just because a book is in the young adult section does not mean that it is automatically okay for a teen to read. Check out the rescues below, go to Goodreads, or follow bookstagrammers who post about content warnings for books, or even read the book before handing it over to your teen. Your diligence will ensure that teens can enjoy epic adventures and healthy relationships without worry that they are being exposed to something too adult for them.

I too write YA, as I said, and the teens featured in my books are thrust into big, adult-like things (like saving the galaxy), but I’m careful in how I craft these stories. Adults are there (and not only in villain roles) to give guidance and support. I keep the romance and other content 13+ (though it would also be safe for 9 year olds should their parents not mind sweet romance as part of the plot) as it’s not needed to be more than that (in my opinion) when you’re trying to cover a wide age range of readership (13-18+).

If you enjoy pulse-pounding action, sizzling but no spice romance, and enjoy a Star Trek vibe to your sci-fi mixed with fantasy elements like in Star Wars, check out the Xerus Galaxy Saga. Award-winning author Nadine Brandes said, "E. A. Hendryx pulls no punches (and spares no kisses!) in this galaxy-worthy sci-fi romance."

Shop Here

Resources for no spice YA books:

• https://www.authorbrittanywang.com/nospiceyafantasy

• https://cjmilacci.com/read-clean-ya-with-cj-podcast/

• https://www.enclavepublishingstore.com (not all books are YA but all are “clean”)

• https://busymomsreadtoo.com

The caveat I shouldn’t have to make but will: I want to be clear here in saying I’m not about policing what you read or what other writers write. I fully believe every adult has the choice to read what they want. What I’m against here is putting content in books marketed to KIDS that should be reserved for adults. I’m not saying the book I mention above or the book that is currently taking a lot of heat shouldn’t be published (though personally I will not be reading that second book), just that they shouldn’t be published and marketed to teens.

It’s done.

I’ve finally turned in my TOME1 of a novel to my developmental editor and I am free! (Well, kind of.)

But as I went through the process there were a few things I learned that I thought might be helpful for all of you writers out there. Whether you’ve edited countless novels or just one, it always helps to remember a few things and I’ve complied them here for you all.

1. You really don’t need those words

I see. I feel. I want. I need. Likely. Almost. All. You really don’t need (most of) ‘em.

This isn’t a blanket statement for every instance of these words, but I cut so many words just by eliminating these unnecessary words and phrases (and a whole bunch more) from my manuscript2.

Should I be a little mad at myself I put them in there in the first place? Nope. When I draft, I don’t care. And while I’d like to get to a point where I don’t put them in to begin with, I’m not going to give Drafting Emilie a hard time and you know why? She wrote over 200k in 4 months time and that is pretty great. If it means she put in 20k of unnecessary filler words, well, at least she got the book written.

2. Your writing isn’t as bad as you think it is

I was certain this book was crap. Okay, well maybe not that bad but I thought it would be a chaotic mess of things I threw together to hopefully make it to the end. I was certain I would be deleting chapters left and right.

And then I didn’t.

I did get rid of a few, but not nearly as many as I’d anticipated (which is both fulfilling and terrifying as I really needed to cut words). The reason for that? Drafting Emilie knew what story she was telling.

I do plot, usually pretty heavily, and I enjoy the process and challenge of figuring out my plot in order to make the book fast paced but also engaging. In doing so, I did a LOT with this story, but I also did it “right” (well, the jury’s still out on that as my editor will have to back me up on that). I edited with an eye to cut out anything that was slow or superfluous, and there wasn’t a ton of that which brings me back to…

3. You won’t know until you’re told

I got to the end and I thought…well, My Epic Editor will just have to tell me what she thinks.

That may seem counterintuitive to point 2 up there, but what I mean by this is that I think my story is good. I’m happy with it. It made me emotional in points. I laughed. I got nervous (even though I wrote the book…). And I cheered at the end. All valid emotions and things I want to draw out in my reader.

But I don’t take that at face value. I need input and, in some cases, I may need to cut things if my editor thinks they aren’t necessary.

I went into my self-edits thinking “I’m going to cut a ton of chapters” and I really didn’t. So either I really did nail the story, or I’m blind to a few spots. That’s why I hire an editor and I’ll know when she tells me if it’s too long, too slow, or too much in some parts.

That is a natural part of editing and writing a story (and why writer’s shouldn’t write in a vacuum). We need outside input from professionals to truly tell our stories in the best way possible.

4. Can you really see it?

I’m a super visual reader. I see it all in my head (while physically reading or audiobooking) and I’m the same way with writing (or I try to be). I love to show off the settings of my books (especially the spacey feeling ones) because that gives me joy and helps my reader get a sense of place.

However…I found myself skipping a lot of that accidentally. This is the third book in my YA Science Fantasy series and I think I (perhaps wrongly) assume people will “see” things as I see them.

While editing this book I paid special attention to the visual cues so as not to assume my reader could see when they couldn’t. There is a LOT going on in this book and MANY words I needed to cut, but I didn’t want to sacrifice feeling or sensory things in preference to brevity. In some cases that meant taking out dialogue that wasn’t needed and replacing it with more world building aspects.

5. Efficiency is KEY, but so is EMOTION

I’m all for a shorter story. Trust me, I did not set out to write two books in one for this third book. I also detest books that are long just to be long. That said, there are a few things I found myself keeping vs deleting and it often came down to efficiency vs emotion.

Especially in high-stress or action scenes I really cut back on dialogue and (somewhat) description. What matters is the action. But what also matters? The emotion. Feeling a scene is crucial (and I’m not talking about a tea party with our feelings.) We need to see our characters worried, anxious, in pain, stressed, uncertain. The whole gamut of emotions that coincide with tense drama.

While this doesn’t lend itself to long, drawn out paragraphs in the midst of action (ick) it can look like the tightening of a fist, the tensing of a jaw, or the roiling of a stomach. It can be action with regret. Snapped commands. Or even rash things like punching someone out of the blue3.

What I’m getting at is the fact that our readers will be more invested if they can feel the characters emotions alongside them (from action scenes to romance scenes, it doesn’t matter). Balance this with efficiency in your writing and let it go hand in hand with forward plot movement, but you won’t regret convey these emotions to better solidify your scenes.

6. Trust yourself

This is always by far my biggest takeaway from editing any of my books.

I know what I’m doing. I need to trust that.

You may not be here and that’s okay (I do not say this arrogantly), but eventually you will get to a point where you really can trust your writer-instincts to help you tell the best story possible.

I spent a lot of time4 writing to get to this point, but one of the things that always reassures me when I’m editing is that I will add something I *think* I need only to find I had it in the next sentence or paragraph. Sometimes Editing Emilie has a better idea about where it should be placed, but it always reminds me that I really did know what I was doing when I wrote the book.

This isn’t to say that I don’t change things (I totally do!) and it doesn’t mean I’m always right (I’m not!) but it does remind me that I need to trust my judgment when it comes to my stories.

Bonus point: Get yourself an editor who understands you, your author voice, and your genre

My friends, if I can leave you with anything tangible after this, it would be to find an excellent editor that you can trust. For developmental edits find someone who understands your genre and its conventions, understands how to tell a good story, and who will hone your writing without changing or altering your author voice. These editors are worth GOLD and will only improve your story.

Looking to learn more about writing? I’ve got a writer-focused YouTube channel and am currently running a series on writing a novel for beginners! Check it out below:

My YouTube Channel

If you enjoy pulse-pounding action, sizzling but no spice romance, and enjoy a Star Trek vibe to your sci-fi mixed with fantasy elements like in Star Wars, check out the Xerus Galaxy Saga. Award-winning author Nadine Brandes said, "E. A. Hendryx pulls no punches (and spares no kisses!) in this galaxy-worthy sci-fi romance."

A super quick update to point you to my new publication titled The Hendryx Space where I will be posting all of my Science Fantasy and Science Fiction serialized stories!

If you’ve been looking forward to Dragons in Space THIS is the place you want to be so make sure you’ve subscribed over there.

You can either:

1. Subscribe to the publication

2. Subscribe just to Dragons in Space

3. Subscribe to both!

Check out The Hendryx Space

There’s a new post there that explains my thought process behind starting a new publication under this “banner” and why each serial will be its own section. Give it a read if you’re confused or curious!

In the meantime the countdown to Dragons in Space has begun. 14 days and counting!

I’m putting my cards on the table for this one.

I’m a Christian.

I’ve never hidden that, of course, but I also don’t write strictly in the Christian market (as a YA author). It was something I felt pretty strongly about when I stepped into the YA space. That I would be the Christian behind the books, not that my books would be Christian.

To be clear: I have NOTHING against Christian fiction. I love it and I still write it (under other pen names) but I didn’t feel called to add strong faith elements to my books.

But there is something I am massively passionate about when it comes to my books and it’s pretty simple:

As a reader and writer in the Young Adult space (and in so many other genres because I read very widely) I have seen a disastrous trend going around. What is uplifted, what is pointed to, what is celebrated is often not good things, but skewed versions of it.

A big one for me is the rise of the “morally gray” character1.

Why do we like bad guys?

One of the first things I watched that really caused conflicting emotions inside of me (when it comes to morally gray “heroes”) was the movie V is for Vendetta. I left the theater after seeing it thinking so many different things. I wanted to cheer, but I was also sickened and confused. I felt coerced to like a main character who did bad in the name of good and…well, there was conflict in me about it all.

That was perhaps not the start, but an early example of a shift in trends. In having the bad, brooding hero do terrible things in the name of good. Where we’re always wondering “will he go bad again”? Or “how will he justify his reasons this time”? Or even “what terrible thing will he be forced to do in the name of what’s right”?

Beyond that (and worse, to me) are the “heroes” who are obviously “bad guys” disguised as hot and attractive characters who the female main character is meant to fall in love with—despite the fact he will obviously be bad for her—and who treat her terribly until he decides it’s okay to care for her.

Why? Why do we fall for this dark and dangerous trope that tells us to love what’s bad for us? In other words…

Where have all the good guys gone?

I’ll admit my preference here: I like a White Knight. I love a cinnamon roll. I crave a hero who will stand up in the face of evil to the point he’ll lay down his life for what is right. He doesn’t have to be the strongest/best/most handsome, but I believe he should stand up for good.

What’s more crazy? I want to see young men (in YA) being kind to the female main character. I want to see them caring for her—NOT because she’s helpless, but because treating her with respect is what matters.

I’m all for a strong female main character! What I’m opposed to is then making men second-best to her to prove a point. If she needs to be stronger, fine. But let’s not do that at the sake of the men in the book.2

We see this so prevalently in adult and YA fiction, especially the fantasy category. The preferences then shift to the dark main character who kills without remorse and has no softness since it is seen as weakness. He has issues, is broken in a way only she can fix, and is probably willing to kill her…until his lust (and that’s usually what it starts with) overcomes his cruelty and he decides to defy logic to pursue her.

Don’t get me started on all the instances of heroes and heroines calling each other “mine”. As if possessing someone is all that matters when it comes to love.

I’m not saying these things can’t be written in a redeeming way (some can), but the fact that it’s what the market craves is what bothers me.

What do we do when fiction interferes with reality?

Why do I care so much? Because, as much as we can say “oh, it’s just a story”, books influence us. Yes, they are fiction, but (especially to the young mind) they can set a president or create desires in us.

Regardless of heroes, I am constantly surprised by the subject matter in YA books. I’m not saying teens don’t deal with difficult things or can’t handle them, of course they do and can, but when we use that as an excuse to press into darkness in books (because it elicits a buying frenzy for the next “dark MC book boyfriend”) I think there’s a problem.

As much as we may think that reading can be separated out from reality or that books are just entertainment, even entertainment affects us. The movies we watch, the TV shows we quote, and the books we read all shape us. Especially younger readers and viewers.

When we let the dark in—and uplift it—without the light, what does that teach us?

Why not write Christian fiction then?

I’ve wrestled with this question a lot. It’s not that I won’t write Christian fiction. And it’s also not that my books aren’t Christian-friendly. They are. They hold my world view as a Christian and I could no more separate that from my writing than I could separate out my writing voice.

But for me, it’s more important to get books into the YA general market that will uplift the good. That any reader can pick them up and enjoy them, regardless of their beliefs, and that they can see how exciting a story of good wining over evil can be.

In my books…

There might be darkness, evil, danger—but it will never stand up to the light of the good in the end.

There may be death and destruction, but sacrifice will always be more powerful.

Characters will have flaws and make mistakes, but they will eventually make the right choice by the end of the book to show change and hope.

There may be broody heroes here and there, but they will always have a soft heart and a respect for the girls in my books.

Good winning over evil is not a tired trope.

I fear that the tastes of today’s reader skews so dark that the light sometimes can’t reach. That death and destruction are praised over fighting for what’s right and that we want to see a hero treat the heroine poorly because it awakens something in us that should not exist.

When good wins over evil, it’s not boring. It’s not tired. And it’s not overused.

It’s a picture of what every heart desires (secretly or not).

It’s the feeling of Gandalf coming over the rise at Helms Deep. It’s the bright hope of Aslan’s return. It’s the bravery of characters who stand up against overwhelming evil despite the odds and win.

So, I write.

Perhaps this post is too rant-y to make my point well, but as I’ve seen more and more books come out that uplift so much darkness I can’t help but think…my books are needed. Your books are needed, fellow author.

No matter the genre, we need books that show good winning over evil in the end. We need characters we can root for and respect. We need examples of healthy relationships. We need to show what happens when you make mistakes (small and big) and what it looks like to repent from them and move on. We need to read books that encourage us, make us smile, and show us people like us making challenging decisions to do what’s right in the face of unreasonable darkness.

For me, that looks like writing sweeping themes of found family, redemption, valor, sweet romance, and sacrifice from my world view, but in a way that resonates with any reader.

I don’t hide my personal convictions as a Christian, but I do believe that God can use my general market books just as he can use me as a Christian in whatever way He deems best. I’m prepared to “give an answer” for my beliefs as it says 1 Peter 3:15 and I don’t hide the fact that the good things in my books are good according to God, not just my own opinions. But I do think leaving that door open for any reader to enjoy my books is important.3

In the smallest aspect it means uplifting books are entering the market. In a larger aspect I hope it means opening a door between me and readers. To connect, for them to see why uplifting fiction is so important to me, and ultimately to share why I have the hope I do—my faith in Christ.

Why this post?

I saw yet another book publishing soon that uplifts things that I think are destructive. No need to name the book—I could name a hundred—but it strongly reminded me that what matters most is what I do with my books. What I say with my platform. What I advocate for here and everywhere I have a presence. And who I am behind that platform: someone who is genuine, honest, and kind.

I believe in good winning over evil. I believe that there is hope.

I will always do my best to portray that with everything I write. To me, there is no greater burden and no greater joy.

If you enjoy pulse-pounding action, sizzling but no spice romance, and enjoy a Star Trek vibe to your sci-fi mixed with fantasy elements like in Star Wars, check out the Xerus Galaxy Saga. Award-winning author Nadine Brandes said, "E. A. Hendryx pulls no punches (and spares no kisses!) in this galaxy-worthy sci-fi romance."

Learn More

What does being a successful author look like?

I often think about success and have talked about it a lot on Instagram and on my Podcast. I personally believe you, as a writer or creative, get to determine what success means to you. I don’t mean this in some weird, writer-voodoo type of way, but in a specific, measured, and smart way.

While considering this personal definition remember: we’re not comparing ourselves to others. You can look at another author and value what they’ve done, but that doesn’t mean their path is best for you even if their outcome is something you’d count as success.

So, if we’re not comparing, how does one define success? Is it money-focused? Fan-focused? Sales numbers focused? Hitting a bestselling list? Becoming a household name? Getting another contract? Having an existing contract earn out? Getting an exclusive edition made of your book?

There are so many factors that an author can use and I’m not here to tell YOU what your measure of success should be, but I do have a few thoughts on how (to me) success can be a goal that we work toward irregardless of others.

First, let’s talk books and reality

I need you all to take a few steps back with me to the early 2000’s and the beginning of Kindle publishing (2007-ish according to Google). This was the time to be published on Kindle and many of those authors found great success with indie books while publishing at an alarming rate. It was kind of like the Wild West of publishing and, while I was not publishing personally at that time, I knew of it and later followed the success of many of those indie authors.

Fast forward, and we see a different, very saturated market. Sure, there are still many who devour books and I’m not worried about us maxing readers out (they will always want to keep reading) but there is something to be said about putting out a book today vs back then.

Why bring this up? We have to have a meaningful and understandable conception of the current publishing landscape and what it means to be an author in 2025 and beyond.

Some difficult truths:

• It’s hard (re: nearly impossible) to live on an author salary (usually).

• We often make pennies per book.

• There’s so many books out your book can become white noise.

• It’s harder and harder to land a traditional contract - and even then, those advances are not meant to account for an actual salary (especially with how they are paid out).

With all this in mind, I’m going to say something that may sting: if you’re out there on year 3+ after your debut book (no followups published yet) trying to market the heck out of that one book…you’re likely not going to see rapid sales or increased success (okay, TikTok may get you there but it’s not something to bank on).

What I mean by that (and you’re going to get sick of hearing me say this) but you need to write the next book if you’re going to stay relevant in the market.

Second, let’s talk fans/readers

Why? Why are “more books” important? Because your fans are not here for that 3 year-old debut you keep talking about that they read 3 years ago. They are here for the next book. And the next. And the good news is that new fans are out there just around the corner when a new book is released.

I know I’m making it sound like a magic bullet—it’s not—but I do think that there is something to be said about what a reader wants and what they expect.

As a reader myself (I usually read over 120 books a year) I am more apt to jump in on a series when I know the author has it planned out and talks about it. I’m more likely to read an authors backlist if I read (and love) one of their newer books. And I’m more likely to find something I like among an authors books when there is more than one out (because if I didn’t like the first one and there’s no other options, I’ll likely move on to the next book/author).

This may be obvious, but…

You create a fan when they read and love your book.

You ensure their allegiance by continuing to deliver on your writing-promises and publishing more books.

You bring them along for the journey by staying connected with them (social media, newsletters, in-person events etc.).

Third, let’s talk numbers

I’m not going to get specific here for a few reasons, the biggest one is math is not my strong suit, but I would like to point to a few facts here about numbers and books.

If we’re talking about success (especially as an indie) and we are somewhat focused on finances as part of that success, then a good set of numbers to remember is the fact that most indie authors don’t become finically “successful” until they’ve published 6-8 books (info curtsey of the awesome FB group: 20 books to 50k).

That can mean 2 completed trilogies plus a standalone or two, a series and some standalones, a long series, or some other combination. You get the point.

Why is this? Because consistency helps readers to find you.

A few things that help with discoverability are…

• writing (somewhat) to market

• making sure your covers are on-brand and eye-catching

• publishing fast enough that the algorithm picks up your books (or making sure your fan-base knows when to expect your books whether thats every 6 months or every year)

• marketing to your ideal reader in a way they get and enjoy

• a focus on getting reviews (of any kind)

• talking about your books to your audience/fans/readers

Again, no expert on math here, but that backlist of books is what makes you money. Your newest book will often find new readers who, if they like what they read, will go back and read your previous titles. It’s why they say your latest book is your best marketing tool. And, as most indies will attest to, publishing a new book almost always results in a spike in pervious book sales.

Fourth, let’s talk plans

What does this mean practically? It means that, in order to create the success you want to see (visibility, more readers, getting paid for your work, etc.), you have to keep writing. You never know what book could hit the market (or editor) just right.

Ensuring you have a plan for your writing career is crucial and this goes for indie authors and traditional authors alike.

On the trad side this often means you and your agent are working together to create that plan where as an indie author is generally responsible for their own career BUT that doesn’t mean that any author can’t make plans. We can!

Plan out your attack by asking…

• Where is my current writing career? (Assess existing books that are out and how they are doing. Do you have a book or seres that consistently does well? Consider adding to it or writing something adjacent.)

• Where is the market going? (Consider if you have ideas that seem to be on-trend for the markets trajectory.)

• What do I want to write? (See a trend but you’re not sold on writing it? Look again! Don’t force yourself to write to market if you’re not convinced it’s the market for you.)

• What does my current writing life allow for? (This is going to be more nuanced, but there are some series that do better when released more quickly. Can you get 3-4 books out in 2 years or less? Or are you a slower writer who does better to have 1 book out per year. Can you add in short stories and novellas?)

• What do my readers want? (If you can, ask your readers! What do they want to see? Instead of asking a broad question like that thought, consider offering options for them based on what you are interested in writing.)

Fifth, so what?

If I can convince you of anything from this post (and believe me, I am welling up inside with this emotion and hope you’ll catch old of it) it would be this:

Don’t let yourself be jaded by a few books out (whether they did well or not) and instead see ahead to your 10th book or 15th. It’s not that we don’t enjoy the process and release of our current books, but instead we are able to sit back and see them for what they are. Blocks in the foundation.

We start with a standalone or a series (more on this later) but we see that as the foundation to bigger things. Namely, the next book.

I wanted to write this post because I see so many authors (indie & trad) tossing their hands in the air and bemoaning the fact that they aren’t instant bestsellers after their first book is released (or sometimes their third) and I can’t help but look at them and think…but you’ve just begun!

When we see our writing career as a long-game, one that takes patience, research, understanding, and hard work, it can shift our focus and our attention. The book we’re working on is no longer “the answer” to our dreams of success, it’s just the next step in a long journey.

Personally, I’ve had to remind myself of this countless times over the last few years as I’ve been working toward publishing my first trilogy. While I’ve crossed the first milestone of 1000 sales for my debut YA Suspended in the Stars, I know there is a long road ahead. One that will not be ‘met’ or ‘fixed’ with the completion of this trilogy. I know that it will take consistent publishing and consistent production of good products (aka: books) to ensure my readers are not only there for me and my current books, but there for my 10th book and (Lord willing) my 20th.

If you enjoy pulse-pounding action, sizzling but no spice romance, and enjoy a Star Trek vibe to your sci-fi mixed with fantasy elements, check out the Xerus Galaxy Saga. Award-winning author Nadine Brandes said, "E. A. Hendryx pulls no punches (and spares no kisses!) in this galaxy-worthy sci-fi romance."

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This story is SO vivid to me and I’ve been spending wayyyyy too much time plotting out the intricacies of this serialized fiction . I’ve got 7 characters, 6 of whom you’re going to be so invested in, the 7th…well, we’ll just say you probably won’t like him and that’s a good thing.

And I’ve heard you. So many of you really want this story and I want to write it so I see that as a win-win. So why fight it? Instead, I’m just going to write it 🤣

How will it work?

I’ve got the first 5 episodes written. Since there are a lot of characters I’m not sure how I’m going to break up a season…will it be shorter or longer? I’m not sure yet but once I get some space to plot it fully (after Rising From the Galaxy is complete) I’ll know more.

But what about Patreon?

Great question. So here it is folks: I tried it. I really did. But I made it MUCH too complicated and over-promised things and just mucked it up all over (my personal sentiments, no one said this to me).

I realized that yes, I do like doing posts and offering bonus podcasts, but my TRUE PASSION is the writing. I’d much rather have a dedicated space for writing serialized fiction as the *main draw* and then offer other things like more in-depth posts about writing (as a supplement to my free Writing Newsletter), Q&A’s, interactions for the story, and things like that in one place.

I think that place is Substack. I like that I can still post things in the “unpaid for” version (like my podcast transcripts) but that there is also a paywall.

Speaking of, how much does it cost and how do I get access?

Great question! You’ll just need to become a paid subscriber to access everything - story, in-depth posts, community engagement, and more.

• Monthly is $5
  I REALLY wanted to make it $1 but they wouldn’t let me go lower than $5 😢

• Annually is $30
  This is my answer to that ^ In making it $2.50 a month if you pay annually it was as cheap as I could get it. This will get you full access to everything.

• Galaxy is $150 (or your choice I think?)
  This comes with at dedicated 20% discount to my shop and probably a few other things as I think of them!

Subscribe now

Why request payment for this?

Well…we’ll see. If there isn’t a lot of interest in the paid version I may make it free. I’m not opposed to that, BUT the reality is…it’s a lot of work to post weekly and when I know it’s for paid subscribers I’m more apt to stick with it. Sounds horrible, but I’ve got to be honest. 🤪

I will, however, offer a DISCOUNT CODE to any paid subscriber when each serial finally publishes (this will *only* be offered for purchases from my website) but that means you will be able to get either an ebook or paperback at a discount if you subscribe to the Substack. I want to make things affordable and will take into account the previous payment’s you’ve made.

Why subscribe to read when I could just wait for the book?

You can totally wait! I’m fine with that :) I just don’t know *when* this book will publish and, subscribing means a few things:

• You get to see the story progress naturally (for some that could be annoying as there could be errors or typos, but for other’s it’s like you’re in at the very beginning).

• You get to be PART of the story - I’ll do some polls now and then and welcome feedback. If somethings not right, you can let me know as a subscriber and I’ll take that into account.

• Subscribing means you are basically my Alpha readers! That’s huge and really helps authors out when crafting stories.

• You won’t have to wait (more than a week or so) between chapters vs…well, a year or more before publication.

When is this all going down?

My goal is to start back up in June 2025. I will make the first 4 episodes FREE to all (as long as I find a way to do that on here - ha!) and will start up with the next episode the following week. By then I’d like to have a plan in place for each weekly episode so that I can give myself rest breaks while things like Realm Makers Expo happens etc.

What happens after it’s done?

I’ll give myself a short break then start the next story - or continue this one into a new season. That will depend on subscriber voting.

But, more specifically, I will leave the serial up so that those who are behind can catch up or those who may want to pay for a month subscription can read it and then I will likely archive it. Those who subscribe should still be able to read it? Not sure of all the ins-and-outs on Substack. Then, once it’s going into publication, I’ll offer that discount code to existing subscribers.

But that’s enough about all the behind the scenes stuff! Let’s get to the GOOD PART:

A young man enters a competition to win the heart of a dragon in the void of space but finds himself joining a motley crew to journey across the galaxy in time to save his planet from a spreading darkness intent on conquering everything it can.

18 year-old Jaris is minutes away from the event that will shape his future. If he can ally with a dragon in the black void of space, he saves his family from ruin, but he’s got to survive the Determining first.

17 year-old Athyn has watched the Determining from the sideline every year, but no longer. She’s breaking every rule and focused on finding a dragon to ally with, no matter the cost to her reputation.

18 year-old Nepta will use all the skill she has to ally her dragon. Feisty, strong, and sometimes abrasive, she won’t pull punches.

17 year-old Lerin isn't supposed to be in the Determining, but he’ll do anything for his family, namely his mother. With a bionic arm and a heart of gold, he’s determined to keep his decency in the fight and to make his family proud.

19 year-old Raymus can fix anything and everything, a skill he picked up from years of time spent on his own while his parents worked. He’s bent on allying with a dragon no matter what—anything to avoid turning into his workaholic parents.

16 year-old Coli sees deep in to the depths of space awaiting the salvation that comes on dragons back.

Dracarsus - A darkness waits at the edge of the galaxy. It pulses with hunger and want. Eager to take what was once its own. When it strikes, it will show no mercy. When it feeds, its power will grow. And when it grows, no force shall contain it.

Dragons in Space is a YA Science Fantasy perfect for ages 13+. It’s a no spice Fourth Wing meets Skyward where the dangerous aspect of Hunger Games meets the quest nature and found family of Lord of the Rings.

I’m no stranger to serialized fiction. My first book, Suspended in the Stars, was actually written daily on my blog for a month in August 2020 and is now in a beautiful Limited Edition Hardcover (and ebook, audiobook, and paperback) and is part of a trilogy soon to be complete (after my next Kickstarter).

I know what it takes to write a series like this and I can’t wait to bring you all along with me!

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have thoughts or opinions about this as a paid serial vs free or other ideas. I really want to do what will be best for the serial but also for myself as a busy creative!

Have you read serialized fiction before? Tell me in the comments!

The emotions wrapped up in that are pretty complex. Joy at the thought my parents are moving across country to my new town, sadness to say goodbye to the home I spent over 20 years in (and my parents spent 40 years in), mingled again with excitement at the fact that I get to do this with my mom and dad, not because something bad has happened, but because they are choosing to move.

In the midst of this emotional juxtaposition of thoughts I took a moment to slow down.

I spent a considerable amount of time looking out this window as a child. The views aren’t anything to write home about (ha) but there has always been this insatiable curiosity in me.

What is going on out there?

Who are those people?

What is their life like?

What makes them who they are?

Those and a myriad of other questions always assaulted me when I sat down to look out.

That curiosity hasn’t stopped. I have personally moved (several times) and now live in my own home but the questions remain, even if the window is new.

The reality is: I see life differently than others.

It’s only as I grow older that I’m truly able to appreciate that about myself.

As a writer, I don’t see a window as something that brings light into a room, I see it as a portal to the outside. A view screen into the lives of others - each as unique and interesting as the next.

I use that curiosity and wonder to then turn and shape my characters into their own beings. They wrestle with issues, struggle to understand, fight for what matters, and ultimately search for purpose that leaves their world better.

And to think, it all came from a small window in an old Victorian house made beautiful by the hands of my grandfather and father. They worked to provide a safe place for our family and, in doing so, enabled space for my dreams to root and grow. And to ultimately flourish.

I sit at the cusp of my next Kickstarter to launch my 3rd book into the world, and yet all I can think about is this humble window and how it gave me the courage to wonder…what if?