10 Ways to Stand Out as a YA Indie Author

No one said indie publishing was easy. And if they did, I'd be wary if they really knew what they were talking about.


What acclaimed indie-author Belle Whittington says: 

When LB approached me about co-writing this post, I thought it was a terrific idea. Not only because of the subject material, which is one of my most passionate obsessions, but mostly because I was excited about co-writing something with my very talented daughter. She and I have worked really hard together over the past year-and-a-half on promoting Cicada and Firefly and also promoting me as an author. We’ve learned a lot, to say the least. And, no doubt, we’ll learn a lot more over the next couple of years. However, LB wanted to share what we’ve learned so far, and she gave me the restriction of listing five tips to stand out as an indie author. I can’t tell you how difficult it is for me to smash this swarm of information that’s buzzing around inside my head into five tips. But, here goes!

LB's tips:

1. Be dynamic! Whether you want to come off as magical and sparkly or simplistic and minimal, you want your book and website design to be dynamic. It should not only capture your personality and your book's concept, the designs that represent you should be bold and follow the rules of design. 

If you're not familiar with design principles, start small. For instance, have your name bigger than your book title. That's a big no-no and takes away from your cover. Research what makes an eye-catching cover before you seek out a designer. Look around at other book covers and see what you like. Then bring those covers to the designer you pick so they know what you're looking for.

2. Mold your persona. Even as an indie author, you're still in the spotlight; more-so because you directly communicate with your readers. Brainstorm for a while and figure out what top two or three traits you want to be known for. Perhaps you want to be whimsical and kind like J.K. Rowling, sassy and out-going like Amanda Hocking, or maybe you are more of a recluse like J.D. Salinger.

How to Develop Your Artistic Style

• Originally posted: Feb 8, 2008, 5:58:18 PM

I started dA back in 2006 doing simple digital photography. I had never taken a class and I had no knowledge on photography. My only formal training in art has been in water colour and pastels. These days I’m into photomanipulation. How did I get into it? Simple: deviantArt.

You’ve probably heard many people calling dA a wonderful community. It is, but it’s so much more than a community. DeviantArt is an art school. Yes, there are people who sign up and then put up masterpieces of work, but if you dig deeper into the community you see something amazing: progress. This is what makes dA great. To me, deviantArt has been my art school. I’ve learned from so many deviants on so many different forms of expression. And I’ve made friends.

There are some complaints about dA. Those are usually found in any community. Things usually based around generated artwork. (Too much anime/anthro/myspace shots and so on.) I think a majority of these complaints could be cut down by simply encouraging artists to find their own style; I know, groundbreaking.

dA introduces a variety of styles and techniques to us all, but many times an artist is blinded by trying to emulate (and sometimes immolate ) what they’ve seen others do. This results in hundreds of deviations that all look like each other. Sadly, many of these make the front page and it starts the cycle all over again. So here is the main point of this article: one way to become popular on deviantArt is to develop your own style.

Tips on Developing your Style

1. Enjoy and study other pieces of art, not just on deviantArt. Learn from this work, don't copy it.

Never underestimate a day to the museum and never underestimate other art forms. Being an artist is like being a growing tree. You start out as a sapling focusing on one art form, but you grow and develop all different sorts of artistic "branches". If you're a photographer, spend some time studying sculpting. You never know what you'll learn from another form of art that you can incorporate into your own work.

2. Carry a small notebook with you. Write down things you see or think of that inspire you.

You never know when inspiration will hit. I've always carried a notebook around with me ever since I was a kid (and a fanatic about Harriet the Spy). It wasn't until this year that I realized the full potential my notebooks had. The one I carry now is the size of my hand. It's filled with quotes, play ideas, poems, and short scenes I've seen or dreamt up.

Using a notebook is also another way to get rid of writer's block, especially if you're used to typing. A notebook forces the writer to get more "physically intimate"  if you will, with his or her work. It's an excellent way to form new methods to outline one's ideas and organize your writing.