Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ashtyn Newbold. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Ashtyn, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
As a teen, I started to dream about being an author. I spent my free time reading historical romance books and falling in love with the setting of Regency England. As a sophomore in high school, my english teacher gave me great feedback on my work, which planted the idea in my mind that maybe I could write a book like the ones I loved reading. While most kids my age were out with their friends after school, I was in my basement in my pink fuzzy chair writing my first book. It’s where the dream started. At the time, I was scared to tell anyone about my secret hobby, and I never imagined that I would let anyone read my work. It was nothing more than a creative outlet, but eventually I took the leap to submit my book to local publishing companies, and I received an offer a few months before graduating high school, scheduled for publication in late 2016.
I still can’t remember a time I felt happier than when I opened that email. I had told myself that I didn’t care if I made a penny on my writing, as long as I could hold the physical book in my hands and hear from readers who enjoyed my story. I feel like that’s what a real passion looks like, and I’m so grateful to have found mine at such a young age. I published three books with that company over the two years that followed. Amidst growing up, going to college, pinching pennies to pay tuition, and working at a clothing store, my writing time was limited–and I started to think, “hmm. It would actually be really nice to make a few more pennies on my writing.” Working with a small press publisher was such a fun experience, but it definitely didn’t pay the bills. It fulfilled my dream of holding my book in my hands and sharing it with readers, but my dream had started to evolve into something more. I wanted to turn my passion into a living.
At the end of 2018, I was introduced to the idea of self-publishing as a choice, not as a last resort. It’s a common misconception that writers who ‘choose’ to self-publish only do so because they aren’t good enough to get published the traditional route. Admittedly, I had fallen into that belief before educating myself on the benefits of independent publishing. At a time when I was flat broke, moving back in with my parents, and struggling to keep up with my college classes, I decided to throw everything I had into what I called my ‘Indie Endeavor.’ I had discovered a podcast and Facebook group called The Writing Gals, which consisted of four women who were well on their way to becoming six-figure indie authors. That concept absolutely blew my mind. In my niche genre of sweet Regency romance, I had never considered an income like that possible, especially not as a 20-year-old college student.
Jamming out to ‘High Hopes’ by Panic at the Disco several times a day, I snuck in as much writing as I could–early morning, between classes, after work until 3am. I committed to a rapid-release schedule. My plan was to release five books in five months at low price points so I could gather as many new readers as possible. The strategies outlined by ‘The Writing Gals’ were invaluable as I started my indie endeavor. My hopes were a little deflated when my first release yielded fifty cents on day one, but I was patient, trusting my ‘slow launch’ marketing strategy. Sales trended steadily upward, and after a month, I released book 2. At that point, I was in shock. My net income was already exceeding what I made at my current job, so I quit in order to open up more writing time. Taking the next semester off, I was able to complete all five books in the time frame I hoped for. I met friends who were on a similar journey, and we shared tips and ideas, participated in multi-author series, and helped promote each other’s books.
In 2020, two years into my self-publishing journey, I officially became a six-figure indie author. My ‘semester off’ of school turned into a decision not to go back, but to pursue a full-time writing/publishing schedule. If I could pinpoint my biggest takeaways from the journey and how to be successful as an indie author, I would say:
1. Follow the market, not your preferences. Rather than choosing a title and cover that suited my personal style, I looked at titles, covers, and themes that were selling and modeled my books after those. It’s a little painful to pour your heart into a story and then package it according to the market, but trust me, if your goal is to make sales–it’s worth it.
2. Rapid release and don’t be afraid to give away books. The internet is flooded with books and new authors. If you want readers to take a chance on you, then you can’t go wrong giving your book away for free. Through free book promotion websites like Bookbub, I gave away tens of THOUSANDS of free Ebooks in my first year, as well as many 99 cent Ebooks. Many of those readers went on to purchase the other books in the series, and you never know who will become a devoted fan. Avid readers are also impatient, especially if they fell in love with your story. At the beginning of your journey, try to release your books as close together as possible to keep new readers interested.
3. Network and make connections with other authors. In my experience, most authors are very open to sharing marketing advice. There are groups on Facebook like The Writing Gals and 20 Books to 50k that are extremely helpful.
Ashtyn, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
As a creative and hopeless romantic, I found my happy place writing Regency romance novels. I discovered my passion for the genre as a teen by reading Regency books by modern authors and watching Jane Austen adaptations. The brand I have strived to create is a safe place for readers of all ages to enjoy sweet, happy, romantic books with historical details and characters that come to life.
My books are free of language or other explicit content–equivalent to a PG rating. I choose to write that way because I feel there is a shortage of romance books that can be enjoyed and recommended from mother to 12-year-old daughter to grandmother to friend. I want to show that romance novels can be engaging and heart-pounding with the good old-fashioned slow burn. The longing glances and flirtations, restrained passion, and dazzling settings create a romantic tension that keeps you turning pages to reach the anticipated kisses and happily-ever-afters. In my books, Jane Austen fans can find a modern twist on the kind of stories they know and love, without worrying about stumbling across content they didn’t anticipate.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
As an author, rejection happens, and it hurts. I don’t know any authors who haven’t dealt with many rejections from publishers and agents, as well as readers who didn’t connect with their work. When I first started out, negative reviews paralyzed me. I remember when I read my first negative review on my debut novel. It was brutal. I didn’t sleep that night and I had the sudden urge to burn every copy that had been printed. I felt like an imposter. The bad reviews started to outweigh the good.
The confidence that I’ve gained over the last several years has come from understanding who my target audience is. The truth is, you can’t please everyone. Your book, or any other creative work, is not a $100 bill–not everyone is going to like it. And that’s okay.
Over time, I have reached a point where I don’t feel the need to comb through the opinions of others and allow them to influence me. I write how I want to write–because if I didn’t, I really would be an imposter.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My goal has always been to prove that romance novels can be engaging and give you all the feels without crossing the bedroom door. What has been so loved about works from Jane Austen is not only the wit and characters, but the slow burn romance that makes the Mr. Darcy hand flex in the 2006 Pride and Prejudice adaptation so iconic. Nothing makes me happier than when I hear about a ninety-year-old woman recommending my books to her granddaughters, or mothers reading my books aloud to their tweens. My goal is to create a community of readers who trust me to deliver swoon-worthy, entertaining stories without unexpected scenes that might make them uncomfortable.
Contact Info:
- Website: ashtynnewbold.com
- Instagram: @ashtyn_newbold_author
- Facebook: Author Ashtyn Newbold