We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Abigail Manning. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Abigail below.

Abigail, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with 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?

I have been working as a full-time author since February of 2023. I first started writing in July of 2021 and published my first book in November of 2021. Truth be told, my first release was a disaster. I’m still proud of the book, but I had no clue how to market myself or gain sales. Over the course of 2022, I dove into marketing strategies, started networking with other authors in my genre, and expanded the reach of my sales through both digital outreaches and physical bookstores. Between better marketing strategies and releasing ten books and an audiobook between November 2021 and February 2022, I was able to surpass my day job’s pay scale and quit my job to pursue writing full time. I would do a lot of things differently, looking back. I made a lot of mistakes with my first few books, but in the end, I’m proud of the growth I’ve achieved.

Abigail, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a self-published young adult fantasy romance author who writes clean stories appropriate nearly all ages. I always had an interest in writing growing up, but decided to pursue the craft as a hobby after getting married and moving away from my home town. I quickly learned that I adore storytelling and dove into the genre of fairy tale retellings where I twist classic tales with a fresh plot. While my genre is a common one, I think my writing makes me unique due to the obscure stories I rewrite (thumbelina, nursery rhymes, dracula, etc.) I also write uncommonly fast and have released as many as twelve books in one year, which certainly has helped put me on the maps as an author in a quicker fashion than most.
I’m most proud of the stories I create and the lessons they teach about how young women can be strong, but also lean on others when they need to. I also take pride in the cleanliness of my stories, and have often been thanked by parents for creating books they can feel comfortable letting their younger readers read.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

As a self-published author, it’s very difficult to stand apart from the crowd when you don’t have a massive publishing house broadcasting your books for you. Everything is diy, from writing, to editing, to marketing, and everything in between. While I published my first book in November 2021, I don’t think my reputation truly started to grow until April 2022, and then again in August 2022.
In April, I finally discovered the magic of social media, and went to work befriending every book reviewer and author I could. I made some great connections that helped me spread the word about my books (of which I had released three by this point.) For a while, things were stagnant, but then I dove deeper into social media marketing, and found facebook groups that were tailored to clean fairy tale audiences that perfectly suited my books. I reached out to the admins, got permission to post giveaways, games, and just share about my books, and from there my reputation and audience began to boom.
About a year ago, I also found a local bookstore that was willing to sell my paperbacks and host my for book signings. I’ve since done four or five signings, and have learned that just being present in the community and with readers is a great way to get them to remember your face and come back for your books.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Getting those positive reviews from readers who truly enjoyed my books, or being reached out to to ask about the next release or if a character will be coming back never ceases to make me smile. If I can write a story that sticks with someone, even for just a little bit, I’ve made an impact on them and I am so honored to have that privilege.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.abigailmanningauthor.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abigailmanningauthor/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100074816973438
• Other: tiktok: @abigailmanningauthor