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

Alright, Becca thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?

Independent publishing is alive and well, friends. Not only that, it’s thriving. Thanks to a variety of factors, including but not limited to social media, it’s becoming more and more popular to self-publish on platforms like Kindle Direct Publishing. (Okay, let’s be real: Amazon’s pretty much got the industry monopolized, but you get the idea.)

Specifically, if you write in the romance genre, there is a hungry (dare I say, insatiable) audience for it. Not that this is anything particularly new (romance novels have always been top sellers) but the methods of delivery have increased exponentially and, therefore, the volume of content.

However, this has its pros and cons. Pros? For one, the democratization of writer resources and reader platforms! Yeah, there are still pay barriers, but it’s becoming easier than ever to publish independently and, in a lot of ways, way more profitable in the long run than the traditional publishing route. Cons? Oversaturation of the market. There is an endless number of books available, especially in trending romance sub-genres (like fantasy romance or dark romance… no, I don’t have time to elaborate, but rest assured they’re popular). Some authors are producing quality works of fiction, others are just hopping on the bandwagon and hoping to reap the financial benefits. Hey, I don’t necessarily blame them: we all want a little extra dough lying around, but it can make it difficult for authors of less-popular sub-genres (like the ones I write in) to find their target audiences.

With that said, I have seen independent authors who genuinely love and care about what they do become able to make excellent supplementary income (or even a living!) just from writing, and that, to me, makes it all worth it. Fads come and go (those of us who came of age in the Twilight Era know this all too well) but if the indie book industry has taught me anything, it’s this: readers aren’t going anywhere, and just because your chosen genre or sub-genre isn’t popular right now doesn’t mean it won’t blow up tomorrow.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m an independently published science fiction and fantasy author who currently has two books in print (with a third on the way) available on most online platforms and in many of the local bookstores in the Charlotte area. At my core, I’m just a big nerd who lives to entertain. But I guess I should go into more detail than that.

I’ve been writing stories for as long as I can remember… at least for as long as I’ve been able to write. I always say I’m the exception to the rule: one of those rare cases where I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up and then actually went and did it. I’m extremely blessed to be able to do what I do and I thank God for it.

But of course, growing up, all I knew about was traditional publishing, which is how you get most of the books you see in bookstores: query an agent, get signed to a publishing house, ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom: New York Times Bestseller. (Sometimes.) My life’s ambition was to do the same thing and even as I got older, I hardly considered self-publishing an option. In fact, I turned my nose up to it. It seemed like the easy way out. The fool’s choice.

Granted. there are those in the industry who, perhaps, give it a bad name, I think that independent publishing as a whole has gained a much better reputation these past few years, thanks in part to all the resources that have become available to readers and writers. I spent years trying to go the traditional route because it was all I knew, but the more I learned about independent publishing (or self-publishing; I use the two terms interchangeably) the more I realized that maybe I’d misjudged it after all.

Sometime in 2020, after conducting some market research, I had an epiphany: independent publishing in its most legitimate form wasn’t the easy way out at all. In fact, in many ways, it would be harder: more of my own money invested up front, more time, more effort, more WORK. But the pros, for me, outweighed the cons: creative freedom, creative control, retention of the copyright, and a potential for higher profit margins in the long run. It became very clear to me that self-publishing was going to be the right path for me based on what I wanted out of my author career.

So I went for it, publishing my first novel in February 2022. In January of 2023, I published my second novel. Now, I’m on track to release a third novel by the end of this year. (Trust me, I’m shocked by the pace, too!)

So far, I have not regretted my decision for a second. Has it been easy? Certainly not. Should I quit my day job yet? No, but hopefully one day! Have I had fun? Yes, more fun than I’ve ever had in my life! I’ve learned so much, met so many amazing people, and been able to interact with the community. Slowly but surely, I’m finding my target audience. (Or, perhaps, my target audience is finding me… I think it takes a little of both.)

Currently, I write funny, quirky, wholesome science fiction with generous helpings of romance, and seeing people enjoy the stories, connect with the characters, and tell me they laughed at this or gasped at that is a literal dream come true for me. I had to learn very quickly not to look at the numbers. In this business (as well as in many others, I imagine) it’s all about quality over quantity. Again, I would LOVE for this to be my primary source of income one day, but if it never is, I don’t think I’ll ever stop writing. It’s just too much fun.

Like with any new endeavor, especially one that you’re passionate about, the road is not always smooth. It’s a lot of work, a lot of trial and error, and you have to set realistic goals so you don’t get discouraged. Also, you have to be patient (my biggest weakness!) But I truly believe that it’s available to love your work, to turn that passion into something you can be proud enough of to share with others. The biggest thing I’ve learned is, sometimes you have to be open to trying something you didn’t expect. It’s okay to have a plan, but plans can change. Who knows? The path you thought you’d never take (such as self-publishing) may end up being the best one for you.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Ugh, social media, the bane of my existence… just kidding. Kind of. I’ve done social media management as my day job before, so I was able to pick up a few tips and tricks along the way. Of course, that was over two years ago, and the social media landscape is ever-changing. But I’m still very active on social media and use it to distribute information regularly, so I can confidently say that it is a good idea for aspiring authors to have a social media presence of some kind.

I built my audience organically. I by no means have a large one – just over 550 followers on Instagram, which for me is a big milestone. I tried TikTok and both love and hate it. I don’t mind posting to it, but I find it highly addictive to consume, so I try to limit my presence there. Since Instagram is my primary platform, most of my advice will pertain to it:

1. Most of the time, photos do better than graphics. Especially high-quality photos that look intentional and professional. Showing your face tends to get better engagement, but it’s not a must. Don’t ever do anything you’re uncomfortable with.

2. Hashtags: use them, but not to excess. I have experimented endlessly with hashtags and for the life of me, I can’t come to a finite conclusion. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. Use relevant ones, 10-20, and avoid ones that have millions or billions of posts attached to them. You’ll get lost in the sea of content. Get specific and niche.

3. Reels: yeah, they’re not a bad idea. I’ve had success with them before, but it’s honestly a hit or miss. A lot of times, it has to do with the trending audio. Just don’t spend any more time than is necessary on them. Don’t follow the trends for their own sake. Just have fun with it and roll with the punches.

4. Have a posting schedule and post as consistently as you can. Don’t stress it, but try to plan it out so you’re not scrambling. Oh, and apparently there are “best times to post” for Instagram. You can google it, but I think most days it’s between 11 am and 1 pm.

5. Engagement: comment on other people’s posts to your heart’s content, just don’t make it sound rote and robotic. You might get flagged for that, even. Be sure to respond to comments on your own posts, too! I find this to be the most fun part of social media, but I don’t get hundreds of comments, so it’s easy to keep up with.

6. DO NOT rely on social media for sales. Yes, some authors get big on TikTok, but it is not a guarantee. I don’t care what they promise you, what tip or technique they tell you to try, it is a lottery at best. DO rely on social media to build brand recognition and to keep people up-to-date on your business: book releases, upcoming events, even some personal updates at your discretion. It’s good to have a platform where people can follow you and be reminded that your books exist. It may end up in some sales conversion, and if it does, all the better! But I think it works best as a supplementary marketing tool.

7. Focus on one platform as your primary (in my case, it’s Instagram) and then have maybe 2 others where you cross-post. (Sometimes, you can cross-post from within an app, like Instagram to Facebook.) This will save you time and possibly a headache.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Personally, I have one long-term goal that has driven me since the start of my writing journey: to be able to write from home so I can be a stay-at-home mom. (I don’t have any yet, but I am married and we both want kids, so… it’s definitely in the cards!) Honest to God, that’s all I want from life. In a more general sense, you could say my goal is to do what I love while being there for my family. I definitely believe that in whatever you do, you should never sacrifice those closest to you. Everyone’s journey is different, and what is right for one person may not be right for another, but making your career goals compatible with your family goals and not the other way around? I’d call that wise.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wordsandothermalarky.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wordsandothermalarky/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wordsandothermalarky
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/wordsandmalarky
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-cMjvVReP-ijV8fPZyOXCA
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@wordsandothermalarky

Image Credits
All photos of me: Jon Titus Photography An Ocean of Stars on starry background: Violet Book Design All others I took.