We recently connected with Morgan Hubbard and have shared our conversation below.

Morgan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Success is a tricky thing since everyone has a different definition. Is it money, fame, acquisitions? Is it social media presence, the most aesthetic life, frequent travel? I’m inclined to believe that most of the world thinks this way, that success is money and power and memories and material things.
But success is a trifold thing for me.
So long as I am a good member in my community, a good wife, and a good mother, I will have reached success. It may not feel that way somedays if I don’t break even with my books or receive a negative review. Feelings are valid, but they aren’t always true. So I’m guided by actions and impact instead. If I can cling to community and family, those two things will weather any storm life gives me.

So what do I think it takes to be successful?
A peaceful countenance, a steadfast support system, and choosing rest.
You can only achieve a peaceful countenance when you let go of offense. Offense will take you nowhere, but choosing peace can help you push past pain and flourish.
If you think you can be successful alone, you’ll never reach your goals. Humans were created for community, so it’s no surprise that it truly takes a village to get through this life. Having people to cheer you on through the good days and pick you up or carry you on the bad days is paramount. You might survive life alone, but you’ll never thrive.
And without rest, we cannot function. We sleep a quarter of our lives away. Our bodies start to fail us when we don’t give them the rest they need. I make it a priority to take an entire day off every week where I put my technology away, drink a good cup of coffee, meditate and pray, and spend time with people I love. It fills me up when I’m empty, and I can write and create from the overflow.
Without those things, one cannot hope to be successful.

Morgan, 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 an independent author, and I’ve been writing books for just over twelve years. I started writing creatively from a very early age but dismissed the thought of pursuing it professionally. I knew it took years of work to even finish a book let alone get an agent, a publisher, and a book deal. So I wrote for myself and a few friends over the years.
I drafted three or four novellas between the ages of twelve and fourteen. After that, I started chasing longer books, unique projects or full series ideas. It wasn’t until 2021 that I decided to publish one of my finished manuscripts.
In 2018, I created and Instagram page specifically for books and joined the “Bookstagram” community. I’ve met lifelong friends through that community, and I’m continuously surprised by the support I’ve received from Bookstagram. It’s because of my author friends that I decided to pursue independent publishing and gathered enough courage to go all in.

I write mainly fantasy but in several subgenres. I’ve written a historical paranormal fantasy called This Cursed Line about a man indebted to the Devil. I’ve written a contemporary fantasy trilogy set in the Appalachian Mountains, the first book being To Live Among Wolves. I’m working on a Dungeons and Dragons romcom fantasy as well as a contemporary horror portal fantasy retelling Orpheus and Eurydice.

I’m most proud of getting the courage to do this. It takes so much faith and determination to go out on a limb and reach for something that could break you. It’s risky and will probably hurt, but it’s been so worth doing. Despite the long hours and sacrifices and mental strain, I’d do it all again. This is what I was meant to do. And I believe everyone should follow what makes their soul sing. Whether that’s baking or making video games or sewing or interior design or writing. Life isn’t meant to be lived without doing what we’re best at. It is possible to chase and find your dreams! You only need to find your people, your community.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

One of the choices I made in my author journey was to pursue independent publishing over traditional publishing. Most people assume it’s a last resort choice since traditional publishing usually means more reach.
I had to research quite a bit to make an educated decision, but ultimately independent publishing fit best for my lifestyle and my writing choices.

So while some would see independent publishing as a failure, it was the best decision I could’ve made. It’s given me the freedom to write what brings me joy and what I’m passionate about, the flexibility to publish what I want and whenever I want, and the joy of entrepreneurship. It’s not the easy option, but it has been so rewarding!

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Being an independent author means existing in the gray area of publishing. There isn’t a clear cut path that’s the same for everyone, so that means researching dozens of options for a variety of things.

I did it the hard way originally, researching everything on my own and not asking help from “seasoned” indie authors. But once I stumbled on collectives and groups like The Writer’s Sanctuary, Alliance of Independent Authors, Writing With the Soul, and the various writers conferences, I finally found people that could help me through the hurdles and setbacks I came up against.

There are so many options for physical distributors, eBook distributors, editors, formatters, cover designers, character artists, street teams, etc. that it can be overwhelming to start on your own. But finding an account, group, conference, collective, or Discord server is the easiest way to find sound advice on your independent publishing journey!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://morganhubbardauthor.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morganhubbardauthor/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morganhubbardauthor/
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morganhubbardauthor
  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/morgan_mcm?si=7H1_HDvSR9u0rF8MP19Oxg
  Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Morgan-Hubbard/author/B0BNGRSCSZ?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1727280958&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true