Young adult (YA) literature is one of today’s most popular genres. This genre is also extremely popular among authors, who find their niche writing for a teenage audience. It might surprise you to know that tweens and teens aren’t the only ones reading YA these days, which further opens up the possibility of larger, even more receptive audiences who are waiting for the next great author to come along.
The challenges of getting your book published, however, are well-documented. Authors can struggle to find a publisher who will accept their book or who will provide them with the ability to have creative control in the process. Marketing a new book can also present a challenge, unless you have someone to assist you through that process.
These and other factors may lead you to consider self-publishing a YA book. Self-publishing is a great way to get your work out there and start selling books, particularly if you have the type of support offered by Izzard Ink Publishing.
Challenges in Publishing YA Literature
One of the biggest challenges in this industry is finding a publisher to take on your book project. The industry is full of talented writers with well-established reputations. Traditional publishing houses will rarely consider taking on a burgeoning author who has yet to prove themselves. This presents a conundrum, specifically how an author goes about proving themselves without having had a book published and widely sold.
In fact, most major publishers work exclusively with authors who already have an agent. Getting an agent can also be difficult if you’re unproven, not to mention the expense that having an agent comes with.
If you are able to secure a publisher for your book, you might quickly discover how little autonomy you have in the process. Publishers often require extensive content edits, sometimes warping the original work into a version the author barely recognizes. Without the ability to control the narrative of the publishing process, you might find yourself on the outside looking in, as the process proceeds without your input.
This genre is typically targeted toward readers in the 12 to 17 age group. However, statistics show that more than half of young adult fiction books are purchased – and read – by someone who is 18 or older. This presents a challenge for how best to market your book. Unless you are an expert on the various marketing techniques used to promote this type of book, you might struggle to get your work in front of the right audiences – both younger and older readers.
The Benefits of YA Book Self-Publishing
If you elect to publish a book yourself, you will discover the solution to many of the challenges we looked at above. Without having to submit your book to publishers over and over, waiting anxiously for the acceptance that might never come, you can move proactively from manuscript draft to finished product. The ability to work on getting your YA book published on your own timeline is a gift that many authors never get to enjoy.
Throughout the process, you will have the ability to control the narrative, shortening the distance between you and your readers. If you choose a full-service self-publishing company for your book, you will enjoy virtually all of the support and services that you would with a traditional publishing house, while still maintaining the creative control you deserve for your work.
However, it’s important to remember that, if you choose a hands-off publisher like Amazon or Apple Books, you will be on your own with everything from cover design and book formatting to marketing. This is an important consideration for any aspiring author who doesn’t have a wide base of knowledge or experience in these areas. That’s why it’s so important to choose the right publisher for your book.
Choosing a Publisher for a Young Adult Book
Ultimately, no matter how good your YA novel might be, the publisher you choose will make a significant impact on the book’s ultimate success. A full-service self-publishing house provides every tool you need to find your success in this market.
Self-publishing can be lonely if you don’t use a full-service publisher, and you’ll be left on your own to figure out several critical steps. When you do use a full-service publisher, however, you will have assistance through every step of the process.
provides direct, professional access to everything from copy editing to book cover design and beyond. Our team of professionals understands this market and know what you need to get your book in the hands of as many readers as possible.
Contact us now for a free consultation or a professional manuscript evaluation. We look forward to showing you how to self-publish your own YA book.
