How to Publish a Book as a Teenager
81% of Americans want to write a book¹. Unfortunately, less than 1% actually get around to doing it. So many people let the fear of not being qualified enough hold them back—especially teen writers.
I definitely felt this way as a teenager, and I’m sure many young writers experience similar feelings. But I have great news: no one is qualified to write a book. There is no such thing as being good enough, or old enough, or prepared enough—and it’s entirely possible to get your work published as a teen.
This blog explores how I published my book as a teenager and offers tips to help you get your work out there too. I’ll cover self-publishing, traditional publishing, and the hybrid options in between.
Can You Publish a Book as a Teenager?
The short answer is yes—you can absolutely publish a book as a teenager. I did, and you can too!
The internet is constantly growing and the publishing world is shifting with it. There are so many different ways to get your work out there, and for teen writers, it’s never been easier.
How I Got My Book Published
When I was 12, an idea came to me on a random school night. It wasn’t much of anything yet—just a few sentences about a concept I couldn’t stop thinking about.
During the peak of my middle school YA dystopian phase, I was browsing through Pinterest and saw photos of playing card tattoos. Somehow that got me asking, what if everyone in some dystopian society had playing card tattoos? What would that mean?
I’m not sure how that escalated into population control, or the idea of soldiers called “Chasers” being sent to hunt and exterminate the “Runners.” But I wrote down that little idea in a Google Doc, closed my laptop, went to bed, and forgot about it…until I stumbled upon that document 5 years later in 2021.
The Lost Island Press Writing Contest
I was 17. I graduated early from high school because I just had my third surgery and was too sick to go in person, and I was also not feeling well enough to start taking classes at the JC yet. I have chronic Lyme disease, by the way.
So, I spent most of my time self-learning. I absorbed every free resource about writing that I could and tried to hone my skills so I could finally get serious about finishing my first book.
The problem was, I didn’t have an idea, or the motivation. I knew I wanted to write a book, but the issue was getting started.
Then I stumbled across the 2021 Lost Island Press writing contest on Instagram. I was very interested in everything Mel was doing with her own books and Lost Island, which was still very new at the time. For some reason, I couldn’t get the contest out of my head and felt very compelled to enter.
But there were two problems:
I didn’t have a finished manuscript or a book idea.
By the time I found out about the contest, there was only about a month left until the deadline.
So, I browsed through my very old Google Drive book ideas from years before, desperate to find some inspiration. And that’s when I stumbled upon that idea from when I was 12, about the playing card tattoos.
Something about that idea was so compelling to me. I felt drawn to it, like it was meant to be written. So I spent a couple days playing around with the idea, expanding upon it with sticky notes, until I finally felt like I could get started.
I Wrote Lone Player in 28 Days
In October, 2021, I wrote the first draft of my debut novel Lone Player in 28 days.
It turns out, the contest deadline was exactly the motivation I needed to get started. I spent all day writing, from morning til early the next morning, for weeks. It was brutal. My highest daily word count was 12,000. I’d never done that before in my life—but I don’t really recommend it. The burnout was wild.
But, I managed to write a 90,000 word first draft—and I submitted it just minutes before midnight on the very last day.
The thing is, I didn’t actually expect to win. I just knew I’d regret not submitting it, and I liked having that deadline as motivation.
I Won a Publishing Deal for my Trilogy
To my surprise, I ended up winning the Lost Island Press writing contest, alongside Amanda, author of The Memory Jumper. I received a publishing deal for the entire Lone Player trilogy.
I spent most of 2022 writing draft after draft, polishing Lone Player to get it ready for its eventual release on July 8, 2023. And then finally, it was published.
I am beyond grateful for everything Lost Island Press has done for me and my books. They are truly my dream publisher and I couldn’t be happier with them!
4 Ways for Teen Authors to Publish a Book
If you’re a teen author, there are many different ways to get your work published. Here are some different approaches you can take.
1. Self Publishing
To self-publish a book means that you are in complete control over the entire publication process. This allows for total creative freedom and higher royalties, but it also requires you to upfront all costs, and the responsibility is on you to get your work in shape for publication. You are also in charge of all marketing.
It can be a pricey route and you will likely need to pay for:
Editing
Formatting
A professional book cover
Character art
An ISBN
Website hosting
Email marketing services
Logos and other personal branding materials
Ads
And more
This is just a basic overview, but if you are willing to invest in these elements, self-publishing is a great way to get your foot in the door, especially for young authors who are hesitant about navigating the traditional publishing route. You can also run a Kickstarter campaign to fund your project.
The good news is, as I mentioned before, the publishing world is changing. It’s getting more and more common for self-published books that grow a significant audience to be picked up by a big publisher and get traditionally published down the line. Of course, it’s not as straightforward as that, but my point is—there is so much room for growth with this route, and it is entirely possible to make a living as an indie author.
If you need some success stories, I really like this Reedsy article. Christopher Paolini was only 15 when he wrote Eragon, self-published it at 19, and now look at him! If he can do it, you can do it too.
2. Indie Publishing
While self and indie publishing are commonly used interchangeably (I am guilty of this), they are actually two different things, since not all indie books are self-published.
There are mixed definitions out there, but indie publishing is publishing through an independent publishing press. An indie press is independently owned and operated, separately from the “big” publishers we’re familiar with.
Important note: An indie press is different from a vanity press.
A vanity press requires authors to upfront some or all of the costs for their book. Avoid these; it's likely a scam.
On the other hand, an indie publishing press will still upfront all costs required for publishing. Whether an advance is offered varies from publisher to publisher, but the author shouldn’t have to pay for anything.
I have loved my indie publishing journey because it feels like the best of both worlds. I get the creative freedom and great royalties involved with self-publishing, but I also get the hand-holding and support of traditional publishing. The team over at Lost Island Press is truly amazing and I wouldn’t be where I am today without them!
3. Traditional Publishing
Traditional publishing is a very tricky route to navigate for anyone, no matter how old you are. Many authors who query and put in the work to secure an agent do find success, but this method is intimidating and sometimes it boils down to luck, timing, or who you know. You also need to have a great book that is highly marketable and in alignment with current industry trends. Again, timing is a big deal.
The largest obstacle with traditional publishing is getting your foot in the door. It’s highly competitive and nuanced, but once you do get your foot in the door, you have access to incredible support, marketing assistance, advances, and lots of other benefits.
If you’re willing to sacrifice certain creative freedoms (like your cover or some story elements), traditional publishing is a highly reliable publishing method and your publisher will usually take care of you very well.
The issue is, it’s not very common for traditional publishers to take on teen authors. Not unheard of, but uncommon. My personal advice for teens looking to start their writing career is to explore alternative publishing methods instead, if you want to get your book published sooner rather than later.
4. Wattpad
Okay, hear me out—Wattpad can be an incredible tool for young authors to develop their writing skills, connect with other creators, and get their work out there.
I’ve been writing stories my whole life, but I can truthfully say my writing “career” began on Wattpad. I started out writing Miraculous Ladybug fanfiction when I was about 12 years old (yes, I was one of those kids, and I will never tell you what it was called), which ended up getting a lot more traction than I expected. I also had a few “books” in the works that I never completed.
I will probably write a separate post about this topic sometime in the future but writing on platforms like Wattpad is actually very good for you, I believe. It’s a way for you to “let loose” in a sense and write whatever you want without restraints. You’re also getting your work in front of an audience and learning what readers do and don’t like, since readers can comment and interact with your stuff.
In addition to the valuable learning lessons you get from publishing on Wattpad, you can also use this platform to generate a loyal fanbase for your work, especially if you’re active on social media as well. It’s a great tool for building an audience if you ever decide to self-publish what you initially put on Wattpad down the line.
Plus, some Wattpad books do get traditionally published! Wattpad has their own publishing imprint and I’ve seen lots of their books in stores.
There really is no harm in trying this one. Plus you don’t have to upfront any costs.
Find More Writing and Publishing Tips
In today’s digital age, it has never been easier for authors of all ages to publish their work. From self publishing to indie publishing and more, the possibilities are endless.
Whether you’re a young author starting your writing career or a seasoned novelist looking for some inspiration, you’re in the right place. I’ve got lots of blog posts with tips, tricks, and thoughts, so feel free to check out some of my other articles!
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Happy writing!