After surveying 500+ authors about how they spend their time, we asked authors to tell us more about their day-to-day — starting with a six-figure indie author and now romantasy author Megan Van Dyke. Megan shares how she structures her (rarely typical) weeks as a mom, the most important ways she’s using her marketing budget, and the lessons she wishes she’d learned sooner.
1. Tell us about your author journey so far.
I’ve loved romantasy since long before it was officially “a thing.” Until a few years ago, it was a struggle to find books that ticked both the fantasy and romance boxes, and that’s part of what started my writing journey. I’d always had ideas and dabbled at writing a book, but it wasn’t until around 2017 or 2018 that I finally decided to take it seriously. There is a moment in particular I will always remember. I was reading a great book by a favorite author, but I was disappointed. Not because it wasn’t good — it was — but because the story I craved was the one in my head. So, I put down that book, pulled out my laptop, and have been writing ever since.
I wrote and queried several books before my debut was published in 2022. When I started out, I held traditional publishing on a pedestal and felt like I needed that validation and external stamp of approval. So, when I got an offer from a small press to publish my debut and subsequent books, I took it. Unfortunately, that turned out to be a huge mistake (probably the worst I’ve made in my career) for multiple reasons. However, it did get things rolling and taught me many important lessons. It also empowered me to trust in myself and make better choices since then.
2. What does your publishing mix look like?
My mix has evolved a lot over time, sometimes by trial and error, and other times by connecting with my peers and seeing what’s worked for them (and what has not).
My debut was through a small press. I poured a ton of time and money into making that release a success, and it was — at least from a visibility perspective and building my readership from scratch. Financially, I took a huge loss. The small press took the vast majority of the royalties despite doing little work to support and promote the book, and I was determined to achieve a different outcome in the future.
So, I started self-publishing books that I was not already under contract for. This made a huge difference. Not only could I keep the royalties from sales, but I could also directly see which efforts did and did not impact the sales of my books.
From there, I’ve expanded slowly. I started selling signed books direct via Etsy in response to reader requests. Once I felt comfortable with that, I started doing a few in-person events and conferences. This year, I’ve been setting up my very first Kickstarter for a special edition of my bestselling duology. We’ll see how that goes, but I am optimistic.
Connecting with indie bookstores has also been a big focus of mine for 2026, and it’s exciting to see print sales beginning to make up a larger portion of my income.
3. Walk us through a typical week in your author business.
I wish I had a typical week. As a mom with little ones, two weeks are rarely the same. That said, I try to segment my work between writing and administrative or marketing things, and will generally spend any time I have in a given day focused on one or the other. Most weeks will have some of both; however, when I’m actively drafting a new book, I will spend the vast majority of my time focused on that.
I often take a break from drafting between acts or between books, and then spend some time focused solely on catching up on all the administrative and marketing-related tasks I ignored while in drafting mode.
4. What does a productive day look like for you?
I swear by to-do lists, both for writing and non-writing activities. Though for my books, the to-do list is more of a scene or chapter outline. Being able to complete items and check them off is very motivating for me. Being an indie author who does almost everything myself means that I can easily get pulled in many directions at once or lose track of things. My to-do lists help me stay on track and make sure I don’t forget important things.
5. What marketing strategies have been most effective for growing your audience and income? What have you tried that didn’t work?
I have tried a LOT of things. For better or worse, I’ve thrown a lot of spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. First and foremost, the best thing I do is write the next book. Having more books and series gives more opportunities for readers to find me.
The best thing I do is write the next book. Having more books and series gives more opportunities for readers to find me.
Aside from that, there are a few things that I think have worked really well:
- I started my newsletter list before my debut released and I have worked to consistently build it since. I use both warm and cold reader magnets to encourage my readers to subscribe. Warm magnets are targeted at my current readers and are typically epilogues, deleted scenes, or other book content they get for free by signing up. A cold reader magnet is a short story that anyone could pick up and (hopefully) enjoy, even if they are brand-new to my work.
- Periodic sales of the first books in my series always bring in new readers. When I run a sale, the two biggest things that drive results are BookBub Featured Deals and cross-promoting with other authors who write in the same subgenre.
- I also fairly consistently post on social media, and use that as my main way to communicate with readers between newsletters, since I only send those once or twice a month. I’ve settled on Instagram as my go-to platform right now since I enjoy making pretty graphics and sharing human-made art I’ve commissioned. It’s also where I have the most engaged followers.
Most things I have tried have worked somewhat, but some definitely have less return on investment than others. Ads are a place where I particularly struggle. I haven’t tried BookBub Ads, but on platforms I have tried, I haven’t seen enough improvement to feel like they’re very successful for me. The costs often outweigh, or equal, the increased revenue, and in general, it’s difficult to determine if a sale is the result of an ad or another marketing method.
Some of my marketing strategies have also changed over time. Early in my career, I felt like book tours were great for exposure and building momentum, but lately they have not done much for me. The same can be said about paid mailings outside of BookBub Featured Deals.
6. Where are you currently investing your marketing budget?
The best investment I make is character art from human artists. Even just one or two character portraits can be huge in getting reader attention, conveying the vibe and aesthetic of a story, and building a connection between readers and the characters before they ever get to the first page. I’ve never regretted spending money on art, and I absolutely credit that with helping grow my readership and spreading awareness of my books.
The best investment I make is character art from human artists. Even just one or two character portraits can be huge in getting reader attention.
Another important investment for me is spending time and money on improving the books themselves. I re-covered many of my books over the last year, and have seen a boost in sales, particularly print sales, as a result.
I also experimented with sprayed-edge editions of some of my books last year and they were well-received by my dedicated readers. That gave me the confidence to pursue Kickstarter this year and hopefully bring a stunning special edition to life with all the bells and whistles at a cost that’s reasonable.
I do still run ads periodically, and I regularly apply for BookBub Featured Deals and Amazon daily, weekly, or monthly deals, and tend to see a boost from those. BookBub Featured Deals have always been a success for me, particularly when it’s for book one in a series with subsequent books available. I will continue to apply for them and accept them any chance I get.
7. What tools would you struggle to live without?
Oh goodness, I use so many things. When it comes to writing, I draft and edit in Microsoft Word. Typically, I draft without any formatting and then self-edit and revise (before sending to my editor) in a formatted and properly spaced document, as that helps me see the words differently.
I often use Excel sheets to keep track of things administratively. I also use a Trello board for keeping track of to-do list items.
On the design front, I live in Canva and use it almost daily (although their new AI tools frustrate me, and I wish there was a way to turn all of that off). I also use Affinity for more complex designs.
8. What do you wish you’d known when you were just starting out?
Trust yourself. Bet on yourself.
My biggest regrets so far stemmed from my need for external validation or trusting others rather than following my gut.
That said, it’s so important to have a strong author community. I turn to my author friends all the time for advice, to commiserate with, to celebrate with, and run ideas by. So much of what I have learned has come from connecting with my peers, and those relationships are absolutely invaluable. I’m also so thankful to have my family in my corner, especially my husband, kids, and parents. They’re my biggest cheerleaders and make it possible for me to do what I love.
Trust yourself. Bet on yourself.
While surrounding yourself with support is essential, I will say to be wary of where you are looking for that support from. Tread very, very carefully with companies you partner with and get a lawyer to look over everything with a fine-tooth comb before you sign anything.
Also, even well-meaning advice can sometimes be wrong for you. What works for one author may not work for you and your books. So if something doesn’t feel right to you, trust that instinct, no matter how solid the source.
9. What’s the biggest challenge in your author business right now?
Finding time to write the next book and still do everything else I want and need to do to run my business is always a challenge. Though the more I do it, the better I get at finding ways to manage my time and balance my responsibilities.
The more ambiguous challenge is trying to look ahead at where the business is headed and adapt to that. Right now, a lot of my income is from Amazon, but are readers going to stick with Amazon or are they willing to branch out? How can I be where my readers are and still maintain a decent income?
Aside from retailers, I also think a lot about what could be the best way to find new readers in the months and years ahead. BookTok has had a huge influence on readers lately, but some of that seems to be waning. Will it pick back up? What will be the next influential platform?
AI also presents new and evolving challenges. For example, in an industry that is being inundated with AI content, how do I make sure those I partner with also value human-made creations as I do?
It’s a lot to think about for sure. Though I will say, I think quality books will always have value and resonate with readers, so above all, that’s where I try to keep my focus. Writing the next book, and doing it as authentically and with as much heart as I can. I have so many characters whose stories I want to tell, so I don’t think I’ll be slowing down anytime soon.
Megan Van Dyke is a fantasy romance author with a love for all things magical and romantic, especially fairytales and anything with a happily ever after. When not writing, Megan loves to spend time with her family, cook, play video games, and explore the great outdoors. Megan currently lives with her husband and two kids in Florida. Learn more at authormeganvandyke.com.
