Tips, Insights, Articles & Resources from New York Times & USA Today Bestseller Tanya Anne Crosby

I’ve been in this business nearly thirty years. I sold my first book in 1989 to Avon Books, and have had a blessed career in so many ways. In other ways, it’s been a struggle. But isn’t that the way life works? You don’t get the good without also getting your fair share of the bad. The good news is: Whether you’re a seasoned vet, like me, or a newcomer to the publishing landscape, it’s a whole new world, and there’s never been a better time to be you.

I really don’t believe there’s one true path. We are all in this together. If you’re a writer right now, your decisions will help shape our market and determine the sustainability of our industry. So, if you’re trying to decide whether to stay Indie or go Trad, it’s so important for you to ask yourself the tough questions and determine what you want out of this experience. I love the Indie life, and yes, I believe it empowers writers in ways we were not previously empowered, but I also consider my traditional publishing experience–the good and the bad–to be a source of my strength in this industry. All the editors I’ve had along the way, the friends I’ve made and kept, and the teaching moments I’ve been fortunate enough to encounter.

In this section of my website, I’d like to give back to the writing community by sharing my resources, insights and more. So be sure to bookmark (and please share!) this page!

Indie vs. Trad Publishing – Huh?

Aug 17, 2017 | For Writers, Writing Life | 4 Comments

What am I? people so often ask. Really, as a first-generation American, it's a question I've gotten too often. I’ll be honest: I generally find it annoying. My answer to people seeking to hear about my nationality, is this: I'm American. Even more salient a point: I'm...

What’s up with all the scam books?

Jul 12, 2017 | For Writers, General, Writing Life | 2 Comments

If you haven't spotted them yet, it's probably because you don't shop on Amazon, where KU seems to allow scammers to thrive. It's an unfortunate side-effect of Amazon's proprietary subscription service. But before I move on to how to spot these scammers and their...

Tanya Does Babelcube (Part 2)

Apr 5, 2017 | For Writers | 2 Comments

Still interested in foreign translations? Now, let’s rewind a bit, because up until now, we’ve assumed you already have a translator in mind. If you have no translator yet, and are searching for one, there are many ways to go about this. However, long before you get...

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More Rita Regurgitation

For obvious reasons, a number of people have asked me about the Ritas over the past few days, and, during one particular conversation, I answered very rudely that I didn’t give a rat’s butt about contests, and even less about the Ritas. But, then afterward, I...

What Makes You an Author?

The industry drama continues, of course, but part of the overall scandal has to do with "what constitutes an author." For me, that has a very straightforward answer. But before I get to that, let me tell you guys a quick story......

In the Beginning…

At my first book signing... I often cringe when I’m asked about my first sale, because it was just too easy, and the telling of the story only adds to my worst fears that, somehow, I must be a fraud. Why? Because, unlike so many of my fellow authors, who endured...

Indie vs. Trad Publishing – Huh?

What’s up with all the scam books?

Tanya Does Babelcube (Part 2)

Foreign Translations (Part 1)

Once upon a time I was terrified of foreign editions. I mean, why wouldn’t I be? Even my agent had a tough time selling these, so what made me think I could tackle them on my own? In fact, even while at the Big-5, translated books would literally fall onto my lap...

Staying Healthy, Wealthy and Relevant

In the usual fashion for me, when I find myself faced with the notion that “I must do something or else,” nine times out of ten, I am compelled to dig in my heels and say, “uh uh.” This is where I found myself about six months ago, faced with an emerging paradigm...

Indie or Trad?

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Having come from a traditional publishing background, I have been asked so many times whether I consider myself Indie or Hybrid. I don’t choose labels, because it necessarily creates a “we vs. them” atmosphere that none of us needs. Currently, I publish through my own imprint, and I also feel overwhelmingly grateful for the publishing experience I have with my current publisher at The Story plant.