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Writer's pictureA'Dreana Anderson

The Birth of Joyfully Unbound Publishing

Updated: Mar 25, 2024

When I finally finished my first novel, Firsthand, I had a fear of self-publishing. Not because I feared the work or doing things on my own, I feared it because I felt I wouldn't be as successful if I did everything on my own instead of traditional publishing. So, I sent out query letters to over fifty literary agents. After many months, I found myself drowning in a sea of decline emails—18 and counting, not to mention the radio silence from others.


Was it because of poor writing? Was it because my topic was too controversial? Or was it something else? Whatever the case, I decided to take matters into my own hands; I decided it was time to self-publish!



The Birth of Joyfully Unbound Publishing:

Like anyone looking for quick "How to" answers, I rushed over to handy-dandy Google and discovered imprints—you know, those publisher logos on the spines of books? One advice when coming up with an imprint was to consider the genre you write. Many authors have only a single genre they pursued. Of course, there's nothing wrong with that, but I had several story ideas that expanded beyond just one.


That's when it dawned on me; as a (future) self-publisher, I am basically my own publishing company! Which meant I could do anything I wanted, come up with any name that I wanted. So, I did just that. I decided to create an imprint that represented the following:

"I want to write books I want to write. Books that bring me joy and are fun to create. Books that are unconventional and explore stories that may be a bit controversial. And I want to write in any genre I feel like, never limiting myself to just one."

Thus, "Joyfully Unbound Publishing" came into existence.


The Slogan:

At the heart of Joyfully Unbound Publishing lies a manifesto – embrace narrative freedom. I did consider other slogans; "boundless creativity," "limitless storytelling," and even "unchained narratives." But I chose "embrace narrative freedom" because that felt like it encompassed the "boundless" feel I was going for. It showed a commitment to embracing creativity in all its forms, reveling in the joy of storytelling, and fearlessly exploring uncharted literary waters. No genre is off-limits, no idea too unconventional. It's a celebration of the boundless possibilities that writing offers.


A Simple Step into the Unknown:

Creating Joyfully Unbound Publishing was a simple step, but the potential it has is beyond what I could ever imagine. It's scary really, but also exhilarating. Will this be a flop, or will this be something that opens doors for others down the road? I'm not sure. All I know is that I want this imprint to represent more than just a name; I want to embrace narrative freedom and defy traditional boundaries. I never want to be afraid to say what I want to say.


In the publishing world, every imprint has a unique story. Joyfully Unbound Publishing is my story and even a challenge to myself to be boundless and find joy in creating. It's a challenge to write for me first and not to be afraid to explore every angle of storytelling just because someone else might not approve. This journey of self-publishing has already been a rollercoaster with unpredictable challenges, but also triumphs. Hopefully my journey allows me to grow not only as a person, but as a writer and entrepreneur.


Limitless potential awaits with Joyfully Unbound Publishing. The destination is unknown, but one thing is certain – this journey will be filled with joy, creativity, and the boundless exploration of stories waiting to be told.

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