How I Built a Sustainable Author Brand with One Course

Building a sustainable author brand has been a dream of mine for five years.

Hitting 5,000 followers on Instagram feels surreal. It wasn’t overnight—and it definitely wasn’t easy. But here we are. 5,000 writers, dreamers, and creatives gathered in one place.

I’ve been reflecting on how it all came together—what worked, what I learned, and what actually moved the needle. Yes, I created consistently. Yes, I refined my brand. But one of the most pivotal shifts in my growth came from a course I took that changed everything:

Publish and Thrive by Sarra Cannon.

A Little About Sarra Cannon

Sarra Cannon is the bestselling author of 30 novels, including the popular Shadow Demons Saga. She began her self-publishing career in 2010 and has sold over one million books and made over one million dollars in profit with her writing.

Heart Breathings is Sarra’s passion project. Started as a way to give back to the author community, Sarra’s hope is to be a voice of encouragement as she gives practical advice for managing your writing career.

Why This Course Changed Everything

Promotional graphic for the Publish and Thrive course by Sarra Cannon. Includes images of bookshelves with self-published novels, a laptop workspace, and Sarra working at her computer. Text reads “Learn everything you need to become a successful indie author.

I stumbled across Publish and Thrive at a moment when I knew I wanted more. I wasn’t just trying to grow—I was trying to build. Build something sustainable and true. Create something that would let me show up authentically and confidently as an author and editor.

This course didn’t just give me tools—it gave me clarity. It helped me reshape how I thought about my business and taught me how to lead with intention.

Here’s what it helped me do:

Build a business foundation that fits a creative life
Get clear on my goals, my people, and my purpose
Learn how to market without burning out
Create long-term strategy beyond the next post or product

Whether you’re publishing your first book or building a full author brand like I did, this course genuinely teaches you how to thrive—not just publish.

What You’ll Get in Publish and Thrive

This isn’t a course that just hands you surface-level advice. It’s deep. It’s comprehensive. And best of all? You get lifetime access—including future updates.

Here’s what’s included:

6 weeks of video lessons with actionable business strategies
A private community of indie authors and creatives
Mindset work and marketing wisdom
Real-life examples of how to grow with integrity and purpose

Collage promoting the Publish and Thrive course by Sarra Cannon. Includes Sarra smiling at a microphone, stacks of self-published books, colorful planning boards, and an iPad showing her novel. Text overlay reads “Enrollment is open.

And right now—enrollment is OPEN. (It only happens twice a year, so if this is something you’ve been thinking about, now’s the time.)

You can sign up through my affiliate link here.

Enrollment closes on Friday, August 2nd at 1pm Eastern.

My Honest Recommendation

Yes, I’m an affiliate for the course—meaning I may earn a small commission if you choose to join using my link (at no extra cost to you). But I only ever share what I believe in.

And this course? It’s one of the reasons I’m standing here, celebrating 5k and still growing.
>It gave me a roadmap.
>It gave me confidence.
>It helped me step into the version of myself who could lead a creative business with clarity.

If building an author business is part of your dream, Publish and Thrive is a beautiful, intentional place to start.
And if you have questions? Comment below. I’m happy to share more about my experience!