An author who wasn't afraid to say, "publish your book," holding it over his head and showing it to the world.
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Stop waiting for validation and publish your book

ByTC Marti

Stop waiting for agents or contests to bless you. Publish your book on your own terms and let readers, not gatekeepers, decide your worth.

So many gatekeepers have fed writers the same lies. To paraphrase:

  • “You need an agent to prove you’re good enough.”
  • “Win a contest win to be taken seriously.”
  • “A publishing deal before you can call yourself an author.”

All of it? Absolute crap. Just like when some claim the “weird book” would never succeed.

The truth is, if you’re waiting for validation from the “gatekeepers,” you’ll be waiting forever if you insist on taking an unorthodox approach.

The gatekeeper myth

The publishing establishment wants you to believe they’re the guardians of quality. That if your book doesn’t pass through their sacred hands, it isn’t worthy of anyone reading it. Happens a lot when you’re writing your first book.

But let’s be honest: Agents don’t curate art. These people are sales reps with PR in mind. Editors are your middle managers, and contests don’t measure talent, so don’t fall for them. They’re pay-to-play lotteries with a prestige sticker that a lot of readers don’t care about.

None of those things make your book more valid. They just make someone else money while you get bragging rights that may or may not lead to sales.

Indie is entrepreneurship

Publishing a book independently isn’t “vanity” or the “consolation prize,” especially if it’s your intention. It’s entrepreneurship, something they don’t teach enough in public schools. It’s you saying:

  • I don’t need permission.

  • Nor do I need middlemen.

  • And I definitely don’t need anyone to stamp “approved” on my work.

You create, publish, and market. Plus, you own the creative rights, the risk, and the reward. That’s called power, not consolation or second-rate.

And in a world where readers can buy directly from you in one click, like my Payhip store, why the hell would you hand over control to a gatekeeper who might not even understand your vision?

Validation comes from readers, not gatekeepers

The only validation that matters is this:

  • Did someone buy your book?

  • If so, did they read it?

  • And did they connect with it enough to come back for more?

That’s the only vote that counts. Not an agent’s inbox, a judge’s ribbon, some faceless committee deciding what’s “marketable,” or some smug, low-status prick on Reddit who claims they only read traditionally published books.

Your target readers decide. Always.

My Own Path: Refusing to wait

When I published Wind Wielder and started building my series, I didn’t wait for a contest win or a nod from some agent who’s probably drowning in queries.

I published, learned, iterated, and built my catalog and my brand on my terms. Oh, and I got a good review from Many Books, which was also cool.

And guess what? That validation people said I needed? I got it from actual readers. Not gatekeepers.

Stop asking permission to list

If you’re still waiting for validation from the system, ask yourself: What am I really waiting for?

  • To be told you’re allowed to be an author?

  • Get a “yes” that may never come?

  • Spend years begging for a seat at a table that doesn’t even want you there?

Forget that shit. Build your own table, invite your readers, and carve your lane.

Be your own gatekeeper

Stop begging for approval, waiting for permission, and treating middlemen like they’re gods.

Your worth as an author doesn’t come from an agent, an editor, or a contest. It comes from the courage to publish and the readers who connect with what you created.

So stop waiting for validation and be your own gatekeeper. Own the process, your work, and the results.

Because if you’re waiting for someone else to crown you an author, you’ll never wear the crown at all.

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