Building An Author Profile As A Business with Saara Milliken

There’s more to being a successful author than just writing a book. Once the words have created the story and the pages have been printed, next comes the tricky part of the indie writer journey - selling your work of art. For self-published author Saara Milliken - the Western Australian writer behind poetry collection A Flower State of Mind - selling her book hasn’t just been about putting up a purchase link on her website. It’s about building up her profile as an indie author like she would a small business.

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We at FolioFox know how hard the process of publishing an indie book can be. We picked Saara’s brain to find out all of her tips and tricks and behind-the-scenes business wisdom so as to make the process for you a little less daunting. From curating an Instagram author profile to getting professional photos taken of the final book, Saara takes us through all the ins and outs of crafting an indie profile like a small business and how this approach can help self-published authors find success in their work. Dive into our interview below to see what Saara says!

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Q&A with Saara Milliken, Author of A Flower State of Mind

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Hi Saara! Tell us a bit about you and the writing you do.

Hello! I’m an author/writer based in Denmark, Western Australia. I live in the forest with my husband, daughter and two dogs. I love to garden, cook and write (as you are probably aware). 

I’m not sure how to describe my own writing. The topics vary, but I will say that I feel it is very much kept grounded by my deep connection with nature. This is a common theme that I weave through most of my writing pieces – sometimes unintentionally. My debut poetry book, A Flower State of Mind, is the best showcase of this work and the bond that I feel I have with nature.

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Do you think of your work as an indie author in terms of being like a small business?

Absolutely. Prior to my debut book, I have been running my business Forest Musings since 2023. As part of this business I sell printed A4 and A5 poems, tees, baby cards and birthday cards. We had our first market stall in December 2025. The profits I have made from these products helped me afford the print production of my book. Creating a ‘business’ for my writing has given me structure as a creative, and helps me keep on track with the tasks that are most important to helping me succeed. Having had the business since 2023 has actually helped shape my debut as an author. 

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You have a beautifully curated Instagram profile and website. At what point in your writing journey did you decide to use these internet tools as a means of establishing a profile? 

Thank you. Since launching Forest Musings in 2023, this is when my Instagram (@forestmusingspoetry) and website (forestmusings.com) was also created. Of course, both platforms look very different now to what they did when I first created them. 

I have a background in Marketing and Public Relations, so it was always a no-brainer to me to create a social media account, but to also have a website where I can ‘own’ all of my content. 

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What are the benefits of maintaining social media and website profiles in helping promote your writing?

I think creatives, artists and writers should choose a select amount of platforms they feel they can manage, without adding any unnecessary pressure on themselves to maintain it to a high standard. It’s only when platforms serve as an avenue for audiences to find your work that it actually helps. If you (as a creative) are finding yourself online comparing yourself to what you see, it’s just not worth it. But, in saying that, there are many benefits: you get to talk and promote your work, build a community around you, create collaborations with other creatives, and help drive traffic to your art.

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Across your website and Instagram are wonderful professional pictures of you and your book. How have these photos been an important step in promoting your work?

Thank you. On my website and Instagram are collections of photos taken by incredibly talented photographers, or self-shot by me on my iphone with a tripod haha! High resolution content/photos are so important in showcasing my work. Especially those taken by others: because they add their own creative flair and magic to my art. 

As a small business, I have a budget for photography/videography, which I have to stick to. So I’m upfront about what I can afford when reaching out to photographers. This makes conversations around photography/videography work less ‘sticky’. 

It’s always best to work with creatives whose work you’ve seen and that you like. That way you’re most likely going to land with a stack of content that you love!
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How much of your book promotion has been outsourced, and how much have you done yourself?

I haven’t outsourced any of the book promotion. That’s mainly because of the budget, and also because I’ve actually been enjoying marketing my own work. When you have spent 10 years marketing for others, it’s a real treat to talk about your own business! 

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Are there other means besides your website and Instagram in which you promote your writing? 

Yes. I’ve been on our local radio station, in our local newspaper and published in SLOW Journal. There’s a few other print publications coming up. I’ve also been working really hard on collaborating with other local and Australia-based businesses. In-person conversations with people (when it comes up organically) helps too. Not a lot of people have had a conversation with an author in person!

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Which format of promotion has been your most successful? 

My Instagram community has truly blown me away with their support. My community is (mostly) made up of locals and Australia-based friends. I think that’s been the most successful because I show up consistently, and try to be as authentic as possible (as anyone can be through a digital screen).

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How important is it to curate a social media presence that reflects your writing style and published work?

I think it’s important to create a social media presence that is REAL. One that hits as close to the mark as possible, of what you are like in real life. It’s easy enough for me to post an excerpt or a quote of my writing – what takes work is when I show up with a picture or video of myself, I really want it to feel like it’s ‘me’ and not something generated. That way if anyone ever has a conversation with me in the street, they feel it’s the same (if not a better) experience. 

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Do you have any tips or resources that you could recommend to emerging authors who are in the process of establishing an indie author profile?

• Try to be as consistent as possible, on whatever platform you choose. 
• Avoid comparing your social media and writing to other creatives and authors (unfollow people who don’t INSPIRE you).
• Ask for help when you need it. I didn’t know everything about publishing or printing a book (my local writer’s group helped answer questions about publishing and FolioFox helped me with the printing).
• You’re doing a BRAVE thing by sharing your art: if it feels nerve-wracking, good - this is where courage is born. 
• Keep an eye on analytics, they’ll help save you time and energy. Eg. If your instagram reels aren’t driving engagement but your carousels are, that’s where you should be spending the most effort.
• Don’t be afraid to try new (or old) ways of marketing. I loved chatting to a real-life human for my radio interview. I have no idea if it helped sell any of my books, but this process is about enjoyment, not just making sales!

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A huge thank you to Saara for kindly answering our questions for this Q&A. If you’re keen to get your hands on Saara’s debut poetry book A Flower State of Mind, you can treat yourself to a copy on Saara’s website.

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