Adventures in Independent Publishing

Tanner Walling ’24 became an author almost by accident. It all started when he was in the seventh grade. One day, the Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, resident could not find his friends in the school cafeteria, so he decided to eat lunch with some classmates he did not know too well. During the meal, the students asked Walling what he liked to do for fun. Hoping to make himself seem interesting, he told them that he wrote books.

“They all thought that was so cool,” Walling said. “I didn’t want to seem like a hypocrite or a liar, so I figured I should actually commit to writing something.”

Since that fateful moment, the recent Stonehill graduate has independently published four novels as part of his thriller series Fury of the Storm Adventures. Geared toward middle-grade and young adult readers, the quadrilogy follows fourteen-year-old programming savant Isaac Tohver, who is pushed to his limits as he works to survive a series of natural disasters. The most recent and final book in the series, Lost Horizons, was released in October 2023.

“I’ve tried to gear these books toward reluctant readers,” Walling said. “I want to help engage them by offering them action-packed stories that will get them excited about literature.”

Walling, who double-majored in communication and history at Stonehill, admits that he had to navigate a steep learn curve when he was working to publish his first book. 

“I didn’t have any connections in the industry, so I had to teach myself how to do all of this by seeking out resources online,” he said. “With each passing year, I’ve become more and more familiar with the system. There was a four-year gap between the publication of my first and second books. I spent that time honing my skills in things like editing and marketing.”

Despite being self-taught, Walling’s journey into the world of independent publishing has not been completely solitary. 

“I’ve enjoyed being able to bounce ideas off Professor James Wadsworth, who has written several books,” he noted. “The faculty from the Department of Communication have also been a great sounding board when it comes to discussing the creative aspects of publishing, as well as the business side of things.”

As part of the capstone project for his communication degree, Walling has paid forward the lessons he has learned by hosting independent publishing workshops for aspiring authors at the College’s MacPháidín Library and the Ames Free Library in Easton, among other locations. 

“During these events, I talk a lot about the democratizing impact of independent publishing,” he said. “You don’t have gatekeepers trying to fit your book into a formula or choosing not to publish your work because it doesn’t fit a certain trend. Independent publishing is important because it gives us access to stories that otherwise might not be seen.” 

When people interested in publishing their work independently approach Walling, he regularly advises them to approach things one step at a time.

“If you just focus on what’s right in front of you, things feel more manageable and you’ll be empowered to get tasks done,” he said. “By putting one foot in front of the other, you’ll eventually reach your destination.” 

As for Walling’s own next steps, he is currently working on his next two novels. One is a semiautobiographical story inspired by his grandfather’s battle with Parkinson’s disease. The other is a science fiction book that explores topics like the convergence of worker disenfranchisement and the rise of artificial intelligence.

Walling was also recently admitted to the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, where he will pursue a graduate degree in communication. 

“I’m a very purpose-driven person and I want to use my graduate degree and my experiences as an author to make a positive impact on the world,” he said.