# Publish & Thrive (Heart Breathings)

> Sarra Cannon's intensive six-week self-publishing course for fiction authors covering the complete indie publishing workflow, from preparing your manuscript to marketing your book and building a sustainable author career.

Source: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/courses/publish-and-thrive
Website: https://heartbreathings.teachable.com
Category: Courses & Education (https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/courses)
Pricing: paid — $199–$399/one-time
AI-powered: no
Tags: self-publishing, fiction, amazon, marketing, cohort, lifetime-access, wide-distribution
Last verified: 2026-06-18
Best For: Romance and genre fiction authors who want cohort accountability and community alongside structured weekly modules rather than a self-paced video course
Commitment: cohort
Course Focus: publishing-business
Format: Video Course, Community
Instructor: Sarra Cannon
Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate
Topics: Self-Publishing, Book Launch, Amazon KDP, Book Marketing, Wide Distribution, Author Career

Publish & Thrive is Sarra Cannon's signature self-publishing course, developed over multiple years and cohorts of students, covering the complete indie publishing journey for fiction authors. Cannon is a self-published author with over half a million books sold who built her business entirely through indie publishing — giving the course a grounded, practitioner perspective rather than a theoretical one.

The course is cohort-based, opening twice per year (typically February and August), with each enrollment providing lifetime access to the full curriculum plus access to all future updates at no additional charge. Cannon has consistently expanded and refreshed the course since its launch, and previous students have received all updates for free.

**Six-module curriculum overview:**
- **Getting Started:** Welcome and schedule, an "Ideal Writing Life" pre-course assignment, the private Facebook group, a members-only podcast feed of the lessons, and a LIVE kickoff call
- **Module One — Foundation for Success:** Indie author mindset, how the retailer algorithms work, publishing strategy, genre, cover art, series vs. standalones, editing, titles, book descriptions, wide vs. exclusive distribution, and pen names
- **Module Two — Publishing Your Books:** Metadata, keywords and categories, ISBNs/ASINs, formatting, and step-by-step publishing across KDP, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble Press, Google Play, Kobo Writing Life, aggregators, IngramSpark, audiobooks, serialized fiction, libraries, and direct sales
- **Module Three — The Business of Writing:** Business structuring, taxes, bank accounts, budgeting, sales tracking, sell-through and ROI calculations, copyright protection, estate planning, and insurance
- **Module Four — Intro to Indie Marketing:** Author platform, tropes and branding, websites, newsletters, social media, launches, preorders, pricing, promo sites, advertising, rapid release, and comp titles
- **Module Five — Marketing Tools & Strategies:** Ideal-reader identification, reader funnels, author pages, reviews, influencer marketing, marketing graphics, cross-promotion, giveaways, box sets, Kickstarter, Patreon, and series relaunches
- **Module Six — Thriving as an Author:** Time management, motivation, feedback, goal-setting, avoiding comparison and burnout, professionalism, and building a personalized roadmap

**Best for:** Fiction authors who want a cohort-learning experience with structured weekly modules and community accountability, rather than a fully self-paced course they may abandon. Particularly strong for romance, fantasy, and genre fiction authors who will benefit from Cannon's genre-specific examples.

**Live support:** Each cohort includes a two-hour LIVE Q&A session every week (all recorded), and alumni retain access to future Q&As. Enrollment also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

**Community:** Students join a private Facebook group where Cannon and fellow students are active, plus mastermind-group matching. The community is frequently cited as one of the most valuable parts of the course.

**Note on enrollment:** Because the course opens only twice yearly, check heartbreathings.com to join the waiting list if enrollment is currently closed.