Yatta Rose, a highly successful author and publisher from Chicago, boasts a diverse writing portfolio spanning urban fiction, Christian fiction, and women's fiction. Her writing journey began at age 8, and her debut novel catapulted her into the literary limelight. She’s a beloved figure worldwide known for crafting compelling plots and resonant characters.
Beyond writing, Yatta Rose established a publishing company to support new talent, serving as a mentor. She left an indelible mark with over 7+ published titles in various genres. She also conducts workshops and webinars to help aspiring authors navigate publishing.
Yatta Rose's impact extends beyond her books. She's renowned for empowering others and is a guiding light in the literary community. Her storytelling, whether in urban landscapes, faith exploration, or womanhood, continues to inspire. From a young girl with a dream to a bestselling author and influential publisher, her journey encourages aspiring writers to share.
How long have you been writing? I’ve been writing since I was around eight years old. After going viral for the short story challenges, I started writing professionally at nineteen years old.
Did you ever imagine that you would be published one day? No, I never imagined being a published author because that wasn’t my dream originally. I knew it was something I wanted to do when I wrote my first stage play. I never thought in a million years this would be the career for me.
What made you want to become an author? I became an author because I knew I wanted to help people. My primary career is Social Work, which I’m still in school for. But when I started writing for fun on social media, I realized how much I impacted people. Folks would message me and tell me how they enjoyed my art and how it helped them through certain situations they were facing in life. In those moments, my heart sparked to take this journey and make it real.
How long have you been published? I’ve been published for about seven years now. The experience has been one heck of a journey.
How does it feel to be published? When it comes to being published, it feels incredible. I meet many new people daily who read my work or are authors themselves. Publishing my first book had me shaking in my boots, but after seeing the reviews, support, and even the ugly, I knew I wanted to take this on as a full-time career.
Are you self-published, or did you go through a publishing company? Why? I WAS NOT PUBLISHED when I first began my journey as a writer. Once I began to gain exposure for participating in the Short Story Challenge on social media, I became more seen and acknowledged by big-name publishers in the game. One of my pen sisters, Diamond Stanford, introduced me to a smaller company that was popping up. I spoke with the publishers, and they put me on board. I was around nineteen or twenty when I signed with the publishing house.
After some time with them, they had me branch off under them with a sub publishing company. I was given my own company, which goes by Yatta Rose Presents. Later, I decided to branch off as an independent company and go on my own journey. From there, I began to become an independent author with my company.
I chose to get a publisher the first time around because I needed mentorship. A lot was happening at that time in the industry, and I needed someone to help shape and mold me into the author I knew I could be. I needed help with book covers and editing. So, I took that route and learned everything I needed about writing, publishing, and how the industry works.
When I decided to go independent, it was because I wanted to finally soar, and other things that transpired. It was a scary choice, but I made it with faith in myself and God. If I could do it published, hitting #1 on the Charts in three categories, both books soared, and I had never seen anything under $200 at that time, I knew I could do it independently because my fanbase was already there, but it got bigger. There were mentors all around me who had decided to take this young girl from Chicago and help her be a beast in this writing game. They would be there if I failed to help pick me back up. So, I went solo and built myself all over again from the ground up, but on my own, using the knowledge I obtained from former publishers and writer friends.
How many books have you written? If we include collabs, ghostwrites, and mine, I’ve written roughly ten books.
What is/are the name of your book(s)?
The Real Mistress of Atlanta
Married to a Chicago Hitta
What genre is it/are they in?
What do you feel will inspire others never to forget when they read your story(ies)? I like to write books that are super relatable to everyday life. I want everyone to feel like they are a part of the story. People remember that because it reminds them of a situation they have heard of, been through, or know of. I like to bring twisted endings in these books that can end good or bad. People remember these stories because they always inbox me, telling me how they can relate or how my stories have helped them through things.
What's the hardest part about writing a book? The hardest part about writing is when you have so many stories brewing and don’t know where to start. I often write, and another character from another book talks heavily and wants story time. I have difficulty staying on one book when all my characters want to have their time.
What's the easiest part about writing a book? The easiest part about writing a book is the storyline. When it comes to creating a storyline, it’s super easy for me. I can look at a picture and be inspired from there. It’s so weird, but I have many stories waiting to be completed right now because I have an easy time generating storylines.
What do you enjoy most about being an author? I get to meet new people from around the world from many different backgrounds. To see people from other countries reading my work is so cool. I enjoy making people laugh and engaging them with what I discuss between pages. I always loved entertaining people in the most creative ways.
What do you enjoy least about being an author? I don’t necessarily have anything I least enjoy. I will say I dislike that some reviews are not based on the fact a person read a book, but on personal issues. Also, when we gift books to our readers, they don’t collect the book. Or when they read the book and don’t review it. It sucks sometimes because those reviews genuinely matter to us. READERS YOUR REVIEWS MATTER!
What is your favorite genre to read? Is it different than the one that you write in? I love to read Urban fiction and thrillers because they’re everything. Urban Fiction has been my favorite genre for a long time. I love drama books because they’re loaded with things that keep you hooked. I write books in the Urban Fiction genre and add drama to the mix. I’m working on writing thrillers and suspense stories. I’ve read enough to know how to master it… I think.
Where can interested readers purchase their copy of your book(s)? Readers can purchase my books on my website.
Do you have any future projects in the works? Is there a tentative release date? I released my book, “The First Ladies Club,” in August. I’m working on a series that will be released by December. Also, my authors are dropping by the end of the year. So, stay tuned by subscribing to my website.
Do you have any social media sites that you would like to share with my readers? Yes, readers follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Also, you can follow me on TikTok. Again, you can subscribe to my mailing list to stay updated about everything coming from Yatta Rose Presents.
