My Journey as a Writer

As I've stated before I'm an indie author, but I originally didn't start out that way. My first book Going Home Again was traditionally published, and today I’ll be talking about my journey to get published.

After graduating from college in the winter of 2008 I began writing Going Home Again and by June 09 it was finished. Then came the query process, which was a hassle because each publisher had different guidelines. Some wanted the entire manuscript, while other only asked for the first three chapters. And most of them had a specific format for the manuscript, for example one publisher wanted the font to be 14 pt and in Arial along with double spacing. So at times I had to tweak the manuscript to fit their preferences.

I researched and emailed numerous companies only to receive rejections, however in October my luck turned around when I was offered a contract with Romance Divine. Now, I admit I was a bit naïve when it came to the publishing process. I thought it’d be like it was in the movies: get a book deal and the publisher does all the promotion. Boy was I wrong.

The manuscript needed some tuning and with the help and patience of my editor Gregory Causey, I spent the next three months revising the book.  We went through the editing process at least three times, but in the end it was worth it.

After a year a hard work and dedication, Going Home Again was released in February 2010. As an author there’s no greater feeling than seeing your book come to life. However, I didn’t have much time to bask in the happiness because I had to promote my work. In the beginning, I slacked off a bit, but over the years I’ve improved my promotional skills and racked up plenty of reviews, interviews, and guest blogs.

Even though I love being an indie author, I'm thankful I began my career with a traditional publisher. It opened my eyes to the business and how hard it is for writers. I also learned about the importance of editing and promotion, something I keep in mind as I move forward on my journey as a writer.

The Importance of Author Interviews

As a writer, promotion is an important part of your career. Promotion gains exposure for your books and garner sales. There are many types of promotion including: book reviews, social media, guest posts, and my personal favorite interviews. All these methods play a major role in book promotion, but today I’ll be discussing the importance of interviews and how they help authors.

Describe your book. Sure social media is a great way to promote our books, but we don't really have a chance to thoroughly discuss our work. With social networking all we have to do is write a catchy sentence and post a purchase link. In an interview, you can discuss your book as much as you want. Talk about the plot, the characters, inspiration, and what sets your book apart from the rest in the genre. This is your time to engage readers and get them invested in your book.

Share your publishing journey. Readers love hearing an author's story of how they worked hard to get their book released. Whether traditional or indie, writers have a tough time in the publishing world and face many challenges.  Traditional authors talk about searching for an agent or publisher, sending out queries, and rejection letters. Indie authors talk about why you chose self-publishing and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of going indie. Not only will you give readers a glimpse into the publishing world, but you’ll also provide helpful tips for new writers.

Give readers a glimpse into your life. Fans are always curious about the lives of their favorite celebrities; including authors. Some people are shy and don’t like to discuss their private life, that’s okay, feel free to share as much or as little as you want. Just cover the basics such as your home town, if you attended college, and your family. I come from a crazy family and I don't mind talking about them in interviews. 

Show your personality. We all have an uninhibited side to use that people may not know about. For example my favorite show is Duck Dynasty, I love to read books about UFOs, and I have a tattoo. Judging by my picture, you never would have guessed that about me, but that's the kind of person I am. Interviews offer questions about a person's hobbies or their favorite things, so don't be afraid to cut loose and show your fun side.

 

2013 Goals

Well, the New Year has begun and like many people I made a list of resolutions. In the past, I had a bad habit of breaking my resolutions, but then again who hasn't. In recent years, I've been pretty good about keeping my promises and this year I have another list of things to accomplish. Without further ado, here are my resolutions for 2013

Release 3 of my books this year

I'm in the process of editing and on the verge of publishing volume 4 of Westmore (look for it around February or March). Plus, I've gotten a head start on volume 5, which I would also love to publish in 2013 and I'm working on a paranormal romance novel. Without any distractions I think I can complete my goal.

Concentrate more on promotion

In the past, I've been lazy with book promotion and it didn't go so well. Last year I began doing more promotion, garnered a couple of reviews and interviews, and my book sales increased . This year I'm going to focus more on book promotion and hope the sales continue to grow.

Get organized

My house is filled with clutter and every year I say I'm going to clean up, but between work and writing I haven't had much time. This year I'm finally going to achieve this goal and declutter my home.

Wish me luck as I set out on completing my goals.