Are You A Published Author? Then I Have A Question For You.

When Ronovan initially started Lit World Interviews, his idea was that it would be a place where authors could promote themselves as well as their work.  It’s also a place where authors come to seek help and advice from others.  Of course there’s the book reviews as well.

I don’t know about you, but I often find that my pride gets in the way when I want to ask for some help.  That’s where blogs like this can really help because I don’t feel as afraid to ask for advice especially as many of the readers here are published authors.  I am sure that all of them will have been in a similar situation to  where I find myself today.

As yet I have never published a book.  However, I now find myself  at the beginning of a road whose signpost says ‘Published Authors.’ The road ahead not only looks very scary but very uninviting as well. I’ve been told it’s full of pitfalls and that if I do get to the end of it, then not to expect to find the roads paved with gold.   We all fear going into the unknown and many of us will turn away and never go down that road especially if we don’t ask for advice.

The question I want to ask may be one that some readers here today will probably want to ask and I am sure is one that most published authors would have asked at some stage.  I’m sure it will generate lots of different answers and where better to store all those answers than here on Lit World Interviews.  So here’s that question I want to ask you all.

What is the one piece of advice you would give to anyone who is at the beginning of that road, looking up at that sign-post and thinking about publishing a book?

 

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Author: Hugh W. Roberts

My name is Hugh. I live in the city of Swansea, South Wales, in the United Kingdom. My blog covers a wide range of subjects, the most popular of which are my blogging tips posts. If you have any questions about blogging or anything else, please contact me by clicking on the 'Contact Hugh' button on the menu bar of my blog. Click on the 'Meet Hugh' button on the menu bar of my blog to learn more about me and my blog.

106 thoughts on “Are You A Published Author? Then I Have A Question For You.”

  3. So many things to say and I’m not sure how much of it would count as significant.

    Follow your gut when it comes to writing and promoting. If something doesn’t feel ‘right’ then don’t do it until you’re more comfortable. The odd thing about being an author is that each one will find a different path to success. You might run parallel to another author, but there’s always something that works for you that won’t work for the other and vice versa. Maybe it’s a promo site that garners 100’s of sales for one author and then you do it to get nada. Maybe you have great luck on Twitter while a fellow author is dominating Facebook. You just never know what will work and what will fail, but it helps to follow your instinct. Mostly because readers can see you sweat through the pages.

    Oh, and blogging really helps because it creates a great support structure. Definitely helps when you have victories and defeats to talk about because they understand.

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    1. Thanks Charles. I’m a very keen blogger and am always amazed by all the support I get there. Never met 99% of those that follow my blog yet all those that do comment always give so much encouragement and support. It’s defiantly a great platform to have when considering writing and publishing a book.

      I’ll certainly take your advice about instinct. Twitter seems to work well for me yet I’ve found other social media platforms very difficult. I guess it’s all about finding the time to concentrate on them more?

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      1. Time is definitely a factor. It seems you need a lot more for Facebook than Twitter. Pinterest is rather simple, but I always forget about that one. That’s really all I know in detail since the others are simply connected to my blog. The connection and automatic posting from WordPress to the others is definitely helpful. Totally agree about blogging being a great platform. Kind of like a central hub for an author.

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  4. Three things:1) Don’t do it if writing isn’t fun for you, if you write something and are amazed at what came out of your brain! and 2) Get yourself into a critique group. Your fellow writers will have a huge, positive impact on your writing. 3) Accept that you are in it for the long haul – enjoy the journey and what you learn along the way.

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    1. I so agree with your first point, Noelle. I’ve written many a time on my blog about not letting writing and blogging become a stress monster. I’ve been there and took advice from other writers and bloggers and am pleased to say that I only look at writing as fun now. Like many of us here I’ve a huge passion for writing and get so much enjoyment from it.

      I’ve never joined a writers group but will certainly seek a local one out. I certainly hope to add your point 3 to my list.

      Thank you for your advice.

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    2. I’m going to ask this out in the open. Would you please do a guest post here on LWI with your advice and expand to your hearts content? Perhaps even a series if you would like? PLEASE!!! PRETTY PLEASE WITH HUGH ON TOP!?!?!

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  8. The one thing I would offer is finish the work. Do not edit as you go, do not show others..finish the first draft. All of our first drafts suck. If you expose your draft to “constructive critiques,” you chance becoming discouraged. Once discouraged you may never continue. Your writing is yours, and there is plenty of time to get feedback once the MS has been drafted. Hope this helps.

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  11. I’ll offer that old but good chestnut – remember that it’s a marathon and not a sprint. Don’t expect showers of money for at least the first three to five years while building your backlist. Write more before expecting the moolah.

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  12. What is the one piece of advice I would give to anyone who is thinking about publishing a book?

    NUMBER ONE: Find a professional editor and accept the constructive criticism given. However, you must stand up for yourself if you know that a change will affect the characters in your book (for example, I have a fine Canadian editor who was trying to make a man from southern Florida sound like he was from Canada. Once I spoke his dialogue for her, she understood what I was trying to convey).

    It’s better to hear constructive criticism from your editor than to have a book reviewer use his/her virtual megaphone to shout it out to 10,000 potential readers.

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    2. “It’s better to hear constructive criticism from your editor than to have a book reviewer use his/her megaphone to shout it out to 10,000 potential readers.” Absolutely, freaking agree. I thought paying for professional editing was too expensive, so I fixed the grammar and typos (most of them) and published. Big mistake 🙂

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  13. Of course, I have to put in my two cents worth because I’m such an expert. Well, not really, but I’ve got two books out with so so sales and great reviews. So maybe, just maybe, what I’m gonna say may help. Here goes: Don’t think of anything else right now. Just sit down and write. When you have your story/book just where you want it, then go on to the editing. When you have finished the editing (and that might take as long as it took you to write the damn book) then you can worry about marketing. But right now your only job is to WRITE!

    Good luck.

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    1. Hi Andrew, I welcome your advice, thanks very much. I don’t consider myself an expert in the blogging world yet my top four posts all seem to be about…blogging advice.

      All I seem to want to do is write. Life gets in the way sometimes. What I haven’t done yet is your first bit of advice in that I keep thinking about other things and doing them rather than get that book put together. At some stage I’m going to have to concentrate on nothing else. The problem will be letting my blog drift while I am doing all of that. I find it very hard to let my blog go.

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  14. Nobody knows anything, Hugh. What works for an author, doesn’t for another.

    Write, and don’t rush to publish. Get a professional editor before even thinking about publishing. And write even more, still. 🙂 Write every day, even if it as about why you can’t write today. Train your brain into expressing everything through the written word. Did I say write?

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    1. Thanks for the advice, Massimo. I’ll certainly get myself a professional editor before publishing the book. Writing everyday seems to be the advice everyone is giving me. I guess the more we write the better we get at it?

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      1. It`l like doing push-ups. You can`t do 100 on the first day, but little by little 100 can be done.

        Of course, you also learn by reading a lot, even more than writing. Read with the writer`s eye, not as a reader. Why the author used this noun instead of this other? Why this scene resonated with me? why was I able to smell the odors from that scene in the rotten cabin in the wood? etc, etc, etc. Also join a local writers’ group, there`s no advantage to write secluded and on a desert island. That fancy, romantic view of the lonesome writer is BS.

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  15. My best advice is: get in a critique group! You’ll see how much you’ll grown learning from others and how much you’ll learn about yourself. Learn to take criticism and build with it. Use it in your advantage. And for goodness sake, write, rewrite. Write your heart out. Because that’s what we do, writers gonna write!

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      1. I’m going to third the critique group, Hugh. It was THE reason I was published. The variety of feedback of peers was critical to my growth as an author and the multiple opinions were great because I had choices to weigh. Find a group that offers honest, pointed criticism AND leaves you feeling supported and excited about your work. I’ve been with my group for 5 years. When I started with them, none of us was published, now we all are 🙂

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      2. Sorry for typos in my post. I think I got carried away :). I’ll second our friend D. Wallace Peach, too. Find the right critique group, it may not be the first one you join, but persevere. A good group gives honest feedback in a positive, constructive light. I have a strong group of children’s writers and I honestly couldn’t do without them. I feel like they ‘get me’. When I’m in critique group I don’t want to hear praise, I want to hear the stuff that will challenge me to write my best. Good luck finding a group!

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  16. The considered ‘marketing’ advice tends to emphasize ‘platform building ( in all its forms) two to three years before launching a book. I don’t know about others but writing and marketing are two totally different brains, and for me they are incompatible. That may not be true for others but if they are then you might want to choose. Three years of so called marketing has not sold a book but come close to ensuring I am unlikely to write another!

    My most cogent advice echoes others , write for yourself and the pleasure in creation, anything that follows is a bonus. If you can think series you will have a little more chance, and if you can write two or three before launching the first, greater still. One reader at a time gives great pleasure, each one.

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    1. Thank you very much for the advice. I certainly enjoy writing for myself and have a real passion for it. As a starter I started blogging and just from that I now know I want to publish that book. I’m more into writing short stories so perhaps I should consider having at least a collection that will fill two or three books before publishing the first one?

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      1. This reminds me of the story of Alexander the Great when asked his plans. ‘First I will conquer Macedonia’ And then? ‘Then I will conquer Persia’ And then? Then I will conquer India’ And then? ‘Then I will enjoy my life amidst my olives and vines’.

        ‘So might you now, without all that ado!’

        I write short stories and one or three have won awards, been published in a magazine and read by nobody. You have a far better chance of being read by publishing yourself and getting all the pleasure. Having tried to conquer India, I am now heading for the olives and vines! It will whet the appetite for those ‘collections’ if they continue to feel important.

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  17. It is often said that we all have a novel within us. This is nonsense. We all have stories, or even A STORY, but that is not the same. A novel is a story that needs to be nurtured, developed, tidied up, and – the hard part- pruned to make it worth other people reading it. If you think you only have a story,or if you aren’t prepared to work had to get it in shape and then promote it, don’t even think about writing a novel.

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    1. Thanks Barb. I’m expecting lots of hard work as well as frustration. Even if I’m happy with the end result I know others may not be. It’s knowing when it is ready that could be the problem. I guess having beta readers and a professional editor may help?

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      1. Constructive input is invaluable. Friends & family often hold back on criticism to save your feelings. You learn more from hatchet jobs than polite praise. If it sucks its better to know early. Will save you a lot of tears in the long run.

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  18. You should decide what you want out of it. Some want huge financial success. Others are simply happy with creating. Publishing means different things to different people. Some art gets pinned to the refrigerator, others hang in museums. What do you want out of it? It’s a journey for me. I like learning and improving in a game where perfection isn’t possible. Publishing, sales, and reviews are part of that but I’m deeper than that too.

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    1. I’ve always wanted to publish a book. The trouble is I don’t know if it is just the one or if I want to publish more than one. I think I may get the answer if and when I do publish that first book. I think all authors want success from what they create but it’s the passion for writing that is really giving me all the excitement for this.

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      1. Sometimes publishing just marks the completion. Making a beautiful cake motivates some people, but you have to eat it to complete the project. Other folks aren’t happy until they open a bakery and frame that first dollar.

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  19. Do it! Then realize its all you. Family doesn’t really care; they probably won’t even read it. It is harder than you realize but definitely doable! Ask questions and find a beta. You’ll be amazed at yourself for completing the project. Then just hope for the best (whatever you’d like to come from it).

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    1. I agree about your family comment. I’ve had a blog for the last 20 months and hardly any of the family read it. Of course that does not concern me because other people do read what I have written and I get plenty of comments left on the posts I publish. I’ve built up a great blogging community and that has given me a huge sense of achievement.

      Thank you very much for your advice.

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  20. Dear Hugh. Until you try it yourself it’s going to be difficult to know what might work for you. Some people have to plan everything, some people go with the flow, some people have a natural knack for marketing, some hate it with a passion. Read and keep reading. Write, for sure. I also agree that you need to know what you want to achieve. If you write because you enjoy it and your aim is to have your book out there, rather than focusing on getting a lot of money out of it (I’ve read posts of people who check first titles, subjects, trends, to decide what to write based on sales, SEO rankings, etc), then do it. If you’re thinking about trying to get your book in front of a big audience and trying to make money out of it… I’d like to be able to give you advice but I can’t because I don’t know the first thing about it. If you want to make it a business success, you’ll need to talk to somebody with a marketing and business head. Best of luck!

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    1. Thanks Olga. At this moment in time I’m more in wanting to achieve one of my life’s ambitions which is to publish a book. Ever since I started blogging I have enjoyed writing so much. However, I’ve also enjoyed the interaction with others through my blog and I’ll be honest and say that ever since this post was published and the comments have been coming in I seem to thinking more and more that it is the blogging I enjoy most of all and to forget about the book. After all, I can publish my stories on my blog (which I already do) and get enjoyment form the comments I get there. I’ve had some great advice from this article and now it looks as if writing and publishing this post has made me turn a corner and go a completely different direction. Maybe I’ll sleep on it and see what develops?

      Thanks for your great advice. It is much appreciated.

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      1. You’ll find your way, I’m sure, Hugh. And we definitely love your stories. You could always contribute to anthologies, etc, as a way of seeing your work published in a book but without having to worry so much about other aspects of it…

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  21. Hugh,
    A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Or something like that. So, don’t give up.
    Two things motivated me to get published: a story that had to be written and encouragement from other writers.
    There is no magic answer to your question but determination, passion and hard work usually bring dividends in the long run. But it’s an uphill walk.

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    1. I certainly get a lot of encouragement from other writers and authors. When I started my blog, and managed to get myself established, the support and advice I got from writers, authors and bloggers was (and still is) so valuable. I’ve been at Crossroads like this before and that is why I asked the question. From the comments I am getting from you all I am already on my way to choosing what is best to do.

      Thank you so much for your advice, Kim.

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  22. My advice? Don’t listen to any advice. When you’ve written something that feels like book then ask. It’s getting the four corners fixed that’s hard. When you’ve done that, well, then the next bit is hard too but you don’t need to know that yet.

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  23. If you love what you’re doing, just keep writing! There are plenty of awesome friends out there to help with critique of manuscript and even offer marketing tips and a guest post or interview on their blogs. Don’t be afraid to ask. This post is a great start. I interview authors on my blog and offer guest post and launch spots as well. Be happy with what you’re doing and keep doing it! 🙂

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    1. Thanks Bette. I’ve accommodated a few book blog tours which was great fun to do. I also run a feature on my own blog once a month where I invite a blogger to write a guest post. I love to support other bloggers, writers and authors and always find that many are only too willing to return the favour.

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  25. We have learned soooooo very much from the whole process. The good thing is you can always edit and republish…we did that with the cover 5 or 6 times and decided each time thereafter to do it right on the get-go. But in order to learn it you have to take the plunge and close your eyes, keep you fingers crossed and move on to the second book. You will have a feeling you have never before felt when you hold the paperback in your hand with your name on the front. Just do it 🙂

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    1. Thanks Patrick. I can only imagine what that feeling you speak of is like. It must be truly amazing. I did get a buzz when I published my first post on my blog and that certainly propelled me.

      Thanks for the advice. It is very much appreciated.

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  26. Everyone’s given you loads of great advice. Here goes my two cents’ worth, after 2 and a half novels!
    1- Write the kind of book you’d like to read, ‘say’ what you ‘have to’ say, the way you want to do it, and have fun while you’re writing because there are some nasty bits at the end like formatting, editing, and marketing 😦
    2- Once you’ve finished, get beta readers to read the whole thing and give you their opinion. That’s vital. Listen to them, that’s even more vital!
    3- When you’ve made all the changes and edited as much as you can yourself before becoming totally obsessed and going mad, that’s the time to send it to the editor.
    4- When you get it back, breathe deeply and go through it all again, hopefuly you’ve had a weeks’ rest and recovered your sanity, so you can read it again and not feel like screaming!
    5- I recommend a second edit, after you’ve gone through and accepted or rejected each one of your editor’s suggestions, after it’s been formatted for publishing. don’t touch the final edit! That’s it!
    6- Finally, I suggest publishing to kindle first and waiting a few months before you do a hard copy. It gives you time to add some reviews to the front of the printed book, and a little more time ‘just in case’ something needs to be done…
    7- Start all over again with book 2! Becasue hopefully you’re in for a long journey / relationship, not a short trip / one-night-stand!
    I didn’t talk about promotion or book covers, etc. but that’s vital too. How else will people find your book?
    Good luck!

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    1. Oh I certainly love writing, Phillip, there’s no doubt about that at all. I’m getting the hang of social media although some parts of it are still a mystery to me. Somebody once said to me to use no more than three main social media accounts otherwise your time can get swallowed up just using it. Any advice on that?

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  29. WOW so much useful information and advice here. Helped me a lot too. Self published my debut novel which did well to start but then life and studying took up my time and never had much time to concentrate on marketing continuously which is very time consuming, which I believe you have to do on a regular basis to make readers aware of who you are. But I have been told you have to have more than one book out there too before you get recognised so fingers crossed this will be a fact for me as I painstaking edit, rewrite and edit some more for my next novel.
    All the best of luck to every author here. Wishing you all successful book sales.

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    1. I’m glad all this advice has helped you as well, Phoenix. After-all, one of the reasons why this blog was created by Ronovan was so that authors could support other authors, and that they most certainly have done.

      The very best of luck with the next book and the rest of your writing career.

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  30. It’s hard for me to offer advice to any author because my road to publication was not a typical road. But this can be the good news for you, because there are many ways to get published. I will say that if you think you have a book in you, then surely you do, so set about the business of completing the first draft, no matter how long it takes. Once the first draft is complete, walk away for a week and go back through it as objectively as you can, line by line. It’s helpful to look for continuity, then go back again and focus on dialogue, then once again on setting. You’re looking for a story that fits and flows. Writing is indeed about re-writing. To me, it seems like working a puzzle where the name of the game is tightening it up to make it crisp, understandable and something to which a reader can relate. I went over my first book four times before I shared it with two readers, who gave me their honest opinion. From there, I reviewed my draft one more time and searched for publishers who accepted manuscripts in the genre in which I’d written, without the help of an agent. I was thrilled when I was offered a contract for my first book, and the same publisher accepted my second book, although it was in a different genre. I learned everything from following the advice of my publisher. So much of the marketing and promotion of a book falls to the author, and an authors career is a slow, steady build. I’ve been in the game because I love it; the work suits me for many reasons, and I’ve found that staying the course and pacing myself is key. And lastly, it occurs to me that as an author, there is no “there” to get to, there is only the love of the work and the desire to share it, which necessitates the willingness to do what it takes to get the word out that my books exist.

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    1. Thank you Claire. You’ve given a lot of very useful information from your own experience of publishing and I appreciate you putting it all down in your comment. I am sure that many others will find your advice just as valuable as I have. I appreciate you sharing it with us.

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  33. Find an editor, trust your editor, and let them share with you the why’s of not only the editorial corrections, but the construction, design, cadence, and readability of your writing. Do not take offense. Shhh… listen. Learning and sharing our constantly changing industry is the starting point. Respect and a relationship will evolve that will take you through to completion when you get lost or type yourself into a corner. A content and development editor will get you untangled when you’re embriared in muck and don’t know which way is up anymore. It sounds so easy. Just write what you think. It is the most tedious process you will ever know, but the most rewarding in your soul. You have to accept that you may never make a dime. A great book, APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur, states (paraphrased)–you write because you have to, not because you want to, and definitely not to make big bucks.(my words on this matter)– If you did not write, your life would not be complete. You would be adrift on an endless sea forever searching for the parts of yourself that are missing. The voices of your characters will clamor inside your head and turn your dreams into nightmares; the nonfiction expose’ will haunt you and you’ll feel like you’re letting down the world by not expounding on your expository. You will choke on the words, and they will strangle you. If you care enough, are willing to sacrifice enough, can give of yourself to others whom you may never meet who will pick your bones clean by ripping your words apart, maybe you should be a writer. Give of yourself to your readers; break down the walls of your preconceived ideas with your new trusted friend, your editor. An author is only as good as his/her editor and teacher. It starts and ends with the professional guide, who reads, edits, defines, suggests, encourages, supports and makes magic out of nothing, creating something of pride and artistic beauty.

    I don’t know what others have told you. I would not let myself read the other comments. I remain impartial and unaffected by other suggestions. I am an editor/writer/ghostwriter/coach and author of 7 books.

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    2. I have a question bowmanauthor.
      Surely it would prove extremely costly if you have this back and forth dialogue with your editor?
      I know some editors charge per page, does this charge include constant dialogue between you as you have suggested in your post?
      Just curious as I need to find an editor and want to know what to expect.

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      1. Phoenix, thank you so much for the question. I have been editing for 30 years plus. Please check out my bio page, BUT as far as pricing, every editor has their own scale, plan, services, etc. I, however, do not charge by the page, I charge usually by the word count on a cents-per -word scale depending on the level of editing involved. I have been told I am at fair market pricing or usually below. I will negotiate and work within your budget. If your first book is not edited or edited poorly, it will haunt you for the rest of your life. Maybe because I am an author as well as an editor, I know the full process of editing, formatting, design, publishing, and what sells in the industry. Also, I have found by experience if I take the time to have this back and forth dialog with authors, they are a client for life and the more I teach them, the better their writing becomes, and future edits will be easier for both of us as the quality of each successive book gets better. I know that I am an unusual editor in that I coach/teach/interact (done online by email), but it has proven to be beneficial for me and my clients, a win-win, because my clients almost always return to me; a relationship and trust is formed; and I feel like I’m giving the best I have and bringing out the best in you. I always start by doing a free read and critique of your first 3-4 pages. That gives me an idea of the level of editing needed or if your project is even ready for editing. I do reserve the right to turn down unsuitable material. When accepted, a formal proposal is sent for approval and payment options. Many editors charge by the hour. That’s difficult for me to track. 1 page can take 5 minutes or 5 hours. I am proud to say, I am always busy; I have mostly return clients who write 1-3 books a year; and I feel like I make a difference in the industry and in people’s lives and careers. My clients let me know when their book will be coming so I can work it into my schedule 3-6 months in advance. My clients tell me if I am not available, I’m worth waiting for. That’s what it’s all about for me. Let me know if I can help you.
        http://www.clasidconsultantspublishing.com; http://www.bowmanauthor.com. Check me out. Thank you so much for the feedback. It was a great question and important information that I would never have realized without your help.

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        1. Thanks for this info. It has anwered all my questions and look forward to working with you in the future.
          Could you possibly tell me what genre’s you don’t consider editing?

          As an author yourself what genre’s do you write in?

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          1. I write a paranormal crime series, a YA series (opener only) on astral projection and time travel. I have a full-length dramatic romance with mild plot-essential erotica, and I’m working on a historical fiction based on fact from a personal past-life regression. I have a reviewer’s page on amazon.com so you can see my reviews. I edit just about everything, except blatant porn or non-plot-essential overdone erotica. I do nonfiction and business writing as well. I do ghost writing only on nonfiction. I would only turn a book down if it is not feasible. Being very oriented in the Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Paranormal categories covers a lot of ground. Believable and feasible has a broad scope with me, but there are some plots that just don’t work. I would turn a book down if it is sub-standard, even with editing. As a content and development editor, however, I would in that case give you some pointers on how to pull your book together and straighten out the pitfalls that every author falls into along the way. I can tell by your emails that you are meticulous with your writing; your questions are logical and solid; and you care about punctuation, spelling, form, etc. A free critique of your first few pages would speak volumes about your writing. Please send me a sample at: bowmaneditor@outlook.com. It’s totally free and no commitment to use me as your editor is required. I can look at it before the book is finished, sometimes advising you on pitfalls before they occur. You may want to check out some of my previous blogs on editing, proofreading, what I call tricks-of-the-trade. I want to thank you again for contacting me and asking me the important initial information that can evolve into the type of relationship I described in the comment that piqued your interest. You have piqued my interest as well. Click on the Titles of my eBooks in the sidebar of my blog, and it will take you to that amazon page for the specific title. You can “look inside” and see the beginning of my own writing. Thanks, again. I’m am finishing a 70,000-word edit this week. I have a 16,000-word novella coming in from the same author, but that won’t take long. I don’t have anything else scheduled until after the first of the year, but I did that by design for the holidays, but I might be able to work you in based on your turnaround time, length, level of editing, etc. I’m certainly willing to explore that possibility. I will be checking out your blog as well. Thanks, again, Deborah

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  36. I think the ‘wanting to’ in the wanting to publish a book, might be an obstacle. For a time, possibly a long time, you perhaps need to forget about that end of things, and focus only on what you are writing. It’s a time of gathering all your resources – from wherever you need to, to make the work the best it can be. As Smorgasbord says it has to come from heart and mind. I would also say, that in some sense, it needs to draw from the world around you too. It has to have spirit. Very good luck.

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    1. Great advice, Tish. I think sometimes we can rush into things when we are not really ready to do what is it we think we want to do. I’ve been writing for nearly two years and have got a collection of short stories together. Most have been published on my blog and most have had great comments. I have enjoyed writing them very much and my head is full of lots more short stories. Maybe I should just concentrate on them for now and continue to publish on my blog rather than in a book? As you say ‘does wanting to publish a book really come from just my mind rather than both my heart and mind?’

      Certainly when I write and publish a blog post I know for certain that when I write and publish both come from heart and mind.

      Thank you for sharing you advice with us all. It has given me more to think about.

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      1. Hi again, Hugh. You could of course put together an anthology of your best short stories, and self-publish on Lulu or similar. I don’t think it costs very much, and you could in that way deal with what may well be a diversion. I don’t particularly recommend kindle, not unless you’re prepared to do mega-marketing on social media. I’ve been writing (and published) for years, won some prizes too, but it is not an easy road. But if it’s in you to create, and you believe in the things you want to create, you will keep at it. How can I put it? It’s like laying a fire, and then tending it day after day, until it becomes a really big steady blaze. Two years is quite a short time if you think about the act of becoming a writer as an apprenticeship. Often you find that when writers make a big hit with their first work, they have been thinking about it for decades. Even Harry Potter was brewing for 10 years before he emerged. This is not to put you off, but to say KEEP GOING, KEEP PUTTING IN THE GRAFT. Because the other thing is, with every piece you work on, you will be learning something new 🙂

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  37. When it comes to other sites to publish my work on I am very much in the dark. Perhaps this could make another post? I’ve not heard of Lulu but will check it out. I’m wondering if it is anything like ‘Readwave’ which I have used and which I got a lot of success from, although Readwave is free to use.

    Yes now that you have mentioned it, although two years sounds a longtime to me, I realise now that many authors write for a considerable amount of years before they get that first publishing deal. I’ve no intension of giving up on my writing. My choice now is to how I decide to carry on with it.

    Thanks again, Tish.

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  38. Keep your ideals high and your expectations low. Be patient and bloody-minded. If two friends say something doesn’t work – believe them. It is worth paying literary consultants for a professional crit on your novel – it took me years before I believed this, but it has paid off.

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  40. Hugh, you’re one step ahead of putting out a book because you’ve built a platform :). The writing is the joy, the publishing goes far beyond the word itself. Revisions, edits, marketing and promoting and a lot of reading and subscribing to the pioneers in the biz will help you learn the tricks of the trade, and they do change with trends. I spent my first year before putting out my first book, learning about publishing by reading many articles, newsletter, joining webinars, teleseminars, and learning a lot from David Gaughran, Joe Konrath, J.F. Bookman (a.k.a http://www.thebookdesigner.com), Jane Friedman, et al. That’s where I began before I knew a soul in the business, until an author (who is quite successful now) who I befriended while asking questions after a podcast, became a friend and mentor to me. The beauty is there are so many Indie authors now, and many who are your friends who have learned along the way, and are so helpful to others now. There’s so much more info available these days.
    Write because it’s your passion, don’t write with intentions of getting rich. Hope I’ve helped. ❤

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    1. You have, Debby, and thank you very much for your advice.

      I realise I am very lucky in not only having built my blog but also the building of the blogging community which has a great number of authors and writers as some of its members. I’ve learned a lot since being here on WordPress and have been amazed by all the support and advice.

      I’ll soon be making the decision of what is next for me and which of these roads in front of me I will take.

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  41. Pingback: LitWorldInterviews.com-The Week-In Review. 11/9-11/14 | Lit World Interviews

  42. ONCE YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK PUBLISHED, BEST ADVICE I CAOULD OFFER IS TO CONVINCE RONOVAN TO GIVE YOUR BOOK HIS REVIEW 0 IT WILL BE 100% HONEST & OBJECTIVE, AND HE HAS A HUGE FOLLOWING, WHICH WILL LEAD TO A SURGE IN YOUR SALES. HE IS ONE OF THE NICEST AND MOST INTELLIGENT PEOPLE I HAVE MET VIA THE INTERNET.

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