1. When did you publish your first book and who published it?
My first book, The Ending Dark, was published on Amazon in early March 2012.
My first book, The Ending Dark, was published on Amazon in early March 2012.
2. If you are self-published--who does your book covers? Who does your copy editing and proofreading?
I was planning on using a service to create the cover, but ended up creating one myself. I decided to go this route because I found it difficult to get a reply from several websites. I had free access to Adobe Illustrator, and I didn’t want to spend a ton of money before I had any sales. I wanted something simple with the thought that I could go more elaborate when I had some revenue.
For the editing/proofreading I used Sarah Aschenbach of Inspired Solutions. I found her through the website Book Editing Associated (http://www.book-editing.com). It was probably the best money I have spent on this book. Sarah helped me focus on the story, clarify the details, and just made the book stronger. It was good to get someone who had no real stake in the book to read it and provide comments/edits.
I was planning on using a service to create the cover, but ended up creating one myself. I decided to go this route because I found it difficult to get a reply from several websites. I had free access to Adobe Illustrator, and I didn’t want to spend a ton of money before I had any sales. I wanted something simple with the thought that I could go more elaborate when I had some revenue.
For the editing/proofreading I used Sarah Aschenbach of Inspired Solutions. I found her through the website Book Editing Associated (http://www.book-editing.com). It was probably the best money I have spent on this book. Sarah helped me focus on the story, clarify the details, and just made the book stronger. It was good to get someone who had no real stake in the book to read it and provide comments/edits.
3. Please tell us your top three, most successful book marketing tips.
In a lot of ways I think the marketing of a book is harder than actually writing the book. You have to put something personal out there for others the purchase and review, and you have to do it in a way that is not pushing it in people’s faces. The top things I am attempting to do are:
• Build name recognition through blogs (both posting and commenting)
• Interacting with other writers and readers on Twitter
• I just started using Pinterest (so addicting). I got this idea from another author who uses the boards to pin ideas about her book. Readers and potential readers can then visualize the ideas floating around the author’s head.
In a lot of ways I think the marketing of a book is harder than actually writing the book. You have to put something personal out there for others the purchase and review, and you have to do it in a way that is not pushing it in people’s faces. The top things I am attempting to do are:
• Build name recognition through blogs (both posting and commenting)
• Interacting with other writers and readers on Twitter
• I just started using Pinterest (so addicting). I got this idea from another author who uses the boards to pin ideas about her book. Readers and potential readers can then visualize the ideas floating around the author’s head.
4. Do you have an author blog? If so, how do you attract readers? What is your blog's address?
I do have a blog (http://jenwalkerblog.blogspot.com/) - although I admit I am horrible at updating it and attracting readers. How I am trying to improve is by posting more often and increasing my interaction with other bloggers through comments and guest posts.
I do have a blog (http://jenwalkerblog.blogspot.com/) - although I admit I am horrible at updating it and attracting readers. How I am trying to improve is by posting more often and increasing my interaction with other bloggers through comments and guest posts.
5. If you are on Twitter, how do you get followers and what are your favorite hash tags?
Twitter is #awesome. I was anti-Twitter for a long time but I recently joined for the purpose of interacting with potential readers and other authors. Now that I have an account I wish I would have joined earlier. There is a plethora of information you can learn about writing, marketing, and publishing through the people you follow. Plus you can easily interact with reader and other authors. You can follow me @jenwalkerwrites.
Twitter is #awesome. I was anti-Twitter for a long time but I recently joined for the purpose of interacting with potential readers and other authors. Now that I have an account I wish I would have joined earlier. There is a plethora of information you can learn about writing, marketing, and publishing through the people you follow. Plus you can easily interact with reader and other authors. You can follow me @jenwalkerwrites.
6. Where do you go to request reputable, free reviews?
Before I published my book I used some free critique services such as www.youwriteon.com and www.critiquecircle.com. These sites were helpful because you have to give reviews to get reviews so there was a sense of “we are in this together”.
Before I published my book I used some free critique services such as www.youwriteon.com and www.critiquecircle.com. These sites were helpful because you have to give reviews to get reviews so there was a sense of “we are in this together”.
7. What advice would you give aspiring authors about publishing or self-publishing?
Edit, edit, edit…then have someone else edit it too.
Edit, edit, edit…then have someone else edit it too.
8. What do you think authors should know about book marketing?
Start early. Even if you think it’s too early because you only have a concept, you probably should have started earlier. But beware of overselling. The good thing about starting early is you can focus on becoming part of the conversation before you have anything to sell. You can talk about your experiences, share information you come across, and build a network. Then when your book is out you already have a base built.
Start early. Even if you think it’s too early because you only have a concept, you probably should have started earlier. But beware of overselling. The good thing about starting early is you can focus on becoming part of the conversation before you have anything to sell. You can talk about your experiences, share information you come across, and build a network. Then when your book is out you already have a base built.
9. What is the best advice someone else has given you? There are two pieces of good advice that I really value, both of them I found through people I follow on Twitter. The first was write a first draft as quickly as possible. Without a first draft you have nothing to edit. Once you get something down on paper then you can go back and make it great. The second piece of advice is to make sure every marketing tool you use links together. Your Twitter should link to your blog should link to your author page should link to your email. Any places you use your name (comments on other’s blogs, discussion boards, etc) should all link back to your book. Otherwise how will people find your book?
10. What projects are you working on now? Please describe.
At the moment I am in the very early stages of two different fiction books (which means I cart around 2 notebooks for ideas everywhere I go). One follows a modern woman as she enters the corporate world and discovers that getting ahead isn’t always based on merit and doesn’t always lead to happiness. The second is slightly more developed at this stage and takes place is more a fantasy novel (similar to medieval Europe but with fantasy animals). This novel is about a girl coming of age while her country is falling apart. The land is going through a civil war and she must decide what side she is on and take charge when others don’t.
Jen Walker is the author of The Ending Dark, a paranormal romance that takes place in Paris & New Orleans. She can be followed on Twitter @jenwalkerwrites or via her blog http://jenwalkerblog.blogspot.com.
At the moment I am in the very early stages of two different fiction books (which means I cart around 2 notebooks for ideas everywhere I go). One follows a modern woman as she enters the corporate world and discovers that getting ahead isn’t always based on merit and doesn’t always lead to happiness. The second is slightly more developed at this stage and takes place is more a fantasy novel (similar to medieval Europe but with fantasy animals). This novel is about a girl coming of age while her country is falling apart. The land is going through a civil war and she must decide what side she is on and take charge when others don’t.
Jen Walker is the author of The Ending Dark, a paranormal romance that takes place in Paris & New Orleans. She can be followed on Twitter @jenwalkerwrites or via her blog http://jenwalkerblog.blogspot.com.
Click the image to purchase Jen Walker’s Book, The Ending Dark.
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