I'd been planning to quit for a while. In fact, I was saving to do so since I first got the job. I also plan to apply for a grant from the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council--I was able to secure one before.
As for why, it's because writing is the only thing I can fathom making a career out of. Nothing else interests me enough to pursue with the necessary drive. So I might as well devote as much time to writing as I can.
2. You’ve done some very unconventional and creative things to market and promote your book Royal Flush. What worked best for you and what method didn’t turn out so well?
It might be too early to say, but my ongoing Goodreads giveaway (it ends March 7th) seems to be the biggest leap in exposure for my book yet. I'm giving away 15 signed copies--here's the link: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/43575-royal-flush
As for stuff I've tried that hasn't panned out...well, it's been overwhelming, actually. In fact, I'd largely consider the previous year an exercise in what not to do--which is actually pretty valuable experience! Again, it's too early to say with certain efforts, but if I had to pick one it would be creating a QR code with a crown in the middle, which links to my book's website. I put these up around my hometown and gave out stickers of them, but they've brought very little traffic to the site.
3. What was that process like creating your audio book? Would you recommend a similar method to other independent authors?
For me, the process involved a fairly steep learning curve and a lot of time invested in recording and editing. I'm glad to have done it, since it offers an extra incentive to sign up for my newsletter (I'm also giving away a signed copy to a random subscriber each month). But I'm not eager to do it again.
4. Royal Flush is a fresh and interesting story. Where did you find inspiration for the book?
The initial idea came to me in high school, while walking from the school bus to my house. A scene popped into my head, in which a man is lying on the ground, demanding that a nearby woman remove his heart with a scalpel, since she has broken it. I envisioned it as comedic melodrama. That scene became the climax for the novel's first part, "The King of Hearts".
But the book's about repeated romantic failure, and I also struck out a lot in high school.
5. Why did you choose the independent route for publishing?
Because the manuscript was lying around, I was proud of it, I wanted people to read it, and mainstream publishers had turned it down--though a couple did ask to look at the full manuscript. My Dad encouraged me to self-publish it, too.
6. You used Book Baby to publish Royal Flush. Would you recommend their services to other authors?
I would! They're affordable, and they take care of everything from file conversion to distribution to tracking sales. For a self-publisher, for whom almost everything is hands-on, it's nice to have someone else handle something now and then.
7. Can you give some details about your newest project Taking Stock?
With pleasure! It's about Sheldon Mason, a writer whose mother dies and who falls out with his only two friends, resulting in his reclusion for two years. This is where the novel begins--in the first scene, he's attempting to kill himself in his shed when the guy who lives above him (who he's never met) walks in.
The neighbor gets Sheldon help, and then puts in a good word for him at a local grocery store, where he's hired. Much of the conflict comes from power struggles in the grocery store, his finally beginning to process his mother's death, and his attempts to navigate his new social life. He gets into drugs, and his writing has negative social consequences when a piece (titled "The King of Diamonds", incidentally) gets sent from coworker to coworker via email.
I'm aiming to release Taking Stock in September.
8. Will you go the independent route this time or will you look to pair up with an agent and a traditional publisher?
Based on my research, it seems unless you're already a big name, nowadays publishers won't put much more money into promoting you than you would yourself. I like that self-publishing gives me full creative control, as well as increased flexibility regarding where and how long my book is available (online). I also plan to release Taking Stock under a Creative Commons license (as I did with Royal Flush), which many publishers are opposed to. Finally, from acceptance by an agent to publication by a mainstream publisher generally takes around two years, and I'm simply too impatient to wait that long.
So, despite that Taking Stock has already won two awards, I've decided not to bother approaching agents with it.
9. Protecting the environment is a cause that is close to your heart. Can you give a few small steps people can take to help out with this cause if they want to get involved?
First, don't get overwhelmed. Don't expect to overhaul your lifestyle overnight--focus on changing one thing to be more sustainable/environmentally-friendly, and once it's become a habit, focus on another. The great thing is, leading a more sustainable lifestyle isn't just a 'nice thing to do'--it will also save you money. When you think about it, you realize environmental concerns are very much in line with economic concerns.
Second, start following an environmental blog. Add it to your RSS reader, if you use one. (I like http://www.climateprogress.org.) And when you read a post that speaks to you, share it on Facebook/Twitter/your preferred social network. People poo-poo what they call 'clicktivism' or 'slacktivism', but the truth is that social media is an effective and unprecedented way to amplify the conversation. So use it.
10. What advice would you give a new author who recently left her job to start writing and blogging?
You have an amazing opportunity that might not come again. Don't squander it. If you've left your job to write, you need to actually write--a lot!
- Follow Scott on Twitter
- Website: http://www.batshite.com
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