Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an American living in Canada, married to a Canadian, and we have three medium-sized kids which we homeschool. We have an online business that pays the bills, and volunteer our time doing church planting work in the Montreal area. I’ve been writing since I was little but only began putting work out on Amazon’s KDP system a few years ago. I’ve put up 15 short stories, essays, and now a few short books. I’m slowly learning the system and putting out longer and longer items.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Scary Fast: 7 Advanced Hacks to Boost Your Productivity 1,000x
I am naturally an extremely productive guy, and I long thought about writing a book, but there are already a LOT of productivity books out there though so I didn’t think I’d bother. I figured I’d just be adding to the noise. However eventually I realized that most of them were pretty basic and thought maybe there would be space for an ‘Advanced’ productivity book, the kind that isn’t safe for beginners. The end result turned out to be awesome, I’m very proud of it.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to feel more inspired late at night, but I can usually write anytime.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love most stuff by Chuck Palahniuk, Douglas Coupland, Donald Miller, Ray Bradbury, Dan Simmons, David Graber, Tim Ferriss, etc. Loads others but those are some big ones. I like first person narration and causal phrasing.
And very dry humor.
What are you working on now?
Sitting on my heels at the moment, having just finished Scary Fast, focused on marketing for the next week or two…but I’m 25,000 words in on an entrepreneurial book for kids that’s 30% fiction and 70% non-fiction, going to be amazing (when I get around to finishing it). So I might pick up with that, or I might start in on a blank page on a brief series of how-to book’s for Shopify…
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Still figuring that out, but so far I’m working my way through the list I found on this page:
https://kindlepreneur.com/list-sites-promote-free-amazon-books/
Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you want people to actually read your work or to actually make money at writing, you have to be 40% business / 60% art.
If you don’t care about readers or money, then you can be 100% art, it’s cool.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“The squeaky wheel gets the oil.”
– My Mom
What are you reading now?
Just finished ‘The Green Brain’ by Frank Herbert (another of my favorite authors) and ‘Iron Gold’ by Pierce Brown (Red Rising stuff, so good!). But now I am flailing about for something new. Purchased Mr. Mercedes from a second had shop for 50 pence (I’m in Wales right now) but I haven’t cracked it. Reading various samples on my Kindle to try and decide if there is something else I’d rather read…
What’s next for you as a writer?
More business / entrepreneurial writing for me. I started out doing more sci-fi / essay rants / humor but now that I have that out of my system…
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Yikes.
ESV Bible…Something Wicked This Way Comes…Destination Void…Fight Club?
Or maybe The Firm.
Author Websites and Profiles
Brian Michael Stegner Website
Brian Michael Stegner Amazon Profile
Brian Michael Stegner’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
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