Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a laid back, creative writer and blogger from Wisconsin where I get to experience all 4 seasons sometimes in one day! I’ve been self-publishing since 2013 where I wrote a historical middle-grade fiction book, “Before the Legend.” I wrote 3 more books for free on Wattpad that follow the first book. Later I changed gears and ventured into the world of nonfiction with my book “How to Self-Publish Without Going Broke.”
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“How to Self-Publish Without Going Broke” is my latest book to drop this past July. It’s a step-by-step guide to self-publishing for those not sure where to start and are tight on funds. I was inspired mostly from my own experience in self-publishing. When I first started I didn’t realize the importance of certain steps and as a result, made a lot of careless mistakes. I want writers to avoid the mistakes I made and come up with a plan to launch their next book for success.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not sure if this counts but I often listen to music to put me in the mood for writing.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
For fiction books, “The Giver” by Lois Lowry
For nonfiction, “Let’s Get Visible” by David Gaughran. I credit him for inspiring me to pursue self-publishing.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on getting my stories that haven’t been published for sale beta read and polished. I’m also building a growing list of bonus resources for indie writers on my blog at Writer’s Nook.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
One of the cheapest but overlooked way to promote your book is self-promotion. As an introvert, this doesn’t come easy but is something I’m working on. For sites, I like Bargain Booksy or their sister site Freebooksy. I’ve worked with them in the past when running promotions and I’m usually pleased with the results.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice is to come up with a comprehensive plan on how you’re going to write the book and sell it before you even write the manuscript. It’s something most writers fail to do but good planning can help you have a clear idea of what your book is about, who it’s for, and how to position it in front of readers. Knowing the market ahead of time is also valuable in knowing what topics or niche markets are trending, giving you an indicator of how marketable and profitable your idea could be. But at the end of the day, you should still write what you enjoy.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
One of the best advice I’ve heard when it comes to self-publishing is on choosing keywords that people actually search on. Choosing the right keywords is critical for your book’s visibility. One way to know which keywords people are searching on is to try typing a word or phrase related to your book and see what the search bar auto-populates. The first few results whether on Google or Amazon is a good indicator that the search term is popular.
What are you reading now?
I started reading “The Art of Career Change for Introverts” by Rebecca Healey. The book is very relevant to my situation as an introvert. It’s still early but so far it seems very promising.
What’s next for you as a writer?
My hope is to venture into copywriting and create new rivetting stories from ideas that have been floating inside my head lately.
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?
The Bible
The Giver
The Rule of Three (the book will literally tell you what need for survival)
Author Websites and Profiles
J.U. Scribe Website
J.U. Scribe Amazon Profile
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