Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Sr. computer programmer and system analyst. I think life is too short to have only one hobby for life. So I change my hobbies time to time to discover more. I enjoy growing heirloom veggies in my backyard. I like to discover new cooking technics and ingredient combinations. I also enjoy reading must-have spiritual books. Because of the virus, my social and night life got a big toll. I watch quality programs, movies and series on Amazon prime, Gaia and youtube. Of course, music from old Irish songs to Aerosmith. Currently, I’m working on my new website. I published one book, 2 short stories will be published soon, I’m working my 2nd book.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My recently published book is named “So where are we with the reality now?”. About God, creation, Earth, the Universe and beyond. I had enough material to write by visions, downloads, one quantum hypnosis session and some drawings. It was time to share this knowledge.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write based on what information I receive. It can be anytime, anywhere. Maybe a video, maybe a download, maybe a formula. So, I get enough paper and a writing pen with me when I leave home. I take notes and I draw what I see. For my first book, I wrote the chapter names, then I put related information under them.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Ashayana Deane’s Voyager series, Dolores Cannon’s books, although I still didn’t read all of them yet, RA material series, although I only read the first 2.
What are you working on now?
Editing my 1st short story “Titanic’s unknown passenger” is almost done. I’ll publish it soon. It’s about what I saw, felt and heard like a video when I accidently hypnotized myself at age 9. After it’s published, I’ll send my 2nd short story for editing. It is about where I went after I died in Titanic. It’s based on a dream that I was keep seeing from as early as I could remember to about 6 years old. It was in between lives place. I’m also working on my 2nd book.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m new. But what I learned that Publisher Rocket from Kindlepreneur helped for Amazon keyword optimization. I also used awesomegang and bookgoodies. I’m not sure how much helped since Amazon doesn’t show how many books I sold, but I’m sure they helped. I’m very thankful awesomegang that I could apply almost in the last moment. I didn’t know so many promotion websites require the application many days even weeks ago, plus certain number of reviews with high star numbers, etc.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Me as an accidental writer, has a book which moved up to number 1 at Amazon in Top 100 free books in different categories, then number 1 in bestseller hot new release list, even in Canada! I had no pre-order stage, no reviews, no family/friend support except my love, no social media followers, no my own website and not many promotions’ website support. So, I think I can say few words for this question if it helps anybody. First, there are million books on the market, and many million more books are coming. But there is only one You, nobody can write in the way you write and what you write. If you want to write, then do it, feel it, enjoy it, see it as a new excitement in your life. Sometimes pages, sometimes just notes, whatever is naturally comes to you, do it that way. Be yourself. What I did is, when my first draft is completed, I read for few times. Then I stopped for about 4 days. I didn’t touch it, I didn’t think about it. My life is already hectic anyway. Then, I read it again with a fresh mind. Giving a break was very helpful. I think too much zoom in makes us blind. Meanwhile I inserted the drawings. It was time to ask professional help. I found reedsy.com and an amazing copy writer. She said this book may benefit a developmental editor. So, I hired one at reedsy.com. I added more info for clarifications. Then, back to the copy editor. Meanwhile I hired a book cover designer at reedsy.com. As you can imagine they are booked already, very busy. So, it took some time for them to work on my book. While they were working, I made some research on the internet to involve to the process more, what the next steps were. I created an excel chart. My tabs are : terminology, info, to-do list, where my book is, my keywords, my categories, publishing, marketing, promoting, my giveaways, commission sheet. I put whatever I learned to this excel. Basically, getting a crash course. I read articles and watched videos at creativeindie.com, kindelpreneur.com, reedsy.com and davidgaughran.com. I’m sure there are other very good websites that I didn’t discover yet. Reedsy.com doesn’t have any marketer for new age/spirituality field, so I have done by myself. Reedsy.com also have book format converter that I used. I have to admit that in some point I overwhelmed and felt lost. But I said to myself, I wouldn’t spread myself too thin and I wouldn’t make things too much complicated. So, I decided just to publish on Amazon. When I saw Amazon’s international market just one click away, I clicked it. Every step takes about 48-72 hours from seeing ranking to be able to use author page. I waited to my book settle on Amazon for few days. Meanwhile on my excel, under category tab, I entered for each category how many books and how many new released books for each category there are, where is my book kind a information. Then I put my book to Amazon KDP Select Program. After it settled there, I did 3 day free book promotion. Then it quickly went to number 1 in few categories, for the rest, moved to top 10, later top 5. When the promotion is over, it was number one on bestseller hot new release list.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you REALLY want, there is no such a thing called impossible
What are you reading now?
The freedom path by Robert Detzler for the 2nd time. I just don’t want to miss anything.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ll keep writing when I cumulate enough information for a book.
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?
I would get a really good survival book, a really good and pretty thick Japanese brain game book not to lose my mind, a best seller hot juicy romance book not to feel alone and a really good self hypnosis book to remind myself in desperate conditions that there is more in life.
Author Websites and Profiles
Nur Akman Website
Nur Akman Amazon Profile
Nur Akman’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile