Today's author interview is with Kory Shrum, author of Dying by the Hour and Dying for a Living.
What made you decide to go Indie and self-publish?
I was frustrated by how slow the traditional publication model is. So I broke up with my agent so I could do everything faster.
What do you think is the benefit of going Indie and self-publishing your own work?
More creative license and freedom to follow your own vision of a project. For a perfectionist like me, this is heaven. :)
What do you think is the biggest challenge an Indie author faces?
Being an unknown unknown.
What are you working on right now?
What are you working on right now?
I'm wrapping up some shorter projects and a cool anthology. Then I'll be back to writing Jesse books 2 and 3.
What advice can you share with other Indie and aspiring Indie authors?
Whatever you do, don't stop writing. When you stop, your muscles get cold--and it gets so much harder.
Which authors inspire you?
Laurell K. Hamilton, Neil Gaiman, Nancy A. Collins, Stephen King, Anne Rice--plenty of writers do.
What genre do you write in?
Urban fantasy--technically ;)
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
It gives me a big playground to explore in the scifi/fantasy realm that I prefer.
How much research do you do when you write?
Enough to make things work--but I prefer to make up my own rules.
When did you decide to become a writer?
When did you decide to become a writer?
Around 2003.
Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?
My imagination is more alive at night and therefore that's when my best ideas come, but it is best to do the writing first thing in the morning--before the day takes you over.
Do you write every day, 5 days a week or as and when?
I try to write something everyday. I have an 87% success rate.
Do you work to an outline or plot, or do you prefer to just see where an idea takes you?
Both. A few big ideas will come to me and I'll write them down and then I let my imagination fill in the dots, exploring how each "High" scene came to be.
How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?
By leaps and bounds. But most importantly, I'm learning to let myself play. My inner critic can be so ruthless, snatching the paint and glue out of little hands. I'm learning not to listen to that *&^%%
How long, on average, does it take you to write a book
About 8 months; Then two months to produce it (turn it into something you can hold).
Tell us about the cover/s and how it/they came about.
The covers are lovely! They were made by the lovely John K. Addis and I think they are good representations of each book.
How do you market your books?
Mostly Twitter and blogs.
What part of your writing time do you devote to marketing your book?
None! You have to treat them differently, or you get into a habit of thinking you don't need to write that day. Bad, bad, bad!
What’s your views on social media for marketing?
I think social media is a FANTASTIC way to reach out and talk to your readers. Writers need readers! But I think it's a terrible idea just to use it to make people buy your book. Let them know when new and exciting things are happening, sure! But mostly, just be yourself--hopefully, a charming, funny, clever self.
Is there anything else you would like to add that you haven’t included?
Thanks for having me! :)
I am very excited to read this book! I'm referencing this review and this book in my creative writing class TONIGHT. Hope to gather a few more interested readers!
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