#1 NY Times Bestselling Author Barbara
Freethy talks writing, publishing, and finding balance, plus gives
her advice for new authors… Check out what she has to say then Read
on for more information about this blog tour and all its great
prizes!
You’re an icon
in—not just the indie publishing community—but the publishing
community in general. Your success is something to which we all
aspire. In your opinion, what has been the greatest contributing
factor to the success of your novels?
There
are so many factors that contribute to a successful writing career
and it's hard to say which ones are the most important, but I do
believe that publishing frequently helps to build an audience and
also momentum. I don't write as quickly as some authors do or as slow
as others; I think I'm somewhere in the middle. But I try to put out
3-4 books a year and I think that helps keep my books in front of the
readers. I also write what I love to read. Sometimes that means my
books are not part of the hot trend of the moment, but that's okay. I
think it's a mistake to try to chase fads. They blow out as quickly
as they blow in. And, finally, I look at writing as my career. I work
hard at it. I spend a lot of vacations at my computer. But it's a
really rewarding career, so it's all worth it!
Writing
and publishing books is not a business for the faint of heart. You
have to be a risk taker. You have to be willing to speculate on your
income and to be able to live through the slow times. You have to
develop a thick skin, because rejection is everywhere: agents,
publishers, reviewers, readers… We all know that books are
subjective. But if you're up for the task, writing can be an awesome
career choice!
When did you
start writing your very first novel, and did it ever get published?
How has the world of writing change since you started out?
I
wrote my first book when I was pregnant with my second child, who is
now a young adult. It was eventually published as a Silhouette
romance titled Promise of Marriage under the pen name Kristina Logan.
The writing world has gone completely upside down and spun around a
dozen times since I wrote my first book, but it's an amazing time to
be a writer now. There are so many opportunities for writers to get
their books to the reading public. I'm thrilled for the writers who
are starting out now, whether they want to be traditionally published
or publish themselves. There's more work. There are more changes. But
there are also many more opportunities.
Technology
has brought many changes to the world of books, but readers continue
to embrace new books, new formats, and—at the heart of every
book—great stories. I don't think great stories will ever go out of
style.
What advice do you have for authors
who are either aspiring to write their first book or are working
overtime to try to get that book noticed?
For writers working on their first
book, the most important thing you can do is write all the way to the
end. Too many new writers get hung up in the middle or caught up in
rewriting the beginning over and over again. To get over the hump,
jump ahead in the story or just write something—anything—knowing
you can fix it during the editing process. Until you write to the
end, you don't know what you don't know. You have to experience the
entire process of writing a novel. It takes dedication, determination
and stamina to finish a book. But it's hugely gratifying, and there's
no better experience than the actual writing.
For those writers who have published
their first book and are working overtime to get it noticed, I would
caution against spending all your time promoting that first book.
What you really need to do is write the second book and then the
third. You have to look at your writing as a career. More books will
increase your audience faster than any amount of marketing you do. I
urge an 80-20 split: 80% of your time should be spent writing and 20%
on promotion.
Describe your writing process. Are
you a plotter, a pantser, or something in between?
I am closer to being a pantser than a
plotter, but I do always know at least the five main plot points of
my story before I begin writing. But part of the fun for me as a
writer is telling myself the story. I want to be inspired and
surprised as I go along. It makes it more interesting to me. Of
course, I would be able to write faster if I outlined, but it just
isn't the way my brain works. There's no right way to write, just the
right way for the individual author.
What was your
reaction when you first found out you broke onto the New York Times
and USA Today bestsellers’ lists? How did you celebrate?
Hitting
#1 on the New York Times with my novel SUMMER SECRETS was an amazing
moment, especially because it was my first self-published title. I
celebrated with a lovely dinner out with my husband. What was even
more astonishing was that the novel stayed on the NYT list for 5
weeks and since then I've had 19 more novels hit both USA Today and
the New York Times. It never gets old!
How do you find
balance between writing, publishing, and promoting your books and the
rest of your life? Any tips for the rest of us?
I
have no balance whatsoever at the moment! I do try to do something in
the world of exercise—take a walk or play tennis at least 3-4 times
a week. And I also try to refill the creative well by reading and
watching movies and television. Inspiration comes from everywhere,
sometimes a song on the radio, a person that walks by, a sign on the
road… I think it's important for writers to be out in the world,
because all our experiences provide the fabric for our stories!
Congrats on your groundbreaking, new
partnership with Ingram to get the paperback editions of the
Callaways out to the world. What about this opportunity has you most
excited?
I'm thrilled to be able to bring my
bestselling digital titles into print and have the books sold at
physical bookstores throughout the country. Partnering with Ingram
Publisher Services has allowed me to use their national sales team
and distribution system to sell my books into Target, Barnes and
Noble, airport bookstores and supermarket chains. I know that some
readers still love their print books, so I want my readers to be able
to read my books in whatever format they prefer. Until very recently
print has been under the control of large publishing houses, but now
print readers will have an opportunity to get titles by an Indie
author, and I think it's a game changer for the publishing industry!
About the Callaway Blog Tour & All Its Great Prizes!
This is the week you finally meet the
Callaways! Not only are they all over the web as part of their
extraordinary blog tour, but they are also out and about in your
neighborhood. That's right; we're celebrating the
print launch with Ingram by throwing a
party all over the world! Make sure to follow this tour closely for
your chance to win gift cards, swag, autographed books, and other
incredible prizes.
All the info you need to join the fun and enter
to win amazing prizes is RIGHT
HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as
clicking a button or leaving a blog comment—easy to enter; easy to
win!
To Win the Prizes:
- Purchase any of the Callaway novels by Barbara Freethy (optional)
- Visit today’s featured social media event (that's where the HUGE prizes are)
About The Callaways: The
Callaways were born to serve and protect! In Barbara’s new
connected family series, each of the eight siblings in this blended
Irish-American family find love, mystery and adventure, often where
they least expect it! Each book stands alone, but for the full
enjoyment of the series, you might want to start at the beginning
with On A Night Like This! Get
the eBooks via Amazon, Barnes
& Noble, iBooks, or Kobo.
About the Author: Barbara
Freethy has been making up stories most of her life.
Growing up in a neighborhood with only boys and a big brother who was
usually trying to ditch her, she spent a lot of time reading.
When she wasn’t reading, she was
imagining her own books. After college and several years in
the P.R. field, she decided to try her hand at a
novel. Now Barbara is a #1 New York Times and USA Today
bestselling author loved by readers all over the world. Her
novels range from contemporary romance to romantic suspense and
women's fiction. Learn more on her website, Facebook
page, or in her Street
Team.
No comments:
Post a Comment