Enlightenment by Liz Keel
10 Things I Wish I Knew About Being an Author I Didn’t Know Before by Liz Keel
1. Believe in yourself! One of the main challenges is to have confidence in yourself and persevere. It can be quite daunting putting something you have created – your heart and soul – out there for others to view and potentially criticize.
2. Utilize all the help you can get! Use all the help and experience you are offered. Take my illustrator for example - Joemel Requeza who is brilliant! With Enlightenment, he not only took my thoughts and ramblings and made Thea come to life, but designed an intriguing cover that makes the reader want to find out more.
3. My work is done! It’s just about writing a story isn’t it?! Wrong! Just because you have written the story it doesn’t mean your role is now finished. Far from it, as you’ll now enter the world of marketing, social media and keeping up with the demands from your publishing house!
4. Develop a hard shell. You’ve finally done it! After hours, weeks and maybe even years of hard work your book is finally out there ready for people to purchase and it happens…you get a negative review. It can feel soul destroying at first but it’s important to remember not everyone will like what you have to say and it happens to authors all around the world. When it does though, try your hardest not to take it personally or respond negatively to the reviewer and instead focus on all the positives your readers have to say.
4. Have no regrets. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but even so I’m a firm believer you learn from your mistakes and if anything become stronger as an author.
6. The Financial Implications! Unfortunately it can be a long process getting to the stage when you can live purely off the royalties from the books you have written. Publishing one book won’t be enough to live off and you will need to keep your writing momentum going especially if you have built up a fan base – they will be hungry for more!
7. The world of social media! There are so many ways to reach out to your fan base and it is such a rewarding thing to do, not only because they will help get the word out about any of your new releases but they will also become your invaluable support network.
8. The importance of marketing! Whether you decide to go through a publishing house or not, knowing how to market your book can feel overwhelming especially when learning to do this the first time round. Do take the time to research what’s the best path for you.
9. Network! Connect with other authors out there who are in the same position as you on sites such as Goodreads; they can become your rock when needed as well as providing advice and a sounding block for all those questions you may have.
10. Don’t Give Up! Lastly and I think most importantly you have to have faith in yourself and know that you can do this. It won’t be easy and you’ll feel like pulling your hair out half the time, but when you finally do it…see your book out there for people to buy, it’s the most amazing feeling ever and makes all the heart-ache worthwhile.
The Driel Trilogy
Liz Keel
Publisher: Fire Quill Publishing
Release Date: 21st April 2016
ISBN: 9780996974875
ISBN: 9780994664198
Book Description:
After losing everything, all seventeen-year-old Thea wanted was to be a normal teenager. Instead, she was attacked by a mysterious creature she thought only existed in fairy tales.
Now thrown into the unknown realm of Faey, Thea is forced to determine the difference between reality and fantasy, in a world ruled by a dark elite and a society wracked by intolerance and prejudice. With the support of her new friends and a mysterious dark haired, blue-eyed guardian watching her every move, Thea will discover that when it comes to Faey, nothing is what it seems.
Will her courage and desire to save this new world from darkness be enough? Or will Thea be the next victim to fall to the dark whispers of fate...
About the Author:
I live in Surrey, England, a short walk from the beautiful Windsor Park, with my husband Richard and our two gorgeous children Noah and Olivia. For me, writing is nothing short of an addiction and I often find myself sneaking out to my writing shed for just a few minutes, which can often turn into hours of pure, unadulterated bliss catching up with my characters and continuing their story.
In-between writing, I teach in a primary school where there’s never a dull moment! I will also often be found Kindle in hand, reading a wide variety of genres but with YA fantasy and paranormal romance at the forefront of my reading list. Although I’m currently writing the second book in the Driel trilogy, other characters involving all things fantasy, paranormal and YA romance are jockeying for position, wanting me to write their story next, so watch this space! It is such a privilege to share my stories with you the reader. Thank you enough for taking the time to find out more about me.
To find out more about Liz, visit her website: www.lizkeelauthor.com
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