Want to raise your profile and really establish yourself as an expert in your field? Or maybe you have what it takes to be the next J K Rowling?
Our client profile this month is none other than author Laura Dowers. Laura has successfully self-published two fiction novels and is now exclusively sharing the secrets of her success in her new book ‘How to Market Your Book: A Guide for the Self-Publishing Writer’. They say ‘never judge a book by its cover’ but as we had the honour of designing the cover in this case we think you should.
Over to you Laura…
I love writing. I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, but like so many hobbyist writers, only dreamed about becoming published. I had a historical novel written, but no means of having it published unless I went down the vanity publishing route. But then the eBook came along and suddenly, being published wasn’t a dream anymore. So I published my first novel as a Kindle eBook and enjoying the process, decided to make it a part of my business. Blue Laurel Services for Authors became part of LD Secretarial Services, helping other writers just like me see their book in print.
But anyone thinking of self-publishing should be aware that producing a book is only the first stage of what can be a very long process. For self-published books to be sold, they need to be marketed and with so many means of doing this, it can be difficult to know where to start. This is why I wrote my latest book, the non-fiction ‘How to Market Your Book: A Guide for the Self-Publishing Writer’.
In it, I have endeavoured to alert the reader to just how many marketing avenues are open to them, so they can pick and choose the methods that suit them best. A self-publishing writer may not enjoy the fortunes of J.K. Rowling, but I hope that with my book, he or she can enjoy seeing their book become a ‘nice little earner’.
What should we be reading right now?
I can heartily recommend Hilary Mantel’s ‘Wolf Hall’ and ‘Bring Up The Bodies’. Believe the Man Booker Prize judges and the hype – both novels are truly original and enthralling. For classic spy thrills written by a master, John le Carre’s ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’. J. L. Carr’s ‘A Month in the Country’ is a poignant book I will always recommend – simply effortless storytelling. And if you want to improve your writing skills, pick up Steven Pinker’s ‘The Sense of Style’, a writing guide for 21st century writers.
What is your next writing project?
Well, I actually have two on the go at the moment, with another one whirling around my head, demanding to be written. I am working on another non-fiction ‘How To’ book for Blue Laurel, this time on self-editing, and a historical fiction novel set in the 1930s.
Why did you decide to use a professional design agency for your cover design?
My talent, such as it is, lies in writing, not graphic design. I had designed my own covers for other books, and found the process to be time-consuming, and with the end results okay, but not as good as I would have liked. Speaking to Kate at a networking meeting, I decided to ask Promoworx to design my next cover, almost out of curiosity to see what they would come up with. As ‘How to Market Your Book’ was intended to be part of a series, I wanted a book cover that would be elegant and easy to adapt to each new title. I simply emailed across my brief, provided a few pictures of other book covers I liked, and waited. Jo got it right first time, providing a design that had the elegant, retro feel I was after. A great cover at a great price.
How can people get in touch with you?
Through the website – www.bluelaurelsfa.com – Blue Laurel Services for Authors, is probably best, as all the info they need should be there. But if someone wants to have a chat, they can give me a call on 020 3290 9036 or email me at laura@bluelaurelsfa.com.
