I'm happy to be joined by Richard G. Lowe Jr. on the blog today for both an interview and a review of his book about being a successful indie author. Here's a little about Richard.
Richard Lowe Jr is a bestselling author who has published 63 books, ghostwritten 12 books, and produced several hundred articles for blogs and publications. He is the owner and senior writer of The Writing King, which provides services such as ghostwriting, book coaching, WordPress implementation, blogging and copywriting. Richard is also a SeniorLinkedIn Branding Specialist and has written over 150 LinkedIn profiles.
And onto the interview!
What made you want to be a writer?
When I was a child my mother believed in reading and decided I was going to regularly go to the library. She felt being exposed to books would help me in life. I didn't agree and screamed and cried all the way there. But when I got into the library I met the librarian, she must have been 20 or so, and had my first "crush". After that, I dragged my mother to the library every week, and read as many books as I could. At first I wanted to impress the librarian, but that faded away and was soon reading for myself.
I ran into the works of Isaac Asimov and he became my model for the perfect writer. I wanted to be just like him. I was perhaps 8 years old. I read every book by him I could find.
Life had a way of discouraging that goal, having to earn a living, support and family and such, so the dream faded. In 2013, I retired from my job of 20 years at Trader Joe's and began pursuing my dream. Since then I've written and published 64 books, ghostwritten 12, and written hundreds of blog articles. I've had one best seller.
What kind of books do you read for pleasure?
I like military history, especially World War II and Rome, and enjoy Science Fiction.
How does your average writing time go?
I write for 8 hours each day and promote for 4 to 6 hours a day. Each hour of writing consists of 45 minutes of actual writing using dictation, and 15 minutes of break time.
What book/character of yours is your favourtie?
I'm writing a science fiction novel, and the antagonist is a woman, Erika, who is completely amoral. She's interesting because she's completely focused on the goal, and she does whatever is needed to achieve it. She's kills at a moment's notice, manipulates, and is directly responsible for a genocide.
If you had the chance to write anywhere, where would you choose?
I designed my writing space and it is perfect. Quiet, with the computer humming. Bookshelves to the right and rear, a wall of butterflies in front and crystal amethyst geodes to the left. Very soothing and full of power.
Do you prefer to type or hand write?
I dictate all my writing into the computer, then go back and edit it. Using dictation, I can write 10,000 words per day, ready to publish.
Do you have any hobbies?
I collect butterflies from all over the world, large crystals, and fantasy miniatures. I am also a belly dance and renaissance festival photographer.
Inside this book, I'm going to talk about how to research and a topic
that sells, how to write your book, how to publish it and how to market
yourself so people want to buy anything you create.
- I explain how you need to research your topics so you don't spend time writing a book that no one wants to buy. Nothing is more frustrating than that.
- Next, you'll learn how to write your book, so that your reader understands your message and appreciates what you've written.
- Third, you'll learn how and where to publish your masterpiece in simple terms that are easy to understand.
- Next, you'll learn how to form a network of dedicated fans who are not only interested in your work, but demand more books from you and share everything you write with their friends.
You'll learn all of this and more in the pages of this book.
My review: 4 Stars
This is a great book, very informative about getting started as a self-published author. Starting from scratch and as the title says, laying the foundation. My only critique and reasoning for giving it four stars is that it focuses more on non-fiction than fiction. For example, Lowe talks about releasing a lot of books in a short space of time, aiming for lower word count rather than full length novel, and in the world of fiction writing that just isn't an attainable goal. Otherwise the book is very helpful, packed with links and ideas that can help you get started on the journey. The advice is spot on, and the book is easy to read and flip through at a later date when you want a refresher course on a particular subject. It's well researched and spells things out for you in a easy to read manner. For that reason, I recommend it.
You can find Richard on his website here.
Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here.
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