Overview

David marketed throughout his career and has used that information to get his books into bookstores.

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Transcript

Let's move on and talk some author stuff for all the authors listening.

So before we talk about our topic, which is going to be lessons learned in marketing what are some things you personally have learned? You mentioned some things you've learned from your editor. How to write what to put in the book and that, so talk about some of those things that you've learned from when you started with book one to now with book five.

[00:25:26] David: One of the big things that I've learned and I had a a professor that I I went to for some help sometimes. And. He told me I had a, I tried to overwrite things and I remember one thing that he told me, he says, trust your reader. He says, they're smart enough to read. They read one of your books, they can read at least of an eighth grade level.

And he said, trust them, you don't have to tell 'em over and over. about something. And that, that I did that in my first book. And I got away from that. I learned and there's just a lot of things. A good editor can point out to. That you do. And any of these independents that write books and don't get a good editor and have a thorough editor, not just one editor.

I, I have a editor that I use just for Spanish because I use a lot of Spanish words in my books. And I have them check to make sure that the Spanish in my books. Is correct. And that, that's the thing about the Indies and they, when they went to everybody, started going to the, in indie or self-published they, we can just let's face it.

We can put a book out there and throw it up on, on the deal. Have an ebook overnight. A lot of stuff's got out there. That's just not good literature and we've gotta. The all authors have gotta make sure their works are edited, properly edited and formated and ready to be published. I think that's key and I've always done that cause I'm whatever I do, I want it done.

[00:27:04] Stephen: Okay, nice. And that's a good lesson right there. And when you're writing, so you're in your RV and you've got your dog helping you out. So what do you use to write what services or what software do you like, or do you do anything special with your writing?

[00:27:19] David: Not anything special. I put everything on this laptop right here that we're, I've written three books on this laptop that we're using here to communicate with.

I take it along. It's a small laptop I use word and I get it all together and I don't worry. Too much about my grammar or anything at that as I'm reading it, I'm trying to get the story out as it's in my mind. And one of the fallacies that I have when I get into a good scene, I'll sometimes write till I just can't go anymore.

I think the record is about 18 hours, but I had a good scene going. It was up here. And I wanted to get it. I wanted to get it on paper, so that's that's how I write. And I don't have anything special software or anything like that. But I have some good people. I have a good assistant who goes over and she's got an Eagle eye.

She can miss a. If I see something or just a little space off she's on top of it. And I get it, her to get it in tip top shape before I go to an editor. But I use in this last book, I had six what I call advanced readers. Once we got the manuscript where we thought it ought to be, I sent it out to six good readers who I knew and never.

Ever ask somebody that loves you to critique your work. always find somebody afar. That'll do and give you a good a good critique,

[00:28:53] Stephen: right? I, yeah I found that out. I had several close friends and family members read my book and the feedback I got was, yeah, I liked it. It was. Which doesn't help me at all.

And I don't know if I completely believe them, especially if the book wasn't written for them. So

[00:29:11] David: one of those readers advanced readers...