Chris Kennedy is a self-made science fiction writer who has garnered a great deal of fame in recent years due to the success of his self-published books. He shared with me some of the methodology behind his success in self-publishing and also highlighted some of the pitfalls where new writers tend to stumble. I’ve outlined some points from our talk below.
- Chris is a bestselling science fiction author and self-publishing guru
- His process
- Just start! Chris told me, (and other writers will say) ‘write what you know.’ Writing from your own experience is a great place to start.
- He began writing down stories from work in his free time. To start, you can spend as much time as you can afford on writing, but as he pointed out, you won’t get anywhere before the first word is written.
- Form some kind of plan. Chris mentioned that it’s essential to form a plan early in the process to keep yourself on track.
- For Chris, 90 days was enough to get something ready for the editor, but of course, this will be different for everyone depending on the amount of time you have.
- Create a compelling cover and book summary.
- Chris pointed out that readers very often choose a book based on appearance, so creating an eye-catching cover is essential.
- A dull or poorly written book summary can steer potential readers away. Make sure the first impression they get is a good one.
- ‘Pre’ Market your book.
- Establish a presence on social media and make connections before the release of the book. If people trust your opinion ahead of time this will give you clout as an author before the release of the book.
- Get an editor
- A good editor is essential. If you’re operating on a small budget, this can be done for free through friends and colleagues.
- Don’t listen to the naysayers! Many will tell you that you don’t have what it takes to be a writer or a self-publisher. That’s nonsense! People told Chris the same thing, but perseverance showed them wrong.
- His Published Books
- “Red Tide: The Chinese Invasion of Seattle” (Occupied Seattle, Book 1)
- “Occupied Seattle” (Occupied Seattle, Book 2)
- “Janissaries” (Book One of the Theogony)
- When the Gods Aren’t Gods (Book Two of the Theogony)
- “Terra Stands Alone” (Book Three of the Theogony)
- “Chasing a Spectre” (Book 0 of the War for Dominance)
- Can’t Look Back (Book 1 of the War for Dominance)
- Self-Publishing for Profit
- For more information, visit his website, check out his amazon page, or find him on Facebook.
- Just start! Chris told me, (and other writers will say) ‘write what you know.’ Writing from your own experience is a great place to start.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS