“I was born in the late 60′s in a suburb of Vancouver, Canada called Burnaby, and haven’t moved far from home over the years.
My very active childhood imagination and knack for making up stories often got me into trouble. Perhaps this is where all writers get started? Shortly after watching the first remake of King Kong, around the age of ten or eleven, I decided to write a “book.” I remember something about a monster crab attacking Vancouver.
Throughout my teens my mind was in a state of unrest and I used poetry to journal the ups and downs of those difficult times. Later, my work was published in a poetry anthology.
I returned to my love of storytelling in my twenties, writing numerous short stories; and now at forty, I am re-working two full-length novel manuscripts for publishing. Many more book ideas are at the researching and outline stage, keeping me busy at the PC.
When I’m not writing or working I am playing with my two children, aged three and five.”
You can visit William’s website here.
Welcome to Beyond the Books, William. Can we start out by telling us whether this is your first book or if you have other books out?
Thank you for having me on. This is my first published book.
What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?
The first book was called Dead of Knight and it is still unpublished. It was a confidence thing. I just didn’t believe it was good enough. I’m re-writing and working to publish it in 2009.
For your first published book, how many rejections did you go through before you either found a mainstream publisher, self-published it, or paid a vanity press to publish it?
Between the book and the short stories I submitted separately, I received around eleven or twelve rejections. Then I chose to self-publish.
How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?
I try to prepare myself for rejections by remembering the stories I’ve heard of famous writers like Stephen King, whose pile of rejection slips is legendary. Still, rejection feels like a kick in the stomach.
When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?
Xlibris published my book. I didn’t do nearly enough research and chose them because their website was well written made them sound like a good choice.
How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
After dreaming of publishing for decades and working so hard I thought I would be more excited. I began to wonder if all the time I spent away from my kids writing and re-writing was worth it. I decided to celebrate when I made my first sale. I don’t think I will feel completely like an author until I publish with a mainstream publisher.
What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
I bought an Opt-in e-mail campaign from my publisher. I felt like I had spammed a million people. The ad was entirely ineffective and a waste of money.
If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?
Yes. I would make sure that I had exhausted all potential avenues for working with a traditional publisher. Then if needed, I would take my time to research the best possible self-publishing option.
Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?
No. My first book was published in April 2008 and I haven’t published since. I plan to publish again 2009.
Looking back since the early days when you were trying to get published, what do you think you could have done differently to speed things up? What kind of mistakes could you have avoided?
I didn’t have a clue about how to get published. I was in such a hurry I didn’t take time to understand the process. Most published authors are very willing to help. I should have made contacts and asked questions about agents and about smaller traditional presses. I think this would have helped me to find a publisher more suitable to my needs instead of going with the first one to come along.
What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?
Hearing a reader or professional reviewer say “loved your book” or “couldn’t put it down” and “can’t wait to read your next book.” These are the words that keep me going and make me feel like all the sacrifices are worth it.
If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?
I would have been a veterinarian.
Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?
No, I would still write as much as I could.
How do you see yourself in ten years?
In ten years I hope to be considered a good father and husband and, as a writer, traditionally published with a loyal readership.
Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
If you truly want to be a published author then be prepared for a great deal of hard work and never give up. Write every day and read as much as you can. Join author sites like Authors Den to connect with writers and especially readers. When you feel ready to publish, take your time and research until you are confident you’re making the right publishing choice and don’t be afraid to question published authors.
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Thanks for having me on “Beyond the Books!”
William Potter