I owe much of the success of my sci-fi/horror book Godmode to book marketing guru Renee Scattergood. She offered a series of promotional programs that really allowed me to get some exposure for the book. But in addition to that, she is also a writer in her own right, with many dark fantasy books to her credit. Check out more about her at www.reneescattergood.com.
What inspires your writing?
I have a very overactive imagination. I get so many ideas for stories that I really don’t need any more inspiration!
What is your process of developing characters?
I have a step by step process for developing the characters as well as the entire story. It’s 30 steps in all and the character development is Steps 1, 2, 4, and 10 (and there is a reason for breaking it up, but there’s too much detail to go into here). Basically it’s a process of answering specific questions that help develop the stories while developing the characters.
Did you start with a story outline or did you make it up as you went along?
I always plan and outline my stories.
How much research did you need for our story?
My story didn’t need much in the way of research, though I did use generators to help with names for characters, places, creatures, and objects.
Did you draw on personal experience?
The magic in the world is (loosely) based on shamanism. I studied shamanism for several years, so I used that experience to create the magic that exists in this world.
How did you publish?
I self-published.
Why did you do it that way?
I’ve always wanted to be self-published. I have an entrepreneurial spirit, so it was a natural step for me. I enjoy being in charge of all aspects of publishing my work.
Who did your cover and marketing?
My cover was done by Katie Jenkins at Magical Designs. I do my own marketing (marketing is my second love).
Did you use beta readers? How did you secure them?
Yes, I do use beta readers. For Shadow Stalker, I found most of my beta readers on Facebook. Now most of them come from readers of my newsletter.
What is your process for worldbuilding and developing backstory for your fantasy and sci-fi settings?
Most of the world-building takes place in step 21 of my writing process. I do the world-building after the first draft has been written by going back through the story and making notes about things that I need to expand on to bring the world to life. Then I add those things to my world-building files. World-building is generally an ongoing process for me, however, because I will keep adding stuff to my files as needed.
The backstory comes during the character development stage. The backstory is mainly based on the characters’ backgrounds and what was going on in the world around them. I only add or include a backstory if it’s central to the story.
How many revisions did it take to get a publishable book?
With Shadow Stalker, it took many revisions because I didn’t have my current writing process to fall back on. With my new writing process, I cut out a lot of the revisions by working out the kinks before I start writing.
What are some cost-effective strategies for cash-strapped authors to promote their books?
There are a lot of free options out there. I think the best things authors can do is have a presence on social media (for connecting to readers, not selling to them); a blog to build a presence on the internet; doing interviews (like this one), guest posts, and podcasts can also help increase your visibility; and most importantly, you need to have a mailing list so you can promote your new releases to your readers.
What are you writing now?
I’m working on several projects at the moment. I’m writing a novel series called, A God’s Deception. I’m also starting a new serial called Emergence (it’s a prequel to my Shadow Stalker serial), and I’m also working on a fantasy romance novel series under the pen name, Kahlan Richards.
What is your advice to other writers?
There’s really so much advice and info out there for authors, but when it comes down to it not everything will work for you. Everyone is different, so focus on what works for you and don’t worry about the rest. And don’t be afraid to experiment with new ideas. Use your readers as a sounding board. They love feeling included in your process!
Be sure to check out one of her books here!
