1. People often ask me How do you do it? How do you take care of two Autistic Children and Keep up with your writing career?
Let me start by saying it isn't easy, however both of my children are young adults so it is easier now compared to how it would be if they were youngsters still.
However, my life is rather hectic so I spend most of my time with my family but from the hours of 10.p.m. to 6 a.m. I work on my novels and my business brand. I very rarely get a full nights sleep trying to keep up with it all.
The Secret that I use is to write when the house is quiet such as when everyone is sleeping and do marketing and promo when everyone is awake. I tend to write easier when the house is quiet. it allows me to really get into my characters heads.
2. How did I build my Author Platform and How long did it take me?
I started my platform on Facebook and have since added Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. I have been in the business since 2018 and still continue to build my platforms. Another big part of having an author platform is good old fashioned word of mouth. As an author you need to be marketing yourself and your brand at all times. The writing world is very competitive especially in today's day and age, if you want to be a success you have to be on your toes at all times.
3. What advice would I give to someone just starting out into the writing world?
That is a question I get asked a lot. My answer is a few little answers to complete the big answer, so bare with me.
Pick a Genre that you love. If you love that Genre then you will enjoy writing books and it won't seem like such a daunting task.
Look at your personal favorite authors and research them.. read their books, look at their websites etc. Then follow in their footsteps and add your own twist. I am not saying copy them. But use them as mentors to develop a style similar to them but with your own flare added in. Examples: Does your favorite Authors website Say their name with the word Author at the end of it ? Most of the time they don't.. example if you look at Danielle Steels website it simply reads Danielle steel...
Listen to advice from other authors who have been in the business longer, however you still need to decide what routes to take that are best for you.
The biggest piece of advice I have is this... YOU MUST TREAT EVERY ASPECT AS BUSINESS! Present yourself as a professional and 99 percent of the time you will be treated as a professional. That means in person and online you must treat everything as business. Make sure everything you write on social media is treated that way as well.
Market your book but remember to market yourself as well. Readers want to feel a connection with the author as a person.
