World of Writing Interview

World of Writing - Author Interview

New York Times bestselling author Margaret Brownley has penned more than fifty novels and novellas. She's a two-time Romance Writers of American RITA® finalist and has written for a TV soap. She is also a recipient of the Romantic Times Pioneer Award. Margaret loves hearing from people and invites our readers to visit her at: http://margaret-brownley.com 

Q: Margaret, it is so nice to have an accomplished writer like yourself drop in to talk about your experiences. I'm interested in how you developed your craft - did you take any writing classes? 

A couple, but the one that proved to be a turning point for me was the class taught by D.C. Fontana, the creator of Mr. Spock on Star Trek. She explained the elements of story in a clear and precise way that really made sense to me. She also said that each paragraph must have something for the reader to “see”. After taking her class, I reworked my manuscript, and the book launched my career.



Q:What are some of the tools you use for marketing? 

I do the Facebook, Twitter thing, and am a resident blogger with other writers on Petticoats and Pistols, which gets a lot of traffic.

However, the tool that sells the most books for me is my newsletter. But there’s a trick to writing newsletters. You have to give readers a reason to read it. It can’t just be about your books. I include recipes, fun facts and a giveaway.

Contests have been a great help in getting people to sign up for my newsletter and follow me on Amazon. Amazon sends followers relevant updates, such as the release of a new book. That’s a big help and takes no effort on my part.

I also find talking to local groups a good way to sell books. Almost every organization is looking for speakers. If you speak to one group, chances are that someone in the audience will ask you to speak to another. If the audience likes you and what you have to say, they will buy books. I keep the talks fun and upbeat.



Q: How much time do you devote to marketing your book? 

It depends where I am in the publishing cycle. I spend more time marketing prior and during a book release. I usually write in the morning and handle the business of writing in the afternoon. You have to be careful. You can waste a lot of time on the wrong type of marketing. Depending solely on social media could be a mistake because of the algorithms. I have, however, had moderate success with Facebook ads.

The important think is to track sales so you don’t waste time on promotion that offers little or no return.

The Outlaw's Daughter by Margaret Brownley

Q: In all your experiences over the years in this industry, are there any special memories that you would like to share? 

When my first book was published, I spotted it in a local drug store. It was the first time I’d seen a book of mine in a store and it was a real thrill. I decided to sign the copies on the rack. Someone saw me doing it and called the police. They thought I was defacing books. I told the policeman that I was the author and handed him my I.D. Unfortunately, the book was written under a pen name, which did not match the name on my driver license. Boy did I have some explaining to do. 😊

Q: What is the most difficult part of marketing for you? 

All of it. I’d much rather write.

Q: Do you use any set formula when writing a book? 

All I need to start a new book is a general idea and an opening sentence. I’ve tried outlines, but they don’t work for me. If I write an outline, I feel like I’ve told my story and have no desire to write the book. It’s not knowing what’s going to happen next that keeps me glued to my desk.

Q: You've written numerous books, are these a series? 

Most are. Publishers like series because they keep readers coming back. My books stand alone, so even series books can be read in any order.



Q: Did you find writing more difficult for the first or for the latest book? 

Contrary to what some people might think, I find the writing becomes more difficult with each book. That’s because I’m always striving to improve, and I don’t want to repeat myself. I write romance novels, and there’s only so many ways that a couple can, for example, kiss. So that’s the difficult part, especially when you write sweet romances as I do. Despite the challenges, however, writing is fun, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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