I connected with Amanda couple months back on Twitter and have loved her work as an artist. Once the idea for The Creator’s Roulette was all set, extending her an invite to talk about her art seemed the logical step and I was overjoyed to learn that Amanda has been working on a book which is currently being edited by a publisher. Since chatting with SKaeth about indie publishing, I could not let the opportunity to look into the traditional landscape go, so we will keep art as a topic to come back to in the future.
Without further ado, I give you Amanda (her words in italics)! Welcome to The Creator’s Roulette, Amanda! Tell me about how you got into writing and art! What are your first memories of these?
Thank you for having me! I love that you asked this question, because I’ve never really sat and thought back that far… But now that I have, I definitely remember being small, probably younger than kindergarten age, obsessed with drawing and coloring on any paper I could find. Writing took a bit longer, since I was more concerned with drawing my stories versus actually writing them out. I’ve always loved reading though, and the combination of the books I love and the stories in my head inspired me to write them as novels – that mindset started only a few years ago!
On Her Upcoming Book
You are on your way to becoming a published author! Congratulations! What is your book about?
Thank you so much! It’s still hard to believe that it’s happening.
My book is tentatively titled Sin Eater. It’s about a girl named Jayde who discovers that she has the ability to erase memories, but she finds out by accidentally erasing her best friend’s memories after their senior year of high school. Afterward, she’s blackmailed into starting a shady business using those powers where she’s paid to erase her clients’ memories. The book is structured as a then versus now – you follow her through her present life while also getting glimpses of her own memories.
That sounds fantastic, Amanda. The way you describe it, I look forward to reading it! Why did you choose the traditional publishing route? What surprised you about it, if anything?
I chose the traditional publishing route because I am CLUELESS! I did a ton of research, but I felt quite overwhelmed and thought that for my first venture into the publishing world, it would be amazing to have professionals to learn from.
It was so surprising to me how many different methods there are now for getting your work out there. Self-publishing, hybrid, traditional, vanity, blogs, writing contests…
It’s wonderful to have so many options, but that just confused me more. I wanted my first published work to be under the wing of more experienced people, and then once I gained some knowledge and confidence, I could entertain other methods in the future.
On Manuscript to Published!
That’s indeed a good way to learn. That’s what specialists are for. And no matter how much information the Internet can provide us with, ultimately talking to a person is always better. For people who do not know, what are the steps to get a book published through a publisher? How far are you into this process? How long does it take to get a book from manuscript to published?
- Once your manuscript is done, take a step back from it for a while. Then when you come back to edit, you’ll have fresh eyes.
- Edit edit edit! Cannot stress this enough.
- Join some writing communities and find beta readers. Feedback is SUPER important! (this was a step I missed out on, and I shouldn’t have!)
- Once you feel confident in your work, do research on agents and publishers. Make sure not to just send in queries freely, but that you read what kind of books they publish and see if your book would fit with them.
- Write a query letter and send. There are many examples online of successful letters, so be sure to check those out. Also, again, read the websites of every publisher/agent carefully, since they all have different guidelines on what you should include in your query.
- Wait patiently. One of the toughest steps!! Some won’t ever get back to you, and that’s okay. The websites are usually very truthful and will let you know that if they haven’t gotten back to you in so many months, then it’s a no.
- Once you do get responses, if they’re a no, don’t give up! Do more research and find other publishing houses or agents that sound like they fit you and your book.
- If you do get a response and it’s a yes, listen carefully to their feedback. Sadly, writers need a very tough skin, since regardless of any situation, you’re going to hear negative feedback. However, hearing real and honest feedback is valuable.
- Once you and the publisher come to an agreement, they’ll send a contract for you to sign. My publisher had handy documents all together for me to fill out concerning an author’s bio, picture, cover design, etc., which I filled out and sent to them. After, you’ll have an editor work on your book… which is where I am now. I was told that the editor is going to edit my entire book and then begin conversing with me on what I need to do after that.
It’s a long process, but I promise it’s worth it. Every step is exciting! I signed the contract last year and the editing is still going on. I think how long before it’s published depends on the contract you sign.
That sounds like an exhaustive process but you need to do what you need to do to work with professionals. When do you expect your book to be available to readers?
Sadly, I don’t have a release date, so I’m not totally sure when it will be available to readers. I use all of my social media to share writing, art, and any updates on my book, so I’ll definitely let everyone know as soon as I know.
Speaking of publishing, you mentioned that you’re on some publisher’s book blogger programs. What do you mean by that? I’ve thought so many times of starting a writing/publishing blog, but I haven’t!
Happy to offer some insight into that side of things. 🙂 I have a book blog (we are here today!) where I write reviews of books, host author interviews, among other bookish things. Publishers are always happy to meet book bloggers who love reading and are committed to spreading the word about a book. Since many of us are on multiple social media platforms, it means that the book can reach people in different ways. I am signed up with Penguin Random House Canada, Simon and Schuster Canada (most recently), Hachette Book group Canada and Harper Collins Canada. I have access to their upcoming catalog and can request books I am interested in. I have received physical books so far though one doesn’t need to be on their book blogger programs to get ebook titles from Edelweiss and NetGalley.
Like I said, I request books that are coming up. If the lovely people who manage these programs have these books available (or others they would like reviews for), they get mailed to me. I try to read them as soon as I can, though I have been slow, managing these physical advanced reader copies, my ebook ARCs from NetGalley, my own to-be-read pile and stuff I do to support authors through blog tours.
That sounds exhausting but super rewarding! It’s cool how you help authors spread the word about their books and that you love what you do. I grew up reading, but it was such a solitary hobby. I’m just now opening my eyes and mind to all the other book lovers out there who discuss and share the things they read! What an awesome community!
One Being A Reader
My perception of reading in my teens and early twenties was very much like yours – that it is a solitary activity. However, through twitter, I have met many people with whom I can talk about books and even read together. It’s an amazing feeling!
What kinds of books do you like to read, and has that influenced your writing and the publishers you want to work with?
I’m a big fan of fiction and young adult fiction, and it definitely influences what kinds of books I want to write, which then decides what publishers I can work with. My book Sin Eater is actually a young adult novel, because I feel like I connect with that genre the most. Reading was such a big part of my teens and twenties – it inspired my art and began helping me weave my own stories in my head. Creativity always begets creativity, and I’m forever grateful to my favorite authors that have filled my life with their fantastic stories.
Do you find yourself leaning towards certain genres as well, Kriti?
I read just about everything though my recent experience with Crime and Young Adult was not very positive. I am hoping that I can find books that make me want to get back into these genres and age categories. Last year was the first year I was book blogging and that opened me up to poetry, noir fiction and memoirs in a way I had never experienced before. Would you try your hand at another genre at some point in life?
I’m so sorry to hear about the negative experiences! I definitely went through a period like that a couple of years ago.
As for trying my hand at other genres, I would like to. I’m writing a second book right now that’s more of an adult fiction versus young adult. I have other ideas in my head for future works that may fit into other categories, one of which leans more towards sy-fy, which I’ve never written before!
One last question! Where can everyone find examples of your work and updates about your upcoming book?
I’ve made quite a few social media accounts, since I know everyone prefers one or the other. Here they are below!
Thank you so much for talking with me! I learned quite a bit, and it was fun getting to know you.
My pleasure! It’s been wonderful to have you over for Creator’s Roulette!
Photo of working desk by Mad Fish Digital on Unsplash
Photo of library by Alfons Morales on Unsplash
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