Author Journey: Fiona Wilson

Hi Fiona,

To this date, you’ve published your first book, Hearts in Danger, which is the first book in the Heart trilogy. How did you get into publishing? Was becoming an author something that you’d always wanted to be?

I got onto self publishing purely by accident if I'm being perfectly honest with you. I wrote Hearts in Danger during Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) and then realised I had absolutely no idea what to do with it. On advice from other authors I sent it away to a publisher. They declined and I began to seriously consider giving up, but friends told me I should publish it myself so that's what I did. Yes it's a lot of work but it was worth it to finally see the book for sale on Amazon. I have always enjoyed both writing and telling stories, I even had a story I wrote in primary school read out on local radio many years ago. I guess writing has always been in my blood, but becoming involved in the bookie community I realised that I could actually get the story out of my head and onto the page for real.

Now, I know that you started as a book blogger and that you still do this. Did blogging influence you at all with wanting to become an author?

I actually gave up blogging last year when I finally admitted to myself that I didn't have enough time to deal with work, writing, reading and blogging. I guess being a blogger and reading so many books written, and published, by indie authors gave me the boost I needed to push ahead with my own writing. I have made so many friends within the community and they have all been extremely supportive throughout the writing process. I count myself extremely lucky that I found such a wonderful group of friends through our shared love of reading and writing.

I know you’re releasing your next book soon, Healing Heart, which is the second book in the Heart trilogy, so could you maybe tell us a little bit about that book please?

Healing Heart begins almost immediately after the end of Hearts in Danger. My main female character, Rebecca, had quite a time of it by the end of the first book. In the second she is trying to rebuild her life and find a way to get back to the person she was originally. Unfortunately she is still being pursued by someone who is intent on taking away everything from her once again. Pretty soon those closest to her find themselves in peril too. I'm trying really hard to describe things without giving too much away.

You self-published your book. Was this always the plan or did you submit your work to a publisher at any time?

I think I actually answered this already, sorry. I know I shouldn't have allowed myself to become so upset over the rejection I received, perhaps it was more down to the fact it was the only publisher I would want for my book than the rejection itself. It was a huge reality check and one, if I'm honest, that I still haven't got over totally.

If you could get your work published by a traditional publisher, would you do it or do you prefer having full control over how your books are published?

I'm kind of in two minds about this if I'm honest. I guess the end goal of most authors is to have someone believe in their work so much that they want to publish it for them. I'd be lying if I said that I would love to have that. But by self publishing I do have totally control over things such as the cover, publishing date, price etc. Yes it's a lot of work editing, re-editing, formatting and everything else that's involved. But despite all that goes into finally publishing a book, the feeling I get every time I see my name on the cover is worth it. I'm also extremely lucky that I have found some amazing people who have helped me with both books thus far.

Do you have any advice for people that would like to publish a book but aren’t sure whether to self-publish or try and achieve success with a traditional publishing house?

I'd say look into things first before you decide. There is nothing to be lost by sending your manuscript to a few different publishers for consideration while you are still deciding which way to go. If you do decide to go the self-publish route then set yourself a realistic timeline. Don't rush things, take your time to read and reread your work carefully checking for errors several times. Don't assume just because you are self-publishing you have to do everything yourself. Finding a good editor, proofreader and designer will pay dividends in the long run.

Thank you for joining us, Fiona!

Author Biography:

I am a Scottish lass born and bred, grew up in Ayrshire now live in Bonnybridge. An avid reader as a child, my love of books has grown with me. I am a blogger, although I am currently taking an extended break, a reviewer and a beta reader. I am a huge supporter of indie authors, and still can't quite believe I'm about to join such an amazing group of people. I work full time as a nanny in Edinburgh. To break the monotony of rush hour traffic I occasionally find myself daydreaming on my way home. It was during one of these journeys that the idea for Hearts in Danger came to me. Knowing I had to get the story out of my head I took part in Nanowrimo 2015. By the end of the month I had not only written over 50,000 words, I had surprised myself by sticking to it every single day. What happens next, who knows? Wherever this journey takes me, though, I will be forever grateful for the help and support I have had along the way from family, friends, bloggers, reviewers and authors alike.