I’m delighted to welcome the Scottish powerhouse that is Wendy H Jones to my blog today. I’ve known Wendy for several years, especially through the Scottish Association of Writers of which she is the current president, and I’m always amazed at her energy, focus and willingness to help other creatives. As well as being the successful author of crime fiction and children’s books, Wendy has found time to share her knowledge and experience of the business side through her two non-fiction books: Motivation Matters and Marketing Matters.
The SAW is only one of Wendy’s huge range of writing associations, and she is also in demand as a speaker and entrepreneur. For writers, motivation and marketing are often two of the biggest hurdles to success and Wendy has addressed these in her two featured books.
Invaluable for those just beginning a writing career, they also provide excellent reminders and exercises for all writers. Wendy kindly agreed to tell us how her writing and business acumen has led to her current success and hopefully we can learn something from her wisdom and experience.
How did you become an entrepreneur after writing fiction?
I’m not entirely sure that I started as an entrepreneur after writing fiction. The real answer would be, I was an entrepreneur alongside writing fiction. Let me give more of an insight into what I mean.
I came to writing after a completely different career, first in the military and then as an academic and, ultimately, as the deputy director of a university faculty. This gave me an insider view of business – you develop a course alongside recruiting students to that course, and you continue to market in order to recruit.
I applied the same principles of marketing to my life as a writer; therefore, I told people about my first novel as I was writing it. I took every opportunity to bring the book to potential readers. I knew that marketing and building up a buzz was key to book sales and success as a writer. Therefore, I saw my writing as a business before I even wrote the first word. Being an author entrepreneur is a mindset - it is seeing yourself as both writer and a businesswoman (man). I give equal emphasis to both.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I see myself first and foremost as a writer but I also know that I need to develop both as a writer and a businesswoman in order to succeed. I also have a love of helping others and I do that wherever I possibly can. I don’t forget there are people at the heart of what I do – both readers and other writers. This means I have developed the coaching aspect of my business, helping new, and established, writers to develop both as writers and also with the business side of their author career.
That’s excellent, Wendy, and I can see how such an approach might help us get over our fear, or reluctance, in sharing the results of our hard work in an often saturated market.
I’d love you to share one tip we could apply right away from the aptly named Motivation Matters and Marketing Matters, please.
Top Tips From Wendy’s Books
Motivation Matters – many writers feel they have to wait for the muse to show up in order to write. I expect my muse to show up every time I sit down to write and you should too.
If it’s a little reluctant to join you, write about anything until your muse drags you back to your novel.
The very act of writing will kick start your brain into thinking about what you should really be doing.
Marketing Matters – do one thing a day to bring your book to readers’ attention.
A lot of people say, I don’t have time to market. Making that time is what will help you to sell more books which means more money to live on and more time to write.
One thing a day, even if it only takes a couple of minutes, is 365 times you’ve marketed in a year.
That’s a lot of opportunities to bring your book to a reader’s attention.
Fantastic, Wendy – thanks so much for sharing these tips. I’m sure I won’t be the only writer keen to read more! You can buy the books from various places by clicking on the images.
Wendy H. Jones is an award winning, international best-selling author from Scotland. She describes herself as an author entrepreneur, which means that she is interested in not just writing, but the business of being a writer.
She has four fictional series – The Detective Inspector Shona McKenzie Mysteries, Cass Claymore Investigates, The Fergus and Flora Mysteries and the Bertie the Buffalo picture books. Having used marketing in a previous existence, she has applied this knowledge to the marketing of her own books and to supporting and encouraging other writers.
This led to her publishing the two non-fiction books for writers – Marketing Matters and Motivation Matters both of which have been best-sellers.
She is also a writing and marketing coach, the host of The Writing and Marketing Show Podcast and the President of the Scottish Association of Writers.
You can connect with Wendy at the following: