by Peter Martin
Was it your intention to write a story with a message or a moral?
Yes. I wanted to show my reader that rape is a terrible crime, and how it affects women for the rest of their lives. My message is that no man should be allowed to get away with this, and they should be punished severely and made to realise what their actions have caused.
With the second book I wanted to show how anyone’s son could turn out good or bad despite their upbringing. And that there is something within them that makes them how they are.
***What do you want readers to think or feel after reading one of your books?
I want them to enjoy the books and want to read more. I hope they will understand what I’m trying to say, and that we all human and as such we all make mistakes. Some we learn from, some we don’t.
For self-published authors
*** What influenced your decision to self-publish?
Really I was getting nowhere with traditional publishing. The odds for getting published are probably 1000 to one. KDP has changed the ball game. Anyone can publish a book, and if it is good, and they are prepared to put in a lot of hard work in promoting etc, you can be successful. The odds are still against you, but at least you can get a book out there, which was never the case with traditional publishing.
If you have experience with both traditional and indie publishing, compare the two.
The only experience of traditional publishing is hundreds of rejection slips. Indie publishing is daunting too. You are on your own, you have to do everything yourself, and that is a difficult learning curve. You need help, the book must be edited and proofread, but who do you choose. A cover must be done. Promotion must be done, or no one will know your book is out there. A lot of this is trial and error, and it will take years for you to get anywhere.
There are people believe that traditional publishing is on the ropes, that self-publishing is the future. Do you agree? Why?
I wouldn’t say traditional publishing is on the ropes, but self-publishing is definitely a threat. But the big guys still have a lot of clout, and can charge whatever they like for a book. They can spend a lot of money on effective promotion for their authors. But at least now a lot of the small guys stand a chance. Most will fall by the wayside, but some will make it. There are a lot of talented writers out there, who but for KDP would never have made it into print.
***What do you find to be the greatest advantage of self-publishing?
Having control over your own book.
***Conversely, what do you think self-published authors might be missing out on?
Help and expert guidance with editing , cover design and promotion
With the number of self-published books increasing by such a huge rate, it is really difficult for authors to make their books stand out. How do you go about this?
Relentless promotion on social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Linked in and Good Reads. Once the book can get in the rankings of 5000 or above people will see it.
Who designed your book cover/s?
Cover Collection. They have hundreds of covers, all at a very reasonable price.
***Do you believe that self-published authors can produce books as high-quality as the traditional published? If so, how do you think we should go about that?
Yes, I do. But experience is everything. You learn such a lot along the way, and you have to be persistent to succeed. And never put your book out unless you are 100 percent happy with every aspect of it.
Do you belong to a writer’s cooperative? Describe your experience with that.
No, and have no experience of one.
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The link is : https://www.petermartinauthor.co.uk