The Write Stuff with...Audrey Davis

Today it's my pleasure to welcome author Audrey Davis back to the blog to talk about her writing journey and the lessons she has learnt since she was last a guest on the blog as part of a debut spotlight feature in July 2017.

It’s hard to believe, but I’ve just put my third romantic comedy novel up for pre-order, to be published on June 22. It’s called A Wish For Jinnie and I’m so excited to get it out there.

Almost three years have passed since I featured here with a Debut Author Spotlight. My first romcom novel, A Clean Sweep, had just been published and I was over the moon. Until reality kicked in …

The harsh truth is, books don’t sell themselves. Particularly if you’re an indie author, and therefore responsible for every aspect of getting your ‘baby’ out in the wild. Back in July 2017, I said the hardest part was the marketing/promo side, and that still remains an ongoing daily battle.

I’m proud to have 50+ reviews now for A Clean Sweep on Amazon UK alone. But it’s been a slog to get there, involving paid and free promos (some considerably more successful than others), and building up my social media presence. In the early days, I had a handful of followers on Twitter, no FB author page and a deep-seated terror of my woefully-inadequate website.

So, what I have learned – and achieved – in the past three years?

• Networking is hugely important. Creating connections with fellow authors/bloggers and readers across platforms (although I’m still all at sea with Instagram).
• However, spammy ‘buy my book!’ posts every few hours are a waste of time, and very off-putting. I’ve learned to share snippets about my everyday life, funny stories and other things that prove I’m ‘human’ and not some desperate author obsessed only with sales.
• Celebrating other people’s successes (or lending a comforting ear when life sucks) is vital. I try to share news about publication days, cover reveals and my own reviews of other authors’ books as much as possible.
• There are so many kind and generous people in the writing world. By joining many FB groups and using the hashtag #writingcommunity on Twitter, I’ve had countless questions answered, problems solved and generally avoided several instances of wanting to hurl my laptop out of a window.
• I now have over 4K followers on Twitter, a few hundred on my Audrey Davis FB author page and a new website, as well as a newsletter I try to send out every few weeks or so. Again, I make it a mix of chitchat, book news and reviews, and encourage my subscribers to give me feedback. For example, I recently shared potential new covers for my books both on a FB group and in my newsletter, and the response was incredible. Admittedly, opinions were divided, but it was hugely helpful in making the final call.
• Blog tours are a valuable tool in terms of connecting with wonderful bloggers (like Sharon) who give of their own time to read, review and/or share author interviews and other material. I’ve had four so far, with a fifth kicking off very soon.

Since A Clean Sweep, I’ve published a romcom novella trilogy – The Haunting of Hattie Hastings – which readers really took to their hearts. The only tiny criticism from some quarters was that it should be a standalone novel. I subsequently combined the parts and released it in November 2018. It now has over 60 reviews on Amazon.com.  Both A Clean Sweep and Hattie Hastings have also had ‘face-lifts’ recently, with gorgeous and more genre-appropriate covers. Another part of the learning curve is that nothing stays the same. You need to keep on top of current trends, update your book back matter and think of new ways to attract potential readers. 

I’ve also travelled to a few events in Leeds and Edinburgh, giving me the chance to meet other authors, bloggers and passionate readers. It’s always nerve-racking walking into a room where you don’t know anyone, but I’ve made some solid friendships that way. Other things I intend to try are book giveaways (to entice more subscribers to my email list) and book signings. Sadly, my intention to do one at a local British shop near my Swiss village has had to be put on hold, for obvious reasons.

It’s difficult not to check obsessively every day your book sales data and number of reviews, not to mention Amazon ads which still baffle me. I’m constantly learning, using free and paid resources to up my game and improve my chances of becoming more successful.

At the end of the day, however, I’m proud of what I’ve achieved. Success isn’t always measured in monetary terms. When a reader writes a review saying one of my books helped them through a difficult time, there’s no better feeling. I may never make the best-seller lists, but I’ll never stop writing.

Website: https://audreydavisauthor.com
Twitter: @audbyname
Facebook: Audrey Davis
Instagram: @cowieaudrey

A Wish for Jinnie book links:

Amazon UK : http://getbook.at/AWishForJinnie
Apple Books/Barnes & Noble: https://books2read.com/u/4N9kr6
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ch/en/ebook/a-wish-for-jinnie 

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR …

When Jinnie Cooper is dumped by her fiancé, and exiled to a job in an antiques shop in a sleepy Scottish village, little does she know a battered old lamp is about to shake up her life.

Genie Dhassim grants wishes. But he also wants a few of his own to come true. Letting him explore the outside world proves nerve-wracking as Dhassim has an uncanny knack of putting his pointy-slippered foot in it.

As Jinnie grows closer to her employer Sam, Dhassim discovers his time on earth is running out.

Can both Jinnie and Dhassim find true happiness? Or are those wishes that cannot be granted?

All book title links in bold are Amazon UK Affiliate links which will earn me a few pence if anyone clicks through and makes a purchase - any money earned will go towards buying books or gifts for giveaways.