A Novel Reality: Blog Tour: Becca Campbell

1. Who inspired you to complete your novel and publish?

Empath was the first book I ever wrote. I didn't consider myself a "real" writer back when I started it, or even an aspiring one, really. It was more of a creative experiment than anything. I had been tossing the idea of writing a book around in my head for a few weeks before I even had the idea of a story. At that time I was considering what it would mean to write a book and wondering if I had what it took. Could I do it? Once that question got into my head, I couldn't let it go. It was like this unquenchable dare.

The beginning flowed like most first books do, fast and furious. The middle got rocky, but I pressed on. It was like climbing a mountain--the further I got, the more difficult the terrain. Months began to pile up as I struggled forward, and each word felt as if it was wrung from my very essence. I stalled, frustrated when I looked back at the mess of my first first-draft ever. There were issues, and I didn't know how to fix them. I used the guise of "editing" to reread and procrastinate finishing whatever chapter I was in.

It was when I was in one of the lowest points of my new writerdom when I discovered a wise blogger named Kevin Kaiser. I first found Kevin through his work with author Ted Dekker (Kevin was Ted's brand manager and marketing guru), but I soon discovered a secret wealth of insight on Kevin's blog. Whether it was inspiring quotes from famous writers or slap-you-across-the-face, brutal honesty about what it takes to be a writer, his posts challenged me in a way that made me refuse to give up on my story and writing in general.

I truly believe that these posts were put in my life at the right moment in time to stir something inside me that needed to be stirred. If I hadn't devoured his advice, I might not have finished that first novel and since written six more books. If you can get your hands on something he's written, do it now.

2.What advice would you give to aspiring authors regarding the publishing and marketing process?

Don't try to recreate someone else's success. Figure out what works for you.

How you do that is a little more complicated. It might look like a series of trials and errors. Gather tips and ideas about publishing and marketing from seasoned professionals and from other successful writers, but know that what worked for someone else probably won't work for you. Success isn't a formula, and even if it were, the face of the publishing industry is changing daily, repeatedly overturning our understandings of what takes off and what doesn't. Compare notes with other new writers (or old ones who are still plugging away, waiting for success to come). Peers are a great way to find out pitfalls to avoid, so don't count out the advice of others just because they haven't hit bestseller status yet.

The most important thing is to not stop writing. We'd all love to get rich and famous writing, or at least enough to quit the day job. But if you're waiting for that to happen, you'll be miserable along the way. Don't assume your first book will be an overnight bestseller. Or your second, or your third. But don't believe the lie that lack of sales equals failure. For the majority of us, success is a very steep mountain to climb, but you only fail if you quit climbing. Enjoy the process and keep writing.

3. What would you tell authors to "Start Now" concerning social media?

There are so many beneficial things a writer can do to build a web presence: start a blog and begin posting regularly, grow your twitter followers, expand your reach on Goodreads and Facebook, connect with groups of writers and/or readers online. These all take a great deal of time and effort but are necessary if you're trying to reach your widest audience possible.

Beyond a list of places to be seen and heard, the most important thing you can do is connect with people in a real, meaningful way. Too many people try to grow their online presence through automated means, auto-tweeting at any new follower to check out their blog or buy their book. PLEASE don't do that! People don't want to get a pitch about your stuff, they want to know you. Forming online relationships takes even more time and effort than merely upping your friend and follower counts, but those kinds of connections are what really matter.

Great advice, Becca! Thank you for interviewing with A Novel Reality. Everyone check out Becca's book, Empath. You can easily find her with the links below. Don't forget to drop in on the next stop of her blog tour!

Author Bio

Becca J. Campbell is the author of the New Adult Romantic Science Fiction novels Foreign Identity and Gateway to Reality, New Adult Romantic Paranormal Thriller Empath (The Flawed Series #1), and Sub-Normal, a series of Science Fiction short stories.

An avid lover of stories that tiptoe the line between fantasy and reality (even when they plunge off one side or the other), Becca looks for new angles on bridging the gap between the two. She holds a special place in her heart for any story that involves superpowers or time travel. Her passion is defying the limits of her own creativity. You can find her on her Author Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest, and Amazon.

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Empath (Flawed Book One)

Supernatural empathy isn’t a gift, it’s a curse. Anywhere she goes, Jade’s emotions are replaced by those of the people around her.

Jade grew up in a suburb of Colorado Springs, protected from other people by her parents. Now she faces college—and the world—with nothing to shield her from unwanted feelings.

When Cam, a classmate with a major crush on her, unintentionally hijacks her emotions, Jade struggles to keep from being carried away in feelings of attraction. When Ethan, a psychopath with a thirst for fear, fixates on her, the emotional impact could be lethal.

Caught in a deadly trap, Jade must untangle the emotions and find a way to use her empathic curse to overcome this killer or be overcome by him.

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Empath Purchase Links

A Novel Reality

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Blog Tour: Becca Campbell