Last month we welcomed publisher Georgia McBride to the blog to talk about her phenomenal success with Month9Books, which she founded. Today we’re pleased to host Georgia again, but this time we’re exploring Georgia the author. Listen in to what goes on in the mind and world of one amazing overachiever. And then check out the giveaways below!
Interview with Georgia McBride, A WOW-Wednesday Post
What advice would you give to first-time writers?
Read books in the genre and category you want to write in. Read the big books, the ones that are the mega sellers. This will help you learn the market. Take note of what books are being acquired to get a sense of what agents and publishers are interested in and or effectively selling. Know your weaknesses as a writer and read everything you can on craft and or that specific weakness. Agents and editors freely share information on social media and their own blogs and websites about the publishing business as well as their experiences and opinions. Read it. Join writers groups for in-person support, networking, and mentoring. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Don’t assume your first draft will be THE ONE. Write as much as you can as often as you can. It does not have to be perfect. JUST WRITE. If you don’t write, you are not a writer. And if you aren’t a writer, you will never become an author!
What one thing do you feel made the most difference in getting you from aspiring author to published author?
Confidence. I doubted myself for so long. I worried too much about what people in the business would say. I needed (or so I thought), their approval. Turns out, I needed nothing of the sort.
If you could travel back in time to tell/warn newbie writer or newbie author something, what would that be?
For every 1 person who hates your book, there are sure to be 3 who love it – and that doesn’t include YOU or YOUR MOM. There will be an audience for your work. It might be a small one, niche or GIANT one. BUT, there will be one. Of course, if you never release your book, there can be no one who loves it. And yes, I am shouting in ALL CAPS.
What is your writing/revision process? Is it the same for every book, or does it change from book to book?
I like to revise as I write. I will usually write a chapter, then go back and revise it immediately after.
How do you recover from a writing slump or writer’s block?
I have found that writer’s block stems from the need to control the story, rather than letting the story develop organically. If you don’t know what to write, it could well mean you are heading down a wrong plot path – and the block is the Universe’s way of pointing you in a different direction. I see that block as a gift and hope to inspire others to feel the same. As well, writer’s block can also be caused by fear. Don’t let fear rule your writing.
Who do you most look up to in the literary world and why?
I was inspired by Stephanie Meyer when I read her story. She’s a mom, just like me, and she was able to make a career for herself. She wrote during her kids’ practices and whenever she could make time. It helped me do the same and not feel guilty about finding time for myself to do something I love. And, like me, J.K. Rowling was unemployed when she started penning her novel. If she could find the motivation to do so while living in her car and not give up, then so could I, despite family members telling me to give up. So, I have been tremendously inspired by these women, both moms, both told they couldn’t do what they were compelled to do, and both enjoying success beyond their wildest dreams. Finally – I cannot say enough about Maya Angelou and Oprah Winfrey and their influence on my life. Oprah showed the world that people of color do love to read. I’m grateful for that.
What are some of your worst fears when it comes to writing?
I’m always worried that I’ve missed something, or could have done something better, or that readers will hate it.
Did you ever feel like giving up on writing? How did you get past that?
I never wanted to give up, although I don’t have nearly as much time nowadays to write my own books.
What was your biggest obstacle in getting published? How did you get over it?
My biggest obstacle was finding an agent who thought the genre I write in was still viable and that readers would want to read it. It killed my confidence since fantasy, paranormal, and horror is all I care to write. So, I struck back starting my own press for works of this very kind and published my novel through that press.
What is the stupidest thing you’ve ever done as a writer/author? How did you turn it around?
Hmmm. Stupid? Well, I released my book assuming it was going to sell on its own because I had such a great social media following. That was really, really, really stupid. I turned it around by doing live events, signings, podcasts, interviews, etc. I did the hard work!
What do you struggle with the most in writing and/or in real life?
I struggle with balance. I work all the time to the point where I have no time to actually read for pleasure or to read competitive titles in the market. I hope to change that this year!
Do you read your reviews? How do you deal with negative comments and how do they affect you?
I do read reviews. The bad ones really hurt. But sometimes you have to hear those things so you can possibly fix what you got wrong the first time. Sometimes, bad reviews can make a writer better – if they are willing to change and grow.
About the Author:
Georgia McBride is founder of Georgia McBride Media Group, home of Month9Books, Swoon Romance, and Tantrum Books. She develops content for film and TV, and is also a speculative fiction writer. Georgia founded the #YAlitchat hashtag and weekly chat on Twitter in 2009.
About the Book:
Volunteers from a small town in Missouri have been searching for seventeen-year-old Grace Ann Miller for weeks. Police never mentioned the note she left to say she planned to run away, or her reportedly strange behavior just prior to going missing. They suspect something sinister and more terrifying may be at play.
But Grace Ann Miller is no ordinary runaway. She’s found on the estate of international rock star Gavin Vault, half-dressed and yelling for help, and becomes an instant media sensation.
Grace insists on Gavin’s innocence, that he didn’t harm her as police suspect. But the evidence is overwhelming, and Grace will need a lot more than her word to clear Gavin’s name.
So Grace does the one thing she knows will save him. Despite the potential consequences, she tells police the truth: She is an angel. She didn’t run away. She left to protect the people she loves.
But authorities believe that Grace is ill, suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, the victim of assault and a severely fractured mind.
Undeterred, Grace reveals the secret existence of angels on earth, an ancient prophecy and a wretched curse that could change everything humans believe about their origins.
But are these the delusions of an immensely sick girl, or could Grace’s story actually be true?
