JANICE: Heather, who are some of the people who most influenced your decision to write?
HEATHER: My parents played a huge role, from encouraging my reading at an early age to embracing my poetry writing as a young girl/teen. They always celebrated my writing successes, as did my grandparents. Then I married my husband, and while he understood I wasn’t ready to take on writing as a career when my three children were young (at one point they were age three and under, all in diapers!), he totally supported me when I blocked off a month to write my first book for NaNoWriMo, then when I decided to pursue the author dream. Having a strong support system is so critical to writing. Nowadays, post-publication, I’m also bolstered by my readers and my critique partner. I am truly blessed!
JANICE: What do you consider to be some of the best methods of promoting your work?
HEATHER: To date, I’ve tried nearly every promo method available (Facebook and Goodreads ads, giveaways, giving books to reviewers, you name it). By far, the most effective way to move large quantities of books has been:
1) going permafree (permanently free) with my first mystery across vendor platforms
2) paying for Bookbub ads. Going permafree, coupled with a Bookbub ad, doubled my monthly income.
JANICE: What are your favorite / most effective social media?
HEATHER: I just started up on Instagram, and that is quite a fun and easy platform. I’m also fond of Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest, and each one really has its own uses and reaches a slightly different audience. I remember having so many people repinning my Viking pins before I published my first Viking historical—that’s how I knew there was a reader audience hungry for that niche.
JANICE: We know that writers need to read, so what are you currently reading? Do you prefer digital or print?
HEATHER: I’m reading The Ringmaster’s Wife by Kristy Cambron and I’m really enjoying the historical element of the story. As you know, my Viking novels are also based on real people, so I appreciate the amount of research that goes into these things! And I have kind of reverted to enjoying print books, but by far, I read more books on my Kindle—I use my library’s Overdrive system (no overdue fines! YAY!), and I do a lot of early-reading for my author friends.
JANICE: Tell us a little about yourself. What are some of your favorite things? What makes you unique?
HEATHER: I found out pretty fast that I was kind of unique because I still enjoy playing video games. Of course, now my son can beat me at any game I play, but I love it as a way of blowing off steam and just unplugging from my thoughts and worries! I also love flower gardening, but haven’t been able to do it as much this year due to some significant family changes.
JANICE: Do have any advice for beginning writers?
HEATHER: My best advice would be to be your own biggest fan. I know that sounds lame, but if you want to get your book published (either with a publisher or indie publishing), you have to believe in your book more than anyone else. More than an agent, more than your early readers…enough to know this book is worth getting out there. If you believe that, you will be willing to invest in and sacrifice for that book. And trust me, it’ll be an investment—of time, of edits, of marketing efforts, and the list goes on. You have to be utterly committed to the idea that this book is worth getting out into the world. And then you don’t stop until it is.
JANICE: Thanks, Heather, for taking time with us today. Blessings as you continue in your writing career.
HEATHER DAY GILBERT, a Grace Award winner and bestselling author, writes novels that capture life in all its messy, bittersweet, hope-filled glory. Born and raised in the West Virginia mountains, generational storytelling runs in her blood. You can find Heather’s Viking historicals and West Virginia mystery/suspense novels here. Publisher’s Weekly gave Heather’s Viking historical Forest Child a starred review, saying it is “an engaging story depicting timeless human struggles with faith, love, loyalty, and leadership.”
You can find Heather online here:
Website: http://heatherdaygilbert.com
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/heatherdaygilbert
Twitter: @heatherdgilbert
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/heatherdgilbert/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7232683.Heather_Day_Gilbert
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherdaygilbert/
E-Mail: heatherdaygilbert@gmail.com
I really enjoyed this interview, Jan. There are many good tips, and I especially liked how Heather said that a writer has to believe in his or her book more than anyone else. Sometimes, as writers we think it’s not good enough, not ready, needs more work …
Thanks for an informative interview that involved two accomplished authors.
Glad you enjoyed the interview, Loretta. I love Heather’s “Murder in the Mountains” series (Miranda Warning… cozy mysteries with great characters), and her Vikings books are very intense. Quite varied styles but both very well written.