Ask the Author: Toby Oliver
Answered Questions (8)
Toby Oliver
Finding a whole new family of siblings I never knew existed.
Toby Oliver
It has to be Hogwarts - anything from Harry Potter.
Toby Oliver
There's no easy answer to this, sometimes, quite random things can spark an idea. I suppose anything that fires the imagination. A chance conversation, a place, or a story told by a friend or colleague can help inspire me to write.
Toby Oliver
I'm currently finished researching my latest book in the series and am currently writing the first draft. Set in London during the 1960's about a high-ranking KGB defector.
Toby Oliver
I've almost finished a novel by Wendy Cartmell. I usually have a couple of books on the go. At the moment, I'm also re- reading The Final Cut by Michael Dobbs. I love a wide variety of genres and also factual books on history and art.
Toby Oliver
I read Oleg Gordievsky's autobiography. However, it was in tandem with a completely unrelated newspaper article. The seed of a story started. I've play around with it. I write copious notes, plotting the storyline, and trying to get into the mind-set of the various characters. I've kept a few core characters throughout my books, but even so, it's still a challenge. If the original plot doesn't quite fit, the characters and scenarios take the lead.
Toby Oliver
I take a step back and leave things for a while. There's really no point trying to force things. Taking the dog for a walk in the countryside is the greatest therapy of all for writer's block.
Toby Oliver
In many ways the writing is the easy part, but if you certainly need a decent cover design. This can be expensive but there many websites that shouldn’t cost a fortune. The cover is important. You also need to have your book professionally edited. It really does make all the difference. You've also got to be able to take criticism as well as praise. But never give up! Finally, if you want to be commercially successful, you'll have to treat it like a business. You need people to discover your book, to review it. There are many ways to do so. Check out top tips with other indie authors/ friends. There really is a great deal of advice available.
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