Ask the Author: Jonti Marks
Answered Questions (5)
Jonti Marks
I used to think that I should just keep writing anyway...not that it's been an issue for me. But as I get older (and, in my way, more successful) I'm learning to be a bit kinder to myself. Nowadays, if I don't feel like writing, I don't...but as self-published author, there's always some writing-related stuff to do: marketing, designing, accounts, editing, reworking, social media stuff, websites to update...I can feel that I'm doing something constructive for my writer's life without always feeling the pressure to write...
Jonti Marks
As a self-published writer, the greatest thing for me is being in control of the whole process: from when, where and what I write to it's presentation, publication and marketing. That and selling books, of course!
Jonti Marks
Keep writing. And remember what Hemingway said: “The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shockproof, shit detector. This is the writer's radar and all great writers have had it.”
Jonti Marks
For the first time in a long time, I'm actually working on a commission at the moment. It's a Masonic book again, similar in scope and layout to my previous ones but I was approached by probably the biggest Masonic publisher around (it may be a small field!) and asked to write a book from a particular angle. It took a couple of goes to get it right but it seems to be fine now. I'm nearly done writing it but, of course, I am waiting on them to get the book out in the world, whereas normally I do that myself.
Jonti Marks
Most of my writing is non-fiction. I started by writing the book I wanted to read: something spiritual & inspirational for Freemasons. There didn't seem to be anything around like that at the time... Since then I've mostly stuck in that niche - not completely but it's working for me in terms of sales and income so that's great. Ideas for new books come, often as flashes of inspiration...lightbulb moments of, "Hey! I could..." And then I go for it...
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