Author Survey #2 📖✍🏽

An FYI (not that anyone who's actually asked) I do get my surveys just randomly offline (source will be below, please use it if you place this in your own bulletin) because it is rather hard to find writer specific surveys that aren't just [mock] interviews so that's kind of just what I do. Hope you enjoy.

It's very hard but I write while my husband is at work. I try not to do any heavy writing when he's at home, maybe some editing but I don't want to consume myself in my writing that much to where I ignore my family so his work hours are my work hours so about 6-8 hours a day.

My current series project (The Fragmented Chronicles) is a collaborative effort with my best friend, Erika Schulze. I'm sure I'll have solo works in the future, but I want to do the James Patterson thing one day of collaborating with other authors on projects once I figure out a system that works for me.

I see myself nearly done with The Fragmented Chronicles and part way through another series with a New Adult genre pen-name. I don't plan to hide that both names are mine on my social medias, it's just to separate my YA from my NA/A works.

Various ways, I love feedback, I love critique, anything to help me writing improve. Beta readers are the most stressful phase for me only due to my anxiety but they are harsh because they want to help, they want new writers to succeed and in the end, I love receiving their feedback.

I'm not working for a publishing company or anything. I'm my own client, my own brand, my own voice. Being self-published gives my the control of my creativity that I need. I can give my characters any voice, personality, identity I want and in other writing I've done and plan to eventually share with the world, the characters are completely different from the ones in JUDD, I just love creating characters, backstories and personalities so much!

I have experience in various software but I'll start at the beginning. I love photoshop, I usually work on my covers on my own to some degree. I do have an official artist for my book but I added in all the words and turned it into a book wrap. As for writing, I have used Word since middle school to write and Docs since I discovered it... probably around the time it came out but now I only use these things for final drafts. The program I use for prior drafts is Scrivener and I personally adore it, all my planning, world-building and info all on the same file as my drafts! Can't be beat. There are also other similar programs if Scrivener isn't your thing for whatever reason.

There's always conflict to get through in the publishing business, the best way to get through it is with honesty, patience and further research in all situations. I know that's kind of a short answer, but I believe it's as simple as that.

I have acute social anxiety, but even with that, I do prefer a face to face conversation normally. I'm also not a very loud speaker, I get interrupted and over-spoke a lot so I have a hard time letting my input in that also being because I usually have quite a bit to say at times and I love to talk, share feelings, opinions, beliefs, respectfully of course. I don't believe in talking down to someone on their side of things and life experiences and I'll stop a conversation in an instant if that happens to me.

The last book I read is called Not Quite Out by a fellow indie-author by the name of Louise Willingham.

Pretty good so far. I've met and made friends with many of my indie peers and I love the community! I also have a few supporters and fans even before release and I love them, I love seeing their reactions, I love engaging with them, it's all just such a fun and positive experience.

Thank you for reading,

J. D.