Welcome back,
Welcome to this month's writer interview. While networking, I got the honor of meeting Kirsty Ferguson, author of the Little Girl series, who kindly volunteered to answer some of my questions. During my short interactions with her, she came across as a very kind and polite person, quite willing to assist other writers on their journey. I am delighted for the opportunity to have her on my blog.
Short Bio: Kirsty Ferguson is a freelance Australian writer who bases her books in rural Australian towns. She writes in multiple genres including, thrillers, crime, mystery and paranormal. Kirsty has released three crime and mystery books, two as part of a four-book series (Little Girl Dead and Little Girl Revenge) and one stand-alone cozy mystery (Severed Heart). Kirsty has studied a Diploma in Editing and is currently in her final year of a Bachelor of Professional Writing and Publishing. She uses her Diploma to edit and proofread other independent authors’ work. Her greatest love is her autistic son Connor and in her spare time she reviews books and movies and writes dark poetry. She also has a great sense of humour and enjoys a good laugh.
Published Works: Little Girl Dead, Little Girl Revenge, Severed Heart
Current Projects: Upcoming books in 2018. I am currently working on What Lies Beneath Us, a crime novel about a woman accused of killing her nine-month- old baby, and The Reckoning – A paranormal novella about a woman who discovers the power within.
Website: www.authorkirstyferguson.com
Contacts
- daneshas24@gmail.com
When did you begin writing?
I have been writing stories for as long as I can remember. My mum always encouraged reading and writing and I learnt at a young age that I could create worlds of my own.
Did you receive any special training or attend a school?
I have a Diploma in Editing and I am currently in my final year of a degree in Professional Writing and Publishing. I have found both of these courses very helpful in learning the mechanics of writing and they have helped improve my storytelling skills.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
My inspiration comes from everywhere, my imagination, nightmares, the news, the world around me.
Do you use any special resources when writing? (other books, computer programs, etc)
No, it’s just me and my laptop. When I need to research, I make use of books and the internet. When writing Mayday, a novella about a man in an asylum, I went to the asylum I set the story in, for research purposes. I even stayed overnight and did the ghost tour. Shout out to Mayday Hills/Beechworth Asylum.
What is (in your opinion) the most important thing to remember when writing, and why is it so important?
I think it’s important to be true to your characters. To their story arcs and development. You need to become one with the characters for it to be realistic for the reader. It’s important because without that connection, the story falls apart.
What is (in your opinion) the most challenging part of writing, and how do you overcome it?
One of the most challenging parts of writing for me is to work on one project at a time. I tend to have many ideas and many open novels. I try to combat this by immersing myself in one particular world. For example, I drive to the town my story is set in for finer details, or I contact an expert for additional information to reinvigorate me. Sometimes it’s just a battle of wills. As in I will finish this novel.
Did you use an agent? (why or why not?)
I don’t have an agent, I would like to have one but honestly, I haven’t spent much time looking for one just yet. I am more focused on writing, which is what I’m best at. I see the benefits of having an agent, of course, your work gets put in front of publishers who might pick it up. Currently, I’m happy to be an indie author.
Did you use an Editor? If not, what process did you use to edit your work?
No, I haven’t used an editor in my early works, I relied on beta readers to help with the editing process and my own skill set. However, in my latest book, What Lies Beneath Us, I have teamed up with an editor, so we’ll see how that goes.
How did you get your book published? (self-published, Vanity publishing, Mainstream publisher).
My books have been self-published so far. There is a lot of freedom with self-publishing, with covers, editing, release dates, etc, however, I would not rule out traditional publishing in the future.
Do you handle your own marketing?
I must admit I’m not very good at marketing. I struggle to talk about my own work, which is a downfall of mine that I am working on. Also, I’m not very good with social media, although I love Twitter.
What is your best marketing tip?
I have written a series called Little Girl Dead series (five books) and I have released two, and I did find that making the first one free for a time helped downloads immensely.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Work hard at what you have and refine it, but put it away for a while before you edit it. The ideas will percolate and you’ll have a better book. Also, choose carefully when you are going to release your book, the timing matters.
In closing, I would like to thank Kirsty for doing this interview. As someone who is still in the process of finding himself as a writer, I found this interview very helpful and informative. I look forward to hearing more about her in the future.
Until Next time,
Cheers,
Patrick Osborne
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