Greg Smith, The Agile Writing Expert

We wanted to get to know Greg Smith (NAIWE’s Agile Writing Expert) better, so last month we sat down with him. Here is what he shared with us.

 

Do you offer any marketing ploys unique to a story line with a villain?

Creating a unique villain, one that is compelling, will make your novel more interesting–perhaps even more-so than creating an interesting hero. You see, your hero can only be as strong as your villain. If you have a weak villain, he is easy to defeat–and so your hero doesn’t have much to fight against. But create a strong villain–one that is even stronger than your hero–then the villain’s defeat is even more powerful.

 

Can you suggest some advertising websites that cater to a villain in the story line?

One great website–not just for villains–but for anything having to do with stories is TV Tropes. You’ll find a vast encyclopedia dedicated to all the tropes, symbols, devices, and stereotypes used in fiction. Also, check out BookBub to create an instant media presence for your book. It’s advertised as a site for readers, but they will advertise your book to thousands of readers on their list as well.

 

Belonging to an association is key for all freelancers. What associations do you recommend and why?

Of course, NAIWE is a great start. The Independent Book Publishers Association is a super organization for self-published authors. And if you haven’t already, check out Publisher’s Weekly. Get on their mailing list to keep abreast of everything going on in the publishing industry. I was one of the first in my circle to know of a Barnes & Nobles sale and alerted all my followers to the demise of the Romance Writers of America, thanks to Publisher’s Weekly.

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