When I visited my childhood home during Spring Break of 2016, my dad told me
and my sister he had a story he wanted one of us to write (Rescued). I listened
intently, thinking it would make a great story, but I never intended to write it,
because I knew nothing about writing a book. A short time later, I got an idea
for another story I wanted to write (Refuge). I decided I couldn’t write my
story without first writing my dad’s. So, after being a stay-at-home mom for
almost 20 years—the day my youngest of seven children started Kindergarten—I
started writing. I didn’t suddenly become a writer overnight, but with a lot of
hard work, conferences, and critique groups, I learned to write.
Romance has always been my favorite genre. I’m a sucker for a happy ending. Though she never had anything published, mom wrote all kinds of stories--mostly romance, though. I remember spending hours and hours, especially during long summer days, reading her handwritten stories. And now I write stories just like hers.
When my sister-in-law blamed me for the burned rolls at Thanksgiving. She
was so caught up in reading my book that she forgot to set a timer. And seeing
my husband struggle to hold back the tears in front of his siblings while he
read one of my books. And that time my sister sent me a video of my niece
screaming, “Why? Why? Why?” as she stomped around the house with my book in her
hand. Then a few minutes later, another video of that same niece wiping away tears
as she finished the story.
Marketing is the biggest key to making
sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produced more
sales rather than just clicks?
To be honest, I’m still trying to figure this out. I ran Amazon ads for a
while but didn’t see great results. Facebook ads gave me some sales and page
clicks, but I felt like I was spending an awful lot of money for the little I
was bringing in. Lately, my efforts have been focused on newsletter swaps and
booking paid newsletter spots any time I run a sale on any of my books. It
brings in a slow trickle of sales, but it’s probably not the most effective.
When I find the time—and money—to learn how to do Amazon and Facebook more
effectively, I’ll jump back into the arena.
I wish I’d believed in myself
sooner and been willing to cut myself some slack for the things I hadn’t
learned yet. I don’t need to get it right the first time or even the fifth time.
I can’t fix a blank page, but I can revise and improve a poorly written first draft.
I just need to get words on the page! Skills can be developed and honed. I
don’t need to understand how to do it all before I start writing. My first book
isn’t be my best book (even though it has great reviews), and my tenth book
will be better than the fifth book. The point is to write! Write all the books
in your heart.
What is the best writing advice you’ve
received or could give?
Don’t become so attached to your babies
(stories) that you aren’t willing to let them grow up and leave home. At some
point you need to stop stressing over them and share them with the world. Many
people will come to love them as much as you do. Be willing to cut out the
parts that, even though they may be your favorites, don’t drive the plot of the
story forward. And make sure you know EVERYTHING about your characters even
though it won’t all show up in the story.
Are there any other points about writing
you would like to add?
Develop a thick skin and join a critique group. Be willing to receive
criticism, so you can improve and grow. Attend conferences and learn all you
can about writing. (Volunteering is a great way to get into conferences you
might not be able to afford.) And don’t give up. Don’t let your self-doubts
hold you back.
My next book, Changing Lanes, is set to releases on July 7th. Here are the details.
Falling in love
with a fake boyfriend shouldn’t be so difficult.
When her father pushes her—for business reasons—into an engagement with a man
she detests, Eden DuPont leaves the city and visits her friend in the small
town of Providence. She has no plans to stick around, so why does she find
everything so charming, including the handsome sheriff’s deputy?
Rudy Wheeler finds the newcomer attractive, but he knows a socialite like Eden
will never be content to settle down in this one-horse town. Even though his
ten-year plan doesn’t include falling in love, he pretends to be Eden’s
boyfriend to get her dad off her case.
Eden and Rudy are repeatedly pulled into one disastrous situation after
another. She’s sure it’s a sign a relationship between them is a bad idea. Rudy
agrees, but finds himself falling for her, nonetheless. Can Rudy convince Eden
to change lanes and take a chance on them? Or will he let his ten-year plan
cost him everything?
That's all for today's interview. If you would like to learn more about Jill's books, check out the links below.
Website: https://www.jillburrell.com/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/authorjillburrell/
Great interview, Chris. Thanks for bringing this author to my attention.
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