Episode 54 - Interview with Wendy H Jones

[Andrew]

Wendy H Jones is a self-published crime writer and part of the controversial "Tartan Noire" movement of Scottish Crime Fiction. Wendy has published three novels in her "Killer's" series, featuring her protagonist Detective Inspector Shona McKenzie. Wendy is now building a fan-base around the world and in our conversation she reveals the publication date and title for a fourth installment of her series. In a varied career Wendy has worked in academia and as a nurse. She served in the British Armed forces for over twenty years, first in the Navy and then the British Army. After traveling around the world with her job, Wendy has returned to her native Dundee to pursue a career in writing, and is now in demand as a speaker across the UK. In this episode Wendy talks about her tips for character development, planning and plotting over a series rather than just one book, promotion techniques for the self-publishing, and why social media, as the name suggests, has to be SOCIAL, rather than just marketing.


https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/e...

[Rae]

Great episode! I've passed it on to a few writer friends. Perhaps I resonated with Wendy's style as a combo plotter-pantser, since I'm that way too. Also enjoyed what she said about the second she starts writing a book, people know about it - thus when it's finally produced she already has an audience who've wanted to know 'when will it be out?" I tried to keep mine private. It lasted three weeks when my husband posted on FB a passing comment I was writing a book. I was livid and told him to remove it, but two days later, our son posted a pix of the two of us writing books. It garnered some interest among his female friends. Soon they became my greatest encouragement and I started posting regularly, building up a lot of excitement for the finished product. (Book goes to editor on March 1.)

Finally, enjoyed what Wendy said about including violence but not sex and swearing. My genre- romantic comedy - uses sex and swearing, though I roll my eyes at the cliche which is no longer funny about waxing the nether regions or characters jumping into bed the second they meet. I've tried to make saucy hints without too much description. Also reduced swearing allowing only certain characters to use the F-bomb, but not the Protag. You don't realise how much swearing you've included when you're writing chapter by chapter until you get to the end. Some of the beta readers in my book group were quintessential church ladies who objected to the swearing, yet I'm not writing for the church lady audience hence their advice was taken with a grain of salt, until I contacted a writer in my genre and asked how many F words she uses per book and she stated she's had bad reviews on Amazon by American audiences for swearing.... You can't please everyone but hope in the end you release a product you're happy with.

[Andrew]

Hi Rae

I thought Wendy's experience would be helpful to a lot of my listeners, not least because she's not at the "I think I'll write a book" stage, neither is she a multi-million sales author. But she is a person with a plan and the drive to get on with it, I found that encouraging and I thought others would too. Also, as you say, she's tackled the issues we all have to deal with in terms of content in our work: sex or not? Violence or not? F bombs and the rest?

I'd offer no definitive guidance on these things other than the fact that every author should think it through for themselves.

Best wishes

Andy

[Wendy]

Raenforest wrote: "Great episode! I've passed it on to a few writer friends. Perhaps I resonated with Wendy's style as a combo plotter-pantser, since I'm that way too. Also enjoyed what she said about the second she ..."

I am glad you enjoyed the episode and found what I had to say useful. I agree that we all need to find our own way in terms of what we find acceptable to write. Writing, and reading is individual and we all enjoy different books and the individual way in which they are written.

All the very best with your own writing

Wendy