11 questions for the indie publisher
Posted By Sue Collier on April 30, 2011
This is another installment of our series 11 Questions for the Indie Publisher. This month, we are featuring indie author Dr. Andrew Siegel. Please let me know if you would like to be featured!
Your name: Andrew Siegel, M.D.
Your website/blog: www.promiscuouseating.com
Your bibliography: Finding Your Own Fountain of Youth: The Essential Guide to Health, Wellness, Fitness & Longevity, 2008; and Promiscuous Eating: Understanding and Ending Our Self-Destructive Relationship with Food, 2011
1. What is your background? I am a physician, specializing in Urology. I have always had a passionate interest in wellness and illness prevention through healthy living, as opposed to the post-hoc management of disease.
2. What led you to self-publishing? “Unhappiness” and “absence of control” with a small British subsidy publisher who published my first book. My most recent book had a few “bites” with traditional publishers, but no follow-through with an offer. I absolutely, affirmatively, unequivocally believe in my book and decided to establish my own publishing company and do whatever it takes to be successful in this domain.
3. What have you found to be the biggest challenge in self-publishing? Publicity and promotion. I am confident that I have a topical, informative and well-written book with an intriguing title and compelling cover—it is simply a matter of creating awareness that the product exists or else it will flounder in obscurity!
4. What has been the biggest surprise about self-publishing? Self-publishing is downright thrilling—an adrenaline ride that entertains me, challenges me and keeps me up at night. As laborious as it is, so it is rewarding.
5. Describe your writing process. I am enamored with PowerPoint as an organizational tool for my writing. From the framework of a slide expressing a concept with multiple bullet points, distilled to their essence, meaningful prose is created. My Muse often pays me a visit while sleeping or while exercising, so I always keep a pad and pen handy by my bedside and work-out areas. Fueled with caffeine, I do some of my best writing and am most productive on an early weekend morning, when everyone else in my family is sleeping.
6. How do you stay disciplined? By nature, I am a Type A, compulsive, highly-disciplined person who abhors procrastination, so I have little trouble keeping on track.
7. How are you financing your publishing project? Self-financing…I have not given up my day job!
8. What is your favorite self-marketing idea? I have always believed in “giving back.” For the past decade or so, I have participated in the annual Bergen Bike Tour, a fifty mile bicycle ride to benefit Tomorrow’s Children Fund, which provides help to pediatric cancer patients and their families. When I published my current book, I decided that a portion of every electronic or paperback sale would go to this fund. Additionally, I recently gave a lecture at my hospitals’ employee Wellness Day and donated 100 copies of the book, all the proceeds of which went to this noble cause. The hospital provided me with an opportunity to do a book signing which was a total success, creating not only “buzz”, but a great deal of good will. I believe that people are more apt to purchase the book knowing that it is helping to support a good cause rather than just the coffers of the author. As a result, my book is now for sale at two retail venues within the hospital.
9. What advice do you have for burgeoning self-publishers? Believe in yourself, even when others do not. The combination of focus, discipline and hard work is a laser-like powerful force.
10. When you’re not writing what do you do for fun? I am an omnivorous and enthusiastic reader and enjoy watching indie, edgy movies. Spending time with my family over a great meal is a joyful experience. I am an avid participant in cycling, tennis, golf, running, Yoga and Pilates–fitness is my religion!
11. What project are you currently working on? I am still in the thick of promoting and publicizing Promiscuous Eating, published only three weeks ago. I am working on health and wellness advocacy and plan on partnering with a close friend who is a lawyer/ “branding” consultant to establish a non-for-profit corporation to promote wellness.
I was glad to come across this. It is nice to read about other authors and it certainly helps to get their message out. Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it, Janelle! I love reading about everyone’s different story as well. We’d love to hear yours if you’d like to be featured!