– First, introduce yourself a bit. What is your name (or pen name) and where are you from?
Hi, my name is Jon Jones and I live in Sheffield in the UK.
– Next, tell us a bit about your most recent work. Is this your first published book? What is it about and what genre would you classify it as?
This is my first crime fiction novella that I have self-published on Amazon. I wanted to write a shorter piece, my first novella is around 12,000 words as people read differently; smaller amounts but a wider range of reading and I wanted my writing to have a faster pace than most detective fiction.
– Tell us a bit about your main character; what are they like, how did they come about, and what are some of their strengths and weaknesses?
The main character is known as Navajo and is a detective that is able to use modern psychology, science and traditional techniques to solve cases.
– What was your hardest scene to write in this (or any) book?
The most challenging thing in writing this book, and the subsequent books, is making the characters feel realistic.
– What would you say is the most difficult part of your writing journey and what advice would you give to other writers?
The most challenging part is balance of writing. I work full-time, which can just take over, so being able to balance some time each day to work on your writing, marketing or admin’ is important. Even just ten minutes soon adds up.
– Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
Currently I am trying to build the main characters and their detective skills as they solve crimes.
– What are some of your favourite authors and books and what inspired you to become a writer in the first place?
I like reading a wide range of books but like the style of Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle along with Anthony Horowitz, however, I enjoy reading non-fiction books too.
– What would you say has been the best way to market your books?
Using Twitter has been good as I have topped 500 followers in under a year which has raised my profile.
– Do you read reviews of your book and, if so, how do you handle negative feedback?
I do read the reviews. I have had one poor review and that’s genuinely okay, we are all entitled to our opinions and that is all it is an opinion, it doesn’t need to agree with other. The most important part is being respectful of others work; you may not like it, but people spend time crating their work.
– What are some of your quirks as a writer? Do you like to plot everything out or do you prefer to just “wing it” and see where the story takes you? Do you listen to music when writing and, if so, what do you listen to?
I don’t really listen to anything when writing as it can distract you. I do like to start writing and then see how it develops from a germ of an idea. When I have completed the book I leave it for week or so then read it back to see if it makes sense as it’s there when you can start to change things to slot in better or get rid of a character that serves no purpose.
– What is the best advice you’ve ever had when it comes to writing and what advice would you give to new writers?
People give you advice all the time, again it’s just opinions and you need to see what resonates with you and go with that. My whole attitude is if you want to write, write. It’s easy to say I need to… but just write for a short amount of time and build from there.
– What’s next for you? Are you currently working on any new books or stories?
I am currently editing book four of my detective books and am about to start on a science-fiction book idea I have had for a while.
– Finally, feel free to plug your social media, website, and links to Amazon, GoodReads, and other relevant sites below, and detail any current offers available for your book/s:
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