The Worried Writer Episode #15: A.J. Waines ‘I love deadlines’

  Alison Waines publishes fiction under the name A.J.Waines and has sold over 150,000 books worldwide. Last year, she topped the UK and Australian Kindle bestseller charts with her number one hit Girl On A Train, and was also awarded the Kindle KDP Top 20 ‘Most Read Author’ in the UK. Alison used to work as a psychotherapist before publishing her dark psychological crime fiction, and she is a hybrid author, straddling both traditional and self-publishing. For more about Alison head to www.ajwaines.co.uk or find her on Twitter or Facebook. The Self-Esteem Journal by Alison Waines I’m giving away a copy of Alison’s non-fiction title, The Self-Esteem Journal, as I think it could be useful for those struggling with creative self-doubt, as well as more general lack of confidence. To be in with a chance of winning, just leave a comment on this post, or send me an email (sarah (at) worriedwriter.com) with the subject ‘win’.* In this episode, I give a personal writing update, as well as share the news about In The Light of What We See (it’s been a wonderful first month of publication, with 99 five-star reviews on Amazon, already – whoop!). I also mention brain.fm which uses AI-generated music to promote focus, relaxation and sleep. Although initially sceptical, I have tried the ‘for focus’ music and it seem to improve my concentration. I heard about brain.fm via Mark Dawson’s new podcast (which is excellent) – Self Publishing Formula. If you have a writing (or publishing) question that you’d like me to tackle in a future episode, please get in touch via email or Twitter. I’ll answer it on the show and credit you (unless, of course, you ask to remain anonymous).   In the interview: Alison reveals what it was like when a high-profile thriller was released with a title which is almost-identical to her own (already published) book. Alison describes her journey into both traditional and independent publishing and her experiences with both: ‘One of the nice things about being hybrid is that for some of the books I have complete control over everything and I really enjoy that.’     Alison’s writing process: ‘I love deadlines!’ ‘Never leave at the end of a chapter or a scene… I always want to put something that just triggers where I am for the next time I am back at my desk.’ On marketing: ‘People should play to their strengths.’ On fear: ‘I always come back to that awful terror of I can’t do this.’ Alison’s Recommendations: On Writing by Stephen King Wild Mind by Natalie Goldberg The Artists Way Julia Cameron Life Choices Life Changes Diana Glouberman   Please spread the word and, if you can spare the time, leave a rating for the show on iTunes. I truly appreciate your support. Thank you for listening!  *Giveaway is open internationally. Ends at midnight (GMT), 25th May 2016.