Our Guest for Today's Blog is.... Jana Oliver!

This semester for KSU I'm teaching Entertainment Marketing on-line for the first time. I designed the original course, and I created the on-line one as well. On-line classes are challenging to create engaging content that both capture a student's attention as well as teach them something at the same time.

Photo by Celestial Studios

Jana was my first on-line guest speaker - and I think things went pretty well, all things considering! My students had some additional questions for her - so she stopped by my blog today to answer a few of them. I hope you enjoy!  Don't forget to check out her cool website for the latest information and content from Jana. Part 1 of her questions and answers is featured today, and stay tuned on Monday for part 2. Now, Here's Jana!

The Difficulties of Writing

Was there ever a time you wanted to give up because it was so difficult and what kept her going?

Oh yeah, big time. There have been many times I said “What am I doing?” And then about that time the characters start talking and I’m back to writing another book.

How often you get writers block and how you get rid of it?

I don’t get writer’s block for any long period of time. It’s more a matter of not knowing where the next scene is going. To figure that out, I do something totally boring like cleaning cupboards or doing laundry. As I work, my head sorts through the problem and then I can continue writing.

The Writing Process

How do you come up with ideas for your books?

The ideas are everywhere. I see something or read an article and my mind goes “What if?” and then I start spinning out a story. It’s nearly impossible to turn that off.

What is your writing process for developing a story?

I start with a bit of thinking about the characters and the setting, then I jump into a first draft. That draft is totally messy, but a great way to get a feel for the story. At this point I create some character outlines, do research on the setting, etc. Once the draft is complete, I get into the deep down editing/revising part of the process.

How do you schedule your writing time?

I usually do a couple hours of social media each morning, then try to get 4-5 hours of writing each day.

How long does it take you to write a book?

Depending on the book’s genre, anywhere from six months to a year.

How much writing to research?

The ratio depends on the type of book. For the Time Rovers Series (science fiction/fantasy/historical mystery) there was a metric ton of research as the stories are set in late Victorian London during the time of the Jack the Ripper murders. Lots of front end load on that one. Other books don’t require as much homework, but I still research the details as I know someone will catch me if I screw up.

How do you make sure you work doesn’t become stale? (mentioned writers who put out three books a year at request of publisher –but the quality suffers)

That’s a great question! There is a fine line between keeping the readers happy with new books and rushing the process. It’s important to ensure that each new book is unique, not a rehash of a previous one just so that it can make the publishing deadline. In short, it takes a lot of work and a lot of thought to find the perfect balance.

Do all of your books have a supernatural element?  What would you do if you wrote one without it?

Yes. They all have some paranormal aspect, though sometimes it’s in the background. I suspect it would be hard for me not to write a story without that element. It’s just the way I’m wired.

What about writing a different type of book?  How does a writer make that transition?

For me, that transition is not that difficult because I’ve always written across the genres. For other authors it just doesn’t work. They can’t think outside their own genre. That actually makes me a more nimble author, in the sense that I can switch gears if the need arises.

Have you used a PR firm and how was it?

I have a pair of lovely ladies from England who conduct blog tours for me and they are really excellent. They help take some of the heavy lifting out of book launches.

What don’t you look forward to about writing?

The first draft is never that much fun, a hot mess where I’m trying to figure out the story. Once I’m through that, then I enjoy the process as I flesh out the story and make it sing. But to me, first drafts suck.

Playing well with Others – or Agents, Publishers and Foreign Rights:

For sales of your manuscript to foreign markets, who makes the decisions about branding and marketing including the cover art?

The editor, sales and marketing people make those cover decisions based on what works best in their country. The UK folks had a clear idea of what the series was about and made sure that was conveyed through the covers by ensuring that the “brand” was consistent. The readers could tell that and responded accordingly.

What does the timeline look from contract to book to published to next in series?

Working with my NY publisher, the timeline was much longer. With my UK publishing house, there is usually about six months between the contract to when I turn in the story, then another five months or so before the book is published.

Is the literary agent becoming obsolete?

Not really. An agent will still get you better contract terms and serves as an intermediary between you and the editor. They can play “bad guy” if the need arises. That’s very helpful when things are not going well with your editor.

Where have your books been the most successful?

I have had the best success in the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and Brazil.

How does it work for your books to be translated into different languages?

When it comes to translations, I don’t have much control over that. At least not with books that are contracted through my major publishers. They license the right to produce my book(s) in XYZ language. The foreign publisher contracts the translator and proofreader, decides what the cover image will be and then publishes the book. I do not have the opportunity to vet those books before they hit the shelves.

  

Jana loves to tell stories to both adults and teens. Her latest young adult novel, Briar Rose (Macmillian Children’s Book), is a twisty and dark retelling of Sleeping Beauty set in Georgia with Hoodoo, steampunk and vengeful Civil War ghosts. Also for the YA market, her multi award-winning Demon Trappers Series (St Martin’s Griffin) features a dystopian Atlanta populated by Hellspawn, Deaders and scheming necromancers. She recently e-published a novella, Grave Matters, that continues the story of the series. For adult readers, check out her Tangled Souls e-published offering about Gavenia, a psychic who can talk to the dead, and Douglas O’Fallon a former homoicide detective with psychic gifts of his own. When their two cases intersect this romantic paranormal mystery takes off.