Dive into the compelling narrative of Evie Alexander, a literary virtuoso whose journey from the cutthroat world of filmmaking to the heartwarming embrace of self-published romance is nothing short of mesmerizing. Get ready for a glimpse into her creative process, the trials of self-marketing, and the sizzling tales she pens with passion.
Can you tell us about your personal journey to becoming a self-published author?
I’ve always been excited by stories and making them up in my head even before I could actually write. At primary school, when I was about eight, my teacher bought me a notebook and told me I had to write all my stories down. Her belief in me was such a boost even though I may not have recognised it at the time and I’m still in touch with her now. I continued writing short stories through school, as well as plays and went on to do a Masters degree in filmmaking because I wanted to write and direct films. I did this for a while in my twenties and won awards, but it was an incredibly difficult industry to make a living in, so I had to walk away. This was one of the most traumatic decisions I’d ever had to make as I truly believed there was nothing else I should be doing with my life. I’d always loved romance novels, reading Mills & Boon voraciously through school, and in my late twenties decided to try and write one. It. Was. So. Hard! I am in complete awe of anyone who writes for Harlequin as I wasn’t good enough at all. After that, I continued starting and never finishing screenplays and longer stories, until I had a huge amount of unfinished projects. In 2018 I believed that I needed to get a ‘normal’ job and started working for the UK government. It was the biggest case of attempting to hammer a square peg into a round hole the world has ever seen, and after three months of hell, one of my best friends sat me down and gave me a stern talking to. As well as telling me to quit, she said I needed to do something just for me. I told her about all my unfinished stories and she said I had to write for twenty minutes a day and then send her what I’d written. I picked up the start of what turned into Highland Games and started in June 2019. Four months later I’d written nearly two hundred thousand words and had developed an adrenal disorder through lack of sleep…
The key thing for me was that this was the first time I was writing authentically as myself. I wasn’t trying to be like any other author out there and the words finally flowed. I’d found my voice and that has only solidified over the following books. I’ve had many friends over the years who have been traditionally published across multiple genres. Without exception they were frustrated and felt let down their experiences and so I knew from the outset I wanted to self-publish. I’m not opposed to the trad route at all and would welcome that in the future if the fit was right, but I love having control over the entire process, being able to pick my team and find the right covers for my projects. It’s so much more work, but it’s also so rewarding.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors considering the self-publishing route?
First up, read as much as you can of the books you love and decide exactly what kind of books you want to write. Then be forensic about what exactly these books do that works for you and other readers. It’s not about copying authors, it’s about fulfilling reader expectations. Connect with authors and readers via social media and start to understand what people love to read.
Second, understand the craft of writing. Look at books like ‘Save the Cat Writes a Novel’ and start to outline your story so it fulfils the various beats.
Thirdly, do NOT write about your own life unless you’re specifically writing an account of how you climbed Everest in your underwear whilst creating a replica of the Mona Lisa out of Lego. You can be inspired by what has happened to you and people you know, but real life is messy, complicated, and often extremely boring. You may believe the story of how you met your other half is infinitely fascinating, but everyone else would rather watch paint dry.
Fourthly, when you’ve got what you think is a final draft of your novel (spoiler alert, it’s about draft four of fifteen), find beta readers online (and also a development editor if you can afford it) who you do not know and get them to give you an impartial assessment of your manuscript. Take it from my own bitter experience. You think you’ve written a masterpiece but it will be so riddled with holes it won’t even count as Swiss cheese. As painful as it is to read these words, your first manuscript can take years to get right, and sometimes needs to be thrown in the bin and treated like a learning exercise.
Once you’re POSITIVE you’ve created a story that deserves to win all the awards, get yourself an editor and then a proof reader. Take on board what they flag up so you can learn and improve your writing. Do not skip these steps or you’ll have horrid reviews from people criticising spelling, grammar and other things that an editor would have remedied.
Join the various self-publishing groups on Facebook and soak up the information like a sponge before you even think of setting a publication date for your book. The information is out there for free, so save your money on finding a really good cover designer.
Spend time finding ARC readers. There are various free and paid ways to do this. My favourite provider is Book Sirens https://booksirens.com/?affiliate=JZCHPAW
Do not expect your family and friends to read or like what you write, or understand in any way what you do. Find new friends online for your bookish life who get you and your books.
Understand that it is extremely difficult to find readers and make money, and so much is down to sheer blind luck. Don’t be disheartened as you’re not alone. Keep doing what you love and know that you will be someone’s favourite author!
What’s the one thing you’d like your readers to take away from your books?
I write the kind of stories that I want to read. I want a reader to pick up one of my books and know that they are in safe hands. I’m never going to kill off a character or give you an unhappy ending. There may be a few bumps in the road, but true love always prevails and if there are any ‘baddies’ then they get their just desserts. I want readers to feel full when they finish one of my books: full of joy, happiness and love for themselves and those around them. My dream is for my readers to feel confident about advocating for themselves in every way and follow their true path in life, no matter what others may say. I want my readers to laugh out loud, shriek with shock and excitement, and swoon. I want their hearts to race and other parts of them to tingle. I want my readers to be transported away for a few hours to a world that feels so real it stays with them forever.
What of your book(s) are you the most proudest of, and why?
That’s like to trying to choose a favourite child! I’m proud of each and every one of my books, no matter how long or short they are because I know just how much effort went into writing and publishing them. However, if I’m forced to choose, then it has to be the first book I ever published – Highland Games. Getting this book out into the world took years and it was the start of my whole amazing journey. Plus, I fell head-over-heels in love with the hero, Rory, to the point where I googled him, convinced he must exist in real life…
What is your most recent book and/or what are you working on currently?
My most recent book is The Upper Crush which is the most epic enemies-to-lovers book I’ve ever written and also the longest book I’ve ever written! It features a character from two previous books that readers think is irredeemable so I’ve had loads of fun making him into a true hero.
I’m currently working on a book called The Love Position. It’s set mainly at an ashram in the Caribbean between a super-hot yoga instructor, Isaac, who’s taken a vow of chastity, and his student, Sophia…
Is there a book project you have in mind that you plan to write one day? If so, can you tell us a little bit about it?
I’ve got so many fab ideas running around in my head and I don’t know if I’ll ever get the time to write them all! I’ve got a hilarious modern Regency romance idea that I want to write very soon, as well as a dual timeline Christmas story that I’ve been outlining for the past eighteen years…
You can find Evie Alexander on her website, on Instagram, or on BookBub.
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