Interview with Laura Schaefer, author of Notes to Self

Author Bio:

Under the pen name Avery Sawyer, Laura Schaefer is the author of Notes to Self, a young adult novel about a teen with a traumatic brain injury.

Schaefer is also the author of The Teashop Girls (Simon & Schuster 2009), The Secret Ingredient (Simon & Schuster 2011), and Planet Explorers Travel Guides for Kids. Learn more about her by visiting http://www.teashopgirls.com and http://www.planet-explorers.net. Laura is also on Twitter: @teashopgirl

I heard a rumor that you were inspired to write Notes to Self after participating in a popular Facebook Meme. Can you tell us more about this?

Yes. I wrote it using the 25 Things About Me meme as a framework. I was really intrigued by the way that particular meme took off. People revealed such personal stories and facts when they wrote their lists; I found it all so poignant and ripe for novelization. 

Are you frequently inspired by such things?

I spend a lot of time on the Internet, so I think it would be fair to say it inspires me. However, I think there is something so much more haunting and lasting about a good novel, so when I’m trying to write I limit the surfing a bit. 

What do you love about writing middle grade fiction and YA?

I find that time of life to be so fascinating because it’s when people really decide who they are. I love exploring identity and choices and it’s so much more interesting when it’s all in flux. It feels like the stakes are high when you’re 15. And in a lot of ways, they are.

Could you tell me about your writing routines? Do you have any tips for my readers who are aspiring writers themselves?

I’ve been working on a lot of non-fiction lately, so unfortunately my routine is pretty boring: get up and try to get started as soon after that as possible. I often go to a coffeeshop. When I’m writing fiction, it helps to dedicate the day to it. I find it very difficult to begin writing in the evening, although once in a while the mood will strike. The best advice I can give is: make the time. 

Why did you choose to self-publish?

I love self-publishing. It gives me total control over my story and my cover, and it allows me to price my books so reasonably. I’ve also worked with traditional publishers, and that has its merits as well. But for me, for now, I love the speed, flexibility, and control of self-publishing. Book bloggers have really made successful self-publishing possible, because they connect quality writers with readers. They are the new gatekeepers!

Like me! Thank you! Do you have any marketing advice for self-published authors? Dos and Don’ts so to speak?

Reach out to book bloggers. Good reviews are very important. Write more than one book; it seems to me that the authors truly making a living at this have at least a half-dozen titles. Treat it like a job.

Tell us more about your next project.  

I’m working on my Planet Explorers Travel Guides for Kids Series and planning a new contemporary YA novel with a bit of a Gothic flair. It’s exciting!

You can read my review of Notes to Self on this blog: HERE Purchase Notes to Self on Kindle.