Interview with Self-Published Author Patrick Kelley

 

In our series of self-publishing interviews, we are talking today to Patrick Kelley, author of Godzilla: The Monster Fight Record Series, a nonfictional reference series. Patrick was born and raised in Silver Spring, Maryland, and is a lifelong monster movie fan. He spent his childhood becoming familiar with the classics like Dracula, The Wolf Man, Frankenstein, King Kong, the works of Ray Harryhausen, and of course his favorite, Godzilla. His many other hobbies include sports (particularly football), movies, and television, but when he's not indulging in those activities, he enjoys spending time with his lovely wife and newborn daughter. Visit Patrick on Twitter/X at http://www.twitter.com/patrickgbook.

You self-published your latest series, Godzilla: The Monster Fight Record. Would you please tell us why you chose the self-publishing route?

Two reasons: One, I liked the idea of being in full control over my books. The second reason has to do with timing as my goal was to get the books out before the release of the next Godzilla film (set for release in November 2023). The only way I could meet that self-imposed deadline was going the self-publishing route.

Take us through the process. You had an idea for your book, you wrote it, then you decided to find a publisher. What were your experiences with that? Or did you decide to self-publish without looking any farther?

I did not get very far into getting an official publisher for the books. I reached out to a few, but in the end, I kind of enjoyed taking care of everything myself. I was completely inexperienced, but learning on the fly was actually kind of fun. 

What different online stores carry your book?

Amazon (amazon.com) and Barnes and Noble (barnesandnoble.com)

On the other hand, self-published authors have the edge over traditional books in the regards that the author has all the control. I’d like to begin with your cover. Did you make it or did you have someone else design it? If you had someone else, can you tell us who it is?

The Covers of both volumes were designed by Mirko Fermani, an artist I found through Fivver. He designed the covers using AI. I was skeptical about going that route, but I made these books on a budget, and I wasn't a fan of the "Make Your Own Cover" tools that were available. Ultimately, I was happy with the cover and they surpassed my expectations.

So where do you see self-published authors making the biggest mistakes overall?

Honestly, I made a ton of mistakes along the way. I jumped into this head first with no experience and I had to learn on the fly. I can tell you that the easiest mistake to make comes from editing. I urge anyone self-publishing their books to always proofread. There is no such thing as proofreading too many times, and definitely have different sets of eyes look over your work. You'd be surprised how many typing errors you can make in your writing that go unnoticed. 

What do you believe the biggest advantages are when self-publishing?

The most appealing aspect of self-publishing is having full control over your work. Every decision is entirely up to you and that means you get to set your own schedules with your own deadlines. That is appealing to me as I've always done much better going at my own pace and structure than trying to go at someone else's. 

What was the hardest challenge for you to self-publish your book?

For first-time authors like myself, the whole process felt like jumping head first into a pool without checking to see if it has water in it. I came into the project knowing next to nothing, and I was woefully naive to the entire process. I had to learn on the fly, accept criticism from several sources, and work hard to improve to complete the books. It felt like I had more to accomplish than simply writing the book. I had to learn how to be an author, and I still have a lot to learn.

Did you get someone to format your book for you or did you do that?

Formatting the book was part of the learning process. I took advice from several sources, including John LeMay, a Godzilla author who wrote one of the forewords for my book. He gave me advice on the formatting of my manuscript. He was very helpful to me and I appreciated his help.

What steps are you taking to promote it?

I've used my Twitter (@PatrickGBook) and posted on several message boards, including reedit. And I am also working on setting up interviews to spread the word.

Do you have any advice you’d like to share with other self-published authors?

I can't stress this enough, but proofread your book! Always proofread! Having an editor is a godsend because, and trust me on this, you will make mistakes that you miss. Also, be willing to listen and accept criticism as anything that can be done to improve your work is a positive.