Selling one million books with international bestselling author Jodi Taylor

Jodi Taylor is the author of the bestselling Chronicles of St Mary’s series, the story of a bunch of disaster-prone historians who investigate major historical events in contemporary time.

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Hi friends,

We have another great interview today, this time with international bestseller

Jodi Taylor

. The thing I love about doing these interviews is that you meet people from every bit of the publishing space. I spend most of my time around self-published and indie authors and Jodi’s lived experience is quite different than that. Even though she self published her first book at 60, she was eventually picked up by a publisher and has now sold over a million books!

If I had to envision the kind of life most writers think they will get with publishing, it would come pretty close to this interview with Jodi, who seems to have an awesome publisher that allows her to focus on the writing bit. She even has her own conference, which as somebody with my own conference makes my little heart happy.

What is the most unusual or funny thing that’s happened during your writing journey?

I didn't start writing until I was 60 and my first book got to number one in the Kindle free charts because I mistakenly made it free on iTunes. It got noticed by a publisher and it went to to become an international bestseller with over 1 million copies sold.

How do you stay motivated and inspired to create new content and stay relevant?

That's not a problem - I have so many ideas and am usually writing three books at one time. I find if I get stuck with one I can move on to another book and somehow, the problem resolves itself.

In the rapidly changing world of publishing and media, what strategies have you employed to adapt and remain successful? How do you prepare for potential changes or disruptions in the future?

I'm published by Headline and am grateful for everything they do for me. I am though, simply one author fish in a very large publishing pond. I see Substack as a way of connecting with readers and writers in a very new and creative way.

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What role has networking and building relationships played in your career as a writer? How do you continue to expand your network and collaborate with others?

It has been vital and I have been very lucky to have been recommended by authors such as Sir Terry Pratchett and Ciamh McDonnell. I am a guest at the Sir Terry Pratchett fans convention, Discworld this year and now have my own convention called Jodiworld. Jasper Fforde was a guest at the last one and we will soon be announcing the guests for the 2025 convention.

In the digital age, how do you approach the use of technology and social media to connect with your audience and market your work?

The majority of my readers read using Kindle or Audible formats so I find they respond well to social media posts about new titles or events. As I have such a busy schedule it is far easier to do online interviews and appearances. I have a monthly live Zoom chat with readers where we discuss the book we've been reading that month. I really enjoy these as they are fun and very interesting.

What's the most unexpected place or situation where you've come up with a brilliant story idea?

That's a difficult one but I do always keep a notebook with me at all times. I also do most of my writing in bed or in the bath.

What have been some of your most effective strategies for audience engagement and building a loyal fan base?

My first publisher spent a great deal on Facebook advertising. This certainly helped with reader engagement in the early days. Thankfully, personal recommendation seems to be our strongest marketing tool with loyal fans spreading the word.

How do you balance the business side of your career, such as marketing and promotion, with the creative side of your work?

I do the writing and my agent and publishers handle the business side.

What is your favorite failure, either the one that taught you the most or the one that meant the most to you in retrospect?

I wanted to use the pen name Dirk Thrust but, thankfully, my friends talked me out of it!

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What's your favorite spot for inspiration or relaxation when you're not working?

I love going to explore old castles or battlefields they always inspire new ideas.

How do you decide which projects to pursue, and which ones to pass on? What criteria do you use to make these decisions? Has it changed over the years?

This is usually in discussion with my agent and publishers. I already have four series on the go so balancing the schedule can be very difficult. This year I have two full length novels and two short stories being published.

Can you share a memorable fan encounter or interaction that made a lasting impression on you?

I think it was at ComiCon when a huge, burly lorry driver broke down in tears when he met me. We had to get him a chair to sit down on he was so overcome. It was so heart-warming that my books meant so much to him.

What's your guilty pleasure when it comes to reading or writing? Any guilty-pleasure genres or topics?

I read very widely and have very eclectic tastes. My real guilty pleasure is chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate!

If you lost it all tomorrow and had to start again with nothing but a computer and $1,000, how would you start to rebuild your business?

Oh don't - I already suffer terribly from imposter syndrome and think, one day, someone will take it all away from me! But I did originally self-publish and there are many different avenues for that now. Although frankly, I just want to do the writing - I hope other will help me with the business part.

Did you deliberately think "I'll write a scare the pants off them book?

What upcoming projects or initiatives are you currently working on, and how do they align with your long-term career goals?

I'm about to start helping develop some a screen script for one of my books that has been optioned. I'm really looking forward to that.

Coffee, tea, or something else entirely? What's your preferred writing beverage?

Tea, black with lemon. My characters in The Chronicles of St Mary's drink lashings of tea while The Time Police exist entirely on coffee.

Jodi Taylor is the author of the bestselling Chronicles of St Mary’s series, the story of a bunch of disaster-prone historians who investigate major historical events in contemporary time. Do NOT call it time travel! Born in Bristol and educated in Gloucester (facts both cities vigorously deny), she spent many years with her head somewhere else, much to the dismay of family, teachers and employers, before finally deciding to put all that daydreaming to good use and pick up a pen. She still has no idea what she wants to do when she grows up.

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