Another week comes to a close, and another #AskWatson segment begins.
I must say, this week is a meaty one.
Lots and lots of questions, so let’s dive into this week's replies:
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Hi DJJ… Curious about the audiobook process – why go AI narration instead of hiring voice actors? Was it purely a cost thing or something else?
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Cost was a factor, but there was another reason that trumped that…
Time.
Authors can wait 3-4 weeks (per book) for the finished, edited files, assuming the narrator has a clear schedule. Given I have four books with the fifth not far away, waiting (potentially) up to 3-5 months wasn’t an option.
Digital voice, on the other hand?
One week for all four books.
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How do you juggle writing and fatherhood? (FYI, I have two kids under 5 and work from home) 😭
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I feel your plight, Legionnaire.
Honestly, I’m still figuring that part out.
In the beginning, Master Liam slept a solid 16-18 hours a day as a newborn (obviously not in one block), which made writing sessions somewhat… predictable.
Nowadays, though?
With him waking up every 1-2 hours in the night?
By the time the morning swings around, I become a walking, bumbling zombie that shoots up enough black coffee that would make a meth addict smile. So yeah, caffeine and lots of water are my weapons of choice as I traverse this rocky valley of fatherhood.
For the first time in my life, I now watch Tom Hanks in Cast Away with great envy.
Good luck out there.
Next…
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What’s the real difference between buying straight from your Storehouse vs. grabbing your books off Amazon or Google Play? Like, beyond just "supporting the author more"
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Great question.
In a nutshell, yes, it is supporting the author more, but it's much more multifaceted than that. The way I see it — when your favourite writers are winning, so do you, the reader.
How?
Fatter royalty cheques go a long way in allowing authors to put more time aside in this gig (or potentially go full-time), which inevitably leads to more of the books you love to read. That’s the first win.
The second one is much more nuanced.
You see, when an author gets comfortable slinging their wares from their own Storehouse (that they control), it instils something no retailer can:
Peace of mind.
And this, Legionnaire, is where the magic lies.
As a creative operating in an environment that doesn’t plant needless anxiety about whether you’ll fall out of favour with the algorithms or the social police, it promotes boundless creativity.
Boundless creativity allows for innovation.
Innovation encourages fresh ideas.
And fresh ideas can change lives.
That’s the “real” difference between buying directly from mine and other authors’ Storehouses over retailers.
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You get to have a pint with any fictional character. Who’s it gonna be and what’s the first thing you ask them?
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You’re putting me in a tight spot here.
Of course, I could be narcissistic by replying with one of my characters (there are plenty I’d have a drink with), but I haven’t become that self-serving (yet). I’d have to go for a man many will know as Maximus Decimus Meridius from Gladiator.
As for the question I’d ask?
Hmm. 🤔
Why didn’t you end it all after the loss of your wife, son, and honour? Surely, your life had lost its pulse after that?
(Alright, that’s two questions. Sue me.)
It’s introspections like these I love to explore in movies, and even in my own body of work (irrespective of genre) because there’s a demon lurking in every character’s shadow. Readers of The Divided Region will know this to be true following the plight of Darius and the supporting characters as the world of Estos threatens to fall not only to a tyrant but to a darkness long thought defeated.
If any of that tickled your proverbial pickle, then there’s much to enjoy in this series.
To learn more (or watch the trailer), go here:
https://djjwatsonstore.com/products/divided-region-starter-bundle
Remember: if you’d like your question to be in the draw for next week’s session, be sure to reply to any of my emails using #AskWatson.
DJJW
