'7 Minutes a Day...' to Writing Success!

We recently sat down with 7 Minutes a Day… series creator and author Rob Bignell to discuss his new books.

Q: Why did you decide to write the “7 Minutes a Day…” series?
A: After about four years of editing novels and nonfiction books, most of which were to be self-published, the writers kept getting asking me the same questions over and over: What’s the best point of view for my story? How do I go about self-publishing my manuscript? What can I do to get people to buy my book? I tried to find them a title that answered all of their questions, but found all of the books lacking. So I compiled all of my answers into four compact volumes. As most of these writers also were working and parents and involved in their communities and more, I wanted to present those answers in a way that would help them realize their writing dreams.

Q: Do you use the “7 Minutes a Day...” approach yourself?
A: Yes, I follow the exact same process in writing my fiction, self-publishing my books, and promoting my titles. I feel very comfortable recommending what’s in these books because I’ve successfully done it myself and know it works.

Q: The “7 Minutes a Day…” series largely focuses on self-publishing. What kind of future does self-publishing have?
A: Self-publishing will dominate book production during at least the next decade if not longer. With the prevalence of ereaders, I see authors expanding their storytelling beyond words and pictures through improved technology.

Q: Would you advise your own son to be a writer? Why?
A: Absolutely. He’s already quite good at making up characters and developing stories – we do it together all the time in when playing. There always will be a thirst for stories, especially those told by good storytelling, and if he’s so inclined to be a writer one day, I’d encourage him to pursue his ambitions. I’d also advise him to learn about technical applications and think about how they might be incorporated into the story to enhance it. This is an exciting time to be a writer, especially one who wants to be innovative and create new narrative approaches.

Q: You’ve edited a number of books that have gone on to be published but also have published books and stories you’ve written. What do you prefer: Editing or writing?
A: Both! That sounds like a non-answer, but they complement one another. Editing makes me a sharper writer while writing makes me a more reflective writer. I couldn’t do one without the other.

Q: What mistakes do you see beginning writers most frequently making?
A: Many don’t think they need to know basic grammar. If you can’t make a story readable, no one will read it. They often respond that an editor will fix it. I respond that if they haven’t thought about the significance of where they place a comma in affecting, even subtly, the direction and meaning of the story, they haven’t thought enough about the story. Many novices have difficulty mastering point of view and eliminating exposition, which is what the "Mastering the Craft of Writing" title in the series addresses.

Q: What do you think writers of the next decade will have to know about the publishing industry?
A: They’ll have to be tech savvy and creative beyond telling a mere story. While they won’t succeed if they can’t spin a good yarn, readers will expect them to add multiple layers to their book. For nonfiction books, that’ll be simple: If writing a medical text, when coming to organs in the digestive system, a graphic will pop up showing the parts as one reads about each one. But how does a novelist make use of these technologies? Make a map of the journey his mythic heroes undertake? That’s one small expectation readers soon will have because their ereaders will be capable of delivering it. Someone will go beyond the obvious, though, and revolutionize the whole way we tell and read stories.

Q: Tell us about the books you’ve written in the “7 Minutes a Day…” series.
A: The series’ four books are the perfect gift set for a budding novelist. The first tells how to write a novel. The second book, which is intended for nonfiction as well as fiction authors, tells you how to take the book you’ve just penned through the self-publishing process. The third book focuses on promoting that self-published book, regardless if it is nonfiction or a novel. The fourth addresses craftsmanship issues, such as creating your own voice through improving diction, narrative drive, and descriptive writing.

Q: The first three books are dedicated “To Kieran, Bryan and Rebekah, ‘Three great joys’”. Who are they?
A: Kieran is my son, Bryan my nephew, and Rebekah my niece. They’re the only three children in my family, and I had three books, so… I was going to dedicate one book to each of them but couldn’t decide which one got which book, so I dedicated all three books to all three children.

Q: You’re also writing a series of guidebooks about hiking with children. Which do you prefer to write: the hiking series or the “7 Minutes a Day…” series?
A: Both! They’re very different subject matters, but like editing and writing they complement one another. When I’m hiking, I often work out in my head the problem a writing client is having with their story or how to explain to them how to solve some issue they’re having with self-publishing or promoting their book. When I write the 7 Minutes a Day… books, I often find myself saying, “Gee, I did this with my hiking titles, why wouldn’t it work for someone else’s book?”

Q: What’s the next book in the series going to be?
A: I have a number of them planned, and reader response as well as the self-publishing industry’s direction will decide which gets printed next. Certainly there’s room for additional titles about ebooks, websites, plotting stories, academic papers and at least a dozen other subjects.