Readers' Survey
    ​    All feedback will be read and analysed by me - and only me!

    Thank you for taking a few minutes to answer these simple multiple choice questions to help me build my business as an author. 
    There are only twenty-five questions but you can answer as many or as few as you like. 
    ​I've split the questions into sections with a brief explanation before each, and added a comments box after each section too, so if you wish, you can add as much detail as you like - don't feel restricted by the size of the boxes as they should accept as many words as you are willing to write.
    Although most questions restrict you to just one choice in answer - that's deliberate! - the comments box is where you can mention other options you would have liked to tick when selecting one preference is too difficult. Where multiple options can be selected, I've pointed this out in the question and the tick boxes are squares rather than the usual circles.
    I    'll do my best to answer any commentary you post so I do need your email address at the very end. You will also be one of the first to receive a complimentary copy of my new short story, Justice, and be entered in a prize draw for one of these signed paperbacks from myself or best-selling fellow Brit, Stuart MacBride: 
    Don't forget to hit the SUBMIT button at the foot of this page when you're done! 
    If you do, your answers will be lost forever and you'll have no chance of winning...
    Be warned - you may also be 'Capcha' tested by Google to confirm you're human! 
    Books and genre preference
    We'll start with an easy one(?) I think...​
    What should I write next?
    I have numerous ideas bubbling away, all at different stages of readiness, so your thoughts would be much appreciated.
    I mentioned in my recent newsletter that I'm toying with a themed 'compilation' of seven loosely related thrillers that may or may not feature some of the same characters in each story, and may feature some characters from my existing trilogies. For this set I plan to take my inspiration from the seven deadly sins - Pride, Greed, Lust, Wrath, Gluttony, Envy and Sloth. 
    ​That's probably my favourite idea at the moment, although I'm still at the mulling over stage as it's likely to be a 3 year project - maybe longer, although each completed book would be published as soon as it's ready.
    Meanwhile, I've also started a horror story/supernatural thriller which could end up as a short story, maybe a novella or even a full-length novel - I'm really not sure. I do wonder whether shifting to that genre would confuse my 'audience' although I've had plenty of readers tell me my current novels are bordering on horror.
    I've also been working on fleshing out my existing minor characters and have ideas for novellas and short stories featuring those, or could include some in the deadly sins compilation - which itself could include tales of mixed lengths.
    I've already completed another short story, Justice, a stand alone crime thriller that's ready to publish, so wondered about compiling that, The Butcher (already published), and another one or two short stories into an ebook to launch in the next month or two. I've recently been toying with getting back to writing humour (that's 'British humor' for you US folk!), having written a few fun articles a couple of decades ago...
    ​Your thoughts on what to write next will help me decide.
    Your thoughts on the length of my novels, on novellas (short novels) and short stories.
    My novels are between 107,000 words and 130,000 words - long by today's standards (most ebook novels are currently 50k to 80k) but mine aren't epic tales like King's 'The Stand' (472k) and I have no plans to emulate that marathon effort!
    I generally have a target of 90k to 100k in mind for the first draft, and because of the way I write, they have, so far, ended up longer rather than shorter. I've written four full-length thrillers in the last two years or so, and can continue at that rate, or could probably publish more if I was ruthless and aimed for say, a 60-70k first draft for a novel, and could go even shorter and try to write novellas (ie less than 40k words).
    Would this fundamentally change my style? I tend to focus on character development, including fleshing out the minor characters, and enjoy creating convoluted plots. I am not sure I could change - or even whether I should change.
    So...
    Your thoughts on ebook pricing
    This is a difficult subject for an indie author with only a relatively small audience - especially as many readers now expect to receive free copies thanks to there being so many freebies on offer. That's not sustainable for those of us struggling to earn a living from writing and although I personally won't pay $9.99 for a novel in ebook format, I happily pay half that and sometimes a little more.
    Many authors now consider 99c to be 'the new free', and although I regularly give away copies of the first in my trilogies, I'm coming to a similar conclusion. However, I also realise many readers won't risk paying anything for a book from an unknown author so a free novel at least tempts some to try. 
    Hence, I'd like to hear your opinion on ebook pricing.
    Your thoughts on bonus material in the books, on the websites or as downloadable ebooks
    My Readers Group Members have access to password protected pages on my websites containing bonus material not available to the wider public. I have little idea of how popular this is and whether it's worth my time writing more. The same applies to my commentary at the end of the novels, so your comments on these 'bonuses' would be much appreciated.
    Discussion groups, author chats and reading on video
    As a reader, I've participated in a private Facebook discussion group with another author and his readers where we exchanged views and posed questions on the first of his books in a (lengthy) series. It has been very successful and he plans to do more, so I'm considering starting a closed group on Facebook to do the same.
    ​I'm also considering setting up an 'Author Chat' on Facebook to appear on video, magically arriving in your newsfeed at a pre-arranged time, enabling readers to pose questions that I'd have to answer 'live'. Ooh er, missus...
    Speaking of video, I have toyed with the idea of reading some of my work on camera and posting the resultant video online - but is it worth doing? Let me know what you think below.
    Other authors you enjoy
    Quite a few enthusiatic readers have compared my writing to some very well known authors - I would never do so, but I really appreciate the compliments when others do! Putting my ego aside, from a marketing perspective, it's very helpful for me to understand how my readers view my work in relation to other authors - both well known and indie - and I'd like to be able to pass on reader recommendations of similar writers too.
    On advertising and marketing
    Hates its, I does...
    ​But needs must! I recently took my eye off that ball and my sales have plummeted. Not good.
    So, I have dipped a toe into the expensive and murky waters of Facebook advertising, and, very unwillingly, I also return a chunk of my royalties to Amazon every month as I have to pay them to advertise - mine appear in the 'Sponsored products related to this item' that you may notice while browsing other authors on their site.
    ​I'm also mulling over other opportunities and the possibility of getting more author blurbs - short, pithy comments like Eric Meyer's: "First class author of great British crime fiction. Remorseless is a real page turner."  So far, I only have the one 'blurb' to date and am still fumbling around with ads so would really appreciate your thoughts.
    Reviews are obviously crucial to authors, and when I receive comments from my lovely readers I sometimes share their words on my website or Facebook page, but I usually make these semi-anonymous, giving only partial credit to the writer (eg John S rather than John Smith). From a marketing perspective, it would be better to be able to use full names and, on social media, 'expose' the comment author but I would only do that with the writer's permission. Any volunteers? 
    And finally, a few questions on my Readers Group Newsletters
    I often wonder how people react to my fairly irregular missives, and although I've had some wonderful and surprising compliments (such as - 'I really look forward to receiving them!'), reader enthusiasm is rarely expressed. And so, I'd like to improve the Newsletter, if I can.
    One other issue: I guess some readers only want to hear from me when I have a new release to announce, so, If enough readers request this, I will create a second - even more occasional - newsletter, purely to inform subscribers about my new book launches.
    Don't forget to hit the SUBMIT button below!
    Thank you for your time - I really appreciate you making the effort. If you have anything else you would like to share with me, feel free to add commentary below. 
    Please complete your details so that I can answer any comments and let you know the outcome after I have analysed the results. You will also be among the first to receive a pre-launch copy of my Brit-grit short story, Justice, to say 'Thank you!'
Please don't ignore the Capcha test if it appears otherwise your feedback will get lost in the ether!
​One of my test readers did just that, thinking it was an ad as it came up as a picture box... It really isn't! 

​After successfully submitting, this page should transform into a brief acknowledgement from me although you might need to scroll your browser to see it - the script is a bit small and I can't seem to change it! 
Privacy Policy & Cookies Policy
​© COPYRIGHT WILL PATCHING 2017. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.