...Trinidadian selfpublishing pro guides new writers
(Trinidad Express) Self-publishing can be a viable vehicle for more local authors to propel their unread manuscripts onto the shelves of the islands’ bookstores, says author/publisher Daniel Francis.
Francis, author of the writer’s guide How To Write
And Self-Publish Your Book, says the next Trinbagonian classic novel could very well be collecting cyber cobwebs on a hidden hard drive or physical dust on a forgotten bookshelf.
“We can change this by sharing information on publishing and make it commonplace,” an optimistic Francis chimed during an online exchange with the Express.
“Right now, the biggest issue is access to information on what to do after your book is written. Right now, we have many talented unpublished authors with amazing books collecting dust because they don’t know what the next steps are in publishing their books. This conference is going to open the door for more aspiring authors to publish their books and be a platform for authors to form a thriving community to help each other grow,” he explained.
Sparking a literature renaissance
The emergence of more modern stories can reignite national interest in local literature, Francis said. That movement starts with empowering budding writers so they can complete more projects, he reiterated.
“I plan to help catalyse the production of more authors by meeting them on all the different levels: providing information on writing, editing, and publishing so they can figure it out on their own. I eventually (want to) create courses to help them publish with a step by step guides. More easily accessible information and the production of more authors will create an environment where more and more books are published. This will inevitably create a few classics to add to the greats,” the Fatima College old boy reasoned. Francis, a Loyola University, New Orleans, USA, graduate, said leveraging internationally recognised dates on the calendar, such as World Book Day, is a great way to get the attention of readers, he continued.