304: An Inside Look at Self-Publishing - Interview with Helen J. Darling

DIY MFA Radio

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Helen J. Darling.

Helen is the author of two humorous women’s fiction novels: Terms and Conditions and I’ll Know Me When I Find Me. She is also the resident self-publishing expert and columnist at DIY MFA.

Helen worked in publishing for twenty years before acknowledging she’d like to write something herself. When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, she dabbles uncontrollably in hobbies from photography and painting to gardening, carpentry, and home renovations. She reads three or four books at a time. She also keeps bees. That’s why she takes so long to write her novels.

You can learn about her latest distractions by joining her mailing list or following her on social media. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, two children, a codependent beagle, and a cat who owns them all.

In this episode Helen and I discuss:

• How working in academic publishing led to Helen’s writing career
• The flexibility that comes with self-publishing
• How self-publishing has changed
• Why writers choose self-publishing over traditional
• The two most important people on your self-publishing team
• Choosing the right people for your self-publishing team
• An overview of the editorial and publishing process
• The main parts of a book launch

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

For info and more notes: diymfa.com/304