How my debut novel was born to be an Amazon Best seller

 Through Life’s Storms to

Amazon Best-Seller

The inspiring story of Amanda J Campbell

A lifelong passion for reading

I love reading and have dabbled with words over the years in the form of journaling and writing stories, but nothing I would have dared share with my nearest and dearest, let alone the world. But in 2012, I read a newspaper article about a trauma a young woman had suffered, and I thought to myself, how could that have possibly happened? I knew straight away that I wanted to write a story to answer that question. Little did I know that the idea for my debut novel was born and Leave Well Alone would become an Amazon bestselling novel.

The long and bumpy road from first draft to meeting agents

Between working part-time, raising my three children, and caring for my severely disabled son (plus a house move!), it took me nearly five years to write a VERY rough first draft. I then plucked up the courage to apply to the Faber Academy Writing A Novel course which I joined in 2017. Then came eighteen months of hard graft getting the manuscript ready for querying.

In June 2019, I attended the Winchester Writers’ Festival, having submitted the first three chapters and a synopsis of Leave Well Alone to four literary agents beforehand. During the festival, I attended one-to-one sessions with each of these agents. The highlight of the weekend was when I sat down opposite the third agent (from a very reputable agency), who said, ‘I love it. Everything about it.’ We chatted about the publication process and the author name I should use.

We chatted about the publication process and the author name I should use.

From disappointment to Amazon best-seller

Things didn’t work out with that agent, and I was extremely disappointed. But, in hindsight, it was the best thing to happen to me. During this time, I had also looked into self-publishing. In December 2019, I decided 2020 would be the year I would see Leave Well Alone in print. I found an editor and a cover designer and spent hours devising a publishing schedule. Then in August 2020, under the Code Grey Publishing imprint, I published my debut novel. Four months later, it hit the top of the Amazon charts. 

 

 

 

Main inspirations for your stories and characters

As mentioned above, the inspiration for my debut novel Leave Well Alone came from a newspaper article. As did the idea for my second Don’t Come Looking. Out of the blue, a man walked out on his family. He walked into his local police station and told them that when his family came looking for him, he didn’t want to be found. Why would someone do that? I asked myself. And I wrote a story to answer that question.

In the summer of 2020, after we came out of lockdown and people started going out again, my hubby and I went on a date night to an Italian restaurant in London. Two staff members were having a heated discussion near the kitchen, and I wondered what they were arguing about. I went home and started plotting Search No Further!

The inspiration for my latest book The Phone Call came from one of my favourite places to visit in London – the South Bank. When I'm there, I always stop at the skate park and watch the skateboarders. One day last year, I remember seeing a young couple, mid-twenties, sitting on one of the ledges having a deep and meaningful conversation. There was something vulnerable about the guy, and I wondered what they were talking about. On the train home, Joey Clarke came to life in my head, and the next day, I started plotting The Phone Call. The story has nothing to do with skateboarding, though! Joey took me in a completely different direction!

So my first two books started with the plot, the third one with the setting and the fourth one with the protagonist. I then build my cast of characters around the plot.

Writing routine

I’m an early bird and usually at my desk at seven-thirty. Much earlier in the school holidays so that I can get a few hours in before my kids get up. Typically, I spend the morning / early afternoon writing and then three to four hours marketing and running my publishing business. Often, when I’m in the thick of a story, I will return to my desk for a few hours in the evening.

I aim for two thousand words a day, but in the run-up to the launch of a new book, my days are mainly spent on publishing tasks and marketing.

Overcoming writer’s block / plot holes / getting stuck during a novel

When I come up against a brick wall, I take my dog, Max, for a long walk. I’m blessed to live a stone’s throw from open farmland, so an hour walking with nature always does the trick. My hubby is a great support for plot holes. He will sit and listen and come up with suggestions.

Tips for aspiring writers

‘Leap and the net will appear!’

 

This is the piece of advice a dear friend gave to me at the beginning of 2020 when the imposter syndrome was trying its utmost to overcome me. Who did I think I was for believing I was good enough to write a book, let alone publish it?

Believe in yourself and just keep going.

Is a writing community important?

Absolutely! When I joined the Faber course, I met some great writers. They were great at giving feedback and encouraging me to push forward with my writing. Three of them are on my ARC team now and have read all my books.

Who is your favourite author and story, and why?

This is a hard one as there are so many fantastic authors and books! If I had to choose one, it would have to be Agatha Christie. She wrote such colourful characters and didn’t earn the title Queen of Mystery for nothing!

I have so many favourite stories, but the one that has stuck with me over the years, and I often think about, is The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. It’s a memoir about a tenacious woman brought up in a dysfunctional family that was as vibrant as it was flawed. It taught me that whatever life throws at you, you get up, brush yourself off and carry on with a smile.

Lockdown and beyond

It's been a tough few years. Because of all the UK lockdowns, my kids spent six months at home during 2020, and in addition to working part-time, I had to learn the skills to self-publish. 2020 involved countless five o’clock starts and midnight finishes, but I’m a determined old mule! I think you have to be in this game.

In April 2021, I published Don’t Come Looking, and in December 2021Search No Further.

My fourth novel The Phone Call is due out on July 1st 2022.

All my novels are available at Amazon. If you enjoy fast-paced psychological thrillers / suspense, why not check out my new book The Phone Call .

Or visit my website / follow me on social media to find out more about me and my work:

www.ajcampbellauthor.com

https://www.facebook.com/AJCampbellauthor

https://www.instagram.com/ajcampbellauthor/