Interview

Episode 100 – Another Publishing Industry First with Mark Dawson

Mark interviews international bestselling author Mark Dawson about his journey through publishing, his author support business and the ground-breaking publishing deal he just signed.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares some comments left on previous episodes and via Twitter.

He also shares a word about the episode’s sponsor . . .

In his personal update, Mark talks about Canadian Thanksgiving, putting up Halloween decorations in the front yard and a new anthology, Cursed Collectibles, edited by Angela Eschler, that he has a story in.

In their conversation, the two Marks talk about:

  • Mark’s background as a lawyer prior to becoming a writer, and how he has benefited from the skills he learned there
  • The kick in the pants Mark received back in 1999 that led to his entry into publishing
  • The surprisngly fast way he had found an agent and that agent had found a publisher for his first books
  • The disappointing experience that came with having his print books appear in book shops and the two strikes that led to the end of that part of his writing career
  • How John Milton was inspired by the original Equalizer television show staring Edward Woodward
  • When Mark’s indie writing journey began and the approximate 30 books he has published in that way
  • The first time that Mark realized that writing could be a full-time endeavour – when the money he was earning from writing not only matched the money he was making working a full time job, but was more than double that amount for several months in a row
  • The origin of the Self-Publishing Formula courses and podcast
  • The 2020 Self Publishing Conference that will be taking place in London prior to the London Book Fair
  • How Mark is able to continue to write his novels as well as offer support to the writing community via his intimate network
  • The ground-breaking joint-venture print-only deal that Mark recently signed
  • The 3-books a year release plan within this deal
  • The international element of the deal to get the books into stores in multiple countries
Still shot from the video recording of the interview

After the interview, Mark reflects on the importance of this deal that Mark Dawson just signed and the significance it can have on publishing.

Links of Interest:

Mark Dawson was born in Lowestoft, in the UK. He has worked as a DJ, a door-to-door ice cream seller, factory hand and club promoter. He eventually trained as a lawyer and worked for ten years in the City of London and Soho, firstly pursuing money launderers around the world and then acting for celebrities suing newspapers for libel.

Mark’s USA Today and Audible bestselling John Milton books involve a disgruntled British assassin who is trying – without much success – to put his past behind him. In order to atone for the blood on his hands he has decided to help those in need. His Beatrix Rose series follows the adventures of the most dangerous woman ever to serve at Her Majesty’s pleasure, and is currently in development for TV. The Soho Noir books, follow the glitz and glamour of criminal life in London’s West End from the 1940s to the present day.

Mark lives in Wiltshire with his wife and two young children.

2 thoughts on “Episode 100 – Another Publishing Industry First with Mark Dawson”

  1. I always have to remind myself not to compare where I am in my journey with where the heavy hitters in indie publishing are.

    I am grateful for your question about what to ask new writers. Up until that point I was trying to find something to glean as a tip or trick or wisdom from Mark.

    I guess it boils down to the same thing: Keep writing. Finishing a novel 5 years ago is best but finishing a novel now is the best you can do now.

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