A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Mark Tufo, writer of the self-published Zombie Fallout series to conduct an interview for Fantasy-Faction.com. As the interview ran a bit long in the tooth and went off the rails a few time, the version on Fantasy-Faction is a bit more condensed. Here is a special extended version of our sit-down, where we discuss his series, the trials and tribulations of being an indie writer, and the role that fans, bloggers, and other writers have to help fill the gap left when someone can’t afford traditional advertisements:
Chris – So first of all, would you like to tell the boys and girls about yourself?
Mark Tufo – Um, sure unlike my main character I will try to keep this short. I grew up in a blue collar family, joined the Marine Corps and when I got out I wanted to “move on up” to the white collar field so I went back to school. The damn thing about the white collar world was I kept finding myself getting laid off. My last lay-off was the reason I wrote Zombie Fallout at all.
Chris – Did you have a McDonalds incident like Mike had after he lost his last job?
Mark Tufo - Not really I thought that whole scene up after my wife and I went to Mickey D's she ordered an unsweetened tea and they messed up and gave her a sweetened one. That hit me as I walked into the store and waited for a new cup. But it would've been funnier if it had!
Chris – Imagine what would have happened if they gave her a Sprite instead.
Mark Tufo – Probably would have tossed hot oil.
Chris - Now, what instantly drew me to the first Zombie Fallout novel was the opening narration involving a timeline of the events up until the dead walk. Was this the first piece of the novel you wrote or did it come about as you were writing it?
Mark Tufo - That was one of the few pieces that I had actually thought about before I decided to write a book (Yeah that's a whole other interview). Just kind of laying in bed going through the whole What If scenarios.
Chris – What was the process for hiring an editor like? Did you have other people proof-read your books beforehand?
Mark Tufo - My first BIGGEST mistake was thinking that myself and my wife could edit. Then I had my brother proof-read, he was an english major, but he had ideas for a very different story. Actually had a fan say that she would like to proof-read my books, she said she'd do the first one for free. And I can honestly say Mo Happy has been an awesome editor for me. I would not recommend anyone publishing without having some sort of professional help. And not THAT kind of help, although I could probably use a few sessions.
Chris – In order to make in this business, you have to be a bit off the meds, I think. As an independent writer, what sort of things do you need to manage in terms of distribution and advertisement?
Mark Tufo - Man my wife has been a huge asset. It's a full time job for the both of us. She's responsible for the marketing and distribution and I pretty much stick with the writing and formatting. Twitter and obviously Facebook have been great vehicles to promote the books, as have been awesome bloggers like yourself.
Chris - So word-of-mouth (or in this case, tweet-of-site) and reviews are vital to getting people to notice your work?
Mark Tufo - Advertising is mostly word of mouth considering I have an operating budget of about 17 bucks. So reviews and word-of-mouth are huge, man. My readers have been great, they always leave reviews and they are always willing to let those around them know about the books.
Reviews have been a key element, without them you can't get folks to take the plunge with their hard earned money, and I can't blame them.
Chris - What sort of support (if any) do you find in the independent community? Are other writers quick to advertise or offer tips to newcomers?
Mark Tufo - There are some who are willing to bend over backwards to help out, but I think others are just so busy with their own works that is very difficult to help out. But if you post on writers boards which I belong to a few of you will always get responses.
Chris - So most of the support comes from the online community?
Mark Tufo - Yeah for me it has to, I moved to the STICKS! The online community is the way of the indie author for sure.
Chris - You've mentioned earlier that your wife has been a huge asset and support to you, and one of the most defining characteristics for Mike is that he is so loyal to his family and puts them before any of his own needs. I imagine much of that comes from your own values.
Mark Tufo - Yeah early Mike was definitely developed with some of my values. You write what you know.
Chris - And do you know any Pop-Tart eating psychics?
Mark Tufo - I do not, and Tommy was never supposed to be in the books, my original design was to have him die on the Wal-Mart roof.
Chris - I actually expected that when I was reading that scene. What changed your mind about his fate?
Mark Tufo - No effen clue, I guess he wanted 'in'. Eliza was another character I never saw coming, she was never part of the story either.
Chris - Speaking of Eliza, ever since her introduction in the series I've wanted to know what nightmare she clawed out of!
Mark Tufo - Dude I was just looking for a character that was the epitome of pure evil, I LOVE zombies stories and I wanted a twist of them being 'directed' to me that sounded pretty freaking scary.
Chris - She was the reason I spent a whole night reading the first one. I was about to put the book down when I saw her make her true introduction and just HAD to finish it that night.
Mark Tufo - Thanks man I appreciate the compliment.
Chris – Anytime, it's a well-deserved one. Speaking of compliments, do you have any plans to try to get ZF into the hands of a publishing company? Or have you tried this route?
Mark Tufo - It was after about my 12th rejection I decided to do the indie route.
Chris - Do you still have hopes of getting it approved by a major publisher, or do you feel comfortable in the indie nitch?
Mark Tufo - Yeah I still have hopes, I look to previous indies like Rhiannon Frater and Amanda Hocking, I mean obviously they are huge successes but I would still, I guess, like the validation of it although the indie market has been a life changer for me.
Chris - Is there any advice you would like to give to aspiring writers with respects to going indie or even submitting?
Mark Tufo - I strongly suggest the indie route, huge publishers are taking fewer and fewer risks with new authors they are almost single handedly making the indie market grow exponentially. Best advice I could offer to an aspiring writer is to make sure the product they put out there is the best possible. Readers will absolutely let you know if you have put out a sub-par product, just check out my early reviews before I got ZF1 edited. Friends and family aren't necessarily the best folks to proof read work they will almost never let you know what they truly think about your work.
Chris - So at the moment, indie would be what you consider is the way to go, but make sure your product is the best out there?
Mark Tufo - Readers will rain all over your parade if they spend their money on what they think is an inferior product no matter the price you're selling at. I know it's difficult especially at first to shell out the money for editing, but if someone is serious about writing it's the way to go.
Chris - But in the end it would definitely pay off more than just putting something on the market people would hate and flame.
Mark Tufo: Besides what it does to your psyche. It's not cool when someone rips you a new one.
Chris - Yeah, especially when the criticism isn't creative. When I critique I try to be as constructive as possible, be it for a friend or if I see the work of a total stranger.
Chris - I'm harshest with myself.
Mark Tufo: Most of my harsher critiques have dealt with editing issues which I can understand, some though, I really think it’s all about the anonymity of it, being rude I mean. By the way, I do not read any of my reviews anymore good, bad or indifferent. I do appreciate folks taking time to write them, because no matter what they wrote they felt strongly enough to do so. My wife will filter though them and give me the constructive criticism which I also greatly appreciate. I never knew as a former Marine that I was such a wuss.
Chris - Bullets and bad guys? No problem. Internet reviewers? Now those are people who instill fear in everyone's hearts.
Mark Tufo - You got that right my friend.
Chris - Can't help its part of the job.
Mark Tufo - Naw dude I can take constructive I can, it’s the ones that just bash the hell out of your stuff just to do it.
Chris – Yeah, I've known plenty of people who do that. I know your series isn't absolutely perfect, but it's been interesting enough for me to buy the current releases and anticipate the fourth, so you must be doing something right
Mark Tufo - Thanks man. October 1st is the release date for ZF4.
ghostsofeternity: It may not provoke questions or be something that'll be studied in school, but it's entertaining and that at the end of the day is what writing is supposed to be
Mark Tufo - Yeah never hinted that I'm Shakespeare, just a guy that loves Zombie stories
.
Mark Tufo’s latest novel, Zombie Fallout Part 4: After the End is out as of the time of this interview.
No comments:
Post a Comment