In my opinion, every paragraph should perform even a simple function, and all fillers should be deleted.
Dagmar Rokita – 26 August 2023
The Back Flap
After a bloody revolution, a royal warrior named Erilaz and his companions are exiled from their kingdom. They subsequently choose to hide on a distant planet, where they risk their lives every day. There are only three things that give him hope to carry on: his loyal friends, love for his land and the legend of a mysterious warrior and a clever strategist: The Chromed Emperor.
One day he will return.
Meanwhile, the king of his planet makes a single mistake that calls into question all his plans and hopes, leading him to become increasingly paranoid. His concerns are justified; however, there is a much worse danger than a band of local rebels.
About the book
What is the book about?
My new book, Bloodstaind Skies, is about three royal warriors. In the beginning, the political situation in their kingdom changes, but they accept it as a normal course of events. The good first impression doesn’t last long – the king’s behavior appears to be more and more strange. When they confront the king, the situation gets out of control.
I wanted to raise a few other subjects too. The secondary plot shows the king and his struggles, for example how his childhood influences his future actions.
I also mention some difficult family relationships and their consequences. The main character, Erilaz, is the apple of his father’s eye but the father isn’t very good at showing his love.
When did you start writing the book?
The idea appeared over a year ago. I wrote a comic book script and began to illustrate it, but drawing one chapter took me long weeks. Then I decided to turn the script into a normal novel and I think it was a better idea. I decided to keep a few illustrations and insert them into this book.
How long did it take you to write it?
I think I was incredibly fast. I couldn’t believe I wrote a whole short novel in 3 months. Writing the 1st draft (this comic book script) took me over one month and the editing took 2 weeks, so that would be around 5 months.
Where did you get the idea from?
It’s hard to point one or two influences. Whenever I see or hear something interesting, I pick a few details and use it in my books. Imagine this: you’re traveling around the world and taking one little rock as a souvenir, and after some time, you have a nice collection of rocks.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Every scene with tension needs some build-up and then some release. These “build-up” and “release” scenes were hard to write. I had to describe everyday activities without making them boring and useless. In my opinion, every paragraph should perform even a simple function, and all fillers should be deleted. After long hours of thinking, I found a way to make these scenes important (or at least “not totally useless”).
What came easily?
Scenes with panic attacks. Writing them was easy but unpleasant because it’s something I experienced personally. At least I could deal with them quickly and make them realistic.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
I avoid “borrowing” characters from people I know. It makes me feel disconnected from the fictional world. I think I could explain it as “I make my own worlds to forget about real life and real people.” I still observe people, learn psychology as a hobby and try to find patterns in their behavior.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
I’m a big fan of “cinematic” descriptions and authors like Dan Abnett, Andy Weir and Aaron Dembski-Bowden were my inspiration. Their descriptions are very visual, but also quite short which means they’re perfect for my taste.
Do you have a target reader?
My books are targeted at mature people. By “mature” I don’t mean “everyone after their 18th birthday”. I consider maturity as the state of mind where you’re able to understand the difficult topics and reasonably look at different situations. I write about war, drugs or abuse, but also friendship, loyalty and family. I’m afraid that younger people could romanticize something that isn’t romantic (for example a creepy and uncomfortable relationship mentioned in my previous book, The Core of Rage).
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I try to write at least 300 words every workday and 700 every day off. When I have a day off, I write 300-400 words in the morning and the next 300-400 in the evening. I don’t have any other writing routines. My main motto is: you don’t have to write 700 words. You have to write 100 words seven times per day.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I write my 1st draft in the style of a movie script. There’s a description of the setting/characters/events, dialogues and some additional notes. It’s quick to write, and it contains all important information.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I can’t focus on more than one thing so I always edit after writing. Sometimes I correct some mistakes when I notice them by accident but that’s all.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Yes. I think every author/publisher should do it. Even if your writing is absolutely amazing, you need someone to check your book. It’s completely normal that people miss little details like spelling mistakes.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
No, I listen to music before or after writing but music is my important inspiration. Writing a book and adding little references to obscure heavy metal bands is fun. I also have my own playlists for each mood or setting. I listen to many different artists, so it will be easier to list their labels/youtube channels: Cryo Chamber, Season of Mist, The Circle Pit, NWOTHM Full Albums, The Dungeon Synth Archives, Years Of Silence.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents? What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
Traditional publishing process seems too complicated to me and it takes way too much time. Yes, finding an agent is really helpful but let’s be realistic, I’m a new author without a huge fanbase. That doesn’t look profitable enough. I heard that publishers don’t even consider authors with less that 10 000 newsletter subscribers. Another thing: social media. Some authors say that publishers want them to be active on social media every day. No, thanks, I’m a writer, not a content creator.
Nevertheless, these are just some minor inconveniences. Self-publishing market is enormously oversaturated. If I could get traditionally published right now, I wouldn’t ask questions and go for it without even looking at the “self-publishing” option.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
I have some experience with drawing so I designed and painted the character by myself. Then I used StarryAI generator to make the background. I made the Bloodstained Skies logo with a royalty free font and a simple texture, and I then did some graphic processing.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
My main marketing plan is to buy small and cheap newsletter promotions on sites like Bargain Booksy, The Fussy Librarian, BookRaid etc. Now I’m testing which sites work for me. I also build my own newsletter on Voracious Readers Only and StoryOrigin. I don’t want to go into content/social media marketing. Too much effort, too little reward.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
- Be ready to spend a lot of money.
There are a lot of book influencers who tell you to “just write a good book and be an active content creator on social media”. It may work for some genres but “being a writer” is something completely different for me. I have a pretty niche audience, and promoting my book takes a lot of time and money.
- Beware of scammers.
Facebook, Instagram and Fiverr are full of scammers. They promise to “promote your book to 40 million targeted readers for only $100” but… no. That’s not how it works. And be skeptical about testimonials on their sites. They pick only the positive reviews. Reddit is a good place to ask “is this website legit?”. I’m not a big fan of Reddit, but the honest opinions of its users saved me from many scams.
- This one is for people who don’t have any fanbase: reviews before promotions.
Before you spend even $1 on paid ads, gather a few reviews. You’re new and no one is going to buy your book if you don’t have reviews (it’s called “social proof”). Adding your book to Kindle Unlimited is useful too (at least in the beginning of your career). People don’t know you but they don’t risk anything if they decide to read your book on KU. And if they read it, they may leave a review and become your fans.
About You
Where did you grow up/live now?
I was born in Southern Poland, and I still live there. My city is surrounded with forests and hills, and it’s close to a region called Bieszczady. One day trip is enough to visit the wildest part of Poland with beautiful hills, forests and creeks. I’ve even heard about a few wolves living just a few kilometers away from my city. On the one hand, I’m proud that Poland still has wolves, bears and European bisons but… I would rather avoid meeting these wild guys when I’m walking alone in the evening.
What would you like readers to know about you?
- I started writing in 2015 when I was 15. Maybe my writing wasn’t good but at least I avoided the majority of the worst clichés. I’m proud of myself.
- I had a metal band (I was the keyboardist/composer) but it broke up after the 1st album.
- I love cruising, sailing and rafting but I hate swimming and I have an extreme fear of deep water. Humans are weird.
- I write in English, but my 1st language is Polish. I was at the top of my class in English, and I wanted to study English philology but math defeated me on my final exams. What a clever educational system…
What are you working on now?
I’m writing the sequel of The Core of Rage. This trilogy is set in the same Bloodstained Skies universe, but it focuses on different characters and different times. It’s also way darker and more complex.
End of Interview:
For more from Dagmar Rokita, visit his website.
Get your copy of Bloodstaind Skies from Amazon US or Amazon UK.