Interview with Kathleen Hayat.

Today we have prepared for you a small interview with Kathleen Hayat, an author of "Cursed Pirates", one of the "Beauty and the Beast" prize winners that share with us their experience on Booknet.

Let's get started!

1. How did your journey on Booknet start?

It started with a big doubt. Yes, like every new author I was also hesitant to join Booknet. When Booknet first approached me, I completely ignored it (big mistake from my side) but then after a while I again came across Booknet and this time I decided to give it a thorough survey. I searched up the authors who were already commercial authors on Booknet and then I approached Ashleh. If you want to know about a new platform, it's best to have a small talk with the authors who already earn on that platform and to see if they are satisfied with it or not.

To be honest, her review regarding Booknet was inspiring. And then I was like why not. I could give it a try. If the authors here were doing good then I could too. There's nothing wrong with trying. But then the doubt of a binding contract came in.

The best part was Booknet's contract. Basically after the review from the author, the contract of Booknet was the basic core along with the royalty share that attracted me and urged me to write here. Most importantly, the contract wasn't binding at all. No 5 to 10 years long contract. The freedom that Booknet's contract was giving along with the royalty share of 70-80% made me go for it.

So I started by uploading my already completed works. They were doing well. But it was the start and time was the basic key. Success takes time.

But one thing I was sure of. All my amazing plots which were close to my heart would be uploaded only on Booknet. Because Booknet is the only platform that gives liberty of freedom.

Booknet is the safest place for my books.

When I put my first book on bookscription it was difficult with all the negative comments and then the sales were less too. But I kept on going and my second book took off. And then the rest followed.

2. Did you get 100 followers and regular readers quickly?

Yes, I got 100 followers and regular readers quickly just because I was writing for free before. I had readers from my free books. When I joined Booknet, I asked my readers to follow me here and support me, which they did.

3. Your book "The Cursed Pirates" won the first prize in Booknet "Beauty and the Beast" contest. Was this book your first story in the Romantic Fantasy genre?

Well, I tried to write a fantasy book before but then dropped the book in the starting only. It has been on hold since then. And then the contest of 'Beauty and the Beast' was announced and at that moment I knew I've to write a book for it. "The Cursed Pirates" is my first complete book in the fantasy genre and it did exceptionally well.

From this book alone, I got to know that I can do good in the fantasy genre as well.

4. How was your experience in the contest overall?

My experience was totally amazing.

Before the 'Beauty and the Beast' contest, a billionaire contest took place. I participated in that contest with two of my books. I made it to the finalist with both of my books. I was really hoping to win in the contest but I didn't come first nor second or third. I just won an inspiring special prize for one of my books. Though I was expecting pretty hard to win it but I didn't.

I wasn't dejected but I surely became persistent on winning the next one. Giving up would've been easy. I already tried hard in the first contest with two of my books but didn't win. But giving up wasn't even an option in my brain. There was only one thing and that was I've to win.

So I made up my mind to give my all in that contest and that was exactly what I did. During the period when The Cursed Pirates was going on, I had this feeling deep within that I'm going to win and I kept on going.

When the sales started and the way my ebooks of The Cursed Pirates were selling, I got the feeling that the special prize of the most bookscription sales would be mine and this thing alone motivated me to keep going. And when I won, that was literally the happiest moment for me, all thanks to my lovely readers.

There's only one thing and that's to never give up. Maybe you won't win today but you'll definitely win one day.

5. Your books appeared many times on Booknet bestseller, is there any secret to becoming a bestselling writer on the platform?

Yes, there are many secrets or perhaps you can say the tactics that I follow or look for in the book.

Cover. For me, cover comes first. An attractive cover can do wonders. If I like the cover then I'll proceed further to look at the name of the story and if it's unique then I'll go for the synopsis. Now what I do is, I keep the synopsis in a way that somehow explains what's happening in the starting of the story, like what the readers could expect then in the prologue I'll give the middle part of the novel, so this will leave readers in pure curiosity, like they would wonder, what in the world happened that the novel goes from synopsis to prologue just like that and then they'll start thinking about the possibilities, then the comments will be of great help to the author as I'll get to know what my readers were expecting from the novel and then I'll plan a twist that would be completely different from their thinking thanks to their comments.

Sometimes, the story has an amazing cover and superb name, synopsis and prologue but still it wasn't getting many readers or the hype it deserves, for that I can suggest regular updates.

And most importantly an amazing plot. For example, if the story has all of the above and it didn't have a strong plot then everything above is of no use. The plot is the basic core, after all the things above, the plot is the absolute thing that'll keep the reader hooked up by the story.

For the plot try to bring something new on the plate. Something that's not in the market, but still has the touch of cliche in it, something unique, something different and try to keep it realistic.

6. What advice would you give the fellow authors who only start on Booknet?

I'm not sure. But I surely can tell what I follow.

Do what you love because if you write what you want and if you write what you enjoy then the readers will love it the way you love writing it.

Be persistent, keep consistent and don't give up. These three things are the basic mottos that I follow.

To be honest I love to write. I just love what I do. Before writing on Booknet I was like waiting for my studies to finish so I can look for a job but then last year I joined Booknet and started to earn on it, within three months I started to earn the amount which I was expecting to get from my future job and then as the months passed, it kept getting better and then I was like, why not make my hobby my full-time job. Though I'm still a student, I give as much time to my writing as possible. Because I love to write. There are barely 10% of people on this earth who love their job and every new day is like a blessing to them. I'm one of them.

I would like to say that, keep experimenting in different genres. I love to do it and by now all my books of mine in different genres have received good response. Like if you are a Romance writer and your book is doing just fine in romance then try and write a fantasy book there are high chances that the book would take off and after that, all the books would follow.

First, you see what's the demand of the market and then you see what you have to offer and then you'll create a mixture of your offer and the demand of the market and it would do great.

But the most important thing is to give justice to your book. If even one of your paid books was fully able to satisfy the reader then mark this point, that reader would definitely buy all of your books. And it all depends if you do justice to your book.

The thing I'd like to advise is, if you think your work is worth it then sell it, don't hesitate, don't be afraid of the bad comments or fewer reviews or the loss of followers just focus on selling your book. It'll be overwhelming at first but then you'll get used to it. Your loyal and lovely readers will support you.

Most important thing. If you're a commercial author on Booknet or recently started writing. Discuss each and everything with your Booknet manager. Don't hide your plans from them, be straightforward and discuss literally everything because Booknet has a special team in management and marketing, they know what's best for us. Listen to them and follow their advice because literally, they know the best. And I've experienced it myself, their advice is always right.

On Booknet you can earn a very good amount without losing the right to your book and with full freedom but for that, you’ve to be patient. It takes time.

Don’t rush the process. Good things take time.

Best of luck to all the authors. I wish you all great success.

Lots of Love. *Hugs*

KATHLEEN HAYAT.