An interview with Logan Firth
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This week's indie author interview is with Logan Firth! Please have a read below and make sure to connect via their links at the bottom.
A little bit about you and your life, your hobbies, your interests, etc.
"I am an Australian self-publishing author, and since my teenage years, I have been writing historical fiction and poetry. I initially did it for fun, not expecting to make a career out of it, but then I found that I was good at it. The words just seemed to flow out of me onto paper, and I just seemed to be able to really make history come alive to readers. So I just began to really focus on making an initial fun hobby into a professional career, in which I focused on sharing my history knowledge and stories of the past with fellow readers. This meant that I have done a lot of reading, which I commenced in childhood, especially around history and people, and travelling around Australia and even to Switzerland. However, despite there always being something for a writer to complete in their authorship, I make sure to stay connected to self-care and important people in my life. This means I am always taking time off from my authorship to spend quality time with family and friends (including my two beautiful dogs), to engage in horse riding, and experience so many different opportunities as a member of the international Scouting movement."
Info about your latest book and/or the book you'd most like to promote
"Sydney's Convicts, of course, is always going to be a favourite of mine. Being not only the first book I have self-published, it is my personal connection to my convict ancestors and the convict past of Australia. Initially, I didn't even have a set storyline for this book. It was late one night in the January of 2024 when the idea just literally came to my mind. What followed it was a month of no sleep and an outpouring of endless words into the early mornings. For me, it was not only one of the happiest moments of my life, it was a reconciliation with my convict ancestry and Australia's convict past. This was a reconciliation that I wanted to share with my fellow readers. Thus, through the main character, who is a convicted 12-year-old Londoner from England, I really focused on how convicts become convicts, the journey they went through to rediscover who they themselves are as individual people, and the impact convictism had on themselves. This meant I made sure to hone in on the uncomfortable parts of finding oneself again; the events, traumas, thoughts, and the process that all makes the journey worthwhile. So not only was I shining a different, more holistic perspective on convicts and convictism, I was highlighting how human violence impacts the state of one's mental health and how that ultimately affected future events for them. Thus, this book is really about convicts, mental health, human violence, resilience, and self-identity."
Any details you'd like to share about what you're currently working on
"With an emerging success for Sydney's Convicts, I have commenced working on the sequel A Bushranger's Glory. The whole concept behind Sydney's Convicts is a continuation of the same family going through each Australian event in our history. Thus, A Bushranger's Glory continues that and takes them into the bushranger era of Australia. I am really excited to keep working on the sequel and self-publish the finalised manuscript when it is time."
What inspired you to get into writing and what keeps you motivated?
"My inspiration for writing came as a teenager in a way I guess that can be assumed as strange. I was listening to the audiobook of My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin. The story was so good and the language so captivating that I, being slightly bored within myself at the time, thought I would challenge myself to try writing something. Thus, being very much inspired by Franklin's work, I grabbed some pen and paper, then I just sat down and gave it a red hot go. Before I knew it, the words were just coming out of me. At that moment, I saw my strength and told myself that I am going to become a writer. I didn't know how, but I knew that while working things out I needed to keep writing and so I did exactly that. This moment and Franklin's work, has been the ongoing inspiration for me to continue being a writer and never giving up no matter what comes my way."
Your opinions on indie vs trad publishing and why you chose the route you did
"There are so many differences between self-publishing and traditional publishing via a company in a way. As a self-publisher, all the work from printing, distribution, marketing, promotion, and engagement is an ongoing responsibility of the self-publisher. This makes it very easy for them to struggle alone and face potential regular burnouts. However, being a self-publisher, there is no need to worry about rejection of the manuscript when it comes to publication and getting it out there, which I believe makes it easier for the writer to hold high self-esteem. Vice versa, we know publishing by a company means that the author only really has to worry about engagement and promotion when their book is out there. However, either way you are an official published writer and both journeys are just as rewarding in your careers. Honestly, I don't have much of a preference between the two, and highly value both approaches!"
What challenges have you faced during your writing and publishing journey?
"Just like all writers, I have faced many challenges in the publication, predominantly, of my Sydney's Convicts as a self-publishing author. Honestly, rejection hurts when numerous publishing companies say no, but then I realised I can use that as real motivation to self-publish my book, and that's exactly what I did. So I found a local self-publishing company and handed in my manuscript, to which they accepted. Thus, this year after about two to three months of collaborating with them, I self-published Sydney's Convicts. The only other dominant challenge when writing the book, was self-care, and finding that balance between motivation and having a life outside of it. Eventually, I got there for sure."
What advice would you give to someone beginning their writing journey?
"As a new and/or emerging writer, it is really easy to not only be critical of your own writing, but to give up when rejected. Every writer goes through that, myself included, and yes rejection does hurt. Criticising your work, equally hurtful, but normal in a way as a writer. Sometimes, it is the rejection or criticism of our own work that needs to be done to bring the best of ourselves out. Without rejection, without criticism, without feedback we really don't want to hear - but it is constructive to our book - a writer can never grow and become even better. Thus, I say to all new and or emerging writers out there, take on rejection, criticism, and constructive negative feedback as growth and an avenue to make your writing even better. However, most important of all is that, I want you to not only know that once a writer always a writer, even when we are deceased, but to never ever give up!"
Anything else you'd like to discuss in terms of being a writer, self-publishing, a fun fact about yourself, anything.
"Some fun facts about? Sure, why not?! My favourite colours have always been black and blue after a phrase of purple and pink. I am not a fan of gardening and cooking, but hey I love to travel, learn, write, read, and ride horses. In fact, I also have a deep love and respect for all animals, and have helped a few injured or sick ones as a child."