Interview with John Beidle
Published 2014-07-17.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
I am a reader first and reluctant writer second. I much prefer to read about a subject matter than to listen to a teacher. Since I am that way myself it would probably be good for me to connect with my audience in that way.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
Writing is not a natural act for me. I write to help other small business owners and real estate investors so they can benefit from the mistakes I have made and lessons I have learned.
What do your fans mean to you?
Satisfaction in knowing that what I wrote may have made a fellow entrepreneur be a little bit smarter in their approach to business, accounting or software is very gratifying.
What are you working on next?
I am working on making tax planning more accessible and affordable via my website.
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
Search by category and read the preview. Reviews are always good to look at.
What is your writing process?
Pain, agony and petrifying terror come to mind. Then take a deep breath and start hacking away at it. In a book like mine, I found it helpful to write a table of contents first. It wasn't the same one I ended up with but it was close. You have to be flexible with where your content takes you.
How do you approach cover design?
Ask a friend who knows what they are doing.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
Android phone, I love being able to read when waiting somewhere.
What's the story behind your latest book?
It is much easier to give advice on accounting software then it is on tax planning. Since accounting is involved in all businesses just like taxes, it is easier to help more business owners and investors in this manner.
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Books by This Author
Fast, Free & Easy Accounting for Small Business, Self-employed and Startups
by John Beidle
This book is a great resource for small business owners, self-employed, startups, investors and landlords. It reviews the available accounting software that can be used or accessed for free and contrasts them against various paid or subscription based software models. It also seeks to make small business owners aware of the advantages of using open source software versus proprietary models.