J.J. TONER – A LITERARY SUCCESS AT SIXTY

There is more to Ireland than four winners of the Nobel Prize in Literature. Irish writer J.J. Toner, who received a “Lifetime Achievement Award” at The 2016 Dublin Writers Conference, proves that it is never too late to follow your dreams.

J.J. Toner chose to self-publish his books because no agent believed in his work. He published his first book in 2011, at the age of 65. When his World War II spy stories took off near the end of 2013, he began to make significant returns on his investment.

“Writing can be hard work, but it can also be very rewarding. When the pieces of a plot come together – that can be a magical feeling, or when a character’s dialogue matches their personality. There’s nothing as rewarding as self-publishing. Clicking the ‘Save and Publish’ button on your book project that you dreamed up from nothing to publish it yourself, the possibility of entertaining large numbers of readers is an awesome feeling. What I enjoy most is the opportunity to be in control of the process. Self-publishers are not dependent on the whims of a big publisher who edits the content, decides on the cover design, the price and the launch date,” says the author.J.J. Toner, who is also a passionate golfer, believes that some of the principles of his favorite sport can be applied to self-publishing:

“Two of most important pointers for a successful golfer are to keep practicing and always keep your eye on the ball, both can be applied to self-publishing. Oh and pronate your wrists on the backswing. That’s another important one.”

For more information, visit J.J. Toner’s website.

If you were inspired by his story and need help with the launch of your book, please check out our special book launch services.