INTRODUCTION
Hello! My name is Rob O'Hara. In the mid 2000s, I wrote and self-published a couple of books that, at least in self-publishing terms, sold fairly well. Since then, I've had hundreds of people ask me questions about writing and self-publishing. People have asked me everything from "how do you write a book?" to specific questions about my font and typesetting decisions. I respond to each of these emails individually, but eventually I decided it might be beneficial (and in the long run, less work for me) to compile all of this information and post it online for authors (and future authors!) everywhere. What follows are my personal experiences, opinions and advice on the topics of writing and self-publishing. I hope you find my information inspirational, or at least helpful. Writing a book is not rocket science. If I can do it, so can you!
CREDENTIALS
I published my first book, a pseudo-memoir called Commodork: Sordid Tales from a BBS Junkie in the summer of 2006. During its first year, I sold approximately 500 copies. Almost ten years later, I have sold approximately 1,000 print copies and another 2,000 digital copies of Commodork. In 2008 I released my second book, Invading Spaces: A Beginner's Guide to Collecting Arcade Games.
While reading this information keep in mind that when it comes to writing and publishing, anyone can offer their advice and suggestions based on their own personal knowledge and experience, but nobody can guarantee success. As even the most rich and famous authors will tell you, success is a combination of skill, talent, hard work, and luck. I can not and would not dare guarantee you anything. All I can do is share my experience with you. On this site I'll tell you what I did and how I did it. Some bits you may find more useful than others, and that's okay. As a writer, I know you have some creativity in you. Take what I offer here and use it as you see fit.
No more than I would take restaurant suggestions from a waif, I wouldn't expect you to take writing suggestions from an illiterate. I'm not the biggest fish in the sea (I'm not even the largest goldfish in the pond), but I have had some success when it comes to writing, publishing and being published. Aside from my self-published works, I have had articles published in dozens of books and magazines, including Retro Gaming Hacks, Forever Retro Magazine, Video Game Collector Magazine, Videogame Game Trader Magazine, and even more websites, including TheLogBook.com, Digital Press, IGN, Review to a Kill, Review-O-Matic, and countless others. I have also written articles for several local newspapers. I am currently enrolled in the University of Oklahoma's Professional Writing Graduate program. If you would like to check out my writing portfolio, here's the link.