Julia Boggio: 'Learning to read other people’s work with a critical eye helps you turn that same eye on your own work'

Julia Boggio studied on our six-month online Writing Your Novel course in 2021. Since then, she has self-published three Rom Com books (Shooters, Chasing the Light and the novella Camera Shy), with book three in The Photographers Trilogy (Exposure!) publishing in August 2024. She won the Adult Fiction category in the 2024 Selfies Awards at London Book Fair and Gold in the Wishing Shelf Awards.

We spoke to Julia about her tips for self-publishing, hosting the Two Lit Chicks podcast and entering writing competitions.

You studied on our six-month online Writing Your Novel course in 2021. How did your time studying with us impact your writing journey?

Aside from keeping me sane during the pandemic, the course helped me find my first writing tribe, fellow authors who helped me shape my book into a solid, commercial story. I also learned how to read critically, which is an important skill. Learning to read other people’s work with a critical eye helps you turn that same eye on your own work. The online classes were also an amazing source of info and I still refer back to them.

Many of our students find lifelong writing friends on our courses. Are you still in touch with anyone you met during the course?

The first course I ever did with CBC was Write to the End of Your Novel. Friends from there and I have formed a small coven of beta readers who cheer each other on and help shape each other’s books. They are invaluable to me. From the Writing Your Novel course, I started the podcast, Two Lit Chicks, with Jen Hyatt and then, when she had to leave for other projects, another fellow course member, Edward Crocker, took over. We all cheered each other on when our stories find success.

You have self-published three romcom books. Book three in The Photographers Trilogy (Exposure!) is publishing in August 2024. The trilogy follows the sassy Stella Price, a wedding photographer who clashes with rival photographer, Connor Knight. Can you tell us a bit more about what to expect in the series finale?

I’m so excited about Exposure! It takes place in Las Vegas and it brings back a lot of readers’ favourite characters from book one. I wanted to explore what happens after the happy ending in a romance novel. Unfortunately for Connor and Stella, it hasn’t been a smooth ride and their marriage is at crisis point. The big question is: will they be able to work their way through their problems or is this the end of the road for them? I always like to explore real issues in my books and this one is no different.

Your debut novel Shooters (Book 1 in The Photographers Trilogy) recently won the Adult Fiction category in the Selfies Awards at London Book Fair and Gold in the Wishing Shelf Awards. Plus Chasing the Light is a finalist for RomCom of the Year with the Romantic Novelists’ Association. Do you have any advice to share with the aspiring authors reading this, particularly those who are thinking of entering a writing competition?

Just write the best darned story that you can. For every award I’ve won, there’s one I haven’t won. Awards are great, but they are also subjective. You never know exactly the criteria the judges are following. And as an indie author, it can get expensive to enter awards. Make sure whatever awards you enter are legitimate. I’m a member of ALLi (Alliance of Independent Authors) and they have a list on their website of respected awards. Ultimately, the important thing is to write a gripping tale.

Self-publishing a trilogy of successful books is no easy task! Do you have any words of wisdom to share with those who may be considering the self-publishing route?

This could be a whole course on its own! I feel like I’ve done an MBA in publishing since I first decided to self-publish. There’s a lot of information out there to help you on your way, but the top things I would say are:

Produce as professional a product as you can. Make sure the cover is well-designed and fits in with your genre. Find a group of trusted beta readers (CBC courses are a good place to start!). Hire a professional editor to ensure the book is ready for print.
Prepare to market your heart out. Marketing is 100% the hardest part of being self-published, but remember that you are your books’ best champion. The hard part is how constant it is. When you’re writing, you worry that you should be marketing, and vice versa. You can’t do everything. Eventually you’ll figure out what works for you. Also, it doesn’t hurt to think about marketing when choosing the subjects for your book. When I started writing romances set in the world of professional photography, I knew that I would be able to use my contacts in that industry for the marketing my books, for example, in this launch video for Chasing the Light.
It’s a marathon, not a sprint. It is highly unlikely that your first book will bring you oodles of money. Ditto, your second. In fact, research by ALLi shows that the sweet spot to start seeing some good return is 10 books, with 25-35 books being the point where you can start earning a proper wage. The important thing is to just keep writing!

Outside of writing, you also host a very successful podcast, Two Lit Chicks. You’ve interviewed many CBC alumni over the years, including Bonnie Garmus, Jennifer Page, Alex Hayes, and others. How did you get into podcasting and what is your favourite part about it?

I entered the world of podcasting by accident. Fellow alum, Jen Hyatt, and I were looking for ways to start building our author brands while our books were on sub, and we decided to start a podcast. Writing can be a lonely endeavour, so I loved that I could connect with authors all over the world and chat with them from my writer’s turret. I find it so interesting to delve into the stories that have most affected other writers and trying to figure out if I can see the effect on their works. One of my proudest moments was when I pointed out to Damian Barr that he seemed to have a close relationship with place, probably because he struggled with finding his own place as a child. He’d never seen the connection before that moment. I was a proper amateur psychologist on that one.

Finally, what’s next for your writing journey?

I have so many book ideas! After I finish the Photographers Trilogy, I have a list of other photographer-based romances in me and another series already planned out. It’s an area I know well as a photographer myself! (Anyone need a headshot?) I am also working on a romantasy story. My biggest problem is time.

Find out more about Julia's books and order them here.

Pre-order Exposure! Or get a signed copy direct from Julia’s website (UK only).

Visit Julia's website

If you want to write your own love stories, find out more about the courses we offer for romance writer here.