We recently connected with Mike Rothmiller and have shared our conversation below.

Mike, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with what makes profitability in your industry a challenge – what would you say is the biggest challenge?

In the past 20 years, the publishing world has undergone many dramatic changes—mainly the birth of Amazon self-publishing and others.

Now, readers can select from millions of printed and eBooks, with millions more added yearly. As a result, the masses can overlook an outstanding self-published book, and a traditionally published book requires a fair amount of advertising to garner attention.

Traditional publishers are looking for books they believe will produce a worthwhile return on their investment. In short, a publisher will not pick up a well-written book if their assessment does not indicate it will attain a predetermined profitability.

A successful self-published book must be well-written and have funds allocated for marketing. If people don’t hear about the book, it won’t sell. The unknown is luck. Today, romance and true crime are the hot sellers.

I’m a New York Times Bestselling author, and my focus is nonfiction and true crime. Large and medium-sized traditional publishers have published my books. I’ve also self-published books on a variety of subjects. Both avenues are fine, and self-publishing can be successful. The bonus to self-publishing is maintaining all rights, setting the sale price, and retaining a significant revenue share.

Mike, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My career path has taken many twists and turns. I started as a police officer in Los Angeles and transitioned to being a TV reporter, TV producer, and host for ESPN. I’ve been the president/CEO of a company and ended my corporate career directing three divisions for Sony Electronics EMCS-America.

I never thought about being a successful writer or a writer at all. After hosting a TV show on ESPN, I met a literary agent and pitched him an idea for a nonfiction book. He was lukewarm on the proposal but sent it to about a dozen major publishing houses. A few passed and said it was no more than a magazine article. Yet, three major publishers wanted to learn more. The senior editor from Pocket Books flew to California to meet with me. After discussing what I would include in the book, they signed me. It was my first bestseller titled, “L.A. Secret Police. Inside the Elite LAPD Spy Network.”

Since then, I’ve written many nonfiction books. Some have been very successful with their TV/Movie rights optioned.

Occasionally, I’ll set writing aside for my other creative pursuits. Metal sculpting and wildlife and nature photography. A few of my creations have sold, and I’ve won several photography contests. I view sculpting and photography as a hobby, not an occupation.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

A critical aspect of being a writer or artist is having confidence in your work and not being discouraged by naysayers. There’s never a shortage of harsh critics.

If someone provides valid criticism, listen carefully to their comments. Sometimes, their criticism will be helpful, and your craft will improve by incorporating their ideas. Other times, ignore them.

However, if a friend or family member says your book or artwork is good, they may say that to avoid hurt feelings. The best critics are not relatives or friends. Those are the critics who you should consider honest.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Some people have difficulty understanding the pride a creative feels when a work is complete. Some people will not like your creation. Expect that. But remember, you put in the time, effort, and mental stamina to complete it.

That is a reward in itself. If the book or artwork is purchased, you can take pride in knowing that someone appreciated your work so much they bought it.

Contact Info:

• Other: My books are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and on many bookstores websites.