I've been attempting to write since a teenager. I was first offered commissions writing comedy: it's a crowded field but a difficult one to do well, so you tend to get offered work sooner than you think. I was drawn to novels however, because they offer an endless chance to explore and experiment, without anyone imposing limitations.

Q: Your three books are either Print on Demand or self published? How do you get the necessary publicity and promotion?

I guess that's two questions. All three are now Print on Demand and here is why.

The vast majority of authors who make a living, do so from their back catalogue. A reader likes one book and progressively buys the previous six. It is therefore incredibly important to keep all your previous titles in print. If need be, run some copies up yourself and make sure Amazon knows about them. Then it's up to the public whether they are interested in them. My first ever book was with a publisher than went belly up and I had to 'rescue' it back. Since then I have been obsessed with only having contracts where each book has the highest chance of staying in print forever. True, a lot of people think I'm insane. Pop Quiz: what do Jim Schutze, Carrie Fisher and Barry Humphries all have in common? They all have great recent books that are already unobtainable. Before signing with a big publisher, ask yourself how that would feel.

Publicity; well, I see that as a daily job. I try to think up three good ideas every day for getting my message across. And surprise surprise, most of them don't really work. But that's a 1000 ideas a year... . Here's three ideas to be getting on with...

Recently I copied the first 30 pages of 'Free' and walked through a commuter train handing them out. I am so convinced that Free is funny and gripping that I simply KNEW that a fair perecentage of those office workers would go to work and then order the book online. They will even laugh and tell their colleagues about what happened. I live near London, so last summer I did something similar for the queues at Wimbledon, then spent the day watching the tennis, fondly imagining that counted as a day's work.

Radio stations are easily overlooked. There are hundreds of them and they are trying to fill 24 hours of broadcasting. It's not hard to get a mention or be interviewed by the DJ. People sitting at computers are often listening to the radio. They like what you have to say, they find your book online... you have a sale.

Don't forget that more people read local papers than national papers. If a journalist ignores your press releases, try writing to them again on, say, Christmas Eve. When they get to their office next, they have a whole paper to fill and your story is the only one on their desk.

Most writers are rather shy, so by being proactive you will be ahead of the pack quite quickly. And people like the human quality of your antics. After all, who is the head of Virgin Airlines? Richard Branson. He looks as though he's having fun, doesn't he? Can you name any other top British Executives?

Q: What advice would you offer unpublished authors?

Don't overlook the advantages of the situation you are in. You have freedom to write and explore interesting ideas and techniques. These freedoms might disappear if you signed to a big publisher. I, myself, am still exploring how best to write. I want fun plots but I also want to explore interesting themes. At this stage of my career I need the freedom to chop and change direction and experiment. Hopefully this means great books. But a big publisher would be pre-occupied with branding and uniformity, and their publicity department will have kittens at some of my promotional tactics. My way is not for everyone, but I have sold film rights to all three of my books including to Fox, so I am doing something right. And each of those film companies approached ME. I didn't approach them. So my advice is use this time to explore your talents and interests. Have some fun. Don't get too pre-occupied with seeking validation from posh publishers. Good ideas are in short supply and eventually the industry will come to YOU. I hope I've been of some use.

Biography:

Paul was born in Perth, Scotland in 1963 but grew up on the Isle of Wight

He attended Christ's Hospital school and London University, graduating in 1985. He is a qualified dentist but now practices only once a week, mostly providing orthodontics for teenagers and adults.

His first writing commissions were comedies for Radio 4 where Meet The Hormones started its life before becoming a novel.

He has won the prestigious Charles Lamb Writing Prize and has been nominated for the Commonwealth Writers Prize 2004.

He has a passion for pop music, cinema and travel and now lives in the centre of Cambridge with his wife Lynda, and teenage children Thomas and Josie.
Books: Free, Meet The Hormones