Interviewer: Today I’m interviewing coloring book publisher Richard Lowe. He has produced several coloring books, including four featuring sketches made from photographs of belly dancers. Welcome, Mr. Lowe.
Richard: Thank you, and thanks for the interview.
Interviewer: What sparked the idea for this book?
I’ve been a belly dancer photographer for over a decade, beginning in 2005. During that time, I photographed over 1,200 belly dance performance events and did over a hundred private photoshoots. This resulted in over 980,000 photographs, all of which are available on my photography website.
I saw several people were creating adult coloring books and it made sense to turn some of the best of those photos into drawings suitable for coloring.
My concept was to honor my dancer friends by including their images in this coloring book. These are all talented and beautiful women, and they’ve been great friends for years. Adult coloring books have real value. They help people relax and relieve stress.
Once I decided to create the book, I had to figure out how to change my photos into drawings. I tried a lot of software, and none of it produced the results I wanted. I tried several different artists and finally settled on one who captured the look I was after.
Interviewer: What was the hardest part?
The most difficult part was determining how to create drawings from my photos that would be suitable for coloring.
I tried automated tools available online. When those turned out to be unacceptable, I tried Photoshop filters and effects. That didn’t create images of the quality I wanted either. Finally, I decided to find a real artist, and after several attempts, found one at a good price. She hand-traced the sketches directly from my photographs.
Interviewer: How do you hope this book affects its readers?
First, I hope they have fun coloring the pages. Second, I hope it shows people the beauty of this dance form and its aesthetic nature.
Interviewer: For what age group do you recommend your book?
My coloring books are for grown-ups, so to speak, but children will also enjoy them.
Interviewer: How difficult is publishing an adult coloring book?
It’s not difficult to self-publish adult coloring books. KDP, Lulu, and IngramSpark are all great alternatives, and the process is relatively simple.
Interviewer: How long did it take you to create these books?
All four books took about 6 weeks. I’ve got a dozen more in production, and these are going faster because now I understand what to do and how to do it.
Interviewer: What’s your writing routine?
In the evening, before going to bed, I create a calendar and to-do list for the next day. I block out at least 4 to 8 hours for writing and at least 4 hours for promoting my books and other works. A self-published author must promote heavily. Books that aren’t promoted don’t sell.
The next day, I stick to that schedule as closely as possible.
I also seclude myself in my office when I write. All interruptions are put on hold. This includes silencing the phone, shutting down social media, and getting rid of any other distractions. My writing time is for writing, not playing on social media, answering the phone, or dealing with others.
Treat your writing as the most important thing during the times you’ve set out to write. Treat it as if your life depended on it.
Interviewer: How did you get your book published?
I’ve published 113+ books, and by now I have the self-publishing process wired. You can see most of my books at my nonfiction book page and fiction book page.
Interviewer: What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published writer?
You have to sit down and just do it. Create a writing schedule, the same time every single day if possible, and use that time to write. Write every day.
To be a professional writer, make time, get educated, and write.
Second, don’t edit as you write. The first step is to write your thoughts down. The second step is to edit the writing. If you mix the two, editing as you write, you slow yourself to a crawl.
I also advise self-publishing because you have complete control over the process. The downside is you have to do everything yourself, including marketing and promotion, but once you figure it all out you’ll do fine.
Every writer needs a good grammar book as well as a copy of the Chicago Manual of Style. Use these constantly. Don’t ask questions about grammar and style on the internet. Look them up in these two books. That way you know what’s right.
Interviewer: What do you like to do when you’re not writing or creating coloring books?
I’m a photographer and spend a lot of time taking photos of nature, events, and shows.
Interviewer: What does your family think of your writing and your coloring books?
My sister is extremely supportive. She believes in the power of the written word. She runs Schmahl Science Workshops, a science education program.
Interviewer: Please tell us a bit about your childhood.
When I was a child, I was interested in becoming a geologist. I collected every type of rock and mineral I could find and had a beautiful collection. I also built military models and had a model railroad in the garage. I was always creating something.
Interviewer: Did you like reading when you were a child?
Books were my main friends when I was growing up. I had a library of a thousand magazines and a couple of thousand books. More importantly, I read them all from cover to cover.
Interviewer: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve wanted to be a writer from as early as I could remember. I wrote a lot, mostly for work, until I was 53 years old, then decided it was time to take an early retirement and become a professional writer.
Interviewer: Did your childhood experiences influence your writing?
I was extraordinarily introverted when I was a child, and I found that books were my best friends. They were always there, always ready to share their experiences with me.
Interviewer: Which writers have influenced you the most?
Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, J.R.R. Tolkien, Mike Resnick, Sir Liddell Hart, Sun Tzu, Arthur Hailey, and Winston Churchill.
Interviewer: Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
My readers send me messages all the time, mostly congratulations on a job well done.
Interviewer: What can we look forward to from you in the future?
I have coloring books in production and continue to expand my publishing catalog. I’m also working on fiction projects and my ghostwriting and book coaching services.
Interviewer: Thank you for the interview. Any closing words?
Creating and publishing adult coloring books has been a great experience and I’m finding it very rewarding.
What Are Belly Dancer Coloring Books?
A series of coloring books by Richard Lowe that turn his bellydance photography into line art for adults.
- Belly Dancer Coloring Book Volume 1
- Belly Dancer Coloring Book Volume 2
- Belly Dancer Coloring Book Volume 3
- Belly Dancer Coloring Book Volume 4
Schedule a free consultation to discuss your book project.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve since published 20 coloring books. I hired an artist, but the designs were mine, sketches from my photography. The first five or six are really good, and after that the quality declined, so there are some I’d like to unpublish. I’ll probably hire an artist again eventually to do it right. My dancer friends love the belly dance books. There are about a hundred pictures in there, and they’re all thrilled to be in them.
