Writer On The Road: Recent Episodes
Melinda Hammond
Do you have a story to tell? Here at Writer on the Road, it’s the journey that matters. Regardless of where you are on your writing journey, Writer on the Road will inspire you to take your dreams and make them happen. So sit back and enjoy the show as I bring you guests who know what it’s like to go it alone and who are willing to reach out to the rest of us by sharing their stories; authors, publishers, entrepreneurs—people at all stages of the writing journey, just like you and me. It’s time, dear listeners, to answer the question for yourself: do you have a story to tell?
Introducing a new direction for Writer on the Road Productions, including our Publishing and Podcast activities. Although we've always been about bringing to our listeners the latest and best Indie publishing advice - as exemplified by our Business of Writing Podcast Series, Author Success Stories Series and magazine, plus our courses and workshops - we're now doubling down on the talent in our own part of the world. Australasia has a plethora of talent in the Indie publishing space and it's our aim to form community where we encourage each other, share our knowledges and work towards supporting ourselves financially through our writing. And, one day, we even hope to have our own conference. But, first steps are small steps. You can join us in our new adventure by signing up to our newsletter here: http://writerontheroad.com/writer-on-the-road/ (http://writerontheroad.com/writer-on-the-road/)
Podcasts are the new blogs.
And, as an author, the best way to reach your audience to promote your novels and stories is through audio.
If you’re not guesting on podcasts, it’s time to start.
Audio is king, is the key message we bring away from our Podcast Movement Conference in Orlando, Florida, as we wind up our America trip and get ready to head back to Oz.
And audio is only going to get bigger.
Think Google podcasts, Google searches, and anything else Google you want to throw in this sentence.
And Smart Speakers. One in five Americans already use one.
And a fun fact to finish, for the first time in history, nearly 40 percent of podcasters are women. Yay to us.
You can support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/writerontheroad (here.)
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[00:00:48] Hello and welcome to the final episode of our very special mini series about our trip through the United States of America. We're finishing off the mini series with an episode about Podcast Movement, the podcasting Conference where we are currently visiting in Orlando Florida. You can support our efforts over at Patreon.com/writerontheroad. [00:00:48][0.0] [00:00:51] Sam: It's been really interesting everyone. We've got lots of statistics that I can write up for you when we get home. But one of the things that has really struck us is how very popular podcasting is and how that's going to increase definitely. [00:01:09][17.9] [00:01:09] Mel: That's been the key message here and we've been talking about how even though we've got a sizeable chunk of listening people listening to podcasts there are still it's still an untapped space. There are only eight hundred thousand active podcasts globally so it's still a space even though it's really popular with listeners. It's not so popular created yet so lots of room to get in on the action. [00:01:28][18.3] [00:01:28] Sam: Writer on the Road is still in the top 10 percent of podcasts which is exciting times in terms of our downloads. But there was a real divide between I think professional broadcasters and individual podcasters which was interesting. And then again another divide between non-fiction podcasters and the very exciting growth area of audio fiction which we'll talk about later in the show. It's one of my key interests, definitely. [00:01:56][27.5] [00:02:10] Mel: I'm going to start with a session we had our own James Cridland from downtown Brisbane. I listened to a talk with James today on Google Podcasts and how that is really going to take off. [00:02:23][12.9] [00:02:27] Mel: We went to a session the other day that shows that even though Apple Podcasts have a slow percentage growth rate they had so many to begin with that their raw growth numbers are still more than anyone else combined. But as we saw with James today Google podcasts is trying to creep into that space. [00:02:41][14.4] [00:02:42] Sam: The exciting thing is that, as James explained it to us, is that Google is a service or Google podcast is a service that gets podcasts on to smart speakers, Google assistant in Australia. Google Smart Speakers have a sixty eight percent mark to market share in America one in five Americans have a smart speaker . [00:03:06][24.0] [00:03:11] Mel: What's really exciting for us is Google Search. Google searches are going to bring our podcasts up so much more easily. Google is actively doing all the work for us. So the examples I gave I was talking to Sam about how this is really good for audio is it. I've Natasha Lister so anyone who is looking for an anything about Natasha Lester our podcast is going to come up right at the top of the pile. [00:03:41][29.7] [00:03:41] Mel: So the thing that I wanted to talk about today everyone is get yourself on to podcasts to make sure your name is out there. I guess in the audio waves because Google is going to be prioritizing that as as podcasts become more popular and audio becomes more popular....
It’s time to write. And research. Join us as we enter the research and writing phase of our NYC journey. Let’s call it a writing retreat where we meet people who give generously of their time and knowledge with no expectation of return.
If you love history and the gilded age, then this one’s for you. Think tall ships, maritime history, old mansions and sticky buns.
Meet Pamela Grimm, author of Destiny’s Gold and Destiny’s Freedom. Pamela is an amazing historian and a person I had the privilege to meet whilst in NYC. Enjoy ten minutes with Pamela this episode with a full interview to come when we return to Oz.
Making friends is all part of life’s journey and how lucky are we to stumble across experts in all facets of maritime history; from bookshop owners to local historians to people who just want to help us on our journey, including our amazing Airbnb hosts in Rondout, in Down-town Kingston, New York. Listen out for our interview with Joe and MaryAnn next episode.
In the meantime, enjoy ten minutes with us as we reflect on our month in NYC and what it means to travel with purpose.
You can support us through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/writerontheroad (here.)
You can find out more about the amazing Pamela Grimm and her novels http://www.pamelagrimmauthor.com/ (here.)
You can listen to our interviews on Travel Writers Radio https://soundcloud.com/travelwritersradio (here.)
As always, thank you for your support and interest.
Mel, Sam & Liss
International travel, book buying, theatre attendance and writerly adventures all need budgetary considerations if one wants to survive for an extended period in the greatest city in the world.
Having comfortable shoes is also a good idea.
In this episode we chat about the importance of keeping an eye on the budget on a daily basis, discussing plans ahead of time and knowing when it’s time to slow down and enjoy the free stuff.
We also chat with our Airbnb Superhost, Michelle, who gives us some tips on how to choose the perfect holiday accommodation to meet your needs, and be legal.
You can find out more about our journey and the behind the scenes writing of our book, Living Like Locals in NYC, https://www.patreon.com/writerontheroad (here.)
The writing life can be tough sometimes and this week was no exception as we busied ourselves attending two theatre pieces; Antigone in Ferguson and Mojada.
You don’t need to know your Greek myths but it helps if you want to fully appreciate the political statement each piece makes.
The intention of original Greek theatre is to allow an audience to purge their emotions, and in both cases, Sam & I blamed the emotion of the theatre experience as we cried.
After such intense emotional connection it’s always good to have somewhere to go to debrief. In our case, we think we’ve found the perfect oasis in the Library Hotel on Madison Avenue – there are four hotels in the NYC Library Hotel collection, but for book lovers, it’s got to be Madison Avenue.
Listen to my conversation with Rob Rawlins, General Manager of the Library Hotel, at the end of this episode to find out why.
You can link to our Patreon account https://www.patreon.com/writerontheroad (here) for tidbits and essays about our adventures, and maybe even receive your free digital copy of Mel & Sam in NYC, available 1st October, 2019
You can find out more about The Library Hotel Collection https://libraryhotelcollection.com/en/ (here.)
Writing the road less travelled is turning out to be the path of our NYC ’10 Minutes With Mel & Sam’ journey. Exploring the greatest city in the world on foot, by bike, train and ferry is opening up adventures we never deemed possible all that time ago when we were planning our adventure.
But, as luck halos our heads, we’re following in the tradition of great writers we can only dream of emulating, as we cross literary paths with the greats: Walt Whitman, Jack Kerouak, F. Scott Fitzgerald and who knows who else.
Fun facts:
NYC is not as flat as you think
Biking around Central Park is easy, sometimes
The Hudson river is where the trendsetters hang out
Squirrels in Central Park are sad on Mondays
You don’t need a helmet to ride a pushbike in NYC
We talk about none of these things in this episode, but we meant to…
Join us in NYC to celebrate the creative freedom of being able to work from anywhere, starting with the greatest city in the world.
We explore the opportunities in the world of theatre, books and writing, combined with travel, good food and the occasional drop of Long Island wine.
In this episode we set the scene for what’s to come, discuss what makes a good bookshop, and chat with the writers of the off-Broadway musical, Assistants, about how to succeed at the hardest of creative endeavours, producing theatre.
If at first you don’t succeed at this thing called writing…keep writing, and learning, and writing some more.
Cassie Hamer, author of After the Party, has put in the hard yards, earning her Masters in Creative Writing, and then unlearning most of what she’d been studying for years as she searched to find voice.
And lucky for us, she found it with her debut novel.
Cassie opens up about the fears, doubts and joys of success as a published author. We even get a sneak preview of the joys of lunching with her editor.
In this episode, we cover a range of topics which can be summed – sort of – as follows:
Publishers want to publish your book
literary versus popular fiction
the value of Higher degree Creative Writing courses
what it’s like to meet your editor for lunch
a writing place of your own
finding and trusting your writing voice
rejection is part of the writing life
celebrate your wins
what is your next book?
writing is a personal journey
You can find out more about Cassie and her writing https://cassiehamer.com/ (here.)
You can find out more about Author Success Stories Magazine and TIPS For Writers https://writerontheroad.com/author-success-stories-magazine/ (here.)
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Mel Today have with me the beautiful Cassie Hamer. Hi Casey.
Cassie Hi Mel. I love your podcast. You have such great warmth and enthusiasm and it really is lovely to be speaking with you.
Mel I'm really excited everyone to introduce a new writer and the book, 'After The Party. Now I had no idea what to expect but when I read it, it was thirty two young children at a birthday party.
Cassie I have three young children myself and they're 6, 8 and 10 and I have hosted quite a few parties here at my home on their behalf. I always find that kids parties are constantly teetering on the edge of total disaster because you have so many children they're so hyped up there are games of competition. There's far too much sugar causing total chaos. So I thought what what it a scenario into which to put an inciting incident. So as you say the party is a complete disaster the laser WAKES UP LIKE NOTHING'S READY TO GO. SHE'S ABOUT TO HAVE 33 children land on her doorstep which they do. And it continues to be disastrous. And she makes it through though she struggles through until the end and reads It's a relief that there will be kids and picked up and taken home. Well, all except one little girl who she discovers hiding in a dog kennel. And at first Lisa thinks well the mom's just running late. No problem. This is true and she gets a note and the note is from Ellie's mother and the note explains that in fact she's not coming back to pick up the child at all and that she's asking Lisa to take care of this child and then laces put into these massive conundrum what do I do. And the story takes off from there.
Mel It's really interesting because when I set out to to research for this interview Cassie I wasn't quite sure where this novel was going to fit. And one of the reviews that I read is this reviewer thought it was going to be a romance and I thought oh we must have another book here but it's not it's far. I think it's far deeper than that. It's got a lot of elements in it. We can all relate to it. We all cringe away from from some of the things that happen in it. But basically this book has a lot more depth and resonance than then just a quick story doesn't it?
Cassie I think I think it did. Well thank you very much for saying that but. I love books that have lice and chives and I think. Women in particular we are complex creatures. We are interested in a range of different things. One minute we can be talking about the dash in the next minute we're talking about the state of the planet and politics and we are not we cannot be pigeonholed. And my reading interests are pretty eclectic. They like to read across a range of genres. But I have to say my...
Welcome to the world of pirates, love, blackmail, ill-gotten gains, treason and trickery. And that’s on a good day.
Elizabeth Ellen Carter is an award-winning historical romance author who pens richly detailed historical romantic adventures.
Carter is known for her meticulous research.
My husband jokes that it’s five minutes of writing and twenty five minutes worth of research per half hour…it could be half an hour on looking at what the liquor licensing laws were in t66he early eighteen hundreds or or checking the etymology of vagrancy to make sure that it’s accurate.
In this episode we learn about the difference between a privateer and a buccaneer.
The answer? A privateer has a letter of remit from the government. They behave exactly in the same ways as a pirate in the way they were used to supplement the Royal Navy.
More importantly, we learn what it takes to write a historical romance that has readers begging for more.
You can find out more about Elizabeth and her novels http://eecarter.com/ (here.)
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Mel Today I've got with me the beautiful Elizabeth Ellen Carter. Good morning Elizabeth.
Elizabeth Good morning Mel. Thank you very much for having me on the show.
Mel It's an absolute delight everybody I'm really excited. Elizabeth is an award winning an award winning historical romance author and I called her novels with permission of Elizabeth. What is it Alina. This is the kind of novel that I grew up on Elizabeth I'm so excited to be talking to you about it today.
Elizabeth Thank you very much. How you got into that because I got a novel when I was 17 from a girlfriend of mine in high school and it was the classic 1980s bodice rippers but the that the history in it it was set during the war of the Roses. I can remember the name it was Rose of rapture by. Brandywine Rebecca Brandywine and. It was a complete revelation. And I thought one day I'm gonna write a novel and if if it makes people feel it good. Go as as I felt reading this. So being swept away by the by the passion by it by the history by. By the really excellent universe creation then. Then I'd be very satisfied indeed.
Mel I have to read this out because I just went yes these are my kind of novels love blackmail ill gotten gains treason and trickery.
Elizabeth Oh yes yes. And that's on a good day.
Mel I'm going to go through all this at the moment because it's just so cool. Your newest book and I don't know whether it's part of your heart of the course's Sea resort stands on its own. It's called The Wolf of Wolf Street the pirates of Britannica. I just love it.
Elizabeth Thank you. I have been with them with the encouragement of my publisher Katharine Levesque. She has invited me to participate in this fabulous universe. So I have invented and ancestor from from the heartache of family. Gabriel hada. And he and his brothers are from other heroes of this particular adventure.
Mel That's so you everybody.
Elizabeth The heart of the course series the hero I guess is a privateer Captain Kit Hardaker and they're set from 1810 to 1816 on the Barbary Coast.
Mel Now I'm particularly interested in that a year on I'm having a pirate obsession myself at the moment. If they turned out to be really really popular for you they they have.
Elizabeth And again the encouragement from Luke from Catherine to pursue that. I was absolutely delighted with one review where I wrote the reviewer said this has to be turned into a series. And and and again it goes back to what we were talking about Earl. On the edge. So they they feel that they're at the center of the action then. Then that's just brilliant. So plug. So that has also been a great discipline. As an author as well because prior to. We're working on a series of standalone. So to commit to a series. And what's also interesting about the half the course says is the third book is a prequel to the first two. So at the end of Book 3 shadow of the...
You’ve written your novel and now it’s time to narrate it.
Renee Conoulty is the author of novels and flash fiction that contain elements of dance, romance, and/or military life in a variety of genre – chick lit, women’s fiction, romantic comedy, contemporary romance, children’s books.
She also has a book on how to narrate your own novels and stories, Narrated by the Author. In this episode, not only do we have the pleasure of listening to Renee read her work, we chat the following:
⬩ The pros and cons of self-narrating ⬩ Affordable equipment options ⬩ Narration tips ⬩ How to edit and master with free software ⬩ Audiobook distribution options ⬩ All the dumb things she did so you can learn from her mistakes ⬩ And much, much more!
Did I mention there’s a workbook? It’s called Character Voices: a Workbook For Audio Narration. And a course that takes you through the whole process, step by step? Check it out https://heysaidrenee.thinkific.com/courses/narrated-by-the-author (here.)
You can find out more about Renee, her stories and how to narrate your own stories http://heysaidrenee.blogspot.com/p/hey-im-renee.html (here.)
Last, if you want to lift your mood, how can you resist taking a peek at Swinging Through Life and Renee’s other stories, or better still, listen to her narrate them.
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Mel: And today I'd like to welcome Renee Conoulty. Rene is a swing dancer and writes stories of dance romance and the military life. And I used to love the old musicals where Fred Astaire danced around the light pole so I'm hoping you've got something like that in store for us today, Renee.
Renee: I've got lots of things in store.
Mel: I want to talk about your book on how we as authors can narrate our own audio books. You have a workbook and a course as well over at http://heysaidrenee.blogspot.com/ and we're going to talk through the process of narrating our own work which I know a lot of us are interested in but before we do that I’d like you to read some of your flash fiction. Renee, thank you very much for reading to us today and then talking this through the process of narrating it.
Renee: No worries. The story I was going to read today is from my latest book which is called Swinging Through Life which is a collection of twelve flash fiction stories. So flash fiction is around the 500 word mark. All these stories are pretty much bang on 500 words but I've got another flash fiction collection that sort of varies a bit up to a thousand. The story I'm going to read today is called Sing Sing Sing. I like titling my books and stories after swing dance songs. So that's the song some people might have heard. And the main character in this story is codename Jane. And she also features in my first novel don't mean a thing. But she's not. She's not the main character in that one. Okay. Sing sing sing. Music pulled through cost. Okay. And that's when you pause it when you're actually narrating And then you go back and you start again. Music poured through the car stereo big band swing and jump blues. 19 favorite playlist. Her brother teased her about her taste in music but she didn't care. She preferred music from before she was born. Music from before her parents was born were even better. And that's where I would also oppose it and go back and fix all my typos and spelling mistakes and things but I'll just keep going. Music from before her parents were born. Is even better. She belted out the lyrics tapping the jazz rhythm rhythm on the steering wheel. The only thing that put her in a better mood than singing was dancing. But that was a little difficult in the car. She just needed to keep it together until she got there. Then she'd be fine. She'd never lose control in front of a crowd. That trek ended and the next song began. The words
Are you ready to ditch your keyboard?
Scott Baker is an expert in all things Dragon Dictation. If you want to learn to train your Dragon, Scott’s your man.
Scott’s official bio: Scott Baker has written dozens of books under various pen names and spent most of the last decade working as a freelance writer for numerous publications in the UK. He first began dabbling with Dragon voice recognition software in the late 1990s when it was, quite frankly, terrible. Things have improved dramatically since then and Scott now uses dictation on a daily basis, taking advantage of the tricks and techniques used by professionals within the speech recognition industry to write thousands of words per hour.
More importantly, he’s developed books and courses to help you master Dragon Dictation and incorporate it into your writing lifestyle.
What you need to know: Learning Dragon Dictation will cost you money, time and practice.
In this episode, we chat about the following:
boosting your workflow
2-10k words
transcription
what equipment you will need to invest in
workflow
training your dragon
Alexa, Google Home & Siri
accuracy
ditching your keyboard
and much more
You can find out more about Scott, and Training Your Dragon books and courses https://scottbakerbooks.com/books/ (here.)
You can listen to my first podcast chat with Scott https://writerontheroad.com/?s=scott+baker (here.)
You can download Issue 3 of Author Success Magazine https://writerontheroad.com/author-success-stories-magazine/ (here.)
Read Full Transcript
Mel Scott Baker is an expert in all things Dragon Dictation. If you want to learn to train your Dragon, he’s your man. In this interview, we’re getting into the nitty gritty of how we can use the dictation tool to improve our writing. Scott, tell us about the course you’re running.
Scott It basically takes you through everything you need to get started with Dragon and make the software part of your writing workflow. It’s available for both Mac and PC, and explores not just Dragon specifically but dictation itself – the act of using dictation, as opposed to just perfecting your use of the software. I made the course because, although I’ve written a book on this subject (‘How to Train Your Dragon’), there’s only so much you can put in a book. The amount of questions I get every single day… Most of my day is just answering emails, and I eventually thought it’d be easier if I could just show everyone – if I could just put it in a course. So that’s what I did.
It’s hours and hours and hours long, but that’s okay because literally every single step is covered, from setting up to making it as accurate as it can be over time. It’s a course about using dictation as part of a business; about integrating it and viewing it as a long-term thing. The goal is to use dictation instead of a keyboard, really. Forget the keyboard – that’s for editing, later. The course is about getting your first draft done with Dragon.
Mel Let’s start at the beginning. What’s the first thing we need to know?
Scott I get a lot of people asking me that same question – how do I start? Unfortunately you’re going to have to accept that this is going to cost money. Whichever way you look at it, the software is expensive. But it’s an investment – an investment in your writing career. Dictation leads to an enormous boost to your workflow. Part of the reason I got started with it is I can’t type very fast. I’ve had back problems for most of my adult life, so I decided I needed something to level the playing field for me, especially when I was working as a freelancer and had deadlines that had to be met. Dragon was the answer. It was the key.
The first thing to do is to get used to dictation software. Use some form of dictation whenever you can – on your phone, or through Alexa or Google Home or whatever. Ask it things throughout the day and just get used to talking to a machine.
Lee Powell is a writer and expert in technology. He works with Angela Ackerman and her co-creator Becca Puglisi at One Stop for Writers. He also created the Windows version of renowned writing program Scrivener.
When the team collaborated, they came up with the Character Building Tool, which combines Powell’s software design skills with Ackerman and Puglisi’s thesaurus writing skills.
In this episode, we chat about the following:
the importance of collaboration
Scrivener for Windows
One Stop For Writers
the Character Building Tool
following your passion
what happens when creativity and coding meet
integrating technology into the writing process
lifelong learning
the importance of deep thinking
You can find out more about Powell, One Stop For Writers and the Character Building tool https://onestopforwriters.com/ (here) and buy Passion Driven https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Driven-Have-Found-Your/dp/0975177001 (here.)
You can download your FREE Issue 3 of Author Success Stories Magazine https://writerontheroad.com/author-success-stories-magazine/ (here) for your chance to win one of two six-month subscriptions to One Stop For Writers. Entries close 31st March, 2019.
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Mel Lee Powell is an expert in technology, who works with featured author Angela Ackerman and her co-creator Becca Puglisi on their site One Stop for Writers. He also created the Windows version of renowned writing program Scrivener.
Lee I can’t take credit for the inception of Scrivener itself. Keith Blount created the program for the Mac – I actually had to buy a Mac to use it as I was studying in the UK. I wrote to him in 2008 and said, “This is an amazing tool. You have a total paradigm shift. It’s non-linear. It allows me to make a mess and write in any way I want. Have you thought about doing a Windows or Linux version?”
He hadn’t. He was busy enough trying to rewrite the base version of Scrivener – the first write of that code had been a disaster. He’s not a programmer by trade. He was a teacher and working towards a PhD in medieval history, or something like that. When there was so much interest in Scrivener, he had to go back and write it properly. He’s a really interesting guy. We formed a reasonably good friendship over the years, and eventually he acquiesced to my petitioning and we started collaborating in 2008 or 2009.
Mel What kind of process was involved in creating the program?
Lee It took me about three years to even get to version one of Scrivener for Windows and Linux. We were so far behind the Mac – he had a seven-year start on me. As a software engineer by trade, I thought it would be reasonably easy. I’d been building banking, finance, and trading systems during my career. Unfortunately I was totally depressed. I used to write a lot when I was a kid (terrible novels that thankfully never saw the light of day). I used to write poetry and songs as well. I’m a terrible musician, but I’m quite good with the lyrics side of things.
Scrivener saved me. I was in my late thirties and had all the things I thought I wanted in life – kids, family, my wife. We’ve been married for 28 years now. It’s had its ups and downs, and fundamentally we’re happy. But I was totally depressed. I thought, ‘I’ve got to get out of this corporate thing,’ but of course you get used to the money. It was a Catch-22. I just wanted to align myself with my core values.
I’ve always loved writing, and the whole creative aspect of coding. The Windows version of Scrivener is completely rewritten from the ground up. We had to start from scratch, which was a wonderful experience. We had many years of seven-day weeks, until there was a little bit of money coming in and we could step back.
It was a huge risk, stepping away from the corporate work. But it’s like anything in life, anything to do with writing. You have to start on the side. The reality is probably only 100 authors...
Adam Croft is an Indie author and a counterpoint to anyone who says you can’t make a living through Indie publishing. He’s sold more than 1.5 million books and once bumped J.K. Rowling off the USA Today bestseller list. His ‘Knight and Culverhouse’ thrillers have sold more than 250,000 copies worldwide, and his Kempston Hardwick mysteries have been adapted as audio dramas starring some of the biggest names in British TV.
He’s also published several books in his Indie Author Mindset series, a great tool for Indie authors.
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In this episode we discuss the following:
Professionalism as an Indie
Business & Creative hats
Kindle v’s Wide
Bookbub, FB & Amazon Ads
Vellum & formatting
Pre-orders, discounting and other stategies
Thinking longterm
Never giving up
Levelling up & aiming higher
Launch Strategies
Branding & Marketing
Keywords, tags an keeping your website up to date
and more…
You can find out more about Croft and his books https://www.adamcroft.net/ (here.)
And don’t forget, if you haven’t subscribed to Author Success Magazine, you can check it out here.
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Mel Adam Croft is an Indie author and a counterpoint to anyone who says you can’t make a living through Indie publishing. He’s sold more than 1.5 million books and once bumped J.K. Rowling off the USA Today bestseller list. His ‘Knight and Culverhouse’ thrillers have sold more than 250,000 copies worldwide, and his Kempston Hardwick mysteries have been adapted as audio dramas starring some of the biggest names in British TV. He’s also published several books in his Indie Author Mindset series, a great tool for Indie authors. Adam, tell us about your success.
Adam I think you covered it pretty succinctly there! I’ve been doing this for ten years now. It’s interesting that, as you say, people think you can’t make a living Indie publishing, when all the data points to the fact that, on the whole, Indie publishers sell more books and earn more money than traditionally published authors. Research last year showed that the average traditionally published author makes about A$16,000 a year. That’s remarkably low, and that’s for an author with a long sought-after publishing contract from one of the big houses! The misconception that Indie publishing is a fallback option is completely false. I turn down up to half a dozen publishing contracts a year – just by looking at them, I can see that they’re not going to earn me nearly as much as I can do myself. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be! I have had a traditional publishing contract, and tried to get out of it as quickly as I possibly could.
Mel I wanted to talk to you about taking control of your own career and owning the rights to your intellectual property.
Adam It’s vital, especially these days when things move so quickly. Handing over the rights to something for even a couple of years, let alone for life, is just barmy. There’s just no reason to do it, because things change so quickly and you need to be agile. That’s one of the problems with big publishers at the moment. They’re not agile. They’re still doing things the way they’ve been doing them for years.
That’s why I write a lot about mindset for Indie authors, because that’s what stays relevant. Mindset is the bones of the matter. It’s also something people skip over when they get too much into the detail of whether Facebook ads or BookBub ads are better, or whether it’s this new thing. There’s always new stuff coming out in this industry. Yes, you need to be able to be agile and respond to those things when they happen – but it’s not all about the details. Getting the basics in place first is...
Karen Viggers is the award winning, internationally bestselling author of four novels, including her new release, The Orchardist’s Daughter.
She writes contemporary realist fiction set in Australian landscapes, and her work explores connection with the bush, grief and loss, healing in nature, death, family, marriage and friendship.
During our conversation, we discuss the following:
the intersection of nature and humanity
our connection to nature
the big philosophical questions
the importance of solitude and thinking deeply
hope, intimacy, humour
setting, character & narrative
writing the landscape novel
the music and rhythm of words
what is literary fiction
and more
You can find out more about Viggers and her novels https://www.karenviggers.com/ (here.)
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I’ve always trusted myself. I’ve always written what I want to write and gone in the direction I want to. I’ve never actually had much input from the publishers that way. So that really hasn’t changed. I’m still using the same beta writer that I always have. I’m still with my same crit. group so you know none of that has changed. The way I work really hasn’t changed from traditional to self publishing.
Keri is a best selling paranormal and fantasy author. She has won several Romantic Times reviewers Choice Awards and a career achievement award. Most recently, she won the Australian Romance Readers Association best Fantasy Novel for 2018.
During our chat we talk about the following:
the importance of your author brand
the advantages of going Indie
being in control of your career
marketing
writing the best book is still the best marketing tool
Demon’s Dance
the importance of writing series
overwhelm
covers
and more…
You can find out more about Keri and her books https://www.keriarthur.com/ (here.)
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Mel: Today I have with me Keri Arthur. Keri is a best selling paranormal and fantasy author. She has won several Romantic Times reviewers Choice Awards and a career achievement award.
Keri: I had my first book published in 2000 with a small press in America. I've been writing for 18 years now, with twelve years as a full time writer which is pretty amazing.
Mel: And you've got to be up to close on 40 books.
Keri: I think I'm 43 now.
Keri: I did write for 10 years before that with no success.
Mel: And you're now full time Indie
Keri: I am. I had no choice in it but I am.
Mel: I think that's a bit of a story in itself because clearly now when I think I looked on your fan page or the fan page you were right up there with Sherrilyn Kenyon. You've got about 30000 fans on your fan page. Yet traditional publishers have decided that paranormal fantasy isn't selling anymore. And so you've had to go into that. That in itself is a great story isn't it.
Keri: It is and it was a combination of my publisher and the New American Library who did the dark fantasy and the urban fantasy for Penguin Random House. They merged with Random House and Random House decided to close it down. I was then shoved across to Berkeley to do mainly romance and who didn't really know how to handle fantasy or urban fantasy. So arcs didn't go out and know I wasn't the star at Berkeley that. I didn't have that support at Berkeley as much. It's just sales figures. So of course if you're not getting the sales then they don't want you. So they dropped my contracts two years ago. They finished the books I'd handed in late. They decided to release those but the series themselves were dropped and I was forced to go full time.
Mel: The thing that attracted me as usual were your covers. You've got the Lizzie Grace series that's happening for you at the moment and you've got Demons Dance which I absolutely love. These Books are really taking off for you.
Keri: They are. I guess I was actually surprised how how well, particularly the Lizzie Grey series is doing well. But that again is the genre most known for it. You know when vampires and werewolves in which it is a magic star. That is basically what I'm well known for the fantasy series isn't quite doing as well but it's doing OK.
Mel: I'm guessing that this is the start of something really amazing for you. Are you excited to be I guess treading the indie path. Now I know there's lots of marketing which we'll talk about in a minute and branding and all the rest of it but does this liberate you in any way.
Keri: I find it it's just so amazing having that control. I love the control of being indie. I can I can choose my own covers. I do my own blurbs. It's Just it's just amazing having that control. I can put out books when I want to, not when the publisher wants. I'm...
“With small businesses, their greatest assets are all the other people in their network, and leveraging that can lead to big gains.”
Kate Toon is an award-winning SEO copywriter and SEO consultant with over two decades of experience in all things advertising, digital and writing.
She is the founder of http://www.copywritingschool.com.au/ (The Clever Copywriting School) and http://therecipeforseosuccess.com/ (The Recipe for SEO Success eCourse), the co-host on the http://hotcopypodcast.com/ (Hot Copy Podcast) and the host of https://therecipeforseosuccess.com/category/podcast/ (The Recipe for SEO Success podcast). She recently published her popular business book, https://www.katetoon.com/confessions-misfit-entrepreneur-podcast/ (The Confessions of a Misfit Entrepreneur) – which also has its own podcast.
Google optimisation is something we have to do as part of our business marketing, along with keyword searches and increasing traffic to our websites. But, often, none of these things are at the top of our To Do lists – well, not on the top of mine, anyway, until now.
Because something has changed, and it’s called Voice Optimisation, and I’m all for it. As of now, words like who, what, when, why and how are driving searches. Yep, talking to our devices and asking questions is all the rage.
As writers, we need people like Kate to cut through the constant noise of what we should be doing to maximise our visibility and find readers for our tomes.
In this episode we chat about the following:
on page optimisation
SEO essentials
the importance of links
title tags
optimising images
the changes to SEO in 2019
position zero
algorithm updates
networking
Google Search Console
and more…
You can find out more about Kate https://www.katetoon.com/ (here.) And don’t forget to download your checklist and check out her SEO Nibbles Course, 10-Day SEO Challenge, and all the freebies she has on offer.
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Mel: Welcome, Kate.
Kate: Hello. It's lovely to be here.
Mel: Kate is an award-winning copywriter ACA consultant with over 20 years of experience in this stuff. She's the founder of Clever Copywriting School, A Recipe for Success and there's lots little freebies on her website.
Kate: One of the reasons I started my own podcast - I've got three shows - is that I get to talk to some of the smartest people in the world and learn amazing stuff direct from the horse's mouth and to be able to ask my questions, not read other people's questions and answers but ask my questions direct to the expert.
Mel: You have a book out called called 'Confessions of a Misfit Entrepreneur'. Now we know everyone entrepreneur is a real crazy word at the moment but you're the first misfit that I'm that I've met. So can you tell us all about it.
Kate: I totally agree with you entrepreneurs become a bit of a cliché really it's kind of you see pictures of people lying on a porch counting their money and talking about how they only work for five minutes a week. And I didn't know really what to call myself anymore because I started off as a copywriter. I built up quite a successful copywriting business and then I moved into selling courses and then resources memberships.
Kate: And now I have a conference every year that I run which is a content marketing and copywriting conference. So what do I call myself? I'm a business owner. I'm an entrepreneur. But I never really felt I fit the mold so hence misfit entrepreneur.
Kate: And the book is really a permission book because the subtitle is How to Succeed in Business Despite Yourself. I've bumbled and stumbled and wandered through having my own business I've made a lot of mistakes and I've worried about a lot of things and having a lot of fears but I've overcome them. And so I wrote it's kind of help other people go look I may not look like your traditional entrepreneur and I may not...
This week’s podcast showcases up and coming Indie author, Michael Evans, and coincides with the launch of the Indie Issue of Author Success Stories Magazine. Find out more https://writerontheroad.com/author-success-stories-magazine/ (here.)
Michael Evans is a young adult author and futurist. He’s an up and coming Indie author, following in the footsteps of the likes of Adam Croft, with a business savvy to match.
Evans has published three novels and four novellas, under his brand, Boundless Press, and at the age of 16 he’s learnt a lot from his journey.
He is a keynote speaker at the upcoming Young Eager Writers Conference and will be running a Masterclass on Finding Your Voice.
He shows us how to build an author career from the ground up.
In this episode, we discuss the following:
building an author brand
mistakes to avoid when publishing your novel
time management
how to use social media the right way
structuring your life around your passion
tips for new writers starting out (and for the rest of us)
the importance of chasing your dreams
how to overcome financial mistakes;
the writing process
being an Indie artist
how to run a cost-efficient business
building an author career from the ground up
finding your writing voice
You can find out more about Michael and his books https://mevansinked.com/about-me/ (here.) I also recommend you follow him on Instagram, Twitter and Youtube.
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Mel: Welcome to Episode 146 of writer on the road. And what a special episode it is. I'm so very excited to bring you an up and coming Indie author, Michael Evans. Our chat today coincides with the launch of Author Success Stories Magazine and it's our special Indie issue. I'm really privileged to chat with a young man who is only just starting out on his indie author career. He shows us how to do it properly. Already at the age of 16 he's learnt a lot from his journey and he shares those mistakes with us. But more importantly he shows us how to build an author career from the ground up. But what also excites me is his his branding and its boundless. He talks about how we can all grow together and our energies are boundless. And after chatting with him this morning I've got to tell you that I'm really keen to get back into my own writing. I hope he has the same impact on you. So for all our Indi and hybrid authors out there go grab yourself a pen and paper. Michael's got some great advice for all of us including how to work social media to all our advantages. It's really great stuff. He's got some great tidbits for us and he's an amazing speaker. And if you haven't already, pop over to Writer on the Road and subscribe to our Author Success Stories Magazine. This month is a special Indie addition and it's got some more great advice for those of us who are trying to do it alone but discover that we need a whole world of help to go along with this.
Mel: Michael a young adult author and futurist. This young man has blown me away. I've been talking about him about the professionalism with which he is approaching his career. He's building an author brand from the ground up and doing an amazing job of it. I've been following him around social media following his marketing efforts. And for someone so young I'm sure we're going to hear a lot more about him. I liken him to a young Adam Croft which is pretty amazing stuff. Michael first of all I'd like you to start and tell us a little bit about the books that you write.
Michael: As of right now I have three books and four novellas out in the Control Freak series and the Control Freak series is a young adult post apocalyptic thriller series that follows Natalie and her two best friends on their journey to get their life and family back that was stolen from the government after the Great Crash. Trillions of dollars were lost. And then after protocols years years enacted a secret government program....
Angela Ackerman is a writing coach, international speaker and co-author of six best-selling books with the latest one the updated Emotion Thesaurus: a Writer’s Guide to Character Expression.
Angela is an international speaker and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also enjoys dreaming up new tools and resources for https://onestopforwriters.com/ (One Stop For Writers), a library built to help writers elevate their storytelling.
She’s also one half of the team over at Writers Helping Writers, alongside Becca Puglisi. You can find out more https://writershelpingwriters.net/about-writers-helping-writers/ (here.)
In this episode we chat about the following:
getting inside our characters’ heads
creating strong experiences for our readers
the relationship between setting and character
the mistakes new writers make
internal and external balance
show and tell
how to include backstory
sensor detail – making details earn their keep
emotional wounds
authenticity and the human experience
emotional layers
and much more
In fact, our podcast this week is more of a free writing workshop delivered by one of the best in the writing business. Thanks, Angela.
You can find out more about Angela and The Emotion Thesaurus https://writershelpingwriters.net/author/angela/ (here.)
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Mel: Welcome to another episode of road around the road. It's not very often that we get to travel to Canada in the middle of winter so I'm pretty excited about that as we sweat through an Australian summer. I'd like to welcome Angela Akerman. Good morning Angela.
Angela: Good morning and thank you.
Mel: Angela a writing coach, international speaker and co-author of six best-selling books with the latest one the updated Emotion Thesaurus: a Writer's Guide to Character Expression.
Angela: That was our very first book that we wrote, The Emotion Thesaurus, and it's kind of spread like wildfire. I think because it really tackled a topic that a lot of writers struggle with and there's not a lot written about there's not a lot of help in the emotion space. And I think the way we approached our book making it a really practical brainstorming tool that you can use as your writing or as you're revising it just really appealed to a lot of writers but being our very first book you know we were kind of feeling our way around it was we published it in 2012 when self publishing was really getting going and we were kind of nervous. You know will people like this or not. And so we've always wanted to go back over the years and kind of update it simply because we've learned so much in that space in that time we've grown as writers and as writing coaches and there's so many more aspects of writing that writing an emotion that we wanted to cover and there's so many other motions that we could cover in the emotional thesaurus so seeing that all of our books are a lot bigger. We've kind of gotten more verbose as we go along. We have as many motions as we can or as many settings as we can or whatever our topic is. So we have room to develop this book and so we finally decided that we were going to do it and we were going to go back and add fifty five new emotions to it.
Mel: There were about 75 emotions to start with weren't they?
Angela: Yes. Seventy five to start with and now this one has one hundred and thirty.
Mel: It's an online resource as well as a beautiful physical book it's coming out?
Angela: I think emotion can be kind of a taboo topic if you've got male characters you know in the sense that. Some people some males are not comfortable thinking about the deeper emotions that we have as people. But the reality is is we all have these emotions whether or not we show them or not and what we're trying to do through our fiction is connect to readers connect with them in a very realistic way which means you know. Pulling on...
Born in Zimbabwe, T.M. Clark completed her primary school years at boarding school in Bulawayo, but on weekends and holidays she explored their family ranch in Nyamandhlovu, normally on the back of her horse. Her teenage years were totally different to her idyllic childhood. After her father died, the family of five women moved to Kokstad, a rural town at the foot of the Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa, and the boarding school hostel became her home.
In the tradition of Tony Park and Wilbur Smith, Australian author, TM Clark, writes what she knows and tells the stories that need to be told.
The settings for her novels, The Nature of the Lion, Child of Africa, Tears of the Cheetah and Shooting Butterflies, are all sparked by her imagination but based on her childhood homeland.
In this episode, we chat about the following:
the nature of storytelling
research different cultures and wild places
getting the facts right; local words, customs, culture, politics
border wars & the bushmen of Africa
setting as character
the importance of plot to drive a story forward
procrastination, and how to overcome it
writers block
raw emotion
You can find out more about Clark and her books https://www.tmclark.com.au/ (here.)
Ever wondered whether you’re better to strike out on your own with your writing career, pitch directly to publishers or hire an agent? Haylee Nash, of The Nash Agency, outlines the pros and cons of each option, demystifying the publishing cycle in the process.
But be warned, after listening to Nash, you’ll be hard pressed to justify not running with an expert.
Think of an agent as an industry expert that has you as their primary focus in a publishing world that throws up more options every day. Besides, everyone needs a cheerleader and therapist, says Nash.
In this episode we cover the following, and so much more:
the benefits of editorial feedback
how to pitch to publishers
framing your work to sell
the importance of a good bio
the craft and business side of writing
marketing opportunities
what’s trending in 2019
managing your career
Most importantly, Nash has a Writers Retreat happening at Mt Tamborine in Southeast Queensland in February, with guest tutors, Rachael Johns and Josephine Moon.
You can find out more about Haylee and The Nash Agency https://www.thenashagency.com.au/ (here) and the Writers Retreat https://www.thenashagency.com.au/2018-writers-retreat (here.)
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Mel: Today, I have with me Haylee Nash. Welcome Hayley.
Now I heard all about hayday from the beautiful Amy Seton. So of course I had to track down and bring her on to the podcast. What I hadn't realized Hayley is that you used to work at Pan Macmillan and Harlequin. You represent some of our best Australian authors, Josephine Moon, Lily Malone, Annie Seaton and Lisa Ireland to name a few.
Haylee: Yes it is. I currently have 18 signed.
Mel: We have our very own agent here in front of us representing both indie authors and traditionally published authors with some depth of experience. How long have you been an agent?
Haylee: I'vee been an agent for two years. It's been an incredibly interesting journey but really fulfilling and very nice for my ego because it was terrifying.
Haylee: Starting out on my own particularly as I have a child and a husband and we know there's bills to pay. But it's been so rewarding absolutely rewarding.
Mel: I'm sitting here looking everyone at this amazingly healthy glowing woman who just got back from the gym. If there's any reason that you need an entrepreneurial life it's so that you can do what you want when you want and work until midnight every night.
Haylee: That's exactly right. It's like I can so I can surf if I wanted to in the morning and be up at 6 to play Barbies with my three year old daughter, the life of a working mother.
Mel: You talk about appraising manuscripts. You've got all these amazing authors on your books at the moment. Being represented by an agent has actually changed over the years hasn't it?
Haylee: Yes. I think there's a lot of people now who are represented who have been published. I don't have the exact percentages on me but because publishers have to be smarter than me I'm more connected than ever just because of the wide range of things that are selling and the way that trends and genres change. They're more connected to writers so agents.
Haylee: Some people find it on their own which is brilliant.
Haylee: I'm always careful to tell people what I do what their money or their percentage. And also to let them know if they really need me or not because a lot of authors have found a publisher. The Publishers direct to them because they have a huge amount of followers or whether they have a hugely successful blog or YouTube channel. And often if they're speaking. It's a very business savvy and they're speaking directly to their audience and that's what the show is. Sometimes they don't need an agent.
Haylee: However at the very very least it's useful to have one because you know the contracts and know where there's meeting room. What we get to be back off basically and we get to make...
One of the joys of being a writer is sinking into the research abyss: events, characters, society, music, language and culture, reading books of the period, interior design, cookbooks, and the list goes on.
Belinda Alexandra writes historical and historical/contemporary fiction novels set in exotic locations with the latest being The Invitation, a gilded age Domestic Noir, full of passions, secrets, history and intrigue.
A born storyteller, Alexandra takes us through the Narnia wardrobe to a world of excess and opulence, where deceit, betrayal and moral corruption in New York at the turn of the twentieth century rule.
The trick, says Alexandra, is to show your research sparingly. Start with a visual depiction of your setting, and choose your details wisely.
Alexandra’s books have been published around the world including in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Germany, Hungary, Turkey, Brazil, Poland and Norway, as well as Australia.
You can find out more about Alexandra and her books here.
Darry Fraser is the bestselling author of Daughter of the Murray, Where the Murray River Runs, and The Widow of Ballarat. We first met Darry on the podcast, https://writerontheroad.com/research-writing-journey-daughter-murray-darry-fraser/ (here,) where we talked about the research and writing of The Daughter of the Murray, and https://writerontheroad.com/99-summer-reading-writing-series-darry-fraser/ (here,) last Christmas, as part of our Summer Reading Series.
This week we talk about the discipline of being a writer, about learning to be present while you’re writing and how finding your own style is critical to building a successful author career.
You can learn more about Darry and her books https://www.darryfraser.com/ (here.)
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Mel: Welcome to a very special Christmas episode of Writer on the Road. I have with me today one of my favorite writers who's been with me since the beginning. I'd like to welcome Darry Fraser.
Darry: Thanks for having me once again.
Mel: We first met with Darry's first novel, Daughter of the Murray. Then there's Where the Murray River Runs and now we're celebrating the Widow of Ballarat.
Darry: Thank you. It was a wonderful experience to be writing this particular book so I'm hoping that it will do.
Mel: Dhari has a reputation of one of being very shy and retiring but the fact is your book are doing not only really really well and are some of the best sellers here in Australia at the moment.
Darry: It's wonderful news. I actually don't have a sense of how they're doing out there. I'm very grateful that people are happy for me and reading my books and contacting me about them. And as long as I'm doing what I love to do and somebody else is loving to raise them I'm more than happy.
Mel: There's another lady we have on the podcast, the beautiful Tea Cooper. She's doing very well as well.
Darry: Yes, we have very very different styles of course and very different interests in our history in the sense that she seems to focus on a happiness at a time where we might have dual timelines. She a very easy style. It's quite interesting to look at another historical fiction set in this time.
Mel: I don't think I'm giving any secrets out here that you live on the beautiful Kangaroo Island but your books are set on the Murray River. You're in a great part of the world for Australian history aren't you.
Darry: That's correct. People have asked why I don't focus on my own area a little bit more. I'll leave that to other people. There are a lot of events to draw upon here but the things that interest me about that time are relationships between people and clearly the things that affected people are the same as now, relationships between people and how events affect them such as in the bigger pilot Ballarat and the director so have been them have been the sort of thing that drives my story so I guess that's not unlike other wars is that you tend to stick yourself in the moment.
Mel: Clare Wright wrote the women of the goldfields story and she's moved on to the suffragettes in Your Daughters of Freedom, But to have these stories come alive for the rest of us and give us very strong heroines are with real problems too are must be must.
Darry: I've been glad to be able to do what does but with fiction. I think we both have books out about that particular era, in Ballarat and women on the goldfields. I think we tend to let it all slip by us that women put up with all this stuff because they had to not because they wanted to. A lot of them didn't know any difference. And so it was just par for the course it has been the way it's been for centuries and centuries but suddenly in the 1950s especially at Ballarat Goldfields women realised they could do a lot more. And that was very interesting to me.
Mel: I just completed a talk at the town's storytelling tour here of Brisbane everyone where the beautiful Natalie Cowling role brings alive local...
Lisa Messenger writes her books in real time – almost like a journal. Sometimes the results aren’t pretty, but they’re real.
Messenger is an Australian entrepreneur, author, and the founder and CEO of Collective Hub, an international multimedia business and lifestyle platform.
She is also an international speaker, best-selling author, and an authority on disruption.
She writes books in real time, her latest being Risk & Resilience, the story of the tough lessons she’s learned during the last eighteen months of her entrepreneurial journey. Her story isn’t pretty, but it’s heartfelt and we learn about the cost and responsibility of a successful career where people rely on you to lead the way.
It’s a story about how to survive, thrive and prosper through pivotal times, and how taking time out to re-charge is paramount.
Today, we chat about what it takes to write out loud, to share the details of the hard times as well as the good, and what we can all learn from Lisa’s journey.
And why, sometimes, bigger isn’t necessarily better.
You can find out more about Lisa, her books, courses and Collective Hub https://collectivehub.com/about-lisa-messenger/ (here) and http://www.lisamessenger.com/ (here.)
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Mel: Welcome to another episode of writer on the road. Today's guest doesn't need an introduction because we all know and love her. Welcome, Lisa messenger.
Lisa: That is a beautiful introduction.
Mel: Lisa is an international speaker, best-selling author and an authority on disruption in both the Corporate sector and the startup scene.
Lisa: I love that word disruption. It's funny to say I'm an authority on disruption. I think when I was at school they may have worded it slightly differently. How it was that disruptive notion back then that saw me sitting in the hallways outside the classroom for the majority of my school life.
Lisa: But I'm still that same little punk rebel. Asking how to buck the status quo and always try to find a different better way of doing things.
Lisa: It's just that. Strangely enough that's kind of celebrated now hopefully a slightly more for nest and I get a girl a little bit spiritually and emotionally since the school days. But anyway it's an interesting space.
Mel: I'm the English teacher teaching the drop out student and the student's famous and I'm still there in the classroom.
Mel: This is a bit of a personal story for me but I do have the woman who has influenced my journey over the last I guess well over five years. The current book you have out there is Risk & Resilience and we're going to talk at length about that one today. But the book that started mine was Money & Mindfulness. It's been out a few years hasn't it?
Lisa: Yes, beautiful it gives me shivers when I hear that because I think there's so many people in this world that we all of us don't connect with or you know just silently doing something that is helping other people and then suddenly you have this connection and you hear about the impacts and that's very beautiful and I look forward to hearing your story.
Mel: Let's talk about money and mindfulness. We think we know all about it until we haven't got any. I found myself in a situation where I didn't have any I had two young children we were travelling in our caravan and everybody through Coffs Harbour and I went into the news agency and I found this amazing little what I thought was a paperback book in a news agency. I didn't have any money and I splurged out I think it was 30 bucks of my last hundred and bought this thing because it had pictures of the ocean. Lisa, that was such a practical book but full of joy and life because of the images, because of the topography and you've carried that through to your current books. It's more than just a How-To book isn't it?
Lisa: That is a beautiful thing. It's a big thing in being unafraid and...
Aiki Flinthart is the author of the YA 80AD Series (where the downloads went nuts), the Ruadhan Sidhe Series, Shadows Wake, Shadows Bane and Shadows Fate, and now, newly released, Iron, the first of the Kalima Chronicles. She has been shortlisted for the Aurealis Awards & Writers of the Future Contest, appeared on the Science Fiction/Fantasy Writers Assn of America YouTube channel – and she writes kick-ass women characters.
In a Zombie apocalypse, you need to be able to shoot without sticking your head out.
Read a Flinthart novel, and you’re immediately transported to a world of Terracotta Armies, Chinese inventions or Eastern Philosophy. You learn about pyramids, tombs and hieroglyphics.
Think Martial Arts, knife throwing, horse-bows and archery, add a few swords and daggers, mixed with a few myths and legends, and you start to get a faint understanding of what you’re in for.
Did I mention shape-shifters, vampires, aliens, elves and quests? Yes, I’m way out of my depth, but it doesn’t matter. Flinthart is an expert in all things fantasy.
In this episode Flinthart talks us through the psychological and physiological differences between men and women in fights, in between talking all things writing.
You can find out more about Flinthart and her novels https://www.aikiflinthart.com/ (here.)
COMPETITION:
If you’d like to win a copy of Iron, send a pic of you wielding an iron (at your ironing board:)) to melinda@tropicalwriting.com.au
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Mel: Welcome to another episode of writer on the road today. We're staying here in my beautiful town of Brisbane. Welcome Aiki Flintheart.
Aiki: Hey, thanks, Mel. Appreciate it. Glad to be here.
Mel: We have the beautiful Deb Kelly to thank for this one. And we are going to Fantasyland. Aiki has nine or 10 books published, middle grade and adult fantasy novels.
Aiki: I have been training in martial arts for about 18 years or so. It's good for writing it gives you lots of good fight scenes.
Mel: I had a look at some of the covers on your books and there is this woman and she's holding a knife. I love her expression. She's a kickass female. I like her. And we're going to talk about that today about how to write fight scenes because that's what Aiki specializes in.
Aiki: I've actually been writing my whole life but early on they were really dreadful romances that will never see the light of day. And then my son is dyslexic and he was really struggling with the big fat books like the Harry Potter and things you wanted to read something actually but he just couldn't get through them. So I wrote a series of five books for middle graders portal fantasy as kids get sucked back into a computer game set in 1880 and my sneaky goal was to to hide some real history in there so the kids have to go through five levels in five different countries all said in 88. And while they learn things about India and China and Egypt along the way and it's the fight scenes. But you know after I publish those they were really quite successful. There's been about 400000 downloads but. I then realized I really didn't know what I was doing. I went away and learnt a lot of things and wrote some more books and now the ones that are coming out you know are stronger read better written but the older ones keep selling really well so there's something about them.
Mel: 400000 downloads of middle grade novels is amazing. We're talking digital. Aiki Is an indie publisher. And when I went on your website other than Amazon and your own website where else can we buy your books.
Aiki: They're on all the major retailers so I books and Kobo and Barnes and Noble and a couple of others here are all the major retailers and you can actually print on demand as well if you walk into a bookshop and say I want this book they'll order it for you here.
Mel: On your website there are bonus materials and background research and I was off to...
Brian K Wright is the host of Success Profiles Radio and publisher of Success Profiles Magazine. Over the last 6 years, Brian has interviewed world-class achievers such as Darren Hardy, Jack Canfield, Loral Langemeier, Kevin Harrington, Sharon Lechter, and many more. A lot of people, when they think about writing a book, they think of selling millions of copies and it’s a really nice idea but unless you’re really famous or well known that may or may not happen.
It’s what you can do with the book once it’s done that’s the goal, whether it’s speaking on stage, having a coaching program, staging a live event, or being invited to do shows. It will present opportunities to sell your book and make a lot of money at your bookstore signings.
There are a lot of opportunities to go beyond the book but the book is the springboard by which you can do everything. Brian’s radio show was the springboard that created a lot of opportunities and then the book spun from that and the magazine spun from that. Start somewhere, master or something I know I’m going and then figure out how to spend it.
A lot of people make the mistake of trying to start a bunch of things at once and end up not doing any of them very well.
A book is a credibility piece. If there are let’s just say hypothetically 10 people in your industry and somebody is trying to decide who to work with. If you’ve got a book on the other nine don’t guess who automatically has the the first opportunity the person with the book because you you must be the expert.
People will make that assumption and so they’ll check out your book. They like to do their research and figure out who people are. If they see your book it can be a nuclear business card.
You can find out more about Brian, his books and Success Profiles https://briankwright.com/ (here.)
Read Full Transcript
Melinda: Welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road. Today we're travelling to Arizona which is a little bit far away from where we are here in Oz. I'd like to welcome Brian Wright. Brian is a guest that I have been recommended to by Brian Burkard. Hi Brian. This one's for you. I have been encouraging my friend Brian from the Marketers Mindset to write a book for a long time and I believe part of your expertise is in book writing.
Brian: It is. I've done three of my own books and I go through my books for other people and I also host a meetup group here in Arizona for offers and side started that a couple of months ago I had my third meeting earlier this week with my group and it's been a lot of fun it's been a great journey.
Melinda: I always go straight to the top when I need my experts. Brian, I've got to tell you that with my research that I've been carrying out tonight you are the expert of all experts. You have a wonderful book out and it's a new book released this month and it's called Success Profiles, Conversations With High Achievers. You can have a podcast success profiles radio.
You also publish the Success Profiles Magazine.
Brian: Yes. It's a spinoff of my radio brand. When I started my radio show back in 2012 I realized after a while I had so much content that I could repurpose.
I think this is really important. If you are creating content repurposing in as many ways as possible. Some people will listen to you do a radio show or podcast. Some people read but some people will read your magazine. Some people will meet you in person but they won't find you everywhere unless they're a super fan. But you have to reach people where they are. Some people prefer to read. Some people prefer to listen and so repurposed content to appeal to as many of the senses as possible so that people have a greater opportunity to find you.
Melinda: Brian is an expert at this everybody. I'll confess it's four o'clock in the morning here and I started researching Brian's work at midnight and I have kept...
In the last 13 years, Geoff McDonald has read 550 books and written sixty plus Book Rapper ebooks, as well as over 1000 blog posts. And now he’s launching two books on the same day, Done and Project Done.
McDonald has always been prolific, great with ideas and creativity, but not so strong at execution. It wasn’t until he bought a new laptop computer that he realised the untapped potential of all that creativity, and the problems he had with not finishing his various projects. Whilst copying over files he found 25 unfinished books.
I was like, “Oh, my God, how much of my time?” You know what’s going on, that if I’d finished even half of them life would have been different. I’d had a whole bunch of products I’d know I’d be known for, a whole bunch of my ideas, and in that moment, I realized my life had been about building this body of work. And I haven’t actually finished half my body of work. Heaven forbid, had a lightning bolt come down and zapped me on the head in a moment I would have had nothing to show. I would have had a whole bunch of unfinished stuff to show for my life.
In this episode, we discuss the following:
why we’re where we are with our creative projects
how to improve our motivation
the importance of adjusting our goals
redesigning our environment for maximum productivity
how to triage our priorities
developing our inner drive
making change stick
and much more…
You can find out more about McDonald and getting things done https://geoffmcdonald.com/ (here.)
Read Full Transcript
Mel: We're going to spend the next half hour or so talking books and publishing. I'd like to welcome Geoff McDonald. Hi Jeff.
Geoff: Hi, Mel. Great to be on your show.
Mel: Geoff has written a book called Done: Why You Fail To Finish Your Projects and What To Do About It. Everyone who knows me knows exactly why I've got Geoff on. He's read 550 books in the last 30 years, written 60 plus books under the guise of book report which we'll talk about shortly. He's got 1000 posts and over100 podcast episodes. And that's just in his spare time because he’s also a Public Ppeaker. He's an ideas architect and the list goes on.
Mel: Let's start with your current project, Project Done. Help us out, Geoff. We’re writers and some of us are perhaps bits of procrastinators. It’s what attracted me to your book in the first place because I believe you had that problem yourself, even though your list doesn’t show it.
Geoff: I can point to that list of all these things well done but I'm probably closer to you than you think, and I think it's an interesting one that there's probably a little tipping point there. Basically, I did my strength profile a while back and I realised I had almost no strength around the execution stuff. And pretty much that summed up what I'd been doing. Not finishing.
A few years ago, I bought a new laptop computer. I previously had a desktop that had this really big hard drive on it. When I got the laptop, it had a really small hard drive on it, so I couldn't just press the button to copy all the files. I had to manually sort through them. I found an old book file. I had spent a lot of time on that one, but I never finished it, and this went on and on.
It turned out there were 25 unfinished books and they weren't just headline blind folder. There were l50 to 100, 150 pages on each of these books. I was like “oh, my God, how much of my time?” You know what's going on, that if I'd finished even half of them life would have been different. I'd had a whole bunch of products I'd know I'd be known for, a whole bunch of my ideas, and in that moment, I realized my life had been about building this body of work. And I haven't actually finished half my body of work. Heaven forbid, had a lightning bolt come down and zapped me on the head in a moment I would have had nothing to show. I would have had a whole bunch of unfinished stuff
Sometimes, it’s best to let a novel speak for itself. DM Cameron’s Beneath The Mother Tree is lyrical from the first page and deliciously unputdownable.
It could be Cameron’s Irish ancestry, or her background as an award-winning scriptwriter, or never-give-up attitude, but her debut novel hooks us from the first page and keeps us enthralled.
Or it could be that I love landscape novels and Cameron’s intertwining of Irish and Indigenous cultures as they meet on an island that’s at once familiar and sinister is riveting stuff. And the real treat is listening to her read her story aloud – did I mention that Cameron is also a voice artist?
This podcast is about a writer’s love of storytelling in all its forms. Enjoy.
A masterly evocation of place…Read it as an allegorical tale or just enjoy a rattling good yarn of young love, small community dynamics, obsession and mystery.’ The Weekend Australian.
You can find out more about Cameron and her work http://www.dmcameron.com/beneath-the-mother-tree/ (here.)
ABIA award-winning and bestselling author, Rachael Johns, is one half of the duo who has been organising the upcoming Australia’s West Coast Fiction Festival, an event eighteen months in the making. The other half is Tess Woods.
It’s shaping up to be one of the biggest events of the year as sixty top Australian and New Zealand authors converge on Perth on the 3rd of November, 2018, for book signings, a cocktail party and live band.
Johns is currently Australia’s leading writer of contemporary relationship stories around womens issues and her newest release, Lost Without You, is hitting the shelves as we speak.
Our conversation is a free-wheeling chat around what it means to build a community around your books and our conversation includes:
why your readers matter
libraries, bookshops & festivals
writers retreats
the benefits of bookclubs (Johns’ club, with friend Anthea Hodgson, has over 1000 members)
authors promoting each other’s books
Di Morrissey and Judy Nunn (Nunn will be at the festival)
online communities, word of mouth meeting with your fans
You can meet your favourite authors, including Johns, Judy Nunn, Amy Andrews, Fiona McArthur, Pamela Cook, Helene Young and more at the West Coast Festival. You can find the full list of the sixty attending authors http://www.wcfictionfestival.com.au/ (here.)
You can find out more about Rachael and her books http://www.rachaeljohns.com/ (here.)
There’s something about character driven novels that has you turning the pages, feeling you know the characters already but want to know more.
But what about writing them, with one eye on giving your reader a satisfactory ending whilst at the same time putting your characters through their paces and herding them all in the same direction towards that ending?
Juggling five characters’ points-of-view and delving deeply into what motivates each of them is the latest challenge for bestselling and award winning Aussie author, Tricia Stringer, as she tackles her tenth novel and first Women’s Fiction.
Stringer is already a bestselling and award winning author, with historicals set in Australia’s Flinders Ranges and rural romances. Now, she’s taking to the high seas with her first women’s fiction.
Writing bigger, more complex stories suits Stringer and Table for Eight is, hopefully, the first of many. I started reading her book for research but was hooked from the beginning.
Advice from Stringer for writers is write the story you love to read, do your research – in Stringer’s case she had the onerous task of going for cruises – using photos for inspirations, and writing regularly, preferably daily.
We also chat about doing the rounds of libraries and bookshops, as well as marketing online via blogs, reviews and bookclubs.
You can find out more about Stringer, her books and current marketing tour https://www.triciastringer.com.au/ (here.)
Told in seven first-person voices, The Missing Pieces of Sophie McCarthy, is a new direction for Australian author, Ber Carroll, author of eight contemporary fiction novels. Tightly constructed and difficult to edit, it’s Carroll’s most ambitious novel yet, and if the early reviews are anything to go by, a highly successful novel at that.
Carroll is not a planner and goes where the novel takes her, and Missing Pieces has taken her in a whole new direction. It’s why this is her first novel published under B M Carroll instead of her usual Ber Carroll.
This novel came to Carroll cohesively and she used a coloured spreadsheet to keep track of all her characters. She writes real events with real people pushed to extremes, with strong female characters.
You can find out more about Carroll and her novels https://bercarroll.com/ (here.)
Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a career author? Jacquie Underdown has put in the hours and she’s starting to reap the rewards after ten years of hard work. It’s not an uncommon story.
Underdown set about learning her craft through a A Masters in Writing, Editing & Publishing. Her first contract was an ebook with Harper Collins five years ago, when ebooks were an emerging market with Traditional Publishers (back then, texting was also new).
With over a million words published in novels, novellas and short stories, Underdown has learnt a few things, including the fact that writing is a longterm game, nothing comes easy, and getting a book out takes time, practice, determination and support.
In this episode we discuss the following:
learning the craft
blogging
flow
the longterm game
diverse heroines
the importance of good grammar
reading as a writer
post-novel blues
writing schedules
how life and writing intertwine
You can find out more about Underdown and her books, including her new Christmas novella, https://www.jacquieunderdown.com/ (here.)
There’s no such thing as an overnight success in the writing game – well, maybe occasionally – but there’s a fast establishing pathway to give yourself the best chance of a long and profitable writing career.
First, it takes time and writing more than a few good books, preferably in series, followed by perfecting your marketing and branding, building a loyal following who sign up to your email list, and coming to grips with the vagaries of the available sales platforms.
And that perennial question, should we go Kindle Unlimited or wide with our books?
Someone who has come to grips with all of the above, and more, is Joanne Dannon, bestselling Indie author, and expert in all things Indie Publishing. Fresh home from conferences in both New Zealand and Australia, Dannon is current on what it takes to succeed in the writing game in 2018 and beyond.
But it wasn’t always that way. Joanne, a oft-returning guest on Writer on the Road, has learned the hard way, by doing the work, making a few mistakes along the way, and continually working at her craft and business skills.
In this episode, Dannon shares her tips for aspiring authors (and for those of us who need to brush up on the business side of our writing):
Kindle Unlimited or wide
the importance of writing in series and boxed sets
consistency of book covers
Goal, Motivation & Conflict – the keys to writing a great novel
making mistakes
marketing – D2D and other options
it’s not a competition, silly
the liberation of going Indie
more, lots more
This is my best chat yet with Dannon, who has shared her journey with us from the beginning. She now has fourteen books published and is currently celebrating her most recent boxed set, Kiss Me.
You can find out more about Dannon and her books https://joannedannon.com/ (here.)
With over 70 million books sold, Sherrilyn Kenyon is worth listening to when it comes to all things writing. She’s experienced all the trials that we’re familiar with and celebrated all the successes the rest of us dream about.
Stygian, a Dark Hunter Novel, has been named the Best SF and Fantasy novel for August, 2018 by Unbound Worlds. The Dark Hunter series, at twenty-nine and counting, is a #1 International Bestselling series, along with Kenyon’s Deadman’s Cross, Hellchasers and Nevermore Series, to name a few. You won’t run out of books to read anytime soon, and there’s more on the way.
Our conversation ranges across a lot of topics – Kenyon is a delightfully generous guest – as we learn about ancient languages, medieval myths and origin stories. Kenyon’s father was a biblical scholar, her grandfathers, one a Sharman and one an evangelist, and Kenyon herself a scholar of ancient languages, as well as part Celtic and part Cherokee.
Ever heard the expression ‘old as snot’? It’s accurate, as is everything Kenyon writes. In fact, she’s a stickler for accurate dialogue and it’s one of the things that make her books a delight to read (yep, I entered the realm of fantasy and found that I love it:))
And the best news? She’ll be visiting Oz early in 2019.
There’s series, spinoffs, manga and comics, with Kenyon’s books soon to hit the big screen. You can find out more about Kenyon and her books https://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/ (here.)
Are you a scaling entrepreneur who wants to gain influence by defining who you are and why you matter? Checking your LinkedIn profile is one of the first things a potential connection will do before they reach out to you, and you need make a good impression.
Social Media Strategist and LinkedIn expert, Adam Houlahan, has written a book about it. The LinkedIn Playbook will walk you through the process of optimising your LinkedIn profile and creating a highly professional presence online. Or, if you prefer, join his 12-week Influencer Program https://www.adamhoulahan.com/courses/ (here.) I did. There’s also a free 4-week course.
What can you do for your ideal client? An easy enough question, but damned hard to answer in a couple of catchy sentences. During our chat, Adam not only tells you how but also why. Then there’s your pitch, headline and summary.
So much to do…here’s a few things we touch on in this episode:
How to personalise your message
Making sure you follow-up
Using a professional profile pic
Why your personal life is irrelevant
Why LinkedIn is not like other social media
The importance of keywords & tags
Are you ready for when the next big opportunity knocks? You can find out more about Adam, and his books and courses https://www.adamhoulahan.com/ (here.)
Are you a grey area drinker? If your writing routine is anything like mine you go about the business of writing all day and knock off in time to do a little editing whilst watching the sunset and enjoying a glass of wine or two…or three.
Imagine my chagrin reading psychologist and author, Cassandra Gaisford’s latest book, Mind Your Drink: The Surprising Joy of Sobriety; Control Alcohol, discovering freedom, find happiness and change your life. Alcohol is a neurotoxin, a flammable liquid and a poison.
So much for romance. In this episode we chat about the following (among other things):
alcohol and our writing productivity
happiness without alcohol
experiencing joy and physical wellbeing
our changing relationship with alcohol
drinking habits (and how they impact on our writing habits)
why giving up alcohol is hard
creative expression and joy
rethinking drinking
a good night’s sleep
stressing less/loving more
There’s also a sobriety journal and a Mind Your Drink workbook. You can find out more about Cassandra and her books, courses, and other writing http://www.cassandragaisford.com/ (here.)
Disclaimer: as I write this I’m sitting on my verandah, watching the sunset and my drink of choice is lime and soda in a chilled glass with ice and a swizzle stick
The world needs your book, says Self-Publishing coach, Alexandra Amor. In the ever-changing world of publishing it’s easy to become overwhelmed and that’s where Amor steps in as she guides your through the publishing maze.
Amor has been an independent author for over ten years. She’s written eleven novels and hosts a mystery podcast (you can find out more her novels and podcast https://alexandraamor.com/ (here).) She VA’s for Mark Dawson and Joanna Penn. If there are any better testimonials than these pillars of the Self-Publishing world I’m yet to find them.
She offers support and accountability throughout your publishing journey, and has been trained by Life Coach, Martha Beck. Investing in our businesses is the best thing we can do and it makes sense to save money by investing in a good coach. With Amor, you’re in safe hands.
In this episode Amor shares her knowledge on the following:
multiple streams of income
series writing
freedom and money
dictation
side hustles
change
the long game
She also has a great book, ‘The Red Hot Truth About Self-Publishing Your Book’, that’s available for free at the moment. You can find out more http://myselfpublishingcoach.com/ (here.)
Writers need readers and one way to find readers is through book reviews.
With over 800 romance book reviews under her belt Helen Sibbritt knows a thing or two about what makes a good book and it would be pertinent for the writers amongst us to listen to what she has to say.
She’s what’s known as an Influencer and she always has a review list she’s working her way through.
How do we get onto Sibbritt’s list? Blurbs matter, as do professional covers, and testimonials. Sibbritt often turns to Goodreads and recommendations to find her next good book to read.
She enjoys long lunches with fellow readers – Romance Reader Lunches – and they share recommendations. Word of mouth is king, or should I say queen?
The Australian Romance Readers Association has state chapters and the groups are influential amongst readers.
You can find Helen on Facebook or Twitter sharing her recommendations (I did), or enjoying a long lunch somewhere…you never know, it might be your book she’s recommending next.
Australian romance authors are taking on the world with their novels. Hot on the heels of Natasha Lester’s success with The Paris Seamstress, Alli Sinclair’s latest novel, Burning Fields, will be available worldwide in November. Burning Fields is an historical novel set in my part of the world, Far North Queensland, and is touted as an Australian historical with an Italian influence.
During our conversation we chat about the following:
women’s experiences during WW2 and beyond
the role of women in history
researching historical fiction in Australia
what a romance novel is and what it isn’t
exploring the Australian landscape and the potential for stories
the benefits of writing communities, festivals and friendships
women’s perspectives on life and writing
Alli’s next book
Writers Retreats, especially those at sea
the German book market and international translations
Sinclair’s fourth novel was released in Oz and New Zealand in June and the author is busy on the launch trail here in Queensland as I write this. Even more exciting is her Writers At Sea Retreat to New Caledonia with TM Clark, from 30 August to 7 September, 2018.
You can find out more about Alli Sinclair, her books and her retreat https://allisinclairauthor.wordpress.com/ (here.)
We talk a lot here at Writer on the Road about what it takes to be a successful author. Today, we’re celebrating the success of one of our favourite authors, Annie Seaton. Our conversation is short and it’s powerful as Seaton shares with us her journey over the last seven years.
Here’s what it takes, Annie Seaton style:
seven years
high energy
never giving up
always pushing forward
seeing results
celebrating the small wins
Congratulations, Annie Seaton, from everyone here at Writer on the Road. We look forward to the next seven years of watching you shine.
You can find out more about Seaton and her books http://www.annieseaton.net/ (here.)
It’s a question that bugs us all – when do we get to call ourselves a real writer? Christian White, Aussie author of thriller The Nowhere Child shares with us what it feels like to become an overnight success in the literary world.
The Nowhere Child is White’s fifth novel but the first to see light of day. He shares with us his journey from winner of the 2017 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for an unpublished manuscript to signing on with Australian publisher, Affirm Press, to having his novel picked up by publishers around the world. He says his characters will be better travelled than him as they jet off to farflung countries with him hot on their heels.
We all want to be Christian White, and he makes it seem possible for us all to have what he’s got. His overnight success took fifteen years and a firm belief in himself as a writer. Well, maybe not so firm a belief at times, but he stuck to it, and look at him now.
During our conversation, Christian shares with us the following:
the importance of believing in yourself as a writer
the best day jobs (think driving golf carts and selling t-shirts)
the benefits of entering competitions
surrounding yourself with people who believe in you
there is such a thing as an overnight success
being a writer is fun
what it’s like to write book number two
the pure joy of watching yourself be a successful writer for a day
You can find out more about Christian, his journey, and his novel https://www.christian-white.com/ (here.)
Have you ever wondered how to become a bestselling Indie author? Well, here’s the secret: write and write a lot. This is from a woman who has just celebrated selling over 7 million books. Her other secret is to work really hard for a very long time.
Bella Andre is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of “The Sullivans”, “The Morrisons” and “The Maverick Billionaires” series.
In this episode we chat about the following:
what it was like starting out when Indie publishing was the ‘wild west’
the importance of good writing habits
writing fast
why ignoring the white noise of social media is important
a love of reading
prioritising your writing
the importance of writing buddies
Conferences and networking
building a community
There’s a lot more to this interview than mere details. It’s the generosity of spirit that Andre exudes. She makes it not only possible but probable that we can do what she’s done. And that’s exciting.
Better still, she’s heading our way, with her first stop in Sydney, then over the paddock to New Zealand and the Romance Writers of New Zealand Conference.
You can find out more about Bella and her books http://bellaandre.com/ (here.)
What do you get when you combine the talents of four of Australia’s top romance authors – Kelly Hunter, Victoria Purman, Cathryn Hein and Fiona McArthur? A bestselling romance series, for a start. And an altogether fun podcast, notwithstanding the challenges of keeping track of the number of awards, novels, and accolades these ladies have notched up between them over the years.
In the crowded and competitive field of romance, these ladies stand out – as does their latest venture, a rural romance series smattered with runaway brides, historic homesteads, and quaint country towns full of characters we all recognise.
https://writerontheroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/IMG_3304.jpg ()
The secret behind the success of the multi-series, The Outback Brides: Maggie’s Run, Bella’s Secret, Elsa’s Stand and Holly’s Heart, is the chemistry between its authors.
Mark Dawson, author and podcaster, says ‘collaborating on a writing project can be both enjoyable and profitable if done properly…it can challenge you and make you a better writer.’ These four women were already at the top of the romance pack before they joined forces. Combining their strengths, story telling, technical expertise was always going to be a win-win for both the writers and their readers.
In this episode we get down to the nitty-gritty:
communication
project planning
time management
accountability
You can find out more about the authors here: Kelly Hunter https://kellyhunter.net/ (here,) Victoria Purman http://www.victoriapurman.com/ (here,) Cathryn Hein http://www.cathrynhein.com/ (here,) and Fiona McArthur https://www.fionamcarthurauthor.com/ (here.)
Travel fiction has a long tradition. Think Gulliver’s Travels, by Jonathon Swift, On the Road, by Jack Kerouac, and more recently, The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger and The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall-Smith. The list is endless.
Janice Horton’s, The Backpacking Housewife, is in fine company, and although Horton is experiencing something like an overnight success with her new novel, it’s actually her thirteenth. Like most overnight successes, there’s a lot of hard work and learning her craft that has led her to this point. And a lot of travel.
Being in the right spot at the right time has brought this travel adventurer a bit of luck – or so it seems at first glance – when she ran into a Harper Impulse executive who invited her to write a novel for Harper line, which Horton immediately set about doing in a three hundred year old French castle surrounded by vineyards for inspiration.
It’s only on hearing Horton’s whole story that we learn her success has nothing to do with luck and everything to do with honing her craft over twelve novels and four years of writing fiction.
Francine Prose writes about The Art of Travel Inspired Novel Writing in Travel & Leisure magazine, stating, “Creating great travel-inspired novels means channeling the voices, thoughts, and perspectives of an imaginary foreigner.” You can read the full article https://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/the-art-of-travel-inspired-novel-writing (here. )
You can find out more about Janice, her books and her inspiring lifestyle https://thebackpackinghousewife.com/ (here.)
And if you’re looking for a great travel fiction read to inspire your next trip, try scrolling through the 1,000 blog posts on TripFiction.com https://www.tripfiction.com/ (here) – or you can just use the search tool but who knows what adventure you might miss
You can find a list of popular travel fiction on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/travel-fiction (here.)
Success comes in all shapes and sizes and it seems successful people share similar habits. A strong success mindset requires vision, strategy, focus, grit, consistency, and positive positive habits.
Kim Argentsinger is a creative entrepreneur, coach and writer. It’s her job to help us get out of our own way and create a plan to take us to the next level, to find our own version of success.
What are our core business values? What lights us up? Kim shares her tips on morning routines, positive intentions and keeping things real. Build relationships, not social media likes. Ask questions. Know what you want and double down to get it. Did I mention branding? Brand clarity is a must.
Last, there’s that pesky accountability question; what happens if we don’t follow through? The artist’s brain is full of insecurities and fears. Kim suggests we take show ourselves a little compassion, that we take a holistic view of what success means to us as individuals, businesswomen and creatives.
She helps us seek clarity about our dreams and how best to achieve them.
You can find out more about Kim and her coaching services http://kimargetsinger.com/ (here. )
Are you ready to invest in yourself to achieve your goals? Do you know what your ideal workday looks like? Do you need a step by step process to help you get where you want to go with your life? Anna Runyan, founder of Classy Career Girl, has a Corporate Rescue Plan just for you. In fact, she’s just launched Corporate Rescue Plan 2.0.
Stuck? Anna runs a bootcamp to get you unstuck. She also has a free list of 75 tools to help you launch your new career plan (I saw it on Instagram).
Her keys to success include growing your audience, picking your platform and being consistent. The word ‘focus’ pops up a lot. There’s a 90 day planner (the trick is to focus on the top three things on your list each week), batching time and to focus on revenue producing activities (yep, that word again). Validate your ideas, build a community and create excitement around what you’re doing.
The trick is to serve your market, work to your strengths and consistently produce valuable content.
Named as one of Forbes thirty-five most influential career sites, and read by millions of women every week, the Classy Career Girl website has earned its stripes.
Anna knows more than most about how to achieve your greatest dreams. A former career coach, Anna runs one of the top career podcasts for women, has been named Woman of the Year, and is a speaker at the Global Leadership forum. So when she speaks it’s not a bad idea to listen – and she shares her knowledges with us here at Writer on the Road for nearly an hour.
You can find out more about Anna, her Corporate Rescue Plan and more http://www.classycareergirl.com/ (here.)
Curious about how an author goes about building a world to create a series? Alison Stuart, Australian author of historical fiction set around the time of the Civil War, is embarking on a new project, the Harriet Gordon Mysteries, the first of which, Singapore Sapphire, is set in 1910 Singapore and will be released early in 2019. You can find out more https://www.harrietgordonmysteries.com/ (here).
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Alison spent three years living in Singapore as an ex-pat wife and used the time to hone her writing skills. She is a lawyer and past president of the Romance Writers of Australia.
Our conversation ranges from how to write a crime novel to the intricacies of Scrivener as a word management system and the importance of writing groups. You can find out more about Alison and her writing https://www.alisonstuart.com/about-alison.html (here.)
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This week’s sponsor is Paul Brodie’s The Book Publishing For Authors Implementation Program. You can find out more http://www.brodieedu.com/services (here.)
‘Self publishing hasn’t just arrived, it’s taken over,’ says a man who knows. David Gaughran, champion of Indie authors, and author of several versions of Let’s Get Digital and Let’s Get Visible, has released a new bible for us, Strangers To Superfans, A Marketers Guide To The Readers’ Journey.
Think discoverability, visibility, consideration, purchase and advocacy, and you’ve got most things covered. The trouble is, most of us don’t think enough about these things, or at least, we haven’t until now. David talks us through failure points, optimising each stage of the reader’s journey to increase conversions, boosting sales, and best of all, passionate readers.
‘Writers need less convincing to self publish and more tools to do it effectively,’ says David, and being the man he is, he set about giving the rest of us the very tools we need. And just in case you’re interested, my favourite fiction novel of David’s is Mercenary, about Lee Christmas, a hard-headed drifter who changes the fate of a nation. How can you resist?
You can find out more about superfans, getting visible and digital, and David’s fiction https://davidgaughran.wordpress.com/ (here.) You might also like to check out his blog. It’s got everything you need to know about Indie publishing, along with a great free guide, Amazon Decoded. Be prepared to stay awhile once you visit.
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This week’s sponsor is Paul Brodie’s The Book Publishing For Authors Implementation Program. You can find out more http://www.brodieedu.com/services (here.)
Working with millennials is rewarding because young entrepreneurs think differently. New ways of thinking, getting rid of the past and working with new technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, is the way forward. Any of these things sound familiar?
Robyn Wilson, educator and lifestyle designer, is at the forefront of a revolution, or if you like, a changing of the guard, and she’s right in there making a difference where it counts. Think Ken Robinson. Think the Khan Academy. Even the way we learn nowadays is different. Deny the obvious at your peril. Pushing boundaries, removing fears and valuing creativity are what Building Intelligence Leadership is all about, B/L for short.
Fit For Purpose brings together fifteen high performing leaders to share their views on the future directions of business leadership. Robyn has her viewpoint and people are listening. With a background in education and coaching, Robyn has made sure she has stayed abreast of the changes in business leadership and she is passing on what she knows to the next generation. Can we afford not to listen to her message? I think not.
You can find out more about Robyn and her ideas on business leadership https://www.facebook.com/robynwilsontraining/ (here.)
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This week’s sponsor is Paul Brodie’s The Book Publishing For Authors Implementation Program. You can find out more http://www.brodieedu.com/services (here.)
There’s nothing better than kicking back around the campfire in outback Australia and listening to a bush poetry slam. Humour, larrikanism and more than a little heartbreak often make up mood of most bush poetry, all of it heartfelt, and most of it inspired by the poet’s personal experiences. Enter Tim Borthwick, quiet and unassuming, but also your quintessential, outback Aussie bloke. Waltzing Australia is a collection of his poems, with the added bonus of a yarn accompanying each poem. The collection is recited by another Aussie icon, Jack Thompson, but today, Tim also recites one of his poems for us. You have to listen to the end for that one.
Tim Borthwick is a Bronze Swagman Award-winning writer of original bush poetry. From a young age he loved to read the poems of Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson, captivated by their ability to tell a story through rhyme and rhythm. Born on a sheep and cattle station in western Queensland, Tim has spent most of his life on the land, and has a great love for the people and stories of the Australian outback. Tim lives in Toowoomba, Queensland, and gets out to the bush whenever he can.
You can find out more about Tim and his poetry http://timbuktours.com.au/poetry/ (here.)
The life of an Indie writer is a busy one – what with writing, taking care of business, family life, eating, exercising and down time – so is it any wonder we need a little help occasionally to re-align our priorities, and get our lives back into balance.
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Today’s guest, Joanna Penn, teamed up with Dr Evan Lawson to write The Healthy Writer, and in it she shares her personal journey to achieving balanced, healthy writing lifestyle. Walking, yoga, sleep, community and a healthy workspace are a few of the things we touch on, but Joanna also shares the importance of comparing ourselves only to where we’ve come from and not to others, learning to stop and take a break, and framing our challenges in a positive way.
Joanna is an award-nominated New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author of Thrillers and she also writes non-fiction. Starting her writing journey in 2010 here in Oz with The Year of the Novel, she’s gone on to publish nine non-fiction books and seventeen fiction stories. She talks about the importance of scheduling, of finishing what you start and building a body of work.
You can learn more about Joanna and her non-fiction books https://www.thecreativepenn.com/ (here) and her thrillers, written as JF Penn, https://jfpenn.com/ (here.)
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This week’s sponsor is Paul Brodie’s The Book Publishing For Authors Implementation Program. You can find out more http://www.brodieedu.com/services (here.)
Kevin Tumlinson has just returned from a road trip and he has a few secrets to share. You see, he learned a few things out there on the road about the writing process and his novels are all the better for the time he spent on the prairies. And Kevin, being Kevin, is ever generous in sharing what he’s learned.
The single most important thing Kevin has discovered over forty-three novels is that deep thinking leads to deep writing. It’s vital that we give our brains time off to ponder the deeper meaning behind our ideas. And reading good writing is the best way to learn how to write good words.
But it’s not just about putting words on the page. The ways to market our books are also changing. It’s getting more personal as authors reach out to their readers through direct marketing via email lists. Kevin talks us through his process of engaging loyal fans in the writing and marketing process for all his books. Being personal and relatable are key. He stopped advertising months ago and now relies on his street team, email list and interaction with his fans.
Then there’s the dynamic Indie Publishing environment that Kevin knows so much about in his role as Marketing Manager for Draft2Digital publishing. It’s still early days in the Indie Publishing and there’s so much more to come as the quality of author products continue to improve. Audio, direct sales and an increasing acceptance of Indie authors as writers of quality books. D2D continues to add to its list of services to complement its Universal Book Links, with Book Tabs, Author Pages and Print Solutions all available to D2D’s customers.
Kevin’s latest novel, The Girl In The Mayan Tomb, is out now and he’s already deep into the writing of his next book, The Antarctic Forgery (working title). You can find out more about Kevin and his novels https://www.kevintumlinson.com/books/ (here.)
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And don’t forget to check out this week’s sponsor, Paul Brodie’s The Book Publishing For Authors Implementation Program, http://www.brodieedu.com/services (here.)
Sagas are back!! The Paris Seamstress is the right novel at the right time for Australian Author, Natasha Lester. How much will a young Parisian seamstress sacrifice to make her mark in the male-dominated world of 1940s New York fashion?
Labelled as a novel of ‘hope, heartache and a journey of discovery’ by Books & Publishing, Natasha’s much touted latest novel is finally available – yep, it’s launch day.
If you are enamoured by Tiffany’s and New York City’s garment district then you’re going to love this one. In fact, all of Natasha’s books are about to be published in the UK by Sphere.
Natasha is suddenly what we all know as an overnight success. But if you want to know the real truth behind what goes into writing a bestseller, then Natasha shares with us the highs and lows – and everything in between – of the writing process, from pre-drafts, the first discovery draft, and all the drafts after that, about six in total for Natasha.
From research trips to watching documentaries and listening to podcasts, Natasha shares with us the story behind the story of The Paris Seamstress. Then there’s meaty issue of dual narratives that kept Natasha awake for more than a few nights as she learnt the intricacies of tying the two narratives of her latest novel into one seamless whole.
Know anything about daily life in another era, about underwear and when doorbells were invented? And then there’s the next novel, tentatively titled The French Photographer, and here we chat about museums, chateaus and Christian Dior.
But the one big take-away from our chat – and there are lots of take-aways – is that ideas take time. They need to be ready, to incubate, and that other art-forms are a great source of inspiration.
You can find out more about Natasha, her books, and the writing process https://www.natashalester.com.au/ (here.)
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This week’s podcast is sponsored by the Book Publishing For Authors Implementation Program, soon to be shortened to Get Published, and put together by eleven time bestselling author, Paul Brodie. You can find out more https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.BrodieEDU.com%2Fservices&h=ATNWywjSp7lTJEr9TznnyBFFbbzQ33Op5mzuRYhHUtthFfd-A51kE8A6Thsaj3lZJKWuCS6kvr4DjLNnq7oIesF4FnpcVq8r46edESqd9wLNty7OWlP0StfOjbU (here.)
Learn how to self-publish before you choose to self-publish, is the sage advice of self-publishing expert, Joanne Dannon. It’s easy to upload your book, but it’s a lot harder to sell your book, develop your brand and make a living from your writing.
Step 1 is to write a good book, followed by professional editing rounds, formatting, cover design and uploading to the various sales platforms.
Then, there’s the business side of things; your website, blog, social media strategy, and mailing list. Did I mention being consistent with your brand from the start, which will save you the pain of having to re-jig everything down the track?
Still want to self-publish? Good.
Joanne has published thirteen books, and she’s made it her business to learn the business of self-publishing. The rewards are more than merely financial. You are in control of your business and making mistakes is all part of the learning process.
Luckily, there are great courses, blogs, conferences and people out there to smooth your journey. Being professional is a great place to start, and there’s no-one better to listen to than Joanne when it comes to being professional about self-publishing.
I’ve been teasing her about being the next Bella Andre – but secretly I think Joanne is already successful in her own right. You can find out more about Joanne and her books http://joannedannon.com/home/ (here.)
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This week’s podcast is sponsored by the beautiful Sherrie McCarthy over at Creative Mermaids. You can find out more https://www.creativemermaids.com/ (here.) And your can find out more about our our Writing Programs https://writerontheroad.com/adults/ (here).
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How much fun can three Aussie Romance Authors have? Rachael Johns, Lisa Ireland and Sally Hepworth share their secrets of living their lives as professional writers, including making the time to write, pushing through the resistance, finding your tribe and more, much more.
The trio chat about word-counts, trusting in the process and accountability. Committing to the writing life is a choice, and it’s not for everyone, but if you’re an aspiring author, or an author on your own writing journey, then these ladies have something to share with you. A few gems; if it’s easy, forget it, don’t reject yourself, fracking around (not sure what this one’s about but I’m going to listen again to find out:), just put your work out there, and don’t lose faith in yourself. There’s also a wonderful thing called a Freedom App, which turns everything else off, and leaves you to write undistracted, something I’m checking out as I type this.
Rachael, Lisa and Sally have published over thirty books between them, with Sally having just released her novel, Lisa is next and Rachael later in the year. They not only know what they’re talking about, they’re generous in sharing their knowledges. You can find out more about Rachael http://www.rachaeljohns.com/ (here,) Lisa http://lisairelandbooks.com/ (here,) and Sally, https://www.sallyhepworthauthor.com/ (here.) Don’t forget to subscribe to The Secret Life of Authors newsletter on any of their websites.
https://writerontheroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Creative-Mermaids.png ()This week’s podcast is sponsored by Sherrie McCarthy over at Creative Mermaids. You can check out her ever growing band of creatives https://www.creativemermaids.com/ (here.)
From working seven days a week as restauranteurs to a self-funded life on the road in an eleven metre motorhome, Phyllis Hinz and Lamont Mackay, have lived the life most of us dream about. More commonly known as The Cooking Ladies, the duo have cruised the United States and Canada, and gathered more than a little infamy along the way. Am I jealous? You bet. Phyllis and Lamont have dared to follow their passion and made a huge success out of doing it.
With sponsored travel/cookery books to freelance writing for magazines and more than a few of their own Indie-published books, these ladies have attacked their freelance lifestyle with both professionalism and zeal. That the rest of us can learn from them is a given. Their latest book, Let’s Get Grilling, is their first foray into traditional publishing, and is an object of beauty for both its images as well as its travel tales. And, lucky for us, the ladies have provided two copies of their book for me to give away.
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Food, travel and writing have a way of going together. From the people you meet to the places you visit, there’s always a story to tell. For Phyllis and Lamont, it’s been a combination of hard work, business savvy and meticulous planning. Very little is left to chance with this pair, as you’ll hear. And their best piece of advice, always have a pitch ready that tells what you can do for others. Oh, and always say “Sure” when someone asks you to do something because you never know what opportunities lay ahead.
You can find out more about The Cooking Ladies, their travel tales, recipes and books https://www.thecookingladies.com/ (here.)
Ever wondered about taking your work on the road and combining it with travel and pleasure? The freedom to do exactly that is common for more people than you think. Co-working spaces solve most problems in relation to internet connections, skill-sharing, meet-ups and events. There’s a growing community out there who can tell you where to go, what to see and how to get your work done. An added bonus is the friends you make along the way.
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Barbaralicious is what’s known as an influencer in the digital nomad space, and her philosophy on life is the things that make us happy are not material possessions but what we give back. Today, she chats with us about the sixteen books she’s published – one a month – the fifty countries she visited and all the tricks and tips she’s learned along the way. She runs a travel blog for digital nomads and online workers, and she’s worked hard to establish her brand, publishing City Guides for Digital Nomads.
Barbara funds her travels through her books, articles, affiliate links and sponsorship. As she says, some days are better than others and often her traveling and accommodation style fluctuates with her fortunes. However, with the rise of housesitting as an option, being single and footloose can have its advantages.
Making a living – and a lucrative one – can be done. And that’s where social media comes in. With over 40,000 followers on and a large email list, Barbara doesn’t have much trouble reaching out to her followers. Whilst uploading this podcast it was easy to track Barbara down. She’s off home to Europe from a long stay in Asia but she’s already planning on coming back. Did I mention she speaks Italian, Spanish, German and French, after studying languages at university?
You can find out more about Barbara, her travel guides and her blog advice https://barbaralicious.com/en/ (here.)
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This week’s podcast is sponsored by my 30 Days To Better Writing Habits. You can find out more https://www.facebook.com/writerontheroad/ (here.)
We all have good days and bad days with our writing, but spare a thought for today’s guest where a good day is a very good day indeed and a bad day could sink her boat. Sherrie McCarthy, founder of Creative Mermaids, encourages us all to live our most creative and vibrant lives – and have fun along the way. You can find out more about Sherrie and her Creative Mermaids https://www.creativemermaids.com/ (here.)
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Today’s podcast is sponsored by 30 Days To Better Writing Habits. Starting with a blank page can be scary. Getting into a writing habit takes time. Day 1 is only the beginning. By the end of your thirty days you should have an organised writing routine to help you write the book of your dreams. You can join us https://www.facebook.com/groups/1977989655785571/ (here.)
Harlequin Mills & Boon sell a book every four seconds, and today I’m chatting with Australian Romance Author, Clare Connelly, to learn the secrets to writing a romance novel. You also get to tweet your pitch for a chance to win one of four copies of Clare’ M&B Dare romance, Off Limits.
Clare’s first tip is to write a lot and write often – it was going to be the title of this podcast but I couldn’t resist the idea of using a title that we can all relate to – and like Tracey Pedersen’s ‘write a million word in a year group, Clare is a member of the Romance Writers of Australia Wordcount Warriors, so she practices what she preaches (she also mentions that she can write 1000 words in 20-30 minutes which would help:)).
With three Presents, three Dares and an Indie novel coming out this year – and most of those word already written – Clare’s working on a bigger project, a commercial women’s fiction. As for time management, she says she does what she has to do to get the writing done.
Conferences are life-changing, and Clare shares the secrets to pitching to an agent at a Conference. With this year’s RWA Conference in Sydney coming up, it’s a good time to hone your pitches and send them to us at @clarewriteslove or @melinda_hammond.
There’s also the immediate opportunity to pitch to Mills & Boon’s Romance Blitz, where you’re guaranteed editorial feedback. The opportunities are endless.
You can find out more about Clare and her novels http://www.clareconnelly.com/ (here.)
This week’s episode is brought to you by my 30 Days to Better Writing Habits. You can find out more https://www.facebook.com/writerontheroad/ (here.)
Happy writing xx
Grow you email list, network and promote your books, is the advice that prolific romance author, Tracey Pedersen, shares with us today and she makes it sound so easy. But listen a little closer and you’ll learn the real secret. Bum on chair and write.
Tracey is dedicated to her craft and she’s learnt everything she knows along the way. She calls it taking action through a constant stream of baby steps. Her romantic comedy, Married This Year, is the first in a new series and is proving to be her most popular book yet.
She has grown her email list from a few hundred to over 16,000 by following Nick Stephenson’s advice in Your First 10,000 Customers and she has carried out joint promotions with other authors from Stephenson’s Dream Team Network. I’ve bought the first, and joined the latter but Tracey’s done the hard slog, written sixteen books and counting, and has worked her way through Mark’s course with determination.
She attended 20 Books to $50K in Las Vegas last November, and is currently taking part in a Million Word in a Year challenge. As she says, it’s only 3000 words a day, which doesn’t sound nearly as daunting, does it? Tracey should know. She’s given up her day job and is living comfortably off her Indie income. Freedom, it seems, is just another word for bum on chair and doing the hard yards.
And in case you’re wondering, yes, I’ve joined Tracey and her million word challenge. Small steps, you said Trace?
You can find out more about Tracey and her success story http://traceypedersen.com/ (here.) And there’s a great article she wrote for Mark’s blog where she gives the rest of us a gentle nudge in the right direction. You can find the article http://www.blog.yourfirst10kreaders.com/book-promotion-success-stories-taking-action/ (here.)
This week’s episode is sponsored by 30 Days to Better Writing Habits. You can join me daily at 9.00am over at my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/writerontheroad/ (here) or sign up for my newsletter and receive a free copy of The Voices in Your Head Writing Guidelines.
If you’ve ever thought of supplementing your income with a bit of travel writing, dabbling with magazine writing or becoming a serious full time freelancer, then sit back and listen as Lindy Alexanders shares what she’s learnt along the way to earning $100k a year as a freelance writer. Here are some of the things we discuss:
Being a fast, trusted and reliable writer
The shift towards digital pay rates lifting
Compelling personal stories
Developing relationships
Inflight magazines
Research
How to pitch
Finding ideas
Testimonials
Taking good pics
Managing workflow
Saying no
Biggest fails
If it all sounds romantic, then you’re right, it is. But it’s also hard work and you need to be professional in your approach if you want to be the go-to writer for editors. You can find out more about Lindy and her year of freelancing, and subscribe to her newsletter https://www.lindyalexander.net/ (here.)
This week’s podcast sponsor is Travel Writers Radio. You can listen https://soundcloud.com/travelwritersradio (here).
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The world needs more daydreamers. It’s okay to fail. How do we enable our girls? These are just a few of the ideas up for discussion with Col Jones, entrepreneur educator at Queensland University. Then there’s Sam, Girlpreneur, out there doing her way. I call it when theory meets practice. And it makes for interesting listening for the rest of us watching from the sidelines.
As teachers, we know when we’re successful when our students are capable of creating their own opportunities for satisfaction. Sam’s done that but neither she nor I are sure how, or why, and that’s where Col comes in, naming more than a few of the qualities Sam and I take for granted in our small world, but ones we know are far harder to come by in educational institutions, that is, schools.
Col lists the six attributes students can develop through entrepreneur education; intellectually, close friendships, independence in value judgements, tolerance of ambiguity, an uncommon interest in the common place and a balanced sense of humour. Most of Col’s students are already passionate by the time they get to him and it’s his job to set up the environment for their future learning. He talks about entrepreneurial competencies and his students being able to create their own opportunities though their adaptive capacities. He also writes books on entrepreneurial education and is currently working on a manifesto on how to teach entrepreneurship. But the real secret, he says, is getting out of students’ ways, and creating a space where they can gain confidence in their abilities by walking in an entrepreneur’s shoes.
This is not the first podcast chat I’ve enjoyed with Col and it won’t be the last. He’s even set me some homework, reading A Primer for the Philosophy of Education, by Samuel Rocha. I’ll try to get hold of Col’s manifesto for teaching entrepreneurship, too. You can find out more about Col, his books and his teaching https://www.teaching-entrepreneurship.com/ (here.)
As for Sam, she’s promised she’ll join me on the podcast again but only if I give her the questions first. Go figure, my daughter lost for words. And I have the evidence to prove it. Thanks, Sam. Love you. xx
Creating something from nothing is the entrepreneur’s most important skill. Discipline and art is what makes it happen. Jarie Bolander, Editor in Chief of the Daily MBA and author of The Entrepreneur Ethos: How to Build a More Ethical, Inclusive and Resilient Entrepreneur Community,unpacks the internal workings of what it takes to be an entrepreneur. He talks about the traits entrepreneurs need, the internal challenges we face on a daily basis and the importance of leading from within. Jarie shares tips on how to build success into our daily lives, including how creativity on a deadline is the best kind of deadline, why telling stories matter, the importance of timing and how best to foster the leadership skills we need to succeed. What we do matters and Jarie talks us through the entrepreneur ethos in a way that not only gives us permission to follow our passion but to build a better world doing it. You can find out more about Jarie, his books and coaching http://enduranceleader.com/jarie-bolander/ (here.)
Sponsorship of this week’s episode is by BrodieEDU. You can set up a 15 minute call with Paul so he can answer any questions that you have about the publishing and marketing process with your book http://www.brodieedu.com/coaching/ (here).
Happy summer reading, everyone. Meet Darry Fraser, author of historical and contemporary fiction. You can find out more about Darry and her novels, Daughter of the Murray and Where the Murray River Runs, https://www.darryfraser.com/ (here.)
I asked my Summer Reading Series guests four questions in an attempt to peek behind the scenes of the life of a writer:
What books influenced you as a writer?
Where do you write?
What do your readers most often want to know about you?
What are you reading now?
We hope you enjoy our Summer Reading & Writing Series. Happy New Year everyone. xx
I asked my Summer Reading Series guests four questions in an attempt to peek behind the scenes of the life of a writer:
What books influenced you as a writer?
Where do you write?
What do your readers most often want to know about you?
What are you reading now?
We hope you enjoy our Summer Reading & Writing Series. Happy New Year everyone. See you in 2018 xx
A conversation with Australian author, Tea Cooper, where we discuss all things research, from the wonders of Trove to the delights of local folk museums spawning treasures that bring added life to our stories. You can find out more about Tea and her novels http://www.teacooperauthor.com/ (here.)
Freedom’s just another word for taking the leap, and getting out there and doing it. Word is, it’s not as scary as it seems. Joe Russo, of We’re The Russos, should know. He’s written a book about it, Take Risks; One Couple’s Journey to Quit Their Jobs & Hit The Open Road. Not only is it possible to live the dream and travel the world, it’s possible to make money doing it. Best of all, you don’t need to be a tech junkie or have all the you-beaut equipment. A computer, an iPhone and a reliable internet connection is all it takes. That, plus the ability to write and talk your way into an income. Best of all, once you’re out there, you’ll meet lots of like-minded souls on the same journey. Joe talks about Youtube, the importance of your website, social media, books, Patreon and more, but the message is the same for all of us making a living from our writing. Multiple streams of income matter. Being able to diversify offers flexibility. The rest is in the doing – think it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere. Joe & Kait are building up quite a following as they demystify the living on the road lifestyle. Their first book was about taking the leap. Their next book, in the writing, is about making a living on the road. You can find out more about Joe, Kait and their travels https://weretherussos.com/ (here.)
This week’s sponsorship of the podcast is courtesy of Paul Brodie, President of BrodieEDU – you can find out more about Paul and watch his free webinar about the three secrets on how to market your own book to a #1 Bestseller in the next 90 days http://www.brodieedu.com/ (here.)
Are you ready for a few top mindset strategies to help you deal with fear, ego and money? Brian Burkard, of the Marketing Mindset Podcast, mixes it with the experts and today he shares his mindset toolkit with us.
Developing a growth mindset isn’t easy but there are a few tricks, like starting your day by setting your intentions rather than reacting to other people’s agendas. Living your dream, never giving up, reminding yourself that now is always the best time to start and sticking with whatever it is you’ve started for however long it takes.
Limiting beliefs, the shiny object syndrome and comparisonitis all work together, often in tandem, to derail our best intentions if we let them. It also pays to remind ourselves that there’s rarely a beast called overnight success. Instead, there are systems. Act fast. Be focused. Learn from failure.
And the one I like best, find yourself an accountability partner, a coach, or someone who will help you commit to your goals. And remember, inspiration comes from within, and your hero is yourself ten years from now. You can find out more about Brian and download your mindset toolkit http://www.themarketersmindset.com/ (here.)
Our sponsorship this week is courtesy of Paul Brodie at BrodieEDU – you can find out more about Paul and download his free video series on becoming a bestselling author http://www.brodieedu.com/ (here.)
‘Where do I start?’ is the question Judy Lawn, author and Creative Writing Teacher, is most often asked in her writing classes. That, and where to find ideas. Her advice is always the same. Study good stories in depth and find out why they work. Look at the dialogue, setting and characters, the backstory and point of view. Never stop learning and don’t be put off by what others tell you. Take heart and write. Pluck up the courage and just start. Judy has been teaching writing classes for nearly twenty years and she has a few tricks to get our writing muscles working. Today we talk about ideas maps, sentences, key words and proverbs. We talk about using the five senses and polishing our writing till it sings. This is a podcast about writing and why good writing matters. Judy should know. She’s been published anywhere and everywhere, from Woman’s Weekly and Woman’s Day through to New Zealand’s Literary Journal, Takahe. She’s the author of Creative Writing and Take Heart & Write. You can find out more about Judy and her books http://www.judylawn.com/ (here).
Have you ever thought about sitting down and planning exactly what you want your writing life to look like? Annie Seaton – author of Kakadu, Daintree and Diamond Sky, along with countless other novels over the last five years – takes a breath and shares with us, not only her writing journey to date, but how she’s fighting hard to gain some kind of balance to the crazy thing we call our writing lives. Annie’s the first to admit she’s driven to succeed and sometimes there’s more work than play in her life. But all that’s changing as she sets new goals and works out what the next stage of her journey will look like. More single titles, showcasing the depth and maturity in her writing, along with the romances she’s always loved to write. If she writes everything she wants to next year her word count will hit 440k, but it’s time to find a balance. Think a bit of gardening, walks on the beach with the dog and the occasional road trip, and things start to sound a little more sane. Annie calls it putting a few eggs in your personal basket. Our chat today ranges from dispelling a few of the myths about the writing life, to establishing your brand and positioning yourself on social media. She also mentioned something about being disciplined. Annie’s latest release, Come Back to Me, is out now. She also has a sixty-page book, Tips & Tricks for Aspiring Authors, which she updated especially for us. You can find out more about Annie, her books and her adventures http://www.annieseaton.net/ (here.)
Ever wanted to try your hand at travel writing? The first thing you need to do is identify what’s motivating you; being published, freedom to travel or free trips? Once you know your motivation the rest falls into place, especially if you listen to the advice of Travel Writing Coach and journalist, Gabi Logan, or read her book, The Six-Figure Travel Writing Roadmap. Or sign up for her webinar series. Or, best, tap into her Dream of Travel Writing database that lists all the gigs available each week. Make no mistake, it’s not easy, nor is blogging and hoping someone will notice you the way to go (tip: Gabi earns more guest posting for others and doesn’t have a blog of her own). Gabi’s advice is for those of us interested in the business side of travel writing, where the single best secret is showing up and doing the work. In this episode, Gabi chats with us about establishing credibility, where to look for the best gigs, pitching, attending conferences and how the best stories may just be around the corner. More importantly, she shares her tips on creative energy, managing your time, and gaining a work/life balance. You can find out more about Gabi and the business of travel writing http://www.gabilogan.com/ (here) and https://www.dreamoftravelwriting.com/ (here).
Do you crave the freedom to do what you’re passionate about? If that means getting your book out there and being an authority in your field then you’re in the right place. Ask yourself what are you willing to invest and what it’s costing you not to have your book out there, and you start to get the idea of the power of Brodie’s reasoning.
Committing to the decision to write and publish your book is yours and it’s Brodie’s job to help you create the frameworks and systems to make it happen. His secret? Three words: accountability, focus and implementation. He not only guides you through the process of writing and publishing your book, but also how to launch it and build your audience. There’s a lot more but you get the idea.
If you missed Episode 81, then it’s worth a listen, too. Actually, I could listen to this man all day but that’s not the idea. The idea is to be motivated to write with Brodie in your corner. Start with the freebies, three hours of up-to-date audio, Book Publishing for Authors, watch the free webinar, and buy his book. You’ll find it may just be only the beginning of your journey with this man. I know it’s mine.
You can find out more about Brodie and his coaching business http://www.brodieedu.com/ (here) and access the free give-aways using the links below. Enjoy!
Get Published Webinar Link: http://www.onlinemeetingnow.com/register/?id=lrcmzxh7qg (http://www.onlinemeetingnow.com/register/?id=lrcmzxh7qg)
Book Publishing for Authors Free Audiobook Link: http://www.brodieedu.com/bpfa (http://www.brodieedu.com/bpfa)
Interested in literary festivals, school visits and speaking gigs as part of your writing schedule? Award-winning Australian author, Tasmin Janu includes the Adelaide Writers Festival and the Premier’s Awards on her resume, Scholastic publishes her books and she makes her living from her writing life, with the occasional day job thrown in. And she’s young. From studying law and international and global studies, to being the remote community youth worker, to globe-trotter, Tamsin has packed a lot into her young life. Her first book, Figgy in the World, is set in Ghana, and it’s followed up with Figgy and the President, and Figgy Takes the City. And now there’s Blossom, a story about a young girl who finds a strange new friend on her doorstep. If you want to know the secret to Janu’s success it’s consistency – yeah, I asked – and knowing your market. Read a lot in your genre (the current stuff), be yourself and write what you want to write. Oh, and being able to write a couple of thousand words in a day is nifty, too. Make friends, network and don’t forget to join a Writers Association. Listening to Janu talk I feel like I’m learning from an expert, which I am. She knows her stuff, and lucky for us, she’s generous with her knowledge. You can find out more about Janu’s books and story http://www.tamsinjanu.com/ (here.)
Write every day, start that book and keep going forward. If you think it sounds like good advice then you’re in for a treat. Fiona McArthur knows what she’s talking about. With nearly forty romance and a couple of non-fiction books to her name, two million sales, translated into twelve languages, it’s not a bad effort for this quiet country author who just happens to set her books in exotic outback locations. Sit back and listen as we journey to remote outback Australia, and learn about the allure of the outback for so many Australian writers. Strong capable heroines who rely on their own strengths to save the day coupled with locations that make for drama that would test the strongest characters, male or female. Throw in babies who wait for no man or woman to make their entrance, and you have all the ingredients for great stories. The Baby Doctor, McArthur’s newest release, is already 28 on the iTunes and The Homestead Girls, released in 2015, is still featuring prominently on the charts. All this for a writer who took ten years to sell her first novel. It’s an episode worth savouring. You can find out more about McArthur and her books at www.fionamcarthurauthor.com
How many assets do you own from your writing? Julie Schooler shares with us why it’s important to take care of your writing business even as you add more assets to your list. In Julie’s case, it’s meant a switch from non-fiction to trying her hand at fiction and she shares with us the struggles and joys of writing her first fully made-up story, along with her journey to getting it published. If you’ve ever thought of writing and publishing your own picture book, then Julie shares a practical way of going about it, from using a spreadsheet to choosing an illustrator, keeping control of costs and the sheer joy of producing a beautiful product. Her next project is a Bucket List Blueprint which I’m looking forward to reading.
With guest host, Sarah Williams: Barbara Hannay has been writing rural romance for twenty years and has seen many changes along the way. We talk about her early days writing for Mills and Boon before being head hunted by Penguin. Over recent years her books have had multiple stories and time lines and it is an art the way she weaves these together. When she’s not writing, she teaches writing workshops, goes on retreats with other writer friends and enjoys living in the beautiful North Queensland Tablelands. It was at the Townsville Writers Festival two years ago when I first met Barbara and I credit her with inspiring me to write my own rural romance novel – The Brothers of Brigadier Station. You can find out more about Barbara Hannay http://www.barbarahannay.com/ (here).
There’s no better introduction to what Social Entrepreneur and podcaster, Tony Loyd, does than the following quote:
‘Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The square pegs in the round holes. The ones who see differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify them or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones we see them as genius.’ Rob Siltanen
For the rest, you need to read Tony’s book, Crazy Good Advice. You can find out more about Tony, his book, podcast and radio show here.
Making a difference, values driven and entrepreneurial just about sums up what most of us want in our professional lives. Lisa Sweeney took things one step further when she purchased Business in Heels with her friend Jo Plummer. The duo’s business now has over 100,000 member across forty locations, and they’re well on the way to achieving their goal of creating a global network of businesswomen and entrepreneurs. What does that mean for Indie authors? A built-in support network, for starters, and then there is all that expertise to tap into, along with opportunities to make new friends, forge new business relationship and..err..the chance to learn how to network. So why did I hate my experience at a Business in Heels networking event? Because I’m bad at it. If the key to personal and professional growth is discomfort then this is where I need to be. As Lisa says, it’s a mindset shift, moving from hiding in our attics to success through collaboration, marketing and trade. Her advice; think big, get a strategy in place and organise your marketing. Oh, and it’s not about me, it’s about the other person. Being a writer is easy, being an expert, or touting your wares, is a lot harder, and having a network of women to support, encourage and yep, sometimes push a little, can only be a good thing. Women entrepreneurs are growing in and out of the corporate world and more women are starting their own businesses. It makes sense to help each other along the way. So it’s time to get out of our attics and – my worst nightmare – network five to seven times a week. You can find out how https://www.businessinheels.com/staticpages/aboutus/ (here.)
On any given day Indie author, Leeanna Morgan, gives away 1000 books and sells another three hundred. She has been publishing her books since 2014, writes 2000 words a day, and has published over twenty books to date. It takes her six weeks to write and another two weeks to edit, and she loves it the whole process. The secret to her success is – no surprise – write more books. Leeanna’s books are contemporary romances set in Bozeman, Montana but she has her eye on her home country, New Zealand for an upcoming series. Her series include The Montana Brides, The Bridesmaids Club, The Protectors and Emerald Lake Billionaires. Her best tips? Write more books, try new things, build a backlist, publish regularly, write series, go wide with distribution, be consistent with your branding, choose your genre well, and outsource what you’re not good at. The most interesting thing happening right now, says Leeanna, is around pricing. You can find out more about Leeanna and her books http://www.leeannamorgan.com/ (here).
Last week it was about developing a millionaire mindset, this week it’s about daily habits, attitudes and behaviours. Ours! What do we do every day to move ourselves, step-by-step, towards prosperity? Part 2 of my chat with Cassandra Gaisford completes the Prosperous Author jigsaw puzzle. ‘A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper,’ says E B White. Doing the work is Cassandra’s solution. Fifteen minute routines, doing what we can with what we have, where we can, writing faster, and making friends with technology are a few tips we can take away. Sleep, finding our tribes and foregoing the nightly tipple may also help. Cassandra recommends we develop resilience, focus on what we really want and fight for our dreams. My advice, finish what we start. You can find out more about Cassandra, her books and her coaching http://www.cassandragaisford.com/ (here.) Oh, and don’t forget to listen to last week’s episode https://writerontheroad.com/82-make-living-writing-motivational-coach-cassandra-gaisford/ (here) if you already haven’t.
Adopt a millionaire mindset—dream big, be audacious, take inspired action, and fear less, says best selling author and motivational coach, Cassandra Gaisford. We need to live more and experience life to the full. The power to create a life of prosperous significance lies within us and Cassandra tells us how with her Prosperous Author Series, which kicks off with Developing a Millionaire Mindset. It sounds easy enough, except it’s not. That’s where Cassandra comes in. After an hour listening to Cassandra talk us through the process we are empowered to go it alone. Until next week, anyway, when she’s back to share a few tricks from Book 2 with us on productivity hacks, how to do less and make more. There’s never been a better time to harness the field of vast potential to make a living from our writing. But to grow our income we need to grow, too. Cassandra’s Series will show us how. You can find out more here:
http://www.cassandragaisford.com/ (http://www.cassandragaisford.com/)
Have you ever tried the do-it-yourself approach to a task where it ends up costing you more time and expense than you expected, not to mention the frustration at finding out halfway through that your project is not as easy as it looks? Welcome to the world of Indie writing and publishing. You start out with good intentions, falter, flounder and finally fall while everyone around you finishes their masterpiece, gets rich, retires from their day job and launches courses on how-to-write aimed at people like you which, if you’re anything like me, you never finish or sometimes even start. Welcome, the professional writing coach. Yep, we pay for everything else and it’s about time we started paying the experts to help us write, publish and market our books. Paul Brodie, of Brodie Education, specialising in motivational, publishing and leadership seminars, is one such expert and he’s proved it by walking his talk with eight Amazon bestselling books to his name. His question, what are you willing to invest in order to change your life? Paul believes books should be inexpensive, straightforward, direct and not contain a bunch of fluff – and he’s also a straight talker with the ability to explain complex ideas and strategies in a simple and straightforward way. He’s also just launched his latest coaching course, Book Publishing for Authors in 90 Days or Less. You can find out more about Paul and his services http://www.brodieedu.com (here).
Kevin Tumlinson’s been around the publishing game for awhile and he’s learned more than a thing or two about Indie publishing on his way. With the third book in his Dan Kotler Thriller series, The Devil’s Interval, released around about now, Kevin practises what he preaches. Did I mention he’s also Director of Marketing for D2D, the most successful digital publishing aggregate, helping the rest of us follow in his footstep. And that’s when my conversation with Kevin gets really interesting. D2D have just announced a new service where those of us not in America can get our audio books produced, published and distributed (or any of the three). Findaway Voices is God’s answer to those of us in the antipodes who want turn our books into audiobooks but, to date, haven’t been able to without a whole lot of effort. Now, it’s just a click away on our D2D dashboards. Oh, and while I wasn’t looking, D2D have also snuck in a neat way to get our ebooks into print without all the fuss of us having to do everything ourselves. You can find out more about Kevin and his books https://www.kevintumlinson.com/ (here) and about Draft2Digital https://www.draft2digital.com/ (here.) You can also listen to our last chat about how to write and publish your books https://writerontheroad.com/23-business-writing-day-5-draft2digital-marketing-manager-kevin-tumlinson/ (here.)
‘You never finish writing a book, you just stop,’ is a truism for most writers. Then comes the hard question, should you self publish or go the traditional route? The trouble is, there are more than a few myths still to be dispelled around the subject of Indie versus traditional publishing, and it’s a coversation worth having if you have a book to send out into the world. Belinda Pollard – publisher, editor and author – knows what it takes to write and launch a book because it’s her job to make our books the best they can be. Belinda has a passion for self publishing and is meticulous about making books, hers or ours, perfect. As a developmental and structual editor, and CEO of Small Blue Dog Publishing, she knows what she’s talking about. She works with both beginning and established writers, and has advice for both. From how to publish, to beta readers and distribution, Belinda has helped more than a few authors through the maze that is publishing in the twenty-first century. You can find out more about Belinda, her books, and her business here.
Crime fiction is the biggest selling genre in Oz, says psychological thriller author, LA Larkin. Think biological warfare, espionage, cyber-stalking and hacking, and you start to understand how Larkin spends her days – researching it, not doing it, that is. Her latest novel, Devour, described as ‘ice-pick sharp, packed with intrigue, action and spine-chilling suspense’ is full of all of these and more. The Australian/British author is always learning and shares with us how to go about writing action adventure thrillers. In Larkin’s case, the environment plays a large part in her stories and to this end she’s spent time in Antarctica, researching the chilly stations of a scientific research station. During our chat I learn about white hat/black hat hackers and how the webcam on my computer may be watching me. I also learn about writing habits and routines, which I really need to do something about. You can find out more about Larkin and her novels http://www.lalarkin.com/ (here).
Have you ever tried speech recognition software to dictate your book and supercharge your writing workflow? Scott Baker, author of How to Train Your Dragon, and soon to be provider of online courses of the same name, shares more than a few tricks and tips with us on how to get the most out of the dictation software whilst maintaining our sanity. But it’s his next book, unwritten but in the planning stages, that interests me, Train Your Brain to Write With Dragon, because it’s one thing to buy the software and associated gadgetry etc but it’s another altogether to learn to speak your punctuation at a fast rap. Scott can do it and he assures us it becomes second nature after awhile, but getting your head around all the quote, fullstop, comma and new line stuff that the fun begins. I’ve tried and I’m still deciphering the mess I made. But 7000 words an hour is worth the fight. Being able to ‘write’ anywhere and pin down the atmosphere of a place, character, or setting is irresistible. Scott is adamant it’s the way of the future and who am I to argue. Not only is it impressively fast and accurate if you do it right, it’s also a lot of fun. You can find out more about Scott, his online courses, book, tips and tricks https://scottbakerbooks.com/ (here.)
The Irish are born storytellers and Indie author, Jean Grainger, is no exception. Following in the tradition of Maeve Binchy, Jean’s sagas span centuries and wars, exploring friendships and family ties. If your heart is broken it hurts, Jean says, a theme embedded in all her stories. With three novels published and one on the way, Jean is a natural. By day she teaches poetry to teenage boys and for the rest of the time she writes, sometimes up to 20,000 words a week, discovering her passion for writing whilst in the midst of a Phd on Irish Women in WW2. She ditched dry academia and used her research to So Much Owed, the second of her published novels. Her first, The Tour, took its inspiration from her job as a tour guide in County Cork. Married to her historian husband and living in a cottage in the Irish countryside, Jean is currently immersed in preparing book number four, Under Heaven’s Shining Stars, for release. You can find out more about Jean and her writing life http://www.jeangrainger.com/ (here.)
Sometimes life gets a little crazy and it’s time to realign. The Sacred Six: The Simple Step-By-Step Process For Focusing Your Attention And Recovering Your Dreams is my go-to book when I’m in overwhelm. JB’s book (and six-module course) is about helping you get clear about understanding what’s really important in your life so that you’re going in the right direction. It’s about being in total alignment where total chaos reigns. It’s about aligning your values, your spirituality and getting yourself in balance. And it’s about finding your freedom. JB has an MBA and a PhD and rather huge libraries on spirituality and business, and he believes in education. He believes the reason you can be successful is your willingness to learn, to try new things and to fail if necessary. Nobody can take your education away from you. Look at who are the teachers, where the teachers learn, where did they get their information and how can you learn from them. You can find out more about JB and The Sacred Six http://www.glossinger.com/ (here.)
Softwarepreneur, Hani Mourra, works with entrepreneurs to grow their businesses through social media and today he shares more than a few secrets with us as he takes us through the basics of repurposing the content we create to grow our businesses. He reminds us of the three main tools we have at our disposal; written content, video content and podcasting. He shares with us the best way to build our customer base through capturing email addresses, automating emails to our lists and much more. Most importantly, he shares his latest toy with us – a repurposing tool – that allows us to repurpose our content. Did I mention Hani was a software engineer in another life and that he’s already built wordpress plugins such as Simple Social Press and Simple Video Press? You can find out more about Hani and his software tools http://hanimourra.com/ (here.)
Fan Fiction is more popular than you think. Think Harry Potter fanfic, or Jane Austen if that’s your preference, and you’ll find legions of writers creating stories based on their fave characters. There’s something out there for us all to read – or write – but make sure you know the lingo. Fanfiction terminology is rife and it’s easy to give yourself away as a rookie if you don’t get it right. Worse, you can accidentally stray into territory that can make you blush. How do I know? Well, I’d never heard of fanfic until my good friend, and fanfic author, Tari Jeffers, filled me in on what I was missing out on. At the ripe old age of 28, Tari’s considered an elder in the world of fanfiction writing and she’s clocked up more than a few hundred thousand words in her favourite genre – good writing practise, yes, but also a creative artform of its own. I can’t say I was hooked but I was definitely intrigued. And trying to convince Tari to put her writing skills to work outside the fanfic world fell on deaf ears. It seems once hooked on fanfic you’re hooked for life. Go figure:)
PS: There’s an article in Forbes Magazine today with the headline, ‘How Christina Lauren Went From Fanfiction Fame to 14 Bestsellers’ – okay, I’m hooked now!!
If you think you don’t have the time to write, think again. Five minutes listening to Lia Weston talk about her writing life will have you racing to your keyboard, or notepad, or jotting down notes with one hand while you answer the phone with the other. Lesson one: there is always time write if you make it. Lesson two: immerse yourself in your writing every chance you get, even if it’s only half an hour, no excuses. Lia has a great article on writing a debut novel where she lists the real lessons she’s learned on her way to writing her latest novel – my favourite is that it must be written before it can be rewritten. You can read the article – along with Lia’s Writing Novels Blog Series – and find out about her new novel, Those Pleasant Girls, http://www.liaweston.com.au/ (here.) I also have a couple of her novels to give away, courtesy of Pan Macmillan (pop over to my FB page to find out how). Oh, in her real life Lia runs a bicycle shop with her handsome hero hubby in the wine country of the Adelaide Hills. Can it get any better?
The process of writing and publishing your book can be overwhelming. Kylie Ansett, best-selling author, has not only been on the journey from rookie to published author she now teaches others how to do the same. With her writing training programs, webinars and bootcamps Kylie shares the who, what and why of becoming a successful non-fiction author. Today, she takes us on a journey from mind-mapping our book, to finding the time to write, the importance of a good title, book descriptions through to marketing, categories and rankings. More importantly, she explains why it’s important to put ourselves in our stories and walks us through her rigorous self-editing process. People want 20,000 words, easy to consume non-fiction books with one angle. Kylie suggests that writing a non-fiction book, from idea to published book, is not only doable it’s easily doable with the right mindset. You might like to have a pen and paper handy for this one. You can find out more about Kylie and her training programs http://www.authorwhisperer.com.au (here.)
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Don’t forget to check out my affiliate link on Facebook advertising over at Take 10 Social https://www.take10social.com.au/a/3742/n8McVrop (here).
Listening to Sarah Williams talk is like listening to a How to Be an Author The Right Way talk. History buff, world traveller and published author, Sarah heeds her own advice when she tells her students to live a life worth writing about. Running courses on how to write synopsises and blurbs, co-ordinating the Townsville Writers & Publishers Centre and organising the Townsville Writers Festival are a few things that keep Sarah busy, not to mention her four kids and regular writing habit. She also manages to find time to learn; think Michael Hyatt and how to pitch, the annual RWA Conference, Alliance of Independent Authors, and her own publishing company, Serenade Press (I met Sarah at a Joanna Penn Conference in Brisbane). Tired yet? Wait, I haven’t mentioned her writing. Sarah is celebrating the launch of The Brothers of Brigadeen Station, Book 1 of her Brothers trilogy set in outback Queensland – this one out Julia Creek way, with books two and three not far away. Sarah’s secret? Deadlines, albeit self-imposed. You can find out more about Sarah on her Facebook page, Sarah Williams Writer.
For an author who published her first book in 2014 Clare Connelly sure is prolific. The secret to Clare’s success is deep work – plus confidence, speed and starting in the right spot. Clare doesn’t always write 14,000 words in a day but she has and she can (take heart, she started at 800 words a day). She also says she’s obsessive and once she starts she writes quickly. She’s not joking – she now has forty three novels and six boxed sets to her name. The other thing that happened quickly was her journey to hybrid publishing with Harlequin. Writing for Harlequin has been a long held dream for Clare and when she saw her opportunity she took it. At last year’s RWA Conference she pitched to Joanne Grant, Harlequin’s acquisition editor, and as she says, things are now happening quickly – just like with her Indie books really:) The secret to her writing? She firmly believes the conflict in her novels has to be something that a conversation can’t resolve, that it has to be bigger than that. For more of Clare’s secrets you’ll have to listen to the podcast. You can find out more about Clare and her myriad books http://www.clareconnelly.co.uk/ (here).
Don’t forget to check out Take 10 Social’s Facebook Ads for authors https://www.take10social.com.au/a/3742/n8McVrop (here).
Have you given any thought to your LinkedIn profile lately? Adam Houlahan, author of The LinkedIn Playbook: Contact to Customers. Engage. Connect. Convert., provides a rundown on how to bypass the gatekeepers and reaching out to your ideal clients. He is also an international social media speaker with over 500,000 social media followers across multiple platforms. His advice? Sharing the right content, providing value for your clients and positioning yourself as an expert are three things to consider when posting on LinkedIn. Setting up your profile with a professional image, summarising what you do and why you do it, adding a call to action – you want people to be able to find you, right? – and explaining your why will give you an 80% success rate in attracting the right clients. If you’re anything like me, you have a profile but you haven’t optimised it, and taking the time to learn LinkedIn properly is on your To Do list but never quite makes it to the top. Well, it’s not as hard as you think and Adam has a course of two to help you along the way. You can find out more about Adam and his social media strategies https://www.adamhoulahan.com/ (here.)
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Don’t forget to check out Take 10 Social Facebook Ads Masterclass https://www.take10social.com.au/a/3742/n8McVrop (here.)
Thinking of storytelling as a strategic business tool is what Gideon For-mukwai does best and he wrote a book about it because there were plenty of books about the art of storytelling but nothing about combining that art with the science of storytelling. Gideon is a raconteur as well as an author, educator and speaker. He based his doctoral studies on researching the power of narrative, and in particular, how we need to use stories to educate others. He talks about Lincoln, Churchill and Martin Luther as examples of great storytellers and how people will remember a story long after they forget the data attached to the story. ‘How to win the hearts and minds of your prospects’ is the tagline of Gideon’s latest book which goes through the five ‘G’s of a captivating story; give a good guy a worthwhile goal, put a massive obstacle in his way, get into a duel, find a guru and end with a gift or a payoff. It’s having a story to tell that matters and by telling a story we can all touch and empower others. You can find out more about Gideon and the science of storytelling http://scienceofstorysellingforprofit.com/ (here).
And don’t forget to check out Take 10 Social’s Facebook Advertising Masterclass https://www.take10social.com.au/a/3742/n8McVrop (here).
There’s no doubt that self-publishing is a growing business model for authors. You only need to read Hugh Howey’s quarterly Author Earnings Report, or read about the success stories of authors like Joanna Penn or Mark Dawson, but can the rest of us build a profitable self-publishing business for ourselves? Today’s guest, Joanne Dannon, is doing just that and with her 8th book about to be released and 10,000 people on her mailing list she knows what she’s talking about. She’ll be the first one to tell you about the work behind her success – self-publishing is not an easy road but it’s a rewarding one – and she’s generous in sharing what she’s learning along the way. We talking about the balance between writing and business, being visible in a crowded market, keywords, FB ads and more. You can find out Joanne’s books http://joannedannon.com/ (here.)
Don’t forget to check out Take 10 Social’s Facebook Ads Masterclass https://www.take10social.com.au/a/3742/n8McVrop (here.)
Teachers know best, right? Teachers turned successful writers are an intriguing bunch. Dedicated, passionate and knowing how to engage an audience with a great story are all tricks of the trade so it can almost be argued that it’s no great surprise that Lisa Ireland’s novel, Feels Like Home, was not only a bestseller but established Lisa as one of the Top Ten Debut Fiction Authors in Australia in 2015. Her latest novel, The Shape of Us, is already causing talk and with good reason. It’s good. But what I love most about my chat with Lisa today is the discussion about how much her mother influenced her writing. Lisa has a letter devoted to her Mum on her website and, in finishing, she says, ‘Most of all, Mum, thank you for always, always, taking my writing seriously, for believing in me and for being proud of me’. It’s what mothers do best, and teachers, and writers mentoring those coming along behind. And it’s what Lisa does best, too. You can find out more about Lisa and her books http://lisairelandbooks.com/ (here.)
And don’t forget my sponsor, Kate over at Take 10 Social. You can find out more about her Facebook Advertising Masterclass https://www.take10social.com.au/a/3742/n8McVrop (here.)
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Making our living from writing is a dream for many of us but not for today’s guest. For Steph Bowe the dream is a reality. In fact, she has never known any different. Steph has always written and, at 23, is about to launch her third novel for young adults, Night Swimming, which she describes as ‘a funny, diverse story of family, love, musicals, crop-circles and goats’. And she keeps good company, alongside Merlina Marchetta and Lili Wilkinson, to name a couple of other successful Australian YA authors. So it can be done. Steph is a Stella ambassador for schools and she’s a firm believer in the need for a diversity of books. Today we talk about the importance of characters and relationships in YA fiction, as well as why self-promotion as an author matters and how to go about it. You can find out more about Steph and her books http://www.stephbowe.com/ (here.)
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Don’t forget to check out Take 10 Social’s FB ads Masterclass https://www.take10social.com.au/a/3742/n8McVrop (here).
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This podcast is sponsored by lifestyle and fitness coach, Jennifer Gale, at Fit ‘n Fifty Plus, and it’s not her fault I’ve caught the flu. You can visit Jennifer http://fitnfiftyplus.com.au/ (here.)
Have you ever thought about having a crack at writing a novel? Cassandra O’Leary did and the result was Girl on a Plane, the cover of which found its way onto a billboard at the Frankfurt Book Fair. This is a fairytale story of a book release, from a co-ordinated book cover reveal to blog tour to winning awards. And it’s about defining your own success. Released globally as an ebook through AvonMaze/HarperCollins in 2016, O’Leary’s romantic comedy has grown wings and has a life of its own, winning the We Heart New Talent contest in the UK. O’Leary lives in Melbourne, Australia, and is working on romantic comedy number three. You can find out more http://cassandraolearyauthor.com/about/ (here.)
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Check out my first official affiliate, Take 10 Social’s Facebook Masterclass, https://www.take10social.com.au/a/3742/n8McVrop (here.)
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And Fit ‘n Fifty Plus http://fitnfiftyplus.com.au/ (here.)
If you think a rural lifestyle, an inspiring landscape and salt-of-the-earth people are the things of romance novels then you’ll learn a lot from today’s guest, Fiona Palmer. Fiona not only lives the romantic dream but she turns it on its head in fine style. Let’s try again. Picture stock car races, fishing at places you only get to see in hardcore 4×4 magazines and wheat harvesters with wheels taller than most of us, and you start to get a mere glimpse of this woman’s life. Watch the The Day in the Life of an Australian Author Youtube clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7fvKjZbD30 (here) and you start to see that eight books didn’t happen because of the romantic dream but more by damned hard work and fitting writing in with a life that can only be described as a tad busy and fulfilling. If there’s one person that can share a few tips on knuckling down and getting the writing done it’s Fiona. But be warned, after listening to this you’ll never be able to use the excuse, ‘I haven’t got time’, again. You can find out more about Fiona, her romantic lifestyle and view her beautiful pics https://www.fionapalmer.com/ (here.)
Passions and priorities are the secrets to the success of my guest today. You need time and space to create and Sean D’Souza of Psychotactics has created a lot of both in his life. He has made the decision to keep his business to the size it is and, instead, chooses to work nine months of the year instead of twelve. In his spare time he travels, creates amazing cartoons and experiments with food. Knowing yourself is key and Sean spends every morning intently focused on his inner self. Some of us call going for a morning walk a simple pleasure but it’s vital part of this man’s daily routine and it’s his daily routine that makes this man the success he is, both as a family man and a business man running a company earning figures the rest of us won’t get near working fifteen months a year. Sean is an author, cartoonist and speaker, and a strong believer in giving forward. It’s his values that enamour me and shine through in today’s interview. You can find out more about Sean and his business https://www.psychotactics.com/ (here.)
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Today’s episode is sponsored by the beautiful Jennifer Gale of Fit ‘n Fifty Plus who is doing her best to get me fit to write. You can find out more about Jennifer’s fitness and coaching business http://fitnfiftyplus.com.au/ (here.)
When was the last time you conducted a social media audit, reviewing your strategies and reader reach? Kate VanderVoort, founder of Social Mediology, shares more than a few tips on how to build your brand, your online community and increase sales. As we chat about strategies for Facebook, Instagram and other online platforms to engage with our readers I find myself forgetting that I’m the interviewer and, instead, start taking notes. If you’ve ever wondered if spending an inordinate amount of time on social media networking is the best use of you time, then the answer is both yes and no. A social media presence is a must but it’s important to be intentional. Providing excellent content on a regular basis in an strategic manner is key. You can find out more about Kate, her online social media training and workshops http://www.socialmediology.com.au/ (here).
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Fit’n Fifty Plus is this month’s sponsor of Writer on the Road. Check out Jennifer Gale’s coaching and fitness services http://fitnfiftyplus.com.au/ (here.)
Discovering your passion, setting goals, beating procrastination and focusing on achieving your writing dreams is possible if you know how and Keith Abraham not only knows how but has helped hundreds of thousands of people do just that. And now he’s with us to share a few tips, tricks and sure-fired success methods to not only set us on our writing journey but to keep us moving forward. But first we have to know our why, and once our why becomes clear the how becomes easy. Think purpose, motivation and desire, followed by planning, methods, strategy and action. Have I mentioned rituals, creating momentum and being the best we can be? It starts with finding our passion and from there it’s about designing our lives. But don’t worry, Keith has more than a few suggestions to help us on our way. You can find out more about Keith and his Passionate Performance coaching http://www.keithabraham.com/ (here.)
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This podcast is sponsored by Jennifer Gale, Fitness and Lifestyle Coach, at Fit ‘n Fifty Plus. You can visit Jennifer http://fitnfiftyplus.com.au/ (here.)
Taking control of every aspect of your writing career, from writing to marketing to standing proud behind the results of your efforts, is something that Jessica Aspen is passionate about. Jessica has a list of books, FB group, newsletter, mailing list and is currently in the running for a Kindle Scout publishing deal. We chat about the benefits of contests to build your email list and readership, the difference between warm and cold leads, and the benefits of belonging to a writing group. Oh, and pen names and winning awards, the importance of measuring your success and keeping up with trends in your genre. Jessica writes twisted fairytales in the paranormal genre and new adult novellas found their way into our conversation. As did Jessica starting her own Wiki. You can find out more about Jessica – and vote for her in Kindle Scout – https://jessicaaspen.com/ (here.)
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My sponsor for this episode is fitness coach, Jennifer Gale, at Fit ‘n Fifty Plus. You can visit Jennifer http://fitnfiftyplus.com.au/ (here.)
Read Full Transcript
Duration [00:41:31]
Melinda: Welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road. Today we're crossing to the other side of the world and I am really naughty, I forgot to ask where. So I have the beautiful Jessica Aspen with me this morning and she lives in a world of spicy, twisted fairy tale romances. Now what a great way, it's five am here in Australia, what a great way to start the day, spicy, twisted fairy tale romances. Good morning Jessica. Jessica Aspen: Good morning. Melinda: Good morning, where are you? Jessica Aspen: I am at the foothills of the Colorado Rockies near Boulder, Colorado. Melinda: Welcome to Australia, welcome to Writer on the Road. Tell us what you do, it sounds intriguing. Jessica Aspen: Well I do exactly what you said, I write twisted fairy tales, I have two different series out currently, one is more of Tolkien, modern Tolkien twists on fairy tales set in a Faye world of Underhill that intersects with our and the other one are short, and a little bit spicier novellas set in the modern Colorado Rockies, so right in my backyard pretty much. Melinda: The thing I want to unpack with Jessica today everybody is that short writing and I guess novella length leads to a lot of creativity, I'm pretty excited about this form of writing as everybody knows because I keep raving about it now. You said you have quite a few in your novella series? Jessica Aspen: I have six, I have six in the novella series. One's a little long to be a novella, I struggled with that one but it's a little long. But the rest are all between about 32 and 36,000 words, they're long novellas, they're not the super short. Melinda: They sell very well. I notice that there is some awards on your webpage here, you've won the OK RWA International Digital Award 2014 Finalist. Jessica Aspen: Yeah I finaled a lot. So always a finalist never a bride. Melinda: Hey I think being able to put those things on your website is pretty impressive and here in Australia there is a lot of women who or some of my writing friends they're always putting up these little red signs saying I'm a finalist in this and I'm a finalist in that, readers I think appreciate those kinds of things. Jessica Aspen: I hope so, I enjoy entering them. I particularly enjoy entering contests that are judged by readers and librarians rather than authors, I think there's a different view on books that readers give. Melinda: We have a very strong reader network here in Australia, especially with the romance guys. They're very well respected among our writers because they're very supportive. Now you've, you follow up that quite a bit where you are don't you, you interact with your readers fairly well? Jessica Aspen: I try to. I have a newsletter group, I have a Facebook group. I really enjoy...
Packing an emotional punch is at the heart of all romance writing. Keeping readers in suspense, creating characters that engage their hearts and making them care even though a happily ever after ending is inevitable are the secrets to writing a good romance novel, says Amy Andrews, Australian Romance Author. It’s not as easy as it sounds. Amy has written over fifty novels and sold millions of romances, so it was only natural for me to seek her out and garner a few tricks of the romance writing trade. The problems that Amy sees when she edits a writer’s manuscript include stories that start in the wrong place, too much backstory and introspection and overwriting. The good news is all stories are fixable with a bit of help. You can find out more about Amy’s manuscript assessment service, Word Witchery; Story Solutions for Genre Writers, http://www.wordwitchery.com.au/ (here).
Meet novelist, producer, editor and director, Posie Graeme-Evans, an amazing woman who my research tells me is ‘one of the most diverse and dynamic forces in Australian television and Film’. I’m chatting with Posie today because of Pickets Hut, renovated by Posie and husband Andrew and now known as the Writer’s House. As far as living the creative dream goes, Posie has made it happen; the duo live on 80 hectares on the edge of some of Australia’s most spectacular wilderness in southern Tasmania, and she loves nothing more than solitude and ‘being attuned to quiet and unpeopled landscapes’. And according to Posie, the cold winters that Tasmania is renowned for are perfect for a writer. The author is up to book number seven, which has stalled for the moment while Posie and her husband concentrate on their accommodation business, including the Writer’s House and Helmsman’s House, at Frenchman’s River. If you want to learn more about living a creative life filled with the simple pleasures of sunrises, sunsets and chooks, you can visit Posie’s website http://posiegraemeevans.net/ (here) and Frenchman’s River to find out more about the Writer’s House http://www.frenchmansriver.com.au/ (here.) Be prepared for some spectacular photographs.
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As always, this episode is sponsored by Fit ‘n Fifty Plus. Check out Jennifer’s fitness and coaching business http://fitnfiftyplus.com.au/ (here.) Don’t forget to tell her I sent you.
Defining your own success, choosing where you want to be and taking responsibility for your life are all things that Cierra Seay, entrepreneur and host of The College Dropout Podcast, knows something about. Throw in the surety of who you’re truly meant to be, riding your own wave and strong opinions on the difference between learning and schooling, and you get more than a little inspiration from this successful young woman. Cierra’s success comes from, I think, strong core values, great mentors, building relationships and working fourteen hours a day. You can find out more about Cierra and The College Dropout http://thecollegedropoutpodcast.com/ (here).
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This podcast is sponsored by Fit’n Fifty Plus. Visit Jennifer and her team http://fitnfiftyplus.com.au/ (here) and don’t forget to say I sent you.
Our greatest opponent to our success is ourselves is akin to advice my mother once gave me; feel the fear and do it anyway, what people think be damned. Yeah, she made up the last bit – and I’m guessing she didn’t really mean for me to run away on a yacht for ten years – but it’s advice that is touted more often than followed nowadays.
Paul Brodie, in his latest book, Just Do It; Ten Ways to Increase Making Your Dreams and Goals a Reality, reminds me of my mother’s advice and his ‘Just Do It’ is all the encouragement I need to once more follow my dreams. Only this time I won’t run away on a yacht, Paul…promise! Paul is the President of BrodieEDU.com where he advises clients on branding, marketing, self-improvement and personal development. He runs motivational seminars and is a firm believer in affirmations and a positive mental attitude. He encourages us to be our own champions, takes us out of our comfort zones and reminds us to think about what’s important in life. Oh, okay, I’ll run away in my caravan instead. You can find out more about Paul and his books, coaching and motivational speaking http://www.brodieedu.com/about/ (here).
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This podcast is sponsored by Fit’n Fifty Plus. You can visit Jennifer Gale to learn more about her health and fitness programs http://fitnfiftyplus.com.au (here.)
Writing stories while travelling Oz has gotta be at the top of my ‘to do’ list. Victoria Black was the first guest on my podcast fifty three episodes ago and back then she was setting out on a caravanning holiday with her husband. You can listen to the episode https://writerontheroad.com/campfire-tales-with-victoria-black/ (here.) Now she’s back to launch her collection of short romance stories from her travels, Campfire Tales. During our chat Victoria shares the joys of travelling and making up stories along the way, and how the sensory details of the places she visited make her stories all the richer for the added detail. She also experiments a bit with style and form, which is my favourite reason for writing short. Interesting things happen on the edges and interesting things happen in the outback. You can find out more about Victoria’s writing and Campfire Tales https://victoriablacksexystories.com/2017/01/20/campfire-tales-is-live/ (here.)
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This podcast is sponsored by Fit’n Fifty Plus. You can find out more about Jennifer Gale and her health and fitness coaching http://fitnfiftyplus.com.au (here.)
Every writer wants to get their books into libraries to reach the widest audience possible and Janine Kimberley is with us today to advise us on how to give it our best shot. Libraries are where readers go to discover a new author or borrow anything and everything of an author they already love – libraries are fantastic supporters of writers. If you’re interested in connecting with your readers through meet-ups, author talks or merely having your book/s on display at your local library then Janine will tell you how to go about it. But most importantly in this crazy, overly-busy world, libraries are places readers to go to browse and ponder the world of books and reading. An ideal place, really, for a writer to hang out. Through their networks librarians stay abreast of the ever-changing opportunities to bring together writers and their readers. Janine is off to the Australian Readers Convention in February to stay abreast of what readers are looking for when they go to the library. Information, as they say, is king. And with so many books out there it great to have friends out their recommending our books and influencing our readers. Thanks, Janine.
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Don’t forget to visit Jennifer Gale at Fit’n Fifty Plus if you’re interested in making 2017 your year of living healthily. You can visit her http://fitnfiftyplus.com.au/ (here) and don’t forget to say I sent you.
It’s time to put on our CEO hats and get serious about the business of writing. Nadine Travers chats with us today about how important it is to read the numbers of our businesses; knowing our costs, managing our time, collecting our invoices in one place, having a separate bank account for our business and making sound business decisions such as hiring the services of others based on the data. Alas, I didn’t kick too many goals during this this conversation but it’s never too late to start. As Nadine reminds me, information means power and it’s important that as business people we know where we need to focus our time. And if you’re like me and words like fixed costs, break even points and spread sheets send you running to the corner sucking your thumb then be assured Nadine makes it all sound easy. You can find out more about Nadine, her novels and French translations, and how to organise your finances http://www.nadinetravers.com/ (here.)
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Writer on the Road is sponsored by Fit N Fifty Plus and you can visit Jennifer and her team http://fitnfiftyplus.com.au/ (here.) Don’t forget to mention I sent you:)
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Duration [00:41:04]
Melinda: Welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road. Today we're going to Montreal in Quebec and I've got the beautiful Nadine Travers with me who writes paranormal and time travel stories. Welcome Nadine.
Nadine Travers: Hi, thanks, welcome and happy to be there.
Melinda: Happy to be there. Nadine has a beautiful accent and I believe she's bilingual, I believe you speak French and English Nadine. Nadine Travers: Yes, true. My native language is French and my second language is English.
Melinda: My daughter and I love we love everything about France, my sister's over in France at the moment, I've got her to buy me some French Mills and Boons so I can come home and read them in French and now I've got my very own French speaker here. But the reason I'm bringing that up so very early in the podcast is because we're going to speak finances but me being me I actually want to talk about the French translation first, far more romantic than talking about behaving myself financially. Tell us about your French translations.
Nadine Travers: I am going to release in 2017 my time travel series in French. So I'm going to test the French market too, that would be pretty exciting to be there. The first book is already translated and I need to do some correction about it but I'm going to translate with, I use a Dragon to do my translation too so it's a fun process to do that. Second book is going to be all fully translated before Christmas. So after that's going to be only revision and I'm going to put that online for the French market and for people all around the world that speak only French. It's going to be good.
Melinda: Okay now to even begin to unpack what Nadine has just said would take a while. Foreign translations for a start, now you have quite a few stories up there for sale, we've got Supernatural Intelligence Agency, we've got Scotland Lovers, Nadine's book have the most beautiful covers which is I guess what attracted me to them in the first place. Nadine how do you go about that or organizing a translation process from where to go. I notice you've got a blog post about it. Nadine Travers: I was in the search during summer time for my break for my vacation time, if I was able to find expect for Amazon or Kobo have, I can have the French book about it, but more like a system like Draft2Digital but for the French market. I found one, which is the Immortal was it called, so they do the same process as Draft2Digital but for French book with other small market for the French one too.
Melinda: You translated it into French yourself?
Nadine Travers: Yes.
Melinda: Okay.
Nadine Travers: I...
Yesterday it was health and fitness and today it’s my whole life. Lisa Cherry Beaumont is a Life Coach and today we chat about lifestyle, fulfilment and life purpose alchemy. Lisa outlines a four step process for change, mentions gratitude practise, meditation, goal setting and brain training (among other things), and offers us action steps to fight off overwhelm and disillusion. She reminds us that everyone’s definition of success is different and it’s important to ‘have somebody there to guide you, push you over it, to talk you through it as you just keep going, keep making sure that you’re moving forward’. You can find out more about Lisa and becoming unstuck http://www.lisacherrybeaumont.com/ (here.)
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Writer on the Road is sponsored by Fit N Fifty Plus. Please visit Jennifer http://fitnfiftyplus.com.au/ (here) and don’t forget to mention I sent you:)
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Duration: [00:32:14]
Melinda: It's welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road, yesterday I was getting my exercise coaching and today I'm getting my life coaching. Welcome Lisa!
Lisa Cherry Beaumont: Hello Melinda, nice to speak to you!
Melinda: I'm speaking to Lisa Cherry Beaumont, life coach from sunny Florida but at the moment she's in San Diego, just come down from the rooftop swimming in her pool, or swimming in a pool, eating a nice vegan lunch to share with us how to get our lives on track and live with purpose. Lisa how did I go with that introduction?
Lisa Cherry Beaumont: That was a good introduction. The only thing that wasn't accurate is that I've been in Florida but it's not from originally, I'm actually from the U.K. but I do love Florida and I have spent a little bit of time there. But it was a great intro otherwise, thank you. Very accurate.
Melinda: How are you going to help me as I make my transition from school teaching which ends in three weeks, moving on to a full time writer's life or a full time creative life and without all the pain and fear that goes with losing a full time income and living a fulfilling passionate life doing something I love?
Lisa Cherry Beaumont: Sure well the first thing that I do with people is take them through something that hasn't really got anything to do with their work but really to do with what lifestyle they want to achieve for themselves. So are they the kind of person that wants to stay in one particular place and raise children and whatever, are they somebody who wants to travel around the world, what really do they see as their ideal lifestyle, so that's where I'll start with you. I would ask you what sort of lifestyle and get really specific on what it is you want your life to look because ultimately that's what you're trying to achieve, a lifestyle and then your work and your purpose fits into that.
Melinda: Being specific and goals. Now that is something that we do as writers and we're encouraged to do as writers aren't we everyone, know what we're going to do, what we've got planned out for the next couple of years. We're a little bit, or I'm certainly a little bit more lackadaisical when it comes to my life because everybody else has a part of it. Focusing back on me and what I want to do, how do you encourage, I suppose we're talking today about women, encouraging women especially to focus on where they want to go when there's so many other people taking parts of them?Lisa
Cherry Beaumont: If you've got a partner, if you've got children, if you've got other work and so on then that has to, you have to take all that into consideration. But ultimately we've all heard the phrase you've got to put your own gas mask on first kind of thing. You've got to make sure that your needs are taken care of first before you can give to other people. What I notice is really common with a lot of women is that we
It’s that time of year and for some of us, that time of life, where living the creative life – and especially the writing life – may require some adjustment to our routines to include that most wonderful of words, exercise! Today’s guest, Jennifer Gale, is a certified Wellness Coach. She has a Masters in Science, is an international speaker and researcher, and will soon release her book, How to Get Fit and Stay That Way. I’m the first to admit that Jennifer has her job cut out bringing me back to the slim, svelte shape of my youth but with all credit to her, she’s going to try. There are things every fit and healthy person needs to do as part of their daily lives and today, Jennifer shares with all of us the tips, tricks and tools to help us along the way to that magical place that is alas, part of that fantasyland known to me as my misspent youth. But don’t worry, Jennifer has personal experience to support her ideas. At fifty, she participated in her first triathlon but she had to learn to ride and swim first. So, if you – like me – need a little reminding that the good life comes with a price, pour yourself a glass of wine and listen in as Jennifer promises to get us all back on the path to good health and fitness in 2017. Happy writing, everyone.
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Writer on the Road is Sponsored by Fit N Fifty Plus. Please visit Jennifer http://fitnfiftyplus.com.au/ (here) and don’t forget to mention I sent you:)
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Duration; [00:36:17] Melinda: It's welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road. I've got with me today someone who I think I need very, very much and I'm hoping that some of you may gain something out of this conversation as well. But if you don't you can live in eternal hope that your podcast extraordinaire will be in good hands and good health leading into 2017 and my year of living creatively. I'd like to welcome today Jennifer Gale, hello Jennifer. Jennifer Gale: Hi Melinda it's lovely to be here and lovely to be interviewed for a change. Melinda: Now Jennifer would you like to tell us what you do? Jennifer Gale: Okay so I have a company called Fit n Fifty Plus which sometimes gets some people scrambled because and was taken on the blue [00:00:45] (unclear) so it's an "n" and I provide health and fitness coaching for women over fifty really looking at the whole woman though not just I want you to run up the street and I want you to do twenty squats. I like to look at whole woman because as you get older things actually change quite a bit and there aren't too many people out there training that actually understand that. So I also have a whole lot of other things and my mantra is to provide information and inspiration for women over fifty to look better, move better and feel amazing. Melinda: Now I'm all in for feeling amazing because I'm feeling a bit haggard at the moment, I've just come off school, I'm tired, I'm grumpy. But the good news is it's my birthday and so-- Jennifer Gale: Oh happy birthday! Melinda: Yeah, so I'm 55 and I'm about to start my year of living creatively. Jennifer Gale: Perfect age. Melinda: Jennifer is going to get me fit and fantastic and get me on, there's a bike ride here in, I don't know it's next year 2017 and it's called the Cycle of Giving and you can ride 100 kilometers and you pay for the privilege of doing it. So I'm going to line Jennifer up, I'm going to keep you updated on my health and fitness, Jennifer, Penn on the Creative Penn podcast she walked 100 kilometers, I'm going to cheat and ride my bike. Jennifer Gale: What fun. Melinda: Yeah so Jennifer you've got a big job ahead of you and I wish you all the best. But let's go back to the beginning. Jennifer your qualifications are pretty impressive. Would you like to tell us about them? Jennifer...
With every new year comes good intentions and as writers we’re especially good at creating dream lives for ourselves – then reality kicks in and all our lofty goals go to putty. Vanessa Carnevale, author of The Florentine Bridge, has some timely advice for us as the euphoria of the new year fades and the hard work of keeping our dreams alive kicks in. Here’s a precis of what she has to say:
You don’t find the time to write, you make the time
Writing is a job
Move forward with your goals
Keep your house in order
Take a notebook wherever you go
Set writing days and fiercely guard them
Trust yourself
And most of all, remember you’re the one that matters. You can find out more about Vanessa and her writing life http://vanessacarnevale.com/ (here.)
Talking about the creative writing process is aways interesting and today Pamela Cook – teacher, author and creative writing coach – shares her thoughts on the creative process. Pam has a Masters Degree in Creative Writing and published Blackwattle Lake in 2012 after participating in the Queensland Writers Centre/Hachette Manuscript Development Program (she wrote the first draft of 50,000 words during NaNoWriMo in 2009). Pam talks about how each story has its own process and how she writes her first drafts quickly. She uses word sprints, reads widely and values her network of writing friends. And somewhere amongst it all we talk about plot, Pam’s other books and why she refers to her books as rural fiction with romance elements. The Crossroads is her newest novel, released at the end of 2016, and makes for perfect summer reading here in Oz. You can find out more about Pam and her books http://www.pamelacook.com.au/ (here).
Anyone with a keen sense of history, who loves romantic sagas, and has more than a passing interest in strong women of yesteryear will enjoy listening to author, Darry Fraser, as she talks about suffragettes, post-colonialism and the great Aussie motif that is the Murray River. Daughter of the Murray is an adventure romance set in the 1890s on the Murray River around Swan Hill. It’s known as an Oztorical. I made the mistake of mentioning Nancy Cato’s All The Rivers Run (which shows my age) but Darry assures me her story is her own. And it doesn’t take long to learn the depth of this author’s passion for her subject. She’s also a damned fine actress, and we learn a little about her roles in her local theatre group’s stage performances. Our conversation is as much a love affair with landscape as it is about writing, and Darry’s Daughter of the Murray is testimony to that affair. You can find out more about Darry and her novel http://www.darryfraser.com/ (here). And thanks to Black Stump Media for the pic of the author.
Listen in as a group of writers discuss the advantages of banding together to give readers a smorgasboard of Christmas stories for ninety-nine cents. Am I convinced it’s a good idea? Sure am…it was the deadline I hated:) You can buy the set here: http://geni.us/iP435 (http://geni.us/iP435)
We’ve all been there, right? Written the book then wondered what the hell we’re going to do with the thing…Mimi is here to save us from total overwhelm with her new book, The Holy Grail of Book Launching in Three Volumes: This is What I do, Essentials For Launch and Extra Awesome Sauce. Now, I don’t know about you but I went straight to Bk 3 – with a teaser like that, how could I resist? Today, I talk to Mimi about launch plan for The Holy Grail and pick up a few tips along the way. You can find out more about Mimi and her books http://mimiemmanuel.com/ (here.) Towards the end of our chat we get serious and Mimi shares the stories behind another of her books. If you had to choose only ten foods to live on for years on end what would your list look like? All good fun until you learn that Mimi wrote a book about it, My Story of Survival: Five Years on Ten Ingredients. A tough gig for anyone but I gave it a shot – alas, my top three were coke, chocolate and alcohol. You have to listen till the end to find the rest:)
Negativity is such a killer of our dreams. Scott Allan empowers us to take back control of our lives and create habits that help us succeed. Of course, there’s a catch – there’s always a catch – and it’s that we’ve got to do the work. Scott’s latest book, Do It Scared, comes fast on the heels of his empowerment and rejection series, and he has plans for more. When Scott asks me what are me what are my biggest fears and my biggest failures I gulp. Can’t wait to see what your answers are:) You can find out more about Scott, his books and his answer http://www.scottallansite.com/ (here.)
Dave Chesson is commonly known as the Kindlepreneur and he is the owner of authority site, Book Marketing for Self-Published Authors. He averages approximately $7829 in book sales, has started eighteen websites and has five books published (if you notice a slight obsession with stats here you would be on track to Dave’s secret to success). There’s also something on his site about 1723 cups of coffee but I’ll leave that for him to explain. Dave may not be a bestselling author but he’s the best selling author – his line, not mine – and he has the all the stats under the sun to prove it. This guy’s monthly traffic stats read like my annual income – he gets 90,000 engagements per month, and he’s getting monthly pay increases of 20k. If you do nothing more than visit his site https://kindlepreneur.com/ (here). It’s a doozy, with authority content on author networking, international links, keyword strategies and rankings, international book markets, launch reviews, FB ads, courses, traffic to your website…need I go on? He also has the definitive list of the best podcasts on Writing & Publishing so I have to be nice to him. Be warned, this is a podcast where the romantic and the realist battle it out – and one where the realist wins and the romantic retires to her attic for a Bex and a good lie down. Enjoy:)
It’s time to redefine our view of selling – and our view of rejection. Why be average when we can be awesome? Barry Watson, author of Sell With Confidence: Crush Your Fear of Being Rejected, Avoid Being Pushy, and Have the Courage to Make Money, is an international sales trainer and high performance coach. The days of the starving artist are long gone and the secret is not only to write good books but to become more confident and successful at selling them – count me in! Having a simple, yet effective, game plan is essential if we want to be successful at selling. Defining our goals, attracting the attention of our customers, starting a conversation, gathering information, tailoring solutions to our customer’s problems, and developing a selling attitude are six of the seven steps. The final step is overcoming our customer’s objections to buying our books. Behind every objection under the sun, is a sale waiting to be won. You can find out more about Barry, his one-on-one sales coaching, speaking and books http://salessensation.com/ (here).
If you think you have excuses for your lack success in this ever increasingly busy book publishing game, Indie or Traditional, then it’s time to get real about what it takes to succeed. Think fourteen hour days, self-education and a boots-and-all attitude that makes me wonder at my audacity to think that I could succeed with my lackadaisical attitude to my business. Elicia Hyde is a marketing expert and she brings everything she’s learnt in marketing in the last fifteen year to marketing and selling her books. Elicia’s first tip is to surround ourselves with people who have been there before us. In Elicia’s case, this was Joanna Penn, Mark Stephenson and Mark Dawson, all of whom share their expertise through blogs, podcasts and/or courses. Coming hot on the heels of that piece of advice is email list building and funnels – our direct FREE line of communication to our readers and Elicia’s Number 1 marketing tool. And after listening to Elicia’s story, I’d love anyone to have an excuse for not trying at least some of the marketing tactics Elicia suggests. Sorry, folks, there goes our ‘we haven’t got enough time’ excuse, right out the window with everything other excuse we’ve been feeding our neurotic selves. This woman’s story is amazing and if her books are half as intriguing then I’m off to buy them all. You can find out about Elicia, The Soul Summoner Paranormal Suspense Series and her other books http://www.eliciahyder.com/ (here).
Annie has me hooked at mango cocktails and tanned waiters, and I now can’t wait – along with thousands of other avid fans – for the imminent arrival of Annie’s new book, Daintree. Today we share the countdown with Annie, and as we go to air, it’s only thirteen sleeps to go. Forget evergreen content, this is one episode worth dropping everything for and listening to as this ever generous Australian author shares her over the top excitement as her baby gets ready to fly. Activist romance, eco-adventure romance, or whatever label you choose to describe Annie’s books, if Daintree is anyway near as good as Kakadu, then we have our very own Aussie new infamous author at large (having her name embossed on the cover already gives us a clue as to Pan Macmillan’s opinion). This woman is gunna be infamous and we knew her first. There are no lessons to be learned in this episode, merely the sharing in the intense joy of an author who has slogged her way to the top. If we learn a little of what it’s like to worry a book to life, then that’s a bonus. Buy the book, share the joy, and remember, we knew her first. You can find Annie http://www.annieseaton.net/ (here) and listen to our first interview https://writerontheroad.com/secret-writing-success-hard-work-insights-business-side-writing-annie-seaton-romance-author/ (here).
There are a lot of tricks to narrating your book and putting it out to a wider audience – punch recording, mic technique, breath technique to name a few – and the generally accepted equation is five hours of recording will give you one hour of finished recording. Breathing is about getting in touch with your torso; then there’s tone, tempo, flow and sonority. Still with me? Because I haven’t even mentioned audio quality. Narrating a novel requires a level of focus that some of us may just not be able to summon and by the end of my chat with professional narrator, Tina Dietz, I was starting to create a strategy to choose and hire a professional. Did I mention that Tina’s a professional? Book narration is a performance and our books deserve to be treated well. You can find out more http://startsomethingcreativebizsolutions.com/product/audiobook-accelerator-launch/ (here) and don’t forget to download your free checklist. I’m going to…
There’s something to be said for studying the habits and processes of great writers and artists and how they kept their creative juices flowing over time. There’s a lot of burnout happening in the field of writing right now, especially among Indie authors trying to manage both their writing and their business. Tina is a mentor and coach, and she’s my kind of crazy. With a focus on values as well as mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, Tina guides us to be the best we can be. She’s also damned funny at times. We chat about being in the writing game for the long haul and how it’s got to be about pacing ourselves as our energies change as we grow and mature as writers. Self-care is at the top of the list, being flexible with our schedules and putting thought into those high priority creative endeavours to actually get the work done. We chat about how 80% of our results come from 20% of our efforts – it’s Tina’s job to help us focus on the 20% – and how the transitions in our lives open us up to new potentialities. And we just wouldn’t be creatives if we didn’t delve, just a little, in the fear factor that has derailed every one of us at some time or another. You can find out more about Tina and her work http://startsomethingcreativebizsolutions.com/ (here).
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Tina Dietz Duration: [00:49:35] Melinda: Welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road. This morning I'm talking to a beautiful lady from Florida and her name is Tina Dietz. Welcome Tina! Tina Dietz: Thank you, thanks for having me Melinda. Melinda: Tina is the owner and founder of a business called Start Something Creative Biz Solutions. That's only one of the things that Tina does. If we tried to get into her background we'd be here for a week and a half, this is one amazingly interesting woman. So what I want to start with today Tina is a little video that I was just watching on Facebook and for everyone who's listening I've stuck it up on my Facebook live. We'll go into the background later but first of all I want you to tell me all about Secret Entrepreneurial Confessions please. Tina Dietz: One of the things about me is everything that I try to do I really try to do it, to have as much fun with it as possible. Simply because of like you said I've got this very checkered background and I'm always interested in doing new things. I did a Facebook live last week, it was actually my first one and I threw myself into it and decided to kind of stretch myself across my kitchen table and talk about secret entrepreneurial confessions because so many of us who are out there are, we do the same kinds of things, we have this little things that we do or don't do and we're kind of like woo nobody knows but we all do the same things. So I was just having some fun and connecting with my audience. I had no idea I was going to end up with so many people laughing so hard at themselves and each other about all these goofy things we do. Melinda: It's amazing, some of things that were on there this morning and this is why we skipped straight to it, it was all about how we feel about our paychecks, our cubical nightmares and what was it, dressing up in capri pants and why so many offices have the color gray. Now I've been a bit of a nomad throughout my working career and I've worked an awful lot of jobs, probably not as many as you Tina but the word gray really go to me because that's one word that I know that store through the place as well. Tina Dietz: Isn't it terrible? All the cubicles are gray why would you do that to people, that's disturbing. Melinda: Tina used to live in Costa Rica, she's from somewhere snowy, I did write it down but I've forgotten and now she's in beautiful Florida, thriving in her business and she has a team working for her. Tina would you like to take us very quickly through how you got to a position where you can live to whatever country you wish, take your
Once upon a time lasts forever; deep, dark and complex, crafting timeless stories of magic and fantasy, bringing centuries old stories to new readers…where do I stop? Five pages of research notes and I’m just getting to the beginning of Kate Forsyth’s talents as a bestselling and prolific novelist and poet, writing across genres, for all ages – gosh, the press-release words keep on coming to describe this most amazing and generous of Australian authors. I start to get excited when I find the research notes written by Kate for her latest novel, already drafted, edited and ready to go for a September 2017 release. Beauty in Thorns, a reimagining of Sleeping Beauty, has some amazing women characters based on the passions and scandals of pre-Raphaelite circles of artists and poets. If, once again, I sound like a press release, please forgive me…capturing this woman’s spirit is only possible in the listening. All the rest is mere words. Kate shares with us how her research process has changed over the years, how she organises her research and the delight of the process itself…then she tells us how she ruthlessly cuts tens of thousands of words if it’s necessary to make a story work. As far as the craft of writing goes, we can do no better than to take notes as we listen, and listen again, to the advice of one of the most generous writers I’ve had the privilege to meet. Call me a fangirl, but I’m already saving up for a Writers Retreat with Kate in the Cotswalds, with a side trip to Oxford of course. And yes, Sam, you can come too. You can find out more about Kate, her books, and her research process http://www.kateforsyth.com.au/ (here.)
It started with a romantic High Tea and progressed to musicals, dancing the tango and all things travel. My chat with Alli Sinclair took me from Spain to Argentina to France to private Russian costume showings in downtown Canberra. Throw in some serious talk about the writing life; including writing buddies, author signings, supporting other writers, word counts, library visits, translations and respecting your readers and you start to understand that Alli has a lot to offer the rest of us. How many of us have career planning meetings? Nah, me either. But if you’re at all interested in getting down and getting serious with your author career then Alli has some advice for you. And me. You can find out more about Alli and her beautiful books https://allisinclairauthor.wordpress.com/ (here). And she might even teach you a thing or two about the tango.
Time, space and writing habits are the focus of many a good how-to-write book, and make for an endlessly fascinating topic for most of us keen to glean yet another secret weapon for our arsenal of writing tips and tricks. Alexandra offers more than her fair share of tricks with us today. Writers need to be selfish about their time and the space they need to write, whether that’s headspace or physical space. We chat about procrastination and the barriers to sitting down and actually writing. We also chat about my current bug-bear, the noise about how self-publishing is considered by some to be a road to riches and how people sometimes expect that they can start from scratch and churn out a book that will make then squizillionaires. What the rest of us are interested in is the value we place on our writing, what it means to us and why it matters. Add that to how creativity is one of the most foundational and creative drives of human nature. If you’ve read Julia Cameron then you’ll like where Alexandra is coming from when she talks about the spirituality of writing. You can find out more about Alexandra and Faster Fiction http://fasterfiction.com/ (here).
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Alexandra Amor Duration: [00:43:45] Melinda: Welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road. Today I'm with a friend of mine, an old friend of mine who has turned up in a few different places over the last few months and it's Alexandra Amor who I believe is over in Canada. Good morning Alexandra! Alexandra Amor: Hi Melinda, how are you today? Melinda: Good thank you. I don't know whether to be excited or terrified to have Alexandra with me today simply because she's an author mindset mentor. I've been fossicking through her blog this morning and the first thing it says is are you ready to stop thinking about writing and actually writing. I'm going maybe I don't need to talk to this woman right now. Tell us all about it please Alexandra and don't asked me any detailed questions because I might have to lie to you. Alexandra Amor: I can say the same back. Well thanks so much for having me on the show Melinda I'm thrilled to be here and I always find it so fun to talk to somebody on the other side of the world, so yeah I'm on the west coast of Canada in Vancouver and the new site that I've got up fasterfiction.com is brand new, it went up about a week ago and the intention there is for me to help writers and people who are really maybe even want to be writers, they haven't written their first thing yet to get out of their own way, to stop procrastinating, to stop thinking about writing as you mentioned and get their bum in a chair and start writing. Melinda: What can we say about that everybody? Everyone who's listening out there we're all writers, we all know what it's like and we all have very good intentions as well. My problem is I have people on my podcast who mention things like 5,000 words a day, do I need to talk to you Kevin Tumlinson and there's lots of other people out there who are putting me to shame, I've got Joanne Dannon doesn't do a bad job either at churning out the words, I don't even want to go into my romance writers like Amy Andrew and co because they've been writing for years and they're up to 50/60/70 books and I'm going oh give me a break but I'm still out there, I'm thinking about it and I'm going to write a book. So Alexandra I need you today. Let's start with that favorite word of ours procrastination. Alexandra Amor: I think this is such a big topic for writers and Steven Pressfield calls it resistance, I don't know if you've read The War of Art but that's a really great book to start with and to explore the topic of why we feel such a barrier when we try to sit down and write. I think especially in this day and age when we're all so overly busy and there are so many distractions in the form of social media and all the things that we can do online that writers really need to be quite selfish about...
You can spend years learning to be a great writer but it’s only when you start writing that you actually learn. It’s a matter of starting because when you start you gain momentum and you learn as you go. Then there’s the passion, knowing and burn that drives you on when things get tough. Learning from your mistakes, making small changes wins the big results. Inch by inch. Writing is a business, we all know that, and learning the strategies and rules will get us part of the way, but it’s by being innovative, inventive and creative in our business mindset that brings the best results. And it takes time. Nigel spent a year interviewing the the best business people Australia has to offer – that he rode his motor bike around Australia to do it gave him insights into how our best succeed. Then, luckily for the rest of us, he documented all in his book, Game of Inches. You can find out more about Nigel and his business http://www.nigelcollin.com.au/ (here.) And if I get carried away chatting to Nigel about all the best places and characters we have to offer here in Oz, I blame Nigel…he was just too damned easy to talk to. Thanks, Nigel:)
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Nigel Collin Duration: [00:58:04] Melinda: Welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road. I'm talking to the wonderful Nigel Collin of The Game of the Inches fame, good afternoon Nigel. Nigel Collin: Good afternoon. Melinda: I'd like to start our story Nigel if it's okay with you, of course I am a storyteller, I love to start at the high point of any story and I've already forewarned Nigel of this, we're moving our way up to the Daily Waters Pub and happy hour. Nigel as a businessman, as a storyteller, as a speaker I'd like to hand over to your and get you to tell us all about the success story that is the Daily Waters Pub. Nigel Collin: It's, you know what it's probably the most famous non-famous place in Australia. I stumbled upon it virtually by accident, I didn't know the Daily Waters Pub existed until a mate of mine in Alice Springs said are you visiting the Daily Waters Pub and it's this little pub, it's been around since the 1800s not as a pub but it was a guesthouse original on the stockman's route. But it's off the beaten track, it's in the middle of nowhere literally it's between Katherine and Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory, literally hundreds of kilometers either direction there's nothing and it's off the main road so you could easily drive pass the turn-off and never know it's there. But when you go to the Daily Waters Pub it's an experience, it's like an adventure. The place is famous because people flock to it, on any given evening, whether it's wet season/dry season, whether you've heard of the Daily Waters Pub or not, on any given evening there's somewhere around 250 people having a great time at this place and rightly so. It's full of characters, it's, you know what's really interesting, it has, it's almost the iconic outback pub that you see in movies, in fact it's featured in quite a few movies. I say that because when you travel around the country as you know you come across these roadhouses and these places that kind of theme themselves up to look as we expect them to look, it's almost like they're, it's not that they're dis-genuine or anything but they're kind of make the effort of looking like an outback pub. The Daily Waters is the outback pub and I'm pretty sure that most places model after it. Hanging off the ceilings are people's t-shirts and underwear and caps that they've left there as they visit and the idea is that you'll come back and revisit your cap and I've got a cap hanging up in the ceiling somewhere in the Daily Waters Pub. So it's an experience, it's one of those places that you probably don't know exist but so many people do. It's, you know what it's like? It's a bit like going to Disneyland. If you've ever been to Disneyland you can sort of say to someone, you
You don’t have to be crazy but it helps. Welcome to Joanne Dannon and Tracey Pedersen as they battle it out with me over who’s podcast this actually is…and what it means to write short in the Indie publishing space. There are no guarantees that what we share on today’s podcast will be any use to anyone listening but we sure have fun playing in a space that is yet to be formally defined. What exactly does it mean to write short in the digital age – what do readers want, what are they prepared to pay, and how do we, as writers, slot our writing into the space that is designated ‘short fiction’. One thing is for sure, it’s a space that is creating a lot of interest, and opening up a whole new space in which to play. If Indie writers are the influences of the new digital age, then writing short, whether it be in series, serials or short stand alone fiction, then this is the space in which it is happening. And it’s a space where writers are playing with both form and delivery. You can find out more about Joanne http://joannedannon.com/ (here) and Tracey http://traceypedersen.com/ (here.) But be warned, they are both delightfully crazy, and talented, and if you watch this space long enough, you might just find this podcaster interviewing them when they’re rich and influential – oh, okay, they may be that already, for some of us. Do I hear another novella boxed set calling?
What does it take to live the life of a professional Indie author? Maggie Christensen is about to publish her sixth novel, Champagne for Breakfast, and her answer is simple: learning. ‘It’s just learning as I go,’ Maggie assures me. ‘I’m learning all the time.’ And that’s the secret. There’s so much to do and so much to learn it takes time and dedication to become a successful Indie author. Not only does Maggie dress and speak beautifully, everything about what she does as an author screams professionalism. From her website, to her book covers and her marketing, it’s clear this woman knows what she’s about. And today, she’s sharing what she knows with us. We chat about marketing, book promotions, price points, beta readers and reviews, among other things. She even tried making a business plan once. And what Maggie loves most about being an Indie author? Being in control of every part of the process with the support and guidance of a network of peers and the Alliance of Independent Authors (once she finds the time to join). You can find out more about Maggie and her novels http://maggiechristensenauthor.com/ (here).
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Melinda: It's welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road. Today I've got with me the beautiful Maggie Christensen. She's sitting here waiting expectantly wondering what I'm going to ask her. So at the moment we're just coming off our five days of the Business of Writing series that I've been running so I'm all fired up to keep prodding and poking at those indie publishers and how they get to the stage where they are, very, very successful with all the work they do on top of their full time writing job. Maggie, welcome to Writer on the Road. Maggie Christensen: Thanks so much for inviting me, Melinda. Melinda: Not a problem at all. If you'd like to share with our listeners a little of your story to date? Maggie Christensen: My writing story or my life story? Melinda: Well what would we like to hear listeners? I think we'd like to start with your life story because I know you were at some stage down in my home area of Sydney but I know you're from Glasgow and other than that I don't know a lot. So I'm curious tell us about you. Maggie Christensen: I'm was teaching primary school in Scotland and I had the wanderlust so I, in my mid-twenties I answered a call to come and teach in the sun. The ad had this semi-naked surfer wearing budgie smugglers and a gown saying, come and teach in the sun and I tell people I'm still looking for that guy. But the interesting thing is the last author talk I gave one man at the back put his hand and said it was me, it was me. But anyway, I immigrated to Sydney to teach in schools. Then I, after teaching for a number of years in state and private schools I moved into teacher education. That took me, first of all to Goulburn, countryside of Goulburn to a college called the Goulburn CAE which then closed and then I moved with the college and some of the staff to Wagga so it's another country town and it was there that much to my surprise at the ripe old age of 37, I'd given up hope of finding my soulmate and there he was, this gentle giant of an American guy who was teaching in the same classes as me. So I did meet my soulmate but it wasn't the guy who was advertising to come to Australia. We've been married now for over thirty years. Melinda: That's a beautiful story. I've got a funny feeling I've spoke to you a little bit about this before Maggie. Now I did meet Maggie down at a book signing at Mitchelton, same place I met Rachel Amphlett to be honest and it's not a place I hang around a lot but I've managed to meet two beautiful ladies there. But my hometown is Goulburn and I believe we may have had that conversation because I actually started my, we did didn't we. Maggie Christensen: We figured that you might have been a student of mine but neither of us remember each other....
‘I’m about to upload my story, can you quickly check for me,’ is a phrase Lynne Stringer hears a lot in her day job as a freelance editor and it drives her crazy. Her advice is we need at least two rounds of editing and preferably more, especially if it is our first book. Timeline errors, plot inconsistencies, structural problems, grammar and spelling problems, and everything else problems all get a mention during our chat today and I’m going to brave and suggest some of us may never look at the editing process with such fondness ever again. Editors are our ‘objective eye’ and their job is to tactfully and gently guide us through the process of making our babies the best they can be – after we think we’ve already brushed their hair and cleaned their teeth. You may find Lynne’s advice confronting, and some of the prices she quotes even more so, but if our work is going to be our business card, brand and representative out there in the big, wide publishing world, then we’d rather get it right, wouldn’t we? Lynne tells us how…but I can’t guarantee we’ll like it. You can find out more about Lynne and her work http://www.lynnestringer.com/ (here.)
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Lynne Stringer Melinda: Welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road. Today I've got with me a wonderful woman by the name of Lynne Stringer. It's someone I've been wanting to speak to for quite a while because Lynne does the very thing that I think I'm brilliant at and I'm actually very bad at and it's called editing. For all of you who know anything about Indie publishing the first piece of advice that any of us give you is get yourself a professional editor because no matter how many times you read your stuff you miss the mistakes and I have a case point, I've been putting a little series of podcast interviews in the last few days and I think I'm rather brilliant and my daughter will edit them for me and go through them and there are glaring mistakes that I've read ten times and those mistakes are just there. Welcome Lynn. Lynne Stringer: Thank you very much Mel, it's great to be here. Melinda: I'm very keen to talk to you about the editing process. But first of all would you like to tell us a little bit about yourself so that my listeners have an idea of what you're about or where you've come from, where you're going, all that kind of stuff, so that they can switch me out and tune into you. Lynne Stringer: I've been working with writing ever since I was a child really, I've always loved writing. My father's a writer also. I gradually got into it more and I actually studied a bit of journalism, became the editor of a newspaper, just a small one, which I was the chief journalist for and editor of for seven years. After that I started working with a company called Wombat Books doing some editing first. I was editing non-fiction works for them. Then I started editing their fiction as well because I just seemed to have a knack for being able to do that. I finished up working with them as an editor, although I still do some freelance for them when required, but I finished up that last year and started working for Amanda Greenslade at Australian eBook Publisher who I believe you had on the show recently as well. Now I do editing for her, I also do my own private editing work as well. It's not an easy task because as I like to say an editor's job is to tell you that your baby is ugly and needs plastic surgery which no one likes to hear. Melinda: Lynn's never said that about my work because otherwise I'd hit the off button. She can actually say that my work's beautiful before we start. But the truth of the matter is, Lynne and I were having a brief conversation before we started tonight, all of us, even the best of us, even English teachers, miss the most basic of things when it comes to reading our own work because it becomes very familiar to us. That's why I've got...
Have you ever wondered about the nitty-gritty of Indie publishing and all the small details of what makes up the life of an Indie author? Julie Schooler has done it, twice, and what’s more, she’s a bestselling author in her parenting advice niche. Julie is the author of the perenially popular parenting self-help books, Easy Peasy Potty Training and Easy Peasy Healthy Eating, and she takes us through the Indie publishing process of Create Space, pricing, proofs and ebook sales. Our conversation warms up with talk about launching, ISBNs, formatting and taxes. Then there’s editing, illustrations, reviews and promotions. On choosing your niche, you need to look at solving pain points for your customers. But most important of all are friends; ones who write and ones who publish. There’s nothing like a warts and all conversation with someone who’s been there, done that to wonder whether Indie publishing is worth all the effort. But hey, think of the satisfaction of seeing your books on the Bestseller lists and getting to keep all the profit, well, most of it, anyway. You can find out more about Julie and her website, Cherish Mama http://cherishmama.com/ (here).
Jules Horne lives in the Scottish Borders and is an Associate Lecturer at Open University. She writes plays for stage and radio, and fiction with a Scottish gothic flavour. She’s inspired by Angela Carter and Mervyn Peake (of Gormenghast fame). Today, we chat about the tension between creativity and risk, the role of Indie publishers as influencers, and learning from our mistakes. Throw in offshoots on deadlines, daily goals and the Pomodoro Technique and things start to get interesting. Jules is a true creative and lives what she believes. The Scottish Borders may be isolated geographically, but academically, Jules is at the forefront. These are exciting times and even a brief chat with Jules has me excited for the possibilities for new ways of learning. You can find out more about Jules and her writing http://www.texthouse.co.uk/ (here) and http://www.juleshorne.com/ (here.)
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Jules Horne [01:03:25] Melinda: It's welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road. I am traveling around the world again today and I'm really, really excited to be in the Scottish boarders, now how beautiful and exotic does that sound? So I'm here with a beautiful lady by the name of Jules Horne and Jules welcome to Writer on the Road. Jules Horne: Hello Melinda, thanks for me having me on the show. Melinda: Not a problem at all. Jules put a wonderful little picture on her Facebook profile there earlier tonight and it's of this little hedgerow road that I remember from my days in Ireland, it's so romantic over there. I know you probably don't think it's exotic but to us over here in sunny Queensland it is certainly romantic and coming into winter where you get all your snug fires and red wine. But let's go back and talk writing. Jules Horne: I have to say also I've been looking with great envy of your shots of just wonderful sunshine and you wearing your hat and looking like you're having glorious sun. So the romance has its limits and I do envy you your sun as well. Melinda: For all our listeners I did a Facebook live cross yesterday from Circus Paradise on the Gold Coast here on the east coast of Australia and I did this lovely pan of what I thought was the beach, but all it was the sky. So I'm going to practice my panning everybody so I actually get into the shots what I thought I was, there was no beach there at, it looked really silly. But I'll keep practicing and I'll keep trying. Now over to Jules, would you like to introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about the writing that you do? Jules Horne: I'm a hybrid writer, I do lots of different kinds of writing. I started off as fiction and then I kind of made migrated into drama. So I'm actually mainly a playwright these days and I've written for stage and radio and I also have a background in journalism. I used to work in radio. So I have a bit of a mixed background, so I pull in lots of different kinds of writing techniques from different angles. But the main thing I suppose is working with drama which means working with actors and directors so it's collaborative and that's a really different prospect from the fiction and the really kind of tight inner focus of fiction. So it's a more, perhaps more people oriented, more collaborative kind of writing. Melinda: Jules and I were a little bit of a conversation just briefly before we started and as happens with a lot of my guests I had to stay stop, stop, stop, we'll have our interview over before we even press the record button. But Jules has linked up with another guest who we've had on our Writer on the Road and she was very, very popular and you'll all remember Sherrie and Sherrie was very exuberant and very, very popular too I might add. I had people from all over the world, Sherrie was our beautiful motorbike rider and jumped on a motorbike after a week and wrote all these books about it. Now she's writing, just about to release I believe or very close to releasing her first fiction novel. Jules...
Story is the software that drives the hardware of our brains, says today’s guest, Park Howell, as he takes us through the ten steps of the story cycle process based on Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’s Journey. We learn to super focus on ourselves and the stories we tell ourselves, and from the outset of this interview I was busy doing my homework on my business brand. If you want to own both your personal and business brand, I strongly recommend you download the notes for this interview, so you, too, can get on with your homework to make sure you’re telling the right story at the right time to the right people. Ever generous, Park shares a couple of resources to get you started. These are the 12 Primary Personality Archetypes, http://www.slideshare.net/ParkHowell/creating-your-brand-personality-through-an-archetype (here) and the 10 questions you need to ask to brand your story http://businessofstory.com/10-quick-questions-help-brand-story/ (here). You can find out more about Park and the business of story https://www.businessofstory.com (here.)
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Park Howell Melinda: Welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road. Today we're traveling across to the U.S. and I have the master storyteller himself with me, I have Park Howell and he is the owner of the business of story. Welcome to Australia Park! Park Howell: It's great to be here, I appreciate you taking the time especially so early on your Saturday morning kicking off the weekend. So it's an honor to be here. Melinda: As my listeners know I end up all over the world, I've spoken to people in Germany, I've spoken to people in Newfoundland, I just love getting around the place. So Park it's a pleasure, one day I'll get to see you all in person but in the meantime I just have to talk to you at these ungodly hours over here in Oz. If you'd like to introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your story. Park Howell: Absolutely, thank you Melinda. Again, my name is Park Howell as you mentioned with The Business of Story. I'm in Phoenix, Arizona it's 95 degrees out right now at one in the afternoon on Friday, so you've got a full day ahead of me here. I have been in the advertising marketing world for thirty years, working for other agencies, I've run my own ad agency for twenty of those years, one of our specialties was really in brand strategy development, we did everything from traditional advertising, TV, radio, print, outdoor, that sort of thing when we got our start. Of course everything has moved into the digital realm. For the past ten plus/twelve years, I have really studied storytelling especially starting out of Hollywood, what does Hollywood know about telling a great story that we all can use in our own lives to really own that story, our personal brand and our professional brands so that we can connect with people on a more human level and Melinda that's important in this day and age because as you know as we're doing right here the masses are the media, brands used to own that influence of mass media of TV, radio and print but now because the masses are the media there is an absolute cacophony of communication out there and it's really, really difficult for brands whether it's a solopreneur, entrepreneur, mid-market company or very large brand to cut through the clutter, rise above the noise of the attention economy and really stand out. I found through kind of a hypothesis of using The Hero's Journey, Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey, and we can talk a little bit about that, created a process that we could use in business, kind of simplifying it but very much approaching our brand stories like an author would so that we can create more of a human connection with our audiences and get away from the features and benefits din that's happening out there that we're all competing with and going back to literally the irony of this is the ancient power of story how our brains are hardwired to create meaning out...
Just write the book is author Jennie Jones’ advice on writing. You may get laughed at and it may be rubbish but you’ll have done it. With so much advice littering my inbox telling me how to write, it sounds like a damned fine idea to me – simple in its execution and exciting in its results. And Jones ought to know. The first six books she wrote were practise books and at 50,000 words a pop, that’s a lot of practise. Nowadays, Jones has ten novels to her name, including the International Bestseller, The House on Burra Burra Lane, with more on the way. Our discussion today ranges from writing routines, outlining, word counts, and giving readers what they want to marketing and promotion. Jones is an intelligent, gracious and generous guest, and if we sidetrack into chatting about grand old theatres and possible novel settings in the UK and Scotland, I blame it on the romance. You can find out more about Jennie Jones and her books https://www.jenniejonesromance.com (here) and if you check back in a little while I’ll have the transcript notes ready for you to take away and study for your own writing journey. Oh, and for the Rural Romance readers among us, Jones has set up an Australian Rural Romance webpage https://australianruralromance.com (here.) Thanks, Jennie.
Secrets sell, and none know this better than Rachael Johns, Australia’s number 1 Rural Romance author, and more recently Life Lit author (a term coined by Johns’ publicist to explain Johns’ latest book, The Art of Keeping Secrets. Reviewer, Debbish dotcom – I love that name and you can find out more about Debbish and her love of everything Jane Austen https://www.debbish.com (here) – describes Johns’ novel as contemporary and uplifting even though it is not traditionally happily-ever-after-ish. But make no mistake, Johns has published more than her fair share of romance novels, twenty books in total in five or so years, with her most exciting moment being when her name was called out as winner of the 2016 Australian Book Industry Awards with another of her Life Lit novels, The Patterson Girls. Now, my all time favourite author is Jane Austen and if Johns writes, as Debbish states, with warmth and humour about issues most of us face in our daily lives, then I’m all keen to read Johns’ backlist, including Book 4 of her Bunyip Bay series – and yes, to those of us who are loyal followers of Outback Dreams, Outback Blaze, Outback Ghost and now, Outback Sisters, that makes four, and I’m guessing an email or three to Johns begging for more may go some way to persuading her to continue the small town series with books five, six and seven (sorry, Rach). Oh, and Johns’ own secret: writing is work, hard work, and sometimes it isn’t the fun the rest of us imagine it to be. Yes, Johns may write in her jarmies, and enjoy the odd Diet Coke, Maltesers and glass of wine (not all together) but she admits to a certain laziness when it comes to re-writing and more re-writing. Unlike some of us, she prefers to get it right the first couple of times. For the real truth about Johns, her books and her upcoming appearances, you can find out more https://www.rachaeljohns.com (here.)
There’s a lot of advice out there when it comes to launching your book and often it’s difficult to decide exactly how to go about seeing your baby off into the big wide reading world. Val Francis has worked out her own way to launch her romantic suspense series, using her background in media and corporate communications, common sense, and some sound advice from Bella Andre, International Bestselling Romance Author. Word-of-mouth is three tiers deep, explains Val, and she has built herself a strong team for the launch today of Masquerade: Part 1, released under her pen name, Robin St. Croix. You can find it https://booklaunch.io/robinstcroix/masquerade-part1 (here). Val’s is a launch plan any of us can follow, using a bit of networking, professionalism and a whole lot of damned hard work. Oh, and don’t forget having a great book with a great premise: What would you do if you knew you wouldn’t get caught? Masquerade is a novel in 12 parts and you can find it http://https//www.robinstcroix.com (here) and more about Val and her middle-grade fiction, Nature Knights, https://www.valeriefrancis.ca (here).
You’ve typed THE END on your story and now it’s time for the hard part – publishing it. But, if you’ve been listening to our series this week, you know there are all kinds of experts to help you. I’m chatting with Kevin Tumlinson today to get the low down on Draft2Digital, and as Kevin promises, it sounds kind of easy. But hey, I’ve been fooled before. So, my dear listeners, is Kevin telling us the truth? Is Draft2Digital the answer to our digital publishing prayers? Well, if I can work it anyone can and if you listen to the end you’ll find that D2D has all kinds of extras that promise to make our lives easy, well, easier, the most exciting of which is the introduction universal distribution links (and there’s a book reviewing service in the pipeline but I’m not sure I can mention that yet). I’ve decided to give it a go for my soon to be launched novella series so watch this space. To find out more, you can find D2D at https://www.draft2digital.com (www.draft2digtal.com)
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Melinda: Welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road. I have the very delightful Kevin Tumlinson back with me and I think it's going to be a regular thing. He's very waving to us here, very, very politely. Last time I spoke to Kevin it was via, it was, what was it called, it was a program called Zencastr, this time I've got this face looking at me and very young and handsome he is as well. Unless I'm just older than the rest of the world, good morning Kevin. Kevin Tumlinson: Good morning, good afternoon, how are you? Melinda: I'm good thanks. First of all the very first thing we have to ask you because when I put you up last time I put you up and the man who's moving into his RV and travelling around America. Would you like to give us an update on where you're up to please? Kevin Tumlinson: So we're like a millisecond away from that. We put the RV in for a bit of maintenance and repair just to get everything perfect before we move in full time and we're looking at probably, I said mid, but probably late September we'll be moving full time. The official date will be October 12th, that's officially the day that we no longer have an apartment, we no longer have any other place to be live and we'll be living full time in the RV. But we'll probably be moved in a couple weeks before that. Melinda: Yeah and as I'm looking at Kevin here he's in his little flat or unit at the time and it's not much bigger than a caravan either by the look of things. So I don't think things are going to change much. Kevin Tumlinson: No, it was a challenge downsizing into this apartment actually. We went from a four bedroom home, house with very large additional working spaces that were my office and studio and that sort of thing and we downsized to this apartment for the last year. So that was step one. So we're, I think, we're sort of half-ready I think to be living in a tin can on wheels. Melinda: Yeah, now I never do anything one step at time. I just sort of jump in boots and all and see what happens. So you're doing it the sensible way, you must be a very, very patient man. Kevin Tumlinson: Well, maybe. Melinda: Okay, not so patient. Kevin Tumlinson: Well we wanted to jump right into the RV, we wanted to. But we knew there were a few steps. We didn't have the RV yet when we sold the house, so that was challenge number one. So this past year has really been about getting the RV, getting used to the idea. We took some trips, tested it out and we're pretty confident we're going to dig it. So I don't know about patient, but we definitely, we ended up accidently doing this via plan I think. Melinda: Yeah, my last, I was speaking last night to a lady here in Australia and she's got, her and her partner are traveling around Australia in a 25 foot 5th wheeler and they've certainly got it down pat with their parking and, oh I was going to say mooring it because I've been talking yachties as...
Welcome to the world of International Thrill & Suspense author, Rachel Amphlett, as we chat about all things Indie publishing, from mailing lists to Facebook advertisements and being your own motivator, inspirer and hard-nosed boss. Not only does Rachel work a 9 – 5 job, she writes full time and runs her her own publishing business. The word discipline comes to mind just thinking about it. Bum-on-seat, is Rachel’s secret, and in her case it’s a train seat as she commutes to and from work on a daily basis. Forty minutes there and forty minutes back has seen Rachel notch up more than a few thrillers, including eight Dan Taylor novels and several stand-alone novels. But there are more in the planning. And therein lies another secret, because, if there’s one thing I learnt whilst talking with Rachel, is that nothing is left to chance. Planning out her year is what Rachel does best, and with a schedule like the one she has set herself, it’s the only way to survive. But survive, and thrive, she does. You can find out more about Rachel and her novels at https://www.rachelamphlett.com (www.rachelamphlett.com)
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Rachel Amphlett Melinda: Welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road. I'm getting fairly excited here because we're getting fairly close to episode number twenty, so I thought that it'd be a good time just do a little recap of what we've achieved so far and where we're heading in the future. I'll be doing some blog posts on some of the things that we've learned, I've started that with the top twenty things I've learned so far from podcasting and I'll be looking further at our transcripts and making some notes so the rest of us can have a bit of read and take from it what we can. I've got a conference coming up in early October, I've booked my ticket and I'm pretty excited to get down there and see what everybody else is up to. It's on the Gold Coast and of course the ticket cost me so much I'll probably be staying in a tent. But I do believe that most of the attendees will be living it up in 5 start accommodation, but we'll get there, maybe next year we'll have that. I'm in the process of writing my first newsletter, we've got quite a few subscribers now only waiting patiently for their newsletter but I'm going to change from AWeber to Convert Kid, the main reason for that is I can't AWeber, it's awfully complicated for me. But the real reason is Convert Kid is built especially for authors like us. So once I work out how to get it going, I'll share that experience with you. I'll try and get some of the guys from Convert Kid to help us. It's certainly taken off in the writing world and gets mentioned on a lot of the writing podcasts that I listen to. So that'll be newsletters, that'll be one up to the conference. I'm almost ready to launch my teenage story writing course which is, well it's called Voices in Your Head and it's going under the title of Story Slingers, so we've recorded of the videos for that and they've all been really, really good fun and we're moving ahead with that. I'm working on a novella with a couple of ladies here in Australia from the romance writers group that I'm with and I'll be putting out, I guess a little mini videos on how to write a novella and the pitfalls that I found and the excitement and challenges and how to get to the end in 90 days or less. It's taken me probably 30 days, which is a little bit scary but I was under pressure but I made a promise and I had to keep it. I'm looking at starting a female entrepreneurs, what do you call it, membership group and I'm looking at the software that I need to do that, I've got quite a bit of interest in that, several ladies have put up their hand and we'd like to join together and to use our stories to grow our businesses. So that'll probably happen sometime between now and the end of the year and I'll probably get that up and running early in the New Year. But all our founding...
The business world knows my guest today as a straight talking small business expert who helps early stage entrepreneurs navigate their lives and optimise their results. I know him as the guy in the TALK HARD t-shirt who tells me all my ideas are wonderful, then gently reminds me to focus on one thing at a time. Mark Asquith, author of ‘The 14 Day Guide to Cutting Your Working Hours and Increasing Your Impact’, has been working in digital technologies since 2001, and is founder of Podcast Websites, the hosting service for my podcast. His Excellence Expected podcast is the #1 small business podcast on iTunes and in his spare time he runs his design, brand and web agency, HACKSAW. He is the go to expert for all things branding, marketing and start-ups, and his speaking gigs this year alone included Belfast, London, Chicago, Barnsley, Philadelphia, London, Liverpool and Nottingham. A free take-away before we begin: the number one secret to any successful business is relationships. Your clients need to know, like and trust you before you sell ’em a thing, and the way to do it is through content, free content, lots of it. The old adage, give and you shall receive, is alive and thriving in the small business world, it seems. Oh, alright Mark, send me a TALK HARD t-shirt if you must and I’ll send you a pic from my very first Conference on the Gold Coast, We Are Podcast, 2016. Sound exotic, you reckon? Watch this space…
Cassandra Gaisford is an entrepreneur, creativity coach, public speaker and author of the Number 1 Bestselling series, Mid-Life Career Rescue. Her most recent release, The Art of Success, merges business and art through the lens of Leonardo Di Vinci and focuses on how to cultivate a successful mindset. What does success mean to you is a question that keeps popping up as Cassandra and I chat about importance of believing in yourself and reminding yourself that you have the freedom to make the choices that define you. Our conversation ranges from the magic of New Zealand’s Bay of Isles to the fascination that is Di Vinci’s Renaissance world of beauty and inspiration, to Cassandra’s soon to be released historical novel, Mona Lisa’s Smile. To find out more, visit Cassandra at http://cassandragaisford.com (www.cassandragaisford.com)
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Melinda: Welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road. I have a beautiful woman with me this morning and she's all made up and sitting here all glamorous, Cassandra Gaisford. Cassandra is from New Zealand and she's a couple hours ahead of me. I'm going to put it down to that I've just staggered out of the shower at 6 o'clock in the morning but she's there at 8 o'clock. Before I let Cassandra introduce herself I'm just going to say that we've just had a bit of a scan around her house and not only has she got on her walls, which we can't see anymore, I had to turn her around for the sun, but a beautiful emblem from her latest book called The Art of Success which we're going to focus on a lot today, which is why I've got Cassandra on. But also out her window she's got the most amazing view of a river or a lake or something that just goes for miles and it's just stunning. So now I'm going to go and visit her as well. Welcome to Writer on the Road Cassandra. Cassandra Gaisford: Thanks so much Melinda. You're actually looking out at the Bay of Islands. So I'm up here in, just out of KeriKeri up in the Bay of Islands and yeah we're blessed to have that beautiful view. Melinda: I should have guessed the Bay of Islands, I have been there, unfortunately I was in a tent at the time with two children, camping out of a car. Cassandra Gaisford: Probably different experience. Melinda: Oh it's still beautiful, still wonderful, biggest thing that shocked me was the place was crawling in backpackers and we've got these magnificent views and everybody's taking photographs on their iPads and journaling and teaching, I'm thinking look up, see what you're missing. But they never, ever do. They're too busy saying look where I am and look what I'm doing and I'm going how about you enjoy it. Cassandra is the founder of Work Life Solutions and I'm reading this so it sounds a little bit formal and I'm sure we don't want to be formal this morning. She's the best selling health, self-help author, so she's going to help me, and she's a romance and historical novelist. I was reading that she's just gotten back from the New Zealand Romance Writers Conference and I want to talk a little bit about that as well. She's got some tips for us on creativity I believe. She's a creativity coach, public speaker, and entrepreneur. Cassandra Gaisford: Thank you. Melinda: Tell us about yourself Cassandra, have I missed anything? Cassandra Gaisford: I think the main thing and it sums up it and I know in my work that I do with people they often say well just don't you have to do one thing. When I say them you could do what I've called a career combo, you could do marry your passions and do multiple things, people are always pretty surprised. I would call myself, in fact others have called me a Renaissance woman, it's just trying lots of different things and most of them centered around passion and creativity. Melinda: We're going to kick into that in the Art of Success which focuses very much on the words of Leonardo Di Vinci, so I've got to admit that I've spent a bit of time this...
Daniel Gefen has picked the brains of the best in the business world on his Number 1 Entrepreneur podcast, Can I Pick Your Brain?, and 20,000 downloads since January is testimonial to the popularity of this man’s expertise. Today, he shares the 6 Steps to Great Networking with us. We also get to hear about his new book to be released in April, 2017, titled The Self Help Addict (you heard it here first:)). To find out more, visit Daniel at http://http//www.danielgefen.com (www.danielgefen.com) and don’t forget the offer to join Daniel, and me, in Daniel’s private Facebook group to access his network of goal setting entrepreneurs. The Can I pick Your Brain? Entrepreneur Business Podcast can be downloaded on iTunes and I highly recommend it. I’m heading over there now to re-listen to Episode 39, 10 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller with Park Howell, and with any luck, we might be able to get Park to chat with us here on Writer on the Road. Over to you, Daniel, we await your introduction:).
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Life’s an adventure and this ex-corporate, now multi-published, author is more than happy to share her adventures with anyone who happens to be around. Think happy hour somewhere, a fifth wheeler, a partner to do the driving and a country as big as Australia in which to play. It’s not hard to imagine what my conversation with Jenn J McLeod disintegrated into…yeah, whose been where anecdotes, but we talked writing, too. Jenn is as generous with her advice as she is with her stories and I can’t wait to bump into her out in the big paddock somewhere, camped in the star hotel that the Australian outback does so well. Throw in a few stories, a glass or two, and maybe swap a few novel ideas, and I reckon it’s an adventure that’d be worth talking about. In the meantime, if you’re out there and you see Jenn, don’t forget to pop over and say hi – oh, and buy a book or two. You can find out more about Jenn and her good life over at http://www.jennjmcleod.com (www.jennjmcleod.com)
Welcome to the world of the wandering gypsy princess, also known as my friend Sherrie McCarthy, who, having gotten her motor bike license one week and ridden a motorcycle from Germany to Turkey via Romania and Bulgaria, and back via Greece and the Balkans, is now setting her sights on new horizons with her husband, two children and a dog call Mango (with his own book title), and a yacht called…err, you might have to listen to the podcast to find that out. Sherrie’s motto in life is, yep, you guessed it, ‘Just do it!’ I can’t wait to follow her family’s adventures as they sail off into all kinds of sunsets, with Sherrie already determined to carve out a spot for her writing self, no mean feat on a yacht at the best of times. Throw in a couple of young children and I’m thinking deserted islands in the dinghy may be Sherrie’s preferred escape/writing option. Creator of The 7 Day Creativity Jumpstart Videos, and author of various travel motorcycle books, Sherrie is working toward releasing her first thriller which I’ll be the first to put my hand up to buy for the research alone. If it’s inspiration you’re looking for then this podcast episode is for you. I could also throw in motivation, fascination, and enthusiation (if you can come up with a better word for this woman’s personality, I’m listening – when I grow up I want to be just like her).
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Angus Nelson is a Top 20 INC podcast host, motivational speaker and coach. His focus is bringing transformation to business models, creativity, inspiration and networking. And he turned up in my life just when I was asking the questions. He also walks the talk. He has a new book coming out, titled Empowering Work, encouraging you to find your purpose and to be the most effective you that you can be. Live in the present and unlock your amazing future, encourages Angus, and he is very persuasive in his arguments. It was when I heard Angus speak that I knew I had to have him join us on our journey. After all, don’t we all want a life of experience and fearlessness? Sit back and enjoy Angus telling us how…
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Interviewing this woman has me rushing for the post-it-now button. Part inspiration, part motivation and part mentor, Helene Young is a podcast interviewer’s dream. Successful author of six novels (with one in the oven), sailor of some of the most spectacular reef landscape in the world, and adventurer in the true sense of the word…give me a reason not to post our podcast the same day I chat with this amazing woman!! Okay, I’m doing it. An added bonus is Helene has just returned from Australia’s premier Romance Writers of Australia Conference in Adelaide and I want you all get the good oil on this most prestigious of events. Welcome, Helene, and let it be known at the outset, I’m jealous of the life you live, and excited that, one day, you and your handsome hero are going to join me on the inland route of Oz. To find out more about Helene, please go to her website, http://www.heleneyoung.com (www.heleneyoung.com) – but her Facebook page is where to head for the most amazing pics of her coastal Oz photographic bonanza. If the cover shot on this interview keeps changing, don’t blame me…
We all want our books to not only look professional but to be professionally edited, produced, and marketed, don’t we? Join me as I chat with Amanda Greenslade of Australian eBook Publishing as we discuss assisted publishing – how much should we, as indies, attempt ourselves and how much should we hand over to the experts. Of course, the answer is different for everyone and it’s Amanda’s first job to discuss with her clients this very question. There’s a huge amount to learn once we type ‘The End’ on our manuscript and in some ways we can find ourselves right back at the beginning, this time learning all there is to know about the business side of publishing and marketing our precious works. Or, we can outsource some or all of the next stages of the writing and publishing journey to the experts.
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Can you think of a better way to create a story to tell? Travelling around one of the most magical of landscapes, doing a little work, playing a little, eavesdropping on the locals’ lives. Sounds idyllic? For a writer, it’s grist of the mill, storytelling in the making if you like. Warren Williams, of Work Around Australia fame, can tell you how to make you working around Australia dream come true and I can help you tell that story. Now, one would assume that would make Warren and I a great team, except for one small problem. I wanna run away too, in fact, it’s been a long held dream of mine to run away with the circus and Warren, damn him, has made that dream come true, at least, it could come true if I dared to run. Check out http://www.workaboutaustralia.com.au (www.workaboutaustralia.com.au) for Warren’s tips, tricks and newsletter.
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That title is a tad facetious, I know, but when I’m chatting with a woman with over fifty books published and a million or so sold what else can I say? The numbers speak for themselves. And a little aside, I knew this woman under another name – in another life – when we were both aspiring romance authors and attending conferences to glean titbits from those-who-knew-the-secret-of how-to-get-published. Well, one of us found the answer and the other one of us is interviewing her. Welcome to the writing life of Amy Andrews, and the only thing we have in common nowadays is that we both believe it’s 5 o’clock somewhere most of the time. But seriously, this is one success story you don’t want to miss. It’s a story of determination, focus and damned hard writing work. You can’t get successful any other way, I’m afraid, and that’s a secret I’m happy to reveal even before you listen to Amy give us the real truth.
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Meet a man who’s ‘out there do’in’ it’, living the life we all dream of, a life filled with adventure, the great outdoors, and a little bit of much needed solitude in this crazy commercial world we call the twenty-first century. Gerard Abrams, part philosopher, part inspiration, part practical and part intellect, has carved out a life that includes a man-cave-tent where he can write and while away the midday hours in some of most spectacular outback country New Zealand has to offer and call it work. He also manages to squeeze in more than a few ‘office hours’ here in Oz, too, where he makes his home with the ever patient and supportive Susie. Susie is Gerard’s wife, editor and support team. Most of the time, while he’s out doing what adventurers do best, she’s at home doing what support teams do best, monitoring the findme app and feeding the chooks (okay, I’m not sure if this pair have chooks, but if they did, it would be Susie doing the feeding ’cause Gerard has serious hiking, contemplating, photo taking and yeah, some writing, to do). Gerard calls himself a simple man but I’m going to let you decide for yourself. After an hour in this man’s company, I’m gunna be brave, and beg to differ. This man has one serious kind of business brain. He suggested we link up and collaborate on a few projects, which sounded like a damned fine idea ’till he had to go and blow it and talk business proposals and such. Gerard, I’m a simple girl and just like to write…and talk. Let us know what you think about the crazy hour with Mel and Gerard, the romantic and the pragmatic. You never know, we may team up yet.
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Make no mistake, I adore Annie Seaton. This is one author I’m proud and excited to have met and can now call my friend. Let me go one step further…when I grow up I wanna be just like Annie, and if I had ever actually laid claim to the term ‘grown up’ I would be her. Annie is me, except for one small detail. She’s done everything I set out to do, and finished it!! And, therein my listening and reading friends, lies the difference. Annie had done what we all dream of doing. She has taken the last five years and propelled her writing dream into the stratosphere. And there’s nothing stopping the rest of us doing the same. Except hard work, dedication and application. Are you ready to achieve your writing dream? Make yourself comfortable and listen as Annie tells us how. To find out more about Annie and her extraordinary success, pop over to http://www.annieseatong.net (www.annieseaton.net) and while you’re there, don’t forget to admire the cover of Kakadu Sunset. Coming hot on its heals in November is Daintree Sunrise (an exclusive release date – remember, you heard it here first) and one about the Kimberley (can’t remember its name:))
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Have you ever wondered how your stories can act as inspiration to others? This week’s guest, Mandy Rowe, not only guided Broads Abroad Travel Network from idea to successful travel network for solo women travellers, she wrote down the details so that others could learn from both her mistakes and triumphs. Her memoir is titled A Broad Abroad, One Woman’s Journey, and it offers a detailed account of Mandy’s efforts to see what started as a dream through to fruition. Make no mistake, Mandy is a perfectionist and she oversaw every detail of her brand with a meticulous eye. Her driving passion? To get women out there making new friends and sharing their stories as only true friends can. An added bonus is a second book that illustrates the success of Mandy’s vision for members of the Broads Abroad network. Broad’s Abroad – Worldly Wise brings together a group of amazing women sharing their stories to both inspire and instruct us in the benefits of travelling with new eyes to exotic places. Mandy has given me several copies of A Broad Abroad, One Woman’s Journey, to share with you. The first five subscribers to my list after listening to Mandy’s story will receive a copy of her book (just send me your email so we can organise delivery). If you want to know more about the Broads Abroad Network, and the inspiration that is Mandy Rowe, visit Mandy at http://broadsabroad.net (www.broadsabroad.net)
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Joanne Dannon is an Indie author who is as generous with her advice to others as she is with her enthusiasm for everything to do with the business of writing. It is Joanne’s enthusiasm that attracted me to her while I was completing Mark Stephenson’s online marketing course for writers, Your First 10k Readers. If you’re interested in building your writing business then listen to Joanne’s journey where, through sheer tenacity of spirit, she is succeeding in building a loyal fan base and keen readership. She speaks of how networking with other writers sees her collaborating on a book bundle project and how she donates a proportion of her sales to worthy causes of her choosing. Being in control of her own destiny matters to Joanne and if sheer bloody-mindedness and determination is what it takes to be noticed in the ever-burgeoning online ebook space, then this woman will be not only noticed but talked about in the most positive of ways.
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Joanne Dannon Duration: 52.00 Melinda: Welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road. Today I have with me a beautiful romance author Joanne Dannon. Joanne's website says some very nice things about her that she writes "sparkling sassy romances with sigh-worthy endings." So in order to set the mood to talk with Joanne tonight I've lit my candle in the background so that we have the romance, I've got my glass of red wine sitting over here so cheers to you Joanne. The only I haven't got is a handsome hero, but Joanne's hubby has been helping us set up tonight. So we do have our handsome hero floating around in the background here. Welcome Joanne. Joanne Dannon: Thank you, thanks Melinda. Nice to be chatting with you, I do like your podcast so thanks for inviting me to part of one. Melinda: Well I couldn't resist, Joanne and I are members of some writing courses that we're doing online together one of those is called "Your first 10,000 Readers" with Mark Stephenson. Joanne has been experiencing quite a level of success although she'd be a little bit shy about that, with her promotion and marketing of her work. Joanne and I, before we started tonight were discussing the concept of overnight success and we had a little bit of a chuckle because although Joanne is now an overnight success, there's been ten years of hard work going on behind the scenes. So Joanne the quote that I wanted to start with tonight, which I've lost in all the chaos that we've been experiencing, is she writes handsome, "She wrote a story about a handsome, mysterious Englishman, a feisty nanny, an exotic setting, what more can you ask for in a romance novel?" So welcome, would you like to introduce yourself for our listeners please? Joanne Dannon: Okay, my name is Joanne Dannon, I'm an Australia romance author, I love romance, I like romance books and romance movies. So when I started writing it was pretty easy that I would go into the genre that I most liked which is romance. I like to write contemporary romances and I like to make my heroes a little bit different, I've been a long time fan of Mills and Boone, to the presents or the sexy line as it's known in Australia. But most of the heroes are bankers or business man or tycoons and I just wanted to do something a little bit different, so my heroes a little bit different. So with my book that's coming out in October for example he's a scientist looking for a cure for ovarian cancer. I've got the reporter which is obviously with the one that you're talking about with Falling for Mr. Wrong, I've got a lawyer, okay but he's a pretty sexy lawyer. I try to shake it up a little bit and make it a bit different, I just, I write the books that I love, that I want to read. Melinda: I think one thing that we have to remember here is that writing romance is one of the biggest genres in novel writing all around the world. Second, I think coming second are thrillers and adventure novels but romance is right up there. So Joanne...
You can’t do everything but you can do anything, one thing at at time, says Derek Doepker, bestselling author, success coach and self-publishing consultant. Derek dreamed of being a rockstar but, instead, empowers writers to be the best they can be in order to position and market their books for the best results. Derek is ever-generous in sharing his advice, motivation and inspiration to both aspiring and published authors – and I’ve just hired him as my mentor and writing coach. Listen, and take notes if you can, as Derek takes us through the self-publishing process from getting our books written to publishing and marketing them to the best effect. Don’t forget to check out Derek’s website at http://www.ebookbestsellersecrets.com (www.ebookbestsellersecrets.com) for all the advice any self-publisher will need to succeed in the exciting new world of digital publishing.
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What would make a man give up the best job in the world? A better job, of course. Meet Brian Crisp, former National Editor of Escape Travel Magazine for News Corp here in Australia. I set out in my chat with Brian to find out why a man with the most romantic job in the world, I mean, really, getting to holiday in exotic places and then write about it, and then give it all up? Well, it takes about five minutes into our conversation to understand that this man has found the answer. Brian is a born storyteller and he now crafts content for social media, again with News Corp, and he has positioned himself to be at the forefront of a new business marketing era, where story is king.
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Episode 5
Kevin Tumlinson needs no introduction in the Indie publishing world – or in the podcasting world for that matter – and there’s a growing interest in his transition amongst his followers, including me, to full-time RVing. Kevin and his wife, Kara, will be travelling in style and for a while in this interview I forget about writing as I get lost in the detail of his new lifestyle. But, never fear, Kevin is as ever generous in his writing advice as he is in sharing the excitement of his new lifestyle. This man writes 5000 words a day, which to me, makes Kevin one prolific writer. I can’t wait to see how he maintains the schedule when life outside his rig proves too tempting. He has visions of sitting inside at his already designated writing desk as he churns out his words. Good luck, Kevin, there’s a big wide world of distraction out there waiting to tempt you. For more about Kevin’s writing and writing journey, visit http://www.kevintumlinson.com (www.kevintumlinson.com). His latest adventure thriller novel, The Coehlo Medallion is available in all the usual places and his non-fiction book, The 30 Day Author, has become this wanna-be-prolific-author-when-I-grow-up’s bible of sorts.
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Kevin Tumlinson Duration: [01:05:49] Melinda: Welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road. I have a very, very special guest with me today who I've been courting, I guess, for several months now. My guest is Kevin Tumlinson and to most of people in the podcasting world he's going to need absolutely no introduction whatsoever. Good morning Kevin! Kevin Tumlinson: Good morning, good afternoon. Let's see, I'm, I don't know how many hours opposite you that I am, but it's 3 o'clock here and 6 am there. So I guess, good afternoon here, good morning there. Melinda: There's another difference as well that I'm going to point out, my business is called Tropical Writing Services and I've just moved down from a tiny place called Magnetic Island off Townsville in far north Queensland and I'm down in Brisbane, which is still tropical, but it's 5 degrees here today. Kevin Tumlinson: Oh really? Melinda: And I'm not a happy writer. So I'm sitting here in UGG boots and coats and mittens with a cup of Milo in my hand and Kevin you're from Texas? Kevin Tumlinson: Yes. It is not 5 degrees here. It is very warm here right now. I believe it's somewhere in the high 90s right now and the humidity is killing me. Melinda: I think there was something, I think one of the times I contacted you, you were quite happy to be in the air conditioning and it was 30 degrees and very sweaty outside. Kevin Tumlinson: Right, right, exactly. That's what happens when you're in the general Houston area, that's one of the reasons why my wife and I were keen to get in the RV and get on the road full time so that we can choose comfortable places to live. Melinda: There's a mass exodus north as we speak this time of year, anyone who has any sense of all is in their RV and heading north, the tried and true track is you go up through Brisbane up north to Townsville, Cairns, Daintree, and across to Darwin where it's very comfortable, thank you very much, and that's where you stay for the winter. I'm assuming when you travel that big wide country of yours that you will have plenty of choices. Kevin Tumlinson: We do. One interesting thing is the way the mountains actually sort of dissect the country at one point, so there's kind of a definitive east and west here and then once you go a little further west there's a big huge dessert. So we haven't really ventured beyond the mountains yet, but we do like to get up north into the mountains and kind of find a relaxing place. I'm a mountains guy, I'd much rather be in the mountains than say on a beach or in the tropics or something like that and I'm really looking forward to spending months at a time on a lake or somewhere where I've got a, sort of a vista that I...
Episode 4 – A conversation with the other Melinda Hammond
If you love Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen, then you’ll love this week’s guest to whom I refer fondly as the other Melinda Hammond, Regency Romance author, as she generously shares her advice for authors at all stages of the writing journey. Melinda has been writing for over thirty years and published her first romance with Robert Hale in 1980. She continues to work 8-9 hours a day, most days, with 4-5 of those hours dedicated to actual writing and the remainder to research, marketing, correspondence and all the other things that go with the territory of being a full time author. Melinda also writes contemporary romances under the name of Sarah Mallory. Be warned, once hooked on Melinda’s novels, you won’t get much else done for awhile. You can find out more about her at www.melinda-hammond.co.uk
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Episode 4: Melinda Hammond Duration: [00:46:23] Melinda: Welcome to another episode of Writer on the Road. It's episode number 4 in our series and I've got with me today a very, very special guest. Her name is by chance Melinda Hammond. Now Melinda and I have had a chance to chat and we both agreed that we're both infamous and we both have very important names, but unfortunately Melinda's been writing since 1980 and she has a lot more novels under her belt than me. So in this particular instance I'm going to step back and have over to the expert, but before I do I'd like to go through a little bit of an introduction that I found and it was a quote by I guess someone who publishes Melinda, I'm not sure, by Single titles and it says "Melinda is one of the brightest stars in the Regency Firmament. Her plots are fast paced, her characterization impeccable and her ability to evoke the past in a vivid and colorful way superb." Welcome, Melinda, to Writer on the Road. What do you say about that very wonderful quote? Melinda Hammond: It is a wonderful quote, it's from a website that reviews Regency and historical novels. I'm clear they like the ones that I like, so that's quite useful. It's, yeah, it's very good when you write something that obviously hits the spot and people relate to it. I write, I'm a great fan of Georgetta Heyer and Jane Austen and absolutely love their books, so that's the style that I write in and obviously somebody, luckily someone agrees, some reviewer agrees which is great news for me, very affirming. Melinda: Yeah, and you said you write in the style of Georgetta Heyer and that she inspired you and I also noticed Jane Austen and Melinda and I were talking before we recorded this and ever since I've been a little girl I read the Georgetta Heyer novels, I've studied Jane Austen throughout my academic career and as soon as I picked up one of Melinda's novels last night to read it was called Winter in Harrington's. It took me right back to those days where I had nothing else in my life to do but read beautiful romance novels. Everything that I've picked about you Melinda is romantic. I'm sitting here looking at her now, beautiful blonde haired lady, beautiful English drawing room, bookshelves in the background. Melinda, you've created a persona for yourself, but I'm guessing it's also the real you, would you like to talk to us about your love of romance? Melinda Hammond: I'd love to think it was the real me as well. It probably, it must be a facet, I don't think it can all be false, but I've loved romance it's escapism, everybody needs a certain amount of escapism in their lives I think. It's just the sort of books that I've always wanted to write. I'm lucky enough to live in a very romantic part of the world, upon the Yorkshire moors, literally in stone's throw from Haworth where the Bronte's lived and wrote their books. So very much Wuthering Heights country, which is great. We live up on the moors in an old farm house, so I can go out, I can walk on the moors literally I don't have to drive...
Episode 3 – How to Be an Entrepreneur
Join Colin Jones as he talks us through the thinking process necessary to succeed using the entrepreneurial mindset. Col has a Phd in Entrepreneurship and has been teaching young entrepreneurs and an undergraduate and post graduate level for nearly twenty years. You can hear more of Col’s thought on what it takes to succeed in an increasing and ever-changing world in his podcast, The Reasonable Adventurer.
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Episode 3: Colin Jones Duration: [00:41:17] Melinda: Welcome to Writer on the Road Colin. Where we're all at different stages of the writing journey but our destination is the same. Colin Jones: It's a pleasure to join you. Melinda: Okay. Introducing this man who I know through listening to his podcast "The Reasonable Adventurer" and I've been listening for some weeks and I've gotten to know Colin as a thinking man. He's very much into, I guess, [00:00:30] philosophy of thought. So, my introduction today is one of my more challenging undertakings where I set out this morning to prepare for this interview, I thought I'd fossick around Colin's LinkedIn site and educate myself, teach myself a few things about you Colin and then we'd be on our way. Having met Colin a couple of weeks ago now, I've taken over Colin's house and he's moved on to bigger and better and [00:01:00] closer things to the local school, I knew that he was interesting man and I wanted him on my podcast. So I thought I had a fair idea and I knew where to start. My notes to myself are how very, very wrong can a girl be. So here's my effort in introducing Dr. Colin Jones from Queensland University of Technology. He's an entrepreneur educator, a senior lecturer at QUT, prior to that he was fifteen years [00:01:30] in the same position in Tasmania. He's got a PhD in entrepreneurship, he's an author, podcast, a blogger, and he's the ultimate thinking man about thinking itself. Colin would you like to tidy up that introduction for me please? Colin Jones: Well I think you got it right Mel when you said that difficult to introduce because depending on what angle you're coming from I could be introduced as a lot of things. I remember when I first started working at the University of [00:02:00] Tasmania, an occupation or vocation which not many people would have predicted only a few years earlier than that. I bumped into someone in the supermarket and they said "Oh what are you doing with yourself these days?" I said, "Oh I'm working at the university." They said, "Oh, what do you there?" I said "I do the rubbish." They said, "Oh fair enough," and they walked off because that seemed like a fair enough thing. They could picture me as a rubbish guy. So I think that's one of the things that [00:02:30] actually cherished actually is that I very, very comfortable talking to people from the Prime Minister down to the person who's doing it the hardest in life. I always say hello to people when I walk past people even if I don't know them, whether that's a Tasmania trait or just a me trait, I don't know. But, I turn fifty a couple of weeks, three weeks I think it is and I'm looking forward to reflecting on all the [00:03:00] different phases that I've had in my life and then thinking well so what are the other phases that might lie in the remaining years. So that'll be, that'll be interesting. But I actually, I'm very happy, I'm very happy that I've done a lot of different things in life so far. Melinda: Yeah, it will be happy birthday to Colin in a few weeks and I was having a little listen to one of his podcasts recently and now we're talking about a very highly educated man who travels around the world talking about entrepreneurship and [00:03:30] he's decided to get a tattoo. Colin Jones: Absolutely. Melinda: If you want to know more about Colin's reasons for getting that tattoo you've really got to go and listen to the "Reasonable Adventurer" because it's an interesting story all...
Episode 1
Meet Graeme Kemlo, Australasian President of the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association and broadcaster of the Travel Writers Radio Show in Australia. Listen in while Graeme talks us through his journey from Canberra Press Journalist to travel writer to broadcaster of his own travel radio show.
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Episode 1: Graeme Kemlo Duration: [00:46:17] Melinda: Alright, welcome to Writer on the Road where telling stories matter, writing them down is even better, and publishing them is the greatest goal of all. But it's important to remember through all the toilities and testing times (and there'll be plenty of those), it's the journey that matters and it's the journey that we're here to talk about. The who, where, what and why and how of storytelling. During these podcasts I'll be sharing my journey of building and monetizing my writing business as well as inviting others from all stages of the [00:00:30] writing journey to share their stories. For this, my first podcast, officially titled "Podcast Number 1," I've invited the master reencounter himself, Graeme Kemlo travel writer extraordinaire, Australasian president of the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association, host to the ever-popular travel writers radio show, intellect, business writer, singer, and grandfather. Welcome Graeme, have I missed anything? Graeme Kemlo: Well, thanks. How do I live to that intro? I thought you were talking about someone else. Melinda: No, it's how I've come to know you and how I've come to think of you. As you and I were discussing earlier you are my go-to person whenever I need a little piece of advice or I guess, moral support. So I thank you for coming on and being my very first interviewee. Graeme Kemlo: Well, it's been a pleasure to watch you develop as a writer and a [00:01:30] storyteller Melinda. So I'm flattered that you should ask me to be your first guest. Melinda: Well, look Graeme I've got to tell you in six months’ time if you're still saying that I'll be really, really pleased. But I promise I'll try not to... Graeme Kemlo: Of course, yeah, I'm sure I will be. I'm sure I will be. Melinda: Alright. Over to our first question. As I've said the purpose of my podcast is to follow people's [00:02:00] journeys, follow people's stories. Now, I know what you do know, I know what you've been up to lately. But I'd like to take you right back to the very beginning. Everyone has a story to tell and I'd like to know what your story is and what your journey is been. Graeme Kemlo: Well, I'm a journalist, I've been doing that for more than four decades and I actually consider myself to be very lucky. I've found myself in many [00:02:30] instances in the right place in the right time. I was just talking to, someone else interviewed me the other day on Jay Air, the radio station that we do Travel Writer's radio from, and I had forgotten some of this, but I was reminded that I was very lucky to be a journalist in Canberra on the very day that Gough got sacked. So I stood, I stood in front of him, you don't see me in pictures [00:03:00] because I'm where all the photographers were, I'm holding up a recorder, a little tape recorder to take down what he was saying to the assembled crowd and maintain the rage and all the rest of it and at the time I was working for the Melbourne Harold, which was an afternoon newspaper. We were in fact we were the afternoon paper for, not only for Melbourne, but Canberra and also for Tasmania. So we kept reporting into the afternoon as [00:03:30] the crowd built outside parliament house and Gough got sort of red with rage and all that. But earlier in the day I'd watched the governor general's private secretary David Smith stuff some bits of paper into the pigeon holes at parliament house. This is the old parliament house. I just picked it up pretty casually and sort of looked at it and wandered back to the office. And as I read it, as I was walking...
Episode 2 – Campfire Tales with Australian Romance Author, Victoria Black
If you’re into feisty heroines and handsome heroes then this is a podcast for you. Victoria is not only living the travelling dream with her own handsome hero, she is generous in her advice to aspiring writers following along behind. And what a setting she has to weave her tales. Join Victoria as she travels across the top end of Australia, through the remote Kimberley region and beyond, and shares her experiences with the rest of us. Every writer needs great settings and there’s nothing more inspiring than the Australian outback. Welcome to one writer’s travels as she pens stories for her anthology, Campfire Tales. But if you like to know what goes on behind closed doors then Victoria is not the kiss-and-tell type. For that, you have to buy her books.
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Episode 2: Victoria Black Duration: [00:26:22] Melinda: This is a podcast about telling stories and the journeys we take on the way to making out stories. It's about beginnings, middles, and endings and where each of us is on in our writing journey. My guest today is Victoria Black, she has the wonderful job about writing about lusty heroes and their feisty heroines. I've been having a fussic [00:00:24] [?] around on your Facebook page Victoria and having a lovely time. I can't wait to read some of your stuff. But to start, [00:00:30] like any good story we always start with our orientation. We start with where we're at the moment, and I was wondering if you'd like to share with us your current journey. Victoria Black: Well hi Melinda. My current journey is really very much tied up with what I'm doing at the moment which is being a writer on the road. So whenever we're driving along, for a long, long trip, I'll get [00:01:00] my notepad and pen out, because I'm a notepad and pen gal, I don't type the first draft on a keyboard. I write my story and it's all based on everything I'm experiencing on the road. So I'm writing a series of little short stories called Campfire Tales and they're all based on this my lovely, lovely couple Ellie and Michael who are a newly-wed couple and just their [00:01:30] experiences on their way to Darwin. I went to Nitbit [00:01:33] [?], that's where they're going. Melinda: Yeah, just for a bit of background for our listeners, Victoria started her journey in Brisbane with her husband and I don't even know your husband's name Victoria. Victoria Black: Darrel. Melinda: Darrel, so Victoria and Darrel are traveling in their caravan. I was supposed to catch up with them in Long Reach and because I'm new at this, so I had [00:02:00] technical troubles so we decided we'd catch up as Victoria and Darrel headed to Darwin. But they've moved so very, very quickly that they're now in Western Australia over at Rainbow Beach which I'm guessing is in the Northwest somewhere, south of Broom maybe? Victoria Black: Yeah, 80 mile beach it is and yes it is, it's just south of Broom. Melinda: Which is a magic part of the world. But, right from Long Reach through to Mount Isa and the Queensland [00:02:30] northern territory boarder, then through up to Darwin, through Catherine Gorge, and back down down across Kununurra all the way through the, oh what are the called, the Gibb River Road. Victoria Black: I haven't done that. We went to the Bungle Bungle [00:02:51] [?] so on a helicopter ride and then up to, was it Wyndham and [00:03:00] Derby and Broome. So we're now in Pilbara officially now. Melinda: For those of us who don't know Australia really that well, Broome is famous and infamous for it's camel rides along the beach. It's famous for it's pearl divers and it's famous for it's magic, magic sunsets. Victoria being a romance writer obviously has a wealth of stories to draw on for her Campfire Tales [00:03:30] and I'm just wondering Victoria, and this is something that will come up time and time again as I chat to writers as they make...