The Art & Business of Writing: Recent Episodes
Chris Jones
Host Chris Jones helps authors navigate the waters of self-publishing and self-promotion to write better books and to promote and sell fearlessly.
Cutting her teeth as a newspaper journalist Stephanie believed one thing—stories are the most powerful way to reach people and inspire change. She brings that same strategy to Consociate Media, where ...
The post Episode 100: How to be a PR Rockstar (w/ Steph Heinatz) appeared first on Chris Jones.
For many authors, writing authentic dialogue in the voice of a character who doesn’t look like you or have your ethnic background can be scary. Jeffrey Walker, an author of ...
The post Episode 099: How to Write Diverse Characters Authentically (w/ Jeffrey Walker) appeared first on Chris Jones.
John David Mann is co-author of more than thirty books, including four New York Times bestsellers and five national bestsellers, including The Go-Giver (coauthored with Bob Burg). His wife, Ana Gabriel Mann, holds ...
The post Episode 098: Writing the Go-Giver Marriage Together (w/ John & Ana Mann) appeared first on Chris Jones.
This week, I talk about my favorite way to set goals—using lead and lag measures. I’ve used this method I learned from Stephen Covey to achieve a lot of things ...
The post Episode 097: Crush Your Writing Goals Using This Formula appeared first on Chris Jones.
As founder and principal designer at Mayfly Design, Ryan is experienced in all aspects of book design, including cover design, page design, typesetting, and eBooks. He is also knowledgeable in ...
The post Episode 096: How to Design Books (w/ Ryan Scheife) appeared first on Chris Jones.
This week, we’re talking about the p-word—platform. Every author needs one, but most may not know what areas constitute it. Platform isn’t one thing; it’s a cluster of many things ...
The post Episode 095: Let’s Talk About the P-Word appeared first on Chris Jones.
Peter Cox is a best-selling author of more than 20 books and is the managing director of Redhammer Management, a London-based literary agency recognized by the Association of Authors’ Agents. ...
The post Episode 094: How to Get a Literary Agent (w/ Peter Cox) appeared first on Chris Jones.
Do you know who you’re selling your books, products, or services to or are you out on the intersections of the Internet with a sign begging people to buy? In ...
The post Episode 093: Are You a Creative Panhandler? appeared first on Chris Jones.
You’ve heard of S-M-A-R-T goals, but what about W-R-I-T-E goals? This week, I walk you through what these goals are and why authors and writers need to embrace this system ...
The post Episode 092: How to Set W-R-I-T-E Goals in 2022 appeared first on Chris Jones.
Joanna Penn is an award-nominated, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers under J.F.Penn. She also writes inspirational non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning creative entrepreneur and international professional speaker. Her site, TheCreativePenn.com is regularly voted one of the top 10 sites for writers and self-publishers.
In this episode, Joanna discusses:
- How she got started writing
- The mindset needed for authors and writers to successfully go full-time
- How to diffuse comparisonitis and turn it into positive, productive energy
- The importance of writing down goals
- How to build your audience using the host of tools available to authors and writers
- The big advantages indie authors have over traditionally published authors
- What Patreon is and how she uses it to build her publishing empire through her podcast
This is a unique episode. It’s the first time I’ve brought another podcast creator on to do a round-table style back-and-forth interview format. My friend Tim Brien of Create ...
The post Episode 091: Create More Than You Consume (w/ Tim Brien of Create Art Podcast) appeared first on Chris Jones.
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In this episode, Patrick Belcher talks about his new book “Fundraising Is” and shares tips, advice, and guidance for nonprofits and how his book can help them find organizational success.
Get Connected
- Website: pbjmarcom.com
- Facebook: PB&J Marcom
About Patrick Belcher
Patrick Belcher instructs local non-profit organizations on how to consistently raise money. His passion is to guide charities in developing a long-term strategy to gather resources that help them achieve their mission. Using a detailed evaluation process, major gift strategies, and planning, Patrick ensures nonprofits have the resources to make a difference. On several instances, he has helped these charities establish their first $100,000+ event.
Patrick discovered how his sales background applied to fundraising while working for the American Red Cross where he far exceeded fundraising goals. As a consultant, he has worked with local affiliates of national groups like Adult & Teen Challenge. He has also worked local addiction and recovery centers, organizations that support the arts, local private schools and other groups focused on education.
Learn more about Patrick and his 20+ year track record as a nonprofit sales leader at PBJmarComm.net.
The post Episode 090: Nonprofit Fundraising Tips (w/ Patrick Belcher appeared first on Chris Jones.
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In this episode, Dawn talks about how the books she writes come from her life’s experiences and how that way of generating a story can lead to a vein of gold for an author.
Get Connected
- Website: dawnbrothertonauthor.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DawnBrothertonAuthor
- Instagram: instagram.com/DawnBrothertonAuthor
About Dawn Brotherton
Dawn Brotherton is an award-winning author and featured speaker at writing and publishing seminars. When it comes to exceptional writing, she draws on her experience as a colonel retired from the US Air Force as well as a softball coach and Girl Scout leader. Her variety of interests has led to a variety of genres including mystery, romance, young adult fantasy, middle-grade sports, picture books, and nonfiction.
The post Episode 089: Write What You Know (w/ Dawn Brotherton) appeared first on Chris Jones.
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In this episode, I talk to Marilen Crump, the expert dream catcher. Marilen has helped countless people—women in particular—create the blueprint for achieving their dream goals and then mobilizing them to achieve them with great results.If you have a writing dream, Marilen offers steps to improve your mindset and clarity and exercises you can do to take action today!
Get Connected
- Website: marilencrump.com
- Facebook: marilencrumponline
- Twitter: @marilencrump
- Instagram: instagram.com/marilencrump/
About Marilen
Marilen Crump #expertdreamcatcher is a Business Coach, Marketing Strategist, and owner of ARTINSPIRED, LLC which she established in 2000 that serves Creatives, Entrepreneurs, Online Course Creators, Marketing Professionals, Writers, Speakers, and more. She is the President of the Phenomenal Female Business Network whose mission is the help women develop their passions, grow their audience, achieve business milestones, and fund their dreams. Marilen does serve EVERYONE through her brands that include: $1k in a Day Program VAPC (Video + Audio + Photography Classes) Learning Platform ARTINSPIRED’s Online Course Creators Community Empowered Vision Board Program Phenomenal Female Business Accelerator She is a #1 Amazon Best Selling Author and Professional Speaker who has spoken on numerous stages and summits. Notable appearances include Civitan International, Hampton Roads Home Based Business Conference, Historic Triangle Economic Development and York County Chamber of Commerce, Thomas Nelson Community College, The Design View Conference, and NASA. Marilen is also the creator of the D.R.E.A.M. Success Strategy and prioritizes mindset and self-development in every aspect of her life and career.
D.R.E.A.M. Success Strategy – Principles to help you shift your mindset into abundance and achieve the dreams that you desire. More info on https://bit.ly/youtubedreamcatcher
The post Episode 088: How to Get Clarity to Achieve Your Goals (w/ Marilen Crump) appeared first on Chris Jones.
On this episode, author and artist Laurie Marshall talks to Chris about art, writing, our creative spark, and why we all need to honor and share our creative gifts to make a better world today and for the future.
This week I’m joined by Dr. Deborah Tillman, parenting expert and star of Lifetime TVs American Supernanny. On this episode, Dr. Tillman and I talk about how writers should balance creative life and family life.
You’ll learn:
- How to parent and create during an uncertain pandemic
- How prioritizing your family helps with getting creative time scheduled
- Purposeful parenting vs perfect parenting
- Why you should strive for a harmonious home over a balanced home
- How parents can meet the needs of their children and still find time to write
- Setting boundaries on your writing time and teaching your kids how to respect it
- How to involve your kids in your creative process
- How to use your creative time to institute a block of time for your kids to pursue their own hobbies
- What to do when you feel like you have to choose kids over creating
- How to make time for self-care
All this and more await in this episode!
C.M. Healy currently lives in Mesquite, Texas with his wife, dog, and two giant cats where he teaches HS chemistry. When he's not busy writing, he enjoys building Lego sets, playing video games, reading comic books (The Flash is his favorite), and watching TV with his best buddy, his wife. He earned the distinguished award of Eagle Scout during high school and went on to obtain his master's in child development from Oklahoma State University. He has been working with and entertaining children of all ages ever since.
P.S. He loves to wear FUN SOCKS to his events so ask him to show you😉
In this episode, You'll learn:
- How CM Healy started writing children's books
- The difference between print on demand and mass printing (and which one maximizes your profits)
- How school visits work for authors and ways to get started (including CMs templates!)\
- How to do virtual and in-person school visits
- How to start your own small press
- The value of professionalism
- Traditional versus self-publishing for children's book authors
- Lessons learned from a life of writing
John David Mann is an award-winning author whose books have sold more than 3 million copies in 3 dozen languages, including the bestselling classic THE GO-GIVER with Bob Burg, the New York Times bestselling memoir THE RED CIRCLE with former Navy SEAL Brandon Webb, and the New York Times bestselling parable THE LATTE FACTOR with personal finance legend David Bach. As a teenager, John started his own high school and was an award-winning composer and cellist before turning to careers as an entrepreneur and author. His book TAKE THE LEAD (with former White House staffer Betsy Myers) was named by Tom Peters and the Washington Post “Best Leadership Book of 2011.” His first novel, STEEL FEAR, will be released in August 2021; iconic author Lee Child has called it “sensationally good—an instant classic, maybe an instant legend.” My journey as a writer, and especially my two current books: "How to Write Good (Or At Least, Gooder)"—released March 1 as an ebook exclusive; and "Steel Fear," released July 13. In this episode, you'll learn: * Why he wrote "How to Write Good, or At Least Gooder" * What makes a good story in any genre * How we identify with story and the human nature of storytelling * Knowing you're a writer and living it out * The anatomy of a good story * Your writing life as story * How he developed diverse writing styles (John writes fiction, nonfiction, and parable) * The writing of Steel Fear and the value of accurate research in writing
Alicia R. Riley, who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Fine Arts and a Master’s in Business Administration-Marketing, is the author of The Power of Events and The Virtual Event Planner. She is a professional event producer and an educator who began studying the field in 1996—an era when the profession was foreign to many, and educational or training options were limited. Riley believes any goal is possible if you commit yourself to work for it, and she reaches every professional goal she sets, based on her list of lessons that are critical to an event planner’s success. In 2002, the Glendale, Arizona native launched a business and amazed clients with her event planning knowledge and expertise. This led to a teaching position and service as a professional speaker in the event planning industry. Her motivational speech, “The Power of Events,” educates audiences about special events and life planning. She refuses to be content and is committed to staying current in her profession. In 2020, Riley earned digital event strategist certification, which allows her to help companies transition in-person events to a digital platform. Her recently published book, The Virtual Event Planner, provides a detailed, personal guide to all aspects of virtual event planning, which will be an inspirational and indispensable resource for anyone already involved with event planning or anyone who may be considering a career in the profession. In this episode, you'll learn: * How COVID changed event planning and what that means to you today * How to embrace changes and move forward with grace * Setting up virtual events * Keys to successful events * Why hybrid events may become be the norm and how you can host them * Setting your fee structure * How long virtual and hybrid events should be * How to choose the right speakers for virtual and hybrid events
Known as the Evangelist of Authenticity (#authenticityevangelist), David is also an Ordained Minister & Evangelist with the Christian Church. With 24+ years of ministry experience, David has had the privilege of leading within seven different congregations. He was also instrumental in establishing three additional Church plantings. David’s background has been in helping organizations with both Transitional Leadership and Leadership Development. He is passionate about the development of every organization’s greatest resource: its people. He has taught and trained on every platform from mentoring to workshops and Executive Coaching. In this episode, you'll learn: * What the winning edge is for speaking and why it matters * What confident speakers know and how you can learn it * How to use public speaking techniques to sell more books at festivals and cons * Why introverts are among the best public speakers * What makes a great speaker * The value of listening * The power of the pause * Why learning to code-switch can make you more effective in sales
On this episode, Joy O'Toole teaches us how to start a local or regional writer's conference from the ground up. We cover how to find a venue, locate authors to speak, get attendees excited, build contact lists, ways to promote a conference, and more.
Joy O'Toole is an adult services programmer at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library in Fredericksburg, Virginia. She helped start and facilitate the Rappahannock Writers Conference. One of her roles is to create and maintain a partnership between the library and the local writers and poets in its area. Joy has worked for the library for almost ten years and loves every aspect of her work. She has the privilege of writing for the library website in addition to her other duties. In her free time, she reads, maintains her personal blog, teaches women's Bible studies, and is working on a book project of her own.
This week we're talking audiobook narration with voice-over artist Lillian Rachel. A native Brit, after 9 transatlantic moves, Lillian is now at home in Washington DC. She discovered the joy of audiobooks while homeschooling 2 children, and has developed her passion for learning into well rounded audio narration career. Connecting with each character in a project, she brings her heart along with a mix of proper British class or east coast attitude to every project.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How Lillian got started in voiceover work
- What she does to keep her voice healthy
- How she got started in recording audiobooks
- The growing popularity of audiobooks
- The types of audiobooks she narrates (fiction, nonfiction)
- Narrating in character
- Why should authors make an audiobook version of their work
- Should authors who want to create audio versions of their books write with audio in mind?
- Should authors hire narrators or narrate their own books
- Her production process making an audiobook
- How long it takes to complete a recording
- Outtakes and funny recording stories.
- How an author can find voiceover talent for their audiobook
Want to contact Lillian?
- Website: lillianrachel.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/LillianRachelVoiceOver
- Twitter: twitter.com/LillianRachelvo
- Instagram: instagram.com/lillianrachelvo
- Narrated works: amazon.com/LillianRachel
Aubrey Kosa has developed a passion for storytelling: helping others communicate clearly. In pursuit of that passion, she has provided freelance editing services for nonfiction authors since 2016. Her goal is to help authors create a polished final manuscript and navigate the publishing process so they can spend less time on the details and more time focusing on their big-picture message. In this episode. Aubrey breaks down the different types of editing, which you need, and why you need editors before you publish.
As writers, we're told to silence, ignore, or drown out the voice of our inner critic...but is that the right advice? On today's episode, I share an excerpt from the book "Unleash the Writer Within" by Cec Murphey that could change the way you relate to your inner voice.
"Unleash the Writer Within" is available on Amazon.
James Noll is the author of dozens of short stories and a handful of novels. He recently began adapting his stories into films. In this episode, James discusses: 1. How he got started as a writer 2. How he chose his genre 3. Pivoting into authorship 4. The evolution of self-publishing (2013 to present) 5. The need for authors to be fearless and to try new ways to expose audiences to their books 6. Turning a story into a short film 7. How he found his director and crew 8. Challenges and triumphs of the process 9. Why you should try converting your stories to short films
Connect with James: Website Instagram Facebook Amazon Author Page BookBub
When you want to make it easy for bloggers, editors, journalists, show producers, and podcast hosts to give you guest posting/contribution opportunities, write a story about you, or interview you, what’s your best resource for getting their attention? A press kit, of course. In this episode, I show you nine elements of an attention-grabbing press kit to get your book more attention and score you more interviews.
My first foray into minimalism started when I read Walden many years ago. Next came Tim Ferriss in the 4-Hour Work Week when he quoted William of Occam, who said, " It is vain to do with more what can be done with fewer." Then I read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up back in 2017 on a whim.
All the pieces came together this year when I read Atomic Habits by James Clear. When he talked about how environment was one key to ensuring successful habits stick, it all fell into place.
Since doing these eight things, and I have felt my energy go up, my drive and focus increase, my productivity heighten, my ability to start and finish tasks more rapidly improve, and this has been since the end of January. Here they are. (Get the full explanation on the show)
- Deleted Unnecessary Software.
- Organized, Optimized, and Decluttered Digital Files.
- Made a One Notebook, One Sketchbook, One Book, One Magazine, and One of Each Type of Writing Utensil Rule.
- Had a Shred Party.
- Got Rid of Cord Clutter.
- Inbox Zero.
- I Continue to Write in Scrivener as My Main Vehicle.
What are some ways minimalism has made you a more productive writer?
Welcome back to the Art & Business of Writing podcast. I am your host Chris Jones, and I am ... BACK! It's been nearly three full years (March 30, 2018) since my last podcast episode so, before we get rocking and rolling and picking up where we left off, let's play some catch up, because my writing life has been an exciting adventure. Roman poet Ovid once said, "Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop." And I can say for sure that after three years—and a few false starts when I wanted to bring the show back and was prohibited by life and COVID fallout (i.e. helping manage the family, teach my kids, and balance work)—I'm teeming with good ideas and a fresh outlook. So, after pausing the show in 2018, here's what I managed to get myself into: * I've ghostwritten a couple of books with some fantastic authors. * I've collaborated with another author to produce an inspiring work. * I've done a bit of developmental editing as well as general book editing. * I've been working with Morgan James Publishing as an acquisitions editor. I'm in the market now for business books and memoirs, so if that's you, be sure to reach out to me. I'm excited about one in particular called Fundraising Is by Patrick Belcher. That's coming this fall. * I've coached a number of new authors and taken a few through my synopsis course and others all the way through to self-publishing on Ingram Spark and Amazon. * I've continued to be a mainstay in the magazine world where I function like an off-site managing editor for a couple of magazines and health website called SpineNation. * I've also written quite a bit over the past few years for publications.
In the midst of that, COVID-19 struck and, gratefully, no one in my family was affected by the virus itself, but we all felt the change. I took on a broader role with my family and helped the kids with virtual learning. In January, I went into my annual eye exam where I spoke to my optometrist about some distorted vision in my right eye. After watching me bomb on the eye exam and then reading m scans, he had me see an ophthalmologist across town who diagnosed me with a detached retina and had me go into surgery at a retina specialist's office over an hour and 15 minutes away. If you've never had your retina worked on, it's fascinating. The ophthalmologist puts a gas bubble into your eye, and you spend the next several days with your head down to allow the bubble to press your retina back into place, so it can reattach itself. Then you walk face down and sleep face down for another week to 10 days. Unfortunately for me, after three weeks, more retinal damage was discovered, and I endured a second surgery a month later. So here we are. I'm three weeks post-op, but everything looks good. I can work, I can do cardio (no weights), and it's probably 6 or so months before I'll be able to drive again. Now that we're all caught up, be sure to email me or find me on Instagram and tell me how your writing life has been and what you've accomplished since we last spoke. I'll be back next week and until then ... write on.
This week, I'm introducing a 15-week podcast boot camp on how to write your book from start to finish. Here are the topics we will cover.
- Episode 074: The Writer's Mindset & Daily Habits
- Episode 075: Who is Your Avatar?
- Episode 076: Developing Your Book Idea
- Episode 077: Tools of the Trade
- Episode 078: Writing Your Book Synopsis
- Episode 079: Developing Your Book Outline
- Episode 080: Ways to Get the Writing Done
- Episode 081: How to Start & Build Your Email List
- Episode 082: Choosing the Best Social Media Platform/s
- Episode 083: Building Your Author Website
- Episode 084: Book Editors & Editing Styles
- Episode 085: Book Designers & Why Looks Matter
- Episode 086: Choosing & Working with Beta Readers
- Episode 087: The All-Important ISBN
- Episode 088: Uploading on Amazon, KDP & IngramSpark
- Episode 089: Launch Parties
Some of the episodes will have links to downloads in the show notes that you can use between episodes as homework to help you get closer to building your book. I'm looking forward to helping you on this journey.
In this rebroadcast episode, I talk with children's book author Tasha Fuller about how authors can be successful at book festivals. I chose to do this episode as a replay since we are entering spring and many cities and regions are beginning to launch their annual book festivals. If you're planning on attending a book festival this year, you'll want to hear these marketing tips that will help you to sell more books.
If you're about to write a book, are writing a book, or about to publish a book, Candy Zulkosky is going to tell you how book launches work and why they need to start from the moment you have a concept for your book. She talks about the timeline for a book launch, from getting a cover to getting testimonials from your audience.
You'll also learn:
- Why a book launch starts before the book is completed
- How to get your book cover and what comes next
- Building a community for your book launch
- Where to focus your social media strategy
- Producing a media kit
- Why it's important to have a separate website for your book
- How to co-ordinate a successful launch day
- Choosing your launch date
- What is a good frequency for emailing and posting to your audience
- The importance of asking for testimonials
- Setting up an Author Central page on Amazon
- How long you should keep promoting your book
- The importance of having people to support you as you write your book
Today's guest is Hannah Carmack, author of the book "The Seven Sided Spy" (released by NineStar Press in January). Hannah talks about how she went through several rejection letters before a clever 140-character tweet caught the attention of a book publisher who offered her a deal for her book.
Chris Jones shares the top 5 lessons that he learned in 2017 that helped him to have a better year of writing and creativity.
Zack Miller is the CEO of Hatch where he helps entrepreneurs to start, build, grow, and thrive in their businesses. Zack is also a television show and podcast host, as well as an author. Today he's going to teach you how to get influencers to say, "Yes!" to contribution to and endorsing your books.
Get the complete show notes at: http://www.readywritelaunch.com/abw067
Ajay Prasad is a serial entrepreneur and Founder of GMR Web Team, GMR Transcription and RepuGen.
A former Fortune 10 executive with years of marketing expertise, Ajay has helped small businesses grow to their fullest potential. He continues to craft a name for himself by building online businesses from the ground-up.
Today, Ajay discusses:
- What makes up the digital landscape
- Creating a system to filter reviews
- Reputation management for authors to convert critics to customers
- Benefits to book landing pages
- Facebook ads vs Google ads
- Social media targeting
Get to Know Ajay:
- Website
Today, we’re excited to have prolific fiction author Toby Neal on the show. She’s a writer who made the leap from the corporate world to full-time writing in an inspiring way. Toby made a name for herself with her 12 book Lei Crime Series, which has now turned into an Amazon Kindle World. She’s gone on to co-write a 6 book action/romance series with Emily Kimmelman as well her own series of romance novels and a Lei Crime spin-off series called Paradise Crime. Toby joins us to talk about those things, as well as share tips on how to write a long-running series, how to co-write with another author, and what it’s like to have your own Amazon Kindle World. In this episode, Toby discusses: * Writing a long-running fiction series * How her former career informs her writing * Kindle Worlds * Co-writing
Resources Mentioned: * Amazon Kindle Worlds
Get to Know Toby: * Facebook * Twitter * Website * Amazon
Julie C. Gilbert is a multi-genre writer and a high school chemistry teacher. She writes everything from middle grade fantasy (Awakening) to Christian mystery (Heartfelt Cases) to fast-paced mystery/thrillers (Lei Crime Kindle World Shadow Council Series) to nonfiction (5 Steps to Surviving Chemistry and 5 Steps to Better Blurbs. In other news, you can find her taking walks on lovely days, drinking tea, building Legos, or collecting something Star Wars related.
In this episode, Julie discusses:
- What elements should be included in a good book description (blurb)
- Where to start in the process of writing a book description (blurb)
- How long should a book description be?
- Why authors need to be thoughtful about how they approach writing book descriptions
- Why keyworking book descriptions for Amazon matters
- What to look for in a book blurb writer
Resources Mentioned:
- 5 Steps to Better Blurbs: Crafting Dynamic Descriptions that Sell - Julie’s book
Get to Know Julie:
- Website
Let’s Hear from You:
- Leave a comment below
- Message me on Twitter
- Join my Facebook Group
- Share this show on Twitter or Facebook
- Leave a review on iTunes
Subscribe to The Art & Business of Writing Podcast:
- iTunes
- Stitcher
- Google Play
Joanna Penn is an award-nominated, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers under J.F.Penn. She also writes inspirational non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning creative entrepreneur and international professional speaker. Her site, TheCreativePenn.com is regularly voted one of the top 10 sites for writers and self-publishers.
In this episode, Joanna discusses:
- How she got started writing
- The mindset needed for authors and writers to successfully go full-time
- How to diffuse comparisonitis and turn it into positive, productive energy
- The importance of writing down goals
- How to build your audience using the host of tools available to authors and writers
- The big advantages indie authors have over traditionally published authors
- What Patreon is and how she uses it to build her publishing empire through her podcast
Resources Mentioned: * The Creative Penn - Joanna’s Podcast * How to Market a Book - Her Book * BookBub * Freebooksy
Get to Know Joanna: * Website * Facebook * Instagram * LinkedIn * Twitter * YouTube * Podcast
Let’s Hear from You: * Leave a comment below * Message me on Twitter * Join my Facebook Group * Share this show on Twitter or Facebook * Leave a review on iTunes
Subscribe to The Art & Business of Writing Podcast: * iTunes * Stitcher * Google Play * iHeart Radio
Eric Rosenberg is a finance, travel, and technology writer in Ventura, California. When away from the keyboard, Eric he enjoys exploring the world, flying small airplanes, discovering new craft beers, and spending time with his wife and little girl.
On this episode, Eric talks about when and how he started blogging, how it led to him getting bigger writing opportunities, and what he did to to turn up the heat and write himself to a six-figure income.
In this episode, Eric discusses:
- How he got started with blogging
- Why blogging is the perfect side hustle
- How to determine what you should write on your blog
- Turning your blog into a platform
- Building social proof
- How to use guest blogging and PR to stand out from the crowd
Resources Mentioned:
- Google Keep
- HARO
- Answer the Public
- Gusto
Get to Know Eric:
- Website
- Podcast
Let’s Hear from You:
- Message me on Twitter
- Join my Facebook Group
- Share this show on Twitter or Facebook
- Leave a review
Gordon Firemark is an expert in matters pertaining to the entertainment industry, particular theatre, film, television and music. Intellectual Property law is his forte'.
On this episode, Gordon will talk about copyright laws writers and authors need to know, what fair use is when quoting sources in your book, how to protect your intellectual property, how to be book publishing contract savvy, what constitutes a legally binding contract, and more.
In this episode, Gordon discusses:
- Music rights for podcasters
- What writers and authors need to consider when starting their businesses
- Copyright, public domain, and fair use laws
- Permission rights for using excerpts of other people’s work (including religious texts) in your books
- Legal savvy for freelancers
- Why you should talk to an attorney before signing a book contract
- Protecting yourself when writing a memoir
- Book titles and trademark laws
- What the law says on writing biographies of famous people
Resources Mentioned:
- The Podcast, Blog & New Media Producer's Legal Survival Guide: An essential resource for content creators - Gordon’s Book
Get to Know Gordon:
- Website
- Podcast
Let’s Hear from You:
- Leave a comment below
- Message me on Twitter
- Join my Facebook Group
- Share this show on Twitter or Facebook
- Leave a review on iTunes
Subscribe to The Art & Business of Writing Podcast:
- iTunes
- Stitcher
- Google Play
- iHeart Radio
Danny is a leading online marketing expert who works with home-based entrepreneurs to help them understand and adopt the most effective ways to build their business using social media and the internet. He is passionate about the freedom that home-business and entrepreneurship provides, and is on a mission to help others understand what is possible if they follow their dreams. Doing exactly that he was able to move away from a high-pressured corporate career in 2013 and now works with other entrepreneurs to help them achieve success through his leadership, coaching and mentoring.
In This Episode, Danny Discusses... * Why authors need to be comfortable niching in. * The importance of building your author brand around you, not your books * How to build relationships that lead to followers and interaction * Thinking of your books as products and spin-offs * Why sales is NOT a bad word and what’s at stake when you don’t have a call-to-action * Choosing the right social networks * Low and no-cost brand-building strategies
Resources Mentioned * 6 Steps To Refining Your Personal Brand Handbook - Danny’s eBook * Online Marketing Masterclass - Danny’s Training Course * Canva - image editing * Unsplash - high quality free stock images * Placeit - a great site for mockups
Get to Know Danny * Website * Facebook * LinkedIn * Instagram * YouTube
Let’s Hear From You * Leave a comment below * Message me on Twitter * Join my Facebook Group * Share this show on Twitter or Facebook * Leave a review on iTunes
Lisa Cherry Beaumont is a life purpose coach, workshop leader, and author of bestselling book Life Purpose Alchemy: Discover What Fulfills You and Do What You Love for a Living. Using her unique 6-step system, Lisa helps people who are stuck doing work they don’t love, and those who find themselves hopping from one frustrating business to the next, to understand what’s meaningful to them and create a business that makes them happy and keeps them motivated.
In This Episode, Lisa Discusses... * Why authors need more time unplugged and in the natural world * How you can design a life that makes you happy * Why being a messy writer will make you a happy writer * How to stop caring about the opinions of other people * How to beat “Comparisonitis” * How published and marketed her Amazon bestselling book
Resources Mentioned * Start with Why by Simon Sinek * Life Purpose Alchemy – Lisa’s Book * Crush It with Kindle by John Tighe
Get to Know Lisa * Website * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn * Instagram * YouTube
This Week We Welcome: Melissa Forziat Melissa Forziat is a marketing consultant and event planner and currently works with small business owners and nonprofits to develop impactful events and strategic marketing plans. She cares deeply about helping small business owners achieve success.
Before starting Melissa Forziat Events & Marketing, Melissa held event planning roles at the 2006 and 2010 Olympic Winter Games, 2011 Rugby World Cup, and US Olympic Committee. Through her experiences with some of the biggest brands in the world, Melissa learned the principles of building a brand, creating a marketing message, and reaching the right target markets.
Melissa recently published a series of popular guides that include titles such as Small Business Marketing on a Budget, A Crash Course in Online Marketing, The Marketing Funnel Worksheet and Defining Your Target Market that focus on helping small business owners achieve greater success in their marketing initiatives.
In This Episode, Melissa Discusses... * Why authors need to be deliberate in their marketing efforts * How launching your book is just the beginning and why targeted campaigns increase the probability of success * How to build a pre-launch strategy * Why introverts are some of the best marketers * How Facebook Events and other social media tools help boost awareness * Why authors should consider forming partnerships and collaborations for extending their reach
Resources Mentioned * Facebook * Defining Your Target Market – Melissa’s book * Small Business Marketing on A Budget – Melissa’s book
Get to Know Melissa * Website * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn
Let’s Hear From You * Leave a comment below. * Message me on Twitter * Join my Facebook Group * Share this show on Twitter or Facebook * Leave a review on iTunes
Subscribe to The Art & Business of Writing Podcast * iTunes * Stitcher * Google Play * iHeart Radiohttp://www.readywritelaunch.com/ABW058
On this episode, Courtney Buzzell of Proximo Marketing Strategies and Shelley Smith of Premier Rapport Incorporated talk about their book, "Brass Ovaries: Own Yours." On this episode, you'll also learn about how the pair used the power and depth of their networks to write the book, build a buzz, and grow their audience.
Learn more:
- Website
- Amazon
Jonathan David Lewis is the author of "Brand vs. Wild: Building Resilient Brands for Harsh Business Environments."
On this episode, he shares the value of creating a niche platform with a unique angle that represents your business. He talks about how to choose the right social media platforms, niche in, target your market, and find your brand's place in the market.
He's a partner at McKee Wallwork + Company, an award-winning integrated marketing firm
that has been recognized by Advertising Age as the Southwest Agency of the Year, the B2B Campaign of the Year, and one of the top ten small agencies in the country, as well as a repeat winner of the prestigious Effie Award for marketing effectiveness.
Learn more at: http://www.johnathandavidlewis.com
Award winning author of Leadership Lessons From A Chef: Finding Time To Be Great and Tasting Success, “Your Guide to Becoming a Professional Chef,” Chef Carroll is currently the Executive Chef of River Oaks Country Club, in Houston Texas. River Oaks Country Club enjoys the reputation of being rated the number four Country Club in the United States. Today, he's going to talk about how to write a book with purpose so that it achieves what you set out for it to become.
Key Takeaways:
- Know the purpose of your book. He wrote his book with the goal of it becoming a movie.
- Use your network to reach your goals. You won’t have if you don’t ask.
- Make a contract with yourself and then get to work! Dreams don’t happen without commitment and action.
- It’s all up to you. If you want to have a bestseller, you best be selling
Elliott Katz, author of "Being the Strong Man A Woman Wants: Timeless Wisdom on Being a Man," shares how authors can can sell foreign rights to increase revenue, influence readers around the world, and give their books more credibility. His book has been translated into 24 languages by publishers in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa.
You will learn:
- How to contact international publishing houses
- The best practices for submitting your book to protect yourself.
- The three important benefits to selling your books internationally
- What you can expect in royalties
Darren Carrington is a video Impact coach with more than 25 years broadcasting experience in both Radio & TV. He coaches people all over the world on a one-to-one basis through telephone, Skype or mutually convenient technology. Darren works with people who are using video, podcasting or engage in educational based marketing platforms to showcase their talents and services as well as existing broadcasters who are aspiring to the next level in their career.
On this episode, Darren talks about what he does as a video impact coach and how he helps people who are shy or fearful about doing Facebook Live videos in front of the camera using some targeted techniques that bring out your best personality traits.
You'll learn:
- How you can learn how to figure out your unique video personality that will resonate with your audience.
- Why you need to “ramp it up” when you get in front of the camera to make your energy larger than usual to draw in your audience.
- Why silence matters and how to use silence for better engagement.
- Should you use Facebook Live on desktop or mobile?
- How authors can use Facebook Live to gain readers and generate sales.
Learn more about Darren:
www.VideoImpactCoach.com
www.Facebook.com/groups/BetterVideosMoreClients
Welcome to Episode 52 of The Art & Business of Writing podcast. This week, I am joined again by New York Times bestselling author John David Mann. If you remember, John joined me for the first time on Episode 17. John is back and this time he's talking his new book, "The Recipe" and what he did when 40 publishers rejected it.
John shares what he learned as he dove into the world of self-publishing and how he merged his knowledge of the traditional publishing world into self-publishing.
Learn more about John here:http://www.JohnDavidMann.com
John recommends: The Book Launch Blueprint by Tim Grahl
This week, Chris and Kayla talk about the aesthetics that make for a great author website home page. Everything from email list capture, offers, free book downloads, and video are covered. If your author website is in need of a makeover, you don't want to miss this episode.
In this episode, we talk about the importance of moving to a self-hosted web environment (Wordpress is our recommendation). We examine how to choose a domain, other things you can use a domain for besides websites, and ow many to buy. Then we conclude with hosting providers and which providers offer what services.
In this episode, Chris & Kayla talk about how to market your book on and offline. We discuss Facebook, Instagram, email lists, book signings, book parties, radio, podcasts, and other grassroots ways to push your book.
This week, Chris and Kayla discuss Scrivener, how they use it, and why writers need to move their workflow into this all encompassing writing software.
Happy New Year. Today Kayla and I are talking about 12 Ways Writers Can Crush It Using Evernote. I have been a regular Evernote user since about 2013. I started with the free version and realized in time that this tool is really powerful and so now I use the $8 Premium version.
Evernote has something for everyone. Listen to learn great ways that writers can maximize this great tool.
This week, Chris and Kayla discuss writing burnout and offer six tips to help writers stay productive, healthy, and fresh.
- Habit 1: Be Aware
- Habit 2: Be Active
- Habit 3: Be Healthy
- Habit 4: Be Rested
- Habit 5: Be Playful
- Habit 6: Be Giving
This week, Chris and Kayla help you lay out a plan for writing your book during the first 6 months of 2017. Follow along as we talk timelines, editors, beta readers, cover design, layout, and more.
Seth Casana started Whurk in 2013 when he couldn’t find publications that were reporting about the vibrant arts community in his city. He recruited a friend and the two self-funded a lean start up and got it across Virginia—with the help of a few brand champions—in a three short years.
In this episode, Seth shares: * How he came up with the idea for the magazine * Choosing print versus digital * Getting creative with distribution solutions * Getting past potential advertisers objections * How they set their initial rate card to generate more revenue for magazine production * Why they decided to choose a free to consumer format over a paid publication format * How distribution is determined * How they scale the magazine for expansion without reinventing the wheel. * Deciding when to add a digital magazine component * Creating an editorial calendar * Ways to monetize and expand your brand beyond the magazine * Funny mishaps he’s made along the way
Connect with Seth: * Whurk * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram
Christine Stoddard is a Salvadoran-Scottish-American writer and artist who lives in Brooklyn. Her writings have appeared in Marie Claire, The Feminist Wire, Bustle, Teen Vogue, The Huffington Post, Good Housekeeping, Ravishly, So to Speak, Jimson Weed, and beyond. In 2014, Folio Magazine named her one of the top 20 media visionaries in their 20s for founding Quail Bell Magazine. Christine is the author of Hispanic & Latino Heritage in Virginia (The History Press) and Ova, a forthcoming chapbook from Dancing Girl Press. In this episode, Christine tells about how she used an internship to break into journalism, why you need to take the time to identify the places that you want to write for and just pitch them, and how she got her foot into the door with book publishers by using her life experiences and cultural heritage as a means of positioning herself as a subject matter expert. Follow Christine: Website Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Qual Bell Magazine Books Hispanic & Latino Heritage in Virginia Richmond Cemeteries
Leslie Sann, MA, LCPC serves as a mentor, teacher and coach. She is the founder of Living by Design, an educational coaching organization. Her focus is the training and development of individuals and groups in the art of successful living. For more than 25 years she has been helping people live a joyful life by showing them how to live by design rather than by default.
Through her coaching, teaching and writing, she has helped change the way her clients experience who they are and what they can do, empowering them into greater authenticity and expression of their gifts into their world. She assists her clients in dissolving whatever is in the way of them showing up for life as their best while creating a life they love.
Leslie writes from the raw experience of her life, sharing practical, empowering tools she has used and found valuable in transforming herself and her life. She finds joy in helping others transform their lives as well. She believes living a life we love heals the heart, connects us to our joy and makes the world a better place for all of us.
In this episode, she talks about her new book, "Life Happens: What are You Going to Do About It" and how she infused it with her coaching style and action steps.
Connect with Leslie:
- Email: leslie@lesliesann.com
- Website: www.lesliesann.com
- Books: Amazon Author Page
College student Jake Heilbrunn took an opportunity to hike through Central America and the experience changed his entire life. Today, he talks about why you need to capitalize on opportunities (trusting your instinct along the way) and then share the story to inspire others.
Mark Minard is a married father of five, runs a nonprofit that focuses on helping special needs children, and is the author or "The Story of You." He also hosts the Elevating Beyond podcast where he shares inspiring lives with his guests each week.
Mark talks about how he manages his life in seasons of change and why you have to be dogged about pursuing your dreams and reaching as many people with your book as you can. Mark maximizes every tool in the book and today he talks about it.
- Elevating Beyond Podcast
- The Story of YOU
- Mark's Website
- The Story of YOU Motivational Videos
Jamie Raintree is a women's fiction author, a blogger, and a writing business and productivity teacher. Her debut novel, PERFECTLY UNDONE, will be published on October 3, 2017 by Graydon House. Today, Jamie and I talk about National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo. Jamie wrote Perfectly Undone as her NaNoWriMo book project and she's going to tell you how to make the most of November's hottest writing contest.
An author and psychotherapist for 20 years, Melanie combines a wealth of effective and creative tools that empower her clients to transform their lives, their situations, and most importantly, their outcomes. When people are looking for an opportunity to create a 180 degree turn in their finances, beliefs, business and lives, they seek Melanie’s acute wisdom and trusted advice. Today she talks about the need for writers to trust when their instinct leads them in a direction.
Mel Jones, the Motivational Philosopher, talks about how he wrote his new book, "90: Building the Ultimate Empire", the inspiration behind his cover design, and why using books to springboard your platform is smart business.
This week, I talk to Amy Bayne. Amy is the editor-in-chief of Fredericksburg Literary & Art Review. The publication is an anthology of written work and visual art. Amy talks about how she got started with anthologies, what goes in to making them, the submission process, and how you can create anthologies.
Marc Mawhinney of Natural Born Coaches (www.naturalborncoaches.com) talks about how he became the coach who coaches coaches and how you can win more clients through using one of his favorite strategies: daily email.
Zack Miller is an entrepreneur, author and television/internet personality who has over two decades of business experience in starting, investing, advising, mentoring and growing over six hundred companies or projects. These companies have made millions of dollars, been publicly traded, hustled to six figures of annual revenues or failed and realized business isn't for them.
Today, he shares tips, tricks, tactics, and tangibles every writer needs to have to elevate their networking in person and online.
Writing a book doesn't have to be hard. We can get really intimidated when we think about word counts, especially when that word count is 50,000, the best practices length for a book. In this episode, we deconstruct word count to show how you can write a 50,000 word book in 30 or 60 days, 3 or 6 months, or in one year.
In this episode, children's book author Tasha Fuller joins me again to talk about tactical grassroots approaches to marketing and promoting your book. She delves into:
- Thinking unconventionally about promoting your book based on its genre and topic
- How to network and sell your book like a guerilla
- How to set up for book festivals and other expos to attract an audience to your booth
- How to engage customers
- Why expo pricing matters over retail pricing and how to create the right pricing point
- How to create distribution partnerships with trusted friends
Learn more about Tasha.
On this episode, I talk about 3 ways that you can figure out what to write and who you're writing to. We look at the Point A to Point B Method, the Avatar Method, and the Scrum Method. Each way helps you target your message to your audience.
Ready to take your writing more seriously? In this episode, I share tips, strategies, and tools that writers can use to create lasting writing habits. We examine how to gradually grow your daily word count, how to use writing prompts, what Twitter sprints are, and how to write using the Pomodoro technique.
Have you ever seen those old houses that have outdoor wells that require you to pump out the water? That's what daily journaling is like. You have to write ugly in order to prime the pump and get the delicious, clear drinkable water out. The more you write, the faster the pump primes and the easier it is daily to get to the good water. Before you know it, you're flowing and writing books, blog posts, achieving goals, and receiving opportunities you never imagined.
In this episode, Chris explores why you need to write and recite affirmations, and ways to make them stick so that you become more focused and more effective in pursuing your writing goals.
Chris Jones talks about the exciting new series that will walk listeners through his new book, The Art & Business of Writing. This series will help writers build off their creative foundation and expand to branding and marketing.
Kimanzi Constable went from delivering bread to authoring bestselling books. In this episode, he shares how to start writing for large publications and land paid speaking gigs. He also dishes on which resources he uses accomplish it all.
You'll learn: * How to create a system of writing to gear you up for querying editors. * His tips for getting your foot in the door with large publications. * Why developing relationships with editors via social media matters. * Online tools and websites you can use to get writing gigs, book radio and podcast interviews, and land paid speaking opportunities. * Why you need to be a master of research to be more successful. * Why social proof matters.
Connect: * Website: KimanziConstable.com * Facebook: Kimanzi Constable
Resources Mentioned: * Help A Reporter Out * BlogTalk Radio * Lanyrd * Radio Guest List
Subscribe Now! iTunes | Stitcher
In this episode, Salil Jha, authorpreneur, angel investor, extreme adventurer, and motivational speaker, shares how he amassed his large audiences on his blog and his social media channels.
You'll learn:
• How to create and use teams to grow your social networks.
• How researchers can help you find the best topics for blog posts.
• How to grow your social media from zero to 10,000 in a year.
• Why time management and consistency are the key to growth.
In this episode, I have an authentic chat with Rocco DeLeo, blogger, Blabber, Periscoper and podcast host of "And Dad Makes 7." Rocco and I talk about platform building as a whole from blogging and mastermind groups to Blab, Periscope and podcasting.
In this episode, author, international speaker, and coach Marco LeRoc talks about the importance of knowing what resonates with your audience and how writing to meet their needs through your expertise builds loyalty.
You'll learn:
- How Marco became a financial expert
- How he used his life experiences with finance to write his books
- How using your expertise to write a book can create more opportunities
- Why writing to your established audience is an important tool for writers
Website: Marco LeRoc
Facebook: Marco LeRoc, Author
In this episode, author, success coach, and speaker Vidal Cisneros Jr. shares why your life stories may be the best platform from which to launch your writing and speaking career.
You'll Learn: * Why the power of your story may be your best platform. * Why being authentic matters. * The importance of making strong local connections through networking. * How to leverage public speaking and writing to create more opportunities for yourself.
Connect: * Website
Subscribe Now! iTunes | Stitcher
About Vidal Vidal Cisneros Jr. is an author, professional speaker, success coach, and purpose igniter. While overcoming betrayal, divorce, depression, alcohol abuse, and incarceration during the hardest time of his life, his dream chasing mission became clear.
Inspiring audiences through a story of insurmountable trials to triumphs, he discovered his purpose. He's been featured in the Huffington Post, The Good Men Project, and Chicken Soup for the Soul.
His latest story, “How Gratitude Got Me Through,” is featured in "Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Possible."
In this episode, executive coach and consultant Barbara Gustavson of Discover Next Step walks us through the process of creating and achieving goal while managing expectations.
You'll Learn: * How to identify goals that are aligned with your passion and values. * How to set your goals so that you can achieve them. * The role of a coach in helping you to achieve your goals (and how to choose one!). * How to follow your dreams (and say 'No' to the expectations other have placed on you.) * When to quit on a goal and how to correct course. * How to respond and recover when you fall short. * Why celebrating wins is necessary for continued growth and achievement. * Preventing discouragement: Who and who not to share your goals with
Connect: * Website * Email
Subscribe Now! iTunes | Stitcher
About Barbara Barbara Gustavson, owner of Discover Next Step, is an executive coach and consultant who turned her passion into a profession. She let go of fears that were holding her back and discovered that with the right mindset, resilience and a plan we can push past any barrier and create the life we want. She works with professionals who are passionate about learning and making a difference and helps them get back control of their priorities, manage their energy and get connected to their purpose so they can be more effective in business and in life. She and her husband live in Virginia with their two sons and loves to kayak, hike and read.
Jaynee Sasso has an extensive financial background and has served others as a financial professional through a variety of capacities over her 15 + year career. She earned her real estate broker’s license, series 6 and 63 securities and life producers’ licenses all before the age of 24. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and an MBA from Liberty University. She has been married to her husband Donald Sasso for 14 years and is a homeschool mom of their two children.
In this episode, Jaynee talks about why writer's setting up their freelance businesses should learn to mind their money.
www.jaynesasso.com
John is an award-winning author whose writings have earned the Nautilus Award, the Axiom Business Book Award (Gold Medal), and Taiwan’s Golden Book Award for Innovation. His books are published in more than two dozen languages and have sold more than 2 million copies. He is coauthor of the international bestseller The Go-Giver (with Bob Burg), the New York Times bestsellers The Red Circle (with Brandon Webb) and Flash Foresight (with Daniel Burrus), the USA Today bestseller The Slight Edge (with Jeff Olson), and Take the Lead with Betsy Myers, which was named Best Leadership Book of 2011 by Tom Peters and the Washington Post. His national bestseller Among Heroes, with former Navy SEAL Brandon Webb, was released on Memorial Day 2015.
In this episode, John talks about how he writes and the habits that enabled him to become a bestselling author.
You'll Learn: * How John frames out his stories and what you can learn from his process. * One of the most common errors writers make and how to avoid it. * How writers should approach agents. * Qualities a writer needs to possess before approaching a publisher. * Why building credibility online first is the best initial step for writers looking to get noticed by publishers and agents.
Connect: * Website
In this episode, Kate Erickson from EOFire, host of Kate's Take: The EOFire Audio Blog and author of The Fire Path: A Beginner's Guide to Growing Your Online Business delves in to what it takes for brands to build solid foundations starting with identifying their audiences to the systems and processes it takes to manage the day-to-day.
J V Crum III helps entrepreneurs grow six and seven figure conscious businesses that combine making high profits with making a positive impact. He is a speaker, coach, Huffington Post Columnist, and best-selling author of “Conscious Millionaire: Grow Your Business by Making a Difference.” He hosts the top-ranking Conscious Millionaire Podcast and is Founder of ConsciousMillionaire.com, a global coaching and wealth product business. He holds an MBA, JD, Masters in Psychology, and has built and sold successful companies.
You'll Learn: * Moving out of the way and letting words flow through you and out of you. * Why he waited until his 50s to write his first book. * How to use his conscious focus formula to write better and to be more effective in life. * How consistent action, focus and a plan can skyrocket credibility.
Connect: * FREE Wealth Formula eBook * Conscious Millionaire Website * Conscious Millionaire Podcast * Conscious Millionaire Health Reality Show - Podcast * Conscious World Foundation * Huffington Post Column * J V LinkedIn * J V Facebook * J V Twitter
Nathan is the Publisher & Editor of Foundr Magazine, a digital magazine for young entrepreneurs on the App Store & Google Play store. Nathan launched Foundr in March 2013 from his bedroom and in a small period of time it has become a top 10 ranked 'Business & Investing Magazine' on the app store. As publisher of Foundr Nathan was a finalist for Publisher of the Year for 2014 in the Digital Magazine awards. He has had the pleasure of interviewing some of the most accomplished entrepreneurs around the world namely Sir Richard Branson & Arianna Huffington and much more.
Kayla writes general and women’s contemporary fiction, as well as chick lit novels and novellas. Her mission is to give her readers an escape, from a chronically busy, overwhelmed world offering them the opportunity to settle in and discover someplace new, maybe crack a smile, and find a little romance. Kayla has a wonderful, supportive husband, a very bright and active daughter, and a sweet little French bulldog named Pearl.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- How to promote and sell more books through public readings.
- Why choosing a local editor may be the best choice for your writing.
- The importance of discussing money and expectations with your contractors.
How to Reach * Website * Twitter * Facebook * Pinterest
Katie Humphrey is an award-winning entrepreneur, professional speaker and author of "Elizabeth Hazel and The Day of Desires" (Aperture Press), a purpose-based fiction book for teens. Her passion these days is the mission she's on to help young people discover the incredible value and worth they have and the impact they could have on the world if they simply believed in themselves.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- Why fables resonate with us and how they have the power to change our lives.
- The process of working with a book publisher from beginning to end.
- How to get your book endorsed by top influencers of your choice.
- Best writing authors vs. best selling authors
- Why you need a grassroots marketing campaign and how to create one.
How to Reach * Website * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram
Stephanie Heinatz, founder of Consociate Media, a Virginia-based public relations and communications consulting firm, cut her teeth as a newspaper journalist. Whether working on assignment in her own hometown, or in remote areas of East Africa or war-torn Iraq, Stephanie believed one thing – stories are the most powerful way to reach people and inspire change.
She brings that same strategy to Consociate Media, where she specializes in working with business owners to tell their stories across a wide range of new and traditional media.
Telling those stories can be just that – writing for web content, Blogs, press releases and more. In today’s world, public relations and communications goes beyond sending a press release to a reporter. It’s developing a complete story, making it fresh and relevant to an audience, and connecting on multiple channels - from Instagram to the Wall Street Journal and NBC to a company’s own blog.
Her clients have been featured in newspapers across the country - including the Wall Street Journal - and are frequently asked to comment on news events in their industry.
Before founding Consociate Media, Stephanie also served as a Strategic Communications and Media Training Consultant / Contractor for the U.S. Defense Department and led the corporate communications for a large healthcare organization.
Stephanie works with a variety of clients, from non-profit organizations and healthcare companies, to military training institutions, cybersecurity experts, real estate asset managers, luxury bed and breakfasts and firms taking advantage of the JOBS Act’s crowdfunding models.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- Why your story should be at the heart of your public relations efforts
- How to use social media to tell good stories
- The difference between marketing, advertising and public relations
- How to choose a PR firm and what questions to ask before you decide
How to Reach * Website * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram
Sonja Wise, president of So Wise Co based in Fredericksburg, Virginia. She is an artist and graphic designer with 20 years of professional experience in marketing and advertising. With her unique expertise in art and business, she’s helped helped hundreds of people communicate their intended message.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- Why you need a logo and how to work with a designer to develop one
- Benefits and drawbacks of outsourcing logos to online contractors
- Why you need a business card and what to put on it
- The basics of business card printing for the best professional impression
- Leave-behind ideas (i.e. postcards, bookmarks, etc)
Shawn Radcliffe walked away from a university job to live a simple life in Ontario, Canada as a freelance writer and yoga instructor. He shares how he made the transition and how you can, too.
Linda Clevenger is the owner of Organization Direct. She's also a certified SCRUM trainer and coaches people as a certified LinkedIn profile writer
In this episode, Linda talks about how to organzie your creative space to match your personality, how to use Scrum to write your next book or organize your workflow, and offers tips and tools for organizing your writing, your business and your life.
In this episode, two-time Emmy Award winning journalist Efrem Graham talks about what it takes to be a great journalist: how to determine a story's newsworthiness, how to ask compelling interview questions, how to develop sources and using social media to land interviews with high profile people and celebrities.
Recognized most for his current role as co-host and producer of nationally syndicated radio show, Onstage with Earl Bynum Music Radio on Rejoice Musical Soulfood Radio Network, Ray J. Pope is deeply connected with the ‘know-how’ of the Music and a Radio Industry. Week by week, he interviews some of the biggest names in music to provide listeners with up-to-date industry insight delivered through comedic commentary.
Author Stacia Kelly talks about how she incorporates research into her writing to make the scenes more authentic and why having beta readers will improve the flow of your book.
Melody Robinette is 27-year-old writer who is married to an amazingly handsome man and has two super fat cats. She is the author of The Underground Series, comprised of Oaken and Ash with her third in the trilogy, Alder, scheduled for a September release.
What You’ll Learn:
- How to bounce back from rejection letters.
- How to sell more books on Amazon.
- Melody's editorial process from idea to publishing.
Favorite Authors:
- J.K. Rowling
- John Green
- Jodi Picoult
Advice to Writers:
- Make yourself write every day. Make the time.
- Don't worry about your book reviews. Keep writing because you love it.
Connect with Melody:
- Amazon Author Page
- Twitter: @melodyrobinette
Christa Hines is a freelance journalist, author and family communication expert. She is the author of "Happy, Healthy & Hyper Connected: Raise a Thoughtful Connector in a Digital World" and "Confidently Connected: A Mom's Guide to a Satsfying Social Life." Christa talks about how she writes, promotes her books and offers tips for writers on how to surround yourself with support, a writing community and how she uses crowdsourcing as a means to develop concepts within her writing.
Kinja Dixon was not born to be a Sales Executive, but he still became the world’s best in 2013, winning the Gold Stevie and the ARDA Award. No one in the history of the two award foundations has ever won them both in the same year. He is the author of “Universal Talk Laws: How to Increase Your New Worth with Words”. In this episode, Kinja talks about the importance of entrepreneurs establishing an expert platform through writing a book and how that one tool can open doors to unlimited opportunities.