Alexa's Publishing Chat

Don't forget to grab your ticket to the Women in Publishing Summit!

In this podcast episode we discuss: 

• What Are Writing Rituals?
• The Importance of Writing Rituals
• Examples of Writing Rituals
• Writing Rituals in Community
• Post-Publication Rituals
• Elizabeth’s Coaching and Retreat Offerings

Resources Mentioned: (affiliate links included)

• Atomic Habits by James Clear – inspiration for habit stacking.
• Elizabeth’s books: Smart Self Care for Busy Women and Sacred Celebrations.
• Elizabeth’s website: ElizabethBarbour.com
• WIP School – Alexa’s community for structured writing sessions and accountability.

Important Links:

www.elizabethbarbour.com
www.facebook.com/elizabethtbarbour
www.instagram.com/elizabthbarbour

About Elizabeth Barbour:

Elizabeth Barbour has spent 23+ years helping people integrate mind, body and spirit for wholeness.  
As an intuitive life and business coach, shamanic practitioner, speaker and author, she is a creative force when to comes to releasing pain, healing wounds, transforming old stories into new beginnings, and celebrating the beauty and joy of life’s milestones.  

She is the author of two books: Smart Self-Care for Busy Women: Find the “Me Time” You Crave and the newly released Sacred Celebrations : Designing Rituals to Navigate Life’s Milestone Transitions. 

Elizabeth firmly believes that the world’s health and well-being is dependent upon emotional and spiritual practices that keep each one of us grounded and centered, especially during times of change. 

In this podcast episode, we discuss:

• the importance of knowing how to refer to and write about Native Americans; terminology matters - differences between “American Indian,” “Native American,” and “First American.”
• Is it okay for authors who aren’t Native American to write about them?
• How to start researching a tribe's history and culture and whether or not you should approach a tribal community for researching their story
• How to build relationships so that you avoid common stereotypes in your writing
• Cultural sensitivity - for example, is it okay to say Happy Thanksgiving?
• Sarah's course designed to help writers authentically represent Native American characters.

(Special discount code for podcast listeners.)
Resources Mentioned:

• Five Stereotypes to Avoid When Writing About Native Americans – Free eBook by Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer.
• Fiction Writing American Indians course: Available at fictioncourses.com/americanindians with the code “WIPFWA” for a $50 discount.
• Sarah’s book on Choctaw Code Talkers of World War I.

Important Links:
https://www.fictioncourses.com/americanindians
https://www.fictioncourses.com/stereotypes
https://www.choctawspirit.com

About Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer
As a tribal member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, she has written and published 17 historical fiction books with Native main characters, and over 275 non-fiction articles on Native artists and organizations with representatives from dozens of North American tribes. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian honored her as a literary artist through their Artist Leadership Program for her work in preserving Choctaw Trail of Tears stories, and she is a First Peoples Fund Artist in Business Leadership alumni.
Discover more at www.fictioncourses.com/americanindians. (And don't forget your coupon code WIPFWA to save $50.)

Grab your ticket to the Women in Publishing Summit, where we'll be networking a LOT!

In this episode, the key points discussed are:

• How JF has successfully published short fiction in books that are not advertised, launched a literary podcast and became the President of the Canadian Authors Association’s Toronto Branch
• Why an author network is important
• The 3 biggest mistakes one can make when networking and how to avoid them
• How to use the author network

JF Garrard is an award-winning speculative fiction writer, editor and publisher. She is the President of Dark Helix Press, Host of the literary podcast The Artsy Raven, President for the Canadian Authors Association’s Toronto Branch and Deputy Editor for Ricepaper Magazine. Her portfolio of books and short fiction is listed on jfgarrard.com and you can find her on Twitter/Instagram @jfgarrard or Facebook @JFGarrardauthor.

Learn more here:
https://jfgarrard.com/
https://darkhelixpress.com/
https://www.patreon.com/jfgarrard

In this podcast episode, we discuss:

1. Transitioning into Romance Writing: Kristi Dosh (Savannah Carlisle) and Lindsay Gibson share how they moved from careers in sports journalism and grief memoir writing into romance fiction. Both found joy and fulfillment in creating heartwarming love stories.
   
   
2. The Therapeutic Power of Fiction: Lindsay talks about how writing fiction allows her to control the narrative, offering a therapeutic escape from real-life trauma. Kristi echoes this, noting how she used writing to rewrite her own personal stories with happier endings during difficult times.
   
   
3. The Long Road to Publication: The authors highlight the importance of persistence, with both sharing stories of extensive revisions, rewrites, and years spent polishing their manuscripts before landing publishing deals. The message: writing a marketable book takes time and patience.
   
   
4. The Benefits of Working with a Small Press: Both authors speak highly of their experience with Harpeth Road, a small woman-owned press. They discuss the hands-on support they received, from developmental editing to marketing strategies, and why it’s important to thoroughly research publishers to find the right fit.
   
   
5. Organizing a Collaborative Book Tour: Kristi and Lindsay, along with fellow author Nancy Nagle, organized their own book tour. It was Kristi’s idea, and the trio planned a series of events along the East Coast. They discuss how working with other authors made the tour more fun, less daunting, and helped draw a bigger crowd. They emphasize that collaborating with fellow authors is a great way to reach more readers and build connections.
   
   
6. Collaboration Over Competition: They also highlight how teaming up with other authors helps increase visibility, foster a sense of community, and create opportunities for cross-promotion rather than competition.
   
   
7. The Power of Cross-Promotion: The authors discuss how promoting each other’s books helps build a larger, more engaged audience. They emphasize that readers of romance want more stories, and sharing the spotlight with other authors can benefit everyone.
   
   
8. Staying True to Your Passion: The authors stress the importance of writing what you love. They advise aspiring authors to read widely in their genre and stay true to their own voice, rather than chasing trends.
   
   

Links:
https://www.authorlindsaygibson.com/
https://savannahcarlisle.com/
https://www.harpethroad.com/authorsubmissions
https://www.bryndonovan.com/2021/01/19/romance-publishers-a-list/
Romancing the Beat

In this episode, we discuss:

• Maximizing Book Sales Globally: opportunities in the international markets for expanding book sales and reaching a wider audience.
• Finding the Perfect Literary Translator: what you should look for in a translator to make sure that your investment has better chances to pay off
• what the main features of a literary translation contract in most European countries are when it comes to copyrights.
• The impact of machine translation on book publishing and how it can affect the authenticity of your translated work.
• Boost Translated Book Marketing: Explore effective marketing strategies tailored specifically for promoting translated books to a diverse audience.
• Understand Legal Aspects of Translation: Gain insights into the legal considerations and implications of international book translations to navigate potential challenges and protect your work.
  
  

Isabella Nanni graduated in Foreign Languages and Literature in Bologna, Italy, in 1994 and is listed as Expert Interpreter and Translator at the local Chamber of Commerce. In 2019 she won the "Bottega deiTraduttori" (The Translators Workshop) literary translation contest. She is a native Italian speaker and her language pairs are English to Italian, Spanish to Italian and German to Italian. She has worked for major international companies as well as publishers and specializes in literary translations and marketing materials. Literary translations and scouting comprise books in the following categories: Romance, Young Adult, Children, Crime fiction, Comic and Graphic Novels, Non Fiction and History. Her translations of Jess Michaels’,  Tess Thompson's and Crystal Kaswell's books made it to the top 10 best-selling kindle romances on Amazon Italy. Isabella is Top Reviewer on Netgalley since 2016 and is an active member in several online literary groups, both in her home-country as well as internationally. She is in contact with several book bloggers and is a passionate marketer of the books she translates.

Learn more here: https://doublefacetraduzioni.altervista.org/
https://www.instagram.com/doubleface.traduzioni/
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Isabella-Nanni/author/B0CC5PDVWR

UNCOVER YOUR POWERFUL STORY

Overview: Karen shares everything you need to know if you want to write a book, which includes when you should do it, common mistakes to avoid, and some strategies and hacks to help you get started on your book right away.

In this episode, Alexa and Karen talk about:

• Why is there a fear of putting your voice out into the world?
• Crafting Powerful Stories: Discover the art of storytelling in nonfiction writing and captivate your readers with compelling narratives.
• Full-Service Writing Solutions: Explore a range of comprehensive writing services to support and enhance your nonfiction author journey.
• Who am I Writing For? (Ideal Reader): Uncover effective strategies to identify and connect with your target audience in the nonfiction genre.
• Avoiding Common Writing Mistakes: Learn to steer clear of pitfalls and errors commonly made by nonfiction authors, ensuring a smoother writing process.
• Success tips and when you should write a book
  
  A #1 International Bestselling author, Karen Rowe is the owner of Front Rowe Seat, a full service writing firm. She is a nonfiction expert who, for the past fifteen years has specialized in working with first-time authors and entrepreneurs to uncover their own unique and powerful story. Karen has a special fondness for memoir, self-help, business and leadership books. Helping authors create an instant connection with themselves and with their marketplace, she has worked on over 140 books to date! A transplant from the Great White North, Karen lives in Tampa, FL with her husband, and two rescue cats. When she is not writing, she enjoys reading, yoga, riding her bike and going to the beach.
  
  Learn more here:
  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorkarenrowe/
  
  Website: https://www.karenrowe.com
  
  Book writing course: http://bookwritingmaster.com

In this episode, we discuss:

• The importance of finding a missionally aligned publisher (in TCP's case: feminist and queer with a commitment to BIPOC writers)
• how to find mission-aligned publishers who share your values and support your vision as an author.
• Angela's story of why she created Tehom Center Publishing to fill a lack in the industry
• the importance of intersectional feminism in the publishing industry and how it can shape the future of literature.
• effective marketing strategies for books on social justice causes 
• creative strategies for launching books that align with your values and reach a wider audience.
• how to empower BIPOC queer feminist authors through inclusive and supportive publishing practices.
• The role of publishing in social justice and activism
• How writing/telling the stories of revolutionary women and nonbinary kindred can change the world
• Angela's free Feminist Editing Guide: https://mailchi.mp/0e9a4144e769/feminist-editing
  
  Dr. Angela Yarber is an award-winning author of eight books and the founder of Tehom Center Publishing, an imprint publishing feminist and queer authors, with a commitment to elevate BIPOC writers. In addition to traditional, independent publishing at no cost to authors, Tehom Center Publishing also offers 1:1 and group coaching aimed at empowering authors in their book writing, book marketing, and authorpreneurship. Dr. Yarber holds a Ph.D. in Art and Religion from UC Berkeley and her work has been featured in Forbes, NPR, HuffPo, Ms Magazine, The Independent, and the television show Tiny House Nation.  For more, please visit www.tehomcenter.org

Alexa and Sharissa talked about the following key points:

• Sharissa's project to fund women's writing projects: Project Seed Money
• Project Seed Money provides a monthly grant funding female authors at $1,500.00 a month to be used for writing expenses
• How women are still underrepresented in the publishing industry,  her reason for starting this program
• How to amplify female voices
• the expenses of self-publishing and strategies to obtain financial support for your writing journey as a woman author.
• how to bring your story to life in a compelling way
• tips for successfully writing a memoir
• crowdfunding as a tool for funding your book publishing journey and connecting with your audience.
• techniques for building a dedicated and engaged audience for your memoir, paving the way for successful book promotion and sales.
  
  

Sharissa Bradley is the co-owner of Project Seed Money, helping to fund women's writing dreams. While running her publishing house 5 Two Press, she learned the hard way how much it costs to publish books. In order to help fellow creatives she started Project Seed Money with her partner Wendy to help offset the costs involved with writing and to help get funding into underrepresented communities.

Learn more here: www.projectseedmoney.com
www.instagram.com/projectseedmoney
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrKNeFjrn7AboZk19jeTg2g

In this episode, Derek and Alexa discuss:

• how Derek went from being a broke valet parker to a bestselling author, selling over 100,000 books using mostly free and low-cost marketing strategies (he got into personal development and started writing fitness blogs, which eventually led him to publish a book.)
• Why you shouldn't give up after a launch that isn't successful.  (first book didn’t do well, but he kept learning about marketing until his third book became a big hit, making $6,000 in 11 days!)
• Derek focused on learning marketing strategies, and his book consistently hit #1 in competitive categories. 
• the importance of book reviews for authors, especially when launching a new book  (aim for 10 to 20 reviews early on to help with promotion)
• Build your email list! This is key to anyone serious about selling more books!
• Strategies for Reviews: ask for genuine feedback from readers and use methods like viral giveaways to build an email list. From there, authors can engage with readers and ask for reviews.
• Hollywood Pitch Formula: Derek shares a strategy called the Hollywood Pitch Formula, which helps your book stand out. It’s all about combining two concepts to create a memorable hook (e.g., "Die Hard on a bus" for the movie Speed).
• How to engage reviewers: To find reviewers, he suggests reaching out to people who already review books in your genre and giving them a clear and engaging pitch.
• Follow-Up with Readers: To encourage readers to leave reviews, Derek recommends using surveys. This approach allows authors to get feedback and, potentially, a review with minimal effort on the reader’s part. He emphasizes following up in a non-pushy way, asking questions like, "How are you enjoying the book?" before asking for a review.
• Final Thought: Getting positive reviews can be a great motivator for authors to push harder in their marketing efforts.
  
  

Derek Doepker went from being a broke valet parker to a bestselling author who's sold over 100,000 books sold using mostly free and low-cost marketing strategies. Now he shares these strategies with entrepreneurs to turn their knowledge into a bestselling book.

Learn more here: https://bestsellersecrets.com

Two book marketing experts, Alexa Bigwarfe of Write|Publish|Sell & the Women in Publishing Summit and Keri-Rae Barnum of New Shelves Book, dish out book marketing advice and trends for authors.

• We discuss why authors hate marketing and how to make it fun.
• Best tips for growing your audience.
• Why finding new readers is critical to your success.
• And more.
  
  

Also, learn about the book marketing conference in Charlotte, NC.

Get your ticket here! https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/charlotte

About Keri-Rae Barnum:

Keri-Rae Barnum is the owner and CEO of New Shelves Books. One of the most sought-after book marketing experts in the U.S., Keri has personally created and managed over 3,000 successful book sales campaigns, several of which led to USA Today Best Sellers. www.NewShelves.com