In this episode of the Creative Writing Wizard Podcast, we sit down with fantasy author E. Scott Clevenger, co-founder of Sainan Books, to talk about how a lifelong Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master became a published novelist—and accidentally built a publishing house in the process.

We dive deep into:

- Co-writing War of Night

- The balance between plotting vs pantsing

- Crafting a queer normative world and layered magic systems

- Lessons from self-publishing, failures along the way, and building a community

- Lifting other indie authors along the way

If you’re a writer, fantasy reader, or indie author, this one’s for you.

💬 Got questions or thoughts? Drop them in the comments!

📚 Learn more about E. Scott and Sainan Books:

👉 https://sainanbooks.com/

📖 Check out War of Night

✨ Available now in its stunning second edition!

https://sainanbooks.com/books/

🔗 Follow E. Scott on Threads and Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/sainanbooks/

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Special Thanks to all the Wizards, join the effort to support indie authors and human creativity: https://www.patreon.com/c/CreativeWritingWizard

Looking for a new book to read? Check out these indie authors with recent releases!https://creativewritingwizard.com/2024/11/18/indie-release-radar/

Intro and Outro Themes written and recorded by Glen Weatherhead

Keywords:Fantasy author, self-publishing, creative writing, indie books, writing podcast, author interview, queer fantasy, plotter vs pantser, magic systems, DnD to author, stephen king

Join me as I chat with YA Fantasy author Ria Parisi about her debut novel Wolves and Stags! We dive into her writing journey—from fanfiction and roleplaying to publishing her first book. Ria shares insights on her unique magic system, plus-size representation in fantasy, her experiences with querying, and how her background in cosplay influences her stories.

Wolves and Stags releases soon—grab your copy here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208390290-of-wolves-and-stags

Connect with Ria Parisi:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riathewolfwrites/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@riathewolfwrites

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@riathewolfwrites

Web: https://www.riaparisi.com/

Like this interview? Follow for more!

Special Thanks to all the Wizards, join the effort to support indie authors and human creativity: https://www.patreon.com/c/CreativeWritingWizard

Looking for a new book to read? Check out these indie authors with recent releases!

https://creativewritingwizard.com/2024/11/18/indie-release-radar/

Intro and Outro Themes written and recorded by Glen Weatherhead

Keywords:Writing Community, YA Fantasy, Indie Author, Enemies To Lovers, BookTok, Fantasy Books, Romantasy, Debut Author, Author Interview, Publishing Journey, Bookish, High Fantasy, Magic System, Diversity In Books, Women Writers

In this episode of the Creative Writing Wizard podcast, Glen Weatherhead discusses with Courtney Collins, and Clark Collins their journey as co-authors, the writing process, and the challenges of publishing and marketing their fantasy novel. Character development, the importance of editing, and the dynamics of co-authoring are a few of the insights within. The conversation also touches on their inspirations, the experience of working with a small press, and the their upcoming projects.Like this interview? Subscribe for more!Connect with Courtney & Clarke Collins - Web: https://collinsauthors.com/- IG: https://www.instagram.com/collins_authors/ - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@collins_authors - BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/collinsauthors.bsky.social Special Thanks to all the Wizards, join the effort to support indie authors and human creativity: https://www.patreon.com/c/CreativeWritingWizard Looking for a new book to read? Check out these indie authors with recent releases!https://creativewritingwizard.com/2024/11/18/indie-release-radar/ Intro and Outro Themes written and recorded by Glen WeatherheadTimeline:03:28 Background and Early Influences06:35 The Journey to Co-Authorship09:33 The Dynamics of Writing Together12:29 Character Perspectives and Storytelling15:16 Publishing Experience and Challenges18:11 Marketing and Promotion Strategies28:41 Navigating the Social Media Landscape33:38 The Impact of Online Engagement36:04 Finding Your Audience in a Crowded Space41:10 Inspiration from Tolkien and Beyond49:20 Creating Unique Fantasy Elements55:35 Crafting Realism in Fantasy57:55 The Importance of Editing01:00:49 Embracing Criticism and Growth01:07:26 Progress on the Trilogy01:09:02 Anticipation for Book Two01:14:13 Closing Thoughts and Gratitude01:16:23 Special ThanksKeywords:creative writing, co-authors, fantasy books, writing process, publishing, marketing, author advice, character development, world-building, indie authors, Tolkien, Stephen King,

In this episode of the Creative Writing Wizard podcast, we talk to author K. Starling, who shares her journey from ghostwriting to publishing her own novels. K. discusses the challenges of self-publishing, the importance of character development, and her unique blend of fantasy and mystery set in the Regency era. She shares about the significance of strong female characters and the need for diverse stories in literature. The conversation also touches on the creative process, the role of humor in storytelling, and the impact of societal norms on character development.

Like this interview? Subscribe for more!

Connect with K. Starling

- https://www.threads.net/@authorkstarling

- https://bsky.app/profile/authorkstarling.bsky.social

- https://authorkstarling.substack.com/

- https://tomebooks.com/user/authorkstarling

Buy here new book here

- https://www.authorkstarling.com/merch

Special Thanks to all the Wizards, join the effort to support indie authors and human creativity: https://www.patreon.com/c/CreativeWritingWizard

Looking for a new book to read? Check out these indie authors with recent releases!

https://creativewritingwizard.com/2024/11/18/indie-release-radar/

Intro and Outro Themes written and recorded by Glen Weatherhead

References:

- https://www.harnessmagazine.com/k-starling/

- https://thepeopledissent.substack.com/ Timeline:

00:00 Introduction to Kay Starling

01:39 Navigating the Publishing World

04:10 Kay's Writing Journey and Ghostwriting Experience

10:12 The Freedom of Self-Publishing

14:55 Influences and Inspirations in Writing

17:32 Narrative Style and Humor

21:37 Incorporating Fantasy Elements

24:22 Fashion and Social Commentary

26:57 Gender Roles and Disguises

30:00 Mystery as a Central Theme

33:54 Cultural Nuances in Tea Drinking

35:01 The Importance of Content Warnings

37:15 Balancing Action and Cozy Vibes

40:50 Exploring Time Travel in Storytelling

47:13 Feminism and Historical Context in Literature

54:44 Empathy and Agency in Female Characters

01:00:11 Advice for Aspiring Authors

01:04:17 Future Plans and Series Development

Keywords:

Kay Starling, Creative Writing, Self-Publishing, Indie Authors, Ghostwriting, Regency Era, Fantasy, Feminism, Mystery, Book Launch, Jane Austen, Sherlock Holmes

In this episode of the Creative Writing Wizard podcast, we interview author Annie Bennett, who shares her journey as a self-published and traditionally published writer.

Annie discusses her love for writing (cozy romance and crime novels, so far!), her unique approach to writing, and the how she mentors other writers.

Annie also shares about her writing methods, including the 'don't look back' draft technique, and the inspiration behind her latest work, 'Somewhere New.'

In this conversation, we learn more about Amanda Madison as she discusses her recently released book, Program 38 Sparks.