Indies

Building a reliable routine is critical to any author's success. Not only does a good routine mean you'll write more books more often, but it also makes writing those books easier, because in so many ways, writing is all about flow. Luna has some expert-level tips on how to build a writing routine that will set you up for publishing success.

There are few things that'll make someone put your book down faster than bad dialogue. Wooden, stilted, unnatural dialogue plagues way too many self-published books, and it's time we fixed that. Fortunately, Clayton has four incredible tips and exercises for you to help you write stronger, more natural dialogue!

We have a couple of quick announcements to share, one that benefits Clayton shamelessly, and one that impacts you a little more directly, and both of them are great! It's a very short, very mini episode so you can get back to writing!

It's finally here! National Novel Writing Month kicks off this week, and Indies is here to help you put your best pen forward! Luna brings some tips for tackling NaNo that are going to help push you past the 50,000-word finish line! Here we go!

Social media marketing can be a powerful tool for authors, especially if they pay attention to their success metrics and use them to make more effective promotional content. Today, marketing professor Ryan Smith joins Clayton and talks about his top three metrics that indie authors should be watching.

The price you set for your book is one of the most powerful--and most overlooked--tools in your marketing toolbox. Some authors price themselves out of sales by setting too high a bar; others get tossed into the low-quality rubbish pile because they set it too low. So what's the right price for YOUR book? And should your paperback and e-book be priced the same? And how do Amazon's royalty models really work, anyway? Clayton tackles all this and more in today's marketing-focused episode!

There's a certain magic in writing a series. It creates a stronger bond between you and your characters, and your setting...and it also helps your readers embrace your fictional world on a deeper level than they can with just a standalone novel. Luna breaks down the magic, and the mayhem, involved in writing a series and lays out a case for elongating your story in a multi-book tale.

November is National Novel Writing Month, a weird, wild, and totally fun seat-of-your-pants blitz where authors from around the globe set out to each write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. Clayton thinks you should join him in this year's NaNoWriMo, and he brought six reasons why.

Check out the episode, then head to www.nanowrimo.org and connect with Clayton! (His username is claytonsaurus.)

Writing a good hook is an important skill to have...but it's also a tricky one to master. A good hook is the thing that keeps your reader desperate to read more, and it can mean the different between your book becoming a best-seller and a less-seller. Luna talks about what makes a good hook and how to use hooks to snag readers on your story!

Ah, that age-old question: Do you need copyright protection for your book, or can you just mail yourself a copy of your manuscript and leave it unopened in your drawer until someone comes at you with a lawsuit? Honestly, it's a good question. And Clayton is here to talk to you about the benefits of copyright registration, and just how easy and cheap it is to get it, and even the process through which you obtain it. But to be clear, HE IS NOT A LAWYER. Just so we're disclaimered.