Listen
Right Click Here To Download This Episode Now
Scroll down for detailed episode notes and quick access timingsIn this episode you'll learn:
How Joanna left her corporate job to become an independent author
3 big lessons learned as an indie author
Applications essential for digital authors
Tips on hiring people to help you publish
Why people want creative and independent artists
"Even though I had a very good job I just was very empty inside" - Joanna Penn
It's hard to believe that at one time, best-selling independent author and founder of thecreativepenn.com, Joanna Penn, did not believe she was creative.
From a corporate career in IT to a thriving lifestyle as a writer of fiction and non-fiction she is now selling her work in 68 countries (and counting).
Today, voted as one of The Guardian UK's top 100 creative professionals, and as a speaker on creative entrepreneurship, she makes a living doing what she loves.
In this episode, you'll learn why Joanna is fanatical about proving that a living being creative is a proper job.
Learn what Joanna loves about stickers and colouring books for adults and why sharing pictures of graveyards on Pinterest is important to her audience.
Joanna also reveals the power of hiring freelancers and virtual assistants as well as sharing tips on hiring people to help you publish.
You'll also hear why she believes the Scrivener application is essential for writers and why authors should never do their own book covers.
"If you want to make a living with your writing, or with whatever your art is, you have to consider running a business" - Joanna Penn
Items mentioned in this episode (quick access):
On writing
[0:01:02] Introducing Joanna Penn.
[0:01:43] Joanna describes herself in context of her fiction and non-fiction writing.
[0:03:00] How Joanna balances her workload and schedule.
[0:04:40] Stephen King. The muse.
[0:05:10] Being there versus being in the mood to write.
"It's one of those mysteries of creativity - you just have to be there and it will happen" - Joanna Penn
Rewarding the inner child
[0:06:23] Discipline versus fun.
[0:06:40] Adult colouring books. Rewarding the inner child.
[0:07:26] Formatting books for publication.
[0:08:01] Stickers.
"Before I sit down to write I'll do some colouring" - Joanna Penn
Travel, notebooks, applications and preparing for editing
[0:08:16] Where Joanna finds her inspiration. Her new book, Risen Gods.
[0:09:10] New Zealand.
[0:09:24] Her forthcoming book, Destroyer of Worlds.
[0:09:40] Mobile application called Things. Moleskin Journal
[0:10:00] Joanna's book Stone of Fire book.
[0:10:34] How Joanna uses her notebooks and prepares for editing.
[0:11:10] Why Joanna loves the application Scrivener.
[0:11:30] Reordering the scenes of her novel.
[0:12:08] Outputting for Kindle, iBooks, Kobo and Nook from Scrivener.
"Trust emergence...it's just trusting the process" - Joanna Penn
Trust emergence
[0:12:39] What it feels like to finish a book.
[0:14:19] Going to Japan.
[0:14:49] Where Joanna gets her confidence.
[0:15:54] Earning 70% royalties. Forecasting income.
[0:16:35] Being an introvert.
[0:16:50] Raised in a traditionally literary way. Oxford. Australia.
[0:17:26] Authors, Dan Brown and Umberto Eco.
[0:17:49] Joanna's Arkane book series.
"You may think there's nothing in there but if you trust emergence and you sit down and put the time in..." - Joanna Penn
Physical versus digital and audio books
[0:18:18] Kindle, iBooks, Kobo and Nook.
[0:19:09] Two big lessons Joanna has learned. Print on demand.
[0:21:03] Making a lot more profit with e-books. Selling books in 68 countries.
[0:21:40] The demographic shift of print to digital.
[0:22:00] The rise of audio book sales.
"I'm not someone who believes in writer's block" - Joanna Penn