So, I wrote a book... Now What?

In this engaging conversation, Shameez Patel shares her journey as an author, discussing her early inspirations, the challenges of writing and editing, and the nuances of publishing in both the romance and fantasy genres. She reflects on her writing process, the importance of character development, and the role of feedback from beta readers. The discussion also touches on the pressures of meeting deadlines and the evolution of her writing style, culminating in her excitement for future projects.

You can buy her romance novel Playing Flirty here.

And her fantasy trilogy here.

If you’d like to connect with Shameez you can find her on Instagram or her website.

If you want to connect with me I’d love to hear from you.

Website.

Instagram.

Threads. 

Podcast.

NC Barton | Patreon

or my ⁠Substack

Chapters

00:00 The Journey to Authorship

04:14 Crafting Characters and Story Structure

07:05 Exploring Genre and Writing Process

10:09 The Publishing Experience

13:06 Balancing Multiple Projects

16:04 The Evolution of Writing Techniques

19:04 Upcoming Works and Future Plans

29:02 The Writing Process and Deadlines

33:09 Finding Time to Write

37:16 Music and Writing

41:05 Character Development and Interior Thoughts

44:28 Navigating Feedback and Revisions

50:46 Exploring New Genres and Future Projects

In this conversation, Lindsay Barrett shares her journey from a secretive writer to a self-published author. She discusses her early influences, the challenges of navigating the traditional publishing landscape, and the decision to self-publish her historical romance novel. Lindsay emphasizes the importance of community, mentorship, and knowing one's worth as a creative. She also delves into her writing process, the excitement of upcoming projects, and the significance of celebrating milestones in her writing career.

Pre-order Savannah Royals NOW!! 

You can connect with Lindsay on Instagram.

Or her website.

Or sign up for her newsletter.

If you want to connect with me I’d love to hear from you.

Website.

Instagram.

Threads. 

Podcast.

NC Barton | Patreon

or my ⁠Substack

Chapters

00:00 The Journey to Writing: A Personal Story

04:38 Transforming Genres: From Fantasy to Historical Romance

07:41 Navigating the Publishing Landscape: Queries and Rejections

10:41 The Power Imbalance in Author-Agent Relationships

13:44 Self-Publishing: A New Path Forward

16:51 Creating a Unique Book: Cover Design and Marketing

19:48 Future Projects: Exploring New Genres and Themes

29:06 The Struggles of Drafting vs. the Joy of Editing

30:13 Researching Historical Contexts for Fiction

31:48 Navigating the Drafting Process

34:03 The Transition from Drafting to Editing

35:13 Identifying Themes During the Editing Process

36:49 The Balance of Plotting and Pantsing

41:26 The Unique Journey of Each Writer

42:14 Sharing Work with Family and Friends

44:58 The Importance of Diverse Love Stories

47:19 Future Writing Projects and Inspirations

48:25 Plans for Book Release and Celebrations

50:24 Getting Books into Bookstores

51:27 Navigating Self-Publishing and Community Support

In this conversation, Jessica Guerrieri shares her journey to becoming an author, discussing her passion for writing, the challenges of balancing motherhood with her writing career, and the importance of patience in the publishing process. She reflects on her experiences with querying, the role of beta readers, and the significance of feedback in shaping her work. Jessica emphasizes the labor of love that goes into writing and the supportive community of writers and women in recovery that has helped her along the way.

Pre order Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea here:

If you’d like to connect with Jessica you can through her website,

https://www.jessicaguerrieri.net/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/jessicaguerrieriauthor/

Threads

https://www.threads.com/@jessicaguerrieriauthor

Or TikTok

https://www.tiktok.com/@jessstayssober?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

If you’d like to connect with me please feel free to ⁠ 

Website. https://ncbartonwrites.com/

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

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

Podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/so-i-wrote-a-book-now-what/id178189433

NC Barton | Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/NCBartonWrites

or my ⁠Substack https://nicolebartonwrites.substack.com/

Chapters

00:00 The Journey to Authorship

11:43 Balancing Writing and Motherhood

21:46 The Querying Process and Rejections

31:50 Feedback and Growth in Writing

34:30 The Power of Feedback in Writing

37:46 Navigating the Writing Process

41:45 The Impact of Reader Feedback

45:44 Trusting Your Instincts

49:50 The Journey of Writing and Publishing

57:43 The Importance of Patience in Writing

01:04:20 Copy of Jessica Berg Pink and White Cute Modern Cartoon Subscribe Bell Button YouTube Intro.mp4

In this conversation, Jessica Berg shares her journey as an author, founder and literary agent at Rosecliff Literary Agency, discussing her early passion for storytelling, the balance between writing and agenting, and her writing process. She emphasizes the importance of outlines, feedback from beta readers, and resilience in the face of rejection. Jessica also talks about her experience in establishing her own literary agency, the significance of building relationships in publishing, and her preference for traditional publishing over self-publishing. The discussion highlights the collaborative nature of the writing community and the creative process involved in developing characters and stories.

If you like to connect with Jessica you can find her on Instagram.

Here is her manuscript wishlist.

If you’d like to check out Rosecliff Literary agency you can go to their website or Instagram.

If you’d like to contact me please feel free to ⁠

Website.

Instagram.

Threads.

NC Barton | Patreon or my ⁠Substack

Chapters

00:00 The Journey to Authorship

04:32 Balancing Writing and Agency Work

07:43 The Writing Process: Outlines and Drafts

10:40 Feedback and Beta Readers

13:29 Navigating Revisions and Completion

16:30 Establishing a Literary Agency

19:49 Building Relationships in Publishing

22:31 Overcoming Rejection in Writing

26:50 The Power of Resilience and Optimism

28:16 Influential Books in the Writing Journey

29:23 Manuscript Wishlist: What Agents Seek

31:29 The Path to Traditional Publishing

34:04 The Importance of Pitching in Publishing

36:16 Building Relationships in the Literary

38:05 The Collaborative Nature of Publishing

39:56 The Writing Process: Drafting and Character Development

43:43 Balancing Multiple Perspectives in Writing

45:50 The Creative Process: Time and Patience

51:24 Community Engagement and Accessibility in Publishing

In this engaging conversation, Carmela Dutra shares her journey from writing children's literature to finding her niche in cozy mysteries. She discusses the challenges of the writing process, the importance of critique partners, and the lessons learned during the querying process. Carmela emphasizes the value of plotting and how her agent's guidance helped refine her work. Balancing writing with family life, she also reflects on her inspirations and future aspirations as an author.

Pre-order Carmela’s debut cozy mystery from Crooked Lane books here. 

Out September 5th!

Carmela discussed her Agent Guide. You can find that here. 

If you’d like to contact Carmela you can find her at her website.

Or Instagram.

If you’d like to contact me please feel free to ⁠

⁠Website⁠. ⁠Instagram⁠. ⁠Threads.⁠ ⁠Patreon ⁠or my ⁠⁠Substack

Chapters

00:00 The Journey to Writing a Book

04:58 Finding the Right Genre

07:56 The Role of Critique Partners

11:12 The Importance of Plotting

14:05 Navigating the Query Process

17:09 The Experience of Getting an Agent

20:03 The Creative Process Behind Cozy Mysteries

22:59 Writing the Sequel and Evolving as a Writer

29:17 Feedback and Revisions in Writing

30:44 Crafting a Satisfying Mystery

35:09 Overcoming Writer's Block

38:45 Balancing Writing with Family Life

41:42 Exploring Future Writing Directions

In this conversation, Katherine shares her journey from avid romance reader to author, discussing the motivations behind her writing, the challenges of self-publishing, and the importance of community support. She delves into her creative process, the significance of editing and design, and her marketing strategies. Katherine also reflects on the rewards of self-publishing and the lessons learned along the way, including the need for grace and flexibility in the writing process.

You can pre-order Love on a Ledge here: https://a.co/d/iGNZjUT

Or order all her other books here, Etsy Page: www.etsy.com/shop/klparsonsbooks

If’d you’d like to connect with Katherine you can find her at her Website: www.klparsonsbooks.com

Or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/klparsonsbooks/

If you’d like to contact me please feel free to ⁠ Website. Instagram. Threads. NC Barton | Patreon or my ⁠Substack

Chapters

00:00 The Journey to Writing a Book

04:29 Navigating the Self-Publishing Landscape

07:33 Crafting and Editing: The Writing Process

10:18 The Decision to Self-Publish

13:16 Managing Deadlines and Expectations

16:24 Finding Joy in Self-Publishing

24:31 The Joy of Creative Events

28:47 Navigating Self-Publishing Challenges

33:47 Inspiration and Idea Generation

36:14 Crafting and Editing Process

41:01 Building a Supportive Community

In this conversation, Nicole interviews Alexandria Faulkenbury about her journey to becoming a published author. They discuss the writing process, including drafting, revising, and the importance of feedback. Alexandria shares her experiences with querying agents, the themes in her upcoming novel, and the challenges of marketing as a debut author. They also touch on finding inspiration, the differences between writing short stories and novels, and the significance of community support in the writing journey.

Alexandria's debut novel Somewhere Past the end is available on Netgalley now! Request it here.

It's available for pre-order now.
If you'd like to connect with Alexandria you can find her writing in the #5amwritersclub on Twitter / Bluesky and she's on Instagram.

If you’d like to contact me please feel free to ⁠ Website. Instagram. Threads. NC Barton | Patreon or my ⁠Substack

Chapters

00:00 The Journey to Authorship

04:29 Drafting and Revising: The Writer's Process

07:23 Navigating Feedback and Publishing Challenges

10:21 Staying True to Your Story

13:08 Exploring Themes in Writing

16:10 The Business of Being a Writer

19:08 Finding Inspiration and Overcoming Stuckness

21:53 Writing Habits and Routines

25:22 Discovering the Heart of the Story

27:43 The Writing Process: Trial and Error

28:56 Learning Through Reading and Craft Books

31:32 Inspiration from Favorite Authors

33:18 Preparing for the Debut Release

35:13 Navigating New Connections and Launch Events

36:12 Balancing Multiple Projects

37:52 Finding Inspiration in Mundane Tasks

39:26 The Art of Flash Fiction

41:23 Writing Quiet Stories in a Noisy Market

In this conversation, romance author Annie McQuaid shares her journey of writing her debut novel, Crash Landing, detailing the transformation of her initial dark story into a romantic comedy during the pandemic. She discusses the importance of critique partners and mentorship in her writing process, the challenges of navigating the query process, and the intricacies of crafting dual timelines. Annie also reflects on the pressures of publishing her second book, the creative flow, and how she deals with writer's block. The conversation concludes with insights on reader engagement and the reality of being an author.

Buy Crash Landing here.

If you’d like to connect with Annie you can find her on 

Instagram

Substack

Or her website

If you’d like to contact me please feel free to ⁠ 

Website.

Instagram.

Threads. 

Podcast.

NC Barton | Patreon

or my ⁠Substack

Chapters

00:00 The Journey to Writing a Book

04:28 Transforming a Dark Story into a Rom-Com

07:22 The Role of Mentorship in Writing

10:31 Crafting Dual Timelines in Storytelling

13:10 Balancing Plot and Character Development

16:11 Navigating the Publishing Process

19:20 The Pressure of Writing a Second Book

22:16 Creating New Stories and Future Projects

25:00 Exploring New Directions in Writing

26:09 The Role of Critique Partners

28:02 Embracing the Publishing Journey

28:18 Overcoming Creative Blocks

30:16 Drafting Techniques and Strategies

32:59 Finding Inspiration in Other Works

35:21 Genre Exploration and Future Projects

36:38 Navigating Reader Expectations

39:57 The Solitary Nature of Writing

42:42 Preparing for Book Launch and Signings

In this conversation, I interview Isabelle Engel, author of the upcoming romance novel Most Eligible, about her journey into writing, the challenges of balancing a day job with her passion, and her experiences with querying and mentorship. Isabelle shares insights into her writing process, the importance of community in the romance genre, and the evolution of her stories. We discuss the intricacies of editing, the role of sensitivity readers, and the creative mindset needed to navigate the publishing world. 

If you’d like to reach out to Isabelle you can find her on Instagram or her website.

We discussed Smooch Pit. If you're a romance author you should look into it.

If you want all the bonus content you can subscribe to my ⁠

NC Barton | Patreon or my ⁠Substack

If you’d like to contact me please feel free to ⁠ 

Website. Instagram. Threads. 

Chapters

00:00 The Journey to Writing a Book

04:16 Exploring the Romance Genre

07:02 Writing Routine and Challenges

09:33 Querying and Feedback Experiences

12:35 Mentorship and Finding an Agent

15:15 Editing and Collaboration with Publishers

18:01 Creating a New Project

20:54 The Writing Process and Overcoming Blocks

23:33 Balancing Drafting and Editing Mindsets

27:56 Exploring Authorial Identity and Genre Flexibility

29:26 The Journey of Writing and Publishing Romance

31:11 The Evolution of Book Titles and Their Significance

33:11 The Anticipation of Book Covers and Their Impact

34:54 Balancing Humor and Emotion in Writing

37:58 Crafting Characters and Managing Ensemble Casts

41:03 Recycling Ideas and Self-Referencing in Writing

44:55 Writing Resources and Craft Techniques

In this conversation, Anne Alcott author behind Tiny Horse Books, shares her journey as a writer, discussing her transition from writing children's books to adult fiction. She reflects on the challenges of self-publishing versus traditional publishing, the importance of maintaining control over her work, and her unique writing process. Alcott also emphasizes the significance of finding inspiration and the realities of revising and editing. The discussion highlights the evolving landscape of publishing and the personal growth that comes with navigating it.

You can buy THIS BOOK IS OVERWHELMED here.

If you’d like to contact me please feel free to ⁠ 

⁠Website.⁠

⁠Instagram.⁠

⁠Threads. ⁠

If you interested in bonus content you can subscribe to my ⁠

NC Barton | ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠ or my ⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠

Chapters

00:00 The Journey to Writing: A Natural Calling

04:17 Empowering Children Through Storytelling

07:09 The Self-Publishing Decision: Control and Freedom

10:19 Navigating Traditional Publishing: A New Path

12:58 The Transition from Children's Books to Novels

15:58 Exploring Literary Fiction: Breaking Boundaries

18:54 Finding Time to Write: Balancing Life and Creativity

21:59 The Creative Process: Outlining vs. Discovery Writing

24:35 Revising and Structuring: Crafting the Final Product

31:10 The Journey of Writing and Querying

33:30 Exploring Literary Fiction

36:32 The Reality of Publishing Challenges

40:09 The Importance of Agent Relationships

42:59 The Future of Self-Publishing

44:52 Celebrating Weird Girl Literary Fiction

48:15 Closing Thoughts and Future Aspirations