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

In this conversation, Olivia Jackson shares her journey as a writer, detailing her early inspirations, the challenges of writing and revising her novels, the process of querying agents, and her experiences with traditional publishing. She emphasizes the importance of critique partners, the learning curve involved in writing. Olivia also discusses her writing process, the role of inspiration, and how her voice has evolved over time.

Her debut novel Digging Dr. Jones comes out May 2nd 2025 from Harper Collins and is available for pre-order now!

You can find connect with Olivia You can connect with me on Instagram: @oliviajacksonbooks or at her website www.oliviajacksonbooks.com .

If you'd like to find me, I'm probably in one of these places Website. Instagram. Threads. Substack. 

Chapters

00:00 The Journey to Writing a Book

08:13 The Querying Process and Learning from Rejections

14:53 Editing and Working with an Agent

22:40 The Excitement of Publishing and Book Reveal

23:46 Dreams of Bookstore Success

25:43 Inspiration Behind the Stories

28:33 Overcoming Writer's Block

30:40 Finding Your Unique Voice

33:48 Current Projects and Future Aspirations

35:16 Favorite Writing Resources

38:20 Genres of Interest and Future Writing Plans

In this conversation, Mara Williams shares her journey as a writer, discussing her early passion for writing, the challenges she faced in finding her voice, and the importance of community and feedback in the writing process. She reflects on her experiences with querying agents, navigating the publishing world, and the emotional journey of writing. Mara emphasizes the need for confidence, bravery, and the willingness to embrace imperfection in the pursuit of becoming a successful author.

Her debut novel The Truth is in the Detours comes out in 2025 from Lake Union.

You can find Mara on Instagram.

If you want to find me, I'm probably scrolling Instagram.

Chapters

00:00 The Journey to Writing a Book

03:31 Finding Confidence in Writing

06:20 The Writing Process: Plotting vs. Pantsing

08:49 Overcoming Writing Challenges

11:41 Genre Exploration and Identity

14:33 The Path to Getting an Agent

16:56 Influences and Inspirations in Writing

20:15 Finding Your Voice as a Writer

26:12 The Journey of Crafting a Book

33:07 Building a Writing Community

39:10 Navigating the Publishing Process

49:01 Finding Closure with Past Works

52:21 Pink and White Cute Modern Cartoon Subscribe Bell Button YouTube Intro (1).mp4

In this engaging conversation, Tobie Carter shares her journey from writing thrillers to romance, discussing the challenges and joys of self-publishing. She delves into her writing process, the importance of plotting, and how she finds inspiration. Tobie also reflects on her experiences with traditional publishing, the role of beta readers, and her aspirations for future projects, including her latest book release Gnome One Like You: A Novella (The Wordplay Series)

You can find her on:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tobiecarter.writer/

Threads https://www.threads.net/@tobiecarter.writer

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

X https://x.com/tobiecarter6190

Substack https://tobiecarterwrites.substack.com/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/people/Tobie-Carter/pfbid0AvErPw8bdhQVLVzzMrt5iSudHsVz48nfEtSKnE5WZUbD6LM28BzmTbHnvr5br2wQl/

Chapters

00:00 The Journey to Becoming a Writer

06:26 Writing Process and Plotting Techniques

12:02 Navigating Traditional vs. Self-Publishing

17:41 Finding Inspiration and Overcoming Writer's Block

23:57 The Value of Mentorship in Writing

32:00 The Impact of Motherhood on Creative Writing

36:56 Introducing 'Gnome One Like You': A Holiday Novella

If you'd like to reach out to me I'm probably scrolling Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/ncbartonwrites/

In today's episode Nicole interviews Gina Banks, an author living in the bay area. Gina writes steamy romances about powerful women and the men who worship them. She is represented by Joanna MacKenzie at Nelson Literary Agency.

Summary

In this conversation, Gina Banks shares her journey of becoming a writer, discussing the motivations behind her decision to write a book, her writing process, and the importance of critique partners. She emphasizes the significance of mental health in the writing journey, the realities of book submissions, and the need to find joy in the craft. Gina also reflects on the challenges of rejection and the importance of having a life outside of writing, while remaining committed to her passion for storytelling.

You can find Gina on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ginabanksbooks/

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

and her amazing Substack HEA & Other Obsessions

https://ginabanksbooks.substack.com/

You can find me on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ncbartonwrites/

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

and Substack https://nicolebartonwrites.substack.com/

or at my website. https://ncbartonwrites.com/

You can also read more about Gina's process here.

https://nicolebartonwrites.substack.com/p/tell-me-your-wayswith-gina-banks

Gina found her critique partners through Bianca Maris Beta Reader match up you can sign up here: https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-up.html

Craft books we discussed:

Before and After the Book Deal by Courtney Maum

Emotional Wound Thesaurus
by Becca Puglisi, Angela Ackerman

The Emotion Thesaurus by ⁠Becca Puglisi⁠, ⁠Angela Ackerman⁠

Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes

Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody