The Career Author Podcast

By J. Thorn

What's The Career Author Podcast about?

Becoming a full-time writer can be overwhelming. Join J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon as they help you improve your craft and find your audience, so you too can become…a career author. This is The Career Author Podcast.

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The Career Author Podcast episodes:

03.27.2023
We're Back in Black!
Zach and J. are back with a new podcast called "Men in Black Shirts" with T.W. Piperbrook!
10.29.2020
The Final Episode: LIVE!
The Final Episode: LIVE!This is it. The final episode. We hope you’ll join us at the Writers, Ink podcast! The Career Author Podcast is a podcast where co-authors J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon share their struggles and successes as full-time authors,...
10.22.2020
Knowing When to Walk Away
Knowing When to Walk AwayAs The Career Author podcast winds down, we’re reminded of how difficult it can be to avoid sunk cost fallacy and remove things that have been a big part of our lives for so long. Whether...
10.15.2020
ADVANTAGE with Joe Solari
ADVANTAGE with Joe SolariWe’re all looking for an advantage as it gets more challenging to find and retain readers. In a rare interview episode, the guys invite Joe Solari on the show to discuss how you can harness a cumulative...
10.08.2020
The Golden Age of Independent Publishing
The Golden Age of Independent PublishingHas there ever been a better time to be an independent author or publisher? The guys don’t think so. Whether it's the tools available to publish books or the ease of finding readers, there’s never...
10.01.2020
Publishing on a Budget
Publishing on a BudgetThere’s no way around it. Publishing a book that is presentable enough to ask money for is going to cost some cash of your own. But do you have to break the bank in order to publish...
09.24.2020
Relief from Your Writing Rut
Relief from Your Writing RutDo you feel a dip in your enthusiasm for that WIP? Are you procrastinating by working on another project instead? Sometimes it's hard to diagnose the problem, to tell if you’re burnt out or in a...
09.17.2020
Technology and Publishing
Technology and PublishingIt’s crazy to think there was a time not too long ago where the only way to read a book was by picking up a physical object and reading real, paper pages. Or when audiobooks were called ‘books...
09.10.2020
The Dialogue Doctor: Jeff Elkins
The Dialogue Doctor: Jeff ElkinsDo you suffer from mono-mouth? Are you experiencing side effects such as decreased reader engagement, poor sales, and a lack of energy? If so, it might be time for a house call from the Dialogue Doctor,...
09.03.2020
Genre Hopping
Genre HoppingMost people don’t enjoy watching only one kind of movie, eating one type of food, or wearing the same clothes every day. Okay, maybe Zach likes that last one, but either way, it’s not uncommon for writers to want...
08.27.2020
What is a Career Author (August 2020)?
What is a Career Author (August 2020)?What does it mean to be a career author? This is not an easy question to answer and one that involves a deeper discussion on how we define this elusive creature. Every writer with aspirations...
08.20.2020
Character Backstory
Character BackstoryWe all have a story. The unique events that each of us experience build us and make us who we are. And the characters in your stories should be no different. Backstory is crucial for helping your character feel relatable...
08.13.2020
Hooking the Reader with Your First Chapter
Hooking the Reader with Your First ChapterIf you’re walking through the grocery store and an employee offers you a free sample of a new brand of cheese. You’re likely to taste it. If you like the cheese, you might buy...
08.06.2020
Writing Short Fiction
Writing Short FictionIn the indie community it’s often said that the best way to make money is to write novels, specifically in series of three or more books. But what about writing short fiction? From short stories to novellas, there are...
07.30.2020
Sharpening the Saw: Doing the Things We Hate Doing
Sharpening the Saw: Doing the Things We Hate DoingAs career authors or even part-time writers, we all have to do things we hate. In a perfect world, authors could sit in a cabin in the woods, happily slapping the typewriter...
07.23.2020
Launching an Amazon Bestselling Fiction Book in 2020
Launching an Amazon Bestselling Fiction Book in 2020Indie authors often talk about the “gold rush” era of self-publishing when a smaller pool of authors and Amazon’s looser algorithms made it easier to sell books on their platform. But with increased...
07.16.2020
Talking with Tara from Kobo
Talking with Tara from KoboThere’s value in “going wide” and one of the most trusted and thriving marketplaces is Kobo Writing Life. J. and Zach invite Tara Cremin on the show to discuss everything Kobo has to offer the independent...
07.09.2020
Why You Need a Passion Project
Why You Need a Passion ProjectNo matter how much you love being a career author, you will definitely need a break from the work at one time or another. It’s easy to cram writing and marketing into the few available...
07.02.2020
Nailing Your Amazon Book Page
Nailing Your Amazon Book PageBeing a Career Author in 2020 requires more than simply writing words and finishing books. You’re running a business. And there’s perhaps no place that demonstrates that more than your book’s Amazon page. This is where...
06.25.2020
Authors Services as a Revenue Stream
Authors Services as a Revenue StreamSelling only fiction is tough. In fact, only a small percentage of authors (both traditional and indie) make a full-time living solely from fiction. Therefore, you need to think more like a business person if...
06.18.2020
Sticking with a Series Until the End
Sticking with a Series Until the EndYou’ve probably heard it all the time. If you want to make money selling books, you need to write a series. But planning a series isn’t the same as a standalone novel. And how...
06.11.2020
The Publishing Industry Panel
The Publishing Industry PanelIn our fast-paced digital world, things are always changing. And the publishing industry isn’t immune to these changes. Join publishing experts and leaders from Kobo, Google Play, Draft2Digital, Reedsy, and Vellum as they explore the future of...
06.04.2020
An Hour with Draft2Digital
An Hour with Draft2DigitalDan Wood, Kevin Tumlinson, and Mark Lefebvre recently joined J., Zach, and the attendees of The Career Author Summit to answer questions and discuss some of the awesome tools available for authors at Draft2Digital. Please enjoy a...
05.28.2020
An Hour with Google Play Books
An Hour with Google Play BooksIn the week leading up to The Career Author Summit, the awesome folks over at Google Play Books spent an hour with our attendees answering questions and discussing some of the cool new things they...
05.21.2020
The Career Author Summit Recap
The Career Author Summit RecapAfter a fantastic weekend (and week-long) at The Career Author Summit, the guys are here to share a recap of the event as well as the most pertinent takeaways from all of the presentations. J. and Zach...
05.14.2020
Peer-to-Peer Feedback
Peer-to-Peer FeedbackAlthough we value our fellow authors, giving and receiving feedback with them can be fraught with problems. It can be difficult not to respond emotionally when a peer criticizes our creative work. And yet without feedback, we become stagnant...
05.07.2020
The Editing Process
The Editing ProcessFinishing the first draft of a novel is an amazing accomplishment. If you’ve done that, then you’ve done something that most people will never have the discipline or drive to do. But you can’t sit back and relax...
04.30.2020
Recording an Audiobook
Recording an AudiobookAudio is hot. We hear this everywhere and all the time. But what does it take to sit down and record an audiobook? Authors can struggle with writing and publishing a book so the thought of now narrating...
04.23.2020
The Healthy Career Author
The Healthy Career AuthorWriting is a solitary activity. We sit at our desks alone for hours at a time, typing away, often letting our posture slip and forgetting to stand and take breaks. It can be easy to get lost...
04.16.2020
The Mentorship Model for Authors
The Mentorship Model for AuthorsNothing can be more empowering for an author than having the ear of a trusted mentor. Whether you get wisdom and guidance from other writers or from books and podcasts, mentorship can help authors to get...
04.09.2020
How Video Games Can Make You a Better Storyteller
How Video Games Can Make You a Better StorytellerIf you’ve been a listener of this podcast for any period of time, then you know it’s no secret that Zach loves video games. He grew up in arcades and with an...
04.06.2020
SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE! Live Q & A!
SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE! Live Q & A! Recorded live on April 5, 2020 with Zoom. Podcast sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://writinglife.kobobooks.com Get exclusive bonus content by supporting The Career Author Podcast on Patreon at www.patreon.com/thecareerauthor Want to work with us? Get...
04.02.2020
A Nonfiction Book Launch Wide: The First 30 Days
A Nonfiction Book Launch Wide: The First 30 DaysLaunching a book wide is a new challenge for J. and Zach, especially a nonfiction book. With differences in strategy, pricing, format, and distribution, it can be difficult to decide what to...
03.26.2020
How to Efficiently Work From Home
How to Efficiently Work From HomeWith many people forced to stay indoors as we fight through the COVID-19 pandemic, many writers are finding themselves with more time to write. Some are even getting to write full-time as their day jobs...
03.19.2020
Digital Minimalism: A Year Later
Digital Minimalism: A Year Later Last year, Zach and J. recorded an episode discussing Digital Minimalism inspired by the bestselling book of the same name by Cal Newport. After reading that book, both Zach and J. greatly reduced the time...
03.12.2020
Special Guest J.D. Barker
Special Guest J.D. Barker In this special episode, Zach and J. welcome international bestselling author J.D. Barker! J.D. co-hosts the Writers, Ink Podcast with J. but he does so much more. Barker has cowritten with one of Bram Stoker’s descendants...
03.05.2020
The Three Story Method
The Three Story Method The Three Story Method is available now! Zach and J. go deep on their methodology in this episode, discussing how it evolved and why now is the right time to share it with other authors. In addition,...
02.27.2020
The Three Story Method Influencer Series: Story
The Three Story Method Influencer Series: Story In the fourth of this special 5-part series, Zach and J. examine Story by Robert McKee. They discuss how his ideas changed the way Hollywood approached modern storytelling. In addition, Zach asks J....
02.20.2020
The Three Story Method Influencer Series: The Virgin’s Promise
The Three Story Method Influencer Series: The Virgin’s Promise In the third of this special 5-part series, Zach and J. examine the Virgin’s Promise developed by Kim Hudson. They discuss how these ideas will change modern storytelling. In addition, Zach...
02.13.2020
The Three Story Method Influencer Series: The Hero’s Journey
The Three Story Method Influencer Series: The Hero’s Journey In the second of this special 5-part series, Zach and J. examine the Hero’s Journey as created by Joseph Cambpell and recreated by Christopher Vogler. They discuss how these ideas have...
02.06.2020
The Three Story Method Influencer Series: Aristotle
The Three Story Method Influencer Series: Aristotle In the first of this special 5-part series, Zach and J. examine Poetics by Aristotle and how those ideas have influenced modern storytelling. In addition, Zach asks J. how he incorporated Aristotle’s ideas...
01.30.2020
Receiving Feedback and Criticism
Receiving Feedback and Criticism Authors thrive on sharing their creations with the world. But by putting your work out there, you open yourself up to feedback and criticism, whether fair or unfair. It can be difficult to navigate how to handle...
01.23.2020
Accounting for Authors
Accounting for Authors Accounting for authors is something we’re asked about all the time. Special shout out to John Box for suggesting the conversation. “How do self-published authors handle their income? Both part-time and full-timers? Are authors setting up LLC's or...
01.16.2020
Authors on a Train California 2020
Authors on a Train California 2020 In this special episode coming to you live from J.’s aunt’s kitchen in San Francisco, it’s the Authors on a Train California 2020 round table conversation! After riding the Coastal Starlight train from Los...
01.09.2020
Launching an Author Career in 2020
Launching an Author Career in 2020 The publishing industry went through a wave of unprecedented changes in the last decade with the evolution of self-publishing. The rise of the eReader along with technological advancements in the digital distribution of books...
01.02.2020
The State of Independent Publishing in 2020
The State of Independent Publishing in 2020 It’s time to discuss the state of independent publishing in 2020. In their third annual installment of the “looking ahead” episode, J. and Zach examine the trends that occurred over the past year...
12.26.2019
Reflections on 2019
Reflections on 2019 It’s hard to believe that 2020 is almost upon us. In this reflective episode, Zach and J. look back at 2019 and discuss some of their personal successes and struggles while also talking about what went right—and...
12.19.2019
Value Your Intellectual Property
Star Wars. Harry Potter. Pokemon. Mickey Mouse. These are some of the most recognizable franchises in the world. But why? What makes Star Wars so much more beloved than any other science fiction and fantasy space property? The Career Author Podcast...
12.12.2019
Beating Resistance
Beating Resistance is a daily challenge. For most creatives, we must battle doubt and insecurity at every step of the way. In The War of Art, Steven Pressfield defines the universal force that tries to keep us from our full...
12.05.2019
Creating Characters Who Aren’t Like You
Creating characters who aren’t like you is key to making your story world feel real and lived in. Our world would be a boring place if every person was exactly the same. As such, so can the worlds in your...

What's The Career Author Podcast about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Career Author Podcast episodes:

We're Back in Black!

The Final Episode: LIVE!

Knowing When to Walk Away

ADVANTAGE with Joe Solari

The Golden Age of Independent Publishing

Publishing on a Budget

Relief from Your Writing Rut

Technology and Publishing

The Dialogue Doctor: Jeff Elkins

Genre Hopping

What is a Career Author (August 2020)?

Character Backstory

Hooking the Reader with Your First Chapter

Writing Short Fiction

Sharpening the Saw: Doing the Things We Hate Doing

Launching an Amazon Bestselling Fiction Book in 2020

Talking with Tara from Kobo

Why You Need a Passion Project

Nailing Your Amazon Book Page

Authors Services as a Revenue Stream

Sticking with a Series Until the End

The Publishing Industry Panel

An Hour with Draft2Digital

An Hour with Google Play Books

The Career Author Summit Recap

Peer-to-Peer Feedback

The Editing Process

Recording an Audiobook

The Healthy Career Author

The Mentorship Model for Authors

How Video Games Can Make You a Better Storyteller

SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE! Live Q & A!

A Nonfiction Book Launch Wide: The First 30 Days

How to Efficiently Work From Home

Digital Minimalism: A Year Later

Special Guest J.D. Barker

The Three Story Method

The Three Story Method Influencer Series: Story

The Three Story Method Influencer Series: The Virgin’s Promise

The Three Story Method Influencer Series: The Hero’s Journey

The Three Story Method Influencer Series: Aristotle

Receiving Feedback and Criticism

Accounting for Authors

Authors on a Train California 2020

Launching an Author Career in 2020

The State of Independent Publishing in 2020

Reflections on 2019

Value Your Intellectual Property

Beating Resistance

Creating Characters Who Aren’t Like You