The Novel Writing Podcast

Indie author ZS Diamanti (Zac) shares his journey with organic marketing through social media, his newsletter, and using the momentum from his readers to run successful Kickstarters.

Whether you're an old hat author or a brand new writer, Zac's advice will resonate with you.

You can find Zac online at FreeFantasyFiction.com

Link to unboxing video: https://www.instagram.com/p/DN5-FEAj8Kd/

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What to do next…

• Read transcripts & access interview recordings on Substack
• Apply for Author Coaching with Colleen
• Take the 60 Day Novel Writing Challenge for FREE 
• Sell your eBooks direct with Curios (keep 100% of sales) - Affiliate Link
• Read Colleen's clean YA portal fantasy series (The Chronicles of Talahm)
• Read Halie's YA fantasy series (Secrets of the Tally)
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

TikTok sensation Age of Scorpius by Audra Winter absolutely tanked upon release despite accumulating 7,000 pre-orders.

So what happened?

Today's episode is a case study on what Audra did right, what she did wrong, and what lessons we as writers can learn from this still-unfolding saga.

Disclaimer: this episode is NOT for Audra, her friends, family, or production team.

Do not doxx her or leave mean comments on her socials.

This is for learning purposes only.

Resources used in the production of this episode:

• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Age-Scorpius-Audra-Winter/dp/B0FG32YN7R/
• Goodreads: https://goodreads.com/book/show/234107686
• Taylor Rose: Why This 2-STar Book Got 6,000 Pre-Orders (https://youtu.be/p3S156E3LR0)
• Taylor Rose: Indie Author's 4-month Makeover Plan: From 2 Stars to Stardom? (https://youtu.be/RjZ-7BC6Bgo)
• Juicy Edits: Editing BookTok's most hated indie book (The Age of Scorpius) (https://youtu.be/rs4grknQOCc)
• Reads with Rachel: AUDRA WINTER vs BOOKTOK (https://youtu.be/hq9o2KsQc_4)
• Reads with Rachel: I read AUDRA WINTERS BOOK | AGE OF SCORPIUS RANT (https://youtu.be/10iFSqhUZHQ)

Send us Fan Mail

What to do next…

• Read transcripts & access interview recordings on Substack
• Apply for Author Coaching with Colleen
• Take the 60 Day Novel Writing Challenge for FREE 
• Sell your eBooks direct with Curios (keep 100% of sales) - Affiliate Link
• Read Colleen's clean YA portal fantasy series (The Chronicles of Talahm)
• Read Halie's YA fantasy series (Secrets of the Tally)
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

AI is the hot-button topic for authors nowadays. 

Lawyer Samantha Bradshaw discusses how authors can protect their work in the age of AI, especially now that large language models (LLMs) have been given the legal go-ahead to train on copyrighted work.

If you have AI concerns, this episode is for you.

Court case mentioned in this episode:

• JURISTnews: US federal judge issues landmark ruling on AI copyright law

Send us Fan Mail

What to do next…

• Read transcripts & access interview recordings on Substack
• Apply for Author Coaching with Colleen
• Take the 60 Day Novel Writing Challenge for FREE 
• Sell your eBooks direct with Curios (keep 100% of sales) - Affiliate Link
• Read Colleen's clean YA portal fantasy series (The Chronicles of Talahm)
• Read Halie's YA fantasy series (Secrets of the Tally)
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

What are tropes? Do we need them, and if so, how do we use them?

Tropes are popular in marketing books right now, but the reality is we all use tropes in our writing whether we realize it or not.

Listen in for an overview of tropes, whether you need to use them intentionally in your writing, how to use them in marketing, and what to avoid.

I also list examples of books and films with various tropes across five popular genres.

Resource: Jennifer Hilt's Trope Thesaurus

Send us Fan Mail

What to do next…

• Read transcripts & access interview recordings on Substack
• Apply for Author Coaching with Colleen
• Take the 60 Day Novel Writing Challenge for FREE 
• Sell your eBooks direct with Curios (keep 100% of sales) - Affiliate Link
• Read Colleen's clean YA portal fantasy series (The Chronicles of Talahm)
• Read Halie's YA fantasy series (Secrets of the Tally)
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Ever thought of submitting your novel to a review magazine? 

Clean Fiction Magazine reviews both Christian and secular novels for free!

Check out this interview with Amy Lynn McConahy, author and publisher of Clean Fiction Magazine.

Send us Fan Mail

What to do next…

• Read transcripts & access interview recordings on Substack
• Apply for Author Coaching with Colleen
• Take the 60 Day Novel Writing Challenge for FREE 
• Sell your eBooks direct with Curios (keep 100% of sales) - Affiliate Link
• Read Colleen's clean YA portal fantasy series (The Chronicles of Talahm)
• Read Halie's YA fantasy series (Secrets of the Tally)
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Are you falling into any of these common mistakes with naming characters?

From too many names starting with the same letter, to your MC "Bob Smith" accidentally becoming an NPC, this episode will help you identify whether you need to change up some character names.

Send us Fan Mail

What to do next…

• Read transcripts & access interview recordings on Substack
• Apply for Author Coaching with Colleen
• Take the 60 Day Novel Writing Challenge for FREE 
• Sell your eBooks direct with Curios (keep 100% of sales) - Affiliate Link
• Read Colleen's clean YA portal fantasy series (The Chronicles of Talahm)
• Read Halie's YA fantasy series (Secrets of the Tally)
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

How do authors find reputable freelancers?

We've all heard the horror stories (or experienced them ourselves) about being ripped off or ghosted, the work not being acceptable, or that the "freelancer" fabricated their qualifications.

Fortunately, it IS possible to find (and verify) reputable freelancers.

Collin Smith, a freelance graphic designer for indies, joins me to talk about just that, and shares red flags to watch out for in our searches.

Links Mentioned in This Episode:
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @collinsmithcreative
Website: collinsmithcreative.com
Christian Writers Market Guide: https://christianwritersmarketguide.com/

Send us Fan Mail

What to do next…

• Read transcripts & access interview recordings on Substack
• Apply for Author Coaching with Colleen
• Take the 60 Day Novel Writing Challenge for FREE 
• Sell your eBooks direct with Curios (keep 100% of sales) - Affiliate Link
• Read Colleen's clean YA portal fantasy series (The Chronicles of Talahm)
• Read Halie's YA fantasy series (Secrets of the Tally)
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

These are the top 4 lessons I learned going to the Realm Makers Conference in July 2025.

Realm Makers is a conference and community for Christian Speculative Fiction writers which has been going for more than ten years.

Learn more about Realm Makers at https://www.realmmakers.com/

Send us Fan Mail

What to do next…

• Read transcripts & access interview recordings on Substack
• Apply for Author Coaching with Colleen
• Take the 60 Day Novel Writing Challenge for FREE 
• Sell your eBooks direct with Curios (keep 100% of sales) - Affiliate Link
• Read Colleen's clean YA portal fantasy series (The Chronicles of Talahm)
• Read Halie's YA fantasy series (Secrets of the Tally)
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

What's the deal with author newsletters? Do you really need one before you release your book? 

The answer is ABSOLUTELY YES. Author newsletters are data-backed as the number 1 way to reach your audience. 

Listen in for 3 major reasons to start your author newsletter today, even if you only email once a month.

Send us Fan Mail

What to do next…

• Read transcripts & access interview recordings on Substack
• Apply for Author Coaching with Colleen
• Take the 60 Day Novel Writing Challenge for FREE 
• Sell your eBooks direct with Curios (keep 100% of sales) - Affiliate Link
• Read Colleen's clean YA portal fantasy series (The Chronicles of Talahm)
• Read Halie's YA fantasy series (Secrets of the Tally)
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

What are the self-publishing options available to indie authors?

This is the third and last of three episodes unpacking the variety of ways authors can set themselves up for success with indie publishing.

This episode dives into the differences between direct and indirect sales.

Your author business will ultimately consist of a system that integrates most if not all the platforms and formats. Start simple and work your way up!

Send us Fan Mail

What to do next…

• Read transcripts & access interview recordings on Substack
• Apply for Author Coaching with Colleen
• Take the 60 Day Novel Writing Challenge for FREE 
• Sell your eBooks direct with Curios (keep 100% of sales) - Affiliate Link
• Read Colleen's clean YA portal fantasy series (The Chronicles of Talahm)
• Read Halie's YA fantasy series (Secrets of the Tally)
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts