A WORDSLINGER PODCAST

What does it actually take to build a bestselling author career—and turn writing into a sustainable business?

In this episode of the Wordslinger Podcast, I sit down with New York Times bestselling author J.D. Barker to talk about the business behind the books. J.D. has worked with James Patterson, built a career spanning traditional and independent publishing, developed an unusual partnership with Simon & Schuster, co-authored numerous books, and had multiple projects optioned for film and television.

We get into the realities of traditional versus indie publishing, why J.D. believes writers need to think like business owners, what James Patterson has taught him about building a scalable author career, how Hollywood book options really work, and why branding matters far more than many authors realize.

J.D. also shares his strategy for producing as many as 10–12 books per year through co-authoring, how he has streamlined his publishing operation to support that output, and the quality he believes matters most if you want to build a long-term writing career: tenacity.

If you're a writer, author, creator, or creative entrepreneur trying to build a career around your work instead of simply publishing one book at a time, there's a lot to learn from this conversation.

J.D.'s newest novel, The First Scarlet Door, releases September 22.

Subscribe to the channel for practical, experience-driven guidance on writing, publishing, marketing, creativity, and building a career as an author. If you're serious about your writing and publishing journey, this is the place to be.

TIMECODES:

00:00 Welcome to the Wordslinger Podcast

Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com

GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS

FIND KEVIN:

Find Kevin and his books: https://kevintumlinson.com

Join Kevin on Substack: https://kevintumlinson.substack.com

Wordslinger Podcast home page: https://wordslingerpodcast.com

SERVICES FOR AUTHORS:

Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWriting Aid: https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5

Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital: https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger

Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books (and more!) at AuthorAnchor: https://authoranchor.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOT

What if the secret to original writing is to stop trying so hard to be original?

Writers and creators often feel pressure to make everything completely unique—from book covers and story ideas to marketing and branding. But readers don’t necessarily want something they’ve never seen before. They’re often looking for something familiar enough to recognize, but different enough to feel fresh.

In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, Kevin explores the idea of being “original within constraints”—using genre expectations, familiar storytelling structures, and creative boundaries as a framework for doing something uniquely your own.

You’ll learn why making your book look too different from others in its genre can actually hurt its chances, why “same but different” is such a powerful principle for writers, and how creative constraints can lead to some of your most original work.

If you’re a writer, creator, or creative entrepreneur trying to stand out without confusing or alienating your audience, this episode is for you.

What constraints have actually made you more creative? Tell me in the comments.

Subscribe to Wordslinger for practical, experience-driven guidance on writing, publishing, creativity, marketing, and building a sustainable career as a writer.

Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com

GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS

TIMECODES:

00:00 Stop trying to be original

FIND KEVIN:

Find Kevin and his books:
https://kevintumlinson.com

Join Kevin on Substack:
https://kevintumlinson.substack.com

Wordslinger Podcast home page:
https://wordslingerpodcast.com

SERVICES FOR AUTHORS:

Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWriting Aid:
https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5

Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital:
https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger

Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books (and more!) at AuthorAnchor:
https://authoranchor.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOT

You don’t need an agent, a publisher, an editor, or anyone else to give you permission to be a writer.

For years, I waited for someone else to tell me it was okay to take writing seriously. I chased opportunities, worked jobs, paid bills, and kept telling myself that someday I’d finally have enough time to write.

But someday doesn’t show up on its own.

In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, we’re talking about what it really means to give yourself permission to write, why so many aspiring authors get stuck waiting for validation, and the difference between wanting to be a writer and simply liking the idea of having written a book.

We’ll also talk about making writing part of your actual life, Stephen King’s “open-door” approach to writing, why indie publishing has changed who gets to call themselves an author, and why the story that keeps nagging at you may be yours to tell.

If you’ve been waiting for someone to tell you that you’re allowed to write the book, consider this your permission.

Now go do the work.

Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com

GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS

TIMECODES:

00:00 You don’t need permission to be a writer

If you’re a writer, aspiring author, indie publisher, or creative entrepreneur trying to build a sustainable creative life, subscribe to Wordslinger. This channel is here to give you practical, experience-tested guidance on writing better books, publishing intelligently, building your author career, and doing the work that moves you forward.

FIND KEVIN:

Find Kevin and his books: https://kevintumlinson.com

Join Kevin on Substack: https://kevintumlinson.substack.com

Wordslinger Podcast home page: https://wordslingerpodcast.com

SERVICES FOR AUTHORS:

Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid: https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5

Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital: https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger

Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books and more at AuthorAnchor: https://authoranchor.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOT

What if you could build a powerful editing process for your novel without spending thousands of dollars on professional editing?

In this episode, I break down what I call my “Edit Stack”—the layered system I use to catch typos, grammar problems, continuity issues, awkward passages, and other mistakes before a book goes out into the world.

The key is not relying on one tool, one editor, or one pass. I use multiple layers: built-in spellcheck, ProWritingAid, AI-assisted proofreading, repeated manuscript passes, trusted human readers, and good old-fashioned human judgment.

I’ll show you how I use each layer, why I never blindly accept an AI or editor suggestion, how my street team helps me catch errors I missed, and why reading your work aloud can reveal problems your brain simply refuses to see on the page.

And here’s the bigger point: even traditionally published books from bestselling authors still contain mistakes. Perfection may not be possible. But a smart editing system can get your manuscript remarkably clean—and indie authors have the advantage of being able to fix errors quickly after publication.

If you’re a writer trying to produce cleaner, more professional books without draining your publishing budget, build yourself an edit stack.

Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com

TIMECODES:

FIND KEVIN:

SERVICES FOR AUTHORS:

If you’re a writer, author, creator, or creative entrepreneur trying to build a sustainable career around your work, subscribe to the Wordslinger channel. This is where we talk honestly about writing better books, publishing them professionally, reaching more readers, building your author business, and creating a career that lasts.

Subscribe, leave a comment with your writing or publishing questions, and tell me what you use in your own editing stack.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A WORDSLINGER STORY CUT

Spider-Man has been rebooted, reimagined, recast, and retold more times than most superheroes could survive. So how do you make him feel new again without losing what made people love him in the first place?

In this Wordslinger Story Cuts, I break down Spider-Man: Brand New Day and why I think it may be the best Spider-Man franchise film yet.

This movie does something especially smart: It doesn’t waste time explaining everything. We’re dropped directly into Peter Parker’s life, with relationships, history, conflicts, and mysteries already in motion. That use of in medias res and storytelling “open loops” gives the world depth while constantly giving us another reason to keep watching.

We’ll talk about Spider-Man’s relationship with the Punisher, why unanswered questions can actually strengthen a story, the importance of clear character motivation, and how a long-running franchise can reinvent itself without abandoning decades of history.

Whether you love Spider-Man, the MCU, movies, television, novels, or just great storytelling, there are some powerful lessons here about what keeps an audience invested.

Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com
GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS

🕷️ IN THIS STORY CUT:

00:00 — Is Brand New Day the best Spider-Man movie?

📚 FIND KEVIN:

Find Kevin and his books:
https://kevintumlinson.com

Join Kevin on Substack:
https://kevintumlinson.substack.com

Wordslinger Podcast home page:
https://wordslingerpodcast.com

🎙️ SERVICES FOR AUTHORS:

Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid:
https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5

Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital:
https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger

Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books—and more!—at AuthorAnchor:
https://authoranchor.com

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO WORDSLINGER

If you’re a writer, author, creator, or storyteller building a career around your work, subscribe to Wordslinger. This is the place for practical guidance on writing, publishing, storytelling, marketing, and building a creative career that lasts.

And if you love breaking down what makes movies, television, and novels work—or fail—check out more Wordslinger Story Cuts right here on the channel.

#SpiderMan #SpiderManBrandNewDay #Storytelling #Marvel #MCU #WritingTips #Screenwriting #StoryAnalysis #Wordslinger #StoryCuts

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A WORDSLINGER PODCAST

Why are more writers reconsidering traditional publishing—and could we be entering a second indie publishing renaissance?

In this episode of the Wordslinger Podcast, Kevin Tumlinson looks at the changing landscape of publishing, from unreliable AI detection and increasingly restrictive publisher policies to the growing opportunities available to independent authors.

Writers have more tools, more distribution options, and more ways to reach readers directly than ever before. At the same time, traditional publishing is adding new layers of risk and gatekeeping—including situations where authors can face serious consequences simply because software claims their work was generated by AI.

Kevin explains why he has recommitted himself to indie publishing, why he believes quality will ultimately matter more than the tools used to produce a book, and why independent writers may be better positioned than ever to build sustainable careers on their own terms.

The conversation also covers audience building, responding to readers and YouTube comments, dealing with trolls and bad reviews, using AI as an assistive tool rather than a replacement for creativity, and building a business flywheel where books, content, audience growth, and revenue reinforce each other.

If you're a writer, author, creator, or creative entrepreneur trying to navigate publishing, marketing, technology, and the business of making a living from your work, subscribe to the Wordslinger channel. This is the place for practical, experience-driven guidance to help you write better, publish smarter, grow your audience, and build a career around your creativity.

Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com

GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS

TIMECODES

00:00 The expanding Wordslinger universe

FIND KEVIN:

Find Kevin and his books:
https://kevintumlinson.com

Join Kevin on Substack:
https://kevintumlinson.substack.com

Wordslinger Podcast home page:
https://wordslingerpodcast.com

Wordslinger on YouTube:
https://youtube.com/wordslingerpodcast

Kevin is working to move the YouTube channel to:
https://youtube.com/wordslingershow

SERVICES FOR AUTHORS:

Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid:
https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5

Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital:
https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger

Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books and more at AuthorAnchor:
https://authoranchor.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A Wordslinger 10-Shot!

Bad reviews are inevitable. The real question is what you do after you get one.

In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, I’m talking about the mistake authors make when a negative review gets under their skin—and why responding, arguing, or trying to “correct the record” usually makes things worse.

I recently looked at my own book reviews for the first time in more than a year and found a 2-star review calling one of my books boring. That sent me down a rabbit hole about reviews, trolls, negative comments, and how much attention writers should really give any of them.

We’ll talk about why you should almost never respond to a bad review, when reporting a review might actually make sense, why I once deliberately upvoted some of my worst reviews, and why one of the healthiest things you can do as a creator may be to stop reading reviews altogether.

And there’s an important flip side: reviews still matter. They provide social proof and credibility for your books, which means authors should absolutely be asking readers to leave them—even if you decide not to read them yourself.

If you’re a writer, author, creator, or creative entrepreneur trying to build a career without letting criticism derail you, this one’s for you.

What do you think? Do you read your reviews? Have you ever responded to a bad one? Tell me in the comments.

And subscribe to Wordslinger for practical, experience-tested guidance on writing, publishing, marketing, building an audience, and creating a sustainable career around your work.

Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at https://knoveltonbooks.com

GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS

00:00 — The reality of negative reviews

Find Kevin and his books:
https://kevintumlinson.com

Kevin’s books:
https://kevintumlinson.com/books

Join Kevin on Substack:
https://kevintumlinson.substack.com

Wordslinger Podcast home page:
https://wordslingerpodcast.com

Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid:
https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5

Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital:
https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger

Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books—and more—at AuthorAnchor:
https://authoranchor.com

Ernest Dempsey:
https://ernestdempsey.com

#WritingAdvice #SelfPublishing #IndieAuthors #BookMarketing #AuthorLife #WritingCommunity #Wordslinger

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People love throwing around the phrase “AI slop.” But does using AI actually hurt your content—or are creators reacting to something that audiences barely notice?

I decided to stop guessing and test it.

For several weeks, I ran YouTube A/B/C tests comparing AI-generated thumbnails against thumbnails built from traditional photos and graphics. And the results were not what the loudest AI critics might expect.

In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, I break down what happened, what the numbers actually showed, and why I think creators need a better definition of “AI slop.”

I also talk about where I personally draw the line with AI. I do not use AI to write my books. I love writing too much for that. But I do use AI as a business tool for things like editing assistance, titles, descriptions, thumbnails, and other tasks that can save me time and energy.

The question isn’t simply, “Did AI touch this?”

The better question might be: Did the tool augment the creator—or replace the creator?

If you're a writer, creator, publisher, or creative entrepreneur trying to figure out where AI fits into your work, this conversation is for you.

Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at http://knoveltonbooks.com

GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS

00:00 — Welcome to the Wordslinger 10-Shot
01:14 — Why I wanted to talk about “AI slop”
01:52 — The backlash writers get for using AI
02:58 — I do NOT use AI to write my books
03:24 — Where I actually use AI in my business
04:43 — I put AI thumbnails through an A/B/C test
05:39 — The surprising results
06:36 — AI as augmentation instead of replacement
07:17 — “Why don't you just hire someone?”
08:04 — What “AI slop” should actually mean
09:09 — The test results are in: Did AI win?

If you're building a life and career around writing, publishing, storytelling, and creative entrepreneurship, subscribe to the Wordslinger channel.

This is where writers come for practical, experience-based guidance on becoming better writers, publishing smarter, building an audience, navigating new technology, and creating a sustainable career around their work.

You can also explore the Wordslinger Podcast, Wordslinger 10-Shots, and Wordslinger Story Cuts playlists at:

https://youtube.com/wordslingerpodcast

Find Kevin and his books:
https://kevintumlinson.com

Join Kevin on Substack:
https://kevintumlinson.substack.com

Wordslinger Podcast home page:
https://wordslingerpodcast.com

Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid:
https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5

Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital:
https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger

Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books (and more!) at AuthorAnchor:
https://authoranchor.com

#Writing #Authors #AIForWriters #ArtificialIntelligence #SelfPublishing #IndieAuthors #CreativeEntrepreneur #Publishing #WritingCommunity #Wordslinger

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“I can’t afford to self-publish.”

I hear this from writers all the time—and I think it’s based on one of the biggest misconceptions about indie publishing.

You can self-publish a book for $0.

In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, I break down the real costs of independent publishing, including editing, formatting, cover design, distribution, and marketing—and show you where you can spend money, where you can save it, and where you may not need to spend anything at all.

We’ll also talk about the important difference between legitimate indie publishing and expensive “publishing services” that charge authors thousands of dollars while taking control of their work.

Because here’s the bigger point: You don’t need a huge budget to become an indie author. But if you want to build a sustainable writing career, you do need to start thinking like a publisher—and like a business owner.

Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com

☕ IN THIS EPISODE

00:00 — “I can’t afford to self-publish”

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO WORDSLINGER

If you’re a writer trying to build a career—not just finish a manuscript—subscribe to Wordslinger.

This is where we talk honestly about writing, publishing, book marketing, author business, creativity, technology, and what it actually takes to make a living with your words.

Whether you’re indie publishing, traditionally publishing, or still figuring out which road to take, you’ll find practical guidance here for every stage of your writing and publishing journey.

FIND KEVIN

Find Kevin and his books:
https://kevintumlinson.com

Join Kevin on Substack:
https://kevintumlinson.substack.com

Wordslinger Podcast home page:
https://wordslingerpodcast.com

SERVICES FOR AUTHORS

Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid:
https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5

Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital:
https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger

Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books—and more—at AuthorAnchor:
https://authoranchor.com

TOOLS & RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Draft2Digital

💬 YOUR TURN: What do you do to keep the cost of indie publishing down? What free or inexpensive tools have saved you money? Drop them in the comments—other writers may discover exactly the resource they need.

#SelfPublishing #IndieAuthor #WritingAdvice #BookPublishing #AuthorBusiness #BookMarketing #WritingCommunity #Wordslinger

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Kevin on Kraft: EPISODE 1!

**Kevin on Kraft** is an occasional conversation between writers Kevin Tumlinson and Donn King about the craft, process, and strange magic of writing.

**Your first draft is supposed to be bad.** Seriously.

One of the biggest mistakes writers make is expecting the first draft to look anything like the finished book. That pressure to get everything right—to nail the characters, plot, dialogue, pacing, and prose on the first try—can make finishing the book exponentially harder.

In this first episode of **Kevin on Kraft**, Donn King and I dig into how stories actually get written: discovery writing, plotting versus pantsing, developing characters as you go, getting unstuck when the story stalls, and why sometimes the best solution to writer’s block is to **blow up the spaceship** and see what happens.

We also get into where ideas come from, why originality may be overrated, how writers can borrow familiar storytelling patterns without copying, and one of my favorite principles of storytelling:

**Same—but different.**

If you're writing your first novel, your seventieth, or you're simply trying to make a living doing creative work, this conversation is a reminder that you don't have to know everything before you begin.

You just have to begin.

Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com

GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS

☕ **IN THIS EPISODE**

00:00 — Welcome to Kevin on Kraft

05:20 — Why we're talking about writing craft

09:25 — Kevin's path through writing and publishing

13:17 — Why persistence matters for creative careers

15:20 — Everyone is creative—even if they don't think they are

16:37 — How Kevin builds stories from a title

22:26 — What actually makes a story a story?

25:55 — Plotters, pantsers, and discovery writers

30:50 — Why trying to write a perfect first draft is a mistake

32:23 — What to do when your story gets stuck

32:49 — The “looping” technique for getting your momentum back

33:56 — Sometimes you should just blow up the spaceship

36:45 — Using rewriting to change the past

39:47 — How to create plot twists that make you look like a genius

40:30 — Kevin's “Ash Bin” trick for deleted scenes

43:16 — Inspiration, homage, and when it becomes copying

46:02 — Why every story uses the same ingredients

46:32 — The secret is “same but different”

47:30 — What's next for Kevin on Kraft?

🎙️ **FIND DONN KING**

Donn King's website: https://donnking.com

Donn King on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/daking2742

The Alignment Show: https://thealignmentshow.com

King's Chronicles on Substack: https://kingschronicles.substack.com

✍️ **FIND Kevin**

Find Kevin and his books:

https://kevintumlinson.com

Join Kevin on Substack:

https://kevintumlinson.substack.com

Wordslinger Podcast home page:

https://wordslingerpodcast.com

🛠️ **SERVICES FOR AUTHORS**

**Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid:**

https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5

**Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital:**

https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger

**Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books—and more—at AuthorAnchor:**

https://authoranchor.com

🔔 **SUBSCRIBE TO WORDSLINGER**

If you're serious about writing better books, building a publishing career, growing your audience, and making a living from your creativity, **subscribe to the Wordslinger channel**.

This is where writers come for practical, experience-driven guidance on writing, publishing, marketing, creativity, and building a sustainable career around the work you love.

And leave a comment: **Are you a plotter, a pantser, or somewhere in between? And what do you do when your story gets stuck?**

#WritingAdvice #WritingTips #Authors #Writers #WritingCraft #FirstDraft #NovelWriting #CreativeWriting #SelfPublishing #IndieAuthors #Wordslinger

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