The Wordslinger Podcast

By It's all about the story here.

From award-winning and bestselling author J. Kevin Tumlinson, this weekly podcast explores the stories that shape us into who we are, and shape the world into what it can become. There are interviews ... more

4.8

5757 ratings

FAQs about The Wordslinger Podcast:

How many episodes does The Wordslinger Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 403 episodes available.

Best of The Wordslinger Podcast

The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

Number 1: Theo of Golden Proves You Don’t Need Action to Create Drama
A WORDSLINGER STORY CUT Can a novel keep you turning pages without explosions, car chases, monsters, or constant high-stakes action? Theo of Golden by Allen Levi proves that it can. In this Wordslinger Story Cut, I take a storyteller’s look at one of my new favorite novels and examine why such a quiet, heartfelt story works so well. Theo arrives in the small town of Golden, Georgia, and begins purchasing hand-drawn portraits of local people, returning those portraits to their subjects and asking one simple thing in return: Tell me your story. That deceptively simple device becomes the engine for an entire novel. We’ll look at how attention itself can become dramatic action, how secondary characters can briefly take center stage without derailing the main story, how repetition can create anticipation instead of boredom, and how a carefully constructed mystery can keep readers moving forward even when the stakes are almost entirely emotional. I also dig into one of the book’s potential weaknesses: Theo’s unusual ability to get strangers to reveal some of the deepest wounds of their lives. Is it realistic? Is it too sentimental? Or does the novel earn our willing suspension of disbelief through the strength of its characters and its underlying message about human connection? And finally, we talk about one of my favorite storytelling techniques: the kind of ending that makes you look backward through the entire story and realize the clues were sitting there all along. If you love great novels, movies, television, streaming shows, and conversations about what makes stories actually work, this episode is for you. Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS TIMECODES: 00:00 Welcome to Wordslinger Story Cuts 00:25 Why Theo of Golden is worth talking about 01:16 From self-published novel to bestseller 02:11 The portrait device that drives the story 04:47 How attention becomes dramatic action 05:55 Why Theo’s encounters work emotionally 08:56 The realism problem: Would people really open up this much? 10:24 Kindness, connection, and what Theo gets in return 12:08 Willing suspension of disbelief 12:57 Repetition, predictability, and the novel’s unusual structure 15:00 How the portraits create a portrait of an entire community 15:57 Writing memorable secondary characters 17:38 How repetition and escalation keep readers engaged 18:52 The mystery of Theo 20:02 How to make a twist feel satisfying 21:48 Leaving breadcrumbs without giving away the ending 24:35 My rating for Theo of Golden 25:51 The biggest storytelling lesson from the novel If you’re a writer, storyteller, or creator who wants to better understand why some stories grab us and refuse to let go, subscribe to the Wordslinger channel. This is where we talk honestly about writing, storytelling, publishing, creative careers, and the craft and business of building a life around your work. 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.
September 11, 202628min
Number 2: You Don’t Need to Buy ISBNs
A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOT Do indie authors really need to buy their own ISBNs? For most self-published authors, the answer is probably no. In this episode, J. Kevin Tumlinson breaks down the real differences between purchasing your own ISBN and using a free ISBN from services such as Draft2Digital or Amazon. We’ll look at what “publisher of record” actually means, whether an ISBN affects copyright or ownership, how ISBNs work across paperback, hardcover, ebook, and audiobook editions, and when paying for your own ISBN might actually make sense. If you’re building an indie publishing career, trying to control costs, or wondering whether owning your ISBN gives you some hidden advantage, this episode will help you make a smarter decision. 00:00 Should indie authors buy their own ISBNs? 01:02 What “publisher of record” actually means 01:52 ISBNs, Bowker, and the cost of buying your own 02:48 Why every format needs its own ISBN 03:56 Moving your ISBN between distributors 05:19 ISBNs, bookstores, libraries, and wide distribution 06:30 Using free ISBNs with Draft2Digital 07:15 Metadata and long-term catalog control 08:13 The cost of owning your ISBNs 09:03 Do you even need an ISBN? 09:47 What an ISBN actually does 10:22 What happens if you switch ISBNs later 11:20 Why Kevin recommends free ISBNs for most authors 12:06 A warning about platform-specific free ISBNs 13:04 Kevin’s recommendation for indie authors 14:49 Final thoughts and questions about ISBNs Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS If you’re a writer trying to build a career, publish smarter, improve your craft, and navigate the business of being an author, subscribe to the Wordslinger channel. This is where writers come for practical, experience-driven guidance on writing, publishing, marketing, and building a sustainable creative career. 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, leave a comment with your own experience using free or paid ISBNs, and share this episode with another writer who may be spending money they don’t need to spend. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
September 09, 202616min
Number 3: Amazon, Kobo, D2D: Here’s How I Distribute My Books
A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOT What’s the best way for an indie author to distribute their books? In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, I break down the book distribution strategy I actually use—including why I go direct to Amazon and Kobo, use Draft2Digital to reach Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, libraries, and thousands of other outlets, and maintain my own direct storefront. We’ll also talk about KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited, the tradeoffs of Amazon exclusivity, the advantages of going wide, why I prefer having access to readers across multiple platforms, and how indie authors can build a simple distribution system without making things unnecessarily complicated. There are plenty of ways to distribute a book. This isn’t the only way. It’s the system that works for me after years of publishing books and working professionally in the indie publishing industry. If you’re an author trying to decide between Amazon exclusivity, wide distribution, Draft2Digital, Kobo, direct sales, or some combination of all of them, this episode should help you think through your options. 00:00 How I distribute my books 00:59 Why indie authors need a distribution strategy 01:57 Using Draft2Digital to go wide 03:01 Why I use D2D for some retailers but not others 03:49 Why I distribute directly to Kobo 04:58 Libraries, OverDrive, and wider distribution 06:03 KDP vs. KDP Select 06:44 Kindle Unlimited and Amazon exclusivity 07:40 The upside and downside of Kindle Unlimited 09:33 Other distribution options and Draft2Digital fees 10:59 My complete book distribution setup 11:59 Selling books directly through your own storefront Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS If you’re a writer looking for practical, experience-based guidance on writing, publishing, marketing, building an author career, and navigating the creative life, subscribe to the Wordslinger channel. This is where writers come to get useful advice for every stage of the writing and publishing journey. Subscribe and join the conversation: https://youtube.com/@wordslingershow 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.
September 08, 202613min
Number 4: AI Isn’t Why Your Books Aren’t Selling
A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOT Is AI really the reason your books aren’t selling? Writers have plenty of legitimate reasons to be concerned about artificial intelligence, AI-generated books, changing algorithms, publishing platforms, and an increasingly crowded marketplace. But blaming AI for a struggling writing career won’t help you build a better one. In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, J. Kevin Tumlinson talks about why writers should stop thinking in terms of competition and start building something far more valuable: a direct relationship with their readers. Instead of depending entirely on Amazon, advertising platforms, algorithms, or whatever marketing tactic happens to be working this month, writers can build their own ecosystem through mailing lists, direct sales, strong reader relationships, and a platform they control. AI may be an obstacle. But the obstacle can become the way forward. If you’re an author, indie publisher, creator, or creative entrepreneur trying to build a sustainable career around your work, this episode is about focusing your energy on the things you can actually control. 00:00 Welcome to the Wordslinger 10-Shot 00:41 Is AI responsible for writers struggling? 01:29 Writers aren’t really competing with each other 02:31 Marketing is much bigger than advertising 03:22 Why marketing strategies stop working 03:51 Stop blaming AI for your lack of success 04:35 Quality, craft, and finding the marketing that fits you 05:43 Build your own reader ecosystem 06:44 Protect yourself from platform dependence 07:27 Build your mailing list and direct reader relationships 08:07 The obstacle is the way: turning AI into an advantage 09:16 Final thoughts and the challenge for writers Join Kevin’s mailing list and get a free book: https://kevintumlinson.com/joinme Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS If you’re serious about writing better books, finding readers, navigating publishing, and building a sustainable creative career, subscribe to Wordslinger. This channel is dedicated to practical, experience-driven guidance for writers at every stage of the writing and publishing journey. Subscribe, leave a comment, and tell me: Has AI changed the way you approach your writing or publishing career? And what are you doing to build a relationship with readers that you control? 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.
September 07, 202611min
Number 5: The Business of Being a Bestselling Author — with J.D. Barker
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 03:51 J.D. Barker joins the show 06:02 Sylvester Stallone and The Fourth Monkey 08:33 How Hollywood book options actually work 11:34 Can authors make money from options alone? 14:09 The First Scarlet Door 15:55 J.D.'s journey from indie to traditional publishing 18:38 Building a new publishing model with Simon & Schuster 20:35 Is traditional publishing changing? 22:14 Should new writers pursue traditional publishing first? 23:43 The danger of publishing a book before it's ready 24:39 Why authors must treat writing like a business 26:22 Building an author career over time 28:14 What publishing can learn from other industries 29:12 Why author branding matters 32:03 J.D.'s co-authoring strategy 33:14 Scaling to 10–12 books per year 35:44 What James Patterson taught J.D. Barker 36:55 The real secret to J.D.'s success 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.
August 27, 202639min