Welcome to Kathi and Michele bonus Five Minute Freebie!

Kathi and Michele each share one product that is like whip cream on your hot fudge sundae!. It’s their five minute wake-up kit!

Coffee and peppermint oil!

Kathi’s Favorite thing:

Bialetti Moka Espresso pot

Cafe Bustello Espresso

Michele’s Favorite thing:

Peppermint Oil – get in anywhere!

Peppermint Beadlets

• The thing that makes Kathi’s writing better
• The benefit to beadlets
• What Michele does before she speaks

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• Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
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A big Communicator Academy thank you to today’s podcast sponsor, Tonya Kubo’s Secret to Thriving Online Communities. 

The post 146 What You Need to Know Before Talking to an Agent with Janet Grant and Wendy Lawton Part 3 appeared first on Communicator Academy.

Are you ready for an agent?

Welcome back for the final episode of How to Know You are Ready for an Agent.  Live on location at the West Coast Writer’s Conference, Kathi and Michele are joined by Janet Grant and Wendy Lawton of Books & Such Literary Agency. 

Today Kathi and Michele dive into the final two ways to know if you are ready for an agent.  Platform and critiques are the topics for today as we wrap up this series.  Learn how an agent looks at platform.  What does constructive criticism look like in the process of publishing for an author? 

Are you someone who engages?  Your platform is more about your engagement than your numbers.

Here is a recap of our eight ways on How to Know You Are Ready for an Agent: 

1. Finish your manuscript (fiction) or proposal with first 3 chapters (non-fiction)
2. Know what genre/category 
3. Already done a title / topic search on Amazon
4. Be able to tell about your book in 2-3 sentences.
5. The idea or thought should not have been published previously
6. Study the craft of writing
7. You have received constructive criticism on your work
8. Need for a platform

 Finally, pick up your copy of Janet and Wendy’s book today!

The Inside Scoop by Janet & Wendy

• The importance of finding that trusted person to read your writing
• How to critique while not losing the writer’s voice. 
• The definition of the word “platform”

• Leave a note in the comment section below.
• Share this show on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest.
• Join our Facebook Group for continued conversation

• Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
• Subscribe on iTunes or subscribe to our list now and never miss an episode or blog.

A big Communicator Academy thank you to today’s podcast sponsor, Tonya Kubo’s Secret to Thriving Online Communities. 

The post 145 What you need to know before talking to an agent Janet Grant and Wendy Lawton Part 2 appeared first on Communicator Academy.

Welcome back for part 2 of How to Know You are Ready for an Agent.  Live on location at the West Coast Writer's Conference, Kathi and Michele are joined by Janet Grant and Wendy Lawton of Books & Such Literary Agency. 

Sparks are flying, the doors are locked! Jump back in  for the next 3 ways to know if you are ready for an agent.  This epidsode is full of resources and ideas of where to really dive into the craft of writing.  You can find Janet and Wendy's resource page here.  It is a great place to start!

In addition to listening to writing podcasts, reading is an important part for writers.  Here are a list of those resources suggested in today's episode: 

On Writing By Stephen King Art of Memoir by Mary Karr

Woe is I by Patricia T. O'Conner Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott The Memoir Project by Marion Roach Smith 

Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss

The Inside Scoop by Janet & Wendy

• If your not sold on your book - you can’t sell anyone else on your book
• How an author underestimates the power of their own ability to sell a book
• The importance of studying writing resources in your publishing journey. 

• Leave a note in the comment section below.
• Share this show on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest.
• Join our Facebook Group for continued conversation

• Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
• Subscribe on iTunes or subscribe to our list now and never miss an episode or blog.

A big Communicator Academy thank you to today's podcast sponsors, MOPS Speaker Network and Lead Bold Conference. Click their logo to find out more about how they can help you do what you are called to do.

The post 144 – What You Need to Know Before Talking to an Agent with Janet Grant and Wendy Lawton Part 1 appeared first on Communicator Academy.

Welcome! Live on location at the West Coast Writer's Conference, Kathi and Michele are joined by Janet Grant and Wendy Lawton of Books & Such Literary Agency. 

Are you a writer wanting to dip your toes into the world of publishing?  Just starting or writers ready to go - this is the podcast for you today!

In part 1, Kathi and Michele dig deep into the topic of how do you know you are ready for an agent? Eight ways you know you are ready for an agent include the hard questions to ask to determine if you are ready.   

For today, we will unpack the first three ways.  Join us over this three part podcast because you do not want to miss any of these great tips from Janet and Wendy.  

Today you will hear Kathi's recommendation to go to conferences, listen to this podcast, and read The Inside Scoop in order to prepare you for these eight steps. 

• How a proposal is a business plan for your book.
• What are BISAC codes?
• What is cayenne pepper? 

• Leave a note in the comment section below.
• Share this show on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest.
• Join our Facebook Group for continued conversation

• Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
• Subscribe on iTunes or subscribe to our list now and never miss an episode or blog.

A big Communicator Academy thank you to today's podcast sponsors, MOPS Speaker Network and Lead Bold Conference. Click their logo to find out more about how they can help you do what you are called to do.

The post 143 A New DIY Approach to Publishing with Sarah Beckman Part 2 appeared first on Communicator Academy.

Welcome back for Part 2 of DIY Publishing 

Kathi and Michele continue the conversation with author and speaker, Sarah Beckman. Sarah shares her experience on costs associated with the hybrid publishing model.  What to consider, the realities, and areas to consider in order to be prepared for the proper launch of a book in the DIY market are discussed today with Kathi, Michele, and Sarah. 

“It’s about knowing what you can and can’t do”, according to Sarah.  Making a plan is an important part of the process. Sarah inspires us  with a realistic talk to equip writers to know your plan, finances, and goals to better succeed in the publishing process. 

• Ballpark ideas on cost for hybrid publishing. 
• The importance of a financial plan.  
• What are the different areas that cost in the process. 

• Leave a note in the comment section below.
• Share this show on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest.
• Join our Facebook Group for continued conversation

• Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
• Subscribe on iTunes or subscribe to our list now and never miss an episode or blog.

A big Communicator Academy thank you to today’s podcast sponsors, MOPS Speaker Network and Lead Bold Conference. Click their logo to find out more about how they can help you do what you are called to do.

Purchase a copy of Sarah’s new book, Hope in the Hard Places. 

The post 142- A New DIY Approach to Publishing with Sarah Beckman Part 1 appeared first on Communicator Academy.