Writer Mom Life

Writer Mom Life Episode 8: J. R. Frontera and NaNoWriMo Prep

>> Get the full show notes by signing up for WML extras at www.daphnejameshuff.com/podcast

>>Daphne is only able to do this podcast thanks to the awesome collaborator she has in J. R. Frontera. (And likewise, J. R. Frontera feels the same about her!!) So it was time for a dedicated episode to the Tip Master! J. R. has been writing for 20 years and has been a mom for 7 of those. In the gabfest, er, interview, she talks about her 5 years doing NaNoWriMo, how plotting has improved her writing speed, how her goals have changed over the years, and so much more!

A few things we chat about in this special episode:

• Why she started doing NaNoWriMo and how many times she's "won" Finding plots (not just books but in TV shows as well!!)
• October preparations for NaNoWriMo (she made a free workshop to help others!)
• The different collaborations she has and why they're important
• Her goal and how it's changed since starting writing
• How she got into editing
• If you need to write every day to be a writer

Writer Mom Life Episode 7: Trish Heinrich and Mom Guilt

>> Get the full show notes by signing up for WML extras at www.daphnejameshuff.com/podcast

>>I spoke with Trish just a few weeks before she published the first book in her Superhero series, Serpent Sacrifice. She has been preparing for quite some time, and has a five-year goal for her writing. This is not her first foray into a creative career, however. She came from the world of acting, and even made a superhero web series a few years ago. When she felt it was time to start writing, she started big with her first NaNoWriMo and hit it out of the park with 90,000 words!

She gives a great rundown of her preparation for the launch of her first book, and then details her NaNoWriMo experience. Other topics of discussion include:

• Her goals for this book and her 5-year goal
• "Doing the basics well" (mailing list, website, ARC team, etc.)
• The web series she did with her husband
• Why she made the shift to fiction writing (hint: kids and acting is even harder to juggle than kids and writing!)
• How she prepared for her first NaNoWriMo (while being a vegetarian!)
• Dealing with the mom guilt of writing so much in one month
• The writing habits she kept from the experience
• Why the experience was a good thing for both her and her family

In the tips section, J. R. talks about mom guilt and gives some ideas on how to deal with it.

Writer Mom Life Episode 6: Katie Cross and Diversification

>> Get the full show notes by signing up for WML extras at www.daphnejameshuff.com/podcast

>> Katie Cross was already a self-published author of the Network series before she had her first child two years ago, so I was excited to talk to her about the transition. We were both pushed to start putting out resources when we found a lack of "what does it really look like" information out there for writers who are also parents. She started a Facebook group Indie Author Life and well as lots of great blogs posts. She's also doing other things like ghostwriting and consulting. We talk about how so many self-published authors "can't do just one thing," and why that's both a good idea and how moms are already really good at that. There's also a secret fun fact about Katie at the end of the interview, to reward you for getting to the end of this slightly longer than usual interview.

We talked about a million different things, but here's a rundown of the main topics:

• How far along she was in her indie career when she had her son
• Her maternity leave and how she set her expectations for what her writer mom life would look like after
• The lack of resources and information that pushed her to create her own (Join her Facebook Group Indie Author Life here!)
• What her writer mom life looks like most days
• Some random parenting musings that have nothing to do with writing but include great gems like "My job is not to entertain him all the time" and "I'm not failing if he's not happy all the time"
• Why diversification in your income stream is important
• Why parents are in a great position to self-publish already
• Secret fun fact about Katie (one word hint: moose)

In the tips section, JR talks about diversification, including explaining what "going wide" versus Kindle Select means (though you are the only one who knows what is best for you!)

Writer Mom Life Episode 5: Frost Kay and Writing for a Higher Purpose

>> Get the full show notes by signing up for WML extras at www.daphnejameshuff.com/podcast

>>Frost Kay started her indie journey as many of us do – as a reader. She was a beta and ARC reader, as well as editor for others, so when she finally got the push to write her own work, she knew where to go for advice. And it seems to be working well for her! Her first book, Rebel's Blade, came out in March of 2017 and has stayed high in the rankings. The second book in the series, Crown's Shield, launched in August and is sitting pretty in the top 20 in her categories. However, her goal is not at all focused on rank and money. She wants to give people an escape through her books, as well as feature strong and positive female role models (and male role models for her two little boys)!

In the tips section, J.R. talks about "finding your why" and how that will influence so much more than just your writing.

Writer Mom Life Episode 4: Amy Maroney and Editors vs. Beta Readers vs. ARC readers

>> Get the full show notes by signing up for WML extras at www.daphnejameshuff.com/podcast

I was so excited to talk to Amy Maroney about her author journey, which is a bit different than what you usually see in the indie conversation. She's set a 5 and 10 year plan, and it will be several years, not months, between her books. However, she is still meeting her financial goals, and has set high ones in the future that, even if she doesn't meet them, will push her to go further than she'd have otherwise dared. Everyone's journey is their own, and Amy is a great example of ignoring all the noise and focusing on what you want to (and can) do right now.

In the tips section, J.R. gives some ideas on how to use your skills to help others and bring in additional writing income, as well as the difference between beta and ARC readers.

After a brief moment of me gushing about Nick Stephenson's accent, Amy and Daphne go on to talk about more serious things like:

• Why she's okay with not having 1000 subscribers yet
• How much she's making per month
• Her long-term goals Her work before writing fiction
• How beta reading can help you hone your skills
• How much writing time she gets in with 2 teenagers in the house
• Her slow approach that isn't often seen in the indie world
• Genre impacting how fast your can publish (= historical fiction takes a long time to write. It just does)
• Mentors and who can be one

Writer Mom Life Episode 03: Katie Coughran and Skills

In this third episode of the podcast I talk to Katie Coughran, who has just released the third book in her Clean and Quirky Romance series, A Boyfriend for Graduation. She's well on her way to her goal of publishing 10 books this year, all while homeschooling her two kids – wow! We talk about how she decided on this goal, what her financial goals are, and how she breaks these down into smaller goals. We also discuss how minimalism can be a good idea for authors in order to maximize your happiness.

JR Frontera's tips this week focus on the top 5 skills that you'll either need to learn, or outsource, in the world of self-publishing.

Sign up for extras at www.daphnejameshuff.com/podcast

To inaugurate this brand new podcast, it seemed fitting for our first interview to be with a brand new author! The energetic and engaging Kayla Tirrell published All the Things We Lost just a week before we recorded, and shares some of her excitement, nerves, and early success as a new indie author mom.

A podcast for indie author moms, featuring and made by indie author moms. Sign up for extras at www.writermomlife.com