Writing Break

Whether you’re self-published or traditionally published, you're expected to do a lot of your own marketing these days. When and how should an author begin the book marketing process? This episode tells you the hard truth and offers practical tips to get you started.

• More Writing Tips
• Distant Transit by Maja Haderlap - Featured Author
• Beletrina Bookstore, Ljubljana, Slovenia - Featured Bookstore
• Shelf Awareness for Wednesday, April 19, 2023 | Shelf Awareness
• Social Studies Textbook Publishers Censor Topics to Comply with Florida Law
• Taiwan Publishers Warn Against Visiting China As Editor Held | Barron's
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Fun Breezy Disco Transition" by The Turquoise Moon

"Welcome Home" by Enzo Orefice

"Blow Off Some Steam" by Ben Bostick

"Come a Little Closer" by Humans Win

We're kicking off Season 4 with one truth about publishing that serves as the best and worst part of being a writer. Plus, we're finding out who makes more: self-published authors or traditionally published authors.

• More Writing Tips
• Ebooks will update automatically
• Alliance of Independent Authors Income Survey: Media LInks
• Casemate Starts New Imprint, Brookline Books
• Orbit Works – Home | Hachette Book Group
• New Agent at Martin Literary
• Submission Guidelines - P.S. Literary Agency
• Max Orders First Ever “Harry Potter” Television Series | Pressroom
• Scribner Launches a Poetry Program
• IngramSpark
• Up to Date list of KDP Global Fund Payouts
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

"Little Duke" by Humans Win

"Rational" by Humans Win

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

This episode is all about the editing process, from start to finish.

• More Writing Tips
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Long Winded Woman" by Jontavious Willis

It is review time again, dear writer. Every week I provide you with at least one writing tip, and I have put together a clip show of the last several weeks’ worth of writing tip segments to help you keep things fresh in your mind. 

• More Writing Tips
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Chill Out In The Coffee Shop (No Sax)" by Jon Presstone

I have a trend report update for you mystery, thriller, and suspense writers. We’re also discussing your characters’ names. 

• More Writing Tips
• Julian Simpson on naming characters
• Top Baby Names by Year - Gift
• Carmel Conundrum: A Liz Adams Mystery by Stacy Wilder - Featured Author
• Pilgrim’s Way Community Bookstore & Secret Garden, Carmel-by-the-sea, California - Featured Bookstore
• Author Guide to the Mystery Thriller Suspense eBook Market
• The disabled villain: why sensitivity reading can’t kill off this ugly trope | Disability | The Guardian
• Agatha Christie classics latest to be rewritten for modern sensitivities
• Submissions Update – Neil Clarke
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Funky Break" by Tom Goldstein

"Don't Wanna" by Humans Win

"2020 Blues (The World Is Ending)" by The Turquoise Moon

In this episode, I share three main ways weather enhances a story.

• More Writing Tips
• The Space Between Dark and Light by Jan Krause Greene - Featured Author
• Rainy Day Books, Victoria, Australia - Featured Bookstore
• Book deals and book proposals with Yahdon Israel - Gift 2 of 2
• Advanced Readers' Club - Gift 1 of 2
• On Naming Characters
• 10 Most Recession-Proof Businesses In 2023 – Forbes Advisor
• Doubleday Announces Sequel to Grisham's 'The Firm'
• Where the ‘postman’s motto’ originated | Community News | clearwatertribune.com
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

“Say Yes” by Sleeping Ghost

"Something to Say" by Nite Owl

“Gazing Out of a Café Window on a Rainy Day” by The Turquoise Moon

“Jazzy Jingle V1” by bzur

"Naked Trees Blowing Wind (brooding indie folk - w/ vocals)" by Nicholas Rowe

A CIA agent turned fiction author offers writing advice about character development that can be applied to all genres of fiction.

• More Writing Tips
• In Espionage Thrillers, Emotional Intelligence Matters, Too
• The Internet Archive has lost its first fight to scan and lend e-books like a library - The Verge
• Book thief in plot that duped famous authors avoids prison
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

“Strawberry Daiquiri” by Sarah Angel

I am reviving an old money-making idea and answering an editing question I’ve refused to answer for 20 years.

• More Writing Tips
• The Saga of Roland Inness by Wayne Grant - Featured Author
• Hay-on-Wye, Wales - Featured Book Village
• How to Write a Blog - Gift
• Women are publishing more books than men for the first time
• Hachette, HarperCollins Offer Voluntary Severance
• See How Many Followers You Have on Amazon
• Free Style Sheet Templates

"It Follows Me" by Humans Win

"By Your Side" by Wild Heart

"Village Morning by zoze

"Ambient for Talking" by Gushito

"The Wonder Years" by Humans Win

In this episode you’ll learn how to write better than any AI-generated content. I’ll also share the latest trend in wellness books, upcoming books for kids, and more.

• More Writing Tips
• Smart Until It’s Dumb: Why Artificial Intelligence Keeps Making Epic Mistakes (and Why the AI Bubble Will Burst) by Emmanuel Maggiori, PhD - Featured Author
• Cook & Book, Brussels, Belgium - Featured Bookstore
• StoriesForKids.ai: Personalized Kid's Books using AI - Gift 2 of 2
• Storywizard.ai | Create incredible children`s stories in no time using AI - Gift 1 of 2
• ChatGPT, Midjourney Helped a Man Write a Children's Book in 72 Hours
• Comics Retailers Navigate a New Normal
• Adding Spiritual Depth to Wellness Books
• PRH Among New Investors in Rebel Girls
• Mattel Will Form Its Own Publishing Imprint
• HarperCollins, Elf on the Shelf Sign Deal for a Dozen Books
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Little Pastry" by Humans Win

"Smooth Like Butter Lofi" by Ambert Waldron

"Puzzles" by Humans Win 

"Chill Belgian" by Gushito

In this episode, I’ll tell you about copyrighting your book. We are also going to talk about Barnes & Noble’s new rewards program, and I’m sharing a pet peeve.

• More Writing Tips
• The Ancient Code by T. S. Falk - Featured Author
• Wisdom Books and Aroma Shop, Lalitpur, Nepal - Featured Bookstore
• Article: How to Copyright a Book
• Video: How to get copyright numbers for your book
• New Report Puts Online Sales of Books, Audio at $12.13 Billion in 2022
• Barnes & Noble membership programs
• A Statement on the Changes to the New Editions of Ian Fleming’s Bond Stories - Ian Fleming
• "Dilbert" distributor drops comic after Scott Adams' racist comments
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Who Even Cares What They Say" by The Turquoise Moon

"They Left Me There For You" by Humans Win

"In Search of Yourself" by Oleksii Abramovych

"Promises I Couldn't Keep (soulful indie folk - w/ vocals)" by 

Nicholas Rowe