I was talking with someone recently, and they brought up the idea of judging a book by its cover. And we've all been warned against doing that but, as I've spent more time in this publishing world, I've learned that I disagree with that statement. As controversial as it may sound, I think you should judge a book by its cover and, when necessary, I think you should DNF books too. Especially if you're a self-published author.

https://melaninlibrary.com/books/7907

 

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Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. Today I am here with the author Celeste Harte, who is out here making worlds and taking names. She writes books, does professional illustrating under her alter ego, Becky Brown, and even makes video games.

Today, she joins me on the podcast to discuss a controversial topic in the writing world: the use of AI as a tool to write books. Join us as we discuss ChatGPT, what it really does, and how it can be useful for self-published and indie authors.

*This conversation only covers AI use for writing. We do not touch on the use of AI for art, but I will say this: pay your artists!

https://melaninlibrary.com/books/5778

https://celesteharte.wordpress.com/

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jul/05/authors-file-a-lawsuit-against-openai-for-unlawfully-ingesting-their-books

https://chat.openai.com/

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I asked you guys what you'd prefer the next episode of the podcast to be about and y'all chose to break down the differences between Amazon and IngramSpark, so that's what we're here to discuss! It's a question that a lot of authors ask, so I'll tell you guys what I know. But the short answer is this: you need both.

Sponsored book: https://melaninlibrary.com/books/8008

ISBN link: https://www.myidentifiers.com/identify-protect-your-book/isbn/buy-isbn

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Request We Are the Origin and We Are Dying Gods at your local bookstore or library!

Welcome to episode #38.

Lately, I've been focused on my own writing and a large part of that for me right now is rewrites. It's the bane of many writer's existence -- why can't our first drafts just be perfect? But, the reality of it is that writing is, essentially, rewriting. But it can also lead down a rabbit hole of never completing a work. So, today we're talking about when, why, and how you should be rewriting your story.
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The Wraith (melaninlibrary.com)

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Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast.

Today I am here with Michael LaBorn! He is an author, publisher, bookish content creator, and internet thorn in the side of major publishing companies. You may know him from TikTok (that's where our paths crossed!), or from his monthly indie book subscription box, which he uses to fight for indie authors of color by teaching American readers what actual inclusion looks like.
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Subscriptions | DYB Publishing

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Request We Are the Origin and We Are Dying Gods at your local bookstore or library!

Welcome to episode #37.

I asked on the internet if y'all wanted to know why I had to fire my editor or if y'all wanted me to break down how to differentiate feedback on your story, and y'all chose the topic of feedback! So, here we are. Let's discuss how you can separate your beta reader feedback into useful criticism vs. a reader's personal taste.

Heads up! This episode was recorded in the car, so the audio quality may not be as crisp as usual. Apologies in advance!

Curse (melaninlibrary.com)

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Request We Are the Origin and We Are Dying Gods at your local bookstore or library!

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast! 

Today I am here with Liselle Sambury. She is the author of Blood Like Magic, Blood Like Fate, and the recently released Delicious Monsters. Her work spans multiple genres from fantasy to sci-fi to horror and more. She also a successful YouTuber, sharing helpful tips for upcoming writers and details of her publishing journey on her channel, which is dedicated demystifying the sometimes complicated business of being an author.
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Delicious Monsters (melaninlibrary.com)

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Welcome to episode #36.

I talk about my husband, Ben, all the time and how he is my Primary Feedback Provider (PFP) and a vital part of my author journey. So, in this episode, he joins me on the podcast to talk about what that means, how to find a PFP for yourself, and the rules we have in place to make sure this aspect of our relationship works. Spoiler alert: you need someone who's not afraid to hurt your feelings lol.
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Kinetics (melaninlibrary.com)

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Request We Are the Origin and We Are Dying Gods at your local bookstore or library!

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast.

Today, I am here with Audra Russell. A native Jersey girl living in Maryland, she is a blogger, freelance writer, podcaster and published author. Inspired by the late Gil Noble and his television program, Like It Is, in 2020 her search for fiction books by Black authors led her to create her own talk show in the form of the Between the Reads podcast.

And today, she's joining me on the podcast to discuss what it's like to be an author who reads and promotes other authors.
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Audra's links: https://linktr.ee/betweenthereadspodcast

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Request We Are the Origin and We Are Dying Gods at your local bookstore or library!

Welcome to episode #35.

Since I'm in the midst of my own publishing journey with Book 2 of my Wrath of the Gods series, I figured I'd share a few of my tips for self-publishing your books. These are going to be my less common tips — the things that help but no one ever really talks about.
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Welcome to the Sick Mind of a Sane Person (melaninlibrary.com)

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Request We Are the Origin and We Are Dying Gods at your local bookstore or library!