First Cup of Coffee with Jeffe Kennedy

How the patriarchy affects book covers, what about book covers makes books sell and other variables with a direct correlation. Also, revision and how I know when it's time to stop drafting and start revising. The podcast I mention is here: The Minimum Viability Threshold (Why Some Books Don’t Sell) https://publishingrodeo.wordpress.com/2023/07/14/s1-ep23-the-minimum-viability-threshold-why-so...

Why do some tasks feel more difficult that others and what makes them easier all of a sudden? Also, reader events and my process for deciding which to attend. And a recommendation for a really great, data-filled podcast! The Faroween giveaway is here https://farofeb.com/giveaway/ The podcast I mention is here: The Minimum Viability Threshold (Why Some Books Don’t Sell) https://publishingrodeo.word...

Battling the proliferation of secondary characters, and why that's key to shorter works. Shipping Alex and Paul on The Morning Show and ruminations on love and unconditional support. The Faroween giveaway is here https://farofeb.com/giveaway/ The Morning Show is here https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7203552/ Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at...

A great sci-fi movie you've never heard of (at least, I hadn't), why I'm shipping Alex and Paul on The Morning Show, ROGUE FAMILIAR audiobook is now wide, a fabulous giveaway, & giving my books as gifts. The Faroween giveaway is here https://farofeb.com/giveaway/ The shows I mention are: Edge of Tomorrow https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1631867/ Spy https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3079...

The wrong way to ask for blurbs, choosing POV for a given scene and how experienced authors should give ourselves credit for more complex approaches, and a bit on animal behavior and whether cats can tell time. Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesCloset ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy.com/rogue-familia...

Why being selfish is good, refilling the well, and other thoughts on the variety of people who listen to this podcast, why Cats & New Mexico Weather is a thing. Re-reading DEERSKIN and realizing not everything must move the plot forward. Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesCloset ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https:/...

Yes, I saw the Taylor Swift concert movie last night! Loved. Thoughts on TS and voice. Also, a trick for coping with those inertia-filled tasks that forever slide down the To Do List and remembering we're not being graded. Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesCloset ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy....

An important trick I've discovered to improve my focus, a bit of a rant on boy fantasy and the trope of soldier, priest, scholar, and female. Followed by a waxing on of how much I love WandaVision! Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesCloset ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy.com/rogue-familiar The Au...

My strong - possibly unpopular - opinions on people out there selling classes, advice, and coaching to authors. How writing isn't always fun when it's your actual job. And happy news on the flip side of piracy. Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesCloset ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy.com/rog...

More on building focus and improving our ability to concentrate by making small changes in our environment, such as leaving the smart phone in the other room, and changing reading habits. Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesCloset ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy.com/rogue-familiar The Audiobook is also...

Thoughts today on focus, how to rebuild concentration, and the alarming truth that every interruption costs us 23 minutes of time to regain previous focus. Also more data on trad publishers buying mostly full manuscripts. Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesCloset ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy.com/ro...

A slight divergence into thoughts on fashion and how the pandemic affected that. Also, being a hedonist. More on topic: why do book sales vary so much by platform? Some books sell only on certain retailers and I don't know why. You can find the creepy story I mention, BIRDWOMAN, here https://www.jeffekennedy.com/birdwoman Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation w...

About my tumultuous week and how wonderful Mary Robinette Kowal is. Also, by request, an explanation of what AI is and isn't, and what it has to do with writing stories and creating art. Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesCloset ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy.com/rogue-familiar The Audiobook is...

I'm talking about author finances today and the challenge of a variable income - particularly if you don't have a salaried spouse - and how that works out for predicting taxes. Also why I don't think advertising is the be all and end all for Indies. Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesCloset ROGUE FA...

Great week for me! Talking about being up front with my new editor on how I *can't* write an outline, a bit about knife-throwing and learning to relish failure as much as success, and the monsoon rains of autumn. Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesCloset ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy.com/rogue-...

Update on my super-exciting news! I'm still having to be circumspect, but I'm sharing broad strokes, what this means to me, how utterly thrilled I am, and what it means to persist and not set a deadline on goals. Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesCloset ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy.com/r...

Some exciting (though vague for now) news for me! Also a roundup of the various platforms I use for my self-published books, since I'm wide. Also how "adult" seems to mean erotic now, and how annoying that is. Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesCloset ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy.com...

About "rules" - on publishing and on creating worlds and magic systems - and how to know when to ignore what other people have to say. Also, the perils of being clever: just... don't. Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesCloset ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy.com/rogue-familiar The Audiob...

My weekend at Bubonicon: great conversations with other writers and coming home ready to put a new project into motion. Also, how some members of the SFF community treat Romance like antimatter. Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesCloset ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy.com/rogue-familiar The Audiobook...

Burnout: how to recognize it, how to define what stage you're at, and what to do about it. I recommend aggressive refilling of the well for all. Also, vacation, Hurricane Hilary, and doing Beach. Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesCloset ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy.com/rogue-familiar The Audi...

Critique and other feedback! What makes crit useful and not, how to know what to take and what to discard (Spoiler: it doesn't get easier), and what we can learn about giving useful critique. Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesCloset ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy.com/rogue-familiar The Audioboo...

A story about how Romance continues to be treated like antimatter in some parts of the SFF community. Also, exciting news on ONEIRA, and a bit more about agents and being careful who you pitch to. ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy.com/rogue-familiar The Audiobook is also out here https://www.audible.com/pd/Rogue-Familiar-Audiobook/B0CB1Y9B7Q?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-357495&...

My bizarre story about mistaken identity and the revelation it gave me on how we talk to each other and - most importantly - how writers communicate with agents. Also, highly recommend the Willamette Writers Conference! You can find the Willamette Writers Conference here https://web.cvent.com/event/b8485532-15eb-4073-87ee-d07920fac5c3/summary ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy.com/rogue-...

The importance of voice, refining it, learning how to get it on the page, how dismissing something like the 3-Act Structure as formulaic is missing the point of storytelling entirely,  and why (again) I'm not worried about AI. You can find the Willamette Writers Conference here https://web.cvent.com/event/b8485532-15eb-4073-87ee-d07920fac5c3/summary ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekenned...

A dive into genre today, along with a discussion of whether there's an identifiable plot arc for Science Fiction or Fantasy (hint: there isn't), and what I've recently discovered about writing a Romance. You can find the Willamette Writers Conference here https://web.cvent.com/event/b8485532-15eb-4073-87ee-d07920fac5c3/summary ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy.com/rogue-f...