The Casual Author

Hoping to reach your readers directly and make a decent chunk of change from it? Kickstarter has broken out as a new way to get your book to your audience! Join Amber and me as we discuss how she leveraged Kickstarter to launch her debut novel, Umbra, and what she learned about setting up successful campaigns. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about Amber and her books at: http://ambertoro.com/ https://ww...

Bringing the reader into your world is an important part of being a fantasy author. But sometimes, we need to bring a little bit of our world into the fantasy world's reality. Join me and Andrew as we discuss how he combined his complex world with the realities of neurodiversity to create an inclusive and incredible experience for readers. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about Andrew and his books:...

Sometimes we may feel self conscious that what we believe in and who we are might be off putting to our readers, but it's those unique traits and beliefs that can help us to succeed and find the right readers. Join me and Candice as we discuss her writing journey and how she writes what is best for her beliefs and situation to find success. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about Candice and her work...

Something we all could use more of as authors is the same thing that keeps us from doing more each day. Time. What if you could find more of it? Join JC Youngstrom and me as we talk about time maximation and prioritization strategies that will help you get more done each day and week. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about JC and her upcoming books at: https://janelleyoungstrom.com/ Join the Skill Trade...

Every author has a different approach to their writing, as well as to the business aspects of their strategy. Join Joanna Penn, host of The Creative Penn podcast, and me, as we discuss her learnings from over 15 years in the publishing industry and what changes you can make to mindset and strategy. We talk about prioritization, decision-making, and marketing ideas for new, or more established auth...

There's not much better than being yanked into the world of the book you are reading. It's no wonder it can be one of the most fun parts of the writing experience. Join Brady and me as we talk about how he focuses on pulling his readers into the world of his fantasy series. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about Brady and his upcoming books at https://bradyhunsaker.com/

Don't put your eggs in one basket' is an excellent idiom to describe Waterfall's incredible spread of passion and business mind set. Join me and Waterfall as we discuss her passions and decisions around publishing in multiple genres of writing and how that helps her move towards her goals and success. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about Waterfall and her books at the following links: YouTu...

Our lives are a constant rushing from one thing to the next, but sometimes we need to slow down, appreciate the moment, and refill our creative energies with a little celebration. Join B.A. and me as we talk about her thoughts on the importance of self with our writing. SHOW NOTES: Find oure more about B.A. and her books at the links below. https://www.instagram.com/b.a.mcrae/?hl=en https://www.ti...

Sometimes that hardest part of writing is arguing with the doubtful voices in your head. Yet you are writing the story for a reason, and someone needs to hear that story. Join me and Amy as we talk about recognizing your self-worth and the importance of your story, a positive narrative to being an author. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about Amy and her books at: http://www.authorllstandage.com/

Are you hoping to change the world with your writing? Or perhaps teach some important lessons or skills through your fiction? Join Matt Guzman and I as we talk about his passion for teaching about emotional health and how he writes it into his middle grade books. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about Matt Guzman and his books/socials at: https://authormattguzman.com/

Completing projects in life is hard enough, but many of us also hope to just write 'the end' for our books. It doesn't have to be difficult! Join Jake and me as we discuss his passion and insipiration for his story and how it drove him to finally write those blessed two words on his unexpected book inspiriation. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about Jake and his book at https://authorjakelyn...

When confronted with challenges, we as the authors have the decision to stop, or press onward and perservere through them. Sometimes it's about just making that decision. Sometimes, it takes a bit more than that. Join Lynn Lipinski and me as we delve into how mindset can press. you through the hard times in authoring. SHOW NOTES: Find More Information about Lynn and her books at https://lynnli...

From challenging confrontations to successful communication. Non-fiction is a thriving genre for many authors. Join Jill and me as we discuss her book, Conquer Sticky Situations, as well as her learnings from publishing non-fiction for the first time. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about Jill and her book at https://www.expeditionhr.com/conquer-sticky-situations

Sometimes the stories in our heads are so big that they take quite some time to get down in writing. But what happens if that spans nearly a decade? Join Tim and me as we dive into the journey of writing his fantasy story over the course of ten years and discuss the challenges and learnings from the experience. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about TIm and his books at: https://www.timfacciola.com/ Get...

Have you ever wanted to pair up and co-author a book or series with another author but you aren't sure about what it would be like? Well L. Blaise Hues and I did that work so we can solve that mystery for you! Join us as we reflect on our co-authoring experience, the goods, the bads and the sideways. SHOW NOTES: Buy The Kids of Cybercity full triloy today: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CN1QJJGV?...

Writing craft is something all authors need to develop more and more over time. But how do you know where to look when there are hundreds of resources for writing craft improvement? Join me and Nicholas as we discuss his resources and experience in improving his writing technique. SHOW NOTES: Find more information about Nicholas at: https://www.nwilliamsauthor.com/ Or learn more about him on Tikto...

Many authors are too afraid to take the leap of writing in more than once genre. Fom new pen names to different email lists, it can feel overwhelming. For Otto, he made the decision to keep that all the same. Join us as we discuss his strategy and learnings in switiching of YA fantasy to Comedic Horror and the pros and cons with his experience. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about Otto and his books at...

After sustaining a TBI (traumatic brain injury) R.M. McDermott had to devise more creative and 'out of the box' ways to get her stories from mind to paper. Whether you are a new author looking for different strategies to get your book done, or you are seeking more methods to write, join Rory and me as we discuss the various ways she's found work for her to write. SHOW NOTES: Find out m...

When life doesn't deal you the best hand of cards, it can be challenging to keep writing, to keep creating stories for those who love to enjoy them. But challenges can sometimes lead to the most beautiful moments of our lives, and our writing. Join me and KJ as we discuss how she perservered and continued writing even after the tragic loss of her partner. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about KJ and...

Filling your creative well is extremely important to keep making progress as an author. For Neal, playing Dungeons and Dragons is the perfect source for this. Join Neal and me as we discuss his lifelong experience with DnD and how it enhances his writing experience. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about Neal and his books here: https://www.nealromriell.com/

Whether you are a casual author, like me, or someone looking for a more serious author career, there are certain foundations that anyone should put in place to build a community. Join Z.S. Diamanti and me as we discuss the essentials for building an author career and community. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about Z.S. Diamanti and witness the fruits of his foundation building at https://zsdiamanti.com...

Do you have expertise in or an obsession with something seemingly random? Put that to good use in your writing! Join C. J. R. Isely and me as we discuss how her expertise in Midieval history and horse care adds validity to her writing and delights her readers daily. SHOW NOTES: Find out more aboug C.J.R. Isely and her books at: https://www.cjrisely.com/

Writing is challenging enough as it is, in any genre, no less. But what if you want to take that to a whole new level, crafting a complex world with politics, creatures and magic that goes far beyond this world? Join Mikel and me as we discuss all that went into crafting his epic fantasy book and all the complexities within. SHOW NOTES: To find out more about Mikel and his book, head to: https://l...

So you've got that story in your mind. You may even have the perfect set of characters ready to throw into the fire for your reader's pleasure. Now you need to craft the perfect world to drop everything in to intrigue and amaze your reader. Join me, and full-time Indie Author, Seth Ring, as we dive into the perfect worldbuilding practices and potential pitfalls. SHOW NOTES: Find out more a...

Captivating readers is the name of the game for us authors, but sometimes we overlook the most important pieces of writing that story. How can a reader come along with you if you aren't true to the story? True to the characters? True to the setting? Join Chad and me as we dive into how writing authentically is instrumental in reaching and enthralling your readers. SHOW NOTES: Find more about C...