The Casual Author

Many of us have fond memories of reading as kids, whether running through fantasy worlds or solving that Jigsaw Jones mystery. Sometimes we wonder, how can we pass on that love for reading to the younger generation in this vast digital age? Join Steven and me as we talk about how we think about this and what we're trying to do to encourage imagination and reading. SHOW NOTES: Find out more ab...

Sometimes as an author you never feel like you 'got it right' or that you are in the perfect writing and creative space. There's so many pieces of content and opinions about 'the best way to write' that it can be confusing and sometimes make us fall out of creativity. Join L.D. and me as we discuss our different styles of writing and what that means for any author looking...

Look, being an author has its ups and downs. Sometimes those downs are heavier than the ups and we lose motivation to write. Join me and Mackenzie Friel as we talk about what things you can do to keep the motivation and love for writing alive, as well as bring your stories to life in interesting ways. SHOW NOTES: Intro: Joanna Penn's Podcast Episode #668 - Take a listen if you are an intuitiv...

They say that practice makes perfect, but I'm pretty sure no author in all of the world has or ever will be perfect with their writing. That said, practice and time does lend for significant improvement in your writing. What if you aren't sure how to improve your writing game? Join Neil Chase and me as we discuss his writing journey and skills he's learned for improving his own writ...

Finding readers can be hard to do digitally, so why not try to find them in-person? As an author, this is something I've never delved into, but there are many authors that love doing this, and thrive in doing so. Join Zachary Jeffries and me as we discuss his experience with selling books in person and connecting with his readers to create a community. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about Zachary...

Whether you are a Pantser, like myself, a Plotter, or just a combination of both, one of the most difficult things is keeping track of all the details. How can we possible remember Susan's eye color in chapter 8? Or Johnny's stature in chapter 1? Plottr is intended to be that system! Join Troy, Education Lead at Plottr, and myself as we discuss this system and what it could mean for you...

Having dynamic and relatable characters is so important to pull in the readers and make them feel like they are part of the story. There are many people that want to make sure they get it right. Join me and Victoria as we talk about her experience writing female leads and what elements are important to include. SHOW NOTES: Learn more about Victoria and her works at https://victorialynnblog.com/ Fi...

Do you feel you have a calling to write something specific? Is there a story that you know you need to share but are having trouble feeling confident in getting it out there? Join me and Tiger as we discuss his reasons behind writing his fantasy books and how he makes them edifying and inspiring, while also adventurous, for his readers. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about Tiger and his books at: https...

Taking the leap to publish your words can be terrifying, and oftentimes challenging. Yet with a little trust and positivity, the stars will align for you. Join Sandra and me as we discuss her experience and learnings publishing her book independently. SHOW NOTES: Find out more about Sandra and her works at https://www.sandranomoto.com/

Writer's block, among many other things, can be so frustrating for those of us who have very little time already to write. What if there are ways to get around that? What if there were ways to write even if you don't feel like it? Join Dan and me as we discuss his years of experience with this and how he's learned to write through anything. SHOW NOTES: Learn more about Dan and his b...

We all have to start out somewhere, and for most of us that means that we are 'nobody' in terms of finding readers. Join Naresh and me as we talk about his valuable experience and insight as a marketing consultant for businesses and authors alike. To request  FREE copies of his book, contact Naresh as his website: http://nareshvissa.com/

Every author has their own style and method of writing, but sometimes it can be challenging to find exactly what that is. Join M.K. and me as we discuss her journey in finding her voice, and what you might do to find yours. SHOW NOTES: Sign up for Self Publishing Launch Pad until Nov. 30! - https://learn.selfpublishingformula.com/p/launchpad Find out more about M.K. here: https://linktr.ee/mkdocke...

Creating a balance from description to characters and plot is important for authors to be able to keep the interest of their readers. Join Jack and me as we discuss how crafting dynamic characters can draw in our readers, and what pitfalls we might need to avoid in doing so. SHOW NOTES: The Dragons of Dorwine Series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09C13723T Jack's author website: https://authorja...

Drawing your readers into another universe is what often gets people to fall in love with your story. But what does that look like if you are writing a short story versus a novel? Join me and Marshall as we discuss his experience with world building in both types of stories! SHOW NOTES: Learn more about Marshall at his Website: www.marshalljmoore.com OR follow him on Social Media: TikTok: @marshal...

To be a successful author, the first and most important thing you have to do is write . Sometimes that is easier said than done. With so many opinions and strategies for writing, it can feel overwhelming to learn how to improve your craft. Join me and Arabella as we discuss her journey and learnings on writing craft. SHOW NOTES: Arabella's book: https://a.co/d/8rEwXK5 Where to find more about...

As authors, it's important that we know who our audience is so that we can make sure to write to them directly. With so many young kids and teenagers wanting to find books to read, it's sometimes hard to recognize what is good for them. Join Natasha and me as we discuss our experiences writing our books for young minds. SHOW NOTES: Follow Natasha at her website: https://natashasapienzabl...

There's definitely an art to writing Science Fiction, but what if sometimes that feels overwhelming to an author? Especially to a new author. Join me and Hyrum as we talk about his experience with science and space and how you can break into writing Science Fiction yourself. SHOW NOTES: Kerbal Space Program: https://xkcd.com/1356/ Hyrum's Website: https://www.hyrumhawks.com/ Excellent Ha...

We all want to sell more books. How else can we fund our next project after all? But when it comes time to find the audience, and to actually get the sales, many of us are left scratching our heads. Join me and Kelly as we discuss creating marketing plans from her experience with marketing in her ten years in the publishing business. SHOW NOTES: Kelly's Website: https://kellyschuknecht.com/ T...

Ever since Kindle Unlimited started gaining traction, the question of 'wide versus exclusive' has been on the mind of so many independent publishers. Join me as I discuss some of the pros and cons of both routes, and my experience with both since I've begun publishing.

The crafting of kingdoms and meshing of magic is one of the most satisfying things for authors, but what happens if you can bring that worldbuilding to new levels both inside and outside of your books? Join Liz and me as we discuss strategies and ideas for creating a unique and interesting world for your readers to enjoy. SHOW NOTES: Check out Liz's books and her author services at www.lizdel...

As authors, one of the most challenging parts of writing is perfecting not only the story, but the prose itself. Feedback from objective minds is not only key, but essential in getting the story where we need it to be. Join me and my editor, Jana, as we discuss how authors need to be open minded when working with feedback from others. SHOW NOTES: https://the-writers-assistant.com/ - See Jana'...

How can we reach our readers in a deeper, more profound way? Join L. Blaise Hues and me as we discuss emotional truths and how becoming vulnerable as an author can help us unlock them for more dynamic writing. SHOW NOTES: Find L. Blaise Hues at her site lblaisehues.com for more information!

As readers, I think it's safe to say that one of the most satisfying thing about reading is getting to parts you did not expect. Megan and I talk about how twists can be planned and used to drive the story forward, and leave the reader wanting more. SHOW NOTES: Find Megan on most major social media platforms: https://www.instagram.com/meganwoltersauthor/ https://www.tiktok.com/@megan.wolters....

Have you ever considered producing audiobooks professionally? Looking for a career that lets you read books and product great content from home? Join me and Amanda as we discuss her journey to becoming a professional audiobook producer and how she started with no experience to now having crated over 150 audiobooks for authors. SHOW NOTES: To learn more about Amanda's Services or to hire her f...

One of the most challenging thing for many authors is getting the funding they need to produce the content and get their books in front of readers. Though getting funding can range anywhere from saving up, to getting advances from book contracts, authors can't produce their content without it. Join me and Robert as we discuss his learnings and successes in using Kickstarter to launch multiple...