The Novel Writing Podcast

Book marketing expert and host of The Novel Marketing Podcast , Thomas Umstattd Jr., joins us to share his wisdom on what it takes to successfully market your book in today's world, where social media "hasn't worked" for ten years, all without losing your mind. Connect with Thomas at authormedia.com Send us Fan Mail What to do next… Read transcripts & access interview recor...

What's the big deal about writing groups?  Finding "your people" can be not only a life-changing moment, but a career-changing one too.  This episode covers four reasons why it's important to find a writer's group or community that shares your worldview, and get plugged in with other writers at or just ahead of your level.  NEW SUBSTACK LAUNCHED!  For episode transcripts (...

Have you longed for a multi-cast audio version of your book but choked at the price tag?  Phil Marshall, founder and CEO of Spoken Press, joins the show to unpack the magic of AI narration and how Spoken is doing it ethically.  With how expensive audio production can get, having a budget-friendly but high-quality solution like Spoken is a no-brainer. Regardless of your stance on AI, please give th...

Caitlin Shetterly, who first was a guest in episode 136, is back to share her experience writing a character with breast cancer... only for Caitlin herself to develop the exact same type of cancer in the exact same breast.  Her journey through recovery and learning how to write while on cancer drugs is a testament to human resilience and how to determine which pieces of writing advice work for the...

Have you ever heard the advice to not publish your first book? Did it ruffle your feathers? It doesn't mean what you think it means. In this episode we break down this advice to understand the motivation behind it. SERIES NOW COMPLETE!  Binge The Chronicles of Talahm (or just learn more):  Curios (eBooks) Main Website (signed paperbacks) Send us Fan Mail What to do next… Read transcripts &amp...

Have you ever read a book that feels like it was supposed to be written in 3rd person omniscient (like many regency romances or books in the style of Jane Austen), but you couldn't keep track of who was actually telling the story? The author might have mistaken head hopping for omniscient. It's pretty easy to do nowadays with the emphasis on showing over telling, but true omniscient POVs...

Cathryn deVries "accidentally" became a writer through chronicling her family's Dungeons & Dragons campaign. The process helped her work through old emotional wounds, but then she had to deal with imposter syndrome over whether the story really was *hers* if it came from a campaign her daughter dreamed up. Listen in to find out how Cathryn went from "Am I really an author?&...

Getting critiques on our writing is a core part of improving, but what if you didn't have to wait until you finish the first draft? Enter short-cycle feedback. This episode is all about why writers ought to share their work before writing THE END and use that critique to make the entire book stronger while you're still working on the first draft. (Even if it's still garbage.) * Some...

Dictating is one of many tools writers can slot into their writing toolbelts, but many who try dictation don't stick with it long enough to see real results. I took Seth Ring's challenge to commit at least 20 hours to learning how to dictate, and this is what I learned by dictating 70,000 words in about 38 hours. Learn more about AI transcription with Book Scribe: https://bookscribe.ai/...

Publisher Rocket creator Dave Chesson walks through how to use features like keyword search, competition analyzer, category search, and reverse ASIN lookup.  For Publisher Rocket and other self-publishing tools by Kindlepreneur, visit https://kindlepreneur.com/tools/ Send us Fan Mail What to do next… Read transcripts & access interview recordings on Substack Apply for Author Coaching with Coll...

A common piece of writing advice from prolific, full-time authors is that we need to write every day. *insert squinty-eyed Thor Ragnarok meme* But do we, really? If your life circumstances by nature prevent you from putting your butt in the writing chair at least once a day, this episode is for you. Send us Fan Mail What to do next… Read transcripts & access interview recordings on Substack Ap...

We've all heard the claim... you NEED to be on social media if you want to make it as an author. Or, do you? Let's bust this pervasive myth that success requires a social media presence, even if you would rather eat nails than make a reel.  Being a social media content creator in addition to being an author is not for everyone, and thankfully it's totally possible to build an author...

Strengths coach Becca Syme shares why the worst possible phrase is "just do it" and how there's no universal truth for writers... except one. Becca has worked with over 6,000 individual clients and is a wealth of wisdom in helping creatives figure out how to do things better and faster, and continue to love those things even years down the line. See what's available or connect...

Are you tired of hearing the "show, don't tell" advice thrown around with reckless abandon?  Me too. Showing and telling both have their place in fiction, but it's important not to fall into the extreme of showing everything... just like we shouldn't be telling everything.  Showing and telling need to be "perfectly balanced, as all things should be," to quote Tha...

Have you ever tabbed over to quickly research that one little detail you're stuck on, only to surface hours later from a YouTube video that has nothing to do with what you started out searching for? Welcome to the research rabbit hole. Today's episode is on how to AVOID that rabbit hole, and what to do if you find yourself losing hours of valuable writing time to Wonderland. Send us Fan...

The publishing industry goes through constant changes.  Greg Keogh, co-founder of direct sales platform Curios, shares his thoughts on what's happening in the publishing industry (both indie and trad) and where he sees the trends going over the next year. From Amazon DRM to subscription-based reading, listen in for what's currently changing. Send us Fan Mail What to do next… Read transcr...

Have you ever tried to write your book's blurb and felt like throwing up instead? Blurbs don't have to be hard, but authors make them hard without meaning to. They're a different skillset from writing a book, and they're never going to look perfect with the first draft. So stop beating yourself up over having a weak or nonexistent blurb and listen in for some tips on how to cra...

Greg Keogh, co-founder of the direct sales platform Curios, comes back to share what's new in the platform and what's coming. Curios has undergone some serious improvements since episode 186.  Listen in to hear more about the Curios roadmap, including: Affiliate marketing like you've never seen it Print on demand partnership with BookVault In depth analytics Review system And more!...

Here's part 2 of my conversation with Seth Ring on author business practices.  What is the most important thing for a new author to focus on? When should authors diversify, whether it's income streams or genre? Seth has some controversial opinions, which is part of why I love talking to him! Find Seth's work at sethring.com Send us Fan Mail What to do next… Read transcripts & ac...

Dave Chesson, author and founder of Kindlepreneur, brings a high-level overview of the different tools in the Kindlepreneur suite. From the bestseller rank calculator to their formatting tool (Atticus), Kindlepreneur is a one-stop-shop for indies looking to improve marketing, craft, and rankings. Find all the Kindlepreneur tools at https://kindlepreneur.com/tools/ Send us Fan Mail What to do next…...

What are proofreaders, and what do they do for indie authors? What should you expect if you hire these professionals? This episode covers what proofreaders do, don't do, and whether you should hire one for your novel. Send us Fan Mail What to do next… Read transcripts & access interview recordings on Substack Apply for Author Coaching with Colleen Take the 60 Day Novel Writing Challenge f...

Seth Ring is back in a new two-parter to drop some truth bombs about why it's so important for authors, whether you're indie or trad, to think about the business side of writing. Are you a personal brand or a product brand? What's the most important business task you can focus on as a writer? What's the difference between a writer and an author, anyway? My favorite mic-drop fro...

What are copyeditors or line editors, and what do they do for indie authors?  What should you expect if you hire these professionals? This episode covers what copy/line editors do, don't do, and whether you should hire one for your novel. Send us Fan Mail What to do next… Read transcripts & access interview recordings on Substack Apply for Author Coaching with Colleen Take the 60 Day Nove...

Do you really need a developmental editor? If you hire one, what should you expect from them? There are some cases where you can get away with not hiring dev editors, but they don't apply to every writer. For a spicy take on the necessity of dev editors, check out this video by Seth Ring: https://youtu.be/m-H_BxBM2kY Send us Fan Mail What to do next… Read transcripts & access interview re...

Author Nation 2025 was my 3rd time at an author conference, and this year I went looking for audio narration solutions (among other things).  This episode covers my thoughts on the conference, favorite sessions, and whether it's worth it (especially for new authors).  Will you be going to this year's con? If so, I'll see you in November! Send us Fan Mail What to do next… Read transc...