Wish I'd Known Then Podcast For Writers

Episode 075 / Michelle Scott writes in contemporary fiction, mystery, and thriller genres. She joins us today to talk about how she learned to treat her author career like a business in both the writing and marketing aspects. Michelle shares about craft, her “marketing Mondays,” mistakes involving a cliffhanger, and branding. 🗄️ Question of the week: What is one thing you can do to treat your auth...

Episode 074 / Life is a bit crazy for Sara (moving!) and Jami, so it’s a great week to look back at a favorite episode, the interview with Pippa Grant.  Enjoy the timewarp and travel back to pre-COVID days when travel and meeting with people was the norm, not the exception. :)  This episode is packed with tons of tips and ideas about pen names, the psychology of fandom, and collaboration.  Come ov...

Episode 073 / Surprise pregnancy. Murder on a train. Rag-tag crew. In this episode Jami and Sara dive into the wonderful world of tropes. They discuss why you want to use tropes in your writing and marketing. They share their personal favorites and then brainstorm creative twists on tropes. This episode was inspired by two things: Jami’s interview on Best Book Ever podcast and the Creative Penn po...

Episode 072 / Action & Adventure Thriller author Nick Thacker joins us this week to talk about the delicate balance of plot versus character. Nick is also a systems guy and he shares tips on getting a Bookbub and well as what trends for authors he sees on the horizon.  Sara’s in a fantastic nonfiction promo this week: the Writer Blowout 99 cent sale . How to Write a Series is on sale until Jun...

Episode 071 / Do you want to cultivate a core readership who will read anything you write? Historical fantasy and historical mystery author C.J. Archer joins us this week to talk about how she’s nurtured a group of readers who will read anything she writes no matter what the genre it is.  We also discuss how discipline and consistency have contributed to her success, overcoming shyness and develop...

Episode 070 / Dan Wood from Draft 2 Digital joins us to talk about how using an aggregator like Draft 2 Digital can make your your life easier. We also talk about the importance of building relationships with author service providers. Plus tips and ideas for using subscription models, book trends, and Dan’s advice for new authors.  Intro links: Sara on the Self Publishing Show Finding You movie -...

Episode 069 / Daniel Willcocks, author of dark fiction that spans the genres of horror, post-apocalyptic, and sci-fi, joins us this week to talk about how being authentic attracts your ideal reader. We also touch on how Daniel began his fiction writing career with short stories, why he’s moving away from the rapid release model, and his advice for new authors. Plus live math with authors, which is...

Episode 068 / Thriller, mystery, and horror author Simon Wood joins us this week to talk about how he learned he was his own best advocate in negotiating right and how he’s become a “rights raptor” because he realizes the value of his intellectual property.  We also discuss how his background as a mechanical engineer helps him breakdown stories and reverse engineer his plots. Plus tips on pen name...

Episode 067 / Mystery author Nancy Warren has been publishing for 20 years and has over 100 books out. She joins us to chat about writing mysteries and explains how her Vampire Knitting Club series came about and how she’s kept the series fresh and interesting for readers for 13 books.  We talk about finding joy in writing and taking care of yourself so you can have a long career. Nancy also gives...

Episode 066 / Prolific romance author Nana Malone joins us to talk about being a pantser and writing instinctively, how she uses Instagram live to connect with her readers, and why she includes adventure, mystery, or intrigue. We also discuss the difficulties for authors of color and ways to support authors of color, including the gofundme campaign for Audio in Color.  Links:  Audio in Color: http...

Episode 065 / Paranormal cozy mystery author Bella Falls joins us to talk about how she learned to write to market. Writing with her readers in mind helps Jenn plot a series as well as plan her release schedule. Jenn’s active on Clubhouse, and she tells us how authors can use the new platform. Plus, talking squirrels!  Come over and say hi to Jami and Sara in the WIKT Facebook group . You can find...

Episode 064 / We answer your questions about newsletter content and autoresponders plus tips for reviving backlist sales and launch strategies for debut authors and/or first in series books.  Intro links: Come over and say hi to Jami and Sara in the WIKT Facebook group ! You can find show notes and links at wishidknownforwriters.com . In this podcast episode, you’ll discover: What kind of newslett...

Episode 063 / Podcaster and historical mystery author Jenny Wheeler joins us on the podcast to talk about podcasting for readers, transitioning to writing fiction after another career, and the benefits of taking time off--a whole month! Intro links: Productivity site Jami mentioned: Pacemaker   Sign up for historical mystery book releases and updates on Historical Mystery day: Historical Mystery D...

Episode 062 / Prolific cozy mystery author Tonya Kappes joins us this week and we delve into how her reader-centric focus has brought her success.  Intro links: Jami has continued writing first each day and her words are adding up. Shout-out to Becca Syme’s video Why Can’t I Hit My Deadlines that helped Jami. Sara’s revising and editing. She has a new desk stand. It’s from a company called Harmoni...

Episode 061 / Do you want your life set up to weather storms like 2020? Adriel Wiggins joins us this week to talk about how she learned to structure her life in a way that helps her get through the tough times.  Intro notes: Sara’s celebrating completing the first draft of her historical mystery, while Jami shares a video of Becca Syme that’s helped Jami get her words in each day since she watched...

Episode 060 / Romance author Lucy Score joined us to talk about how staying in her lane and creating a backlist of titles, all with a similar tone, has contributed to her success. Our conversion ranges from craft to setting boundaries to how Lucy works with her publishing team. Jami’s novella launched last week, and Sara locked up her computer trying to install an update. Come over and say hi to J...

Episode 059 / Thriller author and creative entrepreneur Joanna Penn of The Creative Penn podcast joined us this week to talk about learning from mistakes, the importance of mindset, and taking the long view in your writing career. The sun is out in Houston and we’re recovering from the great “snow-apocalypse” of 2021. Jami has running water again (yay!) and her lockdown novella, Locked in Love, la...

Episode 058 / Are you thinking about doing translations for your books? Historical and contemporary romance author Tanya Anne Crosby has coordinated over 100 translations across German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Dutch. When a health scare meant she couldn’t write quickly, she focused on translations as a way to exploit her intellectual property. She shares what she’s learned about...

Episode 056 / Do you have financial goals you’d like to achieve in your author career? Romance author L.B. Dunbar tells us how focus and pacing helped her reach her goals. Our conversation also hit on how L.B. went against the conventional wisdom of what sells with her over 40 romance, writing in other authors’ worlds, and transitioning out of a day job into full-time writing. Intro links:  Jami’s...

Episode 055 /  NYT bestselling author Gail Carriger joins us this week to talk about The Heroine’s Journey. This episode is a deep dive into story and plotting. Our conversation also touches on the benefits of direct sales, the importance of a newsletter, and how to recover when things that are out of your control go wrong.  In the intro Jami talks about her hand surgery, which went great, and Sar...

Episode 054 / Do you want to be a successful writer? Friendships with other writers can be a big factor in contributing to a long career. Romance and cozy mystery author Cheryl Phipps joins us this week to talk about how her writer friends spur her on to greater achievements in writing and promotion. We also talk about her move into cozy mystery. Intro links: Cincy Book Bus Jami’s Bernie Sanders m...

Episode 053 / It may be 2021, but many writers are juggling working from home and caring for their families. Mystery author, editor, and book coach Connie B. Dowell has tips on how to write with the kids at home. She also shares why she created The Messy Author Planner.  In the intro, Sara shares a “wish I’d known then” mistake related to using her website for her business email (not her newslette...

Episode 052 / Do you want to have a long writing career? Prolific historical romance author Jess Michaels is here with tips to help you set yourself up for a long and productive career.  We also talk with Jess about her transition from traditional publishing to indie publishing, how she learned that an 8-month sabbatical was not a good thing for an Achiever, and how she writes now that she underst...

Episode 051 / Contemporary romance author Zoe York joins us to talk about aligning your current projects with your long-term goals. Plus we dive into author branding and business models and Zoe’s tips for writing a series. This episode is packed with so much good info for writers!  Intro links: Happy 2021!  How to Outline a Cozy Mystery sale Come over and say hi to Jami and Sara in the WIKT Facebo...

Episode 050 / Not to be outdone by the countdown to the new year (and who isn’t ready to wave goodbye to 2020?), Jami and Sara count the top ten episodes of the first year of the Wish I’d Known Then podcast. In the intro, Sara talks about reading Gail Carriger’s book The Heroine’s Journey. Jami is finishing her story that she’s sending to her newsletter. Jami recommends Warrior Nun and Sara’s bing...