Wish I'd Known Then Podcast For Writers

Episode 224 / Kate Johnson is the co-founder of Zory, an interactive reading app that merges the depth found in fiction with the choose-your-path-style plotlines of narrative video games. Kate shares details about Zory and craft tips about GMC as well as the All Is Lost moment. Plus we talk about trends in genre blending, and what Kate sees coming in the publishing industry.  💙 🎙 Become a support...

Episode 223 / Do you like to discover the plot as you write? Do you get bored if you know where the story is going? Then a skeleton draft might be what you need. Paranormal and gothic romance author Steffanie Holmes joins us to talk about how discovery writers can use a skeleton draft to get their ideas down on paper and avoid writer’s block. We also talk about rebranding, Kickstarter tips for aut...

Episode 222 / Jessica Renwich, who writes fantasy and horror for kids ages 9-12, joined us to share her experience as an indie middle grade author. She has terrific insights on approaching schools for author visits and the impact of creating whimsical and fun content to appeal to young readers.   In addition to discussing how marketing middle grade books differs from marketing adult books, we also...

Episode 221 / Looking to grow a community around your books? Romance author Amy Pine shares how she and her co-hosts created a podcast and built a vibrant community around Korean dramas. We also dive into craft book recommendations, beat sheets, and combining tropes in unexpected ways. 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode. https://wishidk...

Episode 220 /  KimBoo York joins us to share how to embrace flexibility and spontaneity in your writing process through discovery writing. Whether you thrive on outlining or prefer a more free-flowing approach, there are different techniques to suit your writing style. 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode. https://wishidknownforwriters.co...

Episode 219 / Martha Carr is a journalist who now writes escapist fiction in the urban fantasy genre with a lot of magic, some action and adventure, and a little romance. Martha shares about beating health challenges, changing her business model, and dealing with the ups and downs of publishing. We also talk about leaving regret behind, her Kickstarter preparation, and how learning about her Ennea...

Episode 218 / Julie Duffy has long been involved in the publishing industry, but she found herself not actually writing fiction due to the demands of school and work. This realization led her to challenge herself with a "story a day" project in order to get back to writing and creating fictional stories.  Julia joins us to talk about A Story A Day in May, a creative writing challenge, as...

Episode 217 /  Writing under two pen names, Celeste Barclay has penned over 50 books in historical and mafia romance. She shares insights on the writing process, the challenges of juggling multiple book brands, the importance of flexibility, and why universal themes resonate across genres. 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode. https://wis...

Episode 216 / Mystery author Abigail Keam shares how she embraced the digital landscape and incorporated direct sales into her business model. From historical accuracy to adapting to technology, she shares her lessons-learned.  💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode. https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support Topics: Challenges Abigail faced...

Episode 215 / When it comes to your author business, a bargain sometimes costs money in the long run, but other times it pays to splurge instead of scrimp. Join us as we discuss tips for saving money as well as when we’re willing to pay more. 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode. https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support Use a “savings tr...

Episode 214 / How do you pull in readers who will love your books and push away those readers who won’t enjoy your book? Branding. Branding is more than colors, fonts, and covers. Join us for an in-depth discussion on how to determine your brand and carry it through in everything from your voice to ad copy to covers. And you know we’re always here for food analogies so the alternate title of this...

Episode 213 / We’re sharing an interview Sara did with Matty Dalrymple on the Indy Author Podcast last year. Sara and Matty go deep on the topic of how to structure a series so that it works for your writing style and your genre.  💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode. https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support The three types of series Ext...

Episode 212 / Claire Taylor, humor and mystery author and Enneagram expert, shares how authors can use the Enneagram to create a resilient approach to the often chaotic writer lifestyle. We also discuss Claire’s successful track record on Kickstarter, and she tells us what she wishes she knew about using the crowdfunding platform. 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a...

Episode 211 / How do you live your best life through your writing career? We talk with Joe Solari about how to achieve author goals and how various business models, including direct sales and subscriptions, play into reaching those goals. We also discuss Author Nation, the largest indie author conference, and tips on how to have a great conference experience.  New business models: direct sales, su...

Episode 210 / M.K. Williams writes suspenseful literary fiction and helps aspiring authors. M.K. shares how she writes and markets books across different genres, using Payhip for direct sales, the drawback of a surprise launch, and why delusion is sometimes a good thing. 🌀 Why M.K. has specific goals for each book Why M.K. recommends purchasing your ISBNs Why authors should “pack their patience”...

Episode 209 / How do you get to the point that your readers “one-click” the buy button for your books? Join us as we chat with small town romance author Melanie Harlow. Melanie shares what she learned about giving readers what they want—and what that has to do with spaghetti versus cake. 🎂 Knowing how to market the book before you write it Discovering micro-tropes that appeal to readers (and one...

Episode 208 / Want to write something a little bit different? How do you appeal to readers in one of the main genres, but also forge your own path?  Margaret Lashley joins us to share how she created a subgenre of wacky, humor-filled mysteries that appeal to cozy readers as well as women’s fiction readers.  How Margaret’s background in advertising helps her write fiction Why Margaret only uses one...

Episode 207 / Do you want to create a loyal readership interested in you, not just your genre? Do you want to up the romantic tension in your books? Rom-com author Emma St. Clair shares tips on these topics, plus much more:  The minefield of romance terms used to describe heat level and tone Weighing the cost of taking a break from a series Handling the pressure that success brings Email building...

Episode 206 / Leslye Penelope, author of fantasy and paranormal romance, joins us and shares how she builds rich story worlds. How the worldbuilding can connect to plot, character, theme, and conflict Using Payhip to sell signed paperbacks  Leslye’s course on Worldbuilding How Leslye went from indie publishing to being a hybrid author How she transitioned from rapid release to a slower release sch...

Episode 205 / This episode is all about harnessing the power of direct connection with your readers. Matt Briel from Lulu discusses the value of direct sales as we move away from a distribution-first publishing model.  Importance of owning customer data Why you should start building your direct audience even if you only have one book Using Lulu for Kickstarter fulfillment Order Import Tool: upload...

Episode 204 / Having trouble getting words on the page? Erin P.T. Canning has strategies to help! We delve into how to let go of perfectionism and give yourself permission to write a “bad” first draft. Erin also shares how writing helped her with depression.  Why it’s important to look backward as well plan for the future Making time to write as a busy at-home and working mom Turning off the inner...

Episode 203 / Do you want to simplify marketing? Do you want to take your branding up a notch? Do you want to know the trends in writing and publishing? Clayton Noblit of Written Word Media has answers about these topics and also shares tips on where to start with branding and common mistakes new authors often make. https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/ 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t...

Episode 202 / It’s part two of our trope series–very appropriate for episode #202!  What’s your favorite trope? We asked a range of authors this question, and we’re here to share the answers.  We unpack the benefits of writing tropes, why we love specific tropes, and where to find the favorite examples of the specific trope in books, movies, and television.  💡 We hope this episode sparks inspirat...

Episode 201 / Mystery author S. L. Hansen shares how she hacked her writing process. She figured out how to fit writing in with her full-time job and also learned how to work with her Clifton Strengths to draft her books faster.  Stephanie shares so many great tips that you can personalize to fit your writing personality. We talk about how starting with a log line or blurb can help you stay on tra...

Episode 200 / We’re celebrating 200 episodes with a look back (what we learned in 2023) and a look forward to 2024 (trends that matter to authors).  We’re so happy to have such a warm community around the podcast! Thanks for listening and supporting us during the last four years.  Here’s to the next 200 episodes! 🥂 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a...