The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience

How NY Times Bestselling Author Penn Cole Writes

Dec 13, 2024

Penn Cole, an internationally bestselling author renowned for her breakout series, The Kindred’s Curse Saga, shares her fascinating journey from attorney to writer. She discusses the enriching impact of travel on her creative process and the importance of empathy in storytelling. Penn reveals her proactive approach to self-publishing and the challenges of transitioning to traditional publishing. She also addresses misconceptions about viral success and shares insights on maintaining creative control while engaging with her passionate reader base.

42:47

Episode guests

Penn Cole

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Penn Cole's transition from attorney to author highlights the significance of work-life balance and creative freedom in her writing journey.

Her strategic self-publishing approach and preservation of e-book rights exemplify the importance of adaptability and understanding in the publishing industry.

Deep dives

The Journey to Self-Publishing

The speaker discusses her early determination to self-publish, driven by her experience as a small business owner and the desire to maintain control over her publishing journey. She embraced the multifaceted role of being both an author and a publisher, gathering knowledge by engaging with beta readers, hiring editors, and seeking cover designers. This proactive approach allowed her to study the market extensively, absorbing case studies and marketing strategies from various author forums. Her commitment culminated in the successful self-publication of her first book in June 2023 and a rapid release of subsequent titles, showcasing the importance of preparation in achieving publishing success.

Intro

2min

From Attorney to Bestselling Author: Navigating the Publishing Landscape

2min

From Law to Literature: A Pandemic Journey

6min

From Self-Publishing to Traditional Success: A Journey of Growth

6min

The Art of Covering It Up

4min

Navigating the Hybrid Author Journey

3min

Navigating the Author's Journey in Social Media

16min

The Impact of Travel on Creative Perspective

4min

New York Times bestselling author Penn Cole spoke with me about her past life as an attorney, living in Paris, how she became a breakout hybrid author, and book #2 in the Kindred’s Curse saga: GLOW OF THE EVERFLAME.

Penn Cole is an internationally bestselling author whose debut series, The Kindred’s Curse Saga, became a BookTok and Bookstagram sensation, and an instant New York Times bestseller with over a million copies in more than a dozen languages.

Described as a slow burn, epic romantasy series, Book #2, GLOW OF THE EVERFLAME, was called "Gripping…,” by The Library Journal, and in a starred review noted, “Readers will be clamoring for the next in the series after the cliffhanger ending."

Before pursuing her lifelong dream of publishing, Penn had a prior career as an artist and attorney.

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In this file Penn Cole and I discussed:

Falling for the myth of the “starving artist”

How she self-published three books in 2023

Why she was so adamant about keeping her e-book rights when traditional publishers called

The huge adjustment she’s had to make for her fans

Why there’s some misconception about going “viral”

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

penncole.com