Episode 550 - Verified Authors & The Year of “No” with Leslye Penelope
Oct 23, 2024
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Leslye Penelope, a talented fantasy and romance author, joins to discuss essential habits for a successful writing process. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining passion while navigating the challenges of publishing. The conversation dives into Amazon KDP's identity verification process and its implications for author privacy. They also explore how to achieve a healthy work-life balance and the necessity of community support in boosting productivity. Leslye highlights the value of adopting a reader’s perspective to enhance creativity.
Authors should prioritize emotional sustainability and focus on fulfilling activities, like reader events, to maintain creative joy.
The new mandatory identity verification process on Amazon's KDP emphasizes security, requiring authors to navigate concerns about privacy and pen names.
Deep dives
Shifting Focus for Long-Term Happiness
In the pursuit of self-publishing success, it is essential to prioritize both financial and emotional sustainability. Authors often experience burnout while striving for goals, prompting a shift towards maintaining creative joy in their work. Focusing on activities that bring satisfaction, such as in-person reader events, allows authors to create fulfilling experiences while effectively engaging with their audience. This approach encourages a balanced business strategy by allowing authors to run their own race and only do what resonates with them, ultimately fostering long-term happiness.
Amazon's KDP Identity Verification Changes
Recent modifications to Amazon's KDP platform introduce a mandatory identity verification process for authors, requiring photo identification to bolster security and combat fraud. While this shift has elicited concerns regarding privacy and the use of pen names, Amazon assures that personal documents will be deleted after verification. Authors must adapt to this new requirement as it gradually expands to increase security on the platform. Effective communication and customer support from Amazon will be crucial in mitigating author fears and ensuring a smoother transition.
The Power of Saying No
Embracing the word 'no' is vital for authors to manage their workload and maintain balance in their creative endeavors. Overcommitting can lead to burnout and hinder focus on primary writing goals, making it imperative to establish boundaries. Authors can benefit from reflective practices that help identify their limits and prioritize their time more effectively. By creating space for creativity and self-care, writers can nurture their artistic processes and return to their work with renewed energy.
What has been the habit or sacred ritual that has been the most important in your writing process?
Today’s top story is Are You A Person?. Question of the week is What has been the habit or sacred ritual that has been the most important in your writing process?
Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
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