Kobo Writing Life Podcast

Bestselling author Nick Thacker joins us on the podcast this week to discuss utilizing street team marketing to grow your readership. Nick explains how to use your mailing list to find beta readers, get honest feedback about your work, and learn more about your target audience and what they’re looking for in their next read.  Learn more about this episode!

Author Megan Angelo joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her debut novel Followers. Megan tells us what inspired the story of Followers, how she created the fictional not-too-distant future of 2051 and grounded it in reality, and how her previous work as a journalist helped her craft the social-media-obsessed world within her book.  Learn more about this episode

Kobo Plus, our all-you-can-read subscription service, launched in Canada last week, so we asked the director of Kobo Plus and Publisher Relations, Erik Rigters, to join us on the podcast to help answer the big questions surrounding the launch. Using the data we’ve seen from Kobo Plus in the Netherlands, Erik explains how Kobo Plus can benefit authors, how it can help boost your backlist, and why you should consider enrolling your books! Learn more about this episode!

Bestselling author and writing coach Allison Fallon is on the podcast this week. As the published author of thirteen books and the founder of the writing community Find Your Voice, Alison brings her depth of knowledge to our conversation as she shares some tips and best practices for navigating the publishing industry, writing honest nonfiction, and utilizing science to successfully make writing a part of your routine. 

Veteran Publicist, social media pro, and brand manager Dana Kaye joins us on the podcast this week to discuss all things marketing, publicity, and branding. Dana gives us some great advice on striking a balance between PR and marketing, pitching yourself and your books to media outlets, and identifying and establishing your unique author brand.

Mystery novelist Paul Austin Ardoin joins us on the podcast this week. After spending eight years writing the first few chapters of his novel, Paul signed up for NaNoWriMo, finished writing his debut in a matter of weeks, and the rest is history! Paul talks to us about kick starting his writing career through NaNoWriMo, how his writing process has changed throughout his career, and why he decided to self-publish and go wide.

Bestselling author and publisher Kevin J. Anderson joins us on this podcast this week to discuss his illustrious thirty year writing career and how the world of publishing has evolved, and continues to evolve, throughout. Kevin publishes both traditionally and with his own indie press, WordFire Press, he is an instructor at Superstars Writing Seminar, and he teaches a Masters in Publishing course at Western Colorado University, giving him unique and diverse insight into the world of publishing. 

Please enjoy this special bonus episode from Kobo in Conversation! We spoke with thriller writer (and former newspaper columnist and humourist) Linwood Barclay about the myth of writer’s block and the discipline required to rein in his comic gifts. Hear more from Kobo in Conversation.

Kobo’s CRM and Marketing Manager, Cristina Mendes, joins us for our 200th episode to give insight into the Kobo customer and how to effectively market your eBooks and audiobooks globally! Cristina covers a lot of ground in our conversation, including advice for selling on an international scale, the difference between Kobo’s eBook and audiobook customers, marketing tips for when you’re on a budget, and what makes Kobo (and our customers) unique!

Kobo’s Global Audiobook Merchandiser, Elyse Daniels, is on the podcast this week discussing all things audio. Elyse tells us the ins and outs of selling audiobooks on Kobo, including what genres do especially well as audiobooks, how she curates audiobook promotions and emails, what types of promotions are the most successful for audiobooks, and she gives some great tips for how to competitively price your audiobook for Kobo’s market.