Writers, Ink: Your backstage pass to the world's most prolific authors

In this monthly q & a session, the guys answer listener questions. J.K. Rowling was nearly homeless when she wrote the first Harry Potter book. Stephen King penned CARRIE on a small desk wedged between a washer and dryer. James Patterson worked in advertising and famously wrote the Toys “R” Us theme song long before becoming an author. Join New York Times best-seller, J.D. Barker, and indie powerhouses J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon as they pull back the curtain on some of the world's most prolific authors. Where did they start? What is their process? The biggest names in publishing all have origin stories, all have a process, all have tips and secrets... What does it take to consistently top the bestseller lists? Get your notepad out. School's in session. This, is Writers, Ink. Join us on Patreon and ask a question guaranteed to be answered on the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/writersinkpodcast Questions asked: How does someone begin an email list when they don’t have any books written or any content on their website? Out of the 3 of you, who would be on Santa’s naughty list? Marvel movie fans or not marvel movie fans? If fans, to what level? What is the best way to rejuvenate your backlist? Travel back in time: What advice would you give your younger self about working on your very first book? Getting into NFTs for books early: is J crazy or brilliant? Given that FB is going into the metaverse, do you think that in the near future, your Avatar will walk along a metaverse road, see an advertising hoarding advert for a book, go into a metaverse bookshop and then buy the ebook version of the book you saw advertised? Discuss. Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In Reckless Road, author Jason Porath unveils the true stories behind Guns N’ Roses. Through a collaboration with Marc Canter, a close friend of the band for many years, he used his writing expertise to turn an archive of photos, videos, and interviews into a captivating narrative history of the early days of one of rock and roll’s biggest bands. To check out Reckless Road, follow the link below. Jason is the author of Reckless Road: Guns N’ Roses and the Making of Appetite for Destruction as well as Mugshots: A Celebration of the Journey from Ruin to Redemption. He’s won multiple achievement awards for his work and his writing has been translated into eight languages. Jason’s background with multimedia storytelling spans a wide array of mediums including documentary films, photojournalism, mobile apps and technology startups. He was a pioneer with some of the first iOS storytelling apps to hit the market and founded Storycode, a storytelling mobile app development agency, which he sold in 2015. Marc has entrusted Jason with his vast archive of photographs, recordings and stories to create entertaining and engaging products for generations of Guns N’ Roses fans around the world. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. In this episode, you’ll discover: If Jason ever predicted a GNR reunion How his collaboration with Marc came about How to internally deal with a pivot The Hero’s Journey of Guns n’ Roses How he built a narrative from Marc’s archive of content Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Reckless Road - https://mybook.to/RecklessRoad Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Derek Sivers is a master of keeping it simple. Whether he’s drafting in an ancient 70s terminal, writing concise newsletters, or living with a single minifridge, he uses simplicity as a method to stay calm, collected, and down-to-earth in his writing. Derek is well known as the founder of independent music website CD Baby. He was a musician for many years and currently publishes books independently. To purchase his latest book, How to Live, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: After making a living as a professional musician, Derek Sivers went looking for ways to sell his own CD online and ended up creating CD Baby, once the largest seller of independent music on the web with over $100M in sales for over 150,000 musician clients. Since 2008, Derek has traveled the world and stayed busy creating and nurturing creative endeavors, like Muckwork, his newest company where teams of efficient assistants help musicians do their “uncreative dirty work.” Derek writes regularly on creativity, entrepreneurship, and music on his blog: http://sivers.org/. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. In this episode, you’ll discover: How to stop getting angry Why How to Live is the best book Derek’s ever written How to cut 1,200 pages from your rough draft How Derek developed his minimalistic writing style Why brevity is key Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Derek Sivers - https://sive.rs/ J.’s ZIGGURAT by Mike Shinoda - https://ziggurats.xyz/#/gallery/90 Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bestseller Jodi Picoult didn’t back down from the challenge of writing a story set during the pandemic. In her latest novel, Wish You Were Here, she uses her excellent character writing skills and days of research and interview material to compel readers to relive the relatable confusion and chaos of early lockdown through the lens of two lovers separated by travel restrictions. Jodi is well known for bestselling novels like My Sister’s Keeper and Small Great Things. She has published 26 books, selling over 40 million copies worldwide. To purchase Wish You Were Here, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: Jodi Picoult is the author of twenty five internationally bestselling novels, including MY SISTER'S KEEPER, HOUSE RULES and SMALL GREAT THINGS, and has also co-written two YA books with her daughter Samantha van Leer, BETWEEN THE LINES and OFF THE PAGE. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and three children. Her most recent adult novel, A SPARK OF LIGHT first published in the UK on 30th October 2018, and was a #1 Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. In this episode, you’ll discover: How Jodi got through a 16-month quarantine How the pandemic changed her writing process How to settle on a setting for your story Why now is the best time to write about the pandemic The importance of writing yourself into your characters Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Dragons of a Different Tail: 17 Unusual Dragon Tales - https://books2read.com/dragonantho Jodi Picoult - https://www.garygrossman.com/ Wish You Were Here - https://mybook.to/WishUWereHere Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this monthly q & a session, the guys answer listener questions. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. Join us on Patreon and ask your question LIVE on the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/writersinkpodcast Questions asked: I’ve been writing some short stories lately as a way to sharpen my skills with story structures. I’m thinking some of them might work well as full-length novels. I like that the short story provides a solid outline to develop a longer character in a more involved plot line. My question for you is, have you ever taken a short story and expanded it into a novel? And what was your experience? How do you weigh administrative costs vs potential returns? You are each building things outside of just writing books (Zach just started a Discord, J's doing NFTs, and JD is has real estate investments). Knowing that with each of these things there is a cost of time and effort, how do you decide if something is worth it? Also, how do you think about the term limit on that investment (discord groups or NFTs could potentially go on forever)? Does that weigh into your decision-making? Hey J, Zach, and JD... how do you view the holiday season--a time to get away from writing, or a time to double-down when everyone else is busy? When should you start shopping for a book cover-before, in the middle, or after you’re finished writing your manuscript? What are your go-to’s for podcasts and blogs? Perhaps you could each answer this. Ignore cover, blurb, title, marketing etc. What one writing skill would you like to improve for your own writing, and how could you gain that skill? Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bestsellers Gary Grossman and Ed Fuller know the importance of good co-writing chemistry. In their award-winning thriller series, Red Hotel, Gary combines his knowledge of the entertainment industry with Ed’s captivating true stories to create novels that feel fascinatingly real. Gary has worked with popular media for many years and has produced for over 27 cable networks, while Ed served as president of Marriott for several decades and served as a captain in the U.S. army. To order their latest novel, Red Deception, follow the link below. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. In this episode, you’ll discover: How Gary met Ed The specifics of their collaboration process Why you should utilize real stories in your writing How to handle disagreements with your co-writer The fiction writing process vs. the nonfiction writing process Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Gary Grossman - https://www.garygrossman.com/ Ed Fuller - https://edwinfuller.com/ Red Deception - https://mybook.to/RedDeception Written Word Media 2021 Survey - https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/the-state-of-indie-authorship-in-2021/ Creatokia - https://www.creatokia.com/en Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In his latest book, Led Zeppelin: The Biography, legendary biographer and journalist Bob Spitz documents the secret life of one of rock and roll’s biggest bands. Through his excellent use of storytelling combined with credibly sourced information, he’s able to write nonfiction that’s both gripping and true. Bob is a bestselling author well known for retelling the lives of many popular figures, including Ronald Reagan and The Beatles. To order Led Zeppelin: The Biography, follow the link below. From BobSpitz.com: Bob Spitz is the award-winning author of the biographies Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child and The Beatles, both New York Times bestsellers, as well as six other nonfiction books and a screenplay. He has represented Bruce Springsteen and Elton John in several capacities. His articles appear regularly in magazines and newspapers. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. In this episode, you’ll discover: What it’s like touring with Bruce Springsteen and Elton John The importance of drawing your own conclusions The process of writing a biography Why main characters are the most unreliable narrators The importance of correct, transparent sourcing Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Bob Spitz - https://bobspitz.com/ Led Zeppelin: The Biography - https://mybook.to/LedZeppelinBio Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Join returning guest Hugh Howey in this special episode as he shares an update on the WOOL adaptation from bestselling serial to streaming sensation. Hugh is a NYT bestselling author who has published his work in over 40 countries and has won critical acclaim for his three serialized works: Wool, Silo, and Sand. For news on the Wool show, visit Hugh’s website using the link below. From Amazon.com: Hugh Howey is the author of the award-winning Molly Fyde saga and the New York Times and USA Today bestselling WOOL series. The WOOL OMNIBUS won Kindle Book Review's 2012 Indie Book of the Year Award — it has been as high as #1 on Amazon — and 40 countries have picked up the work for translation. Ridley Scott and Steve Zaillian are adapting the work for 20th Century Fox. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Hugh Howey - https://hughhowey.com/ Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In her latest book, 100 Things We’ve Lost to the Internet, Pamela Paul urges her readers to take a step back and contemplate just how much the internet has shaped society. From its influence on the very basis of social interaction to the way authors think about and write stories, she seeks to capture all the ways new tech has changed our world and “memorialize the very recent past”. Pamela is the editor of The New York Times Book Review, host of the Book Review podcast, and has written seven books in her free time. To order 100 Things We’ve Lost to the Internet, follow the link below. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why J likes interviewing other podcasters COVID-19’s effect on the writing process How to switch from op-eds to traditional book writing How to deal with writer’s block How to write while commuting Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Creator Dad Podcast - http://creatordad.life/ Pamela Paul - https://www.pamelapaul.com/ 100 Things We’ve Lost to the Internet - https://mybook.to/100Things Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Andrew Child never backs down from a challenge. Whether it’s leaving a stable corporate job to pursue a writing career or picking up the reins of his brother’s legendary Jack Reacher series, his willingness to take risks and put himself out there have helped him become the successful writer he is today. Child has been writing full-time since 2008 and is most known for his David Trevellyan and Paul McGrath series. His latest release, Better Off Dead, is available below. From Amazon.com: Andrew Grant was born in Birmingham, England in May 1968. He went to school in St Albans, Hertfordshire and later attended the University of Sheffield where he studied English Literature and Drama. After graduation Andrew set up and ran a small independent theatre company which showcased a range of original material to local, regional and national audiences. Following a critically successful but financially challenging appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Andrew moved into the telecommunications industry as a 'temporary' solution to a short-term cash crisis. Fifteen years later, after carrying out a variety of roles including several which were covered by the UK's Official Secrets Act, Andrew became the victim / beneficiary of a widespread redundancy programme. Freed once again from the straight jacket of corporate life, he took the opportunity to answer the question, what if ... ? Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. In this episode, you’ll discover: How to co-write with your brother When to pursue an agent vs. self-publish Why to market a persona during conferences and events The benefits of a pen name Why remote teamwork can be effective Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Andrew Child - https://andrewgrantbooks.com/ Better Off Dead - https://mybook.to/BetterOff Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.