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

Bestseller Ann Charles knows how useful it can be to set your story in places from your life. Having spent many long summers in the old mining town of Deadwood, South Dakota in her youth, her childhood memories of riding dirt bikes through old trails, hanging out at the library, and talking to locals made it easy to bring the town to life in her Deadwood series. Alongside the massively popular series, on which a TV show and movie were based, Ann is well-known for her Jackrabbit Junction and Deadwood Undertaker series, all three of which feature her knack for writing mysterious Westerns. Her latest publication, Catawampus Christmas Carol, is available below. From Amazon.com: Ann Charles is a USA Today Best-Selling author who writes award-winning mysteries that are splashed with humor, romance, and whatever else sounds fun. Ann has a B.A. in English with an emphasis on creative writing from the University of Washington. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and Western Writers of America. She is currently toiling away on her next book, wishing she was on a Mexican beach with an ice-cold Corona in one hand and a book in the other. When she is not dabbling in fiction, she is arm wrestling with her two kids, attempting to seduce her husband, and arguing with her sassy cat. Most nights, you can find her hanging out over at www.anncharles.com, on Facebook as Ann Charles, or as AnnWCharles on Twitter. 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 Ann misses most from the Kindle Golden Age The power of experimenting as a writer The importance of outlining plot When to batch your writing projects Why historical pieces need to be accurate Links: Complete the listener survey by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on February 28, 2021 and win a chance for a private one-on-one consultation with J. D. Barker! - https://forms.gle/CZ6HBP5Kyy1pm2YZ9 J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Ann Charles - http://anncharles.com/ Deadwood by Ann Charles - http://anncharles.com/book_cat/deadwood/ Catawampus Christmas Carol by Ann Charles - https://mybook.to/Catawampus Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfict Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com The Career Author Summit 2021 - https://thecareerauthor.com/summit2021/ Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ *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.

Legendary concert promoter Danny Zelisko gained experience putting old memories to paper while writing his autobiography, ALL EXCE$$. By working with a ghost writer, orating stories to close friends, and diligently ordering everything chronologically, he was able to make his old stories super detailed and easy to follow. Danny has promoted over 12,000 shows over his 44 years in the business and has worked with music icons like The Beatles, The Grateful Dead, Axl Rose, and Carlos Santana, to name a few. To read about his experiences promoting during the Golden Age of concerts, purchase ALL EXCE$$ below. From Amazon.com: ALL EXCESS: OCCUPATION - CONCERT PROMOTER is the story about growing up in a Chicago suburb in the 50s and 60s, with his large family. Thru good fortune to have met many of the sports stars in Chicago in that era, he then parlayed his ability to form bonds with some of the biggest athletes on Earth into becoming a concert promoter. Different uniforms, different types of events in almost every way, except one. Both sports and music events are basically the same because it's about putting butts in seats to enjoy their favourite team or singer or band . With a different type of show they each put on, no 2 games or concerts are ever the same - hitting the ball well or singing that big note in a song that sends the audience to their feet. Meanwhile, Danny thought this to be the best time to write about all the stars and building his business from scratch into a great career as a concert promoter, while sharing over 700 pictures from his vast memorabilia collection. ALL EXCE$$ takes you on a fun journey from growing up in Chicago to moving out west to discover gold as a concert promoter. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why Danny turned down an offer from Bill Graham How to work with a ghost writer Why to record phone calls with your friends How to write that first page Why you shouldn’t force yourself to write Links: Complete the listener survey by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on February 28, 2021 and win a chance for a private one-on-one consultation with J. D. Barker! - https://forms.gle/CZ6HBP5Kyy1pm2YZ9 J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Danny Zelisko - https://www.dannyzeliskopresents.com/ ALL EXCE$$ by Danny Zelisko - https://mybook.to/AllExcess Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfict Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com The Career Author Summit 2021 - https://thecareerauthor.com/summit2021/ Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, J, J.D., and Zach talk about setting parameters for writing excellence using Story Rubric and Nonfic Rubric. 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: An update on Audiblegate Why Story Rubric is completely open-sourced How the rubric differs from the Three Story Method How to use Story Rubric to edit your own manuscript The importance of unifying language among authors Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfict 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.

Lisa Gardner is no stranger to taking calculated risks as a writer. From leaving high-paying jobs to constantly letting go of agents and switching publishers, she has always lived by the phrase: “If you really want to write, you’re going to write." Lisa is a #1 New York Times bestselling thriller author who has sold millions of books worldwide. Among many outstanding works, she is well known for her debut novel, The Perfect Husband, a twisted story of love and suspense. Her latest publication, Before She Disappeared, is available tomorrow. From Amazon.com: New York Times #1 bestselling crime novelist Lisa Gardner began her career in food service, but after catching her hair on fire numerous times, she took the hint and focused on writing instead. A self-described research junkie, she has parlayed her interest in police procedure, criminal minds and twisted plots into a streak of bestselling suspense novels. Her 2010 novel, THE NEIGHBOR, won Best Thriller from the International Thriller Writers. Most recently, she was honored with the Silver Bullet Award for her work with at-risk kids and homeless animals. Lisa loves to hike, travel the world, and yes, read, read, read! 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 kill a friend and maim a buddy -Why Lisa gets inspired by true stories -Why writing is a personality, not an art -The differences between calculated risks and impulsiveness -How to find your unique writing process Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Lisa Gardner - https://www.lisagardner.com/ The Perfect Husband by Lisa Gardner - https://mybook.to/PerfectHusband Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner - https://mybook.to/SheDisappeared 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.

As a mother of small children and a vivid lucid dreamer, H.M. Gooden needs to wake up early. Regardless, she knows early writing can be beneficial to many because morning-writers tend to self-edit less, their dreams and ideas are still fresh, and they can easily dictate while brewing coffee or making a commute. H.M. published her first book, Dream of Darkness, in 2017 and has published almost twenty more stories since. Her upcoming novel, A Destiny Found, releases later this month. From Amazon.com: In October of 2017, her love of writing and the characters in the world she created burst into public view in her first book, Dream of Darkness, which follows the adventures of a group of girls fighting evil with abilities that H. M. Gooden would love to have. When not writing fantasy, H. M. Gooden writes non-fiction pieces exploring the emotions and situations that arise in her day job as a rural family doc. As a result, 4 am has never been busier, but she wouldn't have it any other way. 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 H.M. uses recurring dreams in her stories Why urban fantasy is becoming so popular How to define what genre you’re in The importance of learning from your readers How dictating can help flesh out ideas Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ H.M. Gooden - https://www.hmgoodenauthor.com/ Dream of Darkness by H.M. Gooden - https://mybook.to/DreamDarkness A Destiny Found by H.M. Gooden - https://mybook.to/DestinyFound 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.

ThrillerFest Co-Executive Director Jeff Ayers is dedicated to exposing authors to useful but commonly avoided marketing techniques. Through ThrillerFest, Jeff and others like him teach underappreciated skills like pitching a book to an agent, writing a query letter, and reflecting on edits and feedback. Jeff is an accomplished author who has published both fiction and non-fiction works. He is well known for his Star Trek companion, Voyages of Imagination, writing book reviews under The Associated Press, and for his contributions to the International Thriller Writers. To contact Jeff, write to jeffayersauthor@gmail.com. Guest Bio: Jeff Ayers is the author of several works of fiction and non-fiction, including Voyages of Imagination: The Star Trek Fiction Companion, in which he covered over 550 novels and interviewed 350 authors to cover the history of the Star Trek publishing landscape. He wrote the upcoming Sigma Guide for author James Rollins and his agent is currently shopping to various publishers a mystery, a conspiracy thriller, and a non-fiction project. He is a freelance book reviewer for The Associated Press, a retired public research librarian, and the Co-Executive Director of Thrillerfest for the International Thriller Writers. He co-hosts a podcast with John Raab of Suspense Magazine called Beyond the Cover, and earlier this month produced the Night of a Thousand Authors for the Atria Mystery Bus. 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 Jeff became an author Why you need to know how to pitch a story Other marketing tips that most writers forget about How to learn new skills through the ITW If ThrillerFest will happen in 2021 Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Runes, Ravens, & Revenants (J.’s 2021 short story experiment). Offer expires on January 8, 2021 - https://jthorn.net/2021shortstories/ Jeff Ayers - jeffayersauthor@gmail.com Voyages of Imagination: The Star Trek Fiction Companion by Jeff Ayers - https://mybook.to/voyages ThrillerFest - https://thrillerfest.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 episode, Zach returns alongside J and J.D. to recap 2020 and discuss how such a chaotic year has affected the writing industry. 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 things won’t go back to normal in 2021 Why authors have been less impacted by COVID-19 How COVID has changed the traditional publishing process What would happen if Facebook ads disappeared How AI could challenge human creativity Why “mainstream” might become irrelevant 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.

Author and attorney Jonathan Kirsch is a master of many trades. As a columnist for the Los Angeles Times and bestseller of many biographies and historical pieces, he utilizes a disciplined writing routine to create the best stories possible. When he isn’t writing, Jonathan works as an attorney and member of the Independent Book Publishers Association. With over thirty years of experience in the field, he understands the importance of an LLC to an independent author better than anyone else and offers a wealth of meaningful business advice during this episode. To learn more about Kirsch, follow the links below. From JonathanKirsch.com: Jonathan Kirsch’s latest book is The Short, Strange Life of Herschel Grynszpan: A Boy Avenger, a Nazi Diplomat and a Murder in Paris (W. W. Norton/Liveright). “A lively and suspenseful tale,” according to Publishers Weekly. “Kirsch has eloquently provided a dramatic real-life mystery with broad appeal,” writes Mark Levine in Booklist. “It’s a remarkable story Kirsch tells here, deeply researched and compelling drawn,” writes Scott Martelle in the Washington Post. And Michael Berenbaum writes in The Jewish Journal: “Kirsch tells a powerful story with the skill of a novelist and the precision of a historian.” 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 to force yourself to write 200 words a day When to consider making an LLC How an LLC protects personal assets Why you need to keep track of business expenses Why you should license your work to yourself Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Jonathan Kirsch - http://www.jonathankirsch.com/ Law Offices of Jonathan Kirsch - http://www.jonathankirsch.com/law.html The Short, Strange Life of Herschel Grynszpan by Jonathan Kirsch - https://mybook.to/herschel Speak Up For Small Business! - https://www.facebook.com/business/apple-ios-14-speak-up-for-small-business 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.

Solopreneur Eddie Generous has no problem finding success on his own. Using discipline, self-motivation, and market sense, he has grown substantially as a publisher, podcaster, and author. Eddie is the creator of Unnerving Magazine, which filters through hundreds of open submissions to bring the best spine-chilling horror back to the masses. He also runs a podcast bearing the same name and has published multiple books, including Savage Beasts of the Arctic Circle and Plantation Pan. His latest publication, Dusk, is available below. From Amazon.com: Eddie Generous is an author of Savage Beasts of the Arctic Circle, RAWR, Trouble at Camp Still Waters, Great Big Teeth, and Radio Run (all from Severed Press), Plantation Pan (from Omnium Gatherum), and several collections. He is the founder/editor/publisher/artist behind Unnerving and Unnerving Magazine, and the host of the Unnerving Podcast. He lives on the Pacific Coast of Canada with his wife and their cat overlords. 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 Eddie persisted through countless early failures How to start a magazine Why “quiet horror” needs to go Why short stories sell less these days The importance of a story’s first sentence Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Eddie Generous - https://www.jiffypopandhorror.com/ Unnerving Magazine - https://www.unnervingbooks.com/ Dusk by Eddie Generous - https://mybook.to/dusk/ 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.

Kathleen Sweeney has helped authors create professional covers and ads on BookBrush for the past two years. One of the most innovative new author tools, BookBrush features easy-to-design standard covers, instant mockups, box set covers, 3D covers, and even animated covers. As the Customer Service Manager and Marketing Lead at BookBrush, Kathleen hosts frequent information sessions and works closely with authors to help them create the best cover or ad possible. To learn more about BookBrush or Kathleen, visit bookbrush.com. From BookBrush.com: Kathleen loves creating images. She brings over 17 years of client service experience, business assurance, strategy and problem solving to Book Brush. She is happy to help! 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 BookBrush was created Why Kathleen decided to join the team Why BookBrush is so effective and easy-to-use How to animate your cover design The importance of the “20%” advertisement rule Why your ad needs bold colors Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Kathleen Sweeney - kathleensweeney@authorreachmedia.com BookBrush - https://bookbrush.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.