Wish I'd Known Then . . . For Writers

Episode 013 / This week Kait Nolan joins Sara and Jami to talk about getting through burnout and writing during stressful times--whether that stress is coming from your own personal situation or world events.  In the intro Jami talks about a writing project she’s working on to send to her list called Love, Quarantine and other Inconveniences. (#greattitle). Sara has a new release coming up, Duplicity, and she’s using the same tactic of serializing a sneak preview for her newsletter readers.  In real-life lockdown news, Jami is watching Tiger King and Family Feud, while Sara talks about her wildflower isolation walks and the exciting thrill-a-minute sport of marble racing.   You can find show notes and links at wishidknownforwriters.com. In this podcast episode, you’ll discover: Tips for marketing a series--grouping books and banking books for a rapid release How expectations about productivity and major upsets in her personal life lead to burnout Why burnout is becoming more common in the writing community  How Kait sets goals to write a certain number of days per month instead of a certain number of words per day Building in some grace into our schedules and adjusting our expectation The tyranny of the “shoulds” Recommendations for writing during trying times How a “just for fun” project can help you when the world is crazy Send us a textSupport the show🚀 Jami’s Launch Plan https://www.jamialbright.com/authorservices❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/ 📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcastResources from the Author and Reader Community to Help Ukrainians https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E9QQhmcpa_dlxQY-GEqBiIbIZk-_J1MgQX_BxLI3F84/edit?usp=sharing

Episode 012 / Martha Carr joines Jami and Sara to chat about defining success and how she’s learned to enjoy where she is right now. She also gives some practical tips on craft, including how to make your story compelling and worldbuilding mistakes to avoid. You can find show notes and links at wishidknownforwriters.com. Jami and Sara are under a local Stay-at-Home order and have no idea what day it is. Sara’s routine hasn’t changed that much and she’s happy she was able to get the draft of her new book completed during this crazy time. She also created a series of videos on how to use Ingram Spark for the Self Publishing 101 course. If you already have the course, you can log in and find the sessions in the Tech Vault. If you’re interested in buying or signing up for the waitlist for the course, there’s a link below. Jami news was a bright spot in a week of bleak news--she has a new grandson! The baby arrived a few weeks early and during the middle of a pandemic. Everyone is healthy and back home now!  In this podcast episode, you’ll discover: How Martha transitioned from being a stockbroker to writing, first in newspapers then in fiction Martha’s experience being traditionally published Why character development is key How setting can become a character as well How Martha plays to her strengths when it comes to marketing How humor can be used in any genre and how it’s can be used for pacing   Work/life balance: how Martha came to a place where she learned she didn’t want to work harder to make more income How comparison can steal our joy Setting reasonable goals Tips on running literary universes Send us a textSupport the show🚀 Jami’s Launch Plan https://www.jamialbright.com/authorservices❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/ 📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcastResources from the Author and Reader Community to Help Ukrainians https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E9QQhmcpa_dlxQY-GEqBiIbIZk-_J1MgQX_BxLI3F84/edit?usp=sharing

Episode 11 / With so many tips, ideas, and tactics in the author-sphere, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. In this episode that was recorded several weeks ago, Jami Albright and Sara Rosett tackle the subject of how to filter advice and give tips on ways to figure out which shiny new ideas will work for you and which ones you should consider skipping. You can find show notes and links at wishidknownforwriters.com. In the intro, they discuss how Jami’s plotted the rest of her book with sticky notes. Then they chat about Sara’s nonfiction book How to Write a Series, which has tips on how to structure a series, what to do when you’re bored with a series, and when to end a series. In this podcast episode, you’ll discover: Why Jami and Sara consider who is giving the advice as well as what point that person is in their author career Why genre and personality are important aspects to consider when making decisions How changes in the publishing industry can be a good thing Mindset issues with recovering books and how those mindset issues can hold us back The bias we have for new things:  the new book, the new series, etc Why trying to replicate the success of an outliner might not be possible How being afraid of making mistakes can hold us back Genres discussed include romance and mystery. Links:  Supercharge Your Story How to Write a Series Genres discussed include romance and mystery. Send us a textSupport the show🚀 Jami’s Launch Plan https://www.jamialbright.com/authorservices❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/ 📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcastResources from the Author and Reader Community to Help Ukrainians https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E9QQhmcpa_dlxQY-GEqBiIbIZk-_J1MgQX_BxLI3F84/edit?usp=sharing

Episode 010 / Sci-fi author, podcaster, teacher, and event organizer J. Thorn joins Jami and Sara this week to discuss creative ways to diversity your author income, podcasting, and what he wishes he’d known about co-writing.  How things have changed in the space of one week! In the intro Jami and Sara talk about the changes social distancing has brought in their lives and how they’re coping with the stress and anxiety of these trying times. They hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. You can find show notes and links at https://www.wishidknownforwriters.com. In this podcast episode, you’ll discover: How J. came to creative writing after teaching J.’s transition to full-time writing What he wishes he’d known about creative writing The difference between developmental editing and proofreading J.’s dislike of running paid ads and how he runs his business so that he doesn't have to use them Why podcasting is better for lead-generation than revenue generation Why it’s not too late to get into podcasting The downside of completely original ideas How being a musician influences J.’s co-writing projects J.’s long-running collaboration with Zach Bohannon and what J. wishes he’d known about co-writing  How J., a self-identifying introvert, runs writing events  The most difficult aspects of planning author events J.’s mistake of quitting his full time job without a financial safety net, and how that turned out to be a goSend us a textSupport the show🚀 Jami’s Launch Plan https://www.jamialbright.com/authorservices❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/ 📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcastResources from the Author and Reader Community to Help Ukrainians https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E9QQhmcpa_dlxQY-GEqBiIbIZk-_J1MgQX_BxLI3F84/edit?usp=sharing

Episode 009 / Kirsten Oliphant writes clean romance--and lots of other sub-genres. She joins Jami Albright and Sara Rosett to talk about the genre of clean romance as well as sustainability and “pantsing” books. They also tackle the pros and cons of author success stories. You can find show notes and links at wishidknownforwriters.com. In the intro, Jami shared that she’s closing in on her deadline and  her book is going to the developmental editor in a few days. Sara’s back from London, where things didn’t go as planned. London Book Fair was cancelled, and she had to return to the US early, which meant she missed the SPF-Live event. The upside was that Sara had plenty of time to see London, had several afternoon teas, and met up with other mystery writers. In this podcast episode, you’ll discover: How Kirsten fell in love with the subgenre of billionaire romance while writing a parody of it What audience expectations are in sweet/clean romance The mistake of reading only traditionally published books in for genre research How Kirsten is able to “pants” a book and write instinctively without an outline  What Kirsten wishes she’d known about how successful marketing tactics vary between genres  Finding balance--or tension--in your writing life The two questions Kirsten uses to decide if something is a good use of her time How to listen to success stories--the benefits and drawbacks of sharing Collaboration  Rebranding a book  What changes Kirsten has seen in the clean romance genre ThingsSend us a textSupport the show🚀 Jami’s Launch Plan https://www.jamialbright.com/authorservices❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/ 📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcastResources from the Author and Reader Community to Help Ukrainians https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E9QQhmcpa_dlxQY-GEqBiIbIZk-_J1MgQX_BxLI3F84/edit?usp=sharing

Episode 008 / Renaissance man of the author world David Gaughran decodes Amazon and breaks down Bookbub ads for authors in addition to writing historical fiction and science fiction. He joins Jami Albright and Sara Rosett to discuss how his mistakes have shaped his decision to reboot his fiction and nonfiction books.  You can find show notes and links at wishidknownforwriters.com. Jami and Sara are in the podcast timewarp because they recorded the episode intro early since Sara will be in London (hopefully) when it airs. Jami’s making progress on her work-in-progress, and Sara was interviewed on Nathan van Coops’ podcast, Book Faces Live. They also talk about how the coronavirus is impacting travel and how it has brought fist bumps and elbow bumps into vogue. Jami mentions The Daily podcast’s recent episode on the topic. In this podcast episode, you’ll discover: David’s Irish storytelling heritage and how conversation in the pub is a combat sport in Ireland His first mistake of writing “all over the map” in different genres while using the same author name The one thing that he wishes he could change David’s first big success and how he became an accidental nonfiction author Unlearning assumptions related to writing pretty sentences and the value of a good story that resonates with readers How Kindle Highlights can give you an insight to what readers value most WSend us a textSupport the show🚀 Jami’s Launch Plan https://www.jamialbright.com/authorservices❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/ 📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcastResources from the Author and Reader Community to Help Ukrainians https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E9QQhmcpa_dlxQY-GEqBiIbIZk-_J1MgQX_BxLI3F84/edit?usp=sharing

Episode 007 / Romantic comedy author Pippa Grant joins Jami Albright and Sara Rosett to chat about starting over with a new pen name  as well as collaboration with other authors on a series. You can find show notes and links at wishidknownforwriters.com. The alternate title for this episode is “Fun Places and Unusual Places to Record Your Podcast” because Jami had to record the episode from her car in the Starbuck's parking lot. (We're creating a new hashtag for just these sorts of things: #JamiStory.) Sara’s prepping for a trip to London for SPF-Live, a writer’s conference, and the London Book Fair. She plans to visit as many stately homes/country estates/tea rooms as possible. #research #authorlife  Jami’s feeling rejuvenated. She’s back from a writing retreat where she accomplished a lot and got to hang out with 20 writers. In this podcast episode, you’ll discover: When it’s smart to use a pen names and how starting over with a new pen name gives you freedom  Pippa’s favorite mistake and what she learned about worldbuilding, including why--even in romance--the villain has to have a comeuppance  The importance of emphasizing the parts of a book that will appeal to readers when running ads How Pippa pivoted and created a new pen name after studying the bestseller charts and analyzing what tropes readers wanted Writing fearlessly and how Pippa shuts off the critical voice The mistake of chasing the wrong goal Psychology of fandom Pippa’s collaboration with three authors to create the Bluewater Billionaire series, including the nitty gritty details of plotting and planning the series How the group marketed through hashtags to encourage readers to share their stSend us a textSupport the show🚀 Jami’s Launch Plan https://www.jamialbright.com/authorservices❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/ 📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcastResources from the Author and Reader Community to Help Ukrainians https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E9QQhmcpa_dlxQY-GEqBiIbIZk-_J1MgQX_BxLI3F84/edit?usp=sharing

Episode 006 / Dani Sanchez, owner of Wildfire Marketing Solutions, joins Jami Albright and Sara Rosett this week to talk about common mistakes authors make in publicity and marketing as well as publishing trends. You can find show notes and links at wishidknownforwriters.com. Jami and Sara chat about Sara’s WIP. She’s fixing tiny details that make up the clues and red herrings. It’s slow-going, but has to be done in mystery fiction. Jami talks about giving herself some grace and working on ads. A big thank you for all the positive feedback, nice comments, and reviews on the podcast. It’s much appreciated!   In this podcast episode, you’ll discover: How Dani focuses on individual goals for each author and helps authors create strategies that will grow their businesses What she wishes authors knew about marketing and public relations The difference between a promotion company and a PR/marketing company What Dani wishes she’d known about working in the publishing industry What she sees authors doing that isn’t getting them results Common mistakes she sees authors make in their marketing Dani’s advice to help authors protect their brand Commonalities she’s seen in successful authors over the long-haul Best practices for working with book bloggers and bookstgramers  Possible upcoming romance trends, including mafia, small town, and sports romance How pop culture trends influence book trends How combinations of different genres (such as romance and psychological thriller in the case of Send us a textSupport the show🚀 Jami’s Launch Plan https://www.jamialbright.com/authorservices❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/ 📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcastResources from the Author and Reader Community to Help Ukrainians https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E9QQhmcpa_dlxQY-GEqBiIbIZk-_J1MgQX_BxLI3F84/edit?usp=sharing

Historical romance author Cecelia Mecca joins Jami Albright and Sara Rosett. Cecelia shares what she learned when she changed genres and how she now reverse engineers her books before she writes them. Jami, Sara, and Cecelia discuss: How Cecelia transitioned from being an English teacher and a teacher of teachers to writing fiction full-time Her mistake involving releasing her prequel novella on Super Bowl Sunday The challenge of replicating success Ceclia’s love of plotting books and how she wishes she’d read more craft books before writing her first novel How important packaging is for your book (cover, title, blurb, trope) and reverse engineering your novel, including considering how to marry what her muse wants her to write with considerations about cover and marketing Tips for using free marketing strategies including Facebook Live and Facebook groups (types and timing of posts) How to get to know your readers An incredibly simple, yet effective tip on how to to be successful on social media Assumptions involving transferring from one genre to another  How Cecelia wishes she’d taken a closer look at the market for vampire books, but then discusses how much she learned from not doing that and how she now reverse engineers her books The benefits of focusing narrowly on social media How not using a pen name can be a mistake and lead to confused also-boughts on the ebook stores Learning not to be so hard on yourself when things don’t as you expect Strategies to reach new readers including being a hybrid author and using print, including hardbacks and large print Importance of friendships in a writing career and how attending conferences can help you connect with other authors in your genre Links/Mentioned: Cecelia’s website http://ceceliamecca.com Launching Indie Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/263060221047105/ Romancing the Beat https://books2read.com/u/mBgGGD Rock Your Plot https://books2read.com/u/mYp77P Book Faces Live podcast https://nathanvancoops.podbean.com/e/cecelia-and-nathan-compare-favorite-plotting-methods-and-their-strategies-for-structure/ Podcast deliberate actions for success in Facebook gSend us a textSupport the show🚀 Jami’s Launch Plan https://www.jamialbright.com/authorservices❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/ 📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcastResources from the Author and Reader Community to Help Ukrainians https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E9QQhmcpa_dlxQY-GEqBiIbIZk-_J1MgQX_BxLI3F84/edit?usp=sharing

Alternate history and time travel author Nathan Van Coops was a trooper and joined Jami Albight and Sara Rosett despite having a cold. They delve into the joys of being a part-time writer and creating the lifestyle you want as well as tips on mistakes involving doing a royalty share for a Book One and trying to juggle too many things. And, last, they laugh about Jami's lunch choices and geek out about plotting books. There's a bit of lag in the opening when Sara's talking about the sequel to Knives Out and how Benoit Blanc is a perfect flat-arc character and provides an ideal set-up for a long-running episodic series.  The flu hit Jami's family and interrupted her writing week, but everyone is better and she'd back at the keyboard now. Nathan, Jami, and Sara discuss: -Tackling the thorny details of time travel and how dealing with the specifics appealed to fans of the genre -How Nathan carved a new entrepreneurial path and created a lifestyle that blends art and aviation -Living the life you want, which for Nathan means being able to wear flip flops to work -Influence of children’s adventure book, The Neverending Story -Advantages of being a part-time author: a financial safety net, reduced mental strain, and creative freedom -Risk evaluation for indie authors -How not all jobs are “soul-sucking” and you can love traditional employment and be a writer at the same time -Writing a book in snatches of 15 to 20 minutes -Why doing a royalty share on a Book One was a mistake -Why trying to juggle too many things is a mistake -Mindset and how to keep a healthy attitude -The benefits of preorders -Changes in the publishing industry, including pricing higher and how that can help you find new readers -How understanding his love of adventures stories helps Nathan write satisfying books for his readers -How finding your overarching brand draws readers to you as an author -Sara and Nathan geek out about plotting and plotting resources Genres discussed include time travel, alternate history, romance and mystery. Links: Nathan’s website https://www.nathanvancoops.com Nathan’s Book Faces Live group https://www.facebook.com/groups/148998479097782/ Book Faces Live podcast rss https://nathanvancoops.podbean.com/feed.xml The Neverending Story https://books2read.com/u/3G2268Send us a textSupport the show🚀 Jami’s Launch Plan https://www.jamialbright.com/authorservices❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/ 📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcastResources from the Author and Reader Community to Help Ukrainians https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E9QQhmcpa_dlxQY-GEqBiIbIZk-_J1MgQX_BxLI3F84/edit?usp=sharing