Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Mark interviews Sinead McElhinney, PR Coordinator on the Communications team from Rakuten Kobo in Toronto, Ontario about some interesting reading data that Kobo released near the end of 2017. They discuss the analysis of reading data, understanding core eBook readers better, as well as some of Sinead's favorite things about her role in the book industry. During the chat, they discuss: Where she started and how she got her start at Kobo Her role in marketing and the on-brand customer/reader experience The double-edged sword of social media The difference between using social media for personal use and for a corporation that needs to keep its target demographics in mind Details about the top "actually read" books from the previous year and the data dissection performed on this reading data Just because something is a bestseller doesn't mean that it is a book that has been read through to completion. IE, looking at books that were actually finished can be meaningful data The binge-reading that Sinead does the same way some others might engage in binge-watching a show via Netflix Some common themes in the most popularly read books The dynamic engagement with both writers and readers that Sinead participated in when visiting the Romantic Time (RT) Booklovers conference in Atlanta in May 2017 The diversity within the many different types of romance readers that Sinead discovered at RT Booklovers The launch of audiobooks at Kobo in late summer of 2017 and some of the things they learned about the types of books people prefer reading in eBook format versus listening to The integration of OverDrive library borrowing in the Kobo Aura ONE After the interview, Mark reflects on the evolution of storytelling and how, in oral storytelling, the creator could receive immediate and instant audience feedback that might help them to adjust their story's tone, pacing and other elements on the fly. He touches upon how story, as a written medium in print format, completely divorces that connection when the act of reading becomes a solitary pursuit, but that digital reading brings back an intriguing degree of those elements that writers and publishers could likely benefit if analyzed effectively. He shares his own experience telling ghost stories to live audiences and how, as a storyteller, he can easily adapt the tales based on audience reaction. He discusses the interesting metrics that a platform such as Wattpad.com offers to writers about the demographics of their readers and other reading stats. He also talks about the "real time" blog story I, DEATH that his novel was based upon allowed him the luxury of adapting the story as it was being rolled out based on reader reaction. And, finally, he suggests that platforms like Kindle and Kobo wield a fascinating opportunity related to the type of in depth reading data that Sinead was talking about that can significantly benefit writers and publishers. Links of Interest: Kobo PR - http://news.kobo.com/ Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Mark and Sinead on the KWL Podcast at RT (Romantic Times) – Episode 84 "How to be alone, but not lonely" - An article Sinead wrote about unplugging for a weekend in a style that Henry David Thoreau would certainly appreciate. Related Articles on Reading Data From EBooks: What Canadians Read in 2017 (Most Read and Longest Reading Session Titles) Behind the Digital Screens: Reading habits of the industry's most valuable customers Kobo Writing Life Titles Top Best-Selling and Best-Read lists The Guardian: Ebooks can tell which novels you didn't finish Sinead McElhinney is the Public Relations Specialist at Rakuten Kobo Inc in Toronto, Ontario, where, among other things, she manages Kobo's PR agencies in Canada, the United States, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Italy and Australia. She believes in uniting professionalism and personality and is committed to the notion that the right story has the ability to spark meaningful change. This podcast was sponsored by Findaway Voices – a company that gives authors and publishers everything they need to create professionally-narrated audiobooks and reach listeners in more than 170 countries through the world's largest audiobook distribution network

Mark interviews Joanna Penn of www.thecreativepenn.com about her latest book The Healthy Writer: Reduce Your Pain, Improve Your Health, And Build A Writing Career For The Long Term (co-authored with Dr. Euan Lawson) and they also have a discussion about trends in publishing and speculation about the opportunities that might be coming for writers. In his introduction to the episode, Mark announces that Findaway Voices is now an official sponsor. He shares his own experience with using Findaway Voices to create audiobooks and also his plans for some forthcoming projects. In Mark's interview with Joanna, they talk about: The new book Joanna has co-written with Dr. Euan Lawson (The Healthy Writer) as a book she has written because it was something she needed to learn The "letter to sugar" that Joanna shares in the new book and how it was affecting both her physical and mental health How the decision to co-author this title came about (measuring the value that each brings to the project) and how Joanna and Euan worked on it together How Joanna balances her three different personas (JF Penn, dark fantasy/thriller author; Joanna Penn, the optimistic writing and publishing personality, and Penny Appleton, the co-authored books she is writing with her mother) The critical importance of scheduling one's time into blocks of activities, including "time off" from particular types of activities The role that personal connections can play in terms of building and sustaining a sense of community for a writer How Joanna incorporates business related travel and decisions on which events to agree to speak at for helping with research for her fiction projects The state of "burn-out" Joanna had reached almost two years ago and what inspired her to double-down on her own podcast instead of letting it go A strategy for how writers and entrepreneurs can approach out-sourcing some of the work they need to do for their own goals and objectives What has changed in the writing and publishing industry since Joanna started as a blogger and a podcaster almost ten years ago The thing that surprised Joanna the most about what happened in publishing in the past year The challenges that come with being an early adopter in the digital publishing space The potential forthcoming shifts that are likely to be coming within the book industry within the next few years and what it means to authors The story structure, drama, character development and masterfully storytelling from particular movies and television program like The Crown, which are also areas of opportunity for writers What the advent of self-driving cars might mean for content creation and distribution In his post interview wrap-up, Mark shares a short section from The Healthy Writer that has resonated with him, discusses the importance of optimism in a writer's life, and then shares his own plans to train for a half-marathon later this year and how that ties back to an inspirational talk that Joanna gave in a backlist episode from her own The Creative Penn Podcast about a 100 Kilometer ultra marathon that she completed and what that taught her about her own writing. This podcast was sponsored by Findaway Voices – a company that gives authors and publishers everything they need to create professionally-narrated audiobooks and reach listeners in more than 170 countries through the world's largest audiobook distribution network Links of interest: The Creative Penn (Joanna Penn's website) Joanna Penn on Twitter Euan Lawson (Doctor and writer) Euan Lawson on Twitter The Healthy Writer Joanna's 9 Lessons Learned about Writing (from the KWL Blog – Episode 74) Findaway Voices

The start of a new year is always a time for reflection. It's often a look back at the previous year and the goals accomplished during that period. And it usually also involves setting some goals or targets for the year ahead. In this episode, Mark Leslie Lefebvre shares three of the goals that he set for 2017 which he didn't complete. He walks through each of them and demonstrates not only where he missed the goal as well as how he could choose to beat himself up over not achieving his goals, or instead look at what he did manage to accomplish and how that has moved him forward. He also shares the meager earnings associated with a couple of these goals and explains why he feels it is important to share that information. When discussing audiobooks for indie authors, Mark reveals an unexpected source for his recent audiobook income, reminding authors of the importance of publishing widely to as broad a retail base as possible. He also looks at the trend of collaboration in publishing, calls out a few specific elements he has been interested in following (Authors on a Train - and BundleRabbit), and his vision for the continued future of collaboration through digital publishing. Links of Interest The Writing Show - Getting Published with Mark Leslie Public Lending Rights Program (Canada) Authors on a Train - J. Thorn & Zach Bohannon Bundlerabbit.com Mark Leslie's Author Website

Access to publishing has never been easier; and it's an amazing time to be a writer. But it may also be harder and more confusing than it ever has been. You currently have more choices, more options than ever in the history of publishing. What paths are right for you and for your goals? Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing is a weekly podcast starting in January 2018. Drawing upon more than a quarter century of experience as a bookseller, a writer, an editor and a respected and trusted book industry representative, I'm going to speak with folks from both the traditional publishing and indie-publishing communities, and share my own personal experiences and reflections on what I'm continuing to learn as a writer and industry consultant. I hope you'll consider me as an informative and inspirational companion on your writing journey.