Episode 42: Jenn Hanson-dePaula, Book Marketing Consultant
How do new authors find their ideal readers? Jenn Hanson-dePaula guides you through the steps of elevating your book promo! Tune in to hear her take on what marketing is and isn’t, tips for building your social media platform (including valuable advice on what to post), and why you should have a newsletter.
Writers Conference Recovery
There are plenty of articles online writers conference preparation—what to pack, what to wear, how to behave, and how to get the most out of your experience. But what about after the conference is over?
Episode 41: Jarrett J. Krosoczka, NYT Bestselling Author/Illustrator
NYT bestselling author/illustrator Jarrett Krosoczka shares the challenges and gratifications of reaching across different age categories and the importance of illustrations in storytelling. Listen to hear his tips on writing within established franchises (like Star Wars), how to pivot a picture book idea into a graphic novel series, and memoir writing.
How Long Should a Book Be?
Writers have a love-hate relationship with word count. It’s one of the necessary evils we deal with to determine if a manuscript meets an acceptable published length. So how long should a book be? Here’s a guide to help you answer.
Writing For The Reader: How To Know Who Your Memoir is For
What happens when you’ve written a memoir but find that your words aren’t resonating with readers the way you thought they would? And upon that realization, what do you do or change to bridge the gap?
Our Editors’ Favorite Books of 2023
We asked the editors over at Good Story Editing for their favorite books of 2023. Hear their answers and add some books to your 2024 TBR!
Organize Your TBR: Writer's Edition
Getting your reading life together is particularly important for writers, because reading widely and voraciously is one of the best ways to learn your craft. But there are so many books! How do you prioritize what to read?
Changing Literary Agents
One of the most difficult experiences for an author is changing literary agents. Sometimes, as much as many hate to admit it, seeking out new representation becomes necessary. If a relationship between an author and their agent isn’t productive, it can often be worse than having no agent at all.
Episode 13: Wendelin Van Draanen, MG and YA Author
An uplifting conversation with author Wendelin Van Draanen, where we discuss the therapeutic nature of writing and the silver lining in a difficult path to publication.
Writing Under a Pseudonym
Many authors write under a pseudonym, also known as a pen name. If you think writing under an alias is in your future, here are some criteria to help you decide. I’ve also got some tips on how best to come up with one.
Marketing Your Book With Emily Enger
Book Marketer and PR Coach Emily Enger joins Mary to talk about some of the aspects of the writing process that might leave a yucky taste in our mouths. Tune in for actionable tips and insights into a publicist and marketer's side of the publishing world.
Lead Magnet for Unpublished Writer
What's a lead magnet, and how can it help you establish your career as an author? Get valuable insights on creating an effective lead magnet, building your email marketing list and engaging potential readers.
Publishing Credits
If you're a non-fiction or memoir writer, here's essential advice on how to map out your path to a book deal.
Marketing To Libraries
If you’ve written a book, you’re probably considering marketing to libraries—especially if you’re a self-published author. As such, you’re the direct link between your work and the rest of the world—no fancy marketing departments to help you out.
So how do you approach marketing to libraries?
Episode 25: Leslie C. Youngblood, Author
Leslie C. Youngblood shares her journey through her MFA program, gives tips on crafting interesting character relationships, and weighs in on one of the hottest questions for authors today: traditional or self-publishing?
Books to Read: A Fresh TBR with Good Story Book Club
If you’re a book nerd like us, you’re always on the lookout for books to read. Doesn’t matter that the TBR stack is out of control. To stay up to date on fresh new reads, we invite you to join our Good Story Book Club!
Episode 19: Chuck Sambuchino, Freelance Editor and Publishing Expert
Insights from industry veteran Chuck Sambuchino on how to become a well-informed writer, build a platform, and get published.
Communicating with Literary Agents
Communicating with literary agents is an important part of the querying process. Here are some communication do's and don'ts that'll give you the best shot at receiving a response to your query.
Episode 27: Roz Morris, Ghostwriter and Writing Coach
Roz Morris and Mary dive into the mechanics of storytelling and discuss how to connect with your audience—whether you're writing someone else's story or you're telling your own.
Episode 22: Kelly Madrone, Award-Winning Writer and Ghostwriter
Ghostwriter Kelly Madrone joins us to talk about writing as someone else, modulating a professional potty mouth, and creating a story arc in memoir.