The Career Author Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Sticking with a Series Until the End Jun 18, 2020

Show notes

Sticking with a Series Until the End

You’ve probably heard it all the time. If you want to make money selling books, you need to write a series. But planning a series isn’t the same as a standalone novel. And how do you prevent yourself from burning out halfway through a series? More than that, how do you keep readers engaged and what do you do if readers aren’t buying?

The Career Author Podcast is a podcast where co-authors J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon share their struggles and successes as full-time authors, advice for improving your writing craft, and honest discussions of what it takes to build a successful career as an author.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

The difference between writing a serialized series and a standalone series, and the pros and cons of each
Why you need to consider how to market your book before you write it
What questions you need to ask before plotting your series
Why knowing the end of your series is crucial
How good characters make sticking with a series easier
How to determine whether or not you should give up on your series

Also, Zach shares what made him finally move all his tasks and scheduling to Google Calendar.

Send us your ways and hacks - https://thecareerauthor.com/waysandhacks/

Leave us a comment: Do you struggle to finish a series? Why or why not?

Thanks to our Patrons.

Podcast sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://writinglife.kobobooks.com

Get exclusive bonus content by supporting The Career Author Podcast on Patreon at www.patreon.com/thecareerauthor

Want to work with us? Get the details at https://thecareerauthor.com/services/

Links:

The Career Author Podcast: Episode 68 - What Makes a Good Character Great? - https://thecareerauthor.com/ep068/

The Career Author Podcast: Episode 78 - Don’t start a series until you answer these 2 questions - https://thecareerauthor.com/ep078/

The Career Author YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/thecareerauthor

Three Story Method - https://books2read.com/threestorymethod

Three Story Method Workbook - https://amzn.to/37SAR1a

Molten Universe Media - http://www.moltenuniversemedia.com

Events - https://thecareerauthor.com/events/

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Publishing Industry Panel Jun 11, 2020

Show notes

The Publishing Industry Panel

In our fast-paced digital world, things are always changing. And the publishing industry isn’t immune to these changes. Join publishing experts and leaders from Kobo, Google Play, Draft2Digital, Reedsy, and Vellum as they explore the future of publishing in this unique and enthralling panel discussion.

Send us your ways and hacks - https://thecareerauthor.com/waysandhacks/

Leave us a comment: Which takeaway most resonated with you?

Thanks to our Patrons.

Podcast sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://writinglife.kobobooks.com

Get exclusive bonus content by supporting The Career Author Podcast on Patreon at www.patreon.com/thecareerauthor

Want to work with us? Get the details at https://thecareerauthor.com/services/

Links:

Supercharge Your Scene 5-Day Writing Challenge (free) - http://superchargeyourscene.com

The Career Author YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/thecareerauthor

Three Story Method - https://books2read.com/threestorymethod

Three Story Method Workbook - https://amzn.to/37SAR1a

Molten Universe Media - http://www.moltenuniversemedia.com

Events - https://thecareerauthor.com/events/

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

An Hour with Draft2Digital Jun 04, 2020

Show notes

An Hour with Draft2Digital

Dan Wood, Kevin Tumlinson, and Mark Lefebvre recently joined J., Zach, and the attendees of The Career Author Summit to answer questions and discuss some of the awesome tools available for authors at Draft2Digital. Please enjoy a replay of this informative and entertaining presentation.

Send us your ways and hacks - https://thecareerauthor.com/waysandhacks/

Leave us a comment: Which takeaway most resonated with you?

Thanks to our Patrons.

Podcast sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://writinglife.kobobooks.com

Get exclusive bonus content by supporting The Career Author Podcast on Patreon at www.patreon.com/thecareerauthor

Want to work with us? Get the details at https://thecareerauthor.com/services/

Links:

Supercharge Your Scene 5-Day Writing Challenge (free) - http://superchargeyourscene.com

The Career Author YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/thecareerauthor

Three Story Method - https://books2read.com/threestorymethod

Three Story Method Workbook - https://amzn.to/37SAR1a

Molten Universe Media - http://www.moltenuniversemedia.com

Events - https://thecareerauthor.com/events/

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

An Hour with Google Play Books May 28, 2020

Show notes

An Hour with Google Play Books

In the week leading up to The Career Author Summit, the awesome folks over at Google Play Books spent an hour with our attendees answering questions and discussing some of the cool new things they are working on with the platform. Please enjoy a replay of this informative presentation led by Sabrina, Amy, and Ryan from Google Play Books.

Send us your ways and hacks - https://thecareerauthor.com/waysandhacks/

Leave us a comment: Which takeaway from this Google Play Books talk most resonated with you?

Thanks to our Patrons.

Podcast sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://writinglife.kobobooks.com

Get exclusive bonus content by supporting The Career Author Podcast on Patreon at www.patreon.com/thecareerauthor

Want to work with us? Get the details at https://thecareerauthor.com/services/

Links:

Publish Your Books on Google Play Books - https://g.co/play/publish

Supercharge Your Scene 5-Day Writing Challenge (free) - http://superchargeyourscene.com

The Career Author YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/thecareerauthor

Three Story Method - https://books2read.com/threestorymethod

Three Story Method Workbook - https://amzn.to/37SAR1a

Molten Universe Media - http://www.moltenuniversemedia.com

Events - https://thecareerauthor.com/events/

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Career Author Summit Recap May 21, 2020

Show notes

The Career Author Summit Recap

After a fantastic weekend (and week-long) at The Career Author Summit, the guys are here to share a recap of the event as well as the most pertinent takeaways from all of the presentations.

J. and Zach also share some details about the forced pivot to a virtual event and how they’re thinking about the future of live events.

In this episode:

Making (More) Money as a Writer! with Honorée Corder
Career Author Alternatives: Unique Ways to Live as a Full Time Creative
The Future of Publishing: An Industry Panel
Myths & Legends of Amazon Advertising with Bryan Cohen
Mastering Amazon's A9 Algorithm and Your Book's Rankings in the Market with Dave Chesson
How Many P's Are There in Publishing Success? with Mark Leslie Lefebvre
You Are Not Broken with J. Thorn
Audio for Authors: Audiobooks, Podcasting and Voice Technologies with Joanna Penn
Find the Right Mentor to Fast Track Your Author Career with Tim Grahl
Can I do this? Revision Made Easy (Okay, Easier) with Rachael Herron
How to Write a Series That Keeps Readers Buying with Lindsay Buroker

Also in this episode, a preliminary look at 2021 events.

Send us your ways and hacks - https://thecareerauthor.com/waysandhacks/

Leave us a comment: Which takeaway most resonated with you?

Thanks to our Patrons.

Podcast sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://writinglife.kobobooks.com

Get exclusive bonus content by supporting The Career Author Podcast on Patreon at www.patreon.com/thecareerauthor

Want to work with us? Get the details at https://thecareerauthor.com/services/

Links:

Supercharge Your Scene 5-Day Writing Challenge (free) - http://superchargeyourscene.com

Honorée Corder - http://honoreecorder.com/

Bryan Cohen - http://bryancohen.com/

Dave Chesson - https://kindlepreneur.com/

Mark Leslie Lefebvre - http://markleslie.ca/

Joanna Penn - https://www.thecreativepenn.com/

Tim Grahl - https://booklaunch.com/

Rachael Herron - https://rachaelherron.com/

Lindsay Buroker - https://lindsayburoker.com/

The Career Author YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/thecareerauthor

Three Story Method -

Peer-to-Peer Feedback May 14, 2020

Show notes

Peer-to-Peer Feedback

Although we value our fellow authors, giving and receiving feedback with them can be fraught with problems. It can be difficult not to respond emotionally when a peer criticizes our creative work. And yet without feedback, we become stagnant and don’t grow.

J. and Zach discuss why feedback is important as well as the etiquette involved. After an introduction from a recent episode of the Tim Ferriss Podcast with guest Brian Koppleman, the career authors provide guidance on how to ask for feedback, how to give it, and how to receive it.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

Why Koppleman decided to give Tim Ferriss feedback on his blog
Why it’s okay to be upset when you get feedback you don’t like
How Olympians respond to feedback in public
How to ask for feedback to get what you want
How to give honest feedback without being cruel
How to gracefully receive feedback
When to discard feedback
When to ask for it again

Also in this episode, J. shares a relevant blog post from Seth Godin.

Send us your ways and hacks - https://thecareerauthor.com/waysandhacks/

Leave us a comment: How do you give and/or receive feedback?

Thanks to our Patrons.

Podcast sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://writinglife.kobobooks.com

Get exclusive bonus content by supporting The Career Author Podcast on Patreon at www.patreon.com/thecareerauthor

Want to work with us? Get the details at https://thecareerauthor.com/services/

Links:

Supercharge Your Scene 5-Day Writing Challenge (free) - http://superchargeyourscene.com

“A Dirty Little Secret About Book Discounts” - https://www.hollybrady.com/dirty-little-secret-about-book-discounts/

“I tweaked a few things” - https://seths.blog/2020/04/i-tweaked-a-few-things/

Brian Koppelman on Making Art, Francis Ford Coppola, Building Momentum, and More (#424) - https://tim.blog/2020/04/23/brian-koppelman/

The Career Author YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/thecareerauthor

Three Story Method - https://books2read.com/threestorymethod

Three Story Method Workbook - https://amzn.to/37SAR1a

Molten Universe Media - http://www.moltenuniversemedia.com

Events - https://

The Editing Process May 07, 2020

Show notes

The Editing Process

Finishing the first draft of a novel is an amazing accomplishment. If you’ve done that, then you’ve done something that most people will never have the discipline or drive to do. But you can’t sit back and relax too long because the real work begins when your draft is complete.

Between the two of them, Zach and J. have published dozens of books. They’ve gone through the process of self-editing and working with professional editors with every project. Listen as they take a deep dive into their individual processes, collaborative process, and working with other authors’ manuscripts.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

Whether or not you should edit during your first draft
How much time to wait between your first draft and first revision
What things to focus on during each revision
What editing software J. and Zach use
When it’s time to send your book off to an editor
How to know when your book is ‘done’ and ready to publish

Also in this episode, Zach recommends a great book on editing.

Send us your ways and hacks - https://thecareerauthor.com/waysandhacks/

Leave us a comment: How do you approach editing a manuscript?

Thanks to our Patrons.

Podcast sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://writinglife.kobobooks.com

Get exclusive bonus content by supporting The Career Author Podcast on Patreon at www.patreon.com/thecareerauthor

Want to work with us? Get the details at https://thecareerauthor.com/services/

Links:

Self-Editing For Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003JBI2YI/

Secret Powers of the Author Mastermind: How to Transform from Struggling Writer to Career Author - https://books2read.com/authormastermind

Co-writing a Book Mini Course with Joanna Penn - https://creative-penn-courses.teachable.com/p/co-writing-a-book

Write Away Podcast with Crys Cain - https://writeawaypodcast.com/

The Career Author YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/thecareerauthor

Three Story Method - https://books2read.com/threestorymethod

Three Story Method Workbook - https://amzn.to/37SAR1a

Molten Universe Media - http://www.moltenuniversemedia.com

Events - https://thecareerauthor.com/events/

Recording an Audiobook Apr 30, 2020

Show notes

Recording an Audiobook

Audio is hot. We hear this everywhere and all the time. But what does it take to sit down and record an audiobook? Authors can struggle with writing and publishing a book so the thought of now narrating and producing an audiobook for it can seem daunting.

J. took on the responsibility of narrating, editing, and mastering Three Story Method and now he’s going to share the details of what’s involved in a DIY audiobook narration project. Both Zach and J. have had many years of experience in bands which includes time spent in rehearsal spaces and recording studios. Listen in as they discuss the logistics and mindset required to record your own audiobook.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

When it makes sense to consider recording your own audiobook
The pros and cons of the DIY approach
What gear you’ll need
Where in your home it makes sense to record and rooms to avoid
Ways to record, edit, and master your audio files
Decisions to ponder when it comes time to distribute your audiobook

Also in this episode, get all the details on audio for authors with Joanna Penn.

Send us your ways and hacks - https://thecareerauthor.com/waysandhacks/

Leave us a comment: Are you planning on recording an audiobook?

Thanks to our Patrons.

Podcast sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://writinglife.kobobooks.com

Get exclusive bonus content by supporting The Career Author Podcast on Patreon at www.patreon.com/thecareerauthor

Want to work with us? Get the details at https://thecareerauthor.com/services/

Links:

Secret Powers of the Author Mastermind: How to Transform from Struggling Writer to Career Author by J. Thorn - https://books2read.com/authormastermind

Next Level Authors Podcast with Dan Willcocks and Sacha Black - https://pod.link/1508555372

Audio for Authors by Joanna Penn - https://books2read.com/audioauthorspenn

VOHeroes - https://voheroes.com/

Reaper - http://reaper.fm/

Audacity - https://www.audacityteam.org/

ACX specifications - https://www.acx.com/help/acx-audio-submission-requirements/201456300

Findaway Voices - https://findawayvoices.com/

The Career Author YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/thecareerauthor

Three Story Method -

The Healthy Career Author Apr 23, 2020

Show notes

The Healthy Career Author

Writing is a solitary activity. We sit at our desks alone for hours at a time, typing away, often letting our posture slip and forgetting to stand and take breaks. It can be easy to get lost in our fictional worlds and let our health slip away.

Both Zach and J. have both made their health a priority over the last several years, and each has a unique story and experience to share. Join them on this episode as they dive into the things they’ve done to do better for their bodies and their minds to improve their overall health.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

Why making only a single change can make all the difference.
The importance of simplicity.
How strict dieting can lead to burnout and relapse.
How to make better decisions at the grocery store.
What types of exercises you should be doing.
Why you should never skip warming up and cooling down during your workouts.
The importance of recovery and rest.

Also in this episode, learn all about J.’s recent standing desk acquisition.

Send us your ways and hacks - https://thecareerauthor.com/waysandhacks/

Leave us a comment: What do you do to stay healthy, or what obstacles are standing in your way from achieving better health?

Thanks to our Patrons.

Podcast sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://writinglife.kobobooks.com

Get exclusive bonus content by supporting The Career Author Podcast on Patreon at www.patreon.com/thecareerauthor

Want to work with us? Get the details at https://thecareerauthor.com/services/

Links:

FLEXISPOT Stand up Desk Converter -35 inches Standing Desk Riser with Deep Keyboard Tray for Laptop (35", Black, M7MB) - https://amzn.to/3aizsSB

“Stuck in This House Here With You” Parody Video by Mark Leslie Lefebvre - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFUlLTP1SgE&feature=youtu.be

The Career Author YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/thecareerauthor

Three Story Method - https://books2read.com/threestorymethod

Three Story Method Workbook - https://amzn.to/37SAR1a

Molten Universe Media - http://www.moltenuniversemedia.com

Events - https://thecareerauthor.com/events/

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Mentorship Model for Authors Apr 16, 2020

Show notes

The Mentorship Model for Authors

Nothing can be more empowering for an author than having the ear of a trusted mentor. Whether you get wisdom and guidance from other writers or from books and podcasts, mentorship can help authors to get beyond learning plateaus.

J. has had mentors his entire life and recognizes that the most important advances in his career are a direct result of the advice given by his mentors. The guys go on to discuss why mentors are important and how you can begin building the potentially most important relationships in your professional career.

In this episode, you’ll discover: