Wish I'd Known Then: a Podcast for Self Published Indie Writers

Latest Episodes:

💸 How to Save and When to Splurge in your Author Business Apr 17, 2024

Show notes

Episode 215 / When it comes to your author business, a bargain sometimes costs money in the long run, but other times it pays to splurge instead of scrimp. Join us as we discuss tips for saving money as well as when we’re willing to pay more.

💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode. https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support

Use a “savings triage,” a list of ways to save money on business expenses
Innovative side-hustles
What items we’re willing to spend more on
Tips on saving on editing, cover design, and marketing

Links:

https://www.sararosett.com/author-business-expenses-save-splurge/

https://blog.reedsy.com/save-on-your-self-publishing-budget/

📥 Send us a Text Message

Support the show

🚀 Jami’s Consulting and Workshops: https://www.jamialbright.com/authorworkshops
❤️ 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-podcast

How to Find Your Author Brand Apr 10, 2024

Show notes

Episode 214 / How do you pull in readers who will love your books and push away those readers who won’t enjoy your book? Branding.

Branding is more than colors, fonts, and covers.

Join us for an in-depth discussion on how to determine your brand and carry it through in everything from your voice to ad copy to covers. And you know we’re always here for food analogies so the alternate title of this episode is “Why branding is like a layer cake.” 🍰

What is a brand promise?
Uniqueness
Using comp authors
Does your voice need to match your brand?
Creating an author tagline that reflects your brand

💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode. https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support

📥 Send us a Text Message

Support the show

Constructing a Compelling Series: Sara Rosett on the Indy Author Podcast (Reair) Apr 03, 2024

Show notes

Episode 213 / We’re sharing an interview Sara did with Matty Dalrymple on the Indy Author Podcast last year. Sara and Matty go deep on the topic of how to structure a series so that it works for your writing style and your genre.

💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode. https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support

The three types of series
Extending your series
Spin-offs
Using short stories to enhance your series
Dealing boredom in writing in the same story world again and again
Challenges around ending a series

How to Write a Series by Sara Rosett: https://books2read.com/howtowriteaseries

Buy the print version of How to Write a Series direct from Sara:https://sararosettbooks.com/products/how-to-write-a-series

Sara’s website: https://www.SaraRosett.com

This podcast originally aired on the Indy Author Podcast on 10/31/23: https://www.theindyauthor.com/210---constructing-a-compelling-series.html

📥 Send us a Text Message

Support the show

Author Sustainability and Kickstarter with Claire Taylor Mar 27, 2024

Show notes

Episode 212 / Claire Taylor, humor and mystery author and Enneagram expert, shares how authors can use the Enneagram to create a resilient approach to the often chaotic writer lifestyle. We also discuss Claire’s successful track record on Kickstarter, and she tells us what she wishes she knew about using the crowdfunding platform.

💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode. https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support

How the Enneagram can help authors with sustainability
Most common mistakes authors make in regard to sustainability
The superpower each Enneagram has that helps with resilience
Typical blocks authors struggling
What Claire wishes she’d known about running Kickstarter campaigns

www.kickffs.com

www.ffs.media

www.liberatedwriter.com

📥 Send us a Text Message

Support the show

Financial Freedom, Direct Sales, and Author Nation with Joe Solari Mar 20, 2024

Show notes

Episode 211 / How do you live your best life through your writing career? We talk with Joe Solari about how to achieve author goals and how various business models, including direct sales and subscriptions, play into reaching those goals. We also discuss Author Nation, the largest indie author conference, and tips on how to have a great conference experience.

New business models: direct sales, subscriptions
Impact of AI across industries
The single factor that will attract readers to you
Structure of Author Nation conference tracks
What to do after the conference ends: why narrowing your focus is important

Author Nation: www.authornation.live Nov 11-15, 2024

💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode. https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support

📥 Send us a Text Message

Support the show

⏳ M.K. Williams: “Packing your Patience," YouTube Success, and Writing Across Genres Mar 13, 2024

Show notes

Episode 210 / M.K. Williams writes suspenseful literary fiction and helps aspiring authors. M.K. shares how she writes and markets books across different genres, using Payhip for direct sales, the drawback of a surprise launch, and why delusion is sometimes a good thing. 🌀

Why M.K. has specific goals for each book
Why M.K. recommends purchasing your ISBNs
Why authors should “pack their patience” when it comes to writing and publishing
Mindset shift M.K. had to go through in considering the tradition route with a book
The problem with a “surprise” book launch
Common mistakes aspiring authors make
How M.K. uses Payhip for her direct sales

Links:

https://1mkwilliams.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@1MKWilliams

Ebooklaunch covers: https://ebooklaunch.com/?ref=32 (Affiliate)

💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode. https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support

📥 Send us a Text Message

Support the show

Melanie Harlow: Lessons Learned on the Way to Becoming a One-Click Author Mar 06, 2024

Show notes

Episode 209 / How do you get to the point that your readers “one-click” the buy button for your books? Join us as we chat with small town romance author Melanie Harlow. Melanie shares what she learned about giving readers what they want—and what that has to do with spaghetti versus cake. 🎂

Knowing how to market the book before you write it
Discovering micro-tropes that appeal to readers (and one disadvantage of focusing too much on tropes)
How to keep your writing creatively interesting when you’re staying in your lane
Repackaging books when trends change
Why she’d be more intentional about planning series if she were starting over
How she uses bonus scenes to get readers on her newsletter list
Alternate special edition paperbacks

💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode. https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support

Links:

www.melanieharlow.com

📥 Send us a Text Message

Support the show

Margaret Lashley on Creating Your Own Genre and Being True To Yourself Feb 28, 2024

Show notes

Episode 208 / Want to write something a little bit different? How do you appeal to readers in one of the main genres, but also forge your own path?

Margaret Lashley joins us to share how she created a subgenre of wacky, humor-filled mysteries that appeal to cozy readers as well as women’s fiction readers.

How Margaret’s background in advertising helps her write fiction
Why Margaret only uses one social media site
How she markets her genre-adjacent fiction
Writing humor as well as crafting quirky, but relatable characters
Why a backlist is important for longevity

Author website: https://www.margaretlashley.com https://www.facebook.com/valandpalspage

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/B06XKJ3YD8

💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode. https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support

Links:

Findaway Voices by Spotify current TOS: https://my.findawayvoices.com/terms-of-use#

Buzzcast’s episode about Spotify: https://buzzcast.buzzsprout.com/231452/14513452-spotify-s-new-podcast-strategy

Author’s Republic: https://www.authorsrepublic.com

Spoken Realms: https://spokenrealms.com

📥 Send us a Text Message

Support the show

Emma St. Clair on Building Fandom and Writing Closed Door Romantic Comedies Feb 21, 2024

Show notes

Episode 207 / Do you want to create a loyal readership interested in you, not just your genre? Do you want to up the romantic tension in your books? Rom-com author Emma St. Clair shares tips on these topics, plus much more: