Bleeding Ink

I interviewed Maggie so that she could enlighten us on the mystical topic of “hybrid publishing.” What you’ll get in this episode of Bleeding Ink is a better understanding of what traditional publishers provide their authors—and if you are willing to put your own skin in the game, how to obviate your need of a large publisher, and how to keep your royalties and rights (at a much greater upfront cost). It’s a fascinating approach—though the cost might dissuade some right off the bat (we are talking $30k from idea to book) and it will push you toward traditional publishing (because you don’t have the budget) or it will make you scream for joy since you can essentially skip the gatekeepers without sacrificing quality. Bear with me. Maggie and LifeTree provide authors a team of seasoned professionals that are as good as, if not better than, what a new author would receive at from a Big Five contrract. This is it: the start of the Big Five model’s dissolution. In its stead will rise a new medium that enables and supports authors rather than eek dollars out of their blood-soaked fingers. While the cost to play might be high, it won’t be forever. Welcome to the new frontier. You’ll learn the benefits and limitations of traditional and self-publishing. You’ll learn how to avoid scammy hybrid promises. You’ll get a glimpse at self-publishing’s history, and why we are so fortunate today. You’ll understand how and why bookstore distribution will separate you from the pack. You’ll learn all this and more. Takeaways The benefits and limitations of traditional and self-publishing, and how hybrid publishing attempts to take the best from both models Three tips for how to evaluate a legitimate hybrid publisher Why we should strive to publish “real” books Get a glimpse of what self-publishing looked like in the 80s, and why we are ever so fortunate to possess the publishing tools we have today Why the ability to distribute your book in stores separates self-publishing from traditional publishing How LifeTree media can take your fledgling book idea and turn it into a veritable force of good What to consider when hiring editors and designers The importance of developmental editing The costs associated with publishing—and how to understand the return on investment for your dollars Why a hybrid publisher can be an excellent choice if you have a thriving audience Why you need a team of sales reps selling your novel to stores ]]>

About ten years ago I stumbled onto a website that, for all intents and purposes, appeared a legitimate portal to the Department of Heuristics and Research on Material Applications—or the Dharma Initiative. It’s Japanese inspired logo gleamed scientific credibility. It’s many pages revealed grants that had gone to scientists and their experiments. It had a contact page, an about page, a page explaining what it was like to work there--it even had job openings. Being a nosy computer nerd, I snooped around the source code and came across some peculiar lines. There was a glaring security hole which I quickly took advantage of—soon I was deep into restricted areas of the site that spoke of a special experiment on a remote island whose participants included Jack, Sayid, Hugo, Kate and so on. I cannot tell you how much time passed. I can only relate to you that my fingers tingled and my heart raced. I had become an active participant in an Alternate Reality Game for the TV show Lost. And it changed my understanding of narrative forever. Welcome to episode 22 of Bleeding Ink. Things are changing with this podcast. It will forever be about writing—but I’m taking it beyond the act of writing a novel. I’m exploring new media—expect interviews with media inventors, with pioneers who are reshaping narrative as we know it. As always, please visit bleedingink.fm to stay up to date on the show. Today it is my honor to present an interview with such an inventor—his name is Sean Stewart—and he’s helped create a new genre for storytelling: Alternate Reality Games. Alternate Reality Games turn storytelling on its head. It allows for incredible agency from participants and distributes a narrative through familiar, real-world channels. Characters email readers. Txt readers. Call readers. Readers—should I say players?—solve puzzles that not only unlock more story but become the story. If at any point an ARG (alternate reality game) breaks the sacred oath by revealing that it might be a game, it has failed. This is NOT a Game is what immerses the audience into an alternate world. And such immersion it is. Fans of ARGs have reported broken marriages, lost jobs and a total obsession with uncovering the "truth". It is storytelling dipped in heroin-laced dark chocolate. Swaths of communities form to conquer them. The bonds formed between players are long-lasting—Sean has even been invited to a few weddings of players who met through an ARG. ARGs are cultural events. Their power lies in their transience. They present an experience like Woodstock or Burning Man, where congregations sever themselves from society, meet with purpose, shed egos, and join something larger than themselves, if only for a brief moment—a moment that ripples throughout the world. What writer wouldn’t want to engage their readers in such a way. Sean and I talk about his entry into writing for ARGs—How Steven Spielberg helped form a dream team for what is now known as The Beast—the first, modern ARG. We discuss transmedia fiction and how Sean’s novel Cathy’s Book was the first of its kind and how it hit the NY Time Bestsellers list. We discuss games, augmented reality, dungeons and dragons, the components to ARGs, approaches to non-linear storytelling and much, much more. I promise you this episode will blow your mind as it did mine. Learn How Sean helped pioneer a new art form that blends narrative with the internet’s greatest strengths How Alternate Reality Games present a level of narrative immersion unavailable to other genres What “transmedia” fiction is and how Sean hit the NY Times Bestsellers list with his transmedia novel Cathy’s Book How the Beatles mystery inspired the first wide scale Alternate Reality Game How Sean’s friend Neal Stephenson helped him land the lead writing role on the ARG surrounding Spielberg’s movie A.I. Why the skills acquired in DnD Dungeon Mastering translate well into telling stories How Jordan Weisman formed a dream team to create The Beast How to approach writing a massive non-linear narrative Why you should listen to your audience. And—who knows?—maybe they will write some characters for you (like the Red King). Why Dickens would have been a phenomenal puppet master. The lessons Sean learned from creating The Beast and how he mitigated those challenges with I Love Bees—and why audience demands unraveled those solutions. About the Sean’s with with Nine Inch Nails and the alternate reality game surrounding the release of their album Year Zero. Why “transmedia fiction” and ARGs are not one and the same How to incorporate fans artwork in your own work How writing non-linear narratives is a lot like gardening Why simple stories appear fresh and ground-breaking when told through a non-linear path Why storytellers need to give up power to their audience and how to give up as little as possible Why Choose Your Own Adventure books are fundamentally flawed narrative vehicles How Sean and Neal Stephenson became friends through the alphabet What the hell is magic Augmented Reality and Magic Leap How Sean went from writing Science Fiction to being science fiction How Sean’s Ink-Spotters.com is a jigsaw puzzles for stories ]]>

First of all: Grab A FREE Ticket to the Self-Publishing Success Summit There’s never been a better time to self-publish. I’m constantly amazed at how the industry evolves on what seems like an hourly basis. It’s tough to keep up! Fortunately there are plenty of folks who help cut through the noise and provide solid info. People like Chandler Bolt. Chandler will woo you with his southern drawl—if you can keep up. Words flee from his mouth and plead “You too can self-publish. You too can be a successful writer.” From this petition Chandler has founded a school to help would-be writers become successful authors. It’s aptly named the Self-Publishing School. In this episode of Bleeding Ink, Chandler and I talk about how he went from a C- English student to 5x bestselling author, how he’s helped thousands achieve their dreams and publish their first novel, how to launch your book, how your book can unlock new career moves, and much more. You will be astounded at the opportunities and confidence that arise from writing. And Chandler is here to hold your hand. Chandler’s also throwing a free online summit. If you’ve ever wanted to write a book I encourage you to attend the Self-Publishing Success Summit. It’s online. It’s free. Let’s do some math. Your cost is your time. Time is money, I understand, but for your time you receive access to a boggling resource: over 40 top authors and entrepreneurs that practice what they preach and preach to you they shall. Over 30,000 people attended last year and this year is on pace for more. And look, I’ve got a ticket for you! Grab A FREE Ticket to the Self-Publishing Success Summit There’s really no excuse. There’s no need to travel. It’s online. It’s free. And it’ll leave your head spinning and your heart roaring. Learn How to go from an aspiring writer to published author in 90 days Why being a good writer is not a requirement to produce a great book Why you should teach your parents’ wisdom How Chandler went from a C- English student to a 5x bestselling author Why you should focus on helping people instead of making money Why committing to “truth in advance” helped Chandler take his fledgling company to seven figures in a year Why starting with a Kindle book and following with a physical shortly thereafter book removes obstacles How to encourage readers to act on your work and instead of using it as “shelf esteem” How to leverage your book as a career booster What you’ll learn in the Self-Publishing school from writing to publishing to marketing How to put together a book launch team and why they are critical to your book’s success How to apply the 80/20 rule to your creative output ]]>

Daunting endeavors often start with a sketch. Perhaps on the back of a napkin, a few words sitting above some squiggly lines. These seedling notions are the genesis to boggling achievements. Words are power—they provide the scaffolding so that larger ideas may stand firm. To assume this isn’t an effective method to develop a novel is silly. It may not be the only method, but a method it is—a method called outlining, and this method has been judiciously applied by the likes of Faulkner to Follett. Outlining allows the author to hammer out the knotty bits of a story’s shape and aids them in a few ways. It frees the mind of pesky plot corrections as the author undergoes the overwhelming task of writing prose. It maps a series of waypoints toward which the author may confidently point their pen. As Anne Lamott states to us in her self-deprecating and practical writing guide Bird by Bird: “I go back to trying to breathe, slowly and calmly, and I finally notice the one-inch picture frame that I put on my desk to remind me of short assignments. It reminds me that all I have to do is to write down as much as I can see through a one-inch picture frame. This is all I have to bite off for the time being.” Ladies and gentleman, imagine your one-inch frames all lined up and awaiting your pen: just show up, fill in the frames, and a novel emerges. It’s a beautiful way to work! K.M. Weiland is my guest today. She is the award-winning author of several fiction and nonfiction gems, two of which we focus on in our interview: Structuring Your Novel and Outlining you Novel. There’s a little something here for every writer, whether you “pants” or “plot” or a dash of both, and you are sure to take away immediately applicable techniques you can apply to your novel or any writing endeavor. Enjoy. Learn Three tips on how to structure your novel Why writing will remain a daunting challenge no matter your experience, and that’s okay How to figure out if the story in your head is an easy proposition or a patience grinder How to go from outline to first draft Why you shouldn’t worry about writing a novel every other week The beats of a three act story What counts toward “writing time.” Hint: it’s not always writing. Why outlining is a good idea Why you should let your book ideas marinate for years How log lines can clarify your entire narrative Why “What if” is your best friend How to write killer scenes The four phases of writing a novel, how long each takes and how they bounce between logic and creativity Why there isn’t such a thing as “pantsing” or “plotting” ]]>

Did you know that the modern-day commuter makes more death-avoiding decisions on their way to work than an age-old agrarian farmer made in an entire year? Sound stressful? It is. No wonder we seek hits of serotonin and dopamine from entertainment. Sugary Delights A firehose of sugar water is pointed at you. Look around. Count the number of distractions vying for your attention. Social media? Work? Email? News? Video games? The next bestseller? The latest viral video? Blog posts? Shopping? A glass of wine? Ahem—this podcast? The list grows in inverse proportion to our societal demands. Go to work—go to happy hour. Help the kids with homework—binge-watch hours of Netflix. Do something difficult—do something enjoyable. Where attention equates to dollars there is an attention economy, a marketplace that fosters an influx of candied products to delight, to offer a respite over challenge, to numb rather than invigorate. It leads to “peak content,” where products are engineered to strip away pain—much like heroin. The problem for writers is that a bundle of words are a more challenging prospect than say, a bundle of chocolate-dipped churros—I mean Instagram pics. Churros are easy and delicious. As writers, our competition is a basket of churros. I mean c’mon, it’s just unfair. Serials This is where Molly Barton comes in. She’s thought a lot about how to alleviate—God forbid—the challenges of reading while keeping its integrity intact. How can she sugar-coat narrative so that it becomes a slightly sweet snack that doesn’t expand the waistline. Her answer: serials. Her company: Serial Box. Serial Box aims to be the “HBO for fiction.” Through her experience as Global Digital Director of Penguin Random House, she recognized a shift: the shape of story consumption is evolving. People want more in less time. Serial Box produces seasons of short narrative episodes (ebook and audio) just like television, and television is the king of time to entertainment ratio. The power of serials lie in their ability to give readers a way to manage their time. They slice a narrative into savory mouth-wads, like a chewy, crunchy, salty-sweet bite-sized Snickers, and are tuned to the high-frequency attention band consumers operate on today. They dismiss that guilt-ridden bedside reading queue and lower the barrier to entering a fictional world, because, hey, they only take about 40 minutes to read—about the length of one episode of Silicon Valley or, for the audio version, an episode of Game of Thrones. Consider Writing Serials Serial Box has four series running at the time of this writing, with a fifth on the way and a few in the burner, and whose genres range from procedurals to SFF, and soon, historical drama. All are written by writing teams—a unique approach and, yes, it is similar to television production. Teamwork spreads the demands on their authors’ time. Out of the twelve or so episodes in a season, each writer is responsible for two, and at 12,000 words an episode, it is only a novella’s commitment. Oh, and this is discussed in the podcast, team writing can be ridiculously enjoyable. Serialization gives authors other advantages such as rapid reader feedback that allows for course correction and better stories, and shorter stories mean higher completion rates, especially as the series progresses—40% of readers actually finish your novel, yikes. You can aggregate serials into larger works as well, which lead to even more engagement (and sales). There’s a lot of upside. Of course, there’s downside too. Serials are not seen as literary and struggle to compete with epic works whose slower pace offer discerning readers a deeper involvement in the narrative. I like to think that as more writers hop on the serial bandwagon new narrative mechanics will arise to address these drawbacks. Exciting stuff. Molly and I discuss all the above and more in this episode. Enjoy. Learn How Serial Box has become the “HBO for fiction.” Molly’s role at Penguin Worldwide where she combined literature and technology to increase reading engagement How e-books fail to capture what’s interesting about digital delivery Why long-form reading struggles against peak content—and how movies do as well How writers and readers benefit from serialized fiction About the first interactive book experiences, such as Ken Follet’s Pillars of the Earth mobile app Why Alan Lane founded Penguin, how he elevated paperback publishing and created the first book vending machines. How Serial Box takes the idea of “writing rooms” and applies it to written media The magic number for a serial’s word count How working in writing teams can be fun and solve difficult problems quickly Why you should consider releasing your book in audiobook as well The power of rapid reader feedback and how your serial will place you closer to your audience How analyzing television pilots can help you build better serials ]]>

TL;DL Nick Stephenson has spent 24 months researching and discovering techniques to help you earn a living from your books (or other products). Oh yeah, he’s a seven-figure bestselling fiction and non-fiction author. I’ve hired more than my share of book coach consultants. They are great. They unshackle you from the manacles of tired ideas—force you to dare bigger, do larger. My guest today, Nick Stephenson, went from a dreading his soul-sucking job to becoming a best-selling author. He spent years stumbling, got fed up with what seemed like an impossible production schedule, and cleverly set about building an audience that couldn’t wait to purchase his next novel. It occurred to him that the whole “release a book every six weeks” cycle was unsustainable and offered little in return for the time spent. He noticed the success of services like BookBub, who had massive mailing lists, and decided, “Hey, why can’t I do the same?” If you have an engaged audience, you can skip the middle man. But how does an author, or anyone selling a product, skip the middle man? It’s not like you can just throw up a website and expect the sales to roll in. Nick decided to leverage sites like Amazon to grow his audience. To convert Amazon traffic into hungry fans. Nick has perfected the art of leveraging monolithic systems to turn attention toward his books. And now he teaches other authors how to do the same. It’s got me terribly excited—not just for it’s potential, which is has plenty of, but also for it’s complete lack of sleaziness. It’s one of the most honest and delightful sales techniques I’ve seen. Enjoy. Learn How to find your first 10,000 readers The three-part strategy to selling your product, be it a book, course or software Why betting on Amazon is too risky for many authors Why building trust leads to enormous product (book) sales How to build trust with your audience How to rerelease an awful book and make it a success How Nick was able to write a book, have kids and quit his job Why you don’t need to release a book six three weeks in order to make it How to create “Reader Magnets” or freebies that build trust and engagement with potential readers Why you should replicate BookBub and build your own email list Why social media is basically useless for generating income What to name your “newsletter” so readers trust you How adding a link to your ebook can create a huge spike in life-long readers How to make your book permafree on Amazon How to tease your audience into huge book launches Why automating emails will save your sanity How to excite people so that they hate you if you don’t offer to sell them something The first thing a first-time author should do ]]>

TL;DL Harry Dewulf has an intimate relationship with the English language. He’s helped shape numerous writers into award winning authors. This vitamin-infused episode will teach you “how” to be edited, how to boost your writing culture, how to write “for” an audience, and, above all, it will teach you the holy grail of writing. “Pull up Pavement Cafe at Night,” Harry said to me. I did. And look, I so kindly provided it above. Harry and I discuss it in episode 17 where he explains how personal culture influences the lens through which we view art. This also applies to writing. Once you’ve identified the lens' prescription for a given audience, you can create crystal clear works for them. Writers today face peak content as enemy number one. So much noise. Even great writers can’t break through. But some writers can cut like a knife through butter. How? With words calibrated against a specific spectrum of culture. Culture is a general word, however. Culture is the shape of your psyche after years of living. It is the rose-tinted pair of glasses that peers at the world. There are universal tenets that can stir all cultures. Then there are narrative techniques that confuse. It’s notoriously difficult to know which works in what situation. That’s what an editor is for. They provide an outside perspective and help tune your words for the given audience. Harry Dewulf is one such editor. I hired Harry to edit a short story (more on that in future episodes). This led to a two and a half hour conversation which I’ve whittled into this 40 minute piece. In it we discuss a wide range of writing topics: self-publishing, where to start, how to boost writing culture, how to become a great writer, how to make the most of the editing process, and more. There are some particularly enlightening moments that I don’t want to spoil for you. Let me say this, however. I’m a different writer now that I’ve worked with Harry. Something in me clicked and I’m better for it. He’s a treasure trove of literary knowledge, but he’s also a brazen champion of words that will fight to the death in their honor. Learn How Harry got into editing Why self-published gives you control Where the traditional market thinks publishing is going How craft books can help you, but reading/writing can help you more False dualisms in writing The origin of “acts” and “scenes” Why every word must tell What painting can teach you about writing The dangers of learning something at exactly the right moment Why teaching how to entertain should be taught in schools Genre vs character The difference between literary and commercial fiction How to focus on the reader The holy grail of writing ]]>

TL;DL Paul Jarvis has penned five books. They hit bestseller charts. He’s raked in half a million dollars from his products in the past 18 months. You need to listen to Paul. “I feel like I’m doing life wrong if I’m working all the time.” The above quote is from a writer who raked in half a million dollars while enjoying time on an island off the coast of Vancouver. His name is Paul Jarvis. And he’s my guest on this episode of Bleeding Ink. Take powdered zen master, add half a cup of hustler and a cup of geek with a healthy pinch of weirdo, and stir into this mix the finest Canadian maple syrup to concoct a Paul. Like few other content creators he slices through the internet’s deafening garble by staying true to a voice sincere and made of Grade A Helpfulness™. You need to listen to Paul Jarvis. He’s got this marketing stuff figured the hell out. Twitter, Facebook, SnapChat, Instagram, make the world a teeny tiny place. They are integral to the shape of humanity’s future communication, for better or worse. So new are these platforms that their strengths and weaknesses are mere wisps on faddish winds. But we do know these: They are good at connecting. They are not so good at creating sustained and intimate engagement. Acquaintances want to connect. Artists want to engage. Paul is an artist. The sole goal for his marketing endeavors is to form relationships with similar minds so they may experience inspired conversation, paradigm shifts in thought, and have a damn good time doing it. There’s an underlying purity and bravado to Paul’s vibe—these extend from a man who’s spent more time building his character than building his livelihood, or rather he’s taken his character and made it his livelihood. And that’s the point: we must sell ourselves, we are the product. Why not invest all our energies into ourselves? Are we not our greatest asset? “I feel like I’m doing life wrong if I’m working all the time,” Paul said to me and chuckled. He’s big on life balance and enlists the help of tiny robots to automate many of the more mundane tasks of keeping his clients on track, encouraged, and engaged with his work. Okay, maybe he doesn’t actually use tiny robots, but he does leverage the automation powers of Mailchimp and Zapier to free him up for thoughtful work and long, long vacations. Paul has penned five books. They hit bestseller charts. How? One word at a time, one mistake after another. Paul is a hyper-learner, he thrives on jumping naked into arctic waters to see if he can survive on his universe-given wit. He figured out the whole bestselling book thing and said, “What’s next?” Courses were. He made a cool half-million dollars helping people grow and thrive like himself. Now Paul has a legion of dedicated followers—er, he wouldn’t like the term “follower,” let’s say “companions”—who will no doubt benefit from wherever Paul wants to take himself next. Count me in. Enjoy. Snippets How Paul made HALF A MILLION DOLLARS the last 18 months using words and mail chimp How writing books can lead to creating courses which can lead to financial independence Why taking your hobbies and interest is great material to write a bestseller Why your mailing list should be the center of all your marketing efforts Learn how to listen to your audience for book ideas How to kindle an audience Why slow and steady is the way to success How remaining consistent is your greatest assets Why it’s important to stay present and enjoy the journey instead of focusing on end results Why calling yourself an idiot can lead to your book’s first draft How usefulness trumps the desire to make money Learn how to create a community of fans who not only support you but each other Learn the right way to use content marketing Why Paul chose to stop writing for Fast Company, Huffington Post, The Next Web and Medium How A/B testing can increase your mailing list signups Why the audience growing strategies you used a year ago probably need to completely change How to target 70% email open rates Why to choose podcasting as part of your voice What the hell is mental minimalism ]]>

TL;DL Reedsy.com connects writers with industry-leading editors, designers, publicists and marketing specialists. Take matters into your own hands, select the services you need to produce a work of fiction or non-fiction indistinguishable from Big-5 products. Publishpocalypse "NY-based editor + consultant. Formerly of a big five publisher." The above quote should concern a Big-5 exec. It’s a common slogan among Reedsy.com editor profiles. These brave free agents are tuned into a growing sentiment that publishers turn their nose at: there’s a teaming pool of writers out there who find the middleman a hinderance rather than an asset. Come all ye editors, for a market needs you. Reedsy.com connects writers with editors, designers, publicists and marketing specialists. They sift through thousands of applicants (10,000 thus far), vet their skills and present to you only the finest self-publishing industry talent. No more second guessing whether an editor is an medaled veteran or a suave amateur. They’ve built a platform for the discerning writer to discover in record time an individual or team to take their work from good to stellar. Cost So, cost. Independent authors aren’t known to possess the widest coffers. Let’s be clear: these services cost money and they are not cheap—as any quality service isn’t. This means you must have a budget in mind and plan for it. While the sky’s the limit, Reedsy can take you to high altitudes with fewer dollars than competing strategies. For a little more cash, they can take you into the stratosphere. Cover design will run you about $500 (we have a giveaway). Editing: $1500+. Publicists and Marketing go on up from there. I understand these numbers may seem daunting, but Reedsy.com performs most of the footwork for you so that your dollars converge into the high-quality product possible. Reality Someone has to pay for these services. It’s going to be you or it’s going to be your publisher (one would hope). Paying what may seem like a large sum up front will net you greater profits from having 100% control over your royalties. This is the bet publishers take on you. It’s a bet you need to take too if you want more control. Ask yourself if giving up 90% of your profits is worth the cost. If you decide on this route, expect this: You will reduce the risk that your book launch will fail. It’s a competitive market, you may as well put your best face on. Are you guaranteed success? Never. But you raise your chances. You will also have contributed to elevating the quality of “indie” books. This is romantic, yes, and means little to your bottom line, but it is a cause worth supporting and will shift readers’ dollars toward self-published works. Reedsy.com won’t distribute you into bookstores, but the internet has solved that conundrum. Reedsy.com won’t give you a Big-5 stamp of approval: this you must earn on your own through outreach and quality output. It will enable you to create the highest quality product at a reasonable price and with an efficiency only a publisher can provide. It’s an exciting time to be an author. Alas, Ricardo Fayet, co-founder of Reedsy.com explains all of this in great detail in our interview. Enjoy. Snippets Learn how you can replicate traditional publishing offerings through Reedsy.com’s services. How much to expect to pay for a legitimate book launch, including editing, design, PR and platform building. How you can attract literary agents by working with Reedsy editors How to vet editors and why you should be judicious in their selection What makes a great editor Why many traditional editors are abandoning the old model and embracing self-publishing Why you should consider hiring a publicist What blog tours are Why hiring a marketer will grow your own skills Why cover design is the one piece of marketing you need to spend money on Learn about the Reedsy Book Editor and how it can help you format your next novel ]]>

TL;DR Victoria (V.E.) Schwab is a wildly ambitious author with years of success under her multi-dimensional reversible Moschino belt. She’ll teach you a thing or two about writing craft. You may be wondering, “JSL, I’m an indie author, but you keep interviewing traditionally published folks! That’s not very indie, is it?.” Sure it is. Discovering what traditional publishers offer authors will allow you to reproduce those those offerings. It gives perspective, shows you what you are up against. And you never know, the traditional route may be a better choice for you. I’m fond of the entire publishing spectrum. Self-published? A somewhere between hybrid? Puritan for niche imprints? Big five champion? Sure, why not? We are all snowflakes with unique, sticky preferences. In this episode I interview a traditionally published author. She will teach you a thing or two about craft and targeting a wide swath of audiences. Victoria (V.E.) Schwab has published with Disney/Hyperion, TOR and Harper Greenwillow, who selected Victoria musically woven fantasy stories for their ability to leap onto your mind’s stage. She writes for the young. She writes for the not-so-young. She excels in treating both to worlds that defy imagination and characters that wrench the heart. She’s accomplished all this at the tender age of 28. With twelve books under her belt and four more on the horizon, Victoria breeds envy and garners respect from the most ambitious authors. She’s also a hoot, too. Victoria and I were none the wiser to each other prior to our chat, but afterward we were fast friends. I chalk it up to her cool wit and sincere love of writing—where two kindred sojourners find solidarity in sharing their struggles, insights and successes (hers more than mine). Upon the episode’s closing ear tickle, you will have gained a renewed confidence toward writing and a heavy bag of writing tricks will weigh down your hands. If you are a fan of Victoria’s work, you will have scooped up a precious gemstone through which her stories will appear all the more vivid and enticing. Enjoy. Snippets Learn all about Fantasy author Victoria Schwab’s journey from poet to artist to the bestselling author of 12 books Why you should read poetry for its cadence and economy Why it’s okay to write in multiple forms: poetry, screenwriting, novels, do it all. How to stay humble after achieving fame (looking at you Neil Gaimen) The difference between authors that appeal to authors and authors that appeal to readers What it’s like having a mother from England and father from Beverly Hills Why you should train your ear to “hear” words How to write for multiple age ranges and why it’s more fluid than you think Why Vicious is her favorite book and how she created a novel about two villains and no heroes Why character motives engage readers, not actions How to weave a braided narrative Why you should talk a walk and shower every day, and not for the reasons you think How to listen to your gut How to write outlines by the seat of your pants Why the first two scenes you should write in your book are the first and last How to listen to your characters rather than relying on genre conventions Why you should steal images from movies for your books Advice to new writers: write! (she elaborates on this) ]]>

I run across a lot of marketing folks. Their sensibility, demeanor and genuine empathy for audiences tell me that times have changed: marketing is no longer a filthy bag of tricks. We can substitute “marketing” with acts of telling story or encouraging revolutionary change or feats that enable creatives to perform their universe-given work. Today’s advice revolves around providing value to human beings who need it. I don’t know—that feels like a worthwhile mission to me. Writing is a difficult pleasure. Convincing readers to grant you a moment of their precious time is more difficult still, and there is nothing more pleasing than affecting change in a reader’s heart. It is why we write. We have power over our fingers, we can force ink to bleed, but we can’t force good, kind-hearted people to digest our words. We need to synchronize their needs with our offerings. We need to market ourselves. WrittenWordMedia helps authors connect with readers. It is one of the few marketing outlets I’ve found that warms my heart. Ferol Vernon and his wife Ricci Wolman love books and they love writers, and from this love WrittenWordMedia branched into five services: Freebooksy (market your free book) Bargain Booksy (market your book fewer than $5) Red Feather Romance (market your romance novel) New in Books (market your new book) A Year of Books (book club that encourages reading) Their stance is to provide cost neutral advertising—your return on book sales should cover the cost of your ad. This is a gateway to new readers for authors without large mailing lists. In a sense, you “borrow” WrittenWordMedia’s list of 200k hungry readers. I only recommend services with which I’ve had personal experience. This is no different. I bought a placement when Modern Rituals launched and was pleased with the number of books sold. WrittenWordMedia has expanded since and I have no doubt that the quality of their ad results are the same or better today. In Episode 13 of Bleeding Ink, I interview Ferol Vernon and we talk shop about the state of publishing, how to sell more books, the best marketing channels authors can use and how to build long, sustaining writing careers. Ferol does a lovely job of breaking down these complex topics into tender morsels. Enjoy. Snippets How WrittenWordMedia can help boost your book’s sales Why giving away your book for free won’t necessarily lead to new readers The parallels between BookBub and WrittenWordMedia How the stigma around indie publishing is fading The definition of hybrid publishing Why those who focus on quality writing, packaging and marketing find success How to get started with cost-effective book marketing What it means to “hustle” and why you should be all about it What to expect from growing your email list to thousands of subscribers 3 techniques to grow your mailing list Why you should look into Facebook ads Why email is still the king of marketing How to price your book ]]>

Constance Hale is a delight. An honest, heart-warming delight. She projects a buoyant, youthful energy that inspires me to keep placing pen to paper (or fingers to keys) no matter the brain strain. She’s a pat on the back and a gentle nudge out of the nest. “You have wings. Take flight. Soar. Write.” She also endures. While most may view her vast readership as an enviable success, she struggles with Peak Content like most writers. Words are “cheap.” Publishing doesn’t pay. This realization forced her to reconsider her career, but she stuck with it, stayed frosty and hitched to the love of her life. She chose writing over a fancier car. She chose more ingenious means to generate income with writing as the fuel. Her book Sin and Syntax took my feeble grip of English and tightened it like a vice. It is among my most highly recommended books on learning how to write well, to write with moxie and shake things up. It allows me to be wicked while good, mischievous while remarkable. She taught me to how to captivate through dynamic, crisp, clean language. After reading Sin and Syntax, I realized language, at its core, can only express a subject performing an action. All other constructs and mechanics are scaffolding to this single feature. And through servicing actions that highlight ”states of being,” we empathize with the doer or taker and acquire genuine emotion. “John hits Sam.” Ouch, I’m sad for Sam and I dislike John. This is writing’s absolute power: it is raw existential energy with potential to mold the human psyche and ignites with a willing mind. I cannot express the life-altering impact this realization made upon me. It may appear trite at first glance, but for whatever reason I had worn a pair of muddy goggles most my life and Constance lovingly wiped them clean. She also replaced the glass, put on new straps and bumped up the prescription. She enlightened all aspects of English grammar hitherto mysterious, be them prepositions, adverbs, passive voice, cadence or <place syntax paradigm here>. She covers it all and you will be better for reading her. “You can’t force a metaphor. Sometimes you just have to mull things.” In this episode of Bleeding Ink, Connie and I discuss her career. Her impact on other writers. How we can all benefit from an agile creative process, where mulling’s importance equals making. We discuss how she overcame her struggles, her latest work and where she’s headed. I am honored and thankful she agreed to guest on my show—these conversations are why I do what I do. Snippets How growing up in Hawaii gave Constance Hale a unique perspective of language Learn how Constance Hale’s Sin and Syntax changed my writing Which key books can transform your grasp of the English language Why boring English classes have led to boring writing How studying simple sentences will bring clarity to your voice Why you don’t need more than nouns and verbs The difference between static and dynamic verbs Why verbs are the most important word in a sentence How to reason through the passive voice and how to best use it How Sin and Syntax went from a mid-list struggler to over 100,000 copies sold Learn about Constance’s long career as a journalist How Constance fights to stay relevant How to deal with constant rejection Why Constance decided to continue writing instead of pursuing a more lucrative career Why you should take risks on a regular basis Learn Constance’s creative process—it’s great Why the imagination needs breathing room Discover the different between maker, manager and mulling time. Why a writers retreat may be right for you ]]>

Wicked writers evolve like stubborn single-celled amoebas. They thrive in hostile environments, tweak a gene here or there, produce more cells, eventually grow a limb and go prehensile. They adapt. When I look for new interviewees, I search first for wicked writers—I hope this is obvious—and then I mine their successes and struggles for evidence of adaptation. By what twisted means did they achieve their success? Sometimes it’s plain fortune. Often it’s a veteran cleverness empowered from years of dusting phoenix ash off oneself. These writers stand against the impossible, persevere and revel in reward. And what greater reward can a writer possibly possess than over 100,000 consistent readers*? Aaron Mahnke is one such writer. His hit podcast Lore grew out of an obsession with supernatural fiction. You see, Aaron didn’t find success with his first four books. Instead of abandoning the effort (or continuing down the rut), he pivoted, sought advice, thought of a new medium for readers to consume his work and the rest is history. He evolved like a nasty plague. In this episode of Bleeding Ink, Aaron and I discuss what it means to be a modern writer. What challenges and milestones lay ahead for us and how to tackle them. Aaron is a prime specimen of the artist-patron hybrid. It’s fascinating and will inform your audience-growing strategies now and in the future. It might just inspire you to pivot as well. I also recommend you check out Lore if you love creepy, fun stories based on real-life events. * I realize a podcast isn’t exactly reading. Aaron also provides transcripts and writes the episodes like any other work of narrative non-fiction. Takeaways Learn how Aaron went from owning a design consultancy to creating his hit podcast Lore When Aaron decided to become a writer and how he pursued his dreams Who inspires Aaron Why you should watch Amanda Palmer’s TED talk How to find your 1000 true fans Why asking your audience for money is a good thing Why learning design skills is a useful tool for self-publishing Why Aaron likes to write fast and hard How narrative non-fiction can make your writing more interesting Why bouncing ideas off friends can change your life Learn clever ways of taking your existing words and repurpose them for other mediums Discover Aaron’s formula for creating a Lore episode Why staying true to your content is more important than earning money What Patreon is and why you should consider it How a creative can best budget their time What’s next for Lore ]]>

Authors have it rough. Fungibility seeks to infect you at every turn of phrase, every scrap of dialogue, every edit, red slash, and cut scene. To be common is to flicker as a pixel in cold television static. The effective writer is in a constant and thrashing dance of disruption. They flee from comfort, and often sensibility, in their quest to flip genre convention while simultaneously honoring it. It’s a barefoot dance on broken glass: one misstep and blood swamps the floor. When an author’s feet remain unharmed (save for a knick here and there) and arrive at the dance floor’s opposing end, it is like magic. Like the first time you witnessed a magnet swirl iron filament and alerted you to mysterious invisible forces that defy common sense and alter reality’s potential. Max Gladstone is kinda like that. It was my sheer, selfish pleasure to interview Max Gladstone in Episode 10 of Bleeding Ink. My intent was to bask in the glow of an author whose line-level polish would make proud any literary snob and whose world-building powers would make any geek swoon. His work has burrowed a unique hole in the Fantasy genre, taking from Pratchett and Zelazny, and mashes necromancy with some unlikely companions: economics and corporate politics. In his Craft Sequence series he writes of necromancers that work in something akin to a law firm responsible for the resurrection of dead Gods rather than dead companies submerged in red ink. (Damn it, just writing that last sentence brought me a fit of joy—such is the miracle of bearing witness to the birth of a beautiful, genre-merging literary chimera.) I digress. I’m a geek. Give me fantasy and business in a single book and I’m sold. You’ll enjoy this episode. Rarely do we gain insight into minds that that are equal parts science and art. Max and I discuss his background, his present and his future. We talk about his creative process. Max is a brilliant guy and, like any good magician, loosens the tight shackles of reality’s hold with a dash of awe-inspiring magic. Enjoy. Snippets Discover how Max got his start Learn Max’s strategy for landing an agent How a poetry background can improve your ability to write science fiction How Max pivoted from learning Chinese at Yale to becoming a best-selling author Why studying business systems makes for great writing material Learn Max’s creative process and how he writes around 3000 words a day How to manage your “maker” time vs. “Manager” time How to reach your maximum state of focus, or “Flow” How Max comes up with brand-spanking fresh ideas by mashing disparity How to use fantasy to touch upon controversial topics When Max thought he was ready to shop his book The strengths of tabletop gaming as a driver of palaver The power of editing and drafts: “Take out the filler, leave the killer” Why to limit pluperfect and progressive tense usage in writing Why “show, don’t tell” is a blunt saw Why Max chose a publisher over self-publishing How short fiction can boost your credibility The beauty of writing with notecards ]]>

Josh Bernoff’s blog WithoutBullshit.com feeds a cool million readers a year. His message is simple: “reduce, reduce some more, and here’s how.” By judging his readership numbers and the enthusiasm in which his readers receive his content I am confident that reduction is an antidote to the overwhelmingly complex world we meet daily. Josh is the doctor and he’s got the cure. In my first reading of Strunk and White’s canonical Elements of Style, William Strunk’s Rule 17 presented to me a lifetime challenge: omit needless words. Its impact redirected my writing and, in one of those “hey this applies to other things!” moments, it redirected my life. A greater tenet I have yet to discover, for we need not limit omitting to only our words, but to all aspects of our lives. Minimal wins. It’s zen man. I’m just going to leave the expanded Rule 17 here: Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell. I read “that every word tell” and it elicits in me a tingling joy as though a wise sage placed into my palm a suffrage-abolishing piece of advice. There’s no room for bullshit folks. And in the words of the venerable George Carlin: “It’s all bullshit, and it’s bad for ya.” Josh Bernoff has made it his life’s mission to eradicate gloppy bullshit from corporate and political interactions in which bullshit is stacked so high it’s difficult to tell where the mouths begin and the rubbish ends. I admire him. As the noise around us grows we must learn to become the signal, crisp, clean and laser-like, and in that act there is no room for wishy-washiness or platitudes. Let Josh teach you to take your message and pierce through the heart of today’s deafening racket. Be heard. Writing Without Bullshit is Josh’s upcoming book and is slated for release in September 2016 through HarperBusiness. Snippets Learn how Josh pivoted from a Forrester Analyst to best-selling author 10 writing tips to clarify your writing How to kill your MPs (meaningless platitudes) How qualifiers (word like very, much, etc) muddle your message Why you should be skeptical of every poll in the news A break-down of Donald Trump’s ability to deceive How language has degraded in the digital age How to strip your writing down to its purest form Why timing is critical in a book’s selling success Techniques to launch your book How to mobilize fans to promote your book and why publishers won’t do it for you Strategies other than a mailing list to sell your book Why creating useful content trumps all forms of advertising How to tell if a phrase is in the passive voice Why to use “I,” “you,” and “we” in non-fiction writing How Donald Trump’s active voice has reinvigorated politics Why writing shorter is better How to avoid using weasel words How to write a book through blog posts Why Josh decided to go through a traditional publisher ]]>

Don’t let Tim Grahl’s boyish smile and kind exterior fool you. He is relentless. Sure, relentlessly helpful, but too when attacking insurmountable goals. He orchestrates ruthless plans, beats down the door of the finest mentors, lays bare his flaws for critique and finds every shortcut to wrangle success in the shortest possible time. At his core Tim is an artisan blend of marketer and scientist—and damn good ones at that. We need more Tims in the book-selling world. Full disclosure: I work with Tim on my own book launches and author platform. I turn to him for advice. You can thank Tim for this very podcast—it was his suggestion. His counsel continues to deliver and its only limitation is in how I perform it, not in the guidance itself. He’s helped a milieu of best-selling authors—Hugh Howey, Chip and Dan Heath, Michael Moss, Charles Duhigg and Daniel Pink to name some notable characters—and what’s worked for them will work for you. Tim’s book Your First 1000 Copies should live on every author’s bookshelf. His new podcast The Story Grid with Shawn Coyne should be queued on every writer’s audio player. This man is abound with content that will help you sell more books, connect with a larger audience and write better. Snippets How Tim got his start helping authors become best-sellers What’s a good size for a mailing list? How Tim’s new podcast The Story Grid can change your writing Why social media is a terrible marketing vehicle How to define marketing (hint: it’s not icky) The top 3 takeaways from Tim’s Your First 1000 Copies Why mailing lists are the best way to engage with your audience Tim’s new author programs and how they can help you How to start and grow an email list Why long-form blog posts (over 3000 words) is most effective How appearing on podcasts can launch your writing career What to do with your 70,000+ email followers, once you have them Learn about Tim’s foray into writing fiction How to shortcut going from a crap writer to a great writer Why Tim’s new podcast The Story Grid can help you write better Tim’s one secret to his success How Tim bares it all on his new podcast What Shawn Coyne’s book The Story Grid is about How Tim is growing as a fiction writer and how you can learn from his painful journey ]]>

Nick is a renaissance man. He possesses a varied skill set authors envy: can write well, can design well, can organize well and can get shit done. He crafted with unattended Nick-only hands his book Cadence&Slang—a delightful guide that instills tenets of Interaction Design as a Strunk or White might. Self-publishing just made sense for him. Why, oh why, would he consider a publisher when Mr. Disabato could accomplish 95% of the task unaided? He didn’t. And, to date, he has raked in $48,000 in sales from the eloquent C&S (how us cool kids mention Cadence&Slang). Would he do it differently today? Maybe, depending on how a publisher might promote his name and how that name may climb a respected list in New York—then, “Yea, maybe I’d choose to use a publisher.” (I’m paraphrasing) We explore this struggle in the interview. Nick was one of the first authors to use Kickstarter. That’s watering it down. Nick was one of the first human beings to launch a Kickstarter campaign. By serendipity his long-lost college friend happened to, well, found Kickstarter and resurfaced to ask Nick if he had an interest in the fledgling idea that crowd-funding had some kind of future. Nick was interested. We discuss the pros and cons of his choice. I am convinced that Nick wrote C&S to enlighten and coddle the tenebrous and infantile world of interaction design. His book has become a pillar, a keystone, a support to that community (in which I too belong). But be under no delusion dear reader: C&S gives Nick the upper-hand in his business Draft Revise. He’s now an authority—rightfully so—and commands healthy sales that douse his bottom line in the loveliest shade of velvet black. For those non-fiction aficionados, writing a book of authority may well be your next raison d'etre, as it just might, just maybe, most likely, yield the same result. I’m excited for these vibes to shimmy into your ear canals. Enjoy. Snippets Learn how Nick made $48,000 selling his first book How writing for a niche can mean making it big How to approach organizing a book with complicated topics How a book on architecture can transform your approach to writing Why typography and layout can increase the value of your book How times have changed when it comes to printing a hardcover How to charge $50 for your book Why going with a physical book can increase your sales How Amazon dropped the ball with ebooks Why you may want to consider creating a designer book for your idea When Kindle isn’t right for your book Why the magic of today’s technology is not enough for readers If it’s worth publishing with a traditional publisher after achieving indie success How Nick used Kickstarter to offset printing costs, test his idea and accelerate his book’s success Create a mailing list that won’t annoy your audience and will incite thoughtful conversation Why your mailing list is critical to your writing career Find out one the number one thing self-published authors should do ]]>

Before this podcast Jeff Goins and I engaged in a riveting discussion on the dizzying responsibilities an artist must fulfill to increase their odds of commercial success. Part chief officer, part brazen artist, part handshake-get-in-your-face salesperson, creatives must split their personalities or find delegates for these roles. How does one go about this? Jeff has some ideas—as Jeff brims with ideas and quotes and “Have you read…?” and my-goodness-Jeff-let-me-get-my-pen-out! He is mid-distillation, having thrown together a frothy funky mash and, for the first time, has shared his fermentation process in this very episode. (tips hat) Take today’s successful artists. They share moxie, a gusto for disruption. They do not sit on their laurels and await discovery—they thrust themselves upon the world and use every friggin’ smartcut available to cast a spotlight on their work. This model of disruptive-artist will become the norm. Self-patronage is the new A&E record contract. The internet, with its Kickstarters and Patreons and Crowdfunds and Who-Knows-What, is the seedbed for this bold strategy to leap from unknown to making a mark and affording a good life. To quote Jeff: “The future for creatives is bright. Very bright.” I can’t help but squint my eyes either. Enjoy. SNIPPETS How do you capitalize the W in Writer and make it your career How to own your dreams and believe in yourself The single habit that will start you on your writing path Debunking the myth of earning the title “writer” How to take back the definition of your identity How resonance and finding your voice are one and the same Why publishing an e-book can reach the most people Gain insight into liminal spaces How Beavis and Butthead are zen philosophers Why studying the lives of others can lead to drastic changes in your own life “I just knew” vs putting in hard work for finding purpose How Walt Disney found his purpose How to search for momentum instead of moments Listening to your life instead of steering it How the Hero’s Journey applies to the writer’s journey Why commercial art was an anomaly in the history of commerce Why self-patronage is the future Why creative success entails a dance between art and commerce ]]>

I’m a big fan of those bold few willing to take on the task of bettering their peers. Joe is one such guy. He struck me as a gentleman on our first encounter—dapper, nice smile, good posture—and projected an affable, though introverted energy. It’s a kind of vibe I immediately recognize and respect: humility with a tinge of gusto, the mark of future good conversation. Joe founded the Write Practice in 2011. Each month it helps more than 250k writers on their journey to authordom. Not bad. The Practice’s comment sections teem with activity and have become a watering hole for a community of writers bent on helping each other. It’s an impressive feat when other such corners of the internet teem with trolls and slander. You will learn what makes Joe go. Where he comes from. Where he’s headed. Why he cares and how he goes about helping so many writers. You will learn how The Write Practice can help you and your sojourn toward sharing your inner stuff with the outer whole. Enjoy! SNIPPETS Learn how Joe started a blog that helps more than 250,000 writers better their craft every month Whether writers should take on free work Get the skinny on ghostwriting How travel can inspire your writing How and why to practice writing deliberately Tips for first-time authors Why you should consider writing guest posts How to use your stories to build an author platform Learn how to hustle your way to success Where the publishing industry is today and how it affects the modern author How to choose a creative process that works for you The best way to initially put a story down on paper Finding writing advice in your audience How to be selfishly selfless ]]>

Unfurling an idea among some fertile mental soil and tending to its incessant and desperate demands until it takes its natural shape, ready for harvest, has killed many a good writer. These ideas recruit the unwavering if they wish to see themselves realized. And though we may falter, it is through brash perseverance that we sow words into novels. To put it plainly: this shit is hard. But does it need be as hard? Is there some means of reducing these sky-scraping hurdles and lend a plow to our weathered hands? I think David Bruns and J.R. Olson have discovered how. In this episode of Bleeding Ink, we learn of their co-writing process, of taking complementary skill-sets and mashing them into a solid whole, into a sane reaper of words. Yeoman metaphors aside, David and J.R. impressed me with a cleverness few writers seem to throw at the writing process. Kickstarter deflected budget issues. Questionnaires enhanced beta-reader data. While David wrote, J.R. researched. Their efforts rewarded one another’s weaknesses. And at the end of it all, these two men are now rocketing toward a second novel with smiles on their faces. I envy them. SNIPPETS Discover the benefits of co-authoring a book See inside Bruns’ and Olson’s working relationship and writing process Use Kickstarter to offset printing costs How to devise a clever and efficient beta reader test Where to find potential writing partners Why research is important for historical fiction How to select beta readers How spreading responsibility between co-authors can lead to a much happier writing experience Why posing periodic questions to your beta-readers during their read can change everything How to select a copy editor How to prep your draft to save you money during copy editing How the Hunt for Red October was rejected by all major publishers When you should choose an agent What it takes to launch a book How to price your book ]]>