Inspiration and information about writing craft and author business. For independent creatives.
Lessons from Author Nation, Writing Memoir, Creating While Caring, and Surviving through Change in the Publishing Industry
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Hello Creatives, I've recently returned from Author Nation in Las Vegas, the biggest indie author conference in the world, and it was intense and productive as ever! I also (finally) visited Antelope Canyon, which was as wonderful as I had imagined after years of seeing photos! I put all my lessons learned from the conference in one solo episode, out now. It includes: constraints breed creativity; what you need for a long-term sustainable author career; decisions on how you want your author business to run; what if it doesn't go to plan?; money management tips; and how to assess vendors and services. Plus, if you love wine and would like a walk on the darker side of viticulture, click here for Blood Vintage, out now everywhere in all formats. You can also request it at your local library or bookstore. Creating while Caring with Donn KingWhat happens when your creative dreams collide with the demands of caregiving? How do you keep writing when you're caring for someone full-time? Can you still be a creative person when traditional productivity advice simply doesn't work? With Donn King. In the intro, Agatha Christie meets Mr Men; Podcast guesting and co-writing; and thoughts on pushing your comfort zone. Click here to listen or read Loki is in Charge. How Authors Can Thrive in a Time of Transition with Becca SymeWhy does the publishing industry feel more chaotic than ever, and what can writers do about it? How do you know if you're truly burned out or just creatively empty? When should successful authors start saying no instead of yes to every opportunity? Becca Syme shares her hard-won wisdom about navigating burnout, embracing unpredictability, and knowing what to quit (and what not to quit) in your writing career. Click here to listen or read Why Structure Matters. Writing Memoir with Wendy DaleWhy do so many memoir manuscripts fail to engage readers, even when the writer has lived through extraordinary experiences? What's the hidden code that separates a chronological account of events from a compelling memoir that readers can't put down? How do you know when you're ready to write about trauma, and where's the ethical line between truth and storytelling? With Wendy Dale. In the intro, Amazon Kindle Translate. Click here to listen or read Want to level up your writing craft and author business?Last call for the Writing Storybundle, available for a limited time. It contains ebooks covering business essentials for writers, professionalism, creating character arcs, world building, tropes, long term success, podcasting, collaboration and co-writing, productivity, pacing — and it also includes my 2nd Edition of How to Write Non-Fiction. Click here to check it out (before end Nov)
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Joanna Penn, The Creative Penn
Inspiration and information about writing craft and author business. For independent creatives.
Hello Creatives, I was in Oxford last weekend for a university reunion. It was both strange and wonderful to sit across from people I last knew in my twenties and hear what their lives have become. Some have taken paths you might have predicted. Others have gone places no one would have guessed. A creative life rarely runs in a straight line, and I find I’m most drawn to the unexpected stories, the people who started over, who found their work later, who are still figuring it out. Decades in,...
Hello Creatives, One of the most common questions that authors are asked is: "Where do you get your ideas?" Well, for me, it's often about where I travel and what I find there. In 1999, I sailed on a tall ship from Fiji to Vanuatu in the south pacific, and something about that crossing never let me go. I just couldn’t find the right story for it ... until now. Bones of the Deep has finally arrived, with a setting that takes you out on the open ocean, the stolen bones of a merfolk culture, and...
Hello Creatives, Spring flowers are blooming here in Bath and I am looking forward to a lot more time outside in the coming months! I hope you are enjoying the seasons wherever you are in the world. In the meantime, I am almost ready to launch my next Kickstarter for Bones of the Deep, and I'm working hard on finishing my Masters course. We also had a book research trip to Paris which will eventually turn into my next ARKANE thriller, Crown of Thorns. More photos on Facebook/ Instagram...