Inspiration and information about writing craft and author business. For independent creatives.
Selling books live on social media, Research like an academic, The creative wound, and the shadow in publishing
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Hello Creatives, It's already February, so I hope you are into the creative swing of the year now and are making progress with your book plans for 2026. I've finished my next thriller, Bones of the Deep. It's now with my editor and beta readers and my plan is to do a Kickstarter in April. In the meantime, I am back into my Masters degree in Death, Religion, and Culture, so lots of studying! Selling books live on social media with Adam BeswickCould live selling be the next big opportunity for indie authors? Adam Beswick shares how organic marketing, live streaming, and direct sales are transforming his author career—and how other writers can do the same. In the intro, book marketing principles. Click here to listen or read Research like an academic. Write like an indie. With Melissa AddeyHow can indie authors raise their game through academic-style rigour? How might AI tools fit into a thoughtful research process without replacing the joy of discovery? Melissa Addey explores the intersection of scholarly discipline, creative writing, and the practical realities of building an author career. In the intro, mystery and thriller tropes; The differences between trad and indie in 2026; and the five phases of an author business. Click here to listen or read Writing the Shadow, the creative wound, publishing, and money, with Joanna PennWhat if the most transformative thing you can do for your writing craft and author business is to face what you fear? How can you can find gold in your Shadow in the year ahead? In this episode, I share chapters from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words. In the intro, curated book boxes, agentic shopping, Claude CoWork, and balancing certainty and uncertainty. Click here to listen or read
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Joanna Penn, The Creative Penn
Inspiration and information about writing craft and author business. For independent creatives.
Hello Creatives, We're just back from a long weekend in Brussels and Bruges in Belgium where I did some much-needed book research. Photos above and more on Instagram and Facebook @jfpennauthor if you'd like a closer look. Also, do you know about the 'windowing' strategy for publishing? It's how I release my books now and might help you think about your next release. Basically, it means releasing your book in different formats and into different channels to different audiences over time, with...
Hello Creatives, Thanks to everyone who backed my Kickstarter for Bones of the Deep! I had a wonderful signing day for the foiled hardbacks up at the BookVault printers, so all books should be with you soon. It will be out on the usual platforms over the summer. I was also in London last week for an author conference, having industry business meetings and catching up with writer friends. It's been a productive few weeks but a good reminder that the author life is not just sitting alone...
Hello Creatives, Can you believe it's June already?! I hope you have your creative projects for the year well underway. Click reply and let me know how it's going. I'm focused on finishing up the fulfilment for Bones of the Deep Kickstarter, and if you missed the campaign, the book will be out on the usual stores in August. I'm also writing the draft of my dissertation for my Masters in Death, Religion, and Culture, so that's my main project for the next few months, alongside a new story with...