Helping indie authors successfully write, market, & self-publish their books and make a living with their writing. In this show, Ella interviews successful authors who share their best writing, marketing, and mindset secrets. You'll hear from them about topics such as making time to write, tools to succeed as an indie author, exactly what steps they took to achieve their self-publishing success.
Most authors have an incomplete or faulty understanding of what marketing is. In this episode, Ella breaks down what marketing actually is, why she LOVES marketing, and how a new understanding of marketing will lead to abundant results. Links from the show: https://6figurefiction.com
It's just me in this one... sharing a story about what it actually looks like when the Law of Attraction is making things happen for you. Plus, a bit about how my coaching and programs could help you become an empowered, successful indie author.
Writing can be a joyous experience until all the pressures on what to write come crashing down on you. Sometimes, trying to write what your agent wants takes away all the spark and passion you have for writing. Today's guest, Sierra Simone , is all too familiar with this feeling. What snapped her back was simple advice: WRITE FOR YOU. This led her to write a Jane Eyre fan fiction turned Gothic Victorian erotica, where she discovered taboo and erotic romance. Sierra is a USA Today and Wall Street...
Writing a memoir is a challenge not only in terms of writing but in sharing stories that connect people. Today’s guest has taken on that challenge. Zibby Owens is an author, podcaster, publisher, CEO, and founder of Zibby Owens Media , a privately-held media company designed to help busy people live their best lives by connecting to books and each other. She recently authored Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature , where she shares stories from her life through her favorite books. Zib...
A writing community is very important to have, especially if you're starting as a self-publishing author. You need to find a tribe that thinks like you. Join Ella Barnard as she talks to historical romance author, Wendy Vella about finding a community. Wendy is a Kindle Unlimited all-star and is also part of the SPA Girls Podcast . Learn how she found her community in the SPA Girls and in her family. Find out why historical romance of all things and why her book covers look so beautiful. Discove...
Be open to opportunities around you and love what you do. In this episode, Renee Rose shares her experience of having the best outcome in her life by following her guts. She had a degree in creative writing and knew she would be a writer. Her opportunity came after discovering 50 Shades of Grey , wherein she knew she could also write the same genre of books. She has sold over two million copies of her books, mainly focusing on romance. Tune in to learn how to maintain an abundance mindset and wh...
There is so much more authors can do with their books. In fact, it need not only provide you with one income stream. You can leverage them to provide you with multiple streams of income. Today's guest is proof that this is possible. Ella Barnard sits with Willow Winters , an author who has over 50 books published and continues to deliver addictive love stories. In this episode, Willow shares how she has built an empire around her writing and even extended it to a nonprofit community. She talks a...
Every one of us has an inborn talent. Some are already visible at a young age, but some are just not that apparent until they grow up and discover it for themselves. Tasha L. Harrison, our guest today, knew writing was her passion and was confident that she could do it well. Tasha was burned out when she decided to build a community of writers and launch a Patreon. She then came up with a challenge for the members of the community to write #20kIn5Days, which provided motivation and new fresh ide...
How do you succeed in writing cozy mysteries? Ella Barnard welcomes Cheryl Phipps, a USA Today best-selling romance author. Cheryl advises how you want more people to look guilty or have the potential to be the criminal. Then there should be love and trust, usually the sheriff, deputy, or forensic person. But writing the story is just the first step; there’s still the publishing and marketing to work on. If you believe in yourself, jump in with your boots and all. The more stories you put out th...
Many writers, if not most, wear multiple hats while pursuing their author’s journey. There are moments when you need to prioritize and choose yourself. Here to share how she did it is Lexi Ryan . Lexi is a romance and YA fantasy author working in self-publishing and traditional publishing. In this episode, she joins Ella Barnard to share the ups and downs of her author’s journey as a stay-at-home mom, especially during the pandemic. From being on the brink of quitting to now being an award-winni...
KU publishing or Kindle Unlimited can be good for new authors but wide marketing is still the best way to go. You can your backlist first then go wide after so that you can reach more readers. Marketing is very important especially if you're new to the game. Learn more about wide marketing, duet writing, and all things romance with Ella Barnard and her guest Courtney/Lyra Parish/Kennedy Fox . Courtney is a romance author with over 45 books self-published at this point, and she started with ZERO ...
So many books out there dive deep into how to earn millions in the easiest and fastest ways possible. But for Lee Savino , she achieved her millionaire author mindset not just because of financial strategies but also by investing time in what she genuinely loves. She joins Ella Barnard to share how she built her wealth by reinvigorating her passion for writing, setting aside her self-doubts, and being bigger than every roadblock ahead. Lee now shares her secrets to the world through the Facebook...
For a writer's work to succeed and thrive, one needs to find their marketable voice. They need to make let their personality shine through their words. In this episode, Ella Barnard teams up with bestselling author Nana Malone to talk about the author's voice. Nana discusses marketability, diversity and helping other up-and-coming authors get marketed. Tune in to this insightful conversation and learn how to find your own voice.
Many people want to read about midlife romances involving characters who are over 40 having a second chance at romance. Ella Barnard welcomes L.B. Dunbar , the author of over 30 romance novels, including Small-Town World and Rock Star Mayhem . L.B. shared how she was ready to close shop and stop writing when her readers asked her to publish After Care as a novel. You’re never too old to reinvent yourself. Even if you miss the first sign, the universe keeps speaking and nudging you in the directi...
As an aspiring author, you need to find your tribe, your community. If you are indie publishing, a group of people who are in the same boat as you is all you need. This is what SciFi romance writer, Maddie Syn did. She is an independent author who writes love stories in alien worlds. Some of her works include The Guardians of Re'Utu books and Big Feels . Learn her writing process and what methods work for her. Discover how she started blogging in the erotica genre. Find out what works for you an...
As a writer or creative of any media, finding creative inspiration that resonates with an audience can be hard. For today’s guest, the inspiration that came from her life, and her community helped her achieve that balance. Oriana Leckert is the author of Brooklyn Spaces: 50 Hubs of Culture and Creativity , which grew out of a multi-year project chronicling the rise and fall of under-the-radar creative places across New York City. Tune in to her chat with Ella Barnard on how this project opened d...
Every literary genre has something refreshing to bring to the table. Paranormal romance writer Tasha Black recalls how co-writing with other authors helped her keep bringing exciting stories to her avid readers. She believes that collaboration and passion can bring new ideas to life. In this episode, Tasha and Ella Barnard chat about all things writing, editing, and marketing. Listen in as they share how you can start writing from your heart and customizing your author process....
The key to being a successful self-published author isn’t just writing stories. You also need to have smart marketing that attracts a loyal audience. In this episode, Ella Barnard chats with romance author Ines Johnson on how she balanced inspiration with an effective advertising and marketing plan to achieve results while writing the stories she loves. Ines caters to two audiences, one as Ines and the other as her pen name, Shanae Johnson . Join in on their chat to learn more about Ines’ strate...
Do you believe the myth that you can’t be artistically and commercially successful at the same time? Ella Barnard sits with Alana Terry , a 6-figure author of more than forty published novels, to talk about the abundance mindset. Alana shares her struggles with her limiting beliefs throughout the years. And how she overcame them as she earned more through Facebook ads. You can write beautiful novels and earn money by doing so when you learn marketing. Another fear is the myth that rich people ar...
Starting your author's journey isn't always the smoothest. You have to do a lot of pivoting until you find what works for you and your audience. In this episode, Lana Dash joins host Ella Barnard to talk about how she's done the work of continually learning her craft and studying the market to achieve success in self-publishing. Lana is an indie Amazon bestselling author who has published over seventy short contemporary romances filled with curvy heroines, sexy heroes, and plenty of humor. She s...
Your journey to writing involves overcoming a lot of roadblocks. Technicalities and standardizations are set for artists to follow, but these are exactly what can hinder you from finding the writer within. Masterful writer’s coach Sage Adderley believes there is no right way to do things. She sits with Ella Barnard and shares how letting go of limiting beliefs opens new opportunities for writers. Listen in as Sage brings things outside the box and shares ways you can cultivate creativity with a ...
Not many authors are familiar with the concept of co-writing, and some may even be wary of it. USA Today Bestselling Author L.A. (Lainie) Boruff is here to soothe your thoughts. Lainie is the co-author of beloved paranormal women's fiction series such as Witching After Forty and Magical Midlife In Mystic Hollow , among other works. In this episode, she sits down with host Ella Barnard to discuss the ins and outs of co-writing and what makes it work. Get an inside look at how she and her co-autho...
Tips and tricks on kickstarting your creative ideas are okay, but finding a home for your concepts is even better. Bestselling author Russell Nohelty believes that art and creative expression are essential to society. Russell joins Ella Barnard in this episode to present a new, innovative, safe space for artists to showcase their work. Kickstarter is a platform that aims to bring people together and bring their creative ideas to life. Listen in and learn more as Russell talks about how this plat...
How do you combat burnout as an author? With deadlines to meet and edits to make, it often gets overwhelming and creatively stifling to deal with all these. To tackle this, host Ella Barnard chats with interracial romance author Brooklyn Knight . After a recent burnout episode, Brooklyn quit her job to become a full-time author. Here, she talks about her experience and how she’s managing her work now to prevent further episodes. She also offers advice on how to keep growing as a writer, plus giv...
In this episode, I share my intentions for the show (hint: it might be that you are inspired to follow your dreams and make lots of money). I also share what you, as a listener, should expect from the show going forward. That's it! It's a short & sweet episode that will hopefully give you a little inspiration and motivation. :)
There is no deadline to finding your passion. Today's guest is transitioning from her 33 years of experience in IT to pursuing her love for writing cozy mysteries. Sue Hollowell is a wife and empty nester with a lot of mom left over. But, with newfound time on her hands and a love for mystery novels, she channeled this energy into telling the story of a character she made up in her head. Now, she is a published author with almost twenty cozy mysteries to her name. Get to know Sue, her story, and...
Taking a break from things that feel heavy is essential for our sanity. This is true, especially when we find it hard to cope with everything around us. After a two-year podcast break, Ella Barnard is back with a refreshing stance on podcasting. She sits down with her good friend Alana Terry and answers questions about what happened while she was away. Tune in to know more about Ella’s author journey and how she managed to regain the momentum for podcasting....
In this episode I talk about how I got started doing my own Author Like a Boss program, what's working for me, and how I got my results. You'll also find out: If you want to keep up-to-date on my progress, sign up to my newsletter at http://authorlikeaboss.com/newsletter
In this episode with K. Webster, you'll learn how the one of the biggest setbacks helped her to persevere and find herself and her new "writing skin." You'll also learn what makes her novels so unique, and why Amazon banned one of her books for being way "too wild" for the platform. Here are just a few of the things we touched on: K Webster is a USA Today Bestselling author. Her titles have claimed many bestseller tags in numerous categories, are translated in multiple languages, and have been a...
In this episode with Eliza, you'll learn how the one review on her first published novel helped to refine her publication process. You'll also learn about her publishing plans on her romance series, and how to holds herself accountable during the drafting process. Here are just a few of the things we touched on: If transitioning from hobby writer to business owner is one of the challenges that’s keeping you from making 6-figures as an indie author, then you’ll definitely want to come check out t...
