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The Bestseller Experiment

Bestseller Experiment•bestsellerexperiment.com
Arts
Books
Join author and screenwriter Mark Stay with coach and entrepreneur Mark Desvaux, as they discover the secrets to writing a bestseller and challenge themselves and you to write, market and self-published a bestselling book in just one year. Each week, they are guided by and interview million-selling, chart-topping authors, publishers on the inside, editors, agents, social media specialists, and many more big names who play a part in the bestseller process. From the writing to marketing, plotting to publishing, learn the secrets to help you write your way to the top of the charts.
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Episodes

EP91: Options Part 1

Here are some clips of what is happening over on the Deep Dive at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Mar 03, 2018•2 min•Season 2Ep. 91

EP90: Ask The Two Marks

Braving snowmageddon, our monthly live show was recorded in London and Vancouver, with our audience of Patreon supporters. Featured listener questions include the secrets of metadata, author blogging, outlining, and crowdfunding. And there’s an update on Mark Stay’s book The End of Magic, which you can support here: bestsellerexperiment.com/endofmagic. To join us as an audience member at our next live recording, become a supporter today at: bestsellerexperiment.com/support In this episode you wi...

Mar 03, 2018•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 90

EP88: Unbound and The End of Magic

Mr. Stay has a new book coming! And it’s being published by Unbound Books who use a crowdfunding model. We discuss how it all works and how you, dear listener, can get involved at https://unbound.com/books/end-of-magic/ In this episode you will discover… How crowdfunding works in publishing Strategies for effective crowdfunding The discount code exclusive to our listeners And updates from our listeners, including one who has just secured a book deal with a major publisher! To hear more of this e...

Feb 26, 2018•45 min•Season 2Ep. 88

EP86: Catriona Innes

We speak to the completely charming Catriona Innes, Senior Editor of Cosmopolitan, the UK’s best selling glossy magazine. Working on the features desk she writes, edits and commissions the long reads, fitness and career sections of Cosmopolitan, as well as heading up the books content. She’s currently working on Hearst’s inaugural books prize, Big Book, as well as writing her first fiction novel. In this episode you will discover… How books get those big magazine features Top tips for interviews...

Feb 18, 2018•51 min•Season 2Ep. 86

EP84: Cass Green

We speak to Cass Green, bestselling author of The Woman Next Door and In a Cottage In a Wood who told us how a quick swim led to a change in direction for her career... In this episode you will discover… How writing for children can help writing for adults Strategies for writing for a living The “Therefore, but…” rule for outlining What a writer-in-residence actually does! To hear more of this episode in our deep dive, check out patreon.com/bestsellerexperiment Our novel Back To Reality is out n...

Feb 12, 2018•55 min•Season 2Ep. 84

EP82: Jen Williams - "Even Aliens Have Issues."

We speak to Jen Williams, writer of charismatic characters and founder of the Super Relaxed Fantasy Club. To hear more of this episode in our deep dive, check out patreon.com/bestsellerexperiment Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Feb 04, 2018•47 min•Season 2Ep. 82

EP81: Live Show Q&A with the two Marks

Behold, the highlights of this month's YouTube Live show for our Patreon supporters In this episode you will discover… How to make your characters feel relevant to as many readers as possible How visual flowcharts can help outline your story Liz’s tips for coping with writers’ block and artists’ block and the value of “faffing time” The common traits of bestselling children’s authors And how The Sopranos influenced Liz! To hear more of this episode in our deep dive, check out patreon.com/bestsel...

Jan 27, 2018•58 min•Season 2Ep. 81

EP79: Liz Pichon

In the first of an occasional series of reports from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators conference, we speak to bestselling children’s author and illustrator Liz Pichon about the secrets of the success of her multi-million copy Tom Gates books... In this episode you will discover… How to make your characters feel relevant to as many readers as possible How visual flowcharts can help outline your story Liz’s tips for coping with writers’ block and artists’ block and the value...

Jan 20, 2018•52 min•Season 2Ep. 79

EP077: The Epic Brandon Sanderson

We caught up with fantasy bestselling author and super nice dude Brandon Sanderson and in a jam-packed episode he answered our listeners’ questions and let us in on some of his inspirational top tips for productive writing... In this episode you will discover… The secret to Brandon’s productivity How you can stay excited about the project you’re working on Why there’s no “should” in writing And when you need to shove your artist in the closet To hear more of this episode in our deep dive, check ...

Jan 12, 2018•33 min•Season 2Ep. 77

EP75: Location, location, location and murder with Lara Dearman

We talk to novelist Lara Dearman about her debut book The Devil’s Claw and the importance of place, location, myths and folklore in her fiction and much more. In this episode you will discover… How a community college course can spark a career in writing Strategies for writing when you’re a full-time parent Tips for choosing an agent and a publisher The importance of accuracy when writing a real location How Enid Blyton inspired Lara’s crime fiction To hear more of this episode in our deep dive,...

Jan 04, 2018•44 min•Season 2Ep. 75

EP73: New Year's Countdown to Your Favourite Episodes

A Happy New Year to all our listeners! In today’s special episode we conclude our thrilling countdown of our top 10 best episodes as voted for by you with our favourite clips from those shows! Who will come top? Listen now.. In this episode you will discover... - What really scares one of our horror author guests - How to cope with the infamous kitchen scene trap - What does one of our guests consider to be “bollocks advice”? - And what effect has Ben Aaronovitch’s rant had on the two Marks’ wri...

Dec 29, 2017•38 min•Season 2Ep. 73

EP72: Christmas Special

Merry Christmas to all our listeners! In today’s special episode we begin our countdown of our top 10 best episodes as voted for by you with our favourite clips from those shows! We start with, er… number 12… Course we do. In this episode you will discover... The most important lessons we’ve learned from our guests Which author we were most nervous about interviewing How Donald Trump was key to our success The names of those on Santa’s “Nice” list To hear more of this episode in our deep dive, c...

Dec 22, 2017•39 min•Season 2Ep. 72

EP71: MR Carey

Mike Carey writes comics, novels and screenplays like Hellblazer, Lucifer, X-Men, the Felix Castor novels, and The Girl With All the Gifts. He’s also written novels with his wife Linda and daughter Louise. Linda joined Mike for this amazing chat about story writing in all its forms. In this episode you will discover... - How comics can help you structure a story, and the key differences between comics, novels and screenplays - How co-writers can find a single voice with harmony and negotiation -...

Dec 15, 2017•40 min•Season 2Ep. 71

EP70: Listeners’ Question Time

The Two Marks answer your questions in this recording of our first Patreon subscribers’ live show. To hear more of this episode in our deep dive, check out patreon.com/bestsellerexperiment Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Dec 11, 2017•58 min•Season 2Ep. 70

EP69: Tad Williams - Legendary Worldbuilder

Tad Williams is a master of the fantasy genre. Not only an incredible world builder, but he populates his books with memorable and beloved characters. He’s returned to the world of Memory, Sorrow & Thorn with his latest book The Witchwood Crown and we were delighted to speak to him about returning to the past and horizontality… To hear more of this episode in our deep dive, check out patreon.com/bestsellerexperiment Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality...

Dec 03, 2017•49 min•Season 2Ep. 69

EP68: Victoria Aveyard - The Red Queen of YA

We hitch a ride with Victoria Aveyard, the bestselling author of the Red Queen series, and we talk unreliable narrators, copy edits and building characters. To hear more of this episode in our deep dive, check out https://patreon.com/bestsellerexperiment Our novel Back To Reality is out now https://bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Nov 26, 2017•49 min•Season 2Ep. 68

EP67: Publicity Secrets Revealed

On the day the Two Marks land a big feature in Publisher's Weekly, they talk with top publicists Elaine Egan, Lauren Woosey and Virginia Woolstencroft about interview tips, creating a buzz around your book, how to recognise the hook of a good publicity story, what makes a great pitch, and we discover the dos and don’ts of a great press release. http://www.bestsellerexperiment.com

Nov 19, 2017•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 67

EP66: Bestseller Launch Day (part 4)

Bestselling author and friend of the show Shannon Mayer joins Mark Desvaux in the final part of the launch day event for the two Marks’ novel Back to Reality. Check out bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Nov 10, 2017•55 min•Season 1Ep. 66

EP65: Bestseller Launch Day (part 3)

The sky over London turns red as the two Marks recall the third part of their launch day event for their novel Back to Reality. Check out bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality...

Nov 01, 2017•32 min•Season 1Ep. 65

EP64: Bestseller Launch Day (part 2)

It’s High Noon as the two Marks recall the second part of their launch day event for their novel Back to Reality. Check out bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 27, 2017•42 min•Season 1Ep. 64

EP63: Bestseller Launch Day (Part 1)

Relive the magic of launch day as the Two Marks attempt to hit the bestseller charts with their novel Back to Reality. Will it be a car crash or chart crash? Buy your copy at bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 23, 2017•27 min
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