Wherever you are on the author journey, there are some important questions to consider along the way. Joe Solari outlines a strategic step forward for new authors, midlist indies, and those with ambitious financial goals. Plus, what is Author Nation? In the intro, Top 10 trends for publishing [Written Word Media]; Indie author predictions for [] The post The Next Strategic Step On Your Author Journey And Author Nation With Joe Solari first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Jan 08, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy New Year 2024! I love January and the opportunity to start afresh. I know its arbitrary in some ways, but I measure my life by what I create, and I measure it in years. At the end of each year, I make a photobook, and I publish an article here, which helps keep me [] The post My 2024 Creative And Business Goals With Joanna Penn [Updated] first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Jan 01, 2024•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Another year ends, and once more, it's time to reflect on our creative goals. I hope you will take the time to review your goals and you're welcome to leave a comment below about how the year went. Did you achieve everything you wanted to? Let me know in the comments. In the intro, 2023 [] The post Review Of My 2023 Creative And Business Goals With Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Dec 31, 2023•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, I reflect on 15 years of TheCreative Penn, and outline how I will reposition myself for the next 15 years of being an author entrepreneur. In the intro, We used to do that [Seth Godin]; Penguin Random House has acquired Hay House [Publishing Perspectives]; Business for Authors; Your Author Business Plan; OpenAI [] The post The 15-Year Author Business Pivot With Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Dec 18, 2023•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast How will changes to the way people search impact book discoverability? What can authors and publishers do to ensure their books are still found in the new form of generative AI search? While it's still early days for this technology, I share my thoughts in this article, with the hope that we can surf the [] The post How Generative AI Search Will Impact Book Discoverability In The Next Decade first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Dec 11, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Do you want to publish an image-heavy book like a cookbook? How can you navigate the challenges of photography, book design, and publishing choices to make the best product possible? Jane Dixon-Smith shares her lessons learned from her first cookbook. In the intro, Brandon Sanderson's predictions about publishing [Daniel Greene]; Craig Mod talks about walking [] The post Publishing A Cookery Photo Book With Jane Dixon-Smith first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Dec 04, 2023•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast How might subscriptions help expand your author business ecosystem? What are some tips on encouraging readers to buy direct? Why is the future looking positive for authors in the creator economy? Michael Evans gives his thoughts. In the intro, marketing for multi-genre authors [Self Publishing Advice]; Same as Ever: Timeless lessons on risk, opportunity, and [] The post Subscriptions And The Creator Economy With Michael Evans first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Nov 27, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can you transition into being an author after a long-term career elsewhere? How can you adopt an attitude of service in order to build your network in an authentic manner? Patrick O'Donnell shares his tips. In the intro, Spotify subscribers in the US now have 15 hours of free audiobook listening [The Verge] [] The post Starting A Second Career As An Author And Networking Tips With Patrick ODonnell first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Nov 20, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can you shift your mindset from catalog sales to selling direct? How can you reframe the direct author business model to take advantage of creative possibilities for different kinds of products and long-term marketing? Russell Nohelty gives his tips in this interview. In the intro, Top 10 tips for indie authors [Clare Lydon]; 10 [] The post The Mindset And Business Of Selling Books Direct With Russell Nohelty first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Nov 13, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can using Pinterest more like a search engine help you sell more books? What are some of the ways to use Pinterest most effectively for book marketing? Trona Freeman gives her tips. In the intro, KDP announce an Invite-Only KDP Beta for Audiobooks; How to Double Down on Being Human: 5 Ways to Stand [] The post Pinterest For Book Marketing With Trona Freeman first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Nov 06, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can you reinvigorate your writing process, breathe life into your backlist, and prepare your author business for the rollercoaster that is publishing? Tracy Cooper-Posey gives her tips. In the intro, Authors Guild results [The Hotsheet]; more Promo Stacks with Written Word Media; Amazon's robot [BBC]; Amazon's generative image AI for products [Venture Beat]; Shutterstock's [] The post Managing Your Author Business Over The Long Term With Tracy Cooper-Posey first appeared on The Creative Penn...
Oct 30, 2023•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast How do you keep up with everything you need to do as your author business grows? How do you decide what to focus on as the industry changes and you change, too? Patricia McLinn discusses her challenges with a big backlist of books and a mature indie author business. In the intro, Self-publishing's ongoing [] The post Stop Trying To Do Everything With Patricia McLinn first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Oct 23, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast What is soul of place or genius loci and how can you write it in a more immersive way in your books? How can you discover it closer to home, as well as write real settings more authentically, and invent it for your fiction? Linda Lappin gives some tips in this interview. In the intro, [] The post Writing The Soul Of Place With Linda Lappin first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Oct 16, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can you let your creative dark horse run? What is the Shadow and why explore your Shadow side? This episode features excerpted chapters from the audiobook of Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words, written and narrated by Joanna Penn, available on Kickstarter until 25 October 2023: www.TheCreativePenn.com/shadowbook (link will redirect [] The post Let Your Dark Horse Run. Writing The Shadow With Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Oct 13, 2023•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can you establish a creative routine that enables you to write the books you want to write without burning out? How can you balance a sustainable work ethic as an author as well as spending time away from the desk. LA Witt talks about her strategies. In the intro, Spotify introduces 15 hours of [] The post Writing Faster Without Burning Out With LA Witt first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Oct 09, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Transcript available on Metacast As much as we try to plan for things, sometimes life happens and we have to adapt to a new situation. Jessie Kwak talks about adapting to life as a freelance writer and author after being injured, and her tips for managing work and energy. In the intro, I mention Accessibility for All, the interview [] The post Adapting To Change With Jessie Kwak first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Oct 02, 2023•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can you create a high-quality photo book and publish it on Kickstarter? How do you market a beautiful, high-value book? Jeremy Bassetti talks about his photo book project, Hill of the Skull. In the intro, Slow release book strategies [ALLi]; Seth Godin on how he is using ChatGPT; Consultants using AI worked faster and [] The post Writing And Publishing A High Quality Photo Book With Jeremy Bassetti first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Sep 25, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this solo episode, I talk about my lessons learned from 12 years as a full-time author entrepreneur. You can read/listen to previous updates at TheCreativePenn.com/timeline. In the intro, Finding readers [ALLi blog]; Writing the Shadow Kickstarter. Today's show is sponsored byProWritingAid, writing and editing software that goes way beyond just grammar and typo checking. [] The post Lessons Learned from 12 Years as an Author Entrepreneur first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Sep 18, 2023•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast What's the difference between an audio book and an audio drama? What are the steps to write a script and produce it? Joanne Phillips gives her tips. In the intro, Amazon KDP's new AI content guidelines; AI at the heart of what Amazon does [The Verge]; Writing the Shadow Kickstarter; 1000 Libraries Kickstarter; Today's show [] The post Writing And Producing Audio Drama With Joanne Phillips first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Sep 11, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can you expand the possibilities of book cover images with AI? What are some of the controversies and how can authors and designers work together with AI tools to create original design? Book cover designer Damon Freeman discusses his views. There are lots of links in the show notes below to specific resources, but [] The post Using AI Images In Your Book Cover Design Process With Damon Freeman first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Sep 07, 2023•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast How might thinking differently help you create clarity in our noisy world? How can you produce a high-quality print book and successfully fund it on Kickstarter? Holger Nils Pohl discusses these things and more. In the intro, Copyright in an age of AI [Self Publishing Advice, Monica Leonelle, Ars Technica, The Verge, The Atlantic; [] The post Producing Visual, High Quality Books, Thinking Differently, and Kickstarter Lessons With Holger Nils Pohl first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Sep 04, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can you stop self-censoring your writing and share the deepest aspects of yourself with your readers? How can you break poetry out of the restraints that many try to put upon it? Stephanie Wytovich talks about these things and more. In the intro, 5 trends that are shifting the future of publishing with Monica [] The post Writing Poetry In The Dark With Stephanie Wytovich first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Aug 28, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can you build an author business for the long term, and not just for the launch of one book? How do you ensure secure cash flow and profits, instead of focusing on short-term spike sales? Joe Solari discusses key aspects of your author business. In the intro, Kobo Plus expands to audiobooks in Australia [] The post Build A Successful Author Business For The Long Term With Joe Solari first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Aug 21, 2023•1 hr 29 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can you create a book series that children love and that you can expand into multiple streams of income? How can you offer a fantastic experience to schools and get paid well for your time? Tonya Duncan Ellis gives her tips. In the intro, investment firm KKR will buy Simon & Schuster [] The post Publishing Books For Children And Profitable School Visits With Tonya Ellis first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Aug 14, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can AI tools help authors who struggle with energy and time because of disability, chronic pain, health conditions, post-viral fatigue, or other unavoidable life issues? Steph Pajonas explains why AI is important for accessibility and more. Today's show is sponsored by my wonderful patrons who fund my brain so I have time to think [] The post How AI Tools Are Useful For Writers With Disabilities And Health Issues With S.J. Pajonas first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Aug 10, 2023•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can you shift your mindset in order to reach more readers with your books? How can you leverage the tools available for authors to sell more copies? Ricci Wolman from Written Word Media gives her tips. In the intro, The Hotsheet useful newsletter; Book publishing is broken; In the US, the Federal Trade Commission [] The post The Marketing Mind Shift And The Power Of Ad Stacking With Ricci Wolman first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Aug 07, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can you write fast but also make your creative process sustainable for the long term? How can you collaborate effectively with other authors in your genre? Dan Willcocks talks about his creative and business approach. In the intro, Draft2Digital acquires SelfPubBookCovers; Different types of creative energy [Self Publishing Advice]; Twitter becomes X [The Verge]; [] The post Writing Fast, Collaboration, And Author Mindset With Daniel Willcocks first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Jul 31, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can you use what you're scared of to write better stories that resonate with readers? How can you acknowledge your shadow side and bring aspects of it into the light in a healthy way that serves you and your customers? Michaelbrent Collings talks about his experiences and you can do my Shadow Survey [] The post Writing From Your Shadow Side With Michaelbrent Collings first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Jul 24, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast What are the pros and cons of traditional publishing vs self-publishing? How can you combine multiple options for a more creatively satisfying and profitable author career? Rachael Herron gives her tips. In the intro, Power Thesaurus and editing tips for audio; How Writers Fail Kris Rusch; Finishing energy; Sidekick for Shopify; Shadow [] The post Your Publishing Options With Rachael Herron first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Jul 17, 2023•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can you exploit the unique in your stories, as well as amp up the conflict? John Gaspard gives writing and creative business tips based on movies and TV. In the intro, Meta launches Threads, the new Twitter-like app you can follow me @jfpennauthor; Possible Podcast episode with Ethan Mollick; Moonshots and Mindsets podcast [] The post Writing Tips From The Movies With John Gaspard first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Jul 10, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
