What if the traditional publishing model is not the best way to publish a book in a digital age? What if publishing it as an ebook on Amazon is not the best way, either? Elle Griffin questions the established ways of publishing a book and explains how she is using SubStack and NFTs for her [] The post Different Ways Of Publishing Through Substack And NFTs With Elle Griffin first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
I've spent the last 15 years building an author business on Web 2 digital publishing, blogging and podcasting, social media, and more. Butas Web 3 begins to emerge through blockchain, NFTs, AI, and the metaverse, I want to make sure I still have a thriving business over the next 15 years. NFTs are an [] The post Creativity, Collaboration, Community, and Cash.NFTs For Authors [Audio] With Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
How can we improve our creativity and release our self-censorship to write more freely? Dan Holloway talks about aspects of creativity as well as physical challenges, neurodiversity, and how technology might augment us in this interview. In the intro, thoughts on Brandon Sanderson's Kickstarter [Kris Rusch]; Guide to Multiple Streams of Income[Self Publishing Advice]; Thoughts [] The post Improve Your Creativity With Dan Holloway first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
How can we overcome self-doubt to write the books we really want to? How can we move past writer's block? How can we reshape our definition of success and return to the joy of writing? Dharma Kelleher talks about the author mindset and more. In the intro, Brandon Sanderson's Kickstarter, Bookstore consolidation [The Guardian]; Amazon [] The post Dealing With Self-Doubt And Writers Block With Dharma Kelleher first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
The creative journey is often a winding path to success, but our experiences along the way can enrich our writing and help us develop a unique author voice. Johnny B Truant talks about his journey from scientist to non-fiction/self-help, to over 100 books and a TV show based on his novels. In the intro, What [] The post Pivoting On The Creative Journey With Johnny B Truant first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
In January 2022, I re-edited my first novel, Stone of Fire, which I started during NaNoWriMo in 2009 and published in April 2011. In this episode, I explain why and how I re-edited the book, as well as some lessons learned from revisiting my writer self of over a decade ago. This episode includes: Why [] The post Writing Tips: Lessons Learned From Rewriting My First Novel Over A Decade Later first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
It's never too late to start writing and there are many pro writers ahead of you on the path lead the way. Craig Martelle shares tips on writing, self-publishing, and book marketing, as well as how he believes in the rising tide that lifts all boats, and how helping each other is the best way [] The post Tips For Indie Author Success With Craig Martelle first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Smashwords was the original distribution service for indie authors and Mark Coker has been an advocate for wide publishing for over 14 years. Draft2Digital has been a fantastic service for indies over the last decade, moving into new markets, providing great tools, and helping authors sell more books. On Feb 8, 2022, Draft2Digital announced they [] The post Draft2Digital Acquires Smashwords. The Opportunities Ahead For Wide Publishing With Mark Coker And Kevin Tumlinson first appeared on The Cre...
The self-publishing movement is just getting started in Jamaica and the Caribbean islands, and authors are discovering they can tell their stories in their own way. C. Ruth Taylor talks about how she became an authorpreneur and why she believes in an indie-first, empowering ecosystem. In the intro, Draft2Digital acquires Smashwords [D2D; Mark Coker]; Impact [] The post Self-Publishing In Jamaica And The Caribbean And The Importance Of Diverse Voices With C. Ruth Taylor first appeared on The Crea...
John Kremer's 1001 Ways to Market Your Book was the first book I ever bought on marketing way back when I started self-publishing in 2008. He has revised it several times since and is still a prolific content creator around book marketing. I'm thrilled to discuss long-term book marketing for authors in this interview. In [] The post Book Marketing Tips For The Long Term With John Kremer first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
J. Thorn and I are both authors and passionate about helping writers find new ways to create, collaborate, reach fans, and make more money in the Creator Economy. We're also both excited about the creative and financial possibilities of emerging blockchain technology, including NFTs. In this discussion, we cover: Explaining NFTs for non-technical people. Some [] The post The Creative Potential Of NFTs For Authors With J. Thorn And Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Welcome to episode 600! Im doing a solo show today, answering some questions from my recent podcast survey that cover the different aspects of the author life. From episode 1 to episode 600 I recorded episode 1 in March 2009 when I lived in Ipswich, just outside Brisbane, Australia. I phoned up a bestselling author [] The post Episode 600: Thoughts On Writing Craft, Publishing, Marketing, Mindset, And The Author Business With Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
How can you take back your rights when publishing conditions change? How can you make sure you sign contracts that make it easier for rights reversion in the future? Katlyn Duncan talks about these things and more. In the intro, the splits in indie publishing [Kris Writes]; Burnout and Writer's Block [6 Figure Authors]; Publisher [] The post Take Back Your Book: An Authors Guide to Rights Reversion and Publishing on Your Terms With Katlyn Duncan first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
How do you turn an idea into a poem? What are the publishing options for poets, and how does marketing work? Rishi Dastidar talks about his life in poetry and provides tips for taking your creative work further. In the intro, What Readers Want in 2022 [ALLi]; Ads for Authors (affiliate link); Submission on AI [] The post The Craft And Business Of Poetry With Rishi Dastidar first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
How can we recognize self-doubt and create alongside it as part of the author journey? How can we write with confidence and double down on what we love the most? William Kenower talks about these aspects and more. In the intro, planning for 2022 [Ask ALLi]; Your publishing options [6 Figure Authors]; Need an audiobook [] The post A Writers Guide To The End Of Self-Doubt With William Kenower first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
If the pandemic has affected your sleep, you are not alone! If you want to sort out your sleep issues and improve your creativity and your life as we head into a new year, this episode with Dr. Anne D. Bartolucci will help. In the intro, publishing industry trends for 2022 [Written Word [] The post Improve Your Sleep And Creativity With Dr. Anne D. Bartolucci first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
We make plans, God laughs. The old Yiddish proverb will no doubt stand true for another year, but I just cant help myself! I need to make plans to have something to aim for, but given how 2021 didnt turn out as expected, for 2022 I will hold my plans and goals loosely and wont [] The post My Creative And Business Goals For 2022 With Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
As we all look back at the past year, it feels like its flown by but also that time has warped in a way and it feels like weve been stuck in this pandemic for much longer than we expected. So heres my 2021 year in review and an update on whether I managed [] The post Not Quite The Year We Hoped For. Review Of My 2021 Creative Business Goals first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Our publishing, marketing and author business tasks are important but at the end of the day, it all comes down to writing. We are authors. We are writers. So as we head toward a new year, how can you find the time to write? How can you make the most of your writing time? [] The post How To Find The Time To Write And Make The Most Of Your Writing Time With Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Why is story so important no matter what genre we write? How can we use emotion to hook readers and also tap into what matters in our own lives? Lisa Cron talks about these questions and more in this discussion about Story or Die. In the intro, Ultimate Guide to Copyright [ALLi]; How [] The post Story Or Die With Lisa Cron first appeared on The Creative Penn .
Readers buy or borrow your book based on your cover and book description, so how can we make sure the description is the best it can be? How can we make readers want to click Buy Now and start reading immediately? Michaelbrent Collings provides useful tips and tough love! for authors who struggle [] The post Writing Hooks And Improving Your Fiction Book Description With Michaelbrent Collings first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
How can you cultivate patience for your long-term author career? How can you figure out your personal, creative and financial goals and make choices toward them? MK Williams talks about these questions, as well as podcast marketing and turning a blog or transcript into a book. In the intro, my reflections on the UK FutureBook [] The post Patience, Ambition, And Financial Independence With MK Williams first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Is digital narration with AI voices good enough for non-fiction or fiction audiobooks? Can human narrators benefit through voice licensing? What are the options for sales and distribution? Taylan Kamis from Deep Zen explains digital narration for audiobooks, and I share some samples from my digitally narrated books through Deep Zen. Taylan Kamis is the [] The post Digital Narration With AI Voices With Taylan From DeepZen first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
How do you know when an idea is a short story, a novella, or a full-length novel? How can you turn one story into multiple streams of income? Alan Baxter talks about a long-term craft-centered approach to the author career and how his short stories have won him multiple awards. In the intro, State of [] The post Short Stories As The Basis To An Award-Winning Author Career With Alan Baxter first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
The relentless news about climate change can leave us despondent but what if we can use fiction to help people with positive ideas of what the future could look like and the actions we can take to change things? Denise Baden talks about the power of eco-fiction and explains the Green Stories Novel Prize, [] The post Can Stories Save The World? Writing For The Environment With Denise Baden first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
With so many technological advances in recent years, can publishing keep up? Michael Bhaskar and I discuss AI tools for writing, blockchain and NFTs, digital narration, and impacts on intellectual property rights licensing in this wide-ranging interview. In the intro, Spotify acquires Findaway and my thoughts on what it means for authors, narrators, and rights-holders [] The post Big Ideas In Technology And Publishing With Michael Bhaskar first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Dave Chesson provides many useful tools and information for authors at Kindlepreneur and he has recently launched Atticus, writing and formatting software that will output both ebook and print formats, as well as providing collaboration and ARC management tools. Dave Chesson is the founder of Kindlepreneur and producer of Publisher Rocket and Atticus, amongst many [] The post Amazon Keywords And Atticus For Writing And Book Formatting With Dave Chesson first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
What projects are worth pitching for film and TV? What do you need to include in your pitch? Why are there more opportunities for writers now? Chrissy Metge talks about these questions and more. In the intro, the US Justice Department sues to block the Penguin Random House acquisition of Simon & Schuster [The Guardian]; [] The post Pitching A Book For Film Or TV With Chrissy Metge first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
Creatokia is one of the first book-specific NFT platforms and in this interview, co-founders JensKlingelhfer and John Ruhrmann explain what NFTs are and why they are an opportunity for authors and rights-holders. They are also the co-founders of Bookwire, which already provides digital publishing solutions for the publishing industry. After the interview, I reflect on [] The post Creatokia. The World Of Digital Originals (NFTs) With JensKlingelhfer and John Ruhrmann first appeared on The Creativ...
How can we balance creative passion projects with work that brings in an income? What are the different types of poetry and how can we bring them alive through the spoken word? Mark McGuinness talks about how poetry is at the center of his universe, fueling his creativity as well as informing his coaching business. [] The post Writing And Podcasting Poetry With Mark McGuinness first appeared on The Creative Penn ....
