Month: April 2020

Mastering the Creative Process with David Baldacci

David Baldacci has mastered the creative process. By employing what he knows about plausible plot lines, character development, and field research, he can bring his ideas together into books that feel amazingly believable. Baldacci is a bestselling author who has sold more than 130 million books worldwide. He is most known for his political thriller, Absolute Power, which follows the captivating tale of a murder in the White House. David’s most recent publication, Walk the Wire, is available now.

From Amazon.com:

David published his first novel, ABSOLUTE POWER, in 1996. A feature film followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 37 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers and several have been adapted for film and television. His novels have been translated into more than 45 languages and sold in more than 80 countries, with over 130 million worldwide sales. David has also published six novels for younger readers.

Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business – editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins.

Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouse, J. Thorn, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• How to develop a character throughout a series
• The importance of constructive criticism
• How to distill research into a story
• How to use the Writer’s Prism
• The difference between probability and plausibility

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

David Baldacci – https://www.davidbaldacci.com/

Walk the Wire by David Baldacci – https://books2read.com/WalkTheWire

Absolute Power by David Baldacci – https://books2read.com/AbsolutePower

David Baldacci’s MasterClass – https://www.masterclass.com/classes/david-baldacci-teaches-mystery-and-thriller-writing

Save Indie Bookstores – https://www.saveindiebookstores.com

Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep 

Voice Over by Rick Ganley – http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio – http://www.millpondstudio.com

Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ 

“Muggable” quote by Harley Christensen – https://www.mischievousmalamute.com/

*Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links.

Beating Resistance with Steven Pressfield and Shawn Coyne

Steven Pressfield and Shawn Coyne are strong believers in beating resistance and chasing crazy ideas. Whether it involves writing about something completely foreign to you or something too edgy for commercial readers, both agree that sticking with your most outlandish ideas will lead to better, more fulfilling writing. Pressfield and Coyne are both masterful bestselling authors. Pressfield is most-known for The Legend of Bagger Vance, a compelling sports mystery that was adapted into a film featuring Will Smith and Matt Damon. Coyne is most-known for Story Grid, a revolutionary editing tool and writing group that has helped writers around the world produce better content.

From Amazon.com:

Steven Pressfield is the author of The Legend of Bagger Vance, Gates of Fire, Tides of War, Last of the Amazons, Virtues of War, The Afghan Campaign, Killing Rommel, The Profession, The Lion’s Gate, The War of Art, Turning Pro, Do the Work, The Warrior Ethos, The Authentic Swing, An American Jew, Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t, The Knowledge, and The Artist’s Journey.

From StoryGrid.com:

I (Shawn Coyne) have been in the publishing industry for thirty years now, twenty-five of which were spent working as an editor at the Big Five publishing houses, as an independent publisher, as a literary agent both at a major Hollywood talent agency and as the head of Genre Management Inc. In early 2015, I published The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know, and later that year I started the Story Grid Podcast with writer, and book marketing expert, Tim Grahl. The rest is history. We now have 45 Certified Story Grid Editors, 3 podcasts, a blog rich with story resources, a suite of courses and a community that continues to grow. 

Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business – editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins.

Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouse, J. Thorn, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• How to determine if an idea is crazy
• Why to pick the idea you’re most afraid of
• How to make difficult creative decisions
• The importance of a day-by-day approach to projects
• How to accept failure

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Steven Pressfield – https://stevenpressfield.com/

Black Irish Books – https://blackirishbooks.com/jabs/

The Legend of Bagger Vance by Steven Pressfield – https://books2read.com/BaggerVance

Shawn Coyne – https://storygrid.com/about/

The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know  by Shawn Coyne – https://books2read.com/SG

The Story Grid Guild – https://storygrid.com/guild

Save Indie Bookstores – https://www.saveindiebookstores.com

Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep 

Voice Over by Rick Ganley – http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio – http://www.millpondstudio.com

Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ 

“Muggable” quote by Harley Christensen – https://www.mischievousmalamute.com/

*Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links.

Transitioning Between Careers with Romona Robinson

Romona Robinson knows a thing or two about successfully transitioning between careers. After working as one of Cleveland’s most respected news anchors for over thirty years, she took a leap of faith when she left her job to write full-time. Backed by passion, hard work, and smart marketing, Romona was able to publish two successful books in her first two years of writing and continues to inspire women and men everywhere to find their purpose. Her latest publication, Your Voice is Your Power, is available now.

From Amazon.com:

Romona Robinson is an eight time Emmy award winning anchor, speaker and author of A Dirt Road to Somewhere and Your Voice is Your Power. She is one of the most respected and admired journalists in northeast Ohio and was inducted into the Press Club of Cleveland’s Journalism Hall of Fame in 2016. She is winner of the prestigious Edward R Murrow Award along with her station, WOIO-TV 19, where she served as primary anchor. She received the 2017 Alpha Woman Award, given to women who exemplify power in their field and uses it to empower women.

Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business – editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins.

Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouse, J. Thorn, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• How Romona found her passion for writing
• How to start a career as an author
• Why community engagement is important
• The importance of timed advertising
• How to overcome the fear of failure

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Romona Robinson – http://romonarobinson.com/

A Dirt Road to Somewhere by Romona Robinson – https://books2read.com/DirtRoadToSomewhere

Your Voice is Your Power by Romona Robinson – https://books2read.com/YourVoiceIsYourPower

Save Indie Bookstores – https://www.saveindiebookstores.com

Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep 

Voice Over by Rick Ganley – http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio – http://www.millpondstudio.com

Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ 

“Muggable” quote by Harley Christensen – https://www.mischievousmalamute.com/

*Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links.

Author-Agent Relationships with Alec Shane

Alec Shane has been fostering authentic author-agent relationships since 2012. Whether he is mediating disputes between authors and editors or selling books to publishers, Alec and others like him serve as the backbone of the writing industry. During his time at Writers House, Shane has worked with many successful authors and groups, including Mark Stein, Mike Thomas, and the Horror Writers Association. For submissions and queries, Alec can be reached at ashane@writershouse.com.

From ManuscriptWishlist.com:

Alec Shane majored in English at Brown University, a degree he put to immediate use by moving to Los Angeles after graduation to become a professional stunt man. Realizing that he prefers books to breakaway glass, he moved to New York City in 2008 to pursue a career in publishing. Alec quickly found a home at Writers House Literary Agency and is now aggressively building his own list.

Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business – editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins.

Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouse, J. Thorn, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• How Alec became an agent
• What agents look for in authors
• How to pitch your book to an agency or publisher
• If traditional or independent publishing is right for you
• Why horror is making a resurgence

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Alec Shane – https://twitter.com/alecdshane

Submissions and Queries – ashane@writershouse.com

Save Indie Bookstores – https://www.saveindiebookstores.com

Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep 

Voice Over by Rick Ganley – http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio – http://www.millpondstudio.com

Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ 

“Muggable” quote by Harley Christensen – https://www.mischievousmalamute.com/

*Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links.