Q&A Episode – March 2022
In this monthly q & a session, the guys answer listener questions.
J.K. Rowling was nearly homeless when she wrote the first Harry Potter book. Stephen King penned CARRIE on a small desk wedged between a washer and dryer. James Patterson worked in advertising and famously wrote the Toys “R” Us theme song long before becoming an author.
Join New York Times best-seller, J.D. Barker, and indie powerhouses J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon as they pull back the curtain on some of the world’s most prolific authors. Where did they start? What is their process? The biggest names in publishing all have origin stories, all have a process, all have tips and secrets… What does it take to consistently top the bestseller lists? Get your notepad out. School’s in session. This, is Writers, Ink.
Join us on Patreon and ask a question guaranteed to be answered on the podcast!
https://www.patreon.com/writersinkpodcast
Questions asked:
- Probably one for JD; Do you think it is easier to sell a completed manuscript or screenplay assuming the same quality and all other things being equal?
- What are the arguments you check when deciding to pitch to a publisher versus publishing yourself?
- Curiosity question: Are you writing in silence or do you listen to music or sounds? If you listen to something, is it the same all the time or do you vary? And what are you listening to?
- How do you choose the right editor?
- How do you decide your WIP is done and ready to publish?
- How does a new author determine who their target reader is?
- If you provide author services and run an author business, as well as author books, what is a good ratio of time spent on either endeavor?
- For Zach: You’ve mentioned that the past two or three years have been your most successful. What are you doing to reach readers? How many books do you have out now?
- What are the best first steps for a FT indie author looking to branch out into the trad-pub world? What are the things that traditional publishers would be looking at in terms of platform and prior sales?
Gillian Flynn never expected GONE GIRL to become an international bestseller, or for the movie directed by David Fincher to become a Hollywood blockbuster. Instead of chasing trends or trying to anticipate the market, Flynn wrote the kind of story she wanted to read. It wasn’t supposed to work. And yet it did. Gillian writes with a cinematic flair, which translates well to adaptations. She fuels her passion for movies inherited from her father, and now passed along to her son. She’s going to need a bigger boat.
Continue reading “Writers, Ink Podcast: Episode 127 – Lifelong Dedication and the Pursuit of Craft with #1 NYT Bestseller Gillian Flynn”Book bans, terrorist plots, and topping the New York Times Bestseller lists. Brad Meltzer has seen it all. His newest book, “The Lightning Rod” explodes onto the page with thrilling action and complex characters, exactly what readers of the Zig and Nola Escape Artist series expect. Meltzer goes deep on his research, lending an unmistakable authenticity to his novels. In addition, Brad’s work for the History Channel has turned up artifacts believed to be lost forever. Get “The Lightning Rod” now from the link below.
Continue reading “Writers, Ink Podcast: Episode 126 – History, Thrillers, and the Secret Underground with #1 NYT Bestseller Brad Meltzer”Emotion is Everything with Scott Steindorff
Producer Scott Steindorff knows that emotion is everything to any good book, show, or movie. By writing characters that are round, relatable, and emotionally involved, he commands the attention of his audience and keeps them coming back for more. Scott is a TV and film producer well known for projects like “The Lincoln Lawyer,” “Las Vegas,” and “Station Eleven.” To watch “Station Eleven” now, follow the link below.
Continue reading “Writers, Ink Podcast: Episode 125 – Emotion is Everything with Film/TV Producer Scott Steindorff”