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A book coach is similar to a sports coach in that they will invest time in helping you achieve your goals when it comes to writing your book. In this episode,  I dive deep with Sara Gentry and discuss what it is like working with a coach and what you should expect. Sara is an Author Accelerator certified book coach with a Ph.D. in applied and interdisciplinary mathematics. She is on a mission to help writers avoid illogical pitfalls so that they can keep their readers engaged with cohesive and compelling narratives. Highlights 02:43 Sara's Story 05:18 Author Accelerator 08:04 What does a book coach do? 13:17 How a book coach differs from an editor 15:44 Time commitment 17:26 Who should look at working with a book coach? 22:37 Sara's process 30:00 How much does it cost? 31:49 What to consider when searching for a coach 37:09 Inside Outline 45:11 Author Action Point   Get involved in the Thirty-2-1 Challenge by visiting https://authoryourdream.com/episode/book-coach/  

Beta readers are people familiar with your genre who have agreed to read your unpublished book and give you honest feedback. I have seen many authors ask for beta readers but fail t provide them with any criteria or information regarding the feedback the author is looking to receive. In this episode, my guest David Brown from the Darling Axe will give you advice on what you should have prepared for readers, what feedback to expect and what to look for in a beta reader. Highlights 02:48 David's story 10:45 Darling Axe 13:37 Beta Reader Defined 16:26 Difference between editors and beta readers 21:13 Key Points Authors Should Provide 24:00 Do you always pay for beta readers? 25:50 What to look for 27:51 How many should one have? 29:28 Protecting your work 34:56 Responding to the negativity surrounding beta readers 36:55 Building rapport 38:36 Feedback to expect 40:52 Author Action Point   Visit https://authoryoudream.com/episode/beta-readers/ for more show notes.

Grammarly is an extremely useful AI writing assistant. It scans your document and makes suggestions to help improve your grammar, punctuation, spelling, and more. I have personally used it since I published my first book in 2018. Key Features Set your goals Provides a performance Review Allows you to change to English options between American, Australian, British and Canadian The browser extension Personal Dictionary

Save the Cat! Writes a Novel is a fantastic book if you are a first-time author. As my guest, Jessica Brody, says, "Everyone has to add in structure at some point." Throughout our interview, we go over the fifteen beats of the Save the Cat method and closely examine some of the critical beats. For those of you who are less structure-minded, a major point that came out of this episode was that writing is an art, and this structure method should be seen more as a guideline rather than a legal document that must be followed to the letter. Highlights 02:09 Jessica's Author Journey 04:30 The Writing Mastery Academy 07:82 How Jessica connected with Save the Cat 09:29 Struggles authors often have with structure 13:16 Overview of the 15 Beats 16:49 Tips for the Opening Image 18:59 How to avoid rushing the finale with the 5-point finale 32:59 Genres 37:13 Genre first or Beats First 39:24 What to do if you are unsure how to start 41:57 Author Action point   Visit https://authoryourdream.com/episode/save-the-cat/  

In this episode, I speak with Janice Hardy about character voice. We discuss the difference between your voice as an author and your character's voice, which is so important. Janice will also share some ways to develop voices by paying attention to people around you in your daily life, on your travels or even on YouTube. As you listen to the interview, you will see just how deep and complex this topic can become.  Highlights 02:15 Janice's Author Journey 11:11 Fiction University 16:47 Defining Voice 22:50 Why character voice is important 29:33 Crafting different voices for different characters 37:58 Ways to develop character voice 42:15 What to look for when getting inspired 49:00 Where authors go wrong when creating character voice. 52:54 Should voice always remain the same 55:14 Is it ok to have a character sound like your author's voice   Visit https://authoryourdream.com/episode/character-voice/

  Clarissa Gosling is an author of fiction and non-fiction books and an admin for the 365 Writing Challenge. In this episode, she discusses the importance of having accountability as an author and how you can build a writing habit. Highlights 03:00 Clarissa's Story 12:29 Why accountability is important 14:36 The 365 Writing Challenge 19:56 Building the habit of writing 27:03 Accountability Tips 29:41 What to look for in a partner 33:55 How to discover your process 40:51 Author Action Point   Visit https://authoryourdream.com/episode/accountability/

  Asking questions is not just another sales technique. It goes much deeper because when you ask a question and someone answers it, you are building a connection. You can begin a conversation with them and get to know them and allow them to get to know you, which as authors is something we want to do with our audience. As you ask questions and genuinely engage with people you will start to see your audience grow. Highlights 02:15 Jody's Story 05:07 The Reluctant Bookmarketer Podcast 06:53 The reason questions work so well 08:33 Implementing this approach 15:04 Engaging with people who respond 17:18 How do questions help us find our niche 20:14 What do you do with the information you get 23:40 What platforms to use with this 29:01 How to know when you've asked a great question 33:41 Planning your questions 37:58 Jody's most engaging questions 44:19 Are there bad ones to ask 45:33 How to avoid making people feel interrogated 46:16 What happens to people when you ask questions 49:42 Author Action Point   Show Notes: https//authoryourdream.com/episode/asking-questions/  

Writing historical figures can be a lot of fun. But it also comes with a lot of expectations. Especially if you have access to resources that will tell you about them. If this is the case, it's essential that you do your best to portray them as accurately as possible. My guest M.B. Zucker endeavored to do that in his book The Eisenhower Chronicles and talks about this in the episode. Highlights 02:31MMichael's Story 13:40 What is a biographical drama 16:40 Why it's important to portray historical figures accurately 20:30 Writing historical people when you have little info about them 24:03 Keys to consider 26:32 Where to start with a character outline 34:20 Sources to use when doing research 38:33 What elements should you add to a character profile 43:25 Author Action Point Visit https://authoryourdream.com/episode/historical-figures/ for more show notes.

My guest today was referred to me by Carla Holt from the Art of the Fight Scenes episode. When I first reached out to this person, I was looking at having him discuss sword fighting. I wanted to help those who have them in your books to write them better. What I got was something so much more. Through my guest's experience and passion, you will learn how swords and sword fighting can help you not only create conflict but also build your world and reveal your character's personality. Even if you are not writing this kind of scene, I would encourage you to give this episode a listen.  Highlights 02:48 Kirk's journey 8:18 What a sword is made up of 16:20 Terminology authors should know 21:47 How to take care of a sword 25:45 Common types of swords and body type 35:06 The balance of a sword 40:10 Sword fighting during WW2 43:45 Is it easy for a character to wield a type of sword they've never used 47:51 What to ask yourself when tackling a fight scene 50:55 Writing realistic vs. fantasy 53:07 Fighting multiple opponents 58:04 Fighting in and out of armor 01:06:21 What do authors get wrong 01:12:24 Should you include quirks in a character's fighting style 01:18:40 Resources 01:21:59 Author Action Point 01:23:28 Connect with Kirk Visit https://authoryourdream.com/episode/sword-fighting/ for more resources and show notes.  

Writing a great book quickly is something that every new author I have talked to would love to do. But so many times, they don't have a plan or infrastructure to accomplish that. In this episode, Chandler Bolt shares tips from his new book, Published, to help you get your book written quickly. This is actually version two of his book, and the first version helped me get serious about finishing my book. Highlights 02:22 Chandler's Author Journey 08:25 Published 13:37 How do you write a great book quickly? 21:29 How to choose what idea to tackle 27:12 Advice for pushing through the editing slog 30:13 How do you successfully launch a book 35:2 3 Using books to grow a business 40:06 What holds people back 41:06 Author Action Point 43:07 Self Publsihing School   Visit https://authoryourdream.com/episode/great-book-quickly/ for more from this episode.  

In this episode, I talk with Robert Wilson about diversity in the publishing world. This is such a huge topic, but it is so vital if we are going to grow as writers and, more importantly, as people. Throughout this interview, we talk about the importance of diversity in fiction and how authors can avoid perpetuating stereotypes. Robert also shares some tips for how you can write stories that honor people who come from diverse backgrounds without using them as a prop for your novel. Highlights 02:54 Robert's Journey 10:09 Why is diversity important 14:05 How can we help improve diversity 16:59 Analyzing our own bias 25:41 Why diversity is important in fiction 33:22 Diverse characters 34:13 Ways authors unintentionally perpetuate stereotypes 46:50 Tips for writing stories that honor others 52:25 Avoiding using diverse characters as props 1:02:00 Author Action Point   Visit https://authoryourdream.com/episode/diversity-in-publishing/ for more from the show.

Middle grade fiction requires a slighgly different approach than other genres. During the episode, we discuss mindsets, where to find inspiration, and how to handle mature topics. Hint very carefully. If you have a dream of writing a middle grade book this episode is going to be a great starting point for you. Highlights: 03:10 Tonya's Author Journey 08:14 About the Sophie Washington series 11:45 Defining Middle Grade books 15:10 Mindset for this audience 19:02 If you don't have kids 21:07 Beats to include 28:14 Finding ideas 30:51 Handling mature topics 34:01 Beta readers 37:27 Recommended authors to read 39:20 Suggestions for writing middle grade 44:18 Author Action Point   Check out https://authoryourdream.com/episode/middle-grade-fiction/ for more.   Notifications Saved Middle Grade Fiction with Tonya Duncan Ellis - Author Your Dream

Twitter for authors is the next installment of the social media for authors series. There are so many options, and it can be challenging to decide which one you should be on. In this episode, my guest, Hannah Richards, will share some tips on how authors can get the most out of using Twitter. Highlights 02:07 Hannah's Journey 04:11 Common Struggles authors have on Twitter 06:35 Identifying your dream reader 10:13 Connecting with readers and reviewers 12:20 How often should you Tweet 17:38 Content ideas 26:58 Content Pillars 31:27 Photos and Videos in posts 34:15 Creating a clear brand 37:01 Suggestions for genre content ideas 42:21 Author Action Point   Check out the Show Notes Page for more.

TikTok for Authors is one of the subjects that I have wanted to do for a long time. But not being on the platform very much myself, I had didn't know who I should approach to be a guest on the show. In comes the fantastic writing community. I reached out to a Facebook group TikTok for Authors and asked for some suggestions, and A.K. Mulford was someone who repeatedly came up in the comments. Highlights 01:25 Ali's Author Journey 05:08 What is TikTok 06:24 Why Ali started on the platform 07:22 Reservations 10:23 Why it's so good for authors 13:56 Indies Fully Booked podcast 16:49 How TikTok uses hashtags 18:14 BookTok and other author terms 19:27 Finding your audience 21:08 Dueting 22:23 Content creation 30:59 Ali's content creating process 32.39 Do you have to be good at editing? 33:06 Building a readership before your published 38:18 Finding and saving sounds 40:39 Engaging with others 40:55 Top tips of beginners 46:04 Author action point 47:24 Ali's Book The High Mount Court   Check out the Show Notes page for more.

Writing myths can stop aspiring authors from going after their dream and writing that book. In this episode, Kenny discusses some of the most common myths with author and podcaster Kristina Adams. This episode will talk about whether or not you need to have a blog as an author, writer's block, as well as some myths that aren't actually myths. Kristina Adams is the author of seventeen books, including three non-fiction books and several series. She co-hosts a podcast called the Writer's Mindset that covers topics from writing romance to communicating confidently. Kristina also helps to help writers through her blog and website, The Writer's Cookbook. She has excellent insight into myths that writers face that will help you face any yourself. Highlights 01:12 The Writer's Mindset podcast 03:43 Kristina's Author Journey 12:52 Kristina's Book: Writing Myths 16:20 Common Writing Myths 22:18 You have to have a blog 16:38 Is Writer's block a myth 36:10 Book series and first-time authors 39:39 Wher writers go wrong with social media 43:12 Writing Fast vs. Taking Your Time 47:58 Author Action Point 49:05 Connect with Kristina Check out the Show Notes page here for more resources.

Doing research for historical fiction can be one of the most fun and most frustrating parts of writing in this genre. You love history as a historical fiction author, but how do you not bag down the story with the facts? How do you avoid going down rabbit holes? And where do you find good quality information about your subject? Jodi Daynard will answer these questions and more in this episode. Highlights 01:53 Jodi's Author Journey 07:05 Jodi's Process for fact gathering 13:34 List of research resources 18:24 What are you looking for when you visit a location? 22:09 Maps and Artwork 25:32 Time spent researching vs. the amount of info used 28:12 Organising your research 30:13 Syncing your chapters with your research 32:47 Jodi's must-have facts 36:43 How to avoid outweighing the story with the history 41:39 Ensuring accurate portraits of historical figures 43:34 What to include in an Author's Note 46:36 Avoiding the Research Rabbit Hole 53:17 Author Action Point Check out the Show Notes page for more including a list of research resources.

In this episode, Kenny talks with guest Emma Dhesi about scene structure. Emma shares some very very actionable information for new authors. During the interview, Emma shares what a scene is, mistakes to avoid, and a great scene structure model to help you with your writing.   Highlights   03:48 Emma's Author Journey   09:03 Definition of a scene   12:15 Length of scenes   15:25 Setting and Scene   18:21 Scene structure   28:50 Mistakes to avoid   30:57 Problems in your scene   33:36 The relationship between Aim and Outcome   36:06 Using the scene structure model to troubleshoot your book   42:41 Emma's Coaching Program Check out the Show Notes for more including an action point and how to connect with Emma Dhesi.      

Social media marketing can be overwhelming, especially when you add it to the vast list of responsibilities you already have on your plate as an author. In this episode, we follow on from the interview with Rick Lite about The Ultimate Book Marketing Timeline and focus on a specific aspect of marketing. Highlights 03:44 Erik's Writing Journey 09:50 Branding Yourself 13:26 Big 4 Social Media sites to use 16:26 Using Twitter as an Author 25:52 Content for each platform 34:00 Planning your content 37:29 Blogs and websites 46:37 How to approach new platforms 51:52 Avoid Twitter Yo-Yo 58:38 How to measure success in your social media marketing 1:01:40 Author Action Point Visit the Show Notes page for more resources.    

Book marketing has been one of the most popular topics on the show. It is also one that many authors struggle to wrap their heads around. In this episode, I talk to Rick Lite from Stress Free Book Marketing. Rick shares the book marketing timeline he uses with his clients. This timeline is broken down into seven steps that we talk about in-depth throughout the interview. The 7 Steps are: Before You Begin Writing As You Begin Writing While You're Writing While Your Book is Being Edited Two Weeks Before Release Release Date Post Release Highlights 02:23 Rick's story 07:39 Success stories 10:29 What is the Ultimate Book Marketing Timeline 13:00 Step 1 & 2 19:08 Social media strategy defined 25:04 Step 3 29:16 Media Kits 32:56 Advanced Reader Copies 38:24 Step 4 41:44 Step 5 45:25 Step 6 & 7 51:20 Author Action Point 54:43 Connect with Rick Check out the Show Notes page for more resources.

If you are looking to save time and money, which, let's face it, we all are. The information that Tenita shares during the interview will be incredibly helpful. I talk to her about the importance of getting a professional editor. How you select someone, and what you are looking for when you get your sample edit back. She also shares tips and mistakes to avoid before you hire someone. Highlights 02:20 Tenita's Story 07:37 Success Story 09:01 Why you need a professional editor 12:42 How to select a professional to edit your book 13:37 Sample edits 18:58 What does it mean to write like an editor 26:19 Know your voice and your audience 30:48 Mistakes authors make when selecting someone to work with 37:46 Author Action Point 40:06 Audience Freebie 41:23 Connect with Tenita Check out the Show Notes page for more, including a link to the Freebie Tenita has offered the Author Your Dream audience.