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Chris Tebbetts book Me, Myself, and Him launches July 9, 2019. He is running a pre-order giveaway where people can win book swag and more and it is also benefitting the Pride Center of Vermont find out all the details on his site here: www.christebbetts.com You can follow Chris on Twitter at @christtebbitts Three Things that Help Build a Career Talent Luck Persistence Books Chris is Currently Reading Less by Andrew Sean The Parker Inheritence by Varian Johnson Story Genius by Lisa Cron As I mentioned at the end of the podcast this was intended to be the first episode of Season 3 but due to a bunch of factors, many of them good we are putting How Authors Work on hold for the time being. It is something Andrew and I love doing but other priorities, especially BetaBooks as it grows, are taking a lot more time.

In which Andrew and Paul talk about how much fun they had talking to authors in the last few months. Where they are taking the podcast next and what it means to be an author. We were both a little tired which I believe contributed to the introspective and honest turn the conversation took but I really enjoyed the honest discussion about following your dreams and how that can be healthy or hurtful. I think it is fair to say Andrew and I have differing opinions but it was still great to talk about it. We will be back in late 2018.

Next week Andrew and I will do an overview of the last 15 interviews and check in with each other. It should be fun. This week it is just me talking for four and a half minutes about the fact that we don't have an interview this week and some other stuff like flavored Oreos.

We depart from our normal format because of how excited Andrew and I are. KT tells us how she launched her first book and got 30 orders, took some time to restrategize and used her beta to build her audience and now sells 30,000. We did not ask KT any of our normal questions but instead talked about betas and BetaBooks and the scandalously overlooked marketing benefits that smart authors are leveraging to get their most passionate fans invested in their careers. Audience Building before you launch your book is explored. The difference between writing as a business and writing as a hobby is also discussed We also talk about BetaBooks and the administrative, creative, and marketing benefits it provides. We do not talk about BetaBooks a ton, which maybe we should do a little more since we love it and are proud of it. Let us know if you want to hear more and maybe we will do a couple episodes where Andrew and I just talk about making software for authors. Where to start reading KT Strange. Phoenixcry What KT Strange is reading. Hero's Return by B.J. Daniels Profit First by Mike Michaelowicz Where to find KT Strange Online. Her Website: KTStrange.com Twitter: @missktstrange Instagram: @missktstrange

We talk with writer, improviser, and voice actor Elizabeth Chatsworth, who sounds so much cooler than us, about her book The Brass Queen. We hear how she uses improv to write her books and how she creates a chapter in four layers. Elizabeth has committed to writing one hour a day no matter what. Software Tools Portable voice recorder and Dragon Speak Trello - for organization of to-do lists Scrivener - for notes and initial draft MS Word - for more polished draft Auto - Crit and Grammarly to check Elizabeth Writes in Four Passes First Pass: Dialogue Second Pass: Inner Thoughts and Feelings Third Pass: Physical Actions Fourth Pass: Setting Writing Groups Fairfield County Writers Group Connecticut Chapter of the RWA PitchWars 2017 Mentees Group RWA 2018 Golden Heart Finalists Group Found on Meetup Fairfield County Writers Group Westport Writers Rendevouz: Accountability Group In Addition Dave Farlands Writing Course played a big part in starting Elizabeth's Journey. Reading Now Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley Where to find her online Website: https://www.elizabethchatsworth.com Twitter: @echatsworth She has a short story in When To Now, A Time Travel Anthology available on Amazon. Elizabeth's Handy Bio Elizabeth Chatsworth is a British author and actor (SAG-AFTRA) based in Connecticut. She primarily creates voice-overs for commercials, videos, and computer games. If there's an elf, a witch, or an aristocrat in a video game, it might be her! Writing is Elizabeth’s passion. In 2018, she became an RWA® Golden Heart® finalist in the Mainstream Fiction category. Her novel THE BRASS QUEEN won first place in The Catherine and On The Far Side and is currently a finalist in The Molly and Pages From The Heart. Elizabeth is a Pitch Wars alumna, and a member of the Women's National Book Association, the Fantasy, Futuristic, & Paranormal chapter of the RWA, CTRWA, and the Authors Guild. She is represented by Natalie Grazian of Martin Literary Management. For more information, and to be the first to receive exclusive news and giveaways, please visit Elizabeth’s website at www.elizabethchatsworth.com.

Kalyn and I talk about the journey her debut novel, The Storm Crow, took through editors, contests, mentors, agents and then editors again and how you find the strength to persevere. There is also some talk of cats and manatees. Look for her debut novel The Storm Crow comes out from SourcebooksFire July 2019. Outline In a composition notebook and on scratch paper Word Processor Word Edit Printed out copy and a red pen Writing Group Found using #CPMatch on Twitter The Guillotine Queens (both an awesome and terrifying name) GoogleDocs to share manuscripts, queries, and important emails for critiques Slack for day to day communication Kalyn is a mentor for Author Mentor Match. Reading Now Caraval by Stephanie Garber Legendary by Stephanie Garber The books of the other Guillotine Queens Where to find her online www.kalynjosephson.com Twitter @kalynjospehson Instagram @kalynmjospehson

We talk with Maxine about how she got organized, the value of todo lists and delve into the misconceptions people have about sensitivity readers and why we all like the term expertise reader better. Her debut YA novel is The Accidental Bad Girl. She used to wear a writing tiara which may be the coolest thing ever! Outline Longhand in a notebook Maxine also writes character motivations breakdowns in her notebook I believe this is the Robin LaFever blog post that was mentioned: http://www.robinlafevers.com/2012/10/28/growing-plot-from-character/ Hard goal of 500 words a day Word Processor Word Maxine's Mantra: You can't fix what you don't write. Editing Monster Energy Drink Write questions she has as she read through her book for the first time. The Three Notes Maxine Always Anticipates This character's motivation doesn’t make sense There is a pacing Dead Zone in the middle This ending doesn’t work Reading Right Now I Am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall The Bird and The Blade by Megan Bannen Invisible Countries: Journeys to the Edge of Nationhood by Joshua Keating Where to find Maxine Online https://www.maxinekaplanbooks.com Twitter and Instagram @maxinegkaplan

We talk about how her passion for video games led her both to learn English and to start writing and we explore the importance of time in her writing process, both sleeping on her next days scenes and letting her finished books sit. Outline Notebook both with words and pictures Googledocs on her phone when she doesn't have her notebook She uses Jami Gold's Save the Cat Beat Sheets Diana is also a portrait painter you can check out her work here. Wordprocessor Word Writer's Group Formed over twitter around writing contests Beta Readers Asks for them on twitter Reading The Spy with the Red Baloon by Katherine Locke Find Her Online @Pinguicha on twitter and instagram Her Blog

I talk to K.D. Edwards about all the normal writer process stuff we love so much only this interview is the day his debut, The Last Sun, hit stores so we also talk about launches the times between launches and the fact that he is hiding out at home. He used to take notes in notebooks. He dictates notes directly into emails that he then send to himself and blind forwards to specific email accounts. Then he periodically transcribes those notes into the appropriate excel files Notes and Outlines Excel He has a writing group where he submits 3500 words every other week. We talk about how he got is agent and his publishing deal at Pyr. Newbury Comics in MA comes up and we talk about how discovering The Sandman changed what he thought was possible in writing. Reading:. JK Rowling Mystery Novels writen as Robert Galbraith The Cuckoo's Calling The Silkworm Career of Evil The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells Where can people find you online KD-Edwards.com @kdedwards_NC

I, yes just Paul, talk with CB Lee about superheroes, comics, using multiple whiteboards, and constructing a book out of pieces written out of order. We also talk a little about the challenge of labeling books that are inclusive in bookstores and libraries so people can find them. Andrew had an unexpected conflict and couldn't make it. It was nerve-wracking doing my first solo interview but I think it went pretty well. I definitely paid much more attention to the type of questions Andrew asks the next time we recorded together. There will be a couple more solo episodes coming up but I get better at it. I promise. CB tries to writes for 30 minutes in the morning trying to hit 1000 words or a particular scene and then tries to schedule additional time throughout the day Current favorite place to write: Ikea Outline Written out longhand outlines on 3 different whiteboards 1 large whiteboard with a four-book outline 2 smaller mobile whiteboards for book specific outlining Word Processors: Scriviner and MS Word Currently Reading Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger Current Superhero stories/Comics that were mentioned Squirrel Girl Young Avengers Ms. Marvel New Super-Man by Gene Luen Yang Lumberjanes Where to Find CB Lee Online CB-Lee.com links to all the various socials can be found there Twitter: @author_cblee We talked a little about webcomics and CB was kind enough to email me a list of some suggestions after we talked that I am including here as well. Webcomics Wilde Life by Pascalle Lepas (My current favorite! It's paranormal and just really, really cool! Otherworldly? ) MFK by Nilah Magruder Nimona by Noelle Stevenson (now available from Harper Collins!) Agents of the Realm by Mildred Louis

Our conversation with Rich covers a ton of ground, including the open door policy he established with his family. Moving from New Jersey to New York to California to Willmington and how he uses his screenwriting paradigm to write his novels and gets to fill every movie making role when he writes prose. Andrew and I were both also impressed by how he pitched his books at the end of the podcast so if you are having trouble talking people into reading your book give the end a listen. Rich has written more than 50 screenplays and had 18 scripts produced and is working on his 6th novel. He studied Screenwriting at The New School in NYC. Writing software Word He uses Syd Field's screenwriting paradigm for both his screenplays and his novels. Some of his writing heroes include Richard Ford, Stephen King, Donald Westlake and Elmore Leonard. What he has been reading Damned by Chuck Palahnuik Island of the Sequinned Love Nun by Christopher Moore The Sports Writer by Richard Ford A Widow for One Year by John Irving Carl Hiaasen Find him online www.richleder.com If you like murder mysteries try his McCall & Company Series. If you enjoy dark comedy try Let There Be Linda

Cherish shares her journey to getting an agent, teaches us about being a turtle writer, and we wax about droop music. Cherish writes longhand in Meade notebooks. Software googleDocs on her laptop. googleDocs app on her phone. Book we talked about as being important in her author journey Midnight Without a Moon by Linda Williams Jackson Online Community Scribophile We talk also about Beautiful: A Carole King Musical Currently Reading Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles Her Work in Progress Etta and Emmylou Find her online @Icherishwriting cherishsmithauthor@wordpress.com

Today we talk about how Deborah uses her experience as a teacher in her writing process for inspiration and feedback, how you don't even want to know what the new slang is and how people who don't like the movie The Princess Bride should be suspected of cannibalism. She is getting her PHD in mythological studies. Which is just so cool! She uses a whiteboard and sticky notes for her plotting process, which she writes about on her blog. White board madness: https://deborahmaroulis.com/2017/10/16/my-last-authortoolboxbloghop-post-of-the-year-plotting-by-the-seat-of-my-pants/ Technology Drafts in Scriviner Writes in Word Listens to movie scores on Spotify while writing Twitter is where she found her community. Initially, she met people through PitchWars but they also communicate through private groups they now host on private Facebook groups. KissPitch was how she connected with her publisher, Lakewater Press She uses Tweetdeck to track hashtags on twitter. She has written about how to use twitter as an author on her blog. How to Navigate Twitter as a Writer: https://deborahmaroulis.com/2017/04/17/how-twitter-made-me-a-better-writer-an-authortoolbox-special-edition/ Beta Reading She prints out her book and puts it in a binder that she gives to two specific students. Deborah Maroulis Books Within and Without 5 Minutes Longer She just finished reading Love, Hate, and Other Filters by Samira Ahmed Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield Call to Create by Linda Schierse Leonard Where can people find her online Twitter and Instagram @yaddathree Her blog: https://deborahmaroulis.com/

In this episode, we talk about how one scene appeared in Montiese McKenzie's head one day and it led her to be an urban fantasy writer. Her "rear window" writing process and diversifying her cast. First Draft: Dialog scenes written out longhand in spiral notebooks from Barnes and Noble with Pilot G2 ink pens in Blue, Black and Red. Then transferred to the computer using Word. Social Media: Twitter @McGarryGirl78 A03 McGarryGirl78 Instagram @MCGarryGirl78 Find her books on Amazon: Blood of My Blood Providence of Human Affairs

We talk with sci-fi author M.D. Neu about how his characters talk to him. Working through his dyslexia. The challenges of finding a professional community as a writer and how writing LGBTQ characters interacts with genre choices. M.D Neu's process and podcast notes. Word Processor: Word Other: Pro Writer Aid Published by Nine Star Currently Reading Simon versus the Homosapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson Bones and Bourbon by Dorian Graves Where to Find Him Online: http://www.mdneu.com/ Twitter: @ Writer_MDNeu Facebook: MDNeuauthor

Kevin E. Jackson joined us to talk about how and where he writes, how he went from 90 rejections to having an agent he loves, and how he found his writer tribe. We learned about how Kevin manages to write and keep his world organized while being the father of 5 children, writing YA and middle grade, and hear about many of the milestones in his writing career. Kevin's writing tools: Word Processor: Microsoft Word anywhere at any time Apple's Voice to Text OneNote for world building Other resources he uses: Twitter AuthorSalon.com The Indianapolis Writers Workshop Reading list: The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson You can find Kevin online at KevinEJackson.com ** Minor footnote: We had one minor hiccup: due to a recording glitch in the middle of the episode you'll hear Paul summarize part of the conversation where we couldn't recover the recording. Don't worry, the episode still turned out great!

We talk a great deal about the origins and development of the Hedonometer which you can check out here: Hedonometer.org The primary inspiration for the project was Kurt Vonnegut's idea that stories have shapes that repeat themselves and that certain shapes may experience more popularity than others. See him talking about it a little here: Kurt Vonnegut on the Shape of Stories Reading Endure by Alex Hutchinson Social Media @andyreagan

We talk with Kristina Stanley about her writing, sailing around the world, creating Fictionary and how she found success selling her books to non-bookstores. Her writing process: Macbook, on a boat or outside. Word Processor: Scriviner. Editing: Ficitonary. Grammarly Pro-writing Aid After she finishes her process Krsitina’s publisher wants her manuscript in Word so she converts it for them. Awesome Beta Reader Tip: She asks them “Tell me when you skim.” Other places that benefitted her writing Humber College School of Writing where she worked with Joan Barfoot What are you reading? The Child by Fiona Barton Where people can find you online. KristinaStanley.com. Fictionary.co.

Jacob Wright is the creator of Dabble an online word processor. We started our recording a little early this week so you can hear all the fun pre-”official start” business we tend to cover. Jacob aspires one day to do more writing but right now he is focused on tools to make authors life easier. We talk a lot about his philosophy in building Dabble and dip a little into the books he is reading and loves. If you are interested in trying Dabble out click the link or visit dabblewriter.com and try it out for free for two weeks. Books Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell Oathbringer, Mistborn, Stormlight Archives, and Way of Kings all by Brandon Sandersont Keeper by Kim Chance Ready Player One by Ernest Cline Where you can find Dabble online Dabblewriter.com Twitter @Dabblewriter FB dabblewriter

We met Noel through The Novel Exchange, a workshop she organizes that links groups of 4 authors together by genre so they can swap manuscripts and get feedback. It is an amazing opportunity to meet other authors online, improve your manuscript, and start building a community to support your writing career. Andrew participated in The Novel Exchange and found it amazingly valuable. Noel is a member of and regular user of Scribophile and it is the platform through which she organizes both The Novel Exchange and The Beta Exchange. Word Processor: MS Word Outlining: an actual notebook Beta BetaBooks Author Events she organizes The Novel Exchange The Beta Swap Event Currently Reading Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson Where to find her online @Noelfudge sparkyfudge on facebook