The author of a number of poetry books, La Kata EK shares her wisdom on why it is a necessity to have a proofreader and an editor for your book.

So often we need a dose of affirmation about our work. It’s wonderful to receive some feedback from our peers, which is why Scribophile.com is a great resource for writers. On this special episode of The Author Inside You, we interview two writers who have both recently won online writing contests. Darlene Peters won first place in the Holiday Poem contest and Adam Down won first place in the First Chapter of a Novel contest. Both Adam and Darlene have great stories to share about their experiences finding support within writing groups.

Scribophile.com

Christmas Mixes -Darlene Peters

In the stores,
Christmas mixes Thanksgiving, and Halloween;
On the street,
Christmas mixes Santa with a Nativity Scene.

Around my feet,
Christmas mixes dirt with snow;
Around my mouth,
Christmas mixes cold air with hot cocoa.

In our home,
Christmas mixes you and me;
In their home,
Christmas mixes newborns and elderly.

In my heart,
Christmas mixes hope and fear;
On my face,
Christmas mixes laughter and tear.

In my closet,
Christmas mixes solid with plaid;
In my mind,

Christmas mixes good with bad.

In my family,
Christmas mixes mom and dad;
In my memories,
Christmas mixes happy and sad.

Outside the house,
Christmas mixes sleet and fog;
Inside the house,
Christmas mixes alcohol with egg nog.

On their faces,
Christmas mixes smiles and frowns,
In many places,
Christmas mixes ups and downs.

By the tree,
Christmas mixes silence with noise;
Under the tree,
Christmas mixes socks with toys.

Christmas mixes our memories,
with a vinaigrette of lights,
tinsel, and ornaments,
Ugly sweaters, pretty clothes, and events.

Tis the season, in December, again.
We find the reason
To remember again, as Christmas mixes.

interview transcription

You're listening to the author insides you podcast, a weekly podcast designed a, motivates you to finish writing a book, choose a publisher, and have your work build an audience. Keep listening if you're looking to get propelled into the next chapter of your life. And now it's the author inside you podcast with your host, Leah and Matt Rafferty.

Hello and welcome to the author inside your podcast. I'm Matt Rafferty and I'm Leah Rafferty. On this episode of the author inside you, we have two guests. Both winners of writing contests from our sponsor scuba file. Adam down is the first place winner of chapter one of a novel contest. We will speak with him shortly, but first we were asked to judge the poetry contest and it wasn't easy, but we picked the winner and the winner is Christmas mixes by our first guest today, Darlene Peters.

Well, Darlene, first off, congratulations on winning the poetry contest. What a feeling. Thank you so much. I was really shocked and thank you for interviewing me and being a sponsor prescrip of file. I was really in amongst a lot of talented people and . A lot of great entries. So I know it had been hard for you to select one.

It was difficult reading over the entries and picking one that we thought was the best, like yours did stand out. I'm glad. And a lot of that is because of the help of the people on the site. I came across, scrub a file by researching different writing, worst workshops, cause I have some writing projects that I'd like to finish, but I needed some kind of accountability for my writing projects.

So I found this site. And it's free and it's easy and everybody is so welcoming that you're just kind of drawn into it. And everybody is real encouraging. And it works on a karma system where you critique someone's work and then once you weren't so many karma points, you can share a work and there are codes of conduct that you follow for critiquing and for, you know, being a part of the discussion forums.

So it's, it's moderated, which is great. It's fantastic that there really is communities like that online that can be, you know, self-governing and people respect each other. It's nice to hear. It's so encouraging. Everyone is so encouraging. When you get critiqued is very constructive and it's very encouraging.

It's almost like everybody wants everybody else to succeed and that's, that's what I found in this because I'm real guarded when it comes to my writing. If I come up with a poem. You know, I think, Oh, is this good? I'm kind of not that confident about it. How about you tell us about Christmas meal? Well, there's a prompt for the poem that, you know, they ask you, what does it mean to you?

And so when I started thinking, I just had this phrase in my mind that it's December again, and we'll remember again, because when you think back to different holidays and you think about. Maybe a death in the family, and we've come into the holiday missing someone, or, my little sister was born at Christmas around Christmas.

So there's happy times and sad times. And I just started thinking that Christmas, you know, there's so much mixed into Christmas, and that's when I came up with the title as Christmas mixes, because you've got so much mixed in there. You've got happy times, sad times. And that's my bag of emotions. Yeah, exactly.

Different emotions, different people, because you've have people that you may haven't seen in awhile and you're visiting them or you know, just, just different things. So that's why I went with that title, that Christmas mixes, because it really does, it just kind of mixes things up. And when I first started writing it and I started, I actually, the poem got to be very complex.

I started putting in experiences and I thought, you know, I've got so much to do around Christmas and the deadline is the 18th I really just have to simplify this. And at first I just simplified it into two lines per stanza. When I put that up for critiquing, you know, a lot of it's interesting when you get.

Critiques back that there are some things that some people like, like some people might like the repetition and other people like it. When you are not in that repetition or you're not with the structure, I still feel like it's a work in progress. Well, we really enjoyed reading it. To our listeners, we will have the poem in our show notes so everyone can scroll down or scroll left or scroll right and whatever it is on your app, and you'll be able to read your poem, Darlene, so that'll be fantastic.

It's really interesting how you used the community to help. Strengthen your writing, you know, you showed it to other people. Obviously you trust them, even if you don't, you know, you've never met them. And it's really interesting how you get the feedback from them and then it makes it better and better by getting more and more feedback.

Oh absolutely. And I felt kind of intimidated cause there's are S there's so much talent on this site. There are people who have published books, have a long career in writing, so they're just. Encouraging. They're willing to share their expertise. You can kind of let your guard down because you don't feel like somebody's just going to kind of beat up on you, you know?

So that's, that's really a good feeling. I've had some people critique and say, Oh, you're putting too much in it. But then it's like, well, Christmas is Christmas day too much. Know. Like I, you know, um, my holidays, this past season, you know, we've had some desks, we had a wedding, we've had birthdays, I had a lot of traveling.

So when it was all done, I just, I just felt exhausted. So sometimes when you're writing something, it's almost like you're conveying what it, what it really is to you. Is it too much? Well, yeah, it is kind of too much sometimes. So you tell us a little bit about the contest sensor. Grip of file. When I first joined it, the first group that I joined on Scribd file was poetry lovers cause I love, I love to read poetry and I love to write poetry.

And then the moderator invited me to the third door down, which is kind of a mix of everything in. In fact, they say it's stuff that doesn't go in any other drawer. So I thought that was really cute how they described that group. And there's different groups, like I just joined a crime fiction group, so you can research which group you want to join.

And like right now they have like a, an artificial intelligence contest. So they have a lot of contests in this group, which I think is really interesting and kind of gives you that competitive nature, but not in a bad way. It's, it's more in a friendly way, like if you've won before, they encourage you to encourage somebody else to

To enter the contest, which is really sting and in this group. It's just really fun. The moderator, I think, makes it really fun. Well, that's full for our listeners to hear that if they're looking for, it sounds like an encouraging and fun online writing, community scrip of files, a place for them. Yeah. And once you, once you start writing, it's really interesting.

Back in 2011 I started working with an executive life coach, and her name is Chris Kavanaugh. And I was trying to decide if I really wanted to go further in higher education or if I wanted to kind of branch off and find something else to do and in my life that kind of was. A dream of mine. And I said, you know, I'd like to be a writer, but there's a fantasy in reality.

And she says, no, you can. You can be a writer as almost like a, you have to have permission, you know, to sell or to follow a dream. And so I started making time for my writing projects. And once you share that with others, you'll find that everybody wants to write a book. I mean, you start telling somebody about a writing project and they go, and.

They'll say, you know, I've always wanted write a book and they'll tell you a book that they want to write. So I think that anybody who wants to write a certain type of book just should go on the site and explore it. Even if you just like to read other's works. Sure. It's a good salt to be on. Well, Darlene, if some of our listeners are interested in reaching out and finding you, can they search for you on scuba file?

Absolutely. They can just go under the authors tab in the menu. And under there it says, explore authors. And under find a member. You can just type in my name. You can just type in Darlene Peters. My profile will show up. I'm there with my Johnny and Hazel, my pets. While we want to thank you for taking the time to enter the contest because it was fun for us to read your poem and we appreciate you coming on our show today.

That was fantastic, darling. Thank you very much. Thank you so much. I truly appreciate it. So joining us now is Adam down the winner of the first novel chapter of contest with his entry, the Canary in the CHRO. Welcome, Adam. Thanks for joining us today. Well, Adam, I see that you're very involved in scribble file.

How did you choose this writing community? I heard about it through and national novel writing month actually is a phase. The first time I'd heard about the site, um, as a scrip of fathers is a sponsor of that. I tried that a number of times and failed terming for anybody who isn't familiar with national novel writing month, it is a month of November, essentially, where you, it encourages people around the world to write 50,000 words.

Um, not necessarily 50,000 good words, getting people into that writing process and writing regularly. Um, and I've, I've tried that on a couple of occasions. Um, and, and obviously I've seen scrip of fathers as part of that. So, so after. Looking at it in 2018 I joined the, the writing website in the middle of 2019 actually.

Oh, great. So you're relatively new to it. I am. Yeah. Yeah. Right. So, so yeah, we've talked about a national novel writing month, and it is a difficult challenge because a month goes by pretty quickly. You have to write quite a few words each day to keep up with it. It does, yeah. I mean, it's, it's when you, when you break it down, I think it's about 1800 words a day.

Wow. Which is a lot. Um, I'd say now it's probably not for everybody. It's not something I've actually managed, if it, if I'm honest, it's, I think it's really to get people to kind of have that book and want to start trying and, and make a start at writing a novel too, and to kind of make that jump and go ahead with it.

And then if you get to the end of November and you've got. I don't know, ten thousand twelve thousand even even 15 or 20 if that's more than you had it before and it's to start and you've got something to work on, then I think it's been a success, and I think that's what I've used it as. Sure. You're on your way to the writing though.

Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. It's like you don't know if you can do it. Unless you try. And if, if national novel writing month is what you need to get started, then, then it's, it's a great resource and a great tool. Excellent unscrew profile. There are so many resources for writers and the contests are really a cool idea.

So is this the first contest you have entered or have you entered other contests? I've entered a few contests on there. I mean, there are. A lot of groups on the website that are run by other members, essentially under irregulars. I mean, sometimes as much as weekly contests on, on, on some of those groups.

And I've entered a few of those. But yeah, this is probably the first, the first major contest that I, that I came into and, and somehow I want, which is still a bit of a surprise. So, yeah, that's the last tack about that. That must've been a very fun day when you found out you won first place. Definitely.

Yeah. I mean, it was boxing day over here and let me just, just got the card and looked at it and went, Oh, well that's made by Christmas. That's, you kind of go through that process of maybe not quite believing and then try to work out well. Okay. Then then, then what does that mean? I mean, how, how many people kind of submitted to the contest and what makes somebody else think that the, what you've written is, is, is kind of worth that second look and, and worth kinda shouting about.

So, so that was kind of a really nice moment, really. Well, Matt and I both read. Your entry and we're both like, okay, we want to hear more of this starring. Let's hear more about the Canary in the Crow. We both didn't want to stop reading. It just kept like there was, and then when it did end, we're like, okay, so I wish we could turn the page and continue reading.

So have you written, written beyond that? I have written beyond that. Yeah. I've got maybe 11 or 12 chapters at the moment, maybe 25,000 but it's kind of the introduction to the characters, to the world, to the story I'm trying to tell is there, it's now getting into the nitty gritty of the actual story. At that point, you never know when you start out exactly how many words something is going to be, but I'm S I'm assuming it's going to be near 90 maybe a hundred thousand words, so, so we're looking at that that quarter of a way.

Their stage. It's, it's been slow going, but as it is for a lot of people, I think when they're trying to write their first novel, we're making progress. And obviously that's that contest win. Um, was, was really something that, that has given me. So some things I've got extra in just an extra, yeah, this is worth continuing with.

And this is, this is something that, that may work out in Illumina. Right. So what's your, what's your writing process like when you wrote that chapter? I, I am a. A very, I'm a perfectionist, which, which is probably not great when you, when you're looking to write the first chapter in the third, the first editor of a novel, I mean, that first chapter has been edited a number of times.

It's like, no, you should be going on. You should be writing more. You should be going on to third year. You've got an entire novel. It's a, you ask yourself, I think a lot of people just starting out as ask themselves two questions, kind of write a novel and kind of write a good novel and they get so caught up in that second question.

Uh, that they never find out the answer to the first, because you end up in a cycle of editing and looking back at yourself. And I've, I've done a bit of that. That, yeah, that, that first chapter came out in probably two or three sittings really of a few hours of time. Um, I don't really plot, I'm someone who really starts a story with kind of even an image or a situation in my head.

So for the Canadian necrosis chapter, it came into my head one day. I got iconic, I couldn't say where I was or what I was doing, but the young woman stood on train tracks and he's like. As a, as a writer, you start thinking about the questions, what's driven it to be there, what is she doing? Um, and for something of a novel live, how is she going to get out of it?

Cause he called.

It could be a, it could be a short novel, right? Exactly. Yeah. If, if. She wants to happen would happen in that

we're not to be here very long, but yeah, I start off with that really that, that initial event, that initial situation, and then really riff off that and go from there. Now I'm at the point where I'm 11, 12 chapters in the plotting is coming into it. Uh, it was obviously the story moves on, you introduce new characters, you go to new places, um, and it's all.

Trying to weave things together and get to the end point that I do have in mind. As soon as I started writing on you how I want to just story to end, but the way there is is to a large extent up to up to, well, the in the chroma novel really where they want to go. As long as they get to where I wanted to.

getting there, that'd be under him more than I'd like. Okay. We'll get there eventually. Well, let us know when you, when you finish the novel, when you have it published, and we'll have you on as a guest. Oh, that would be great. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, my, my plan is to have that, have this, um, first draft finished, hopefully by the end of this year.

Um, use the, the great community of scrip of file obviously to, to hone it to as much of a mirror sheen as, as it can get, and then hopefully send out to publishers. Um, I mean, I'm, I'm at that point now with a lot of kind of short fiction that I've written a very short stories and bits of flash fiction and stuff, which are outing.

The public, the publication grind does. I'm sure a lot of people are familiar with hear back on a number of those and hope, hope for some good news. And then when it comes to, to maybe looking at getting the Canary in the prep and the Crow placed, um, then I will have a nice kind of resume of, um.

Publications in various online, online magazines and whatever to take to an agent and search and look, there is promising I successfully published in places this is worth looking at. So I think you really need that kind of background, even if it is free or for kind of short story publications, flash fiction publications, wherever you can get exposure.

I think it's. It's a great thing to do. Great. That's some very good advice for, for our listeners who are, who are thinking about writing a novel or working on a novel. If you can get a chapter or two published here or there, and then you have an example of. Obviously someone thought my work was, I think so.

Yeah. I mean, it in my mind, I think it, it, it makes people pay attention. I mean, you can't make them light sensitive, but you can, you can demonstrate to somebody that somebody like this works, some of these foods, it's good enough to, for other people to see this, for them to kind of. Put it in front of a new audience.

Um, and I think that's something that you can utilize and make people pay, at least pay attention to you and give you the time of day. Uh, cause obviously I'm not under no illusions for thousands of people every year. Um, looking to get agents looking to get published, looking together first novel. Then you've got to have.

Something behind you is something that really stands out to succeed, I think. Right. While we wish you lock in, congratulations again on winning and we look forward to speaking with you when your book is published. That's great. Thanks for having me on. Great talking to you, Adam. Thank you. The great thing about this podcast for me is that we get to speak to different people and hear their stories and it was really fun talking to Darlene and Adam, knowing that they won first place in a contest is always exciting.

We've been telling you for some time about the Greek community at scuba file, and if you're looking for some likeminded people to share your writing examples with, check out dot com and maybe you'll be a winner of one of their contests. Until next time. All right, on. Thank you for listening to the author inside you podcast with your host, Leah and Matt Rafferty.

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In the back episodes of his show, podcaster Bruce Wawrzyniak had a goldmine of information that he wanted to share with his followers. Writing an e-book was his logical choice, and in this episode of The Author Inside You, Bruce tells us why publishing an e-book could be the best way for you to share your knowledge.

To learn more about Bruce, click here: now-hear-this.net

Author Melissa Lyons joins us for this episode of The Author Inside You podcast. She shares with us her divine download experience which led to ultimately selling thousands of copies of her book. If you are looking for an economical way to print your book, this episode is for you!

melissa@melissa-lyons.com

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Contact print broker Bob Passantino at bobpass@aol.com

On this episode of The Author Inside You podcast we learn from Valerie Thompkins about how she uses TikTok to grow her audience. Plus, she shares some great advice on finding your audience and increasing the size of your global community. Valerie generously offers to help anyone who needs advice in regards to publishing, all you need to do is reach out to her!

If you're like most people, you have never heard the term foundling. Saving Joey is author Joseph Wood's experience as a foundling and how his life was saved by the kindness of a stranger.

Does your manuscript need a second look? Jyotsna Sreenivasan has written several published books and reminds us on this episode of The Author Inside You, that it’s important to have a support group. Friends, other authors, or a writer’s group who can give you honest feedback on your manuscript are vital before submitting your book to a literary agent or publisher. Do you have a support group? Check out this episode as Jyotsna gives us some useful tips on finding feedback.

These Americans available at bookshop.org

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Need help ghostwriting or promoting your book? Visit our friends at Scribe Media (affiliate link)

Our guest on this episode of The Author Inside You, is entrepreneur and author, Mike Ulmer. We discuss how Mike has developed a blueprint to help authors construct stories with strong conclusions.

Book a call with Mike at: MikeUlmer.me

Call 475-4PODCAST (475-476-3227) to leave a voicemail for Leah and Matt

Terry Fitzgibbons was a United States Naval Officer, who in his spare time was writing for his brother's web page. Listen to this episode of The Author Inside You to hear how Terry turned that writing into a published book!

Cleveland TV personality Neil Zurcher shares with us some wonderful stories in this episode of The Author Inside You. Neil's first book took 18 months to write, and he reminds us that marketing and selling your work is often the hardest part of the adventure.

You've heard of deflategate, right? Well, Boston sports fan Keith Guernsey devoted a chapter to the controversy in his book Fathers and Sons/Sports and Life. That chapter helped Keith gain his 15 minutes of fame.

Attorney by day, author and dad by night -
Chris Smith, the author of The Walt Disney World That Never Was: Stories Behind the Amazing Imagineering Dreams That Never Came True, joins us to discuss the intensive research that went into his first book.

Author Silvia Davis wrote a humorous memoir about her life growing up in a large family. As part of the promotional campaign for her book, Silvia contacted her local Barnes and Noble and was given the opportunity for an in-store book signing. With the help of Facebook Live and her outgoing personality, Silvia was able to sell out the Barnes and Noble supply of her books - and more! Check out this episode of The Author Inside You to hear all of the details of Silvia's fun times at B & N.

For more information about Silvia: LivingaParable.com

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Author Kim Interdonato wrote her first book about dating, and she's not afraid to share her mistakes. Author mistakes, that is! If fear is holding you back from publishing your book, then this episode is a must listen for you! Kim says, "If you believe in your book and believe in yourself, then you are going to go very, very far."

Maryann Ridini Spencer is an experienced writer who shares with us some very valuable advice - in order to be an efficient writer, you must first make an outline. 

Debbie DeChambeau is a book author and a professional marketer. In this episode of The Author Inside You, Debbie shares some insightful tips on marketing your book, and the ups and downs of being a co-author.

debbie@selectbizteam.com

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Did you know that the Hallmark channel is now publishing novels? On this episode of The Author Inside You podcast we interview Tracy Gardner, the first author to have a novel published by the Hallmark Channel. Tracy shares her exciting journey and she compares the differences between self-publishing versus working with a publishing company.

• TracyGardnerBeno.com/
• Instagram.com/tracybeno/
• Twitter.com/Tracy_Beno
• Facebook.com/TracyGardnerBeno/
• Free Audible Trial- download Out of the Picture for Free!

Our guest on this episode of The Author Inside You podcast was fortunate enough to be able to take an entire year off of work to concentrate on his writing. Jeffrey K. Walker joins us to share how he used Google Maps, Scrivener, beta readers, and a copy editor to ensure his novels were top notch. We also discuss BookBub, self-publishing, book cover design, and discipline. If you are considering the self publish route, this interview is a must-listen!

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Andre Valdes admits spelling is not his strong suit. On this episode of The Author Inside You, Andres explains to us how he "wrote" the first draft of his book with almost no typing! Plus, Andre tells us how he completed his motivational book while living overseas with his wife, young children and working full time!

LeaderByChoice.me

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Author Kevin Hofmann joins us on this episode of The Author Inside You podcast to offer suggestions on how to write a memoir. He shares his fascinating interracial adoption story along with how he wrote, finished, and published his book in six months! Kevin is a great guest, and if you ever considered writing a memoir, then this episode is for you!

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Kevin@growingupblackinwhite.com

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Author Laura Ranger feared success for many years, but eventually overcame the emotional obstacles and now she owns a thriving publishing company. Through her journey, Laura has learned that the biggest tool new authors need is to know how to market their work. 

It's not uncommon for writers to dream about having their own agent help sell their manuscript to a big publishing house. What is the best way to find an agent for your book? On this episode of The Author Inside You podcast, we interview literary agent Lucinda Halpern who shares great advice on how to find a book agent and what you can expect them to do for you.

Ready to get your book noticed? Get Lucinda's essential guide for writers: The 6 Things Every Book Pitch Needs – Click here to receive your guide: www.lucindaliterary.com/subscribe

Twitter: @LucindaBlu
Facebook: @LucindaLiterary 
Instagram: @lucindaliterary
LinkedIn: @LucindaHalpern

-transcription-

Announcer: [00:00:04] You're listening to the author Inside You podcast, a weekly podcast designed to motivate you to finish writing a book. Choose a publisher and build an audience. Keep listening if you're looking to get propelled into the next chapter of your life. And now it's the author Inside You podcast.

Matt Rafferty: [00:00:23] Hello, I'm Matt Rafferty.

Leah Rafferty: [00:00:24] And I'm Leah Rafferty.

Matt Rafferty: [00:00:25] A special thanks to you for listening to our podcast and helping us spread the word. It's working. And more and more people are listening to the author inside you.

Leah Rafferty: [00:00:34] And also, thank you to our listeners, Neil Heslin and David, who specifically asked if we could do a few interviews with people who work in the book publishing business, such as agents, bookstore owners and independent publishers.

Matt Rafferty: [00:00:49] Well, this episode begins our mini series Inside the Book Industry today. Our guest is Lucinda Halpern, president of Lucinda Literary, a consulting agency dedicated to representing and publicizing authors with specific expertise in new media. Welcome, Lucinda. Thanks for joining us today.

Lucinda Halpern: [00:01:09] Thank you. Happy to be here.

Leah Rafferty: [00:01:11] Well, Lucinda, I see that you worked for HarperCollins in Scholastic magazines. How did these experiences lead you to become an entrepreneur?

Lucinda Halpern: [00:01:20] So I'd always been interested in working with authors and working on books like so many people who enter publishing. I was an aspiring author and creative writer and I had to get my foot in the door somehow. Right. It's a it's a small world in inner circle. And so I took the job that was offered to me, which was a publicity assistant at HarperCollins, and I parlayed that when I left into a marketing role at Scholastic. And in those days, which was now about 15 years ago, online, was really just sort of burgeoning for authors. So online marketing newsletters, websites, the blogosphere, the Twitter sphere. And so I had to just jump in and learn very

Leah Rafferty: [00:02:10] Quickly an exciting time, I would think I

Lucinda Halpern: [00:02:12] Was. It was an exciting time. And then I thought, how can I marry these new skills with my deep passion of nurturing the careers of authors and being editorially involved from the ground floor up. So I thought there has to be a job that does this right. And there was it was it was becoming a literary agent. The problem was I had no list. I had no revenue to guarantee any New York literary agency. So I knocked on every door and I found the person who would take me on as sort of an unknown and give me a letterhead and give me a desk and let me make phone calls and use the agency name. And I am forever indebted to my boss who allowed me to do that. And through working at that agency, I worked with Gretchen Rubin of the Happiness Project and a number of other of their marquee authors. And I started I started my agency when I was twenty seven years old. Wow, that's really cool. Yeah, it's been a wonderful experience where, you know, we're now in our 11th year and we've been innovating all along the way, trying to service our authors and, you know, in the best way possible. So it's been it's been a really rewarding experience.

Leah Rafferty: [00:03:27] Well, congratulations. First, I just having a business and having it succeed for 11 years is wonderful. And then also as a woman, that's just wonderful. So thank you. Very good to hear.

Matt Rafferty: [00:03:41] Well, I think the big question that our fan base is probably wondering is how do I get connected to an agent?

Lucinda Halpern: [00:03:48] So, you know, as I said, it is it's a tightly knit world and it does often take an insider connection. So what I always recommend is find the person you know who is a published author. And it doesn't matter if you are writing fiction and the person you know has published a memoir, can you get any connection to a publishing insider or agent or editor and have that person give you something of a plan? So I'm more personally a fan of that networking than I am going to the Internet and sort of Googling how to get an agent and looking at all kinds of resources that exist often with confusing, conflicting wisdom. So, you know, that's that's always the first way to go. But if you don't have access to that network or great idea whether you're a fiction or non-fiction writer is to establish any kind of audience online. And that could be from a social media audience to writing an article that gets picked up and, you know, in Forbes or in Refinery or Huffington Post or, you know, like Pie in the Sky. New York Times. Because agents and publishers are looking at the media constantly and we're looking for new voices and we're looking for exciting stories and we're looking for a fresh point of view. And so if your story gets traction in the media, you've now elevated your chances of getting published. So, you know, those are a couple of ways. Of course, there used to be in person conferences to attend, and I think those will start up again soon. So there are a number of ways, but I'd say I'd almost try those three before going about blind queering agents that you find on query tracker, dot net, you know.

Matt Rafferty: [00:05:43] So I think those are three good things. Go out in and find somebody who's done it before and then try to get some traction online and go to in-person events. I think those are all great ideas.

Lucinda Halpern: [00:05:55] And I'll give a fourth resource, which is Publishers Marketplace is the industry database. So we all use that to find it offers direct contacts to emails that you might be interested in connecting with, to editors, to publishers, scouts. And, you know, it's a paid subscription, but it's a nominal fee. It gives you a free daily newsletter that you can you can see what is selling in the marketplace. You can write that agent that day and say, I saw you sold X, Y, Z, and I'm actually writing a novel that reminds me a lot of, you know, of something on your list that I've read. So you can you can make those more personal, tailored introductions that can go such a long way in.

Leah Rafferty: [00:06:36] The agents will respond back.

Lucinda Halpern: [00:06:38] Well, you know, you're talking to a different kind of agent, right? I literally we pride ourselves on being responsive and, you know, sort of guiding writers through this process. And we've developed a whole sort of coaching and course offering around that. So it isn't you know, it isn't every agent that's going to respond. But having a number of agent friends, I can tell you that when they get the letter that says, you know, dear David, I saw that you represent Peter Sellers, the dog stars. And this book changed my life. And so I'm reaching out to you because, you know, that agent will read will read the query letter. It will get to that person and it will be meaningful. And, you know, it just enhances your opportunities for response and success.

Matt Rafferty: [00:07:27] Well, speaking of query letters, like what what sort of mistakes do people do when they write a query letter?

Lucinda Halpern: [00:07:33] So I'm smiling because this is one of my favorite questions. And and again, because I think there is so much bad wisdom out there. And so, you know, so we we have a few sort of myth busting insights to give on this topic. And one is that we care who you are. We care who you are as an author. So don't start with, you know, dear so-and-so. My book is it's like I want to know who you are, sort of the inspiration for your writing this, which is usually about the audience that supports it, you know, fiction or non. So to use a fictional example, if you've written a popular story, whether it's a short story or whether it's won an award or whether it's for a major media platform, and you say that you've had a response and engagement around this. Now you've told me why I should get interested in what you're about to present. So the first thing for us is we want a sense of who you are. So the second is hiding information. So if you've self published before or if you are working with an agent currently or you've published, you know, traditionally before, these are facts that we want to know because the first thing that any agent or editor is going to do upon receiving a submission they're actually interested in is Google you.

Lucinda Halpern: [00:08:50] And so if you're hiding really pertinent information to your submission, like the fact that you've already published a book, then then it's kind of a red flag. Right? Or if you're working with an agent who's a close friend of mine and you didn't tell me that you have representation. So again, these are delicate topics. And I completely get where writers are coming from and not wanting to sort of you know, a lot of writers, they cower about writing an agent to say, I self publish this book, but my sales were really pitiful. So instead take a positive spin if self publish this book. But this new idea is poised to do very differently because here's sort of the marketing plan I have for it or the idea's really timely or I didn't have support for my first book. But I you know, I, I plan to find a traditional publisher for this. Whatever your reason is, don't exclude the information, find a way to offer it a positive spin.

Leah Rafferty: [00:09:50] So let's say I have my fiction book and I send it off to you. What happens after I send it into your agency?

Lucinda Halpern: [00:09:58] Sure. So every agency this is also confusing for writers, but every agency. He has particular and specific and different guidelines, so it's for our agency, we're not we're not looking at your entire book upon your submission, through our report. All right. We're looking at a synopsis. We're looking at a partial so, you know, just a few chapters or a book proposal. So once you've hooked us with your letter and we're that early material, then it's usually going through a series of gatekeepers before it's actually getting to an agent. So, you know, literally we have we have interns, we have assistants, and then we have agents who, you know, it has to pass through all of those different doors to get, you know, somewhat someone's attention. And you can imagine that the even bigger agencies, you have to get through even more people. You know, all the more reason why that letter is just so hugely important. And something I always guide writers to do is to express as much urgency as possible in that letter. And I get that that can be tough, right? Like, you don't want to write and write an agent and say, I expect you to call me tomorrow. But but there are ways to suggest that you've got a really hot, timely concept that people that is in demand. And, you know, some of the best ways to do that are to suggest that it's out with a small list of of agents that are eagerly reviewing the material. You've already had requests. A publisher has contacted you. There are ways to sort of hint at that urgency that would make someone want to pick up your submission before someone else's.

Leah Rafferty: [00:11:43] I notice on your website that you have clothes looking for an intern for this year. So I would think since the interns get to read see them letters before anyone else, what an exciting job for them.

Lucinda Halpern: [00:11:57] Yeah.

Leah Rafferty: [00:11:57] So you really have to be careful who you pick. Also, though, they have to kind of think like you.

Lucinda Halpern: [00:12:02] True. That's true. And we, you know, we try to mentor them to to think just as we do and to really study our lists and to understand how we communicate and take pride in our communications with writers. So so, yes, they do have to think like you. But I mean, it's another great hack. If I were if I understood on the writer's side that I was going to first be writing an intern, I might actually research that intern a little bit and make the note more personal and, you know, make it more exciting to the young person who's first reviewing the query. So, again, I think those personal touches and details tend to really matter when you're competing with so many other blind submissions.

Matt Rafferty: [00:12:44] That's interesting. Yeah, great advice. So let's just follow this through a little bit. An intern reads the letter and maybe the submission that came with it, right? Mm hmm. Either a synopsis or maybe a chapter, and then they're excited about it and then they pass it on to the next level. And that person, do they, like, read the entire chapter if there's a chapter?

Lucinda Halpern: [00:13:06] Ok, yeah, they're running it up the flagpole. So, you know, again, something that if we get something that seems right up our alley now in in the world of working from home and using all of these digital systems. Right. It wouldn't be uncommon for some of my office to slack me and say we just received a really exciting query from X, Y, Z. I'm going to email it to right now. Well, now you have my attention, right? So in ways things are moving, actually, I can't speak for other agencies or publishers. I don't actually have the sense that this is happening across the board. But at our agency, things are moving faster than ever now. So. So just to take you through the process, someone more junior might read it might recommend it than I'm looking at it usually nights and weekends, not during office hours. And then I'm getting in touch with the author to sort of call to discuss the material, to share my vision of how, you know, I see the book appealing commercially and maybe any editorial changes that I'd suggest and then see if I have chemistry with that author, because we very much view this as a lifelong marriage and we view a book as nothing short of having a baby. So I know what a precious relationship this is and I know how important, you know, books are. And, you know, you really you're getting into a deep and engaged relationship with someone. So the next step upon reading the material is really talking to the author and making sure that you share a vision.

Leah Rafferty: [00:14:38] I never thought about that. Yes, I guess you would. That like how you said a marriage in the baby. It is a deep relationship. You're right. Yeah, I can see that now. So thank you for explaining that.

Matt Rafferty: [00:14:49] Well, sure. You both have a vested interest in it succeeding, right?

Lucinda Halpern: [00:14:53] Exactly. Yes.

Matt Rafferty: [00:14:55] One of our listeners wrote in and asked a question. David asked what types of book deals are usually only negotiated by agent? And not authors,

Lucinda Halpern: [00:15:04] Definitely deals that are done with the big five houses, but as I'm sure you know and your listeners know, there are a number of really reputable and wonderful independents that also do also offer very sizable book deals. You want an agent? You know, I'm always going to be an advocate for the value that an agent lends to the equation, which I think goes so much more beyond the deal. And the commission. I think it's about the lifetime advocacy for not the not the product, but the author to make sure that that those interests are being served. So to get to get specific about your listeners question, there are publishers that will take a query unsolicited from an author. But if that author then enters into a publishing contract, I recommend that all three gets an attorney know if they're not going to engage in agent, they should absolutely engage a lawyer to review the contract. Sure.

Matt Rafferty: [00:16:07] That makes sense. Sure.

Lucinda Halpern: [00:16:08] Yeah. Yeah, but but any of the major publishers or independent houses are going to sort of require that an agent be involved or they're certainly going to prioritize looking at those submissions that come from agents they trust. So it just it's never a bad thing for an author to work with an agent. It's generally always going to elevate your potential advance as well as your career. Mm hmm.

Leah Rafferty: [00:16:33] Well, it's interesting because, yeah, it sounds like you just circled right back to it's a small world about how you said that they want to work with the agent they know or.

Lucinda Halpern: [00:16:43] Yes, yes, yes. It is so true. And I actually had a question asked the other day that I thought was an interesting one. How do you avoid the conflict of having this publisher relationships, but primarily working for the author? You know, how do you navigate that? And what it comes down to is, you know, ideally you're engaging in an agent who's fair minded and invested in the book. So you're really you are mediating between those different interests toward the same goal. But ultimately, even if there's conflict along the road of publishing, which there can be because it's a long, winding process, publishers are still going to be inclined to work with agents time and time again for their tastes. For first and foremost, if they trust that you're bringing them good material, they're going to keep working with you. Yeah, I mean, it takes it takes time to build these relationships. But once you have them, we care for them. We care for them deeply.

Matt Rafferty: [00:17:40] Right. You don't want to offer something that's not not worthy. Right. Because that doesn't help your reputation any. Exactly. You want a good product to be able to give and you want to help the author come up with more good products after that. Exactly right. All right.

Leah Rafferty: [00:17:53] Does the agent help with the cover, the book in the printing?

Lucinda Halpern: [00:17:57] An agent is there to really guide and strategize on all of those milestones and the process. So what we usually recommend, a publisher will send some cover options for the book. The author will sort of hold, as you know, the moment has arrived and, you know, and it really is something that they actually envisioned and that can be both good or bad. And that's when an agent gets involved and, you know, gets on the phone with the author and says, let's talk about this. You know, how did this depart from your vision? And and then coming back to the publisher in unison to say, here's what we think. You know, here are the tweaks, here's how we pivot. That's where an agent would be involved. So it's not that an agent is coming up with the cover art inspiration. It's more that an agent is a an important part of that title and packaging conversation.

Leah Rafferty: [00:18:52] Ok, kind of like a negotiator, if need be

Lucinda Halpern: [00:18:55] Exact all of all along the path. Yes.

Matt Rafferty: [00:18:58] Ok, so let's talk about time frame. How what kind of a time frame are we talking about from the time that you might receive the first query letter until this lucky author is able to hold their book in their hand?

Lucinda Halpern: [00:19:13] If a novel comes to us and it's really fairly baked and we're just adjusting minimal editorial revisions and then we're sending that to an editor and that editor has minimal revisions. It could be it could be a year or less that you see that out on shelves. So that's for the moment.

Leah Rafferty: [00:19:31] That's pretty quick. Yeah.

Lucinda Halpern: [00:19:33] I mean, I'm thinking of a book that we this is actually a wonderful success story. I love to talk about. A self published author wrote a book called Black Girls Must Be Exhausted, and just through her own efforts on Instagram, started meeting with Book Club. She did like fifty book club appearances during the pandemic. So by the time she approached me, she'd had a number of reviews. She'd had these appearances. You know, she could demonstrate that proof of concept and that sort of proof of hunger from her audience for this book series. So we went and sold it within two weeks to Harper. For for a book deal, you know, and there I'm so psyched for her because she was envisioning self publishing for the rest of her road, but then, you know, I always thought this had potential for a major house, another publisher in that book at the you know, this fall. So that really is a matter of nine months less that we are getting that out to market. But again, the key there being that the editorial product was pretty much there when we sold it. So if you think about non-fiction, you know, it could be up to two and a half years from the time you take a proposal to an agent and get it out on shelves. It could be longer if you don't get an agent, buy in right away. So, yeah, it's a long road, but I think authors are always surprised at how fast it actually feels when they're in the process.

Matt Rafferty: [00:20:54] And the final feeling of being able to hold your book and look at it and say that it's yours.

Lucinda Halpern: [00:20:58] I know. And there's nothing like that, you know.

Matt Rafferty: [00:21:01] So what's your biggest frustration about being an agent?

Lucinda Halpern: [00:21:04] I'll tell you. I'll tell you, it's it's authors who don't have a clear vision of what they want their book to be. I love working with authors who are open minded and collaborative. I think that goes a long way in this process. But if you just don't if you just sort of want to publish a book for the sake of it, we haven't really thought through who your reader is, why that person cares, why they would make that 20 dollar investment, then I can't I can't really help you with that, you know, but you have to have you have to have that undying, unwavering belief in your art and your craft in your vision. And I think that makes things easier along the way, because when you start working with a large team, as you will do the you know, the agent being your first team member, but then it becomes your editor, your art designer, your publicist and everyone else, they're going to be looking to you as the expert on your book and your audience. And so I just think you have to be very clear about your reasons for publishing. It's too tough of a business. Otherwise, sure,

Matt Rafferty: [00:22:11] You need to know your audience. Yeah.

Lucinda Halpern: [00:22:13] So so when you ask what's you know, what's the frustration, it's it's sometimes being in kind of a dance with a prospective writer or a client about, you know, we're still figuring out what this is. And and that's not where I like to be. I like to be working with someone who knows exactly what this is going to be.

Leah Rafferty: [00:22:34] Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah. What was it like working on the Happiness Project?

Lucinda Halpern: [00:22:38] I mean, it was it was really exciting. I always say that I'm indebted to Gretchen and to her agent and to her the team of people that I was on for all of the learning and the energy and the excitement that came. I mean, I'll never forget when that hit the New York Times bestseller list. And we all had champagne at the office at 11:00 at night. You know, it was exciting because what she was doing was so revolutionary at the time, using her blog as a mechanism to really understand her readers and engage with them. You know, it it just was so new at the time. And yeah. So so I just think all of it was exciting. And it was also I was very young in publishing. So to be part of that, I was also part of Freakonomics now on. So I started just I was basically just in the mailroom, mailing books, interview requests after interview requests. And I got to know the authors. I got to you know, I got to be a part of that of that success. And so, you know, it never gets old. It never gets old when a book reaches that kind of level of recognition and being a part of the team and the process.

Leah Rafferty: [00:23:50] Sure. And now those books are part of school. You know, school. Yeah. Curriculums. Yeah.

Lucinda Halpern: [00:23:56] Yeah. I'm indebted to those authors, you know, more than than they are to me. Definitely. I mean, they, they were the driving force behind their own success and I just got to learn and be part of it.

Leah Rafferty: [00:24:11] That's wonderful.

Matt Rafferty: [00:24:13] So we'd like to ask authors what their advice is for other people who are writing books about getting their book done or being able to complete it. So I thought it'd be interesting to ask you, what's your best advice for someone who's writing a book right now?

Lucinda Halpern: [00:24:25] I guess I'll give you my my general broad advice would be you keep on a schedule. My most successful authors are definitely have a rigorous kind of discipline to to their work. So if they are unable to have a daily writing practice, they're taking a time. You know, they're taking a month long writer's retreat or week long writer retreat or weekend, you know, whatever time they can allot to really focus and drill down on it. I also am just a huge believer in having a good team. So if you don't have an agent who can be your accountability partner, who can work with you on developing the idea, then can you join a workshop with other writers? Can you be part of a Facebook group or a community? Again, to have that accountability, to have deadlines, to have people supporting your progress? I think those are the best things you can do. And and, you know, I just read Adam grants. Think again the value of having a team of skeptics, of actually not having your mother be your first reader, but having your most skeptical, trusted friend give you the brutal feedback on, you know, on your letter, on your book proposal, on your first chapter, like what are the problems with this? Asking those tough questions is going to serve you because the book by an audience is a skeptical one.

Leah Rafferty: [00:25:43] You need people to tell you the truth. How else are you going to get better? And you can't take anything personal. If you want to succeed, you need to take criticism and learn from it and know that it's given to you to help you succeed. Definitely. Yeah, but some people do have problems with that, right?

Matt Rafferty: [00:26:00] Well, it's interesting. We started off with talking about who, you know, in your community, and then we kind of are wrapping up with who you know in your community and your community help you. So it's really about talking to people and getting to know people and asking for favors.

Lucinda Halpern: [00:26:14] Yes, it is. It is. It's an interesting balance of working in the proverbial ivory tower at your craft and getting out to a network of people you trust to give you tough love and brutal honesty.

Leah Rafferty: [00:26:29] Listen to what's the best way for our listeners to get in touch with you.

Lucinda Halpern: [00:26:33] So, I mean, you can find everything that was simple literary offers on our website, which is W-W Lucindale literary dot com. And yeah, I think you'll find I think your audience will find a number of resources. I can certainly query our agents there. As I said, we have courses, we have regular workshops, we have a speakers bureau. We have all kinds of things to check out. So I hope to see your listeners there.

Leah Rafferty: [00:26:58] When I was checking out your website, it does seem like you have many resources that are very valuable and that people can take advantage of.

Lucinda Halpern: [00:27:06] Thank you so

Leah Rafferty: [00:27:07] Much. Well, thank you for putting it out there. And once again, congratulations on being a successful business woman.

Lucinda Halpern: [00:27:13] Oh, thank you. It's wonderful to talk with you guys.

Matt Rafferty: [00:27:18] I think it was interesting to have Lucinda as an agent give us her perspective on the writing process, so keep those suggestions coming

Leah Rafferty: [00:27:25] And until next time.

Announcer: [00:27:27] Right on. Thank you for listening to the author Inside You podcast with your host, Leah and Matt Raverty.

Matt Rafferty: [00:27:36] This episode is brought to you by audible get a free audio book download and a 30 day free trial at the author Inside You Dotcom Free eBook choose from over one hundred and eighty thousand titles. Go to the author Inside You Dotcom Free eBook.

We all know we should be building our audiences and be more active on social media. Stephanie Baruffi is our guest on this episode of The Author Inside You, and she has some great tips on how to grow your social media audience. If you're ready to be motivated, you have to listen to this episode of TAIY!

Megan started started writing the first book of her trilogy in her teens, wrote the second book in her 20s and the third in her 30s. Megan shares with us a great way to promote your book on social media utilizing memes and hashtags.

Hiking the Appalachian Trail at the age of 61, Steve Adams created an audience while writing his blog that described his 2,200-mile trek.

Have you ever wondered about the best way to get your book onto the shelves of a bookstore? On this episode of The Author Inside You we interview Kate Schlademan, the owner of the Learned Owl bookstore, an independent business located in our hometown. If your goal is to have your book in a bookstore, then this episode is for you! We discuss the best way to approach a bookstore to land your book on the shelves, best practices for book signings, and the importance of your book spine design. 

Kate's bookstore: LearnedOwl.com

Special thanks to PodPoluli for letting us use their studios to record this interview.

If you are able, please donate to Hudson Special Olympics.

The dynamic duo of Rick and Nancy Monsipapa recently wrote and published a motivational book for entrepreneurs. In this episode of The Author Inside You, our guest writing team hammers out tips on how to get your book written in six weeks. At the time we recorded this interview, Rick was on his way to completing his third book in less than 12 months!

This is a super exciting interview for us! Author Brandon Baxter is a fan of The Author Inside You podcast and listening to our past episodes gave him the encouragement to put pen to paper which led to getting his book published! We hope that Brandon's story is encouraging for you and someday soon your book will be on the shelves at Target! 

bbaxter8@yahoo.com

@bbaxter8

facebook.com/brandon.baxter8/

After being frustrated that many products consumed by Americans are being manufactured in other countries, James Stuber set out to make a difference. He created a non-profit organization, a web page, and a self-published book. In this episode of The Author Inside You, we talk to Jim about the months of hard work that went into researching and writing What If Things Were Made In America Again.

Elementary school teacher Alyssa Cowitt never thought she'd be a published book author. That is until she and her friend Greg Dunbar started sharing quotes on social media that Alyssa collected from her students. Listen to this episode of The Author Inside You to learn how Greg and Alyssa's Live From Snack Time became a very successful coffee table book.

Click here to find I Did My Homework In My Head on Amazon.

Contact Alyssa @ livefromsnacktime@gmail.com. 

To learn more click here.

On this episode of The Author Inside You podcast, you will hear an interview filled with great take-aways aimed at helping you with the publishing process. Leah & Matt interviewed author Laurel McHargue about recently completing her trilogy, starting a publishing company, and the dos and don'ts of a book launch party.

99Designs.com

Canva.com

Alligator Preserves podcast

laurel@strackpress.com

leadvillelaurel.com

We are often reminded about the importance of promoting our book after it is written, but on this episode of The Author Inside You we hear a different perspective. Author Danielle Daily shares great advice - start promoting your work before you even begin the writing process!

facebook.com/thedanielledaily/

instagram.com/the_danielledaily/

Most times authors do not give the forward for their book much thought until after the transcript is complete. Fortunately for author Ben Philippe, our guest on this episode of The Author Inside You podcast, he did give his forward some thought and it paid off in a big way! Check out our interview with Ben to hear how his book went viral all because of his mom.

This episode is brought to you by Scribophile, a great place to mingle with fellow writers.

http://benphilippe.com/
@gohomeben

Russ Grimes, an engineer from Michigan, often dreamed of being a super hero. The process took more than a year, but Russ wrote a young adult book that features his alter-ego as the main character. In this episode of The Author Inside You, Russ tells us that the hardest part for him was just getting started. For some inspiration on getting started, listen to this interview with Russ!

MaryEllenBramwell.com

BlackRoseWriting.com

e-audioproductions.com

Author Mike Witzgall knows law enforcement and storytelling, but like most of us, he needs help promoting his book. In this episode of The Author Inside You, Mike explains the role of a promoter and what you can expect when you join forces with a book agent. 

https://www.facebook.com/Mike-Witzgall-200725930112516

cmeswat@aol.com

Every once in a while, you find a book that touches a chord in your heart, one that you want to share with everyone you know. Well, that is exactly what happened with Leah and the book, Black Heroes of the Wild West. On this episode of The Author Inside You podcast, we interview James Otis Smith, the author and artist behind this spectacular graphic novel. 

Toon Books

What started out as a dream has become a novel - literally! Author Denise Bryson wrote In The Footsteps of a Killer over a 20 year period, as recollection from her nightly dreams. In this episode of The Author Inside You podcast, Denise shares how her dreams became a reality. 

If you're not sure what a "Twitter Pitch Contest" is all about, you need to listen to this episode of The Author Inside You. Guest Hanna Carmack explains how these contests work and why they are so great for writers ready to publish their manuscript.

https://hannahcarmack.com/

Author Robert Longyear joins us on this episode of The Author Inside You podcast. He shares with us insights and tips on how to improve your writing. Robert reminds us that great storytelling is not just for works of fiction, how to raise funds for publishing via indiegogo.com, and a fantastic idea on how to help your graphic designer create the ideal book cover.

Indiegogo.com/projects/innovating-for-wellness

LinkedIn.com/in/robert-l-longyear-iii

Twitter:@RLLongyear

On this episode of The Author Inside You podcast we are joined by author Michael Deeze who reminds us that we all have to believe in ourselves to get over our inferiority complex. Michael also explains how he is using YouTube to strengthen his audience, plus he shares a few tips for working with copy editors.

MichaelDeezeBooks.com

Facebook.com/MichaelDeezeBooks

Michael Deeze YouTube Channel

OutskirtsPress.com

IndiesUnited.net

Author Mag Diamond began writing her book at the age of 11, she finished the manuscript just before her 70th birthday. On this episode of The Author Inside You, Mag reminds us that everyone has a story worth telling and whatever your age, now is the time to write a book.

MagDimond.com

Write to the Finish online course 

SheWritesPress.com

KirkusReviews.com

Author Elizabeth Clamon shares with us her very motivational story of how she overcame being bedridden for more than 10 years! As part of her healing process, she wrote a book, but that's only part of her journey. Listen to this episode of The Author Inside You to hear how she assembled a 100 person launch team for her book.

After winning a trip to Gettysburg, author JDR Hawkins was inspired to write a series of novels focusing on the Civil War from the perspective of a Confederate soldier. 

Jacqui Letran is the author of three self help books and the host of the Stop The Bullying Within podcast. In this episode of The Author Inside You we learn from Jacqui how a great launch team can help you rocket to the top of the Amazon best sellers list!

Webpage: https://JacquiLetran.com
Email: Author@JacquiLetran.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/stopthebullywithin
Purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Jacqui-Letran/e/B00O752IY0/
Podcast: http://stopthebullywithin.com  (coming January 18, 2018)

You had the motivation to start and write a book, now you need the motivation to find a good quality editor. Our guest on this episode, Charita Cole Brown, explains how she used multiple editors to refine her masterpiece. 

Are you looking for support and encouragement with your writing? Tonya Todd is our guest on this episode of The Author Inside You and she highly recommends you join a writer's group. You can make new friends, find beta readers, receive critiques, and who knows, maybe even find an editor or publisher!

https://www.mstonyatodd.com/the_author/

https://www.mstonyatodd.com/podcast/

https://hendersonwritersgroup.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hendersonwritersgroup

https://www.meetup.com/

Television host and children's book author, Ron MacCloskey joins us on this episode of The Author Inside You. Ron shares some great stories on his inspiration for his first book, plus useful advice on finding endorsements and reviews, before your book is printed.

Contact information for Ron:

 info@genzpublishing.org

ClassicMoviesWithRonMacCloskey.weebly.com

GenZpublishing.org

This episode of The Author Inside You is sponsored by Scribophile.com

Author and coach Annie Berryhill shares first-rate advice with The Author Inside You audience. Discover her time-saving apps, and how Annie wrote a large portion of her book while driving in her car!

temi.com Audio to Text Transcription

rev.com Transcription For Video

manychat.com Facebook Messenger Marketing

anneberryhill.com

Author Mike Walton has enjoyed reading and collecting comic books for decades. He never dreamed he would become an expert in a particular genre of comic books, especially not an expert who has written the book on the subject. Well, he has achieved that level of expertise and in this episode of The Author Inside You podcast, Mike explains how he became an authority.

Scribophile.com

McFarlandBooks.com

Twinsburg Tribune newspaper article 

MikesHouseOfHorrors.com

Twitter: @HorrorComicGuy

Author Valerie Staggs used journaling as a way to grieve after her husband unexpectedly passed away. In this episode of The Author Inside You, Valerie tells us how her journal was the basis for her first book and why it is important to have a book cover that stands out on the shelf.

Facebook.com/ValerieStaggsAuthor

Many authors will tell you that the real work begins once you start to promote your book. Publicizing your masterpiece can be time-consuming and challenging. This week on The Author Inside You podcast, our guest Kishmi Davis explains how she's been gaining ground on book sales with the help of a publicist.

https://www.kishmidavis.com/

Author Jesse Cruz explains how he appreciates the people who purchase his book and discusses how he thanks everyone individually. Jesse also shares some great lessons that he learned completing his book, "You want to write like no one is going to see it and edit like everyone is going to see it."

authorjessecruz@gmail.com

@jesseacruzliveyourdash on Facebook

@authorjessecruz on IG

http://linkedin.com/in/jesse-cruz-133714164

https://www.amazon.com/Live-Your-Dash-Discovering-Freedom-ebook/dp/B07WKCMQZG

New York Times bestselling author Mary Rand Hess is our guest on this episode of The Author Inside You podcast. Mary shares her daring decision to contact the popular Instagram sensation Steve Greig (@wolfgang2242) with her idea of a picture book. The One and Only Wolfgang: From Pet Rescue to One Big Happy Family has become a number one bestseller on Amazon.

MaryRandHess.com

MaryRandHess@yahoo.com

Mary on LinkedIn

Mary on Twitter

Steve's Instagram @wolfgang2242

Motivational speaker Kinglsey Grant tells us his story of how a childhood experience lead to him writing and publishing his first book.

Author Angie Flores, our guest on this episode of The Author Inside You podcast, believes in marketing by talking.

"You can't just throw your book on Amazon and hope that it sells, you have to toot your horn!" - Angie Flores

Angie has some book writing contest tips, ideas on how to create an interesting school assembly, plus you will not believe how she found the artist for her award winning picture book!

Thanks for listening!

AngieFloresBooks.com

Children’s Book Writers of Los Angeles

Children's book author Brian P. Cleary has sold over 3 million books and has traveled to more than 500 schools promoting his work.

Author, Shawn Singleton, joins us on this episode of The Author Inside You podcast, where we converse about the key traits of a publicist. Additionally, we discuss how Shawn found the ideal publisher for his first book. 

"Query letters will get you nowhere," says author Tally Adams. They may work for some authors, but Tally has plenty of other great ideas that she shares with us on this episode of The Author Inside You podcast. We cover writer's conferences, publicists, and the unusual way she found her publisher.

www.BreakThroughPromotions.net

www.TallyAdams.com

Romance Writers of America  www.rwa.org

www.BrownBooks.com

​A logline is a great tool to use when pitching your book to publishers and readers. In this episode of The Author Inside You, our guest Marc Bona explains loglines and why they are important to the success of your book.
​
mbona30@neo.rr.com
Twitter and IG: @mbona30
https://tinyurl.com/gamechangerbona

At the age of sixteen, Jennifer Stout was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Influenced by this life-shattering situation, Jennifer turned to poetry and recently published her book The Bipolar Poet.

Taking too long to write that book? Enlisting a ghostwriter might be the solution to your perplexing publishing predicament. In this episode of The Author Inside You, we have an in-depth discussion of hiring a writer with professional ghostwriter James Ranson.

JamesRanson.com

Book Launch (release date October 1, 2018) JamesRanson.com/crappy-book