Podcast appearances and mentions of j thorn

In this episode, the Godfather of the Dialogue Doctor Podcast, J Thorn returns to talk about a new AI tool he has created. Using multiple AI Engines J talks about how he analyzes manuscripts. In the process of discussing his new tool, J and Jeff speculate on the state of the market and on the future of book-selling and AI. To find J's tool, check out https://www.fiverr.com/jthornwriter/critique-your-manuscript-with-ai-and-expertise  

Ride along as Rachael's mind gets BLOWN by J. Thorn talking about luck. J. Thorn has published more than two million words and has sold over 200,000 books worldwide since 2009. He has been an official member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers, and is currently a member of the Horror Writers Association. Thorn earned a B.A. in American History from the University of Pittsburgh and a M.A. from Duquesne University. He is a husband, father, writer, and educator, most recently teaching entrepreneurship at John Carroll University. J. impersonates a cynical Gen Xer while secretly believing we're all gonna make it. Like, whatever.Book rec: Thinking in Bets, Annie Duke Here's Rachael's Kickstarter, Unstuck! Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.✏️ Can I email you some writing help?

J. is an independent publisher and author who has published more than two million words, sold more than 185,000 books worldwide, and is an official member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the Horror Writers Association, and the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers. Co-founder of the Writers, Ink podcast with J.D. Barker, J. has interviewed some of today's most successful authors including Matthew McConaughey, James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Seth Godin, Joyce Carol Oates, Chuck Palahniuk, and many more. J. earned a B.A. in American History from the University of Pittsburgh and a M.A. from Duquesne University. He is a husband, father, full-time writer, and a part-time professor at John Carroll University. J. and I first connected about our A.I. newsletters that we both publish through the Beehiiv platform. His is called the Creative AI Digest. After that, he drove down from Cleveland to our first CincyAI Meetup which I co-host with Kendra Ramirez, and is the largest A.I. meetup in the region in partnership with the University of Cincinnati's UC Digital Futures. He's expanded my approach on how to interact with A.I. and I couldn't be more excited to share our fascinating and thought-provoking conversation with you.  In today's episode, J. shares how in April 2023 ChatGPT-4 changed the trajectory of his Amazon book sales and his ah-ha moment for GenAI's impact on publishing and beyond. Discover J.'s prompt to process and innovative role-playing approaches to co-writing with AI. We also discuss the publishing industry's landscape pre- and post-GenAI, how AI is enabling greater accessibility for writers, and the need to support all writers and stop review bombing. We discuss the potential impact of AI on the entertainment industry as we know it, the importance of teaching responsible AI use in the classroom, how creators can leverage digital books, and the need for kindness and empathy as we navigate this new creative landscape. How can you harness the power of AI to unleash your creativity? Listen in to find out! EPISODE SHOW NOTES: https://creativitysquared.com/podcast/ep40-j-thorn-from-a-i-prompts-to-process/ JOIN CREATIVITY SQUARED Sign up for our free weekly newsletter: https://creativitysquared.com/newsletter  Become a premium member: https://creativitysquared.com/supporters  SUBSCRIBE Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform: https://creativitysquared.com Subscribe for more videos: https://youtube.com/@creativity_squared/?sub_confirmation=1 CONNECT with C^2 https://instagram.com/creativitysquaredpodcast https://facebook.com/CreativitySquaredPodcast https://giphy.com/channel/CreativitySquared https://tumblr.com/blog/creativitysquared https://tiktok.com/@creativitysquaredpodcast CONNECT with Helen Todd, the human behind C^2 https://instagram.com/helenstravels https://twitter.com/helenstravels https://linkedin.com/in/helentodd https://pinterest.com/helentodd Creativity Squared explores how creatives are collaborating with artificial intelligence in your inbox, on YouTube, and on your preferred podcast platform.  Because it's important to support artists, 10% of all revenue Creativity Squared generates will go to ArtsWave, a nationally recognized non-profit that supports over 100 arts organizations. This show is produced and made possible by the team at PLAY Audio Agency: https://playaudioagency.com. Creativity Squared is brought to you by Sociality Squared, a social media agency who understands the magic of bringing people together around what they value and love: http://socialitysquared.com.  #EdTech #AI #GenX #Authors #WritersOfInstagram #ArtificialIntelligence #ArtificialIntelligenceAI #AuthorCommunity #ArtificialIntelligenceTechnology #DigitalCreativity #MachineLearning #FutureTechnology #FutureTech #TheFutureIsNow #TechPodcast #AIPodcast #AINews #ArtificalIntelligence #ArtificalIntelligenceAI #AICopywriting #Creatives #AIArtCommunity #DeepLearning #GenerativeModels#AIandCulture #AINews

Overview J is back, and this time he's talking about his latest book series which deals with using A.I. for your writing. Our conversation entails the happenings from 20 books to 50k Vegas. J has a lot of thoughts about the future of publishing and the use of A.I. Book YouTube https://youtu.be/ICNtVSdkJVw Transcript Stephen: Cool. Great. Alright. I'm just gonna start us off. New episode, Discovered Wordsmith. I've got Jay Thorne which he has been on here. It's been about a hundred and twenty episodes ago Wow. Since he was on. Yeah. It's been a while. He just made the mistake of saying, whatever you wanna ask, go ahead. That love child that you fostered in Hindus are Hindi Himalayas. Tell us about that, Jay. This is breaking news. J: I can only talk about things that have really happened, Steven. So I Stephen: You're a writer. What the heck? Oh, come on. So alright. Hopefully, everybody knows Jay because I'm not gonna go into his background. He's been on here before. I'll put links in that. I really wanna get on these new books he's been writing. Let's just hit that right from the start. You are writing Or have written a series of books about AI, writers using AI, and more about that. So There's probably gonna be a million questions on that. I've got several written down I definitely wanna cover. So First of all, let's just start. Tell us about not only what the books are about, but why you wanted to write these books, Especially right now because, that could get death threats from some people writing a book like this. J: Yeah. I say this Sort of tongue in cheek, but it's certainly true. I don't get nearly the amount of hate because I'm a middle aged white guy, and I have that privilege, and it's terrible, but it's the truth. And I see other folks, Women and other people who get hate for it, and it's just it's so unfair. But that's, that's how the Internet is in general. But Stephen: Joanna seems to get a lot of people. And it's really, folks, she's been doing this forever. She's one of the most best voices for all of us. So yeah. Yeah. J: I think it's I think it's lessened more recently, but certainly early on, she took a lot of heat especially in her comments on her website. But, Stephen: because I think most are starting to realize. Hey. It's everywhere. Everybody's using it. Maybe it's not so bad. But, anyway, we're already off topic. So tell us about your bugs and why you're writing these. Okay. J: So I'm trying to think about how far back I have to go to put to give you context for this. I would say probably two or three years ago maybe, Pseudowrite was just being rolled out in a beta form. And Joanna was telling me she's you got you have to check this out. That's this new AI writing tool. And every couple months or every so often, she would say, hey. Listen. You gotta try this out. And every time I did, I just wasn't impressed. I was like, I don't know. It's not very good. It's weird. It, it doesn't do what I want it to do. And what comes out of it, I have to spend so much time cleaning it up. It's just not worth it. And so For years, I was very resistant, and I was like, I don't like it. It's not very good. And I said I enjoy the process of creating the words. So whether I think it's ethical or moral or makes any sense is kinda beside the point. I don't wanna farm out the most fun part of the experience. It'd be like being a musician, and you love playing live shows. And someone's hey. There's this Technology where you don't have to go on stage. You would be like I don't want that. Thanks. Other people can do that. It's fine. I'm just saying that's not, that's not what I want. And I'm saying this because I'm very transparent about it, and she and I'm proud of the fact that I changed my mind because she teases me all the time. And she was like, You hated this, and we almost had a falling out over it. And I'm like, I did.

Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor   Announcements: free 7-day trial of my Mary Poppins Fan tier on Patreon. Regularly 15/mo https://patreon.com/valerieihsan   UPDATE:  Valerie:  I've been creating a Creator Profile in Convertkit's Creator Network (in beta). If you want to check it out and see if it'll increase your newsletter subscribes, here is a link: https://convertkit.com/features/creator-network?ref_id=69de0590ae (affiliate) Erick:   Writing stories   Just finished: Seeking Fortune Elsewhere: Stories by Sindya Bhanoo; Manifest Your HEA: Get Unstuck and Create Your Happily Ever After by Heather Hildenbrand, The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix     I'M READING:  Three Story Method: Cowriting with ChatGPT by J Thorn ; The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab; Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships With Dogs by Suzanne Clothier; Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life by Beth Kempton.    Up Next: Erick's Reading:  Just Kids by Patti Smith     Show Notes:  Clearly place the reader in their own world (ordinary world). Spend time in the ordinary world with the reader so that they feel heard and seen. Write to your ideal customer. Lean in to who you are to find your people. Make sure that your solution is appropriate for the style of book/article you are writing. Are readers looking for actionable steps to take at the end? Or a more general mindset to have going forward?   Next Episode: Marketing With Other Authors Resources:  "How to write an eavesdropping scene" on Erick's blog

Jeff and J sit down and talk about AI. After getting their fears out in the open, they talk about how AI is currently effecting publishing, what they see coming, and where they are finding hope for the future of writing. J also explains how to start using Chat GPT to write with if you are not already. For more on writing dialogue, check out https://dialoguedoctor.com/  

J Thorn and Rachael reunite in a catchup episode that will inspire you to keep going! Don't miss this writing duo playing their favorite hits! How Do You Write Podcast: Explore the processes of How Do You Write Podcast: Explore the processes of working writers with bestselling author Rachael Herron. Want tips on how to write the book you long to finish? Here you'll gain insight from other writers on how to get in the chair, tricks to stay in it, and inspiration to get your own words flowing. Join Rachael's Slack channel, Onward Writers: https://join.slack.com/t/onwardwriters/shared_invite/zt-7a3gorfm-C15cTKh_47CEdWIBW~RKwgRachael can be YOUR mini-coach, and she'll answer all your questions on the show! http://patreon.com/rachael Join my scribe of writers for LOTS more tips and get access to my 7-minute video that will tell you if you're writing the right book! Only for my writing community! CLICK HERE:➡️ How to Know If You're Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Which would you rather have? Mild success, or wild success? Most of us would prefer wild success. But we pursue mild success. And you can't have one when you're going for the other. The struggle of an aspiring novelist A more specific version of the scenario I mentioned in episode 253: Imagine you're working at Starbucks during the day, and at night you're writing novels – not just any novels, but your favorite kind. You call it Care Bear Fanfic Urban Fantasy. As far as you know, you're the only person who writes Care Bear Fanfic Urban Fantasy. Judging by your sales, you're also the only person who reads it. You've written three novels in this genre you've created, and there have been hardly any sales, aside from the handful of copies you've sold to your mom and close friends. After a couple years writing and promoting your Care-Bear novels, you decide it's time for a change. You told yourself when you started writing that as soon as you made as much as your Starbucks job, you'd quit and write full-time. You're not even close. Your hourly Starbucks wage isn't great, but you've actually lost money writing your three novels, after investing in cover designs and some ads. A new opportunity Fortunately, one of your friends is a pretty successful author. She makes a middle-class living writing in a genre called Sweet Romance – mostly read by retired women, some of whom read a new Sweet Romance novel every day. You buy your friend a coffee – or rather steal it from work – sit her down, and drill her to tell you all about writing and selling Sweet Romance novels. She's super helpful, and tells you everything you need to know about the story structure readers expect, what tropes each novel has to hit, and even what keywords to advertise under. Armed with your knowledge of the Sweet Romance genre, you get to work. It's not your favorite, but it would beat serving coffee, you figure. The first couple novels are a challenge, but once you get it down, you're cranking out a new one every several weeks. You've got it down to a whole system: You change the character names, the locations, and a few scenarios from your last novel, and they practically write themselves. Making it, as a middle-class novelist Three years later, you, like your friend, are a middle-class Sweet Romance novelist. You've written eighteen novels, in three series, and in the past year have profited $70k. You quit your job at Starbucks a couple years ago, and you were right: Writing Sweet Romance is way more fun than serving coffee. Still, something is missing. You're getting tired of writing the same stories over and over. New ideas for Care Bear Fanfic Urban Fantasy stories keep coming to you. But you keep pushing them down. Why would you bother writing another Care Bear novel, when you're sure you'll sell none? Why would you not write another Sweet Romance novel, when you're sure you'll sell some. Besides, you've upgraded your life: You now have a mortgage and a car payment, and your dog eats Purina instead of the off-brand stuff from Aldi. These novels don't sell forever. If you don't keep the Sweet Romance machine going, you'll make less and less money. A missed opportunity But, one day, you discover something that changes everything you thought you knew about the business of being an author. As you're tallying up your earnings at the end of the month, you realize that your Care Bear Fanfic Urban Fantasy series has started selling. In fact, you've sold a hundred copies in the past month! That's more copies than you've sold in all the previous years. You dig a little deeper, and discover another author, writing under the name Brave Heart Brian, has written seven Care Bear Fanfic Urban Fantasy novels. You're filled with excitement, confusion, and envy. You're excited to have some Care Bear novels to read, confused as to how Brave Heart Brian seems to have popped up out of nowhere, and envious that – judging from the Amazon ranks of his books – he's making more money than you are! You take a deep breath and wash away the envy – it is fanfic after all, it's not like you invented Care Bears. You email Brian to congratulate him on his success, and ask him how it all happened. It turns out Brian stumbled upon your Care Bear series last year. He loved it, and wanted to read more Care Bear Fanfic Urban Fantasy, but since you clearly weren't active anymore, he decided if he wanted to read more, he'd have to write the novels himself. Not only has he built up a nice following of readers, he just sold film rights for his series, for millions of dollars! The good news is, Care Bear Fanfic Urban Fantasy is quickly becoming a popular genre. The bad new is, you're not the author who will reap most of the benefits. Where did you go wrong? You wonder, Where did I go wrong? You tried writing Care Bear Fanfic Urban Fantasy for years, and the writing was on the wall: Nobody cared. The problem was, Sweet Romance was a sure bet – or at least one of the surer bets writing novels could be. You expected writing in Care Bear Fanfic Urban Fantasy to behave like a sure bet, but it was not a sure bet. The Care Bear novels were a wildcard. You didn't distinguish your sure bets from your wildcards, so you gave up on your wildcards too soon. Sure bets for mild success, wildcards for wild success We're used to playing sure bets. You didn't show up to your job at Starbucks for the small chance of making a lot of money. You instead had a high chance – a guarantee, in fact – to make a little money. You knew how much you'd get paid every hour you worked. Sure bets have a good chance of mild success. Even when you fail at a sure bet, you succeed somewhat – if you slack off at Starbucks, you still get paid, so long as you don't get fired. If your next Sweet Romance novel isn't your best, you still make some sales. Sure bets have a good chance of mild success, but wildcards have a small chance of wild success. When a wildcard fails, all your effort goes to waste. You get nothing. But when a wildcard succeeds, the sky is the limit. In my second interview with Seth Godin, on episode 177, he told me this: Your last book was really juicy. Your last book did not sell a million copies. Those things aren't completely related. But it's very important that your next book not be something that you think fits into a juicy slot – not be something that is searched for from an SEO point of view…. That's how you become a second-rate romance novelist. It's not how you write The Martian. What Seth was telling me, essentially, was to not play sure bets – don't write something just because you know some people are searching for it. Instead, play wildcards, to write what was interesting to me, and take the risk that it might not work. Don't rate your wildcards as if they were sure bets Essentially, when you've played a wildcard, don't evaluate its performance as if it were a sure bet. The number of sales you get on one book is not a direct reflection of the quality of that book. As Seth had told me in my first interview with him on episode 77, and as I explored on episode 286, nobody knows anything. As I talked about on episode 251, if you keep playing wildcards forever, eventually ergodicity will take effect, and one of them will hit. But you can't play wildcards forever. Your life is only so long, and there's only so much time in the day to generate wildcards. If you had kept writing Care Bear novels, there's no telling how long it would have taken to quit your job at Starbucks – or if you would have ever succeeded at all. The security of sure bets + the success of wildcards You don't have to choose between playing sure bets and wildcards. As I talked about on episode 256, you can play the barbell strategy. Have the security of mediocristan, with the excitement of extremistan. If, instead of going all in on Sweet Romance novels, you had written, say, one Care Bear novel for every three Romance novels, you'd've greatly increased your chances of being the breakout Care Bear Fanfic Urban Fantasy writer, at the expense of a small pay-cut in the short-term. You can play all sure bets, you can play all wildcards, or you can do a mix of both. But be clear with yourself when you're playing one or the other. The quality of the decisions you make with your creative career depends on it. Image: Mountain Village (Autumnal), Paul Klee Thank you for having me on your podcasts! Thank you for having me on your podcasts. Thank you J Thorn at Writers, Ink. As always, you can find interviews of me on my interviews page. About Your Host, David Kadavy David Kadavy is author of Mind Management, Not Time Management, The Heart to Start and Design for Hackers. Through the Love Your Work podcast, his Love Mondays newsletter, and self-publishing coaching David helps you make it as a creative. Follow David on: Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Subscribe to Love Your Work Apple Podcasts Overcast Spotify Stitcher YouTube RSS Email Support the show on Patreon Put your money where your mind is. Patreon lets you support independent creators like me. Support now on Patreon »       Show notes: https://kadavy.net/blog/posts/sure-bets-wildcards/

Travie talks with the legendary CryptoDads NFT team on the second half of a two-part conversation. One of the largest and strongest communities in NFTs, The CryptoDads continues to innovate and learn as they grow. The Grill Sergeant and Waking the Echoes discuss what The CryptoDads has planned for the future, as well as what went into the transition of ownership. Also, Fanzo, Drew, and Becky stop by to discuss the trials and tribulations of being being collectors and builders in the ever evolving NFT space. Follow Travie: https://twitter.com/MrTravisTho Travie's Links: https://linktr.ee/travie.eth www.ogjourney.com Join the Disco Studios Discord: discord.gg/syR833GFxg and follow DS at https://discostudios.art/ Follow CryptodadsNFT: https://linktr.ee/TheCryptoDads Follow GrillSergeant: https://twitter.com/GrillSergeant15 Follow WakingtheEchoes: https://twitter.com/WakingTheEchoes Follow Fanzo: linktr.ee/isocialfanz Follow Drew: linktr.ee/metaathletes Follow Becky: https://twitter.com/BeckyWowo Partners: Get your OWN UNSTOPPABLE DOMAIN here: https://unstoppabledomains.com/?ref=travie The Journey Attire - https://deg3n.com/collections/the-journey NFT365 Podcast: https://nft365podcast.com/ Zealous: https://twitter.com/zealous_app Mint your DiamondDawgsNFT here https://www.diamonddawgsnft.com/ Theme FIRED UP by IAMNAX: https://www.iamnax.xyz/ Artist Mentions: Debra Gloria, Adria DeLaune, Liv Charette, Andre Decolife, Rae Isla, Madi Bogdanova, Ghooosty, IAMNAX, Zarina Mirnaya, Captain Bitcoin, Courtney Curly Goddess, Clare Von Savage, Kimaya, Lyrithea, Gordioks, Avril15, Sandra Acosta, Chazz Gold, Boicot, Madam Selkie, r0yart, Leah & Power of Women, Nataly Demi, Oggo & Burtonesque, Sidorenko_art, Spottie Wifi, J Thorn, Marleen & Crazy Sassy Exes, Derf Abides, Somnenje

Travie talks with J. Thorn, musician and host of the Music NFT Show podcast. J. Thorn has published two million words and has sold more than 185,000 books worldwide. He is an official member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the Horror Writers Association, and the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers. Listen to hear their thoughts on the current state of digital collectables and music, as well as the idea of AI making its way into the music scene. Follow Travie: https://twitter.com/MrTravisTho Travie's Links: https://linktr.ee/travie.eth www.ogjourney.com Follow J.Thorn: https://jthorn.net/links/ https://twitter.com/JThorn_ https://www.musicnftshow.com/ Partners: Get your OWN UNSTOPPABLE DOMAIN here: https://unstoppabledomains.com/?ref=travie The Journey Attire - https://deg3n.com/collections/the-journey https://discostudios.art/ NFT365 Podcast: https://nft365podcast.com/ Zealous: https://twitter.com/zealous_app Mint your DiamondDawgsNFT here https://www.diamonddawgsnft.com/

In this episode, the podcast is taken over by the Author Life as J Thorn and Jeff sit down to talk about the starting of the Dialogue Doctor. J walks Jeff back to when it all started and how things got kicked off. This is the first episode in a 12 episode special addition of the Author Life. https://theauthorlife.transistor.fm/episodes The other episodes include:  The Journey Begins - Jeff and J's first conversation and the Business Model Canvas Jeff Knows He Can Do This - a look at Story Brand Time to Niche Down - identifying Jeff's niche All Problems Can Be Solve - the power of emotion in purchasing decisions Crafting Customer Archetype Stories - Goin gdeep into what a customer needs Getting Specific - Client Work is like Therapy Laying Out the Web Page - the mechanics of building a webpage Lead Generation - from a website to a business Refining teh Sales Copy - building the website to move people through All About Podcasting - what it takes to start and launch a podcast Q and A - Jeff has LOTS of questions Where it is Now - Jeff and J talk about what the Dialogue Doctor has become Find all the episodes by clicking here: https://theauthorlife.transistor.fm/episodes

How can generative AI tools augment and amplify your creativity? How can digital originals/collectibles (NFTs) add value to authors and readers? In the intro, my solo episode on Creativity, Collaboration, Community, and Cash: NFTs for Authors (also in video); Midjourney v4 [Ars Technica]; Deviant Art launches their own generative AI tool [Engadget]; Rumors of GPT-4 […] The post Using Generative AI For Digital Collectibles And NFTs With J. Thorn first appeared on The Creative Penn.

Episode 138 / We're going back to the archives this week as we re-air an episode with J. Thorn. Sci-fi author, podcaster, teacher, and event organizer J. Thorn joins us to discuss creative ways to diversify your author income, podcasting, and what he wishes he'd known about co-writing.  Intro links: Sara's Kickstarter In this podcast episode, you'll discover: How J. came to creative writing after teaching J.'s transition to full-time writing What he wishes he'd known about creative writing The difference between developmental editing and proofreading J.'s dislike of running paid ads and how he runs his business so that he doesn't have to use them Why podcasting is better for lead-generation than revenue generation Why it's not too late to get into podcasting The downside of completely original ideas How being a musician influences J.'s co-writing projects J.'s long-running collaboration with Zach Bohannon and what J. wishes he'd known about co-writing  How J., a self-identifying introvert, runs writing events  The most difficult aspects of planning author events J.'s mistake of quitting his full time job without a financial safety net, and how that turned out to be a good thing  Changes J. has seen and how he's adapted to them Thinking outside the box to create multiple streams of income  Genres discussed include science fiction, horror, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic. Links:  AuthorLife.com On Writing by Stephen King GoFundMe for Jami's sister: Joni's Hospice Journey The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes  Jami's Launch Plan How to Write a Series by Sara Rosett Jami's books Sara's books Resources from the Author and Reader Community to Help Ukrainans

Thanks for tuning in to the Activated Authors podcast. If you're ready to ACTIVATE your author career, head on over to https://activatedauthors.com/ J. Thorn has published two million words and has sold more than 185,000 books worldwide. He is an official member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the Horror Writers Association, and the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers. J. hosts the Writers, Ink podcast with J.D. Barker and Zach Bohannon, and has interviewed some of today's most successful authors including Matthew McConaughey, James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Seth Godin, Joyce Carol Oates, Hugh Howey, Andy Weir, Jodi Picoult, Nicholas Sparks, Lee Child, Stephen Pressfield, Chuck Palahniuk, and many more. Thorn earned a B.A. in American History from the University of Pittsburgh and a M.A. from Duquesne University. He is a husband, father, full-time writer, part-time professor at John Carroll University, founder of The Author Life Community, podcaster, FM radio DJ, musician, and owner of the Three Story Method Editing Agency. In this episode we go deep into: What's stayed the same since 2020? [12:37] What J is working on [14:35] Working in/on ‘The Three Story Method' [17:14] The journey of ‘The Author Life' community [23:14] The Writers Ink [26:10] Approaching J D Barker [30:10] How interviewing has helped [33:38] Planning & Change [38:31] Advice to a 2017 J 41:54] Marketing & Strategy [46:22] Author events [49:35] What's in the pipeline? [53:02] Why J Writes [55:50] Find out more about J. Thorn: https://theauthorlife.com/ Get more from Activated Authors! https://activatedauthors.com/ Watch the show: https://youtu.be/662y8MTj5wI  Find out more about Daniel Willcocks https://www.danielwillcocks.com/ IG: @willcockswriter Twitter: @willcockswriter Find out more about Samantha Frost www.mastressofnone.com IG: @mastressofnone Special thanks to: Show theme: Karl Hughes Show editing: Sam Frost

Travie and writer/musician/builder and host of the Music NFT Show npodcast, J. Thorn, chat about music from the view of fans, collectors, and of course, builders on the Blockchain. Listen to what music was like before it became digital and hear about some of who Travie and J. Thorn view as instrumental (no pun intended) musicians in music NFTs. Follow Travie: https://twitter.com/MrTravisTho J. Thorn Links: Twitter: twitter.com/jthorn_ Author Website: jthorn.net Music Website (releases & NFTs): g3arz.com The Music NFT Show: musicnftshow.com Writers, Ink Podcast: writersinkpodcast.com Author Services Website: theauthorlife.com Amazon: amazon.com/J.-Thorn/e/B004ZVF3MK/ Community Spotlight: Nonconformist Ducks https://linktr.ee/NoncoDucks https://twitter.com/NoncoDucks NFTutoring Session: Digital Wallets Special Thanks: DiamondDawgsNFT: Diamonddawgsnft.com OG Collective: https://twitter.com/OGCollective200

In this episode, the Great J Thorn joins Jeff to talk about a myriad of topics. J has published two million words and has sold more than 185,000 books worldwide. He hosts the Writers, Ink podcast with J.D. Barker and Zach Bohannon, and The Author Life Podcast with Crys Cain. Most importantly, J encouraged Jeff to launch the Dialogue Doctor and help him through the development process in 2020. Jeff and J talk through a wide variety of topics, including the publishing industry, starting new things, and building community in the industry. For more on J Thorn's work, go to https://jthorn.net/ To find Writers Ink, go to https://writersinkpodcast.com/ To join the Author LIfe Community, go to https://theauthorlife.com/ For more on dialogue, check out https://dialoguedoctor.com/

Today we chat with J. Thorn about how authors can manage their community, tools and software authors can utilize to build a home for their readers, community business models, and potential futures for author community.J.'s one of the brightest minds in both the craft and business of writing and it was a privilege hearing his insights. This one's a real treat!J. Thorn's Links:Listen to Writer's Ink Podcast: https://writersinkpodcast.com/Join the Author Life Community: https://theauthorlife.com/Read J's Books: https://jthorn.net/books/Join our community of subscription authors: https://www.facebook.com/groups/subscriptionsforauthorsFree subscription insights delivered to your inbox each week: https://subscriptionsforauthors.com/And join Ream, the subscription platform by authors for authors: https://www.ream.ink/Don't forget to review/rate Subscriptions for Authors on your favorite podcast distributor :)You can also find the episode transcripts here: https://subscriptionsforauthors.com/podcasthomeEPISODE OUTLINE:0:00 - 1:47 Introduction and Context1:47 - 3:01 The Changing Landscape of Community for Authors3:01 - 5:55 Difference between Audience and Community5:55 - 8:14 Building and Hosting Your Community as an Author8:14 - 11:27 How J. Thorn Built His Community11:27 - 18:51 Community Management 101 for Authors18:51 - 23:05 Why a Community Can be Great for an Author's Business23:05 - 27:11 Fiction v.s. Nonfiction Authors: Community Business Models27:11 - 31:11 The Future of Investing into Authors and Communities31:11 - 35:30 Fanfiction and CCO Licensing35:30 - 38:08 Finding Your Path as a Writer38:08 - 38:37 Where You Can find J. Online38:37 - 44:50 Show Recap: How Authors Can Build Our Own Creative Future (rant on relationship between tech, stories, and futures)ABOUT SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR AUTHORSWe are the premier community to learn about making money from subscriptions as an author. We have this weekly podcast, our Facebook Group with hundreds of fellow authors, and a newsletter where we are committed to having the best free educational resources and networking for authors looking to break into this exciting new publishing model.ABOUT REAM:Ream is a platform that helps authors make money with subscriptions. Think of us like Patreon built for fiction authors by fiction authors.And our mission is simple: to help more authors pursue their storytelling dreams full-time (and for those full-time to make even more money and have more control while doing so).The platform allows writers to build communities around their stories and charge a monthly fee that rewards their super fans with connection and access.You can join the waitlist for Ream and start making money from subscriptions on the only platform built by authors for authors: https://ream.inkThank you so much for listening to this podcast! Always feel free to reach out to the team at contact@ream.ink. Happy writing everyone :)

 Hello Writers and Crafters! I'm Valerie Ihsan, And I'm Erick Mertz, and this is Episode 76 of the podcast and it's July 14, 2022 as we record this. Main Topic: Marketing You Can Do While Drafting Your Book    This podcast is sponsored by our patrons at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. For as low as a $1/mo, you can get a shout out on the podcast and we can make announcements for you on the podcast. At other tiers, the benefits increase--free books, accountability Zoom calls, scene analysis, mastermind calls, and even free Writer Craft retreat tickets. Become a patron of the arts at Patreon.com/valerieihsan.      All marketing plans will be different based on your plans for the book, your career, and your personality, and--to some degree--your budget.   1) First, you'll need to decide what your plan is for this book and for any future books you plan to write. And you'll need to define TO YOU what success would look like for this particular book and also for your writing career. Do you want to write any more books? Do you want to be award-winning? Do you want to make a living with your writing? Et cetera. The answers to these types of questions will determine the answers to your other questions. Namely, how to market and promote your book(s).   It's also important to note that if your goal is to make a living with your writing, you cannot do that with book sales from one book. Think, 10 or 20, or more. UNLESS, you are also providing author services, like editing or retreats or teaching.   2) Paid Advertising. It's the way to go these days. It is a Pay to Play Market now. There are 8 million titles on Amazon alone.    The three top paid ads sites are BookBub, Facebook, and Amazon Ads. Additionally, there are FreeBooksy and BargainBooksy. As well as others. (For instance, if your e-book is published on the Kobo platform, there is a Promotions tab on your dashboard that enables you to partake in their promo days.)   Each of the ads platforms have different rules and suggested methods of operation. There are loads of books and other resources on all of them. (Help! My Facebook Ads Suck by Mal Cooper; Mastering Amazon Ads by Brian Meeks; Bookbub Ads by David Gaughrin; Bryan Cohen has an Amazon Ads School on his Instagram site @bryancohenblurbs--just to name a few.)   That said, up until very recently--and is still considered truth by many--the industry "standard" advice for advertising for authors with less than three to five books in one series is to NOT advertise. The return on your investment won't pan out very well with nowhere for the reader to go after reading your one book. (I don't know how many books you've published.) If an author has several books, then paying for an ad on one book can often lead a reader to reading the other books in an author's backlist, thereby making the cost of the ad click go much farther.   3) I believe the best thing an author can do to build excitement about their books is to write the next book. Seriously. If you look at it like any other business, a business owner (read: bookseller) needs to create more than one product for their store. They need to create free content marketing for their audience and to build a(n) [author] brand through engagement with their [readers] customers.   The most important first step in getting people to buy your product is to get readers to know it exists. That comes with getting on podcast interviews, going to networking events, doing book readings, teaching workshops at libraries, etc. That's Attract Marketing. Letting people know you are out there.   Then, you Engage with them. Write a blog, or do a podcast, or create some other way of engaging with the people that now know you exist, but still have not become a customer of yours (like get them on your mailing list).   Then, you Nurture them. That's where they begin to Know, Like, and Trust you. Still before they buy! This is the time when you'd be posting regular content for them in a newsletter or FB Live posts, or pictures of your life on Instagram.   Only then can you Invite them to buy.    And, in order to keep them as an ongoing client [reader], you must Delight them. Create the best book(s) possible and they'll come back for the next one and tell their friends.   This process isn't something you do in a week or even a month. It's a long-term strategy. It's part of the author life and part of our job. Have fun with it.    *** I hope some of that was useful and has given you some ideas for your marketing/promotional plans.   Another resource I would recommend is How to Market Your Book by Joanna Penn.   I'M READING: The Sixth Wicked Child Erick's Reading: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Next episode: Erick's Coaching Session, Part 2   Resources:  Productivity for Creative People: How to Get Creative Work Done in an "Always on" World by Mark McGuiness Essentialism by Greg McKeown Lore podcast (and Prime series)   Announcements:   I wanted to announce that my friend, colleague, and mentor, J Thorn, just launched his new book, Writing Scenes.  I'm especially excited about this because I contributed to the making of this book in several ways, and I feel quite proud of all I did. One of the example scenes in the book is one I submitted from my current work in progress (my memoir). I narrated that scene (in the Before and After example) in the audiobook. And I edited the book for J. It would tickle me if you picked up the book for yourself. Here's the link: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/three-story-method-writing-scenes    Valerie's Services: https://valerieihsan.com Valerie's Author Site: https://valerieihsanauthor.com Valerie's Facebook Page and Instagram account   Erick's Services: https://erickmertzwriting.com Erick's free book on Ghostwriting: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cexki4kp5n Erick's Author Site: https://erickmertzauthor.com Erick's Facebook Page and Instagram account   Writer Craft Facebook Group The Author Life Community   Patreon: https://patreon.com/valerieihsan Passion Planner: https://bit.ly/3AUiJUx (affiliate link) ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)

 Hello Writers and Crafters! I'm Valerie Ihsan, And I'm Erick Mertz, and this is Episode 75 of the podcast and it's July 6, 2022 as we record this. Main Topic: Erick.    This podcast is sponsored by our patrons at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. For as low as a $1/mo, you can get a shout out on the podcast and we can make announcements for you on the podcast. At other tiers, the benefits increase--free books, accountability Zoom calls, scene analysis, mastermind calls, and even free Writer Craft retreat tickets. Become a patron of the arts at Patreon.com/valerieihsan.  I wanted to announce that my friend, colleague, and mentor, J Thorn, just launched his new book, Writing Scenes.  I'm especially excited about this because I contributed to the making of this book in several ways, and I feel quite proud of all I did. One of the example scenes in the book is one I submitted from my current work in progress (my memoir). I narrated that scene (in the Before and After example) in the audiobook. And I edited the book for J. It would tickle me if you picked up the book for yourself. Here's the link: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/three-story-method-writing-scenes    Valerie's Services: https://valerieihsan.com Valerie's Author Site: https://valerieihsanauthor.com Valerie's Facebook Page and Instagram account   Erick's Services: https://erickmertzwriting.com Erick's free book on Ghostwriting: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cexki4kp5n Erick's Author Site: https://erickmertzauthor.com Erick's Facebook Page and Instagram account   Writer Craft Facebook Group The Author Life Community   Patreon: https://patreon.com/valerieihsan Passion Planner: https://bit.ly/3AUiJUx (affiliate link) ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)

Hello Writers and Crafters! I'm Valerie Ihsan, And I'm Erick Mertz, and this is Episode 74 of the podcast and it's June 29, 2022 as we record this. Main Topic: How to Catch Up.    This podcast is sponsored by our patrons at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. For as low as a $1/mo, you can get a shout out on the podcast and we can make announcements for you on the podcast. At other tiers, the benefits increase--free books, accountability Zoom calls, scene analysis, mastermind calls, and even free Writer Craft retreat tickets. Become a patron of the arts at Patreon.com/valerieihsan.      1. Asset Building (writing a book, building a website, content marketing) 2. Backlog (catch up) 3. Special Event (hosting a literary event, book signing, speaking at a conference) 4. Weekly Work (answering emails, paying bills, podcasting)   Morning Routine Reset Strategies Our job isn't to be the best, it's to do your best. I'M READING: Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson Erick's Reading: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Next episode: Erick's Coaching Session, Part I   Resources:  Productivity for Creative People: How to Get Creative Work Done in an "Always on" World by Mark McGuiness Essentialism by Greg McKeown Announcements:   I wanted to announce that my friend, colleague, and mentor, J Thorn, just launched his new book, Writing Scenes.  I'm especially excited about this because I contributed to the making of this book in several ways, and I feel quite proud of all I did. One of the example scenes in the book is one I submitted from my current work in progress (my memoir). I narrated that scene (in the Before and After example) in the audiobook. And I edited the book for J. It would tickle me if you picked up the book for yourself. Here's the link: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/three-story-method-writing-scenes    Valerie's Services: https://valerieihsan.com Valerie's Author Site: https://valerieihsanauthor.com Valerie's Facebook Page and Instagram account   Erick's Services: https://erickmertzwriting.com Erick's free book on Ghostwriting: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cexki4kp5n Erick's Author Site: https://erickmertzauthor.com Erick's Facebook Page and Instagram account   Writer Craft Facebook Group The Author Life Community   Patreon: https://patreon.com/valerieihsan Passion Planner: https://bit.ly/3AUiJUx (affiliate link) ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)  

 Hello Writers and Crafters! I'm Valerie Ihsan, And I'm Erick Mertz, and this is Episode 73 of the podcast and it's June 22, 2022 as we record this. Main Topic: Editing Passes and A.I. software    This podcast is sponsored by our patrons at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. For as low as a $1/mo, you can get a shout out on the podcast and we can make announcements for you on the podcast. At other tiers, the benefits increase--free books, accountability Zoom calls, scene analysis, mastermind calls, and even free Writer Craft retreat tickets. Become a patron of the arts at Patreon.com/valerieihsan.    I'M READING:  Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Erick's Reading:  Jail Blazers  Next episode: Erick's Coaching Session, Part I   Resources:      Announcements:   I wanted to announce that my friend, colleague, and mentor, J Thorn, just launched his new book, Writing Scenes.  I'm especially excited about this because I contributed to the making of this book in several ways, and I feel quite proud of all I did. One of the example scenes in the book is one I submitted from my current work in progress (my memoir). I narrated that scene (in the Before and After example) in the audiobook. And I edited the book for J. It would tickle me if you picked up the book for yourself. Here's the link: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/three-story-method-writing-scenes    Valerie's Services: https://valerieihsan.com Valerie's Author Site: https://valerieihsanauthor.com Valerie's Facebook Page and Instagram account   Erick's Services: https://erickmertzwriting.com Erick's free book on Ghostwriting: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cexki4kp5n Erick's Author Site: https://erickmertzauthor.com Erick's Facebook Page and Instagram account   Writer Craft Facebook Group The Author Life Community   Patreon: https://patreon.com/valerieihsan Passion Planner: https://bit.ly/3AUiJUx (affiliate link) ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)   Writing Retreat tix: https://valerieihsan.com/retreat

J Thorn currently hosts Writers, Ink, The Author Life, and The Music NFT Show. J's prolific journey as a podcaster started, with the The Horror Writers Podcast. He stumbled around in the dark at the beginning, finding his voice and style - and you can hear what he sounded like in episode 1, “it's as raw as it gets”.10.20 MINS  There were a number of podcasts in between that J experimented with, like The Intronaut, a podcast for introverts. J wanted to share some of his experiences as an introvert, and dispel some myths like 14.10MINSGoing back to The Career Author podcast, J shares how Zach and him met, and how they became co-hosts (as well as great friends and writing partners). “You have to be a more amplified version of yourself behind the microphone to be an engaging podcaster”.  In The Writers Well, J was the most vulnerable he's ever been, due to his relationship with co-host Rachael Herron and the format, where they would ask each other one question on the show, some of which were very personal.  21.10MINSJ and Rachael really hit it off when J appeared in Rachael's show and they started to podcast together, first as The Petal to the Metal, a name they changed pretty early on as it didn't convey what the show was about. “Podcast and book titles are not the places you want to be cute, because all that does is confuse.” The Author Life was created as a way of answering questions that were emerging in their community's online space. Most of the work on this show is done by Crys, J just shows up, which is great as he does most of the work on his other shows. J has been working in audio for decades (recording bands etc) and he's been using the same software (Reaper) for over 20 years. 30.40 MINSJ often turns up in places where he doesn't think he belongs, to see what unexpected things can happen. It was at Thriller Fest that he met J.D. Barker, who he (eventually) enticed to become the co-host in his new show, Writers, Ink. J starts his interviews by trying to get his guests to laugh, to set the right tone for the show. Pilar has always wondered whether J gets nervous when he interviews his most high-profiled guests. J doesn't get as nervous as before, but he does share one moment when he was shaking.      49.51 MINSJ has recently started a solo show, The Music NFT Show because he wants to be part of this new wave of web 3 technology that's going to help artists to take control of their careers.On a whim, Pilar asked whether J had been thinking of supporting podcasters in a similar way to how he supports authors. And you know what, he has! J has recently set up related to If you're thinking of starting your own podcasting adventure, I recommend Buzzsprout as host - click here for my affiliate link, which also gets you a little discount, and Riverside FM for recording, which you can access through this other affiliate link.

This month, Alicia, Janet, Valerie, Marianne, and Lon join Crys and JP for another book club, this time reading Three Story Method: Writing Scenes by J Thorn.They discuss hot takes, useful advice, and how they will incorporate this book's lessons into their writing craft. Show Notes Three Story Method: Writing Scenes by J Thorn Craft […]

Hello Writers and Crafters! I'm Valerie Ihsan, And I'm Erick Mertz, and this is Episode 72 of the podcast and it's June 14, 2022 as we record this. Main Topic: Global Cs: Conflict, Choice, and Consequence This podcast is sponsored by our patrons at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. For as low as a $1/mo, you can get a shout out on the podcast and we can make announcements for you on the podcast. At other tiers, the benefits increase--free books, accountability Zoom calls, scene analysis, mastermind calls, and even free Writer Craft retreat tickets. Become a patron of the arts at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. I'M READING: Ghost Music by An Yu Erick's Reading: Tales From the Gas Station, Volume II by Jack Townshend Next episode: Editing Passes and A.I. Revision Software I wanted to announce that my friend, colleague, and mentor, J Thorn, just launched his new book, Writing Scenes. I'm especially excited about this because I contributed to the making of this book in several ways, and I feel quite proud of all I did. One of the example scenes in the book is one I submitted from my current work in progress (my memoir). I narrated that scene (in the Before and After example) in the audiobook. (Audiobook is coming soon. Just waiting on Audible to approve it.) And I edited the book for J. It would tickle me if you picked up the book for yourself. Here's the link: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/three-story-method-writing-scenes Valerie's Services: https://valerieihsan.com Valerie's Author Site: https://valerieihsanauthor.com Valerie's Facebook Page and Instagram account Erick's Services: https://erickmertzwriting.com Erick's free book on Ghostwriting: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cexki4kp5n Erick's Author Site: https://erickmertzauthor.com Erick's Facebook Page and Instagram account Writer Craft Facebook Group The Author Life Community Patreon: https://patreon.com/valerieihsan Passion Planner: https://bit.ly/3AUiJUx (affiliate link) ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link) Writing Retreat tix: https://valerieihsan.com/retreat

 Hello Writers and Crafters! I'm Valerie Ihsan, And I'm Erick Mertz, and this is Episode 71 of the podcast and it's June 7, 2022 as we record this. Main Topic: W riting when kids not in school    This podcast is sponsored by our patrons at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. For as low as a $1/mo, you can get a shout out on the podcast and we can make announcements for you on the podcast. At other tiers, the benefits increase--free books, accountability Zoom calls, scene analysis, mastermind calls, and even free Writer Craft retreat tickets. Become a patron of the arts at Patreon.com/valerieihsan.    I'M READING:  Seven Steeples  Erick's Reading: Be Brief and Tell Them Everything by Brad Listi Announcements: I'm in an Infostack Platinum bundle for writers and giving away three free months of group coaching and accountability. I'm proud to work with Infostack on this:  https://valerieihsan--infostack.thrivecart.com/wpp5/  Next episode: Global Conflict, Choice, and Consequence. I wanted to announce that my friend, colleague, and mentor, J Thorn, just launched his new book, Writing Scenes.​ I'm especially excited about this because I contributed to the making of this book in several ways, and I feel quite proud of all I did. One of the example scenes in the book is one I submitted from my current work in progress (my memoir). I narrated that scene (in the Before and After example) in the audiobook. (Audiobook is coming soon. Just waiting on Audible to approve it.) And I edited the book for J. It would tickle me if you picked up the book for yourself. Here's the link: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/three-story-method-writing-scenes​ Valerie's Services: https://valerieihsan.com Valerie's Author Site: https://valerieihsanauthor.com Valerie's Facebook Page and Instagram account   Erick's Services: https://erickmertzwriting.com Erick's free book on Ghostwriting: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cexki4kp5n Erick's Author Site: https://erickmertzauthor.com Erick's Facebook Page and Instagram account   Writer Craft Facebook Group The Author Life Community   Patreon: https://patreon.com/valerieihsan Passion Planner: https://bit.ly/3AUiJUx (affiliate link) ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link) Writing Retreat tix: https://valerieihsan.com/retreat

Hello Writers and Crafters! I'm Valerie Ihsan and this is Episode 70 of the podcast, and it's May 31, 2022 as we record this. Main Topic: Passive Voice/Sentence Structure    This podcast is sponsored by our patrons at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. For as low as a $1/mo, you can get a shout out on the podcast, and we can make announcements for you on the podcast. At other tiers, the benefits increase--free books, accountability Zoom calls, scene analysis, mastermind calls, and even free Writer Craft retreat tickets. Become a patron of the arts at Patreon.com/valerieihsan.   I'M READING: Seven Steeples by Sara Baume Announcements: https://infostack.io/ebook-wpp5/?affiliate=valerieihsan for a free ebook entitled Your Hero's Journey: Overcome the dragons of dread, doubt, and defeat, and release your creative power as a writer. By the staff at Infostack. Next episode: How to keep writing when your kids are home. Resources/Notes: The British actress I thought of during the episode was Olivia Colman. But the narrator for the audiobook, My Mess is a Bit of a Life, was Katherine Parkinson--which was the medical receptionist in Doc Martin. GREAT voice.   I wanted to announce that my friend, colleague, and mentor, J Thorn, just launched his new book, Writing Scenes.​ I'm especially excited about this because I contributed to the making of this book in several ways, and I feel quite proud of all I did. One of the example scenes in the book is one I submitted from my current work in progress (my memoir). I narrated that scene (in the Before and After example) in the audiobook. (Audiobook is coming soon. Just waiting on Audible to approve it.) And I edited the book for J. It would tickle me if you picked up the book for yourself. Here's the link: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/three-story-method-writing-scenes​ Valerie's Services: https://valerieihsan.com Valerie's Author Site: https://valerieihsanauthor.com Valerie's Facebook Page and Instagram account   Erick's Services: https://erickmertzwriting.com Erick's free book on Ghostwriting: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cexki4kp5n Erick's Author Site: https://erickmertzauthor.com Erick's Facebook Page and Instagram account   Writer Craft Facebook Group The Author Life Community   Patreon: https://patreon.com/valerieihsan Passion Planner: https://bit.ly/3AUiJUx (affiliate link) ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link) Writing Retreat tix: https://valerieihsan.com/retreat  

Hello Writers and Crafters! I'm Valerie Ihsan, and this is Episode 69 of the podcast and it's May 24, 2022 as we record this. Main Topic: Full-Time Writing This podcast is sponsored by our patrons at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. For as low as a $1/mo, you can get a shout out on the podcast and we can make announcements for you on the podcast. At other tiers, the benefits increase--free books, accountability Zoom calls, scene analysis, mastermind calls, and even free Writer Craft retreat tickets. Become a patron of the arts at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. I'M READING: Once and Future Witches jumped the stack, so Seven Steeples will have to wait a bit more. Resources: How to Write Light Novels and Webnovels by R.A. Paterson The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu by Tom Lin Run, Rose, Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa Next episode: Passive Voice/Sentence Structure I wanted to announce that my friend, colleague, and mentor, J Thorn, just launched his new book, Writing Scenes. I'm especially excited about this because I contributed to the making of this book in several ways, and I feel quite proud of all I did. One of the example scenes in the book is one I submitted from my current work in progress (my memoir). I narrated that scene (in the Before and After example) in the audiobook. And I edited the book for J. It would tickle me if you picked up the book for yourself. Here's the link: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/three-story-method-writing-scenes Valerie's Services: https://valerieihsan.com Valerie's Author Site: https://valerieihsanauthor.com Valerie's Facebook Page and Instagram account Erick's Services: https://erickmertzwriting.com Erick's free book on Ghostwriting: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cexki4kp5n Erick's Author Site: https://erickmertzauthor.com Erick's Facebook Page and Instagram account Writer Craft Facebook Group The Author Life Community Patreon: https://patreon.com/valerieihsan Passion Planner: https://bit.ly/3AUiJUx (affiliate link) ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link) Writing Retreat tix: https://valerieihsan.com/retreat

Hello Writers and Crafters! I'm Valerie Ihsan, (Pause) and this is Episode 68 of the podcast and it's May 19, 2022 as we record this. Main Topic: Pacing This podcast is sponsored by our patrons at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. For as low as a $1/mo, you can get a shout out on the podcast and we can make announcements for you on the podcast. At other tiers, the benefits increase--free books, accountability Zoom calls, scene analysis, mastermind calls, and even free Writer Craft retreat tickets. Become a patron of the arts at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. I'M READING: Just finished Meet Me in Another Life by Catriona Silvey and Red Paint by Sasha LaPointe. Once and Future Witches jumped the stack, so Seven Steeples will have to wait a bit more. I wanted to announce that my friend, colleague, and mentor, J Thorn, just launched his new book, Writing Scenes. I'm especially excited about this because I contributed to the making of this book in several ways, and I feel quite proud of all I did. One of the example scenes in the book is one I submitted from my current work in progress (my memoir). I narrated that scene (in the Before and After example) in the audiobook. And I edited the book for J. It would tickle me if you picked up the book for yourself. Here's the link: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/three-story-method-writing-scenes Valerie's Services: https://valerieihsan.com Valerie's Author Site: https://valerieihsanauthor.com Valerie's Facebook Page and Instagram account Erick's Services: https://erickmertzwriting.com Erick's free book on Ghostwriting: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cexki4kp5n Erick's Author Site: https://erickmertzauthor.com Erick's Facebook Page and Instagram account Writer Craft Facebook Group The Author Life Community Patreon: https://patreon.com/valerieihsan Passion Planner: https://bit.ly/3AUiJUx (affiliate link) ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link) Writing Retreat tix: https://valerieihsan.com/retreat

Erick's free book on Ghostwriting: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cexki4kp5n   I wanted to announce that my friend, colleague, and mentor, J Thorn, just launched his new book, Writing Scenes.​ I'm especially excited about this because I contributed to the making of this book in several ways, and I feel quite proud of all I did. One of the example scenes in the book is one I submitted from my current work in progress (my memoir). I narrated that scene (in the Before and After example) in the audiobook. (Audiobook is coming soon. Just waiting on Audible to approve it.) And I edited the book for J. It would tickle me if you picked up the book for yourself. Here's the link: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/three-story-method-writing-scenes​     Valerie's Services: https://valerieihsan.com Valerie's Author Site: https://valerieihsanauthor.com Valerie's Facebook Page and Instagram account   Erick's Services: https://erickmertzwriting.com   Erick's Author Site: https://erickmertzauthor.com Erick's Facebook Page and Instagram account   Writer Craft Facebook Group The Author Life Community   Patreon: https://patreon.com/valerieihsan Passion Planner: https://bit.ly/3AUiJUx (affiliate link) ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link) Writing Retreat tix: https://valerieihsan.com/retreat  

Valerie's Services: https://valerieihsan.com Valerie's Author Site: https://valerieihsanauthor.com Valerie's Facebook Page and Instagram account   Erick's Services: https://erickmertzwriting.com Erick's Author Site: https://erickmertzauthor.com Erick's Facebook Page and Instagram account   Writer Craft Facebook Group   Patreon: https://patreon.com/valerieihsan Passion Planner: https://bit.ly/3AUiJUx (affiliate link) ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link) Retreat tix: https://valerieihsan.com/retreat   Resources: 5-Day Challenge (How to Write ‘How To' Books), starts April 18, 2022: https://howtobookchallenge.com The Author Life Community: https://theauthorlife.com JP Rindfleisch is a writer of things dark, strange, and queer; a co-host of the Write Away Podcast and Serial Fiction Show; and a Three Story Method editor and coach. When they aren't spouting on about the importance of community or how theme can be an excellent tool for writers, they find themself wandering into nature with their Siberian husky, partner of 11 years, and a campervan aptly called Hank the Tank. Their works include several short stories, a serial called NRDS with Jeff Elkins, an upcoming Dark Urban Fantasy Series with AB Cohen, and an upcoming Three Story Method's Masterwork Analysis of the Road with J Thorn.   Resources: You are a Storyteller podcast Max Neef 9 needs:  subsistance, protection, affection, understanding, participation, recreation, creation, identity, freedom. Centered app   Books We Talked About: How to Write Light Novels and Webnovels by R.A. Paterson Children of Blood and Bone by Tom Adeyemi Editing Your Novel's Structure by Bethany A. Tucker Ever After by F.T. Lukins The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu by Tom Lin A Boy with a Bird in His Chest by Emme Lund The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes by Ruth Hogan Run, Rose, Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa The Golden Theme by Brian Macdonald

J. Thorn returns to the show to discuss a book we both recently read called The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel. He recommended it to me, and it was impactful on both of us, so I thought it would be great to have this conversation. I'm Zach Bohannon—I make my living telling stories, but I'm also a metal head, retired drummer, avid gamer, and most importantly, a loving husband and father. Join me each week as I sit down with a fellow parent and discuss balancing a creative life with family, careers, hobbies, and all the other things we love. This…is the Creator Dad Podcast. Join the Creator Dad Community and Discord at https://patreon.com/creatordad Links J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel – https://books2read.com/morganmoney Video by Ali Abdaal: The Book That Changed My Financial Life - https://youtu.be/Gg8_TA7U0Uw Creator Dad – https://creatordad.life Creator Dad on Patreon – https://patreon.com/creatordad Zach Bohannon – https://zachbohannon.com Are you a writer? Work with Zach! – https://zachbohannon.com/author-services/

To find out more and how you can help 'Writers for Ukraine' head on over to https://activatedauthors.com/ukraine/ now. Thanks for tuning in to the Activated Authors podcast. If you're ready to ACTIVATE your author career, head on over to https://activatedauthors.com/ Crys Cain Through her super-secret alias, Crys has gone from homeless to six-figures, selling over 300,000 copies of her books. When she isn't writing, she edits with an eye toward emotional power and teaches craft and business to the author community at The Author Success Mastermind with J Thorn and talks about the writer life on the Write Away Podcast with JP Rindfleisch. In this episode we go deep into: Crys' journey [4:45] Going full force [10:05] writing fast/rapid release [14:03] Burnout [19:43] Toxic Capitalism [24:40] You have value [28:02] Negotiating the relationship with work [30:45] No perfect plan & creating joy [33:13] The struggles of being a worcoholic [34:30] Cumulative normalcy [36:13] Three month hiatus [37:28] Author Success Mastermind [40:48] Working with J Thorn [43:17] Character lies and soul wounds [46:13] Finding the fire [49:35] Crys' ‘Why' Find out more about Crys Cain: https://www.cryscain.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@itscryscain   Get more from Activated Authors! Watch the show: https://youtu.be/t6hWI1wg3bo  https://activatedauthors.com/ Find out more about Daniel Willcocks https://www.danielwillcocks.com/ Special thanks to: Show theme: Karl Hughes Show editing: Sam Frost

Today's episode takes us to coastal New Hampshire where I chat with bestselling author, J.D. Barker. J.D. Barker is the New York Times and international best-selling author of numerous novels, including DRACUL and THE FOURTH MONKEY. His latest, A CALLER'S GAME, will be released on February 22. He is currently collaborating with James Patterson.  His books have been translated into two dozen languages, sold in more than 150 countries, and optioned for both film and television. In today's episode we discuss:·      How J.D.'s early years of being a ‘babysitter' to rock stars helped him craft stories later in his career.·      How and why J.D. quit a lucrative job in finance to fulfill his dream of being a full-time writer.·      When J.D. realized he had ‘made it' in the writing business.·      His bestselling book the Fourth Monkey, more specifically how that was not the original title, how he did and didn't get the police procedure parts correct, how he told the story from multiple points of view, and how he injected raw emotion into the story. (There are spoilers here if you haven't read the book and want to.)·      The steps into getting your book made into a T.V. show or movie. ·      The necessary work ethic needed to succeed in the author business.·      Co-writing with James Patterson.·      What a typical writing day looks like for J.D., including making time for exercise.   All of this and more on today's episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.This episode is for the writers out there!Visit J.D. Barker's website to learn more about him and his books! Check out the Best of BookTok!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website.If you have a question for the sarge, hit him up at his email.Come join the fun at the Cops and Writers Facebook groupListen to Writers Ink Podcast!Listen to Episode #36 of the Cops and Writers Podcast with J ThornListen to Episode #52 of the Cops and Writers Podcast with Zach BohannonSupport the show (https://patreon.com/copsandwriters)

Overview JP is back to talk about author communities. He credits finding the right community as being the reason he decided to work on his author career. We met in J Thorn's "The Author Success Mastermind" group. JP thinks author community has helped him grow and be successful as an author. YouTube https://youtu.be/fcJge_6WHr4 Transcript [00:00:46] Stephen: time for some author talk, which we've already done a little bit of. Oh, let's back up. Yeah, I wasn't paying enough attention. What are some of your favorite books and authors? [00:01:00] [00:01:01] JP: Okay. So some of my favorite books and authors, I love Neil Gaiman so much. I'm pretty much anything he writes. I'm willing to just immediately buy and read and listen to, especially if it's an audio book. And especially if he read them like ocean at the end of the lane, that kind of weird winsy is my jam. I really try to emulate that. I have a short story. That is currently with Jeff, or you might hear it on the dialect doctor by the time this comes out. It's a fun exploration until weird and whimsy of death, because there's strange thing you might have here with death, darkness and government agencies. But yes. So maybe I'll put that there. I grew up also on a Tamar up here. So the circle of magic series a that's another one that like that changed a lot for the, my perspective on like how I want to write and what I want to write in the future. And then Garth nix as well for young adult, his keys to the kingdom series is a really good one. I'm going to, I'm going to leave it there. [00:02:00] Otherwise I will keep rambling [00:02:02] Stephen: bookstore. [00:02:05] JP: So I have a bookstore that is like within walking distance of my house called toda hall, but they mostly do used books, but it is a three-story madness. It's just, if you imagine, like, Harry Potter, but in the real world, I'm pretty sure that it would be this building because the walls are from Florida ceiling, their books of every which way and wonder, and they have different rooms in the basement that some are more sketchy than others, where they just have various different books. So that is a really fun place to go to and explore. I found some really cool old. Epic fantasy ones in there. And there's also a local shop. They're not primarily focused on books, but they do host like local authors called culture shock that I also want to recommend because they're really good. Both of these are Rockford based. [00:02:57] Stephen: Toad hall definitely sounds like. [00:03:00] Exploring, and you're not that far away. So maybe sometime wife and I would take a jaunt over there and meet you up at it. That'd be cool. That'd be fun. Okay. So now let's go on to author stuff. We covered that, then I forgot. So you've been writing for a couple years. But you're still just starting leads to six books every month or anything like that. So you still got your first one, but you do have some things done. And you said before that you went to APOC and learned. I like people. I like it helps me. It's my thing. And because of that, you're, you've got a coauthor and everything you were just talking about was coauthor at sea. So obviously you learn something about yourself. Tell us a little bit about what that was like, everybody wants to write, but then you're like, I, I don't [00:03:49] JP: know what it is to be honest. And like, I have my own personal projects, but I don't find them as fulfilling or. I don't know the right term off the top of my head, [00:04:00] but there's something with working with another person that not only keeps you like accountable for what you need to do, but it keeps me motivated to keep going because there's that other person that's reliant on. Getting done in terms of like where I'm at. I still have that day job. I still have that time that I have to commit to the day job. And so being able to work with a coauthor,

This month, Crys is joined by Janet, Marianne, and J Thorn for another book club, this time reading How To Write Funny Characters by Scott Dikkers. They discuss hot takes, useful advice, and how they will incorporate this book's lessons into their writing craft. Question of the week: What were your hot takes from How […]

J. Thorn writes fiction and nonfiction, is the co-host of several podcasts, including Writers, Ink with J.D. Barker and Zach Bohannon (hey, that's me), online community and mastermind leader, editor, and so much more. He's the owner of The Author Life and he's also my partner in hosting many unique writing events including Authors on a Train, The Career Author Summit, and our unique world-building weekends. Join us for this in-depth conversation from a hotel room in New Orleans where we discuss many topics, including our reflection on going full-time as authors 4 ½ years ago, how we have changed since that time, how we became creative kids growing up, and how we're raising our own kids leading by example. We even talk about the origin of this podcast! I'm Zach Bohannon—I make my living telling stories, but I'm also a metal head, retired drummer, avid gamer, and most importantly, a loving husband and father. Join me each week as I sit down with a fellow dad and discuss balancing a creative life with family, careers, hobbies, and all the other things guys love. This…is the Creator Dad Podcast. Join the Creator Dad Community and Discord at https://patreon.com/creatordad Links The Author Life – https://theauthorlife.com J. Thorn Fiction – https://jthorn.net Writers, Ink Podcast – https://writersinkpodcast.com Creator Dad – http://creatordad.life Creator Dad on Patreon – https://patreon.com/creatordad Zach Bohannon – https://zachbohannon.com

Hello Rebels, surprise! Here's a bonus minisode with me and J Thorn where we talk about personal finance for writers. We talk about a new book we've cowritten that focuses on the good stuff: money. I go deep and get personal in this book with my experiences of debt and money and the lessons I've learned that took me from aspiring writer to full-time business woman.  Read the Book: 9 Things Career Authors Don't Do: Personal Finance Read the rest of the series: http://getbook.at/9thingsseries

This week's questions is: What part of the writing publishing marketing journey do you like best? Book recommendation of the week is: 9 Things Career Authors Don't Do: Personal Finance by Me  and J Thorn. Read the book here: http://getbook.at/9thingspersonalfinance  Find out more about Tiffany Yates Martin Read Intuitive Editing here: http://foxprinteditorial.com/intuitive-editing/ www.foxprinteditorial.com  www.facebook.com/FoxPrintEditorial  Twitter: @foxprinted  Insta: @tiffanyyatesmartin    The Anatomy of Prose: How to Breathe Life into Your Story, Characters and Sentences WEBINAR https://prowritingaid.com/en/Webinar/Register/1000047?utm_campaign=Webinars/Events&utm_medium=post&utm_source=PWAblog&utm_content=SachaWebinar    Listener Rebel of the Week is Beth Ball   If you'd like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to rebelauthorpodcast@gmail.com or tweet me @rebelauthorpod   If you'd like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack 

Fantasy artwork is amazing, whether you want it for your cover, website, marketing images, or just because it is so darn cool. But how do you go about getting some made to fit your story? Join Jesper and Autumn as they discuss the ins and outs of finding and hiring a graphic designer to bring your story to artistic life! Help us celebrate Episode 100 of the podcast! We are collecting questions to answer during the episode. Do you have one for us? If so, go to https://forms.gle/9rCF79xa3fJYEZW96 to submit it! And if you want to check out J. Thorn's absolutely FREE scene writing course that we mention in the episode follow this link: https://chaptercheck.com?ref=19 Tune in for new episodes EVERY single Monday.   SUPPORT THE AM WRITING FANTASY PODCAST! Please tell a fellow author about the show and visit us at Apple podcast and leave a rating and review.   Join us at www.patreon.com/AmWritingFantasy. For as little as a dollar a month, you'll get awesome rewards and keep the Am Writing Fantasy podcast going.  Read the full transcript below. (Please note that it's automatically generated and while the AI is super cool, it isn't perfect. There may be misspellings or incorrect words on occasion). Narrator (1s): You're listening to The Am Writing Fantasy Podcast in today's publishing landscape. You can reach fans all over the world. Query letters are a thing of the past. You don't even need a literary agent. There is nothing standing in the way of making a living from riding Join two best selling authors who have self published more than 20 books between them now onto the show with your hosts Autumn Birt and Jesper Schmidt. Jesper (30s): Hello? I am Yesper Autumn (31s): and I'm Autumn. Jesper (33s): This is episode 90 of The Am Writing Fantasy Podcast and today we are going to dive right To the world of graphical And a Fantasy at work. It's awesome. And I personally loved it, but how do you find an artist to work with? And once you do, what do you need to be mindful about it? And I think you probably have loads two share in this episode, Autumn (59s): I I've been silently laughing over, hear I've been so excited about this episode. So yeah, we're looking forward to this won a lot. Yeah. Maybe its because I'm a graphic artists, but ya know, we can get into the story about how long they've been drawing. FANTASY late now. How have you been here? How is it over it? On your side to the planet? Jesper (1m 22s): No, it was good. It's good. We've finally got a signature on the contract for the house that before we started, that is so that was on purpose. Oh that is mean of you held out that it is fantastic. Congratulations. And that was good. Yeah. It's now it's still, like I mentioned a few times before in previous episodes of still a conditional signature. So they have to sell their own apartment first before the deal is final. And of course the worst case you note, they won't be able to sell the Dara apartment. Jesper (1m 56s): And if they don't then I think it's the 1st of November. Or if I remember correctly, the, the deal will expire. If they have not told or saw the apartment before then of course it can be an extended if they want too, but they can walk away if at that point if they want. So there is still that condition too. It, but at least they, we got a signature now. So hopefully if all goes, well, we have to start finding a new place to live in the near future here. So I hope fingers crossed fingers crossed for you to, I mean, that's, it's so interesting too with the conditional a conditional conditionals, like I am wondering, you know what his, they get an offer on their apartment, but it's a conditional offer based on having to sell something. Jesper (2m 37s): You can get this whole chain going, but I guess having a cutoff date kind of frees everyone from that happening. Yeah. I kind of, ya know, but yeah, in, in theory you can get like condition's on conditions on conditions, so and so forth. There's a whole chain of people, essentially you could, but we'll see. I mean they say, they told us, at least they told us a real estate agent rather than they have two parties interest in buying your apartment already. Jesper (3m 8s): And it was both of them wanted to move in by the 1st of November. So that could be a very quick so that it could be very quick if it all holds up. But sometimes, you know, people talk with no action. So let's see. But a maybe, and on top of that, to be honest, tomorrow afternoon, we have another, some other people coming to see the house as well, which is weird. Autumn (3m 32s): So even though it was already under a conditional contract, someone's gonna come in, stick their head into it. Jesper (3m 39s): Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because if they want to buy it unconditionally and they can still grab the house. Autumn (3m 44s): Well, I forgot about that part of the contract. Ah that's total sniping. That can be exciting. Yeah. Jesper (3m 53s): Yeah. But of course it puts a us and a real estate did it in a good position write because when they're here watching the house tomorrow, you can basically tell them you're you need to get your finger out DB because otherwise there's somebody else has already signed the contract. So either you buy it now or its gone, so he can really put the pressure on them tomorrow. So as to how that goes back to that. Autumn (4m 14s): Well, good luck. That's exciting. It's a really happy about it because I've got to move closer to their friends, right? Jesper (4m 21s): Yeah, yeah, exactly. So they are very happy. So hopefully everything pans out otherwise. Oh my God. They are going to get disappointed. Autumn (4m 29s): Hopefully I'll keep my fingers crossed for you guys. Yeah. Hey, I also want to add, Jesper (4m 34s): You mentioned, did you notice how Iris edited a small video clip together? Merching our ultimate Fantasy writer's guide course with pirates of the Caribbean. Autumn (4m 45s): Is that no, it was that something she shared on Patreon, Petra on a, I think I picked it up from Twitter. Oh yeah. Jesper (4m 54s): So you upload her to, to, to her Instagram account, we now have Johnny Depp running around or in this case right out of the awesome captain, Jack Sparrow running around and talking about our cost. So yeah, Autumn (5m 8s): No, I did not see that. I've been a little bit under water with some stuff's getting done, like, you know, my husband's going on a road trip with his mom out West and I'm home alone and you would think there's less to do, but suddenly there's, I'm doing stuff you would normally have done around the cabin two. So I think that there's more to To so I always, I was eating less. But doing more work. I dunno how that happened, but I, as soon as we're done here, I'm going on to Instagram and checking this out. Autumn (5m 38s): I don't know how I missed it. Jesper (5m 41s): No, that's awesome. And, and thank you. Buy the way I was for doing that. That's a, that was so great. Yeah. Autumn (5m 47s): Yeah. I can't wait, go see it. It sounds fantastic. Yeah. Jesper (5m 51s): So how, how are you otherwise doing, you know, what, being home alone in all of that. Autumn (5m 56s): Oh, you know, as we're saying it Jesper (5m 58s): It's always one of those, like, you know, he goes away for three days that it is like a mini vacation. I'm like, yes, I'm going to eat junk food or whatever. And I'm going to get a ton of work done. And I usually just put my nose to the grindstone and usually he even takes the dog. So it is like literally I have only responsible that is to remember, to feed myself and whatever little odds and ends I have to do around the cabin. But this time he left the dog and he was gone for a, at least three weeks. Its kind of, you know, at the end dates or a little open-ended. So I having a much harder time. Jesper (6m 30s): You suddenly someone you spent 20 years of your life with has gone for an extended period and you're like, I'm going to get all this work done. And then you're like, Oh, just want to watch Netflix. I'm lonely two weeks just for a long time as what is it is where you were. Once we sold our house before we set off into the world and on our four year a road trip, we spent what almost all of December apart. And that was the first time since we were newlyweds that we'd been apart that long while we were with families. So it was a different this time. I'm literally here on my own with just the dog and yeah, you might hear him talking a couple times. Jesper (7m 4s): We'll see. Hopefully its just about to say it at least. Do you have a doctor? That's good. Otherwise who would be a really lonely? Yes, I got the dog. Narrator (7m 16s): Oh a week on the internet with The Am Writing Fantasy Podcast so a friend of the podcast Jesper (7m 23s): Class and fellow author J Thorn has just met his most popular costs are 100% free a, he sells it on your, to me for a 99 or 49. That's what I was supposed to say $49, but you can get it for nothing now. And I wanted to mention that here because actually he has no registration required, no email address, no credit card information. There is nothing you need to do. You can just go and basically take the course right away. Jesper (7m 53s): You don't have to download or install anything. Absolutely. No for us. And I thought that was pretty cool. So I wanted to mention that and it is Jays how to write a scene video, cause that is not 100% free and he gave us actually a special link from where you can then start watching it right now if you want. And we have included that link in the show notes. So if you just follow that and once you arrive on that page from the link that you have to scroll down to the button and, and they're you, you will find a buttoned where it says $0 on it. Jesper (8m 25s): That's nice. Yeah. So that's very nice. So if you want to grab a free video costs on how to write a scene than making sure that you to follow that link there in the show notes, we can definitely leave out for J Thorn he knows what he's doing and he's really good. So, and also a very nice guy. Oh yeah. So this is gonna say absolutely. He's definitely just a good writer and just a great guy. So love that. I just can't believe that it's not even Autumn (8m 56s): Collecting email addresses. I mean, this was like just hack. I might have to adjust, you know, want to have these after do as while eating lunch by myself actually just for the heck of it. Jesper (9m 8s): Yeah. But I, yeah, that's exactly why I think it's so cool. And why I wanted to mention it here because usually with these kind of things, obviously when you and I are them as well, when we do these kind of free things are giveaways or whatever, normally we always collect the email address because that sort of the hole point as well too, so that you can start communicating with people on the longterm and if they only want the cost, they can just because just unsubscribe and no questions asked, but it is pretty rare that we see somebody not collecting any information whatsoever, but just giving the course away for free. Jesper (9m 43s): So a yeah, that's pretty cool. But anyway, listener go and check it out if you want and if not, yeah, I do something else, but then we can, but also a way I also would add just a quick reminder, a for episode 100, we are going to run a QA session, but it's not only a Q and a about writing and marketing and publishing, but you can ask us anything. So please stop posting your questions because without your question is sort of going to be pretty boring or episode 100. Jesper (10m 17s): So we included a link to the contact form for our website in the show notes. So you can go there and just type in your question, but if you do send us an audio recording of your question so we can play it on episode 100, we will give it already over any text-based question. So, but don't please don't stress about the audio part just to record your cell phone, your phone or something like that. And just send that file to us, even if it's a video file. Jesper (10m 47s): Yeah. We can strip the audio off of them ourselves. Yeah, Autumn (10m 50s): Exactly. It could just be so much more fun to have the voice of, you know, the person asking the question a on the podcast. So I think that would be so much more fun. So that would be great. Just to give you can put it on the wall if you're self-conscious or your dog or something were just going to grab the audio. You can leave it blank. That's fine. Hey, were funny mask. I don't know. As long as you can speak clearly because you'll be of course used on the podcast can wait to hear where the questions are and it will be so much fun to see the different. Autumn (11m 22s): Tell me, you know, what people come up with task us. Jesper (11m 25s): Yeah. So please don't put it off, you know, submit your question today. So we don't forget about it. A and a, we also of course need a bit of time to prepare on our side, but that's not the main part. The main part is just that we want to make sure we collect enough questions because as I said, it's got to be pretty boring and it's your fault. If you end up with a five minute long episode, 100 and we just say, hi and bye. Autumn (11m 50s): Well, I think we'll get some questions. I have faith in our listeners. You'll up with something to ask us, won't you? Jesper (11m 57s): Yeah. So Autumn you are the resident Graphic artists of The Am Writing Fantasy Podcast so where do we start this conversation? Autumn (12m 10s): Well, I guess it depends on, we can talk about you and I have gone in together and we have hired a graphic artist to work on stuff for our upcoming illicium books. So that has been a fantastic experience and gives us both of the taste of what it's like to go out and hire someone other than me, who usually ends up doing the graphics, but you know, I can't do it all. And we found someone fantastic. He's a, what he's given us so far, he's just an amazing artist. Autumn (12m 41s): So it's always a good experience. But most of the time, most of you are authors are not going out, looking for illustrations. Like we are, most of the times, most authors are looking for cover book covers and things like that. So we could talk about how to go about finding an artist and maybe some of the Tips I think what to look for, because what's interesting is just been taking a Photoshop course dedicated to book, cover artists, and some of the stuff I had thought in the back of my mind to hear a professional mentioning it. Autumn (13m 16s): I'm like, Oh yeah, okay. Yeah. I hundred percent agree with you. They're so that's always a good sign. Jesper (13m 24s): Yeah, for sure. But actually I think the first thing to do before we even get any further it's probably when you want to look into hiring a graphic artist, I think the first thing to do is to try to think about what kind of graphic design that it is that you need, you know, because creating Fantasy art work, like the guy who we hired to do is like, you know, from scratch drawing FANTASY artwork, that is not the same skillset as creating a logo or website or even a book cover it's it's different. Jesper (14m 2s): And I think you'll need to find somebody or when you start searching for a graphic artists, you need to find someone with a strong portfolio in the type of work that you're looking for. And not just a talented visual artists, because maybe you can find somebody who can, who can draw like the most amazing dragons you've ever seen. But if it's about designing a website, maybe, maybe it's stuff the right fit anyway. So don't do you think is important to sort of think through what is the purpose here before you start searching for the tape of artists that you, that you going to work with? Autumn (14m 40s): Yes, that is definitely a first step is to have very clearly in your mind what you are seeking. You know, if your looking for the logo of a book cover, all of those things are different skills. I've seen some amazing artists, composite artist are hand drawn artists who can not produce a marketable book cover. It's a totally different skill set. So that is the difficulty you need to know what you are looking for before you go out and then you need to decide where you're going. Autumn (15m 11s): And there's a few different places you can go and find artists, but definitely I agree. First step is knowing exactly kind of what you're looking for. So that way, when you go and you fall in love with something you're a falling love with the right type of image, whether that's a landscape or a website or a book cover. Jesper (15m 30s): Yeah. Do we want to talk a bit about where you can find these artists? Yeah, Autumn (15m 34s): Absolutely. So it's the, one of the best places out there for Fantasy artists' is going to deviant art and that is a website that's been a long, I think they are having, Oh, they're having a big anniversary party. And I should know because I, you know, I got their emails and get, I think it's the 20 year why they have been around for quite a while, which is very exciting. And so they're, you know, there are, are tried and true our community and that is, what's so exciting and they are really, they have some great search functions. Autumn (16m 12s): You can go into deviant art and you can search for, you know, dragons and landscape and FANTASY, they have a whole bunch, which is whatever you want to do. Start typing in some keywords, in doing a search, you'll find some artists and images that are going to totally knock your socks off. Yeah. Jesper (16m 30s): And that was just about its just about to say, I could get completely lost the DVD and not for hours. Its just like, you know, if you go in there and start looking at all those FANTASY outwork is absolutely amazing. And of course some of the artists that in there are people who are making art work for like huge brands. So it was for some of them. Yeah indeed. So some of them are, are people who take like $5,000 for one image and stuff. They are so unbelievably talented. It it's amazing. Jesper (16m 60s): I mean, even if you don't, if you're not looking for an artist, just, you know, try to go to Deb and not just to get a search around for bit just for the fun of it. I mean, Jesus, it's so amazing. Autumn (17m 11s): It is. It's a deviant art that is going to give you some quality and you can go into the profiles. And a lot of the artists there will say, if they're accepting commission, some of them will have websites and rates and everything is linked up. So it's a very, very good, very clean. They have good portfolios. It's better than doing something like Pinterest is often a lot of stolen photos from deviant art. So you don't want to go they're yeah, there were all these, sometimes they're not quote on quote stolen, but sometimes they are not linked up two who the proper artists' is. So don't go to Pinterest. Autumn (17m 42s): That's not going, it was going to give you some beautiful images, but it might not take you two. The actual artist, it could take you to some website are tertiary website. Its it's a mess. Pinterest is an absolute master. As far as it goes with a new image and copyright and linking to the actual artist. I wouldn't trust a single artist ever listed there unless you do some reverse image searching and find out who it really was on deviant art. And another people polices people liked to go to Fiverr witch. Autumn (18m 13s): There are some skilled artists, but there's a lot of very unskilled artists who don't know their there, John rhe, or are some of the better techniques who aren't quite as well trained as the deviant artists. So you could go to Fiverr, but I don't really recommend it or at least be very cautious and to make sure you're getting what you're expecting and make sure you really vet that the artist is, is able to produce the images. They may be displaying as their portfolio because I've heard some horror stories that way where someone has an exquisite portfolio promises the world and does not deliver, but your under our contract. Autumn (18m 54s): So you do need to pay. Yeah. Jesper (18m 57s): Hmm. Yeah. And I think op work as well. Wouldn't that be a good place? Autumn (19m 3s): It's definitely a, a, I have an Upwork profile. So that is definitely a possibility you can go there. There's also people buy per hour by hour, which is the UK kind of version. There's a few, I think Contra is another new one. So there was a few freelance gig community's that are popping up. And so you can go in there and search and op work is in bad. You can usually find some people, it has its own issues. And I would say, if you really want to support an artist, go straight to DV in art because Upwork all these companies like people try our, they take a cut of the artists commission and sometimes it's up to 30%. Autumn (19m 39s): So if you can go to the artists directly, you will be providing them and be a better profit margin. And trust me, sometimes people want, I've seen want someone list that they want in a book cover and all this, and then listen to this and do this. And it was probably about what I would charge a thousand dollars for in their budget on Upwork $100. And it was like, Oh no, So. I think that would be another thing is to do some research and look around and kind of try to get an idea of what a budget is for this. Autumn (20m 11s): Don't go on to Upwork and list that you want this amazing Am Fantasy image, that's all of these details and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. You're going to use it for your website and the book cover. And, and you want to pay $25 do go in with a rational idea. Arts artists have been trained. I mean, I have a four year degree. I've been drawing for 35 plus years. If you want someone have that skill level, think of them as professionals. Are you going to go to the cut rate surgeon or your going to pay for someone who knows what they're doing? Autumn (20m 43s): So to keep that in mind, this is a skilled profession on, these are amazing talented individuals in just like with you and your writing. You do want to get paid for your time of actually doing it. Jesper (20m 56s): Yeah. I also made a note of a 99 designs as another website, but I actually listening to what you just said. Maybe I shouldn't like that one as much as I do because the reason I like 99 designs is because you can create a project there and then basically you will have artists audition for you. So basically you get to pick whoever you think is the best one. And you can just move ahead with that person. But based on what you just said, that's prob from the artist's point of view, that's probably not very good, a good setup because you have to do a lot of additions and maybe you don't get select. Jesper (21m 33s): So you could end up spending quite a lot of your time as an artist without actually getting any orders. Correct. Autumn (21m 41s): So I started the 99 design profile and I looked at a few of the options and I thought about how much time it was going to take for me to do an audition two, possibly have my Work voted on and maybe selective one of 20. And then like, you know, I do better just making a premade and posting it on Facebook and or a deviant art. And I would have course, I mean, as an artist, you can go in and use probably that as a premade or as something else, somewhere else. Once you create a background image, if it's not selected, I don't think you're tied into a contract that you can never reuse the image that you made for your audition, but its, it could be a huge time sink and it was definitely not a route I decided to take, but I do know as an author looking for a book cover, it has an amazing, fantastic, ya know, option because ewe, you get all these ideas thrown at you that you might not have come up on your own. Autumn (22m 34s): So, you know, some, sometimes it works out everyone that has a different work technique in a work flow. But as an artist, I stay away from that one because it seemed like, Oh yeah, it looked like a tough one. Understand? Yeah. Understand if there is Facebook to, because you can go in and search for art on Facebook. But I think it's very unwieldy and not a good search function. I would go for it straight for DV in art over that one as well. Jesper (23m 0s): Okay. Yeah. And I feel like for the rest of this conversation, I almost feel like we should disregard, but it covers and maybe just, and you can disagree with me here with me here or if you want it. But I almost feel like saying that book cover design is something you find somebody experienced with a book covers to do, whereas graphical artists for the rest of this conversation, meaning creating like a well basically artwork. Jesper (23m 35s): That's something different because to me a good book, cover designer we'll know exactly what the is looking for and what readers of that is looking for and they can find something and usually they can also find a well, you know, there's a ton more or better than me or them, but, but usually they can find images that they can just manipulate and make it look awesome. But also hit the shank or tropes. And that is a million times more important than having the most cool like dragon on the cover. Jesper (24m 9s): Oh yeah. Well that's not a good example because dragon on the covers it's within the genre, but some really, really cool art work that, that its just, it might look amazing, but just because it's a good artist doesn't mean that they know what to put on a book cover. And so I almost feel like I want to disregard book covers from here on out. Autumn (24m 33s): Well I think we should be just because of this title of this may be, think of book cover. So I think we should do like a two minute quick book cover rundown and, but I do agree book covers and artwork are entirely different and I think it's important that other authors realize that a good book cover is not necessarily the best marketing image. I mean, it should be a good marketing image of your book, but if you want something that is like a website image or just something more graphical, those I can add, those are often very different images are very complex. Autumn (25m 9s): They could be a very large, very in depth. When you look for a book cover artist, you want to find someone who knows how to take just a portion of that and make a composition that fits the color. The tone of the genre fits the tone of your book. And part of that is also having an amazingly good knowledge of type setting and font choice and layout and elements like that that are pretty different from just a large scale image. That is usually more like a scene from your book. Autumn (25m 42s): Those two things may not be the same. And so I think most authors might not realize that, especially if you, you know, you're thinking you're going to use this image for multipurposes. Sometimes you can take a little snippet of a bigger image and turn it into your book cover, but often it doesn't quite work. And if you ever, I did just find out this interesting tip. If you ever have questions about book cover is, and if yours is holding up, there is a website called lousy covers.com or maybe is a lousy book covers. But if you just Google lousy book covers, you will find this website. Autumn (26m 14s): And if you're ever wondering, you know, looking for a book cover artist and you're like, is this good enough go there? And you get a good feel for really lousy book covers pretty quickly. And if something, it looks familiar, you don't wanna go with a cover artist. So keep that in mine. I think when it comes to most book cover artists where they fall flat is the typesetting is the font choices and how it looks in with a placement on the image and what's behind it. If it's very legible, that's it's own totally different skill set. Autumn (26m 46s): So if you are going to get an artist and you want it for a book cover, you might have to get two different artists. If they're not someone who can understand the type setting and how its going to work when your book cover and that we won't even get into like the techniques you need to do to spit that out as something that's going to be printable at the right DPI, it totally different process. Jesper (27m 9s): Absolutely. And maybe that was enough about the cookbook come in. Autumn (27m 12s): Exactly as I would say, onward in to graphic design and to the general Fantasy image. Jesper (27m 20s): Yeah. So I was thinking we could sort of talk through the process that we used here recently when we hired a, a, an artist to do our work or our art work for us. And of course we use DV and not a, I guess that's not a surprise because what has been said so far, but what we did was basically we went into deviant art and we made a list of artists that we, the ones that we like the most basically, umm, and we also focused on not just the artist that we liked the most, but also the artists who then created the type of artwork we were looking for it because there is a ton of amazing artists on deviant art. Jesper (28m 7s): But what also becomes apparent once you just spend a bit of time they're is that their style differs, you know, some of them maybe making it well, some of them have had this kind of a bit of Katurah as well. Autumn (28m 21s): They have drawing, we have like a manga Banga is very popular. Yeah, yeah. Jesper (28m 24s): Yes. And it looks really cool, but unless that's what you were looking for, then that's not really a good artist to put on your, on your shortlist because well they would, that's the way they draw. Right. And not to say that some of them can't draw both cartoonish or manga and regular pictures or images, some of them can, but just be mindful when you start creating your short list of artists, they are that you want to look for people who are really good at it. Jesper (28m 55s): But also that matches the style that you are looking for. And a in our case, we were, we were looking for what, I don't know, quote unquote, realistic artwork, if you can call it that Autumn (29m 8s): I would call it realistic. But also we we're looking for something that was a hundred percent like hand drawn painted. They will find it. So there's the manga artists who do the more cartoonish style. There's the ones that are doing a hundred percent original hand drawn there's ones who are using Daz 3d, which makes three D models. And you have a whole set of people doing things with that though, whether they are merging drawing elements. And then you have photo compositing, which is, you know, taking stock photos and layering it in with some hand drawn elements and creating a wholesale in way. Autumn (29m 41s): So all of those things exist in all of those things are legitimate graphic artists. So your going to have to go through and find things and look for the kind of style that you like. And you also have to decide like, do you want the ones with a huge, fantastic landscape's or do you want ones that are really focusing on a character's or even do you want someone who's really looking at action scenes? Some people can do amazing characters, just standing there, but you want to throw in magic and you know, hitting something in a machine guns firing or whatever you're looking at in the, they really can't do that. Autumn (30m 17s): So it's in Fantasy you have a team of the machine guns shooting at like a giant Hawks and dragons. Those are, those are out there, Jesper (30m 26s): No machine guns get rid of the machine. Autumn (30m 29s): Oh, it's a whole different sub shot or a FANTASY we don't want that, you know, tanks. Okay, fine. Jesper (30m 38s): Yeah. So once we have a short list of artists, we went on basically just a regular internet search, a we just used the Google images to be honest, but we were just finding a balance of images in sort of the style and in the level of quality that we were looking for, because what we did next was then we created a list of all the kind of images that we wanted to create. So basically it was just like a long bulleted list with a, like one or two sentences, a description of what we were looking for know more than that. Jesper (31m 16s): So it could be, Mmm, well, it could be the dragging for example. OK. So we need the dragon. Mmm. And then maybe a few words about what this dragon looks like or sentence or two or something like that. And then we didn't the point was to find images on the internet with Dragon's, but we just found a random pictures of sorts of this is to kind of style in quality. We wanted just to show the artist's that, ah, this is what we're looking for. And here's then the list of things that we want you to create. Jesper (31m 50s): And I can't remember. We've probably had like, I dunno, what do we have? Like 30, 40 items all the way too long ago. Autumn (31m 57s): It was, I would recommend two. Definitely. Maybe have that narrowed down to maybe your top five, depending on, you know, your budget and just an idea of the, I think I have us having images of saying, this is what inspired us. Really. It really helps as an artist to be able to say, Oh good, you know, some kind of hand drawn sketch if a few ideas people, or even me as an artist, I've made a mood board, or if I'm creating to cover to get an idea of what's out there, what inspired me to make this cover? Autumn (32m 27s): So you want to make a mood board for the artists, your trying to hire that's when, when they love you for it. Jesper (32m 36s): Yeah. So what we did next was then of course, we reached out to these different artists on our short list and we basically just asked them for pricing information And well, surprise, surprise. It turned out. And some of them were incredibly expensive. Some of them were like these $4,005,000 per item. It's a while there was several of the other's who were well in the same price range. Jesper (33m 5s): I have, I guess I have to say that none of this is cheap, right? I mean, once you go out and ask for custom artwork, it has never cheap a so you have to go into this with the right expectations. Artwork will cost you. That's just, that's just the bottom line of this. But I think based on our list, at least we found that depending on the complexity of the images that we wanted created, I mean, some of them are more expensive than other ones, but at least I think based on what we found, we can expect to pay somewhere between 500 and a thousand dollars per image, depending on which one it is. Autumn (33m 45s): Yeah. So that was going to say about the going rate for, especially at night, we were looking for hand drawn, but this has a lot of work. Even if you're a fast at it, it's a lot of where you're not pulling in other elements. I can make things go faster. So these were young. Yeah. It's not cheap. And you should definitely go into it expecting to pay a certain amount because do you know that's what you're asking for is quite a high level of technical skill. Jesper (34m 10s): Yeah. And and 502, a thousand dollars per game is that it's not the expensive ones. Yeah. Autumn (34m 17s): Oh. But there are some amazingly talented people who probably it could be making more than they're charging. So you can always look for those. Jesper (34m 26s): Yeah. Yeah. I mean the, if you just want one image, for example, if you want a single image, then I think, I mean not, not, well, it could be wrong to say that everybody can, you can probably find the money for that, but that's not fair to say either. But my point was just that you don't have to be as insane as us to have like a list of 30 of 20 or 30 items you want created two times $500. Right. That's insane. But, but it's just us. So, you know, I have to be a stupid answer. Jesper (34m 57s): Yeah. Autumn (34m 57s): No, Oh yeah. That's do you don't want to go crazy. You don't want to have to be putting this on your credit card because it just like, you know, editing and everything else. What your going to get back. If it's for your book or something, you got to make sure you're balancing your budget here, but Hey, if it's your Christmas birthday present and you can scrape up the money, all of these are so cool. They're so I can see, I just love what I, like I said, we've been shown it's totally worth it. Jesper (35m 24s): Yeah. So basically we got back all the pricing information from these artists and then of course we had to make a choice. And since we already made the short list, based on the stuff we saw on deviant art, basically from an artwork prospective, we knew that all of them were good already. So the question then becomes, what do you do then? And at least for us, we didn't actually just pick the cheapest one. But instead we actually factored in stuff like how quickly did the artist reply to our emails? Jesper (35m 59s): Because I don't know about UDL listener, but at least for me personally, I hate working with somebody who you constantly have to chase four, getting a reply. I really, really hated a, so I want to be able to send an email and get a reply within, say a day or two or something like that. I think that is a fair expectation. If this is a professional working relationship, Autumn (36m 24s): Definitely I can agree. That's one of my pet peeves. And another thing you wanna think about To is there a schedule? I mean, if their really good, but I know a couple of cover artists that is literally taking commissions for a March, 2021. So that's an important thing to maybe ask is when would you fit me in, is it someone who can fit you in, in a month or two? Or is there someone who's two years out because they are doing a new role and you know, gaming are there or something and you are, they just literally, well not, they would love to work with you, but, and not right now. Autumn (36m 56s): Yeah. Jesper (36m 58s): It just made me think that there was actually one of the artist's on the list who didn't even send back pricing information. It just wrote back, well, you won't be able to afford me anyway. And it was all in all of the person wrote back to us. It's like, okay, yeah, Autumn (37m 12s): You should go with someone. You, Mmm. We might not have been looking for commissions' or at least not out of the, the water's we were looking. And I think that's an important thing is how chatty, you know, not only how fast or they reply, but, or are they like one or two words or is it someone you, can, you feel comfortable talking to, you want to make sure that you can get information back and you know, they're there getting what you're asking four, are you at least for like, you communicate with them without like being yelled at Yeah and what I do. Yeah. Jesper (37m 42s): And then this is important. Once you have sorta made you a pick here, and of course we can't tell you how, how to pick a day, pick the person, but of course, price, the price does matter. And I think it met us a lot. How fast are we applying that? And also what Autumn just said about, ah, how, what feel do you get about the person write? But the next steps then becomes important. I'm in our case, when we did, we, we basically agreed with the artist to do three trial images for us and just to get a feel for how do we work together? Jesper (38m 16s): We agreed that were not going to pay for any of it before all three is done. And before we were happy with all of them and then the artist's will do those three images. And then afterwards we will decide if we like the working relationship than we wanted to work with the artist on a more permanent in the long term basis. But for dad, I think it's important to have some sort of in place with the person. And when I say contract, it's not like you have to start writing 20 pages of contract or whatever, but you need something in writing that clearly lays out stuff like, okay, who owns the right to the images once they are created? Jesper (38m 52s): What about the payment terms? As I just said, Oh, we prefer only two pay once the work done, but there are different ways of doing that. You should also agree. They're what type of files are to be delivered? Is it in black and white? Is it in color? Ah, what is the resolution rate of the files? And also what is the turnaround time that you agree? So if I place your order today, when am I going to get the first draft of the images? When, when can I expect the final images to be done and so on and so on. Jesper (39m 23s): And so those things, you need something in writing two to, to, you know, lay out those terms so that it's clear to everybody because a otherwise you might end up in some trouble later because also as, as we talked about here, right? If, if we are talking more than just the single image, just turn images, for example, there could still be $5,000, right? So you don't want to have $5,000 floating out there on kind of a Well. Jesper (39m 55s): I don't know quite what we have agreed terms right now. I would start a good idea. Yeah, Autumn (39m 59s): No, you definitely covered everything. And I would also say, even if you agree with EVERY you, I think you're touched everything that I can think of it, especially the copy. Right. But you also might want to work on you. No. What can they share? Even like, you know, are they going to be able to post some drafts on DVD or in art? Or is there something you we're trying to keep under wraps into a big reveal, you should have that kind of a communication and possibly have that in a contract. It's not quite the same as, you know, if you were sharing, I'm an unpublished manuscript with somebody and you're worried about them stealing the whole thing. Autumn (40m 33s): Well, you know, you'd need to know who owns the rights to the work in progress is sorta the way to think of it because there are some artists who we'll be sharing it on their social media. And if you don't want that shared while it's still working draft, make sure you make that clear and yeah. Payment terms. There's a lot of different ones. Sometimes it's at the end. Sometimes its, you know, thirds are as you're going a long as you hit certain milestones, but most artists, if you're hiring someone whose professional has what they are used to, most of them are a flexible on certain issues. Autumn (41m 6s): So it shouldn't be too difficult. But again, so you want to make sure though, you don't want to just go with what they're saying. You want to make sure you know, the file types and what a difference is between a P and G filed is in a JPEG in your resolutions, on what size do you need? You need to know all of that so that your getting what you expect out of and you don't end up with something, this size of a thumbnail that you can do anything with. Jesper (41m 32s): Yeah, absolutely. So Autumn (41m 34s): I don't know autumn, if we are, if we should not conclude something like Like the top advice, uhh, when finding and working with an artist space, do you know based on everything we talked about or maybe something we didn't mention, what, what would you say? The number one advice I would be, I would say be as an author, looking for something, going with an idea of what you want be kind, but B specific always be a polite. It's a very nice you say you don't want someone who comes across to as demanding before you even get to know somebody. Autumn (42m 10s): But I would also say Mike, to me, coming from an artist point of view, you know, if you go, if you can find their exact website or their portfolio on DV in art and contact them directly, instead of through a third party like Upwork, that really helps because artists, they are expensive. They except for the ones who were making it big, its, you know, it's, you're doing this. A fulltime are in your spare time and it's not a high paying gig despite talking about, you know, something that costs a thousand dollars. Autumn (42m 42s): It takes a lot of time and a lot of work to make that. So the more you can put towards the artist directly, instead of having another party, take a portion, that's just a win win for everyone. Alright, next Monday it should be a fun one. Everyone talks about the daily word counts. Like what is a good target to set? Or should you even care about something? Like what counts Narrator (43m 8s): If you like, what you just heard? There's a few things you can do to support The Am Writing Fantasy Podcast please tell a fellow author about the show and visit us at Apple podcast and leave a rating and review. You can also join Autumn and Jasper on patrion.com/am Writing Fantasy for as little as a dollar a month. You'll get awesome rewards and keep The Am Writing Fantasy Podcast going to stay safe out there and see you next Monday.

After 25 years of teaching, J. Thorn wanted more -- he wanted more challenge and more money. So he did what he warns people exactly not to do: quit his job with only a month's salary to survive.  At first, he thought he'd devote himself full-time to writing. But he found he couldn't spend all day doing the same thing. So he channeled his expertise and energy into a different kind of teaching—through podcasts and other venues to help writers.  He's co-authored two series of science fiction books, Dustfall and Final Awaking as well as several books on writing, including The Three-Story Method and 9 Things Career Authors Don't Do. I actually met J through a Story Grid seminar a couple of years ago and I really like how he approaches writing. In this episode, J shares his struggle with wanting to act quickly on his ideas before testing them out, and how getting feedback from new followers helps him to determine how to build his next new service. He's found teaching has also been an invaluable way to connect with and grow his audience. He also stresses how important diversification is not only for his own work but also for his bank account. He also shares his key to productivity -- something he calls time-blocking.  Now let's get better together Actions to Try or Advice to Take Try time blocking. Instead of making to-do lists, Thorn blocks out sections of his days and weeks to work on various projects. Then, there's no excuse for not getting it done. This is especially important for doing creative or “deep” work that requires focus for an extended period of time.  Focus on providing value, and you'll get more comfortable asking for a sale.  Asking for a sale is all about mindset. Expose yourself to teachers and writers who teach how to sell what you have to offer so the idea is continually reinforced.  Links to Explore Further The Author Life The Career Author Podcast The Writer's Well  Writers,Ink: The Business of Writing J. Thorn's Amazon Author Page J. Thorn's Author Services Page The Story Grid Keep In TouchBook or Blog or Twitter or LinkedIn or JSYPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jeff and J discuss a chapter J is working in. They talk about creating unique voices and making sure those voices match the character's educational and socioeconomic level, developing an emotional flow for a character in a scene, and why dialogue is important to your book.  Recorded in April of 2020, this was Jeff's first-ever dialogue Doctor conversation.  Find the video version at DialogueDoctor.com.

Surprise! Here's a bonus minisode with me and J Thorn.  We talk about a new book we've cowritten that focuses on why you should have a rebel mindset as an indie author and the 9 things you shouldn't do. Read the Book: 9 Things Career Authors Don't Do: Rebel Mindset  Read the rest of the series: http://getbook.at/9thingsseries  

Hello Rebels, welcome to The Rebel Author Podcast episode 44. Today, I'm talking to Meg LaTorre all about the traditional publishing industry. It's a fascinating insight into the other side of publishing regardless of whether your trad, hybrid or pure indie you'll learn how to pursue traditional publishing. Preorder my new book coauthored with J Thorn:  9 Things Career Authors Don't Do: Rebel Mindset here. This week's questions is: What method of publishing are you following or would you like to follow? Find out more about this week's guest, Meg LaTorre: Website YouTube Twitter Instagram Read The Cyborg Tinkerer Book recommendation of the week is: Be a Writing Machine by Michael La Ronn KOBO Apple Amazon UK Amazon USA These are affiliate links Listener Rebel of the Week is Victoria LK Williams If you'd like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to rebelauthorpodcast@gmail.com or tweet me @rebelauthorpod 1 new patron this week, a big welcome and thank you to Jay Renee Weaver and a huge thank you to all my current patrons, you help not only to keep the podcast running. You make me feel like my potty mouth antics are worthwhile. If you'd like to support the show, and get access to all the bonus essays, posts and content, you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

What traits make a great hero? One that will linger in your reader's minds and hearts far after they close the book? Well, get ready for a raucous discussion that breaks down into a bit of a competition between Autumn and Jesper as they debate and compare what characteristics they think goes into the making of a memorable hero! The 5 Day Writing Challenge Supercharge Your Scene hosted by the awesome J. Thorn that is mentioned in the episode is available for free sign-up at https://theauthorsuccessmastermind.com?aff=Am_Writing_Fantasy (this is an affiliate link and if you do signup for the paid mastermind group, we will receive a small percentage.) Tune in for new episodes EVERY single Monday. SUPPORT THE AM WRITING FANTASY PODCAST! Please tell a fellow author about the show and visit us at Apple podcast and leave a rating and review. Join us at www.patreon.com/AmWritingFantasy. For as little as a dollar a month, you'll get awesome rewards and keep the Am Writing Fantasy podcast going. Read the full transcript below. (Please note that it's automatically generated and while the AI is super cool, it isn't perfect. There may be misspellings or incorrect words on occasion). Narrator (1s): You're listening to The Am Writing Fantasy Podcast in today's publishing landscape. You can reach fans all over the world. Query letters are a thing of the past. You don't even need an literary agent. There is nothing standing in the way of making a living from Writing. Join two best selling authors who have self published more than 20 books between them now onto the show with your hosts. Autumn Birt and Jesper Schmidt. Jesper (30s): Hello, I am Jesper Autumn (31s): and I'm Autumn. Jesper (33s): This is episode 76 of The Am Writing Fantasy Podcast and S authors. We want the reader to root for the protagonist because when the last page is turned, the reader needs to wish that it wasn't over. However, it can be mighty hard to understand how one should create a character who is likable competent, realistic. And well-rounded so Autumn, and I will try to share our thoughts on this topic today. Autumn (1m 3s): Yes. I've been looking forward to this topic all week. I emailed you earlier that every time I was thinking about it, I had Bonnie Tyler's. I need to Hero go in my head. Uh, so it's been quite a fun and I can't wait to get to it. It, it became almost like, um, felt like I was filling out a dating list form of the, my ideal mate's. I think we had an, I think we've came up with some interesting tips that I hope will help out other readers, but until we get there, how are things on your side of the great ocean Atlantic? Jesper (1m 39s): Well, it's pretty good. Um, they've slowly started starting to open things up now. So my youngest son is actually very happy because he's done it. He, he gets to go to soccer practice, uh, two days from now. Yes, he's quite a soccer player. Oh, he loves it. I think to be honest, I think that boy probably loves soccer. Modern, modern is that Oh wow. And your a referee. So that's amazing. Yeah, he likes it a lot. So, but it's funny. We will see how much she's going to enjoy the soccer practice, to be honest, because there's so many restrictions on it, uh, that they have to follow. Jesper (2m 16s): You know, they're only allowed to train in fixed groups and they can only do like specific set pieces and there's no matches and Oh, you cannot had the ball. You cannot like, you know, use your chest to, to stop the ball or any, I mean, there's just so many rules that they have to follow in order to be allowed to play. So, um, we'll see if he actually enjoys it or not. I don't know once he gets frustrated, I don't know. But, uh, but they did, they did write out all these, he an email with all these rules and then they basically asked all the parents, uh, you know, can you please let us know if you're even interested in this way of practicing on that? Jesper (2m 57s): And then I went to my youngest son and I said, so Autumn (3m 0s): This is how it's gonna work. And I sort of laid that out to him and a say, so do you want to, do you want to go to practice? If this is the way it's going to be? And he looked at me for a second, like, I could see like the cock Wilson. He said, Tony, like, what is he asking if he didn't it for a while? And he didn't comprehend what, why I was asking if you want it to go to practice. He was this. And he looks at me like for a while. And then he said, yes, by what do you mean the answer to any part of this involved in it boils down too. Autumn (3m 32s): I'm going to practice right now. Yeah. That was also almost like he was expecting me to say something else or something like, you know, what do you want about, what do you mean? What is the question here? Well, I hope he enjoys it. That's great that things are returning to some semblance of a new normal for you guys. Yeah. Well, we'll see. Right? Because now we've been in lockdown mode for what? For a long while now. And, um, once we start opening up again, obviously we don't know what the effect is going to be. Autumn (4m 4s): Right. In which case you could go back to lockdown, but I will see, we'll see how it goes. Well, fingers crossed. It will go. Well, your ahead of us. So your experimental country to see how you do, you're the Guinea pig, I guess, but how, how is things on your side? Oh, pretty good. I actually planted by a garden, which is a little, a little will be releasing this later. But for now it's, um, sort of earlier, before the official, last frost date of may, but I figured between climate change and the 10 day forecast, I'm good. Autumn (4m 39s): And plus, I mean, I live in this tiny cabin and I actually brought my tomato seedlings in some sweet pepper seedlings out to my cabin just to make room, you know, where they're growing. And I'm sorry, when your screw is sharing, like a 200 square feet with seedlings, a dog and a husband, something has got to go outside. So it was the seedlings. And what was fun is I was getting so impatient is waiting for someone to lend as a teller, but it wasn't coming. It was broken. I finally just Whit and actually hand Doug like a 10 by this baby. Autumn (5m 12s): It's an eight by 12 garden spot. Um, and well, I am not 20 anymore. I do not recommend hand digging in a garden, but a lot of energy out over a course of two days. And then the next day I planted my little garden and they're outside. They're doing well, they're surviving, nothing's eaten yet. And I actually harvested some lettuce from STEM stuff I had in cold frame. So I, as much as I did, 16 years, a sustainable agriculture, I, I actually joined CSA as I never really had time to garden. Autumn (5m 43s): And my mother has this huge green thumb. So this is my dad by both. My parents are master gardeners. I was, you know, like buying seedlings or buying vegetables from a farm. So now I'm like, I have a garden. It's kind of fun. Jesper (5m 58s): It's a lot of work, but it's fun. Yeah. It's people have very different views on God. I mean, I hate it. I like going out into the garden and I like to sit there in the summer, but I do not like to do any gardening work. And the problem is you can't have a garden without doing gardening work so that you need a lot more money to hire other gardeners on that. Remember, I did share with you, I had a dream where we lent someone $20 million for a startup costs for their business. Jesper (6m 29s): So yeah, it was like a, I don't know, maybe two years ago was something I did hire a gardener because I just felt like I am not going to do this. I don't, I don't like it. Um, and then, but I couldn't afford like gardening company to do it because then it's very expensive. Right. You have to pay them a monthly fee and all this. So I found this, uh, basically like it probably a retired guy, I think he's retired at least, but he sort of just had his own little company doing some gardening work and all that. Jesper (7m 4s): So I hired him and he was doing God and Wagner is like, so half the time he was doing a pretty good job half the time, it was not that good. And then I also had to constantly, uh, you know, okay, so we went like this. So at the beginning, when I hired him, I said, okay, so you can spend, I don't, I don't remember the actual money anymore. And now at the value of it, but it was something like six hours, six hours a month or something. I can't remember something like that. So I said, if there's something to do for six hours, you can just do it. Jesper (7m 37s): Uh, if there is less to do to, and of course you just do less and then I'll pay you, pay you every month, uh, up to a maximum of this amount of hours per month. And then I said, and I don't really want to go around my garden and figuring out what needs to be done and give you task lists and stuff. I rather, you just figured out just, you can see what needs to be done. Right. And you just do it. You don't need to check with me, you know, how many hours you can Spencer just do it. Right. And he was like, yeah, that's fine. And it ended up, like I had to go and check everything all the time and say, Well have you done this. Jesper (8m 10s): Could you do this? Can you do that? And it just annoyed me so much in the end that I just stopped it because it's like, this is not what I wanted. Right. I just want to pay somebody and they take care of it. And I don't even have to think about it. And that's not what he did that annoyed me at the end. Hopefully we'll get to a better gardener eventually. Who knows? Oh, we got on the internet with the Am Writing Fantasy Podcast so we have something pretty exciting to mention here. Jesper (8m 42s): Oh yeah. J Thorn a friend of our show, a fellow author, a certified story grid editor, and the host of several different podcasts. Actually he's offering some free help to anyone who feels they're, Scene just, isn't good enough. And maybe if you are struggling to understand what's wrong with your scenes, then he is going to help you out. Because as we've talked about so many times here on The Am Writing, Fantasy, Podcast Writing is a skill, so it can be learned. Jesper (9m 16s): And I am happy to vouch for J thorns a and say that he's a really good teacher. And he has worked with hundreds of authors on thousands of scenes. So he knows his stuff. And what he is offering is something he calls Supercharge Your Scene and it runs from the 15th of June to the 19th of June. So that's a week after you are listening to this. If you're listening to this, Episode when we release it. And what we'll do is that we will help you decide with Scene. Jesper (9m 48s): You want to write and also how to frame it with a clear purpose and adding in character motivation. And then each stay throughout that week, he will post you a free lesson. Two, walk you through the process of writing and revising compelling scenes, right? This is like, it's a five day challenge. Isn't it? It is. Yes. So if basically he gives you a four, a five day Challenge and everybody who completes those five days will be automatically entered into a price pool drawing. Jesper (10m 20s): And there's going to be some really cool prices in there, including one of them being a free 30 minute, one on one consulting with J. I think that's pretty cool that as a really cool, also a mastermind tacked on the end of this free Challenge that's a pay paid mastermind, but there's no requirement for you to go and join the mastermind. Two, you can easily participate in the free challenge if that's all you want to do and just leave it at that. That's no problem at all. Autumn (10m 49s): Yes. I mean, I just did. I'm a AMS ads. Challenge a five day challenge with Brian Cohain and there is so much fun now. I mean, I'm totally addicted and we are going to have to do one. I actually forgot to tell you I've been working on a little outline for one for us, but there it's so much fun. You learn things. There's a community there's SUPPORT. So, I mean, I've not that worried about my scenes, but I'm tempted to go Join J to Join this one just because they are so much fun and there's always something to learn and it's so much fun to interact with other authors. So I hope you guys go check it out as well, because it'll be great. Autumn (11m 23s): And I'd love to see you there. Jesper (11m 25s): Yup. I add on, I will add a link in the show notes here so that you can just go straight from there and check it out. But of course, in full transparency, please know that it's an affiliate link just in case you do decide to join the mastermind afterwards. Then we will get very small kickback here on our side too. The Am Writing Fantasy Podcast, which is quite nice. And it helps us a little too. So anyway, this things live in a week Autumn (11m 54s): From the release of this Episode so hurry up and go and join us soon as you listen, if this is something that interests you. Yes. And I've been actually being a good girl and hanging out a little bit more of the Facebook group, which has been so much fun. There is so many post going on. So when shared a world map that reminded me of a West wing episode, which is totally dating me because it was, so that was a show that was on age as I go, but they had won that they changed the projection of a map and flipped it upside down. Autumn (12m 30s): And I just remember the one character going, I'm just trying to figure out where Francis'. So if you're we had a little map nerd fast and going on their, so that was a ton of fun. And recently a few people have been breaking down tropes. Like the most recent is, is what does an elf? I think the first one was What is a dragon. A Jason's been posting those. So shout out to some amazing folks who are on their, and the great conversations. And I'm sorry, I took a break, but it's so much fun to dive back into the Am Writing Fantasy Facebook group. Autumn (13m 5s): So you can just go to Facebook and Google Am Writing Fantasy and come join us because it is so much fun and everyone is so nice Narrator (13m 14s): And onto today's topic. Autumn (13m 18s): So there's lots and lots of well-intended tools and techniques out there to help the writer avoid generating a flat character. But we decided to come up with 10 Traits that makes for a Great protectionist. And we all know, yes, we did. It was like I said, I had so much fun thinking about it. Um, I didn't actually get to sit down to write it down to like think a day or so ago. But at that point, I think it took me all a five minutes because I'd been thinking about it. I always think of, ah, there's a story about Frank Lloyd Wright when he designed Fallingwater and the story goes that, you know, he would keep telling the clients who bought falling water that, Oh, I'm working on it, I'm working on it. Autumn (13m 57s): And he actually didn't draw all the design until they were on their way to his studio to pick it up. I totally get that. That is me. I totally think about these things over and over and over and over again, and then just write it down. It's perfect. Right. But I can't wait to share these because we both have 10 things. And like I said, it was hard. I wanted to come up with, I mean, I analyzed some of my favorite heroes from the books. I read the ones I've written and I really thought about this for a long time. Nice. Yeah. And I think the interesting part is as well that we on purpose decided not to share things with each other in advance. Autumn (14m 35s): So I'm going to be quite curious here to see how much overlap we have if we don't have any overlap on which Traits we find important and I'm not worried. I think at least 50% of the time we will have overlapped. They just might not be on the exact same order. We did order these as well. So it'll be really fun, but we do, we agree on so much and we're writing books together and plotting things. I think we kind of have some overlap on what we think are it makes up a good Hero yes, I think so too. Autumn (15m 7s): A I think, I think definitely we will agree on a different things here. I'm not sure that's going to be a 50% overlap, but let's see. Let's see how it goes. I think it's quite interesting, but I don't think there's going to be much that we disagree on the way. That's true. It's true. But let's see. Um, and I guess we should alternate to keep things interesting. You won at a time and a, and then maybe also at a bit of what it's about why we picked eats of the traits. That is probably a good idea. And maybe explain what we mean by it too. Autumn (15m 38s): So, alright. I am ready. And we're going to start at number 10 and work our way for the most important, um, yes, let's do that. Let's do that. Excellent. Alright. Do you want to go ahead or you want me to, no, go ahead. Alright. So number 10 on my list of important traits for a great Hero is empathetic. I think it's important for the Hero to feel for others. And this isn't just self absorbed. I cannot stay on reading stories where it's all about the character, his needs, and once, and he never thinks about anyone else who was with him or her know. Autumn (16m 18s): I think that that's a, that's a good one. It probably goes well with one of mine as well, but keep it on how much they will that we have here then, because I don't know. All right, well, we'll have to tell, okay. Go for it. Alright. So I will start out with, uh, with One that many, many authors just believed to be universal truth. And when that must be adhered too, at all costs, and that is being likable. Autumn (16m 50s): Oh yeah. But to be honest, I'm cheating a bit. It's all the way. I don't think there's going to be 50 if it's, I don't, because after all this is more like one that I'm almost saying that you try to avoid rather than it being a trade to use. Right. Um, and this requires a bit of explanation, doesn't it? Possibly, but I think, uh, I think I know what you're saying, but go for it. Alright. Autumn (17m 20s): So I just don't want people to be too concerned with K creating a likable character. Um, it's much more about making sure that the protagonist fits the role of being a protagonist because that there's, there's plenty of characters out there who aren't exactly likeable, but we still route for them. Um, I don't know. Have you seen the TV series black sails? Oh, I've started watching it until we lost our free subscription because of the coronavirus, but yes, like after the first series or the first season. Autumn (17m 56s): Very good. Yes. Jesper (17m 57s): I really liked black sails, but captain Flint, he's not exactly likable, you know, or you could say, and a can Skywalker Michael Corleone from the godfather. I mean these characters, they're not really, I mean, they do things that at times you would say that's not likable is still a very interesting and compelling characters. Right. So I guess my number 10 is sort of an anti number 10 and Autumn (18m 26s): I agree cause I have something very similar. I thought about a way of phrasing this, but I couldn't think I wasn't just trying to stay away from negative. So I have it worded slightly differently, but yes, I think we have overlap on this one too. Oh, okay. Okay. Well, yeah, it's just more like don't be too overly concerned with about, I have to create a likable character because as long as you give the character or the protagonist, a good reason to act the way he or she does, then it's going to be a good character. Yes. I agree. Autumn (18m 57s): And I actually have my version quite high on the list. So I'm not going to tell you what number though. Oh, okay. Alright. So it's very important to me. Very important to me. All right. So number nine on my list is I like a Hero who's protective. So it's sort of this person that's always got your back. Even if you are in the middle of a fight or a disagreement with each other there still going to be there to support you. So I kinda like that element that, you know, you, you trust this person, you can rely on them. Autumn (19m 28s): I like, Oh, Hero, The, who's reliable, I guess will be a good way to put it. Jesper (19m 34s): Yeah, I can see that, but that's a good one. All right. So my number nine, um, well we, we often find a beginning of a novel where the protagonist is showing, going through some kind of hardship. And I feel like a situation like that does elicit sympathy in the reader and sympathy is important too, to make sure that the read the field's sympathy for the character. But my number two is therefore kindness. Jesper (20m 6s): Oh, that's so funny. Yeah. Because of a character who for some reason are trying to help out others or out help an animal that always works wonders, but you know, kindness, even though you're going through hardship of your own that's that just works really, really well. Autumn (20m 24s): Yes. And I actually have the word kindness on my list. So we will see this one again. What do we get down lower or higher? Should we, yeah, we have probably about 50% already think we are. I think it's only, yeah, we were pretty much there. It's one out of one out of four, so that we'll see if you're going to be right there. It wasn't me, I'm keeping track of, so if you hear any typing, it's just making little notes to on which is which, which are yes, for sure. And if there's any overlap between us. So yeah. Autumn (20m 54s): Alright. Okay. So my number eight, I like a sense of humor of one of my characters. He is a total smartass, a captain, Jared RI is from my post-apocalyptic series. He cracks me up, he in the middle of an emergency situation that comes up with a smart ass response, but I also don't mind, you know, like a gentle, joking, just a kind hearted joking. And I have of course, a couple of heroes like that. So just those moments that make you laugh, even if you want to cry, even if you want to run screaming, I just like a character who has that kind of can laugh at themselves, can laugh at a situation that warms me up so much as a reader. Autumn (21m 35s): I'm just in love with the character instantly with that. Yeah. I like that. But I just find it really hard to write. I think that you have said that before. Jesper (21m 44s): Yeah. Writing humorous characters. I find that really difficult. I always feel like my own jokes are so lame, but a yeah. Okay. So what is it on number eight, number eight. Yours. Alright, so being honorable, that's an easy way to put a character in a positive light. Um, I'm not saying that you ha uh, the character has to be honorable all the time. Jesper (22m 15s): Uh, you know, I think throughout all my 10 Traits here is just, it's not that you have to do it for any of these four, all of your characters at all times, but they're going to pick from, um, so being honorable. Yeah. I liked that one. Autumn (22m 31s): I have something very similar. So I'm, I think there's a slight overlap. It's a different way of phrasing it on that one. So it'll be interesting. You'll you'll hear my take on it. Alright. So we're up to number seven, uh, intelligence. So this is a, I don't mean a CURO who's a genius, uh, but they have, should be able to be clever or they look at things differently and they can figure things out. So, and especially if you, like I said, so we can see things in a way that others don't. Autumn (23m 1s): So they just have a unique perspective, but they're definitely clever. I can't, you know, someone who's just dumb luck in that as dumb as a, an ORC or a something. I just, I don't know. I can't respect a character who makes me, if I'm shouting at a book every other page, what, why don't you see that? I rather be all going, Oh my God, I didn't even see that. So that's mine. Okay. All right. So some overlap. Yeah. I guess we'll see. Jesper (23m 30s): Um, okay. So my next one is being proactive. Autumn (23m 35s): Oh, nice. Jesper (23m 38s): This one is so, so, so important. And I, yeah, actually I know I just said a minute ago that these are more like things to pick from. And not Autumn (23m 46s): Every character always have to have it, but this one, I would say EVERY protectionist always, always, always have to be proactive. Every single one in every single story, you do not want to protect in the us to just react to what's happening in and somebody, you know, if somebody is coming they're and telling the person the age, well, you probably need to do this, this now. Then they go off and do it know you want them to be the ones taking action. The protagonist is the one taking initiative and you always want to do that. Autumn (24m 17s): So proactive. Yes. That was a good way. That's a good way of phrasing it. I have something very similar. So I would say there's some overlap on that one, but I didn't phrase that the same way. So I must be able to find one on my list that you don't have. I'm going to keep trying here. Let's see. Let me think. Um, yeah, we'll find something so far. It's maybe I'm stretching my thoughts on it, but will say, alright, so number is six in my list is kind, I don't mean The not the rescue puppies type of kind, but you know, that's fine too, if you want to do that with very Hero, but I mean, thoughtful someone who is we'll do something nice, just because it is a nice thing to do so. Autumn (24m 56s): Not every page or every chapter, but once or twice in a book doing an act at a sheer kindness, like leafing, a loaf of bread for a beggar girl, who's been shadowing her since she entered the city, uh, that will totally win my heart. And of course, then you have the bigger girl who wins the bigger girl's heart. And she goes on to save the Hero and later as well. So though, you know, it all works out in the end, but I do like, like that, it's sorta like you're likable. I actually think I was just about to say it's like it, I actually have something a little more similar to likable later, but, um, uh, but definitely kind and not, like I said, it doesn't have to be this overwhelming, you know, saintly kindness, but just every once in a while, just something that shows I've a very good heart. Autumn (25m 40s): It's a very nice, okay. All right. Are you ready for my next one? Maybe this one, you don't have one I'm waiting. Alright. So a sense of justice. Oh, we haven't done that yet. I'm not answering then that saying, Oh, okay. Well I think that this is a good trait to use, uh, when you want to show the reader, the protectionist sense of morale. So because it's not that we have to agree with the character and, and the character sense of justice, but it tells a lot about one's personality when you learn what a person perceives as right and wrong. Autumn (26m 20s): So that's why I think it's a good one. It was a very excellent one. You wouldn't know how excellent that one is so excellent that you have. That's the next one of my number five is sense of fairness, justice. Oh my God. It's so easy. And I wrote this, One think we have coordinated this stuff. We really, we did not share this at all. It's so funny that they're back to back. So this came from my husband once asked me the question. Autumn (26m 50s): If you were a God, what type of God would you be? I love that question. And I chose just, I would be adjust God. I really, I really like a sense of fairness. Um, I love cause and effect. If you do bad things, bad shite should happen to you. Even if you're Hero is the instrument to make the bad people stop doing bad things. So a character that can just let injustices slide just makes me want to shake them or a toss, the book or something. So yes, I totally am in agreement with you. Autumn (27m 22s): We have total overlap, but that is a question I'm going to have to ask you at sometime if you were a God, what type of God would you be knowing my chesting a bit about what I do like your answer though. And you're a selection. They about it as well. God of justice. I do like that one, but I would have to think a bit about it. I think I would need to see a list of a domain that think a bit about it. Yes. Because there's probably some choices that I can't think off on top of my head that, that I would like as well. Yeah. That's my husband's ass answer actually made me worry then like, Oh, I don't know if I can like you anymore. Autumn (27m 59s): The death wrathful I'm like shit of your personality. I don't want to know. Right. So you all are a number five. All right. So this is actually building off the one I had before, but also its an overlap with Monday the one's that you already said. So this one I have named resourcefulness. So this is more like if the character has a strong sense of justice, then he, or she will feel responsible and also have something that he or she wants to achieve. Autumn (28m 38s): And I think resourcefulness is a great trait because if there is something that many readers like, you know, we like when characters can find an ingenious way of solving a problem and that's very few different words, but basically the same thing you said earlier. Yes. That's very true. So that I framed it more as intelligent, but to see a way, way of solving things, we had the exact same kind of meeting underneath of it. That's funny. All right. So Well, you know, I don't think people are going to walk away with a list of 20 what they have different perspectives on some of the same words, I guess though. Autumn (29m 15s): That's fair enough. Alright. And this one is sort of similar to one of the one's that you mentioned. Uh, my number four I phrased is, um, you called it proactive, but I kind of called it when the going gets tough. They don't hesitate to dive in. So I like badass hero's that walk around withdrawn swords. And I like the ones that prefer never to fight as well. As long as when the going gets, he gets to that point where something must be done, they haul ass in and they go in and do it. Autumn (29m 46s): I like decisive character's that will, Oh, you know, stick to and go for their guns when the need is there. So they don't have to go around swashbuckling all the time. But again, when something needs to be taken care of their are the ones to go and do it and they do it and they don't let them, you know, they don't just sit around, twiddling their thumbs, waiting for someone else to fix their problems. Hmm. Yes. I can hear the way I set that, that day. I have something coming up. Probably almost exactly the same thing. Now, if you doesn't overlap this, why is this hilarious? Autumn (30m 21s): If you are a number For alright, so that this one is patients. Um, and to be honest, I do quite like impatient characters who just doesn't know how to behave themselves in a social context. I really do like that. But when I thought about it and when I was creating this list, I always also had to settle on the fact that I think as a protagonist, I think it gets tiring, right? What's quite well with an impatient character. If it's a side character, the main character, I feel like patients is a good thing. Autumn (30m 55s): Um, and of course patients can be expressed in many different ways. You know, we could be like, the person is just friendly to avoid a conflict or they use humor to diffuse an escalating situation or something like that. So it can mean different things. But, but I do think patients, that's a, that's a good thing. That is a good one. And I have to say you what now you finally have one. I don't think I have patients. I didn't even think about it. There you go. How do you have like totally that's different. So that's yes. Autumn (31m 25s): Awesome. All right. Stop making up the last three, just to find something we haven't, you know, just throw out something you don't even care about. Just really, I think they should be evil on the screen. That's not fair to our listeners. No. Okay. Fair enough. That they're probably laughing right now. This is not a competition. Right? My number is three. I wonder if you have anything similar. We're getting down to the nitty gritty now. So I like it when my Hero, it feels like a bit of an outsider. Autumn (31m 58s): They never fit in quite with a general populace. So I'm never rooting for, if you have a Hero that's the jock that everyone in this school envies and the girls are throwing themselves at his feet and we will also happens to be a superhero in disguise. I think I described it as barf wants to somebody. I like the nerd in the corner who has a few friends and also they have to happen to have the key to a multidimensional portal and they are always nice. Autumn (32m 29s): Yeah. They have the gumption to use it. And I also think, I think it just acknowledges the feeling that so many of the reader, so many of us have that were not a hundred percent because who is a hundred percent normal, what is normal? And so heroes like that kind of take that secret thing that everyone harbors inside of them and brings it out into the light and shows that this person is amazing and valued and unique and awesome. And so I liked that in my heroes when they also have that sense of, I just don't quite belong here and I'm going to find people who accept me for what I AM. Autumn (33m 6s): I like that one. But I think that that might be one more. That is not overlapping. Excellent. I think so. Alright. Jesper (33m 15s): Alright. But this one, okay, so this is going to sound very familiar. So I call this One resolve, but it's basically characters who are determined to fight to the end. And those are the one's that we love. Yes. So you just said it basically more or less a a moment ago. Right. But I mean, what if Frodo had given up halfway to Mount doom? Yeah. I mean, I wouldn't blame him to be honest, make for a good story. Autumn (33m 46s): No, no. The one where someone else has to, he gives it to his side. So this is on you. Yeah. I'm done with this. No, that's very true. So yes they follow through. Jesper (33m 58s): Yeah. I think that's a good one, but, but also I think it's fair enough. Sometimes if, if they're resolved also comes as a result of their side characters or the way they help her. Because I mean, if Sam had not been there, I'm not sure Frodo would have made it two month. That's true. That is very true. And that's killer as a shield. A great point for a why you have some of these side characters. Yeah. Yeah. All right. So final children, Autumn (34m 22s): A final two. We are almost there. So my number two is going to sound a little familiar. I like a Hero who is not perfect. I think flaws are important. Seriously. Sirius. They have to be not good at something, whether it's romance they're in denial about some, hang up a they're a loss for their place in the world. So I like surface flaws. Um, they're like, I don't know. I like food analogies. Autumn (34m 54s): If anyone read my Patriot on post, that was out recently. I like food analogy. So there, um, these falls are the seasoning and a good recipe and that just needs that little extra kick. So thats and I think I also, I, I have a kind of a toss up between, I also wanted to say that they were skilled, but not in everything. So that's sort of the same thing. They're just not perfect. They have talent, but it requires focus and work. They just not magically gifted with the kingdom. And there are God in their Demi God in a perfect, so that was my number two. Autumn (35m 25s): And I think from yours minor exclamations that we should probably believe out is that you have something similar and I was great. No, Jesper (35m 34s): I'm not going to comment on that. I refuse to comment. Nope, no further Autumn (35m 38s): Fine, fine Well but I thought that was a very similar to your number 10 where they don't have to be likable because that is sort of, sort of the same idea. They don't have to be a hundred percent perfect or like no comments. Okay. Well what's your number two then. Jesper (35m 53s): Alright, so, and I did not make this up just to be, try to find something that you don't have to assess this in my notes. So I don't know if you don't, I don't think you'll have this one because this is totally, you know, we had a strange, okay, this is like a joker I'm throwing in a joke. So this one, I just said, pick something the reader did not expect. And I don't know what that is, but, but the point here is just that once you have developed quite some Traits for your protagonist, you already have a good idea of what the character is already. Jesper (36m 34s): And then it's very easy to lead yourself down the path of tropes and just, yeah. And then I'll add this and all that, that, uh, because that goes with the, with the white Knight on the white horse or whatever. Right. Um, and I think throwing in one trait into the mix that people just didn't expect, I think that works really well. So I doubt you have that on your list. Autumn (36m 59s): and I love that one though, because your right that is often the little twist that is just so much fun. I there's a comic I've saved from years ago. That is a group of friends playing D and D. And I liked everything about it because it showed the characters. I created all had some weird, unique thing. And the character is the people who were playing the characters were their own unique entities. And it's exactly the same thing. It kind of, I saved it because it was like, this is not what I expected. Autumn (37m 31s): And it was hilarious. And yes, it, if anyone has ever read it, it was the one where they're trying to an ogre and I'm sort of swashbuckling Hero. We were trying to fight and all of their roles to fight, roll poorly. So he ends up making a pass. They end up almost like kissing until he makes a pass, enrolls a 10 and they end up getting engaged. And that's how the war ends. And I just crack up whenever I read it. So definitely throw in, throw in the fun ones, but yeah, you in that one too. So that's to that. Autumn (38m 2s): I didn't, I didn't think about that one, but it's very true. And I totally agree because that's sort of what goes to my number one, but I don't have it phrased that way. And it wasn't what I was thinking when I said it. So you want to know my number one One is yeah. In a way I feel like it's cheating, but its because we just did this whole list and we just we've got over what 18 different things I want to see, not a list of 18 different things and tropes sorta what you just said. Autumn (38m 33s): I don't want to see this list of things that a character should be. I want someone who feels Real a fully developed character who has personality wants desires. Uh, it, it feels like someone who is not created just to fill a role in this story or to hit all the right buttons so that they know rescue puppies and also have a flaw and have to go learn something. And I want something that really feels like an authentic character in person, someone who's going to have has already been through it a thousand stories and it has another thousand to go through assuming they survived the one you're Writing yeah. Autumn (39m 10s): Yeah. I think that's a good one. Alright. And then I have to add up how many we had overlap. Yeah. This is probably the most important one of them all I already, yes. It almost pains me. I don't want to say it eventually. I know, but eventually we have to let other, you know, the listeners go back to their lives so they can go create an awesome Hero yeah. Jesper (39m 39s): A good protagonist needs floss. Exactly. What's it? Like I put it on number one and you had it on number two. It's just like it's again, Well a two way too close. Yeah. So of course, like you said, it's not a positive trait. A and I know that, but we just couldn't build a list like this without including floss, like you said as well. Yeah. I think that's impossible. A, we need to balance out the positive attributes and also yes, they also have the character arc and the growth, you know, the floss, his what makes the character arch and a growth seems impossible. Jesper (40m 20s): That's what we want. So it will make the read a question. Can this type of person even managed to succeed in whatever they're trying to do. And I think that's how legends are made. Autumn (40m 32s): Right. I agree. I definitely agree. It's what I like about characters and I think what makes them resinate with us. So it is so funny you that we had them, uh, we til we had two sets, so were back to back. I think we, I think that's why we did not have much, um, of a difficulty creating our Hero for the book we're working on together. Yeah. So you said 50% overlap and I said less than 50 and what did we have? Like 80 make them counting him up. So we had 20 total, um, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13 at a sweater. Jesper (41m 15s): So I think we got over 50%. Yes we did. You win. Okay. Well, well I think what can be concluded from these list is how character's they must be balanced. Yes. They need to be interesting enough. Autumn (41m 34s): So that readers find the characters compelling yet. I think also they need to be ordinary enough that they are relatable. You know, that's why Superman is not a good character. No, I don't really like Superman at all. Yeah, no, I think this was a lot of fun. Autumn a lot of fun. They really got me thinking about heroes even in my own writing and what I've liked about the characters. Just, you know, they could be so different, but there are some SS essences that foil down, they make a great Hero. Autumn (42m 7s): Yeah. So now that we have discussed the good Hero goes off your story. What about the villain? So next Monday will be back with two new lists, but this time concerning the antagonist, Narrator (42m 18s): If you liked what you just heard, there's a few things you can do to SUPPORT THE AM WRITING FANTASY PODCAST please tell a fellow author about the show and visit us at Apple podcast and leave a rating and review. You can also join Autumn and Yesper on patrion.com/am Writing Fantasy for as little as a dollar a month. You'll get awesome rewards and keep The Am Writing Fantasy Podcast going stay safe out there and see you next Monday.

Hello Indie Authors! I'm Valerie Ihsan, and Episode 32 of the podcast and it's April 8, 2020 as I record this. Main Topic: Myths About Productivity But first the personal update segment:  My planned launch for FOCUS and FINISH this month has been largely post-poned.  Meaning, it's live and available but I'm not doing an advertised hard launch. I just think right now people's heads are elsewhere, with the virus and the presidential primary elections.  In case you haven't heard about it, It's a 1:1 six-month coaching and accountability program that includes a customized author action plan in workbook format. If you are interested in joining the program before the hard launch, you would be a Founding Member, and would get a substantial discount and a really ROCKIN' bonus. Please let me know by email at valerie@valerieihsan.com and I'll send you an invitation and discount code.  Ihsan is IHSAN. INSTEAD of the hard launch, I've opened up my schedule to individual coaching sessions to support authors through this weird and unsettling time. A lot of people are unfocused right now and may appreciate the chance to talk and get a few priorities identified, so they can get back to work-at-home. Especially helpful to those who haven't worked at home up until now. This service isn't offered on my website, but you can go to my scheduler tool valerieihsan.as.me to book a one-hour session. It's $150 and will go toward the cost of Focus and Finish, if you decide to go that route. I'M READING: In fiction,  I'm in between novels. Reading a colleague's manuscript right now, but next up is: MY BOOK, The Scent of Apple Tea (because I want to write a second epilogue involving Kyle after he goes home after the story ends--exclusively for my mailing list), and then, EITHER "In the River Sweet" by Patricia Henley, or Little Women again. Just finished Untamed by Glennon Doyle and o.my.god. Totally worth the read. I heart her.  Non-fiction: Just finishing up Make Noise: A creator's guide to podcasting and great audio storytelling. Next up is either Brave, Not Perfect y Reshma Saujani or Better Than Before: mastering the habits of our everyday lives by Gretchen Rubin. Plus, lots of memoirs are on my mind (I'll explain why in a minute) and I've got a stack of them to choose from. I'm leaning towards H is for Hawk, but Well Enough Alone: A cultural history of my hypochondria, Traveling with Pomegranates: a mother daughter story, and Wild Within: how rescuing owls inspired a family are also calling me. So many books to read! A bit more time to read them, but not really. We're finally getting some lovely sun in our Willamette Valley and is inspiring the desire to get outside and work in the yard. Speaking of which... Just starting to feel productive again. After being laid off at my day job as bookseller at Tsunami Books in Eugene, Oregon, it took me a week to get settled into what I want to work on and a more standard flow of days. And my standard, I don't mean what my schedule used to look like. I'm happy to announce that my week so far has been a juicy delicious balance of balance. At the end of the day, I can boast having worked on a writing project, an editing-for-hire project, a nature walk with my husband, a house chore, some alone time journaling and/or hot tubbing, and T.V. time. Even an errand fits in there.  I'm staying up a bit later but also sleeping in a bit later and not napping, but am resting throughout the day so that at the end of the work day, I am not jonesing for bed at 7 p.m. and grouchy until I actually go to sleep several hours later.  Writing update: a couple times a week, I sit in on a Zoom Write-In. Sometimes called Parallel Play with Words, it involves a 45 minute writing session where everyone is muted, and then a 15 minute water-cooler break for chatting, bathroom, and gathering tea and snacks. And then we do it again another time or two. I've been working on my memoir again. (Thus, the interest in reading more memoirs right now.) I've identified some key scenes and restructured the scenes I've already written. And pulled out some scenes that I don't think will fit anymore. BUT, I've printed it out hardcopy now and will go through it (macro style) with a marker and cut more. Then, I'll implement the chances into my Scrivener file and start fleshing out scenes and working in the transitions.   PATREON:  This podcast is sponsored by my patrons at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. I'd like to personally thank all my patrons. Anika, Anthony, Heidi at Chasing Ebenezer, Donna, Karine, Kimberly, Sondra, Tamara, and Valerie. I really appreciate your support, especially right now. I'd like to hear from you, too. Feel free to comment on any of my posts in Patreon. Or, download the free Patreon app to make it even easier to send me a message. Shoot me a question or comment and I'll read it out on the podcast. Know that your support pays for the hosting of this podcast, and that is fabulous! I'd like to remind everybody else that for as low as a $1/mo, you can get a shout out on the podcast, a monthly connections video where I'm just myself and share something more personal than I put out on the podcast, and at other tiers, the benefits increase--free books, free editing, and free coaching. Become a patron of the arts, and of me! Find me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan.  AND because of my still unresolved Audacity/Mac challenges--which I've let get the better of me--I have a new PUSH GOAL of raising my Patreon support up another $29/mo. This will pay for the podcasting service, Alitu, that will help me to create the kind of professional podcast product that I want to continue providing for you.  Garage Band is not cutting it. So, tell your friends about the podcast and check out my Patreon page and consider becoming a Patron of the Arts (and this podcast) TODAY, or consider upping your pledge if you are already a supporter. Again, Thanks so much. I really really appreciate your support.   Resources: Ingram Spark is offering free file uploads and free file changes right now. Just enter the code INGRAMSPARK2020. Also, J Thorn is an author and podcaster that I've been following for years. (The Career Author Podcast, The Writer's Well Podcast, The Author Life Podcast, and now The Writers Ink podcast) He has a online mastermind group with lots of cool goodies for only $14.99/month. I just joined and I'm really loving The Lab and The Forum and the mini-courses available to members. You can check it out at theauthorsuccessmastermind.com.  And now, the show: If I could only get organized! (I think I've said this to myself eighty million times.) Maybe I need a new schedule.... (This might be true, but not four days in to a new one.)(Also something I've said to myself a billion times.) What's wrong with me? (Maybe you think you're lazy, or not strong enough, or the work is too hard, or you have too many obstacles. But, the surprise answer is it's none of them. Or, at least none of them will stop you from being productive.)   Being organized really has nothing to do with getting and staying focused on a project. If you are feeling distracted by a mountain of papers in your office, or laundry piling up, or the taxes that still need to get done, you might not need to get organized, but you do need to get focused. Having a clear plan that you can look at when you do get distracted (because, let's face it, we live in a distracting world. Our kids are home from school for the rest of the year, we're laid off and trying to find the discipline to actually write full-time now--a dream for many listening to this podcast, or we're simply distracted by the media, the Covid-19 news, our travel plans all disintegrating, and the grief and anxiety surrounding it all. That's distracting. That's exhausting. We're trying to cope the best way we can and everything still feels like it's swirling around us. That's why getting organized might not be top priority right now, but getting focused will help. It will make a difference in your day-to-day life because you won't be spinning your wheels. All your hard work won't get lost in the shuffle.   Here's what I mean: we have a pretty big yard at my house. A lot of it isn't super usable--steep--but there is a lot of it. That means there is always something to do in it. Some years I'd have grandiose plans and I do a teeny bit of all the projects. I expand an enormous amount of energy and get none of the projects completed. Fail.  Some years I narrow my focus to, say, weeding. My husband and I each pick a bed and start weeding. Several hours later, neither of us are done, we're in pain, we're frustrated, and, most dangerous, think, "Why'd we even bother?" So two years ago, I figured it out. I picked One Thing. The back patio. We bought new patio furniture, we picked one main color and picked out a bunch of flowers (only for the patio) and the containers for each of them, and power-washed the concrete. We finished it. It looked freaking fantastic. And every time we walked past it or spent time out there, we felt great. We focused on one thing until it was finished, and even though there were blackberry vines and shiny geranium and ivy invading our hill and the grass never got mowed and the front lawn beds were overgrown. BUT, we'd finished something and it stayed finished.  The next season, we picked a new project and worked on it, after brushing up the patio. We've learned that we can't go to the hill in the backyard and weed. It doesn't look like we've touched it even after spending HOURS on it. So, instead, we pick a small nook by the hot tub and weed that. And finish it. And then we pick another bed, and finish that. And so it is with our author work. If we think, If only I could get organized!, so that we can start a mailing list, learn Amazon ads, finish drafting that manuscript, and homeschool our kids...in the next six months...hmmm....most likely, none of those will get done.  Unless, you pick one, focus on it, and finish it.   What are YOU focusing on this week? Let me know in the comments Or email me at Valerie@valerieihsan.com IHSAN and let me know what you're struggling with. Let's help each other out during this time of global crisis.   Peace to you. Stay well, stay home, stay safe. And now I'm going to go mow my lawn.

Author and podcaster J. Thorn shares some great advice for anyone thinking of starting a podcast, great recommendations for writers looking for a podcast to listen to, and valuable insights into building relationships with others in the writing and publishing worlds by approaching them with an offer rather than an ask.

Episode Show Notes This week's question is: What's your favorite podcast? Hit me with your faves, drop links, give them some love. Don't forget I'm joining Jenna Moreci and Meg LaTorre on the iWriterly YouTube channel TONIGHT (March 4th2020 at 3:00 pm EST) (8pm GMT) for a live stream all about how to plan a book launch. Mark your calendars you don't want to miss this. ⁠ DIY MFA 101 COURSE IS CLOSING IN TWO DAYS To find out more about the course, use my affiliate link here. *** Find out more about J Thorn on his website theauthorlife.com Listen to: The Career Author Podcast The Writers Well Podcast  Writers Ink Podcast Author Life Podcast *** Book recommendation this week is J's new book Three Story Method Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ebook/three-story-method Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2Ttm87w Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/2VA2sBM *** Listener Rebel of the Week is Katie Forrest If you'd like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to rebelauthorpodcast@gmail.com or tweet me @rebelauthorpod No new Patrons today. Thank you so much for joining me and thank you to all my current patrons, who help to ensure that this podcast continues. If you'd like to support the show, and get access to all the bonus essays, posts and content, you can support the show by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack *** THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY 13 Steps to Evil: How to Craft a Superbad Villain Click to find out more.

In this Greatest Hits episode, Ryan chats with bestselling horror author and podcaster J. Thorn. If you've heard the name you know J. is a team player. He has collaborated on multiple projects and even wrote a book on the subject. While the writing life is an isolating and private affair. Collaboration can unlock a new level of creativity. J. also discusses his humble beginnings as a writer, where ideas for books come from, and how to crank out more words. And, much, much more. You can reach J. Thorn at www.jthorn.net.  

In this episode, Ryan chats with bestselling horror author and podcaster J. Thorn. If you've heard the name you know J. is a team player. He has collaborated on multiple projects and even wrote a book on the subject. While the writing life is an isolating and private affair. Collaboration can unlock a new level […] The post Episode #13: J. Thorn on Collaboration appeared first on Rock House Publishing .

In this episode, Ryan chats with bestselling horror author and podcaster J. Thorn. If you've heard the name you know J. is a team player. He has collaborated on multiple projects and even wrote a book on the subject. While the writing life is an isolating and private affair. Collaboration can unlock a new level […] The post Episode #13: J. Thorn on Collaboration appeared first on Rock House Publishing . See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Sign up for The Prolific Creator+ and get full access to the archives and weekly bonus content! https://plus.acast.com/s/the-prolific-creator.