Podcasts about Publishing

Chris, Crystal, and Mike discuss the new Storyteller's Vault approval of Vampire 5th Edition products, and also announce the official formation of Darker Days Publishing. The crew discussing the development process of RPGs, shit talk about hacking Engel with Kult, and offers some advice and options for budding writers. Be sure to check us out on Facebook or through our Discord server https://discord.gg/GGuRKAn. To stay up to date, subscribe through iTunes or Spotify!            Links For This Episode:   Darker Days Link Tree: http://linktr.ee/darkerdaysradio Full Metal RPG: https://fullmetalrpg.podbean.com/ Realm of Fire: https://realmoffire.podbean.com/ Darker Days Discord: https://discord.gg/GGuRKAn Ascension Night (upon release): https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/373978/Ascension-Night Make Blood Boil (upon release): https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/373980/Make-Blood-Boil  

I think I employed every single one of these twenty phenomenal tips from Zibby Owens while looking to get my memoir published, and it is my absolute pleasure to share them all with you! Zibby Owens is the creator and host of award-winning podcast Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books, one of Oprah.com's favorite book podcasts two years in a row. The CEO and founder of Moms Don't Have Time To, Zibby has formed a media company that includes multiple podcasts, publications like Moms Don't Have Time to Write, and other communities designed to help moms. She is the CEO, Reader-in-Chief, and Co-Founder with Leigh Newman of Zibby Books, a publishing home for fiction and memoir. She is the editor of award-winning anthology Moms Don't Have Time To: A Quarantine Anthology, the upcoming anthology Moms Don't Have Time to Have Kids, the upcoming children's book Princess Charming, and an upcoming memoir. She is a regular contributor to Good Morning America online and also writes for the Washington Post, Parents, Slate, and Medium, where she is a top writer. Zibby regularly recommends books on TV and has been featured on CBS This Morning and Good Morning America. Named “NYC's Most Powerful Book-fluencer” by New York magazine's Vulture, Zibby currently lives in New York with her husband and four children. She always has a book nearby. https://zibbyowens.com/  Pitches With Bitches: Laura Cathcart Robbins and Stefanie Wilder Taylor are conducting a virtual pitching workshop on Oct 23rd from 11-1 pm (PT). We will tell you everything we know about getting your work published online to build up your resume. It will also include an up-to-date list of over 80 places to send your stuff! The class is filling up fast to hold your spot email StefanieWilderTaylor@gmail.com Special thanks to our sponsors: Mercato: Mercato is a grocery delivery service that supports local, independent merchants. Sign up for Mercato Green at https://www.mercato.com/ for unlimited free delivery and use the code THEONLYONE to get $20 off your first order!  Smile Brilliant: You could have a dentist make your trays for three, four hundred dollars, or you can head over to www.smilebrilliant.com and use their lab-direct mail process for a fraction of that.  Just head over to www.smilebrilliant.com and use the coupon code ROOM for an exclusive The Only One In The Room discount. Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Cute Booty Lounge: Cute Booty Lounge is made by women and for women. There's a cute booty style for everyone! Cute Booty Lounge has you covered...Embrace Your Body, Love Your Booty! Head to Cutebooty.com or click the link here to order yours, but don't forget to enter the code theonlybooty to get 15% off your first order! Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays & Sunday Edition every Sunday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First Draft Episode #327: Benjamin Dreyer Benjamin Dreyer, vice president, executive managing editor and copy chief of Random House, and New York Times bestselling author of Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style and Dreyer's English (Adapted for Young Readers): Good Advice for Good Writing. Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode: “Meet the Guardian of Grammar Who Wants to Help You Be a Better Writer,” by Sarah Lyall in The New York Times Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer's Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting and Surviving Your First Book by Courtney Maum (hear Courtney weigh in on the traditional publishing process in Track Changes: Publishing 101) #1 New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout, author of Olive Kitteridge, Olive Again, and the recent release Oh William! Shirley Jackson, author of The Haunting of Hill House, The Lottery, and more

Over recent decades, community-based environmental monitoring (often called "citizen science") has exploded in popularity, aided both by smartphones and rapid gains in computing power that make the analysis of large data sets far easier.             Publishing in BioScience, handling editors Rick Bonney, of Cornell University, Finn Danielsen, of the Nordic Foundation for Development and Ecology (NORDECO), and numerous colleagues share an open-access special section (already downloaded thousands of times) that highlights numerous community-based monitoring programs currently underway.             In an article on locally based monitoring, Danielsen and colleagues describe the potential for monitoring by community members—who may have little scientific training—to deliver "credible data at local scale independent of external experts and can be used to inform local and national decision making within a short timeframe."             Community-based monitoring efforts also have the potential to empower Indigenous rightsholders and stakeholders through their broader inclusion in the scientific process, writes Bonney in a Viewpoint article introducing the section. Moreover, he says, "Indigenous and local peoples' in situ knowledge practices have the potential to make significant contributions to meeting contemporary sustainability challenges both locally and around the globe."             In this episode of BioScience Talks, Bonney and Danielsen join us to discuss the special section as well as the broader future for community-based monitoring.

Alexandra Kleeman is the author of the novel Something New Under the Sun, available from Hogarth Press. Kleeman's other books include Intimations, a short story collection, and the novel You Too Can Have A Body Like Mine, which was awarded the 2016 Bard Fiction Prize and was a New York Times Editor's Choice. In 2020, she was awarded the Rome Prize and the Berlin Prize. Her fiction has been published in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Zoetrope, Conjunctions, and Guernica, among others, and other writing has appeared in Harper's, The New York Times Magazine, VOGUE, Tin House, n+1, and The Guardian. Her work has received fellowships and support from Bread Loaf, Djerassi, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and the Headlands Center for the Arts. Born in 1986 in Berkeley, California, she was raised in Colorado and lives in Staten Island with her husband, the writer Alex Gilvarry. *** Otherppl with Brad Listi is a weekly literary podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Launched in 2011. Books. Literature. Writing. Publishing. Authors. Screenwriters. Etc. Support the show on Patreon Merch www.otherppl.com @otherppl Instagram  YouTube Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Bad Art Friend" is a story that ran in the New York Times last week and it has the publishing world abuzz in a way only the publishing world can be. In this episode, I broke down my thoughts about the scandal and what I think it means for the future of publishing.   WANT A WEEK OF FREE WRITING TIPS FROM ME? GO TO WWW.YOURBOOKWRITINGTIPS.COM.

This episode stars Christina Beauchemin (Let My Legacy Be Love: A Shortcut to Self-Loving). It was recorded over the Zoom between the This Podcast Will Change Your Life home studio in Chicago, IL and Beauchemin's home in the glory that is upstate New York in September 2021. 

Bestselling author Eric Rickstad joins us on the podcast this week to discuss his newest dark, psychological thriller, I Am Not Who You Think I Am. Eric talks to us about his unique and organic writing process, how he plots the twists and turns of his thrillers, and why he is drawn to writing stories about the aftermath of violence.  Learn more about this episode!

Publishing Talks began as a series of conversations with book industry professionals and others involved in media and technology, mostly talking about the future of publishing, books, and culture. I've spent time talking with people in the book industry about how publishing is evolving in the context of technology, culture, and economics. Some time back, this […] The post Publishing Talks: Interview with Jeff Deutsch of Seminary Co-op Bookstores first appeared on WritersCast.

How do you feel about the different publishing options out there? Do you feel confident or intimidated? As writers and creative entrepreneurs, we are told the traditional publishing route is the way to go if you want to be taken seriously in the writing world. Want to be a legitimate author? Go pitch yourself to one of the big five, they say...But what if we took all the ego and false beliefs out of the equation and instead focused on bringing our art to life while showing up authentically in our writing? Today's profound conversation is delivered by the inspiring Roxan McDonald. In this episode, Roxan and Lauren dive deep into the craft of writing. They chat about how the publishing world is changing and the immense opportunity this represents to new authors. Roxan also shares her beautiful definition of craft as well as her journey as a writer and influencer. Connect with Lauren and the show: Website - https://schoolforwriters.com/ Instagram - @laurenmariefleming & @schoolforwriters Head over to schoolforwriters.com/podcast/ to find all the resources and book recommendations mentioned in this episode!

Katie Carey is the CEO of Soulful Valley Publishing. An International Best Selling Author and a global ranked podcast host. Katie is a passionate, creative, coach and mentor and loves helping metaphysical coaches and healers become more visible through her podcast and multi author book opportunities. Katie is a Reiki Master, EFT practitioner, Mindfulness and Law of Attraction Coach. She studied Psychology, Science of the Mind, Counselling & Psychotherapy and Challenging ideas in Mental health alongside Psychic Development, Mediumship and Angel therapy. Katie won the Educational Spirit of Corby Award for the work she did with the Alternative Mental Health Charity that she founded. Katie is a finalist in the 2021 Women's Business Award in the “Overcomer” category. She is disabled, being ill- health retired at 47 because of her conditions.Katie lives in the UK and has 3 adult children and 2 granddaughters. https://www.soulfulvalley.comSource: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/katie-carey-ceo-of-soulful-valley-publishing-brilliance-business

Forecast 2022, which takes place at the Harvard Club in New York City on Nov. 16, 2022 is broadcast media's most prestigious leadership conference. Deborah Parenti, EVP/Publisher at Streamline Publishing, talks with our host Zack Hack about cybersecurity's place at the table this year. Steve Morgan, founder of Cybersecurity Ventures and Editor-in-Chief at Cybercrime Magazine will be one of the keynote interviews at Forecast 2022. Learn more about the event at https://radioinkforecast.com/

S&S Live (Episode 31): Screenplay competition reader and Writers' Assistant Q&A with Alison Golub (Writers' Assistant on Disney+'s JUST BEYOND).   Did you ever wonder who actually reads your screenplay when you enter a competition? What makes some scripts stand out and others fall flat? Do they really only read the first ten pages and stop if they don't like it?  Ever wonder what a writers' assistant does in a TV writers' room? How do you find out about and land those elusive gigs? What skills do you need to have?   We'll get A's to all those Q"s and more! Join the live stream!   Alison on Twitter: https://twitter.com/alibrooke4ever  WATCH the VIDEO version of this Episode:  https://youtu.be/HM57oNbLi9Y More great screenwriting and industry interviews and resources: http://scriptsandscribes.com/  Join us on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/wey4e6E and Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scriptsandscribes  Stay up to date on Social Media:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/ScriptsScribes Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/scriptsandscribes/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/scriptsandscribes/  Listen to the podcast on: Anchor.fm: https://anchor.fm/scriptsandscribes iTunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scripts-scribes/id527744621 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1XcDzrHXhwIfTtiLW1SXGY Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5zY3JpcHRzYW5kc2NyaWJlcy5jb20vP2ZlZWQ9cnNzMg

Roo Benjamin talks about how he is becoming a writer, how creativity works and how he is choosing his own niche. Roo Benjamin is a writer, friend, teacher, and coach. He is interested in nature, education, creativity, spirituality, ethics, personal growth “If you don't know where you are, where your starting point, you could get horribly lost.” “I believe that it's powerful to live in an integrated life, a whole life” “Let the path reveal your own niche” TimeStamp [07:35] One of the questions was do I write with my birth name or a pen name [09:21] Becoming Roo Benjamin. Committing to publishing. [10:20] Checking inwardly for alignment [12:21] Getting validation from readers [13:50] Draw your future process [14:30] 3 bold steps [16:55] How to figure out your purpose [19:57] Practical steps to take when you pivot [21:50] Becoming a transformative writer [22:50] The litmus test of the type of content to create [23:40] Writing for SEO and having an AI writing tool [25:29] Importance of asking why [26:45] Does it matter how many people you reach or is it a matter of quality? Useful links: Roo Benjamin Medium https://medium.com/@roobenjamin/ RooBenji Twitter https://twitter.com/roobenji Follow Patti Dobrowolski - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/upyourcreativegenius/ Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/patti-dobrowolski-532368/ Up Your Creative Genius https://www.upyourcreativegenius.com/

Julie Poole is the author of the poetry collection Bright Specimen, available now from Deep Vellum. Poole was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. She received a BA from Columbia University and an MFA in poetry from The New Writers Project at The University of Texas at Austin. She has received fellowship support from the James A. Michener Center, the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation, The Corsicana Artist and Writer Residency, and Yaddo. In 2017, she was a finalist for the Keene Prize for Literature. Her poems and essays have appeared in Borderlands: Texas Poetry Review, CutBank, Denver Quarterly, Poet Lore, Cold Mountain Review, Porter House Review, HuffPost, and elsewhere. Her arts and culture writing has appeared in Publishers Weekly, the Ploughshares Blog, Sightlines, The Texas Observer, Texas Monthly, Scalawag, and Bon Appétit. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her growing collection of found butterflies. *** Otherppl with Brad Listi is a weekly literary podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Launched in 2011. Books. Literature. Writing. Publishing. Authors. Screenwriters. Etc. Support the show on Patreon Merch www.otherppl.com @otherppl Instagram  YouTube Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Photo: Svetlana Lokhova, author of Spygate Exposed. 11/12: #CrossfireHurricaneDiary: At CPAC 2020.  Publishing Spygate Exposed January, 2021.  Svetlana Lokhova @TheRealSLokhova. #FriendsofHistoryDebatingSociety https://youtu.be/pG93ztyIRQs

“Sometimes it's fine to stay in your lane, but if you gotta get out of your lane, you need someone that's been in that lane before.” - Rebecca Linney Today's featured author is Mompreneur (entrepreneur AND mom!), Rebecca Linney. Rebecca and I talk about her authoring her first children's book after struggling to find a way to get her young son to sleep, lessons learned from a past business venture, and more!!   Key Thing's You'll Learn: Why Rebecca considerers herself an accidental author. Why Rebecca chose her 1st book to be a children's book. Rebecca's Major Tip for Publishing a Kid's Book The trick to getting your child to sleep and stop asking yourself “Will I ever sleep again?” Does Rebecca's son know that she wrote a book about him and what he thinks about it. What entrepreneurial failure taught Rebecca one of her biggest lessons. The ingredients needed to bake your own “Success” cake.   Rebecca's Site: https://thegrowingbed.com/ Rebecca's IG Page: https://www.instagram.com/thegrowingbed/?hl=en Rebecca's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Rebecca-Linney/e/B08XLDLZJQ/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk   The opening track is titled "Pilot Wings Remix" by Rukunetsu (aka Project R). Click on the following link to listen and cop the full tune. https://soundcloud.com/rukunetsu/pilotwings-4-results   You May Also Like…   150 - "Princess Monroe and Her Happily Ever After" with Jody Vallee Smith: https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/150-princess-monroe-and-her-happily-ever-after-with-jody-vallee-smith/   255 – “Women Who Soar” with Pastor Paulette Harper (@pauletteharper): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/255-women-who-soar-with-pastor-paulette-harper-pauletteharper/   Ep. 389 – “Unshakable, Undaunted, & Undefeated” with Elizabeth Meyers (@thelizmeyers): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-389-unshakable-undaunted-undefeated/   247 – “Cozy Mysteries & Inclusive Children's Books” with Kelly Brakenhoff (@inBrakenVille): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/247-cozy-mysteries-inclusive-childrens-books-with-kelly-brakenhoff-inbrakenville/   Ep. 335 – “Last of the Gifted” with Marie Powell (@mepowell): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-335-last-of-the-gifted-with-marie-powell-mepowell/   241.5 (Charm City Bonus Episode) – “Off She Goes to Mexico” with Laurel Conran: https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/2415-charm-city-bonus-episode-off-she-goes-to-mexico-with-laurel-conran/   113 - "Business, Faith & Empowering Women Over 40" with Jen Du Plessis (@JenDuPlessis): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/113-business-faith-empowering-women-over-40-with-jen-du-plessis-jenduplessis/   224 – “A Ride to Remember” with Amy Nathan (@AmyNathanBooks): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/224-a-ride-to-remember-with-amy-nathan-amynathanbooks/   144 - "Legends of The Grail" with Ayn Cates Sullivan (@AynCateSullivan): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/144-legends-of-the-grail-with-ayn-cates-sullivan-ayncatesullivan/   291 – “Unleash the Goddess Within” with Diane Vich (@dianevich): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/291-unleash-the-goddess-within-with-diane-vich-dianevich-c2h/   Ep. 344.5 – “Poohlicious” with Mary Elizabeth Jackson (@Mary_E_Jackson): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-3445-poohlicious-with-mary-elizabeth-jackson-mary_e_jackson/   Ep. 354 – “Thrilling Self-Love” with Kristina Rienzi: https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-354-thrilling-self-love-with-kristina-rienzi/   Ep. 342.5 – “The Little Bear in a Boat” with Takelia Hammett: https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-3425-the-little-bear-in-a-boat-with-takelia-hammett/   Ep. 349 – “Mommy, Why?” with Erin Royce: https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-349-mommy-why-with-erin-royce/

This week in #StarWars #news, major book announcements, #Visions does well in the streaming ratings, new #Hasbro #actionfigures, #Podathon2021 rolls on and rumors about the Book of Boba Fett.Podathon: www.Atgcast.com/Podathon Books: StarWars.comStreaming: https://www.parrotanalytics.com/insights/tv-series-demand-across-all-television-platforms-for-the-us-25-september-01-october-2021/Art of Visions: https://amzn.to/3iL2cKSHasbro: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Star-Wars-The-Vintage-Collection-Carbonized-Collection-Shoretrooper-3-75-inch-Figure/714488694 Book of Boba Fett: https://www.starwarsnewsnet.com/2021/10/exclusive-wild-scene-description-from-the-book-of-boba-fett.htmlPatreon.com/ATGcastATGcast.comTwitter.com/ATGcastFacebook.com/ATGcastInstagram.com/ATGcastTikTok.com/ATGcast

Mark interviews Carol Van Natta about the collaborative author PETS IN SPACE series. Prior to the main content, Mark shares a personal update, recent comments, and shares an audio clip of Will Dages from Findaway Voices, this episode's sponsor. You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway. In their conversation, Mark and Carol discuss: How, back in high school, Carol and a bunch of her friends wrote a great deal of fan fiction Pitching her first co-written book to publishers, and then experimenting with KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) The different series novels that Carol has written and released The origin of the Pets in Space anthology series and the charity it raises funds for "Pigs in Space" from the Muppet Show and how the anthology is meant to be a fun one that doesn't take itself too seriously Each release of the anthology being limited so that the rights can go back to all the individual authors Carol being in numerous editions, then becoming the editor of Pets in Space 6 The curation involved in creating the anthology Cross promotion opportunities for the 11 authors involved in this project How the giant anthology (Approximately 400,000 words) is only produced in eBook and not print (mostly for logistical reasons) The pros and cons of the anthology only being available for a limited time Writing with music, and the "Pets in Space" playlist Susan Smith's song that she wrote and produced How writers interested in being considered for this anthology series can reach out to Carol The fact that other writers are not competition for one another Advice Carol would give her younger self: Outlining is a good thing And more...   After the interview, Mark reflects on how easy misunderstandings can happen over different groups in the author and publishing communities using words to mean different products (such as "anthology") and the power of author collaborations. Links of Interest: Carol Van Natta's Website Pets in Space Raia's Song by S.E. Smith The 6 Figure Author Podcast (Episode 102 - How to Keep Yourself from Stressing Out as an Author While Still Achieving Your Goals) Findaway Voices Announcing Marketplace Self-Publishing Insiders Chat with Will Dages (YouTube) The 2nd Annual Online Sci-Fi & Fantasy Writers Conference (Oct 16, 2021) The 2021 NaNoWriMo Writing Tools Storybundle Patreon for Stark Reflections The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City   Carol Van Natta is a USA TODAY bestselling and award-winning science fiction and fantasy author. Series include the Central Galactic Concordance space opera series that starts with Last Ship Off Polaris-G, Overload Flux, and Minder Rising, and the Ice Age Shifters® paranormal romance series that starts with Shifter Mate Magic and Shift of Destiny. She is also the editor of the Pets in Space 6 science fiction romance anthology. She shares her Fort Collins, CO home with just the right number of mad-scientist cat   The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

S&S Live (Episode 31): Meet the Manager Q&A with Marc Manus of World Builder Entertainment. What does he look for in prospective clients? What kind of material is he looking to develop and produce? All your representation and industry questions will be answered. Join the live stream chat!  Marc on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ManagerMarc  WATCH the VIDEO version of this Episode:  https://youtu.be/A6-5us-WLvQ  More great screenwriting and industry interviews and resources: http://scriptsandscribes.com/   Join us on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/wey4e6E  and Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scriptsandscribes   Stay up to date on Social Media:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/ScriptsScribes  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/scriptsandscribes/  IG: https://www.instagram.com/scriptsandscribes/   Listen to the podcast on: Anchor.fm: https://anchor.fm/scriptsandscribes  iTunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scripts-scribes/id527744621  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1XcDzrHXhwIfTtiLW1SXGY  Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5zY3JpcHRzYW5kc2NyaWJlcy5jb20vP2ZlZWQ9cnNzMg

Today I'm talking about leadership roles and what you should focus on before you plan to lead anybody else.  This lesson has served me in my corporate career and I think it continues to serve me as I lead my team at LeadHer Publishing. The answer may not be what you think.  lead-her.com @leadher_inc #theleadhershow

During episode #40 our host Stephanie A. Wynn goes into full detail about How To Write A How To Guide or Book. Be sure to grab your free 8 Tips On How To Publish A Book: A Complete Checklist For Writing and Publishing Book visit https://stephanieawynn.com/free-author-checklist/EPISODE NOTESWHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:Start With An Anecdote:An anecdote is a short story, usually serving to make the listeners laugh or ponder over a topic.Tell the Reader, Why You Intend to Share How To Be Clear On The Purpose of Your Book.What Is The Book Mean To Do?Break Your Book Down into ChaptersKeep The Reader In Mind.Finish By Re-Affirming That You Have Shared What The Reader Needed To Know.Four Business TIP Takeaways:Believe In Your Book.Do Not Give  Up Protect Your Author Brand.****************************************************************************Grab Your Copy of My Book: Readi-Set Go! A Simple Guide To Establishing A Successful Small BusinessGet Tickets to the I've Published My Book Now, What? Workshop Series for Authors****************************************************************************To  Be A Guest on the Podcast: https://letstalkbusinesswithstephanie.com/FREEBIE: 8 Tips On How To Publish A Book: A Complete Checklist For Writing and Publishing BookHow you can get involved:Be sure to support the podcast by sharing with your friends and family (https://letstalkbusinesswithstephanie.com).Support the Podcast by donating here.Follow Stephanie on FB/IG/TWITTER/LinkedIn: Stephanie A. WynnTo learn more about Stephanie A. Wynn visit stephanieawynn.comEnjoyed the Podcast? Be sure to subscribe on iTunes. Click here to  leave a review.

You are going to love our chat today with Ty Cohen, a longtime entrepreneur, who is now taking over the world of online publishing. There's a lot of money to be made with Amazon Publishing, and whether you are a writer or not, Ty teaches people how to get your books published in the world's biggest online bookstore. His students consist of writers who want to get their content out to the masses, authority figures who publish in order to get leads for their courses and high ticket offers, as well as people who use ghostwriters to publish a series of books with a huge audience behind them.   Listen in as Ty talks about what niches to publish in, how to find out what your audience is reading before you pick a subject, and how he teaches his students to market. He also discusses where to advertise, how to repurpose your content and where to find people to write for you as well as create audio books. Lastly, Ty chats about some opportunities he has outside of the publishing world and his thoughts on NFTs and leaving a legacy. After you have listened and realized the opportunity behind publishing, check out our chats with Laura Gale and Rob Kosberg for even more insight and vision into the world of self-publishing.    “In internet marketing we always hear that you want to go with the niches, which is fine sometimes. But when you want to make a lot of money…when you want to be to the point where you are continuously making cash where it's hard to shut it off, you want to go where the markets are wide and evergreen.” - Ty Cohen    Some Topics We Discussed Include:   What niches to look at when publishing Example of categories where  Ty's students are crushing it, including Ty's teenage son who is make $4K a month publishing in one particular category The easiest way to get someone to buy from you Writing a book vs. hiring a ghostwriter Creating a journey for your reader where they will want to buy from you over and over again The one important approach that most non-fiction authors are missing The 3 must have criteria when you are doing your market research How to repurpose the book you've already made and where to hire people to make it an easy process   Resources From Ty Cohen:   KCFLive.com KindleCashFlow.com   References and Links Mentioned:   Upwork Guru Fiverr  Rev.com  Otter.ai  Are you ready to be EPIC with us?! Then grab our EGP Letter here! Want to get the Action Guide from this episode? Grab them here! Check out our awesome YouTube Channel channel, made for digital marketers and business pros looking for actionable insights, where we dish out meaningful content, relevant topics, and transparent discussions with industry experts. Join the Facebook Community - be sure to hop in our Facebook group to chat with us, our other amazing guests that we've had on the show, and fellow entrepreneurs! We also have a new PodHacker YouTube Channel where you can learn how to build, grow, and monetize a podcast with our unique "PodHacks." We post tutorials, tips, and interview clips that help podcasters scale their show and make more money from their efforts. This episode is sponsored by Easy Webinar - be sure to check out this special deal for our listeners. How To Publish And Market A Book Into Millions In Sales - Rob Kosberg A Step-By-Step Blueprint To Write And Publish Your Book - Laura Gale

S&S Live (Episode 30): Meet the Showrunner Q&A with writer/showrunner Anthony Sparks (QUEEN SUGAR, THE BLACKLIST, LINCOLN HEIGHTS) and get answers to all your staffing and writing questions!   Anthony on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SparksAnthony   WATCH the VIDEO version of this Episode:  https://youtu.be/rRg8I6-BTwU   More great screenwriting and industry interviews and resources: http://scriptsandscribes.com/   Join us on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/wey4e6E  and Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scriptsandscribes   Stay up to date on Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/ScriptsScribes  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/scriptsandscribes/  IG: https://www.instagram.com/scriptsandscribes/   Listen to the podcast on: Anchor.fm: https://anchor.fm/scriptsandscribes  iTunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scripts-scribes/id527744621  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1XcDzrHXhwIfTtiLW1SXGY  Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5zY3JpcHRzYW5kc2NyaWJlcy5jb20vP2ZlZWQ9cnNzMg

“It is only by imitating the vices of others that I have earned my misfortunes.” ~Marquis de Sade. 6 questions to ask to get clarity on your book publishing plan. Join the author conversation - and ask more questions: https://www.facebook.com/groups/inkauthors/ Learn more about YDWH and catch up on old episodes: www.yourdailywritinghabit.com

Kevin McQuarn, and previous guests of the Blerd-ish podcast, Antoine GHOST Mitchell, & Jason Reeves discuss their creator owned and independently published projects and the things involved to get these projects out to the public. This panel also took place during the Mid City Micro Con --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blerd-ish/support

*This episode is brought to you by Kensington's newest title from Shelly Laurenston, Breaking Badger.Summary:New York Times Bestselling author Tessa Bailey joins Kelly to discuss her latest release, the "Schitt's Creek"-inspired romance, It Happened One Summer. Other discussion topics include staying true to yourself in your writing, growing older (NOT old) alongside your characters, and learning to embrace "zoom culture" in 2020. Plus, a sneak peek at Tessa's next project with Avon!Guest:Tessa BaileyIG: @tessabaileyisanauthorTiktok: @authortessabaileyShow Notes:- Sponsored ad for Breaking Badger by Shelly Laurenston (00:00:05 - 00:01:37)- You can catch Tessa and I in conversation with Burbank Public Library on their Summer Love panel (on YouTube)- Embracing "zoom culture" and understanding each other better - The professor who went viral on TikTok as a potato- Starting with (and revisiting) Tessa's first book, Protecting What's His (00:06:56)- Keeping the work to yourself in order to stay true to yourself- "If it turns you on, it's going to turn someone else on."- Establishing trust with an editor who knows your limits for criticism (00:16:13)- Writing/Publishing outside of your comfort zone: from lifeguards to vampires- Aging up with your characters - Tessa's latest release, It Happened One Summer, and the binge-worthy TV show that inspired it (00:25:08)- Meet you in Westport, WA?- The benefits and challenges to writing a small town romance in a REAL small town (00:31:03)- Getting called out by comedians... Bo Burnham vs. Bill Burr - Creating art, making moves, and "rearranging the cards" in 2020- What if a man said and did everything he meant...? Enter Brendan.- The process of writing steamy scenes (00:51:39) - Next up: tackling toxic masculinity in Hook, Line, and Sinker (March 1st, 2022 release)- A future time travel romance?Books, Authors, & TV Shows Mentioned:Historical Romance Authors: Kerrigan Byrne & Sarah MacLean"Schitt's Creek" (Netflix)"Ted Lasso" (Apple TV+)"White Woman's Instagram" by Bo Burnham (from "Inside" on Netflix)Karen Marie Moning's Highlander series - listen to our review of Spell of the Highlander*Use the promo code BOOBIES10 for 10% off your first Steam Box order* Follow Boobies & Noobies on Twitter, Instagram, & Facebook @boobiespodcast and check out our blog, merch, and more on our brand new Boobies & Noobies website.*Boobies & Noobies is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts*

This week on Deadline City we head to the Query Quarter. We have an honest discussion about how we got our agents, when you know you need to move on, and how to keep going. Whether you're polishing your first letter or an author thinking of making a change, this episode is for you. Support the show (http://Ko-fi.com/deadlinecity)

— “I wish that I'd had Vibrational Astrology when I was younger. My currents explain a lot of things about myself that I couldn't verbalize before, even though I knew they were there. It identifies very critical parts of yourself that can't be seen by the naked eye in the natal chart. It's a vital tool for coming to understand yourself and not struggling with who you are.” — Says Clarrisa Valeria Teles interviews Clarissa Dolphin — a Shamanic Healer, Certified Vibrational Astrologer, Tarot Diviner, Reiki Master, Writer, And Speaker based in Los Angeles. Clarissa Dolphin's work has been featured in The Career Astrologer, Dirty Laundry, White Hot, Broccoli City, Notion and award-winning Australian art publication FAINT. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2006 with B.A.s in English Literature and English Writing and walked away with a Masters in Publishing from the University of the Arts London in 2008.  Clarissa received her Professional Astrology Certificate (PAC) in January, 2018 from the Avalon School of Astrology after apprenticing for nearly three years under David Cochrane, the founder of Vibrational Astrology and master of modern harmonics. Clarissa's breakthrough astrological research projects include the discovery of the meaning and interpretive application of the Lunar Nodes, the Quincunx aspect, as well as the Parts of Fortunes and Spirit in Vibrational Astrology. She regularly presents her research discoveries as a lecturer in various venues. She was elected to the Board of Directors for the International Society for Astrological Research in February 2021, to serve until 2025. To learn more about Clarissa Dolphin and her work, please visit: siderealsoul.com     — This podcast is a quest for well-being, a quest for a meaningful life through the exploration of fundamental truths, enlightening ideas, insights on physical, mental, and spiritual health. The inspiration is Love. The aspiration is to awaken new ways of thinking that can lead us to a new way of being, being well. 

S&S Live (Episode 29): Meet the Manager Q&A with Jarrod Murray of Epicenter Get all your Q's about the industry and representation answered.   Jarrod on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theofficialword   WATCH a VIDEO version of this Episode:  https://youtu.be/VmiHDTVlTIA More great screenwriting and industry interviews and resources: http://scriptsandscribes.com/   Join us on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/wey4e6E  and Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scriptsandscribes   Stay up to date on Social Media:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/ScriptsScribes  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/scriptsandscribes/  IG: https://www.instagram.com/scriptsandscribes/   Listen to the podcast on: Anchor.fm: https://anchor.fm/scriptsandscribes  iTunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scripts-scribes/id527744621  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1XcDzrHXhwIfTtiLW1SXGY  Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5zY3JpcHRzYW5kc2NyaWJlcy5jb20vP2ZlZWQ9cnNzMg

Publishing is the most important part of creating a following online. If that's the case why are so many coaches and consultants avoiding it? It's because most find it painful! So, watch this show and learn exactly how I automate the entire process. I create 1 10-15 minute video per week and then turn that into a Facebook Live, a instagram reel, over 100 social media posts and a podcast show! Here's the tools that I talked about: https://www.techsmith.com for Camtasia Video Editing https://www.temi.com for transcribing the words Https://www.canva.com for creating the social media posts https://www.hootsuite.com for all the social media posting. https://www.libsyn.com for my podcast If you want to actually watch how all this fits together then join me on this live workshop and I will pay it out for you: https://www.authorityfactor.info Get More Involved: Leave a 5 Star Review 7 Subscribe On iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/authority-factor/id1516170809 Free Roadmap To Building A 7-Figure Coaching Business: https://www.AuthorityFactor.info Access All My Stuff: https://www.KenDunn.com Book Me To Speak: https://www.KenDunn.com Subscribe on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/kendunnauthorityfactor

José Vadi is the author of the debut essay collection Inter State: Essays from California (Soft Skull).   He received the San Francisco Foundation's Shenson Performing Arts Award for his debut play “a eulogy for three” produced by Marc Bamuthi Joseph's Living Word Project. He is the author of SoMa Lurk, a collection of photos and poems published by Project Kalahati / Pro Arts Oakland. His work has been featured by the Paris Review, the PBS NewsHour, the San Francisco Chronicle, Catapult, McSweeney's, The Los Angeles Review of Books, Quartersnacks, Free Skate Magazine and Pop-Up Magazine. He lives in Sacramento. *** Otherppl with Brad Listi is a weekly literary podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Launched in 2011. Books. Literature. Writing. Publishing. Authors. Screenwriters. Life. Death. Etc. Support the show on Patreon Merch www.otherppl.com @otherppl Instagram  YouTube Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, I'm joined by Elaine Ursy, a self-published author of two books, a coach at SPS school, and has completed hundreds of coaching calls with students. Since she is well-known in her peer group for having the ability to explain concepts to others that are hard to understand, she thought turning her adult non-fiction book into a children's book would be her next step in publishing. "I remember being five and people telling me that I'm going to do big things one day." Her intuition told her that she would do bigger than life projects, but she wasn't sure where her journey would take her in life. "When I got the opportunity to work for Self-Publishing School, it was an obvious choice." Her first book, Don't Be Weird, was a book based on Gospel teachings. She decided to write a children's version as she saw a need in the market for another way for children to learn God's teachings besides large, expensive courses. "I'm Not Weird was born in about 15 minutes." With her first draft in hand, she was excited to move forward in her publishing process. Elaine's biggest takeaways from her creating her children's book are the differences in the editing process from adult to children's books, types of books, binding and printing, and how fulfillment is different on Amazon for children's books. Listen in to find out how she assigned every page a job in her book, how she chose the age range to write her book for, and the most challenging phase of writing her children's book.   Show Notes [01:43] Why Elaine decided to write her first book. [03:02] How she made the transition from adult non-fiction to children's book. [04:12] The process of writing her first children's book. [06:35] The differences in both of her processes of book writing.  [09:50] Hardest part of the children's book process for Elaine. [12:39] How she decided what age range to write for and who she received her best feedback from during the editing process. [15:35] The advice she gives clients she coaches on publishing children's books. [19:15] Fufillment choices and how KDP is the best for easy fulfillment. [22:00] How she found the novelty press she used to print her children's book and her tips on finding an illustrator. [29:02] What Elaine decided to do to market her book and how she chose her niche market. [32:47] Tips on choosing keywords and categories to sell your book. [35:19] What you should prepare for before you jump on your first coaching call with a book coach.   Links and Resources Visit Self Publishing School Online SPS Free Training Course How to Write a Children's Book Online Course Visit Elaine on her website

Erika Schickel author of You're Not the Boss of Me: Adventures of a Modern Mom (2007) and whose work has appeared in The Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, Tin House and Salon, discusses the launch of her new book The Big Hurt.   WANT TO RECEIVE A TIP A DAY FOR A WEEK THAT WILL GET YOU STARTED WRITING YOUR BOOK? GO TO: WWW.LEGACYLAUNCHPAD.COM/FREE-TIPS

S&S Live (Episode 28): Meet the Showrunner Q&A with writer/showrunner/creator David H. Steinberg (NO GOOD NICK, THE SIMPSONS, PUSS IN BOOTS, KINDERGARTEN COP 2, AMERICAN PIE 2) and get answers to all your staffing, feature and TV development, animation writing questions and more!   David on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidHSteinberg   WATCH the VIDEO version of this Episode:  https://youtu.be/7TFoLSS385g More great screenwriting and industry interviews and resources: http://scriptsandscribes.com/   Join us on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/wey4e6E  and Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scriptsandscribes   Stay up to date on Social Media:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/ScriptsScribes  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/scriptsandscribes/  IG: https://www.instagram.com/scriptsandscribes/   Listen to the podcast on: Anchor.fm: https://anchor.fm/scriptsandscribes  iTunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scripts-scribes/id527744621  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1XcDzrHXhwIfTtiLW1SXGY  Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5zY3JpcHRzYW5kc2NyaWJlcy5jb20vP2ZlZWQ9cnNzMg

Devan Jensen is the president of the LDS Publishing & Media Association.  What is it exactly, and who is it for?  Devan will introduce us to the group, and even give it 2 discount codes to attend meetings in October. Devan:  I'm Devan Jensen and I work in Church publishing. I'm an editor and a […] The post LDS Publishing & Media Assoc (Part 1 of 3 Devan Jensen) appeared first on Gospel Tangents.

Omnichannel or Multi-Channel: What's the Difference & Can We Use Both?[VIDEO] What is Multi-Channel Publishing?

Marketing Consultant, Lauren Flower-Kim, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about her career as a marketing leader at both Random House and HarperCollins; what role—and power—Marketing Departments have in Children's Publishing; what three ways a book creator can market their book; and more.

In conversation with Tamala Edwards, anchor, 6ABC Action News morning edition Publishing industry veteran Christine Pride has held a variety of editorial positions at Doubleday, Simon & Schuster, and Crown, among other publishing companies. In this capacity she has championed and edited a number of New York Times bestselling memoirs and inspirational stories. Also a freelance editorial consultant, teacher, and coach, Pride writes the ''Race Matters'' column for the popular blog Cup of Jo. A journalist, editor, and podcast host, Jo Piazza is also the author of seven novels, including Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win, If Nuns Ruled the World, and Fitness Junkie. Her other writing has been widely published in a variety of places, including The Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, and Slate. She formerly served as a managing editor for Yahoo! Travel, the executive news director for the print and digital editions of In Touch Weekly, and the senior digital editor at Current TV. Pride and Piazza's collaborative novel tells the dual-perspective story of two lifelong friends, one Black and one white, whose bond is forever changed when the latter's police officer husband is involved in the shooting of an unarmed Black teenager. Books provided by Uncle Bobbie's Coffee and Books (recorded 10/4/2021)

When you have something bad or unfortunate happen and you are trying to figure out how to fix it or get out of the predicament, what do you do first? Do you try and figure it out on your own or do you stop and pray for God to help you figure out what to do first? In our story today and young boy and his friends learn from his mother how important it is to stop and pray first. Putting your faith in God to come to your rescue verses you trying to save yourself. If you're interested in any other books published by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, please visit adventistbookcenter.com or call 1-800-765-6955.Visit our website: www.kathyskidsstorytime.org We'd love to hear from you. Write to us at:Kathy@kathyskidsstorytime.orgorKathy's Kids StorytimePO Box 44270Charlotte, NC 28215-0043Special Thanks:Recorded by: Kathy Russell, Children's Ministry Director Edited by: Communication Department

NATSO's Alternative Fuels Council Vice President Ginger Laidlaw returns to NATSO's podcast to talk about blending renewable fuels, some of the incentives involved and the services and tools that the Alternative Fuels Council offers. Hosted by: Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Media, NATSO

Canada has an impressive tradition of producing great printer/trade-publishers. Three of our best are Stan Bevington, Tim Inkster, and Andrew Steeves. Ancient interviews with all three can be found here on The Biblio File website.   The one with Andrew took place a dozen years ago, so I figured it was time to clock another. I drove down to Kentville, Nova Scotia last month, where Andrew lives and works, and sat down with him again, just inside the place where the wall cordoning off his office used to sit (it came down about a decade ago). Andrew bills himself as a writer, editor, typographer, letterpress printer and literary publisher. I know him as the co-founder (with Gary Dunfield) of Gaspereau Press. Over the past two decades he's won more than 50 citations for excellence in book design from Canada's Alcuin Society. His essay collection Smoke Proofs: Essays on Literary Publishing, Printing and Typography appeared in 2014.   We talk here mostly about the specifics of book design and how Andrew makes books that very beautifully and aptly express their contents; plus "best" title selection, pilcrows, and the importance in life of paying attention.  

Mark Leslie Lefebvre's first short story appeared in print in 1992, the same year he started working in the book industry.He has published more than twenty-five books under the name Mark Leslie that include thrillers and fiction (Evasion, A Canadian Werewolf in New York, One Hand Screaming), paranormal non-fiction (Haunted Hospitals, Spooky Sudbury, Tomes of Terror) and anthologies (Campus Chills, Tesseracts Sixteen, Obsessions). Under his full name he writes books to help authors navigate publishing. And they include The 7 P's of Publishing Success and An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries and Bookstores.His industry experience includes President of the Canadian Booksellers Association, Board Member of BookNet Canada, Director of Author Relations and Self-Publishing for Rakuten Kobo, Director of Business Development for Draft2Digital and Professional Advisor for Sheridan College's Creative Writing and Publishing Honours Program.Mark lives in Waterloo, Ontario and can be found online at http://markleslie.ca/Dr Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai is an award-winning Vietnamese writer and journalist. She is the author of eleven books of poetry, short fiction and non-fiction. Her books in Vietnamese has received the 2010 Poetry of the Year Award from the Hanoi Writers Association, the Capital's Literature & Arts Award, and First Prize in the Poetry Competition celebrating 1,000 Years of Hanoi. Her debut novel and first book in English, THE MOUNTAINS SING, is an International Bestseller, Finalist of the 2021 Dayton Literary Peace Prize, Winner of the 2020 BookBrowse Best Debut Award, Winner of the Blogger's Book Prize 2021, Winner of the 2021 International Book Awards, Winner of the 2021 PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award, and Winner of the 2020 Lannan Literary Award Fellowship for "a work of exceptional quality" and for "contribution to peace and reconciliation".https://nguyenphanquemai.com/The Douglas Coleman Show now offers audio and video promotional packages for music artists as well as video promotional packages for authors. Please see our website for complete details. http://douglascolemanshow.comIf you have a comment about this episode or any other, please click the link below.https://ratethispodcast.com/douglascolemanshow

S&S Live (Episode 27): Live Stream Q&A with Jen Grisanti - author, story consultant, writing instructor (NBC's Writers on the Verge), former VP Current Programing CBS/Paramount TV to answer all your questions on breaking in, TV development, NBC's fellowship program - Writers on the Verge and more!   Jen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jengrisanti Jen's Website: https://jengrisanti.com/  WATCH a VIDEO version of this Episode:  https://youtu.be/HvJ_fVy0010 More great screenwriting and industry interviews and resources: http://scriptsandscribes.com/  Join us on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/wey4e6E and Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scriptsandscribes  Stay up to date on Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/ScriptsScribes Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/scriptsandscribes/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/scriptsandscribes/  Listen to the podcast on: Anchor.fm: https://anchor.fm/scriptsandscribes iTunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scripts-scribes/id527744621 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1XcDzrHXhwIfTtiLW1SXGY Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5zY3JpcHRzYW5kc2NyaWJlcy5jb20vP2ZlZWQ9cnNzMg

Ruth Buchanan is a Christian writer who holds degrees in ministry and theology. She's traditionally published in the areas of fiction, non-fiction, plays, and sacred scripts. She's an eager reader, an enthusiastic traveler, and the world's most reluctant runner. Ruth works as Director of Literary Services for Build a Better Us and currently lives in South Carolina. Learn more about Ruth at ruthbuchananauthor.com.   Show Notes: Twitter: @RuthMBuchanan Insta: @RuthMBuchanan Email: Ruth@buildabetterus.com Blog: https://ruthbuchanan.substack.com/ 

Dave Pell has been writing online for almost as long as the internet has existed. His popular newsletter, NextDraft, has over 140,000 subscribers. NextDraft covers the day's ten most fascinating news stories, delivered with a fast and pithy wit.Dave has been a syndicated writer on NPR, Gizmodo, Forbes, and Huffington Post. He earned his bachelor's degree in English from U.C. Berkeley, and his master's in education from Harvard.Besides being a prolific writer, Dave is also the Managing Partner at Arba, LLC. For more than a decade, Arba has been angel investing in companies like Open Table, GrubHub, Marin Software, Hotel Tonight, Joyus, and Liftopia.In this episode, you'll learn: How Dave merged his two writing passions into a successful product The key to building a strong relationship with your audience How Dave dramatically increased signups to NextDraft Links & Resources Flicker Unsplash Fareed Zakaria Jim Rome The Skimm Morning Brew The Hustle Spark Loop Sam Spratt Dave Pell's Links Dave Pell on Twitter NextDraft newsletter Dave's new book: Please Scream Inside Your Heart NextDraft app PleaseScream.com Episode Transcript[00:00:00] Dave:If you have something to say in one way or another, the internet is a great place for people to figure out a way to receive it. So, that's pretty powerful and still excites me. I still press publish with the same enthusiasm now than I did when the internet first launched.[00:00:23] Nathan:In this episode I talk to Dave Pell, who has been writing for basically as long as the internet has been around. He's been an investor since the early days. He's been writing since the.com bust, and even before then. He writes his popular newsletter with 140,000 subscribers called Next Draft.We have this really fun conversation about writing. His writing process. How he grew the newsletter. Bunch of other things that he cares about. Even a few things that I was interested in, like he doesn't have his face in photos on the internet very much. He has his avatar instead. So, just getting into why that is.He also has a book coming out soon. It's called Scream Inside Your Heart, which is a fun reference to some memes from 2020. So, enjoy the episode. There's a lot in there.Dave. Welcome to the show.[00:01:12] Dave:Thanks a lot for having me on.[00:01:14] Nathan:Okay. So you've been doing this for a long time. You've been writing on the internet since the .com era. So, I'm curious maybe just to kick things off, what have you seen—I realize this is a giant question.What have you seen change? What are some of those trends that you've seen, that you either really miss from the early days, or some of those things that you've held onto from the early days of the internet, that you're really still enjoying?[00:01:46] Dave:Yeah, that is a pretty huge question, but I'll give it a shot. The thing I miss from the early days of the internet is that our democracy was not being destroyed by the internet in the early days of the internet. So, everything we thought we were building, basically it turned out to be the opposite of what actually happened.The part about the internet that I still feel is there, although a little bit less so because of the big companies have sort of taken over all the platforms and stuff, is just the idea that someone can have a passion or a creative output that they want to share with the world, and they can mold internet tools to fit their skills, and then use the internet to broadcast that out, and still become sort of pretty popular withour the “OK” of some gatekeeper at a publication, or at a television studio, or whatever.The indie spirit of the internet still lives on. It ebbs and flows, and has a lot of different iterations. But that was the thing that excited me the most when I first played with the internet. And that's the thing that continues to excite me the most now.[00:02:57] Nathan:I always think of the newsletter, and your newsletter in particular, is that indie spirit. Is that what you see most commonly in newsletters? Or are you seeing it in other places as well?[00:03:10] Dave:I see it in podcasts. I see it in newsletters. I see it in people sharing their art, sharing their photography on Flicker, and up through the more modern tools. I go to a site called Unsplash all the time to look at images, and it's just basically regular people sharing their images.Some of them are professional photographers, some aren't, and they're getting their work out there, and then some of them probably get jobs out of it and stuff like that. So, just the idea that you can have some kind of creative output and have a place to share it. And try to get an audience for that is really inspiring.It's a lot harder than it used to be because there's a few billion more people trying to get attention also, and because there are more gatekeepers now. So, you have to, hope that your app meets Apple's guidelines, or that different products you might want to share on the internet have to meet certain classifications now, whereas they might not have in the very early days of the internet. But in general, if you have something to say in one way or another, the internet is a great place for people to figure out a way to receive it.So, that's pretty powerful, and, still excites me. I still press published with the same enthusiasm now that I did when the internet first launched.[00:04:32] Nathan:Yeah. So let's talk about the main project that you have right now, which is Next Draft. Give listeners the 30-second pitch on Next Draft, of what it is.[00:04:46] Dave:Sure. Basically I call myself the managing editor of the internet. What I basically do is a personality-driven news newsletter where I cover the day's most fascinating news. I cover 10 stories. A lot of times in each section there's more than one link. I give my take on the day's news, each individual story, and then I link off to the source for the full story.When I first launched it, I called it Dinner Party Prep. I provided enough information for you to sort of get the gist of the story. And if there's topics you want to dig deeper, you just click and, you know, go get the story yourself. So that's sort of the overview of it.[00:05:27] Nathan:Nice. And you said that you're obsessed with the news maybe in a somewhat, even unhealthy way. why, where did that come from?[00:05:36] Dave:Yeah. Well, nothing, nothing about my relationship with the internet is only somewhat unhealthy. it's all extremely unhealthy, but, both my parents are Holocaust survivors and, when I was growing up, news was just a very big part of our daily lives, especially when my three older sisters moved out and it was just the three of us, that was sort of our mode of communication.We talked about the news. We watched the news together. Fareed Zakaria is basically the sun my parents always wanted. but so I got really into the news and being able to connect the news to, our everyday lives, which of course my parents had experienced as children and teens and Europe during world war II.And also reading between the lines about why certain politicians might be saying something, why stories are getting published a certain way. So I just got really into that and I've always been into a and college, you know, I, I majored in English, but if we had minors at Berkeley, I would have minored in journalism.I took a bunch of journalism courses. I've always been really into the media, but not so much as quite an insider where I go to work for a newspaper, but more observing, the news and providing sort of a lit review of what's happening and what has momentum in the news. So I sorta got addicted to it and, Also as a writer.My favorite thing to do is counter punch. I like to have somebody give me a topic and then I like to be able to quickly share my take, or make a joke or create a funny headline about that content. So I sorta took those two passions of the way I like to write. I like to write on deadline. I like to write fast and I like to counter punch and the content that I like, which is news, and I sort of merged those two things and created a product, and a pretty cool suite of internet tools to support that.[00:07:35] Nathan:Yeah. So that makes sense that you've identified the constraints that match your style and made something exactly that fits it. the deadline, like having, he, you know, coming out with something on a daily basis, is more than a lot of creators want to do. so what's your process there?[00:07:55] Dave:Yeah. I mean, I should emphasize that I do it every day. Not because I think it's some incredible draw for readers to get Daily Content. I do it every day because I'm addicted to it. If my newsletter had five stories in it, instead of 10, it would do better. If my newsletter came out three days a week instead of five days a week, I'm sure it would do better.If it came out once a week, it would do even better then you know, also if I had a more marketable or not marketable, but a more, business-oriented topic that was more narrow, it would do better. I used to write a newsletter that was just on tech and it was. Really popular in the internet professional community back in the first boom, I had about 50,000 subscribers and there were probably about 52,000 internet professionals.So I just like writing about what I want to write about and I'm addicted to pressing the publish button and I'm just addicted to the process. So I do it because of that. I'm not sure that would be my general advice to somebody trying to market or promote a newsletter.[00:09:01] Nathan:Yep. Are there other iterations, either ever before or things that you tried that you realized like, oh, that's not a fit for your personality, your writing style?[00:09:09] Dave:Yeah. When I first started it, I actually, I'm an angel investor also and have been since, probably right after Google and Yahoo launched. so a while, and I used to, my passion has always been writing, so I wanted to mix writing into that, process. So I would send out 10. Daily stories, but they were all tech news related to the CEOs of the companies I worked with and a few of their employees, so that they wouldn't have to spend their time reading the news or worrying about competitors or worry about what the latest trends in tech, where I would give it to them.And they could focus on doing their jobs and that sorta got shared and got out. so I did that for a few years. really, that was my iteration. I should've kept the brand. It was called David Netflix. not that it was a great name, but I've shifted brands about 40 times in my life. Cause I love branding and naming.I that's another, maybe this is more of a cautionary tale than a lesson and newsletter marketing. I would stick with a brand if anybody has the possibility of doing that, that was a big mistake I've made over the years is having multiple brands. But when the bus came, the first internet bust, I basically was writing an obituary column every day and about companies that had failed.So I just decided, I wanted to expand it and I knew I was interested in much broader topics than just tech news. So I expanded it to all news, a critical point that, really changed Next Draft and got it to catch on and become more popular was when I decided to focus on making it more personality driven and less, less overwhelmingly, providing an overwhelming level of coverage.I used to think that I had to provide all the news in the day because people would sort of, depend on me to provide their news. I was sort of selling myself as your trusted news source. So I would include a lot of stories that I didn't have anything to say about because they were huge news, you know, an embassy closed in Iran or whatever.That was huge international news, but I didn't necessarily have anything to say about that that day. So after a while I decided, no, I'm not going to do that. I'm just going to limit it to 10 items. And I'm going to focus that on what I think is the most fascinating and think of it less like a curation tool and more like, a, modern day column.I think if the column newspaper column were invented today, it would look a lot like Next Draft people would sort of share their takes and then provide links off for more information. once I did that, it was a big change. People started signing up much more readily and, once I stopped trying to be exhaustive.[00:11:56] Nathan:That makes a lot of sense to me. I think that that's something you see from a lot of creators is that they're, they're trying to find some model. That's like, this is my idea of what people should want, you know, rather than what they end up doing, eventually it's coming to, it's like, okay, forget all of that.This is what I want. And I'm going to make that. And then people like me can find and follow it. And people who don't can, you know, do their thing. Can you go find one of the other million sources on the internet?[00:12:21] Dave:Yeah. When I think of the people that I like to follow or have followed forever on the internet, all of them are that ladder. They just do it their way. They have a design, they want, they stick to their guns. They say what they feel like saying. they decide. what the personality of the product is.And, they move within that. I always find that to be the most interesting thing, especially when it comes to something like newsletters. I really think newsletters are more like a radio talk shows than they are like other internet content, podcasts to a certain degree as well. But I always feel like I listened to are used to listen a lot to this radio, sports caster named Jim Rome.And whenever he would have a new city that he was launching and he would always give the same speech on the Monday that they launched saying, just give me a week. You might not.Get the vibe of what we're doing today. You might think it's okay, but not great, but just give it a week and listen, and then decide if you like it or not.And I sort of feel like that's how newsletters are your relationship with your readers sort of creates this, sort of insider-y voice and communication that, you, it takes a little while to get into the rhythm of getting it. But once you do, then it's like this familiar voice or this familiar friend that you feel like, even if you didn't read it for a few weeks, you can start a conversation with that person right away easily.That's how I think the voice of a newsletter is most effective. So that's why I've always thought of it. More of what I do is sort of a textual talk radio, more so than a blog or some other format[00:14:01] Nathan:What do you think, or what would you say to someone who maybe had 10 or 20,000 subscribers and felt like their newsletter had gone a bit stale and maybe their relationship to it had gotten a bit stale or they're in this, this position of writing things that no longer have their voice, how would you coach them through like bringing their voice and personality back into it?[00:14:22] Dave:I mean, it's definitely hard. it's hard doing something that you do alone and, something that is often hard to really get off the ground or get to grow, especially when you're on a platform like the internet, where every day, somebody does something and 10 seconds later, they're like internet famous and you're trying day after day.So, I mean, the first thing. Is that you really have to be interested in what you you're passionate about. and focus in on that, because that will alleviate a lot of that stress. Like, do I feel like sending it today? I'm a too burnt out. What's the point? I mean, not that those feelings don't happen. I had those feelings as recently as an hour ago, when I press publish, I have those feelings and disappointments constantly, you know, that's part of being a creator of any kind.Maybe that word is sort of, sort of goofy, but anybody who's putting themselves out there and putting content out, you know, you have that feeling all the time. If you're an indie, and you're doing it all day in front of the computer by yourself, then that's even more powerful because, you know, if you work at a big company or everybody's working on the same goal, or even in a small group, you can sort of support each other and, maybe even bullshit each other at some cases where, oh, no, this really matters.You know, where, if you're by yourself, that has to be pretty self-sustaining or self-sustaining. I do have a friend or two that I always share blurbs with who, one of my friends Rob's, he proves almost all of my blurbs, so it's nice to have that virtual office mate. He's not really officially part of Next Draft, but you know, I don't think I would do it as easily or as, for as long if it weren't for him because he's like my virtual friend on the internet that says, oh, come on, let's get it out today or whatever.So I think that's helpful to have a support team or a couple people you can count on to sort of give you a boost when you need it. But the key really is, is that it's gotta be something that you are passionate about, both in terms of the product and in terms of what you're focusing on, because if you feel strongly about it, then it really.I don't want to say it doesn't matter if people enjoy it, you should take cues from your readers. What are they clicking on? What are they reading? What are they responding to? But at the core, it's gotta be you because that's what gets you through those down points? you know, I had a weird thing because I write about news.The general news, world basically benefited dramatically from the Trump era because everybody was habitually turning on their news, 24, 7, and refreshing and Whitey and Washington post and checking Twitter every two seconds to see what crazy thing happened next. And we're all poor sorta,[00:17:01] Nathan:Wreck to watch.[00:17:02] Dave:So everybody was really into it and it created.Unbelievable platform for people to become media stars. You know, Trump was bad for democracy, but he was great for media. Great for creating new voices out there. whether we like it or not. for me, it was different because I wrote about all news. I wouldn't say I was apolitical, but I wasn't heavily political.The Next Draft had plenty of readers from both sides of the aisle. when Trump came around, it was like one story every day, basically. So it really limited. I would get emails from longtime readers all the time that said, Hey, can't you cover something other than Trump every day?And I say, Hey, if you can find the story for me, I'll cover it. This is what every journalist is on. Now, the people who used to cover the secret service around Trump, the people who used to cover sports are not talking about Trump because of a pandemic relation ship to it. The people who aren't entertainment are talking about Trump because they can't believe that anybody voted for him, whatever the issue was, every dinner party was about Trump.So it was really a bummer for my brand and my product. Actually, it became boring in some ways to me to have the same story every day. And it became, I think frustrating to my readers.But during that era, when it was happening, I had to make a decision. Do I become more political and go full on with this?Or do I sort of try to. Do what I would call a falsely unbiased view or a, you know, false equivalence view that we saw in the media where there's both sides to every story. And you have to pretend they're both accurate, including one guy saying to put disinfectant into your veins. And the other person's saying to wear a mask and take a vaccine, but those things get treated as equal somehow because the president said it.And I really decided, you know, more important than keeping readers is that I'm true to my own sort of ethical standards. In a moment that called for it, at least for me. So I became more political. went into it and I said, what I believe and still believe is the truth, you know, about what was happening with Trump and Trumpism and our slide towards authoritarianism.And I know that this is a podcast more about newsletterish than it is about politics or news, but I'm just sharing that because that's the kind of thing that kept me going. and the people who really cared about what I was writing, appreciated it and would email me and say they got something out of that.And most importantly, my mom would say, yeah, you made the right call. Or my dad would say, yeah, you got that. Right. And ultimately, When it became a sort of a bummer period for me, which I would say 2020 was because of all the horrible news. And, I was writing a book about the year. So I was like living, July of 20, 20, well writing about March of 2020, which I don't recommend for anybody's emotional health.And I just had to think like, what's really important to me. Yes. I want to be funny, which I try to be in my newsletter every day. I want to be read my narcissism is as strong as ever, but ultimately I want to be able to look myself in the reflection of the, darken screen on the rare times that it is dark and say like, yeah, you told the truth and that kept me going there.So I think whatever your brand is, you know, it can be a newsletter about guitars, but if you have that sort of passion, And you have something you want to say, and you think is important to say it sort of gets you through those levels and your motivation. And if it's not getting you through the lows and the motivation, there's nothing wrong with saying, Hey man, this is not worth it.I'm going to go try to make something else. You know, it doesn't have to be, you don't have to beat a dead horse.[00:20:51] Nathan:On the political side. Are there specific things that you felt like it costs you opportunities that it lost you? Because I think a lot of creators, whether they talk about, you know, finance or photography or whatever, I'll see these things. And they're like this either directly relates to me and my audience and I feel like I should take a stand on it.Or it's like a broader macro issue that I feel like we should talk about. And when you do, then there's immediately, you know, somewhere between three and 300 responses of like, we didn't follow you for the politics, you know, or like something like that. And your Instagram, DMS, or newsletter replies or whatever.[00:21:24] Dave:Yeah. it costs me a lot. Definitely it costs me readers or subscribers. It costs me, psychic pain because I was locked into a story that was just overwhelmingly, emotionally painful, really, and shocking and difficult to understand all the things that cause you sort of emotional exhaustion. We're in the Trump story, especially in 2020, when it became a story about our own health and our kids' health.And the frustration level just went through the roof. for me, professionalizing that content actually helps create a bit of a barrier to the feelings about it. Some of my good friends were probably more bummed during 2020 than I was because when the latest crazy story or depressing story would happen, I felt I had to. Ingest that content and then come up with, something cogent to say about it. And maybe hopefully funny to make it a little bit of sugar to take the medicine and then get it out to people. So I've always felt that being able to do that, sorta created a barrier between myself and actually feeling something.So that's another thing I like about the newsletter probably at least unconsciously. but yeah, there was a lot of costs in terms of readers, for sure. Hate mail. but there always is, you know, Today. I would say I get much more hate mail from the far left. If that's what you want to call them. People who feel like every joke is like an incredible triggering a front to their existence or any hint that you mentioned somebody as attractive.I've gotten hate mail because I implied that Beyonce is appearance was part of her brand. I mean, it's totally crazy, but, It's those extremes. You have to be able to turn off. You know, a friend of mine used to work at a major, be the editor of a major American newspaper. And he said every Friday they would get together and they would play the craziest, calls to the editor.They had a call line. In addition to, you could send a letter or you could call, leave a voicemail about something you were upset about in the coverage. And they would just gather around and have drinks on Friday. Listen to this because of course the people who are calling this line are almost self-selecting themselves as a little bit wacko and their takes were usually pretty extreme.The internet, Twitter, social media, Provides, greases the wheels for those people to be more prevalent in our lives. But I think it's really important to know that that's a real minority of people, somebody who sent you a hate mail, that your joke was so offensive, or they can't believe you mentioned that people ever watch pornography on the internet or any of these other things, it's this tiny minority of people.And then it's one step crazier that they felt like they had to contact you. So that's a really hard thing. I think about being split, particularly the newsletter game, because anybody can hit reply and you're going to get many more replies from people with crazy complaints, than you are from people with really thoughtful responses.Not that those don't come and those are valuable and I love getting those, but you get many more from people that just have really bizarre. I mean I could list probably for hours to crazy things that people send me that they're mad about, you know,[00:24:50] Nathan:Is there something specific that you do? Like one thing when I get those replies, if they're just like completely off the wall or abusive or something like that, I just scroll down and then click their unsubscribe link because, you know, they're never going to know, and then I just have to show up in their inbox[00:25:07] Dave:Right.[00:25:08] Nathan:There's something that you do.[00:25:09] Dave:That's not a bad strategy. I like that. I do do that occasionally for sure. occasionally I'll just go to Gmail and just, create a filter for that email to automatically go to my trash. if it's like a hardcore right-winger, that's telling me how stupid I am about ivermectin and that, you know, people should be taking horse dewormer and I'm just not getting the truth.And that Trump is awesome and that, Whatever. I usually just delete, honestly, because I don't see a big benefit to replying to somebody, especially if it's like a rabbit email, you know, they're looking for a reply, they want the conflict. A lot of people sleep easy with conflict. That's one of the lessons of the internet that I learned when I was first starting on the internet, you know, David edix sort sorta became popular because somebody that had a blog with a similar name, that I hadn't heard of, complained that I sort of stole his name because his name was also Dave.And I had got like, probably about three or 400 emails saying, you know, with expletive saying what a horrible person I was. And I also got about 3000 subscribers and at the time I had about 30, so. I didn't know how to respond. I felt like, wow. Number one, I didn't know that guys had the product with the same name.Number two. My name was different enough. Number two or three were both named Dave. I mean, who cares? You know, and plus I don't want to be attacked by anybody. So your first reaction is to respond and a slightly older, although not noticeably these days with my gray beard, slightly older friend of mine who had been in tech a little longer, said, don't respond.This guy lives for conflict. You guys are going to fight. There's going to be this public thing. You're going to be up all night and he's going to never sleep so easy. So, I took that to heart and didn't respond. And I, I think about that a lot when I get rabid emails from people, Mike exception, actually probably my weak point really is from, more my side of the political spectrum, where people who are generally liberal, but are just so extreme for me.In terms of being triggered or having a joke, be every joke, be inappropriate. That those people, I actually do feel like I want to respond to because, I, I don't think I can really motivate or move, somebody who was on the opposite end of the spectrum and is sending me hate aggressive, hate mail, but maybe I can move somebody who's just a little bit different than me, or a little bit more extreme.I will respond to those, although I'm usually sorry. The one other thing I always respond to is if people have been reading, they say, oh, I've been reading you for years. And, I wanted to ask you a couple of questions about this book that you wrote before ordering it. And I'm like, just order the damn book. that's probably my most common email to people these days. It's actually remarkable how many people says, wow, I I've been reading you for years. I share you with all my friends. something, when my sons come home from college where it's always talking about, Dave said this, Dave said that, before I buy your book, I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions to make sure it's going to be for me.I'm like I worked on something for an hour and it's like, your family is talking about it. What, just by the thing I worked on for a year, you know? So those kind of things, personal frustration, I respond.[00:28:37] Nathan:Yeah, that makes sense. okay. I'd love to talk about the book some more, but before we get into that, there's two things I want to talk about. The first one is like, how do you measure success for the newsletter? What's the thing that you'd like to, cause I don't think it's, you're pursuing the monetary side for this.It sounds like the monetary side comes from investing and, and then what's success for the newsletter.[00:28:59] Dave:I mean, I have had right now, I I'm just marketing my, my own stuff. And during the pandemic I marketed non-profits, but, that had to do with either the pandemic or, the democracy issues that we were facing. but I have made decent money from selling straight sponsorships. Year-long sponsorships to people, which I highly recommend.I think some of the ads that people put into his letters that go by clicks or whatever, unless you have a massive audience, it's hard to make much money, but if you pitch to some company that is a like-minded brand, Hey, you're going to be my only brand for a year. And anytime you have special events, I'm going to mention it.Then you can say, okay, you have like, you know, 20,000 readers or a hundred thousand readers that can make a difference to a brand to say, yeah, it's like a rounding air show. We'll give you 20 grand or a hundred grand or wherever it comes in there that you can actually make a decent. Living in terms of writing.So that always worked better for me, but no, my, my internet life is really all about narcissism and, clicks, you know, the dopamine, I just want reads. I'd rather you subscribe to my newsletter than pitch me your startup company. I just, that's what I want the most. So more numbers, more opens, more reads, more subscribers.And unfortunately that's probably the hardest thing to get also, especially in a product that is sort of viral. I think newsletters are sort of viral, but it's better if you have a team and some tools to really get it going. That's, you know, sites like the Skimm morning brew and the hustle. They have teams that are really growth hacking and focusing on that and having rewards programs and ambassador programs.The reason you see that is because.Newsletters themselves are not really inherently that viral. Yes. Somebody can forward it to one person or whatever, but it's not as viral as a lot of other forms of content where you can click a button and share it with all of your followers, like a Facebook post or a tweet.So yeah, the thing that matters to me most is probably the hardest to get in the newsletter game, but that's the truth[00:31:10] Nathan:Yeah. Well, I think the, the point on like newsletters don't have a distribution engine. There's no Facebook newsfeed, YouTube algorithm equivalent for newsletters. And so it really relies on either you posting your content somewhere else, whether it's Twitter or YouTube or medium or something that has an algorithm or your readers saying like, oh, I read Next Draft.You should too. There's not really something else in there. Have you looked at, or I guess if you have thoughts on that, you comments on it, but then also have you looked at launching an ambassador program or, or an actual referral program?[00:31:44] Dave:Yeah, I've thought about him. And now over the last year, there's been a few tools that have come out a few. I think X people from sites like morning view Ru, and some other sites that have sort of perfected some of these marketing programs have, sort of come out with these tools. I've messed around with them a little bit.Some of them still require I find, some technical ones. so I, I have like an engineer who works with me on Next Draft, like as a freelance basis every now and then, but it's not always easy for me to launch stuff that requires a lot of a moment to moment technical support, and management, because it's just me using a lot of, they're customized, but they're over the counter tools.So I've thought about a lot of them, but I really haven't tried it that much.I want to though I do want to do that. I would like to do one of those programs, especially where you get credit for referrals. I think that's the best kind of model. So there's one called spark loop.[00:32:51] Nathan:Yeah, we actually, I invested in spark loops, so we[00:32:54] Dave:Okay.[00:32:55] Nathan:Decent portion of that business, so good.[00:32:58] Dave:Oh, nice. Yeah. That one, if it was just slightly easier, I know that it's probably difficult to make it easier because, there's so many pieces. They have to have your subscribers. I have to have my subscribers, but that is, does seem like a good product. And especially if they can, I think expand into like letting a person sell a product or whatever, get credited for sharing products that can be even bigger.But yeah, that kind of stuff is really powerful for sure. And I, I do want to get into that. it's more just inertia that I it's just a matter of sitting there for the, an amount of hours that it requires to get it going.But I do think that's a great thing for newsletter writers to do, and I'm pretty surprised that more newsletter platforms don't build it right in.I think that'll probably change over time too. Maybe you guys will get acquired by.[00:33:48] Nathan:Yep. No, that makes sense. I know for convert kit, we wanted to build it in, it looks at the amount of time that it would take and then said like let's invest in a , you know, and then roll it into our offering.[00:33:59] Dave:Yeah, it's hard. It's hard not to take that stuff personally, too, you know, for people that do newsletters, you think you're going to put a thing on there and say, Hey, you know, it's just me here and you always read my newsletter and click. I know you love me so much. Can you just do this to get a free whatever?And it's, you know, sometimes not that many people click, you know, or other times like they click just as long as there's the free item. So there's a lot of ways to get depressed. Like I had things where I say, Hey, the first a hundred people who do this, get a free t-shirt or whatever next strap t-shirt.And those hundred people will literally do what I asked them to do in like 34 seconds, you know? And then it like stops after that. The next time you ask them, if there's not a t-shirt. But it's not you, you know, if you go to a baseball game or a lawyer game or whatever, you know, people sit there, they don't even cheer as much for the team as they cheer when the guy comes out with the t-shirt gun.So it's like, people love t-shirts more than they're ever going to love you. And you have to go into these things with that in mind. there's no way, even if it's, even if you're XX large and the t-shirt is, you know, petite, it's still worth more than you are. And the average mind of the average person.So you have to go into all of these things thinking, I hope this works like crazy, but if it doesn't tomorrow, I open up the browser and start writing.[00:35:19] Nathan:Yeah. That's very true. I want to talk about the growth of the newsletter. I was reading something, which I realized later was back in 2014, that you were at around 160,000 subscribers. I imagine it's quite a bit larger than that now. And then I'd love to hear some of the inflection points of growth.[00:35:35] Dave:Yeah, I'm not, I'm not sure. I might've, I don't know if I lied in 2014, but now I have about,[00:35:41] Nathan:Quoted it wrong.[00:35:42] Dave:No, you might've got it right. I might've exaggerated. Maybe that was a including app downloads and a few other things. Yeah. I have about 140,000 or so now, so that would be making that a pretty horrible seven years now.You're depressing me.Your listeners should just stop, stop writing newsletters. It's not worth the depression[00:36:02] Nathan:Just give up now[00:36:03] Dave:Yeah. And by all means if Nathan goals do not pick up. no, yeah, I probably have it 140,000 on newsletter. Made my newsletter. It's hard to believe in this era of newsletters actually, but when I first launched Next Draft, I noticed that even people who would send in testimonials or that I would ask for testimonials would say, basically something to the extent that even though email is horrible, this is the one newsletter I I'd sign up for whatever.And I kept thinking, man, that's a bummer that I'm starting out at this deficit, that people have a negative feeling about the medium. So I, since then I've always made it my goal to. Have the content available wherever people are. So the newsletter is certainly the main way that people get next job, but there's an app for the iPhone and the iPad there.That's the first thing I launched because I wanted to have an alternative for people who just hate email too much. So now you go to the landing page, it's like, Hey, if you don't like email, here's another version. I have a blog version. I have an apple news version. I have an RSS version. I'm lucky enough to have a really good, WordPress custom WordPress install that I just push one button and it pushes it out to all of those things.But I am, I'm a big proponent of just meeting people where they are. even, as an example, I recently launched a sort of a substance. Version of my newsletter under the radar. but when I redo my site, I'm going to make that more clear because if people already subscribed to like 10 sub stacks and they're using their aggregator and they already have their email saved and they can just click a button, it's like, I don't care.You know, it takes me five extra minutes to paste my content into sub stack. So I just want the reads. I don't really care about how they read it or whether they read it.[00:37:55] Nathan:Yeah. That's fascinating. So then let's shift gears a little bit. I want to hear about the book. first I wanna hear about the title. Would you have it on your shirt?[00:38:03] Dave:Yeah. That's pretty embarrassing. I swear. I didn't know it was video today, but I do have a shirt[00:38:06] Nathan:You're good.[00:38:07] Dave:Otherwise I wouldn't have worn. This would have worn my Nathan Barry's shirt.[00:38:12] Nathan:That's right. It's in the mail actually. It's[00:38:15] Dave:Oh, good, good.[00:38:16] Nathan:Big photo of my face.[00:38:17] Dave:Yeah. Convert kit. My wife converted to Judaism before we got married. So I have my own convert kit.[00:38:23] Nathan:There you go. Exactly. so I want to hear like what the book is about and then particularly where the title came from,[00:38:30] Dave:Sure.[00:38:31] Nathan:It made me laugh a lot when I heard it.[00:38:33] Dave:Oh, cool. That's good. That's a good start then. yeah, the title comes from, in July of the, of 2020 when the pandemic was really setting in and becoming a reality for everybody. this amusement park outside of Tokyo in the shadow of Mount Fuji called the Fuji queue. amusement park reopened.And they found that even though everybody w everybody was wearing masks, people were screaming so much on some of the rides, especially the Fujiyama roller coaster, which was their scariest ride, that they were worried about germs spread. So they sort of put signs around the amusement park saying, no screaming, you can come, you can ride and have fun, but keep your mask on adults scream.And it sort of became a little minor social media thing in Japan, where people were sort of making fun of them like, oh, they're telling us not to scream. How can anybody not scream on the Fujiyama roller coaster? So in response, the, park management had to have their executives with perfectly quaffed hair and tie and colored shirts and masks on ride the roller coaster with a webcam facing them the whole time without moving a muscle.Cracking a smile or grimacing or screaming. And then at the end of the ride, when the rollercoaster stops, it says, please Scream Inside Your Heart.And that was always my favorite meme of, 2020. It went really viral. There was like t-shirts. aside from mine, there were posters memes. It sort of went crazy for about a week or two, which by 2020 standards is a pretty long time for a meme to last.And I just thought that made sense as a title for the book, because that's sort of how we felt, all year that I dunno if we were screaming in our heart, but we were certainly screaming into a void. Like no matter what we sat or yelled on social media or complained to our family members or friends, it just kept getting worse.The year just kept getting worse. And, so the idea is that this book sort of, now you're free to sort of let out the scream. And the book is it's about 2020, certainly, but it's really about the issues that led us to 2020. There's a ton about our relationship to media and including my own relationship to media and how that got us into trouble.Some of the stuff we're talking about today, how, technology has impacted our lives stuff. I've been sort of thinking about it, writing about for the last few decades, and a lot of the political hate that emerged. and, but it's all within this time capsule of the craziest year.[00:41:12] Nathan:Yeah. Yeah. And so that's coming out early in November, November 2nd. so you're, it looks like you're just starting the, you know, mentioning the promotion tour and all of that. is there a big, big push that comes with it or are you kind of, I, I'm always curious with people's book launches, what strategy they take.[00:41:30] Dave:Yeah. I mean, I'm a newbie, so it's, the whole process has been interesting to me working with a publisher, working with others, is not my forte. so I got used to that or I'm getting used to that and they're probably getting used to it also because working with grouchy 50 something in these is probably not ideal, but, yeah, I've just been promoting it so far in Next Draft, but I've been doing, I have a PR company that's helping me and I've been doing a ton of podcasts and I'm marketing it to my own readers.And then as it gets a little bit closer to the November 2nd date, I have a lot more stuff planned rut, a lot of influencers have early copies of the book, and hopefully they'll promote it. And, I'll call out a few favors from bloggers and hopefully newsletter writers. I feel like that should be my in theory.That should be my secret weapon because, in addition to being fun and creative, nothing moves traffic, except maybe Facebook, nothing moves traffic more than newsletters. I know a lot of people who run e-commerce companies and newsletters are always second, if not first, in terms of traffic drivers.So, I really think that, if some of my friends out there at morning brew in the hustle and the scam and all these other sites that sort of, have surpassed my size by quite a bit, put the word out that, one of their fellow warriors is, has a book out. That'll probably move the needle even more. The media, I'm hoping to get stuff like that, but I really don't know. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much because, unlike a newsletter, it's not just one day's work, you know, you like worry about one word or one sentence in a book for like three weeks and then you put it out there and people are like, oh yeah, I'll check it out sometime.Thanks. So, you know, that's, you know, whatever that's life as a, you put yourself out there, that's how it goes. So I'm hoping it sells well. And, the more people that get it, I think some people, their first reaction is, oh my God, 2020. I don't want to relive that again. But, hopefully people who know my brand and those that they share it with, know that it's, you know, there's a lot of humor and there's, it's probably 30 pages before we even get into the first event of 2020.So it's, there's a lot more to it and it's sort of fun and crazy and tries to have the pace of a roller coaster. that was the other thing I took from the Fujiyama roller coaster.[00:43:59] Nathan:Yeah. So one thing that I'm always curious about with people who have like a prolific newsletter, you know, in your case of writing every day, and then like, for a lot of people, that would be a lot to handle of staying on top of a daily newsletter. And then you're writing a book on top of that. How did you schedule your time?Were you blocking off like, oh, these afternoons are specifically for book, book writing. Cause you turned it around relatively fast.[00:44:24] Dave:Yeah. the newsletter is sort of like a full-time job. People always ask me, you know, when do you work on, or how many hours do you spend on it? I mean, I'm, I'm always looking for news, whether it's on Twitter or friends, emailing me stuff or texting me stories, or just in conversations with people to see what they're into or what stories are interesting them or what I'm missing.In terms of actual time spent like where I'm dedicating time. I probably do like about an hour every night, because the story has changed so quick. So I'll do an hour of looking for stories every night. And then the next day I sort of lock in from about nine to one, usually, or nine to 12, where I'm finding stories, saving those stories, choosing what stories I want to go with and then actually writing the newsletter.All of that takes about anywhere from like two and a half to four hours, depending on the day I go pretty fast. When it came to the book, that was tricky. It was actually more emotionally tricky because like I said before, I was like, had to go back and write about, you know, Briana Taylor while I'm living another horrible act, you know, or even more so the Trump, you know, one crazy Trump thing and another crazy Trump thing and seeing the pandemic getting worse and worse.So that was stressful. But I found at the beginning I would try to write a lot at night and that was okay. But I found actually if I just kept going, in the day when I was already rolling and had written the newsletter and I was already in the group just to add on an hour or two to that was actually easier and more effective for me than trying to get going.But that's just me. I mean, I just go by my it's almost like my circadian rhythm or something like that, I almost never eat or consume anything before I'm done with next job except for coffee. I would keep that going, you know, once I would like, sort of have a sandwich or whatever, then it's like, oh, let me just take a quick nap and then whatever.So, yeah, I tried to just keep it going. I always find the more consistently busy I am, the less I procrastinate. And if I take a day off or I take a few hours off, even then, between writing, it just, it takes me longer to get going.[00:46:37] Nathan:Yep. That makes sense. The habit that I'm in right now is starting the day with 45 minutes to an hour of writing and that's working much better for me than like slotting it in somewhere else. So I think like w what I hear you saying is like, experiment and find the thing that works well for you.[00:46:54] Dave:Yeah. I mean, if you're going to start experimenting almost every writer, I know not like newsletter writers, but just general writers, all do what you just described. They sort of pick a time in the morning and they get their output done. then the rest of the day, if ideas come to them or whatever, they jot it down, but they're sort of powering in that morning hours.[00:47:13] Nathan:Yeah.[00:47:14] Dave:That's probably a good one to try. Although, you know, some people just do it better at different hours. I'm sure.[00:47:19] Nathan:Yeah. another thing I realized, I've always you for years, and until we got on this video call, I had no idea what you looked like. and which is kind of an interesting,[00:47:28] Dave:Well, I'm sorry.It's by design. I have a face for Panda.[00:47:32] Nathan:Tell me more about, well, I guess two sides, one, has there ever been an interesting interaction? You know, because you're like, Hey, I'm, I'm Dave and people are like, I wouldn't have ever recognized you. Or has there been any other benefits and thought behind, you know, why it have an avatar?[00:47:49] Dave:If by interesting you mean horrible? Yes. There's been many interesting interactions with people. I mean, before, before I had my current, avatar, which is, pretty awesome, actually, a guy named Brian Molko designed it. I had this incredible drawing of a character that looked like me that, had sort of ether net, Machinery and cord going into his head and it was like me, but my head was actually lifted.The top of my head was lifted off and you could see all this machinery and it was an incredible graphic, by this guy named Sam Spratt. Who's now done, album covers and book covers. He's like a super talent. If you want to follow somebody fun on Instagram, he's just incredible. And it was a drawing, even though it looked photo realistic.And I used that for a while and then I would go places and people would be like, you are so much fatter and grayer than I imagined. And so instead of having Sam sort of ruin his artwork, I went back with the more, cartoonish or animated, avatar. So since then I don't get too much of that, but, that was a good move.Although that's the best thing about avatars and the internet is that your avatar never ages. It always looks the same. It stays the same weight. My avatar never overeats he exercises right here. Angie really gets along well with others and doesn't have any kind of social anxiety either. So he's pretty cool.Yeah, it goes a little downhill with me in person. So[00:49:21] Nathan:Yeah. So is it, that's something that like, it gives you some distance between you and readers, or it gives you some anonymity that, you know, you don't want to be recognized in the streets?[00:49:32] Dave:No, no, it's, it's, basically just what I described. It's like, I literally prefer the, the attractiveness of my avatar versus me, but also actually my avatar is really awesome. my logo, so it's also iconic and scalable. so it looks awesome on t-shirts even people who don't know what Next Draft is when they see, by son wearing his t-shirt, whatever, it just looks awesome.So that that's that's as much of it as anything. I thought your response was going to be mad. You seem perfectly attractive to me. I don't know what the issue is, but no, you went with, am I doing that for some other reason? Yeah. So, I get this all the time.Cause my wife is a very attractive person also. So when people meet me, they're always like, whoa, we were once a very famous celebrity came up to me and I said, oh, I'm Gina's husband. And she was like, wow, you did well. Oh, you know? So I'm like, thanks a lot. That helps. So just gave her a picture of my, my icon and walked away.[00:50:31] Nathan:Then that worked. I'm sure that she has it framed in her office, from now on. it's just interesting to me. You're you're sort of at this intersection between personal brand and, like media brand. And I think the avatar helps push you over into the media brand side. and I don't have any real commentary on it other than I find it interesting.[00:50:53] Dave:Yeah, no, I think there probably is some of that. I I've never really been a fan of using my actual face, or my actual person as a logo. I love the process of designing or working with people to design logos and taglines and all that. But yeah, probably at some point there was a, a goal with Next Draft to make it seem bigger than it is.I know a lot of people that are solo operators. They regularly say we, when they're talking about their brand to make it seem bigger, I actually think that's sort of been flipped on its head though. in the last few years where so many people are coming into the space, it's very clear that what they're doing is leaving a big brand, leaving a we and going to an eye.And I think it's actually a selling point in a lot of ways. So, I mean, I, I still get a lot of emails that say, I don't know if anybody at Next Draft is going to read this email, you know, or if you do, can you get this message to Dave? He's an asshole or whatever. And it's like, I'm the only one here, you know, or the other one I always get is when I email back to people that go, oh, I can't believe you actually emailed back.I didn't think this would get to anybody. It's like, you hit reply. And it had my email, like where else would it go? Exactly. You know? But I think actually having people thinking of you as a person, instead of a brand, Is a benefit today. Whereas if you would ask me when I was younger, I probably would have said, make it seem like you have a big company behind you.[00:52:24] Nathan:Yeah. And I think that that indie shift overall, like people are looking for that.[00:52:29] Dave:Yeah,[00:52:29] Nathan:Want to ask about the intersection between your investing and the newsletter. like, are you still actively investing today and doing author.[00:52:38] Dave:Yeah, yeah, no, I, I still invest a ton. I usually follow along with people who are a little more in tune with today's companies than I am. I don't really go out there and brand myself as an investor much, but I've been really lucky. I have very little intersection actually, if any, with my newsletter and my investing and I definitely want people to. To think of me as a writer first, for sure. Not as an investor who has this hobby, because that's definitely not in terms of time or passion, the reality. but I've been really lucky over the years that, I've invested with people or co-invested with them that were cool with me. branding myself as a writer first, but still looking at deals that came through their brands because they were branded as BCS or investors or angels.That's probably a bigger deal now than when I first started. There were like five angel investors, basically. Nobody really did small, early stage seed deals. you know, I mean, we all knew each other that did it and now there's like thousands of them. So you really have to be either a really pretty well-known entrepreneur or you have to. Sort of attach yourself to our organization or two who are really branding themselves well, getting out there and building a stable of companies,[00:53:58] Nathan:Yeah.[00:53:59] Dave:It's pretty different, more, much more has changed about that than the newsletter game, actually, which is pretty much the same as it was the day I started actually.[00:54:07] Nathan:Are there a few of those I'm curious who are a few of those, people that you would tag along with, you know, when they're investing where like, oh, this person puts money into something I'd like to be right there with them.[00:54:19] Dave:I mean, I have some people that are like entrepreneurs and former entrepreneurs that do it, and if they like it I'll do it. but generally I co-invest with, at any given time, a different group of people, used to be a larger group. When I first started out, my whole investing career, I've co-invested with this guy named Bob zip who's much smarter and much wiser than I am about all things business and.Startup world. So that was really great. And he used to work at a company called venture law group in the first boom, and they represented Google, Hotmail. eGroups all the big, huge, early internet companies, and so he really knew the space well. And when he became, I used to get deals from him.That's how you used to get deals actually was by a couple of law firms that focused on startups. I've been co-investing with him all along and he's been generous enough to, he left the law firm a long, long time ago and became an investor primarily. And he had a fund and was well-known guy and well-respected guy.So I got to sit in when he would hear pitches. and we sort of, we weren't investing together out of the same fund, but we would sort of make our decisions together. And we still do that a lot. these days, I almost always follow along with a guy named run-on barn Cohen and a really good friend of mine.He was for many years at WordPress, basically, most of the things that make money at WordPress, he did. and now he's a investor at a VC called resolute. If anybody's looking for a good VC, he's like incredible, like Bob zip much, much smarter than I am about this stuff. Unbelievably ethical, great business sense.Great technical sense. so I mostly just follow him. So if he does something that's usually good enough for me. And if I see something that I think it's good, I'll pass it along to him, but it's mostly that, but I've been really fortunate. I can't express that enough, that I've been able to invest in companies without having to spend all of my time, branding myself as an investor.That's just been unbelievably lucky. So, I've been able to focus a ton of my energy on my six.[00:56:31] Nathan:That's right. I'm writing a newsletter about the news. I guess, as you're looking to grow and continue on, right? Like the next phase of readers and, and all of that, since we can just say directly that we're all narcissists and we do this for the attention. what's what's sort of that next thing that you're looking for, it's going from 140,000 subscribers to say 200,000 and beyond.[00:56:54] Dave:Yeah, well, I'm, I'm hoping that, I'm not just trying to sell my book here. I'm hoping that the book and the newsletter will sort of have, a coexistence with them because the new the book is really an extension of the brand and the brand is that icon to Next Draft. So I'm hoping that the tricky part about writing about marketing a newsletter, like we discussed earlier, there's not really a natural virality to them.So. You Have this piecemeal growth from people telling each other or their friends or forwarding it to somebody or maybe occasionally tweeting or sharing a Facebook link. Oh, you should check this out. But it's all sort of small little blips. If you get a news story or a big blog story about it, or another newsletter recommending you, that's probably the fastest way people grow these days is by, co-sponsoring each other's newsletters or co-promoting them.Those big hits are more rare and they usually require like, I've had a ton of stories written about Next Draft, but most of them a long time ago, because it's basically a similar product to what it was when they wrote about it the first time. So they're like, Hey, I'd love to write about it, but what's the hook.What's the new thing, you know? so I'm hoping that the book provides that emphasis. It's like, we're doing now a ton of people who may by either been on a podcast in the past, or they've wanted to do a podcast with me say, okay, now's a great time. I'd probably want to move your book and, we can set something up.So it's sort of as an impetus. So I'm hoping that that will be the next big newsletter thing that most, most people who write about the book will also write about the newsletter and the two things can sort of grow together.[00:58:35] Nathan:I think that's spot on.[00:58:36] Dave:That's in terms of, you know, marketing and promotion, otherwise, I do want to try, one of these referral programs because people definitely do like products.And, I am lucky that my icon looks really good on shirts so that people actually really want them. And I have a great designer named Brian Bell who makes all of my shirts.[00:58:58] Nathan:There's something like when creators thinking about products, often if you spread yourself too thin, you're like into the newsletter, the book, the podcast, and like the 14 other things that you could make all at once you sort of hinder the growth of each thing, but then if you really build one of them up to a significant level, then at that point it can start to stall out and by shifting to another medium or have it like launching another product in this case, the newsletter to a book, then that book can have a bunch more momentum that feeds back into it.And so there's just sort of this interesting balance of like, no, When to like, keep pushing on the thing that you have versus when to add the next thing that like, then they feed off of each other and go from there. So I think you're doing it with good timing.[00:59:45] Dave:Hopefully it'll work. All that kind of stuff is the tricky part of doing this stuff. Especially stuff like podcasts and newsletters that are—it's really a ton of word of mouth, unless you get lucky and get some press, and word of mouth is just slow.There's some point where you're going to hit a tipping point where you're going to go from five or 10,000 to like 50,000 much quicker, more quickly because instead of three people going home and saying, “Hey, did you ever hear of this newsletter?” there's like 30 people going home and saying that. But, even with that they hit a plateau, and then you figure out what's the next thing. That's why doing something you're into is so important.And I don't think it's bad to try those other mediums or stretch yourself out, because you never know you might've been writing a newsletter three years, and then you do a podcast and it catches on. For some reason, you're like awesome. Less typing, more talking, let's go. So, but it's tricky. I wish I was better and had better advice for people on promotion and marketing.I'm not awesome at it, and it's not in my nature. So, begging for favors or telling people, even in my own newsletter, to buy my own book is very painful for me. I'm very sensitive to criticism about it. So, if people just all bought it and then made everybody else buy it, that would be a huge relief for me.[01:01:13] Nathan:That would be great. Well, along those lines, where should people go to subscribe to the newsletter, and then follow you on your preferred channel, and then ultimately buy the book?[01:01:24] Dave:I don't want like two or 300,000 people taking my site down. So let's go with if your last name starts between A and M you can start by going to NextDraft.com and sign up for the newsletter there. Or, you can also just go to the App Store and search for Next Draft. If you're N through Z, you can start with the book, and that's at: PleaseScream.com.It has links to all the various audio, and Kindle, and hardcover versions.[01:01:50] Nathan:That's good. I liked how you split the traffic, that way there's no hug of death, and we'll do well there.[01:01:57] Dave:I don't want to get fireballed.[01:01:58] Nathan:That's right.Dave. Thanks for coming on. This was really fun.[01:02:01] Dave:Yeah, thanks a lot for having me.

The smell of ground beef, green peppers and onions were wafting in as I was stirring the meal with a brown wooden spoon.  And, it came to me.  Dinner is like producing a podcast episode! Also, hear my coaching framework Plan Accountability & Consistency that will help you produce your podcast well! If you don't want to miss any new episodes of the Don't Wing It Podcast click the three tiny dots that lead to FOLLOW in the upper right hand corner of your podcast app!  And, head on over to episode 3 where I share a quote a coach told me that I'll never forget.  

On this day in 1942, Simon & Schuster published the first dozen titles in the long-running Little Golden Books series. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com