Podcasts about publishing summit

ALLi Campaigns Manager Matty Dalrymple speaks with Kathy Meis, founder and CEO of Bublish, about editing with your audience in mind. Kathy explains why authors should view their books as gifts to readers, designed to evoke specific emotions and experiences. She advises stepping back from the manuscript, studying the market, and understanding comparable titles to better position a book. Kathy also highlights the value of knowing your genre, reading reviews, and seeking editorial feedback to align with reader expectations. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our self-publishing advice center. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Sponsors This podcast is proudly sponsored by Bookvault. Sell high-quality, print-on-demand books directly to readers worldwide and earn maximum royalties selling directly. Automate fulfillment and create stunning special editions with BookvaultBespoke. Visit Bookvault.app today for an instant quote. This podcast is also sponsored by Gatekeeper Press, the all-inclusive Gold Standard in Publishing, offering authors 100% rights, royalties, satisfaction and worldwide distribution. Gatekeeper Press, Where Authors are Family. About the Host Matty Dalrymple podcasts, writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage as The Indy Author. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors, and her articles have appeared in Writer's Digest magazine. She serves as the campaigns manager for the Alliance of Independent Authors. Matty is also the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, beginning with Rock Paper Scissors; the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels, beginning with The Sense of Death; and the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts, including Close These Eyes. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. About the Guest Kathy Meis is the founder and CEO of Bublish, a complete publishing and marketing solution for self-publishers. As a veteran developmental editor and ghostwriter, Kathy has guided many books to Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon bestseller status. With more than thirty years of experience in media and publishing, she is a sought-after expert on independent publishing, book marketing, and author branding. She has spoken at BookExpo America, Women in Media, GrubStreet, PubSmart, the San Francisco Writers Conference, ALLi's SelfPubCon, and the Women in Publishing Summit. You can find Bublish on the web, LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook.  

Everything that is Write|Publish|Sell, Kat Biggie Press, Purple Butterfly Press, and the Women in Publishing Summit came from Alexa Bigwarfe's journey to heal after losing her infant daughter. She shares some background and history, lessons learned, encouragement, motivation, and inspiration in this special episode.

The power of storytelling is in its ability to turn pain into purpose, especially when faced with tragedy. By sharing our stories, we not only process our own emotions but also create a space for others to find connection, guidance, and peace. It is through this exchange of experiences that we find strength, resilience, and the ability to uplift one another.   Alexa Bigwarfe is a remarkable author, publisher, and advocate for women in the publishing industry. As the founder of the Women in Publishing Summit, Alexa has dedicated her career to empowering others to share their stories and navigate the world of publishing with confidence and support, and her journey is one of resilience and transformation.   Listen in today as Alexa and I talk about:   The incredible strength and resilience that can emerge from personal tragedy How writing and storytelling can be powerful tools for processing grief and healing The importance of finding and connecting with a supportive community during difficult times The journey from personal loss to finding purpose and building a mission-driven career The value of helping others share their stories as a way to uplift and empower them. The impact of the Women in Publishing Summit in providing resources and support for aspiring authors Alexa's dedication to guiding women through the process of publishing their work   In this inspiring episode, Alexa Bigwarfe shares her incredible journey of turning grief into a thriving publishing empire, demonstrating the profound impact of storytelling on both personal healing and empowering others. Her story reminds us of the strength that can be found in our darkest moments and the importance of using our voices to uplift and connect with those around us. Whether you're an aspiring author or someone seeking inspiration, this conversation offers valuable insights into the power of resilience, community, and the transformative nature of sharing our stories.     Interview links: Grab a copy of Alexa's book Sunshine After the Storm: A Survival Guide for the Grieving Mother https://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-After-Storm-Survival-Grieving/dp/0989934713 Check out Write, Publish, Sell https://writepublishsell.com/ Connect with Alexa on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/WritePublishSell/ Join the Book Marketing Event hosted by Alexa this coming October 4-6 https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/charlotte/ Check out Alexa's virtual conference happening in 2025 https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/call-for-speakers-2/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two book marketing experts, Alexa Bigwarfe of Write|Publish|Sell & the Women in Publishing Summit and Keri-Rae Barnum of New Shelves Book, dish out book marketing advice and trends for authors.

Head to https://www.youtube.com/@fierceconversationswithtoby to find all video interviews! Transcripts available at https://tobydorr.com/podcast-schedule/ Alexa Bigwarfe is a USA Today best-selling author and the founder and CEO of Write|Publish|Sell, a company dedicated to helping authors professionally self-publish and market their books. Her courses and training focus on author platform growth and creative ways to market books, especially for those who know nothing about marketing. She is also the founder and host of the Women in Publishing Summit and owns two publishing houses. In her spare time, she writes RomComs, usually set in Paris, France. Some of our fierce topics today: [09:48] You can't run from it. I mean, trust me, I tried and one of my scenarios was I just kept myself as busy as I didn't realize that I was doing it, but until years of therapy showed me this, but I just kept myself so busy and just adding more and more and more. And, you know, stuffing it all down. [12:58] When the event is super, super traumatic, it's really hard to find gratitude. [16:59] But one of the things that it's ironic, God places people in your life that you just need to know, about a year and a half before she transferred and, became the commander of our organization, her 20 year old was killed in an accident. And, she had also lost a baby at birth. Even though I had left the military by this point in time, we stayed in touch. She was just a beacon of light for me. [00:18:16] I have been very rich when it comes to finding people who have mentored me and helped me through different pieces of this journey, and I'm just, I'm so grateful to them, and so I try to also give that back to other people whenever the opportunity arises. [00:24:05] I chose to not stay stuck where I was. And that was really scary because when you've lost a child, it's very hard to stop grieving because you feel like you're afraid that you may forget them or that you're doing a disservice. I named my first company after her Kat Biggie Press and it's kept her very, very present in everything that I do. About Alexa Bigwarfe: Alexa Bigwarfe is the founder of Kat Biggie Press, Write-Publish-Sell, and the Women In Publishing annual Summit. Over the last decade she's helped thousands of authors through webinars, conferences, coaching, and services. Her team learns from and improves, honing skills as experts in the publishing and book marketing world, with every project they touch. Alexa is passionate about her role as an author advocate. Links mentioned in this episode: Alexa Bigwarfe: https://writepublishsell.com/ https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/ https://katbiggiepress.com/ ____________________________________ Toby Dorr: Books and Audiobook Website   Patreon YouTube Instagram Facebook Or head to https://linktr.ee/fierceconversations for all things Fierce Conversations with Toby. Credits: Created by Toby Dorr. Produced by Number Three Productions, a division of GracePoint Publishing. Theme song: Lisa Plasse: Composer, arranger, and flutist Caroline Parody: Piano Tony Ventura: Bass For more information on these fabulous musicians, please go to https://tobydorr.com/theme-song/ 

"It's never too early to start thinking about marketing and building your community. It's never too early. It can be too late." Ever thought it's too early to market your book? Think again! Alexa Bigwarfe shares her wisdom on today's Story Works Round Table, in a conversation that's as inspiring as it is informative. Marketing, as Alexa says, is not just about selling books. It's about building relationships with readers, sharing your journey, and creating a platform where your voice can be heard. It's about laying the groundwork for your book to not just exist, but to thrive in a market that's flooded with content. With Alexa's guidance, you'll feel empowered to tackle marketing head-on. She makes the task less daunting and more like an exciting new chapter in your author career.   Join me at the Women in Publishing Summit to grow your publishing, marketing, & networking skills while building your author community! Link in this week's show notes. Are you ready to get more out of your writing, to grow your writing skills, and get that novel done faster? Do you want community, feedback, and mentoring? Check out group coaching for novelists. New sessions begin in 2024. Schedule your free discovery call today at www.wordessential.com/fictioncoaching Get Alida's musings on life, writing, and the writing life in A Room Full of Books & Pencils. booksandpencils.substack.com Show notes, links, & more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com/292.  

"It's never too early to start thinking about marketing and building your community. It's never too early. It can be too late." Ever thought it's too early to market your book? Think again! Alexa Bigwarfe shares her wisdom on today's Story Works Round Table, in a conversation that's as inspiring as it is informative. Marketing, as Alexa says, is not just about selling books. It's about building relationships with readers, sharing your journey, and creating a platform where your voice can be heard. It's about laying the groundwork for your book to not just exist, but to thrive in a market that's flooded with content. With Alexa's guidance, you'll feel empowered to tackle marketing head-on. She makes the task less daunting and more like an exciting new chapter in your author career.   Join me at the Women in Publishing Summit to grow your publishing, marketing, & networking skills while building your author community! Link in this week's show notes. Are you ready to get more out of your writing, to grow your writing skills, and get that novel done faster? Do you want community, feedback, and mentoring? Check out group coaching for novelists. New sessions begin in 2024. Schedule your free discovery call today at www.wordessential.com/fictioncoaching Get Alida's musings on life, writing, and the writing life in A Room Full of Books & Pencils. booksandpencils.substack.com Show notes, links, & more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com/292.  

This week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida and Kathryn discover the compelling intersection of personal experience and fiction on this week's writing podcast. D. Leibhart joins us to share her journey writing her award-winning novel, House on Fire, and the art of turning life into literature. Join us for a conversation about craft and the complexities of writing stories based on personal experiences.  Join me at the Women in Publishing Summit! Get your ticket to the biggest 4-day, online conference for women authors. Are you ready to get more out of your writing, to grow your writing skills, and get that novel done faster? Do you want community, feedback, and mentoring? Check out group coaching for novelists. New sessions begin in 2024. Schedule your free discovery call today at www.wordessential.com/fictioncoaching Get Alida's musings on life, writing, and the writing life in A Room Full of Books & Pencils. booksandpencils.substack.com  

This week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida and Kathryn discover the compelling intersection of personal experience and fiction on this week's writing podcast. D. Leibhart joins us to share her journey writing her award-winning novel, House on Fire, and the art of turning life into literature. Join us for a conversation about craft and the complexities of writing stories based on personal experiences.  Join me at the Women in Publishing Summit! Get your ticket to the biggest 4-day, online conference for women authors. Are you ready to get more out of your writing, to grow your writing skills, and get that novel done faster? Do you want community, feedback, and mentoring? Check out group coaching for novelists. New sessions begin in 2024. Schedule your free discovery call today at www.wordessential.com/fictioncoaching Get Alida's musings on life, writing, and the writing life in A Room Full of Books & Pencils. booksandpencils.substack.com  

Writing a book and being successful as an author is hard work. This week on the podcast, I unpack the hardness and amazingness of the author journey, from writing to marketing and beyond, with Alexa Bigwarfe, a USA Today best-selling author, publisher, and founder and CEO of Write, Publish, Sell. In this episode, we discuss: Alexa's moving, personal journey into publishing What authors should know about the big-picture process of writing, editing, publishing, launching, and marketing a book The difference between integrating your book into your business growth strategy and making a living as an author Advanced author marketing strategies Alexa owns three hybrid publishing houses: Kat Biggie Press; Chrysalis Press; and Purple Butterfly Press, a children's book publishing company. Her courses and training focus on author professional development, platform growth, and fun, creative ways to market books. Alexa also has a publishing conference coming up: Women's Publishing Summit. No matter your stage of authorhood—idea to ongoing marketing—I know you'll find value in this episode. Enjoy! Learn more about Alexa: Website Instagram @writepublishsell LinkedIn Facebook @WritePubSell Follow me on: Instagram @stacyennis Facebook @stacyenniscreative LinkedIn Youtube @stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

This week on The UpLevel Podcast, join Rachel and Christie as they reflect on the insightful interviews they conducted with 16 incredible authors in the recent Publishing Summit series. They dove into the heart of writing purpose-driven books, celebrate the wisdom shared by each guest, and discuss why getting socially conscious content out into the world is more important than ever.Listen to the whole Publishing Summit series and get inspired by each author as they bring their unique story of transformation, healing through storytelling, strategies against writer's block, and marketing maneuvers that actually work. At UpLevel, we hope we empower more individuals to bring their voices into the world because we believe everyone has a story worth telling; let us help you share yours. Here's the lineup:"How to Birth Your Socially Conscious Children's Book" with Christie Mann"Evolving Masculinity: How Embracing Vulnerability Can Lead to Personal and Professional Growth" with Christopher Veal"Unleashing Your Inner Rockstar: Building an Empire Through Your Book" with Megan Jo WilsonBranding and PR for Authors with Chrissy Bernal"Turning Pain into a Powerful Message" with Sabriah Reese"Unleashing Poetry in a Pandemic" with Abigail Prout"Crafting Your Story and Sharing It With Ease" with Gail Barker"Making Book Magic" with Kelley Knight"Harnessing the Power of Mindfulness and Intention" with Adam Taubenfligel"From Layoffs to Leadership: Cultivating Confidence and Collaborative Success" with Michelle Mehta"Speak Up Culture: When Leaders Truly Listen, People Step Up:" with Stephen Shedletzky"Unveiling Strength: A Journey from Caregiver to Author" with Lynn Abaté-Johnson"The Power of Purpose: Inspiring Socially Conscious Content for Business Success" with Afdhel Aziz"The Journey of Co-Creating and Birthing A Children's Book: Lessons in Representation, Grief, and Being the Bridge" with Rachel BaldiIn this Episode:Gratitude and acknowledgment of the time and wisdom shared by guestsThe importance of showcasing a wide range of human experiences through literatureInsight into different publishing paths, from self-publishing to traditional routes, highlighting both struggles and triumphs.Authors share how writing served as a transformative healing process for them personally.Discussion on how books can enhance business credibility and become an integral part of one's professional ecosystemThe role that empathetic and understanding narratives play in shaping society during tumultuous timesIf you want to get a jumpstart on learning more about publishing your own socially-conscious books, download our free Publishing Checklist. https://www.uplevelproductions.com/blank-1/publishing-checklistwww.uplevelproductions.comhttps://www.instagram.com/uplevelproductions/https://www.linkedin.com/company/uplevelproductionscompanyhttps://www.facebook.com/uplevelproductionscompany

Welcome Alexa Bigwarfe to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more. I also want to mention that one of the links mentioned in this episode is an “affiliate link.” This means if you use that link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my customers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” For this conversation, I asked Alexa to put her summit host hat on as we talked in depth about how to make the most of conference speaking. Alexa shared how the Women in Publishing Summit came to be and how its purpose drives what she looks for from her conference speakers. Alexa and I covered tips on pitching, scaling your presentation, content delivery, and leveraging calls to action. If workshop presentations or conference speaking opportunities are part of your strategy, you'll want to check this episode with Alexa out. Alexa Bigwarfe is a publishing consultant, book marketing expert, and author. She enjoys building community and connecting authors and professionals in the publishing industry through her company, The Women in Publishing Summit. She writes her own fiction books under the pen name Lexi Haddock. Visit https://womeninpublishingsummit.com Book purchase link - 4 Days in Paris

It's our 10-year anniversary! The team interviews Alexa Bigwarfe, founder and CEO of Write|Publish|Sell, Kat Biggie Press, Purple Butterfly Press, and the Women in Publishing Summit about the last decade of serving authors.

Here's what you need to know for today in the business of podcasting: Spotify Announces Voice Translation: https://twitter.com/eldsjal/status/1706325294481576006Podcast Executives Say the Industry Has a Fraud Problem by Ashley Carman: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-09-22/podcast-executives-say-the-industry-has-a-fraud-problemMaking the case for investing in audio ads in 2024 by Alexandra Samet: https://www.insiderintelligence.com/content/making-case-investing-audio-ads-2024Hollywood isn't letting go of audio any time soon by Amrita Khalid: https://newsletters.feedbinusercontent.com/ae8/ae8dee115349ff41d836ba70ea6e793576c63a5b.htmlAmazon is sticking ads in Prime Video shows and movies unless you pay more by Jess Weatherbed: https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/22/23885242/amazon-prime-tv-movies-streaming-ads-subscription-dateAs for the rest of the news… Audacia Audio's Kym Treasure breaks down why audio should be in your multi-channel marketing strategy, Adweek finds Americans don't like advertisers using AI marketing on them unless it comes with a price discount, Edison Research has published their chart of the top 25 UK podcasts, and takeaways from Digiday's Publishing Summit focusing on attention metrics, engagement, and the importance of proving advertiser's return on investment.

Here's what you need to know for today in the business of podcasting: Spotify Announces Voice Translation: https://twitter.com/eldsjal/status/1706325294481576006Podcast Executives Say the Industry Has a Fraud Problem by Ashley Carman: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-09-22/podcast-executives-say-the-industry-has-a-fraud-problemMaking the case for investing in audio ads in 2024 by Alexandra Samet: https://www.insiderintelligence.com/content/making-case-investing-audio-ads-2024Hollywood isn't letting go of audio any time soon by Amrita Khalid: https://newsletters.feedbinusercontent.com/ae8/ae8dee115349ff41d836ba70ea6e793576c63a5b.htmlAmazon is sticking ads in Prime Video shows and movies unless you pay more by Jess Weatherbed: https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/22/23885242/amazon-prime-tv-movies-streaming-ads-subscription-dateAs for the rest of the news… Audacia Audio's Kym Treasure breaks down why audio should be in your multi-channel marketing strategy, Adweek finds Americans don't like advertisers using AI marketing on them unless it comes with a price discount, Edison Research has published their chart of the top 25 UK podcasts, and takeaways from Digiday's Publishing Summit focusing on attention metrics, engagement, and the importance of proving advertiser's return on investment.

At the end of this month, publishing executives from around the country with gather together in Vail, Colo., for the three-day Digiday Publishing Summit to discuss the various challenges facing the media industry, including how the economic downturn has affected advertising revenue, how the launch of new artificial intelligence technology is impacting content production and how more privacy laws mean it's time to buckle down on first-party data practices. During those three days, publishers will also be learning from each other about different strategies to navigate this tumultuous time. In this week's episode of the Digiday Podcast, Digiday's senior media editor Tim Peterson, senior reporter Sara Guaglione and media editor Kayleigh Barber share some of the on-stage sessions that they are most excited about and chat through the trends they expect will come up at DPS. Digiday will have a variety of coverage around the summit, including session recaps, overheard round-ups and a live podcast recording with Michelle DeVine, svp of programmatic and client partnerships, retail, at BuzzFeed, which will go live on Tuesday, April 4. Stay tuned for more insights coming out of DPS later this month.

Happy International Women's Day 2023 (3/8/23). Paige Allen of IngramSpark delivered a beautiful keynote for the Women in Publishing Summit, and we wanted to share it with you!

Alexa Bigwarfe is a USA Today best-selling author, publisher, and founder and CEO of Write|Publish|Sell, a company dedicated to helping authors professionally self-publish and market their books. Her courses and training focus on author platform growth and fun, creative ways to market books. The membership program she created for authors, WIP School, focuses on mentoring and training authors through the process of growing their author businesses and developing savvy book marketers. She is also the founder and host of the Women in Publishing Summit, a conference and community dedicated to empowering and educating authors and professionals in the publishing industry. Alexa owns three hybrid publishing houses, Kat Biggie Press, Chrysalis Press, and Purple Butterfly Press. Learn more about Alexa's work here: https://writepublishsell.com/ and here: https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/ The Storytellers hosted by Grace Sammon, focuses on individuals who choose to leave their mark on the world through the art of story. Each episode engages guests and listeners in the story behind the story of authors, artists, reporters and others who leave a legacy of storytelling. Applying her years of experience as an educator, entrepreneur, author, and storyteller herself, Grace brings to listeners an intimate one-on-one experience with her guests. Visit Grace at her website www.gracesammon.net. Contact Grace about being a guest on the show, email her at grace@gracesammon.net Follow Grace: On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GraceSammonWrites/ On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/GraceSammonWrites/ On Twitter https://www.twitter.com/GSammonWrites On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-sammon-84389153/ #TheStorytellers #Storyteller #Storytellers # Storytelling #AuhtorInterview #LetsTalkBooks #LeaveYourMark #AuthorLife #StorytellerLife #ArtofStory #AuthorTalkNetwork #BookishRoadTrip #AuthorTalkNetwork #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #author #writing #bookcoach #developmenteditor #editor #writepublishsell #womeninpublishingsummit #writing #publishing #bookmarketing#WIPschool The Storytellers is a copyrighted work © of Grace Sammon and Authors on The Air Global Radio Network.

Alexa Bigwarfe is a USA Today best-selling author, publisher, and founder and CEO of Write|Publish|Sell, a company dedicated to helping authors professionally self-publish and market their books. Her courses and training focus on author platform growth and fun, creative ways to market books. The membership program she created for authors, WIP School, focuses on mentoring and training authors through the process of growing their author businesses and developing savvy book marketers. She is also the founder and host of the Women in Publishing Summit, a conference and community dedicated to empowering and educating authors and professionals in the publishing industry. Alexa owns three hybrid publishing houses, Kat Biggie Press, Chrysalis Press, and Purple Butterfly Press. Learn more about Alexa's work here: https://writepublishsell.com/ and here: https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/ The Storytellers hosted by Grace Sammon, focuses on individuals who choose to leave their mark on the world through the art of story. Each episode engages guests and listeners in the story behind the story of authors, artists, reporters and others who leave a legacy of storytelling. Applying her years of experience as an educator, entrepreneur, author, and storyteller herself, Grace brings to listeners an intimate one-on-one experience with her guests. Visit Grace at her website www.gracesammon.net. Contact Grace about being a guest on the show, email her at grace@gracesammon.net Follow Grace: On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GraceSammonWrites/ On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/GraceSammonWrites/ On Twitter https://www.twitter.com/GSammonWrites On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-sammon-84389153/ #TheStorytellers #Storyteller #Storytellers # Storytelling #AuhtorInterview #LetsTalkBooks #LeaveYourMark #AuthorLife #StorytellerLife #ArtofStory #AuthorTalkNetwork #BookishRoadTrip #AuthorTalkNetwork #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #author #writing #bookcoach #developmenteditor #editor #writepublishsell #womeninpublishingsummit #writing #publishing #bookmarketing#WIPschool The Storytellers is a copyrighted work © of Grace Sammon and Authors on The Air Global Radio Network.

Welcome back Alexa Bigwarfe to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more. This extra special episode is packed full of so much wisdom from the incredible Alexa Bigwarfe. Alexa's first fiction novel, 4 Days in Paris, releases December 6, under her pen name Lexi Haddock, and I couldn't wait to have her back on the show! In our previous chat, we talked about finding your target readers and the publishing space, this time we talked about her transition to becoming a published fiction author. If you are considering a pen name or working through your first fiction novel, then let episode be a resource to help you grow as a writer, both in the craft and in the business. Alexa Bigwarfe is a USA Today best-selling author and the founder and CEO of Write|Publish|Sell, a company dedicated to helping authors professionally self-publish and market their books. She is also the founder and host of the Women in Publishing Summit and owns two hybrid publishing houses, Kat Biggie Press and Purple Butterfly Press. Alexa is publishing her first fiction novel, 4 Days in Paris, under her pen name, Lexi Haddock. Visit - https://lexihaddock.com/ Book purchase link - 4 Days in Paris

Kick it with Corinna and Jules, as they interview the amazing Alexa Bigwarfe, best-selling author, publisher, and creator of the Women In Publishing Summit. Together they talk about the reality of what it takes to make it as an author today. Whether you are self-published, traditionally published, or are working the hybrid route, this episode will provide you with a deeper understanding of how you should approach publishing your work and getting it out into the world successfully. Time Stamps: 00:00 Introduction to today's episode03:30 Meet Alexa Bigwarfe05:02 Alexa's non-traditional journey from counter-terrorism to writing and publishing09:50 Building the Women In Publishing Summit18:24 The power of social audio to engage with and build community (Wisdom App, Clubhouse)21:50 Finding the right podcasts to guest on as an author22:30 Writing the book -- it's just the beginning23:29 Self publishing, traditional publishing, and hybrid publishing -- what it takes to reach success27:46 What it takes to build your platform and realize your dream as an author29:10 Cassie Alexander's paranormal romance series - The Edie Spence Series: an example of taking your traditionally published book back to be self-publishedAbout Our Guest: Alexa Bigwarfe - Author Coach, Publisher, Book Marketing Strategist, Podcaster, Host of the Women in Publishing SummitAlexa Bigwarfe is a USA Today Best Selling author, a publisher, podcast host, and host of the Women in Publishing Summit. Words are powerful, and Alexa enjoys providing women the tools and resources to successfully bring their words into the world. She loves travel, good wine, and laughing over the hilariousness of midlife with her closest friends. She lives in Columbia, SC with her three kids and dog.E-mail info@writepublishsell.co Website https://womeninpublishingsummit.com Instagram https://Instagram.com/Womeninpublishingsummit Facebook https://Facebook.com/womeninpublishing Twitter https://Twitter.com/womeninpublish1 Pinterest https://Pinterest.com/WritePublishSell YouTube https://YouTube.com/WritePublishSell Join Our Community Of "Dragonflies" And Reach For Your DreamsFollow us on all social spaces @themediacastersJoin The Mediacasters Community FREE for a limited time: https://themediacasters.mn.coInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/themediacastersPodcast website: https://themediacasters.comNetwork website, with all our community shows: https://podpage.com/themediacasters

In episode 14 Olga and Sunny talk about what to do when things don't go as planned. How you can pick up the pieces, pivot and make the best of things. Thanks for listening. LINKS: Women in Publishing Summit: https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/ SCBWI Regional Conference: https://mddewv.scbwi.org/events/2022-mddewv-regional-conference-all-together-now/ OUR WEBSITE: https://www.illochat.com/ Watch the video: https://youtu.be/4UunlCuh6SE ▼YOUR HOSTS ▼ Sunny Duran https://www.sunnyduran.com/ Olga Herrera https://www.olgachildrensillustrator.com/

In episode 13 Olga and Sunny talk about they're plans for the new year. They also discuss how to plan for a conference. Please excuse the quality of the audio in this episode. Olga had some technical difficulties. Thanks for listening. LINKS: Women in Publishing Summit: https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/ Elisabeth Craster: https://www.elisabethcraster.com/ La Cometa: https: //spain.scbwi.org/la-cometa/ SCBWI Regional Conference: https://mddewv.scbwi.org/events/2022-mddewv-regional-conference-all-together-now/ OUR WEBSITE: https://www.illochat.com/ Watch the video: https://youtu.be/4UunlCuh6SE ▼YOUR HOSTS ▼ Sunny Duran https://www.sunnyduran.com/ Olga Herrera https://www.olgachildrensillustrator.com/

Social media provides independent publishers with many incredible opportunities to promote their books, but it feels like new platforms pop up every day, which can make it overwhelming to figure out which platforms are the best. Today, Founder and CEO of Write|Publish|Sell Alexa Bigwarfe joins “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to give you the inside scoop on some of the most buzzworthy options available, including BookTok, Bookstagram, and BookTube!PARTICIPANTSAlexa Bigwarfe is a USA Today best-selling author and the founder and CEO of Write|Publish|Sell, a company dedicated to helping authors and small publishers professionally self-publish and market their books. Her courses and training focus on author platform growth and creative ways to market books, especially for those who know nothing about marketing. She is also the founder and host of the Women in Publishing Summit and owns two hybrid publishing houses, Kat Biggie Press and Purple Butterfly Press. Learn more at writepublishsell.com.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Member Liaison, Christopher Locke helps guide the 3,700+ members as they travel along their publishing journeys. As one of his major projects, he oversees the IBPA NetGalley program, which generates buzz and garners reviews for indie publishers' titles. He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSTo learn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association, visit here https://www.ibpa-online.org/general/register_member_type.asp?Follow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineTwitter – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/To learn more about the Women in Publishing Summit, visit https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/Check out the Write|Publish|Sell Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/writepublishsell/Check out the membership program where they guide authors and publishers through marketing strategy and using social media to enhance their marketing efforts: https://writepublishsell.com/wip-school

Welcome Alexa Bigwarfe to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more. Alexa Bigwarfe is a USA Today best-selling author and the founder and CEO of Write|Publish|Sell, a company dedicated to helping authors professionally self-publish and market their books. Her courses and training focus on author platform growth and creative ways to market books, especially for those who know nothing about marketing. She is also the founder and host of the Women in Publishing Summit and owns two hybrid publishing houses, Kat Biggie Press and Purple Butterfly Press. Visit http://writepublishsell.com/ Book purchase link: Alexa's books

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Kiffer Brown. Kathryn (Kiffer) Brown is the CEO and co-founder of Chanticleer Reviews and Chanticleer Int'l Book Awards (The CIBAs) that Discover Today's Best Books. The company differentiates itself with "under the hood" digital technology that increases the digital footprint of each book review and CIBA winner developed by her super-geek husband, Argus Brown.  Kiffer has presented at events such as: Writer's Digest Conference in NYC, IBPA University, Women in Publishing Summit, Pacific Northwest Writers Conference, RWA National Conference, Historical Novel Society, BEA UpubU, ALLi, Left Coast Crime Conference, and many more.  The annual Chanticleer Authors Conference held in Bellingham, WA features international best-selling authors such as Cathy Ace, Robert Dugoni, J.D. Barker, Ann Charles (and more!). The event focuses on marketing and book promotion, advanced writing craft, and Book-to-Film sessions.   In this episode Kiffer and I discuss: Why there has never been a better time to be an author than NOW. What makes something a review as opposed to a write-up and the four types of reviews. How advanced reviews help in promoting your book and when you should start getting them.   Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/378

Join authors Joy E. Rancatore and Mea Smith for the final episode of Season Two of QWERTY Writing Life. They revisit your Top Ten favorite episodes and share their favorites as well. They let you know the highlights of their year—personally and QWERTY-ly—and close out with a tease for Season Three—yes, it’s coming! If you want to stay in the know and help influence future episodes, subscribe to the monthly QWERTY Writing Life newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/z9f1z5 Did you hear about an episode you missed or want to revisit? Find the links to listen below: Episode 1: Kickstarting Personal Creativity https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/kickstarting-personal-creativity/ Episodes 4-6: Getting the Most from Creative Instruction, Parts 1-3 https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/getting-the-most-from-creative-instruction-part-1/ https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/getting-the-most-from-creative-instruction-part-2/ https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/getting-the-most-from-creative-instruction-part-iii/ Episode 7: Interview with Two Creatives’ Spouses: Tony Rancatore and Brent Smith https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/interview-with-two-creatives-spouses-tony-rancatore-and-brent-smith/ Episode 8: Take a Creative Page from Kids https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/take-a-creative-page-from-kids/ Episode 9: Learning from Creative Ideals https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/learning-from-creative-ideals/ Episode 13: Just Because: Lessons from Serenity https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/just-because-lessons-from-serenity/ Episode 14: If We Owned a Bookshop … https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/if-we-owned-a-bookshop-%e2%80%a6/ Episode 15: PREP for Success, Part 1 https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/prep-for-success-part-1/ Episode 18: Caring for Your Creative Trinity https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/caring-for-your-creative-trinity/ Episode 20: Interview with a Creative: Alexa Bigwarfe on Creating When Bad Things Happen https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/interview-with-a-creative-alexa-bigwarfe-on-creating-when-bad-things-happen/ Episodes 21-23: Creative Critique Partners Defining Critique Partnerships: https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/creative-critique-partners-defining-critique-partnerships/ Evaluating Yourself: https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/creative-critique-partners-evaluating-yourself/ Choosing a Critique Partner: https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/creative-critique-partners-choosing-a-critique-partner/ Episode 27: Gratitude Amplifies Creativity https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/gratitude-amplifies-creativity/ Episode 34: Facing Creative Insecurity https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/facing-creative-insecurity/ Episode 36: Interview with a Creative: Chloe Rouse on Finding the Story in Creative Projects https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/interview-with-a-creative-chloe-rouse-on-finding-the-story-in-creative-projects/ Episode 46: Interview with a Creative: Camille Myrick on Capturing NOW Through Poetry and Process https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/interview-with-a-creative-camille-myrick-on-capturing-now-through-poetry-and-process/ Enjoy these other writer resources mentioned in this episode: Women in Publishing Summit: https://womeninpublishingsummit.com Alexa Bigwarfe’s Writing Through Grief Challenge: http://sunshineafterstorm.us/free-challenge-writing-grief/ Maggie Stiefvater’s Writing Course: https://www.etsy.com/listing/806360184/writing-with-maggie-stiefvater-2020 Intro music created and performed by Brent Smith. Please share our podcast with your friends! We’d love for them to be our new friends, too! Questions? Comments? You know what to do! Continue this week’s chat with us via email at editorial [at] logosandmythospress [dot] com. For more information about us, the show and our writing craft book series, head over to www.logosandmythospress.com/qwerty-writing-life. Subscribe in your favorite podcast portal. Or, if you’d rather see our grinning faces, ring the bell on our YouTube channel. Can’t get enough of Mea? Head over to her online home at www.measmith.com. Want to know more about Joy? Check out her site, www.joyerancatore.com.

Join authors Joy E. Rancatore and Mea Smith in Episode 42 of QWERTY Writing Life for a recap of some of what they learned from the 2021 Women in Publishing Summit. They also talk about their current challenges and works in progress and share how their “creative trinity” is looking these days. They close out with a QWERTY Challenge that will help you evaluate how your creative life is going. Stay in the know about episodes, our speaking engagements and what goes on behind the microphones with our monthly QWERTY Writing Life Newsletter. You’ll also get the chance to influence our show’s content and be the first to know about big events! Here’s the link: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/z9f1z5 Check out these other links mentioned in the show: Creative Trinity episode: https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-am2rh-ed62d1 Getting the Most from Creative Instruction episodes: https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/getting-the-most-from-creative-instruction-part-1/ Rachael Ritchey, book designer and formatter extraordinaire: https://rachaelritchey.com/book-design-by-rachael/ Mea’s Story Swell site & newsletter signup: https://storyswell.net Marie Howe: http://www.mariehowe.com/books-2  Billy Collins MasterClass: https://www.masterclass.com/classes/billy-collins-teaches-reading-and-writing-poetry  Thanks for using our affiliate link to check out the 2021 Women in Publishing Summit:  https://joyerancatore--writepublishsell.thrivecart.com/2021-wip-conference/ Intro music created and performed by Brent Smith. Continue this week’s chat via email at editorial@logosandmythospress.com. Subscribe in your favorite podcast portal or ring the bell on the QWERTY YouTube channel. For more information about the show and the QWERTY Writing Life author resource book series, head over to https://www.logosandmythospress.com/qwerty-writing-life. Meet the authors at https://www.logosandmythospress.com/authors.

Humor, truth and introspection collide in Episode 40 of QWERTY Writing Life. Hear a few examples of What NOT to Say to a Writer, as authors Joy E. Rancatore and Mea Smith share some they’ve heard. They continue with a few of the many kind things they’ve been told and discuss some of the purposes behind the good, bad and ugly statements creatives often face. Subscribe to our monthly QWERTY Writing Life Newsletter!!! Stay in the know about episodes, our speaking engagements and what goes on behind the scenes. You’ll also be the first to know about big events and get the chance to influence our show’s content! Here’s the link: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/z9f1z5 Mea's Newsletter Sign-Up:  https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r2r2z1 Joy's Newsletter Sign-Up: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/s3k1w3 Thanks for using Joy’s MailerLite affiliate link: https://www.mailerlite.com/invite/0a3dc8e0a9206 Thanks for using our affiliate link to check out the 2021 Women in Publishing Summit:  https://joyerancatore--writepublishsell.thrivecart.com/2021-wip-conference/ Intro music created and performed by Brent Smith. Continue this week’s chat via email at editorial@logosandmythospress.com. Subscribe in your favorite podcast portal or ring the bell on the QWERTY YouTube channel. For more information about the show and the QWERTY Writing Life author resource book series, head over to https://www.logosandmythospress.com/qwerty-writing-life. Meet the authors at https://www.logosandmythospress.com/authors.

Life sometimes throws unexpected curve balls our way. When huge life events alter a creative’s productivity or future, what do they owe their audiences? Authors Joy E. Rancatore and Mea Smith tackle this issue in Episode 39 of QWERTY Writing Life and offer a few tips to prepare before something big happens. Visit the links mentioned in this episode: “Sharing You with the World,” QWERTY Writing Life, Season 2, Episode 12: https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/sharing-you-with-the-world/ Mea’s new website, Story Swell: https://storyswell.net Brené Brown: https://brenebrown.com Information about the release of the early Hemingway letters: https://www.brainpickings.org/2012/01/16/famous-correspondence/ Thanks for using our affiliate link to check out the 2021 Women in Publishing Summit:  https://joyerancatore--writepublishsell.thrivecart.com/2021-wip-conference/ Intro music created and performed by Brent Smith. Continue this week’s chat via email at editorial@logosandmythospress.com. Subscribe in your favorite podcast portal or ring the bell on the QWERTY YouTube channel. For more information about the show and the QWERTY Writing Life author resource book series, head over to https://www.logosandmythospress.com/qwerty-writing-life. Meet the authors at https://www.logosandmythospress.com/authors.

In this session, previously recorded for the 2018 Women in Publishing Summit, we're talking about the different types of editing, working with an editor, things you should know about getting your book edited. Special Guest panel" Stacey Aaronson, Liz Thompson, Jenny Kanevsky, Jodi Brandon, Dakota Nyght

Introduction to Episode She found herself processing grief through writing and she gave birth to so much more. In this interview Alexa Bigwarfe shares how she found the Women in Publishing Summit, and how she gives back to grieving mothers. Podcast Episode Summary Alexa Bigwarfe is a writer, a publisher, a teacher, a producer, a wife, and a mother. And, she is a grieving mother. Our conversation leapt over many things, from how she got into writing, how she taught others to publish, how she carved a niche for womxn, how she worked through her money story, and how she gives back. Our conversation started with various topics that are covered during Alexa's Women in Publishing Summit. Topics include: true stories, challenges, extra roles women play, mindset, self-doubt, imposter syndrome, balancing all the roles, and many technical aspects like choosing the right cover art. We then spent a good portion of our conversation talking about worth and the challenges that are mostly unique to women when it comes to valuing our work.  Finally, we discussed how Alexa turned to writing. It was a tool that helped her process the grief of the death of her daughter, Catherine, when Catherine passed away at two years old. Along with a book and a blog, she also gave birth to the non-profit, Sunshine After a Storm, which gives care packages to grieving mothers. Quotables “[We t]ell important messages through our stories.” “I can’t give if I don’t have the means to do it.” Recommended Resources Profit First: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30780674-profit-first?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=DwaaMuDnXk&rank=1 (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30780674-profit-first?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=DwaaMuDnXk&rank=1)  The Soul of Money: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/185526.The_Soul_of_Money?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=VVO7uG2m3j&rank=1 (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/185526.The_Soul_of_Money?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=VVO7uG2m3j&rank=1)  Join the Women in Publishing Summit: https://womeninpublishingsummit.com (https://womeninpublishingsummit.com).  Check out Alexa’s work: http://writepublishsell.co (http://writepublishsell.co).  Visit the Sunshine After a Storm non-profit: https://sunshineafterthestorm.org (https://sunshineafterthestorm.org).  For more information about Michelle, Balance Shared, events, and projects, please visit http://www.michellelasley.com (www.michellelasley.com).  Support this podcast

The world might make us think creative entrepreneurs are all overnight successes, but authors Joy E. Rancatore and Mea Smith set the record straight in Episode 38 of QWERTY Writing Life. With the inspiration of some entrepreneurs—including the one and only Dolly Parton—Joy and Mea discuss common themes in successful business owners and the little steps striving entrepreneurs can take every day.If you’re a creative entrepreneur who struggles with taking those little steps every day and wonders if you should keep going—or get started—here are questions for your reflection as you work on this week’s QWERTY Challenge:Are you not capitalizing on the experiences you’ve had or considering ways to use what you know to do what you want?Do you listen to the negative Nancys and let them determine your mindset, allowing them to derail your dreams and stop you before you even get started?Do you let yourself remain stuck in how you think business should look or do you limit yourself because you don’t know how to do something or you’re scared of technology you don’t understand?Do you let yourself get easily discouraged when things take way longer than you think they will?Visit the links mentioned in this episode:Dolly Parton’s Q&A with Squarespace: https://www.squarespace.com/5to9A look at entrepreneurial success: https://www.squarespace.com/blog/from-side-hustle-to-successTwo brothers’ oyster bar empire story: https://www.squarespace.com/blog/how-two-brothers-turned-an-oyster-bar-into-an-empireInterview with Creative Chloe Rouse Armstrong: https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/interview-with-a-creative-chloe-rouse-on-finding-the-story-in-creative-projects/Jocko Willink’s leadership book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1250183863Jocko Willink’s “Good” video: https://youtu.be/IdTMDpizis8Kid entrepreneurs: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5051-young-entrepreneurs.htmlMea’s cover designer, Rachael Ritchey: https://rrbookdesign.comThis Good Thing by Joy E. Rancatore: https://www.logosandmythospress.com/this-good-thingSnail on the Wall pop-up bookseller in Huntsville, AL: https://www.snailonthewall.comForged in Fire TV show: https://www.history.com/shows/forged-in-fireLittle Coffee Camper, mobile coffee shop in Slidell, LA (and surrounding areas): https://www.facebook.com/LittleCoffeeCamper1/Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: https://imaginationlibrary.comCastle TV show: https://m.imdb.com/title/tt1219024Alex and Emma movie: https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0318283Lauren DeStefano, author: https://laurendestefano.comRachel Hollis, author: https://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Hollis/e/B00J237V5IThanks for using our affiliate link to check out the 2021 Women in Publishing Summit:  https://joyerancatore--writepublishsell.thrivecart.com/2021-wip-conference/Intro music created and performed by Brent Smith.Continue this week’s chat via email at editorial@logosandmythospress.com. Subscribe in your favorite podcast portal or ring the bell on the QWERTY YouTube channel. For more information about the show and the QWERTY Writing Life author resource book series, head over to https://www.logosandmythospress.com/qwerty-writing-life. Meet the authors at https://www.logosandmythospress.com/authors.

Have you found yourself stalled in creative endeavors because of insecurity? Authors Joy E. Rancatore and Mea Smith reflect on their own experiences in Episode 37 of QWERTY Writing Life. They share the highs and lows of their creative lives, while highlighting the steps they take in Facing Creative Insecurity. Visit the links mentioned in this episode:Season 1, Episode 5: Theory of Fear https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/blockades-to-creating-part-5/Thanks for using our affiliate link to check out the 2021 Women in Publishing Summit: https://joyerancatore--writepublishsell.thrivecart.com/wip-2021-free/Intro music created and performed by Brent Smith.Continue this week’s chat via email at editorial@logosandmythospress.com. Subscribe in your favorite podcast portal or ring the bell on the QWERTY YouTube channel. For more information about the show and the QWERTY Writing Life author resource book series, head over to https://www.logosandmythospress.com/qwerty-writing-life. Meet the authors at https://www.logosandmythospress.com/authors.

Welcome to the Soul Centered CEO Show featuring special guest Alexa Bigwarfe! Alexa Bigwarfe is an advocate, mother, proud veteran, USA Today Best-Selling author, and podcaster. Her writing career began after her infant daughter passed away at 2-days-old and she turned to writing for healing. She gathered together other parents to write and publish Sunshine After the Storm: A Survival Guide for the Grieving Mother, her first of many books. Now she guides other authors through the process of writing to heal and publishing your words to help and impact the world. Alexa is the founder and owner of Write|Publish|Sell, the publishing houses Kat Biggie Press, Purple Butterfly Press, and Chrysalis Press, and the Women in Publishing Summit. In her own healing journey, she founded a nonprofit, Sunshine After the Storm, to help other grieving mothers through free care packages, support activities, and healing retreats. A spirited activist, Alexa enjoys bringing light to topics surrounding marginalized voices, particularly as they pertain to women and children. She lives in Columbia, SC with her three living children and her dog. Learn more at alexabigwarfe.com

2020 wasn’t the year anyone thought it would be, but that didn’t stop authors Joy E. Rancatore and Mea Smith from altering their plans and accomplishing things anyway. Tune in to Episode 33 of QWERTY Writing Life to hear how their year ended and then let them know how your 2020 went. Were you able to “Pivot!”Visit the links mentioned in this episode:Season 1, Episode 35; Goal-Planning with 2020 Vision, Part 1: Template for Goal-Settinghttps://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/goal-planning-with-2020-vision-part-i-template-for-goal-setting/Season 1, Episode 36; Goal-Planning with 2020 Vision, Part 2: Goals in Action https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/goal-planning-with-2020-vision-part-ii-goals-in-action/Season 2, Episode 10; Goals Disrupted: Perseverance Despite a Pandemichttps://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/goals-disrupted-perseverance-despite-a-pandemic/This Good Thing by Joy: https://www.logosandmythospress.com/this-good-thingFinders Keepers: A Practical Approach to Find & Keep Your Writing Critique Partner by Joy and Mea: https://www.logosandmythospress.com/finders-keepersThanks for using Joy’s affiliate link to check out the 2021 Women in Publishing Summit: https://joyerancatore--writepublishsell.thrivecart.com/wip-2021-free/Getting the Most from Creative Instruction, Part I QWL Episode: https://qwertywritinglife.podbean.com/e/getting-the-most-from-creative-instruction-part-1/Marie Kondo: https://konmari.comMaggie Stiefvater’s Writing Course: https://www.etsy.com/listing/806360184/writing-with-maggie-stiefvater-2020Lindsay Eagar’s 80/20 Course: https://www.lindsayeagarbooks.com/8020Intro music created and performed by Brent Smith.Continue this week’s chat via email at editorial@logosandmythospress.com. Subscribe in your favorite podcast portal or ring the bell on the QWERTY YouTube channel. For more information about the show and the QWERTY Writing Life author resource book series, head over to https://www.logosandmythospress.com/qwerty-writing-life. Meet the authors at https://www.logosandmythospress.com/authors.

I interviewed Brooke Warner in a previous Women in Publishing Summit about why she started She Writes Press and about Hybrid presses. This is a great interview opening doors to other routes to publishing.

Alexa Bigwarfe is a wife, mother, proud veteran, a USA Today Best-Selling author, speaker, author coach, and publisher. Her writing career began when she turned to writing for healing after her infant daughter passed away at 2 days old. She began to support others who wanted to do the same and now guides other authors through the publishing and marketing process in her company Write|Publish|Sell and her publishing houses: Kat Biggie Press, Purple Butterfly Press, and Chrysalis Press. Alexa enjoys hosting the annual Women in Publishing Summit, an online conference for women writers. Passionate about serving mothers who have lost children, she founded a nonprofit, Sunshine After the Storm. A spirited activist, Alexa enjoys bringing light to topics surrounding marginalized voices, particularly as they pertain to women and children. She lives in Columbia, SC with her husband, three living children destined to be activists too, and her dog. Alexa’s book is entitled Ditch the Fear and Just Write It, and can be purchased at the following link: https://www.amazon.com/Ditch-Fear-Just-Write-No-Excuses/dp/0999437763 Connect with Alexa at the following links: http://writepublishsell.co/ https://www.facebook.com/WomenInPublishing/ https://www.facebook.com/WritePubSell/ https://www.instagram.com/writepublishsell/ Have you thought about launching a podcast, but don’t know where to start? Do you have questions about how to plan a podcast? Join me as I shares seven questions you should ask yourself before launching a podcast in a free webinar on May 21 at 3 PM Eastern. To register for this event, click here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/7-questions-you-should-ask-yourself-before-launching-a-podcast-tickets-103608196906 Hey authors, are you looking for an editing tool to help you polish your book manuscripts, essays, short stories and more? Look no further than ProWritingAid. ProWritingAid is an editing tool that checks your grammar, style, dialogue, sticky sentences and much more. Visit the link below to save 20% on your ProWritingAid subscription. https://prowritingaid.com?afid=8740 Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/inspirational-journeys/support Leave feedback and connect with me at the following links: Email: annwrites75@gmail.com Website: https://annwritesinspiration.com Voice messages from anywhere: https://anchor.fm/inspirational-journeys/message Social media: https://www.facebook.com/annwritesinspiration https://twitter.com/annwrites75 https://www.pinterest.com/annwritesinspiration Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/annsmusic1 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/inspirational-journeys/message

In today’s episode, I celebrate my furious fiction entry. I also give several highlights from the women in publishing summit which was held on March 2 to March 8, 2020. Please be sure to have a blank document, the notes app on your phone or tablet, or a pen and paper handy to take down notes as I give them to you in the episode. This episode also includes the furious fiction writing prompt challenge. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/inspirational-journeys/support Leave me feedback: Email: annwrites75@gmail.com Contact me via my website: https://annwritesinspiration.com/contact Leave voice messages from anywhere: https://anchor.FM/inspirational-journeys/message Follow me on social media: https://www.facebook.com/annwritesinspiration https://twitter.com/annwrites75 https://www.pinterest.com/annwritesinspiration https://www.youtube.com/user/annsmusic1 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/inspirational-journeys/message

How do you find your creative medium? In Episode 44 of QWERTY Writing Life, we’re discussing how it took us a while to land on the one creative outlet that makes our hearts sing. We’ll send you away with a special challenge to help you find yours as well.Remember: This week is the 2020 Women in Publishing Summit, and we want to Dream BIG with YOU! Thanks for using our affiliate link to sign up for free and, if you add a paid package later, we’ll get a percentage! https://joyrancatore--writepublishsell.thrivecart.com/2020-wip/Please share our podcast with your friends! We’d love for them to be our new friends, too! Questions? Comments? You know what to do! Continue this week’s chat with us via email at editorial [at] logosandmythospress [dot] com. For more information about us, the show and our writing craft book series, head over to www.logosandmythospress.com/qwerty-writing-life. Subscribe in your favorite podcast portal. Or, if you’d rather see our grinning faces, ring the bell on our YouTube channel. Can’t get enough of Mea? Head over to her online home at www.measmith.com. Want to know more about Joy? Check out her site, www.joyerancatore.com.

Do women authors face unique challenges? Autumn and special guest, Alexa Bigwarfe, delve into this topic as well as ways to support women authors. Alexa is a USA Today bestselling author, runs Write, Publish, Sell and is the organizer of the Women in Publishing Summit. This episode has tips not just for women, but for anyone who is busy or feels too overwhelmed to tackle dreams such as writing. Check out the Women in Publishing Summit which runs from March 2 - 8. Registration starts at FREE! Check it out at https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/. Tune in for new episodes EVERY single Monday. SUPPORT THE AM WRITING FANTASY PODCAST! Please tell a fellow author about the show and visit us at Apple podcast and leave a rating and review. Join us at www.patreon.com/AmWritingFantasy. For as little as a dollar a month, you'll get awesome rewards and keep the Am Writing Fantasy podcast going. Read the full transcript below. (Please note that it's automatically generated and while the AI is super cool, it isn't perfect. There may be misspellings or incorrect words on occasion). Narrator (0s): You're listening to the amwritingfantasy podcast. In today's publishing landscape, you can reach fans all over the world. Query letters are a thing of the past. You don't even need in literary agent. There is nothing standing in the way of making a living from writing join to best selling authors who have self published more than 20 books between them. Now onto the show with your hosts, Autumn Birt and Jesper Schmidt. Autumn (29s): Hello, I'm autumn and this is episode 61 of the amwritingfantasy podcast and the women have taken over today. Yes, for is a way, and so today we instead have author and organizer Alexa Bigwarfe and she is joining me for a discussion on the hurdles facing women authors. So hello Alexa welcome to the podcast. Alexa (51s): Hi, thank you so much for having me. I'm so happy you could join us today. And actually right now I'm over in Vermont and it's a beautiful sunny day, so thank you for being inside and, uh, hanging out with me. Absolutely. Well, I'm in South Carolina where it's normally beautiful and sunny, but today it's overcast and gross, so Autumn (1m 13s): that worked out for you then. It's great. Fantastic. And so I have a little introduction so that people can listening can get and feel of for who you are. And so we'll just get that out of the way till we can free up the discussion. So Alexa you are a wife, a mother of three, a dog owner, which I'm going to have to ask what kind of dog and an advocate for those without a voice. You are passionate about advocating for women's and children's rights and discusses these topics on your podcast, which is the same name as a series you've written lose the Cape. So you're also a USA today bestselling author and you're an editor and publisher of lose the Cape anthology series sunshine after the storm, a survival guide for the grieving mother. Ditch the fear and just write it and many other books. And if all of that isn't enough, you also run and organize the women in publishing summit every year, which I took part last year and loved it and I can't wait to it for it to be this year. And you also run the write publish sell website, which is dedicated to helping authors. So I don't know how you fit all of that. And really Alexa (2m 22s): I don't sleep much is my standard answer on that one. Autumn (2m 26s): I understand. I know when I first started writing and people asked how I found time to do it, I would look at them straight with a dead pan face and say, I'm a vampire, I'm gonna start using that one. That's a much better answer. Oh, you know, it throws them off. Like they were kind of like, are you serious? Alexa (2m 44s): I love it. Well, you know, now that my three children are all in school for seven hours a day like it or six, seven hours, however long they're gone, um, it makes a big difference and I'm able to cram a lot more in. My husband swears that multi multitasking is impossible and that is just one of the many differences between men and women because I think women can run circles around men and doing multiple things at the same time. Autumn (3m 10s): I highly agree, which is so like I said, it'd be so much fun for taking over the podcast today, we'll probably, you know, solve all the problems of the world. While all smell disgusting, you know. Right. That's right. That's right. Excellent. Well, I'm so happy to have you here and I have to say, so I'm a dog lover too. Um, my, I have a current terrier who is like a giant golden version of Toto. So what kind of dog do you have? Alexa (3m 33s): Dog Mia is a, she's definitely a mix of a yellow lab and something else that could be picked could be bulldog, could be all kinds of combinations. She's a mutt. She was a rescue, so we don't know what she is fully, but she is truly the sweetest dog we've ever come across. And she's a gentle giant. We love her. Autumn (3m 54s): Yeah, that's just, I absolutely adore dogs. And that was actually sort of how I ended up with my husband. He had the cutest dog. Oh my God. So I fell in love with a dog, kept the boys. It's worked out Alexa (4m 6s): well. There you go. So there is some truth to be told to men getting puppies and taking them for walks in the park if they're looking to pick up chicks. Huh? Autumn (4m 13s): Yeah. So we're already giving dating tips to anyone out there listening. Yes. If you are trying to get together with someone, a really cute dog or a wonder, Alexa (4m 22s): well you know, being a writer can be such a life of solitude that maybe maybe we do need to throw out some tips for social interaction from time to time. Autumn (4m 33s): That's like she probably, we could get away with a podcast of like writing or dating tips for writers because we're all introverts, so we're like, I know sometimes if my husband didn't be like, are we eating today? Are you doing anything other than taking your laptop somewhere of like, Oh you are here. I didn't know you were in the house. Alexa (4m 50s): Exactly. I did the same thing though with my three children. It's generally not a good thing. So we have a rule that when I'm working they're only allowed to come bother me if one of them is bleeding or, or really like truly needs my help. It can't be an argument over which television Joe they can watch. So Autumn (5m 9s): yeah, I saw a reverse am blog article once, which I wish I could find it again. If anyone is listening and knows of this one, it was a family's interpretation of a mother's writing, a writer, mother's hand signals, and you know, she would hold up the one finger which to her about one minute and the family is like, okay, give her five. If she holds up two fingers, it's like give her 10 not two minutes. And if she gives you a full stop, it means do not fricking bothering me right now. She is on a roll. Go leave the house and come back into. That is so true. It's just like there's what we think we got going on and then there's what the rest of the world realizes. We really mean when we say no, not now. Oh my gosh. So yes, if anyone knows of it, please send it to me. I've lost the link and it just cracked me up whenever I read it. It was fantastic. But anyway, so I'm so excited to have you here and I love that you're a USA today bestselling author. You have so much information and so many things that you're doing, but how did you start out? When were you, when were you a newbie and how did you start writing Alexa (6m 16s): well, it's kind of a sad story, so I'm sorry to bring anybody down here. Um, I actually, I wanted this, so the first part, it's not so sad. I've wanted to write since I was a little girl. I mean I started writing my name all over my grandparents couches and walls as soon as I could hold a pen, right. Which, uh, they were not very happy. But um, um, so I I self, I self illustrated and wrote my first book at the age of six called my unicorn. My mother threw it away at some point in time, so tears, no, but I always wanted to write and I'm one of those kids who if you go back and look through my stuff from like middle school and high school, like I have stories upon stories that I started but never quite finished. I have like index cards of, of I, I one of those title people. So I would just daydream titles for day is, you know, cause I had like 700 titles of books and stories, you know. But um, somewhere along the line, uh, my dad was the mill in the military. We moved overseas. I totally fell in love with am overseas stuff and I wound up majoring in international studies and then eventually I went into the air force. Um, so I was doing, I was in air force intelligence officer and I did for for a decade. I did technical writing and briefs and really, uh, really honed my writing, my writing and speaking skills through that career. And then writing um, some counter terrorism, uh, briefings and things like that for the state of South Carolina after I left the military. It's a very interesting career. Very, very interesting. I loved what I did. Um, like I said, 10 years total time working for the air force and for the state of South Carolina and doing really, really cool things and writing a lot of emergency plans and all this kind of stuff, grant writing, all of that dry boring stuff. But it trained me very well in technical writing and am I decided to, it was, it was hard working in counter terrorism and by that point in time we had two small children. So I decided to stay at home and um, be a stay at home mom because I thought that would be easier. Um, it was not, we decided to have our third child cause my husband and I are both the third of four children and we were like, we can't stop before we get to number three obviously. Um, and when we, I went in for my first ultrasound and they found out that there were two. So we had number three and 4:00 AM together. But a long, long story short, um, the babies were identical twins. They had, they suffered from a syndrome called twin to twin transfusion syndrome, which is very, very deadly if not treated. It was very scary and we thought both babies were going to die. We went through a lot of, lot of stuff, a lot of hospitalizations and they were born 10 weeks early. And, um, Caris, my surviving twin was one pound 10 ounces and she spent, yeah, she was a little bitty. She lo fighter, she spent three months in the NICU and her sister, Catherine, um, just had entirely too many, uh, issues. And she only stayed with us for two days before she was, it was very sad. So in that time frame, there's obviously a lot of stuff going on. And I started blogging as a way to deal with grief and anger and just shock and awareness to tell other people about this syndrome that I felt my doctors were so poorly educated on. And, you know, all these things. So I took the blogging and, um, really found a space and place for not only helping other grieving mothers, but for helping people who didn't know how to deal with grieving mothers. Like what might be the most common search term is still to this day, eight years later, uh, what do I say to someone who's just lost a baby? So I started writing on those topics and um, and I decided that I wanted to do more. By that point in time, I had am really gotten into a big community of other bloggers and writers on grief. And so I reached out to a bunch of people that I knew who, who were, who were doing things, either they were setting up organizations to support grieving families where they were blogging about it or they were doing all these different things. And I invited, um, I think it's 34 of us total. So I reached out to all these people and ask them to be a part of this project that I wanted to do, which was a book called sunshine after the storm, a survival guide for the grieving mother. And it's basically like, Oh yeah, it was. So, it was a really healing project for me. So part of my mission across the years has been using writing as a tool to heal and how no matter what genre, whether it's a children's book or a nonfiction book or even a fiction book, like there's so many ways that you can use your writing to work through things in your own life to heal to all of those things. So, yeah. So I became an accidental publisher basically because, you know, I just, I fell in love with the process and wanted to learn everything I could possibly learn about publishing. And then we started the lose the Cape series, which is our guide for am for moms. Cause I was still raising children. So we did that and like, so now I've got more books coming out and people are coming to me, what are you doing? How are you doing this? I want to write a book. How do I do it? Yeah. So right. Publish sell was born. Autumn (11m 44s): That is amazing. So yes, I mean basically from almost before you started putting the words that became your published novel on paper, you've been helping other on their journey from the get go. Right? Alexa (11m 55s): Yeah. So, so yeah, through the, through the blogging and then through am basically kind of, so some people who were also writing on grief came to me first. And this is when I realized that that there was an opportunity for me to really help a lot of other people is because they came to me and they were like, Hey, I don't know how to get my book a formatted and I don't know how to do this and I don't know how to do that. So it started off with me just kind of helping out my friends in the green area who wanted to write and publish books too. And then, you know, word caught on. I started realizing that I, well, first of all being a stay at home mom, but just never quite worked out for me. I, I wanted to be doing more like constantly. So I knew I didn't want to leave my kids though I still wanted that flexibility of being able to be home with them. And so I was looking for opportunities and at this time, like this is when like digital, the digital world was just blowing up. I mean, so all this stuff is happening, eBooks coming out, you know, all these, all these big transitions. So I was able to start looking at maybe I could be a blogger and make money through blogging. Maybe I could do this, maybe I could do that. And so I just built my business from the ground up, doing a lot of different things. And, and um, eventually as I was working with these different writers, I realized that I didn't want to just help them prepare their book for publication. Like I wanted to be a publisher. So I took on that role and we have am, Kat, biggie press and purple butterfly press and Chrysalis press, which are nonfiction, basically hybrid press, a children's book, hybrid press. And then Chrysalis is our traditional publishing house. But we have, we had a slow down, we took on way too much, way too fast. So we have stopped submissions for all of those for a while because now I'm focusing on the women and publishing summit Autumn (13m 43s): I know, I can't wait til we talk about that, but before we do, I want to, so what do you think I get into, what do you think are the differences between a woman author and our account? Our male counterparts because I know I've definitely seen some differences and it's interesting. It's so it's kinda fun to open up that conversation and maybe some guys will get some perspective into, you know, helping their struggling female partners who want to be writers too. There's so many different Alexa (14m 9s): is across the board from the way that we tackle our projects to our mindset issues. Like when guys in general, this is all generalizations of course, but generally speaking, when a dude decides he's going to do something, he sits down and he does it. If a guy decides I'm gonna write a vampire paranormal, romance, Blab, blah, blah, shape shifter, you know, whatever. Throughout all your, I'm not a fantasy writer, so I do Autumn (14m 37s): you're doing really good. This might make these next book. Alexa (14m 42s): I decided I'm going to sit down and write it. Generally speaking, I'm not saying that they don't have fears and challenges in that, but they sit down and they do it. Whereas a woman were like, well, do I know enough? I don't have an MFA. I've never taken a writing class. Can I do this or are people gonna laugh at me? What are they going to do? Like who am I? Like all these things just start going through our minds as women. So we have issues from there, you know, just in terms of can I do this, will I do this? But then I mean there's like a thousand other things women whether you're a mother or not, women tend to be the ones who take on the roles of caretakers, caregivers, planners, organizers. So we're doing all the things in our lives. We're the ones who generally speaking, again, nobody threw rotten tomatoes at me. And you know what, there is a shift going on like my husband now is a stay at home dad, so I can't, you know, stay at home dads slash he works part time in my business now. But um, but, but you know, so, so I know that men are doing all these things as well. But generally speaking, like we just, we approach things differently. We have different things that hold us back. We have different things that hold us back in the world. Like the, if you, every once in a while I see the article come up about how many women had to um, use mail pen names because that's the only way they could sell sell books, you know, so, so there are not only internal things that stop us from moving forward. There are still very definite external things happening in our world that, that keep women from having the same level of success. And I'm not one of those, you know, door bang feminists, like men need to die, all that kind of stuff that you see that you see some people on the far extreme side. But I what I do, but I do see, I do see some challenges that women have to face and especially marginalized voices, women of color, women in any type of super minority type thing. You know, there, there's a lot of challenges still out there. So you know, it Autumn (16m 45s): no. Yeah, I totally agree. Cause I know like I think my F the first question I often hear when female authors asking themselves is when can I find the time? Because I agree. It seems like every woman author I know is even myself, I don't have kids. We decided not to a long time ago before we even got together, so it worked out. But it's still, I'm the primary cook, you know, I tend to do the primary organizational things that he does the primary and be like maintenance things and he's putting them in. But you're right, it's like, I'm going to go and I'm going to go do this now and then it'll be done and then I'm going to go and do this now. And for me it's like, well, I've got to juggle this. I gotta deal with this. I've got to get this done today at blah, blah, blah. You know, it's like I have 16 balls in the air and I'm like, can I throw out the 17th if it's a pedo of size? But it means, I'm sorry. No, go ahead. Yeah. Do it's exhau. It's, I really think we struggle with trying to hold it all together and carve out that time for ourselves. It's Alexa (17m 41s): very unusual, um, from the men that I see in my life again. So I'm just using my little am snapshot of the world here. It's very to see a guy when I see them want to do something to stop and think, now, wait a minute, what am I going to get the laundry done and when am I going to get food and do I have a menu plan and do I have, you know, no. They're like, okay, I'm going to join the hockey team and I'm going to go play hockey or I'm going to write a book or I'm gonna, you know, learn how to play the guitar or go hang out with friends or go, you know, that's they, they just, they do. And some women just do two and it's a L it's a thing that I'm having to teach myself actually, is that it's, if I have to focus on whatever it is, that is my priority and if it is my priority, then I have to be willing to let other things slide. It's okay if we eat leftovers for two days in a row. My kids don't think so, but I'm okay feeding them. It's okay to order from time to time. It's okay to let them watch movies as well. I write on a Saturday afternoon, you know, so, Autumn (18m 45s): Oh, I love that. No, I, I totally agree and I think that's we. I love your lose. Lose the Cape series. I hadn't seen it until I was looking up stuff, but it's so true. We all think we have to do it all. We have to do it and I've learned even in my life to be much more advocating too. I think that's one thing. Guys are really good at saying, I am doing this and they stayed at, they go and do it and if they don't get something done or if someone else has to pick up the Slack wherever the chips fall, they just go and do it and women. We tend to be like, how can I fit that in where if it's something we're passionate about, sometimes you just have to say, I am doing this and you're either going to have to help or it is not going to happen because I am doing this and it's so scary. Sometimes we'd switch with you in a relationship where you're the one who tends to pick up the other half of everything. But yeah, sometimes you just have to do it. And even am I've hit 45 now and I'm still learning. Alexa (19m 39s): Okay. That's really funny. If you've been in a relationship with somebody for a long time when you're like, Nope, I'm not doing that anymore. Sorry. You've got to do the grocery shopping. You've got, you know, it's funny, as we shift roles a little bit now, this is a recent change for us. So we are still very much in the figuring it all out phase of him being the primary house person and you know, it's still in my nature to like stop work. It's like look at the clock and be like, Oh my gosh, it's six o'clock we have to eat dinner and I somebody, somebody's got to cook it. So it must be me. So you know, I've had to stop and say, you know what, he knows where the food is, you know, and tell him like, Hey, it's six o'clock I'm not ready to stop yet. I have deadlines, I need you to make dinner. And you know, we're getting better at it. But it is, yeah, it's a, it's a challenge. Autumn (20m 28s): It is. I mean, I've been with my husband, we've known each other 20 years this year and we've been married 18 and so agreed. We've, I mean for any relationship to last that long, it goes through a lot of changes. There's a saying that may you have, um, I think it's one merit, one spouse in many marriages, in other words, stay with the same person, but your marriage shifts and changes and it's a, it's a wonderful terminology saying, you know what? Nothing is ever the same. Everything keeps changing. You're both going to change. And yes, I've seen that. Definitely as we've grown from our twenties to our thirties and now we're the hitting our forties. And it is just interesting to see the dynamics change in me learning to be much more of an advocate and him learning to he's, I still think guys, sometimes they cannot, if you do not tell them by the way this needs to be done, they don't really figure it out. But maybe that's just all the guys I go with my life. He's like, okay, the thing sitting in the front in the middle of the room. Yes, there's some general truth to that, but I do feel, so I started reading with fantasy. Um, it was definitely, you know, it is my genre, it's what I'm passionate about. But I always felt very fortunate because the first author I picked up was ed McCaffrey. So a woman. My next favorite was Mercedes Lackey. My favorite book was written by Terry Wendling and I've always loved Margaret Weis. This is like from the day I started reading fantasy and fell in love with it. I've had these Paragon women's, I didn't start with, um, Tolkin or you know, all the guys I started with the women and I've always, I didn't realize it at the time as a young girl, I always joked that my mother never believed in women's lib and I think she just didn't know what to do with me. When I started getting my boys, she's kinda like, I don't know where you came from. She wanted a, a daughter would have kids and stay near home and a son who would go off and conquer the world. And she got a son that stayed home and had kids and a daughter who wanted to go off and conquer the world. So she got what she wanted just in the wrong genders. And I'm fine with that. And she's learning. But it's always, I've always seen all these very wonderful Ursula Kayla Gwyn. I mean all these wonderful, I can ramble off all these women named, but you're right. So many genres women authors have either hidden, their names are using, sit at pseudonyms or initials. And I do still see that with the young authors I work with. Uh, it's becoming more rare, which is really exciting. But even like, I think two years ago I had someone say, you know, I don't want, I don't want my first name, you know, Joanna or something. I want to use my initials cause I don't want them to know I'm a woman. I was like, wow, that's still out there. Alexa (23m 11s): And, um, the, I I pretty sure, no, I'm just pulling this out of nowhere like most people do with statistics, but, um, I'm fairly certain it was still as late as 2018, maybe even the 2019 report that showed that book sales by either, um, male names or books by men. We're outperforming books by women authors like tremendously. So Autumn (23m 36s): it would not surprise me any of that. But I know I've seen it with Alexa (23m 43s): Apple years. I don't know if that has shifted, um, since since the me too movement really. I mean a lot of things have really, really taken a different turn since then. And that was a very, very well-timed, uh, movement to happen actually because it happened right as I was getting ready to launch my first womeninpublishingsummit three years ago. So that's amazing. I was like, sweet. The rest of the world is on the same page as me. Autumn (24m 13s): That's right. We were ready for something specific, a space for women to be able to help each other. And I think for so if we're as long as week, stay away from undermining each other when you, but authors are so good at not looking at other authors as competition. And I think women authors can be so helpful and supportive of each other even more so than you know, many other areas in places I've been in, other things I've done and seen super true. Alexa (24m 39s): And the fiction side, like I have seen fiction authors really band together really well. I love to see the authors cross-promote each other. I mean, I think everybody's smart enough to know that you ha that it works with people in your own genre. Like it's hard to cross promote someone who's writing something that your audience doesn't want to read. But, um, I think I, I've seen some really great partnerships on the fiction side. I think the w the nonfiction side is still a little bit different and I think it's because I want to say something that's probably, I'm, I'm glad you have a fiction audience, so hopefully there's not a lot of nonfiction. Autumn (25m 14s): So there'll be kind, everyone be kind NonFiction's Alexa (25m 17s): aren't like that. Okay. The word I will choose to use is a day in and day out authors like fiction writers. This is what you want to do every day, all day, all the time. You write your books, you read your books and all this kind of stuff. But a lot of nonfiction authors, unless they're in a series like unless they do autobiographies of all the presidents or something like that, where it is truly their thing, like a nonfiction author often has a, a particular subject that they focus on and they write books as part of a bigger thing, right? Like I was writing my lose the Cape books as part of a bigger community for mothers. Um, I was writing my S my grief books as part of a bigger thing. Like I didn't come on thinking I'm going to write a 25 part series on, you know, grieving weathers. So, so I think what I see sometimes is that not, not, uh, not that they don't want to help each other, but they don't, they haven't been raised to realize that they're not competition raised in their genre, if you know what I mean. So, um, it's not the case at all in the grieving mothers community. Like everybody is 100% supportive of each other. We share all each other's stuff. We do everything that we can. But in some other industries I think you see people get very nervous about competition and that's um, kind of another one of the things that we take on is letting people know that, um, the, you know, the expression with, with a rising tide, we all ships rise, you know, so it's, it's w if you're helping other women, if you're helping other people in your genre, if you're helping promote other, and the reason I came to form this opinion just to let you know, is that because I saw it in action, I reached out to my network and I said, I have an author that's publishing a book on X, Y, Z. um, we would love for you to be part of her launch team and advanced reader team. And the, and the answer that we got back was, I can't do that. I have a book that's coming out. It's on a similar topic. The books were not similar at all. Like, I mean they were in the similar genre, but like in terms of the key takeaways of the book. Oh my gosh. Yeah. Yeah. So the key takeaways and everything were different enough that, and the audiences would have been different enough but yet enough the same to support each other, you know? And it really, it really made me think that there's still a lot of people who don't maybe don't realize like how much better we do when we're helping each other. Um, so anyway, sorry, that was a long tangent. That really is, I just, I just want to put that out there to say that like they're really, it really, you made the comment that there is not a lot of competition in books and I really truly agree that there is not competition in books. And the reason I say that is because I'm a voracious reader and I know my reading habits and I right now am on a huge world war two bad-ass females kit. Right? Right. Any stories of women who just did incredible crap in world war II is on my, I will read everything out there. I don't care if the storylines are similar, I don't care. Like I want to read it all. And I think that's how many readers are, would they, they want everything. Right. So by being able to share about other writers who write in similar, similar types of things, you're able to say, Hey, I don't have anything new for you, but if you like my stuff, you're going to love these books and keep them entertained until your next one comes out. Right. Autumn (28m 56s): All right. Uh, yeah. Especially, yeah, when books take you over a year sometimes to write if not longer, especially nonfiction, if you're researching can take you so long and yeah, it's better to support each other than, you know, pretend like no one else exists in everyone's waiting with baited breath just for your book. And even like no Alexa (29m 19s): could be considered a very competitive, a cookbook for example. Like, if you've got two people rating vegan cookbooks, well I can tell you that I like a variety of recipes and I like a variety. Like I just, cause I buy one vegan cookbook doesn't mean I'll never buy another one again. You should see my cook. Autumn (29m 37s): Exactly. It's ridiculous. Yeah. I, I think, uh, the internet and being able to Google recipes is become one of my favorite things about the writers. Your day may have come. No, but there's still something really nice about that big book with the big pictures that you can put on your counter and look at why you're, but anyway, we digress and you don't have to worry about them battery dying or getting like flour. Alexa (30m 4s): Exactly. But, but back to the idea of like this, this community, um, the real reason behind the women and publishing summit was, um, I was like I told you once I decided I was doing this thing, I wanted to learn everything in the world that I could about publishing. So my writing summit is one of many summits that are out there that happen all the time for writers, publishers, authors, you know, marketing, book, marketing, all these things are happening all the time. So I'm, I'm attending as many of them as I can and learning from as many people, but I was noticing like on the panels and the presentations, one, there was very little female representation. So for like, yeah, for like every five guys there was like one girl and then um, the number of minorities was almost nonexistent in some of the ones that I was looking at. So, Autumn (30m 55s): and your pro, your, you know, I didn't really think about it, but yeah, you're right. I most of the ones I'm very, very, very white and very, um, at least the people, maybe the attendees are a lot of women out there, but you're right, a lot of the panels and stuff don't seem to always include. So I reached out Alexa (31m 12s): do the one that I was attending at that particular time and I was like, Hey, where are the ladies? Was like, I follow a lot of women in the publishing world. And I know that there's some women doing some fantastic things with writing and publishing and book marketing and editing and I'm like, I don't see them in your thing. And he was just like, oops, we'll work on that for the future. It's been three years since then and I haven't really seen an increase, but that's okay because I filled the gap with my own annual all summit but women and people that identify as women. Autumn (31m 48s): That is so wonderful. And so you started, this will be your third year coming up. Correct. And it's coming up just around the corner. So this, we're recording this early, but this'll be released at the end of February and the next summit is March. Then you can register for free, Alexa (32m 4s): free at women and publishing, summit.com am Autumn (32m 9s): and I'll have that in the show notes so people can follow the little things. A lot of fun. Alexa (32m 13s): What I decided to do with it was I was like, okay, so this is cool. We started out our conversation with talking about how women are different. So one of the things that's going to make this and that does make this thing different is that we talk about the things that make women different. Like we don't specifically say in an interview. So what makes you different as a woman writer, Autumn (32m 32s): but we do, we talk about my process that Alexa (32m 37s): are applicable to women and men. If you have men in your audience, they're still gonna learn a ton of information because the knowledge base is incredible, but we're not afraid to talk about things like, well how did you schedule it around having three children and this and that, or what was it like when you're, you know, if you're doing this and that or you know, what are the challenges, the mindset challenges that you deal with? Because we do have different mindset challenges and well, you know, marketing strategies that work better for, for women because we are afraid to just say I'm doing this and go for it or not all of us. Again, you know, these are just common things that pop up are we talk about topics that are like really, really, really unique to women in most cases. Like trauma, sexual trauma, and, um, the, the need for our stories to be heard. And, um, and what it's like to be a minority minority or what is like to be a transgender am women yeah, I guess he is. He is now a man that are transgender, um, participant from the first year. So, you know, we, we did deep, it all relates to publishing or relates to writing or do the things related to the production and publishing of a book. But from this, from the viewpoint of being, you know, the, the woman's viewpoint on things. Autumn (34m 1s): It sounds, I know. And I know it's a wonderful summit and I, like I said, I was, uh, took part as a participant last year. This year I get to be on a panel and so excited. But yes, I love it. Writing tips. So that'll be fantastic. But it's just a, it's a wonderful dynamic and I agree. I love the fact that guys can attend. So like if there's a single father out there who's struggling to make everything juggle and also wants to write or has had past trauma because goodness knows between PTSD and there's so many things the me too movement is letting guys know that they can show this side of themselves as well. So it is a very inclusive and welcoming summit where if you have questions that just everyone seems to gloss over and a lot of, Oh we just do it, you know, go get it done. So the next step just go to the next step. And they don't deal with the emotional hurdles that are underneath or between those steps. This is a great place to get those like answered it without being embarrassed. And I figured out how to juggle it all and keep going and still get up the next day and keep them away Alexa (35m 3s): real. It's a very professional conference, but we get really real and um, you know, and some of them, some of them are just straight up teaching and knowledge and information and you're now going to find that touchy feely side to it because we want people to know, you know, this is how you market a book. This is how you build your email list. This is how you find an editor. This is how you make sure you're not getting screwed over by an editor. This is the important things. And so the way we've organized it is the five days we have day one is like the big picture stuff. Why, if you're just thinking about writing a book am why you might want to do it. It's, it's more like inspiration and that the types of things that we were just talking about, those would, we definitely hit on a day one marginalized voices and how we feel and you know, all those types of things. We dig right into it. And then, um, or over the course of the next four days, we hit things like all the tools that you need. Not all of them obviously cause there's a bit Jillian Brazilian. But the main things like editing tips, editing, production tips, getting your book formatted, am how you distribute your book, all of these types of things. We talk about marketing a lot, lots and lots and lots of great marketing stuff. Um, and then, uh, the day five this year, we've changed it up a little bit in day five is all about the business of being an author. So if you're struggling, yeah, if you're struggling with things like I don't think we have anybody talking about taxes this year. I may put my, uh, I may put the one from last year and as a replay just cause it was great information. But you know, just knowing these things, like now you're writing books with the hope to sell like you're a business owner. Own it. Autumn (36m 43s): Oh wait, stop wondering if you're truly an author and own your business and do it. That's a, that's a very good tip to anyone listening who has a book out there. Alexa (36m 55s): Stinks. And, and, uh, you know, we want to write we have our passion, we're doing these things. And it stinks to have to sit and say, okay, now I have to go through all my receipts and log my expenses and you know, gather up my data and all this stuff. But there's some really, really, really important things that authors don't know that they need to know. Like if you are selling your book directly from your website, you better check in with your, your local state to find out if you have to have a retail license so that you don't get, cause yeah. Cause I mean that they might cost 25 to $50 to get registered as a retail license, but if you get, they're cracking down harder and harder on digital stuff. So if you get fined for not doing things properly, it's going to be worse for you. You know? Um, and just as a side note, if anybody's panicking about it, if you just put links through to like Amazon or iBooks or anything like that, you're not the retailer. They are. So you don't have to worry about that kind of stuff. They collect taxes, they do all of that stuff. But if you actually have a Shopify store or a PayPal button and you are actually selling books directly from your website that you then, you know, distribute and all that kind of stuff, you do do need to check in and see what, what kind of protections you need to have, what kind of paperwork you need to have, all of that kind of stuff. So that's just one little tip there that's totally off the topic. But it's important. And this is something that I learned along the way and I was like that's really scary cause I'm telling people all the time to sell their books on their website to make more money and not have to worry about, you know, Amazon or whatever. And um, I might be getting them in trouble if they don't know the rest of the story. Autumn (38m 35s): Do Alexa (38m 36s): that's, I mean that's a huge nugget that I don't think anyone else has really ever been mentioning cause you're right, I've even heard like, you know, sell signed copies, do this on your website. But that's perfect because that's a little lovely little teaser tips. So if people want to go enjoy this summit that's the type of information you're going to find there. And that's why it's really fantastic to join this one because it is information that there might be other ones out there, but I think yours has a different feel and a different vibe and different topics that you might not hear in many other channels. So it's really exciting. I'm looking out for each other, we're looking out for each other and we're making sure that we don't make mistakes that are costly. Autumn (39m 16s): Yes. And I, again, I think that's what women are amazingly good at. We help each other out and make sure that, you know, we keep each other safe and supported and you know, we're also very welcoming. So for anyone else who's looking for support, we like to open our arms and you know, make sure they're doing okay too. Well, is there any other tips? Anything else you want to tell us about the conference? Like I said, I will put it in the show notes and it's coming up on March 2nd and you said registration is free on the website. Alexa (39m 45s): We have am three tiers so you can register for free and you can come each day. You have to, you do have to register to receive the links, you'll get the links each day. Um, and we dropped like between five and eight videos every day that are available for 24 hours. And then they go away at 10:00 AM the next morning. And, um, if you, if you're like, I cannot sit in front of my computer all day long, every day, you could buy just those videos for $47 and watch them whenever you want. Or you can upgrade to am or we're calling the full conference pass. And that includes all the videos. We have some workshops that are only available to the conference pass holders. We have a, um, a private community where we do additional workshops and training, not only the week of the summit, but throughout the entire year. Um, we've got bonuses from all the speakers and sponsors. So it's, it's really, if you, if you get that prior to the summit starting, so if you hear this at the end of February and register, it's on only $67, it's going to increase in price as time goes. But um, and it's just, it's another opportunity for us to take, um, what we have going on and to continue it between at the conference so that we're not just dishing out stuff that first week of March, but all the way through. And by the way, the reason we chose the first week in March, March is women's history month. And the last day of the week of the first week of, of March is always international woman's day. So on the eighth we'll have Brooke Warner who is the CEO of, she writes press and she is the author of am right on sisters. And she does a lot of talking about this particular topic, like the, the challenges that females face in the publishing industry and why it's so important to share our stories and why it's so important to band together. So she's going to be our closing keynote and I am pumped up about that. Autumn (41m 33s): Great. Yeah. Awesome. I can't wait. So, yeah. Well fantastic. I am so happy that you joined me on here and we've got to talk about those. And I mean I could still think of topics that I think women face just, you know, I don't think we're so good at making sure we toot our own horn and tell people that, you know, like you're a USA today bestselling author. I don't think that was even first in your biography or so. It was kind of buried in there and I think that's typical of us. So, Hey, we all have things to we need to remember about ourselves, but thank you so much for joining us and I really appreciate the time and I count to see you're here. Some of my listeners, uh, over at the conference and like I said, I will be participating in a panel for tips. So I'm looking forward to seeing something, make sure you use the link that, um, the item's going to send out cause that's a better link. For that's a better link. Alright. Sounds good. Yes, I will have that am posted up there on the show notes. Yes, I think that's right. You did send me one and yes. Disclaimer, we're always honest. I think that is an affiliate link. I want to be able to reward you for sending your community, so make sure you go through her affiliate link. Well, thank you and I had even forgotten that we got those as speakers, but Hey, that's so cool. Thank you. Alright, well again, I can't wait to see everyone at the conference. I can't wait to see quote unquote see you at the conference. Alexa and thank you again. It's been a blast. Yes. Thank you for tuning in next week. Yes. For we'll be back and we'll have another exciting new episode and hope you will join us. Then Narrator (43m 22s): if you like what you just heard, there's a few things you can do to support the amwritingfantasy podcast. Please tell a fellow author about the show and visit us at Apple podcast and leave a rating and review. You can also join autumn and Yesper on patrion.com/amwritingfantasy for as little as a dollar a month. You'll get awesome rewards and keep the amwritingfantasy podcast going. Stay safe out there and see you next Monday.

Creative works come from deep within us—a place where we’re trying to understand ourselves or the world around us. For this reason, we explore the “Three Es of Art” in Episode 43 of QWERTY Writing Life. We examine how emotions, experiences and our personal evolutions influence the art we produce. We hope you’ll share your QWERTY Challenge results with us. To do that or to drop us a line, email us any time: editorial@logosandmythospress.com.We hope to see you at the 2020 Women in Publishing Summit where we want to Dream BIG with YOU! Thanks for using our affiliate link to sign up for free and, if you add a paid package later, we’ll get a percentage! https://joyrancatore--writepublishsell.thrivecart.com/2020-wip/Please share our podcast with your friends! We’d love for them to be our new friends, too! Questions? Comments? You know what to do! Continue this week’s chat with us via the email address above. For more information about us, the show and our writing craft book series, head over to www.logosandmythospress.com/qwerty-writing-life. Subscribe in your favorite podcast portal. Or, if you’d rather see our grinning faces, ring the bell on our YouTube channel. Can’t get enough of Mea? Head over to her online home at www.measmith.com. Want to know more about Joy? Check out her site, www.joyerancatore.com.

Today, we celebrate! As our co-written book baby flies out into the world, we’re taking a sentimental glance back before we turn our full attention to the future of Finders Keepers: A Practical Approach to Find & Keep Your Writing Critique Partner and QWERTY Writing Life. Listen in to Episode 32 as we share why and how the book came to be and where we see it taking all of us—including YOU!—in the future.In this week’s QWERTY Challenge, we encourage you to take a page from our playbook and find multiple ways to utilize your work. Check out Rachael Ritchey’s book design page and the site for the 2020 Women in Publishing Summit, plus say hi to our three beta readers and see what they write in the links below:https://rachaelritchey.com/book-design-by-rachael/https://womeninpublishingsummit.comhttps://candicemarleyconner.comhttps://carriedalby.comhttp://findingthelightseries.comPlease share our podcast with your friends! We’d love for them to be our new friends, too! Questions? Comments? You know what to do! Continue this week’s chat with us via email at editorial [at] logosandmythospress [dot] com. For more information about us, the show and our writing craft book series, head over to www.logosandmythospress.com/qwerty-writing-life. Subscribe in your favorite podcast portal. Or, if you’d rather see our grinning faces, ring the bell on our YouTube channel. Can’t get enough of Mea? Head over to her online home at www.measmith.com. Want to know more about Joy? Check out her site, www.joyerancatore.com.

Living a creative life can be amazing, but it’s not without its cons. In Episode 25 of the QWERTY Writing Life Podcast, Joy E. Rancatore and Mea Smith share how those negatives look in their own lives and chat about ways to handle them. They also reveal some HUGE NEWS!! They are honored to be part of the 2020 Women in Publishing Summit where they will speak with Alexa Bigwarfe on the topic “How to Find and Keep a Critique Partner: Dream BIG Together.” Here’s the link for more info about this incredible online Summit: https://womeninpublishingsummit.com.In this week’s QWERTY Challenge, we’re giving you active steps to tackle the creative cons in your life. Let us know how it goes! Drop us a line at editorial [at] logosandmythospress [dot] comPlease share our podcast with your friends! We’d love for them to be our new friends, too! Questions? Comments? You know what to do! Continue this week’s chat with us via email. For more information about us, the show and our author resource book series, head over to www.logosandmythospress.com/qwerty-writing-life. Subscribe in your favorite podcast portal. Or, if you’d rather see our grinning faces, ring the bell on our YouTube channel. Can’t get enough of Mea? Head over to her online home at www.measmith.com. Want to know more about Joy? Check out her site, www.joyerancatore.com.

This week we’re chatting with author, host of the Women in Publishing Summit, and founder of Kat Biggie Press, Alexa Bigwarfe. We talk about everything under the sun, from details about a forthcoming book, to her work with Sunshine After the Storm, a non-profit to support grieving mothers. This episode is all about being brave and empowering others to share their stories.Together we also create an impromptu story using some story cubes, then find our way to Creation Comet, Can You Draw It. Be sure to stick around for this week’s 3-2-1, Go! where we’re chatting about seeing the sun through the clouds.It's a Sunny Spin!

This week we’re chatting with author, host of the Women in Publishing Summit, and founder of Kat Biggie Press, Alexa Bigwarfe. We talk about everything under the sun, from details about a forthcoming book, to her work with Sunshine After the Storm, a non-profit to support grieving mothers. This episode is all about being brave and empowering others to share their stories.Together we also create an impromptu story using some story cubes, then find our way to Creation Comet, Can You Draw It. Be sure to stick around for this week’s 3-2-1, Go! where we’re chatting about seeing the sun through the clouds.It's a Sunny Spin!

Inspired by the film "Lucy" this episode talks about small tips that you can use to access more potential of your brain, think smarter and get more done in less time. Movie Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVt32qoyhi0 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Attend the "Publishing Summit" this weekend where I am one of the main speakers: https://payhip.com/b/MxAi/af5c9b36d865d2d ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Natural brain booster supplements:   https://amzn.to/2F3QNB9 https://amzn.to/2F5lw0K Please subscribe to the show :-) Thanks!

Audio capture from 'live' Youtube and Instagram! Get your ticket to the Women in Publishing Summit - Free, yes FREE!! I am part of a panel the Power of Your Story! See what I have to say! Ticket link: https://kimberlyann--writepublishsell.thrivecart.com/free-wip-registration/

Get all the show notes and links we discuss in this interview at http://losethecape.com/podcast/169 Desiree Peterkin Bell was claimed as a triple threat by Black Enterprise, and when you listen to this conversation between Alexa and Desiree, you'll understand why! This was a long-anticipated interview for Alexa, and the conversation does not disappoint. Sponsored by the Women in Publishing Summit - a free online conference about everything you need to know in your journey to write, publish, and sell your book. Sign up for free here! this is a free online conference that will run continuously from March 4th - March 8th 2019.  

Alexa Bigwarfe is the founder of WritePublishSell.co, Kat Biggie Press, a book publishing imprint, and creator of the "Women in Publishing Summit." Alexa began her professional career in counter terrorism and Homeland Security, but due to the demanding nature of the job, she decided to stay at home with her two children. Shortly thereafter, she found out she was pregnant with two twins, who were diagnosed with a rare disease. She lost one of her children shortly after birth, which prompted her to write and share her experience to help other grieving mothers who suffered from the loss of loved ones. Through her blogging, she connected with a community of other writers, and she published her first book "Sunshine After the Storm: A Survival Guide for the Grieving Mother." From this collaborative effort, she received many inquiries from aspiring authors who wanted to publish a book. So Alexa started a book publishing company, Kat Biggie Press, and began to offer book production and marketing services. As things picked up, Alexa decided to run a virtual summit to generate new business. Unfortunately, it flopped financially, only making back 10% of her investment in the entire campaign. So she tried again, with her second summit. This was, in her words, another disaster. But Alexa didn't quit - she knew there was great upside potential if she could get a virtual summit off the ground the right way. So she started to prepare for a third and final shot at growing her business, and that's when we connected. In Alexa's own words: "And then Tom came into my life right as I was getting ready to do number 3 and the results were quite different..." In fact, not only was this summit profitable, unlike the first two campaigns she ran, but she generated 207 sales (and counting, as sales are still rolling in) of her All Access Pass, and launched a group coaching program, all of which led to just shy of $20,000 (which doesn't include additional client work she's received as a direct result of her successful summit). In today's discussion, we dig into her story and go behind-the-scenes of her campaign, including what worked and what didn't... In this broadcast, Alexa Bigwarfe and I talk about: How Alexa got her start in publishing Why Alexa decided to run her first virtual summit How her first two virtual summits were "disasters"...and what she did different for her third summit that changed everything for her business How to get people to buy an "All Access Pass" to your virtual summit (hint: it doesn't happy naturally) One tip I gave Alexa that helped her generate over 200 sales from her summit Why a "content / partnership" strategy is so important (and how this strategy helped her make just shy of $20,000 from her most recent virtual summit) How to deal with trolls and haters (and why they are inevitable when you start reaching any level of success) And much more. How to connect with Alexa Bigwarfe online: www.writepublishsell.co @katbiggie Great quote from ALEXA BIGWARFE: “I have big goals and hopes for the Women in Publishing Summit...it's really sparked something bigger for me...and it's because of an intense strategy.”  - Alexa Bigwarfe Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes How You Can Support In The Trenches Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.

In de nieuwste special van ondercast onderzoekt Dennis. wat hij ‘de analoge trend' noemt. Hoe valt de populariteit te verklaren van analoge alternatieven voor iets wat digitaal zoveel makkelijker lijkt? Lange tijd geloofden we in de onontkoombaarheid van mediaconvergentie: in de toekomst zouden we al onze media (of het nu film, muziek of boeken zijn) via één apparaat consumeren, zoals een iPad. Maar de terugkeer van bijvoorbeeld analoge drager als vinyl lijkt dit tegen te spreken. Is er te spreken van divergentie als een nieuwe trend? En waarom? Dennis praat met Jaap de Groot van Diggers Recordstore, Anouk Rijnders van Record Industry en de bandieten van DeWolff die een eigen, analoge studio hebben gebouwd: Elektrosaurus Southern Sound Studio. Met muziek van Nachtschade. Deze documentaire werd gemaakt in het kader van de Future of Publishing Summit, 24 juni in Arnhem, die ook over mediaconvergentie vs. -divergentie gaat. Steun ondercast door te doneren of releases te kopen.