The Rebel Author Podcast

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number six between Rachael Herron and I. This is The Black Herron Episode six. Don't forget, Patrons get early access to these episode an entire month early and then we air them on the podcast feeds the following month. If you’d like to hear them early you can join me on Patreon from as little as $2 right h…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Getting to the end of your first draft Blocks, barriers and mistakes for beginner writers Finding the right genre for your book Tips for self editing This week’s question is: What trait or skill do you value in yourself? Recommendation of the week is: House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson Apple Kobo Amazon…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: What is a hybrid author Deciding which publishing path to take Lessons learned in the author business Pros and cons of being hybrid How to initiate your hybrid career This week’s question is: how do you procrastinate? Recommendation of the week is: The Successful Hybrid Author by Katlyn Duncan Apple Kobo…

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Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: The differences between indie and trad publishing Advice for writing cozy fantasy Creating great descriptions Narrating your own book Writing better dialogue This week’s question is: what is giving you joy at the moment? Recommendation of the week is: Reclaim Your Author Career by Claire Taylor Apple Kob…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Myths about sleep Creating better quality of sleep Dealing with procrastination and overwhelm Imposter syndrome and comparison This week’s question is: What’s your 2023 reading goal? Recommendation of the week is: Neon Gods by Katee Robert Apple Kobo Amazon UK Amazon USA ***this show uses affiliate links…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: The importance of the emotional journey Making your prose more emotional Tips for writing emotional stories How to avoid writing cliched emotions This week’s question is: Are you a lover or hater of New Year? Recommendation of the week is: A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson Apple Kobo Amazon UK Amazon USA *…

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number five between Rachael Herron and I. This is The Black Herron Episode five. Don't forget, Patrons get early access to these episode an entire month early and then we air them on the podcast feeds the following month. If you’d like to hear them early you can join me on Patreon from as little as $2 right…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Writing about gender inequality in an engaging way Creating powerful female characters Advice for writing feminist fiction Attracting a specific audience Balancing a bittersweet ending This week’s question is: What are your goals for 2023? Best Nonfiction of the Year: Happy Money by Ken Honda Kobo Amazon…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: How to use Patreon as an author Producing content quickly and consistently Growing your subscription platform Engaging and fostering your community Tips for creating cliffhangers This week’s question is: Tell me something you love about yourself Recommendation of the week is: A Game of Hearts and Heists …

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: The different types of editing The editing process Line editing for different levels Using tools like ProWritingAid This week’s question is: Thinking towards next year and things you might need to put in place to help you achieve your goals, what motivates you? Recommendation of the week is: Blood and St…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: What fantasy romance is Writing romantic tension Tips to writing sex scenes Audience building Creating boundaries with your fan base This week’s question is: Tell me something positive. Recommendation of the week is: Wednesday (Netflix) Links I mentioned: Tom Trotter Mailing List sign up Find out more ab…

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number four between Rachael Herron and I. This is The Black Herron Episode four. Don't forget, Patrons get early access to these episode an entire month early and then we air them on the podcast feeds the following month. If you’d like to hear them early you can join me on Patreon from as little as $2 right…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Defining genre How to mix genres Tropes with a twist Genre-specific mistakes to avoid This week’s question is: What self-limiting beliefs do you have? Recommendation of the week is: Story Genius by Lisa Cron Apple Kobo Amazon UK Amazon USA ***this show uses affiliate links Links I mentioned: Sacha’s Blac…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Planning systems How to plan effectively Planning for the unknown Balancing family and career Mindset shifts This week’s question is: what have you learned about yourself this year? Recommendation of the week is: High School Rocket Science: For Extraterrestrial Use Only by Patron Stanley B Trice Apple Ko…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Giving yourself permission Changing your mindset around writing How to start writing How to keep writing fun Quitting vs Sticking vs Pivoting This week’s question is: What should you be doing, that you aren't? Recommendation of the week is: Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk Apple Kobo Amazon UK Ama…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Japan The most common writer fears How to become fearless Approaches to perfectionism Approaches to failure This week’s question is: What country is top of your bucket list? Recommendation of the week is: Quit by Annie Duke Apple Kobo Amazon UK Amazon USA ***this show uses affiliate links Find out more a…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Advice for working full-time and trying to write Balancing caring duties and writing Boundaries, how to have them and hold them Mindset shifts This week’s question is: Do you struggle to make time for all the things in life? Recommendation of the week is: How to Fail by Elizabeth Day Kobo Amazon UK Amazo…

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number three between Rachael Herron and I. This is The Black Herron Episode three. Don't forget, Patrons get early access to these episode an entire month early and then we air them on the podcast feeds the following month. If you’d like to hear them early you can join me on Patreon from as little as $2 rig…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: What elements make urban fantasy Crafting the urban fantasy voice Marketing urban fantasy Urban fantasy tropes This week’s question is: how do you approach editing? Recommendation of the week is: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas Apple Kobo Amazon UK Amazon USA ***this show uses affiliate links…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: What NaNo is and how to participate The community of NaNo Tips and tricks for setting yourself up for NaNo Methods for keeping going NaNo Mindset This week’s question is: Have you ever done NaNo? or will you do NaNo this year? Recommendation of the week is: Darkest Night by Alessa Thorn Amazon UK Amazon …

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: The psychology of cozy mysteries Cozy tropes Mistakes to avoid Craft advice for writing cozy mysteries Marketing for introverts This week’s question is: What would you like for Christmas? Recommendation of the week is: A Lair of Bones by Helen Scheuerer Apple Amazon UK Amazon USA ***this show uses affili…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Mistakes to avoid when outlining or trying to write fast The 9 critical story beats What to do when you veer off your outline The pillars of writing fast This week’s question is: What and when was the last bit of self care you did? Recommendation of the week is: A Glasgow Kiss by Sophie Gravia Apple Kobo…

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number two between Rachael Herron and I. This is The Black Herron Episode two. Don't forget, Patrons get early access to these episode an entire month early and then we air them on the podcast feeds the following month. If you’d like to hear them early you can join me on Patreon from as little as $2 right h…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: What makes a historical novel Craft tips for historical novels Research tips for historical novels Writing about real historical people The line between fantasy and historical This week’s question is: what’s the best TV show or movie you’ve seen this year? Recommendation of the week is: Relentless: From …

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Dozens of ideas for how to collaborate Ways to market your collaborative work Mistakes to avoid when collaborating Benefits of collaborating Why you should consider collaborating This week’s question is: would you ever collaborate and if so, in what way? Recommendation of the week is: Send me YOUR recomm…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Can you pivot in 2022 and be successful? What are good reasons to pivot? What you need to research before pivoting Mistakes to avoid How to build a new audience This week’s question is: what month or season are you most productive in? Recommendation of the week is: It Happened on Fifth Street by Robyn R …

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: What makes a good thriller How to market thrillers How to create pace and tension The voice of thrillers How to build an audience for thrillers This week’s question is: What’s the best thriller you’ve ever read? Recommendation of the week is: The Anatomy of a Best Seller by ME! Reasons to Read The Anatom…

Hello Rebels, And welcome to a special episode. Going forward, Rachael Herron and I will be doing a bonus episode each month. Think of it as a fireside chat between two good friends and you get to eavesdrop on the gossip. We’re calling these special episodes “The Black Herron”. Patrons will receive the episodes one month early. If you’d like to hea…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: How to approach a series Setting up a character arcs Series writing for “pantsers” Making every book land with a punch Wrapping up a series early This week’s question is: what’s your favorite series? (either you’ve written or read) Recommendation of the week is: King of Battle and Blood by Scarlett St. C…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: How the literary agency landscape has changed How indie authors can work with agents Mistakes authors make trying to work with agents How to stand out to an agent How essential brand and platform is for an agent This week’s question is: where was the last holiday you took or fun place you’ve been? A few …

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: The foundations of managing social media How to track social media progress What content should authors produce How to create a social media strategy Social media mistakes to avoid This week’s question is: What has surprised you recently? Recommendation of the week is: How To Write A Successful Series: W…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: What TikTok is and how it’s different from the other social platforms Types of content for TikTok How to drive sales with TikTok Tips for content creation This week’s question is: Are you a TikToker? Recommendation of the week is: Malice by Heather Walter Apple Kobo Amazon UK Amazon USA ***this show uses…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Definitions of best seller How to look at comparisonitis differently Examples of deconstruction The what, why and how of reading What to look for when deconstructing This week’s question is: What best seller will you deconstruct after listening to this episode? Recommendation of the week is: The Anatomy …

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Mistakes to avoid writing epic fantasy Marketing epic fantasy Trends in epic fantasy How to keep readers engaged when you write really long books Epic fantasy tropes This week’s question is: Do you struggle to understand your genre or what the reader wants? Recommendation of the week is: The Anatomy of a…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Understanding the readerscape Mistakes authors make with their first series How writers can weave marketing into their series How to cultivate fanbases Series 2.0 what it is and how to do it This week’s question is: What’s your poison of choice? Recommendation of the week is: A Serpent’s Tooth by Matty D…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: What genres are better suited to being wide vs in KU Best methods for managing all the distributors How to grow your audience wide Different approaches for different platforms This week’s question is: what kind of research do you do for your books? Recommendation of the week is: My courses If you want to…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Does skeleton drafting work for everyone? Skeleton draft mistakes to avoid An overview of the skeleton draft process What details go into a draft This week’s question is: Tell me something fun you have planned for the summer. Recommendation of the week is: The 12 Week Year by Brian P Moran Apple Kobo Ama…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: How to approach a new genre How to market multiple genres How to research a new genre Voice across different genres Readers in different genres This week’s question is: Across your career, what genres would you like to write in? Recommendation of the week is: Lucky Bitch: A Guide for Exceptional Women to…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: The most common mistakes authors make with beginnings What you need to establish in the first act and first chapter How to handle prologues and flashbacks Hooks How to know when you have the right beginning This week’s question is: It’s mid year. What one thing will you complete by the end of the year? R…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: The five types of intuition How to stop crushing your intuition Putting plotting vs pantsing to bed Shutting out input/influence sources Mistakes to avoid This week’s question is: are you intuitive? Recommendation of the week is: Happy Sexy Millionaire by Steven Bartlett Apple Kobo Amazon UK Amazon USA *…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: The difference between active and non active settings How to make your settings more active How characters should engage with settings Mistakes to avoid with active settings How to hook your readers Find out more about Mary: Visit her website Subscribe to her newsletter Friend her on Facebook Tweet her @…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: How to assess your time Mistakes to avoid when trying to structure writing systems How to streamline your business Tiered launches How to assess your series success This week’s question is: What do you want to learn more about? Recommendation of the week is: I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston Appl…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: How to collaborate effectively Mistakes to avoid in collaborations How to approach writing humour The format and structure of a joke Different types of humour Agents of chaos This week’s question is: How do you self-sabotage? Recommendation of the week is: Tinseltown Toils by Jay Renee Lawrence (Patron) …

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Overview of the genre and subgenres What makes a good erotica novel Terminology and language How to write a good sex scene Common mistakes to avoid This week’s question is: Tell me about something you’re proud of. Recommendation of the week is: Dear Writer, Are You Intuitive? by Becca Syme Apple Kobo Ama…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: How to approach and research trauma and mental health Trigger words and content words How to write about trauma realistically Sensitivity reading So much science and psychology This week’s question is: how are you looking after yourself? Recommendation of the week is: The Bestseller Code by Matthew Jocke…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Top tips and tricks to get through your draft Mistakes to avoid Mindset barriers for first drafts What to do when you get stuck This week’s question is: who would you like to see on the show or what topics would you like covered? Recommendation of the week is: Gallant by V.E. Schwab Apple Kobo Amazon UK …

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: The income update Realising I’m not superhuman Refining and focusing on the money Being a better publisher Human connection Your uniqueness This week’s question is: What's the biggest lesson you’ve learned from your journey so far? Recommendation of the week is: Keepers by me! Available at all good store…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: How they felt as first time authors in 2022 How and why they chose their launch and marketing model What went well What mistakes they made and would do differently next time The hardest part about launching your first book This week’s question is: How is your year going? Is it as productive as you wanted…

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: How to write a retelling Mistakes to avoid with retellings How closely you need to stick to the original tale How to develop voice Description tips This week’s question is: How do you plan? By tax year, calendar year, by quarter or something else? Recommendation of the week is: The Mechanic: A John Tyler…