show episodes
 
From rom-com author to women empowerment advocate, Kat Addams guides women on the enlightened path to becoming unstuck. As a domestic abuse survivor, she tackles the nitty-gritty of what it takes to liberate yourself and embark on a journey to freedom from miserable situations. Kat’s no bull-shit approach to self-transformation includes shameless insights, progressive practices, and spiritual growth with a heavy dose of humor and f-bombs. If you’re looking for a sign to leave, this is it. Yo ...
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Welcome to the Wish I'd Known Then podcast. Join authors Jami Albright and Sara Rosett as they interview self-published authors about how they found success as well as lessons they've learned. Because being an indie author is about being innovative and creative and learning from your mistakes.
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show series
 
Send us a Text Message. Episode 223 / Do you like to discover the plot as you write? Do you get bored if you know where the story is going? Then a skeleton draft might be what you need. Paranormal and gothic romance author Steffanie Holmes joins us to talk about how discovery writers can use a skeleton draft to get their ideas down on paper and avo…
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Subscriber-only episode Send us a Text Message. Ever wondered how to add a twist of mystery to your narrative? Find out exactly what mystery elements are, how to sprinkle them into your narrative, and why they keep readers turning the pages. Whether you're writing romance, sci-fi, or fantasy, a mystery can add layers of intrigue and depth to your s…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 222 / Jessica Renwich, who writes fantasy and horror for kids ages 9-12, joined us to share her experience as an indie middle grade author. She has terrific insights on approaching schools for author visits and the impact of creating whimsical and fun content to appeal to young readers. In addition to discussing how …
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 221 / Looking to grow a community around your books? Romance author Amy Pine shares how she and her co-hosts created a podcast and built a vibrant community around Korean dramas. We also dive into craft book recommendations, beat sheets, and combining tropes in unexpected ways. 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! …
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 220 / KimBoo York joins us to share how to embrace flexibility and spontaneity in your writing process through discovery writing. Whether you thrive on outlining or prefer a more free-flowing approach, there are different techniques to suit your writing style. 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to g…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 219 / Martha Carr is a journalist who now writes escapist fiction in the urban fantasy genre with a lot of magic, some action and adventure, and a little romance. Martha shares about beating health challenges, changing her business model, and dealing with the ups and downs of publishing. We also talk about leaving re…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 218 / Julie Duffy has long been involved in the publishing industry, but she found herself not actually writing fiction due to the demands of school and work. This realization led her to challenge herself with a "story a day" project in order to get back to writing and creating fictional stories. Julia joins us to ta…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 217 / Writing under two pen names, Celeste Barclay has penned over 50 books in historical and mafia romance. She shares insights on the writing process, the challenges of juggling multiple book brands, the importance of flexibility, and why universal themes resonate across genres. 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcas…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 216 / Mystery author Abigail Keam shares how she embraced the digital landscape and incorporated direct sales into her business model. From historical accuracy to adapting to technology, she shares her lessons-learned. 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode. ht…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 215 / When it comes to your author business, a bargain sometimes costs money in the long run, but other times it pays to splurge instead of scrimp. Join us as we discuss tips for saving money as well as when we’re willing to pay more. 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a fu…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 214 / How do you pull in readers who will love your books and push away those readers who won’t enjoy your book? Branding. Branding is more than colors, fonts, and covers. Join us for an in-depth discussion on how to determine your brand and carry it through in everything from your voice to ad copy to covers. And you…
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Subscriber-only episode Send us a Text Message. The sage. The rebel. The everyman. These are a few character archetypes that resonate with readers. We discuss fifteen character archetypes, their common characteristics, strengths, weaknesses, and their desires along with examples in popular culture. We also discuss the difference between an archetyp…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 213 / We’re sharing an interview Sara did with Matty Dalrymple on the Indy Author Podcast last year. Sara and Matty go deep on the topic of how to structure a series so that it works for your writing style and your genre. 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode.…
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Today, we close our series on Lundy Bancroft's "Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men," underscoring a hard truth: we cannot alter an abusive partner, but we can transform our own path. And concluding that ... I have some news. This mama needs a break. Tune in for news of my burnout and what I'm doing about it. Hint: it…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 212 / Claire Taylor, humor and mystery author and Enneagram expert, shares how authors can use the Enneagram to create a resilient approach to the often chaotic writer lifestyle. We also discuss Claire’s successful track record on Kickstarter, and she tells us what she wishes she knew about using the crowdfunding pla…
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Finally ... we are nearing the finish line on our book study! This week, tune in to talk about love-bombing, safety protocols for getting out of a toxic relationship, and also I may ramble on a bit about me and the D's fitness journey. What's not to love? You can hear hot gossip and also motivate yourself to dump the douche. Thank you so much for l…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 211 / How do you live your best life through your writing career? We talk with Joe Solari about how to achieve author goals and how various business models, including direct sales and subscriptions, play into reaching those goals. We also discuss Author Nation, the largest indie author conference, and tips on how to …
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Today we're discussing my favorite part of Lundy Bancroft's book, Why Does He Do That? Let's dive into the many different types of abusers and learn their red flags. Do you have a Mr. Right in your life, a terrorist, or maybe even a player? If you have a toxic man, tune in to learn his ins and outs, and better yet--how to GTFO! Thank you so much fo…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 210 / M.K. Williams writes suspenseful literary fiction and helps aspiring authors. M.K. shares how she writes and markets books across different genres, using Payhip for direct sales, the drawback of a surprise launch, and why delusion is sometimes a good thing. 🌀 Why M.K. has specific goals for each book Why M.K. r…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 209 / How do you get to the point that your readers “one-click” the buy button for your books? Join us as we chat with small town romance author Melanie Harlow. Melanie shares what she learned about giving readers what they want—and what that has to do with spaghetti versus cake. 🎂 Knowing how to market the book befo…
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Ready for more hard truth bombs? Today, we're continuing to discuss the realities of why your toxic partner treats you like crap. If you're looking for red flags, and a better understanding of why you feel so confused on the rollercoaster you call a relationship, here's your sign. Thank you so much for listening! I hope you enjoyed this podcast. If…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 208 / Want to write something a little bit different? How do you appeal to readers in one of the main genres, but also forge your own path? Margaret Lashley joins us to share how she created a subgenre of wacky, humor-filled mysteries that appeal to cozy readers as well as women’s fiction readers. How Margaret’s back…
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Hop aboard the no-bs train and listen up. In this episode, we're continuing to hack the minds of abusive men and arm ourselves with the knowledge of why he behaves like a lunatic. We're continuing Lundy Bancroft's book study series, and specifically digging into detailed hard truths today. So, put on your big girl panties, and let's go. Thank you s…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 207 / Do you want to create a loyal readership interested in you, not just your genre? Do you want to up the romantic tension in your books? Rom-com author Emma St. Clair shares tips on these topics, plus much more: The minefield of romance terms used to describe heat level and tone Weighing the cost of taking a brea…
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We're back and still studying Lundy Bancroft's wonderful book, Why Does He Do That? This week I'm explaining the myths (aka excuses) abusers use to justify their behavior. According to Lundy, there is a lot to unpack here. Do you blame your partner's behavior on his childhood? How about alcohol? Ex-partner who did him wrong? We're debunking all of …
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 206 / Leslye Penelope, author of fantasy and paranormal romance, joins us and shares how she builds rich story worlds. How the worldbuilding can connect to plot, character, theme, and conflict Using Payhip to sell signed paperbacks Leslye’s course on Worldbuilding How Leslye went from indie publishing to being a hybr…
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Subscriber-only episode Send us a Text Message. How do you structure your novel so the middle is as page-turning as the beginning and the end? How do you write a strong heroine? What are content buckets and how can they help with your newsletter? We dive into these topics with the wonderful Ines Johnson, who joins us to answer your questions! Ines …
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 205 / This episode is all about harnessing the power of direct connection with your readers. Matt Briel from Lulu discusses the value of direct sales as we move away from a distribution-first publishing model. Importance of owning customer data Why you should start building your direct audience even if you only have …
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We are finally diving into the book, Why Does He Do That by Lundy Bancroft! In today's episode we are uncovering the mystery behind an abuser's toxic behavior. If you find yourself constantly saying, "I don't understand," after your man has an explosive episode, this one may be for you! Listen in as we kick-off this book study series and learn why …
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 204 / Having trouble getting words on the page? Erin P.T. Canning has strategies to help! We delve into how to let go of perfectionism and give yourself permission to write a “bad” first draft. Erin also shares how writing helped her with depression. Why it’s important to look backward as well plan for the future Mak…
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Have you ever ever woken up one day and asked yourself, "Where the heck has all the time gone?" Maybe it's me reaching middle-age, or maybe I'm just feeling the weight of January, but I have some morbid news for you---nobody lives forever. The moment you've been waiting for may never come. It's up to you to decide how you want to shape yourself and…
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Subscriber-only episode Send us a Text Message. Opening lines, where to start the book, and prologues How do you start your book in a way that hooks readers? In this month’s suporter-only episode, we look at compelling beginnings. We cover the heavy lifting that the open line does, where to start your book, and (controversy!) prologues. Famous firs…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 203 / Do you want to simplify marketing? Do you want to take your branding up a notch? Do you want to know the trends in writing and publishing? Clayton Noblit of Written Word Media has answers about these topics and also shares tips on where to start with branding and common mistakes new authors often make. https://…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 202 / It’s part two of our trope series–very appropriate for episode #202! What’s your favorite trope? We asked a range of authors this question, and we’re here to share the answers. We unpack the benefits of writing tropes, why we love specific tropes, and where to find the favorite examples of the specific trope in…
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Turning 40 in the pulsating heart of New York City was more than a landmark birthday celebration; it sparked a reawakening and shift in my mission toward advocating for victims of abuse. Come along as I discuss the lessons I learned traveling from coast to coast last year. We'll crawl through crowds, give some proper FU's, and dance in the rain. Th…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 201 / Mystery author S. L. Hansen shares how she hacked her writing process. She figured out how to fit writing in with her full-time job and also learned how to work with her Clifton Strengths to draft her books faster. Stephanie shares so many great tips that you can personalize to fit your writing personality. We …
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Have you ever noticed that sometimes the most damaging critiques come from your own mind? I know, I've been there; questioning my worth, my appearance, my decisions - all because of societal norms ingrained deep within my psyche. Tune in as I share my solidarity and journey towards triumphing over internalized misogyny. We'll talk about the insidio…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 200 / We’re celebrating 200 episodes with a look back (what we learned in 2023) and a look forward to 2024 (trends that matter to authors). We’re so happy to have such a warm community around the podcast! Thanks for listening and supporting us during the last four years. Here’s to the next 200 episodes! 🥂 💜 🎙 Become …
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It's the new year, witches, and we are diving into all things resolutions, goals, rituals. Since most resolutions tend to fizzle out mid-January, we're going to make sure we arm ourselves with the butt kicking we need to keep going. In this episode, I'll discuss one of the most popular resolutions-- weight loss! As a former personal trainer (surpri…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 199 / Julia Stirling is a German romance author of over twenty books. She shares tips for when to go into translation, German covers, and connecting with German readers. Julia also has some fantastic ideas on newsletter bonus content and a unique book giveaway that brings her new readers and also creates bonds betwee…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 198 / Claire Kohler writes Scottish fantasy romance and is also an editor, tutor, and neurodiversity advocate. Claire shares how her autism and ADHD can be both a positive and a negative in her writing career and encourages neurodivergent writers to pursue their goals. We also talk about slowing down, the power of wr…
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It's time, witches, to focus on the new year and the new you. But first!---we must reflect on how much we have grown together in 2023. If you're ready to get balls deep into your gratitude and celebrate yourself, listen in because I have a lot of fun exercises for you. We're ringing in the new year with appreciation for the main character at this p…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 197/ Tara Cremin is the Director of Kobo Writing Life and has great tips for how to go wide, how to reach readers globally, and how Kobo Plus, their non-exclusive subscription platform, helps authors reach new readers. We also talk about common mistakes Tara sees authors make as well as library distribution and cover…
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This holiday season, you better sleigh, witch. Grab your cozy blanket and settle in as we discuss Yule traditions and how you can tailor them if you're feeling stuck in a toxic relationship or an all around crappy situation. We'll jingle our balls, drink wine with trees, and set out to smash the traditional garbage we hate and create a wintering li…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 196 / Bestselling fantasy author, Helen Scheuerer joins us to discuss the many ways to launch a series and how to craft your launch strategy so that it meshes with your personality, goals, and schedule. We dig into ARCS, preorders, mindset, dealing with disappointing launches, and common mistakes authors make when la…
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Subscriber-only episode Send us a Text Message. In this supporter-only episode, Jami and Sara discuss one of the most popular tropes, Fish out of Water. They "dive" (see what we did there?) into why the trope is popular across all genres, the plot elements of the Fish out of Water trope, and how several different Fish out of Water subtypes can be l…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 195 / What’s your favorite trope? We asked a range of authors this question, and we’re here to share the answers as well as unpack the benefits of writing tropes, why we love specific tropes, and where to find the best examples of the specific trope in books, movies, and television. Tropes discussed: found family, en…
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And ... here we go. This is NOT a fun episode, but it is an absolute truth you have to prepare yourself to navigate. From state laws, to Tinder, we are journeying through all the ups and downs of divorce and what to expect if you're about to separate from your toxic partner. Do I give the best advice? Hell no. Do I give authentic advice? You bet. L…
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Send us a Text Message. Episode 194 / Patrick O’Donnell is a retired Milwaukee Police Department sergeant with a 25-year career as well as an author and podcaster. He shares common mistakes he sees in characterization and police procedure in genre fiction. We discuss how to go beyond overused tropes and how to get the details of investigations righ…
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After a week that felt like I was living a Tarot Tower card moment (thanks new moon!), I've been called to remember my glimmers. Unlike those nasty triggers, glimmers are snippets of the better slice of life. Whether your glimmers come in personal accomplishments, wicked good moments, family outings, or solitude, we all have them. Discovering what …
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