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From award-winning and bestselling author Kevin Tumlinson, this weekly podcast explores the stories that shape us into who we are, and shape the world into what it can become. It's all about the story here. kevintumlinson.substack.com
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Self Publishing Insiders

Draft2Digital, Kevin Tumlinson, Mark Leslie Lefebvre, Dan Wood

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Brought to you from the indie author experts at Draft2Digital! Each week, Self Publishing Insiders features an interview with a new guest, covering self-publishing topics from writing and craft to marketing and promoting your books, and anything that can help you build and grow your author career. Learn about new tools, new software, new markets—and of course, all the inside information that D2D can provide! This show features interviews taken from our live D2D Spotlight, available on YouTub ...
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Every episode we talk about common writing roadblocks. We interview publishing industry experts about how they overcame the hard things in their careers, and we give you our best tips to keep your stories rolling.
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Real-Life Fiction

Conundrum Publishing

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A podcast from Conundrum Publishing featuring the book industry's finest talents. Hosted by international bestselling author Matt James. SUBSCRIBE on YouTube and with your favorite podcast app!
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What makes a reader experience? How do you build a sustainable author career? We're thrilled to have Kevin Tumlinson back on the show this week to talk about what he's coined "The Artisan Age." If you follow the podcast you know that we interviewed Kevin for our first episode of 2024, but we felt like we didn't have time to cover all the issues we …
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Cameron Sutter is a kind soul. If you ever get a chance to sit and chat with him at a conference or anywhere else, I promise he’s going to surprise you. He’s an author of fiction, but in his quest to make writing just a little easier for himself he ended up creating software that can make writing easier for you, too. Plottr is a versatile and amazi…
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How do you research your novel? How do you avoid procrastinating via research? In this week's Quick Tips we're tackling the pre-planning journey of research. Tip 1: Set limits, create deadlines, and use timers. Tip 2: Understand the type of research you need. Is it traditional, freeform, or experiential? Each type has its benefits and drawbacks, so…
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Our followers are in charge for this week's "Ask Us Anything" (AUA) edition of Self Publishing Insiders. All topics were welcome! Be sure to join us live next time we do an AUA! //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Career// Looking for your path to self-publishing success? Draft2Digital is the leading ebook publisher and distributor…
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The new digital-first traditional publisher... It's been awhile since we talked about the differences, pros and cons of traditional versus indie publishing. As our tagline says, "We believe there's no single right way to produce, publish, or promote your writing, only what works for you!" Which is why we're excited to have Stephanie Carey on the sh…
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Johnny B. Truant has been in the DNA of self publishing almost from the start. He’s an author, a podcaster, a reluctant influencers. Great guy, too. And his series, “Fat Vampire,” has been adapted by the SyFy Channel as “Reginald the Vampire.” Success by almost any definition! But is it success by Johnny’s definition? We talk about that, and about …
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Ever felt like your creative well has run dry? In this week's Quick Tips we're tackling brainstorming and writing creativity. Tip 1: You are what you eat so consume good content. Tip 2: Capture and expand on your ideas. If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider supporting the show. For a few dollars a month, you can help us cover the ongoing…
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Today we celebrate humor and creativity with accomplished author and cartoonist, Leigh Rubin. An author of more than 20 books, 2024 marks the 40th anniversary of Leigh's internationally syndicated cartoon, Rubes®, which is distributed by Creators Syndicate to hundreds of newspapers and media outlets worldwide. His work has been featured in film, te…
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JD Barker, New York Times and International best selling author, has had one of the most interesting lives and careers I can think of. From the time he was asked to write a Dracula novel by Bram Stoker estate to the time he solved a friend’s murder, and on to a prolific and successful career as a thriller writer, JD’s meandered along a path most of…
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This week is all about the book series. How do you plan your writing to build an expansive world? What are the kinds of series you can choose from? (Psst: there's more than one!) Tip #1: Think big, even if you have a small town. Tip #2: Identify the type of series that's best for your story. If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider supporti…
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An award-winning writer and former newspaper reporter, Elizabeth Andre currently writes cozy paranormal mystery, science fiction, young adult and lesbian romance. Elizabeth began publishing lesbian fiction in 2014 and joins us today to discuss why self-publishing is such a great option for the genre. //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Au…
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Ever feel like your voice as an author gets lost in the crowd? In this week's interview, Matty Dalrymple of the Indy Author Podcast joins us to talk all about podcasting for authors. If you've ever wondered what it takes to be on a podcast, or start your own, this is the episode for you. It's a conversation packed with practical tips and advice you…
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Michael Evans is a busy guy. Writing books. Recording podcasts. Founding and running a successful startup in the publishing space. And, oh yeah, graduating from Harvard. And yet he still had time to swing by and chat with me about how storytellers rule the world. And I agree. Take a listen to this episode of the Wordslinger Podcast, and stick aroun…
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As we jump into April, we're sharing some of our favorite tips in the pre-writing stage, starting with Worldbuilding! Tip #1: No matter the genre, every book needs a world, so don't forget to build one. Tip #2: Keep your own rules to avoid breaking reader immersion. If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider supporting the show. For a few dol…
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Publishing and distributing your self-published books is the easy part. Reaching readers is still the challenge. Today we speak with Stephanie Chandler, the founder and CEO of the Nonfiction Authors Association. Stephanie began building her email newsletter list and experimenting with self-publishing before D2D or even Smashwords existed! If you're…
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Personalizing the pyramid of needs... This week, we're thrilled to have Melissa Storm join us on the Author Wheel Podcast to talk about writing craft, authorpreneurship, being a hybrid author, crossing genre lines, writing under pennames, mental health, wellness, and more. It's an absolutely fabulous interview packed with actionable advice for writ…
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Story builds brand loyalty. Give your audience a good story and they’re a fan for life. And this isn’t just for writers—this is for content creators, entrepreneurs, even employees. Listen in and I explain. In this episode, I talk about the San Antonio Zoo, Buc-ees, and my quest for the world’s best chicken salad. I also talk about worry and despair…
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This week's Quick Tips are all about Easter Eggs—what they are, how to use them, and why you should. Tip #1: Use Easter Eggs to build a fandom. Tip #2: Be open-minded about what to use as Easter Eggs. Bonus Tip: Use Easter Eggs as a cross-promotional tool. If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider supporting the show. For a few dollars a mon…
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Have you ever watched a master at work? The best carpenters, musicians, chefs--and even authors--just seem to have a different way using their tools than the rest of us mere mortals. Fortunately for authors, ProWritingAid is a battle-tested writing tool that's helped some of today's bestselling authors smooth the rough edges of their works-in-progr…
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How do you promote your books? It's not just about penning the next bestseller; it's about connecting with readers, and that's where Written Word Media comes in. If you have questions about book marketing, listen in. In this week's interview, we're talking with Clayton Noblit, senior marketing manager at Written Word Media, a platform that empowers…
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Social media is not a sales and marketing tool—it’s a COMMUNITY tool. And if you want to promote something (a book, a business, a service), it’s going to help a whole lot to come at it from that angle. We’re also talking about my “3 things” for this episode. Ever been accused of something you didn’t do? Had someone badmouth you behind your back? Me…
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This week's Quick Tips are all about meeting reader expectations to satisfy their literary cravings. Tip #1: Put the hook on page one! Tip #2: Check your pacing. Learn from our mistakes! If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider supporting the show. For a few dollars a month, you can help us cover the ongoing expenses—like hosting and editin…
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Conferences are vital for author careers. The good ones not only provide stellar learning opportunities from the industry's best and brightest minds, they also provide a sense of community and belonging. In today's episode we'll catch up with D2D's own Mark Leslie Lefebvre and Nick Thacker as they attend the renowned Superstars Writing Seminars eve…
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The Writer_ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Four years ago, August 2020, I posted the last episode of the Wordslinger Podcast. I didn’t really know it would be the last episode, at the time. But 2020 changed everything for me, and not just in the ways it chang…
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". . . my job is as a coach is to help writers recognize the things that they have control over and that they don't." This week's interview is with Enneagram teacher and Author Accelerator book coach Dani Abernathy. She helps people write the stories they need to tell so their readers can feel seen and can see others. She believes that stories can …
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How do you write genre fiction without feeling formulaic? This week, we’re taking a deeper look at tropes and giving you our best tips for combining elements to effectively cross genre lines. Tip #1: Understand the rules before you break them Tip #2: Pick a primary genre first, then twist it with other elements, keeping your reader in mind Get a fr…
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Bestselling books have well-structured plots, compelling characters, and engaging settings that tell a great story. The other element bestselling books have in common is masterful editing. Today we welcome Kristina Stanley back to the show. An award-winning author and fiction editor, Kristina is also the founder and CEO of Fictionary, an innovative…
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Do you use AI tools in your writing? AI is the hot button topic of the modern creative industry. No matter your position, the genie is out of the bottle, the cat is out of the bag, and Pandora's box is open. So how do we, as authors, decide where we stand and what our personal positions will be? This week, we're thrilled to have Cameron Sutter—foun…
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Jeaniene Frost is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of fantasy romance. She's known for the Night Huntress series, the Night Prince series, the Night Rebel series, and the Broken Destiny series. Today we'll talk about Jeaniene's latest work, Both Feet in the Grave, and her decision to self-publish after over a dozen years as a tradi…
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When we’re first learning to write fiction, most of us know broadly what genre we’re targeting. You might tell people you're working on a Fantasy, or Thriller, or Romance novel. That's a great starting point, but it's not specific enough once you're trying to publish and market that book. There’s nuance to the niche sub-genres on the major ebook re…
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Have you ever considered writing serialized fiction? What about releasing your novel chapter by chapter as you write it? In this week's episode, author coach Kim Boo York joins us to talk about how she rediscovered her love of writing through fan-fiction, dealt with imposter syndrome and the internal critic telling her there wasn't an audience for …
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This week's Quick Tips are all about self-care. From setting realistic expectations to financial budgeting, building in time for self-reflection and rest, and taking care of our physical bodies, we're tackling the mental, emotional, and physical roadblocks that can hold you back from a sustainable author career. Follow Us! The Author Wheel: Website…
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If you're curious about how the revamped USA Today Best-Seller Booklist works, or why it went on hiatus, or why the renewed focus on indie bookstores, this is the episode for you. Erik Bursch, the SVP of Consumer Product and Engineering at Gannett/USA Today, joins us live to give the inside scoop and answer your questions. //Draft2Digital is where …
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Ever wondered how your favorite indie authors make their mark in the vast expanse of international publishing? In this episode, we're talking with Tara Cremin of Kobo Writing Life. She's giving us the inside look at international publishing as well as the secrets to success on Kobo. Tara Cremin is the Director of Kobo Writing Life (KWL), Kobo’s ind…
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How do you deal with rejection, negative criticism, and disappointment? In this week's Quick Tips, we're giving you our best advice to overcome the negativity and flip the switch to a positive mindset. There are all kinds of disappointments in this job. Rejections from agents and editors, fizzled launches, and one-star reviews. Our advice? Remember…
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Have you ever wished you could connect with other like-minded, creative people to share your ideas or ask questions without fear of judgement or humiliation? Enter Torrey C. Butler of Scribble. An award-winning author, Torrey launched the Scribble app as a safe space where authors can express their ideas, understand where to start, and ultimately w…
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What's hiding in your shadow self, and how can you use it to improve your writing? Today's conversation with Joanna Penn is a brilliant look at what it takes to unearth the raw essence of author creativity. Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-nominated, New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller author as J.F. Penn. Sh…
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When motivation is flagging, how do you fall back in love with writing? The key lies in self-awareness—recognizing your introversion, extroversion, or something in between, and how these traits fuel your creative fire. Our personal stories and practical strategies will guide you to embrace who you are and channel your innate strengths into a writin…
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Wulf Moon has been called the guru of aspiring writers. His award-winning Super Secrets of Writing have helped countless writers launch careers, become #1 bestsellers in top fiction categories, and win coveted international awards. Now, all of these transformational secrets have been captured in his latest nonfiction book, How to Write a Howling Go…
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Have you ever tried to write your novel longhand? For this week's guest, that's simply how it's done. At least for the first draft. For her, it's a great way to connect body and brain and keep the story flowing. But when even that fails, Paula turns to reading to fuel her creative soul. This week's episode offers new solutions that can turn setback…
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How do you refill your creative well? In this week's quick tips, we're talking about creativity and how we can nurture our subconscious mind. Tips include: Intentional content consumption: no matter the medium, what we watch, read, or experience influences our writing Building community: conferences, writing groups, online summits are all fodder fo…
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David Sherrer is the marketing director and the "husband half" of the remarkable wife-and-husband publishing team at Chenoweth Press. David's wife Lydia is a USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy. David manages the marketing and fulfillment of physical sales as well as sales at various conventions. David is also a game designer and created …
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Have you ever attended an in-person writing conference or summit? This week's guest is not only a full-time writer and productivity guru, she's organizing the Author Alchemy Summit in Portland February 22-25! Jessie Kwak is an author and business book ghostwriter living in Portland, Oregon. She is the organizer of the Author Alchemy Summit, as well…
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Ever feel like your New Year's resolutions vanish into thin air before January's over? In this week's quick tip, we're talking about the difference between goals and resolutions, and how to turn vague wishes into achievable progress. We'll walk you through the basics of the SMART goal setting method so you can make your goals Specific, Measurable, …
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Did you know the Smashwords store pays indie authors the industry's highest royalties? Did you the Smashwords store is about to celebrate its 7th consecutive year of sales growth? And did you know the 7th Annual Smashwords End of Year Sale was another record breaking Smashwords Sale? Join us as Mark Coker and Mark Lefebvre explain how YOU can use S…
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Too many external voices... Today's guest, a former lawyer turned author and book coach, joins us in this week's interview to talk about her writing process. Mary's journey from courtrooms to the craft of storytelling is not only inspiring but also enlightening for writers navigating their own creative paths. Mary Adkins is the author of the nation…
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We've assembled a dream team of industry luminaries to unravel the key trends and issues that will shape publishing in 2024 and likely impact your author business. Join us as we welcome Mark Coker, chief strategy officer, D2D; Jane Friedman, founder & editor of publishing newsletter The Hot Sheet; Joanna Penn of The Creative Penn Podcast; Dale Robe…
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Imposter syndrome. It's the elephant in the room that almost every author faces at some point in their career. In today's episode, Mark Leslie Lefebvre's shares his wisdom on dealing with this behemoth. With over 30 years experience in the writing, publishing, and bookselling industry, Mark understands the heartbeat of writing and publishing. . Mar…
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Ever feel like the intricate dance of authorship could use a choreographer? Well, put on your dance shoes because we're here to help. From the solid foundation of goal setting with an author strategy template to the daily twirls of bullet journals and to-do lists, we have tools to help guide your steps. We share how breaking tasks into bite-sized p…
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Did you catch all the news coming out of the D2D camp in 2023? There was a lot to take in: New distribution partnerships, another acquisition, and some pretty nifty milestones to name just a few. We'll recap the year for you and answer all your questions. Join us! //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Career// Looking for your path t…
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