"You're Nobody in That World": Richard Sparks on the Brutal Truth of Publishing

"You're Nobody in That World": Richard Sparks on the Brutal Truth of Publishing

Learn the core storytelling principles and creative reinvention strategies needed to level up your self-publishing career later in life. FULL TRANSCRIPT & MORE: https://thewritingbiz.com/youre-nobody-in-that-world-richard-sparks-publishing #selfpublishing #howtopublishabook #storystructure #authorpreneur #writingtips 🤩MY GUEST:Richard Sparks, screenwriter & authorWEBSITE: https://richardsparks.com/📚RICHARD SPARKS BOOKS: “Ready Player One meets Lord of the Rings in Disc World.”New Rock, New RolePaperback https://amzn.to/44uEudB Ebook https://amzn.to/4fezzSNNew Rock, New RealmPaperback https://amzn.to/4hbqqwY Ebook https://amzn.to/4w9CjbvNew Rock, New RulesPaperback https://amzn.to/44y9OIo Ebook https://amzn.to/4w0oKuO⭐SUBSCRIBE and listen to the podcast here: @Thewritingbizpodcast 📰SUBSCRIBE to my weekly newsletter. Be the first to know about new episodes! https://thewritingbiz.com/subscribe-to-the-writing-biz-today/💻WORK WTIH ME!To learn more about Laura Williams Pages, and how I can help you build an author brand that sells books visit: https://laurawilliamspages.com/‼️To SIGN UP for your FREE Site audit visit: https://laurawilliamspages.com/free-site-audit/⭐FOLLOW US⭐Website: https://thewritingbiz.comYouTube: https://youtube.com/@thewritingbizpodcastBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/onthewritingbiz.bsky.socialFacebook: https://facebook.com/onthewritingbizX: https://x.com/OnTheWritingBiz🔨TOOLS FOR YOUR WRITING BIZ💫Sign up for GOOGLE WORKSPACE and organize your business in one place: https://referworkspace.app.goo.gl/RNTN💫Are you looking for an easy, reliable newsletter service? Check out the one I use and love, BeeHiiv: https://www.beehiiv.com?via=Laura-Williams--This video is not sponsored. Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase.ABOUT THIS VIDEO: In this episode, host Laura Williams sits down with Richard Sparks, a highly versatile writer whose iconic career spans British television comedy, main-stage operas with Placido Domingo, and his debut satirical fantasy novel series, New Rock, New Realm. Richard shares deep insights into moving away from a script editor mindset to master long-form fiction, revealing why an author must establish a clear plot structure and ending before taking creative risks. Discover how his love for online role-playing games transformed into a publishing venture and how tracking your emotional arcs can help turn your passion project into a profitable writing business."Publishers don't want books, they want writers. They want names. They want something that the public knows and something that the publisher can sell." - Richard Sparks0:00 - Introduction to Richard Sparks1:10 - Stepping Into a New Genre Later in Life4:45 - Breaking Into the Script Writing World6:15 - Taking Creative Risks and Avoiding Pigeonholing9:35 - Where Inspiration and Coincidences Intersect11:57 - The Mechanics of Plotting and Story Structure18:05 - How to Outline Your Ending First23:14 - Setup and Payoff Lessons from Game of Thrones25:58 - Turning a Love of Online Gaming into Fantasy Fiction33:31 - Finding Your Ideal Daily Writing Routine36:03 - Applying Plot Mechanics to Your Writing Business39:26 - Overcoming Failure and Handling Professional Disappointment43:12 - How to Download Free Chapters from Richard SparksEARNINGS & LEGAL DISCLAIMER: All content provided by The Writing Biz is for educational and informational purposes only. The external links provided in this description contain affiliate links, meaning the creator receives a small financial commission if you choose to purchase through them. This channel complies fully with FTC guidelines regarding digital disclosures. Please review official platform rules before implementing publishing strategies.

Author Media Kit Mistakes Costing You Interviews

Learn how to build a professional author media kit to secure more podcast interviews, speaking engagements, and book sales. 🖊️FULL TRANSCRIPT AND MORE: https://thewritingbiz.com/author-media-kit-mistakes-costing-you-interviews/ #selfpublishing #howtopublishabook #mediakit #authorbranding #bookmarketing 🤩MY GUEST: Teri M. Brown, Author WEBSITE: http://www.terimbrown.com Facebook.com/TeriMBrownAuthor x.com/TeriMBrown1 Instagram.com/TeriMBrown_Author LinkedIn.com/in/TeriMBrown Goodreads.com/terimbrown Tiktok.com/@terimbrown_author Amazon Author: https://www.amazon.com/author/terimbrown Youtube.com/@TeriMBrown_Author Bookbub.com/profile/teri-m-brown 📚TERI'S BOOKS:  Teri’s Books Daughters of Green Mountain Gap Paperback https://amzn.to/4vMatlj   EBook https://amzn.to/4vFSf4W  Peg, Unhinged Paperback https://amzn.to/4y6JwdJ   EBook https://amzn.to/4pnXV1n  An Enemy Like Me Paperback https://amzn.to/3Rk8DJt      EBook https://amzn.to/4vP2hRq  ⭐SUBSCRIBE and listen to the podcast here:  @Thewritingbizpodcast   📰SUBSCRIBE to my weekly newsletter. Be the first to know about new episodes! https://thewritingbiz.com/subscribe-to-the-writing-biz-today/ 💻WORK WTIH ME! To learn more about Laura Williams Pages, and how I can help you build an author brand that sells books visit: https://laurawilliamspages.com/ ‼️To SIGN UP for your FREE Site audit visit: https://laurawilliamspages.com/free-site-audit/ ⭐FOLLOW US⭐ Website: https://thewritingbiz.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thewritingbizpodcast BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/onthewritingbiz.bsky.social Facebook: https://facebook.com/onthewritingbiz X: https://x.com/OnTheWritingBiz 👋🏼HI! Do you currently have an online media kit set up for your books, and what is the number one element you struggle to format correctly? Let us know in the comments below! 🔨TOOLS FOR YOUR WRITING BIZ 💫DIY Book Covers: Book Cover Formatting & Mockups: https://diybookcovers.com/ 💫Canva: Graphic Design & Photo Editing Software https://canva.com 💫Sign up for GOOGLE WORKSPACE [https://referworkspace.app.goo.gl/RNTN] and organize your business in one place: 💫Are you looking for an easy, reliable newsletter service? Check out the one I use and love, BeeHiiv [https://www.beehiiv.com?via=Laura-Williams] --This video is not sponsored. Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase. ABOUT THIS VIDEO: In this episode, host Laura Williams sits down with award-winning contemporary and historical fiction author Terri M. Brown to pull back the curtain on professional branding for authors. Terri, the author of Peg Unhinged and Daughters of Green Mountain Gap, shares her practical strategies for organizing an editable online media kit that makes booking media appearances effortless. "What you're trying to do is make it easy for other people to access. Have you on their show, to have you come and speak, to talk with you about your book... You want to make it as easy for other people as possible." - Teri M. Brown 🕑TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Introduction to Author Media Kits 1:34 - Why You Should Use Google Docs for Media Kits 2:15 - Must-Have Elements: Contact Info, Bios, and Book Blurbs 4:23 - Adding Speaking Topics and Sample Interview Questions 5:19 - Including Editorial Reviews, Awards, and Past Appearances 7:54 - The Formula for Writing Versatile Author Bios 11:20 - What Makes a Professional Author Headshot 16:55 - Using Canva to Easily Format Your Media Assets 20:00 - Best Practices for 2D and 3D Book Cover Files 21:49 - Designing a Readable Layout and Section Headings 24:41 - Creating General vs. Book-Specific Media Kits 26:43 - Author Website Optimization and AI Discoverability Tips 28:35 - Terri’s Upcoming Historical Fiction Project 31:56 - When to Update Your Media Kit Elements 32:42 - Conclusion and Where to Connect with Teri

Avoid This Mistake Writers make Defending Their Work

Discover how to protect your creative work and prove human authorship in an era dominated by generative AI technology. FULL TRANSCRIPT AND MORE [https://thewritingbiz.com/avoid-this-mistake-writers-make-defending-their-work/ ] #selfpublishing #howtopublishabook #bookcoverdesign #bookformatting #authorpreneur "To say that a story has never been touched by AI in any way is just no longer something that we can say." — Gordon McClellan🤩MY GUEST:Gordon McLellan, founder and CEO of DartFrog BooksWEBSITE: DartFrog Books [https://dartfrogbooks.com/]True Origin Documented Authorship: https://dartfrogbooks.com/manuscript-authorship-protection/⭐SUBSCRIBE and listen to the podcast here: @Thewritingbizpodcast 📰SUBSCRIBE to my weekly newsletter. Be the first to know about new episodes! https://thewritingbiz.com/subscribe-to-the-writing-biz-today/ 🔨MENTIONED TOOLS, BOOKS, ETC. ⁠True Origin Documented Authorship⁠ [https://dartfrogbooks.com/manuscript-authorship-protection/] ⁠Grammarly⁠ [https://www.grammarly.com/] ⁠DartFrog Books⁠ [https://dartfrogbooks.com/] 💻WORK WTIH ME!To learn more about Laura Williams Pages, and how I can help you build an author brand that sells books visit: https://laurawilliamspages.com/‼️To SIGN UP for your FREE Site audit visit: https://laurawilliamspages.com/free-site-audit/⭐FOLLOW US⭐Website: https://thewritingbiz.comYouTube: https://youtube.com/@thewritingbizpodcastBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/onthewritingbiz.bsky.socialFacebook: https://facebook.com/onthewritingbizX: https://x.com/OnTheWritingBiz👋🏼HI! How do you personally balance using AI-powered tools for editing while maintaining your unique human voice in your writing? Let us know in the comments below!🔨TOOLS FOR YOUR WRITING BIZ💫Sign up for GOOGLE WORKSPACE [https://referworkspace.app.goo.gl/RNTN] and organize your business in one place.💫Are you looking for an easy, reliable newsletter service? Check out the one I use and love, BeeHiiv [https://www.beehiiv.com?via=Laura-Williams]--This video is not sponsored. Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase.ABOUT THIS VIDEOIn this episode, I sit down with Gordon McLellan, founder and CEO of DartFrog Books [https://dartfrogbooks.com/], to discuss the critical intersection of human-first storytelling and artificial intelligence. We explore practical ways for authors to protect their intellectual property using blockchain technology and provide actionable advice on identifying legitimate human editorial services in an increasingly automated world."The only way I think that we can know for sure that a person has written is to show the evolution of their thought, edits, rewrites over time." — Gordon McClellan0:00 — Intro0:39 — The Impact of Generative AI on Authors0:4:58 — Drawing the Line: Human Writing vs. AI Tools0:10:41 — Why AI Content Detection Tools Fail0:13:36 — Introducing True Origin Blockchain Stamping0:17:19 — How Human Authors Out-Compete Machine Content0:22:00 — The Em Dash Dilemma and Reader Perception0:27:00 — Red Flags: How to Verify Your Editor is Human0:34:46 — Real Stories of AI Book Scraping and Theft#WritingTips #SelfPublishing #WritingBusiness #Writingcommunity#authors #selfpublishers #AI #AIBooks #AIDetection #TrueOriginEARNINGS & LEGAL DISCLAIMER: All content provided by The Writing Biz is for educational and informational purposes only. The external links provided in this description contain affiliate links, meaning the creator receives a small financial commission if you choose to purchase through them. This channel complies fully with FTC guidelines regarding digital disclosures. Please review official platform rules before implementing publishing strategies.

The Truth About Author Income Streams

Discover how to transform your writing business into a diversified intellectual property firm by leveraging multiple income streams for authors beyond just book sales and more writing business ideas. 🖊️FULL TRANSCRIPT AND MORE: https://thewritingbiz.com/the-truth-about-author-income-streams/ #selfpublishing #howtopublishabook #authorpreneur #writingtips #indieauthor #authorplatform #authorrevenue #auhtorincomestream #indieauthorincome🤩MY GUEST:Matty Dalrymple, author and host of The Indy Author PodcastWEBSITE: https://www.mattydalrymple.com/YOUTUBE:  @TheIndyAuthorPodcast  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UClY_eFs7lMAqoPNM9jtDYVg] 📚BOOKS MENTIONED: From Page to Platform: How to Succeed as an Author Speaker by Matty Dalrymple & Michael LaRonn (Book): BUY PAPERBACK: https://amzn.to/4v7bGCQ BUY EBOOK: https://amzn.to/4f326vJThe Podcast Guest Playbook by Matty Dalrymple & Michael LaRonn (Book): BUY PAPERBACK: https://amzn.to/4xNexDh BUY EBOOK: https://amzn.to/4aQQo4Q⭐SUBSCRIBE and listen to The Writing Biz podcast here: @Thewritingbizpodcast 📰SUBSCRIBE to my weekly newsletter. Be the first to know about new episodes! https://thewritingbiz.com/subscribe-to-the-writing-biz-today/💻WORK WTIH ME!To learn more about Laura Williams Pages, and how I can help you build an author brand that sells books visit: https://laurawilliamspages.com/‼️To SIGN UP for your FREE Site audit visit: https://laurawilliamspages.com/free-site-audit/⭐FOLLOW US⭐Website: https://thewritingbiz.comYouTube: https://youtube.com/@thewritingbizpodcastBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/onthewritingbiz.bsky.socialFacebook: https://facebook.com/onthewritingbizX: https://x.com/OnTheWritingBiz👋🏼Hi! What is one non-writing income stream you have implemented in your author business that has provided the most stability or growth, and how did you overcome the initial challenge of launching it?🔨TOOLS FOR YOUR WRITING BIZ💫Sign up for GOOGLE WORKSPACE and organize your business in one place: https://referworkspace.app.goo.gl/RNTN💫PodMatch: Helps the right podcast guests & hosts find each other faster and automates administrative work, so you can focus on what matters: recording interviews that serve listeners. Terrific for authorpreneurs!https://www.joinpodmatch.com/thewritingbiz 💫Are you looking for an easy, reliable newsletter service? Check out the one I use and love, BeeHiiv: https://www.beehiiv.com?via=Laura-Williams💫Booklaunchers: https://booklaunchers.com/alk/ref/TheWritingBiz/ Self-Publishing for thought leaders made easy. Build your authority and brand with expert guidance tailored to your non-fiction book success.--This video is not sponsored. Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase.ABOUT THIS VIDEO:In this episode, we sit down with Matty Dalrymple, an accomplished indie author known for her Lizzie Ballard thrillers and Anne Kinnear suspense novels, to discuss the critical transition from "writer" to "authorpreneur.""Giving yourself an opportunity to play is sometimes the foundation of real concrete financial benefits." - Matty DalrympleMatty shares her expertise as a member of the International Thriller Writers and Alliance of Independent Authors, providing actionable strategies for nonfiction and fiction authors to diversify income through speaking, consulting, and smart platform building.EARNINGS & LEGAL DISCLAIMER: All content provided by The Writing Biz is for educational and informational purposes only. The external links provided in this description contain affiliate links, meaning the creator receives a small financial commission if you choose to purchase through them. This channel complies fully with FTC guidelines regarding digital disclosures. Please review official platform rules before implementing publishing strategies.

The Ugly Truth About Book Deals

If you're a self-published author trying to earn an income from your books, this episode covers the brutal reality of the modern publishing landscape. Learn how to ditch the broken traditional system and scale your author income using professional self-publishing frameworks and targeted Amazon advertising. In this episode, prize-winning author and founder of InkLab Editing & Publishing [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://inklabpublishing.com], Michael Totten, breaks down exactly how to navigate the shift from traditional publishing to a highly profitable indie author career. "You've got a really high bar. You have to be basically perfect in order to get through this gauntlet. Agents just spent six seconds instead of nine seconds on your manuscript, and they didn't realize they actually had a good one." -  Michael Totten We pull back the curtain on why traditional book advances have cratered—revealing why "$5,000 is the new $50,000"—and why corporate publishers expect you to do all your own book marketing anyway. Michael shares invaluable writing advice on the technical errors that instantly get manuscripts rejected by agents, including the exact dialogue mechanics you can fix in just 45 minutes. You'll learn actionable freelance writing tips on how to invest your marketing budget strategically, why Facebook ads fail for most books while Amazon ads crush it, and how to scale up your self-publishing efforts by treating your work like a real business. If you want to stop waiting for permission from corporate gatekeepers and discover how to make money writing on your own terms, this discussion is for you. FULL TRANSCRIPT [https://thewritingbiz.com/the-ugly-truth-about-book-deals] Timestamps: * * 0:00 — Intro * * 1:05 — Why Traditional Publishing is Broken * * 2:45 — The Reality of Author Platforms & Marketing * * 6:25 — The Nightmare Grid of Finding a Literary Agent * * 10:15 — The 10% vs. 70% Royalty Reality Check * * 12:10 — Professionalizing Indie Publishing: Covers & Editing * * 14:15 — How to Sell Your Book Safely via Amazon Ads * * 19:55 — Why You Can't Edit Your Own Writing * * 24:00 — Hidden Manuscript Flaws: Dialogue Mechanics & Head Hopping * * 34:00 — Using Beta Readers to Fix a Broken Ending * * 43:05 — The InkLab Ecosystem & Finding Professional Editors * * 53:20 — Outro & Resources Michael Totten's Official Website [https://michaeltotten.com/] InkLab Editing & Publishing [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://inklabpublishing.com] Michael's Best-Selling Book: Write, Edit, Publish: What Every Writer Needs to Know But Only an Editor Will Tell You [https://amzn.to/3RzEJ3Q] ⭐FOLLOW US⭐The Writing Biz Website [https://thewritingbiz.com]On YouTube [https://youtube.com/@thewritingbizpodcast]BlueSky [https://bsky.app/profile/onthewritingbiz.bsky.social]Facebook [https://facebook.com/onthewritingbiz]X [https://x.com/OnTheWritingBiz] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@lwilliams.author]