SPA Girls Podcast

Conventional wisdom says ‘bigger is better’ for books, but is that really true? In this episode, we discuss what different word counts and book sizes mean for successful publishers today, how you can use different sizes to your advantage, and how to find your sweet spot. The Right Size isn’t a black and white thing – in fact, there are 50 shades of writing (size) to embrace! There is NO ONE RULE for word counts: Example: The Romance Writers of America defines a novella as 20,000 to 40,000 words and a novel as a work of fiction of 40,000 words or more as determined by computer word count. The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America organization defines:Short Story: less than 7,500 words;Novelette: at least 7,500 words but less than 17,500 words;Novella: at least 17,500 words but less than 40,000 wordsNovel: 40,000 words or more. Bookbub current rule for word count needed for a featured deal:A full-length book. Novels and collections of short stories or novellas should be at least 150 pages in length, works of nonfiction at least 100 pages, cookbooks at least 70 pages, middle-grade books at least 100 pages, and children’s picture books at least 20 pages. We currently do not feature stand-alone novellas or short stories.” Uses of shorter fiction:Short stories can be published on their own or used to create anthologiesThey can be used as newsletter subscription lures READER EXPECTATION is the key to what word count you should aim forRomance readers (generally) expect a full novel to be 50,000 to 80,000 words; however, there are some popular niches such as sexy shifter romance telling the story in a shorter word count eg 35,000. Thrillers and suspense normally are 60,000 – 90,000 Epic fantasy can have 120,000 words + Cozy mysteries tend to 40,000 to 60,000 Serialized fiction tends to be around 700 – 2000 words per episodeThe new Kindle Vella program states “between 600-5,000 words” IT”S NOT SET IN STONE and TRENDS DO CHANGEAdvantage if you’re publishing exclusively with Amazon and in the Kindle Unlimited program is to have a longer word count. More pages = more $ Want more of the SPA Girls? ✔️  Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/  ✔️  You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/   ✔️ Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast  ✔️ Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast  

Join Shar, Wendy, Cher and Trudi for the 300th EPISODE of the SPA Girls Podcast! EEEEEEKKKKK!!!!! Can you believe it? It’s been a crazy ride, but we’ve loved every minute of it. 🙂 In this episode we talk about having pride in your work and being proud of everything you’ve achieved, and then how to persevere in the face of all the odds! This is a fun episode where we open up about some of the things we’ve been through over the last six years, and give our best advice for anyone looking to self publish! 

Get Results Spending $100/month (or less!) Marketing doesn’t have to mean Big Bucks spent on advertising. In fact, some of the best marketing you can do is free or low cost. If you’re just starting out there probably isn’t much left in the budget for paid marketing. We’ve been there! In this episode, we’ve dug deep to find all the tools we used instead of heavy investments—and some we still do. One thing to note, you’ll need to invest something in your marketing—if it’s not money, it’s your time. This episode we’ll cover: * Revising keywords * Tweaking your blurbs * Reach out to other authors for Facebook group intro / newsletter swaps / social media interviews * Writing another series “lead in” as a giveaway on bookfunnel * Revise your Goodreads strategy (see our interview with Alessandra Torres for ideas – https://spagirls.libsyn.com/spa-girls-ep235-interview-with-alessandra-torre)  * Run some social media giveaways using ebook / bookfunnel * Review your author bio * Refresh your website and social media graphics with canva * Create quotes from your books and book review quotes for social media on canva (for example)  * Join another social media platform and have fun – try Tik Tok – front facing videos “raw” are very popular and effective when done well. Free advertising! * Set up a free store on a merchandise site like Cafe Press, create some “reader focussed” designs yourself in canva (eg quotes if you’re not artistic) and use them as giveaways and for sale  * Run a newsletter subscriber – specific poll or competition to encourage sharing of your social media posts * If in KU, use your 5 day free runs on Bk1s and run as many ads as you can afford on Day 1 with smaller advertiser lists like book vixens, book sends, book gorilla etc. * Paid per click ads like bookbub ads, Facebook ads and AMS ads generally cost more than $100/month so we’re focusing on lower priced ad lists with free book, concentrated over the 5 days, to give you a sales boost on back list * Box set your existing series books to create another product  * Research the top 100 of your genre every day for the next 90 days – see who’s on top, who’s upcoming, what covers and what blurbs are selling. There’ll be things you can learn in there. *Not selling? Get honest feedback on whether you’re hitting the market tropes / reader expectations / cover expectations from other authors before you invest more time and energy into writing something off market *Goal is to make more money so you can invest back into your business. The key is investing in Great Product though, so all the effort you put in now into understanding your market and your readers will pay off big time in the future -write a bonus epilogue that readers must sign up for your email newsletter to download. Try doing it in public – start a blog about your journey into publishing and try to engage with fans right from the start.   Create a journey for your readers on social media – plan out a campaign that takes them from being not interested, to being engaged. How do you do that? People love to talk about themselves, ask them engaging questions.  Know your brand/readers really well. Look for the places where they’ll be. Think outside the box in terms of finding readers. If you have a book that is set on a boat, look for boating magazines that might be interested in featuring you.  Go live. Remember people don’t want perfect.  Be vulnerable. Don’t be afraid to be who you really are. People want authenticity over perfection. We hate feeling like something is too slick.  Approach local media outlets. HARO.  The Best Book Promo Sites as of Feb 21 https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/the-best-book-promotion-sites-to-promote-your-ebook/ EBOOK BOOSTER https://www.ebookbooster.com/ebook-promotion-services/ Guaranteed Listings on 15 eBook Websites and Social Media – Only $25 Free eBook Promotion Services Best for Amazon Kindle Free and Permafree eBooks Submit Your eBook to Over 40 eBook Sites and Social Media – Only $30 Hello Books $25 https://hellobooks.com/ More resource links mentioned:If This Then That https://ifttt.com Cafe Press https://www.cafepress.com Society Six https://society6.com SPA Girls Episode with Lucy Score http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep284-lucy-score-talks-reader-groups-releases-and-relationships/  Kindletrends http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep281-kindletrends-with-nat-connors/ SPA Girls Episode with Kaye Kennedy http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep283-interview-with-kaye-kennedy/ SPA Girls Episode with Danielle Romero http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep260-interview-with-danielle-annett/ Help A Reporter Out : https://www.helpareport

We’ve got a very special treat for you this episode – the incredibly talented and savvy, Ms Lucy Lennox, is in the house! Lucy saw extraordinary success straight out the gate, from when she first published her MM romance, Borrowing Blue, in November 2016. In fact, by her second month of publishing, Lucy was earning five figures per month! Since then, Lucy’s books have soared the bestseller charts consistently and she’s built an incredible career, publishing prolifically (despite a serious health challenge) and building a rabid audience for her sweet and steamy male/male gay romances. From release strategies, co-writing tips, MM romance tropes to Writing For Your Id and the power of romance beats, Lucy’s honest, no-holds-barred advice will boost your mindset and your business. In fact, we know you’ll come away just as inspired and motivated to get butt-in-chair-hands-on-keyboard we were from talking with Lucy! No matter what genre you write, this podcast is a must-listen, with something for everyone. About Lucy Lennox: After enjoying creative writing as a child, Lucy didn’t write her first novel until she was over 40 years old. Her debut novel, Borrowing Blue, was published in the autumn of 2016. Lucy has an English Literature degree from Vanderbilt University, but that doesn’t hold a candle to the years and years of staying up all night reading tantalizing novels on her own. She has one husband, three children, plays tennis, and hates folding laundry. Lucy writes male/male gay romance with heart, humor, and heat. To date she’s published 24 novels herself, 12 co-written novels across three series and numerous short stories in her series’ worlds. Find her at http://www.lucylennox.com/ Join Lucy’s facebook group Lucy’s Lair Resources Mentioned Becca Syme’s Write Better Faster course Becca Syme’s Interview on the SPA Girls Podcast Jennifer Lynn Barnes Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ RWA Talk 2018: Writing For Your Id

Dive into this amazing episode with six-figure author Fallyn Briggs, where she discusses the hot topic of writing to trend v writing to market! She has spent most of her life within the pages of a book and now she is thrilled to have the opportunity to invite people into the worlds she creates. When Fallyn is not writing sweet romances, she is traveling, eating too much cheesecake, and thinking about writing sweet romances. Fallyn says, “writing to market may have hungry readers, but writing to trend is hitting on a hot button trope, idea, theme, niche, or genre that has VERY voracious readers gobbling up that particular kind of book on a likely more limited time frame. Like Veruca Salt, they want it and they want it NOW.” You can find Fallyn at: https://fallynbriggs.com/ https://fallynbriggs.com Want more of the SPA Girls? ✔️  Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/  ✔️  You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/   ✔️ Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast  ✔️ Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast  

In this episode of the SPA Girls Podcast we talk about emotional wounds, and why they’re so important in developing your characters, and creating an awesome story! From possible wounds that you could give your characters, to how those wounds will develop the story, and how you can use them to amp up the tension, and create a story that your readers will love – we talk about it all! SHOW NOTES: Emotional Wound Thesaurus – Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi Website – Writers Helping Writers Lisa Cron – Wired For Story Michael Hauge Donald Maas Want more of the SPA Girls? ✔️  Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/  ✔️  You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/   ✔️ Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast  ✔️ Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast  

Celeste Barclay joins us to discuss finding your village and what doing so did for her. Celeste has published an incredible 27 books since 2017, primarily in historical romance. Her popular series includes the medieval The Clan Sinclair novels and The Highland Ladies series which has an impressive 15 individual books and counting.   Before becoming a full-time author, Celeste was a Social Studies and English teacher. She holds degrees in International Affairs (BA), Teaching Secondary Social Science (MAT), and Political Management (MPS). She channels that knowledge into creating rich historical romances that bring the steam. It was the third book in her first series which really took off and she’s been incredibly successful ever since. Celest says her Author Village “made her career” and today she talks to us about what that means to her, how to find and build your own village, and why it’s so important.  Celeste defines her Author Village as her own network of fellow author peers who lend friendship, support, feedback, writing and business advice. They’re like-minded people who she trusts and respects.  What a village offers:– anthology opportunities– increased business– newsletter swaps, Facebook group takeovers, etc Some ways to find your author village:attend in-person author events and signings and conferences Join author Facebook groups such as Millionaire Author Mastermind (https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/), or Renee Rose’s – Abundance Mindset For Authors (https://www.facebook.com/groups/abundancemindsetforauthors/)To find more, search within Facebook for your own genre group The hardest part is the first step – be brave enough to reach out! Find out more about Celeste at: https://www.celestebarclay.com You’ll find all the show notes at: www.spagirlspodcast.com Keen to join the SPA Girls in a live workshop? Join our mailing list here and we’ll let you know the minute we have workshop bookings open. https://selfpublishingworkshop.co.nz/index.html Come say hi on Facebook and twitter @spagirlspodcast

This episode we’re back “on the couch” with the SPA Girls to discuss tools and resources we’ve used to cope with the ever changing climate of self-publishing, AND those big life events that we all face at times. As always, we share our own experiences and hard-won tips for rolling with the punches and utilizing change as a tool for growth and learning. Resources mentioned: BBC – Why Embracing Change Is The Key To A Good Life 🌸 SpaGirlsPodcast.com ✔️ Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/✔️ You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/✔️ Subscribe and Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ How To Self-Publish with the SPA Girls✔️ Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast

You’re worth it and your work is worth it. This episode will blow your mind! Renee is passionate about helping authors and creatives get their mindset dialed to SUCCESS. So many nuggets of creativity and business wisdom in this episode, you’ll want to listen more than once. Scroll down for the link to join her private author’s Facebook group. USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR RENEE ROSE loves a dominant, dirty-talking alpha hero! She’s sold over a million copies of steamy romance with varying levels of kink. Her books have been featured in USA Today’s Happily Ever After and Popsugar. Named Eroticon USA’s Next Top Erotic Author in 2013, she has also won Spunky and Sassy’s Favorite Sci-Fi and Anthology author, The Romance Reviews Best Historical Romance, and has hit the USA Today list eight times with her Wolf Ranch books and various anthologies. FB – https://www.facebook.com/groups/abundancemindsetforauthors Sign up to receive a FREE ebook: subscribepage.com/alphastemp Visit her blog at www.reneeroseromance.comFollow Renee at www.Facebook.com/ReneeRoseRomance – She loves to chat with readers! Follow her on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/ReneeRoseAuthor**Follow her on Instagram at www.instagram.com/reneeroseromance 🌸 SpaGirlsPodcast.com ✔️ Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/✔️ You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/✔️ Subscribe and Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ How To Self-Publish with the SPA Girls✔️ Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast

It’s a heated debate that occurs regularly in the bars and cafes of self-publishing-land – should you go exclusive to Amazon and get the benefits of Kindle Unlimited, or should you go wide, and get the benefits of being able to upload your books on retailers like Kobo, Apple Books and Nook, as well as Amazon?  There are arguments both ways, and in this episode of the SPA Girls Podcast, we take you through all the pros and cons of both, and try to give you some information that will help you make the decision when the time comes… 🌸 SpaGirlsPodcast.com ✔️ Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/✔️ You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/✔️ Subscribe and Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ How To Self-Publish with the SPA Girls✔️ Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast

We absolutely have more than 9 tools we could recommend because we don’t all use the same ones. Listen to find out which ones we can’t do without and who uses the others and why. Cheryl has a few homemade spreadsheets and tables – no surprises there – which she may be inclined to share. 😉 Resources mentioned: Plottr – https://plottr.com PromoRepublic – deal via AppSumo https://appsumo.com/ Cher’s Plot Timeline spreadsheet Trello – www.trello.com Readerlinks – https://readerlinks.com Bookfunnel – https://bookfunnel.com Grammarly – https://www.grammarly.com Cher’s Income Tracker Kindletrends https://kindletrends.com/  podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy89Sy_c1vM 🌸 SpaGirlsPodcast.com ✔️ Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/✔️ You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/✔️ Subscribe and Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ How To Self-Publish with the SPA Girls✔️ Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast

Getting edits and critiques is part of every author’s career, but sometimes it can feel worse than getting stung by a wasp on your eyeball. Like directly in the middle of your eyeball. By a really big wasp. Where it would really, really hurt.  So that’s what we’re talking about this week in the SPA – how our thoughts on critiques have changed over the years, how we deal with the pangs when someone says something mean about our book babies, and why we think you can’t afford to go without critiques and edits.  SHOW NOTES: Reedsy – platform to find an editor https://www.reedsy.com Hot Tree Edits – Podcast #60 Interview with Editor Olivia Venturahttp://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep60-interview-with-an-editor/ Spa Girls Podcast #209 Interview with editor Anne Victoryhttp://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep209-editing-with-anne-victory/

Writing bestselling romance with incredible character chemistry is something that NYT Bestseller Annika Martin excels in, and today she joins us in the SPA to give ALL THE TIPS! Annika, who also publishes romantic suspense as Carolyn Crane, has seen incredible success writing two books a year (on average) and publishing wide. This episode, she reveals her plotting and writing process, getting the most “comedy” in her writing, editing tips for deepening characterization, what point of view to choose for best results, cover trends and how she approaches her newsletter and advertising. This is a wonderful discussion, deserving of a long episode, where Annika reveals some absolute nuggets of GOLD that we hadn’t heard before. You’ll love this one, even if you’re not a “funny” writer – trust us! About Annika: Annika Martin is a NYT bestselling author who loves reading and writing fun, sexy books, taking pictures of her cats, rocking out, saving animals, taking long baths, and consuming boatloads of chocolate suckers. She can be found hanging out in Minneapolis coffee shops with her awesome writer husband and tending her very wild, bee-friendly garden.Find her at www.annikamartinbooks.com Resources mentioned: Romancing The Beat by Gwen Hayes 🌸 SpaGirlsPodcast.com ✔️ Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/✔️ You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/✔️ Subscribe and Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ How To Self-Publish with the SPA Girls✔️ Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast

We have a terrible confession to make. The SPA Girls have no idea what we’re doing when it comes to Instagram (well, Shar does, but the rest of us have no idea) and TikTok. It’s true. Shocking, I know. So we got in an expert. Someone who could tell us everything we ever wanted to know about how to post on social media to engage with readers and develop a deeper connection. (Because that’s what it’s about!)  Anne Malcom is an awesome Kiwi author, kicking butt and taking names in the Dark Romance genre. She’s also genuine, savvy, and smart, and knows all about connecting with readers in an authentic way. Which is why you need to listen to this episode!  To learn more about Anne Malcom check out her social media links here: https://linktr.ee/anne.malcomauthor Or go to her website here: https://www.AnneMalcomAuthor.com 🌸 SpaGirlsPodcast.com ✔️ Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/✔️ You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/✔️ Subscribe and Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast✔️ Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast

Are you one or the other, or something in between? While Trudi is an outright plotter, Cheryl considers herself a hybrid and Wendy is a confirmed pantser. Shar isn’t with us today but we know she’s tried it all! But is this a hard and fast thing? You’ll find out when and how we plot and the struggles involved with pantsing. The differences intrigue us and we think you’ll agree there is a wide scope to fit in either camp or somewhere in between.  If you’re starting out, plotting is a great way to begin your journey. In the time it takes you to write one book you might get another couple out if you plot. That said, if you’re like Wendy, no amount of plotting is going to work as you’ll end up somewhere else anyway, making the plotting a waste of time. What about research? Is that part of plotting? As we often say, writing is a journey, and your experience will never be exactly the same as anothers. Don’t let anyone tell you there is only one way or that theirs is the best way. Whatever type of writer you are, remember that no one writes like you and how you write affects your voice and your process. Before you decide what that is is, try all the ways we’ve suggested – you may be surprised! Mentioned in the podcast:  Story Grid – https://storygrid.com Michael Hauge – https://www.storymastery.com Lisa Cron – http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep-249-interview-with-story-coach-lisa-cron/ Romancing the Beat – http://gwenhayes.com/free-stuff/ Snowflake Method – https://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/articles/snowflake-method/

Resistance. Fear. Procrastination. Avoidance. Most of us writers struggle with these challenges at some point in their career (or day!). This episode we cover everything from the struggle to finish a manuscript through to fear of publishing, and everything in between. This blogpost inspired today’s episode : http://positivewriter.com/scared-writer/ Blog post by Harrison Demchick excerpt: Two Kinds of Scared WritersDuring my weekly writing group, I’ve been working on a screenplay that begins, oddly enough, with a weekly writing group. My main characters are a pair of best friends named Mindy and Lane, and what I’ve realized during the development of this story is that Mindy and Lane represent two particular kinds of scared writers. They’re the kinds we all see in our writing groups and workshops. There’s a very good chance we’re one of them. 1) Mindy is the writer who doesn’t finish. She has ideas, but she never really pursues them, because she sees every obstacle as a sign that she isn’t good enough. And if she did push on and did finish a draft of something, it would be bad, and then she’d know she could never be good enough. So she comes up with ideas, abandons them, and struggles with the next one. 2) Lane is the writer who doesn’t fight. He has a finished manuscript, but he doesn’t want to do anything with it. It’s the creative accomplishment that matters. But really, he fears what comes next—agents and publishers and rejection. Or he fears the marketing battle any author, traditionally published or self-published, must face. Maybe, at heart, he too doesn’t think he’s good enough, so he hides behind the pretense of contentment and never works for his real dreams.” ++ SPA Girls’ additions Along with Mindy and Lane, we’ve added: Mandy – Mindy’s sister, Shane – Lane’s twin brother, and Xanthe Listen up for their fears and how we can so relate (let’s not even get into Shar’s weighted hula hoop disaster) and tools for overcoming fears we’ve found that work. Recommend reading and resources: Steven Pressfield’s book War on Art and his blog SPA Girls Podcast with Amira Alvarez on Imposter Syndrome Brene Brown https://brenebrown.com/ Developing A Growth Mindset by Carol DweckDeveloping a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck

Get ready to be inspired! Our guest today, USA Bestseller, Janie Crouch, writes passionate romantic suspense (both traditionally published and self-published) and she’s recently launched her indie Linear Tactical series to six-figure success. Janie is a winner and/or finalist of multiple romance literary awards including the Golden Quill Award for Best Romantic Suspense, the National Reader’s Choice Award, and the coveted RITA© Award by the Romance Writers of America.When she’s not listening to the voices in her head—and even when she is—she enjoys engaging in all sorts of crazy adventures (200-mile relay races; Ironman Triathlons, treks to Mt. Everest Base Camp) traveling, and movies of all kinds.Her doctoral dissertation focused on how people formed and maintained relationships with sci-fi/fantasy characters. In her academic writing she was often told she needed to “dial down the drama”. She’s glad to finally be writing something where no tells her that anymore. Her favorite quote: “Life is a daring adventure or nothing.” ~ Helen Keller. In keeping with that quote, Janie’s approach to launching her romantic suspense series was GO BIG and ALL IN. She discusses her release strategy, approach to advertising – what has worked for her and what HASN’T, as well being very upfront about her income and how much she’s spending on advertising to grow her sales. Janie also discusses how she launched wide initially, then took her books into Amazon exclusively – and the pros and cons of doing that. Connecting with her readers has been a key component to her success via her readergroup and newsletter. Janie shares tips and advice on how she built her readership, and how she approaches the Business of Authoring and separates it from the creative side of writing. This is a fascinating episode and we’re sure you’ll want to listen or watch it more than once!

If you’ve ever considered starting up a Facebook reader group, then you need to listen to this episode. Lucy Score’s group is an example of a well run group that is positive, supportive and fun – everything you want in a reader group. She talks to us about how she set it up, and what makes it so great, as well as why she loves her readers so much. Lucy also gives us insight into her most recent book launch, how she connects to readers and why relationships are such an important part of her very successful Indie career. The best thing about Lucy? She’s awesome, genuine, and super smart. We love having her on the show, and we know you’ll get a whole bucket load of useful information for your author career in this podcast. Enjoy! Lucy’s official Bio: Lucy Score is a Wall Street Journal and #1 Amazon bestselling author. Small town contemporary rom-coms are her lady jam and she enjoys delivering the feels with a huge side of happily ever after. Her books have been translated into several languages, making readers around the world snort laugh, swoon, and sob. Lucy lives in Pennsylvania with the devastatingly handsome Mr. Lucy and their horrible cat. In her spare time she enjoys sleeping, drinking copious amounts of coffee, and reading all the romance novels in the universe. Links mentioned: Previous SPA Girls Podcast episode with Lucy: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep232-interview-with-lucy-score/ SPA Girls Podcast episdoe with Becca Syme: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep146-interview-with-becca-syme-on-writing-better-faster/ Write Better Faster by Becca Symehttps://betterfasteracademy.com/wbf101/ SPA Girls Links: ✔️ Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/ ✔️ You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/ ✔️ Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast ✔️ Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast

Success – Lucky or hard work? This episode we’re talking with Kaye Kennedy who had the successful experience we all hope for when we start out. Using her business acumen and spending years studying how to do it right, Kaye managed a million page reads in 6 months and she’s going to tell you how she did it. A CEO by day and a contemporary romance author by night, in her novels, you can always expect a happily ever after that kisses and tells. She’s had a love affair with reading and writing for as far back as she can remember, which led her to earning her degrees in English Literature. Kaye taught college composition & literature classes before switching gears entirely and becoming an entrepreneur, starting multiple businesses.  Originally from New York, Kaye now lives on the Florida coast with her husband, who often inspires her characters (she’s a sucker for an alpha with a soft side).  When she isn’t busy writing or running one of her companies, Kaye spends as much time as she can cuddling with her rescue mutt, Zeus, paddling on the water, or relaxing on the beach with a good book. Kaye’s Timeline: August 5, 2020: Published Book 1 August 18, 2020: Published Book 2 September 30, 2020: Published Book 3 November 11, 2020: Published Book 4 December 6, 2020: Published Christmas Novel (priced at $2.99) December 19, 2020: Published Box Set of books 1-4, plus exclusive short story (priced at $9.99) January 19, 2021: Published Book 5 February 18, 2021: Published Book 5.5, which is a short novella (I haven’t officially announced this yet) March 18, 2021: Published Book 6 Kaye’s website:  kayekennedy.com SPA Girls Links: ✔️ Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/ ✔️ You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/ ✔️ Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast ✔️ Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast

Making six figures a year while publishing one book a year, isn’t the usual career path for most indies, but for our guest today, it absolutely is! We are thrilled to welcome Aus-Kiwi, Helen Scheuerer, to the SPA today. Helen is a talented YA Fantasy author who’s taken her traditional publishing education and transferred that to a highly successful indie career over the past four years. We discuss how Helen got into writing, her education and specifically what led her to self-publishing. Then we cover in detail her launch strategies and approach to successful publishing with an “outside the norm” annual release schedule. This is a great episode full of tips and inspiration from Helen, especially for listeners who cannot release multiple books in a year. Enjoy! About Helen Scheuerer Helen Scheuerer is the author of the bestselling YA fantasy trilogy, The Oremere Chronicles: Heart of Mist (2017), Reign of Mist (2018) and War of Mist (2019), as well as the prequel short story collection, Dawn of Mist (2020). The series has been highly praised for its strong, flawed female characters and its action-packed plots. It has often been likened to Sarah J Maas’ Throne of Glass series, and the epic #girlpower film, Wonderwoman. Helen’s love of writing and books led her to pursue a Bachelor of Creative Arts, majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Wollongong. Helen also completed a Masters of Publishing at the University of Sydney. Helen Scheurer, YA Fantasy Author Download Helen’s free prequels and learn more at: www.HelenScheuerer.com SPA Girls Links: ✔️ Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/ ✔️ You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/ ✔️ Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast ✔️ Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast

This episode we’re thrilled to welcome Nat Connors, founder of Kindletrends (and fellow New Zealander #gokiwis) to the SPA! Nat has been a self-published fiction author since 2016, and is also a research academic and data scientist.  Kindletrends is a weekly data newsletter that tells you all about what’s happening across 12 different genres in the Kindle Store.  Nat started using the information in Kindletrends to help outline, write and launch books, and then started sharing it with friends. Now just recently (launched November 2020), Kindletrends is available to the self-publishing community as a whole. We’ll go over contact info at the end of the podcast, but if you can’t wait, check out kindletrends.com.  Subscribe for USD15/month (the first month is free) and every week you’ll get a data-rich newsletter on major categories in the Kindle Store, helping you plan every aspect of your publishing with confidence. *** BONUS FOR SPA GIRLS PODCAST LISTENERS – listen up for a fantastic discount code that’ll save you $5/month on your subscription – ends April 2021, so don’t delay! Nat goes into fascinating detail about: The inspiration behind Kindletrends How it works for beginners and authors with a large catalogue Benefits to your book planning process Marketing tips and tricks How to research your genre Trend spotting Bestselling blurb advice and more! We’re really excited about Kindletrends (and not just because it’s another case of Kiwi ingenuity 😉 This is going to be super helpful to all of us in different ways. As promised, here are some helpful visuals and video explanations that will help you use Kindletrends to help you write and market your books better! Here’s an example of a Kindletrends newsletter. Here’s an introductory video (2 minutes) which explains how to read a newsletter, and what you can do with it. Here’s how to do research on covers, titles and blurbs.  A Data Visualization of Romance Trends in 2020 How To Start Researching A Genre Kindletrends example: Week in Summary snapshot Kindletrends example: wordcloud from top 100 blurbs Kindletrends example : Cover Montage Kindletrends example: airtable report SPA Girls Links: ✔️ Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/ ✔️ You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/ ✔️ Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast ✔️ Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast

Trying to figure out how to finish your book? Keep getting distracted or discombobulated? This is the episode for you! We break down the processes we use to plan and schedule a book, from start to finish, including everything from booking a cover designer to working with your editor. We show how easy it is to get your writing done, when you know exactly how much you have to write and by when. Join us for another information packed episode… ✔️ Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/ ✔️ You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/ ✔️ Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast ✔️ Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast

For many of us, the thought of overcoming the technology barriers to self-publishing can be overwhelming and cause us to delay (or not try) publishing. Many authors have likely heard the talk about the all-important “meta data” and “algorithms” like they’re the bogeymen. Something to be avoided – and best done by someone else! WE GET IT. WE’VE BEEN THERE! But if we can do this, trust us, YOU can too! How we overcame our own barriers– mindset– you tube– courses– reading– group support– screwing up – unpublishing and republishing– out sourcing – pacing ourselves– facebook groups Useful links:David Gaughran talks with the SPA Girls http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep225-amazon-decoded/ Identify Your Learning Style: https://www.uow.edu.au/student/learning-co-op/effective-studying/identify-your-learning-style/ You heard right – the SPA Girls will be launching an online Get Started Self-Publishing Course in the next few months. Make sure to sign up for our newsletter and you’ll be the first to know when it launches http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/ Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/ You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/ Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast

It’s super easy to be overwhelmed by all the steps required to self-publish. Whether you’re a traditionally published author looking to self-publish now, or a new author straight out of the blocks, we break down the seven simple steps to self-publishing. Step 1: Write the BookStep 2: Get It EditedStep 3: Get a CoverStep 4: Write A BlurbStep 5: Format ItStep 6: Upload to retailersStep 7: Market and repeat Breaking news: If you’d like the SPA Girls to hold your hand through this process, make sure you’ve signed up to our newsletter because we’re currently putting together a detailed online course that will take you through from manuscript to finished ebook and print book and impart our collective wisdom to launch your authoring career!

Today we’re responding to questions from listeners who are just starting their self-publishing journey. From earning expectations to how to learning “All The Things” and being overwhelmed, we’ve got you covered! Some of questions answered: What type of writing SHOULD I focus on? Is genre important for good earnings? Are my expectations realistic? How am I going to support myself during this process? How much can I expect to earn? What do I have to know about self-publishing, there’s so much to learn! Can I just write and pay someone else to do the rest? How do I build a platform? What even IS a platform? What’s the one piece of advice you’d give someone starting out today? Remember, every single step of self-publishing is covered here on the podcast in detail – make sure to search on our website www.SPAGirlsPodcast.com for the topic, and the episodes will come right up.Facebook group mentioned is Author Support Network by Marie Force: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1020661671348562 David Gaughran’s excellent post about vanity publishers is here: https://davidgaughran.com/vanity-press-media-author-solutions/ YES! It’s true – the SPA Girls will be launching an online Get Started Self-Publishing Course in the next few months. Make sure to sign up for our newsletter and you’ll be the first to know when it launches: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/ ✔️  Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/ ✔️  You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/ ✔️ Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast ✔️ Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast

Today we’re joined by fellow Kiwi romance author – and one of the SPA Girls’ star pupils from their self-publishing workshops – ALEXA RIVERS. Alexa has written and published nine small town romance to date and has really nailed her plotting process, starting with a character. If you’ve been struggling to find a way to plot and love the idea of starting with those characters who are burning a hole inside your head, this is the episode for you! LISTENER BONUS: Click here to download Alexa’s CHARACTER PLOTTING WORKSHEET About Alexa Alexa Rivers is a New Zealand author of steamy and heartfelt small town romances. She lives in a small town herself, complete with nosy neighbors and quirky traditions. She shares a house with a neurotic dog and a husband who thinks he’s hilarious.You can find her at www.AlexaRivers.com Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/ You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/ Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast

Are your readers staying for the next book? This week’s podcast is all about read-through – ie what percentage of readers read from the first book in your series to the next, and onwards. Learn all about what it means, why it matters and how to increase your read through in this information-packed episode! We cover: * how to calculate read-through and why its important that you do! * What is the ideal percentage you should be aiming for * Red flags to look for if you DON’T get great read-through * How it affects advertising * How to deal with a “weak” book in the series * The difference between calculating wide read-through vs kindle unlimited * Tools for calculating read through including Readerlinks (https://readerlinks.com/)  Great resource on Kindlepreneur from Malorie Cooper: https://kindlepreneur.com/calculate-series-read-through/ Malorie says : Your series sell-through is pretty easy to calculate. Take the sales of the last book in your series and divide that number by the sales of Book 1. Let’s say you sold 428 copies of Book 1, and 247 copies of Book 2. That gives us: 247 ÷ 428 = 57.7% That’s your total series read-through. “Many authors see something in the neighborhood of 50-60% from books 1 to 2. Unless you’re writing a more loosely connected series, the read-through from the first to the second book is very important.” Knowing if a series is doing well or where it’s falling down can help to make it easier to fix going forward.  Book 1 should be your best book but sometimes it’s not. What should you do if that’s the case? Listen to the episode for some great tips! ✔️  Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/  ✔️  You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/   ✔️ Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast  ✔️ Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast  

Inspired by a post from The Greater Good Science Center* at the University of California, Berkeley, today we’re guiding you through five golden questions or guidelines to ask yourself when you’re setting your 2021 writing / author business goals. Be warned – this is a different approach to the usual SMART goal systems, but it really resonated with us, especially after 2020. We’ve come into the New Year probably like a lot of people – more intentional and aware of how we want to spend our time and what’s REALLY important to us. For us, it looks quite different to how we felt this time a year ago and we’ve adapted this especially to suit the writing life whether full time or part-time. So lets dive in… “Even if it feels like all you’re doing is trying to survive, these questions may help you gain a sense of control amid the uncertainty.” GOLDEN QUESTION 1: What do you want to take with you when this is all over? Reflect on what HAS / IS working for you. GOLDEN QUESTION 2: What are some aspirational goals that you could set for yourself? “Identify where can you do better despite the pandemic (and everything else). The goal is not to add more pressure to an already difficult time, but to identify goals that could help you feel better and have more energy at the end of the day.” GOLDEN QUESTION 3: What new habit have you wanted to get into for a while now? GOLDEN QUESTION 4: How can you invest in yourself? This is a GREAT one especially for women who are often handling the lion’s share of the emotional labour and the child / homeschooling / working / caregiving roles. “Remember, the best resource that you have for making a contribution to the world is YOU. When that resource is depleted, your most valuable asset is damaged. In other words: When we underinvest in our bodies, minds, or spirits, we destroy our most essential tools for leading our best lives.” GOLDEN QUESTION 5: What do you want to feel more of in 2021? For many of us, we want to feel less overwhelmed and MORE at peace or in control. This question is asking us to identify what behaviours or habits have in the past elicited the EMOTION that you are looking for?Maintenance habits (like doing daily writing sprint, emptying your inbox each week, removing social media apps from your phone, leaving your phone out of the bedroom at night etc) may make you feel less overwhelmed. NEXT STEPS: Have you already listed your goals or resolutions for the upcoming year?Before you start whipping yourself into action, consider your ANSWERS TO THE GOLDEN QUESTIONS FIRST. Look at your initial goals and then DELETE the ideas you have for your writing goals, habits or new years resolutions that simply AREN’T realistic or that your heart isn’t in. Basically: ELIMINATE THE “SHOULDS!” Setting goals and habits should make you feel happier, more at peace, healthier and more connected to those around you – they should not, especially in the time we’re currently in, be a tool of self-flagellation. So be kind to yourselves, maybe journal or discuss these 5 questions with your family, friends or writing peeps and really take the answers to what makes YOU happy and at peace into account when you’re refining your goals for 2021. Good luck! *Read the article here: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_new_years_resolutions_matter_more_in_a_pandemic?fbclid=IwAR2V2sBJwXJchQ8i6eU2Xbq9TioEoz-fGhtZCIp1tmHRBN-9m-vDdGaRDKw ✔️  Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with tips and resources for self-publishing authors http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/join/ ✔️  You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/ ✔️ Watch episode recordings on YouTube @ http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast ✔️ Join us on Facebook and Twitter @SPAGirlsPodcast

Isn’t that what we’re all after? The ONE RIGHT answer to everything – the BEST newsletter strategy, the RIGHT way to sell books, the ONE secret to making ads work? Well, listen up folks because in this episode we’ve got the Magic Wand! Resources mentioned: Bella Andre with the SPA Girlshttp://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep148-interview-with-indie-superstar-bella-andre/ Becca Syme’s Strengths For Writers Coursehttps://betterfasteracademy.com/ Larissa Reynolds talks Newsletters with the SPA Girlshttp://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep177-successful-newsletter-strategies-with-larissa-reynolds/ http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep178-newsletter-strategies-with-larissa-reynolds-part-2/ Tammi Labrecque the Newsletter Ninjahttp://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep145-newsletter-ninja-tammi-labrecque/

Ever wondered why on earth you’re spending all this time writing? Ever think to yourself that maybe your writing isn’t that great? Ever think this self publishing lark is just too hard? Yeah, so have we. But this episode is all about how to throw away those dumb old negative thoughts, and learn how to believe in yourself and your writing! We talk through some of the most common misbeliefs that authors have, and give you some awesome ways to change your thinking, and learn to believe in yourself and most of all, keep going! Resources mentioned: Brooke Castillo https://thelifecoachschool.com/podcasts/

Celebrating the season with a quick recap of our Words For 2020. Hahahahahaha And then onto Important Burning Questions about our Christmas favorites. Sometimes controversial, always tongue-in-cheek, our “unplugged” conversation will hopefully add some Christmas cheer to your day. click here to watch the live recording  Thank you for all your support this year and we do hope, despite the 2020ness of the past 12 months, that you’ve made steps forward in your writing and publishing career.  As the SPA Girls always say, one step at a time. And we’re here for you, right through the holiday period, with information and inspiration on our podcast.  Merry Christmas, dear friends. Whatever you do, take care of yourself and those you love … and know that we are thinking of you. Love, The SPA Girls

You’ve had a great idea for a story – now how do you turn it into a workable outline?This is a “live action” recording where the SPA Girls take a “great” idea – an Elf who hates Christmas – into a workable outline! Probably NSFW, you’ll hopefully find this episode informative and a lighthearted break from holiday stress! And don’t forget to visit us on facebook and let us know which story you think we should write! Included in the tips we discuss … figure out wordcount you want / how many chapters. list the chapters and just start filling in what happens in each chapter snowflake method -The Snowflake Method is an approach to writing that encourages starting with the simplest premise possible. From there, you systematically expand it to include plot and character details. don’t feel you have to outline the whole thing at the start write the blurb and flesh it out more from there keep raising the stakes for characters know what genre you’re writing from the start – same for heat level and character ages Resources mentioned: How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method (Advanced Fiction Writing Book 1) by Randy Ingermanson Gwen Haye’s book Romancing The Beat Jami Gold’s site Romance Beat Sheets

What do you do when you’re running out of steam and you’re only in the middle of the book? Or you’re just running out of steam in general? This episode we share our suggestions for getting yourself re-energized and moving again.Some topics we cover: writing sprints writing with others either in person or on zoom/skype sexy times add more conflict change up environment – add music, go to a cafe or outside (depending on local quarantine measures) try dictation Trudi found shifting from 3 act structure to 4 act structure helpful set a deadline mindset affirmations try background music – rock or classical / brain fm take a break and be understanding of yourself! Resources mentioned: Level Up Romance Writers Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LevelUpRomanceWriters Brain FM: https://www.brain.fm/ Check out our You Tube Channel where you can watch us recording our episodes : http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast Sign up for our free weekly self-publishing tips newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bGkz8L Join us on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/SPAGirlsPodcast

Bonus content is an awesome marketing tool that can be used in a variety of ways – from encouraging people to sign up to newsletters, to convincing them to buy the next book in the series, or thanking superfans for their ongoing support. This week we talk about the ways we’ve used the bonus content we’ve created for our readers, from bonus scenes and epilogues, to short stories, prequel novellas and everything in between! We talk about what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what we think is the best option, no matter where you are in your writing career… 

Want to make sure you give your first book the best possible chance of success… and then have readers auto-buying the next in your series? Then this is the podcast for you! This week we give you a checklist of elements for a successful first book in a series, before you even start writing a single word! We talk about everything – including the tropes that sell, what back matter to use, what kind of characters readers love and much more in this overview of how to make sure the first book in your series is awesome and automatically sells the next book in your series to your readers! SHOW NOTES: Tropes – what sells? What covers sell best? Don’t be afraid to niche Don’t over-complicate your story Find comparable books (published by indies) Make your first book your BEST – it does the heavy lifting of selling the entire series Cast of characters Cover symbolism POV and tense Links discussed: SPA Girls Podcast with Zoe York: Romance Your Brandhttp://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep226-romance-your-brand-with-zoe-york/ Zoe York’s book “Romance Your Brand: Building a Marketable Genre Fiction Series https://www.amazon.com/Romance-Your-Brand-Marketable-Publishing/dp/1989703232 SPA Girls Podcast with Chris Fox: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep206-interview-with-chris-fox-ads-for-authors-who-hate-maths/ K-lytics : https://k-lytics.com/SPA Girls Podcast with Alex Newton of K-lytics: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep244-alex-newton-from-k-lytics/

Why does Amazon choose someone else’s book over yours in a search? How do we make sure we’re using the best keywords for sales? What exactly is a keyword, anyway? We have all these answers and more for you in this info-packed episode! We’re joined again by the awesome and knowledgeable Dave Chesson, Founder and CEO of Publisher Rocket and Kindlepreneur. Dave breaks down all the best practices for getting the right keywords to deliver your book to the right readers, every time. About Dave Chesson A former Navy engineer and super-passionate online marketing and SEO geek, Dave Chesson is the creator of Kindlepreneur.com, a blog and website which specializes in demystifying the Kindle ebook marketing for authors. And because he couldn’t just stop there, he’s also the creator of the even more helpful Publisher Rocket, a program that helps authors do market research as well as figure out their keywords and categories. Over his career he has created multiple consistently bestselling books that generate income from all sorts of sources and not just Amazon. He uses those books to test his tactics, and then share them with his community on the Kindlepreneur blog. Even Amazon KDP acknowledges Kindlepreneur as one of the best by telling users to “Gain insight from Kindlepreneur on how you can optimize marketing for your books.” Having worked with such authors as Orson Scott Card, Ted Dekker and more, his tactics help both Fiction and Nonfiction authors of all levels get their books discovered by the right readers. Some helpful links to the articles mentioned in the interview: Kindle Keywords – Do I Use all 50 Characters? Best Writing Software Thanks for visiting the SPA Girls! Make sure to subscribe to our free weekly newsletter full of tips on writing and self-publishing. 

Today’s podcast is all about reader groups. Are they worthwhile? How they work and why you would you want one? Wendy has recently started one, and we discuss how that is working for her, and also talk about some more established reader groups the SPA Girls belong to like, Lucy Score, C N Crawford, and Marie Force. Once again an episode chock full of information! You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: www.spagirlspodcast.com Make sure you’re signed up to our weekly self-publishing tips newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bGkz8L Come say hi on Facebook and Twitter @spagirlspodcast  

A good old fashioned craft episode from the SPA Girls this week. Shar, Wendy and Cheryl discuss insider writing secretes from James Scott Bell’s book Fiction Attack! They pull out five important secrets that have most impacted them, and discuss what they mean and how they’ve used them in their writing. From using conflict and suspense, to description, fuzzy POV, cliches and info dumps, they go deep on some of those writing secrets that will take you from average to amazing! SHOW NOTES: 1. The two things every novel needs regardless of genre: Conflict (readers get emotionally hooked by TROUBLE)  and   Suspense (not just in suspense story – excite anticipation and don’t be predictable   2. Opening No Nos : excessive description, point of view fuzziness, cliches, info dumps, too much backstory  3. Go to the place you fear (see also Donald Maass’s craft books)  ask “what is something your character would never ever do or say ?”  Then find a place for that character to do or say that. Or at least Think it. It shows great inner conflict.   4. How to write a novella :(20-40k words)  A) one plot  b) one POV   C) one central question – eg will x get y?   D) one style and tone   5. The most important characteristics every writer needs   1. Motivation – desire drives discipline   2. Action   3. Assessment – at various times just like any business would you need to step back and asses where you are and where you need to improve   4 . Time – you must learn to manage time. That’s your real currency. James tips for finding time : (a) plan in advance (b) write it down and block it out (c) prioritise.    “Discipline beats talent where talent isn’t disciplined” 

In this episode we’re answering listener questions – a couple around the change of life many are experiencing right now. We have a few suggestions that helped us through switching to full time writing and the fickle motivation issue. Then we discuss how to tackle being visible in your local market. If you’ve had to deal with these things or are going through them now, please tell us about it on our Facebook page or comment on this post.  Keen to learn from the SPA Girls in a virtual course? Join our mailing list here and we’ll let you know the minute we have course bookings open. https://selfpublishingworkshop.co.nz/index.html Come say hi on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SPAGirlsPodcast/ and Twitter @spagirlspodcast.

Ever wondered why your best friend can organize her way out of anything, but you can’t follow the same processes she does? We might just have an answer: Gretchen Rubin has a system that involves what she calls the four tendencies. (Find the free online quiz here to identify your tendency here: https://quiz.gretchenrubin.com/?fbclid=IwAR05fTL0NJEPsCUJ6OqGMJrm4EHY7tnHcXCmg56_HroP0qLkIhe0GOT5yL4) Gretchen Rubin is one of today’s most influential and thought-provoking observers of happiness and human nature. She’s the author of many books, including the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers The Four Tendencies, Better Than Before, and The Happiness Project. She has an enormous readership, both in print and online, and her books have sold over 3.5 million copies worldwide. On her top-ranking podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin, she discusses happiness and good habits with her sister Elizabeth Craft. (Gretchen is an Upholder, Elizabeth is an Obliger). In this podcast episode, we’re talking about the four tendencies and how they each might deal with situations relating to organisation, overwhelm and others. https://amzn.to/3ocV8YA From Gretchen Rubin’s website:One of the daily challenges of life is: How do I get people – including myself – to do what I want? The Four Tendencies framework makes this task much easier by revealing whether a person is an upholder, questioner, obliger or rebel. By asking the one simple question, “How do I respond to expectations?” we gain exciting insight into ourselves. And when we know how other people respond to expectations, we understand them far more effectively, as well. We all face two kinds of expectations—outer expectations (meet work deadlines, answer a request from a friend) and inner expectations (keep a New Year’s resolution, start meditating). Our response to expectations determines our “Tendency”—that is, whether we fit into the category of Upholder, Questioner, Obliger, or Rebel. Knowing our Tendency can help us set up situations in the ways that make it more likely that we’ll achieve our aims. We can make better decisions, meet deadlines, meet our promises to ourselves, suffer less stress, and engage more deeply with others. Just as important, knowing other people’s Tendencies helps us to work with them more effectively. Managers, doctors, teachers, spouses, and parents already use the framework to help people reduce conflict and make significant, lasting change. About the Four TendenciesIn just about any role we play—as manager, health-care professional, team member, teacher, coach, spouse, parent, or colleague, to name a few—it’s helpful to know our own and other people’s Tendencies. It’s hard to grasp just how differently we can all see the world. When we can see other people’s perspectives, we understand why, from their point of view, their actions make sense. In a nutshell, remember: Upholders want to know what should be done.Questioners want justifications.Obligers need accountability.Rebels want freedom to do something their own way. WATCH the recording of this episode (complete with weird faces) at

BONUS – enter before Friday 16 October to win one of three FREE tickets to the Unstoppable Woman virtual summit in November 2020 Here’s how to enter: Post on facebook (make it public – you may need to change settings for the post) and tell us ONE reason why you’d like to attend the summit, then hashtag #unstoppablesummit #spagirlspodcast SIMPLE! >> Earlybird tickets for the summit close Friday 16 October (if you purchase a ticket, then win our lucky listener draw, you’ll be reimbursed) Go to https://theunstoppablewoman.com/SPAGirls Today we’re delighted to welcome back mindset coach, Amira Alvarez. We had such a wonderful response to our previous episode #253 on maximizing your mindset. So we’ve got her back to do a deeper dive into a syndrome that affects a lot of us – Imposter Syndrome. Just to refresh you, Amira Alvarez is the founder and CEO of The Unstoppable Woman, a global coaching company helping entrepreneurs, empire builders, athletes, creatives, and rising stars in all fields achieve their dreams and goals in record time. Show bonus: Amira is hosting an online summit in November for unstoppable women and we’ve got THREE free tickets to give away to listeners today. Stay tuned until the end when we’ll tell you how to enter. Amira’s Unstoppable Woman Summit is being held online, Nov 6 – 8, 2020. Amira will be teaching you personally how to become unstoppable in every way including your writing career.Check it out here: https://theunstoppablewoman.com/SPAGirls Watch the recording of this episode on our Youtube channel here

This week we have an intriguing chat with author Danielle Annett aka Danielle Romero, who has recently switched genres from Urban Fantasy to Contemporary Romance, with some amazing results. She talks us through the decision to change genres, and what she did to make it a success, including some of the big decisions she had to make, such as whether to create a new pen name, how to market it, and what kind of social media/website and newsletter presence she wanted to have with the new genre/name.  Danielle is also an organisational superstar, and we talk a little bit about how she organises all the various segments in her life so successfully! We loved chatting to her, and we’re sure you’re going to enjoy listening to this episode. 🙂  Danielle’s Bio: Danielle Romero is a 🔥 Snarky AF 🃏 Latinx Author 👩🏻‍💻 Mom of 3 👩🏻 👦🏻 👶🏻 and proclaims that she 📚 writes HOT books 📚 She’s loud, proud, and a classic ENTJ. She uses the word ‘hella’ a lot when she talks and blames it on her NorCal roots. Born and raised in the San Francisco bay area she now lives in Spokane, WA with her little fam, an asshole parrot, and her dog who decided (even though she picked him) to prefer her husband’s attention. Danielle Annett is a USA Today Bestselling Author of Urban Fantasy and most recently Contemporary Romance under the pen name Daniela Romero. (She started out as a book blogger, and then decided to write her own books.) She likes to write about kick butt heroines in volatile settings and apologizes in advance for all of the cliffhangers in your future. She can’t help herself. But she promises that they’ll all be worth it in the end. LINKS: Danielle’s author website Danielle’s Coffee & Characters: http://www.coffeeandcharacters.com/ Becca Syme’s courses: https://betterfasteracademy.com/Sara Cannon’s Heartbreathings: https://heartbreathings.com/

What’s working for us. Plus, How to prepare your holiday season Advertising. Christmas is coming whether we like it or not and starting now, as far as advertising is concerned, you need to get your ducks in a row. Spaces will already be dwindling as authors lock in their ads and if you want to have any decent ones, take our advice and get to it today. This week we look at the major sites we use, as well as some of the smaller, and talk about our success, or lack of it, with each. The most important thing, which we will always stress, is that what works for one person might not be as successful for another, and often it’s hard to appreciate why. Cheryl – I’ve only had two Bookbubs and they were for International only. International is fine but nowhere near the scale of the US platform. While I still apply, I don’t consider it a major in any of my advertising. Obviously, if I got the BIG one I’d be more than delighted! My major ad spend is on Written Word Media who host Freebooksy and Bargain Booksy. I choose to use Freebooksy via their series promotions. It is more expensive than promoting 1 book but the rewards are much better as I get the read-through. Sales are more lucrative the more books you have in the series, and you must have at least 3 books. I also use ENT (ereader news today), Robin Reads and Fussy Librarian regularly. For other promo sites to prop up my bigger ones I use, Books butterfly, Red Feather Romance and Booksends. There are many others but for me they simply aren’t worth the investment. Wendy – I’m lucky enough to get a Bookbub most months for my Historical Romance. This has been a game changer! I rarely get them for my contemporary Romance but always apply because you never know if this might the time they choose you. ENT and Robin reads are my next 2 sites I use frequently and I’ll change up the lesser ones each month and fit them around the bigger ones. You should work out your budget first and this will dictate which sites you should apply to. Listen to the podcast for the rest of the discussion and other suggestions at http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com David Gaughran and Nikolas Erik have a more in depth look at all the sites and their costs. https://davidgaughran.com/best-promo-sites-books/ https://nicholaserik.com/promo-sites/ Keen to join the SPA Girls in a live workshop? Join our mailing list here and we’ll let you know the minute we have workshop bookings open. https://selfpublishingworkshop.co.nz/index.html Come say hi on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SPAGirlsPodcast/ and Twitter @spagirlspodcast.

This episode is a DOOZY! We’re thrilled to interview author and marketing expert, Holly Mortimer. Holly is the owner of the consulting firm, The Socialvert, and runs a successful membership base and mastermind for romance writers, The Socialvert Society. Her mission is to teach romance writers how to use digital marketing and email list building to increase their sales and cultivate a loyal fan base. We talk all things email marketing with Holly, and get you some ‘next level’ tips that’ll have your author newsletter nailed! About Holly Mortimer: Holly Mortimer is a self-published author of contemporary romance and sexy women’s fiction. She’s turned her passion for travel into a romance brand that travels the world discovering romance inside small tourism towns in the UK, Europe and North America. Based in the theatre city of Stratford, Ontario, she has self-published eight novels and is currently working on her ninth, a new sexy women’s fiction trilogy following three forty-something women as they explore their own second-chances at finding true love and personal growth.She graduated from college with a diploma in Music Business, and spent many of years working in Nashville, TN, and then Toronto promoting up and coming singer/songwriters. It was on the road with these artists where she found her true love, writing. Combining her love of writing and marketing, she is the owner of the consulting firm, The Socialvert and runs a successful membership base and mastermind for romance writers, The Socialvert Society. Her mission is to teach romance writers how to use digital marketing and email list building to increase their sales and cultivate a loyal fan base. Links: For Holly’s books:https://hollymortimer.com/For Holly’s author services and courses:https://thesocialvert.com/ Visit the SPA Girls on facebook at: www.facebook.com/SPAGirlsPodcast Watch the live recording of this episode on our SPA Girls YouTube channel

Today we’re interviewing author Connie B. Dowell about juggling family responsibilities, pandemic postponements, and upheaval, with the responsibilities of being a working writer. Connie B. Dowell is an author of historical and cozy mysteries and nonfiction for writers. She is the host of the Book Echoes podcast for authors. After having two kids in less than two years, Connie developed a passion for time management and loves to chat author productivity and work-life balance. A former university writing center coordinator, she loves teaching other writers and guiding them toward success. Connie’s author website: http://conniebdowell.com/Connie’s coaching website: http://bookechoes.com/ You’ll find all the show notes and SPA Girls podcast episodes at: www.spagirlspodcast.com Make sure you’re signed up to our weekly self-publishing tips newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bGkz8L Come say hi on Facebook and Twitter @spagirlspodcast  

In response to a listener question, this week we attempt to answer the question: Knowing what you know now, if you were starting out in publishing today, would you go straight to self publishing, or would you try out traditional publishing first? It’s a hard question, because we’re not starting out now, we do know an awful lot more than we did when we first started and when we started (7-8 years ago) everything was different. And also, we all clearly believe in self publishing over traditional…!  But… in the interests of helping our listeners make these kinds of decisions, we decided to give you the pros and cons of traditional vs self publishing. It’s a little skewed, we admit that. But we did our best… 🙂 So join us for another great episode!!

This episode we discuss our (very!) different newsletter strategies: what provider we use and why, how we build our lists, our content, how frequently we email subscribers and what tips have worked for us. We also cover where to start for newbies – ie, keep it simple and doable! Resources mentioned: Our interview with Larissa Reynolds (two parts): http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep177-successful-newsletter-strategies-with-larissa-reynolds/ Our interview with Maria Luis (two parts): http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep182-facebook-ads-with-maria-luis/ Our interview with David Gaughran: http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep225-amazon-decoded/ Our interview with Tammi Labrecque : http://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep145-newsletter-ninja-tammi-labrecque/ Tammi’s book: Newsletter Ninja: How to Become an Author Mailing List ExpertTammi L. Labrecque https://amzn.to/2Q9wZD5

Today we’re joined by fabulous Alaskan author, Tamsin Ley, who is seeing great success writing SciFi Romance! We talk about Tamsin’s writing journey, marketing strategies, paranormal romance quirks and her advice for self-publishers. You can find Tamsin at: TamsinLey.com About Tamsin Tamsin Ley builds worlds full of sexy heroes who don’t know they need a mate – that is, until they meet the woman they can’t resist. The romance is sizzling hot, a surprise twist waits around every corner, and the stories will never leave you hanging (although you may still crave more!) Wine-lover, beer-brewer, foodie, serious gardener, and secret zombie prepper, Tamsin lives in Alaska with her husband of twenty something years. In the long days of summer you can find her in the great outdoors, but when the long winter nights set in, she’ll be at the keyboard creating imaginary worlds. Resources mentioned:Susan Kaye Quinn’s websiteIndies Together Facebook group for authors Come visit the SPA Girls on facebook Watch the live recording of this podcast on the SPA Girls Youtube channel

Amira Alvarez is the founder and CEO of The Unstoppable Woman, a global coaching company helping entrepreneurs, empire builders, athletes, creatives, and rising stars in all fields achieve their dreams and goals in record time. As someone who has made a quantum leap (going from barely making 6-figures to making $700k in one year, then onto 7-figures) and has lived to tell about it, she knows exactly what tactical strategies and mindset shifts are required to get out of your own way, live life on your own terms, and master the art of achieving any goal you set your mind to. Today we’re going to talk to Amira specifically on how we can find focus in this chaotic time, and be productive without burning ourselves out. Learn more at: https://www.TheUnstoppableWoman.comFree Resources: https://theunstoppablewoman.com/freestuffThe Unstoppable Woman Podcast: https://theunstoppablewoman.com/listen/website: TheUnstoppableWoman.com

One thing we really believe in here at the SPA is that simple is better. There’s so much noise on the internet, and so many different things that we’re told that we “have” to do to be successful as self publishers, it can get confusing and overwhelming. So we decided to talk about ways to keep things simple in your publishing career, to prove that it doesn’t have to be complicated to be amazing. With that in mind, this week we talk about our own experiences of keeping things simple, and how it worked out for us. We also give our tips on ways that you can simplify what you’re doing, whilst also amplifying your career…