The Bestseller Experiment

Gavin G Smith is the author of The Veteran and The Bastard Legion science fiction series. When it came to promoting his latest book, he decided that a few Tweets simply wasn't enough. Instead he chose to get the band together and produce a music video and song that ties-in to the series... To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

We speak to Dave Chesson, the Kindlepreneuer, and ask him listener questions about Kindle pricing, marketing niche titles, marketing YA and middle grade eBooks, KDP Rocket, selling a series and much more! To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

We haven't had many authors who have Sheep Shit Sampler on their resumé, but James Oswald is a farmer who has gone from self-publishing fantasy fiction to six-figure deals with Penguin and Wildfire. His story is inspirational and extraordinary. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Michael R Miller is author of the Dragon Blade trilogy and, with Taran Matharu, is co-founder of Portal Books, a publisher dedicated to LitRPG (Literary Role Playing Games). Michael tells us how they took their passion for the genre, experience from selling their own books, and created their own publishing company. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

In our latest live show - exclusive to our Patreon Chart Topper supporters - we asked which writing rules they liked to break and it led to some heated discussions! To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

We spoke to Orion Fiction's Victoria Oundjian about their strategy for digital first publishing and she gives us some amazing tips on how to use metadata to make your books more visible online. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

In the very first of our One Page Punch-Up specials we asked our Patreon Chart Topper supporters to send us one page from their work-in-progress and we gave them to Orion Editorial Director Emad Akhtar to critique them. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Melissa Caruso is the author of the amazing Swords & Fire trilogy and her recent Twitter thread on the editorial process inspired us to speak to her. She takes us through every stage, and shows how to work effectively with agents, editors and critique partners to create the best book possible. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Peter May is the multi-award-winning and bestselling author of the Lewis series and he takes us through his incredible career, including his years in television and how that influenced his novel writing. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Girl Friday Part 3 AND a David Barnett Bonus! To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

David M Barnett is the bestselling author of Calling Major Tom, a book that came at a crossroads in his life and came out of a conversation with an editor. How much control do editors have over what an author writes? David takes us through an extraordinary change in his career and how it led to some incredible sales. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Sam Missingham, founder of Lounge Marketing, hijacks the show and grills us on how exactly we plan to sell ten thousand copies of our book by Glastonbury. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

We continue our masterclass with Sam Missingham, founder of Lounge Marketing, on how exactly we plan to sell ten thousand copies of our book by Glastonbury. We go into even deeper detail on how you can market and publicise your book effectively by putting together a budget, using FB ads, Amazon ads and newsletters like Bookbub. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

In the second of three exclusive episodes for our Patreon supporters we speak to Ingrid Emerick, one of the founders of Girl Friday Productions about how they help authors build brands, how it's a long game and how they've used the same strategies to build their own brand. Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

On this month's live show for our Patreon Chart Topper supporters we talked about the kind of strategies you can use to sell more books, set achievable goals and work more effectively. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

We talk about our personal goals for 2019 and reveal our new insane challenge for 2019… and once again we're inviting our listeners to beat us to it. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

A Christmas treat as we speak to bestselling author Ian Rankin who takes us through his incredible career, including tips on plotting, research, and his worst habit when writing, his favourite mistake (which he kept in the book) and he tells us his Sean Connery story... To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Julian Barr's thrilling debut YA novel The Way Home was published by Odyssey Books, a small press. Julian has taken an indie attitude to publishing and marketing the book, and his attention to detail has led to the book becoming a Kindle bestseller. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Catherine started by self-publishing her travel adventures and has gone on to write USA Today and Irish Times bestselling thrillers. She's now a founding member of The Inspiration Project, which is a writing retreat with a difference and she has some very practical advice for writers and their bottoms... To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Mark Billingham is renowned for his bestselling crime thrillers, not least the Jack Thorne series. Having now sold over 5 millions copies of his books, Mark takes us through his incredible career which takes in acting, stand-up comedy, writing for TV, and a little bit of kidnapping. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Alison Belsham tells us how her debut novel The Tattoo Thief started with a pitch at a crime festival and caught the attention of a major publisher, leading to a book deal, epic international rights sales, and a TV option… And she has some controversial thoughts on first drafts! To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

The highlights from our Youtube Live Show for our Patreon supporters. We talk through the editorial process with author Caroline Hulse and her editor Emad Akhtar, looking at specific pages and extracts from her book, The Adults. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Matthew Reilly self-published his first novel when he was 19, selling copies from the back of his car. Now with 8 million books sold he tops the bestseller charts worldwide and continues to thrill readers with his epic adventures. We spoke to him about his amazing career and we got answers for your listener questions. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Joanna Nadin has written over 70 award-winning books for children and adults and recently inspired Mr. Stay to completely re-write his middle-grade children's book. She shares a flood of amazing writing tips with us and tells us why she loves to make readers cry. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Ramsey Campbell is a legend of horror fiction who has been terrifying readers for over six decades, so who better to headline our Halloween special? He reveals the book that was too grim to publish, how working in a bookstore inspired a story, and the changes he has seen in the genre through his incredible career. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

RJ Barker combines the page-turning thrills of a whodunnit crime thriller and the world-building of fantasy in his Wounded Kingdom series, the first of which was written in just six weeks! RJ tells us why he gets explosions of joy while writing, and this is the only episode of the podcast to cover the important issues of antlers and stuffed weasels. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Sherrilyn Kenyon's first book was published when she was still in college, since then she has had more than 80 novels on the New York Times list, and more than 70 million books in print. We talk to Sherrilyn about her rise from childhood poverty to eBook pioneer and a bestselling phenomenon. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Sherrilyn Kenyon's first book was published when she was still in college, since then she has had more than 80 novels on the New York Times list, and more than 70 million books in print. We talk to Sherrilyn about her rise from childhood poverty to eBook pioneer and a bestselling phenomenon. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

An essential guide to bloggers and blog tours with Gollancz's Publicity Manager Stevie Finegan. You will discover how to find bloggers, how to work with them, how to create a campaign, top tips for blogger content, and we discuss the dos and don'ts of a blog tour. Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Mr. Stay overcomes his suspicion of writing retreats and joins award-winning author Marcus Sedgwick on his retreat in the Alps and, in a podcast first, interviews him in a hot tub! To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

A special episode where we talk to Clare Christian from RedDoor Publishing about their hybrid model of publishing where the authors underwrite the production costs, but also have great control over every aspect of the process and take the lion's share of commercial returns. So yes, the author pays up front! But it's not vanity publishing and has resulted in brilliant books. Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

We speak to bestselling author Rowan Coleman about why she heckled Mr. Stay at the RNA conference, how to make readers cry, how copy editors can save your life, how a chance encounter at a supermarket checkout led to a hit novel, we play backlist bingo and Rowan's teenage daughter makes a cameo, and more! To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Mr. Stay reports from YALC, the Young Adult Literature Convention in London and speaks to author Dhonielle Clayton about her book The Belles and how it all started with a conversation overheard in a shopping mall, and how every kid can be the hero of their own story. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Mark Desvaux rejoins the show and discusses his absence. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

In these highlights from our YouTube Live show with Gollancz's Marcus Gipps and Stevie Finnegan we look into the world of conventions, comic cons and other bookish events. AND we have some exclusive news about GollanczFest! To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Lisa Cutts works for Kent Police as a full-time detective constable, but when she's not solving murders and other serious crimes she writes bestselling crime fiction. We caught up with Lisa on the hottest day of the year after an event at Harbour Books in Whitstable and discovered how Lisa's experience gives her crime fiction added authenticity... To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Miranda Dickinson is a Sunday Times bestselling author, shortlisted twice for the RNA Novel of the Year, and has sold over half a million books. Her story is one of determination, rejection, grief and triumph. In this episode you will discover… Why Doctor Who fans can make for brilliant beta readers (and a great publication community) How a cool opening line can lead to a fully-fledged bestseller And why you should never listen to advice from a 17-year-old guy you fancy... To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

In this Deep Dive we explore newsletters with digital marketing consultant Julia Pidduck who brings years of experience working with indie authors and bestselling giants like Ian Rankin. Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

John McGhie has been an investigative journalist for the BBC and Channel 4 News and was the Observer's political correspondent, and his debut novel White Highlands looks at the Mau Mau and a dark period in history. In this episode you will discover… - The pros and cons of adapting recent history into fiction - The challenges writing a story set in two time periods - The essential resources for writing historical fiction - The challenges of cultural appropriation To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Love is in the air at the Romantic Novelists' Association conference! I was invited to talk about the podcast and was introduced by Julie Cohen, heckled by Rowan Coleman, and I got to speak to Rhoda Baxter, Nicola Cornick and Sheila Crighton about all kinds of love...

Mark Stay and Julian Barr, author of The Way Home, discuss Joseph Campell's Hero's Journey in the second of a three-part epic Deep Dive trilogy! Using examples from Star Wars, Jaws, The Godfather, The Notebook and more they look at The Road Back, Resurrection, Return with the Elixir, and they discuss how you can apply the lessons learned to your writing. Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Pernille Hughes brings the funny with her debut novel Sweatpants at Tiffanie's. To add to the joy, Pernille is one of our listeners and we trace her journey from sharing a photocopier with a Teletubbie to a deal with Harper Impulse. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Mark Stay and Julian Barr, author of The Way Home, discuss Joseph Campell's Hero's Journey in the second of a three-part epic Deep Dive trilogy! Using examples from Star Wars, Jaws, The Godfather, The Notebook and more they look at Tests, Allies, Enemies, Approaching the Inmost Cave, Ordeal, Death & Rebirth, Reward, Seizing the Sword, and they discuss how you can apply the lessons learned to your writing. Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Sam Missingham fell in love with the quirks of the publishing industry when she started working at The Bookseller over a decade ago. Since then she has worked at HarperCollins as head of audience development, and now runs The Lounge, a marketing resource for writers. With an outsider's perspective, she has been a pioneer of change in how publishers view digital sales and marketing... In this episode you will discover… - Changes in the publishing industry and what lays ahead in the future - How to reach 26 million people with a budget of £150 - How organisations like The Alliance of Independent Authors can help you - How you can use The Lounge to market your books - And what it takes to be an "empowered author".

This week's Deep Dive is a discussion with Julian Barr about the Hero's Journey. Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

In this week's Deep Dive is a discussion, Mr. Stay discusses Romcoms with literary agent and romcom devotee Federica Leonardis in this special Deep Dive. Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

This is not the usual 'How do you get an agent?' show, instead we talk about money, author's earnings, shrinking advances, publishers' profits, and that letter from the Society of Authors to the Publishing Association (and we get sidetracked into a conversation about socks)… In this episode you will discover… - How the income from a typical book sale breaks down between retailer, publisher, agent and author - Should you check an agent's credentials before signing up with them? - How else can you make money as an author? - And why you should never send an oven glove in with your submission... - Here are some of the links we talked about in the show… To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

You may know CL Taylor as the Sunday Times bestselling author of psychological thrillers The Lie, The Accident, The Fear and more… but it wasn't always that way. As Cally Taylor she wrote romcoms, and has a career with more than her fair share of ups and downs that might have made a lesser mortal give up. But not Cally! Get inspired with a fun trip through an incredible career... In this episode you will discover… - How marking-up the best bits of a bestseller can help you - Why you're never too young to get a rejection or indeed have a rivalry with another author... - How a baptism of fire in a short story bootcamp changed her writing style - How CL Taylor came from a voice in Cally's head (when she was heavily pregnant) - Why a big advance doesn't necessarily equal a successful book To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Veronica Henry is a Sunday Times bestselling novelist who started out as a writer on BBC radio's The Archers after being kicked out of university, and then went on to win the RNA novel of the year award for her book A Night on the Orient Express. When we caught up with her, she had been indulging in cake and champagne… and we find out why... In this episode you will discover… - How a recipe book inspired a bestseller - Why Veronica is sort-of both a plotter and a pantser - Tips for working with editors and why they're not as savage as TV script editors - And why we should all worship Jilly Cooper

Steve Cavanagh is the author of the Eddie Flynn legal thrillers The Defence, The Plea, The Liar and now, with his new book Thirteen, he is on the verge of a bestselling breakthrough. Steve brings his legal expertise to his writing and creates compelling characters and nail-biting thrillers, and co-presents the Two Crime Writers And A Microphone podcast… Which we're not going to plug on the show. No way. In this episode you will discover… Why a screenwriting rejection from Frances Ford Coppola shouldn't get you down Why holding your nerve when told to scrap your book can pay dividends Top tips on keeping your series character fresh and making your antagonists compelling Why it's so important to be a fan of your genre and to become a member of the genre's community And how to announce to an editor that what you've written is something different...