Episode 80: Clifton Strengths in Writing, with Becca Syme

Author Becca Syme is the creator and founder of the Better-Faster Academy. She has been teaching the popular Write Better-Faster course on author success alignment for six years, and has individually coached thousands of authors toward better success in their careers and lives.

She believes that an individualized approach is the most effective, so she’s brought on other certified coaches who are also writers, to help coach even more writers to maximize their strengths. If you want to get coaching with Becca, the best place to come is on the Insiders level of her Patreon, where she runs monthly topical coaching calls on topics that are relevant to the writing community.

She also writes mystery as R.L. Syme and has written several genres of romance in the past, including historical, contemporary, paranormal, and romantic suspense. She lives in the snowy mountains of Montana, where it is always winter and never Christmas.

Host Patricia McLinn talks with Becca about the Clifton Strengths test and how it can be applied both in the writing and reading world.

In Becca’s words: “Not everyone naturally comes by the knowledge of just how different we are. Just how different our brains are and how much that makes a difference in what we like.” [8:25]

You can find Becca Syme at:

Her website

Facebook

Patreon and

Better Faster Academy

Thank you so much for listening. We hope you enjoyed the podcast enough to want to support us for future episodes. You can do that with as little as $1 a month by pledging at Patreon. It’s vital to Authors Love Readers to have your support. Thank you!

Please also consider rating/reviewing the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Thanks to DialogMusik for the instrumentals that accompany this podcast.

authors love readers patreon

Episode 79: Learning to Listen and Ignore, with R.L. Syme

Author and career coach Becca Syme writes mystery as R.L. Syme, including the cozy culinary series The Matchbaker Mysteries, and has written several genres of romance, including historical, contemporary, paranormal, and romantic suspense. She was nominated for a Genesis Award in Contemporary Romance and has won several writing contests in historical romance, young adult romance, and contemporary fiction. She holds membership in Romance Writers of America, Novelists, Inc. (NINC) and Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

Becca lives in the snowy mountains of Montana and has worked with kids in various nonprofit settings that involve music, theater, dance, food, and after-school fun.

She’s the creator and founder of the Better-Faster Academy, and has been teaching the popular Write Better-Faster course on author success alignment for six years.

In a broad-ranging conversation, host Patricia McLinn talks to Becca about learning throughout a writing career both by listening to others and, sometimes, ignoring them.

In R.L.’s words: “I have a mantra that’s, ‘question the premises.’ and so its, the advise that might be really great for you might actually make me not able to write.” [37:10]

You can find R.L. Syme at:

Her website

Facebook

Patreon and

Goodreads

Thank you so much for listening. We hope you enjoyed the podcast enough to want to support us for future episodes. You can do that with as little as $1 a month by pledging at Patreon. It’s vital to Authors Love Readers to have your support. Thank you!

Please also consider rating/reviewing the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Thanks to DialogMusik for the instrumentals that accompany this podcast.

authors love readers patreon

Episode 78: Writing Pace, with Nicole Burnham

Nicole Burnham is the RITA award-winning author of more than 20 novels, including the popular Royal Scandals series. Her stories center on family and romance, whether they’re set in small-town America or centuries-old palaces, and are populated by characters who work to make the world a better place.

As an army brat, Nicole grew up moving around the world. She graduated from an American high school in Mannheim, Germany, then completed her BA in Political Science at Colorado State University and her JD/MA at the University of Michigan.

Nicole and her family live in Boston. She spends as much time as possible at Fenway Park and travels abroad whenever she can score cheap airfare. If she isn’t writing, she’s likely hiking or trail running.

Host Patricia McLinn talks with Nicole about writing pace and the pre-planning and development of characters for serial writing.

In Nicole’s words: “I had that book in my head for a very long time. And so I had worked through an awful lot of … not just the plot but who the characters were in advance.” [25:00]

You can find Nicole at:

Her website

Facebook

Instagram and

Twitter

Nicole Burnham covers

Episode 77: Discovery Writing, a Continuation, with Patricia McLinn

In late May, host Patricia McLinn was a guest on fellow independent author Joanna Penn’s The Creative Penn podcast. Joanna writes nonfiction for authors and is an award-nominated, bestselling thriller author as J.F. Penn. She’s also an award-winning podcaster and creative entrepreneur.

In the Creative Penn podcast “Discovery Writing And Sustaining A Long-Term Writing Career With Patricia McLinn,” they discussed discovery writing (a.k.a. pantsing), how to write a novel with structure if you don’t plot in advance, and building a writing career for the long-term. In this Authors Love Readers “Continuation” episode, Patricia reflects on her interview with Joanna about the current trends and the future of the publishing industry, shares more tips for writers, and talks about why she wrote Survival Kit for Writers Who Don’t Write Right.

In Patricia’s words: “I wanted to write the book to encourage writers who don’t write ‘right’ to respect their process, test it against reality, but not to throw it away. You’re given this ability (at least this is the way I feel). I’ve been given this ability and this is the way the stories come to me and I am not going to turn my back on that. I’m not going to refuse those gifts.” [39:15]

For a full Authors Love Readers interview with Patricia and Joanna, check out Episode 54: You Have to First Be a Reader, with J.F. Penn.

You can find Patricia at her:

Website

Facebook

or

Twitter

And: Patricia’s Word Watch page

You can also go to Joanna Penn’s The Creative Penn podcast site, which includes both the original podcast interview with Patricia and a transcript of the show.

discovery writing

authors love readers patreon

Episode 76: Finishing the Book, with Sara Rosett

A native Texan, USA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett grew up reading and dreaming of writing books. Her stories and essays have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Military Wife’s SoulGeorgia MagazineThe Writer and Romantic Times Book Review.

She is the author of the High Society Lady Detective series, the Murder on Location series, the On the Run series, and the Ellie Avery series. Sara also teaches an online course, How to Outline a Cozy Mystery.

Publishers Weekly called Sara’s books “satisfying,” “well-executed” and “sparkling.” She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime and Novelists, Inc.

Sara talks with host Patricia McLinn about completing her first book, and nurturing a writing career.

In Sara’s words: “I said, if I’m going to spend any time doing anything, I want to write a book because that’s something I’d always wanted to do. I thought, if I’m going to take time away from being a mom and running the household and all that, ’cause I had two kids under 3, I would try and write. So that’s what I did. I wrote during nap time and it took me forever, but I finally got a book finished.” [32:04]

You can follow Sara at:

Her website

Amazon

Goodreads

And Facebook

sara rosette authors love readers

Thank you so much for listening. We hope you enjoyed the podcast enough to want to support us for future episodes. You can do that with as little as $1 a month by pledging at Patreon. It’s vital to Authors Love Readers to have your support. Thank you!

Please also consider rating/reviewing the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Thanks to DialogMusik for the instrumentals that accompany this podcast.

authors love readers patreon

Show Notes

Transcript coming soon

https://vurbl.com/station/3kQK3bj0mxX/

 

Episode 75: Ideas vs. Story, with Jami Albright

Born and raised in Texas, Jami Albright is a multiple award-winning author of the Brides on the Run series – fun, sexy, snarky, laugh-out-loud love stories. Her newest novel, the small-town sports romantic comedy Homecoming King, was just released, and she switches from football to tennis for Duke-ing It Out, another enemies-to-lovers rom-com due out in spring 2021.

Jami also is a wife, mother, and an actress/comedian. She used to think she could sing until someone paid her to stop. She took their money and kept on singing. Jami loves her family, all things Outlander, puppies and the Houston Texans pro football team.

Jami talks with host Patricia McLinn about the difference between her high concept ideas and building a story from those ideas.

In Jami’s words: “You only fail if you give up. And so, I’m just not gonna give up” [30:33]

You can follow Jami at:

Amazon

Goodreads

And BookBub

Thank you so much for listening. We hope you enjoyed the podcast enough to want to support us for future episodes. You can do that with as little as $1 a month by pledging at Patreon. It’s vital to Authors Love Readers to have your support. Thank you!

Please also consider rating/reviewing the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Thanks to DialogMusik for the instrumentals that accompany this podcast.

authors love readers patreon

Episode 74: Wish I’d Known Then, with Patricia McLinn

I recently joined Jami Albright and Sara Rosett on their Wish I’d Known Then . . .For Writers podcast to discuss the pros and cons of traditional and indie publishing, how I write my books without outlining, and my tips for BookBub ads. (Look for Jami on my Authors Love Readers podcast next month!)

In the podcast episode, you’ll discover:

* How I learned to trust myself and my writing process instead of trying to write like you’re “supposed to”
* Why learning that we are not our audience is essential to marketing
* Advice on how to get rights back from traditional publishers
* Myths around traditional publishing
* Why it’s key to find readers who are looking for new authors

authors love readers patreon

Episode 73: Books2Read for Readers, with Kevin Tumlinson

Host Patricia McLinn talks with Kevin Tumlinson, director of marketing for the ebook creation and distribution service Draft2Digital, supporting both indie and traditionally published authors. Books2Read, D2D’s author services resource, is a fast-growing tool for the industry, with services such as Universal Book Links offering authors increased discoverability with readers, and offering readers a simple, one-click method of finding new authors and new books online. 

In his words: “Books2Read has always been built around the idea that eventually we want readers to be able to discover there new favorite author on that site. … Discover new books, new authors that they love and follow, and then interact with them and support them by sharing things.” [21:45]

Books2Read

Kevin also is an award-winning and bestselling thriller author, and host of the Wordslinger Podcast. His archaeological thriller series featuring protagonist Dan Kolter has won awards and reached top rankings on Amazon and iBooks. You can find Kevin on:

*His website,

*Facebook and

*Twitter

Kevin Tumlinson

Thank you so much for listening. We hope you enjoyed the podcast enough to want to support us for future episodes. You can do that with as little as $1 a month by pledging at Patreon. It’s vital to Authors Love Readers to have your support. Thank you!

Please also consider rating/reviewing the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Thanks to DialogMusik for the instrumentals that accompany this podcast.

authors love readers patreon

Episode 72: BookBub for Readers, with Audrey Derobert

Audrey Derobert works on the Partners Team at BookBub, a free service that helps millions of readers discover limited-time ebook deals. Members receive a personalized daily email alerting them to the best free and deeply discounted titles matching their interests. Audrey is an Account Manager, supporting independent authors and small publishers who are using BookBub’s tools as part of their marketing strategy. BookBub now has an audiobook retail website, Chirp, and is offering deals on titles there, too, including classic books as well as newer titles.

Audrey invites you to check out the BookBub Partners Blog here. Authors can subscribe to get weekly book marketing ideas, publishing insights, and BookBub tips delivered to your inbox.

A graduate of Northeastern University in Boston, Audrey previously has worked with the Foundation for Responsible Robotics in the Netherlands, and as a legislative intern for Massachusetts state Rep. Bill Driscoll.

In her own words: “It’s such a low stakes way of trying out a new author. So if you’re not sure, or if you’re just curious about learning more about what that author has to offer, that’s a really easy way to try out one of their books.” (10:22)

Thanks to DialogMusik for the instrumentals that accompany this podcast.

authors love readers bookbub

authors love readers patreon

Episode 71: The Extras: Take Two, with Mary Alice Monroe

In this special episode of Authors Love Readers, host Patricia McLinn shares parts of her conversation with writer Mary Alice Monroe that were not included in the original episode. The conversation moves from McLinn’s “getting to know you” questions to deeper issues about plagiarism and being in the moment during writing and research.

Monroe, a New York Times bestselling author, found her true calling in environmental fiction when she moved to coastal South Carolina. Already a successful writer, she was captivated by the beauty and fragility of her new home. Living in the midst of a quickly changing habitat gave her a strong and important focus for her novels.

In the authors words: “When I’m doing my research, I’m observant and my antennas are up, but I don’t have a story. I’m just totally in the moment … whether it’s a turtle or a dolphin or whatever animal I’m with.” [23:24]

More about Mary Alice Monroe can be found at her:

website

Facebook

Twitter

mary alice monroe