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This is the podcast for aspiring writers, an A-to-Z guide to writing, publishing, and promoting your article, book, or any other writing project. Your hosts are Melissa Parks and Dave Goetz, co-founders of Journey Sixty6, an editorial services company and independent publisher for the family business community. Each episode is designed to inspire and instruct writers as they take the long road trip to write and promote their ideas.
Episodes
Friday Nov 10, 2023
Friday Nov 10, 2023
If you’re stuck in the book writing process, you’ll want to tune into this episode. Bestselling author, speaker, ghostwriter, and book coach Stacy Ennis offers practical systems for developing your voice, focusing your book idea, and how to land a coveted spot as a TEDx speaker.
Great Moments in the Episode
2:35 – 9:58 Strategies for packaging nonfiction principles as fiction.
12:00 – 13:43 A formula for writing a good article quickly.
13:45 – 15:39 Why you might be struggling with your book's big idea.
15:40 – 18:10 The elements of a great hook.
18:11 – 21:05 Defining voice and advice for developing your voice.
21:06 – 23:17 Strategies for developing the craft of writing.
23:45 - 26:42 What to expect when you work with a ghostwriter.
26:36 – 29:18 A system for organizing your book idea.
29:19 – 32:20 Where book writers get it wrong in the book writing process.
32:25 - 42:15 Strategies for landing and preparing for a TEDx talk.
42:16 – 44:35 A formula for writing a good talk.
Words of the Episode
align (v): place or arrange (things) in a straight line.
fustian (n): pompous or pretentious speech or writing.
Find Stacy
Check out Stacy's website here: https://stacyennis.com/
How to Get Selected for a TedX Talk: https://stacyennis.com/how-to-get-selected-for-a-tedx-talk/
Follow Journey Sixty6
https://www.journeysixty6.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@journeysixty6writingforpub
Thursday Oct 26, 2023
Thursday Oct 26, 2023
You have a great idea and you’ve written a terrific book, but that’s only the first step in the book writing journey. How do you sell the book and use it to extend your thought-leadership platform and your business? Ryan Frederick, author of “Right Place, Right Time: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Home for the Second Half of Life,” shares how he leveraged his book after its publication. He provides insights into the development of an online assessment, workshops, and courses. More importantly, Ryan discusses the importance of keeping your idea relevant in the minds of your target audience.
Great Moments in the Episode
3:06 Learn about Ryan’s business.
5:23 How Ryan came to the ‘why’ of his book.
7:57 How Ryan found his ideal audience.
9:53 How Ryan structured his book to engage readers.
14:25 How Ryan used his book to extend his platform.
18:21 Differences between workshops and courses.
21:26 How to market courses.
25:27 Fitting your book idea into a cultural conversation.
27:36 Ryan’s publication journey.
33:22 Book marketing and how to reach your audience.
37:33: What Ryan learned from working with a PR firm.
39:22 What does success look like to you?
42:47 Ryan’s final words—make sure your work is substantive
Words of the Episode
Gloaming: a literary term synonymous with twilight and dusk, the darker part of twilight.
Chiaroscuro: the treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting.
Find Ryan
Check out Ryan’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Right-Place-Time-Ultimate-Choosing/dp/1421442302
Check out Ryan’s Assessment: https://www.here.life/assessment
Follow Journey Sixty6
https://www.journeysixty6.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@journeysixty6writingforpub
Monday Oct 02, 2023
Monday Oct 02, 2023
When most writers think about the book journey, they’re focused on writing and then publishing. But what about book marketing? In this episode, Anne Janzer, a thought leader in the marketing industry, explores the ever-evolving book marketing landscape. Discover Anne's philosophy of “servant-authorship” and the power of building focused audiences. You’ll come away with practical strategies that make book marketing a joyful and successful endeavor.
Great Moments in the Episode
4:19 – 6:24 Why book marketing is built on a trusting relationship with your reader.
6:25 – 8:25 How to frame your book writing and marketing as servant authorship.
8:26 – 10:10 Helpful metaphor of making a splash in a pond with your writing.
10:11 – 12:17 What servant authorship looks like in marketing, including creating a community.
12:18 – 14:19 How to create communities around your ideas.
14:20 – 16:48 How to identify where to focus your marketing efforts.
16:49 – 21:06 Three things you need for author marketing.
21:07 – 21:45 Why the best marketing for a book is the book itself.
21:46 – 23:46 How to sustain marketing when you’re discouraged.
23:47 – 25:21 How to do a discount book campaign.
25:22 – 28:29 What is BookBub and how to become a BookBub featured book.
28:30 – 30:41 How to make the most of IRL marketing.
30:42 – 34:00 What surprises first-time authors most about book marketing.
34:01 – 34:56 The value of gathering with fellow writers to brainstorm creative marketing ideas.
34:57 – 36:31 How to make marketing fun and not painful.
36:32 – 37:31 How to measure the success of your book marketing.
37:32 – 40:07 When it’s worth investing in a PR firm and what you can achieve without one.
40:08 – 41:32 The measure of a great book.
Words of the Episode
ether (N): the clear sky; the upper regions of air beyond the clouds.
scablands (N): flat elevated land deeply scarred by channels of glacial or fluvioglacial origin and with poor soil and little vegetation.
Anne’s Recent Book
The Writer’s Voice: https://www.amazon.com/Writers-Voice-Techniques-Tuning-Process-ebook/dp/B0C8BZZ3G3/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Anne+Janzer&qid=1695914485&s=audible&sr=1-1-catcorr
Follow Journey Sixty6
https://www.journeysixty6.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@journeysixty6writingforpub
Tuesday Sep 19, 2023
Tuesday Sep 19, 2023
In this episode, Dave and Melissa are back together to tackle a pressing question: What's the optimal format for your ideas? Is it really a book? Or are there alternatives that are a better fit for you? Our world is ripe with content formats for you to package your ideas, from videos, blog posts, podcasts to eBooks, and even paid subscription newsletters. There are so many options. The key is choosing the right format. By the end, we hope you discover the best format for your ideas.
Great Moments in the Episode
9:59 – 14:25 What has changed in podcasting since its early days and strategies for differentiating.
19:06 – 25:17 Questions to ask to determine if you should write a book.
25:18 – 27:10 Substack as a format for your content.
27:11 – 30:20 Podcasting as a format for your content.
30:21 – 34:52 Short-form video as a format for your content.
34:53 – 36:24 Long-form video as a format for your content.
36:25 – 37:59 eBook as a format for your content.
38.00 – 39:24 Online courses as a format for your content.
39:26 – 40:42 Audiobook as a format for your content.
41:30 – 43:01 Telling your family story through letters.
43:03 – 45:13 Curating your family story through audio/video interviews.
45:15 – 46:53 Telling your family story through an image driven book.
Words of the Episode
Orotund (adj): a formal word used as a synonym of sonorous to describe something—usually a voice—marked by fullness, strength, and clarity of sound. It can also be used disapprovingly to mean "pompous" or "bombastic."
Sedulously (adj): carefully and with a lot of effort and determination.
Follow Journey Sixty6
https://www.journeysixty6.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@journeysixty6writingforpub
Tuesday Sep 05, 2023
Tuesday Sep 05, 2023
If you have done research and want to know how to turn that research into a book, this podcast episode is for you. Author of The Myth of the Silver Spoon, Kristen Keffeler, discusses her journey turning her research into a nonfiction book that was picked up by a traditional publisher. Kristin explains the importance of narrowing your audience, sharpening your thesis, and creating a structure that pulls the reader through from beginning to end. Kristin also shares the highs and lows of marketing her nonfiction book.
Great Moments in the Episode
8:12 – 9:33 Packaging graduate studies research into a book.
9:34 – 12:40 The evolution of a thesis as you sharpen your ideal audience.
12:42 – 14:36 How to speak to secondary and tertiary audiences beyond your ideal audience.
14:38 – 17:43 How to strengthen your nonfiction storytelling.
17:45 – 22:27 An example of a four-part structure that goes from general to specific.
22:28 – 25:29 Persevering even when your book isn’t picked up by a publisher.
25:31 – 28:59 How to get a publisher’s attention after your first proposal is rejected.
31:08 – 34:21 The difficulty of marketing a book and tips for using a book trailer to drive traffic.
34:22 – 36:20 How to host a successful virtual book launch on LinkedIn.
38:10 – 41:06 How to collaborate successfully on a book.
Words of the Episode
Toothsome (adj): temptingly tasty.
Dewclaw (n): a digit – vestigial in some animals – on the foot of many mammals, birds, and reptiles (including some extinct orders, like certain theropods).
Follow Journey Sixty6
https://www.journeysixty6.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@journeysixty6writingforpub
https://www.facebook.com/journeysixty6
https://www.linkedin.com/company/journeysixty6/
Find Kristin’s books here:
Monday Aug 21, 2023
Monday Aug 21, 2023
You want a traditional book deal? First you need a stand-out book proposal. But for many first-time authors, creating a book proposal is a mystery. What do you include? What don’t you include? What are agents really looking for? In this episode author and book proposal coach Lisa Tener provides insider knowledge of what it takes to create a proposal that catches the eye of a literary agent and a publisher.
Great Moments in the Episode
6:50 – 8:16 The number one thing publishers and literary agents look for in a book proposal.
8:18 – 10:19 Lisa answers the question: What size platform do agents and publishers look for?
10:20 – 12:18 What to do when an agent likes your idea but you do not have a platform.
12:19 – 13:49 How to grow a basic platform.
13:50 – 16:01 Help for developing your book idea when it needs to be differentiated.
16:03 – 16:36 Signs your book is based on a crummy idea.
17:37 – 18:52 When you should pursue an independent publisher instead of a traditional publisher.
18:53 – 19:52 Signs your idea is suited for an article and not a book.
19:54 – 21:15 How to differentiate your book from comps.
21:16 – 22:15 How many comps and what types of comps to include in your book proposal.
22:16 – 25:54 How much of your book should be completed when you submit your proposal.
25:55 – 28:18 How much time a writer should devote to a book proposal.
28:20 – 30:23 Reasons why your literary agent might accept your book but a publisher won’t.
30:25 – 32:05 How your publishing on external digital platforms influences literary agents and publishing boards.
32:06 – 35:01 Missteps when writing a book proposal.
35:53 – 37:21 Managing expectations for first-time authors pitching a book.
Words of the Episode
ephemeron (n): an insect that lives only for a day or a few days.
lissome (adj): thin, supple, and graceful.
Follow Journey Sixty6
https://www.journeysixty6.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@journeysixty6writingforpub
https://www.facebook.com/journeysixty6
https://www.linkedin.com/company/journeysixty6/
Check Out Lisa
Lisa’s Website: https://www.lisatener.com/
Lisa’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Writing-Journal-Creativity-Minutes-dp-195581127X/dp/195581127X
Monday Aug 07, 2023
Monday Aug 07, 2023
In this podcast, Dave and Melissa interview Vikrant Shauruya, founder of Authors on a Mission, on how to market and sell your nonfiction book. Vikrant discusses what a “bestselling book” actually is, and why a successful book is built on a well-written book.
Great Moments in the Episode
05:15 – 07:57 Expectations for sales of first book.
8:04 – 09:41 Podcasting as a marketing strategy.
09:43 – 12:26 How to identify podcasts to pursue in order to maximize marketing.
12:27 – 14:19 How to pitch podcasts.
14:21 – 18:59 Explanation of the term “bestselling book”.
19:01 – 21:30 What to do during launch to gain sales momentum.
21:31 – 24:01 Managing expectations of book sales.
24:02 – 25:14 Why you need a focused book idea and to identify the "why" of your writing.
25:15 – 28:01 The importance of following through with promoting your book.
28:03 – 31:15 The interconnection of a book, speaking engagements, and business growth.
31:16 – 35:10 The role of a well-written book in sales.
Words of the Episodes
Wabi-sabi: a Japanese aesthetic concept that finds beauty and serenity in objects, landscapes, designs, etc., that are simple, imperfect, and impermanent.
Pustule: a small elevation of the skin containing pus.
Follow Journey Sixty6
https://www.journeysixty6.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@journeysixty6writingforpub
https://www.facebook.com/journeysixty6
https://www.linkedin.com/company/journeysixty6/
Follow Vikrant Shauruya
Monday Jul 24, 2023
Monday Jul 24, 2023
Our interview with Josh Rutherford, author of The Fourpointe Chronicles, provides aspiring fantasy novelists valuable insights on how to create a believable fantasy world, how to develop characters over a series of books, and how to apply screenwriting techniques to novel writing. Josh also encourages new writers to get started, even when you don’t have it all figured out, and to find the right type of feedback during the writing journey. You won’t want to miss this episode.
Great Moments in the Episode
00:00 - 06:12 About Josh and his books.
06:12 – 07:34 How to balance point of view in fiction writing.
07:36 – 09:35 How to build a convincing fantasy world through character development.
09:36 – 11:47 Why you don’t need everything figured out to get started.
13:13 –15:02 When you’re lost in the middle, the value of cutting, and what to do with the cut material.
15:03 – 16:37 The wisdom of “Start late, end early” and how the principle creates suspense.
16:38 – 20:21 Principles of screenwriting applied to novel writing, specifically the importance of creating a sensory experience for the reader.
20:22 – 22:44 How to develop characters in a series, and the importance of not rushing character development.
22:45 – 24:49 How to get into a character’s head when you don’t have much in common with the character
25:20 – 27:23 Finding opportunities to write when writing isn’t your full-time job, and the power of forgiving yourself when you don’t show up.
27:53 – 29:59 How to find the right person to review your work, how to seek the right feedback, and how you use feedback in the revision process.
30:-00 - 35.05 The benefits of self-publishing your fiction, the power of beta reviews in promoting your book, and how to use Amazon ads.
Words of the Episodes
macabre (adj): disturbing and horrifying because of involvement with or depiction of death and injury.
esperance (n): the belief that what is wanted can be or that the events will turn out for the best.
Follow Journey Sixty6
https://www.journeysixty6.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@journeysixty6writingforpub
Monday Jul 10, 2023
Monday Jul 10, 2023
The best television shows and movies have memorable scenes. In those scenes, characters are forced to make choices that move the story forward. This is the essence of screenwriting. And, according to ghostwriter Cristen Iris, it’s also the essence of great memoirs and fiction. In this episode we chat with Cristen about how the basic principles of screenwriting can be applied to fiction and memoirs so your reader will read from beginning to end.
Great Moments in the Episode
Basic elements of a scene: 2:22 – 3:37
How to think of scenes in terms of moving the story forward: 3:38 – 6:53
How to roughly calculate scenes in your novel to create movement: 6:55 – 9:23
How to create flow between scenes: 9:25 – 12:04
How to use narrative commentary throughout your scenes, without boring your reader: 12:05 – 14:18
How to create pacing in your book: 16:54 – 18:10
How to use action to develop your characters, including in memoirs: 18:20 – 21:01
The dangers and difficulty of dialogue, exposition, and backstory and tips for creating dialogue that moves the story along: 21:38 – 28:15
How to move beyond writing paralysis: 28:16 – 32:01
Words of the Episode
Nudnik (n): a person who is a bore or nuisance.
modus vivendi (n): an arrangement or agreement allowing conflicting parties to coexist peacefully, either indefinitely or until a final settlement is reached.
Follow Journey Sixty6
https://www.journeysixty6.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@journeysixty6writingforpub
Friday Jun 23, 2023
Friday Jun 23, 2023
How do you keep your reader reading till the wee hours of the morning—because they have to figure out how the story ends? You must create a narrative arc that, scene by scene, plot point by plot point, keeps the reader questioning.
Paula Munier, author of Plot Perfect: Building Unforgettable Stories Scene by Scene, offers a plot-building strategy that works no matter the genre you’re writing in.
Great Moments in the Episode
6:19-7:10: How people decide to buy a book.
7:10-8:52: The importance of the first page and “that feeling” you want readers to experience.
8:54-12:42: What is an inciting incident and why you need it immediately in your story.
13:02-16:01: Definition and examples of big story questions and small story questions—and how to use them to make your story different.
16:20-18:05: How to plant major and minor story questions to drive your story.
18:10-20:01: Why you must know your genre to know your obligatory story questions.
23:24-24:58: Using index cards to help you visually plot your story.
25:00-27:04: How to use your genre tropes without becoming cliché.
30:27-35:48: Tips for writing a visually engaging setting that sets the tone and creates tension.
39:15-41:25: How to know if your writing is good before you pitch a literary agent.
Words of the Episode
Vermillion: A deep, brilliant red color.
Stelliferous: Having or abounding with stars.
Paula Munier’s Books to Check Out!
Follow Journey Sixty6
https://www.journeysixty6.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@journeysixty6writingforpub