John Lee Hancock’s recent film, “The Little Things,” brings to life many key aspects of viewer engagement and character development that translate from the cinema to the page. Through excellently written mystery and complex, relatable characters, he hooks viewers early on and keeps them on their toes throughout the movie. Hancock is an accomplished screenwriter, director, and producer who is well known for his role in films like “M...

In his recent memoir, Greenlights, legendary actor Matthew McConaughey recounts the last fifty years of his life through gripping storytelling, offering advice that transcends all to focus on the rules of life itself. Whether you are a writer or not, you need to own your work, be arrogant before you can appreciate being humbled, and that the uncertainty of losing a safety net only makes it easier to embrace your actions and respons...

Bestseller Ann Charles knows how useful it can be to set your story in places from your life. Having spent many long summers in the old mining town of Deadwood, South Dakota in her youth, her childhood memories of riding dirt bikes through old trails, hanging out at the library, and talking to locals made it easy to bring the town to life in her Deadwood series. Alongside the massively popular series, on which a TV show and movie w...

Legendary concert promoter Danny Zelisko gained experience putting old memories to paper while writing his autobiography, ALL EXCE$$. By working with a ghost writer, orating stories to close friends, and diligently ordering everything chronologically, he was able to make his old stories super detailed and easy to follow. Danny has promoted over 12,000 shows over his 44 years in the business and has worked with music icons like The ...

In this episode, J, J.D., and Zach talk about setting parameters for writing excellence using Story Rubric and Nonfic Rubric.

Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the busines...

Lisa Gardner is no stranger to taking calculated risks as a writer. From leaving high-paying jobs to constantly letting go of agents and switching publishers, she has always lived by the phrase: “If you really want to write, you’re going to write." Lisa is a #1 New York Times bestselling thriller author who has sold millions of books worldwide. Among many outstanding works, she is well known for her debut novel, The Perfect Hus...

As a mother of small children and a vivid lucid dreamer, H.M. Gooden needs to wake up early. Regardless, she knows early writing can be beneficial to many because morning-writers tend to self-edit less, their dreams and ideas are still fresh, and they can easily dictate while brewing coffee or making a commute. H.M. published her first book, Dream of Darkness, in 2017 and has published almost twenty more stories since. Her upcoming...

ThrillerFest Co-Executive Director Jeff Ayers is dedicated to exposing authors to useful but commonly avoided marketing techniques. Through ThrillerFest, Jeff and others like him teach underappreciated skills like pitching a book to an agent, writing a query letter, and reflecting on edits and feedback. Jeff is an accomplished author who has published both fiction and non-fiction works. He is well known for his Star Trek companion,...

In this episode, Zach returns alongside J and J.D. to recap 2020 and discuss how such a chaotic year has affected the writing industry.

Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of t...

Author and attorney Jonathan Kirsch is a master of many trades. As a columnist for the Los Angeles Times and bestseller of many biographies and historical pieces, he utilizes a disciplined writing routine to create the best stories possible. When he isn’t writing, Jonathan works as an attorney and member of the Independent Book Publishers Association. With over thirty years of experience in the field, he understands the importance ...

Solopreneur Eddie Generous has no problem finding success on his own. Using discipline, self-motivation, and market sense, he has grown substantially as a publisher, podcaster, and author. Eddie is the creator of Unnerving Magazine, which filters through hundreds of open submissions to bring the best spine-chilling horror back to the masses. He also runs a podcast bearing the same name and has published multiple books, including Sa...

Kathleen Sweeney has helped authors create professional covers and ads on BookBrush for the past two years. One of the most innovative new author tools, BookBrush features easy-to-design standard covers, instant mockups, box set covers, 3D covers, and even animated covers. As the Customer Service Manager and Marketing Lead at BookBrush, Kathleen hosts frequent information sessions and works closely with authors to help them create ...

In this episode, J. and J.D. welcome indie mastermind Zach Bohannon to the show to discuss the growing similarities between indie and traditional publishing.

Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to unders...

SPECIAL EPISODE: J.D. and J. are live with author Susan May to discuss #audiblegate, a breaking news story about the ongoing controversy surrounding Audible’s audio book return policy.

The Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/fairdealwithaudible

Susan May’s blog post - https://www.susanmaywriter.net/single-post/audiblegate-the-incredible-story-of-missing-sales

From the Authors Guild - https://www.authorsguild.org/industry-...

Bestselling author Christopher Rice knows how to pursue multiple projects at once. By working on each project in different physical spaces and balancing the time spent on each, he breaks up the monotony of sticking to one book, makes himself more productive, and increases his writing and time management skills exponentially. Christopher is well-known for writing A Density of Souls, his bestselling debut novel, and Ramses The Damned...

Publicist Mickey Mikkelson specializes in gaining exposure and brand recognition. Using his independent firm, Creative Edge, he teaches indie authors around the world how to market their books, foster their own reader communities, and build sustainable brands. Mickey has worked in PR for almost five years and has helped bestselling authors like Tosca Lee and Robert J. Sawyer gain publicity. In addition to running Creative Edge, he ...

Stuart Bache has some tips for designing the perfect cover. As a professional cover artist, he helps traditional and indie authors around the world create covers that are visually appetizing, clearly represent the book’s genre and message, and market themselves well to potential readers. Stuart has been in the field for over a decade and has worked with Mark Dawson, Stephen King, and other big-name authors. He has a number of onlin...

Bestseller Seth Godin has unlocked the secrets to finding mindfulness as a writer. Through various publications, workshops, and podcasts, he sheds light on mental concepts often overlooked in pursuit of a professional career and preaches the ideas of beating resistance, accepting genre, disregarding authenticity, and choosing passion rather than chasing it. Seth is a renowned author and entrepreneur with nineteen bestselling books ...

Since creating Chanticleer Book Reviews in 2010, Kiffer Brown has provided thousands of authors with the exceptional reviews integral to the success of any book. Her services include editorial reviews, manuscript reviews, and peer reviews, which help writers structure their story, earn community appraisal, and expand sales on Amazon. Kiffer has worked in book marketing for over a decade and is involved in a plethora of local and na...