In this episode, we dive deep into the best resources for writers at every stage of their journey. Whether you're plotting your first novel or preparing for a book launch, we've got you covered with expert recommendations and actionable advice. Tune in for a treasure trove of writing wisdom and get one step closer to achieving your publishing goals!

SHOW NOTES:

Books on Craft Master the art of structure, character development, and the nuances of showing vs. telling. Plus, find tools for sparking creativity and refining your editing process.

Writing and Querying Explore top websites for improving your craft, finding genre-specific tips, engaging in critiques, entering contests, and nailing your queries.

Book Marketing & Publishing Learn strategies for building your author platform, leveraging social media, gaining reviews, and creating effective publicity campaigns.

SOURCES & LINKS

ATB: Writing Resources

DO NOW: Determine where you are in the writing process. Select three-five resources to survey to see what works for you.

Next Episode: An Interview with author Jenn Bouchard, Considering Us and First Course

Full Show Notes are available on our website as well as free downloads mentioned in the episode.

Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com

Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/

Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com

If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you

When writing a novel, it’s essential to develop complex, authentic characters that your readers come to care about in some way. In this episode, we’ll talk about ways in which you can create nuanced characters your readers can connect to, love or hate. And we’ll provide models of characters as examples and a FREE DOWNLOAD of exercises to help you achieve them in your work.

SHOW NOTES:

Develop Rich Backstories A character's history shapes their motivations, fears, and desires.

Embrace Flaws and Contradictions Complex characters aren't perfect; their inconsistencies make them feel real.

Focus on Internal Conflict Characters with layered emotions and dilemmas feel more authentic.

Create Distinct Motivations and Goals Well-defined motivations make characters’ actions believable and compelling.

Show Relationships and Reactions How characters interact with others and the space around them can reveal hidden aspects of their personality.

Examples of Well-Developed Characters

SOURCES & LINKS

Writers Helping Writers Series:The Thesaurus Collection by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi (showing vs. telling)

The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression

The Conflict Thesaurus, The Emotional Wound Thesaurus…

Launch Pad: The Countdown to Writing Your Book, Emma Dhesi, Grace Sammon

Story Genius and Wired for Story, Lisa Cron (structure and character development)

DO NOW: Character Development Exercises:

Backstory Journaling, Flaw vs. Virtue Chart, Internal Conflict Mapping, Dialogue Scenarios and Relationship Snapshot

FREE DOWNLOAD Character Development Exercises

Next Episode: The Write Resources to Set You on the Path to Writing, Publishing & Marketing

Full Show Notes are available on our website as well as free downloads mentioned in the episode.

Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com

Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/

Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com

If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you

Join us as we interview author J.D .Barker, renowned for his thrilling novels, including Forsaken, The Fourth Monkey, and Dracul (co-authored with Bram Stoker’s family using Bram’s original notes and journals). With a reputation for pushing the boundaries of suspense and supernatural storytelling, his works have appeared on bestseller lists worldwide, and Dracul is currently in development for film by Paramount. J.D. has also collaborated frequently with James Patterson, further cementing his presence in the literary world.

SHOW NOTES:

“Something I Keep Upstairs”

Inspiration & Setting: What inspired you to write Something I Keep Upstairs, and how did the real haunted house influence the story?

Unique Elements: Can you share some unique elements of the book that you think set it apart from your previous works?

Immersive Experience: How do you think the giveaway of an overnight stay in the haunted house adds a new dimension to your readers' experience with the book?

Co-Authoring and Collaboration

Co-Authoring with James Patterson: What have you learned from collaborating with James Patterson, and how has that experience shaped your writing style?

Stephen King Endorsement: What impact did it have on your career?

Collaborating on Dracul using Bram Stoker's original notes What insights did you gain about his writing process?

Publishing and the Industry

Indie vs. Traditional Publishing: What are some key differences you’ve observed between indie publishing and traditional publishing in terms of creative freedom and marketing?

What are some of the things you learned the hard way?

Questions about Writing and Fiction

Book Doctor & Ghost Writer What are some key lessons you learned from this role that you apply to your own writing today?

GIVEAWAY for Something I Keep Upstairs

SOURCES & LINKS

Website: https://www.jdbarker.com

Giveaway: https://woobox.com/vcevs2

Preorder: https://jdbarker.com/books/something-i-keep-upstairs/

Full Show Notes are available on our website as well as free downloads mentioned in the episode.

Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com

Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/

Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com

If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you

Writers craft thousands of words to create a novel, so why is it so difficult to write a summary and pitch for books? We’ll delve into the difficulty of whittling down a novel into these necessary tasks which could make-or-break selling a novel. In addition, we’ll discuss the functions of a summary and pitch as well as how to write them.

SHOW NOTES:

Summary: a concise overview of a book with the purpose of enticing a reader

Pitch: one sentence that encapsulates story for the purpose of selling it to agents and publishers

Summary: Hook, main character(s), setting and/or theme, conflict/stakes, and a teaser

• voice
• third person (no matter the POV of the book)
• captivate your reader
• flows
• 100-200 words in length

Examples:

Pitch (also called elevator pitch or logline):

• character descriptor
• inciting incident
• conflict/stakes
• goal
• make it memorable & concise
• 1 sentence (approximately 20-30 words)

Examples:

*Note: a tagline is different & often appears on the book

Examples:

“How to Write a Book Pitch No One Can Resist,” Abi Wurdeman

“How to Write an Elevator Pitch for Your Novel,” Harry Bingham

DO NOW: Write a book jacket summary first, using the models provided. Then, whittle it down to a few different pitches; choose the one that is most enticing. Consider running these by your friends or writing partners to get their perspectives.

Next Episode: An interview with author J.D. Barker, author of Something I Keep Upstairs, & you won’t want to miss his amazing GIVEAWAY

Full Show Notes are available on our website as well as free downloads mentioned in the episode.

Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com

Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/

Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com

If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you

Each year some of the top industry publications predict trends in publishing for the upcoming year. In today’s episode, we’ll share some of these and give you our take on where we think the publishing industry is heading.

SHOW NOTES:

“Top Ten Publishing Trends of 2025,” Emma Boyer, Written Words Media, 2 JAN 2025

“Publishing Leaders Share Nine Bold Predictions for 2025 and Beyond,” Audrey DeRobert, BookBub, 23 JAN 2025

Noteworthy Predictions

Building loyal audiences

Investment in email marketing campaigns and subscribers:

Meta’s domination over the industry

Traditional and Indie publishing converge

Benefits and drawbacks of AI

Hybrid publishing will be on the rise

Publishers will continue the fight against censorship

SOURCES & LINKS

“Top Ten Publishing Trends of 2025,” Emma Boyer, Written Words Media, 2 JAN 2025

“Publishing Leaders Share Nine Bold Predictions for 2025 and Beyond,” Audrey DeRobert, BookBub, 23 JAN 2025

Authors Against Book Bans

Author’s Guild

DO NOW: Target the trend that is most beneficial to where you are in your writing journey and learn all you can about it to make you better informed.

Next Episode: Writing the dreaded book summary and pitch

Full Show Notes are available on our website as well as free downloads mentioned in the episode.

Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com

Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/

Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com

If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you

Sarahlyn Bruck writes contemporary, book club fiction—slice-of-life stories with heart and humor centered on friendships and family. She is the award-winning author of three novels: Light of the Fire (2024), Daytime Drama (2021), and Designer You (2018). When she’s not writing, Sarahlyn moonlights as a full-time writing and literature professor at a local community college. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, she now lives in Philadelphia with her family.

1. Synopsis and Inspiration
2. Writing Process
3. Previous Works
4. Journey to Publication
5. What have you learned the hard way?
6. Building an Author Brand
7. Balancing Roles
8. Looking Ahead

SOURCES & LINKS:

Website: https://sarahlynbruck.com

FB & IG: @sarahlynbruck

Full Show Notes are available on our website as well as free downloads mentioned in the episode.

Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com

Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/

Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com

If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you

SUMMARY: In this episode, we dive deep into the world of book reviews and blurbs. These essential elements serve as crucial communication tools for authors, helping them convey the value of their work to potential readers. We explore how impactful reviews and compelling blurbs can significantly influence a book's success, while also sharing insights from notable authors about the key components to include and the common pitfalls to avoid. Additionally, we discuss the benefits for readers who take the time to write reviews—from cultivating a deeper appreciation for the stories they read to developing their voices as reviewers, bloggers, or even Bookstagrammers. Engaging with literature in this way enriches the reading experience and fosters a vibrant community of book lovers.

DO NOW: The next time you read a book, write a review. Post it in as many places as you can (suggestions: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BookBub, Goodreads…on your own social media). Not confident about reviewing books yet? Read reviews that others have written for your favorite books.

Full Show Notes are available on our website as well as free downloads mentioned in the episode.

Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com

Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/

Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com

If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you

SUMMARY:

To kick off the new year, we’re talking about our top reads of 2024 and what we’re most looking forward to in 2025. What’s on your TBR list?

SHOW NOTES:

Top 2024 Reads:

Donna

James, Percival Everett

Echo of Old Books, Barbara Davis

The Little Liar, Mitch Albom

Mad Honey, Jodi Piccoult

Hope

The Housemaid, Freida McFadden

It’s Hard for Me to Live with Me, Rex Chapman

Of Lies and Honey, Donna Norman Carbone

* The Empress of Cooke County, Elizabeth Bass Parman, Soul Dancing, Gail Priest

Most anticipated Reads of 2025:

Donna

Here One Moment, Liane Moriarty

The Names, Florence Knapp

Tell Me Everything, Elizabeth Strout

From Here to the Great Unknown, Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough

Hope

Beach House Rules, Kristy Woodson Harvey

Reading trackers: Goodreads, Fable, Story Graph, Shepherd

SOURCES & LINKS: **See Do Now

DO NOW: Sign-up for an online book club on FB (Bookish Road Trip…) and/or download a reading app (Goodreads, Fable, Story Graph…) or check out Shepherd

Full Show Notes are available on our website as well as free downloads mentioned in the episode.

Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com

Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/

Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com

If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you