Introducing WorldCraft Club! This week we’re excited to bring you all something a little different. That’s right, it’s a crossover week. We had the opportunity to sit down with author Seth Ring and James Horton of the WorldCraft Club. They’ve created a community dedicated to building resources for game masters, novelists, and worldbuilders of all kinds. James and Seth release regular videos on a huge range of story and worldbuilding topics.  Forget everything we’ve ever told you about worldbuilder syndrome and icebergs and pacing yourselves. This week is all about the reasons we love worldbuilding–what about it captivates us, pushes writers and other creatives to delve into new, unexplored universes. We’ll discuss inspiration, trends, cultural shifts, and our favorite things about fantasy and science fiction.    Resources and Guest Links:  Go check out the WorldCraft Club’s awesome videos: https://worldcraftclub.com/  Our hosts: https://worldcraftclub.com/about/    Shoutout to Seth and James! It was an honor to be hosted on their podcast and get the chance to geek out about all things worldbuilding.  Host Links:  H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/ David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/    Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed) Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios,  Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim  

Another excellent week with Mel Todd! With over 44 titles released in urban fantasy and science fiction, she’s also the owner of Bad Ash Publishing, where she works to create a place for excellent stories and great authors. Mel’s Kaylid Chronicles, the Blood War series, and the Twisted Luck series offer great new twists to her genres.  Join us in part one of this great episode with Mel, where we discuss her process, inspirations, and her four cats, who tolerate her.    In Part Four, We Discuss:  Broadening your horizons through research, writing, and reading  Don’t worry about retelling the same story–Shakespeare did them all, and he did them better than you  Writing what you love, and making it real  Style guides and consistency within your manuscript  Language in worldbuilding  Social media platforms and where to find Mel online!    Resources and Guest Links:  get your hands on the brand-new Noble’s Luck trilogy! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQVHS64P  Bad Ash Publishing: https://badashpublishing.com/  Mel Todd’s site: https://meltodd.com/  Mel’s Books: https://badashpublishing.com/books/  Andy Weir (The Martian, Project Hail Mary): https://andyweirauthor.com/    Thank Mel With Us! While we’re used to hanging out with her in the real world, but we’re so grateful she joined us on the internet streets to bring her expert insight to Worlds Asunder.  Host Links:  H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/ David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/    Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed) Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios,  Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim  

Another excellent week with Mel Todd! With over 44 titles released in urban fantasy and science fiction, she’s also the owner of Bad Ash Publishing, where she works to create a place for excellent stories and great authors. Mel’s Kaylid Chronicles, the Blood War series, and the Twisted Luck series offer great new twists to her genres.  Join us in part one of this great episode with Mel, where we discuss her process, inspirations, and her four cats, who tolerate her.    In Part Three, We Discuss:  The hamster wheel of writing and marketing   Bad Ash Publishing and time discipline  Finding and protecting your writing time  Worldbuilding pitfalls  Submissions and engaging storytelling; same, same, but different  Engaging with readers in person and online    Resources and Guest Links:  Pre-Order the brand-new Noble’s Luck trilogy! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQVHS64P  Bad Ash Publishing: https://badashpublishing.com/  Mel Todd’s site: https://meltodd.com/  Mel’s Books: https://badashpublishing.com/books/  Iron Widow: https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Widow-Xiran-Jay-Zhao/dp/0735269939    Thank Mel With Us! While we’re used to hanging out with her in the real world, but we’re so grateful she joined us on the internet streets to bring her expert insight to Worlds Asunder.  Host Links:  H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/ David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/    Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed) Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios,  Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim  

Another excellent week with Mel Todd! With over 44 titles released in urban fantasy and science fiction, she’s also the owner of Bad Ash Publishing, where she works to create a place for excellent stories and great authors. Mel’s Kaylid Chronicles, the Blood War series, and the Twisted Luck series offer great new twists to her genres.  Join us in part one of this great episode with Mel, where we discuss her process, inspirations, and her four cats, who tolerate her.    In Part One, We Discuss:  Practical worldbuilding  Research deep-dives and balancing research and writing time Blurring reality and accuracy in speculative fiction Relationships between worldbuilding and character  Historical realism and suspension of disbelief  The Assassin’s Creed franchise    Resources and Guest Links:  Pre-Order the brand-new Noble’s Luck trilogy! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQVHS64P  Bad Ash Publishing: https://badashpublishing.com/  Mel Todd’s site: https://meltodd.com/  Mel’s Books: https://badashpublishing.com/books/  Terry Maggert’s books (as we’ve learned, he does lots of research!): https://terrymaggert.com/    Thank Mel With Us! While we’re used to hanging out with her in the real world, but we’re so grateful she joined us on the internet streets to bring her expert insight to Worlds Asunder.  Host Links:  H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/ David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/    Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed) Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios,  Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim  

Links can be found on Substack podcast feed for Becoming A Household Name.

This week on Worlds Asunder, we’re pleased to introduce you to Mel Todd! With over 44 titles released in urban fantasy and science fiction, she’s also the owner of Bad Ash Publishing, where she works to create a place for excellent stories and great authors. Mel’s Kaylid Chronicles, the Blood War series, and the Twisted Luck series offer great new twists to her genres.  Join us in part one of this great episode with Mel, where we discuss her process, inspirations, and her four cats, who tolerate her.    In Part One, We Discuss:  New approaches to old genres  Integrating science and magic  Handwavium Showing conflict on a global scale in urban settings  Advantages and disadvantages to certain POVs in writing  Genre tropes, marketing, and reader expectations    Resources and Guest Links:  Pre-Order the brand-new Noble’s Luck trilogy! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQVHS64P  Bad Ash Publishing: https://badashpublishing.com/  Mel Todd’s site: https://meltodd.com/  Mel’s Books: https://badashpublishing.com/books/    Thank Mel With Us! While we’re used to hanging out with her in the real world, but we’re so grateful she joined us on the internet streets to bring her expert insight to Worlds Asunder.  Host Links:  H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/ David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/    Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed) Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios,  Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim  

Join your Worlds co-hosts as we recap the most recent 17 episodes of Worlds Asunder! We’ll go over our incredible guests, the things we’ve learned, and the most important tidbits we hope our listeners take away from the great insights we’ve received over the last five months. We’ll also give a sneak peek at future episodes and interviews.  Like the show? Have a topic or guest suggestion? Find us through our websites (or on Facebook) and let us know! Like, comment, subscribe wherever you listen or watch! We’ve had a blast recording these interviews and hope you’ll continue to join us in breaking down worlds to give you the bricks to build your own. Resources and Guest Links:  Gail Carriger: https://gailcarriger.com/ James Fox: https://thejamesfox.com/  Steve Ruskin: https://www.steveruskin.com/  Tim Akers: https://www.timakers.net/  J.T. Evans: https://jtevans.net/  Kacey Ezell: https://kaceyezell.net/  Mia Kleve: http://www.mrkdup.com/index.php/author/mrkleve/  Heather and Jacob Holo: https://holowriting.com/  Edie Skye: https://edieskye.com/    Host Links:  H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/ David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/    Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed) Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios,  Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim,  

Join us in welcoming Jacob and H.P. Holo, with special guest alter-ego/pen name Edie Skye. Jacob is the author of over fifteen books, including the bestselling Gordian Division series (with David Weber), YA urban fantasy Time Reavers, and fantasy adventure Monster Punk Horizon (with H.P. Holo). H.P.’s catalogue boasts Monster Punk Horizon, Monster Girl Tamer, and a mountain of harem fantasy adventure novels under (joint) pen name Edie Skye.  Tropes are critical factors in genre fiction. Writers who ignore them sometimes do so at their own risk. Where’s the line between subverting reader expectations, being original, and honoring genre tropes that readers crave? Together we explore reader expectations, setting up plausible twists, honoring tropes, and tips and tricks for writing profitable commercial fiction.    In Part Three, We Discuss:  Jacob and Heather’s top genre tropes in harem and science fiction  Heroism and responsibility  Power progression in fantasy and litrpg The role of different POVs in narratives  Writing for male vs female audiences    Resources and Guest Links:  Jacob and H.P. Holo: https://holowriting.com/  Edie Skye: https://edieskye.com/  The Gordian Division: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B5YL5P87  Titan Mage: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2ZXK1Z1  Blood Knight: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLKVKXGS  MarsCon: https://www.marscon.net/wp/ SC Comic Con: https://www.sccomicon.com/    Thanks to Jacob and H.P! We’re glad we were able to bring their wealth of experience across genres to Worlds Asunder.    Host Links:  H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/ David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/    Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed) Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios,  Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim  

Join us in welcoming Jacob and H.P. Holo, with special guest alter-ego/pen name Edie Skye. Jacob is the author of over fifteen books, including the bestselling Gordian Division series (with David Weber), YA urban fantasy Time Reavers, and fantasy adventure Monster Punk Horizon (with H.P. Holo). H.P.’s catalogue boasts Monster Punk Horizon, Monster Girl Tamer, and a mountain of harem fantasy adventure novels under (joint) pen name Edie Skye.  Tropes are critical factors in genre fiction. Writers who ignore them sometimes do so at their own risk. Where’s the line between subverting reader expectations, being original, and honoring genre tropes that readers crave? Together we explore reader expectations, setting up plausible twists, honoring tropes, and tips and tricks for writing profitable commercial fiction.    In Part One, We Discuss:  Different ways to connect with your audience  Grilled cheese and cherry coke  Researching tropes - “also boughts” and reading across genres  Writing tropes and themes that you’re excited about Learning from your editing process    Resources and Guest Links:  Jacob and H.P. Holo: https://holowriting.com/  Edie Skye: https://edieskye.com/    Thanks to Jacob and H.P! We’re glad we were able to bring their wealth of experience across genres to Worlds Asunder.    Host Links:  H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/ David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/    Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed) Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios,  Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim  

Join us in welcoming Jacob and H.P. Holo, with special guest alter-ego/pen name Edie Skye. Jacob is the author of over fifteen books, including the bestselling Gordian Division series (with David Weber), YA urban fantasy Time Reavers, and fantasy adventure Monster Punk Horizon (with H.P. Holo). H.P.’s catalogue boasts Monster Punk Horizon, Monster Girl Tamer, and a mountain of harem fantasy adventure novels under (joint) pen name Edie Skye.  Tropes are critical factors in genre fiction. Writers who ignore them do so at their own risk. Where’s the line between subverting reader expectations, being original, and honoring genre tropes that readers crave? Together we explore reader expectations, setting up plausible twists, honoring tropes, and tips and tricks for writing profitable commercial fiction.    In Part One, We Discuss:  The importance of understanding tropes in your writing  Reader expectations in different genre  Genre and subgenre identification  Star Wars. All the Star Wars.  How to subvert expectations in a way that honors genre   Resources and Guest Links:  Jacob and H.P. Holo: https://holowriting.com/  Edie Skye: https://edieskye.com/    Thanks to Jacob and H.P! We’re glad we were able to bring their wealth of experience across genres to Worlds Asunder.    Host Links:  H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/ David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/    Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed) Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios,  Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim  

How's it going with Instagram and conventions selling books? Find out in this episode. Omnibus on JodyJSperling.com

This week we’re excited to give listeners a new spin on worldbuilding, building bibles, and keeping your stories straight. Today’s guest is Mia Kleve, avid reader of science fiction, fantasy, and just about everything in between. Mia has been proofreading and editing for more than ten years and has experience with developmental edits, copy edits, world bibles, and more.  Join us in learning more about how your editors tick, what they can do for your writing process, and how you can help smooth the path for them before you submit your manuscript.    In Part Two, We Discuss:  Dialects and accents  Tools for world bibles: Word, Excel, Access, Notion, World Anvil  Character tracking and character sheets  Learning tropes, and deciding when and how to use them Tracking characters (for pantsers)  Making character and place names unique    Resources and Guest Links:  Mia’s site: http://www.mrkdup.com/ MRK’d Up Editing on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrkdup  Remarkable tablet: https://remarkable.com/ Notion: https://www.notion.com/ Chicago Manual of Style: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html Shunn’s modern manuscript formatting: https://www.shunn.net/format/story/  World Anvil: https://www.worldanvil.com/  Casey “Moops” Moores: https://www.caseymoores.net/    We can’t emphasize enough how important it is to work with a good editor. We’re grateful to Mia for lending us her expertise and digging into the technical side of worldbuilding and storycraft.    Host Links:  H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/ David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/    Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed) Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios,  Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim  

This week, we're talking with E.H. Drake, author and sometimes podcaster. She's published three books including Blood Herring and The Vampire's Cold Case.

This week we’re excited to give listeners a new spin on worldbuilding, building bibles, and keeping your stories straight. Today’s guest is Mia Kleve, avid reader of science fiction, fantasy, and just about everything in between. Mia has been proofreading and editing for more than ten years and has experience with developmental edits, copy edits, world bibles, and more.  Join us in learning more about how your editors tick, what they can do for your writing process, and how you can help smooth the path for them before you submit your manuscript.    In Part One, We Discuss:  Mia’s developmental editing process  Tools and tricks of the editing trade  The difference between world bibles and style guides  The Chicago Manual of Style  Steps authors can do to help their editors  Manuscript formatting  Adjusting your writing and editing process to suit personal needs (habits and ergonomics) Watching for common grammar and punctuation errors or overused words   Resources and Guest Links:  Mia’s site: http://www.mrkdup.com/ Remarkable tablet: https://remarkable.com/ Notion: https://www.notion.com/ Chicago Manual of Style: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html Shunn’s modern manuscript formatting: https://www.shunn.net/format/story/    We can’t emphasize enough how important it is to work with a good editor. We’re grateful to Mia for lending us her expertise and digging into the technical side of worldbuilding and storycraft.    Host Links:  H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/ David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/    Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed) Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios,  Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim  

In this episode, I’ve got something very special for you. Podcast Host Andy J. Pizza shared the first episode in his True Fan Series. It’s number 476, and you can find it here. I encourage you to listen to all of Creative Pep Talk. It’s stellar. If you got excited about the Luke In Time Mysteries Audiobook Omnibus, you can join the project here: https://www.jodyjsperling.com/products/the-luke-in-time-mysteries-audiobook-omni. Contribute what you want, and you’ll get three audiobooks right now.

In this episode of Romancing Like Swift, hosts Morgana Bevan and Emma-Lee Jane welcome steamy contemporary romance author Darby Fox to discuss how Taylor Swift's music inspires writers and enhances storytelling. Together, they explore the concept of micro tropes—those small but impactful moments in stories—universal fantasies that captivate readers, and the emotional connections that make romance novels resonate. Darby shares her experiences crafting stories about rock stars and billionaires, emphasizing the importance of specificity and character development in creating compelling narratives. The discussion also highlights the challenges romance authors face, including misconceptions about the genre, and strategies for blending craft with emotional resonance. The trio reflects on Taylor Swift’s lyrics, albums, and their influence on character development and storytelling. The episode concludes with a lighthearted "Kiss, Marry, Kill" segment featuring Swift's songs, showcasing how personal connections shape storytelling preferences. Key Takeaways: Darby Fox writes contemporary romance featuring rock stars and billionaires, blending craft with emotional intensity. Micro tropes are small, specific moments that enhance storytelling and deepen reader engagement. Universal fantasies tap into core desires and are central to captivating romance readers. Romance novels offer readers an emotional escape and explore desires in a safe and imaginative way. Taylor Swift's lyrics provide inspiration for writers through their depth and relatability. Character development is crucial, and authors can use their 'id lists'—personalized ideas of what excites them—to enhance storytelling. Music, including Taylor Swift’s albums, serves as a powerful source of creative inspiration for writers. Romance novels often face undue criticism but play a vital role in exploring emotional connections and universal fantasies. Tropes and character-specific moments are tools to create unforgettable scenes. Writing requires revisions, patience, and strategies for building characters readers love. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 – Introduction to Romancing Like Swift Podcast 00:31 – Guest Introduction: Darby Fox 02:05 – Darby’s Writing Journey and Inspirations 03:01 – Swiftie Era and Album Discussions 05:21 – Microtropes and Universal Fantasies in Romance Writing 07:41 – Crafting Stories with Emotional Appeal 18:39 – The Importance of Specificity in Storytelling 22:42 – Real-Life Parallels in Romance Writing 32:40 – Building Character Scenes with Microtropes 33:26 – The Role of Tropes in Crafting Stories 34:22 – Taylor Swift's Influence on Storytelling 36:09 – Gilmore Girls as Character Inspiration 41:37 – Challenges in Writing Distinct Characters 45:55 – Revisions and the Writing Process 55:44 – Kiss, Marry, Kill: Taylor Swift Song Choices 01:02:39 – Final Thoughts and Farewell Titles Referenced: 7 Figure Fiction by T Taylor Story Genius by Lisa Cron  

Today’s guest, Kacey Ezell, was born in South Dakota and grew up around the world on various military bases. When she was seven, her mother gave her a copy of Anne McCaffrey’s Dragondrums, and shortly thereafter, Kacey decided that she wanted to be a dragonrider when she grew up. From the time she was a small child, Kacey made up stories to tell to her friends and family.  Kacey’s emotionally-fueled fiction includes alternate history, fantasy, noir, and science fiction. She’s a master in emotional resonance and character building! Join us in learning the tips and tricks to build characters with believable emotional arcs.    In Part One, We Discuss:  Saving character details for reference  Background information: what do you need to tell the story?  Choosing where to focus your background development  Tropes and genre  Character motivation  Using character flaws and strengths and plot points    Resources and Guest Links:  https://kaceyezell.net/ Newsletter and free short stories: https://kaceyezell.net/the-dragons-horde/  Psyche of War: https://kaceyezell.net/book-series/the-psyche-of-war/  World Anvil: https://www.worldanvil.com/  Notion: https://www.notion.com/    Join us in thanking Kacey! She’s a great author and an even better friend, and we’re grateful she took time out of her relaxicon to interview and give us the inside scoop on how she crafts excellent characters.    Host Links:  H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/ David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/    Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed) Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios,  Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim  

All the things I'm doing to grow the reader base.

In this episode of Romancing Like Swift, hosts Morgana Bevan and Emma-Lee Jane welcome author and marketing expert Natalie Knight to explore the world of e-commerce email marketing for authors. Natalie shares her expertise on crafting impactful email strategies tailored for direct sales, explaining the key differences between traditional author newsletters and e-commerce-focused campaigns. The discussion covers topics like segmentation, creating effective email flows, and optimizing book bundles to drive engagement and sales. The conversation also highlights how Taylor Swift’s business acumen, from exclusive product offerings to strategic pricing, can inspire authors in their marketing efforts. Natalie dives into the importance of maintaining separate email lists for marketing and newsletters, retargeting potential buyers, and leveraging special editions and exclusive content to entice readers. The episode concludes with a lighthearted discussion about favorite Taylor Swift songs and the emotional connection they foster.   Key Takeaways: Direct sales newsletters should focus on product promotion rather than personal stories. Traditional author newsletters and e-commerce marketing emails serve distinct purposes and require tailored strategies. Segmentation is essential for targeted and effective communication with readers. Maintaining separate email lists for newsletters and direct marketing enhances organization and effectiveness. Retargeting flows can help convert potential buyers and maximize sales. Bundling books or products can boost sales and attract reader interest. Exclusive editions and limited-time offerings create urgency and drive sales. Pricing strategies should reflect the value of the content while appealing to readers. Automating email flows simplifies marketing efforts and improves engagement. Authors can repurpose older works or create special editions to rejuvenate reader interest.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 – Introduction to Romancing Like Swift Podcast 00:31 – Guest Introduction: Natalie Knight 01:14 – Natalie’s Journey as an Author 01:47 – Exploring Direct Sales for Authors 02:13 – Taylor Swift’s Email Marketing Strategies 03:41 – Differences Between Author Newsletters and Marketing Emails 06:46 – Managing Email Lists and Effective Segmentation 13:33 – Setting Up Essential Email Flows 17:27 – Crafting Campaign Strategies for Authors 20:43 – Optimizing Book Bundles and Pricing Strategies 28:12 – Pricing Approaches for Authors 29:35 – Effective Drip Campaigns for Book Sales 32:19 – Preparing for Black Friday and Seasonal Sales 34:08 – Creating Special Editions and Product Variations 42:50 – Leveraging Exclusive Content and Bundles 44:44 – Repackaging Older Works for New Audiences 46:48 – Concluding Thoughts and Current Music Obsessions   Links & Resources Natalie’s website: https://nkcopywriting.com/  Find Natalie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenatalieknight    Some Klaviyo Black Friday sessions (you may need to be logged into Klaviyo to access) Land in the inbox on Black Friday Cyber Monday: https://academy.klaviyo.com/en-us/courses/land-in-the-inbox-on-black-friday-cyber-monday Last minute BFCM checklist: https://academy.klaviyo.com/last-minute-bfcm-checklist  Black Friday Cyber Monday campaign best practices: https://academy.klaviyo.com/en-us/courses/black-friday-cyber-monday-campaign-best-practices/1725924  Prepare your flows for BFCM: https://academy.klaviyo.com/en-us/courses/prepare-your-flows-for-bfcm/1745915  Turn BFCM shoppers into repeat customers: https://academy.klaviyo.com/en-us/courses/turn-bfcm-shoppers-into-repeat-customers/1807379

Today’s guest, Kacey Ezell, was born in South Dakota and grew up around the world on various military bases. When she was seven, her mother gave her a copy of Anne McCaffrey’s Dragondrums, and shortly thereafter, Kacey decided that she wanted to be a dragonrider when she grew up. From the time she was a small child, Kacey made up stories to tell to her friends and family.  Kacey’s emotionally-fueled fiction includes alternate history, fantasy, noir, and science fiction. She’s a master in emotional resonance and character building! Join us in learning the tips and tricks to build characters with believable emotional arcs.    In Part One, We Discuss:  Every villain is the hero of their own story; writing unpopular characters  Every hero is probably the villain of someone else’s story  Redemption arcs  Characters we love to hate  How worldbuilding impacts characters and vice versa  Tools to track details    Resources and Guest Links:  https://kaceyezell.net/ Newsletter and free short stories: https://kaceyezell.net/the-dragons-horde/  Psyche of War: https://kaceyezell.net/book-series/the-psyche-of-war/  World Anvil: https://www.worldanvil.com/  Notion: https://www.notion.com/    Join us in thanking Kacey! She’s a great author and an even better friend, and we’re grateful she took time out of her relaxicon to interview and give us the inside scoop on how she crafts excellent characters.    Host Links:  H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/ David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/    Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed) Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios,  Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim