Kobo Writing Life Podcast

Zoe York talks to us about how she began her career writing "the stories of her heart", and turned those stories into a commercial success. Zoe explains how she runs her business and handles her separate pen names, Zoe York and Ainsley Booth. She also explains how she maintains her backlist sales and uses her back catalogue to grow her readership.  Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

Violet Howe talks to us about her writing career and how feeling strongly about her story and characters led her to indie publishing. Violet discusses how writing two different series in the same town allows her to explore two genres. Violet also talks to us about how her past work experiences have influenced her writing but also how they have helped with other aspects of her writing business. Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

Melissa Yi, an emergency room physician and author, chats to us about how she balances being a writer and part-time doctor. She discusses how her work experiences have made their way into her Hope Sze Medical Mystery Series and she shares some of her favourite emergency room stories. Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

Author Rachel Grant and her narrator Greg Tremblay shed some light on the process of creating an audiobook. Rachel discusses the working relationship she has with Greg and how his narration has influenced her future work. Greg shares his experience as a narrator, and the process for creating audiobooks. Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

Are you ready to start writing your novel but have no idea where to start? In this special bonus episode, superstar Joanna Penn shares her top 5 tips for writing a novel in a month (and actually reaching your goal!). Need more tips? We have an exclusive offer on Joanna’s titles The Writer’s Toolbox 2019 (https://www.kobo.com/ebook/the-writer-s-toolbox-2019) and The Successful Author Mindset (https://www.kobo.com/audiobook/the-successful-author-mindset-1). Use promo code KWLPODPENN to receive 50% off of your choice of either eBook or audiobook.

New York Times bestselling author, Samantha Young talks to us about the life-changing success of her self-published novel On Dublin Street. Samantha examines the benefits of being a hybrid author, stepping out of her comfort zone with her forthcoming novel Outmatched and why relatable characters are the hallmark of all her novels. Stay tuned to the end of the episode for an exclusive offer on Samantha’s audiobook Into the Deep (https://www.kobo.com/audiobook/into-the-deep-18)!

Writing duo, Piper Rayne gives us insights on what it is like being a writing duo and they discuss the writing and revision process that works best for them. No two writing duos are alike! They discuss the prep work and strategy behind releasing a successful new persona and give their tips for new co-authors starting out. Make sure to stay tuned to the end of the episode for an exclusive offer on Piper Rayne’s title Lessons from a One-Night Stand (https://www.kobo.com/ebook/lessons-from-a-one-night-stand).

Waubgeshig Rice, an author and journalist originally from Wasauksing First Nation, talks about his latest novel, Moon of the Crusted Snow, a take on a post-apocalypse story told from an indigenous perspective. He also describes his path to writing and offers advice for young aspiring writers.

Emma Chase, NYT bestselling author, discusses the importance of learning the habits of your readers and setting reader expectations before the release of a new book. She discusses how she built up her newsletter audience and gives us hints about what to expect next from her Royally series. Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

New York Times best-selling author, Rachel Van Dyken discusses how having an authentic online presence offers something tangible to readers and allows authors to stay relevant in the ever-changing publishing world. She talks to us why she decided to be a hybrid author and discusses her upcoming novel Fashion Jungle which she co-wrote with model Kathy Ireland.  

Joshua Lisec take us behind the scenes on what it is like being a Celebrity Ghostwriter. He discusses how he became a ghostwriter, what the ghostwriting process looks like and ways in which you can start your first non-fiction title. Joshua also discusses his unique business model that sets his projects up for success. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

With 20 years in the industry and over 100 novels under her belt, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis shares her tips for finding the right method of publication for you and how to sustain a lifelong publishing career. Jill shares her strategy for her social media and how she models her posts in the same tone as her novels. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

Julie Evelyn Joyce talks to us about the inspiration for prize-winning novel Steeped in Love. Julie shares how writing Gilmore Girls fanfiction taught her about craft and how a chance meeting at RWA led her to entering and winning Kobo’s Emerging Writer Prize! Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

In this episode, Steph and Joni sat down with David Wind, author of The Indie Writer's Handbook. Wind has written 59 titles and started his author journey with a traditional publisher, before becoming a very early adopter of indie publishing in 2008. He talked to us about the lessons he's learned along the way, how he engages with readers across multiple genres, and offers advice for authors just starting out!   Join the platform that's fast, free and easy at www.kobo.com/writinglife!

Nora Decter, Kobo’s Emerging Writer Prize Winner for Literary Fiction, chats to us about her debut novel How Far We Go and How Fast. She talks about what pushed her to finish her first book, how she created an album to go with the novel and her experience winning the emerging writer prize. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

Sarah gives listeners the rundown of her experience creating her own audiobook and how it has been one of the best things she has done for her business. She discusses how authors can target Australian readers and why she wanted to create her own indie publisher, Serenade Publishing. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife 

Jackie Lau reflects on her first-year self-publishing and the steps she took to ensure success. She discusses the importance of diversity in romance and how she wanted to write characters with backgrounds underrepresented in the romance community. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

Stefanie London, USA Today best-selling author, shares with listeners her tips for completing your first draft, how to sustain productivity while working from home and how to find the right editor for your project. She also discusses the importance of taking time off for your creativity. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

Ricardo Fayet, co-founder of Reedsy, answers all our questions about the company from founding principles to their latest launch, Reedsy Discovery. He talks about SEO and steps authors can take to increase their searchability to ensure new readers find their books. He also discusses the manual process of acquiring freelance professionals to provide authors support for every step in their publishing career.   

Michael Tamblyn, the CEO of Kobo, provides the most compelling argument to date about why indie authors need to go wide. Spoiler: You don’t want one algorithm to run your life. Michael discusses the origin story of Kobo and Kobo Writing Life and his own unique career path that led him to where he is today. He also talks about how indie authors have been excellent at exploiting opportunities as the eBook market shifts. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife