First, you can self-publish your books, which means you assume all the risks, responsibilities, and rewards. Second, you can work with a hybrid publisher, which usually means you pay for their help with specific services, and they provide some of the functions of a traditional publisher. The third option, and the one most familiar to everyone, is traditional publishing. In this scenario, you sell your book to a publisher in exchange for an advance. They own the book but also take all the risk of producing and distributing the book, in addition to some marketing. Even though self-publishing has come a long way in the last ten or fifteen years, many authors still dream of getting a traditional publishing deal, especially with one of the big five New York publishers. If that’s your goal, you will need help in pitching your book to publishers to secure the best deal. That’s where a literary agent comes in. On today’s episode, I’m honored to talk with Mark Gottlieb, a New York literary agent who is here to give us the inside scoop on how to find and work with an agent. tentaclebimbo facebook Mark is the vice president and literary agent at book publishing’s leading literary agency, Trident Media Group in New York City. He attended Emerson College and was President of its Publishing Club, and established Wilde Press. After graduating with a degree in writing, literature and publishing, he began his career with Penguin’s VP. His first position at Trident Media Group was in foreign rights. He was the EA to Trident Media Group’s Chairman and ran the Audio Department. He is currently working with his own client list, helping to manage and grow author careers with the unique resources available to Trident Media Group. He is ranked highly among literary agents in overall deals and other categories. Some of the topics I talk about with Mark are: how he became a literary agent, what an agent actually does in the publishing ecosystem, the benefits of traditional publishing, what kinds of projects he looks for and how to stand out as an author, what the most successful authors do when pitching and working with an agent, and some common mistakes to avoid when trying to secure an agent. You can connect with Mark at https://literaryagentmarkgottlieb.com and find out more about the Trident Media Group at https://tridentmediagroup.com.

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We all know that profound changes can happen during this phase of life, the biggest of which is that your kids leave home and you become what’s known as an “empty nester.”

When the kids are no longer at home, everything about your family life changes. I’m going through this to some degree right now since my son, Ash, is 19. He’s been out of high school a year and still lives at home, but will probably be moving out in the not-too-distant future.

If this phase of life describes you, or if it describes someone you’re close to, you’ll relate very much to our guest today. Her name is Ruthie Gray and she’s been a guest here on the podcast before, talking about Instagram marketing.

However, Ruthie recently released a new book called Empty Next Awakening: Weaving the Threads of Your Passions into Purpose. The book is really wonderful, and is a real gift to anyone in this stage of life, men or women.

Ruthie Gray is a wife, grandmother, empty nester, and marketing coach for Christian female entrepreneurs, specializing in Instagram and newsletter strategy. Her hobbies include Florida beach walks, RV-ing with her hubby, and voraciously reading historical fiction.

She is also the founder of the Authentic Online Marketing School and Insider Mentorship, and podcasts at Authentic Online Marketing. She’s getting ready to launch her Authentic Online Marketing School, which can learn more about when you visit https://authenticonlinemarketing.com.

In this conversation, Ruthie and I talk about the challenges of the empty nest phase of life, why you can still have a business even if you have a ministry, her book writing and publishing process, and much more. If you’re considering writing a book, I think you’ll be very encouraged by Ruthie’s writing experience.

The post Ruthie Gray on Chasing Your Dreams in the Second Half of Life appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

We all know that writing is hard work. But that’s only part of it. There’s the marketing, the business side, the relationship building, and so many other elements of running a writing business that can sap your energy.

When things don’t go the way you planned, it’s easy to quit… unless you’ve decided ahead of time that you’re going to stick it out and persevere.

That’s why I’m excited to introduce you to my friend Chris Bystriansky, who recently released his book, New Steel: Replace Doubt and Fear with Resolve and Courage: From Two Hip Replacements to Two Triathlon Finishes. Chris tells the story of going through a major health challenge, then going on to finish not just one, but two, triathlons.

Chris is a husband, father, real estate investor, attorney, author, speaker, coach, IRONMAN, golfer, traveler, and much more. He has a BA in Psychology from Illinois Wesleyan University, a law degree from the University of Houston, and an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth Graduate School of Business.

Chris is also the author of a fantastic book with a great title: Renting From My 6-Year Old: The Right Actions That Can Make and Keep Your Family Rich.

In this conversation, Chris and I talk about his journey from hip replacements to finishing two triathlons and what writers can learn about persevering through hard challenges. We also talk about why writers need to set health and fitness goals and where to start.

Finally, Chris shares some thoughts on how he wrote his memoir. If you’ve been considering writing your own story, you’ll find a lot of value in what Chris shares.

You can connect with Chris via his website, https://chrisbystriansky.com/.

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As a ghostwriter and author coach, I talk to a lot of writers. Whether someone has already written a book, or they’re considering writing their first one, I hear something like these phrases quite often:

• I’m stuck.
• I don’t know what to write about.
• I don’t know how to get started.

When you get stuck in the “writer’s vortex,” it can feel debilitating with no clear way of escape.

Thankfully, my guest today has a fantastic, brand-new resource to help both aspiring and seasoned authors alike. Her name is Honorée Corder, and this past Monday, she released her newest book, There is No Such Thing as Writer’s Block: You Can Unleash Your Inner Prolific Writer.

You’ve probably heard Honorée on the podcast before, and she’s made multiple appearances here for a good reason: she’s not only a good friend, but also my business coach, and leader of the Empire Builders Mastermind, which has been an awesome resource for me the last couple of years.

Honorée Corder is the author of dozens of books, including: You Must Write a Book, You Must Market Your Book, The Prosperous Writers book series, The Bestselling Book Formula, The Successful Single Mom book series, and many more.

In this episode, we do a deep dive into several topics related to writer’s block. We talk about what it means to be a professional writer, how to remove the blocks holding you back, writing to the container of the book, surrounding yourself with other writers, and much more.

You can get There is No Such Thing as Writer’s Block on Amazon, and I also recommend signing up for Honorée’s extremely helpful email list at https://honoreecorder.com.

We also have 5 copies of the book available as a giveaway. The first 5 to leave a review of the Daily Writer Podcast on Apple Podcasts will receive a print copy in the mail. Just leave a review, take a screenshot, email it to me at kent@dailywriterlife.com along with your address, and I’ll drop it in the mail!

The post Honorée Corder on Why There is No Such Thing as Writer’s Block appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

His calling and passion to write, incubating for decades, manifested itself through personal and professional blogging, as well as lots of published articles for various magazines.

David resides on a small farm in Hartford, Arkansas, where he enjoys long walks to the creek with his lovely wife and short walks through the field with his sheep. His other passions include writing, music, reading, cooking for their large family, and sipping on a cup of dark roast coffee as often as possible.

In this conversation, David and I talk about the main idea of his book and what it means for authors—namely, that we need to make time for space, solitude, and nature in our creative lives. David also shares his writing process for the book as well as his marketing strategies.

Most of all, I hope that if you’re thinking about writing your first book, you’ll be encouraged by David’s journey and know that you can do it too! You can connect with David at almosthomebooks.com.

The post David Steen on Writing & Marketing His First Book, “Almost Home” appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

One of the biggest joys of my professional life is seeing first-time authors launch their books. It’s even more fun when they are friends whom I’ve known for a long time!

That’s certainly the case with today’s guest. I’m excited to share this conversation with Kelly Brinkmann, author of Art for the Soul: Growing Your Faith Through Creativity, which was published earlier this year.

Kelly is a faith-based working artist and writer. She studied studio art in painting and earned her B.A., equipping her to use creative thinking and problem-solving in various nonprofit and corporate leadership positions.

She serves as a writer, public speaker, and creative instructor in her community at her studio, Art & Souls Creative Studio, in Washington, Missouri. She also serves, learns, teaches, and mentors alongside women in her home church while starting her first term on the local school board in 2022.

You can learn more about Kelly on her writing and speaking website, KellyBrinkmann.com, and see her in her studio at ArtAndSouls.com. These sites offer her Scripture study tools, downloads of hand-drawn bookmarks, and a portfolio of handmade artwork as tangible tools and reminders of God’s never-ending grace and love.

Kelly and I first met when I was a professor at St. Louis Christian College, and I had the honor of handing over to her a course I taught called “Introduction to the Arts.” I knew students would be in good hands, and it has been a real honor to see Kelly write and publish her book since that time.

In this conversation, Kelly shares her process for writing Art for the Soul, as well as the items she baked into the book to make it more fun and reader-friendly. Kelly also shares a lot of fascinating details about her branding and book marketing.

You’ll want to take a lot of notes because Kelly has done an incredible job in putting together a first-class book, as well as her creative thinking and engaging marketing.

The post Artist Kelly Brinkmann on Writing & Marketing Her First Book appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

First, I think it’s important to support your friends who are launching books and building a business.

Second, my wife just turned 50 and menopause has been a big topic of discussion in our house for the last couple of years, and probably will be for a while longer.

Third, a large percentage of people that I interact with on a daily basis are women, usually ranging from their 40s to 60s. There are a lot of exceptions, of course, but a good chunk of the people in my network and podcast audience are in this age group—in other words, women going into the age of menopause soon, dealing with it now, or having been through it in the not-too-distant past.

Whenever you serve a particular audience, it’s important to understand where they’re coming from and what they’re going through. So, this was a great opportunity for me to learn about this topic that affects every woman, and therefore, the vast majority of men as well.

And fourth, I confess that I’ve never taken much time to learn about menopause. As writers, it’s our job to be curious and seek knowledge about a wide variety of topics. And if you’re a ghostwriter like me, it’s especially important to know something about as many topics as you can.

With that as the foundation of my interest in this topic, let me tell you a bit about my guests.

Tricia Brouk helps high-performing professionals transform into industry thought leaders through the power of authentic storytelling. She founded The Big Talk Academy, where she certifies speakers in the art of public speaking. She was the executive producer of Speakers Who Dare and TEDxLincolnSquare, and is the producer and host of The Big Talk, an award-winning podcast and YouTube Channel. In addition to being the author of The Influential Voice, Tricia curates and hosts the Speaker Salon in NYC, and is being featured in a new documentary called Big Stages.

Alexandra Stockwell, MD, known as “The Intimacy Doctor,” is a Relationship and Intimacy Coach and an Intimate Marriage Expert who specializes in coaching ambitious, successful couples to build beautiful, long-lasting, passionate relationships. Her mission is to change the cultural narrative so people everywhere know that intimate relationships can flourish and improve with time. Alexandra is the host of The Intimate Marriage Podcast as well as the author of Uncompromising Intimacy.

In this conversation, we focus on two main things related to menopause. First, we dig into a basic understanding of what it is and how it affects women, with a view toward how men can better understand it to support the women in their lives.

Tricia and Alexandra also dive into why and how they wrote The Invitation, particularly since the book doesn’t neatly fit into their typical brands. They also share their publishing strategy and why they approached the book as a conversation rather than a typical nonfiction book format.

I’ll be honest: I felt out of my depth on this topic, so I’m grateful for Tricia and Alexandra’s patience and openness. I hope you find this inspiring not just as a writer, but as a human being as well—whether you’re a woman who has been through or will go through menopause, or a man who wants to better understand and support the women in his life.

The Invitation releases on September 13, so I encourage you to support Tricia and Alexandra and pre-order your copy.

I do want to mention that in this episode, we’re discussing some mature themes, so if you typically listen to this episode with younger kids in the room, you may want to stash it in your queue for a later time.

The post Tricia Brouk & Alexandra Stockwell on Co-Writing “Vital Conversations About Menopause” appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

We have all kinds of amazing guests on this podcast, but it’s rare that I have a guest whose platform has been built on the very concept of daily writing. But since 2010, my guest has been blogging about leadership every day. Now he has a following of nearly half a million people across social media and his email list.

His name is Dan Rockwell and he’s the genius behind LeadershipFreak.com. He describes himself as “freakishly interested in leadership.” Dan is an Inc Magazine Top Fifty Leadership and Management Expert and a Top 100 Great Leadership Speaker.

According to the Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness, the Leadership Freak blog is the most socially shared leadership blog on the Internet.

Dan coaches leaders, consults with organizations, and delivers corporate and community presentations. He’s also the co-author of the brand-new book he wrote with John David Mann: a business parable called The Vagrant: The Inner Journey of Leadership. It’s really terrific, and I hope you’ll pre-order a copy before it releases on Sep. 19^th.

In this conversation, Dan and I talk about the inspiration behind The Vagrant and why he and John decided to approach it as a parable. I think you’ll discover some great insights on storytelling from Dan. We also talk about the genesis of his world-renowned blog, some leadership principles for writers and entrepreneurs, and his process for writing every day, especially when you’re getting started.

This was a wide-ranging and fascinating conversation. Many thanks to John David Mann for introducing me to Dan!

The post Dan Rockwell on Leadership, Storytelling, and Writing Habits appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

When we were kids, we learned the phrase, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” As adults, we try to put this into practice by doing things to minimize our risk and never trust one single entity for our success because it can fail.

The same is true for your success as an author, especially when it comes to the channels where you promote and sell your books.

That’s why I’m excited to feature this conversation with Kevin Tumlinson, an award-winning and bestselling author of hundreds of novels and non-fiction books. Known as “the Voice of Indie Publishing,” he’s helped thousands of will-be and working authors to build and grow their writing careers through his work in podcasting, public speaking, and as Director of Marketing & PR for Draft2Digital.

Kevin is also an inveterate world traveler, and can usually be found writing from cafes, coffee shops, and hotel lobbies around the world.

I was inspired by a recent post Kevin wrote for the Draft2Digital site on diversifying your writing income, and that informed much of our conversation. We also talk about the value of putting your books on the incredible Draft2Digital platform and how it can help build your author career and increase sales.

In addition, we dig into Kevin’s process for writing fiction. He talks about how he comes up with story ideas, how to formulate plots, and how to know when a story is good enough to publish. I absolutely loved his insights about how he actually writes a first draft using his looping method of editing and drafting.

You can connect with Kevin on his website, https://www.kevintumlinson.com, and find all of his books and links there. I also encourage you to check out Kevin’s brand-new book, A Note from the Author: 123 Wise Things Someone Should Probably Say to You.

The post Fiction Author Kevin Tumlinson on Diversifying Your Writing Income appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

This is one of those podcast conversations that’s still a little baffling to me because I’m shocked it actually happened. Let me explain.

When I was a student in college, way back in the dark ages—I mean, the early 1990s—I was introduced to the music of Christian recording artist Wes King. My good friend Jeff Hogan was a guitar player and worship leader, and one day I was in his apartment on campus. He said, “You’ve gotta listen to this guy Wes King. He’s an incredible musician.”

The first song he played for me was Wes’s song “Life on the Vine,” from his album “Sticks and Stones.” I was immediately hooked. From then on, I was a huge Wes King fan.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, Wes released a number of incredible albums, including “The Ultimate Underlying No-Denying Motivation,” the aforementioned “Sticks and Stones,” “The Robe,” “Common Creed,” “A Room Full of Stories,” “What Matters Most,” and “Invention,” a collaboration with fellow guitar virtuosos Scott Dente and Phil Keaggy.

Wes has also written songs with, and collaborated with, many other Christian artists over the years, such as Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Kim Hill, Gordon Kennedy… the list goes on.

He’s known as an insightful, lyrical, and theologically-minded songwriter… not to mention a world-class guitarist. I couldn’t tell you how many hours I’ve devoted over the years to figuring out how to play some of his songs and the crazy tunings they’re in.

So, you can imagine my surprise when, a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit Wes in his home in Franklin, TN, to meet him in person and record this interview. This conversation drifted to a range of issues, including his music career, songwriting, the creative life, theology, and much more.

A quick note: we were not in a studio for this conversation. I used a small digital recorder, so it has a different sound than my typical Zoom interviews. But I hope you enjoy it, and much more important, I hope you check out Wes’s music if you’re not already familiar with it. You can also connect with him on Facebook.

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