Shows
Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 067: Reflecting on Our 2021 ProgressJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we are reflecting on the past year of publishing, the past two years of the Strategic Authorpreneur Podcast, and what 2022 will bring for both of us.
HIGHLIGHTS
Our 'creator' goals and what we achieved in 2021Challenges we faced as marketers and how we were able to manage our authorpreneur livesThings we wished we did bestHow going wide changed the way w...2021-12-201h 13Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 066: KDP Select vs Wide with Ben GalleyJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode, we're chatting with special guest Ben Galley about how to write successful series and the pros and cons of wide publishing vs. exclusivity. We're also going to talk about how authors can leverage their IPs and create multiple revenue streams and some pitfalls of self-publishing you should be aware of.
HIGHLIGHTS
Tips for writing a successful, long seriesComparing going Wide w...2021-12-0649 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 065: Challenging YourselfJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we're digging into the topic of Challenging Ourselves—what it means and how our experience can benefit you. We've each done some major experiments in this area and we're going to try to distill down what worked, what didn't - what we learned about ourselves in the process.
HIGHLIGHTS
What was our yearly challengeWhy pushing your limits can help you bec...2021-11-2257 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 064: Writing FasterJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In today's episode we're digging into the topic of writing faster as this episode goes live halfway through this year's NaNoWriMo and you may be feeling the need for speed. Even if you're not doing NaNo, there are plenty of times when writing in faster will come in handy for you.
We will also talk about staying motivated in the long run and ways to establish i...2021-11-0852 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 063: Preparing to Rock NaNoWriMoJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a great way to start that writing project that has been taking hours of your sleeping time for the past year. In the end, it doesn’t really matter if you have successfully written a 50,000-word manuscript, or a couple of novellas, or half a dozen short stories. If you sit down and write words that might be the beginning of a gre...2021-10-2547 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 062: Going Wide Progress Report #6: August+September 2021Join indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
Join us as we reflect on Months 6+7 of Going Wide and look at the progress made, the challenges encountered along the way, and discuss solutions to the obstacles we faced this past month.
HIGHLIGHTS
What has happened since the last episode?Creator hat updates and goalsManager hat updates and goalsMarketing hat updates and goals
SHOW NOTES + RESOURCES
Complete s...2021-10-1142 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 061: Balanced Writing Life with Bella Mahaya CarterJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we're chatting with special guest Bella Mahaya Carter about how you can rethink your ambitions and trust in your heartfelt purpose and values in the journey to becoming, or continuing on, as an author.
HIGHLIGHTS
What has happened since the last episode?About Bella Mayaha CarterHow the three Principles of Mind, Consciousness, and Thought can influence an author’s journeyWays of...2021-09-2743 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 060: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense with Clay StaffordJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we're talking with special guest Clay Stafford—the founder of Killer Nashville conference and magazine that deals with all things Thriller, Mystery and Suspense. In this interview Clay talks about the importance of adding mystery and suspense elements to any story to turn it into an engaging novel readers won't be able to put down. He also discusses the number one difficulty writers face and ho...2021-09-1346 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 059: Plotting for Pantsers (aka Discovery Writers)Join indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
While some people love the structure and order of plotting and can't start writing until they know every twist and turn of the story, for Discover Writers (aka Pantsers) that takes all the fun right out of the process. But there are ways that you can implement a little plotting and planning without totally taking the fun out of discovering the story as you go.
In t...2021-08-3050 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 058: Going Wide Progress Report #5: June+July 2021Join indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
Join us as we reflect on Months 6+7 of Going Wide and look at the progress made, the challenges encountered along the way, and discuss solutions to the obstacles we faced this past month.
HIGHLIGHTS
What has happened since the last episode?Creator hat updates and goalsManager hat updates and goalsMarketing hat updates and goalsBiggest wins and challenges
SHOW NOTES + RESOURCES2021-08-161h 00Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 057: Writing Short and Publishing Wide with Mark Leslie LefebvreJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we're talking with special guest Mark Leslie about two topics all three of us are particularly passionate about—writing short, and publishing wide. Mark explains what options writers have when it comes to write successful short stories that sell, and how to use the power of 'WIDE publishing' to earn many stream of revenues that will last for a very long time.
HI...2021-08-0255 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 056: Getting into the Flow of WritingJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
As authors we have known this from day one: writing is not easy.
There are many moving pieces when it comes to crafting the best story we can write. But is there a way to up our chances of writing a great story? Enter the flow.
Today, we're going to talk about getting into a flow state with your writing and publishing activities in...2021-07-1951 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 055: Finding Your Voice as a WriterJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
We all heard about writer's 'voice'. Voice is the lens through which the reader sees the story, and speaks of the author's style as We all heard about writer's 'voice'. Voice is the lens through which the reader sees the story, and speaks of the author's style as nothing else can. Getting comfortable with your writer 'voice' means becoming less self-conscious about your writing. But what really is...2021-07-1241 minStrategic AuthorpreneurGoing Wide Progress Report #4: April+May 2021Join indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
Join us as we reflect on Months 4+5 of Going Wide and look at the progress made, the challenges encountered along the way, and discuss solutions to the obstacles we faced this past month.
HIGHLIGHTS
What has happened since the last episodeCreator hat updates and goalsManager hat updates and goalsMarketing hat updates and goalsBiggest challenges and wins
SHOW NOTES + RESOURCES
2021-06-211h 00Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 053: Going Wide Progress Report #3: March 2021Join indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
Join us as we reflect on Month 3 of Going Wide and look at the progress made, the challenges encountered along the way, and discuss solutions to the obstacles we faced this past month.
HIGHLIGHTS
What has happened since the last episode?Creator hat updates and goalsManager hat updates and goalsMarketer hat updates and goalsBiggest challenges this month
SHOW NOTES + RESOURCES2021-04-1947 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 052: Tips on Publishing Wide for the Win with Erin WrightJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
'Going wide' is a mindset few authors fully understand. Often seen merely as a 'strategy' that can benefit some authors, going wide is not only about reaching people in hundreds of markets. It's about diversifying, not settling for what is easy, and maximizing your income streams.
Join us today as we interview Erin Wright, founder of the Wide for the Win Facebook group who will walk u...2021-04-0559 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 051: How to prioritize your writing and publishing tasksJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
One of the most critical skillsets an authorpreneur needs to develop to achieve success and maintain sanity is the ability to prioritize.
A great story and good marketing can bring you far, but they are not enough. You can't measure your progress against yesterday's tasks if you do not have a system in place that lets you do just that.
In this episode, we're...2021-03-2933 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 050: The Role of Reading in WritingJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
There are few things as necessary as reading in the life of a writer. Reading shapes the way we see the world; it also informs how we write, inspires us to create stories, and motivates us when we hit a roadblock or want to throw in the towel. However, this apparently simple activity can also be a challenge; it can get disrupted, and easing back into it might...2021-03-2234 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 049: Going Wide Progress Report #2: February 2021Join indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
Join us as we reflect on Month 2 of Going Wide and look at the progress made, the challenges encountered along the way, and discuss solutions to the obstacles we faced this past month.
HIGHLIGHTS
What has happened since the last episode?Creator hat updates and goalsManager hat updates and goalsMarketer hat updates and goalsBiggest challenges from the past monthBiggest win this monthYour homework
2021-03-1542 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 048: How to Recruit, Manage and Mobilize your ARC TeamJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
"Please review my book" are the most important four words when it comes to launching your book. But this is so much more than a simple request, especially when it comes to being strategic about it.
This week we're going to tackle ARC teams—what they are, why they are useful, how you get people to join one, and what you do with them once you ha...2021-03-0843 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 047: Professional Book Covers on a BudgetJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
People really do judge a book by its cover—and you want your book to look professional and attract the right readers. Your cover is one of the main determinants of how well your book will sell. But we understand that budgets don't always stretch as far as we might like.
In this episode we're talking about what makes a cover look professional, tips and tricks to...2021-03-0143 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 046: Making Sense of Data from a Variety of Wide PlatformsJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
Data management is the Achilles' heel for a lot of authors. But if you don't understand your numbers—where to get them, what they mean and how to use them to inform your strategy—then you're missing a huge opportunity to help your business grow.
In today's episode we're tackling data for wide authors, and sharing some resources that will help you to better understand your data...2021-02-2254 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 045: Going Wide Progress Report #1: January 2021Join indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
'Progress' is a power word that makes the journey worth taking. In this episode we share our first ever monthly progress report, and underline the three areas where we focused our efforts: creation of content, managing of resources and the marketing of books.
There were wins and setbacks along the way, and a lot of lessons learned. We also share what our objectives for the next...2021-02-151h 09Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 044: Going Direct vs Using an Aggregator for Wide eBook DistributionJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
One of the most important decisions you will make when setting up your author business is how to reach your readers: will you sell your ebooks directly, set up distribution accounts through each online store, or use an aggregator as a centralized hub for distribution? In today's episode we talk about some of the elements you might consider when making this decision, such as market access, money, ease...2021-02-0146 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 043: Wide or Exclusive for eBook publishing in 2021?Join indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
Not sure if you should publish your eBooks wide or exclusive to Amazon? There is no one right answer to this question. In today's episode we are talking about advantages and disadvantages of both routes while providing our experience on both sides of the fence. We also explain the differences between selling books directly through individual retailers like Kobo, Apple and the GooglePlay store vs using an aggregator...2021-01-2544 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 042: Tales from 2020 Data, Going Wide and Targets for 2021Join indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
Welcome back to the Strategic Authorpreneur Podcast. In the first episode of the second season we reflect upon what happened in our writing lives in 2020, and give you a clear view of what our objectives are for 2021. Last year was a challenging year in many ways, but also one ripe with opportunities. Michele talks about his 12X20 challenge and how it influenced his long term publication schedule, while...2021-01-181h 02Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP SPECIAL: Season 1 Wrap Up + What’s Coming in 2021Join indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
It’s good-bye time for 2020. This was a year filled with events. Good and bad and unexpected. Everything was thrown into the mix.
In this episode we reflect on what happened in our author lives in 2020 and on the many exciting things to come for the Strategic Authorpreneur Podcast in 2021. We talk about the podcast’s updated format, the plan for the new website, the brand new...2020-12-2843 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 041: What to Do With Your NaNoWriMo ManuscriptJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a great way to tackle that writing project that has been nagging at you for the past year, or ten! It doesn’t really matter if you have successfully written a 50,000 word manuscript before or are brand new to writing and have a few hundred words that might be the beginning of a great idea; in the end, working towards something is al...2020-12-0744 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 040: Full Time Author with Eileen CookJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
Who doesn’t want to get paid to spend their work days lost in magical worlds with a bunch of imaginary friends? Yes, you’ve guessed it, today we’re going to talk about making your full-time author dream come true by examining what it really takes to step up and become a business owner who day-dreams for a living.
Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet. The ro...2020-11-301h 09Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 039: Disaster Proofing your Author BusinessJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
Managing a business is never easy. Savvy authorpreneurs know that their job is to produce great content, adapt quickly to the ever changing world of self-publishing and weather the occasional storms by keeping their eyes on the long term plan.
There are things authors can do to disaster proof their online business and ensure as much as possible that they remain in control of their writing...2020-11-2353 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 038: Coauthoring with Angela Ackerman and Becca PuglisiJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
Writing collaboratively can be a great opportunity for indie, hybrid and traditionally published authors. Whether you’re good at working with others or see the potential benefits that a collaboration could bring to your business, joining forces with another writer could help you level up many of your writing projects.
This is what happened to Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, the authors of the well-loved series of...2020-11-161h 12Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 037: How to Get the Most Out of a Virtual ConferenceJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
Virtual conferences are a great way to connect with other authors, to level up your writing craft and to learn the ins and outs of the business of being an authorpreneur.
In this episode we dive into what makes virtual conferences so valuable for writers—especially in this day and age. We explore why it’s a good idea to participate in at least one of these...2020-11-0954 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 036: Writing Crime Fiction with Sam WiebeJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
Crafting a well-written, fast-paced book is not easy. Reading a lot in your genre and attending courses and conferences can get you far, but there is nothing as powerful as starting a book and finishing it; going through the process of actually putting together the first scene and then writing an ending is the single most important thing you can do to level up your writing.
I...2020-11-021h 08Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 035: NaNoWriMo Prep for Plotters and PantsersJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
There is no one way to write a novel, and no matter what your approach is when you set off to craft a story, the best way is the one that gets you to finish what you started.
Join us as we talk about the joy of writing from the seat of your pants and about the many advantages of plotting your novel strategically before you...2020-10-2652 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 034: Effective Book Marketing with Fauzia BurkeJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
Book marketing is a source of frustration for many indie authors. BUT it’s also one of the most important things writers can do to expose their stories to a wider audience. We’ve heard this thousands of times, and yet nowadays it is increasingly more difficult to put our books in front of our readers. Is there a simple, straightforward way to share our books with the righ...2020-10-191h 08Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 033: AI Voice Technology with Jose SoteloJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In today’s episode we chat with Jose Sotelo, Co-Founder of Lyrebird and an expert in speech synthesis technology. Serious authorpreneurs are always on the lookout for new tools that can help them share their books to a broader audience. In today’s episode Jose unveils what possibilities lie ahead in the interesting field of speech synthesis technology, why progress in this field is important for authors and how...2020-10-121h 05Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 032: Promo Planning for your Book or SeriesJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
Today we’re going to talk about how to organize a book promo, and why it’s a good idea to learn the best practices of book launching. What is a book promo push? When does it make sense to start one? What can it do for you languishing sales? How do you take advantage of your backlist and re-energize your catalogue? These are just a few of the...2020-10-051h 03Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 031: What NOT to do—The Publishing ProcessJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In today’s episode we’re tackling what did NOT work for us when it comes to the process of actually publishing your books. We look at some of the most common things that go wrong, and how you can avoid them so your publishing process goes as smoothly as possible!
HIGHLIGHTS
What has happened since the last episode?Challenges during the publishing proc...2020-09-2849 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP: 030 What NOT to do—Keywords, Blurbs and ReviewsJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In today’s episode we’re tackling what did NOT work for us when it comes to keywords and categories, blurbs, and reviews. We look at some of the most common mistakes authors make in these areas, and how you can avoid them as well as sharing the best tips and tools to help you get it right.
HIGHLIGHTS
What has happened since the l...2020-09-2156 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 029: What NOT to do: Interior LayoutsJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode, we’re talking about what NOT to do when it comes to the interior layouts for your books. What tools do we recommend? What mistakes have we made? How to make sure to avoid looking like a rookie, and more!
HIGHLIGHTS
What has happened since the last episode?Interior layout softwareWhat does your family think about you being a writer?
...2020-09-1434 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 028: What NOT to Do: Cover DesignJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode, we take a good hard look what NOT to do when tackling cover design as an indie author, and share some of our biggest mistakes so you can learn from our experiences—both good and bad. We're going to share a few pro tips that can help you, regardless of whether you're hiring somebody or not.
HIGHLIGHTS
What has happened si...2020-09-0757 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 027: The Power of Reflection and EvolutionJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we’re focused on reflection and evolution. We’re celebrating six months of weekly podcast recording, talking about how doing this podcast has impacted out author careers, and reflecting on our indie publishing careers as a whole.
HIGHLIGHTS
What has happened since the last episode?Why we started this podcastHow doing the podcast has changed our approachesAnything you would do diff...2020-08-311h 01Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 026 Translating Your StoriesJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we’re digging into translation and how you can convert your stories into multiple languages. We talk about what’s involved in translating yourself, hiring a translator, and what opportunities exist for you to sell foreign translation rights to a 3rd party.
HIGHLIGHTS
What has happened since the last episode?Translating your own storiesThe cost of hiring someone to translate vs d...2020-08-2449 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 025: When to Spend Money vs D.I.Y.Join indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode, we’re talking about how and when to spend money to help you level up your writing career. How do you decide how much you’re going to spend on promotion? When should you buy a tool and go the DIY route instead of paying someone to do a job for you? What questions do you need to ask yourself when you’re analyzing any new “o...2020-08-171h 02Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 024: The Firehose Approach to Author Success with Angela PepperJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we’re chatting with USA Today bestselling author Angela Pepper about magic, romance, new adult, cozy mysteries, making money as a writer, burnout, and the “fire hose” approach to success in your author career. We talk about different ways to change up your process and approach to story, how to trick yourself into being productive and what the stages of building an author career can look l...2020-08-101h 27Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 023: Harnessing The Power of Your VoiceJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we take a deep dive into ways you can put your VOICE to work for you as an author. We’ll tackle some of the biggest fears people have around public speaking, how we get past those, and the various ways to put your voice to work for you. We discuss podcasts, presenting, teaching, book launches and using AI voices to generate audio versions of po...2020-08-0359 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 022: Writing Collaboratively with Pam WithersJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we’re talking with Young Adult author Pam Withers about writing with a co-author, and how that can enhance the writing process and help you ‘get it right’ when writing characters who have a different culture and background than the author does. We touch on different methods of working with co-authors, and what it’s like getting started in indie publishing after being traditionally published through...2020-07-2746 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 021: Data Driven Decision Making for AuthorsJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we’re digging into the data and the numbers that we as authors can use to help us make decisions as we level up our writing careers. There is an overwhelming flood of numbers that come at you in the publishing world, so it’s important to figure out which numbers matter to you. What you want to track, how you’re going to track it, an...2020-07-201h 03Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 020: Re-publishing your traditionally published book as an indie with Bonni GoldbergJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we’re chatting with non-fiction, poetry and children’s book author Bonni Goldberg about the process of getting rights back to a traditionally published book and re-publishing it as an indie author. We dig into what it means to get the rights back for a book. How do you go about that? And then what steps had to be taken to republish the book? How do y...2020-07-131h 10Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 019: Mailing List Tool options for AuthorsJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
It’s time to step through the looking glass and into the wonderful (and often overwhelming) world of newsletter / mailing list managment tools. What are the tools out there? How do you choose the right one for you? What are some of the benefits of the different main players in the mailing list world? What are the specific details you have to look at for each platform you’re c...2020-07-061h 04Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 018: Deep Story Design with April BosshardJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In today’s episode we are talking about Deep Story Design and the role of story in our lives with story coach April Bosshard. What does it mean to piece together the puzzle of your own writing life? What IS story? Story is the common element between film and fiction—how will knowing the rules for telling a story on the screen help you write a better novel? We d...2020-06-291h 22Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 017: Challenges and Opportunities of Writing Short(er) FictionJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
Writing short(er) stories is a great way to get established with a number of products, and get some momentum going while you feed “the algorithm”. In this episode we dig into what exactly constitutes a short story, why you might want to get into writing short. What are the opportunities with shorter fiction? How can that benefit your budget and your bottom line? What are some advantages avai...2020-06-221h 13Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 016: Accountability to Yourself and Your Writing with Claire O’ConnorJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we’re digging into the topic of accountability with Accountability and Life Coach Claire O’Connor. We talk about habit stacking, developing the habit of writing, and how to support yourself in the formation of your creative habits. The power of layering in habits one at a time, some challenges that come up as we try to do motivate ourselves to write, and how to keep...2020-06-151h 14Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 015: How to do a Book Sales MakeoverJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode, we look at what it means to do a book sales makeover and what is involved. What elements do we look at? Titles, content, marketing materials, covers, calls to action and more. Where do you start first so that you don’t get overwhelmed? What does it mean to start at the end and then work your way back? What is the most challenging part of...2020-06-0800 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 014: Switching Genres with Elizabeth BoyleIJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we are digging into the experience of switching writing genres with special guest bestselling author Elizabeth Boyle. We talk about what prompts authors to make a shift to a new genre, how to navigate that as a traditionally published authors, and how to approach finding a new community of writers to go along with your new genre, who are a good fit for you...2020-06-011h 22Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 013: Strategies and Options for Series AuthorsJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we talk about challenges and opportunities of writing of a series. What is a KAREful author and why should you be one? What to do when you just aren’t getting the results you hoped for when it comes to sales and reviews? What are the different kinds of series and what approach might suit your personality? What if you write standalones—can you as the...2020-05-2559 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 012: Aligning Your Values and Your Business with Constance MearsJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode, we’re talking with special guest Constance Mears—writer, artist and mystic—about developing your creative business in alignment with your values. We talk about fans, and how to lead them to you. Getting to know your own personality, and constructing a business style that works for you. We dig into the challenges of sharing yourself through your writing, the comparison of ourselves to other creati...2020-05-181h 28Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 011: Staying Sane While Working from HomeJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we’re sharing our best strategies for how to stay sane while working from home. How to organize your time, health and wellness tips, some tricks to help signal others in your house when you’re in work mode and some great resources to help you stay focused and on track.
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What has happened since the last episode?Our expe...2020-05-111h 03Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 010: Conflict and Character Building with Eileen CookJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode, we get started with a conversation about resistance, and how that operates in our creative process. And then we tackle building complex characters, and increasing conflict in our stories with special guest—bestselling author Eileen Cook.
Counselling psychology has a lot to offer writers when it comes to getting to know your characters really well, and helping ensure they are well developed and con...2020-05-041h 27Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 009: Generation vs Transformation in your Writing BusinessJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we define generation and transformation in the context of creativity, and our writing businesses. How do you make time for both? How do you set yourself up for daily success? Everyone’s process is different, and we explore which kind is more challenging. What are some of the manifestations of transformational creativity in the writing world, and how do you work on that? How do yo...2020-04-271h 14Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 008: Social Media Strategy for Writers with Liza PalmerJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode, we’re talking with special guest Liza Palmer about social media for authors. Liza’s exerience working for Buzzfeed gives her a unique inside look at what’s hot online and she shares her insights into which strategies might work for authors. We dig into going where your audience is, not trying to “boil the ocean”, what the heck TikTok is, and how to be ourselves...2020-04-201h 26Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 007: Connecting With ReadersJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
We’re talking about how to connect with readers online. Social media, mailing lists, events (virtual and in real life), special interest groups, and way to connect with YOUR specific audience. How to narrow down your approach, and where to best invest your energy. We dig into how to be truthful and authentic about who you are in making those connections. Tools are shared—what they are and how...2020-04-2056 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 006: Book Launch StrategyJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
There are many different ways to launch a book, and in this episode we talk about some different kinds of launches you can have, some tools you can use, how to mobilize your Advance Readers / Review Crew. We discuss places to connect with readers, and options for how you can set yourself up for future success on the technical side of things by attracting the right readers. We...2020-04-2057 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 005: Inside the Indie Publishing ProcessJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode, we’re talking about indie publishing and tackling the following questions: How and why did we choose to go the indie route? What did we try that didn’t work? What software/tools do we use in the publishing process to give ourselves more time for writing? Should you go wide or Amazon exclusive? What would we change if we could go back in time?
2020-04-2053 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 004: A Deep Dive into the Editing ProcessJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we talk about what’s involved in editing your book. What are the steps involved, whether or not you should hire an editor, different types of editing, how to find and hire a professional editor, and how to save some money and energy in the polishing phase for your books.
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Finding an editorHow much to spend on an editorWhere to...2020-04-141h 04Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 003: Inside Story Inspirations and the Writing ProcessJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode, we’re going down the rabbit hole of stories. We’re talking about where ideas come from, how you capture those ideas, and how you can turn them into a story or series of stories. And as a bonus, we talk about what inspires us, and what scares the heck out of us. Oh, and for those of you who stick it out to the very...2020-04-131h 12Strategic AuthorpreneurSAP 002: The Business of Being an AuthorpreneurJoin indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
In this episode we take a deep dive into the business of being an author. Budgeting, business structures, what are the essential tools you can't live without, balance between work and play, and plenty more juicy tidbits. Want to know what mistakes we've made so you don't make them? Yeah, thought so :)
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Our general approach to writing as a businessExperiences and expectationsBest...2020-04-0859 minStrategic AuthorpreneurSAP 001: Welcome to The Strategic Authorpreneur Podcast!Join indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani as we share ways to save time, money and energy as you level up your writing and publishing career.
Meet your hosts—indie authors Crystal Hunt and Michele Amitrani—as we talk about what you can expect from our weekly show, debate what our writing and publishing superpowers are, and get into the nitty gritty of what we have to offer you to help you save time, money and energy as you level up your writing career.
HIGHLIGHTS
What is a strategic autho...2020-03-2943 min