James & Cara discuss TikTok and it's impact on the book market and whether it's still a place where authors can find new readers.

Useful links:

Our TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@indie.writers.clu

The Discord Server: indiewritersclub.com/discord

PublishDrive: publishdrive.com

Summary

In this episode of the Indie Writers Club, hosts Cara Clare and James Blatch discuss the significant impact of TikTok on the book world, sharing personal experiences and insights on how the platform has transformed book marketing for indie authors. They explore the dynamics of their Word Count Club, the challenges and strategies of using TikTok for book promotion, and the evolution of social media in the writing community. The conversation also touches on the importance of SEO, the commercialization of TikTok, and the various ways authors can engage with their audience without necessarily appearing on camera.

Takeaways

• TikTok has revolutionized book marketing for indie authors.
• Setting achievable writing goals can boost motivation.
• Engaging with readers on platforms like TikTok can lead to significant book sales.
• SEO is crucial for visibility on TikTok.
• The platform has become more commercialized, affecting organic reach.
• Authors can succeed on TikTok without showing their faces.
• Community support is vital for maintaining motivation in writing.
• Analyzing successful content can help tailor your own strategy.
• TikTok serves as a powerful recommendation engine for books.
• Virality on TikTok can attract both positive and negative attention.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

01:15 The Impact of TikTok on the Book World

07:01 Word Count Club Updates

18:37 Exploring Reem Stories and Author Platforms

22:16 The Evolution of TikTok and Its Commercialization

40:11 Strategies for Success on TikTok

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Cara & James discuss the many scams awaiting the unwary indie author.

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Shownotes for 004

Links:

https://www.alamy.com/ - Huge library of archive photographs, including publicity and news.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rubyroe/nsfw-lesbian-vampire-romance-special-editions - Sacha Black's successful Kickstarter (writing as Ruby Roe).

Summary

In this episode of the Indie Writers Club, James and Cara discuss their writing progress, community engagement, and the importance of setting realistic word count goals. They share insights on the challenges of self-publishing, including scams targeting new authors and the significance of using reliable resources. The conversation also highlights the recent success of a Kickstarter campaign and praises a stock photography service that has improved for indie authors. The hosts emphasize the need for indie authors to be cautious and informed in their publishing journey.


Takeaways

Writing every day can lead to significant progress.
Setting realistic goals helps maintain motivation.
Community support is crucial for indie authors.
Stock photography can enhance book covers significantly.
Be cautious of marketing companies that promise too much.
ISBNs and formatting are manageable tasks for authors.
Joining writing communities can provide valuable insights.
Scams targeting new authors are prevalent and should be avoided.
Money should flow to authors, not the other way around.
Indie authors can do much of the work themselves with the right resources.


Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene
02:57 Word Count Goals and Accountability
05:59 Community Engagement and Support
09:10 Praise for Alamy and Stock Photography
11:56 Mailing List Challenges
15:00 Kickstarter Success and Shoutouts
18:01 Scams Targeting New Authors
24:11 Golden Rules for Indie Authors
27:04 Closing Thoughts and Future Goals

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Summary

In this episode, Cara Clare and James Blatch discuss their writing progress and strategies. They talk about their word count goals and the challenges of writing during the summer holidays. They also discuss the benefits of accountability and writing sprints. The conversation then shifts to the topic of plotting and pantsing. Cara shares her experience with ghostwriting and using detailed outlines, while James talks about his discovery writing process and the influence of his personal experiences on his stories. In this conversation, James and Cara discuss the creative process of writing and the importance of giving oneself time and space to think. They also touch on the topic of editing and the balance between perfectionism and getting the book finished. They mention the use of sound and music while writing and share their preferences for white noise and instrumental tracks. The conversation concludes with a discussion about the tolerance for typos in indie and traditional publishing.

Keywords

Indie Writers Club, word count, writing progress, accountability, writing sprints, plotting, pantsing, ghostwriting, outlines, discovery writing, writing process, creativity, thinking time, editing, perfectionism, sound and music, typos, indie publishing, traditional publishing.

Takeaways

• Setting word count goals and having accountability can help writers stay motivated and focused.
• Writing sprints and body doubling can be effective strategies for overcoming writing challenges.
• There are different approaches to plotting and pantsing, and what works for one writer may not work for another.
• Detailed outlines can provide structure and guidance for writing, while discovery writing allows for more creativity and spontaneity.
• Personal experiences and emotions can influence and shape the stories that writers tell. Give yourself time and space to think and let ideas mature before starting to write.
• The creative process requires rumination and time for the brain to work.
• Sound and music can be helpful for setting the mood while writing, but it's important to find what works best for you.
• Typos and minor errors in published books are common and often matter less to readers than the overall story.
• Finding the balance between perfectionism and getting the book finished is crucial for indie authors.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Word Count Goals

02:00 Writing Sprints and Accountability

06:37 The Benefits of Writing Sprints and Body Doubling

10:38 Exploring Plotting and Pantsing

13:33 Ghostwriting and Detailed Outlines

18:39 Discovery Writing and Personal Influences

21:11 The Importance of Thinking Time

26:45 Finding the Right Sound and Music

30:20 Balancing Perfectionism and Getting the Book Finished

34:24 The Tolerance for Typos

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Summary

In this episode, James and Cara discuss the balance between character and plot in writing. They share their own writing projects and word count goals, and explore how different genres prioritize character development and plot progression. They also discuss the importance of finding the right balance between character and plot to create a satisfying reading experience. The conversation explores the importance of character and plot in storytelling. It discusses the idea that characters are what draw readers into a story and keep them engaged, while plot is the reason why readers pick up a book in the first place. The hosts share examples from different genres, such as police procedurals and thrillers, to illustrate how character-driven stories can be just as compelling as plot-driven ones. They also discuss the interplay between character and plot, emphasizing the importance of seamlessly weaving them together to create a captivating narrative.

Keywords

writing, character, plot, genre, balance, word count, development, progression, character, plot, storytelling, engagement, police procedurals, thrillers, interplay

Takeaways

The balance between character and plot varies across different genres.

Character-driven stories focus on the development and growth of the characters, while plot-driven stories prioritize the progression of events.

Both character and plot are important for a successful book, but the emphasis may differ depending on the genre and reader expectations.

Finding the right balance between character and plot is crucial to create a satisfying reading experience.

Word count goals can vary for different writers, and it's important to find a pace that works best for individual writing styles and preferences. Characters are what draw readers into a story and keep them engaged.

Plot is the reason why readers pick up a book in the first place.

Character-driven stories can be just as compelling as plot-driven ones.

Seamlessly weaving character and plot together creates a captivating narrative.

Titles

Setting Personal Word Count Goals and Writing Paces

The Varying Emphasis on Character and Plot Across Genres The Role of Plot in Engaging Readers

The Power of Characters in Storytelling

Sound Bites

"Character-driven stories focus on the development and growth of the characters."

"Plot-driven stories prioritize the progression of events."

"The balance between character and plot varies across different genres."

"I'm fantasizing about rewriting that book... instead of him being underconfident, he's cocky and arrogant."

"Plot is the reason somebody reads a book, characters are the reason they stay and like it."

"It's likely to be the small conversations and interactions between characters that stay with people."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and the Challenges of Talking About Writing

02:55 Character vs. Plot: Exploring the Balance

10:51 James and Cara's Writing Projects and Word Count Goals

16:50 The Emphasis on Character and Plot in Different Genres

22:57 The Importance of Finding the Right Balance

24:23 The Power of Characters

26:32 The Role of Plot

29:53 Character vs. Plot

33:51 The Interplay Between Character and Plot

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Summary

In this episode, hosts Cara Clare and James Blatch introduce themselves and the purpose of the podcast. They discuss their backgrounds as authors and their experiences in the publishing industry. They also explain how listeners can get involved in the podcast through the Discord server and Facebook group. The hosts emphasize that the podcast will cover a wide range of topics related to writing, including craft, marketing, and mental wellbeing.

Keywords

Indie authors, podcast, introduction, publishing industry, writing craft, marketing, mental wellbeing.

Takeaways

• The Indie Writers Club podcast is a platform for indie authors and anyone interested in writing.
• The hosts, Cara Clare and James Blatch, have backgrounds in writing and publishing.
• Listeners can get involved in the podcast through the Discord server and Facebook group.
• The podcast will cover various topics related to writing, including craft, marketing, and mental wellbeing.

Titles

• Introducing the Indie Writers Club Podcast
• Covering a Wide Range of Writing Topics on the Podcast

Sound Bites

• "Hello, welcome to the Indie Writers Club."
• "I had this one novel, which I'd done a NaNoWriMo to get it going and had, I think I had something like 106,000 words a bit, but it was a complete mess."
• "Writing a novel is a strange thing. It's a complicated thing, writing novels."

Chapters

00:00Introducing the Indie Writers Club Podcast

01:41Writing Journeys: From NaNoWriMo to Published Novels

03:03The Complicated Process of Writing Novels

08:06Cara Clare's Journey into Writing and Self-Publishing

09:47The Democratization of Publishing and Indie Authors

13:52Exploring Various Writing Topics on the Podcast

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