Pen & Quill

One of the #1 Biggest Questions authors have across platforms is, "How do I market my book?"

The short answer: grow your readership!

The long answer: listen to this episode and book marketing expert, Hannah Richards, will walk you through it!

Hannah Richards is a social media manager and consultant for authors. She’s helped hundreds of authors through her own business and Mindbuck Media Book Publicity where she has a team of three and works with publicists. She lives in Colorado, loves all animals, and loves helping authors find their dream readers through authentic engagement strategies, branding, and content.

Twitter: @actsocialHannah

Instagram: @actsocialhannah

You can visit her website here: www.hannahrichardssocialmedia.com

Who's ready for the 2022 Book Awards season?

If you didn't shout "I AM!!!" then this is the podcast episode for you! 

Most people don't know (because I don't announce it often) that I've actually been a judge on book awards panels and other similar evaluation-based events - which means everything we'll be talking about comes directly from the rubrics.

Download the FREE 2022 Book Awards Checklist and follow along as we look at which features judges pay attention to, the percentage weights of each category, and enjoy a BONUS calendar of the best national/international awards programs open to self-publishing authors!

Want more Pen & Quill content? Check out our new blog!

In an attempt to invite people into my Launch Team for Prax (coming April 2022!), we discovered that most people - including authors and Bookstagrammers - have no idea what a Launch Team even is!

Well, we are about to fix that.

And when I say "we", I really mean me, Nikki Auberkett, and my co-host, Quill (who tried to edit this episode by deleting 80% of it).

Check out the new company, and new website, at www.talaeditorial.com

Follow us on Instagram @thetalaeditorial

And, as always, follow your favorite developmental editor on Instagram @nikkiauberkett

Want to join the Prax Launch Team and get exclusive behind-the-scenes updates, early access to the ebook, and a signed copy - all for FREE? Sign up here at bit.ly/Prax2022

Ever wonder why witches have pointy hats and black cats seem to get the worst luck?

What better way to kick off a brand new season and a whole new podcast (title) than with a month-long "Monster Mash"?  Tune in every week during October to hear all the fascinating facts and histories of some of Halloween's most popular monsters and magical mayhem-makers!

This week's episode talks about some of the ancient histories of witches and how gender disparities in some of humanity's most popular industries led to today's depiction of witches, witchcraft, and those adorable little kitties.

Check out the links below to read the articles referenced in the episode, and be sure to follow me on Instagram for more updates, contests, and to DM me if you have any questions!

https://www.instyle.com/fashion/clothing/witch-outfit-history-theories

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/women-used-dominate-beer-industry-until-witch-accusations-started-pouring-180977171/

https://beerandbrewing.com/how-women-brewsters-saved-the-world/

https://www.hartz.com/how-black-cats-came-to-halloween/

https://www.amazon.com/Anthropology-Religion-Magic-Witchcraft/dp/1138692522

Welcome to the third and FINAL section of The Wordsmith Workbook "mini-course"/walkthrough!

We've gone over so many details and explored different ways to figure out who your best editor is - are you ready to take that next step towards publishing?

If you want to talk to me about your manuscript, publishing goals, and editing options, please visit www.nikkiauberkett.com and schedule your FREE consultation!  I'm always happy to discuss the details, especially when it comes to turning your hard work into a successful, published novel.

And if you haven't already, be sure to download your FREE copy of The Wordsmith Workbook: 

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/612d3f76d0d5896caac5f91d

Ready to hire an editor - but don't know what to look for?

Maybe you've been looking around but haven't made a decision, or progress, because you're unsure of what an editor is supposed to do, charge, or look/sound like.

Maybe you're afraid of getting scammed by someone posing as a publishing pro who's only out to steal your money.

Maybe you're the victim of a scam.

If any of those apply to you, THIS is the podcast for you!

Every now and then, I'd see the random Facebook Group post voicing concerns over an absentee editor or asking questions on what to look for/expect from an editor.  But lately, I've been seeing post after post from authors who put their trust in an editor who took their money and ran, or took their money and did minimal work, or took their money and their work and claimed it all for themselves.

As much as it makes me sick - and angry - that people are tainting the reputation of a very valid, very vital, part of the publishing industry and process, it also brought to light an issue on the other side of the table: we don't know what we don't know.

If you don't know what to look for, how will you know when something is missing?

Be sure to grab your FREE copy of The Wordsmith Workbook: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/612d3f76d0d5896caac5f91d

Ready to hire an editor - but don't know what to look for?

Maybe you've been looking around but haven't made a decision, or progress, because you're unsure of what an editor is supposed to do, charge, or look/sound like.  

Maybe you're afraid of getting scammed by someone posing as a publishing pro who's only out to steal your money.

Maybe you're the victim of a scam.

If any of those apply to you, THIS is the podcast for you!  

Every now and then, I'd see the random Facebook Group post voicing concerns over an absentee editor or asking questions on what to look for/expect from an editor.  But lately, I've been seeing post after post from authors who put their trust in an editor who took their money and ran, or took their money and did minimal work, or took their money and their work and claimed it all for themselves.

As much as it makes me sick - and angry - that people are tainting the reputation of a very valid, very vital, part of the publishing industry and process, it also brought to light an issue on the other side of the table: we don't know what we don't know.  

If you don't know what to look for, how will you know when something is missing?

Be sure to grab your FREE copy of The Wordsmith Workbook: 

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/612d3f76d0d5896caac5f91d

Is it possible to include absolutely everyone when we world-build and write our characters? Given the beautiful and immense diversity of the human species, the simple answer is: no.

What we CAN do is ensure that who we seek to represent, we do so accurately and appropriately - and this means breaking past our own cultural boundaries in order to broaden our perspectives.

This episode may get a little heavy and a little Real, but it is an immensely important, ongoing discussion in the literary world as much as everywhere else. Representation matters!

In lieu of a book list, here is a list of some of my personal favorite TikTok accounts for their dedication to sharing their cultures, heritage, and overall just being amazing educators from the global community:

@candyinuk (Inuk)

@alohaitschelei (Native Hawaii)

@radatad (Tamil)

@kegisa.peata (Samoa)

@koonoo.han (Inuk)

@dreadfulbird (First Nations)

@oshfairbanks (Anishinaabe)

@banukala (Shares musical instruments mostly from Indonesia - super cool sounds and super fun account!) @misscorinne86 (Lakota)

@apesanahkwat (Native American Tribal Leader AND Hollywood actor!)

@davidnihill (Ireland)

@jingledressiskwew (Cree)

Follow me on Instagram: @nikkiauberkett

One of the most Frequently Asked Questions in writing groups, threads, forums, etc is this: "Which is better, Traditional Publishing or Self Publishing?"

It's a trick question: both are good, it just depends on your personal goals and - primarily - your personality type.

Ready to sharpen your storytelling skills and be part of an amazing, supportive community focused on your publishing success?  Sign up for Mind to Manuscript!

Resources:

Organize and streamline your social media posts with my favorite sanity-preserving tool! Check out Planoly's clean, minimalist platform (available for both mobile AND desktop!) 

Download your FREE Self-Publishing Planner here!

One subconscious bias that occurs consistently in writing is the Male/Female Gaze, and what better way to explore how this happens in storytelling than by examining the centuries-long legend of Medusa?

Popularized by the Greek poet Ovid and later on in modern media by films such as Clash of the Titans (1981 & 2010) and book series like Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Rick Riordan), Medusa is often portrayed as a vicious monster created by Athena as punishment for defiling her temple when she had an affair with Poseidon.

But that story is from the male perspective.

Listen in to hear more about the fascinating way Medusa's curse - and her identity - was actually a gift and story of hope for women who told her tale and saw her face as a symbol of sanctuary and safety.  I also discuss the various ways you can utilize the male/female dichotomy to strengthen your characters, and provide examples in contemporary literature where this shift between perspectives impacted the stories as we know them.


EXCITING NEWS! July 12-17, 2021 is the Mind to Manuscript Bootcamp! This is perfect for you if you've been wanting hands-on guidance for your novel manuscript, maybe even just to get one started!  

DM me on Instagram @nikkiauberkett or email me at [email protected] with "Let's Write!" in the subject line so I can send you your own private link to enroll - and enjoy 70% OFF plus so many other amazing discounts and bonuses!


Articles on Medusa (as referenced in this episode):

"Medusa in Ancient Greek Art" by Madeleine Glennon, Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/medu/hd_medu.htm

"Medusa and the Female Gaze" by Susan R. Bowers, NWSA Journal Vol. 2, No. 2 (Spring, 1990), pp. 217-235 (19 pages).  Published By: The Johns Hopkins University Press
https://www.jstor.org/stable/4316018


Books Mentioned:

-Rhapsodic from The Bargainer Series by Laura Thalassa 
-The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
-Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin