Blank Page to Best Seller

Biz Buzz Creating Our Mt. Rushmore of Authors In this week's Biz Buzz, we celebrate our 100th episode with a monumental discussion! We each create a Mt. Rushmore of authors. What are the criteria? Who do we place on our own monuments? What authors do we have in common? Whether you have listened to all 100 episodes or this is your first, we hope you enjoy this week's show. If you have listened to us before, we bet you'll understand why each of us selected the authors we did.  Let us know your four authors to memorialize in the comments or on social media!  Timestamps Biz Buzz Segment: Creating Our Mount Rushmore of Authors Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz Celebrating Mother's Day We celebrate Mother's Day this week with a fun discussion about our favorite memories of reading or books with our mothers! What was each of our mother's favorite genres? Who did homework at the same time as their mother? What was the Christmas present of choice?  We celebrate our mom's and our love of books in this week's show.  Timestamps Biz Buzz Segment:  Celebrating Mother's Day (2:00) Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz What Are the Classics and Do We Need to Read Them? This week, we ask the question, do we need to read the classics? As people who work inside the publishing industry do we need to know the classics and if so, why? As authors, editors, and other professionals inside the industry, having a base level of knowledge in the classic pieces of literature gives us the ability to have clear and easy to follow conversations about important parts of literature. We also talk about what makes a classic a classic and whether or not there are instant classics.   Timestamps Biz Buzz Segment:  What Are the Classics and Do We Need to Read Them? (3:27) Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz What Are Distributors and Do I Need One? There is one area of the publishing industry authors do not normally interact with: distribution! But what are book distributors, who do they normally work with, and do authors actually use them? Most independent authors would be surprised to know who their book distributor is. Even if you are self-published your book has a distributor, you just may not have the option to choose a different one. Come learn more about a somewhat hidden part of the publishing industry.    Timestamps Biz Buzz Segment: What Are Distributors and Do I Need One? (2:36) Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz How Readers AND Authors Can Support Local Bookstores! They say that bookstores are dying. That's not really true and whether you are a reader, an author, or a publisher you can help your local bookstore by buying books online. We discuss the site bookshop.org in this week's Biz Buzz segment. It's not always possible to visit your local bookstore and sometimes you want to support more than just one store, by using bookshop.org you can do just that!  Book Review The Bookshop Peter goes back into the archives for this week's show to bring back his review on The Bookshop. This book takes a closer look at the history of the American bookshop from Colonial times all the way to the recent present and everything in between. Where do you buy your books today?  Plus, he reviews the Kobo app with his book review as this was his first time reading a book on the Kobo phone app.  Timestamps Biz Buzz Segment: How Readers AND Authors Can Use Bokshop.org (3:13) Book Review: The Bookshop Review (27:20) Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz What Are My Self-Publishing Options? There are many options authors have to self-publish their book. We begin by defining the term self-publishing and then go into more details about some of the options authors have to self-publish. We cover some of the major players like Amazon, IngramSpark, and Draft2Digital but we mention a few newer options as well. This is by no means an exhaustive list but it does cover the major players in the publishing industry. Finally, we offer up a few different red flags to watch out for when working with a self-publisher.  Timestamps Biz Buzz Segment: What Are My Self-Publishing Options? (3:47) Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz Celebrating International Children's Book Day Happy International Children's Book Day to you! Coming up on April 2, ICBD is a celebration of all things children's books. In this week's Biz Buzz segment, we dive a little deeper into the celebration like why it's on April 2, who puts the celebration together, and how we can all celebrate this day. Plus, we talk a little about the book award that accompanies this celebration - the Hans Christen Andersen Book Award.  Timestamps Biz Buzz Segment: Celebrating International Children's Book Day (4:22) The Author's Voice Links  Book award episode: And the Award Goes To...   Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz What Is Poetizer?  In this week's segment, we review the Poetizer platform where poets can share their poems in a social media platform geared specifically towards poetry. Plus, the platform offers poets a way to create and publish a book using the poems they create and share on the platform.  We look at the platform from our experience as publishing professionals and share what we learned and some pros and cons of using the Poetizer platform.  If you are a poet, we'd love to hear about your own experience with Poetizer or if we have missed anything in our poetry disucssion!  Timestamps Biz Buzz Segment: What Is Poetizer? (2:41) The Author's Voice Links  From Publisher's Weekly - Last Call for Mass Market Paperbacks  From The Guardian - "We're Losing Accessibility": the US says goodbye to the mass-market paperback  Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz Ghost Categories On Amazon  What is a ghost category and why should you stay away from them? Amazon rarely makes it easy for us to understand the inner workings of the website. In this week's Biz Buzz segment we talk about one of the confusing parts of Amazon's website - the ghost category. When a publisher puts a book on sale, they have the option to select three categories from a prescriptive list. But Amazon doesn't have to use those categories to sell books to it's customers. Often times a publisher (or author) will inadvertently select a category that does not match with the categories on Amazon which places the book into what we call ghost categories.  We talk all about these categories, how to avoid them and even if you should avoid them, and much on in this segment. Timestamps Biz Buzz Segment: The Ghost Categories On Amazon (4:45) The Author's Voice Links  From Publisher's Weekly - Last Call for Mass Market Paperbacks  From The Guardian - "We're Losing Accessibility": the US says goodbye to the mass-market paperback  Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz The Death of the Mass Market Paperback Recently, news came out announcing the death of a popular book format - the mass market paperback. At the end of 2025, the largest distributor of the mass market paperback disclosed they are no longer distributing them to retailers.  So what is a mass market paperback and why are we sad to see them go?  We look at the life of the mass market book and their impact on the publishing industry in this week's segment.  Want to learn more? We've linked two articles down below where we did most of our research.  Timestamps Biz Buzz Segment: The Death of the Mass Market Paperback (2:04) The Author's Voice Links  From Publisher's Weekly - Last Call for Mass Market Paperbacks  From The Guardian - "We're Losing Accessibility": the US says goodbye to the mass-market paperback  Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz What does it mean to have won a book award? Who gives these awards? And how can you apply? We take a closer look at the book award industry to help authors (and publishing professionals!) better understand how book awards fit into the publishing industry.  We look into some of the more well know awards, discuss what these awards recognize, and look at how authors or their publisher put their books into consideration for these awards.  Guest Interview Dani Rosenblad James is back as a returning guest to discuss what she's been up to in the past year and half. We start off reflecting on her book launch for The Wandering Heart where she became an international bestseller! Then Dani talks about her newest venture working with other writers on their own stories. Finally, Dani gives us just a little teaser look into her new project!   Timestamps Biz Buzz Segment: And the award goes to... (2:49) Guest Interview: Dani Rosenblad James (26:28) The Author's Voice Links  Guest Links Dani Rosenblad James: Website - Instagram - Facebook - The Wandering Heart - The Storyteller's Path Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Romance Is In The Air! This week we celebrate Valentine's Day by talking about the romance genre! Everyone has fallen in love with romance so we talk about the effects this has on the genre specifically and the industry as a whole.  If you have fallen in love with the Blank Page to Best Seller podcast, you can support us by becoming a Friend of the Show. Link down below and in the show! Biz Buzz Happy Valentine's Day from The Author's Voice! On this week's Biz Buzz we talk about the popularity of romance books. From the image of a shirtless Fabio-type on the cover of the book to the varied genres of romance books, there is a romance book out there for pretty much anyone. So we talk about what makes a book a romance book, the genres romance tropes can be found in, and why everyone seems to fall in love with romance lately.   Timestamps Biz Buzz Segment: Why Romance Books Are So Popular! (2:44) The Author's Voice Links  Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Readers Can Now Ask Your Book A Question In what surprises no one, Amazon released a new feature on some Kindle apps that allows readers to ask a book a question with a response from an AI chat bot.  Biz Buzz Within the last month or so, Amazon has released a new product feature in some Kindle apps called Ask This Book. So we ask each other what the Ask This Book feature is and why some authors and publishers are not too happy with this new feature.  Timestamps Biz Buzz Segment: Amazon's Ask This Book Feature The Author's Voice Links  Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Changing how DRM works with Amazon e-books Amazon is always changing and evolving and we're staying updated with all those changes so you don't have to. In the latest big change, Amazon is changing how authors work with DRM in their e-books. We talk about all fo that and more in this week's Biz Buzz segment.  Biz Buzz There is one BIG massive change coming soon to Amazon that will effect both authors AND readers. Beginning in late January 2026, Amazon is changing the way authors will grant DRM permissions for their e-books. We talk about what that change is, what DRM is, and how this change will change both the author and reader experience on the Amazon Kindle.  Timestamps Biz Buzz Segment: DRM and Amazon (3:14) The Author's Voice Links  Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Kicking Off The New Year! This week, we are kicking off the new year with a double episode! We're looking back at what we accomplished in the year 2025 and also looking forward to what is coming up in the new year of 2026. From some great celebrations like our 2 year anniversary of the show to our future endeavors that we'll be sharing more about in the future, we've been busy helping authors and publishing professionals move ahead. Biz Buzz Taking a Look Back to Review 2025 We kick off the episode with the three of us looking back at what we did both personally and professionally in the last year. From our favorite reads to bug accomplishment at The Author's Voice, we have a lot to celebrate with you! What We're Looking Forward to in 2026 Our second segment of this week's show features us taking a closer look at what's to come in the new year. We talk about exciting adventures in the business and share a few personal goals and ambitions for 2026. Timestamps Biz Buzz Segment 1: Taking a Look Back to Review 2025 () Biz Buzz Segment 2: What We're Looking Forward to In 2026 ()  The Author's Voice Links  Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz Memories of Our First Clients The three of us, Peter, Colleen, and CaZ look back at some of our first clients and how e each got into the industry. We cover each of our starts, how we have maneuvered through an ever-changing industry, and how the three of us came to meet.  Timestamps Biz Buzz: Memories of Our First Clients (4:11) The Author's Voice Links  Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

All about BookBub This week we begin with a quick overview of our upcoming holiday schedule. We're planning on having a normal schedule until the week of Christmas where we'll release our latest episode of the year on December 23. We're planning to take the next week off and then hop back into the swing of things beginning January 6, 2026(!).  In our Biz Buzz segment this week Peter is joined by CaZ to talk about BookBub and why both readers and authors love the platform.  If you enjoy the show be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to the show wherever you listen!   Biz Buzz Segment Why BookBub Is Beloved  What is BookBub and why is it so beloved? BookBub is a great place for readers to purchase their next book at a discount so why do authors love putting their book on BookBub? Peter and CaZ talk all about BookBub, CaZ from the author's perspective and Peter from the reader's!   Timestamps Biz Buzz: What is Copyright and Why Do I Need It? (3:27) The Author's Voice Links  Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Protecting Your Book with Copyright What does it mean to have copyright protection? Copyright protection helps authors (and other creatives and businesses) protect their creations from other people stealing their work. We talk about the true ways authors need to copyright their book to guarantee they can receive the proper protections for their book no and in the future. Biz Buzz Segment What Is Copyright and Why Do I Need It? Copyright is something many first-time authors do not understand. Many believe that simply writing your book provides you protection. Others believe mailing yourself a copy of your manuscript secures a copyright. We take a look at what copyright is and why authors need to register their book with the proper authorities to lock in the protections they need. Timestamps Biz Buzz: What is Copyright and Why Do I Need It? (3:27) The Author's Voice Links  Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

What Metrics Should I Know When Marketing? With the upcoming holiday season (literally days away now!), we wanted to talk about the ways authors can maximize their sales and marketing impact. We talk about some of the tactics and metrics you should know in the Biz Buzz segment this week. Then, Colleen and Peter talk with Sarah Rose about the importance of a brand voice for business owners.  Biz Buzz Segment What Metrics Should I Know When Marketing? Authors, we're supposed to write and write and write. But why is it so hard to write our own marketing?  In this week's Biz Buzz, we talk about some of the tactics and metrics writers should know when they market their book. With the right idea of what to look for in the marketing side, you can tailor your time and effort to maximize your results.  Guest Interview Sarah Rose Sarah Rose joins Colleen and Peter to talk about a little writing. Specifically, Sarah Rose works with businesses to create a nd share a proper brand voice. we also talk a little about the use of AI in writing, how we all have a catchphrase and some about her time working with Bark Box!  Timestamps Biz Buzz: What Metrics Should I Know When Marketing? (3:19) Guest Interview: Sarah Rose (35:33) Sarah Rose Links Website - LinkedIn - Instagram  The Author's Voice Links  Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Get Paid For Your Book Before You Publish  How can you get paid for your book before you even finish writing it? We talk about crowdfunding options in this week's Biz Buzz segment with a special focus on Kickstarter. Then, Peter talks with author assistant Doreen DeJesus-Harper about the publishing industry, marketing, and how it all ties together.  Plus, Doreen, is one of our first members of The Author's Voice Association, if you are looking for an expert in publishing, check out our online directory of Association members.   Biz Buzz Segment Understanding Crowdfunding This week, we take a deep dive into how authors can use crowdfunding sites to raise money for their writing projects. There are a variety of places authors can begin crowdfunding but we talk about one place in particular - Kickstarter. How can you set up a successful campaign? What do you need in place to reach your funding goal? How can readers support authors in a crowdfunding campaign?   Guest Interview Doreen DeJesus-Harper  Doreen joins Peter to talk about the publishing industry as a whole but in particular how the Author Assistant Training Course fits into the industry. Doreen was part of the first course offered by Jan King and we talk about what has changed and what has stayed the same over her time in the industry.  Timestamps Biz Buzz: Understanding Crowdfunding (2:46) Guest Interview: Doreen DeJesus-Harper (31:16) The Author's Voice Links  Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Why Industry Standards Matter What are industry standards? Why do they matter?  Colleen, Peter, and CaZ talk about the importance of standards in any industry but specifically the publishing industry in this week's Biz Buzz segment. Understanding these standards can protect both authors and services providers so everyone is on the same page with a project.   What standards do you use? Let us know!  Timestamps Biz Buzz: Why Industry Standards Matter (4:23) The Author's Voice Links  Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Join The Author's Voice Association Apply to join The Author's Voice Association Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Gearing Up For Holiday Sales Don't look now but the holiday season is almost upon us! In this week's episode, Peter, Colleen, and CaZ take a look at the upcoming holiday season and how authors can best capture momentum during this time. From sales pricing to proper planning and everything in between, we make holiday sales easy for anyone to use.   Timestamps Biz Buzz: Capturing Holiday Sale Success (4:36) The Author's Voice Links  Become a Friend of The Show! Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Read our book! NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Stay In Touch With The Author's Voice Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Reminiscing On 2 Years of the Blank Page to Best Seller Podcast! Join us as the three of us, Peter, Colleen, and CaZ reminisce on two years hosting the Blank Page to Best Seller podcast! We talk about everything from our favorite guests to what it is like hosting a show with multiple people.  Plus, we talk a little about our new way for you support the show - becoming a Friend of the Show! And live, on air, I add a special feature for our supporters, I'll read your name off at the end of every episode if you become a Friend of the Show! Timestamps Biz Buzz: Celebrating 2 Years of the Blank Page to Best Seller Podcast (3:49) The Author's Voice Links  External Links Support the Show - Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Summer Sizzle Sale: Blank Page to Bestseller Course NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Celebrating 2 Amazing Years! Come and celebrate our second anniversary with us today! We look back on our best segments of the last 2 years in this week's episode.  What is your favorite episode of the show? Who was your favorite guest? What is something new you learned through the show? Timestamps Top Biz Buzz segment: Our Favorite Memories Working in Publishing (5:55) from Episode 074 Top YouTube Video: The Allure of Fiction (38:42) from Episode 057 Top Interview Segment: Kathleen Gage (49:56) from Episode 051 The Author's Voice Links  External Links Become a Friend of the Show for only $2/month Summer Sizzle Sale: Blank Page to Bestseller Course NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Is My Book Ready to Publish? This week, the three of us answer the question, "Is my book ready to publish?"  While the question sounds straight forward, the answer is a little more complicated than yes or no. Deciding on when to hit publish takes into consideration many different aspects like editing, reviews, and marketing. We look at some of the calculus behind the answer so you can make the best decision for you and your book.  Authors need to walk the line between publishing carelessly and being stuck in the search for perfection.  What is your favorite memory of the show? Do you have a favorite memory of the show? We're coming up on the second anniversary of the Blank Page to Bestseller show and want to know your favorite memory! Let us know down in the comments here or through our social media channels and we'll share some of our favorite memories from you on our 2nd anniversary episode in early September.  Timestamps Biz Buzz: Is My Book Ready to Publish? (4:17) The Author's Voice Links  External Links Summer Sizzle Sale: Blank Page to Bestseller Course NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

What Are Little Free Libraries? Have you ever wondered what those little colorful boxes are in your neighborhood? Or in the park? Or by the front of a school? Little Free Libraries are are places for people to drop off and pick up free book for their neighbors to read!  We talk all about the Little Free Libraries and what they might mean for readers and authors alike in this week's episode! Timestamps Biz Buzz: What Are Little Free Libraries (1:54) The Author's Voice Links  External Links Summer Sizzle Sale: Blank Page to Bestseller Course NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz Memories of Our First Clients The three of us, Peter, Colleen, and CaZ look back at some of our first clients and how e each got into the industry. We cover each of our starts, how we have maneuvered through an ever-changing industry, and how the three of us came to meet.  Guest Interview Janet Kassalen  A look back at a previous episode, we talk with Janet Kassalen one of the first authors Peter worked with and someone whom we speak briefly about in this week's episode. You can listen in and find more information about Janet in the previous episode where she was featured. Listen to Janet's first episode here: How to Become the Next Great Podcaster Timestamps Biz Buzz: Memories of Our First Clients (2:32) Guest Interview: Janet Kassalen (36:44) The Author's Voice Links  Previous Episode Links Our Favorite Reading Memories - Recalling the memories of our love for reading How to Become the Next Great Podcaster - Original Interview with Janet Kassalen External Links Summer Sizzle Sale: Blank Page to Bestseller Course NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Your Book Is NOT Your Business Card Biz Buzz Beta Readers v. Street Teams v. Arc Readers What are Beta readers? What about ARC readers? Or a street team? These are all different variations on a theme: how writers can leverage their fans to help their book succeed. But these terms are often misused and have some blurred lines as to their actual usage. So we clarify each of these terms in this week's episode and discuss how these groups interact with and often time lead into each other.  Conversations With Colleen Your Book Is Not A Business Card A few years ago Colleen heard someone talking about how your book is business card - something that everyone has and that you can hand out to others at events. While that might be true, using your book as a business card doesn't do anything to help grow your book sales. Colleen shares some PR tips in this week's segment.   Timestamps Biz Buzz: Beta Readers v. Street Teams v ARC Readers (2:53) Conversations with Colleen: Your Book Is Not Your Business Card (32:43) The Author's Voice Links  External Links Summer Sizzle Sale: Blank Page to Bestseller Course NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

A Bit of Reading Fun What are some of your favorite reading memories? Did you stay up late reading way past your bedtime? Did you take a vacation with a backpack overflowing with books? Or maybe you visited to local library every summer afternoon. We each share our favorite reading memory in a fun discussion for this week's show. Let us know what your favorite memory of reading is in the comments!  Biz Buzz  Our Favorite Reading Memories One thing almost every person who works in the publishing industry has in common is a deep love for books and has at least one (but usually many, many more) memory of reading when they were younger. This week Peter, Colleen, and CaZ recall some of our favorite memories of books and reading.  We ask you then, what is your favorite memory of books or reading?  Timestamps Biz Buzz: Our Favorite Reading Memories (2:10)  The Author's Voice Links  External Links Summer Sizzle Sale: Blank Page to Bestseller Course NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

The Importance of Your Author Brand This week's show is all about your author brand and Colleen is main character of this week's show. Colleen begins with her third segment in the Building Your Author Brand series. Miss out on the first two episodes? Check out the links below!  Then, in our Guest Interview segment Colleen talks with designer AK Westerman. AK is a book cover artist and she talks with Colleen about her love of art, the way she works with authors, and much more. Conversations with Colleen Building Your Author Brand Part 3 Colleen continues her series on how authors can build a better brand. This week, Colleen talks about the importance of building your own email list. She talks about how you can begin collecting your reader's emails for future communication. Plus, she talks about some of the features within the many email marketing platform that you should consider when selecting which one to use.  Guest Interview AK Westerman This week, Colleen talks with designer and artist AK Westerman. AK works with authors on creating their book cover. From the initial stages, AK works alongside authors to create a stellar book cover that is the perfect match for their story.    Timestamps Conversations with Colleen: Building Your Author Brand Part 3 (2:13) Guest Interview: AK Westerman (9:34) The Author's Voice Links  Episode Links Building Your Author Brand Part 1 Building Your Author Brand Part 2  AK Westerman Links Website - Instagram - Facebook External Links NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz Segment A Case Study In Publishing - And How To Spot a Fraud Recently, news came out about missed royalty payments from Unbound (now known as Boundless). With the news of the missed payments, there came some great informative articles which took a look at Unbound. On this week's episode, we lay the groundwork for the Unbound (now known as Boundless) saga. In the second part of the segment, we talk about how authors can be on the lookout for potential bad actors and scams.  Check out the links down below for more about the articles we discuss and some of the links mentioned in the show.  Timestamps Biz Buzz: A Case Study In Publishing - And How To Spot a Fraud (3:21) The Author's Voice Links  Episode Links Writer Beware Article Publisher's Weekly Article Reddit Post About The Bookseller Article The Bookseller Article External Links NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz Segment Questions From Around the Industry Each of us answers a question we've heard asked from around the publishing industry. From trusted places to publish to the best type of format for your book and how you can tie it all together with your business.  What questions do you have in the publishing industry? Timestamps Biz Buzz: Questions From Around the Industry (2:28) The Author's Voice Links  Episode Links Interview with Vaugh Fahie Is an E-book E-Enough? Popularity of Print Books Finding the Right Providers External Links NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz Segment Selling Your Book Online How do authors sell their book online? From Amazon to their own website to book box and more, there are many avenues authors can take to reach readers online. Amazon has recently reworked their royalty rates for print books priced below a certain price and we began by covering that change. We also talk about how authors can sell both hard copies and ebook copies of their book on their own website. Finally, we talk about some of the newer ways that authors can reach new readers such as places like Kickstarter or book boxes. Timestamps Biz Buzz: Selling Your Book Online (1:51) The Author's Voice Links  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

How do you sell your book? This week we discuss two separate avenues for book sales - bookstores and audiobooks.  Biz Buzz Segment Bookstores and Authors Peter and CaZ talk about how authors can work with bookstores to sell their book. With a particular focus on brick and mortar stores, and indie bookstores specifically, authors can work with their local bookstores to promote their book. There is no right way to work with bookstores but there are a few ways we share about how you can make it easier to see you book on shelves or collaborate to have a book signing.  Guest Interview w/ Vaughn Fahie The Importance of Audiobooks Colleen and Peter talk with Vaughn Fahie about all things audiobooks! Vaughn believes everyone has their own unique Voice Print and shares why authors, especially non-fiction authors, should work to have their book in audiobook format.  Timestamp Biz Buzz: Bookstores and Authors (3:53) Guest Interview w/ Vaugh Fahie (32:50) Links From the Show The Bookshop Review: What Bookstores Mean to America Vaugh Fahie: Facebook - Website  The Author's Voice Links  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

This week we talk about bookstores and libraries. The Biz Buzz segment covers how authors and libraries can work together. Then Peter takes a look at the book, The Bookshop by Evan Friss for this month's book review segment.  Biz Buzz Segment Libraries and Authors How can libraries ad authors work together? Libraries are great places for readers to discover new books, fall in love with stories, research new topics, and much more. How can authors work with their local library for events, programming, or just to have their book in circulation? We talk about all of that and more in this week's Biz Buzz segment. Book Review Segment The Bookshop and Kobo Reviews  This month's book review with Peter is a bit of a two-part review. First, he reviews this month's book - The Bookshop: A History of The American Bookstore by Evan Friss. This book covers everything from colonial bookstores like the one run by Founding Father Benjamin Franklin to the big department store bookshelves, from small independent stores to international giants like Amazon. This story, from the perspective of the booksellers themselves is a great way to look at the importance of bookstores in American communities.   Then, Peter reviews the Kobo app. More an more indie authors are looking at ways to share their books outside of just Amazon and Kobo provides that ability. What is similar to Kindle, what is different? Peter takes a look at the ins-and-outs of the Kobo app.  Timestamp Biz Buzz: Libraries and Authors (2:40) Book Review Segment: The Bookshop (25:24) Links From the Show YouTube Video: What Bookstores Mean to America  The Author's Voice Links  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

This week's theme on the show is Reader Magnets. What are they and why are they important for authors to create in their marketing plan?  Biz Buzz Segment The Best Reader Magnets Reader magnets are ways that authors can attract new readers. Colleen begins the segment with a look into the different kinds and versions of reader magnets. Then the three of us talk more in-depth about the reader magnets and why each type of these might be beneficial to certain types of authors.   Conversations with Colleen Segment How to Capture More Readers In Part 2 of the Creating Your Author Brand series, Colleen shares the importance of reader magnets. What are reader magnets? How can authors use them? What are the difference between fiction and non-fiction reader magnets?  There is no one sized fits all definition of reader magnets but Colleen takes a look at the variety of reader magnets and how they can be used by authors to find, connect with, and capture more readers for their books.  Timestamp Biz Buzz: The BEST Reader Magnets (3:05) Conversations with Colleen: How to Capture More Readers (31:18) Links From the Show YouTube Video: Conversations with Colleen: How to Capture More Readers Conversations with Colleen part 1: What Goes In Your Brand? The Author's Voice Links  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

In this week's episode we talk popularity. They say that life is not a popularity contest but it certainly is in the publishing world! This week we talk about the popularity of print books and share what makes some characters so popular.   Biz Buzz Segment The Popularity of Print Books There is nothing quite like cracking open a fresh book . Whether it's a hard back treasure or an easy reading trae paperback, print books are still all the rage. Even with the increased popularity of ebooks and audiobooks, print books have maintained their popularity with readers and publishers alike. What makes this format so popular?  Tales and Threads Segment What Makes Your Characters Loveable? Why do readers fall in love with your book? It's your characters!  This month, CaZ talks about the importance of having characters your readers will love. What makes a lovable character? What are some popular characters beloved by their fans? And most importantly, how can you take those traits and add them to your characters?  Timestamp Biz Buzz: The Popularity of Print Books (3:28) Tales and Threads: What makes your characters lovable? (25:52) Watch on YouTube What Makes Your Characters LOVEABLE?  The Author's Voice Links  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz Segment Was your book used to train AI?  Peter, Colleen, and CaZ talk about the recent news, originally from The Atlantic, which published a database of books Meta used to train their AI. This news came about from a lawsuit filed against Meta alleging they trained their AI using Library Genesis (LibGen) which is a collection of books, journals, articles, etc. which is normally paywalled but are available for free.  We also talk about a great organization where we heard about this first, The Author's Guild. This is an organization which provides resources, news, and collective action for authors and writers.  Check out all the links mentioned in the show below and be sure to follow The Author's Guild to stay up-to-date with news that affects authors.   Timestamp Biz Buzz: Was Your Book Used to Train AI? (3:38) Episode Links Meta's Massive AI Training Book Heist: What Authors Need to Know - The Author's Guild Search LibGen, the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI - The Atlantic  Library Genesis - Wikipedia  Ethics for Artificial Intelligence Books  - Five Books  Previous Episodes on AI  An Intro to AI Can I, or Should I, Use AI As An Author  AI, Marketing, and The Constant Change In Tech AI and the NaNoWriMo Controversy (An Upate) The Author's Voice Links  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz Segment Intro to Marketing What does it take to market you book?  It's never too early to begin to market your book and it's not too late start either! We talk about the entry-level marketing tactics that every authors should look at when marketing their book.  Conversations with Colleen Building Your Author Brand - Part 1 Colleen is back with a brand new Conversations with Colleen segment this month where she introduces a three-part series on building your author brand. In the first part of the series Colleen talks about lead generation and you can turn readers into rabid fans.  One of the best ways to capture fans is through a landing page. Colleen talks about the different types of landing pages and how anyone can start with just a single webpage to grow their fandom.  Below are a few links to landing pages that Colleen mentions in her segment. Landing Page Example Links Rachel Hollis' New Book Sandy Phillips Kirkham Author Page James Clear Lead Generation Page Timestamp Biz Buzz: Intro to Marketing (3:04) Conversations with Colleen: Building Your Author Brand (14:22)  The Author's Voice Links  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz Segment What It Takes To Be A Bestseller Do you know what it means to be a bestseller? Did you know there are a variety of bestseller lists? Is the author a bestseller or the book? We dive into the many facets of bestseller lists in this week's Biz Buzz segment. Whether you are a writer or a reader, it's important to understand what the term bestseller means.  Tales and Threads Storytelling Agency CaZ is back again with a great Tales and Threads segment focused on one word: agency. What does it mean for your character to have agency? Do your characters freely make their own path throughout the story? How do they navigate the situations and choices they face?  Learn why agency is a crucial factor in creating characters your readers will connect with. You might even find your book on one of those bestseller lists! Timestamp Biz Buzz: Bestseller Lists (3:25) Tales and Threads: Storytelling Agency (20:38)  The Author's Voice Links  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Did Amazon remove their downloads? Amazon recently made a change to how readers can download books but it's not as bad as some might think.  Biz Buzz Segment Catching Up On Amazon So what the heck is going on with Amazon? This week we take a closer look at some big news which may not really be big news coming from Amazon - They are no longer allowing you to download ebooks to devices through the use of a USB cord. Plus, are readers boycotting Amazon? We discuss some interesting discussion found on Threads, what authors are seeing themselves, and how authors can adapt if they need.  Timestamps Biz Buzz: Catching Up on Amazon (2:49) In-Episode Links Going Wide Vs. Staying Exclusive The Author's Voice Links  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

What does it take to publish your book? We have a great episode for authors this week! Our Biz Buzz breaks the myth behind going wide in distribution and Tara Hayes joins Colleen for a special guest interview.  Biz Buzz Segment Going Wide Vs. Stay Exclusive What does it mean to go wide in publishing? What does being exclusive mean? When talking about self-publishing, especially in terms of distribution, there are many terms authors and publishers throw out. We seek to set a firm definition of these terms and share how authors can benefit from each option. What is your preferred method of distribution?  Guest Interview w/ Tara Hayes Colleen and Tara share stories from publishing Colleen is joined by Tara Hayes for this week's guest interview segment. Tara is a fellow author and service provider herself who works with authors to help tell their own story. Tara and Colleen talk about their own writing and publishing journeys and how Tara works with authors in her daily life. Plus, it wouldn't be an interview with Colleen with talking a little about editing!  Want to connect with Tara and read her book? Links can be found down below.  Timestamps Biz Buzz: Going Wide Vs. Staying Exclusive (3:04) Guest Interview: Tara Hayes (31:11) Tara Hayes Links Tarafied Publishing  LinkedIn The Author's Voice Links  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Biz Buzz Segment What's On Your Back Cover? How do you sell your book, especially your physical book? YOUR COVER! This week's Biz Buzz segment is a from an older episode where we talk about what goes on the back of your book. Colleen takes the non-fiction perspective and CaZ shares the fiction perspective. There are a few common areas readers look for on the back of your book and even if you only have an e-book, will still be popular so you don't want to miss them!   Conversations with Colleen  The Front and Back Matter Colleen is back with her second installment of Conversations with Colleen. This month, she's talking about what is included in a a published book outside of the story proper. From your cover page through your index and from the copyright page to the back cover, there are crucial parts of your book you need to focus on to make your book professional. Timestamps Biz Buzz: What's On Your Back Cover? (2:46) Conversations with Colleen: The Front and Back Matter (32:11) The Author's Voice Links  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

What is going on with the writing and publishing industry? Change and innovation are always happening. Biz Buzz Segment We talk about what we're most looking forward to in the upcoming year in the industry as a whole and within The Author's Voice specifically. From the change in book blurbs (from last week's episode) to the return of the library, and much more, there are many great things in store for the upcoming calendar year.  Tales & Threads  CaZ is back again with a brand new Tales and Threads segment on the show this week. This segment delves into the allure of fiction! Who doesn't enjoy drifting off to a place of fantasy into the mysteries of a legal thriller?  Don't forget, all of our monthly segments like CaZ's Tales and Threads are found on our YouTube channel! Watch her video on The Allure of Fiction now on YouTube Timestamps Biz Buzz: What's Happening in 2025 (3:09) Tales & Threads: The Allure of Fiction (28:40) The Author's Voice Links  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

What are book blurbs and why do so many authors fret over them? We talk about that in our Biz Buzz segment this week. But this all comes about after the shock news that Simon & Schuster is ditching their book blurb requirements. Peter read a great article from Literary Hub (linked down below) about this news and is why we're re-running this segment this week. Plus, Peter lays out some of the upcoming segments for the show including CaZ's Tales and Threads, Colleen's Conversations with Colleen, and Peter's Book Review which are all coming up this month.  Article Links Literary Hub: In a dazzling move, Simon & Schuster is dropping their blurb requirement. Timestamps Biz Buzz: Book Blurbs (3:39) The Author's Voice Links  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

Join us once again for as new episode of Blank Page to Bestseller! This week we are back again with our regularly scheduled show and we're bring a few great segments to you this year! Listen in to our first new segment, Conversations with Colleen where she will talk about a variety of things writers and authors should know. Each month will be focused on a different topic so don't miss out on her segments.  Then Peter talks with comic book author Michael Tanner about what it means to be a comic book author. We talk about many great topics like the difference between children's books and young adult books and what the similarities are between comic book writing and prose writing.     Timestamps Conversations with Colleen: Tone and Voice (2:44) Guest Interview: Michael Tanner (11:14) The Author's Voice Links  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

This week's episode is all about writing and writers!  We begin with a throwback Biz Buzz segment where the three of us share our writing and self-editing tips we use.  Then in the second segment, we have a new guest, Adam Fleming on. Adam and Peter talk about Adam's books, his publishing service, and much more! Stick around until the end for a special giveaway from Adam!  Timestamps Biz Buzz: Writing and Self-Editing Tips (2:02) Guest Interview: Adam Fleming (32:21) Guest Links Adam Fleming - Victory Vision - Giveaway - Adam G. Fleming The Author's Voice Links  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

This week's episode is all about editing! We start the episode off with our discussion on the types of editing a book will undergo in the publishing process. From developmental editing to copyediting and more, we talk about the differences between each type of editing and why so many people can confuse them.  Then, the discussion on editing continues as Peter talks with our guest for this weeks she, Sue Toth who is both a developmental editor and a book coach. We talk about why an author would need different editing processes and why an editor and a book coach are not the same thing!  Thanks to Sue for this great interview!  Timestamps Biz Buzz: Types of Editing (2:31) Guest Interview: Sue Toth (37:53) Guest Links Sue Toth: Website - Facebook - Instagram  Show Links Self-Editing discussion - Writing advice and how a dog can tell a story The Author's Voice Links  The Blank Page to Bestseller Course - ON SALE NOW - Use code "BLANK" at checkout for $700 in savings!  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

A few months ago, a controversy involving a statement made by a NaNoWriMo official sparked a controversy surrounding the use of AI. While the initial response and outcry from the statement was briefly covered, we wanted to check in on what has happened since. We talk about the history behind NaNoWriMo, what the organization is, where the controversy started, what writers/authors were concerned about, and the organization's response.  Peter talks through a statement released by NaNoWriMo and used an article from Wired for background on the topic. Both of those are linked down below. Be sure to read them both for more in-depth information.  Articles/Statements  Wired Article - NaNoWriMo Organizers Said It Was Classist and Ableist to Condemn AI. All Hell Broke Loose. NaNoWriMo's Statement on AI Timestamps Biz Buzz: AI and NaNoWriMo Update (3:31) Show Links Previous AI discussions - Can I, or Should I, Use AI as an Author  Last year's NaNoWriMo discussion - Welcome to NaNoWriMo The Author's Voice Links  The Blank Page to Bestseller Course - ON SALE NOW - Use code "BLANK" at checkout for $700 in savings!  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org

We are excited to begin our second 50 episode run this week with a special guest, Kathleen Gage!  Colleen and Kathleen have a wonderful conversation in this week's episode talking about many great topics like AI - specifically AI for writers, the constant change we see in tech, and the number 1 mistake authors make when marketing their book. Our Biz Buzz segment this week is a deep dive discussion in the use of AI for authors. We talk about the potential ways AI can be used, the variety of AI applications, and whether authors even should use AI.  Don't forget to subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts!       Timestamps Biz Buzz: AI for Authors (3:31) Guest Interview: Kathleen Gage (41:46)  Show Links Interview with Sandy Phillips Kirkham - Welcome to NaNoWriMo Guest Links Kathleen Gage - LinkedIn - Website The Author's Voice Links  The Blank Page to Bestseller Course - ON SALE NOW - Use code "BLANK" at checkout for $700 in savings!  NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org