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The Gatecrashers Podcast

STORM THE GATES OF PUBLISHING with VP and literary agent Amanda Luedeke and novelist Charis Crowe.Teaming up to talk about both sides of publishing (self-publishing and traditional), Amanda and Charis share their combined twenty years of experience in the industry from both sides of the desk. They offer a glimpse behind the "gates" as they share the realities, opportunities, and difficulties of the publishing world.Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor and Luedeke. In her 10+ year career she's done business with top-tier publishers and independent houses. www.macgregorandluedeke.comCharis Crowe is a marketer, speaker, freelance editor, and longtime aspiring author who for years stood at the gates of traditional publishing only to choose the self-publishing path.

  1. 100

    156 Things We Learned in 2022

    The Gatecrashers reflect on lessons learned in 2022. Aaron Schlegel donation fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/schlegelfamilydonation Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  2. 99

    155 A Literary Agent Enters a Writing Contest, Part 2

    Literary agent Amanda Luedeke entered a writing contest. Hear about what happened. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  3. 98

    154 A Literary Agent Enters a Writing Contest

    Literary agent Amanda Luedeke entered a writing contest. Hear about what happened. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  4. 97

    153 Query Tips for Authors

    Things to keep in mind when sending out book queries. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

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    152 Reshaping Your Daily Writing Goals (plus NaNoWriMo encouragement)

    Writing goals are hard. The Gatecrashers discuss tips and tricks to make them less hard. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  6. 95

    151 Final Verdict! Penguin Random House Anti-Trust Trial

    The Gatecrashers discuss the final verdict of the Penguin Random House anti-trust trial. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  7. 94

    150 Men in Publishing

    Something's rotten in the state of publishing. Women make up most of the work force yet hold fewer high-level positions. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

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    149 Charis Crowe Writing Update!

    Charis gives an update on her indie author journey! Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

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    148 Will Robots Narrate Audiobooks?

    As AI improve, authors and publishers are wondering when we can expect AI-narrated audiobooks. The Gatecrashers discuss. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  10. 91

    147 AI Book Covers

    Can computers create good book covers? The Gatecrashers discuss this new technology. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

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    146 I Landed My Own Book Deal

    Amanda shares how she landed her own book deal and what that process looked like.  Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  12. 89

    145 Publishing Industry News!

    Read all about it! The Gatecrashers discuss how recent publishing-related tech news affects authors. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  13. 88

    144 How Many Marketing Dollars Do Publishers Spend? Notes from the antitrust trial

    How many marketing dollars per book do publishers spend? The Gatecrashers discuss this and more from the antitrust trial. Source: https://mailchi.mp/hotsheetpub/bn-backlist?e=d650b3b0a0 Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

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    143 Do Agents Only Care About Big Advances? Notes from the anti-trust trial

    One takeaway from the big antitrust trial seems to be the thought that agents only care about getting big book advances, and that if they can do that, then they've done their job. Is this true? The Gatecrashers discuss. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

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    142 Is it true that 50% of books sell 12 copies or less?

    It was the tweet heard round the publishing world, but is it true? Do 50% of books sell 12 copies or fewer? The Gatecrashers weigh in.  https://twitter.com/aprilhenrybooks/status/1566230658766503937 Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  16. 85

    141 Co-Authoring Tips with Sofia Lapuente and Jarrod Shusterman

    New York Times bestselling authors Sofia Lapuente and Jarrod Shusterman give tips for a strong coauthoring relationship. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  17. 84

    140 The Art of Bookselling - Interview with Elisa Saphier

    Why do bookstores choose to carry one book over another? Why do some books perform better in certain areas of the country? The Gatecrashers sit down with bookstore owner and literary agent Elisa Saphier to discuss the art of bookselling. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  18. 83

    139 Bestselling Author Mel Todd

    The Gatecrashers interview author Mel Todd, owner of Bad Ash Publishing. Mel is a Bestselling Amazon author in Urban Science Fiction and Urban Fantasy with over 30 titles to her name, plus stories in multiple anthologies.  Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.   The LLC resource we mention can be found here: https://www.llcuniversity.com/llc-annual-fees-by-state/   Bad Ash publishing and Mel's books can be found here: https://badashpublishing.com/ https://www.amazon.com/Mel-Todd/e/B07CW41H8X/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

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    138 Tell the Story You Want to Tell - Interview with Piper Huguley

    The Gatecrashers sit down with award-winning novelist Piper Huguley and discuss the importance of fighting to tell the story that you want to tell. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  20. 81

    137 Updates and Announcements on Our Publishing Journeys

    The Gatecrashers share updates and announcements about their publishing journeys! Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  21. 80

    136 First Page Review, Vol. 4

    The Gatecrashers read first-page submissions and offer comments and critiques.  Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

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    135 Press Releases for a Book

    Yes, authors can write and pitch their own press releases. The Gatecrashers discuss how. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

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    134 Create Your Story Bible

    Create your very own story bible! Free story bible templates found here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/yq5ncpjcevpjfleuwcwfd/h?dl=0&rlkey=cjfh2b3bmkmelqav2qu02213b Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  24. 77

    133 First Page Review Vol 3

    The Gatecrashers read first-page submissions and offer comments and critiques.  Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

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    132 Getting Your Book Translated -

    The Gatecrashers share a tip on an easy way to get your book translated. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

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    131 First Page Review Volume 2

    The Gatecrashers read first-page submissions and offer comments and critiques.  Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  27. 74

    130 Newsletter Tips for Authors

    What content should you put into your author newsletter? The Gatecrashers have some tips. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  28. 73

    129 First Page Review, Vol. 1

    The Gatecrashers read first-page submissions and comment on the craft.  Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009.  Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.  

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    128 Atomic Habits for Writers

    The Gatecrashers discuss James Clear's Atomic Habits and how it can help writers. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  30. 71

    127 Quick Self-Pub Tip

    The Gatecrashers discuss a simple omnibus tip to generate sales. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  31. 70

    126 Let's Talk Crypto

    The Gatecrashers chat about their favorite cryptocurrency. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  32. 69

    125 How to Have a Successful Writers Conference Experience

    Conference season is upon us! The Gatecrashers give four tips for a successful conference experience. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

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    124 Free First Page Review

    The Gatecrashers want to see your first pages!  Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

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    123 Agents Uncensored, Volume 5

    Ever wondered what literary agents REALLY think? The Gatecrashers offer a glimpse into their uncensored thoughts. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

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    122 Brandon Sanderson Is Disrupting Book Publishing

    Bestselling author Brandon Sanderson has raised over $23M in 4 days on Kickstarter. The Gatecrashers discuss how this move is disrupting the book industry. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  36. 65

    121 Agents Uncensored Volume 4

    Ever wondered what literary agents REALLY think? The Gatecrashers offer a glimpse into their uncensored thoughts. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  37. 64

    120 Agents Uncensored Part 3 - Fiction Edition

    Ever wondered what literary agents REALLY think? The Gatecrashers offer a glimpse into their uncensored thoughts. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

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    119 When Authors Are Stuck in Creator Mode

    Most authors think they are marketing when they are actually creating. Listen in as the Gatecrashers unpack the dangers of creating more things. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  39. 62

    118 Building a Community as an Author

    Forget followers. Authors need to build communities. The Gatecrashers dive into what this means and how to do it. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  40. 61

    117 Agents Uncensored Volume 2

    Ever wondered what literary agents REALLY think? The Gatecrashers offer a glimpse into their uncensored thoughts. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  41. 60

    116 Agents Uncensored Volume 1

    Ever wondered what literary agents REALLY think? The Gatecrashers offer a glimpse into their uncensored thoughts. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  42. 59

    115 How Authors Can Use Tiktok to Sell Books and Grow a Platform

    From #booktok to #authortok, the Gatecrashers talk about how authors can use TikTok to their advantage. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  43. 58

    114 TikTok Best Practices for Authors

    What are the rules of thumb when trying to grow a platform on TikTok? The Gatecrashers give a few tips. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  44. 57

    113 TikTok Basics for Authors

    What is TikTok and why should authors be on the platform? The Gatecrashers discuss. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

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    112 Let's Talk Audiobooks

    How much does it cost to produce an audiobook? Should you narrate? The Gatecrashers give a crash course on audiobooks. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

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    111 Let's Complain About Book Pricing

    No, it's not always a good idea to price your ebook at $2.99. The Gatecrashers discuss the psychology and strategy behind book pricing. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  47. 54

    110 The Pros and Cons of Whale Readers, Part 2

    Part two! Our apologies for the dreadful audio. The Gatecrashers discuss how whale readers make and break careers. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  48. 53

    109 The Pros and Cons of Whale Readers, Part 1

    Our apologies for the dreadful audio. The Gatecrashers discuss how whale readers make and break careers. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  49. 52

    108 Three Approaches to Book-Release Marketing

    The Gatecrashers discuss three different approaches to book-release marketing, as originally presented by Elana Johnson at the 20Booksto50k conference. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.

  50. 51

    107 20Booksto50k Conference Recap - You're Not Doing It Wrong

    Charis discusses her main takeaways from the 20Booksto50k 2021 indie publishing conference in Vegas. Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. Charis Crowe is a marketer and freelancer who spent nearly ten years at the gates of publishing before deciding to launch her own self-publishing career.  

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

STORM THE GATES OF PUBLISHING with VP and literary agent Amanda Luedeke and novelist Charis Crowe.Teaming up to talk about both sides of publishing (self-publishing and traditional), Amanda and Charis share their combined twenty years of experience in the industry from both sides of the desk. They offer a glimpse behind the "gates" as they share the realities, opportunities, and difficulties of the publishing world.Amanda Luedeke is literary agent and Vice President at MacGregor and Luedeke. In her 10+ year career she's done business with top-tier publishers and independent houses. www.macgregorandluedeke.comCharis Crowe is a marketer, speaker, freelance editor, and longtime aspiring author who for years stood at the gates of traditional publishing only to choose the self-publishing path.

HOSTED BY

Amanda Luedeke and Charis Crowe

Produced by Amanda Luedeke & Charis Crowe

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does The Gatecrashers Podcast have?

The Gatecrashers Podcast currently has 50 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is The Gatecrashers Podcast about?

STORM THE GATES OF PUBLISHING with VP and literary agent Amanda Luedeke and novelist Charis Crowe.Teaming up to talk about both sides of publishing (self-publishing and traditional), Amanda and Charis share their combined twenty years of experience in the industry from both sides of the desk. They...

How often does The Gatecrashers Podcast release new episodes?

The Gatecrashers Podcast has 50 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to The Gatecrashers Podcast?

You can listen to The Gatecrashers Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts The Gatecrashers Podcast?

The Gatecrashers Podcast is created and hosted by Amanda Luedeke and Charis Crowe.
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