The Publishing Performance Show

10 Episodes
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By: Teddy Smith

Welcome to The Publishing Performance Show, the quintessential podcast for both budding and veteran self-published authors! Join your host, Teddy, as he sits down with with successful indie authors and top experts in the publishing world, who generously share their unique journeys, creative inspirations, and future aspirations in their writing careers and the wider industry.Immerse yourself in a trove of valuable insights and actionable advice on writing, essential tools, and practical tips to elevate your self-publishing prowess. Whether you’re just beginning your literary voyage or seeking to refine your craft, this show brims with wisdom and inspiration to he...

Nick Thacker - How to Become a Full-Time Author in One Year
#62
Last Thursday at 4:00 PM

Nick Thacker is a bestselling author in multiple genres who turned his hobby into a full-time writing career. Having written 45 books, he now helps other authors transition to full-time writing through his Book Career in a Year program.


In this episode:

The journey from hobby to full-time writingBuilding a sustainable author careerCreating effective email marketing strategiesDeveloping multiple income streamsSetting realistic author goalsMarketing strategies for new authorsBuilding an author platform from scratch


Resources mentioned:

Book Career in a Year program: https://www.bookcareerinayear.com/Scrivener: https://scrivener.app/Email...


Rebekah Haskell - The Art and Science of Book Cover Design (+ How to Find Amazing Done-For-You Covers)
#61
Last Wednesday at 9:00 AM

Rebekah Haskell is the owner and lead designer at Vivid Covers, specializing in speculative fiction book covers. With expertise in both illustration and photo manipulation, she helps authors create genre-appropriate covers that connect with their target readers.


In this episode:

Genre-specific cover design principlesDifferences between traditional and indie publishing coversResearch methods for effective cover designPre-made vs custom cover optionsVisual tropes and genre expectationsWorking process with authorsThumbnail visibility importance


Resources mentioned:

Vivid Covers: https://www.vividcovers.com/Pre-made cover collections: https://www.vividcovers.com/shop/"Cover Your Book" by...


Sarah Bullen of The Writing Room - Literary Matchmaking: How Books Find Their Perfect Publisher with a Book Agent
#60
01/30/2025

Sarah Bullen is a multi-published author, writing coach, and literary agent, leading international writing mentorships. She is the author of Write your Book in 100 Days and works with authors as a book coach and agent. Over the last two decades, she has had over 180 books published by writers she has mentored. She has held editorial roles across books, magazines, and literary agencies. Her expertise in writing and publishing provides invaluable guidance to aspiring authors, helping them develop their craft, structure their stories, and navigate the publishing world.


In this episode:

The insider secrets...


Lucy McCarraher of Book Magic AI - The $100,000 Book: The AI-Powered Secret to Writing Your Business Book in Record Time
#59
01/28/2025

Lucy McCarraher is the Founder of Rethink Press, BookMagic AI, the book-writing app, and the Business Book Awards. She also hosts the ABOO – A Book of One's Own – women writers' network. She is the author of 13 books including three novels, four self-help books and six books on writing books. Lucy mentors non-fiction and fiction authors through planning and writing their books and is the UK's most experienced business book mentor. She recently won a Stevie Award for Women Helping Women in Business; and the Great British Businesswomen's Award for Creative Industries Businesswoman of the Year for her work supporting more...


Ellen Erikson - How to Make Money from Classic, Public Domain Books
#58
01/23/2025

Ellen Erikson is a publisher of over 30 books, combining self-authored works and public domain publications. Her expertise lies in identifying, updating, and successfully marketing classic works for modern audiences.


In this episode:

Understanding public domain books and copyright lawsGuidelines for publishing on Amazon KDPStrategies for standing out in the marketFinding and selecting profitable titlesFormatting and production considerationsMarketing and advertising approachesCommon pitfalls and how to avoid them


Resources mentioned:

Project GutenbergMany BooksWikipedia copyright tablesKDP publishing guidelines


Connect with Ellen:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com...


Tom Wilde of ProWritingAid - Why Your Grammar Checker is Holding You Back from Writing a Best Seller
#57
01/21/2025

Tom Wilde is the Head of Partnerships at ProWritingAid, a comprehensive toolkit for storytellers that helps authors improve their writing through advanced analysis and AI-powered features. With a background in English teaching, he brings deep insight into how writers can elevate their craft through technology.

In this episode:

Evolution of ProWritingAid from grammar checker to complete writing toolkitUnderstanding passive vs active voiceKey reports and features for writersAI-powered tools for story developmentIntegration with popular writing platformsPrivacy and security considerations


Resources mentioned:

ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com/Writers Week events: https://prowritingaid...


Audrey Hughey - Write Your Book in One Year: A Busy Author’s Complete Guide
#56
01/17/2025

Audrey Hughey is a planner and workbook creator, and a multi-genre fiction author. She uses her B.A. in English and M.A. in Ancient and Classical History to research and craft riveting horror and thriller stories brimming with cultural nuance and rich with lore. She lives in the hills of Appalachia with her family and sweet-but-bossy felines.

In this episode:

The importance of holistic life planning for authorsBreaking down yearly writing goalsCreating effective daily routinesManaging productivity with family commitmentsSetting authentic and meaningful goalsUsing time-blocking techniquesMonthly review and progress tracking


...


Evan Gow of StoryOrigin - The Power of Author Newsletters: Inside StoryOrigin
#55
01/16/2025

Evan Gow is the founder of StoryOrigin, a platform designed to help authors grow their readership through newsletter marketing, review management, and cross-promotions. With a background in tech entrepreneurship and creative writing, he created StoryOrigin to streamline the essential tools authors need for success.


In this episode:

Benefits of author newslettersCreating effective reader magnetsNewsletter content strategiesCross-promotion techniquesBuilding subscriber listsNewsletter monetization optionsPlatform features and integrations


Resources mentioned:

StoryOrigin: https://storyoriginapp.com/MailerLite recommendationNewsletter swap directoryGroup promotionsUniversal book linksReview copy landing pages


Book recommendations:

He...


Oriana Leckert from Kickstarter - How Authors Are Raising Millions Through Crowdfunding
#54
01/09/2025

Oriana Leckert is the Head of Publishing at Kickstarter, where she helps creators bring a marvelous array of literary projects to life. She's written and edited for Vice, MTV News, Slate, Hyperallergic, Gothamist, Atlas Obscura, and many more. Her first book, Brooklyn Spaces: 50 Hubs of Culture and Creativity (Monacelli, 2015), grew out of a multi-year project chronicling the rise and fall of under-the-radar creative places across New York City.

In this episode:

Understanding Kickstarter's role in publishingCreating successful crowdfunding campaignsSetting realistic funding goalsDesigning compelling rewardsBuilding community before launchingCase studies of successful book campaignsCommon mistakes to...


The Publishing Performance Show: Our 2024 in Review & Future Plans
#53
01/07/2025

Hey everyone! What a wild ride 2024 has been. From welcoming a new baby (and realizing two kids is WAY more than double the work) to watching this show grow beyond my wildest dreams, I want to share the highs, lows, and everything in between of this incredible year.

In this episode, I'm diving into:

Life as a publishing dad The amazing guests who've joined us - from Susie Quinn to Kevin J AndersonMy Vegas adventure at Author Nation (what happens in Vegas... gets recorded!)Growing my own book empire to 22 titlesHow Publishing Performance's AI i...