Source: Kira auf der Heide at Unsplashed. Several recommendations from well-known indie-book-publishing gurus gave me pause recently.
Dave Chesson (Kindlepreneur) and Joanna Penn (The Creative Penn) recommended Joseph Michael’s Learning Scrivener Fast—Scrivener being the word processing software of choice for many indie authors and others. The recommendations came despite the course being dated (as of February 2018), as the video modules are for Scrivener 2 only, and despite the course being super expensive at $297 for the full version. While it might have been the bee’s knees in teaching Scrivener five or six years ago when it was released, it no longer is. Instead, check out Karen Prince’s Scrivener 3 on Udemy, available for around $15.00, which is superior in EVERY WAY. For instance:
I emailed Chesson about Prince's course, and to his credit, he has added it to his recommended Udemy courses, though it deserves better billing for all the above reasons. Please don’t misunderstand. I’m a fan of both Chesson and Penn, and generally rate highly their advice and podcasts (ranked #4 and #5 respectively in my previous Top 10 Podcasts for Writers and Authors blog piece). But in this instance, I was disappointed they would recommend something inferior, outdated and far more expensive, given their words carry so much weight, especially with indie authors new to the scene. I’m also a fan of author and internet marketer Paul Teague and his Self-publishing Journeys podcast (ranked #3 in my list). His Paul’s Podcast Diary section is full of practical advice that shouldn’t be missed by newcomers to this Game of Books we indie authors are playing. Yet even someone on the ball as this guy can drop it occasionally. In a newsletter from him recently, he recommended MailChimp over Mailerlite email marketing software, even though he uses the latter! His advice omitted something so important, I emailed him to suggest he needed to rethink things. Anyway, his recommendation, coming soon after the recommendations of the other two gurus above, persuaded me to write this blog piece. Having used both MailChimp and Mailerlite, I found them to have the similar learning curves. So all square there. Okay, it’s a fact that MC is free for the first 2,000 subscribers, while ML’s pricing kicks in at 1,000. But that doesn’t mean much to a beginner with 10 subscribers when MC stops its support after just a few weeks. By comparison, ML provides 24-hour Chat support for free without a time limit—and you will need it from time to time before you get up to speed. ML also provides more (free) features. Therefore, ML wins hands down for newbie email list builders, in my opinion. So for those of you counting every penny, best keep in mind that even shining names in the indie author firmament may not be quite as knowledgeable as you might think when they recommend products; or they may be blinded by their friendships; or they may simply not have checked to see what else is available at the time of writing. Therefore, best resort to Google and query others on writers' sites before taking purchasing advice from anyone—including me—in this business, which can be quite incestuous. Note that the podcasts and their authors mentioned here can be searched for on Apple's iTunes. And should you have a different opinion or see a blind spot in my own recommendations, then fire away in the Comments. If you’d like to stay in touch, have a question to ask, or would care to hear about what I’m reading, writing and doing in Japan, send me a note via the Contact page. And contact me if you are into crime suspense stories with a Japanese background, I'm seeking beta readers for the first of a series of novels I'm reworking called The Girl Who Danced Her Tears Away.
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Source: Jason Roeswell on Unsplash Not too long ago we used to talk about Internet Time. The technology and how we used the Web changed so fast in the early years, it was a challenge to keep up. Now that the Internet is embedded into our daily living and routines, I don't hear the term used anymore.
I've replaced that phrase with Indie Publishing Time, because the industry is speeding forward like a Mad Max car chase. That's an over-the-top way of saying it's more than time I updated my best podcast rankings for busy writers and authors who don't want to spend hours online searching for and trying out podcasts to get to the good stuff to listen to and learn from. Note that I've omitted some podcasts that use more than two hosts because of the way they talk over each other or cackle at each other's jokes. I've also omitted podcasts with poor audio, or when the hosts' voices, mannerisms, lack of interviewing skills, or repeated cliché phrases every show (There you go! Awesome! Cool!) grate on me. Fortunately, there are now more than enough good podcasts available that I can be picky. These include several new and outstanding podcasters that have recently arrived on the scene, and a couple I've been late in discovering. Consequently, my previous Top 5 is now a Top 10. You can easily search all of these shows on Apple's iTunes under Podcasts. So here goes. #10 Bookworm starts with a splendid upbeat song called "Where Would We Be Without Books," and ends with an equally splendid "I Am a Bookworm," two original compositions by the Sparks. The catchy songs are somewhat at odds with the show's rather serious tone set by host, Michael Silverblatt, who interviews literary authors. While the subject matter is somewhat esoteric as far as I'm concerned, given my focus on genre reading, the show is not stuffy. And Silverblatt, who reminds me of Howard Cosell, does a good job analyzing his guest's work and providing insights. It's worth a listen to stretch your horizon of interest and to learn what's going on in the literary world of novels. Having said that, it would be nice if the host would occasionally condescend and talk with a more popular writer. There are many talented authors out there worth interviewing, Michael, even though they do sell a ton of books. I'd be happy to proffer some names. #9 Writer's Bone. I've only listened to a few podcasts by Boston writers Daniel Ford and Sean Tuohy, and I may have been lucky in listening when only one or two of them were interviewing guest authors. Having read their podcast origin story, I see they like to invite their friends on, which to my fading hearing, usually means adding noise rather than enjoyment, so I'll have to see how this goes. What put this podcast in the top ten was the recent interview with guest Barry Eisler, author of the anti-hero John Rain thriller series. The show was outstanding though more because the author was so articulate and informative rather than prompting from the host. I read the first novel in Eisler's series, Rain Fall, and didn't care for it. But having heard him speak here, I will try one of his later novels. Fans of Eisler are welcome to recommend a title. Of particular interest in the interview was Eisler's explanation on why he turned down a $500,000 book contract and instead chose to go indie! He has also bought back the rights to publish his novels and has retitled his John Rain series. The first novel now has the name A Clean Kill in Tokyo. I'm happy he didn't choose Killing Time in Tokyo. #8 The Story Studio is the new name for what was The Self-Publishing Podcast--my number one podcast choice last year. But something happened to Johnny, Sean and Dave in 2017. Their podcast became less interesting, informative and entertaining. This is something they sensed themselves, which is why they've chosen a new podcast name that will enable them to widen their topic focus, so they say. But three shows in under the rebranding and it is the same old, same old. So their #8 ranking is based more on potential and on what they have produced before. This is another podcast I will have to wait and see how it goes, given there are so many good shows to listen to now. #7 The Creative Writer's Toolbelt is produced by author and creative writer tutor Andrew J Chamberlain, who hails from Kent in the UK. He has an outstanding podcast voice and won me over on first listening. He does best when delivering monologues on the craft of writing, which are thoughtful and informative. However, he peppers his interviews with unnecessary "Yeses" and other terms of agreement while the occasional (fortunately) guest he has on is speaking, which drives my fingers close to the Stop button. If you should ever read this, Andrew, listen to the podcasts of master interviewer Tim Ferriss, or his equally accomplished counterpart Terry Gross of Fresh Air fame on NPR. Both remain silent while the other person speaks, and they interrupt only to add or clarify something important. Please do the same. Interrupting long-winded speakers is fine and necessary; constant and unnecessary agreement with them is a distraction for listeners. You are producing the podcast for your audience, right? Not the guest. #6 The Sell More Book Show from Jim Kukral and Bryan Cohen breaks the me-too podcast mold by rarely having a guest on to interview. Rather, they collect writing and publishing tips that have made the news in the week prior to the podcast, as well as present the top five recent happenings in the writing/publishing industry that's made the news. And they throw in their own views on these topics for good measure. Kukral is an Internet marketer and the creator of the Author Marketing Club that helps authors sell books. He has a good podcast voice that is pleasant on the ear, as you might expect from a consummate marketer. Alas, that is not the case with author Cohen. But hey, they produce an informative show every week that I listen to, despite the cheesy recorded intro and gratuitous countdowns noises they use mid-way through the show. #5 The Creative Penn has fallen a little in my rankings, but only because the new kids on the block are just so good. For those who don't know, the host Joanna Penn is an incredible authorpreneur: the writer of fiction, non-fiction, a public speaker, and creator of writing courses, as well as this long-running podcast. She prepares well for the interviews—unlike some podcasters—because her questions are thought out and smart. She's also cut back on her cooing when agreeing with the host (the equivalent of Chamberlain's Yeses in #7). But her long intros include a segments where she reads tweets from her listeners about where they are when they listen to her, and a segment on her Patreon support. This makes the show overly long for my liking—I did say I was picky, and this criticism is probably something of a guy thing—but no doubt her legion of fans enjoy that side of it. I much prefer the approach of the podcaster that follows this. Note that Penn's www.thecreativepenn.com website is a goldmine of writing resources that all newbie indies should check out. #4 The Book Marketing Show is from a newcomer to podcasts Dave Chesson. But Chesson is no newcomer to indie publishing. His Kindlepreneur website is outstanding and a great resources for writer-publishers at any stage of development. He has a pleasant podcast voice now that he no longer squeaks, as he did sometimes when he spoke fast in the fist few shows. As the title of the podcast suggests, he addresses different aspects of marketing. His presentation style is not to waste listeners' time with talking about off-topic subjects; he just gets right to the point. Consequently, his podcasts typically run about 20 minutes but are packed with useful information and advice. #3 Self-publishing Journeys from Paul Teague is unique in that he has this writer- pal-you-chat-with-at-the-pub approach to speaking. His podcasts alternate between monologues on what he has been doing the previous week regards to writing and marketing his works (Paul's Podcast Diary) and then an interview with an author. What I particular like about the latter, is that he goes out of the way NOT to invite all the successful authors who are interviewed regularly on other podcasts. Despite the chatty manner, he knows how to ask questions and his Diary stuff is loaded with practical information. #2 The Self Publishing Formula. This retains its number two ranking because former BBC radio reporter James Blatch does such a good job interviewing guests, while authorpreneur Mark Dawson adds a pinch or two of his experience at the beginning and end of each show. Curiously, the two don't seem to have that good a chemistry when speaking together, and their efforts to raise a laugh often falls flat. Still, the information from the show and Blatch's presentation is something other podcasters would do well to study. #1 Smart Author by Mark Coker is easily the best podcast I listen to and the one I look forward to the most. While Coker has only recorded a dozen of so podcasts at the time of writing this blog, he has been prominent in the indie writing and publishing business for over a decade. In 2008 he launched Smashwords, the world's largest distributor of indie books, which boasts 120,000 authors. From the first show, Coker spoke with the authority of experience. He uses the knowledge gained over the past ten years to produce some outstanding podcasts packed with good advice and solid information for publishing success. The high quality of his delivery (not content) dropped a little when he chose to read the 2018 edition of the Smashwords Book Marketing Guide over six shows. Not surprisingly, the reading never matched the smooth delivery of his normal monologues. In a recent podcast, he said he wasn't sure how much longer he would continue with the show. I hope he is still doing it the next time I do an update! And if you’d like to stay in touch, have a question to ask, or would care to hear about what I’m reading, writing and doing in Japan, subscribe to my monthly JohnBoydJapanWriter Newsletter. In return, I will send you a dark and mysterious short story titled The Ritual that can be read in 20 minutes but will take much longer to forget. Since I gave up pursuing the traditional route to get my novel published and turned instead to self-publishing, I’ve become a big fan of podcasts focusing on writing, publishing and marketing for Indie authors. So much so, that there is hardly any time left to listen to my library of digital books on Audible.
Given the surging popularity of podcasts, it’s not surprising to hear so many writers jumping onto this audio-show bandwagon, though let’s face it, some ought to jump right off again. A little high fidelity truth needs to be stated: some authors simply don’t have the voice or personality for the job. Others struggle to communicate successfully with their podcast guests. The best podcasters ask questions that engage and draw out their subjects; the wannabes ask questions like the dying HAL computer back in 2001. There is no understanding when and how to probe further. Consequently, their shows are as colorless as those Q&A-type written interviews you still come across occasionally in bland publications. So for writers new to the world of podcasts looking to get value for time spent listening, here are my top five picks in ascending order, along with praise, criticisms and unsolicited feedback for the excellent podcasters who make their efforts available to us all for free. You can find these shows on Apple’s iTunes and on Stitcher. # 5 The Tim Ferriss Show Tim Ferris is the author of The 4-Hour Workweek and several other best sellers. His podcast is often listed as Number 1 on iTunes, and his episodes have been downloaded over 100 million times! He has a smooth, seductive podcast voice, is articulate and informative in his own right, and asks super smart questions of his guests while engaging intimately with them “to extract the tactics, tools, and routines you can experiment with in your own life.” So why isn’t he #1 on this list? Well, he doesn’t primarily focus on authors and writing like the rest of the Top 5. Rather, he interviews a colorful swath of people ranging from chess masters and film stars, to entrepreneurs and fitness gurus, as well as successful authors. On the other hand, a good number of his guests have also written books, and Tim, being an author himself, usually spends time probing into why and how they went about writing their books. So while he would vie for #1 on any general podcast list, that’s not the case for this particular blog. I don’t have anything critical to say about the actual interviews Tim carries out, only praise. In fact, I suggest you listen to him last. He is so good at what he does, he sets a standard no one else comes close to achieving. However, he certainly could do with rethinking his ad presentations. These are relatively long, identical spiels delivered before and after each interview. With the same ads repeated for weeks at a time, and then often periodically over several years, he really needs to change them more often because they quickly become BORING. And while you’re at it, Tim, think about altering the second ad at the end of the podcast if you really expect regular fans not to tune out. Make these changes, and it might stop listeners like me who record the program from fast forwarding through the beginning, then ending the podcast the instant the interview is over. #4 Authority Self-Publishing Show “Authority” here is not being abused. Steve Scott, who partners with Barrie Davenport to produce the show, is author of dozens of successful self-help books under several pen names. Co-host Barrie has 11 self-published books on personal growth under her belt. They follow the successful formula of interviewing authors and experts in the industry, so there is always something to learn. They haven’t put out a podcast since mid-January, as I write, perhaps because Steve is a new Dad. Still, with 84 podcasts already produced, presumably normal weekly service will be resumed soon, and besides, there is plenty of useful listening available in the archives until they do. I think Steve would be the first to admit he is happier writing than doing podcasts. He usually speaks too rapidly, so needs to pause, take a breath at times, and slowdown. It would also be nice if he could raise a laugh occasionally to alleviate his seriousness. That might also help foster a better podcast chemistry with his partner because something is missing between them right now. As for Barrie, she has a fine podcast voice and natural pacing, so no fault-finding there. However, she open’s the show with a quote that aims to highlight the topic to be discussed. Yet she rarely takes the trouble to find out who the person is she’s quoting. In the age of Google and Wikipedia, Barrie, I do have to call you out on this! #3 The Creative Penn Joanna Penn (“That’s Penn with a double n!”) is a one-woman industry of outstanding creative ability and business energy. As well as successfully publishing both non-fiction and fiction—a New York Times best-selling thriller author, no less—she’s produced writing and publishing courses, educational videos, and tours the world as a public speaker. Marvelous! To add a personal touch, she starts her weekly podcast with what she’s been up to work-wise, as well as commenting on recent industry happenings. Then she conducts an interview with an author or industry expect. She asks searching questions, is always quick to add her own take on things, and is full of energy and enthusiasm. You’ll never waste your time listening to one of her shows—except when the quality of some of her guests’ audio turns out to be atrociously poor. Jo would do better to postpone such interviews until her subjects upgrade their Internet connections or bought decent mics. As for areas to improve on. It would be great, Jo, if you were to cut down on the number of times you laugh after saying anything remotely out of the ordinary. When you give three or four of these quirky laughs in quick succession, it becomes irritating and distracting—like talking with someone who has a nervous twitch. Doubtlessly, some listeners will find it endearing. I don’t. And while you are at it, please cut out the cooing. You do this when you feel the need to agree with someone delivering a monologue, but it gets in the way of listening. We don’t need background bird noises because you are good at chiming in at the appropriate time. Study the master, Tim Ferris: he doesn’t utter a sound when someone is speaking—unless he has something worth saying. #2 The Self-Publishing Formula Podcast This is produced by Mr. Facebook Ads and best-selling author Mark Dawson, and his newbie author partner James Blatch. Mark writes the successful John Milton thriller series. Like Penn with a double n, he is an authorpreneur par excellence. He’s produced a much-praised course in using Facebook ads to boost book sales and build up an email list of subscribers, and a new Self-Publishing 101 course. His partner James Blatch has a background in journalism and radio. He rivals Tim Ferriss for having an outstanding podcast delivery: forceful and clear without being aggressive. This makes up for partner Mark’s somewhat hurried and less sonorous speaking voice. But then, like Steve Scott at #4, I suspect Mark is more at home writing and thinking up new business opportunities. He could improve matters if he were to reproduce his Facebook video ad voice, which is fine. James has made the exceptionally brave decision to publish the first draft of his first novel on line, along with his notes and editor’s notes, so that listeners can learn from them. That requires balls, given the oft-quoted dictum attributed to Ernest Hemingway: “The first draft of anything is shit.” Like most other podcasts, guests are interviewed—fortunately, mostly by James, who is better suited to the task. Until recently, the Self-Publishing Formula had the best intro music by far, but for some unfathomable reason it’s been changed. To further the irony, the music wasn’t/isn’t used to introduce the show! Instead, James’ voice will suddenly bark at the listener from the beginning. Return to the previous music and play it at the beginning, guys, not just between segments! #1 The Self-Publishing Podcast Johnny B. Truant, Sean Platt and David Wright are the threesome who puts this show on every week. Straight off, I should warn you that this is a “bloke’s program,” with regular cursing and dick jokes sprinkled among the bantering. If you were lucky enough to listen to Car Talk once broadcast weekly on National Public Radio, well, The Self-Publishing Podcast is Car Talk for Indie writers with juvenile cursing and sex jokes. The three authors have a fabulous chemistry bubbling up between them, and even when disagreeing with each other over some aspect of writing, marketing or just living, and then cursing each other out, they do so without ever getting uptight. Remarkable. The first half hour is spent giving and taking, and the next 30 minutes devoted to interviewing a guest or focussing on some aspect of indie business they expound on. This makes for a show that is usually entertaining, fun and informative, and I look forward to listening every week. So it’s for this rare combination of humor, information and rare unguarded genuineness that The Self-Publishing Podcast gets my No. 1 vote. Now it’s your turn to weigh in. Do you agree or disagree with my choices, praises and criticism? Which favorite Indie podcasts of yours have I missed out—probably intentionally? I’m all ears, as Dumbo is reputed to have trumpeted. And if you’d like to stay in touch, have a question to ask, or would care to hear about what I’m reading, writing and doing in Japan, subscribe to my monthly JohnBoydJapanWriter Newsletter. In return, I will send you a dark and mysterious short story titled The Ritual that can be read in 20 minutes but will take much longer to forget. |
AuthorI'm the author of two suspense crime thrillers set in Japan: The Girl Who Danced Her Tears Away, and Killing Time in Tokyo, . More details here. |