Lorna Faith

Clean Fiction Author

032 How to Learn Scrivener Fast with Joseph Michael

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I’m excited to share with you a interview I had with Joseph Michael. You might know him as the Scrivener Coach. Joe is husband and dad as well as a blogger, a creator of digital info products and a creative entrepreneur.

Joseph created the Learn Scrivener Fast online course to help writers understand better how to use Scrivener in their everyday writing.

You can connect with Joe on one of his 3 blogs, JosephMichael.net, BetterBlogImages.com or EfficientLifeSkills.com. You can also find him hanging out on Twitter or Facebook.

In the intro of the podcast, I share some books and book giveaways.

First book that I’ve been rereading is Do The Work by Steven Pressfield. This book really challenges me and takes me beyond my comfort zone as far as work ethic and thinking bigger. If you haven’t read it, you should. Level Up Your Day: How to Maximize the 6 Essential Areas of Your Daily Routine by S. J. Scott and Rebecca Livermore. Learn how to start simple and effective habits that will take you to your goals.

Click Here to Watch the Video Interview

Summary of the Interview:

*Joe tells his story of growing up in a home where his parents were entrepreneurial and his Dad was a business man, always trying new things. So he thought getting out there and trying new things was normal. He knew that he wanted to make a difference, but he wanted the results of what he did to be directly related to how hard he was going to work at it. So by the time he was in High School, after he tired of the mall jobs, he decided, along with his girlfriend(now wife) to start a snow-cone business in the summer. They worked whenever they wanted to and made twice as much as other jobs.

*A couple of years ago, Joe was able to retire from his Corporate job, because of the success he’s had in his online business. He says it feels like he’s a teenager again and able to have fun doing what he loves.

*He started looking to supplement his income on the side. Originally all he wanted to do was make an extra $300 a month. Just to have a little extra cushion and pay off some debts. He said he hated the feeling that someone else held the control over him whether he would have a job in a month or not. So he started looking for pizza delivery jobs to make extra money. But he said he got rejected because he didn’t have delivery driving experience. So he got frustrated and it was at that point he started looking for different opportunities online.

*His blog www.efficientlifeskills.com started because he had a wealth of information from listening to Zig Ziglar and Tony Robins, etc. He was inspired by Pat Flynn when he saw he was making a living online. So he started to research all he could about how to start an online business. That’s how he got his start.

*Joe says his goal is to bring all that he’s learned and break them down and see if anyone else can learn from them. His YouTube video, that was so popular, was birthed out of a real life problem he had with teaching his daughter to tie her shoes.

*He says he wouldn’t have started working on Scrivener to help writers to write faster and better, if he hadn’t originally found a pain point from scanning through people’s comments on Michael Hyatt’s blog. Joe encourages anyone who is creating products or any kind of info product, to really learn the Art of Listening to what people are struggling with and what they need help with. Then go make that product.

*Even though creating the Scrivener was totally different than what he was doing on his blog EfficientLifeSkills, he was willing to pivot. He says as creative entrepreneurs that’s an important skill to learn. Even though what you’re doing might look different than what you originally planned.

*Joe encourages people who are creating products and spend a bunch of time online to listen to the tips from InternetBusinessMastery.com. Put yourself on a information diet and focus only on the strategy you’re working on in that moment. He says you’ll find a way if there’s something you’re passionate about otherwise you’ll find an excuse. He says he sacrificed his lunch breaks to record some of the tutorials on the Scrivener course, and that’s how he found time to get the course finished. Just do the one next thing that’s right for you.

*He says he’s had a few failures, with businesses he started early on … even to the point of burning himself out. At one point Joe said he gave up, thinking he’d need to be stuck in his job until he retired. It was due to those failures, that he started learning what he could do differently. He started to see new opportunities like a science experiment instead of feeling stressed like each new thing was a do or die type of thing. One of his failures was when he wrote a ebook to giveaway on his blog and no one wanted it. His learning point was that he created what he thought his audience needed instead of asking people what they wanted.

*He encourages people to keep testing things, asking questions on their blogs and on social media to find out what people really want. Is what you’re putting out there getting shares? Is it getting likes? What do others say in the comments? What words are they using? If you do that, you won’t be frustrated with wasted time. Listening to people’s pain points is really the Art of Listening.

*Joe recommends the book by Eric Ries, The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses. The author talks about creating a minimal viable product and that the quicker you can get that product out the door the better off you’ll be. He encourages people to create something that you can exchange dollars for… often something small to start with.

*Joe talks a little about his online course Learn Scrivener Fast. He originally got the idea when he read that Michael Hyatt used Scrivener for his blogging. In the comments of that blogpost, Joe listened to people talking about how hard it was to learn Scrivener. He saw a need and started to create the course. This course is very easy to listen to and very professionally done. If you’re a writer and you need a great program that shows you how to keep your blogposts in one place or a spot to write your novel where you can also learn how to put your ebook onto Amazon, this is the course for you.

Thanks Joe, for sharing your story and all the tips and inspiration you’ve given today to writers and other creative entrepreneurs.

You can connect with Joe on Facebook or Twitter.

Have you learned the art of listening to people you’re connected with? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments, that way we can all learn from each other 😉

030 How Authenticity Attracts Readers for a Successful Book Launch with Angela Ackerman

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If you are thinking about marketing your book, then understanding how to reach your audience is incredibly important.

Today, I talk with bestselling co-author of the Emotion and Setting Thesaurus, Angela Ackerman. Angela shares tips on how they have attracted readers to their website – writershelpingwriters.net – as well as their bestselling Thesaurus books. You can connect with Angela and learn more tips from her on Twitter or Facebook.

In the Intro, I mention how I’ve struggled and am learning to reach my daily word count goals during NaNoWriMo. Something that’s really helped keep me motivated is reading, writing books and finding other helpful resources for writers like:

Click here to Watch the Video Interview

Angela Ackerman is the co-author of the bestselling Emotion and Setting Thesaurus. Angela and Becca blog together at writershelpingwriters.com and have started the popular membership website www.onestopforwriters.com – where writers can find all the Thesaurus books in one website.

Here are highlights of the Interview with Angela…

  • Angela shares how Becca and her met in an online critique group ten years ago and how their blog and business grew from there.
  • Angela mentions that what they did when they first started their blog, was to encourage comments, to which they would reply… encouraging authentic connection and building relationships.
  • Angela mentions going to blogs and finding authors on Facebook or Twitter who are writing similar books as you  are and begin to connect. Begin building a relationship with people who will become your reading base.
  • She encourages fiction writers to understand who your audience is. Ask yourself, what are your readers looking for? An author who writes romance that is fantasy based is going to have a different reading audience than a contemporary romance author.
  • Find out what makes your book stand out- what makes it different than other books in your genre?

Example: Indie Author Steena Holmes writes books on matters of the heart and most of her books have to do with parents losing their children. She has built up a readership about issues that are important to mothers.

  • Angela gives tips on how to be organized as an Indie author and plan ahead for your cover design, your editing and your book launch so that it’s all ready to go for you deadline.
There's something about your book that's special. Figure out what that is. @AngelaAckerman Share on X

Here’s some links to blogposts and other resources that Angela mentions in the interview:

A Free PDF of the steps they took for their successful book launch of the Rural and Setting Thesaurus

An article by Angela on how to find influencers to help promote your book

An article by Angela on How Authors can Find their Ideal Audience

How to find Data on books similar to what you’re writing in the ‘also boughts’ on Amazon by using Yasiv

Angela and Becca’s routine for a book launch:

1.Sit down and figure out what they want the theme to be – something that will resonate with the book your launching. And something that will attract readers on that topic.

2.Choose your idea and then plan what you need to put in place to carry out your plan.

3.A month or so in advance, reach out to writers and bloggers and ask for help. Make it super simple for people to help. Create a form for people to sign up if they’re interested in finding out more about their launch(find free forms in Google docs).

4.Once you have people’s emails, then break things down and ask what people would like to help with. Example:

5.Create a visual campaign that’s easy and fun. Also that’s available on different social networks. Offer people many ways they can participate.

6.Categorize what people want to help with: Instagram; blogging; Facebook, etc.

For more specific details on their book launch, get your FREE PDF here: writershelpingwriters.net/writing-tools/

Angela encourages writers who are doing their first book launch to…

Breathe and focus on the things you have control over, not on what you don’t. @AngelaAckerman Share on X
  • First, take a deep breath and focus on the things you have control over… not on the things you don’t. You do have control over creating an event that will attract people and on making it simple for people to join.
  • Educate yourself. Talk to authors who have done it – do searches on different authors and look at advertising.
  • Do something new that increases your chances that your book will be noticed.
  • Asking people for help – gather a group of people to help you – is one of the best things you can do.
  • Don’t focus on book sales. Focus on how you can position your event and your book so more people will discover it.

Most of all make your book launch, captivating and creative. Make it fun, easy and entertaining for people to join.

What are some of your tips and creative ideas for creating a successful book launch? Please add your thoughts in the comments below 🙂

029 Writing Fast and Co-Authoring a Science Fiction or Fantasy Series with Michael La Ronn

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If you write fiction, then details like writing fast and creating memorable characters are very helpful skills to learn.

Today I talk to Science Fiction and Fantasy author, Michael La Ronn about how writers can be more productive and he also shares what he’s learned on creating compelling and memorable characters.

You can connect with Michael on his author website, his website for writers or you can chat with him on Facebook or Twitter.

writing-fast-michael-la-ronnIn the intro, I mention the ups and downs of writing your book during NaNoWriMo. I talk about how I was amazed that the first day of NaNoWriMo I wrote 2, 551 words 😉 Also, as per usual I share resources I’ve found helpful: AuthorLevelUp YouTube channel, the new book The One With All The Writing Advice by Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant, and great tips by bestselling author Adam Houge in his free video series & course, thefanbaseformula.com.

 Click here to Watch the Video Interview

Michael La Ronn is the bestselling author of over 20 Science Fiction/Fantasy novels which he began writing in 2014. He also gives tips and guides author to increase their productivity and learn how to become profitable author entrepreneurs at his website and YouTube channel, www.authorlevelup.com.

Here’s the highlights of the Interview:

    • Michael shares how he got started telling stories and how he got serious about writing the stories he loved after a near death experience in 2012. He published his first book in 2014 when he decided to be an indie author.
    • He was encouraged to write his first book by a friend. Michael encourages new writers to try new things. You will learn more about yourself as you write a book. It will teach you an important lesson about showing up everyday.
    • How to write things that will put you out of your comfort zone and to expand and grow as an author. One of the things in the past year that grew Michael as a writer was co-authoring the Modern Necromancy Fantasy series with Justin Sloan. Book #1 Death Marked is available now.
    • How to pick up new skills as you co-author a book with another writer.
    • Michael shares about his novel about a Dragon Lord and how he had to dig deep into this evil characters wounds and flaws and how that affected his writing.
  • How to use the 5 senses to make your characters even more real to readers. Also, how to you filter the history and the opinions of that character and how does he/she feel about other characters around him/her. Michael highly recommends the “Depth course” and “Character Development course” by Dean Wesley Smith.
  • How to be a productive writer and write in your everyday ‘in-between moments’ at the edges of your day. Always do something that moves your career forward in some way.
  • Tips on how to fill your creative well on cue and regularly so you can keep writing!
  • On being willing to trust your gut and your instinct to write the story/series of your heart, instead of holding back and not writing it at all.
  • Michael also shares tips on how authors can use YouTube to connect better with readers. It’s helpful for readers to get to know your personality and then as you connect, readers will begin reading your books.
  • YouTube is one of the best platforms to learn about your readers. You’ll discover: who watched your videos; they’re age range; what country they’re from; what keywords they used, etc.  This helps you craft better content – so you create videos that people are interested in.
  • Some tools to help writers get started with their YouTube channel: Smartphone for recording your videos; Screenflow to edit your video(or windows moviemaker); Tripod adapted for Smartphones; lavalier microphone that attaches to your shirt collar & plugs into your smartphone.  And that’s all you need to get started.

What inspires you to try new things as an author? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below 😉

028 How to Write Cozy Mystery Novels with Elizabeth Spann Craig

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If you want to learn how to write cozy mystery fiction for a living, this interview with Elizabeth Spann Craig will be super helpful to you. Elizabeth shares how she got started writing and how she wrote for traditional publishers before she got her rights back and has been happily self-publishing ever since. She has written over 20 books and happily writes books and blogs about her journey on her website www.elizabethspanncraig.com.

This is Episode #028 of Create A Story You Love podcast. You can find the backlist here.  In the introduction, I talk about getting prepped for NaNoWriMo which starts in November.

I’ve been working on writing a more detailed outline to my story as well as I’ve been trying to schedule blogposts and podcasts ahead of time.

As you know, I love sharing helpful resources, that I’ve used, in hopes that something might inspire you too. I’ve been reading through Romancing the Beat: Story Structure for Romance Novels, by Gwen Hayes. It’s really helped me create a better outline for my own story. Also I talk about how it’s been so helpful to join an accountability group, that’s part of Monica Leonelle’s Finish Your First Book Group. There’s something about knowing that you are telling someone else where you’re at that seems to be a little more motivating 😉 I’d love to hear about the story you’re writing and if you plan on being part of NaNoWriMo. Please, add your thoughts to the comments below!

Click this Link to Watch the Video Interview

Summary of Interview:

Here are some of the highlights from my chat with Elizabeth…

We had fun discovering that we both had a mutual interest in Hardy Boy and Nancy Drew mysteries as well as the T.V. Series, Murder She Wrote when we were teenagers!

Reading and watching mystery series from when she was younger, inspired Elizabeth to write the traditional mysteries she writes now. She encourages authors to write what interests you.

Elizabeth explains the details of a Cozy Mystery:

  • Usually set in a small town; readers don’t see a lot of sex, violence or profanity; the Amateur sleuth and the reader are exposed to the same clues and red herring; Reader has the opportunity to solve the puzzle alongside the sleuth; the focus is on solving the puzzle of the story.
  • Character can come from real life people who inspire you or your imagination.
  • In one of her books, Elizabeth takes her characters on a roadtrip and they end up on a Cruise Ship. Sounds like a great book!
  • Elizabeth shares her Formula for a cozy mystery: 1) Introduce your characters 2)Interaction between suspects & victims 3)Death of Victim 4)Sleuth interviews suspects 5)There a second dead body 6)Sleuth interviews more suspects  7)A moment of danger for the Sleuth  8)Reveal of who the killer is and they are taken to prison.
  • It’s important for any genre you write that you are following reader’s expectations for that genre.
  • Reader expectations for a cozy mystery: often dialogue heavy stories; it helps the story puzzle if each of the characters lie about something and tell the truth about something; deliver readers a clue and then distract them from it; come up with a surprise ending.
  • Elizabeth recommends that writers who are working on a series, to keep notes in a Series Bible. Include details like: setting; specific character traits, eye colour, height; what characters do for a living; what makes characters happy, angry; character wounds from their past, etc.
  • Inspiration for writers: when you first start writing, keep the bar set very low. It’s more important to set up a strong of successes in meeting your goals than to rack up a huge word count. Even if all you do is look at your manuscript 5 minutes a day, you’re starting to build up that habit in yourself and grow as a writer.  Also remember that each day is a New Day and a fresh start. You‘re not behind… just begin from where you are.

Elizabeth encourages writers to strongly consider self-publishing their books. She explains that when she got her rights back from Traditionally published books, and began to self-published those books, it worked out extremely well financially for her.

She is working on new books that are due to be released in 2017 and would love to connect with readers and writers on her blog at  www.elizabethspanncraig.com – or you can also find her on Facebook or Twitter.

Do you write Cozy Mystery fiction? What are some of your challenges writing in this genre? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

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