Stark Reflections On Writing And Publishing

In this solo episode, Mark reflects upon some of the things that happened at NINC and why he enjoys attending it every year. One of the things, of course, was that he recently became Director of Business Development for Draft2Digital. This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices . . . . . . and also by the Patrons of the show at www.patreon.com/starkreflections. Links of Interest: Findaway Voices Patreon for Stark Reflections More Information about Stark Publishing Solutions Stark Reflections Survey NINC (Novelists Inc) Macabre Montreal The 7 P'S OF PUBLISHING SUCCESS   The music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  

This episode centers upon four quick chats with industry folks from NINC (Novelists Inc) 2018 in St Pete, Florida. Mark shares chats (originally posted as Facebook Live videos on Sept 27, 2018) with: Carlyn Robertson from BookBub Damon Courtney from BookFunnel Christine Munroe from Kobo Writing Life Ricardo Fayet from Reedsy Prior to the interview, Mark shares some personal updates, including some activities that happened at the conference (such as a bookstore visit to Haslam's in downtown St. Pete) as well as prior to the conference. He also shares that his book The 7 P's of Publishing Success is now live at all the major eBook retail sites, with the print and audiobook versions coming soon. He also mentions a comment on the previous episode which inspired him to make getting the audio version of the book a priority, and talks a bit about using Findaway Voices (the sponsor for this episode, to get that book distributed and into the market).After the interview, Mark reflects upon the learning that can happ

In this episode, Mark shares an early audio draft of the chapter on Professionalism for his forthcoming book THE 7 P'S OF PUBLISHING SUCCESS which will be released under his "Stark Publishing Solutions" imprint by the end of Sept 2018. Prior to the audiobook excerpt, Mark shares a few personal updates which include: Attending NINC (Novelist's, Inc.) writer conference in St Pete, Florida, where he will be giving a talk entitled 5 CAREER KILLING ERRORS AN AUTHOR SHOULD AVOID as well as co-hosting an open discussion entitled BRAINSTORMING "THE FUTURE" FOR AUTHORS AND VENDORS Also, while at NINC, Mark will be visiting Haslam's Book Store which is allegedly haunted by Jack Kerouac (Mark wrote about it in his book Tomes of Terror) A thank you to the Patrons supporting the podcast via www.patreon.com/starkreflections A shout-out to Rook Winters for an awesome photo of some skull plates he shared on Twitter Thanking new folks who continue to fill-out the Stark Reflections Podcast Survey (with a mention of how the s

In this episode, Mark interviews Nathan Van Coops who claims that he lives on a diet comprised mainly of tacos. He enjoys old planes, motorcycles, and Volkswagens, contends that there is such a thing as “dressy” flip-flops and is the time travel adventure series, In Times Like These, and The Skylighter Adventures. Nathan, of course, isn't just an author, but he is also an aviator and the man behind Book Faces Live and we talk about all three things, and more. Prior to the interview, Mark gives a personal update that includes: His story "Active Reader" appearing in the latest issue of Pulphouse Magazine (#3) and how that had been a long-time goal The royalty check received from McGraw/Nelson for a short story "Almost" that is being used in a British Columbia high school curriculum He considers how both of these "new" items are stories that were previously published and yet can still result in residual income Mark then thanks new Stark Reflections Patron, Amy Teegan and all existing Patrons who support the sh

Mark chats with Dana Pharant, a business owner, a speaker, an author and the host of the Inner Dominatrix Podcast, about her new book The Inner Dominatrix Guide: Become a Badass in Business. Before the interview, Mark shares a few personal updates: Misadventures of the cat and the headset cord Experience using PublishDrive Getting Sean into indie audiobooks (and a mention that this podcast is sponsored by Findaway Voices) Mark also thanks new Patrons of the show, Joanna Penn and Ellie Ashe as well as all existing patrons who support the podcast via Patreon. In their chat, Mark and Dana discuss: The back-story and where the use of "Dominatrix" comes from (Dana spent 6 years as a Dominatrix) how principles of healing were learned through that experience which Dana has been able to apply to the concept of power, space and authority that are integral to the Inner Dominatrix The intriguing parallels between the role of Dominatrix and the role of Author Where the "Badass" attitude comes from and the energy that

In this solo episode, Mark talks about two specific examples from his own publishing experience, where having a crappy cover didn't help sales. He walks through the back-story for the eBooks in question, his reasoning behind the initial crappy cover as well as the positive results that came after he recognized his mistake and created a better cover. He explains that he is using personal examples for a few reasons, which include: the fact that it's easier to see fault in someone else's mistakes - perhaps seeing the mistakes Mark made makes it easier for an author to understand for their own purposes to illustrate that, even though he has fourteen years of experience in self-publishing and more than twenty-five years in bookselling, and should know better, he still makes mistakes - which means everyone can and will make these mistakes (so don't beat yourself up over it) Prior to the main content of the podcast, Mark provides a personal update about two items. 1) Recently received audiobook royalties from List

This episode includes a conversation with three guests: Ara Grigorian, Janis Thomas and Julie Strauss. Ara and Janis are the brains and brawn behind the Novel Intensive Seminar and Workshop and Julie was a writer who has attended and benefited from these sessions. The Novel Intensive Workshop is a hands-on full day collaborative workshop in which writers are able to apply the Novel Intensive Tools and Principles to their current work in progress. Guided by best-selling author Janis Thomas and award-winning author Ara Grigorian, the workshop gives writers an opportunity to share their writing, ask questions, focus on their own and unique challenges, and receive immediate feedback. Hands-on exercises are provided which are designed to help writers hone their storytelling skills. For this episode's personal update, Mark shares the fact that this week he is embarking on a two day personal writing retreat to a location that is about a two hour's drive from home; while there, he will be focusing on finishing the fi

Mark interviews Alberta writer Samantha Davidson a writer he met at the recent When Words Collide conference in Calgary about the author branding of hers that immediately caught his attention immediately and about her next plans while being just at the point of finishing the first novel she plans on publishing. They also talk about the way that she helps to inspire creative people, not just writers but creatives from all pursuits. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update, including a few of the talks he presented at WWC. Knowing the Basics and Steering Clear of the Pitfalls of Digital Publishing What 25 Years as a Bookseller and Industry Rep Taught Me About the Business of Writing & Publishing The 2nd presentation is a bit of an early look at the non-fiction book on writing and publishing that Mark plans on releasing later this year. Links to PDFs of both presentations are available to all Patrons of the Stark Reflections Podcast. Mark also shares some info about a talk he did on the art a

This week's episode is a solo one, where Mark reflects on reflect the Two Wrongs That Make a Writer Spite. He takes a look at two negative things that writers often focus on which can be demotivating and make them hateful or spiteful - all things that detract from what writers should be focusing on to move onward and upward in their writer journey. Before the main content, Mark shares a few personal updates, one of which is related to the sell-direct BookFunnel and audiobook sell-direct option recently offered by Findaway Voices via Authors Direct. This week's episode is sponsored by listeners and Patreon supporters to the show. Mark explains that his nickname for listeners have been christened as Reflectives, and the outlines who he believes his ideal listening audience to this podcast is. He also outlines the ways that listeners can help support the show, which are:   a) continuing to listen to the podcast b) sharing the podcast with someone who would likely get value from it c) becoming a Patreon supporter

The feature interview in this episode is with C.C. Humphreys, an actor, playwright, fight choreographer and novelist. Chris has ten novels that were all traditionally published, several of which have been Globe and Mail Bestsellers and his historic novel "Plague won the Crime Writers of Canada's Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Novel in 2015. Prior to the interview Mark shares a few personal updates that include being in the Sudbury area to participate in a multi-author event in support of a book launch for his friend Mathew Del Papa for his latest book, Capreol at Bat. He also talks about how he has been slipping in the uploading of his #FreeFridayFrights weekly videos to YouTube as well as an update on how the free first in series sales for the Nocturnal Screams series are going on Kobo and iBooks. Mark then talks about how this podcast's sponsor, Findaway Voices, has soft-launched a new product called Authors Direct, a platform and app that allows authors the ability to sell their audiobooks directly and

Mark interviews Kerrie Flanagan, author of the author of Guide to Magazine Article Writing by Writer's Digest. Kerrie is a freelance writer with over 20 years of experience. As a writing consultant, she works with writers, giving them the encouragement, support, resources and tools to find success on their writing journey. She is the author of 8 other books published under her label/publishing company Hot Chocolate Press. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a message from this episode's sponsor, the BOOKS GONE BAD BUNDLE from BundleRabbit, which features about 260,000 words from 11 authors in 2 books and 10 stories of "Speculative Visions of a Uniquely Portable Magic." You can learn more about the bundle via BundleRabbit or check it out at your favorite eBook retailer. http://books2read.com/booksgonebad Mark shares a few personal updates, which are: The new FREE email course he launched via Reedsy called Kobo Hacks for Optimizing Sales. It is a series of 10 emails that each take about 5 minutes to read that

Mark chats with Dana Pharant and Barb Stuhlemmer about elements of running their own businesses that also apply to writers. Mark, Dana and Barb are 3 of 5 members of a recent business mastermind that took place where 5 business owners from different industries and areas of expertise all work together to hold one another accountable for business plans, visions, goals and next steps for growth. Mark shares his perspective on this first business mastermind group he has been a part of and then talks about his own specific takeaways, including the publication of a book he is 20,000 words into called INDIE PUBLISHING INSIDER SECRETS: What Running Kobo Writing Life, a Print-on-Demand Business and 25 Years of Bookselling Taught Me About Success for Authors, Publishers & Self-Publishing Services. He shares how the group is holding him accountable for a proposed publishing and delivery schedule for this book that he has already dropped onto the back burner. In their chat, Mark, Dana and Barb discuss: Strategies on

This episode features an interview with Canadian author Terry Fallis. who is a two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, the winner of CBC Canada Reads for "the essential novel of the decade" the winner of the CBA Libris Author of the Year Award for 2013, and someone who has had a 6-part mini-series based on his first novel appear on CBC Television.   Prior to his personal update, Mark delivers this episode's Tongue Twister, which is something Stephen King fans might be familiar with: the mantra that Bill practices when working on his stutter. "Amidst the mists and fiercest frosts, With barest wrists, and stoutest boasts, He thrusts his fists against the posts, And still insists he sees the ghosts" The Tongue Twister segment is sponsored by Findaway Voices. Learn more about how they can help authors control their audiobook production and distribution at www.starkreflections.com/findaway   For his personal update Mark shares how he has been overwhelmed with tasks and a growing list of unfinished

Solo Episode After providing a personal update on a few of the "Free" experiments he has been running, Mark reflects on inspiration drawn from reading the book THE POWER OF MOMENTS by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. The Tongue Twister segment of the show is sponsored by Findaway Voices. Mark also talks about (and yes, it was certainly inspired from reading the aforementioned book), a survey that he has launched to get more detailed feedback from listeners on this podcast. If you wish to fill it out, you can do so at the following site: www.markleslie.ca/starksurvey Links of Interest Chip Heath & Dan Heath - The Power of Moments Mark's Free Kobo Tracking Details Mark's Free Friday Frights Video View Tracking

The feature interview in this episode is a chat with Jamie Ferguson about her writing, the thing that made the difference in terms of kick-starting her writing productivity, and the various collaborations and curation she has done by leveraging BundleRabbit as a collaborative tool. Mark then shares a quick personal update, about the fact that there's nothing like screwing up to get views on a video. The Tongue Twister segment, sponsored by Findaway Voices includes Mark reading the following: I thought a thought. But the thought I thought wasn't the thought I thought I thought. If the thought I thought I thought had been the thought I thought, I wouldn't have thought so much. In the interview, Mark and Jamie talk about: How Jamie had wanted to be a writer from when she was a child and had started and stopped various projects, but that it wasn’t until she joined a workshop started by Edward Bryant about fifteen years ago that prompted her to actually complete the projects How finishing something can actually b

In episode 26, Mark chats with author Armand Rosamilia who is originally from New Jersey and currently lives in sunny Florida with his wife. Armand is not only a hybrid author with more than 150 stories, and numerous books published both via traditional publishers and via indie-publishing methods, but he is also a podcaster and the co-owner of the Project Entertainment Network. This episode's tongue twister, sponsored by Findaway Voices comes from Edward, who sent the short quick tongue twister "Eddie edited it" which Mark is to say 5 times really fast in a cartoonish character voice. Mark then thanks Patreon patrons who support the show and reminds users they can support the show via Patreon or by simply sharing the show with a friend or leaving a review. In their chat, Mark and Armand talk about: How Armand prioritizes his time with all of the various tasks on his plate, and the important support from his wife who helps keep him on track The opportunities that allowed him to leave his job 7 years ago to be

In this solo episode, Mark shares 10 Ways of Thinking Outside the Ad: Book Marketing ideas that appeal to your target audience. Prior to the main content, Mark gives a bit of an update on how his Kobo Writing Life FREE first book in series is going two weeks out. Then he does the Tongue Twister, suggested by his friend Pete, and sponsored by Findaway Voices. In brief summary, here are the 10 Ways of Thinking Outside the AD that Mark shares: 1) FOOD & DRINK & BOOKS Mark shares a few thoughts about Julie Strauss with her "Chef in Love" romance books - in particular the amazing Prosecco Heart novel and how that could so brilliantly be tied in to delightful pairings. Food and drink and reading.   This would be the ideal book to give to a wine lover and romance reader. Or maybe package a CD, a book and a bottle of wine with it - it wouldn't have to be a Prosecco although that does nicely tie-in with the title, placed on an author table as a suggestion for how it could be part of an excellent creative gift

Mark interviews Laura and Daniel Martone, former residents of New Orleans who now travel the country in their mobile writing studio, a cozy RV dubbed Serenity. Together they write urban fantasy, post-apocalyptic, time travel, epic fantasy, and space opera novels. Prior to the interview, Mark shares an update on the recent FREE promotion that he paid for via the Kobo Writing Life PROMOTIONS tab. We also talks about the importance for authors to listen, learn and then to adapt what they are seeing, hearing and learning into strategies and tactics that work best for them and their own unique goals and publishing plans. Then he launches the Tongue Twister segment, which is sponsored by Findaway Voices. You can learn more about Findaway Voices at www.starkreflections.ca/findaway. In the interview, Mark talks with Daniel and Laura about: The way they met via the world of films and film festivals The experience of having a horror screenplay altered to the tune of a director’s completely different interpretation of

In this episode, Mark interviews Danièle Cybulskie about how she translated her passion for The Middle Ages into featured articles at Medievalists.net that have reached more than half a million readers, has had her work as a subject matter specialist adopted for nine Ontario colleges, had created fun and informative books such as The Five-Minute Medievalist, Six Steps to Better Historical Fiction and many other great titles, not to mention fascinating speaking gigs, including a TedX talk, and as an author coach. Before the interview, Mark welcomes new Patreon Supporter Jamie Davis, thanks Patrons for their support and introduces this episode's tongue twister, sponsored by Findaway Voices, which is in honor of Book Expo America taking place in New York. The tongue twister is: "You know New York, you need New York, you know you need unique New York" Mark also shares a few personal updates, including a recently released BookNet Canada suvey result about 2017 Publishing Trends as well as an experiment he is doing

This episode includes clips of interviews that Mark conducted on a tour through the Findaway offices in Cleveland, Ohio that took place on Tuesday May 22nd. Mark chats with folks from the Findaway Voices team (Will, Wes and Eric) as well as Findaway CEO Mitch Kroll. In the introduction, Mark shares a few updates, including an update of the latest video for Patreon supporters and then explains the three levels of support that include ($1 - Plot Outline (Bronze), $3 - First Draft (Silver) and $5 - Completed Manuscript (Gold). He thanks new and existing Patreon supporters. Mark also shares some details about the percentage share of his eBook retail sales for 2017, revealing that 77% of his eBook earnings came from Kindle with Kobo coming in second at 17%. He also noted that Google started to make a return in terms of his eBook sales in 2017 and has already well surpassed his iBooks sales in 2018. Mark shares his own experiences with publishing exclusively to Kindle via KDP Select to try to leverage the Kindle Un