OLD POST ALERT! This is an older post and although you might find some useful tips, any technical or publishing information is likely to be out of date. Please click on Start Here on the menu bar above to find links to my most useful articles, videos and podcast. Thanks and happy writing! – Joanna Penn
I interview so many people on my own podcast that it is always weird to be interviewed on another show!
You can listen to the interview here, and it includes highlights in the show-notes. You can also subscribe to the podcast on iTunes here.
- Holly Lisle on the long term journey of making writing into a business, her disillusionment with traditional publishing and why she went indie
- CJ Lyons on hybrid publishing
- Russell Blake on writing really fast and how he runs his business
- Earning around self-publishing with Bryan Cohen
- Writing books that sell with Nancy Hendrickson
Other podcasts I'm listening to at the moment (in no particular order)
I regularly cycle my podcasts. I only have room for ~4-5 a week, which I listen to at the gym, doing chores, cooking and when walking to and from places (I don't have a car and we walk a lot in London!) Here's what's on my iPod at the moment along with RSP Podcast as above.
There's a great standalone ‘essay' that Tim gives on being more productive. Plus extensive interviews with some great guests. My favorite so far has been the chat with Ryan Holiday. I also interviewed Ryan on my show, but since he and Tim are friends and Ryan did his book launch, their chat was very laid back!
I'm a huge fan of James. He's the definition of someone who bleeds on the page, putting out brutally honest articles and getting death threats for his views on things like: don't buy a house, and kids shouldn't go to college. He also wrote ‘Choose Yourself,' which he self-published and he is definitely an indie these days! He is a little eccentric, but super smart – having made multi-millions and lost it all, he also knows what happiness really is. Recent interviews I've enjoyed include Arianna Huffington, and indie superstar Hugh Howey.
Some recommended episodes: Showing your work and stealing like an artist with Austin Kleon; A discussion on direct sales strategy, email lists and more; and I was on the show to talk about multiple streams of income, foreign rights exploitation and professional speaking as part of your author business.
A new podcast but already useful, and I write down at least one thing to follow up every show. It's also short and to the point, which definitely helps! There are only 8 shows so far and each one has some good tips. I'm a fan of Jim's Author Marketing Club and use it for my Amazon HTML descriptions and finding reviewers for my books, and I know Jim's background as an internet marketer. Bryan is a new author, and rapidly implementing every sales tactic he can find and sharing the results, so it's a great mix of hosts. I'll be guesting on the next show 🙂
Other shows that I listen to occasionally
Six Pixels of Separation. A marketing podcast with Mitch Joel that often has great entrepreneurial non-fiction authors on, as well as talking about the latest in the world of corporate marketing.
I Should Be Writing with Mur Lafferty. I started listening to Mur's show before I even published my first book, before I started this site! I credit her in the acknowledgements of Pentecost because of her encouragement that “it's OK to suck.” While she is focusing more on traditional publishing these days, Mur has great writing advice and interviews focusing more on the craft side of things.
AuthorCast with David Wood and Alan Baxter. Used to be ThrillerCast, but recently switched to more author focused. Interviews and rants on the industry.
Self Publishing Roundtable – Interviewing authors in a more informal setting and lots about indie publishing and marketing tips. There are multiple hosts so the show is quite raucous and fun. US and Australia centric because the time it records is the middle of the night for Europeans!
Writing Excuses with Brandon Sanderson, Mary Robinette Kowal, Howard Taylor and Dan Wells. Craft focused.
Oh yes, I have a podcast too!
If you didn't realize – and sometimes people tell me they didn't know – I have a podcast too!
It's now up to episode 183 and recent episodes have featured Jane Friedman on writers and money; Ryan Holiday on writing non-fiction and marketing, and an awesome show on strategy. I have interviews coming up with Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art and many other books, as well as Bob Mayer, author of over 50 books; and David Morrell, whose first book ‘First Blood,' was turned into the movie ‘Rambo.' All veterans of the industry so some exciting interviews to come soon!
You can subscribe to my podcast here on iTunes, or here on Stitcher, or subscribe to the feed directly here. You can also listen or download any of the backlist episodes here. That's over 90 hours of free audio education 🙂
Do you listen to podcasts? Which ones do you recommend? Please leave a comment below and join the conversation.
View Comments (12)
Your interview was great. Mades me realize that every author is doing sacrifices for their dreams so we, aspiring authors, are not alone. I already know some of your "background" story since I've been following you for a while, but you are right, this interview went deep.
I have a Podcast listening addiction and regret nothing. I learn so much from all of them, it is nice to have some guideline in my writing-marketing journey. Thanks to this article I have more podcasts to listen in my spare time.
Thanks Amelia. I did get off the phone and wonder whether I had just revealed WAY too much about myself :) Simon is clearly an excellent interviewer! Glad you also love podcasts. It's such a great way to learn.
Great podcast Joanna. Your openness and authenticity is inspiring as ever, your enthusiasm simply infectious. Simon certainly worked some magic too.
I found your comments about branding the different strands of your writing life very interesting, especially as someone who, like you, has opened their account in the world of non-fiction when what I *really* want to be writing is fiction. With a regular monthly gig as a non-fiction magazine editor, I'm finding this particularly vexing but, like you, I'm determined to make the transition. And the decisions you have made about which social media to concentrate on are, as I've mentioned before, very apposite.
Well done Joanna, your accolades as author/entrepreneur torchbearer are deserved.
Oh, and P.S. you've helped me make a decision to revamp my own website – again! :-D
Hi Henry,
Thanks so much for your lovely comment! I am definitely keeping a foot in non-fiction. I find it a palate cleanser between my fiction, and I am also re-embracing my 'self-help' side because I find it so satisfying to help people :)
I think it's about balancing all the different sides of your personality.
All the best with your transition.
Joanna, I just wanted to tell you I absolutely loved your interview with Simon. I've already listened to it twice. I appreciate your honesty and all that you do for yourself but also for the young women in your life!
Thanks for a chance to learn more about you :)
Megan
Thanks Megan, I am passionate about making sure my young nieces and cousins can follow their creative dreams!
Podcasts are so great--thanks for sharing these! I didn't know about the Sell More Books show, but I've subscribed now.
I also love the StoryTelling Podcast ( http://thestorytellingpodcast.com/ ) and The Moth ( http://themoth.org/ ) and recommend them for fiction writers. The Moth is especially cool if you write in first person, to learn pacing and rhythm.
And I just wanted to say thanks for your inspiration, Joanna. You and the SPP guys gave me and a couple of writer friends the spark to start our own podcast, Fiction School ( http://www.fictionschool.com ). We're 30-something episodes in, and it's an absolute blast. Thanks!
Thanks Baker - I will check our your recommendations, and also your Fiction School show! It looks like fun from the website!
I just listened to your interview and thought it was great! Thanks for the advice. I especially liked the one about gauging your progress at every Olympics. We need to be reminded that this is a marathon, not a sprint.
I don't listen to many podcasts, but I was so drawn to the interview that I wound up subscribing to your Creative Penn podcast afterwards. Now to go back and listen to some of your earlier Creative Penn episodes!
Thanks HS - I hope you find other things you like in the backlist shows: http://www.thecreativepenn.com/podcasts/
There's lots to choose from :)
Would recommend to check out Joe Rogan Experience podcast. It's not a normal podcast. Joe interviews huge variety of interesting personalities, from musicians, to fighters to writers to comedians to doctors doing incredible discoveries. Basically, it's a talk show with very successful people who are great at what they do and have many different perspectives on the world. Episode with Steven Pressfield was awesome. He gets even World Champion level people (and those episodes with Champion fighters are surprising - they aren't stupid as stereotypes suggest). It's long, and not all episodes will fit everyone but it's absolutely one of the best shows online!
It can be viewed on Youtube as video too.
Great interview and work. I'm impressed with your interviews and the subject you get on your show!
I like Michael Hyatt's podcasts and those by Brendon Bouchard. I'm a motivational junkie.