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 of literary agent selection
• Differences between fiction and non-fiction manuscript submissions
• How to create a compelling book proposal
• Understanding the publishing industry's inner workings
• Strategies for becoming a successful published author
• The importance of online presence for writers
• Navigating the traditional publishing landscape

Resources mentioned:

• The Writing Room mentorship: https://www.thewritingroom.co.za/author-mentorship
• International writing retreats: https://www.internationalwritingretreats.com/
• Online author platforms
• Book proposal guidelines
• Genre-specific writing conventions
• Publishing industry networking

Book recommendations:

• The Ghost Ship by Colleen Dolan: https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Ship-Fire-Colleen-Dolan/dp/1637776365
• The Authority Gap by Marianne Seacart: https://www.maryannsieghart.com/the-authority-gap/

Connect with Sarah:

• Website: http://www.thewritingroom.co.za/
• Alternative Website: https://www.internationalwritingretreats.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahbullenwritingroom/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahbullenwritingroom/
• LinkedIn: https://za.linkedin.com/in/sarahbullenwritingcoach

Connect with Teddy Smith:

• @teddyagsmith
• Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/
• Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/
• Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinsta
• Youtube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSw
• Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/publishing-performance/

Support the show

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 women to write and publish their business books.

In this episode:

• The journey from idea to published business book
• Using AI tools to support (not replace) writing
• Creating authentic business books
• Hybrid publishing vs self-publishing
• Book positioning strategies
• Writing habits and routines
• Distribution and marketing approaches

Resources mentioned:

• Book Magic AI: https://bookmagic.ai/
• Rethink Press: http://www.rethinkpress.com/
• KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing): https://kdp.amazon.com/
• Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/
• Key Person of Influence: https://www.keypersonofinfluence.com/

Book recommendations:

• The Authority Gap by Mary Ann Sieghart: https://www.amazon.com/Authority-Gap-women-still-seriously/dp/0857527568

Connect with Lucy:

• Get your Free Trial for Book Magic AI: https://bookmagic.ai/
• Rethink Press: http://www.rethinkpress.com/
• Personal Website: https://www.lucymccarraher.com/
• Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher

Connect with Teddy Smith:

• @teddyagsmith
• Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/
• Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/
• Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinsta
• Youtube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSw
• Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/publishing-performance/

Support the show

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 laws
• Guidelines for publishing on Amazon KDP
• Strategies for standing out in the market
• Finding and selecting profitable titles
• Formatting and production considerations
• Marketing and advertising approaches
• Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

Resources mentioned:

• Project Gutenberg
• Many Books
• Wikipedia copyright tables
• KDP publishing guidelines

Connect with Ellen:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenerikson/

Connect with Teddy Smith:

• @teddyagsmith
• Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/
• Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/
• Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinsta
• Youtube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSw
• Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/publishing-performance/

Support the show