The Rebel Author Podcast

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number forty-four between Rachael Herron and I.  To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you like dark humor, learning through examples and want to create perfect prose, then you’ll love my guide to crafting sensational sentences. Read The Anatomy of Prose today and start creating kick-ass stories.

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number forty-three between Rachael Herron and I. To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you like dark humour, learning through examples and want to create the best villains you can, then you’ll love Sacha Black’s guide to crafting superbad villains. Read 13 Steps to Evil today and start creating kick-ass villains.

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number forty-two between Rachael Herron and I. To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you haven’t read The Anatomy of a Best Seller, what are you waiting for? Grab my latest craft book and start deconstructing so you can write your own best seller today.

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number forty-one between Rachael Herron and I.  To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you like dark humor, learning through examples and want to create perfect prose, then you’ll love my guide to crafting sensational sentences. Read The Anatomy of Prose today and start creating kick-ass stories.

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number forty between Rachael Herron and I. To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you like dark humour, learning through examples and want to create the best villains you can, then you’ll love Sacha Black’s guide to crafting superbad villains. Read 13 Steps to Evil today and start creating kick-ass villains.

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number thirty-nine between Rachael Herron and I. To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you haven’t read The Anatomy of a Best Seller, what are you waiting for? Grab my latest craft book and start deconstructing so you can write your own best seller today.

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number thirty-eight between Rachael Herron and I.  To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you like dark humor, learning through examples and want to create perfect prose, then you’ll love my guide to crafting sensational sentences. Read The Anatomy of Prose today and start creating kick-ass stories.

The History  I started my shopify store around the 10th December 2023 after a viral video on TikTok on December 8th. So I integrated with Bookvault and stayed with POD shipping until February 2025. Since February 2025, I’ve been distributing and fulfilling all orders from my website in my own warehouse. These are the lessons I’ve learned from the last ten months of running my own website sales and distribution. And yes, I will talk numbers, but I’m making you wait till the end! Please note, I will talk about finances, systems and the occasional legal thing. Absolutely nothing I say is financial, legal or tax advice. You must seek advice from professionals in your own countries and tax territories. I recognise that this model is not for 99% of authors. It’s a LOT of work. It’s a lot of logistics, a lot of peopling, team building, paperwork and problem solving. This is as far removed from sitting behind a desk and writing 24/7 as you can get.  Do not listen to this with an open heart. Be skeptical, that will keep you on the right track for creating a business you love. But know that I do love this and I am framing these lessons learned from that perspective. Why Direct? I’d always had a transactional website for Sacha Black work but it barely did £20 a month. So I knew the work I was about to scramble to do for Ruby may be for nothing. But I didn’t want to be beholden to TikTok the way I’d been beholdened to other sources of income and I knew if I’d gone viral once, I could do it again and that would lead to relying on TikTok. What do I mean why? Two reasons: why should you as an author have a direct store but also why should readers come to you? For you, you can earn more per sale. POD companies integrating with shopify automatically give you more as there are no hidden fees. But when you shift to print runs you more than half the cost of printing each book. Of course you also give yourself a host of other problems like fulfillment and overheads, but you gain a lot more product flexibility and potential meaning you have the opportunity to make bigger profit. BUT and this is a big but, you have to work out what you want your business to look like. That said, there are consequences. I usually write and publish 3 books a year and this year I’ve dropped to 2 published. Though I will have written a 3rd and a short story by the end of the year. But I wasn’t able to get that third one published. Despite that, this is going to be my biggest year ever for income. It already beat last year in 7 months. Which goes to show that you don’t have to be rapid releasing anymore to make good money. The fact I’ve not published three, is a direct consequence of the warehouse and also the increasing team size and the need to train staff. Thankfully due to the Kickstarter, some rights deals an big increase in direct sales of products and merch, I haven’t seen a dip in income. Which goes to show that you don’t ha

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number thirty-seven between Rachael Herron and I. To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you like dark humour, learning through examples and want to create the best villains you can, then you’ll love Sacha Black’s guide to crafting superbad villains. Read 13 Steps to Evil today and start creating kick-ass villains.

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number thirty-six between Rachael Herron and I.  To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you like dark humor, learning through examples and want to create perfect prose, then you’ll love my guide to crafting sensational sentences. Read The Anatomy of Prose today and start creating kick-ass stories.

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number thirty-five between Rachael Herron and I. To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you like dark humour, learning through examples and want to create the best villains you can, then you’ll love Sacha Black’s guide to crafting superbad villains. Read 13 Steps to Evil today and start creating kick-ass villains.

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number thirty-four between Rachael Herron and I. To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you haven’t read The Anatomy of a Best Seller, what are you waiting for? Grab my latest craft book and start deconstructing so you can write your own best seller today.

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number thirty-three between Rachael Herron and I. To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you haven’t read The Anatomy of a Best Seller, what are you waiting for? Grab my latest craft book and start deconstructing so you can write your own best seller today.

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number thirty-two between Rachael Herron and I. Don’t forget, Patrons get early access to these Black Herron episodes an entire month early and then we air them on the podcast feeds the following month. If you’d like to hear them early you can join me on Patreon from as little as $2 right here. To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you haven’t read The Anatomy of a Best Seller, what are you waiting for? Grab my latest craft book and start deconstructing so you can write your own best seller today.

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover: Income update Asset update Lesson 1: Understanding What I’m Good At Lesson 2: Understanding my Energy Flow Lesson 3: Growth Means Change Lesson 4: No Matter What, This is Always Better Read the full blog with graphics on my website.

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  Differences between serials and novels Planning your story when writing serials Knowing when to end each episode Is there money in writing serials? Marketing serialized fiction Find out more about KimBoo: houseofyork.info Rebel of the Week is: Karla If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] No new patrons this week, but a big thank you to my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  Common roadblocks writers hit in their manuscripts How to get unstuck Navigating craft advice without getting overwhelmed Keeping readers engaged throughout a romance Tips for improving conflict and tension Find out more about Lori: LoriPuma.com Subscribe to the What Fiction Craft Books Leave Out series Scribophile Rebel of the Week is: Carey If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] 1 new patron this week, welcome and thank you to Lo Dodds. A big thank you to my existing patrons as well. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  The concept of the hungry author mindset and how to develop it Building an author platform beyond social media How to use a book map Patterns of authors who have sustainable, long-term careers Biggest mistakes nonfiction writers make Find out more about Ariel: Instagram @hungryauthors hungryauthors.com Rebel of the Week is: Mark If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] 1 new patron this week, welcome and thank you to Nicole Hutton. A big thank you to my existing patrons as well. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  The research process for historical fantasy Balancing historical accuracy and fantasy elements Crafting period-appropriate dialogue Writing series versus standalones Marketing historical fantasy books Find out more about Nicole: nicole-glover.com Instagram @authornicoleglover Bluesky @nicoleglover.bsky.social Substack Rebel of the Week is: Julie If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] 1 new patron this week, welcome and thank you to Anna Trolson. A big thank you to my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number thirty-one between Rachael Herron and I. Don’t forget, Patrons get early access to these Black Herron episodes an entire month early and then we air them on the podcast feeds the following month. If you’d like to hear them early you can join me on Patreon from as little as $2 right here. To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you like dark humour, learning through examples and want to create the best villains you can, then you’ll love Sacha Black’s guide to crafting superbad villains. Read 13 Steps to Evil today and start creating kick-ass villains.

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  What Aristotle can teach us about writing novels Writing vs. story The six components of a story How to make story more believable Using logic to better create a villain Links I mentioned:  Girl Games: NSFW Special Edition Kickstarter Find out more about Douglas: Instagram @douglasvigliotti  AristotleforNovelists.com Rebel of the Week is: Zachary Kai If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] 2 new patrons this week, welcome and thank you to Elle Mae and Effie. A big thank you to my existing patrons as well. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  The logistics of selling on TikTok Shop What products sell the most Creating content to drive people to your TikTok Shop Selling on TikTok Shop vs. direct through your author website How TikTok Shop can affect your algorithm Links I mentioned: Girl Games: NSFW Special Edition Kickstarter Find out more about Emily: Instagram and TikTok: @authoremilyblackwood TikTok Shop: @blackwoodbooks Rebel of the Week is: Avril  If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] No new patrons this week, but a big thank you to my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  Digging into identity when crafting characters Recognising our own unconscious biases  What intersectionality is – and its importance in writing Considerations when writing dialogue and accents Receiving feedback from sensitivity readers Links I mentioned: Girl Games: NSFW Special Edition Kickstarter Find out more about Alex: @Alex_Temblador (IG, Threads, Twitter) Writing an Identity Not Your Own AlexTemblador.com Rebel of the Week is: Morgan If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] 2 new patrons this week, welcome and thank you to Rachel Beaney and Gerry Fitzgerald. A big thank you to my existing patrons as well. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  Mindset shifts to balance writing with family life How to find your creative identity again The benefits of pursuing your creative goals Finding time to write when busy Tips for reconnecting with your creativity Links I mentioned: Girl Games: NSFW Special Edition Kickstarter Find out more about Josee: Instagram @joseesmithbookcoach Rebel of the Week is: Karen  If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] No new patrons this week, but a big thank you to my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number thirty between Rachael Herron and I. Don’t forget, Patrons get early access to these Black Herron episodes an entire month early and then we air them on the podcast feeds the following month. If you’d like to hear them early you can join me on Patreon from as little as $2 right here. To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you like dark humour, learning through examples and want to create the best villains you can, then you’ll love Sacha Black’s guide to crafting superbad villains. Read 13 Steps to Evil today and start creating kick-ass villains.

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  Working with a co-narrator What makes a book more fun/easy/hard to narrate Tips for narrating spicy scenes Tips to tailor your book more for audio Creating the voice of a character The process of narrators and authors working together Links I mentioned: Girl Games: NSFW Special Edition Kickstarter Find out more about Charlie: @albersactor on all socials AppleTreeAudio.com Rebel of the Week is: Melissa If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] No new patrons this week, but a big thank you to my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  Exploring themes of identity and belonging The difference between conflict and tension Building sustainable tension across a novel and a series How to create subtle conflict between characters Using cliffhangers vs softer hooks Links I mentioned: Girl Games: NSFW Special Edition Kickstarter Find out more about A.Y.: Instagram @ay_chao Shanghai Immortal Rebel of the Week is: Jenn Storey If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] 1 new patron this week, welcome and thank you to Chris. A big thank you to my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Episode Show Notes How important is an author website? Recommended platforms and features for author websites Optimising your author website to drive sales The importance of author branding in creating a cohesive website Using your website to build your mailing list Website metrics to pay attention to Links I mentioned: Page Turner Pacing Kickstarter Girl Games: NSFW Special Edition Kickstarter Find out more about Charlotte: CharlotteDuckworthStudio.com Instagram @charduck Rebel of the Week is: Eden the Pigeon Wrangler If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] No new patrons, but a big thank you to my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack  This episode is sponsored by Fictionary Find out more about Fictionary Software + Fictionary Live! here. As a rebel listener you can get 25% off StoryTeller, StoryTeller Premium and certification with code REBEL25.

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  Differences between developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, and proofreading What type of editing to invest in if you’re on a budget What makes a good first line Common mistakes new authors make in story An editor’s process of reviewing a manuscript Links I mentioned: Page Turner Pacing Kickstarter Girl Games: NSFW Special Edition Kickstarter Find out more about Rebecca: Instagram @beccafaithheyman rebeccafaitheditorial.com Rebel of the Week is: Gigi If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] Two new patrons this month, welcome and thank you to Lexi Le and Rasana Atreya. A big thank you to my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY KOBO WRITING LIFE Visit Kobo Writing Life here, read the Kobo Writing Life blog here, and listen to their podcast here.

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number twenty-nine between Rachael Herron and I. Don’t forget, Patrons get early access to these Black Herron episodes an entire month early and then we air them on the podcast feeds the following month. If you’d like to hear them early you can join me on Patreon from as little as $2 right here. To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you like dark humour, learning through examples and want to create the best villains you can, then you’ll love Sacha Black’s guide to crafting superbad villains. Read 13 Steps to Evil today and start creating kick-ass villains.

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  Using Pinterest to promote your books What content performs best for authors on Pinterest Key elements of setting up a good pin Planning Pinterest content for a book launch Keeping readers engaged in a series between book releases Links I mentioned: Page Turner Pacing Kickstarter Find out more about Heather: Instagram @heatherfarrisco_ YouTube Rebel of the Week is: Richard If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] No new patrons this week, but a big thank you to my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  What resonates with BookTok readers Tips for worldbuilding Creating a brand identity Tropes for cozy romance How social media is changing the landscape for romance authors and readers Dealing with increased attention from readers Links I mentioned: Page Turner Pacing Kickstarter Find out more about Melissa: Instagram @lauriegilmore_author Instagram @melissamcternan MelissaMct.com Rebel of the Week is: Anthony J If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] 3 new patrons this week, welcome and thank you to Senja Laakso, Amber, and Kelsey labas. A big thank you to my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  What makes tropes so powerful Using tropes to help outline Avoiding cliches when using tropes Tropes that consistently resonate with readers How to use tropes in marketing Find out more about Jennifer: The Trope Thesaurus : An Author Resource Guide Substack YouTube Facebook Rebel of the Week is: Chris If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] 3 new patrons this week, welcome and thank you to Melanie Reber, Bethany Tucker, Heather Flyte. A big thank you to my existing patrons as well. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack This episode is sponsored by Fictionary Find out more about Fictionary StoryCoach Certification here. As a rebel listener you can get 25% off StoryTeller, StoryTeller Premium and certification with code REBEL25.

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  What does having your books “wide” mean Advantages and disadvantages of your books being wide Dealing with losing Kindle Unlimited page reads Different marketing approaches for different platforms Planning your releases when publishing wide Learn More about Erin: Erin's Website Sign up for free replays of courses Wide for the Win Courses Rebel of the Week is: Richard If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] 2 new patrons this week, welcome and thank you to Erin Lynn Austin and Martha Knox. A big thank you to my existing patrons as well. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY KOBO WRITING LIFE Visit Kobo Writing Life here, read the Kobo Writing Life blog here, and listen to their podcast here.

Links I mentioned: Follow the Girl Games Kickstarter   If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number twenty-eight between Rachael Herron and I. Don't forget, Patrons get early access to these episode an entire month early and then we air them on the podcast feeds the following month. If you’d like to hear them early you can join me on Patreon from as little as $2 right here. To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you haven’t read The Anatomy of a Best Seller, what are you waiting for? Grab my latest craft book and start deconstructing so you can write your own best seller today.

Links I mentioned: Follow the Girl Games Kickstarter   If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  What Substack is and how it works Utilizing “Notes” on Substack effectively Substack as a new way for authors to monetize their work The importance of branding How to analyze the data from Substack How to increase engagement Find out more about Russell: The Author Stack Writer MBA How to Build a World Class Substack Rebel of the Week is: Karla If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] 1 new patron this week, welcome and thank you to Kat Vroman. A big thank you to my existing patrons as well. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack This episode is sponsored by Fictionary Find out more about Fictionary Software + Fictionary Live! here. As a rebel listener you can get 25% off StoryTeller, StoryTeller Premium and certification with code REBEL25.

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  Breaking into the US market as an international author In-person and virtual signings  Main benefits of attending book signings Logistics of attending international book signing events Balancing travel time with your writing schedule Tips for energy management Links I mentioned:  Order House of Crimson Curses direct from me Order House of Crimson Curses on all platforms Find out more about Jacqueline: JacquelineHayleyAuthor.com HaileyJay.com Rebel of the Week is: Rachel If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] 1 new patron this week, welcome and thank you to Gina. A big thank you to my existing patrons as well. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack  THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY KOBO WRITING LIFE Visit Kobo Writing Life here, read the Kobo Writing Life blog here, and listen to their podcast here.

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  Changes in indie publishing in the last 8 years Necessary skill sets for returning to indie publishing Marketing and promotion differences between trad and indie Advice for switching from trad to indie publishing Current trends in trad and indie publishing Links I mentioned: Preorder House of Crimson Curses direct from me Preorder House of Crimson Curses on all platforms Find out more about Sasha: Preorder Ghostling Sasha's Website Instagram @sashawasley_author TikTok @ash.harrier Instagram @ashharrierbooks Rebel of the Week is: Liz If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] No new patrons this week, but a big thank you to my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number twenty-seven between Rachael Herron and I.  Don't forget, Patrons get early access to these episode an entire month early and then we air them on the podcast feeds the following month. If you’d like to hear them early you can join me on Patreon from as little as $2 here. To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you like dark humor, learning through examples and want to create perfect prose, then you’ll love my guide to crafting sensational sentences. Read The Anatomy of Prose today and start creating kick-ass stories.

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  Why reader magnets are important for authors Using TikTok to excel your author career How to promote your reader magnet Keeping readers engaged after the freebies How to come up with prequel/novella ideas Links I mentioned: Preorder House of Crimson Curses direct from me Preorder House of Crimson Curses on all platforms Find out more about Zac: Socials: @zsdiamanti Get his free stories here Rebel of the Week is: Kiersten Lillis If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] 1 new patron this week, welcome and thank you to Anthony Paparello. A big thank you to my existing patrons as well. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack  This episode is sponsored by Fictionary Find out more about Fictionary Software + Fictionary Live! here. As a rebel listener you can get 25% off StoryTeller, StoryTeller Premium and certification with code REBEL25.

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  Overview of the TikTok accountability challenge The biggest challenges in algorithm and audience shifts What content are they making on TikTok Keeping up with TikTok trends Building a sustainable business that doesn’t rely on TikTok Links I mentioned: Preorder House of Crimson Curses direct from me Preorder House of Crimson Curses on all platforms Find out more about Adam and Cara: Adam's Author Website Cara's Author Website Rebel of the Week is: Karla If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] No new patrons, but a big thank you to my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  What brand keywords are and why authors should have them How keywords can guide an author’s marketing Maintaining consistency in your branding across platforms Using other types of writing like “Scaremail” to increase revenue Building and maintaining and engaged email list Links I mentioned:  Preorder House of Crimson Curses direct from me Preorder House of Crimson Curses on all platforms Find out more about David: davidviergutz.com Rebel of the Week is: Chris If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] No new patrons this week, but a big thank you to my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  Using the consumer journey to build your author business How to start building an author brand Balancing a brand promise with experimentation and growth Considerations for creating repeat readers Social media’s effect on the author-reader relationship Links I mentioned:  Preorder House of Crimson Curses direct from me Preorder House of Crimson Curses on all platforms Find out more about Celeste: Celeste Barclay Facebook Instagram @celestebarclayauthor Sabine Barclay Facebook Instagram @sabinebarclayauthor Rebel of the Week is: Ciara If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] No new patrons this week, but a big thank you to my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack  THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY KOBO WRITING LIFE Visit Kobo Writing Life here, read the Kobo Writing Life blog here, and listen to their podcast here.

Hello Rebels and welcome to fireside chat number twenty-six between Rachael Herron and I. Don't forget, Patrons get early access to these episode an entire month early and then we air them on the podcast feeds the following month. If you’d like to hear them early you can join me on Patreon from as little as $2 right here. To find out more about Rachael, you can listen to her show “How Do You Write” or visit her website. * If you haven’t read The Anatomy of a Best Seller, what are you waiting for? Grab my latest craft book and start deconstructing so you can write your own best seller today.

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  Different writing approaches for different genres Creating realistic monsters Advice for switching between genres Balancing different elements when crafting a story Keys for reaching a wide audience Links I mentioned:  Preorder House of Crimson Curses direct from me Preorder House of Crimson Curses on all platforms Find out more about Jason: Tiktok @JerseyBookGuy Instagram @JasonPinter Read Dating & Dismemberment Rebel of the Week is: Lena If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] 1 new patron this week, welcome and thank you to Elle Thorpe. A big thank you to my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  Artistic decisions when setting up a series The different types of series Importance of series unity What a “skeleton blurb” is and how they help in planning a series The role of subplots throughout a series Story arcs for open and closed series Links I mentioned: Preorder House of Crimson Curses direct from me Preorder House of Crimson Curses on all platforms Release date: 5th December 2024 Find out more about Kristina and Lucy: fictionary.co Rebel of the Week is: Jo If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] No new patrons this week, but a big thank you to my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  Maintaining a passion for writing while building a thriving business Dealing with rejection and criticism as a writer Finding your authentic writer’s voice Overcoming writer’s block and the need for perfectionism Imposter syndrome and quieting unhelpful internal voices Find out more about Tiffany: FoxPrint Editorial Tiffany's Books Instagram Facebook YouTube Rebel of the Week is: Trish If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] 3 new patrons this week, welcome and thank you to Denise Yoko Berndt, Cheyanna Lynn, and Drayga. A big thank you to my existing patrons as well. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack  This episode is sponsored by Fictionary Find out more about Fictionary Software + Fictionary Live! here. As a rebel listener you can get 25% off StoryTeller, StoryTeller Premium and certification with code REBEL25.

Episode Show Notes In this episode we cover:  The importance of humour in fiction Different types of humour The principles of writing funny fiction Making humour work on page Funny vs. offensive – where is the line? Embracing the rebel mindset Find out more about Dave: Bluesky @daveiswriting.bsky.social Funny Up Your Fiction: How to Add Light, Shade and Laughs to Your Novel Rebel of the Week is: Krista If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to [email protected] 2 new rebels this week, welcome and thank you to Bethany Hensel and Jo Narayan. A big thank you to my existing patrons as well. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY KOBO WRITING LIFE Visit Kobo Writing Life here, read the Kobo Writing Life blog here, and listen to their podcast here.