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The Author’s Voice, Candy, Colleen, and Peter, talk with each other and guests about how writers can take their book from Blank Page to Bestseller. From published authors to industry professionals and everyone in between, Blank Page to Bestseller sheds light on the many facets of the publishing industry.
Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
How do you sell your book? This week we discuss two separate avenues for book sales - bookstores and audiobooks.
Biz Buzz Segment
Bookstores and Authors
Peter and CaZ talk about how authors can work with bookstores to sell their book. With a particular focus on brick and mortar stores, and indie bookstores specifically, authors can work with their local bookstores to promote their book. There is no right way to work with bookstores but there are a few ways we share about how you can make it easier to see you book on shelves or collaborate to have a book signing.
Guest Interview w/ Vaughn Fahie
The Importance of Audiobooks
Colleen and Peter talk with Vaughn Fahie about all things audiobooks! Vaughn believes everyone has their own unique Voice Print and shares why authors, especially non-fiction authors, should work to have their book in audiobook format.
Timestamp
Biz Buzz: Bookstores and Authors (3:53)
Guest Interview w/ Vaugh Fahie (32:50)
Links From the Show
The Bookshop Review: What Bookstores Mean to America
Vaugh Fahie: Facebook - Website
The Author's Voice Links
NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros
Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads
Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube
Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org
Tuesday May 06, 2025
Tuesday May 06, 2025
This week we talk about bookstores and libraries. The Biz Buzz segment covers how authors and libraries can work together. Then Peter takes a look at the book, The Bookshop by Evan Friss for this month's book review segment.
Biz Buzz Segment
Libraries and Authors
How can libraries ad authors work together? Libraries are great places for readers to discover new books, fall in love with stories, research new topics, and much more. How can authors work with their local library for events, programming, or just to have their book in circulation? We talk about all of that and more in this week's Biz Buzz segment.
Book Review Segment
The Bookshop and Kobo Reviews
This month's book review with Peter is a bit of a two-part review. First, he reviews this month's book - The Bookshop: A History of The American Bookstore by Evan Friss. This book covers everything from colonial bookstores like the one run by Founding Father Benjamin Franklin to the big department store bookshelves, from small independent stores to international giants like Amazon. This story, from the perspective of the booksellers themselves is a great way to look at the importance of bookstores in American communities.
Then, Peter reviews the Kobo app. More an more indie authors are looking at ways to share their books outside of just Amazon and Kobo provides that ability. What is similar to Kindle, what is different? Peter takes a look at the ins-and-outs of the Kobo app.
Timestamp
Biz Buzz: Libraries and Authors (2:40)
Book Review Segment: The Bookshop (25:24)
Links From the Show
YouTube Video: What Bookstores Mean to America
The Author's Voice Links
NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros
Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads
Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube
Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org
Tuesday Apr 29, 2025
Tuesday Apr 29, 2025
This week's theme on the show is Reader Magnets. What are they and why are they important for authors to create in their marketing plan?
Biz Buzz Segment
The Best Reader Magnets
Reader magnets are ways that authors can attract new readers. Colleen begins the segment with a look into the different kinds and versions of reader magnets. Then the three of us talk more in-depth about the reader magnets and why each type of these might be beneficial to certain types of authors.
Conversations with Colleen Segment
How to Capture More Readers
In Part 2 of the Creating Your Author Brand series, Colleen shares the importance of reader magnets. What are reader magnets? How can authors use them? What are the difference between fiction and non-fiction reader magnets?
There is no one sized fits all definition of reader magnets but Colleen takes a look at the variety of reader magnets and how they can be used by authors to find, connect with, and capture more readers for their books.
Timestamp
Biz Buzz: The BEST Reader Magnets (3:05)
Conversations with Colleen: How to Capture More Readers (31:18)
Links From the Show
YouTube Video: Conversations with Colleen: How to Capture More Readers
Conversations with Colleen part 1: What Goes In Your Brand?
The Author's Voice Links
NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros
Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads
Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube
Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org
Tuesday Apr 15, 2025
Tuesday Apr 15, 2025
In this week's episode we talk popularity. They say that life is not a popularity contest but it certainly is in the publishing world! This week we talk about the popularity of print books and share what makes some characters so popular.
Biz Buzz Segment
The Popularity of Print Books
There is nothing quite like cracking open a fresh book . Whether it's a hard back treasure or an easy reading trae paperback, print books are still all the rage. Even with the increased popularity of ebooks and audiobooks, print books have maintained their popularity with readers and publishers alike. What makes this format so popular?
Tales and Threads Segment
What Makes Your Characters Loveable?
Why do readers fall in love with your book? It's your characters!
This month, CaZ talks about the importance of having characters your readers will love. What makes a lovable character? What are some popular characters beloved by their fans? And most importantly, how can you take those traits and add them to your characters?
Timestamp
Biz Buzz: The Popularity of Print Books (3:28)
Tales and Threads: What makes your characters lovable? (25:52)
Watch on YouTube
What Makes Your Characters LOVEABLE?
The Author's Voice Links
NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros
Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads
Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube
Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org
Tuesday Apr 08, 2025
Tuesday Apr 08, 2025
Biz Buzz Segment
Was your book used to train AI?
Peter, Colleen, and CaZ talk about the recent news, originally from The Atlantic, which published a database of books Meta used to train their AI. This news came about from a lawsuit filed against Meta alleging they trained their AI using Library Genesis (LibGen) which is a collection of books, journals, articles, etc. which is normally paywalled but are available for free.
We also talk about a great organization where we heard about this first, The Author's Guild. This is an organization which provides resources, news, and collective action for authors and writers.
Check out all the links mentioned in the show below and be sure to follow The Author's Guild to stay up-to-date with news that affects authors.
Timestamp
Biz Buzz: Was Your Book Used to Train AI? (3:38)
Episode Links
Meta's Massive AI Training Book Heist: What Authors Need to Know - The Author's Guild
Search LibGen, the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI - The Atlantic
Library Genesis - Wikipedia
Ethics for Artificial Intelligence Books - Five Books
Previous Episodes on AI
Can I, or Should I, Use AI As An Author
AI, Marketing, and The Constant Change In Tech
AI and the NaNoWriMo Controversy (An Upate)
The Author's Voice Links
NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros
Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads
Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube
Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org
Tuesday Mar 18, 2025
Tuesday Mar 18, 2025
Biz Buzz Segment
Intro to Marketing
What does it take to market you book?
It's never too early to begin to market your book and it's not too late start either! We talk about the entry-level marketing tactics that every authors should look at when marketing their book.
Conversations with Colleen
Building Your Author Brand - Part 1
Colleen is back with a brand new Conversations with Colleen segment this month where she introduces a three-part series on building your author brand. In the first part of the series Colleen talks about lead generation and you can turn readers into rabid fans.
One of the best ways to capture fans is through a landing page. Colleen talks about the different types of landing pages and how anyone can start with just a single webpage to grow their fandom.
Below are a few links to landing pages that Colleen mentions in her segment.
Landing Page Example Links
Sandy Phillips Kirkham Author Page
James Clear Lead Generation Page
Timestamp
Biz Buzz: Intro to Marketing (3:04)
Conversations with Colleen: Building Your Author Brand (14:22)
The Author's Voice Links
NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros
Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads
Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube
Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org
Tuesday Mar 11, 2025
Tuesday Mar 11, 2025
Biz Buzz Segment
What It Takes To Be A Bestseller
Do you know what it means to be a bestseller? Did you know there are a variety of bestseller lists? Is the author a bestseller or the book? We dive into the many facets of bestseller lists in this week's Biz Buzz segment.
Whether you are a writer or a reader, it's important to understand what the term bestseller means.
Tales and Threads
Storytelling Agency
CaZ is back again with a great Tales and Threads segment focused on one word: agency.
What does it mean for your character to have agency? Do your characters freely make their own path throughout the story? How do they navigate the situations and choices they face?
Learn why agency is a crucial factor in creating characters your readers will connect with. You might even find your book on one of those bestseller lists!
Timestamp
Biz Buzz: Bestseller Lists (3:25)
Tales and Threads: Storytelling Agency (20:38)
The Author's Voice Links
NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros
Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads
Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube
Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org
Tuesday Mar 04, 2025
Tuesday Mar 04, 2025
Did Amazon remove their downloads? Amazon recently made a change to how readers can download books but it's not as bad as some might think.
Biz Buzz Segment
Catching Up On Amazon
So what the heck is going on with Amazon? This week we take a closer look at some big news which may not really be big news coming from Amazon - They are no longer allowing you to download ebooks to devices through the use of a USB cord.
Plus, are readers boycotting Amazon? We discuss some interesting discussion found on Threads, what authors are seeing themselves, and how authors can adapt if they need.
Timestamps
Biz Buzz: Catching Up on Amazon (2:49)
In-Episode Links
Going Wide Vs. Staying Exclusive
The Author's Voice Links
NOW ON SALE! - The Write Way: Conversations with Publishing Pros
Follow us The Author's Voice on social: Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Threads
Watch all of our Biz Buzz segments and more on YouTube
Learn more about The Author's Voice on our website: theauthorsvoice.org
The Author's Voice
The Author's Voice is the premier online training platform for authors, speakers, and entrepreneurs looking to add a new revenue stream in their business. Whether you are an author looking to publish your book or an administrative assistant looking to expand your business by working with authors and speakers, we have the training programs to help you become a Certified Publishing Professional.