The Wordslinger Podcast

A WORDSLINGER PODCASTShould you REALLY become a full-time writer? For many authors, quitting the day job to write books for a living is the ultimate dream. But what if becoming a full-time author isn't actually the best thing for your writing career?I've written more than 90 books, spent years working full-time jobs while building my author career, and experienced the freedom—and unexpected challenges—of writing full-time. Here's something that might surprise you: Sometimes I was MORE productive as a writer when I had a day job.In this episode of the Wordslinger Podcast, we're talking about what it really takes to become a full-time author, why having unlimited writing time isn't always an advantage, and how to know whether you're actually ready to quit your job and write for a living.We'll explore the financial realities of making a living as an author, the hidden costs of leaving traditional employment, how isolation and relationships can affect your writing life, and why discipline matters more than having hours of free time. I'll also share my personal experience with creative burnout, how it nearly derailed my writing career, and what I've learned about finding a sustainable balance between writing, work, and life.Whether you're an aspiring novelist, a self-published author working toward financial independence, or a creative entrepreneur trying to turn your passion into a career, this conversation might change how you think about success.Because maybe the real goal isn't becoming a full-time writer. Maybe it's having the freedom to choose how you spend your time.Are you working toward becoming a full-time author? Or have you found that keeping your day job actually helps your writing? Tell me in the comments. I'd love to hear how you're making it work.Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at https://knoveltonbooks.comGET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTSSUBSCRIBE TO WORDSLINGER!If you're serious about writing better books, building a successful author career, and navigating the ever-changing world of publishing, you're in the right place. Subscribe to Wordslinger for practical, honest advice on writing, self-publishing, book marketing, and the creative life, from a fellow writer who's been there.Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss an episode!EPISODE CHAPTERS:00:00 – Welcome to Wordslinger01:52 – When Life Gets in the Way of Writing05:19 – Should You Really Become a Full-Time Writer?06:41 – The Hidden Danger of Having Unlimited Writing Time08:20 – Rapid-Fire News Flash with Dale Roberts10:42 – The Dream vs. the Reality of Writing Full-Time12:50 – Finding Time to Write While Working a Day Job16:34 – How Do You Know You're Ready to Quit Your Job?17:03 – Can Your Writing Income Replace Your Salary and Benefits?18:03 – The Loneliness of Being a Full-Time Author20:01 – Writing, Health, and Unexpected Responsibilities21:39 – Managing Relationships When You Work from Home23:19 – Why Discipline Matters More Than Free Time25:32 – How a Day Job Can Actually Make You More Productive26:55 – Setting Goals and Avoiding Burnout29:16 – Financial Freedom and Rethinking Your Day Job32:10 – Why Having Options Is the Real Goal33:36 – Is Full-Time Writing Right for You?RAPID-FIRE NEWS FLASH WITH DALE ROBERTS08:20 – ACX Reports Early Results from Audible's New Royalty ModelACX reports that audiobook creators collectively earned more in royalties during the first months of Audible's new royalty model, though questions remain about how the changes affect individual authors.https://acx.com08:49 – Audible Plans International ExpansionAudible announces plans to expand into five additional countries in 2027, while new research highlights how audiobooks can help readers discover authors and purchase their other books.Publishers Weekly: Frankfurt Book Fair 2026, Audible Wants to Turn Every Book into an Audiobookhttps://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/international/Frankfurt-Book-Fair/article/101500-09:17 – Spotify Offers 1,000 Free Audiobook Redemption CodesSpotify for Authors now allows eligible account holders to generate up to 1,000 free audiobook redemption codes per title, opening new opportunities for review copies, giveaways, and audiobook promotion.https://authors.spotify.com/blog/redemption-codesFor more self-publishing news, tips, and updates, subscribe to Self-Publishing with Dale:https://youtube.com/@SelfPubWithDaleFIND KEVIN:Find Kevin and his books:https://kevintumlinson.comJoin Kevin on Substack:https://kevintumlinson.substack.comWordslinger Podcast home page:https://wordslingerpodcast.comSERVICES FOR AUTHORS:Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid:https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital:https://draft2digital.com/wordslingerFind a virtual assistant to help you market your books (and more!) at Author Anchor:https://authoranchor.com#WritingAdvice #FullTimeWriter #SelfPublishing #AuthorLife #WritingCareer Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOTThink you don't have enough time to write? What if the very thing holding you back is actually making you a better, more productive writer?Building a writing career while juggling a full-time job, family responsibilities, and everyday life can feel impossible. But here's something I discovered after years of squeezing writing into lunch breaks, early mornings, and spare moments: I was sometimes MORE productive when I had less time to write!In this episode of the Wordslinger 10-Shot, I'm sharing my advice for writers struggling to find time for their craft. We'll talk about embracing limitations, using deadlines to your advantage, building consistent writing habits, and why becoming a full-time author might not solve all your productivity problems.Whether you're an aspiring novelist, an indie author working a day job, or a creative entrepreneur trying to balance your passion with your responsibilities, there's a lesson here: You don't need unlimited time to build a successful writing career. You need persistence, consistency, and a willingness to write even when life gets in the way.What's your biggest obstacle to finding time to write? Tell me in the comments! And if you've figured out how to keep writing despite a busy schedule, share your success story. You might inspire another writer who's struggling.Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at https://knoveltonbooks.comGET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTSSUBSCRIBE TO WORDSLINGER!If you're serious about becoming a better writer, publishing your books, and building a sustainable author career, you've found your people! Subscribe to Wordslinger for practical, experience-based advice on writing, self-publishing, book marketing, and making a living as a creative. No gimmicks, no shortcuts. Just honest guidance from a fellow writer who's been there.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 – Writing with Fences: Finding Time to Write01:04 – When Two Hours a Week Was the Goal01:44 – Why I Wrote More While Working a Full-Time Job02:39 – Embrace the Deadline: Turn Obstacles into Advantages03:33 – The Power of Small, Consistent Writing Sessions04:14 – The Reality of Being a Full-Time Author05:00 – Why Passion Matters More Than Money05:58 – Even One Word Counts: Finding Time When Life Gets Hard06:38 – Persistence, Consistency, and Your Writing Success06:57 – Share Your Writing Challenges and Success StoriesFIND KEVIN:Find Kevin and his books: https://kevintumlinson.comJoin Kevin on Substack: https://kevintumlinson.substack.comWordslinger Podcast home page: https://wordslingerpodcast.comSERVICES FOR AUTHORS:Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid: https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital: https://draft2digital.com/wordslingerFind a virtual assistant to help you market your books (and more!) at AuthorAnchor: https://authoranchor.com#WritingTips #WritingMotivation #AuthorLife #SelfPublishing #Wordslinger Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A WORDSLINGER PODCASTThis One Habit Made Me a Successful WriterWhat's the secret to writing more books, building an audience, and making a living as an author? It's not talent, luck, or the latest writing software. It's consistency.After publishing more than 90 books and selling millions of copies worldwide, I've learned that showing up and doing the work, day after day, is one of the most powerful habits a writer can develop. In this episode of the Wordslinger Podcast, I'm sharing how my daily 2,000-word writing goal helps me finish novels, why small efforts add up to big results, and how that same approach can transform your book marketing.We'll also talk about building your author mailing list, using Substack and BookFunnel to connect with readers, finding your ideal audience, and promoting your books without feeling like a salesperson. Whether you're writing your first novel or building a full-time author career, there's something here you can put to work today.PLUS: Dale Roberts joins us with his Rapid-Fire Newsflash, covering potential changes to Amazon KDP's perma-free pricing, new audiobook advertising tools from ACX, Spotify's massive audiobook expansion, and free publishing education from IngramSpark.You don't have to do everything. You just have to keep doing something.What's the one habit that's made the biggest difference in your writing career? Tell me in the comments!SUBSCRIBE to Wordslinger for practical, experience-tested advice on writing better books, publishing independently, marketing your work, and building a sustainable creative career. If you're serious about your writing and publishing journey, you're in the right place.Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at https://knoveltonbooks.comGET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTSCHAPTERS:00:00 Welcome to the Wordslinger Podcast01:33 AI, writing tools, and the author business05:48 Dale Roberts' Rapid-Fire Publishing Newsflash05:48 Amazon KDP and the future of perma-free books06:15 New ACX audiobook advertising and promotion tools06:49 Spotify expands audiobooks to 180+ markets07:13 Free publishing courses from IngramSpark Academy07:55 Why writers should consider Substack13:13 BookFunnel promotions and author collaborations15:31 Simple ways to grow your author mailing list17:20 Why I advertise my mailing list instead of my books18:14 Finding and targeting your ideal reader21:42 Using your mailing list to sell more books24:27 The secret weapon of successful writers: consistency25:14 Why I write 2,000 words every day27:28 Small daily word counts lead to finished novels30:24 Using Scrivener to track writing goals31:11 My looping and self-editing process32:03 How to finish a novel one day at a time32:54 Consistent book marketing without being salesy35:43 Your favorite writing tools and habits36:47 Final thoughtsRAPID-FIRE NEWSFLASH WITH DALE ROBERTS05:48 — Is Amazon KDP changing its perma-free pricing policies?The Self Publishing Show, Episode 467: Amazon KDP Is Changing — Are You Ready?https://youtu.be/04kAmWZkBTE?si=JrmBSe_2ONqhFmmP06:15 — ACX introduces new tools for audiobook promotion and Amazon advertising.https://www.acx.com/mp/blog/promote-your-audiobook06:49 — Spotify announces plans to expand audiobook availability to more than 180 markets.Publishers Weekly:https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/international/Frankfurt-Book-Fair/article/101440-frankfurt-book-fair-2026-spotify-expands-audiobooks-to-180-markets.html07:13 — IngramSpark Academy offers free self-publishing courses, plus a limited-time promotional challenge.Free publishing courses:https://www.ingramspark.com/self-publishing-coursesIngramSpark Academy Challenge:https://www.ingramspark.com/academy-promoGet more self-publishing news and advice from Dale Roberts:https://www.youtube.com/@selfpubwithdaleFIND KEVIN:Find Kevin and his books:https://kevintumlinson.comJoin Kevin on Substack:https://kevintumlinson.substack.comWordslinger Podcast home page:https://wordslingerpodcast.comSERVICES FOR AUTHORS:Polish your writing and get your manuscript ready for publishing with ProWritingAid:https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5Publish your books to major online retailers, in print and ebook, with support from Draft2Digital:https://draft2digital.com/wordslingerFind a virtual assistant to help you market your books, manage your author business, and more with AuthorAnchor:https://authoranchor.com#WritingTips #SelfPublishing #AuthorSuccess #WritingHabits #BookMarketing #IndieAuthors #WordslingerPodcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOTShould authors use Substack?I’ve been using Substack for several years now, and I’ve come to see it as something more useful than just another social media platform. For writers, it can be a blog, newsletter, community, podcast platform, and—most importantly—a way to build an audience you actually own.In this episode, I break down how I use Substack as an author, how recommendations and Notes can help grow your readership, how often I think writers should post, what kinds of content work, and how Substack can ultimately help you build an email list and sell more books.You don’t need to master everything on day one. Start publishing, participate in the community, experiment with your content, and figure out what your readers respond to.And remember: unlike your followers on most social platforms, your email list can go with you.Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.comGET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTSTIMECODES:00:00 Why I’m talking about Substack00:59 What Substack actually is02:31 Blogs, newsletters, Notes, video, and podcasts03:28 How Substack helps grow your mailing list04:51 Recommendations and sharing audiences with other writers05:44 How often should authors post?07:06 What should writers publish on Substack?08:37 Writing for your readers—and for yourself09:28 Fiction, paid subscriptions, and monetization10:27 Podcasts, livestreams, and video10:54 Why owning your mailing list matters11:28 The posting schedule I recommend12:12 My concern about Substack and AI13:07 Can Substack actually help sell books?If you’re a writer trying to navigate writing, publishing, book marketing, building an audience, and making a living from your work, subscribe to the Wordslinger channel. This is where we talk about the practical side of becoming a better writer, reaching more readers, and building a sustainable author career.FIND KEVIN:Find Kevin and his books:https://kevintumlinson.comJoin Kevin on Substack:https://kevintumlinson.substack.comWordslinger Podcast home page:https://wordslingerpodcast.comSERVICES FOR AUTHORS:Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid:https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital:https://draft2digital.com/wordslingerFind a virtual assistant to help you market your books (and more!) at AuthorAnchor:https://authoranchor.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOTShould writers use AI to write their books? My answer is yes—but probably not in the way you think.I don’t use AI to write the actual prose of my novels. That’s the part I love. But while working on a research-heavy historical novel, I’ve found some incredibly useful ways to make AI part of my writing process without handing over the creative work.In this episode, I break down how I’m using AI as a research assistant, organizational tool, outlining partner, fact-checking aid, and even a way to immerse myself in the story before I sit down to write. I’ll show you how I’ve used tools like ChatGPT, Google’s NotebookLM, Plaud, and Castmagic to organize years of history, build timelines, process interviews, create story overviews, and keep an entire novel fresh in my head.The key is simple: Let AI help you do the work. Don’t let it replace the work that makes you a writer.If you’re a writer trying to figure out where AI fits into your creative process—or whether it belongs there at all—this one’s for you.Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.comGET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTSTIMECODES:00:00 You should use AI to write your book… sort of00:41 Why I don’t use AI to write my prose02:17 How I’m using AI on a historical novel02:59 Managing massive amounts of research03:48 Using ChatGPT to build and update timelines04:35 Turning research into a workable novel outline05:49 Using NotebookLM to turn research into podcasts06:55 Listening to your own story over and over07:41 Using AI-generated video overviews08:30 Learning modalities and why they matter for writers09:30 Using audio while traveling through story locations10:18 Plaud, transcription, interviews, and Castmagic10:59 AI as an assistant—not the author11:42 My rules for writers using AI12:28 Using AI for editing, continuity, and research13:07 Why you still need to verify everything14:04 Use AI to support the way you learn14:50 How are YOU using AI as a writer?15:35 Writers helping writersIf you’re serious about becoming a better writer, building a publishing career, and navigating the constantly changing world of books and creativity, subscribe to the channel. Wordslinger is where writers come for practical, experience-based guidance on writing, publishing, marketing, creativity, and building a sustainable career around their work.FIND KEVIN:Find Kevin and his books:https://kevintumlinson.comJoin Kevin on Substack:https://kevintumlinson.substack.comWordslinger Podcast home page:https://wordslingerpodcast.comSERVICES FOR AUTHORS:Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid:https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital:https://draft2digital.com/wordslingerFind a virtual assistant to help you market your books (and more!) at AuthorAnchor:https://authoranchor.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.