The Book Creator Podcast

Hey There bookcreators, welcome back to episode # 37 of the book creator podcast! I was working on a couple of client books projects that will launch in this fall and I noticed that there have been some MAJOR updates to the Library PCN, or Preassigned Control Number, website! So today I wanted to fill you in on all the changes to help you figure out to get your title the the appropriate cataloging information that it needs for self publishing, or if you have your own indie  publishing label. Alright book creators, let’s get down to book creating business.  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

Learn all about the NEW DIY Picture Book Academy-- created based on listener feedback! Hope you enjoy it! Check out the details on https://www.thepicturebookacademy.com! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

I had a great question come through from one of our listeners! Shout out to Dr. Edna for the inspiration of this episode! She wanted to know what writers can do to be more helpful to their illustrators and what the writer-illustrator process and contract looks like. So today we are going to talk about just that! Be sure to check out the DIY picture book academy on ThePictureBookAcademy.com! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

As summer approaches, events start popping up all over the place, family and friends seem to come out of the winter woodwork and want to do more-- it can be tough to maintain our momentum with our creative goals! Life moves by quickly especially when you have a lot of things splitting your focus like work, your family, friends, maintaining your house, grocery shopping… you know all the stiff that seems to be a time-vampire to our day! We all have things tugging at us!  So today we are going to talk about how to be able to spend time where we need to and enjoy life while continuing to pursue our passions and actually have productive work time when we sit down to get things done!  Grab your free worksheets on TheBookCreatorPodcast.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

I NEED to talk to you about something that I honestly don’t know why it isn’t a focused theme taught in high school, college or really anywhere for that matter! And this is the art of Creative Prospecting. Creative Prospecting is the ability to partner with the ‘other half’ to your creative whole. So for example, let’s say you make birthday cakes, the prospect would be the person who is in the market for a birthday cake! The act of prospecting is how to find that person so that we can do business and turn that passion into a profit! This week we are going to investigate creative prospecting. Grab your free worksheets on TheBookCreatorPodcast.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

Whether you are an author an illustrator or both, it usually means that you are of the personality type where you genuinely enjoy some quality YOU time working on your next creation. I am with you! But it is also super important that we involve ourselves with the market and publishing community so that we can stay on top of our game and also make connections in the field. This week we are going to talk about how to get involved in the publishing world everywhere from clubs, to guilds, to societies, challenges, conferences, writers and illustrators groups and more. Grab your free worksheet onTheBookCreatorPodcast.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

When it comes to books, we are designing a story that works just for our character. If we could easily remove our character and replace her with someone else, then it is a good indication that we probably need to rework our character a bit to make sure her purpose exists within the story telling. How do we make sure we have a detailed and complicated character? We spend time to create a Persona.  Grab your free worksheet onTheBookCreatorPodcast.com #selfpublishedauthor #authorillustrator #getpublished #authorvisit #selfpublishing #childrensbooks #scbwi #nanowrimo #authorschallenge2019 #futureauthor --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

I am just getting back from an awesome author visit and thought that this would be the perfect time to answer some of the top questions that you all send over about author visits!  Author visits are a big deal. When you come out with your book, one major service that you can offer (and that people will ask you to do) is to come speak about your work.  Today I am going to answer your questions all about author presentations and visits so that you can get out there, spread your message, and start making an income doing what you LOVE! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

I know a lot of you want to know more about the self publishing route to see if it’s right for you or could fit somewhere in your long term publishing strategy! So today, I wanted to give you a high level overview of all of the stuff I wish someone would have told me ahead of time in a a 10 minute dose about what would be in-store for you if you decide to take your manuscript out in the world on your own and pursue self publishing!  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

How do we manage a combination of life, a day job perhaps, maybe kids, and yet continue to stay motivated to pursue our creative calling? We ALL could use some help finding that drive sometimes-- especially on days when we are tired and the weather may not be so delightful! This week we are going to talk about how to staying motivated as creative individuals. Alright book creators, let’s get down to book creating business. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

So this whole subject of web presence is a big topic. If we are going to get out there as creators: start to make pitches, try to start selling our book, or try to line up author talks-- whatever it might be, we need the right information out there that not only sells our products and services, but allows us to be found in the first place! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

I get to talk to a lot of you at varying stages in your book making process! Some are just getting started, some have made a book in the past and want to create a second book maybe in a different genre, and others have put work into their first book and are wondering-- is it done? Am I ready to self publish this? Should I pitch? Is this book even ready to pitch?  Today, we are going to talk a bit about this situation-- how do you know if a book is ready to pitch or self publish and at what stage are you ready to go?  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

I thought it would be fun to talk about how to start drawing! Maybe you haven’t drawn in a while and just want to get back into it, or maybe you’ve always wanted to learn: in this episode we will talk about how to start learning to draw! And these are the things that EVERYONE can do. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

You’ve written something, you’re excited, and someone tells you DON’T SHOW THIS TO ANYONE OTHERWISE SOMEONE MAY TAKE YOUR IDEA! How much of this is true? Is this something to worry about? When should you show someone your idea? Today, we are going to discuss fear/question as it is something many of us struggle with! We will talk about copyright, confidants, and our digital world. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

Of course we can pitch our manuscripts to agents and even go direct to publishing, but there are so many other ways to get going as a book creator as well: especially if you consider what it is you are actually pitching! As I get to know more about you and your publishing aspirations, I want to make sure that I am telling you about all of your possible publishing opportunities that might fit your project. Today I want to tell you about one such opportunity called iBooks Author: a free application, yes I said FREE, that you can download in the Mac App Store and it is a diamond in the ruff that you need to know about! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

This topic really does not get enough attention! For all the illustrators out there, as well as writers, it is super important to show a cohesive body of work. But what does this mean exactly? I learned so much recently from Cecilia Yung, the art director at Penguin Random House, and I wanted to share with you some of my big take aways as well as what I have learned from years of trial and error to hopefully help you make an awesome portfolio from the get-go! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

The title of Episode #21 says it all! It is so important as illustrators and writers to know how to get out of a creative blocks, ruts, low points: what ever you want to call them! These are periods we ALL got through as artists. I am just getting out of one of these periods, and I realized that it is so important to talk about what we do when we are feeling this way because there are many actions that we can take to get us back on the right path. Alright book creators, let’s get down to book creating business. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

In Episode #20, we are going to have some fun thinking outside the box a bit of ways that you can sell your book and start to make a living from your title. Here are 8 tips for you to pursue. Alright book creators, let’s get down to book creating business.   --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

Very early on in this podcast, as I started to get to know many of you, it became quite clear that there are a group of Book Creators who would like more of a hands-on/coaching experience where someone will help you to complete your book step by step! This, my friends, is why I am creating the Picture Book Academy: a course where I can personally take a small group of people step by step through the picture book creation process. For the past few months, I have been asking questions to our book creator community about what it is that you want to learn about? I have taken all of those questions, ideas, and feedback, and have used them to shape The Picture Book Academy curriculum so that it can be as helpful as possible. In this episode of the book creator podcast, I am going to tell you all about what the PBA course is going to look like.  If you want to attend, it is only going to be opened to a limited group of people so that we can keep the discussion intimate-- all you have to do is shoot me an email at Rachel@StudioRadish.com and ask to be on the early bird list. This list of people will get first dibs at registering for the course and a guaranteed seat. I cannot wait to work with you on your books! If you are ever looking for a door to open to help you take the first step toward creating your picture book-- this is it. Looking forward to meeting all of you!!! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support

I know for a few years now I have been trying to decide when would be the right time to go to a writers and illustrators conference. Even just this year I was still reaching out to ask questions to see if it was worthwhile to invest in this kind of experience!  What I can tell you is that SCBWI Winter Conference was incredible and filled with so much Book Creation knowledge! In Episode 18, I am going to share with you all that happened at the SCBWI Winter Conference so that you can make your own decision whether or not you’d like to attend in the future! Also friends! I am just ramping up to launching the FIRST ever Picture Book Academy Course where I will take you step by step through the picture book creation process! We will work on creating your book product to work for either publishing avenue! I am only going to take a small amount of people in the first cohort, probably 15-20, so if you are interested shoot me an email rachel@studioradish.com and I will add you to my early bird list! This way you will get first crack when registration opens. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookcreatorpodcast/support