Story Strategy

In this engaging conversation, Nancy chats with bestselling author Kristan Higgins, exploring her journey from aspiring writer to successful novelist.

Kristan shares her experiences in the publishing industry, her writing process, and the evolution of her work from romance to women's fiction. The discussion also delves into the importance of social media in connecting with readers and building a successful author brand.

Kristan and Nancy delve into the multifaceted world of writing, exploring the challenges authors face in balancing authenticity with branding, the importance of personal voice, and the necessity of thorough research when tackling sensitive topics.

They discuss the evolving landscape of social media and its impact on authors, the significance of maintaining passion for writing amidst industry pressures, and the future of publishing in the age of AI.

Kristan shares her personal experiences and insights, emphasizing the importance of listening to others' stories and the value of self-care in the writing process.

Cecelia Mecca, a full-time romance author, shares her journey from being an English teacher to becoming a successful author.

She talks about how she transitioned to full-time writing and the challenges she faced along the way. Cecelia also discusses the importance of finding the right genre and niche, and how it has contributed to her success. She shares her experience with pen names and the need for separate websites, newsletters, and social media accounts for each pen name.

She and Nancy discuss her writing process, including her book production schedule and how she plans and plots her books. She also talks about the importance of editing and the resources she uses to stay current in the industry.

Cecelia emphasizes the value of professional development and building a supportive community of authors. She shares her upcoming projects and where listeners can find her online.

Julia Jarrett is a Canadian author of spicy romance novels. She started with small-town romance but recently branched out into sports romance, specifically baseball.

In this episode, Nancy and Julia talk about where Julia's ideas for her books come from and what goes on in their plot coaching sessions.

Julia shares her strategies for launching books in a series, building a community of author friends, and maintaining a positive mindset. They also talk about the importance of physical health for authors.

In this conversation, authors Nancy Smay and Mona Shroff discuss the process of writing contemporary romance novels, sharing insights into their creative process, inspiration, and the challenges they face. Mona Shroff shares her journey from optometry to becoming a writer, her approach to character development, and the unique way she plots her stories. The conversation also delves into the editing process and the tools used for writing. Mona Shroff discusses her writing process, book publishing timeline, marketing strategies, and the expansion of her writing into new genres. She also shares insights on maintaining motivation, self-care, and the excitement of branching out into different areas of writing.

In this conversation, Ines Johnson discusses her experience as a romance writer and the changes she has observed in the genre. She talks about her journey as an indie author and the challenges she faced in traditional publishing. Ines also shares her insights on the evolving preferences of readers, particularly the TikTok generation, and how she incorporates micro tropes into her books. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the market and finding the intersection between what she wants to write and what readers want. Ines also discusses her approach to planning and marketing her extensive backlist of books. In this conversation, Ines and Nancy discuss various strategies and techniques for successful book marketing and writing. They cover topics such as using affiliate links, pricing strategies for Kindle Unlimited, writing processes, and the importance of testing relationships in romance novels. Ines shares her approach to writing, including using note cards and Scrivener, and emphasizes the need for a strong structure and showing characters falling in love. They also discuss the significance of the third act break-up in romance novels and the importance of mindset and goal-setting in maintaining a positive attitude.