Grab a cuppa and settle in while Vicky holds her very own TED Talk on why snobbery about self-publishing can get in the bin. Yep: riffing off an article in which someone wrote “self-publishing is an insult to the written word”, Vicky and Joe present their case for why actually self-publishing is a shining beacon of awesomeness. Tune in for that, and the pros and cons of traditional publishing and self-publishing, so you can make an informed decision. Ciao!
Key Takeaways:
[1:15] Vicky and Joe are going to Canada! And they haven’t packed.
[5:35] Project Dingle update!
[8:25] Let’s talk about self-publishing and their snobbery.
[10:35] Traditional publishing is more exclusive, but it also excludes a wide range of diverse authors.
[11:00] Only traditionally published authors are good writers?
[12:10] Let’s talk about Virginia Woolf; the self-published author.
[16:10] People of color are constantly being censored in the traditional publishing world.
[18:20] What are the pros of traditional publishing?
[20:45] What are the cons of traditional publishing?
[23:45] What are the pros of indie publishing?
[25:25] What are the cons of indie publishing?
[27:45] You have options!
Mentioned in This Episode:
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Email Vicky about 1:1 coaching at: vicky@moxiebooks.co.uk
The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie
The Strange Adventures of H by Sarah Burton
The Man Who Died Twice: A Thursday Murder Club Mystery Kindle Edition by Richard Osman
Selfie: How We Became So Self-Obsessed and What It's Doing to Us by Will Storr
After approximately 27 seconds of giggling, Vicky and Joe tell you all about their holiday to Barcelona, Harriet’s beautiful wedding, and then finally launch into a quick “how to” to help you make your book look just as professional and wonderful as one that’s come out of Penguin or another big publishing house. Check it out for the 5 most common layout mistakes and how to avoid them—and a few tips about covers and paper.
Key Takeaways:
[5:45] Vicky has no problem abandoning books she doesn’t enjoy.
[9:15] Vicky and Joe just got back from Barcelona!
[13:15] Just because you’re independent, doesn’t mean your book needs to look like it too.
[13:50] A book, on the shelf, should look like it came from a traditional publishing house!
[14:25] The layout of the book.
[17:55] Huge layout mistake!!! Odd and even pages.
[21:25] Page numbers help readers navigate, but they don’t need to be on every page.
[22:45] Let’s talk about book covers.
[25:20] Book paper? Use the best paper stock you can afford.
[27:35] Fonts! What fonts should you use?
[29:45] Vicky has a checklist for clients to help them through this process.
[31:45] Pay attention to the details!
Mentioned in This Episode:
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky about 1:1 coaching at: vicky@moxiebooks.co.uk
Join Vicky and Joe in the middle of a thunderstorm and find out why you need to stop trying to find your voice—and just use it instead! Tune in for thunder, lightning, Terry Pratchett, plumbing, and a few helpful writing exercises and techniques to get you comfortable and confident in your writing voice.
Key Takeaways:
[1:40] Project Dingle update!
[4:15] Vicky is excited to fully disconnect on her holiday with Joe.
[6:00] Find your voice? Vicky doesn’t understand what this means.
[8:55] Some of the best stories have come from science fiction and fantasy.
[9:40] As you write, your voice and style will change.
[10:35] If you find the whole time writing for yourself, and no one sees it, you’re going to be in for a shock if you want to publish a book.
[14:15] Read different fictional books and really try to dissect the meanings behind them.
[16:55] You can find inspiration everywhere! Vicky is always going down wormholes.
[19:10] David Sedaris loves to ask really weird questions.
[20:25] Copy other people’s quotes! (However, don’t forget to credit them properly).
[23:20] Write stuff! Get feedback, and don’t give up!
Mentioned in This Episode:
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky about 1:1 coaching at: vicky@moxiebooks.co.uk
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Join Vicky and Joe for possibly the most professional podcast episode they’ve ever made, and discover why your table of contents is like a sexy elbow. Seriously. You’ll also discover why tables of contents are super useful, how to make them more fun, and what you can use them for as a writer. Enjoy!
Key Takeaways:
[4:15] Project Dingle update!
[8:15] It’s time to make your table of contents sexy!
[10:25] When you create a table of contents early on, it helps you write out a nice roadmap to your book.
[13:30] When you have a table of contents, you don’t need to start at the beginning. You can just start writing whatever chapter you want.
[15:40] Things to consider when writing a title and subtitle.
[18:00] How do you outline like a boss?
[18:30] If Vicky were to rewrite her chapter again, what would she do differently?
[20:10] Vicky has some templates to help you write a seductive table of contents!
[21:10] Want to write with Vicky? She’s got four more people!
Mentioned in This Episode:
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky about 1:1 coaching at: vicky@moxiebooks.co.uk
Join Vicky and Joe as they do a whirlwind trip through Vicky’s favourite productivity tools, writing tools, and editing tools! There’s a bunch of affiliate links for you, but don’t worry—she’s not a shill for big apps. This is only stuff she uses and loves. There are some tools in here that may surprise you because she has ADHD and some of the traditional advice is less than useful… so check this out instead. Enjoy!
Key Takeaways:
[4:35] Project Dingle update!
[5:50] What are some of Vicky’s favorite tools to use when writing a book?
[6:10] Do you need a child lock for all your distracting apps? Vicky does.
[8:15] Vicky is so grateful for her Bose headphones to block out noise and distractions.
[11:40] Vicky has a second screen to help her with her book writing tasks.
[15:40] Vicky is also very fussy about what types of pens she likes to create with.
[19:45] Notion is a godsend! It can be integrated into your own content calendars as well as Canva.
[24:10] Do you struggle with starting and/or finishing stuff? Vicky has the ‘thing’ for you.
[25:15] Vicky has her writing group, which has been very helpful for a lot of people in getting their writing projects underway.
[26:30] Let’s talk about editing tools.
[31:10] Joe loves a good old fashioned white board and a pen.
[33:15] There are free writing groups out there. The accountability really helps you get stuff done!
Mentioned in This Episode:
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky about 1:1 coaching at: vicky@moxiebooks.co.uk
Around India in 80 Trains Book by Monisha Rajesh
Good Pop, Bad Pop Book by Jarvis Cocker