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In the last month, I have spoken at Digital Commerce Summit in Denver, attended a week long professional author conference in Oregon, and spent 10 days doing book research in Israel.
I left in early October needing inspiration for the next 10 years of my author journey, and I've come back with huge goals and a new business plan.
In this podcast, I share my lessons learned and what I'm changing with The Creative Penn.
Plus, it includes an interview with J. Daniel Sawyer on how authors can use audiobooks for multiple streams of income that we recorded in Oregon, since what Dan has to say may change the way you do audio.
Today’s show is sponsored by all the listeners who support the show through Patreon. Thank you SO much for your ongoing 
support. It means so much to me that you enjoy the show enough to contribute! If you’d like to become a Patreon supporter, you can support the show for as little as $2 per month and receive the extra Q&A show monthly. Click here to find out more.
There's no transcript of this as it's more me discussing what's going on with my business and I'm not ready to commit it all to writing as yet 🙂 But watch this space, it's coming!
Here are some of the things I mention and links to where I have written more about it:
- It's been 10 years since I started writing my first non-fiction book in 2006. I started this site in 2008, left my job in 2011, my husband left his job in 2015. I've now achieved a lot of my goals and I've been (a little bit) stagnant this year. I went away looking for the next step. It's been a hell of a month, and I now have my next lot of 10 year goals. Big plans ahead, so stick around for the ride!
- Author Entrepreneur: Lessons learned from Digital Commerce Summit 2016, including ‘Is the juice worth the squeeze?'
- The difference between a 6-figure business and a 7-figure business – from Tara Gentile
- Taking the next step: Lessons learned from the Coast Workshop 2016, including the value of your copyright, and when the outsider becomes the mainstream
Join me for free author training! - Recommended book: Closing the Deal on your Terms. Agents, Contracts and other Considerations by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
- Why I've moved from Scrivener to Vellum for formatting my books
- Vellum formatting software – awesome 🙂
- My new webinar series – join me for free author training!
- All my photos from Israel book research trip. Videos to come in the next few weeks.
- JDSawyer.net – Dan's site including audiobooks. He is currently updating his book on audiobooks, Making Tracks, which he talked about on the podcast back in 2013
OK, usual service will resume on the next show! Thanks for listening 🙂
That’s a great blog, and really useful information. Actually this isn’t surprising as all your information is quite valuable. 🙂
Anyway, I think this one hit the nerv [and my needs]. I clicked on the link to K.K. Rush’s book “Closing the Deal…” and bookmarked it right away. It will be on my computer this afternoon. It’s the best ‘protection’ for Indies, together with the books from H. Sedwick.
I’m looking forward to read or listen to your next content.
Thanks Hans – and Kris Rusch is definitely one of the best people to learn from as an indie!
Greatly enjoyed this pep talk Joanna. Good reminder to separate out my “me” from my “business”.
Jonathan
P.S. Michael Gerber wrote “The E Myth”.
You’re right on Gerber 🙂 and it actually feels pretty good to start separating me from my business. It’s way too much pressure otherwise! I hope you’re all good in wobbly NZ right now.
Highly amusing moment Joanna when you intoned you didn’t realize how much this trip would alter your 10 year goals…. then chortled you didn’t actually HAVE any 10 year goals.
I now have 5 year goals 🙂 but they seem to be big enough to be 10 year goals! Stay safe in wobbly NZ!
Thank you so much for the recommendation of Vellum software. It is truly amazing and so easy to use. Sorry for the Windows users, but this software alone would be worth the purchase of a base model Mac mini. (about $400)
I totally agree … although once you go Mac, you never go back 🙂
Joanna, I appreciate you sharing the next phase of your author/entrepreneur journey with us. Quite revealing and hoping you reach all the goals you have set out from yourself. And you are considering getting ISBNs….that’s a big step for you. lol
I know!!! I’ll be eating the humble pie with my ISBN-advocate friends 🙂
Have loved hearing about your journey over the years, Joanna! Bravo on your success and blessings on your pivot. Thanks for the courage to forge terra nova, and lead some of us there 🙂
–jeremy
BTW you’re my Brian Clark 🙂
Thanks Jeremy – I appreciate the vote of confidence 🙂 I’m sure you are many people’s Brian too! Let’s keep helping people who are a few steps behind and together, we can change the world!
I loved this podcast!!!
Thank you for sharing all this information, Joanna! 🙂
I can’t even begin to express how grateful I am for all you do. I have learned so much from you over the past few years. I feel like I am way behind, but I’m encouraged to keep moving forward in my baby steps and in trying to figure all this out. 🙂
Thanks again, and I look forward to your webinars.
Nely
Thanks Nely, I hope to keep being useful 🙂
Hope to meet you at CWA next May, Joanna – passed you in the hotel corridor but no time to stop and say ‘hi’ . . .
(I’m aiming to top my CWA Margery Allingham short story shortlisting for 2017!)
Hi Scott, did you mean CrimeFest in Bristol? I left the CWA as they don’t allow self-published authors 🙂
Was reaffirming to hear you talk about Indie authors being a “movement,” and no longer an aberration as far as traditional publishing is (always was) concerned.
Ten years – it gives us who are starting on this writer’s/author’s journey much-needed hope and perspective, and yes, guidance!
I can’t agree with you more about “falling in love” with Vellum. Scrivener can do many things … and then there’s Vellum.
Thank you for recommending Kristine Rusch’s book, Closing the Deal. Got the book.
Would love to join you for the webinars next month.
Thank you for sharing your brave new author publisher’s path, Joanna!
I definitely think it is a movement now. Even trad pub authors who have been very anti-indie are now getting rights back. They are still quiet about it in the main, but slowly realising this is about empowerment. Exciting times!
Thanks for the mega update and 5 to 10 year goals. It is good to share these things as it does have a ripple effect outward. Coming into a new year soon, it is a good time to think about these things.
Indeed, and I am a sucker for big goals 🙂
Joanna, I am a huge fan of yours since I first discovered you a few months ago. I have recommended you to my niece in Canada–who is writing her first book–so that she can publish it on her own. Very exciting.
I think you are doing the right thing with your new press and, from what I have been able to glean from listening to / reading your blogs, you’ve (inadvertently) put in the foundation for this over the years; it is a natural progression. You are the true grit of the Indie movement. It is only right that you leverage your skills and knowledge to take you to the next level. Good luck!
Thanks for the recommendation, Baron 🙂 and yes, I have the right foundations, just a few things to put in place to create a new brand as a small press.
Power to you, lovely. Your vulnerable sharing is totally awesome, big, hairy, juicy stuff. Being able to shift your course in line with new information and new considerations is wonderful.
I look forward to celebrating your successes.
Thanks for talking about the deeper than surface life.
Thanks Sondra 🙂 I try to keep it real for you guys out there!
I listened to this podcast yesterday and literally did not want it to end. Love the voice you give your podcasts and loved hearing about you being on the stage at the big Copyblogger conference. Wow! You’ve achieved so much and are such a role model for so many indie authors. You work hard and it’s paid off. Kudos to you. I wish you all the success with your list of five-year goals. Keep broadcasting personal information in your podcasts; that’s the best part most of the time. 🙂
Thanks Frances – I appreciate the vote of confidence. Big things to come 🙂
Honest and courageous as usual. Your author journey is inspirational and as soon as I can get through this bloody first draft you can add my first book to the million you will have inspired.
I’ll look forward to it 🙂
Hi, Joanna,
So much to think about, as always. I’m hooked! I’m still in the middle of writing my first novel, and every time I listen to you I get fresh guidance (Lisa Cron, STORY GENIUS, is brilliant). Would love to buy you a gin-and-tonic some time when you are in New York!
Bruce
I’ll be in NYC at Thrillerfest In July – I might have a Creative Penn meetup then 🙂
Perfect!
Hi Joanna, I’m not even an author and I love your work. It’s very encouraging and illuminating for all of us trying to forge an independent path.
I so loved hearing that you were sitting having lunch alone at the Digital Commerce summit. Not because I would want you to be lonely – far from it. But just because I so would have been doing exactly the same. A great example of you reflecting your own audience. Best wishes
Introverts lunch alone … happily! Maybe there’s a book in that!
Super useful post which really sparked some lightbulbs for me.
The link to the Tara Gentile article was gold!
Many thanks for sharing your insights.
What a wonderful round-up and congrats on your new big hairy goals! I’m positive you’ll reach these plus more. Thanks for sharing everything as you do. Always inspiring.