Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

By: Mark Leslie Lefebvre
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  • Summary

  • Perspectives and reflections on the writing and publishing life. Mark Leslie Lefebvre, a writer, bookseller, digital publishing advocate, professional speaker, and publishing consultant explores inclusive and collaborative opportunities for writers and book publishing professionals via interviews, discussions, and reflections about the industry. (Mark's personal website is www.markleslie.ca)
    Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Public License
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Art Literary History & Criticism
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Episodes
  • EP 393 - Book Adjacent Strategies with Jody Swannell

    EP 393 - Book Adjacent Strategies with Jody Swannell
    Dec 19 2024
    Mark interviews author Jody Swannell about her writing and the book ajacent activities and strategies she has employed. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update and word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Superstars Writing Seminars: Teaching you the business of being a writer which takes place Feb 6 through 9, 2025 in Colorado Springs, CO. Use code: MARK1592 to get $100 off your registration. In the interview Mark and Jody talk about: How Jody got started in writing about 20/30 years agoSpending at least an hour a week at Chapters big box bookstores back in the day, with dreams of wanting to write a bookThe way that the recent pandemic inspired a lot of people to actually take a shot at some of the things they'd wanted to do for a long timeThe two novels and one novella that Jody has released in the past 3 yearsJody's interest and writing about Tarot card readingSelling books in person at the local markets and how Jody was inspired by seeing local author Richard Stephens thereJody's role as a host of a local community radio program (Readers Delight) on CKMS 102.7 FM - Radio WaterlooThe software and equipment that Jody had to learn how to use in order to host the show as well as the license that needed to be purchasedThe additional work and stress that hosting this show took on JodySome of the things that guests did which made life so challenging for Jody as the hostThe way this show helped Jody connect with so many other local writersWhat creative/writing projects Jody is working on latelyThe success that Jody saw at a recent event (Frightmare in the Falls) by having book-adjacent products.Pivoting from Jody Swannell Author/Books to Jody Swannell BookeryAnd more... After the interview Mark reflects on a few of the ingenius strategies Jody has used to connect with other writers, to learn more, and to grow her author brand, the importance of giving something up when it's not working/causing too much stress, and things NOT to do when you're a guest on a podcast or radio program. Links of Interest: Jody's LinkTree Swannell BookeryInstagram Mark's YouTube channelMark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)Buy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark Reflections How to Access Patreon RSS Feeds Apollo Cinema Christmas Vacation Event (Kitchener, ON - Dec 12, 2024)Sudbury Indie Cinema / Northern Lights Festival Boreal Christmas Vacation Event (Sudbury, ON - Dec 21, 2024)An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and LibrariesThe Relaxed Author Buy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover's MoonHex and the CityOnly Monsters in the Building The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesYippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die HardMerry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Jody Swannell is an author from the beautiful Region of Waterloo. Her love of adventure has taken her on incredible trips, such as visiting castles in Scotland, shopping in the West Edmonton Mall, snorkelling in Jamaica, and photographing glaciers during an Alaskan cruise. Her goal is to keep readers eagerly turning pages while trying to guess what happens next—occasionally adding a splash of romance here and there to spice things up a bit. She loves writing contemporary fiction in thriller, mystery occult, sci-fi and horror genres. The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
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    51 mins
  • EP 392 - Pillars of Author Success with Emma Dhesi

    EP 392 - Pillars of Author Success with Emma Dhesi
    Dec 12 2024
    Mark interviews Emma Dhesi, a bestselling author and certified book coach who educates and inspires first-time authors to fulfil a calling and write their debut novel. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update and word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by the patrons who support this podcast at https://patreon.com/starkreflections and https://buymeacoffee.com/markleslie. New content for patrons has dropped here. In the interview, Mark and Emma talk about: How Emma got started in writing as a child at schoolThe waves of how that "itch" to write kept coming to Emma every 6 months or soThe feeling of writing that first draft and the effective challenge it was for herEmma's first book THE DAY SHE CAME HOME and how it began as an exploration of post-partum depressionThe concept of how engaging in the creative life can provide that balance we needHow it can look different depending on where on the creative journey we are, but the similaritiesThe importance of trying new things, but then recognizing when it's not the right thing for us at that time in our journeyEmma's decision to become an author coach and to help other writers like herThe first book being important "evidence" that you can do itThe value of even a little bit of positive encouragementEmma's focus on a VERY SPECIFIC demographic instead of trying to create a service to please everyoneWhat Emma is working on now in her writing and in her coachingThe online summit Emma is hosting in January 2025 (Be A Bestseller 6.0 - Back to Basics)And more . . . After the interview Mark reflects on the intrinsic satisfaction of completely that first novel, the importance of proving to yourself that you CAN do it, of trying new things (but being able to stop if that new thing is not for you), and the value of focusing in on a target audience. Links of Interest: Emma Dhesi's Website Emma's YouTube Channel EP 336 - Coming Out of the Writer Closet With Bradley CharbonneauMark's YouTube channelMark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)Buy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark Reflections How to Access Patreon RSS Feeds Apollo Cinema Christmas Vacation Event (Kitchener, ON - Dec 12, 2024)Sudbury Indie Cinema / Northern Lights Festival Boreal Christmas Vacation Event (Sudbury, ON - Dec 21, 2024)An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and LibrariesThe Relaxed Author Buy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover's MoonHex and the CityOnly Monsters in the Building The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesYippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die HardMerry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Emma Dhesi, bestselling author and certified book coach, educates and inspires first-time authors to fulfil a calling and write their debut novel. Drawing from her own success and training, Emma guides writers to finish their first book through detailed feedback, accountability check-ins, and compassionate support in her year-long 1:1 mentorship. Emma lives in Edinburgh with her husband, three children, three cats, and is passionate about helping authors achieve their dreams through her individualised mentoring. The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
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    51 mins
  • EP 391 - Networking for Authors with Dale L. Roberts

    EP 391 - Networking for Authors with Dale L. Roberts
    Dec 6 2024
    Mark interviews Dale L. Roberts about his new book NETWORKING FOR AUTHORS. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update, reads comments from recent episodes, and shares a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Mark's book AN AUTHOR'S GUIDE TO WORKING WITH LIBRARIES AND BOOKSTORES. You can get the book for 50% direct from Mark from now until Jan 2024 using coupon code STARK2024 at checkout. Patrons will get access to a 75% off coupon for that book and a wider range of titles from Mark's direct sale store. In their interview Mark and Dale talk about: How long it has been since Dale has been on the Stark Reflections podcast. (Episode 96 - Sept 2019)Dale's first big breakthrough in the indie author space and how that led to him pivoting to becoming a YouTube content creatorDale's passion for helping showing other authors things related to the business of writing and publishingTheir mutual passion for RushHow the word networking can be thought of as a "dirty" wordDale's unique approach to networking as an introverted person, by looking at it like a good movie or some other product that he enjoys and wanting to share that "thing" with someone else. IE, "This is super cool. You should know about this" translated into "This person is super cool. You should know them."Having a pool of like-minded business professionalsAn example of a solid and long-lasting bond Dale helped two people forge and the satisfaction that comes from thatHow this type of work connecting people is a "let me feed my soul" type of thingThe way that some in person events can be extremely overwhelming for Dale and how he deals with itDale's YouTube platform being up to 1700 videosHow it's not about the number of times you fall down, it's the number of times you get back upThe advice Dale received from Nick Thacker whenever he's being too hard on himself and picking apart something he has doneThe importance of at least showing up as a good starting stepHow S.D. Huston is so good at what she does at connecting with people and making opportunities and the way she shows up in so many different placesSome of the things that authors can get wrong when they are networkingThe importance of asking questions when you're networking not just because it makes you seem more interesting, but it also helps you to uncover more things, some of which you might have in commonHow you should not try to rush relationshipsRemember that authors are a rare breed (particularly when you're in non-writer circles)And more... After the interview Mark reflects on a couple of things that Dale talked about. Links of Interest: Self Publishing with DaleDale L. Roberts YouTube Dale's Books EP 096 - Focusing on And Delivering to Your Audience with Dale L. RobertsEP 390 - Author Accounting Made Simple with D.F. HartDon RicklesMark's YouTube channelMark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)Buy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark Reflections How to Access Patreon RSS Feeds An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and LibrariesThe Relaxed Author Buy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover's MoonHex and the CityOnly Monsters in the Building The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesYippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die HardMerry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Dale L. Roberts is a self-publishing advocate, award-winning author, and renowned video creator. With over 50 publications, he has become an authority in self-publishing, leading him to create his own YouTube channel, Self-Publishing with Dale, regarded as one of the premier information resources in the indie publishing community. Dale lives in Columbus, Ohio, with his wife Kelli and two rescue cats, Auggie and Allie. The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
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    57 mins

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