Kobo Writing Life

A blog about writing and self publishing

Ep #170 From Wedding Planner to Writer with Violet Howe

Violet Howe talks to us about her writing career and how feeling strongly about her story and characters led her to indie publishing. Violet discusses how writing two different series in the same town allows her to explore two genres. Violet also talks to us about how her past work experiences have influenced her writing but also how they have helped with other aspects of her writing business.

Ep 169: Lessons from the ER: How Melissa Yi Balances Writing and Medicine

Melissa Yi, an emergency room physician and author, chats to us about how she balances being a writer and part-time doctor. She discusses how her work experiences have made their way into her Hope Sze Medical Mystery Series and she shares some of her favourite emergency room stories. Plus an exclusive sample of her audiobook, Code Blues!

KWL Ep#168 – The Author and Narrator Relationship with Rachel Grant and Greg Tremblay

Author Rachel Grant and her narrator Greg Tremblay shed some light on the process of creating an audiobook. Rachel discusses the working relationship she has with Greg and how his narration has influenced her future work. Greg shares his experience as a narrator, and the process for creating audiobooks. Start self-publishing today with KWL.

#167 Relatability in Romance with Samantha Young

New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young talks to us about the life-changing success of her self-published novel On Dublin Street. Samantha examines the benefits of being a hybrid author, stepping out of her comfort zone with her forthcoming novel Outmatched and why relatable characters are the hallmark of all her novels. Plus an exclusive offer on Samantha’s audiobook, Into the Deep.

#166 How to Craft a New Writing Persona with Piper Rayne

Writing duo, Piper Rayne, gives us insights on what it is like being a writing duo and they discuss the writing and revision process that works best for them. No two writing duos are alike! They discuss the prep work and strategy behind releasing a successful new persona and give their tips for new co-authors starting out. Plus an exclusive offer on Book #1 of The Baileys!

Author Origin Stories That Are Sure to Inspire You

Some of the most renowned authors have surprisingly humble beginnings. Their stories of overcoming poverty and childhood struggles, persevering through rejection after rejection, and writing out of necessity to support their families are truly remarkable. You will appreciate these legendary authors more knowing how far they’ve come.

KWL Ep. 163 How to Stay Relevant with an Authentic Online Presence with Rachel Van Dyken

New York Times best-selling author, Rachel Van Dyken discusses how having an authentic online presence offers something tangible to readers and allows authors to stay relevant in the ever-changing publishing world. She talks to us why she decided to be a hybrid author and discusses her upcoming novel Fashion Jungle which she co-wrote with model Kathy Ireland.

Facebook Live with Ryan from BookSweeps

The Kobo Writing Life team is excited to announce our latest Facebook Live Q&A on September 20th 2019. From 12:00 PM-1:00 PM EST, our takeover host, Ryan Zee from Booksweeps will be answering all your questions on the Kobo Writing Life Facebook page. If you can’t make the takeover, feel free to comment on this post with your questions and we can ask them for you! Keep reading to learn more about Ryan and his experience in the indie world, and get your questions ready!

How to Immerse Readers in Setting + KWL Fantasy Writing Playlist

Creating a vivid and realistic setting for your readers is a complex process. KWL breaks down the nuances of setting, from its relation to characters, plot, and symbolism, writing with the five senses, and figurative language. Plus, some musical inspiration for setting: get lost in your fantasy world with our playlist of the month!

Writing Tips From Famous Authors

When it comes to writing, people who learn this craft – both for professional or personal use – can benefit from advice. When this advice comes from notable authors, those that have produced some of the best books and stories ever written, their words are worth taking into account. Assignment Helper provides an inspiring infographic featuring advice from famous authors.

Podcast Ep 156 ⁠— Diversity in Romance with Jackie Lau

Jackie Lau reflects on her first year of self-publishing and the steps she took to ensure success. She discusses the importance of diversity in romance and how she wanted her characters to fill a void that is missing in the romance community. She also talks about how Twitter and Instagram are the social media platforms that work for her.

KWL EP 154 — All About Reedsy with Co-Founder Ricardo Fayet

Founder of Reedsy, Ricardo Fayet answers all our questions about the company from founding principles to their latest launch, Reedsy Discovery. He talks about SEO and steps authors can take to increase their searchability to ensure new readers find their books. He also discusses the manual process of acquiring freelance professionals to ensure authors have help for every step in their publishing career.

Getting Your Story Heard

Audio has been worth all the hard work. The audiobook is currently a bestseller in the US and Australia, and Myles has agreed to record the next two books in the Brigadier Station serieslater in the year. We have also been invited to teach workshops together and attend book signings. One audiobook has raised my profile and dramatically increased my book sales.

KWL EP 153 – The Michael Tamblyn Interview: Why Our CEO Loves Indie Authors

Michael Tamblyn, the CEO of Kobo, provides the most compelling argument to date about why indie authors need to go wide. Spoiler: You don’t want one algorithm to run your life. Michael discusses the origin story of Kobo and Kobo Writing Life and his own unique career path that led him to where he is today. He also talks about how indie authors have been excellent at exploiting opportunities as the eBook market shifts. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. http://www.kobo.com/writinglife

“I found a career where walking the towns of Ireland and seeing the interior of a pub is in my job description.”

I treat it like a job, because it is a job. I retain control of content, cover, blurb, and marketing. I am happier for it. I bring a healthy income into our household after years outside of the workforce. I actually found a career where walking the towns of Ireland and seeing the interior of a pub is in my job description.

KWL Author Takeover #5: David Gaughran

The Kobo Writing Life team is excited to announce our latest Facebook takeover on  Thursday April 25th, 2019. From 12:00 PM-1:00 PM EST, our takeover host, author David Gaughran will be live on the Kobo Writing Life Facebook page  chatting with KWL director Christine Munroe. We’ll be doing a Q&A and will answer questions from the audience if we have time, so be sure to tune in. 

KWL Podcast EP 146: Carrie Ann Ryan

With 12 books releasing this year, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carrie Ann Ryan, takes time out of her jam-packed schedule to talk to us about her writing technique, how the self-publishing landscape has changed since first starting out and why she wanted to branch out into a new genre. Carrie also gives listeners a sneak peek of her first YA novel, From Breath and Ruin.

KWL EP 143 – Brent Pilkey

Retired police officer, Brent Pilkey joins us to talk about his time as a beat cop for one of the roughest areas of Toronto, and how this experience influenced his writing. Brent discusses the genesis of his Rage series and how he decides which areas of being an officer should be excluded from his novels. Brent also discusses his writing process and what readers can expect from him next.