KWL – 189 – Touring as an Author vs. Touring as a Musician with Eamon McGrath
Canadian musician and author Eamon McGrath joins us on the podcast this week to discuss the differences and similarities between being a musician and being an…
KWL – Ep 188 – Writing Advice and Finishing Your First Draft with Andrew David MacDonald
Debut author Andrew David MacDonald joins us on the podcast this week. Fresh off the release of his first novel, When We Were Vikings, Andrew talks…
KWL – Ep 187 – Kobo In Conversation with Saeed Jones
Award winning poet Saeed Jones was in the Kobo office recently to discuss his new memoir, How We Fight For Our Lives. In conversation with maxine…
KWL – Ep 186 – The Importance of a Pen Name with Tawdra Kandle
Tawdra Kandle, a USA Today bestselling romance author, writes across multiple genres using just as many pen names. She tells us why she decided to utilize…
KWL – Ep 185 – Getting Creative with your Book Marketing with T S Paul
Bestselling Science Fiction and Paranormal author TS Paul joins us to discuss how he went from a reluctant writer to an author who puts out over…
KWL – Bonus Episode: The Future of Publishing with the Kobo Writing Life Team
As 2020 is a leap year and contains an extra day, we figured why not record an extra podcast! Our international KWL team members were in…
KWL – Ep 184 – Writing Retreats and Finding Your Writing Community with Darcy Burke
USA Today bestselling author Darcy Burke sits down with Steph and Tara to discuss the importance of having a writing group, what writing retreats are really…
KWL – Ep 183 – Writing Great Romance with Jennifer Probst
New York Times Bestselling romance author Jennifer Probst discusses her experience in publishing and how she found her success in an evolving industry. Jennifer tells us…
KWL – 182 – Misconceptions about Motorcycle Romance with Autumn Jones Lake
USA Today bestselling author, Autumn Jones Lake explains the misconceptions associated with motorcycle romance, how she plots her Lost Kings MC series (15 books and counting!)…
KWL – Ep 181 – Building Your Readership through Email Marketing with Holly Mortimer
Holly Mortimer, both an author and email marketing specialist, discusses strategies authors can implement to sell more books. Holly describes the common mistakes authors make when…
KWL – Ep 179 – How to Plot a Mystery with Sara Rosett
Sara Rosett, USA Today bestselling author, gives her tips for plotting mystery novels, discusses the psychology of why readers choose cozy mysteries, and explains the challenges…
KWL – Ep 178 – The Pirate Author Code with David Mark Brown
David Mark Brown speaks to Kobo Writing Life about Fiction Vortex and StoryVerse™, which allows authors to collaborate and make narrative content in shared worlds. Listen…
KWL Ep 180 – A New Approach to Author Branding with Vanessa Vale
Vanessa Vale, USA Today bestselling author of sexy romance novels, discusses publishing in a niche genre and how she strives for brand recognition through her author…
KWL – Ep 177 – Writing Crime Fiction with Robert Craven
Crime fiction writer Robert Craven chats to us about how he writes strong female characters, his formula for writing and pitching a book, and provides insight into the conference scene in the UK and Ireland
KWL Ep. 176 Exploring Steampunk with Victoria L. Szulc
Multi-media artist and author Victoria L. Szulc chats to us about using steampunk as a creative theme and how she is able to create her own…
KWL Ep 175 The Queen of YA: Holly Black
With 30 books published for children and teens, New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, discusses the evolution of the young adult genre from when she…
KWL – Ep 173 – Launching a Stand-Out Series Wide with Michael Anderle
Michael Anderle, best-selling indie author, gives us the scoop on the launch of his first “wide” series, Opus X. He tells us his author origin story, and…
KWL Ep 171 – Making Your Backlist Work for You with Zoe York
Zoe York talks to us about how she began her career writing “the stories of her heart”, and then went on to turn those stories into…
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!
NaNoWriMo 2019: Beginning of the Trail
Our NaNoWriMo journey has begun! Check out Joanna Penn’s 5 tips to help you write a novel in one month. Plus an exclusive offer on The Writer’s Toolbox 2019 and The Successful Author Mindset.
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!
#165 Storytelling with Waubgeshig Rice
Waubgeshig Rice, an author and journalist originally from Wasauksing First Nation, talks about his latest novel, Moon of the Crusted Snow, a take on a post-apocalypse story told from an indigenous perspective. He also describes his path to writing and offers advice for young aspiring writers.
#164 – Learning the Habits of your Readers with Emma Chase
Emma Chase, NYT bestselling author, discusses the importance of learning the habits of your readers and setting reader expectations before the release of a new book. She discusses how she built up her newsletter audience and gives us hints about what to expect next from her Royally series.
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.
KWL Ep. 162 Behind the Book with Ghost Writer Joshua Lisec
Joshua Lisec take us behind the scenes on what it is like being a celebrity ghostwriter. He discusses how he became a ghostwriter, what the ghostwriting…
KWL Ep 161: How to Sustain a Successful Writing Career with Jill Shalvis
With 20 years in the industry and over 100 novels under her belt, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis shares her tips for finding the right method of publication for you and how to sustain a lifelong publishing career.
Ep 160 — From Fan Fiction to Finalist with Kobo’s Winning Romance Author Julie Evelyn Joyce
Julie Evelyn Joyce talks to us about the inspiration for prize-winning novel Steeped in Love. Julie shares how writing Gilmore Girls fan fiction taught her about craft and how a chance meeting at RWA led her to entering and winning Kobo’s Emerging Writer Prize!
Podcast Ep 159 — Best Practices for Indie Writers with David Wind
This week, Steph and Joni sat down with David Wind, author of The Indie Writer’s Handbook. Wind has written 59 titles and started his author journey with a traditional publisher, before becoming a very early adopter of indie publishing in 2008.
Podcast Ep 158 – Using Obsession to Drive your Debut Novel with Nora Decter
Nora Decter, Kobo’s Emerging Writer Prize Winner for Literary Fiction, chats to us about her debut novel How Far We Go and How Fast. She talks about…
Podcast Ep 157 – Creating Your Own Audiobook with Sarah Williams
This episode starts a little differently, with an excerpt from Sarah’s audiobook, The Brothers of Brigadier Station, narrated by Myles Pollard. If you’d like to read…
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 155: How to Find the Right Editor for You with Stefanie London
Stefanie London, USA Today best-selling author, shares her tips for completing your first draft, how to sustain productivity while working from home and how to find the right editor for your project. She also discusses the importance of taking time off for your creativity.
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.
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
KWL EP 151 – Moving Beyond Archetype: How to Write a Compelling Villain with Sacha Black
Sacha Black joins us to discuss the archetypal villain and how writers can stop writing boring clichéd villains. Sacha gives tips on how to write a kickass protagonist that stands out and why copywriting is a skill all writers should continually work on.
#150 – Fight Writer’s Block with Mythulu Creation Cards
Learn how to combat writer’s block or any type of creative block with Mythulu creation cards. Creator Laura Crenshaw talks about the creative process involved in…
How Dale Mayer Writes 9000 Words Before Breakfast
Dale Mayer, USA Today bestselling author, gives advice to listeners on how to develop a long and successful career in indie publishing. She also explains how dictating her books helped her become one of KWL’s most prolific authors.
KWL EP 148 – For the Love of Rom-Coms with Sally Thorne and Mhairi McFarlane
For this episode of the KWL Podcast, we hosted a very special live fireside chat at Kobo HQ in Toronto with bestselling authors Sally Thorne and Mhairi McFarlane. We dive deep into romantic comedies and the key components that make a great love story. Spoiler alert: it’s sexual tension!
KWL Ep 147 Penny Reid
Book Smart Romance: How Penny Reid bypassed gatekeepers to create her own niche market. Penny discusses the ways in which writing romance is revolutionary, why creators…
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 145 Adam Cushman on Book Trailers
Have you ever wondered if a book trailer would be right for your next novel? This week on the KWL podcast, Marina and Stephanie chatted with Adam Cushman, the founder of Film 14, about the benefits of creating a cinematic book trailer.
KWL EP 144 – Dharma Kelleher
KWL EP 144 – Dharma Kelleher Gritty crime fiction writer, Dharma Kelleher joins us to talk about her experience as a transgender author, and the recent…
KWL Podcast Bonus Episode: Preview of Kobo in Conversation
Please enjoy this preview of Kobo’s new podcast Kobo in Conversation!
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.
KWL EP 142 – Meredith Wild
KWL EP 142 – Meredith Wild Superstar New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Meredith Wild, talks about her unique experience as being both an…
KWL EP 141 – Stuart Bache
Book cover designer Stuart Bache joins us on the podcast this week debunking our theory that authors should not design their own covers. Stuart talks to us about his journey into cover design and how he started his business Books Covered.
KWL EP 140 – Lauren Layne
Lauren Layne, New York Times bestselling author and branding superstar, shares her secrets on cultivating an author brand and mastering trickier social media platforms, specifically Instagram and Pinterest.