Real Authors In Real Time

The Therapeutic Benefits of Writing Your Story

After years of technical and academic writing, Dr. Shin-Yu Lee shares her experience of returning to writing as a space for healing while working on her upcoming book.
 
This conversation explores why writing our story is so important in shaping how we understand it. Listeners will also gain insights on when a personal story should be published, deciding what you’re ready to share, and crafting your story so it prompts healing for someone else. 
Connect with Shin-Yu on Instagram at @lifewithshinyu for authentic conversation around writing, parenting, and more. Learn more about Berry Powell Press here and follow us at @berrypowellpress on Instagram.

How to Create an Authentic Author Brand & Platform

Author brand and platform can feel incredibly confusing and daunting. However, the truth is that you don’t need to be inauthentic or famous to harness these tools. Rather, an author’s brand and platform create a path for authors to connect with the people they wrote their book for in the first place.
 
In conversation with BPP’s branding and marketing expert Valeri Mills Barnes, this episode clarifies these two terms and the key components of each. Listeners will learn how to authentically present their message and engage in their community. 
To connect with Valeri and learn more about Berry Powell Press, visit our website here and follow us at @berrypowellpress on Instagram.

Learning to Think of Your Book as a Business

Most authors want lots of people to read their book but have trouble making the mindset shift required to sell it. Successful authors must develop the ability to think of their book not just as a creative venture, but also as a strategic book-based business.
 
In this episode, author Mike E Reynolds shares how he has applied principles from his business background to his career as an author. He discusses how he identified his audience and the creative ways he’s reaching them post-publication. 
 
Mike’s debut novel, Darkness Dwells in Dixie, won silver in the 2023 IBPA Benjamin Franklin awards. Click here to get your copy, and connect with Mike at his website, mreynoldsbooks.com. Learn more about Berry Powell Press here and follow us at @berrypowellpress on Instagram.

Choosing a Publishing Path that Fits Your Priorities

Authors have more options than ever when it comes to publishing their book, but how do you know which path is a fit for your unique message, needs, and goals? 
 
In this episode, author Michelle Denogean shares what it was like meeting with multiple publishers and what decision-making process guided her final choice. She discusses what her highest priorities were as a first-time author with a niche yet proven message. Listeners will get a deeper insight into the pros and cons of the three major publishing models so you can weigh which might be the best fit for you.
 
Michelle’s book, Grow Up is forthcoming in the spring of 2024. Connect with her on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram under her name, Michelle Denogean. Learn more about Berry Powell Press here and follow us at @berrypowellpress on Instagram.

Combining Eastern and Western Ideas for a Book that Helps Us Heal

In this episode, Dr. Katsura Suzuki shares about her process of writing The Invisible Gift, a book based on her experience growing up in Japan as the tea ceremony master’s daughter. She describes how she knit together the themes of her upbringing with her experiences as an adult in the West. Her book presents a breakthrough mindfulness method that helps readers strengthen and repair their relationships and themselves. 
 
Katsura also has a book called The Birdfish and the Secret of Crystal Island, which is a middle grade novel based on her journey of finding a place to belong. To find her books and connect, visit drkatsurasuzuki.com. Learn more about Berry Powell Press here and follow us at @berrypowellpress on Instagram.

The Novelist’s Guide to Timeline, Plotline, and Character List

Nobody wants plot holes or character inconsistencies, but it can be daunting to resolve these big-picture issues without the right tools. In this episode, we share three essential practices to help fiction writers create compelling and cohesive stories: timeline, plotline, and character list.
 
In conversation with author Mike E Reynolds and his BPP editor Valeri Mills Barnes, listeners will learn the difference between these three tools and how exactly to use them with real, behind-the-scenes examples from Mike’s own writing process. This conversation also includes insights for any author who may be writing fiction based on their real-life experiences. 
 
Mike’s novel, Darkness Dwells in Dixie, won silver in the 2023 IBPA Benjamin Franklin awards. Click here to get your copy! Connect with Mike at his website, mreynoldsbooks.com, or on Instagram at @mereynoldsbooks. 
Valeri is our Head of Fiction and Acquisitions Editor at Berry Powell. To connect with her and learn more about Berry Powell Press, visit our website here and follow us at @berrypowellpress on Instagram.

Demystifying the Writing Process from Blank Page to Finished Manuscript

What exactly happens in the mind of a writer between the spark of an idea and the time it becomes a finished written work? Vastly different from what we typically learn in school, this episode unpacks and demystifies the writing process with composition expert Dr. Diana Glyer. 
 
As an author, speaker, and professor on the topic, Diana presents the five basic stages experienced writers use to create work. Whether you’re a student, author, poet, or playwright, this paradigm will help you get your ideas down, overcome the hurdles of drafting, and finish well without being derailed by perfectionism or procrastination.
 
The writing process is the topic of the first book in Diana’s upcoming Writer’s Foundation series. She has also authored several books including The Company They Keep, The Bandersnatch, Clay in the Potter’s Hands, and A Compass for Deep Heaven. Find Diana’s books and writing resources at her website, dianaglyer.com. Learn more about Berry Powell Press here and follow us at @berrypowellpress on Instagram.

Marketing Your Book and Building Readership Pre-Launch

This week’s episode is for the author saying, “Help! I’m afraid no one will buy my book!” While you don’t need thousands of followers before launching, there are plenty of ways to establish relationships with readers pre-launch so they’re already invested by the time your book goes live. 
 
In this conversation, author María Pérez-Gómez shares how she got the word out about her book before it launched, and how that effort translated into post-publication sales, book signings, and media features. She also shares insights on social media persistence, tips for media coverage, and making calls that will open doors for yourself. 
 
María’s book, The Magical Closet Mystery: A Puerto Rican Adventure, is now available in Spanish as El misterio del clóset mágico: una aventura puertorriqueña. You can get your copy of either book here, visit María’s website at themagicalclosetmysteries.com, and follow her on Instagram at @themagicalclosetmystery. Learn more about Berry Powell Press here and follow us at @berrypowellpress on Instagram.

Strategies for Writing a Book in the Margins of a Busy Life

Work crises, screaming children, health scares, competing commitments—these aren’t exactly the ideal conditions for creativity. Yet as writers know, life doesn’t stop just because you’re trying to write! How do authors manage to get anything done in such slim margins?
 
This week, we discuss this question with Dr. Shin-Yu Lee, a residency-trained, board-certified pharmacist who made a career change to being an author while caring for her two medically complex children. In this conversation, Shin-Yu shares authentically to normalize what writing a book looks like in the midst of a really busy life. Rich with practical ideas like schedule coordinating and “mini outlines,” this episode gives both validation and inspiration for how you can make the most of even short blocks of time toward your writing goals. 
Connect with Shin-Yu on Instagram at @lifewithshinyu for authentic conversation around writing, parenting, and more. Learn more about Berry Powell Press here and follow us at @berrypowellpress on Instagram.

The Four Ways to Structure a Self-Help Book

This week, we’re discussing an industry secret for self-help book authors to make their writing both accessible and actionable. A self-help book is written from an abundance of professional and personal expertise. As a writer, you have stories, examples, studies, and steps… and you’re working to present it in a way that can literally change your reader’s life. Where do you even start in organizing it all? 
 
In the publishing industry, there are four basic ways to structure a self-help book. Abby Dengler, Editorial Director at Berry Powell Press, breaks down these four structures with examples from real books to show how different authors can organize their content to fit their particular message. This episode will guide you in processing how to organize your own self-help book so your reader can get the most out of your book for their own lives. 
Connect with Abby on Instagram at @abigailstonejoy for more writing support and creative community. Learn more about Berry Powell Press here and follow us at @berrypowellpress on Instagram.

How to Write a Nonfiction Follow-Up Book or Series

Fiction books aren’t the only ones that can have sequels! Rather, many nonfiction authors are inspired to write a follow-up or turn their first book into a series. Doing so can be incredibly advantageous. But writing a follow-up prompts many questions: What merits another book? What should it cover? Who should the audience be? How do you create a cohesive series? Not to mention… how do you know people will buy it? 
 
In this week’s episode, Dr. Janyne McConnaughey discusses how she answers these questions while writing the follow-up to her award-winning book, Trauma In The Pews. She shares how listening to her readers’ feedback showed her who the audience needed to be and what questions the next book needed to answer. Tune in for insight on how to write a nonfiction follow-up that expands your audience and builds momentum. 
 
Janyne’s most recent book, Trauma in the Pews, won Gold in the 2023 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award. Get your copy of Janyne’s book’s here, find her on social media at @drjanyne, and visit her website at janyne.org. Learn more about Berry Powell Press here and follow us at @berrypowellpress on Instagram.

The Many Benefits of Working With an Editor to Capture Your Vision

With a long career in helping start-up companies execute their vision, Michelle Denogean shares her experience working with an editor to communicate her vision. She discusses the elements of the editorial process she did not expect when working with a publisher, expanding specifically on the stretching collaboration that happens when editing for the big picture. This episode is for any writer who wants a better understanding of what it looks like to work with an editor and how to navigate that relationship well.
 
Michelle’s book, Grow Up is forthcoming in the fall of 2023. Connect with her on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram under her name, Michelle Denogean. Learn more about Berry Powell Press here and follow us at @berrypowellpress on Instagram.