The Indy Author Podcast

I talk with Isabella Maldonado about CHOOSING YOUR PUBLISHING PATH, including when your publisher closes up shop, getting rights back, going hybrid, getting into bookstores, coordinating indy and trad releases, and her experience with Kindle First Reads. Do any of those topics pique your interest? Check out 2 MINUTES OF INDY https://bit.ly/2MinutesOfIndy, where over the week following the airing of the episode, you'll find brief video clips from the interview on each of those topics. You can also catch up on some highlights of previous episodes there. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP161 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Wall Street Journal bestselling author Isabella Maldonado wore a gun and badge in real life before turning to crime writing. A graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina to attain the rank of captain in the Fairfax County Police Department just outside DC, she retired as the Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics. During more than two decades on the force, her assignments included hostage negotiator, department spokesperson, and precinct commander. She uses her law enforcement background to bring a realistic edge to her writing, which includes the bestselling FBI Special Agent Nina Guerrera series (soon to be a Netflix feature film starring Jennifer Lopez) and the award-winning Detective Veranda Cruz series. Her books have been translated into 20 languages.

I talk with Frank Zafiro about MISTAKES WRITERS MAKE ABOUT POLICE ROLES AND HOW TO AVOID THEM. We discuss the police department career ladder, the role of the police sergeant, police roles and social media, commanding a SWAT team, how communications can save the day, and how his study of best practices for writing of police reports informed his work as a fiction author. Do any of those topics pique your interest? Check out 2 MINUTES OF INDY https://bit.ly/2MinutesOfIndy, where over the week following the airing of the episode, you'll find brief video clips from the interview on each of those topics. You can also catch up on some highlights of previous episodes there. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP160 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Frank Zafiro writes gritty crime fiction from both sides of the badge. He was a police officer from 1993 to 2013, serving as a patrol officer, a training officer, and a detective, and leading K-9 and SWAT units. He retired as a captain. Frank is the award-winning author of over forty novels, including the River City series of police procedurals, and co-author of the Charlie-316 series. Frank also hosted the crime fiction podcast Wrong Place, Write Crime. He has written a textbook on police report writing and taught police leadership all over the US and Canada. An avid hockey fan and a tortured guitarist, he lives in the high desert of Redmond, Oregon.

I talk with Sharon Short about BACKSTORY: ON THE MOUNTAINTOP OR IN THE VALLEY? We discuss the importance of understanding what the character wants, backstory red flags, the point of no return, backstory for secondary characters and for setting, and when the backstory becomes the story. Do any of those topics pique your interest? Check out 2 MINUTES OF INDY https://bit.ly/2MinutesOfIndy, where over the week following the airing of the episode, you'll find brief video clips from the interview on each of those topics. You can also catch up on some highlights of previous episodes there. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP159 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Sharon Short is a regular contributor to Writer's Digest magazine with her "Level Up Your Writing (Life)" column. She teaches a number of courses for writers, including those via Writer's Digest University. As Jess Montgomery, she writes the Kinship Historical Mystery series is set in 1920s Appalachia and inspired by Ohio's true first female sheriff. As Sharon Short, her book-length work ranges from a coming-of-age novel set in the 1950s ("My One Square Inch of Alaska") as well as two mystery series: the comedic-with-a-twist-of-social-satire Josie Toadfern mysteries, and the electronic-gumshoe Patricia Delaney series.

I talk with Ryan Fahey about WHAT WRITERS CAN LEARN FROM REMOTE WORKERS. We discuss managing boundaries, not doing everything, considering what is filling us versus what's taking away from us, dealing with distractions, giving yourself a pass, and the difference between connections and community. Do any of those topics pique your interest? Check out 2 MINUTES OF INDY https://bit.ly/2MinutesOfIndy, where over the week following the airing of the episode, you'll find brief video clips from the interview on each of those topics. You can also catch up on some highlights of previous episodes there. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP158 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Ryan Fahey is an author, speaker, and entrepreneur who is passionate about personal growth, education, and well-being. He is the owner of FaheyConsulting which aims to help people and small organizations move from good to great. His latest book, "How to Thrive in Remote Working Environments" recently hit #1 on Amazon in Canada and cracked the top 40 books on entrepreneurship worldwide. Ryan owns a digital publication called, "The Canadian Way."

Jane Friedman talks about LITERARY CITIZENSHIP ... OR A RISING TIDE RAISES ALL BOATS. We discuss what literary citizenship is, literary citizenship on social media, conveying your identity as an author, the power of repetition, taking a strategic approach, and the importance of authenticity. Do any of those topics pique your interest? Check out 2 MINUTES OF INDY https://bit.ly/2MinutesOfIndy, where over the week following the airing of the episode, you'll find brief video clips from the interview on each of those topics. You can also catch up on some highlights of previous episodes there. Transcript and show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP157 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Jane Friedman has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in business strategy for authors and publishers. She's the editor of THE HOT SHEET, the essential industry newsletter for authors, and has previously worked for Writer's Digest and the Virginia Quarterly Review. In 2019, Jane was awarded Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World; her newsletter was awarded Media Outlet of the Year in 2020. Jane's latest book is THE BUSINESS OF BEING A WRITER, which received a starred review from Library Journal. She is also the author of THE AUTHORS GUILD GUIDE TO SELF-PUBLISHING.

David Corbett talks about CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE PAIN AND PROMISE OF LIFE. We discuss pathological maneuvers and the pain of life; how a theme emerges from moments of helplessness; the idea of persistent virtues; earning the redemptive moment; the power of giving an unsympathetic character a kid or a dog; and neo-noir and the morally flawed character. Do any of those topics pique your interest? Check out 2 MINUTES OF INDY https://bit.ly/2MinutesOfIndy, where over the week following the airing of the episode, you'll find brief video clips from the interview on each of those topics. You can also catch up on some highlights of previous episodes there. Transcript and show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP156 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple David Corbett is the author of six novels, including "The Long-Lost Love Letters of Doc Holliday," and his works have been nominated for the Lefty Award for Best Historical Mystery and the Edgar, Anthony, Barry, Shamus, and Spinetingler Awards. His novel Done for a Dime was named a New York Times Notable Book, and was described by the Washington Post as "one of the three or four best American crime novels." Corbett's short fiction has twice been selected for Best American Mystery Stories. His non-fiction has appeared in outlets including the New York Times and Writer's Digest. He has written two writing guides, "The Art of Character" and "The Compass of Character," has taught at the UCLA Writer's Program, and is a monthly contributor to Writer Unboxed.

I talk with Roland Denzel about THE BENEFITS (AND COSTS) OF MEMBERSHIP in writer's groups, including the importance of understanding your goals; factoring in opportunity costs and assessing if and how each opportunity gets you closer to those goals; finding your "medium point" group; the option of creating your own group; the downside of a wealth of resources; and giving yourself permission to let it go. Do any of those topics pique your interest? Check out 2 MINUTES OF INDY https://bit.ly/2MinutesOfIndy, where over the week following the airing of the episode, you'll find brief video clips from the interview on each of those topics. You can also catch up on some highlights of previous episodes there. Transcript and show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP155 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Roland Denzel is a health and fitness author of over 10 books, and a printing and publishing specialist with over 30 years in the industry. Roland helps authors, small businesses, and even giant corporations put their messages out into the world via books, email, and digital publishing. In 2015 Roland created IndestructibleAuthor.com to help authors just like himself be more productive and write more books, all while staying healthy, happy, and sane. Roland grew up in Southern California, but now lives in Colorado, where he's experiencing seasons for the first time in his life.

I talk with Tammy Gross about going FROM SCREENPLAY TO NOVEL AND BACK, including the benefits of the screenplay format; not aiming for perfection; capitalizing on contest submissions; the virtuous cycle between screenplay and novel; and how you can start with a screenplay and expand to a novel (and vice versa). Do any of those topics pique your interest? Check out 2 MINUTES OF INDY https://bit.ly/2MinutesOfIndy, where over the week following the airing of the episode, you'll find brief video clips from the interview on each of those topics. You can also catch up on some highlights of previous episodes there. Transcript and show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP154 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Since 2008, Tammy Gross, the Scriptpreneur, has been editing & doctoring screenplays for writers of all skill levels. With Tammy's help, Shia LaBeouf's autobiographical script was transformed into the compelling story that is now the award-winning film, HONEY BOY. Her own screenplay-turned-novel became a bestseller through her Reel Novels imprint, and it is slated for late 2022 film production by an A-List TV producer.

Wade Walton discusses THE IMPORTANCE OF A PROFESSIONAL PHOTO AND VIDEO PRESENCE. He talks about matching your background to your message; being aware of your video persona; telling a story with your headshot; letting your personality shine through; the costs and benefits of hiring a pro, and ways to make it affordable; and how often to update your headshot. Do any of those topics pique your interest? Check out 2 MINUTES OF INDY https://bit.ly/2MinutesOfIndy, where over the week following the airing of the episode, you'll find brief video clips from the interview on each of those topics. You can also catch up on some highlights of previous episodes there. Transcript and show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP153 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Wade Walton is grateful to spend his life working in creative spaces (and not starving while doing so). As a video, film, and multi-media Executive Producer and Director for various national television and global companies, Wade has written, produced, and delivered over 10,000 productions that have reached tens of millions of viewers. Wade's love of the outdoors informs all of his creative work, and particularly his photography, which has appeared in galleries around southeast Pennsylvania, as well as in his photography book, "Sunshine and Shadow."

Tiffany Yates Martin talks about THE THREE STAGES OF STORY: drafting, editing, and revising. We discuss how the first draft is base camp on our trip to the summit of a finished manuscript; the fact that our writing is a commodity; different editing processes; how we hone our craft; combating dejection with realistic expectations; and the fact that writing is not an assembly line. Do any of those topics pique your interest? Check out 2 MINUTES OF INDY https://bit.ly/2MinutesOfIndy, where over the week following the airing of the episode, you'll find brief video clips from the interview on each of those topics. You can also catch up on some highlights of previous episodes there. Transcript and show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP152 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Tiffany Yates Martin has spent nearly thirty years as an editor in the publishing industry, working with major publishers and New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling, award-winning authors as well as newer writers. She is the author of the Amazon bestseller INTUITIVE EDITING: A CREATIVE AND PRACTICAL GUIDE TO REVISING YOUR WRITING. She's led workshops and seminars for conferences and writers' groups across the country and is a frequent contributor to writers' sites and publications. Under the pen name Phoebe Fox, she's the author of the Breakup Doctor series, including the most recent release, THE WAY WE WEREN'T.