Episodes

Wednesday Mar 31, 2021
079 How Storybrand Sells Books with Amy Mertz
Wednesday Mar 31, 2021
Wednesday Mar 31, 2021
Episode Show Notes
In this episode we cover:
- What is storybrand?
- How writers can incorporate storybrand into their marketing
- Mistakes people make with storybrand
- The key elements of storybrand including a worked example
- How to incorporate storybrand into your side hustles
This week’s question is: Are you wide or in KU and why?
Recommendation of the week is: Wide for the Win by Mark Lefebvre
**This podcast uses affiliate links
Links and events I mentioned are:
The Rebel Author Diaries Anthology Submissions are now open
Find out more here.
Find out more about Amy on:
Instagram: @amymertz / @ifcstudios
Rebel of the Week is: Dharma Kelleher
If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to rebelauthorpodcast@gmail.com or instagram me @sachablackauthor
3 new patrons this week. A huge welcome and thank you to Nathan Scammell, Heather Adame Saenz and Moninder Gainda. And of course, a big thank you to all my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content, you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Wednesday Mar 24, 2021
078 How to Sell Ebooks and Audiobooks on Kobo with Tara Cremin
Wednesday Mar 24, 2021
Wednesday Mar 24, 2021
Episode Show Notes
In this episode we cover:
- Kobo’s new audiobook platform
- How to publish audio with Kobo
- How to price your audiobook
- What’s hot and what’s not in audio right now
- Marketing tactics that work for Kobo right now
This week’s question is: What are your Q2 goals?
Recommendation of the week is: How to Make a Living with Your Writing by Joanna Penn
**This podcast uses affiliate links
Links and events I mentioned are:
The Rebel Author Diaries Anthology Submissions are now open: Find out more here.
Mark’s Wide for the Win Q&A Replay
Find out more about Kobo:
You can sometimes hear Tara as a guest host on the Kobo Writing Life Podcast. If you’re interested in publishing with KWL, create your account today at www.kobo.com/writinglife.
Links to the books Tara mentioned:
Birds Art Life by Kyo Maclear
A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa
For audio, here’s some links that may be of interest:
Podcast interview with Kobo Audiobook Merchandiser
Listener Rebel of the Week is: Lynne Wham
If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to rebelauthorpodcast@gmail.com or tweet me @rebelauthorpod
Thank you to Heather who recently upped her pledge and has joined us in the Rebel Slack group.
1 new patrons this week, a huge welcome and thank you to Noelle Davidson. And of course, a big to all my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY KOBO WRITING LIFE

Visit Kobo Writing Life here, read the Kobo Writing Life blog here, and listen to their podcast here.

Friday Mar 19, 2021
Friday Mar 19, 2021
Get your copy of Mark's book Wide for the Win which is PACKED full of tips and tricks for marketing your books wide here: https://books2read.com/b/wideforthewin
Find out more about Mark on his website: http://markleslie.ca/
Join the Rebel Author Facebook community here for more live events and writing support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rebelauthors/

Wednesday Mar 17, 2021
077 Plot Whispering with Martha Alderson
Wednesday Mar 17, 2021
Wednesday Mar 17, 2021
Episode Show Notes
In this episode we cover:
- Why whopping bits of paper are awesome for plotting
- The biggest mistakes writers make with plot
- How to use details to enhance your plot
- Tips and tricks for the middle of your book
- How to keep your motivation going when you’re in the trenches of writing
This week’s question is: Do you plot or pants or plants?
Recommendation of the week is: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
**This podcast uses affiliate links
Links and events I mentioned are:
The Rebel Author Diaries Anthology Submissions are now open: Find out more here.
Live Q&A with Mark Lefebvre on wide marketing: 17th March 8:00pm GMT, 1pm PST, 4pm EST, 7am AEST
Find out more about Martha on:
Listener Rebel of the Week is: Dominik August
If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to rebelauthorpodcast@gmail.com or tweet me @rebelauthorpod
1 new patron this week. A huge welcome and thank you to Jen Roundell. And of course, a big to all my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Wednesday Mar 10, 2021
076 The Business of Being a Writer with Jane Friedman
Wednesday Mar 10, 2021
Wednesday Mar 10, 2021
Episode Show Notes
In this episode we cover:
- Whether it’s still possible to make a career in 2021
- Core business principles a writer needs
- The mindset shifts a writer needs to make in order to turn their writing into a business
- Other ways a writer can make money with their words?
- Tips for running an author business
This week’s question is: What do you find most difficult about the business side of writing?
Recommendation of the week is: Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t: Why That is and What You Can Do About It by Steven Pressfield
**This podcast uses affiliate links
Links and events I mentioned are:
The Rebel Author Diaries Anthology Submissions are now open.
Find out more here.
Live Q&A with Mark Lefebvre on wide marketing: 17th March 8:00pm GMT, 1pm PST, 4pm EST, 7am AEST
Kobo Writing Life talking about Prose
Find out more about Jane on:
The Business of Being a Writer
Listener Rebel of the Week is: Val Neil
If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to rebelauthorpodcast@gmail.com or tweet me @rebelauthorpod
2 new patrons this week, a huge welcome and thank you to Jasmine Amaro and Giannin Viecili. And of course, a big to all my existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack
This Show is Sponsored by ProWritingAid
Find out more about ProWritingAid here.
DISCOUNT CODE: REBEL25

Wednesday Mar 03, 2021
075 The Heroine’s Journey with Gail Carriger
Wednesday Mar 03, 2021
Wednesday Mar 03, 2021
Episode Show Notes
In this episode we cover:
- What the heroine’s journey is
- Common mistakes with the heroine’s journey
- The key beats of the heroine’s journey
- The role of side characters in the heroine’s journey
- Genre and reader expectations for heroine/hero’s journey.
This week’s question is: Do you write the heroine or hero’s journey?
Recommendation of the week is: Your Press Release is Breaking my Heart by Janet Murray
**This podcast uses affiliate links
Links or events I mentioned are:
Live Q&A with Mark Lefebvre on wide marketing
17th March 8:00pm GMT, 1pm PST, 4pm EST, 7am AEST
Find out more about Gail on:
Website https://gailcarriger.com
Listener Rebel of the Week is: Victoria LK Williams
If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to rebelauthorpodcast@gmail.com or tweet me @rebelauthorpod
3 new patrons this week. Welcome and thank you to Harry Brooks, Holly Flynn and Scott Kavanagh. A huge thank you as well to all existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Sunday Feb 28, 2021
Announcing The Rebel Diaries Anthology
Sunday Feb 28, 2021
Sunday Feb 28, 2021
Surprise... I’m super excited to announce the launch of The Rebel Diaries Anthology. The call for stories is officially open.
For all the submission criteria and information please visit sachablack.co.uk/rebelsubmissions
What happens when the villain wins?
Sick of dashing debonairs? Fed up of being blinded by shining armor?
Sometimes, all a girl wants is a villain for a hero. The Rebel Diaries is looking for stories starring characters with a dubious shade of morals. We want characters who aren’t afraid of getting what they want, causing a bit of chaos, dabbling in mischief, and mayhem and slathering on the sarcasm.
We want stories that slip into the grey areas, and are bulging with villains, deviants and rebels. We’re after sassy tales littered with questionable morals and happy endings—for the villains anyway.
We are not looking for horror or gratuitous violence but dark stories that are fun, light hearted explorations of the characters usually hidden in obscurity.
We actively encourage submissions from own voices, characters or authors with disabilities or from underrepresented backgrounds, LGBTQ+ etc.
Submission deadline: June 30th, 2021
Word count: 2,500–7,500 words.
Payment: royalty split

Wednesday Feb 24, 2021
074 How to Write Your Author Business Plan with Joanna Penn
Wednesday Feb 24, 2021
Wednesday Feb 24, 2021
Episode Show Notes
In this episode we cover:
- Why you need to write a business plan
- The main components of an author business plan
- What to include and what not to include in your plan
- Mistakes to avoid with your business plan
- How to improve your money mindset
This week’s question is: Do you have an author business plan?
Recommendation of the week is: Your Author Business Plan by Joanna Penn
**This podcast uses affiliate links
Joanna's Links
- https://www.thecreativepenn.com/resources/
- https://twitter.com/thecreativepenn
- https://www.thecreativepenn.com/author-business-plan/
Links and Events I mentioned are:
Live Q&A with Mark Lefebvre on wide marketing
17th March 8:00pm GMT, 1pm PST, 4pm EST, 7am AEST
DO YOU LOVE WRITING FANTASY?
CALLING ALL FANTASY WRITERS ProWritingAid are running a fantasy writing week in February and holy crap am I personally excited for this. Just look at the line up!
With live sessions from bestselling fantasy writers TJ Klune, Angela J. Ford, David Farland and Stephanie BwaBwa, a world-building workshop, and a complete World Anvil software walkthrough, you don't want to miss this event!
Please note, I am an affiliate of ProWritingAid, but that's because I personally use their software.
Listener Rebel of the Week is: Mark Lefebvre
If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to rebelauthorpodcast@gmail.com or tweet me @rebelauthorpod
1 new patron this week. Welcome and thank you to Stanley B Trice. A huge thank you as well to all existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY KOBO WRITING LIFE

Visit Kobo Writing Life here, read the Kobo Writing Life blog here, and listen to their podcast here.

Wednesday Feb 17, 2021
073 Why Swearing is Good for You with Emma Byrne
Wednesday Feb 17, 2021
Wednesday Feb 17, 2021
Episode Show Notes
In this episode we cover:
- Why swearing is good for you
- The gender difference between men and women and swearing
- Regional swearing and what this means for characterisation
- Why swearing helps you manage pain
- How swearing works in different areas of the brain
This week’s question is: what is your favorite swear word?
Recommendation of the week is: The Heroine’s Journey by Gail Carriger
**This podcast uses affiliate links
Links and Events I mentioned are:
Live Q&A with Mark Lefebvre on wide marketing
17th March 8:00pm GMT, 1pm PST, 4pm EST, 7am AEST
DO YOU LOVE WRITING FANTASY?
CALLING ALL FANTASY WRITERS ProWritingAid are running a fantasy writing week in February and holy crap am I personally excited for this. Just look at the line up!
With live sessions from bestselling fantasy writers TJ Klune, Angela J. Ford, David Farland and Stephanie BwaBwa, a world-building workshop, and a complete World Anvil software walkthrough, you don't want to miss this event!
Please note, I am an affiliate of ProWritingAid, but that's because I personally use their software.
Find out more about Emma on:
Listener Rebel of the Week is: Stacy L Frazer
If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to rebelauthorpodcast@gmail.com or tweet me @rebelauthorpod
1 new patron this week, welcome and thank you to Jackson Hollingsworth. A huge thank you to all existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

Wednesday Feb 10, 2021
072 How to Market a Book in 2021 with Nicholas Erik
Wednesday Feb 10, 2021
Wednesday Feb 10, 2021
Episode Show Notes
In this episode we cover:
- What the 80/20 principle means for your marketing
- The ultimate book marketing formula
- How to balance writing what you want versus giving the market what it wants
- Common marketing mistakes
- What to cut out of your marketing in 2021
This week’s question is: What marketing tactic would you like to be better at?
Recommendation of the week is: Alix E Harrow’s A Witch’s Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies HUGO award winning short story
Links and events I mentioned are:
Live Q&A with Mark Lefebvre on wide marketing
17th March 8:00pm GMT, 1pm PST, 4pm EST, 7am AEST
Patron only Poison and Prose is 10th Feb.
The Dialogue Doctor Episode with me! On voice, narrator voice, character voice, sharpening dialogue and more.
DO YOU LOVE WRITING FANTASY?
CALLING ALL FANTASY WRITERS ProWritingAid are running a fantasy writing week in February and holy crap am I personally excited for this. Just look at the line up!
With live sessions from bestselling fantasy writers TJ Klune, Angela J. Ford, David Farland and Stephanie BwaBwa, a world-building workshop, and a complete World Anvil software walkthrough, you don't want to miss this event!
Please note, I am an affiliate of ProWritingAid, but that's because I personally use their software.
Find out more about Nicholas on:
Listener Rebel of the Week is: Rebecca Pursell
If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to rebelauthorpodcast@gmail.com or tweet me @rebelauthorpod
1 new patron this week, welcome and thank you to Ryan Simmons. A huge thank you to all existing patrons. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack
This Show is Sponsored by ProWritingAid
Find out more about ProWritingAid here.
DISCOUNT CODE: REBEL25


