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  • Writing and Marketing Romantasy ft. J Gabriel Gates (EP#568)

    Writing and Marketing Romantasy ft. J Gabriel Gates (EP#568)
    2026/09/03

    J. Gabriel Gates — who writes romantasy as G.J. Gates — has a full-time job he loves and a self-funded publishing business. He opens every book launch with a Kickstarter, and that money becomes his entire advertising budget. In this episode of the SPA Girls Podcast (EP568) he walks us through going indie after traditional publishing, writing a genre he'd never touched, and the ten-second video that reached 1.6 million people.

    Whether you're changing genres, growing a social account from scratch, or working out where an ad budget is going to come from, this one is practical tips packed in: BookTok and Instagram hooks that convert, why the simplest video wins, Amazon ads to train your also-boughts, feeding Kickstarter money straight into Facebook ads, and how Jacob writes seven days a week around a day job he genuinely loves.

    #SelfPublishing #Romantasy #IndieAuthor

    About Jacob

    J. G. Gates (who also writes as J. Gabriel Gates) is the author of fantasy, horror, and sci-fi books, including the Dragons and Aces, the Luck Gods Series, The Lamplighters, The Sleepwalkers, Blood Zero Sky, and more.

    After receiving his B.A. in theater from Florida State University, Gates moved to Los Angeles, where he acted in a dozen national TV commercials and wrote screenplays that were optioned by Hollywood producers. He is an alum of Spalding University's MFA in writing program, and has taught college writing at Kellogg Community College and Olivet College. He has also worked as a ghostwriter and editor.

    Gates is a dad of three and a city council representative in his small Michigan town. When not writing books, he works as the executive director of a prominent regional arts organization. He also enjoys live storytelling and has appeared on stage at The Moth. Some of his other interests include, running, biking, playing music, and making dumb TikTok videos.

    Find him at: https://jgabrielgates.net/

    📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

    - Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com
    - BookVault (special edition printing): https://bookvault.app
    - Monica Leonelle: https://monicaleonelle.com
    - Canva: https://www.canva.com
    - Authors Review Books (Jacob's podcast): https://authorsreviewbooks.com



    🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS:

    🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com

    🎧 Subscribe to our weekly episodes on your favourite podcast app — search "SPA Girls Podcast"

    ❤️ Watch our episode recordings on the SPA Girls Podcast You Tube Channel http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast

    💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community! ⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast
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    58 分
  • Collaborations, Box Sets, and Beating Burnout ft. Asa Maria Bradley (Classic Replay EP#567)

    Collaborations, Box Sets, and Beating Burnout ft. Asa Maria Bradley (Classic Replay EP#567)
    2026/08/26
    Burnt out and not writing? Bestselling paranormal romance and urban fantasy author Asa Maria Bradley went two years without finishing much of anything — and it was collaborating with other indie authors that got her writing again. In this episode we dig into anthologies, box sets, shared worlds and author collectives, and exactly how each one works for a self-published author. Whether you're staring down burnout, trying to grow your newsletter list, or thinking about organising your own multi-author collection, this one covers the creative side AND the unglamorous business side — royalty splits, contracts, tax-year timing, cross-promotion, and how to vet a list-run box set before you hand over any money. Asa also explains how a 5,000-word short story for 1001 Dark Nights accidentally launched an entire series, and why writing outside your genre might be the best thing you do for your author career. Why Asa left traditional publishing (and how she ended up with no editor and no agent in the same month)Burnout, the pandemic, and the point where the writing stoppedAccountability: why she'll blow her own deadline but never someone else'sWriting a crime-fiction novella in someone else's shared world — and finding readers who "don't read romance"How a 5,000-word short story for 1001 Dark Nights became an entire seriesOrganising your own collection: choosing your authors, letting readers vote on the title, and what she'd do differentlyThe money bits — Draft2Digital royalty split vs going direct, tax-year timing, quarterly payouts, and the minimum-royalty clause worth stealingEditing, POV and word count: where to be strict and where to let people writeWhat a well-run list-run collection looks like, and how to vet the organiser before you hand over moneyLaura Greenwood's low-cost social media game strategy (and why emoji-only questions quadruple engagement) 🔁 CLASSIC REPLAY — This episode was originally recorded in 2022 (EP343) and the advice on collaborations, box sets and author burnout is just as relevant today. Watch interview on YouTube About Asa USA Today bestselling author Asa Maria Bradley grew up in Sweden surrounded by archaeology and history steeped in Norse mythology, which inspired her sexy paranormal romance and sizzling romantasy series. Booklist attributes her writing with "nonstop action, satisfying romantic encounters, and intriguing world building" and Entertainment Weekly says "when it comes to paranormal romance with explosive action scenes, Bradley has that nailed." Her work has received the honors of a double nomination for the Romance Writers of America's RITA contest, a Reviewers' Choice Award nomination, a Holt Medallion win, and a Booksellers' Best Award win. Asa came to the United States as a high school exchange student and quickly fell in love with ranch dressing and crime TV dramas of all flavors, two addictions she unfortunately still struggles with. Currently, she lives on a lake deep in the forest of the Pacific Northwest with a British husband and a rescue dog of an indeterminate breed. Sadly, neither obeys her commands. Subscribe to her newsletter and get access to exclusive content and giveaways. www.asamariabradley.com 📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED: 1001 Dark Nights & Blue Box Press: https://1001darknights.comThe Grifter's Song (Down & Out Books, series editor Frank Zafiro): https://downandoutbooks.comDraft2Digital royalty split: https://draft2digital.comBookBub Partners (new release alerts): https://partners.bookbub.comBecca Syme — Strengths for Writers: https://www.betterfasteracademy.comGretchen Rubin — The Four Tendencies: https://gretchenrubin.comCanva: https://www.canva.com 🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS: 🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com 🎧 Listen on your favourite podcast app — search "SPA Girls Podcast" 💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community! ⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions:
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    1 時間 16 分
  • Superdraft - Write Better and Faster with Thomas Dean Donnelly (EP#566)

    Superdraft - Write Better and Faster with Thomas Dean Donnelly (EP#566)
    2026/08/19

    Screenwriter and thriller author Thomas Dean Donnelly joins the SPA Girls Podcast to explain Superdraft, his evidence-based approach to the writing process. Learn how to separate your Creator voice from your Critic voice, beat writer's block and imposter syndrome, use flow states to write faster, and apply the 1-3-2 drafting method to fix a sagging second act. Essential listening for indie authors and self-published writers who struggle to finish a first draft.

    About Thomas Dean Donnelly

    Thomas Dean Donnelly was born in New Jersey but has been living and writing in Los Angeles as a screenwriter for more than 30 years. In that time he has written on projects that have grossed over a billion dollars worldwide. He has adapted the classic works of writers such as Ray Bradbury, Clive Cussler, Stan Lee, and Robert E Howard and worked on franchises from Voltron to Uncharted, and from Marvel's Doctor Strange to The Walking Dead. His feature credits include Sahara starring Matthew McConaughey, and Conan the Barbarian.

    Then in 2023 he turned his hand to writing thriller novels, and now has three books in the Malcolm Chaucer series under the pen name TD Donnelly, with more on the way.

    You can find him early mornings walking the beaches of Southern California, and spending time with his wife, two mostly grown children, and two very demanding guinea pigs.

    🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS:

    🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com

    🎧 Subscribe to our weekly episodes on your favourite podcast app — search "SPA Girls Podcast"

    ❤️ Watch our episode recordings on the SPA Girls Podcast You Tube Channel http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast

    💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community! ⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

    #SelfPublishing #romancewriter #writingpodcast #writingcommunity
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    1 時間 4 分
  • Sell More Books With Every Launch - Series Launch Strategy ft. Helen B. Scheuerer (Classic Replay EP#565)

    Sell More Books With Every Launch - Series Launch Strategy ft. Helen B. Scheuerer (Classic Replay EP#565)
    2026/08/12

    Is your back matter costing you sales? Bestselling fantasy author Helen B. Scheuerer joins us to break down exactly how to launch a book series — from optimising your back matter for read-through, to pre-order strategy, ARC campaigns, and building a street team that generates real buzz.

    In this Classic Replay episode, Helen shares the launch strategies behind her book How To Launch A Successful Series. Whether you're a new indie author planning your first book launch or a seasoned self-published author looking to level up your release strategy, you'll walk away with practical tactics: the "rank vs bank" pre-order debate, why buffer time saves your sanity, and how to run a street team on Discord that turns readers into cheerleaders.

    #SelfPublishing #BookLaunch #IndieAuthor

    👤 ABOUT HELEN B. SCHEUERER:

    Helen B. Scheuerer is the bestselling fantasy author of The Oremere Chronicles, Curse of the Cyren Queen, and The Legends of Thezmarr. Her work has been praised for its strong, flawed female characters and action-packed plots. She also publishes advice for authors through her nonfiction series, Books For Career Authors, and has been a full-time author since 2018.

    🔗 https://www.helenscheuerer.com

    📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

    • How To Launch A Successful Series by Helen B. Scheuerer
    • How To Write A Successful Series by Helen B. Scheuerer
    • BookFunnel (for ARC delivery): https://bookfunnel.com

    🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS:

    🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com

    🎧 Listen on your favourite podcast app — search "SPA Girls Podcast"

    💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community!

    ⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

    Subscribe so you never miss an episode!

    #WritingCommunity #WritingPodcast
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    47 分
  • Should You Change Genres? 5 Key Questions To Help You Make The Leap Successfully (EP#564)

    Should You Change Genres? 5 Key Questions To Help You Make The Leap Successfully (EP#564)
    2026/08/05

    Dreaming of writing in a new genre?

    In this episode of the SPA Girls Podcast (EP564), all four SPA Girls answer a listener's question about switching genres as a self-published author, including how Cheryl knew it was the right time to move from contemporary romance to cozy mysteries. Whether your books aren't selling, you're bored with your current genre, or a new trend is calling your name, this episode gives you a 5-question framework to make the decision with confidence.

    Changing genres is one of the biggest decisions in an indie author career — it can mean a new pen name, new covers, new marketing, and starting your readership from scratch. We unpack when a genre switch makes sense, when a tweak to your current genre is the smarter move, and how to test a new genre before you commit.

    #SelfPublishing #IndieAuthor #AuthorTips

    🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS:

    🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com

    🎧 Subscribe to our weekly episodes on your favourite podcast app — search "SPA Girls Podcast"

    ❤️ Watch our episode recordings on the SPA Girls Podcast You Tube Channel http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast

    💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community! ⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

    #authortube #SelfPublishing #IndieAuthor #romancewriter

    #SelfPublishing #romancewriter #writingpodcast #writingcommunity

    ________________________________________________________________

    Updated November 2024 - for website

    💗 The SPA Girls podcast is sponsored by everyone who supports us on Patreon. Thank you so much, we love our listeners and our patrons!

    ⭐ Join us at the $10 tier, and you'll be invited to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group for authors, where we discuss all things self-publishing, marketing and writing PLUS answer all your burning questions.

    All the info is at http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

    ✍️ Visit http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com for our FREE self-publishing resources, podcast episodes and info

    😊Watch our weekly show on YouTube @‌spagirlspodcast

    Make sure to subscribe wherever you listen, so you don't miss an episode!
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    49 分
  • Debunking Publishing Myths and How to Stop Procrastinating and Start Writing ft. Rachael Herron (Classic Reply EP#563)

    Debunking Publishing Myths and How to Stop Procrastinating and Start Writing ft. Rachael Herron (Classic Reply EP#563)
    2026/07/29

    Most writers don't have a talent problem. They have a fear problem.
    In this Classic Replay, internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron joins Trudi, Shar, Cheryl and Wendy to talk about why fear is the real engine behind procrastination, what to actually do about it, and three publishing myths that need to die.

    Rachael has written more than two dozen books across thriller, mainstream fiction, feminist romance, memoir and nonfiction for writers. She publishes both traditionally and independently, which makes her one of the most useful people to ask about how those two paths really compare — money included.

    Rachael Herron is the international and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen books, including fantasy, thrillers (under R.H. Herron), mainstream fiction, romance, memoir, and nonfiction about writing. She received her MFA in writing from Mills College, Oakland, and she's taught writing extension workshops at both UC Berkeley and Stanford. A dual New Zealand and American citizen, she lives in Wellington, New Zealand with her banjo-playing wife and brick-eating dog.

    Find Rachael: rachaelherron.com and on her How Do You Write podcast

    ℹ️ NOTE SINCE RECORDING: NaNoWriMo, which Rachael talks about in this episode, closed as an organisation in March 2025. The approach still works — if you're after a structured drafting challenge, indie author Sarra Cannon runs the Rough Draft Challenge: https://roughdraftchallenge.com/

    🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS:

    🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com

    🎧 Subscribe to our weekly episodes on your favourite podcast app — search "SPA Girls Podcast"

    ❤️ Watch our episode recordings on the SPA Girls Podcast You Tube Channel http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast

    💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community! ⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

    #SelfPublishing #romancewriter #writingpodcast #writingcommunity
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    52 分
  • Writing Fear and Emotion That Hooks Readers ft. Becca Puglisi (EP#562)

    Writing Fear and Emotion That Hooks Readers ft. Becca Puglisi (EP#562)
    2026/07/22

    Why do some characters feel real enough to root for while others fall flat despite having every "correct" ingredient? In this episode of the SPA Girls Podcast (EP562), we dive into writing fear and emotion with Becca Puglisi, international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling co-author of The Emotion Thesaurus. Becca's writing craft books have sold over 1.4 million copies and are used by novelists, screenwriters, and universities worldwide.

    Becca unpacks the difference between surface-level fear and the deep, wound-driven fear that powers a character's arc — and how to weave it through your whole story without spelling it out. We talk showing vs. telling emotion, the danger of over-aware characters who kill reader empathy, using setting to amplify feeling, how fear drives the plot through turning points and choices, and why villains weaponise fear while protagonists learn to overcome it. Whether you're a plotter or a "messy middle" pantser, this one will change how you build characters readers can't stop caring about.

    Becca's new Fear Thesaurus is out now — and if your book isn't working, the problem might be that you haven't nailed your character's fear yet.

    👤 ABOUT BECCA PUGLISI:
    Becca Puglisi is the bestselling co-author of The Emotion Thesaurus series (with Angela Ackerman), an international speaker and writing coach whose resources have sold over 1.4 million copies worldwide. She's the co-founder of the Writers Helping Writers blog and One Stop for Writers, home to the Character Builder and Storyteller's Roadmap tools.

    🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

    • Writers Helping Writers blog: https://writershelpingwriters.net
    • One Stop for Writers: https://onestopforwriters.com
    • The Fear Thesaurus (Becca's newest release)
    • The Emotion Thesaurus & the full thesaurus series

    🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS:
    🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: https://www.spagirlspodcast.com
    🎧 Listen on your favourite podcast app — search "SPA Girls Podcast"
    💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community!
    ⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

    Subscribe so you never miss an episode!
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    1 時間 1 分
  • Turning Down a Six-Figure Trad Deal & Building a Sustainable Indie Author Career, ft. Brenna Aubrey (Classic Replay EP#561)

    Turning Down a Six-Figure Trad Deal & Building a Sustainable Indie Author Career, ft. Brenna Aubrey (Classic Replay EP#561)
    2026/07/15

    This week we're revisiting a favourite conversation with USA Today bestselling author Brenna Aubrey — and it's a masterclass in both bold business decisions and long-term career survival.

    Brenna takes us right back to the beginning: writing sprawling epic fantasy at night while her husband worked the graveyard shift, stumbling into her local RWA chapter, and the shower-thought that became her breakout gamer romance, At Any Price. Then came the moment that made her something of a self-publishing legend — her debut went to auction, two houses landed in a bidding war, and Brenna told her agent there was a third bidder: herself. She walked away from a six-figure, three-book deal to go indie… and made back more than that offer in her first year.

    Brenna is refreshingly honest about the long fall that can follow a big high, including the online criticism she wasn't prepared for, and walks us through the mindset practices that brought her back (mindfulness, meditation, EFT tapping, gratitude journaling, time in nature, and Becca Syme's strengths work), and why "anxiety lies, depression lies" became a mantra.

    On the business side, Brenna shares her framework for career longevity. Whether you're weighing traditional vs indie, clawing your way out of a rough patch, or thinking about how to keep this career going for the long haul, Brenna's warmth and honesty will leave you feeling seen — and hopeful.

    In this episode:

    • The bidding war — and why Brenna became her own "third bidder"
    • Trad vs indie: the scheduling, cover, and non-compete red flags that made her choose self-publishing
    • The crash after the high, and why mindset is "a full-time job"
    • Brenna's practical mindset toolkit for anxiety and burnout
    • Trying something new: co-writing, serializing, and new genres as career fuel
    • "Series 2.0": rebranding covers and moving wide → KU
    • Why less-is-more back matter converts better
    • Her one golden nugget for career longevity

    Links & resources mentioned:

    • Becca Syme — Strengths for Writers (QuitBooks / Better-Faster Academy)
    • Zoe York — Romance Your Brand / Series 2.0
    • Penny Reid (cover branding help)
    • Headspace app; "Therapy in a Nutshell" (YouTube); EFT tapping
    • SPA Girls episodes with Zoe York - EP#335, EP#226, EP#65

    About Brenna

    Brenna is a USA TODAY Bestselling Author of contemporary romance featuring geek culture. Her bestselling romance series, Gaming The System, is available in eBook and print format across all vendors.

    When she's not dreaming up people and worlds and writing them down, she's also a mom, wife, teacher, avid reader, a proud geek-girl, a self-confessed gaming addict, a French-speaking Francophile, lover of nature and beautiful sunsets.

    Find her at www.brennaaubrey.net

    🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS:

    🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com

    🎧 Subscribe to our weekly episodes on your favourite podcast app — search "SPA Girls Podcast"

    ❤️ Watch our episode recordings on our YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast

    💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community! ⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

    #authortube #SelfPublishing #IndieAuthor #romancewriter

    #SelfPublishing #romancewriter #writingpodcast #writingcommunity
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    1 時間 23 分