In this episode, I’m talking with the author Joy Imboden Overstreet. Joy created the original Thin Within workshops in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1975.

This podcast mini-series interviews with students from my Goal Getter School for Writers. In this episode, I’m talking with the writer Sarah McKee.

One of the most important things that you can do to sell more books is to always be working on your mindset.

When you set a big goal, like writing a book or selling a certain number of copies, lots of things will try to get between you and your goal.

I’m sure you’ve noticed that plenty of adults have questionable coping skills. We tend to turn to things that will make us feel better in the moment even if it will make us weaker in the long run.

Resisting reality doesn't get you any closer to a calm peace of mind that you need to get through something. We have to accept where we are and what’s happening. And as soon as we do that, a whole layer of suffering drops away.

We are in the midst of yet another rough news cycle. I’m hearing from many writers that it’s hard to focus on their work and their marketing and they don’t even really see the point. There is so much uncertainty out there.

The question of content and trigger warnings comes up in the Happily Ever Author Club and among my editing clients all the time: Do I have to include warnings on my work? Should I? And if so, what’s the best way to do that?

Today, I am a developmental editor who helps writers organize their content and finish books, but several years ago, I was in a different situation that you might relate to; my manuscript was in chaos and I didn’t know what to do about it.

If I say “Action story”, do you think of explosions, sword battles and Marvel movies? Do you think “That’s not what I’m writing!” You might be surprised. The Action Story Type isn’t defined by violence. It’s defined by danger.

It can feel vulnerable to create, let alone share your id list, but I promise that it will reconnect you with the joy you felt when you first started writing, before you started guarding yourself from feedback, criticism, and self-doubt.

Let's talk money mindset for writers. I want you to take a look inside your brain and see what's in there. I’m going to give you some tools to unpack your money thoughts and see if they are serving you well.

It can be hard to make time for reflection, especially at the end of the year, when we're hustling to buy presents, make travel plans, et cetera. I invite you to spend just ten minutes in reflection before you jump into planning your writing and marketing goals for 2022.

Are you facing get-togethers that seem more daunting than exciting? Like me, do you need a plan for getting back into the act of social gatherings? I’d like to share some things that helped me in the past and what I’m trying to integrate back into my life in hopes they might help you as well.

Today I’m going to share a method for converting the one-star reviews of your imagination into a valuable tool for dramatically and sometimes comically changing the negative stories you’ve been telling yourself about your work.

At Pages and Platforms, we're authors like you, and we've talked to thousands of other writers over the years. We've gathered some valuable tips and techniques for getting that initial draft completed, and we're offering them here to you.

It truly is time to start strategizing how to get through the dark seasons to come with our creativity and mental health intact. And hopefully, if you and yours stay well, with a completed book and a much stronger author platform.

There are all kinds of readers. And all kinds of writers. And just like the kids who were happy to visit the other playground once in a while, readers don’t mind a little variety. They often seek it.

The trick to growing your author platform and selling more books is building an email list of fans. Truly, it’s your number one book marketing goal. Cue the groans from writers who don’t want to start an email list.

If you feel like you're struggling to talk about your book, you are not alone. Eighty percent of the writers we speak with have a hard time conveying the essence of their book in a concrete, concise way.