In the season two opener, Melissa welcomes Sarah Neville, a Publishing 101 student, on the show to dish about the course.
This episode is dedicated to Melissa's new course, PUBL101, Pathways to Publication for the Aspiring Author available online for the Spring 2019 semester, and a publishing Tip of the Week - Editing--Don't be afraid to ask for help.
Welcome to the show! I’m Melissa Koberlein, author and professor of publishing. The face of Indie Chicks is changing. Lisa Caskey had a great job opportunity come her way! Unfortunately, Indie Chicks doesn’t fit in with her new schedule. I wish her well, and she will still be a great friend to the Indie Chicks.
So, what next? How is Indie Chicks changing?
Instead of focusing solely on self-publishing advice, Indie Chicks will now celebrate and support independent women in all aspects of publishing! Don't worry, men in publishing are invited too! So, whether you are a professional in the publishing industry or a new writer, Indie Chicks is for you. Indie Chicks will be a place for writers at all stages of the publishing process and will include advice for both traditional publishing and self-publishing. Whatever your path, I've got you covered!
Each week, I’m inviting a guest host to join me for a hot topic in publishing. The format will be close to the same, focusing on publishing issues and advice. There will still be episodes that are reviews of books and always a tip of the week at the end of every episode. In addition, I will occasionally invite an author on the show to talk about their book. I want to create a community in publishing that celebrates independent women.
So, on with the show!
This week I’m joined by Sarah Neville. Sarah has a B.S. in Art education, and she’s a Certified K-12 teacher. She’s a fantasy writer from Pennsylvania. She is also an artist and has been painting and creating jewelry her whole life. That creative spirit led her to writing. She is currently enrolled in my PUBL101 at NCC.
Sarah and I dished about the publishing course and some of her classmates' amazing projects.
Here are some details about the Pathways to Publication course at Northampton Community College:
This course is an introduction to the publishing industry including paths to both traditional and self-
publication for aspiring authors. Topics include preparing for publication, acquiring a literary agent and/or editor, the publishing industry at large, networking, and a brief discussion of independent and self-publishing. Some of the great projects include an annotated query list, first page reads, work in progress updates, the ever-so-tricky query letter, and the dreaded synopsis. In addition, students review one another's query letters and synopses. The best part? A completed manuscript or publishable work is helpful, but not required. So, anyone is eligible to take the course.
I also have guests come to the class to speak. Kelly Peterson, literary agent at Corvisiero Literary Agency, spoke to the class and brought FREE books! What a treat. We also had Michael Pogach, author of the Rafael Ward series, visit. Guests for the course are invaluable and enhance the experience for students.
Sarah and I also talked about a special trip the students made to the Authorpreneur Workshop in Red Bank, NJ hosted by Marisa Corvisiero. Sarah and her classmates that attended were able to network with other writers, agents, and editors. There were also some first page reads that were exciting.
Time for the Tip of the Week!
Editing--Don’t be afraid to ask for help. This is something that has been on my mind for the last few days. As a writer, it's important to know your strengths and weaknesses. If you need help in a certain area, don't be afraid to ask. Editors are people too, ya know? Whether you're on the traditional path or self-publishing, you need an editor. Period. Their job is to make your work shine. Remember that.
I thanked Sarah for coming on the show. Here's where you can find her:
IG: sarah_bear610
Twitter: @SarahNeville610
On my next podcast, I will be reviewing On Tenterhooks with the author, Elizabeth Rago, as my guest host. I will also have another Tip of the Week.
And don’t forget where to find me! Find my podcast at indiechicks.net or follow me on Spotify or subscribe to Indie Chicks on iTunes. Please rate me! You can follow me on Twitter @Indie_Chicks or Facebook.com/TheIndieChicks or @TheIndieChicks
So, remember, we’re all part of a publishing community, be kind and review your fellow authors’ books! Thanks for listening!
And…
Indie Chicks out.