The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers Joanna Penn

What do you need to consider when writing travel memoir? How fear of judgment and fear of failure are real issues even for established authors, and more in these selected excerpts from interviews with J.F. Penn around Pilgrimage: Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways.







In this episode, I talk about:









* How Pilgrimage fits across several sub-categories of the travel genre and the perils of writing cross-genre 







* Fear of sharing personal aspects in the memoir, fear of launch, fear of failure, fear of judgment, and being terrified of doing a Kickstarter (recorded several days before the launch)







* How journals can be the basis of writing a travel memoir, structuring a book around theme, and why you have to think of the reader









Jo Frances Penn with Pilgrimage





I have a Kickstarter running as this goes out for my new travel memoir / solo walking book, Pilgrimage: Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways, and I’ve been doing interviews on the topic on various shows, so I wanted to share some snippets.







It might also introduce you to new shows that you might enjoy and you can find them all on your podcast app, wherever you’re listening to this. The clips are from Travel Writing World, Wish I’d Known Then, and Sacred Steps, and I was also on Into the Woods.







I’ve included different clips on my Books and Travel Podcast, more about the walking than the writing side, so you can also listen there. 







I also wanted to let you know that we reached the stretch goal — even though I was scared of not making it!













All backers will get an extra audio with a transcript on how I turned hundreds of pages of hand-written journal entries and hundreds of photos into a finished travel memoir.







This will only go to backers, so even if you’re not that interested in pilgrimage, you might want my tips on writing travel memoir, and you can back the campaign with just a few pounds. 







Just go to JFPenn.com/pilgrimage and that will redirect to the Kickstarter until 5 Feb, after which it will take you to where the book will be available later in the year. So let’s get into it. 















In this clip from the Travel Writing World podcast with Jeremy Bassetti, I talk about how Pilgrimage is sits across different sub-genres of the travel niche. 









J.F. Penn – Pilgrimage and Perspective









Transcript of the clip from Travel Writing World

How can you use AI tools to ethically and responsibly create in whatever sphere you love? What are some of the tools and why are creative direction, voice, and taste, so important? I discuss these issues and more in a solo introduction and an interview with Oliver Altair.







In the first 28 mins of the podcast, I give an extended introduction about the various legal cases around AI and copyright, my thoughts on the best way to approach it for your creative work, and how to use AI tools ethically and responsibly. I've included the transcript below with lots of links and further resources, and you can find more at TheCreativePenn.com/future.







If you'd like to learn more, you can get 50% off my ebook and audiobook on Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and Virtual Worlds if you buy direct, and you can get 50% off my course, The AI-Assisted Author. Just use discount code: FEB23 at checkout for either.













Today's show is sponsored by my wonderful patrons who fund my brain so I have time to think about and discuss these futurist topics impacting authors. If you support the show, you also get the extra monthly patron-only Q&A audio. You can support the show at www.patreon.com/thecreativepenn













Oliver Altair is a dark fantasy author, a digital artist and creator of the Ravensfield Collection.







You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. The interview starts at 28:33 mins.







Show Notes









* The creation of the Ravensfield Collection using AI art







* How AI art can be used as a marketing tool for authors







* Available tools for an AI-augmented creative







* How to write AI prompts to achieve the best results







* Concerns about intellectual property when training models







* What are the different kinds of Creative Commons licenses?







* The importance of creative confidence, voice, and taste, for making art with AI tools







* Generative writing tools as a brainstorming co-pilot









You can find Oliver Altair at OliverAltair.com. You can view the Ravensfield Collection at Ravensfield.art.







Header image by Joanna Penn on Midjourney.















Transcript of the solo introduction on generative AI with Joanna Penn







Before we get into the interview, I just want to add some over-arching comments as I’m getting a lot of emails about generative AI for art and obviously for words.







It feels like a lot of people are going through now what I did a few years back when I first heard about all this,

How can small, daily habits make you more successful as an author? How can you use the 80/20 rule in your author business? How can you create multiple streams of income when you sell mostly print? Marc Reklau shares his tips in the interview.







In the intro, my Kickstarter for Pilgrimage is live!; Spotify's promotion codes [The Hotsheet, FindawayVoices]; publishing 2023 [Carly Watters]; Writer Beware round-up; Hitting bestseller lists [Reedsy; my USA Today breakdown]; Mark Dawson's Ads for Authors; Nick Thacker's dictation course;













Today's podcast sponsor is Findaway Voices, which gives you access to the world's largest network of audiobook sellers and everything you need to create and sell professional audiobooks. Take back your freedom. Choose your price, choose how you sell, choose how you distribute audio. Check it out at FindawayVoices.com.













Marc Reklau is the best-selling author of 13 books on habits, productivity and happiness. He's also a speaker, consultant and coach.







You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. 







Show Notes









* The importance of consistency to reach your goals







* Different streams of income as a nonfiction author







* Creating a series from your nonfiction books to increase sales







* How to make money in foreign language markets







* Taking your books wide to expand your income streams







* Why successful authors sell more books than struggling authors









You can find Marc at MarcReklau.com







Transcript of Interview with Mark Reklau







Joanna: Marc Reklau is the best-selling author of 13 books on habits, productivity and happiness. He's also a speaker, consultant and coach. So welcome to the show, Marc.







Marc: Hello. It's such a pleasure to be on your show, Joanna.







Joanna: Oh, I'm excited to talk to you. So first up —







Tell us a bit more about you and how you got into writing.







Marc: Yeah, that's a good story. Because actually, I never had it in my life plan to become a wri...

Do you sometimes just ‘know' when a story is right? Does something ‘click' during the writing process and suddenly things make sense? Do you lean into your curiosity and emotion when it comes to writing and marketing? If yes, you might be an intuitive writer, as Becca Syme explains in this interview.







In the intro, Chokepoint Capitalism [Decoder]; Direct sales [Kris Rusch]; Amazon Ads for Authors by Ricardo Fayet; Ads for Authors course; Why I Ignored Target Reader Feedback for my Book Cover Design; ChatGPT for teachers [Hard Fork]; Pilgrimage Kickstarter.













This podcast is sponsored by Kobo Writing Life, which helps authors self-publish and reach readers in global markets through the Kobo eco-system. You can also subscribe to the Kobo Writing Life podcast for interviews with successful indie authors. You can find my books for authors and my fiction here on Kobo.













Becca Syme is an author, coach, and creator of the Better-Faster Academy. She is a USA Today bestselling author of small-town romance and cozy mystery and also writes the ‘Dear Writer' series of non-fiction books.







You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below.







Show Notes









* How a writer knows if they are intuitive







* The data-gathering process of intuitive writers







* Learning to apply feedback while trusting your intuition







* Knowing when it's the right time to write your book







* Standing out in a crowded market by using your intuition







* Tips for avoiding burnout to have a sustainable author career







* Why we make decisions based on fear — and how to stop









You can find Becca at BetterFasterAcademy.com or on her QuitCast on YouTube







Image generated by Joanna Penn on Midjourney.

What are the most common reasons why writers don't finish their books —and how can you overcome them in order to finish yours this year? Roz Morris gives practical writing and mindset tips.







In the intro, Spotify promo codes [FindawayVoices]; Rachael Herron's money episode [How Do You Write?]; Changes at Amazon [Kris Writes, BBC]; AI as a writing co-pilot [Stark Reflections]; Hindenburg Narrator for audiobook mastering; Pilgrimage audiobook chapters [Books and Travel].













Today's show is sponsored by Ingram Spark, which I use to print and distribute my print-on-demand books to 40,000 retailers including independent bookstores, schools and universities, libraries, and more. It's your content—do more with it through IngramSpark.com.













Roz Morris is a best-selling author as a ghostwriter and an award-nominated author with her own literary novels. She writes writing craft books for authors under the Nail Your Novel brand, and is also an editor, speaker and writing coach.







You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below.







Show Notes









* The most common reasons that writers abandon books







* Creating a system for your creative process







* Finding the motivation to finish your book even when it gets tough







* The importance of research to help you keep going







* How to commit to finishing one project when you have multiple started







* Staying confident when you start doubting your book







* Knowing when to park a project









You can find Roz at RozMorris.org







Transcript of Interview with Roz Morris







Joanna: Roz Morris is a best-selling author as a ghostwriter and an award nominated author with her own literary novels. She writes writing craft books for authors under the Nail Your Novel brand, and is also an editor, speaker and writing coach.







Today, we're talking about why writers abandon books and how you can draft, fix and finish with confidence. And we'll have tips for both fiction and nonfiction authors. So welcome back to the show, Roz.







Roz: Thank you, Joanna. It's so nice to be here again.

How can you use paid advertising as part of your book marketing strategy? How can you reach more readers and sell more books in the year ahead? Mark Dawson provides strategies and tips in this interview.







In the intro, publishing trends for 2023 [Written Word Media]; Apple AI narration; ChatGPT into Bing [The Verge]; Comments on Audible [Brandon Sanderson, Audiblegate]; TikTok ban and problems [Reuters, Rolling Stone]; my Pilgrimage Kickstarter.













Today's show is sponsored by Draft2Digital, where you can get free ebook formatting, free distribution to multiple stores, and a host of other benefits. Get your free Author Marketing Guide at draft2digital.com/penn















Mark Dawson is the award-winning USA Today best-selling author of the John Milton series and other thrillers, with over 6 million copies sold. He's also the co-founder of SelfPublishingFormula.com, with books, courses and events for indie authors who want to sell more books.







You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. 







Show Notes









* How advertising has changed in the past decade







* The difference between paid advertising and other forms of marketing







* Why building your mailing list can be your best free advertising option







* Is it worth it to advertise a standalone book?







* Different ways to monetize your brand to make ads profitable







* What is the biggest mistake indie authors make with advertising?







* The effect of Apple's privacy rules on Facebook ads







* Using AI to create more and sell more









You can find Mark at MarkJDawson.com and SelfPublishingFormula.com.







Image generated by Joanna Penn on Midjourney.