Your Breakout Book Dana Kaye

This month, we’re focusing on what it takes to quit your day job and become a full-time author. For most, the transition to full time means writing more and finding new and creative ways to monetize your writing.
When Rachael Herron was ready to leave her day job as a 911 dispatcher, she turned to Patreon. Patreon helps creatives receive monthly recurring revenue from their top fans, and Rachael has used this platform to grow a readership for her essays and other nonfiction writing. It’s because of this monthly recurring revenue that she was able to leave her day job and write full time.
About Rachael:
Rachael Herron is the internationally bestselling author of more than two dozen books, including thriller (under R.H. Herron), mainstream fiction, feminist romance, memoir, and nonfiction about writing. She received her MFA in writing from Mills College, Oakland, and she teaches writing extension workshops at both UC Berkeley and Stanford. She is a proud member of the NaNoWriMo Writer’s Board.
More about Rachael's booksMore about Rachael's Patreon

When you think about life as a full-time writer, it might seem like a solitary practice. But for today’s guest, it was actually his extensive network of publishing people that helped him smoothly transition out of the 9-5.
Keir Graff writes thrillers, mysteries, and contemporary fiction for adults, and adventure novels for younger readers. Recent works include THE THREE MRS WRIGHTS and DROWNING WITH OTHERS, both of which were coauthored with Linda Joffe Hull under the name Linda Keir. He is also the author of middle-grade novels including THE TINY MANSION, THE PHANTOM TOWER (a Chicago Tribune Best Children’s Book) and THE MATCHSTICK CASTLE (an Illinois Reads official selection). The former executive editor of Booklist, he lives in Chicago, where he is the cofounder and cohost of the much-loved literary gathering Publishing Cocktails.
But his novels aren’t the only thing under contract; he supplements his income through ghost writing. In today’s interview, Keir shares how he balances his creative writing with his contract writing, how he navigated the transition to full-time authorship, and how he worked his way up the publishing ladder.
If you’d like to continue the conversation around what it takes to write full time, I encourage you to become a member of Your Breakout Book. All month, we’re trading ideas, answering questions, and sharing experiences to help you launch your own breakout book and move closer to the full-time writer dream. Visit KayePublicity.com/yourbreakoutbook for more information. 

Connect with Keir:
Website
The Graff Paper

Other Resources Mentioned:
Reedsy
Publishing Cocktails

This month, we’re focusing on what it takes to quit your day job and become a full-time author. We learned how Rachael Herron used Patreon to fill in the financial gap left by her day job. We heard how Keir Graff write both his own books, as well as the books of others by ghostwriting.
It’s clear, there’s no wrong way to be a full-time writer. But it’s also that having a successful author career doesn’t mean you have to do it full time.
Today, I’m speaking with bestselling author, Gigi Pandian, who had the opportunity to take a sabbatical from her day job and fulfill a dream of being a full-time author. But, as you’ll here in this interview, Gigi learned that she actually missed her day job, and decided to return to her 9-5.

Gigi Pandian is a USA Today bestselling and Anthony, Agatha, Derringer, and Lefty Award-winning mystery author. The child of cultural anthropologists from New Mexico and the southern tip of India, she spent her childhood traveling around the world on their research trips, and now lives in Northern California. Gigi writes lighthearted traditional mysteries including the Accidental Alchemist mysteries, Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mysteries, and locked-room mystery stories. She has served on the national board of Sisters in Crime, currently sits on the board of her local Mystery Writers of America chapter, and is one of the co-founders of Crime Writers of Color.

If you’d like to continue the conversation around what it takes to write full time, I encourage you to become a member of Your Breakout Book. All month, we’re trading ideas, answering questions, and sharing experiences to help you launch your own breakout book and move closer to the full-time writer dream. Visit KayePublicity.com/yourbreakoutbook for more information. 

All month, we’ve been learning about what it takes to become a full-time author. Here are the two big takeaways: there’s no one way to do it and success does not equate to writing full time. You can be successful and still work a 9-5, as long as that 9-5 supports the growth you want to see in your writing career.
A couple weeks ago, we took a deep dive into this topic during our bi-annual Your Breakout Book virtual conference. We heard from authors and publishing pros about what it takes to become a full time author. In this episode, I'm sharing my favorite clips from the conference.

If you understand the importance of securing book reviews and interviews, but unsure of how to get started, or just need a little nudge, I am giving you a challenge. Specifically, the 28-Day PR challenge.
The 28-Day PR Challenge is the guidance and accountability you need to finally launch your own PR campaign. In just one month, you’ll create your media list, craft your pitch email, and secure important media coverage for you and your book. The challenge will include weekly trainings to guide you through each step of the process, as well as accountability emails to ensure you stay on track.

Having a breakout book requires reaching people outside of your circle, and one of the best ways to do that is through media coverage. When you or your book are featured on podcasts, websites, or TV shows, you’re introduced to a whole new audience of potential readers.
But how do you start? Do you rely on your publisher to handle media outreach? Do you have to hire a publicity or marketing company to get the word out?
Not necessarily.
I know from my decade plus experience in book publicity that authors have the power to secure media coverage for themselves. In fact, editors and journalists like today’s guest say that often, authors doing  a better job of pitching themselves than most publicists!
That’s why this month, we’re focusing entirely on securing media coverage for your book, starting today with S. Zainab Williams, Book Riot's managing editor and co-host of the SFF Yeah! podcast. She shares her insight into making your pitch stand out, how to work with editors, and what authors should consider when pitching themselves to media.


If you’re new listener, you are just in time to join our 28-Day PR Challenge. Participants are learning how to create media lists, pitch themselves to journalists, and successfully secure media coverage for their book. You’ll receive training videos delivered straight to your inbox as well as weekly check-ins to ensure you stay on track. You’ll also gain FREE access to the Your Breakout Book community for the entire month of February. That’s one free month of Your Breakout Book included in your registration fee.

Are you ready to hear the challenge part? Any participant who secures a placement will have their registration fee refunded. That’s right. I know this process works, but I also know doing the work can be intimidating. So what better incentive than a full refund?

Click here to get started!


Resources mentioned:
Book RiotSFF Yeah! PodcastFollow Book Riot on Instagram

Over the past few years, podcasting has exploded. According to a study by Infinite Dial, in 2019, 169 million people in the US alone, reported to have listened to a podcast in the past week. And those US podcast listeners are listening to an average of 7 podcasts per week. Since the pandemic, podcast downloads have increased by 40%. It’s clear that podcasts have officially entered the mainstream.
But that’s not all. 
50% of listeners say they listen to the entire episode. How often do you watch an entire YouTube video or read an entire article? I bet, not very often. But when it comes to podcasts, most people are staying engaged for the entire episode.
At Kaye Publicity, we pitch our clients to podcasts regularly, and we see the impact it can have. Podcast interviews build trust between listeners and hosts or interviewers in a way that other types of media don’t. If you’re looking to reach a new audience and quickly build trust with that audience, podcasts are the way to go.
That’s why I’m so excited to introduce today’s guest, Angie Trueblood.
As a podcast visibility expert and host of the Go Pitch Yourself podcast, Angie Trueblood knows that the only 'perfect pitch' is the one that leads with value and focuses on building a genuine connection. Whether she is teaching entrepreneurs how to pitch themselves or working behind the scenes to secure opportunities for others, Angie leverages her super-connector powers to grow businesses and build long-lasting relationships.
In this episode, she shares how authors can find which shows to pitch, secure interviews, and make the most out of each podcast appearance. 

Connect with Angie:
Podcast RoadmapWebsitePodcastInstagramResources mentioned
Racheal CookEveryday Style School