Are you an aspiring author dreaming of writing full-time? Join Nathan and Nat, two online writers navigating the murky waters of the publishing world, as they p...
Get the full notes and bonuses for this episodehttps://betweendraftspod.com/episodes/7Nat & Nathan dive into their favorite reads from 2024, discussing everything from recent releases to timeless classics.TIMESTAMPS[00:34] Nathan's literary agent querying update[02:02] Nat's manuscript progress and editing timeline[03:18] The Will of the Many[06:47] Lightbringer[09:16] Ryan C. Cahill's indie fantasy novella[12:38] Claire Keegan's Foster novella[13:10] Colony One Mars[18:26] East of Eden[23:03] A Wizard of Earthsea[25:34] Hyperion[32:33] Armor[36:22] Neil Gaiman's works[38:25] Daemon by Daniel Suarez[41:25] Logicomix and nonfiction recommendations[43:32] A Swim in the Pond in the Rain[45:19] Next week's editorial discussionSubscribe to the newsletterhttps://betweendraftspod.comFollow us on Twittertwitter.com/between_drafts
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46:00
How to Draft a Novel in a Month (86,000 Words in 26 Days)
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Nat and Nathan dive deep into the intense process of writing a novel draft in just one month. Drawing from Nat's recent experience writing his novel "Husk" at a pace of 5,000 words per day, they explore the practical challenges, strategies, and trade-offs of rapid drafting. The conversation covers everything from daily routines and word count tracking to the importance of detailed outlining before starting a sprint.
They also discuss recent developments in their publishing journeys, including Nathan's promising connections with industry professionals and Nat's progress with cover design and editing deadlines. They tackle the controversy surrounding NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and debate the sustainability of different writing paces, from traditional approaches to the aggressive schedules of indie authors publishing monthly.
TIMESTAMPS
[00:26] NaNoWriMo controversy around AI writing tools[01:51] Nathan's updates on connecting with agents[04:18] Nat's progress on his book cover[06:07] Feedback from Readwise editor Eleanor on manuscript[09:10] How to draft a book in a month[19:45] Creating a detailed outline before speed writing[30:17] Managing editing vs. writing new material during sprints[31:16] How to write 5,000 words per day[33:32] Balancing the sprint strategy with a 9-5 job[35:05] Publishing multiple books per year[41:28] Benefits of separating the outlining and writing processes[45:31] The problem with common writing advice like "show don't tell"
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47:25
Choosing Professional Self-Publishing over Traditional Publishing (Ep. 5)
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Nat and Nathan dive into the latest developments in their respective publishing journeys. They discuss how Nat's crypto book is seeing renewed success during the current bull market, and Nathan shares promising early results from querying his fantasy novel to literary agents.
The heart of the episode focuses on Nat's decision to self-publish his upcoming sci-fi novel "Husk" through Scribe Media, breaking down the strategic and creative considerations that led him to choose this path over traditional publishing. He explains his vision for creating a professionally produced book while maintaining creative control and a faster timeline to market. And he compares how the experience is comparing with publishing his previous book through Penguin Random House.
TIMESTAMPS
[00:25] How the Crypto mania is driving book sales
[05:12] How book advance and earning out works
[10:32] Nathan's querying progress update for his fantasy novel
[23:27] Why Nat's self-publishing Husk
[29:42] Partnering with Scribe for professional self-publishing
[38:17] Marketing and distribution strategies for self-published book
[41:15] Cover design process and working with designers
[44:21] Manuscript revision timeline and feedback process
[48:01] Comparing Nat's traditional vs self-publishing experiences
[50:20] Final thoughts on manuscript editing approaches
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52:40
Self-Editing for Authors: Getting Feedback, the "Triage" Method, and More (Ep. 4)
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In this episode, Nathan and Nat share their processes for getting feedback and editing their drafts.
From outlining a "top-down" hierarchy that nails the high-level story before sweating the small stuff, to strategies for soliciting targeted feedback, this conversation is a masterclass on self-editing for any author working on their manuscript.
TIMESTAMPS
[00:00] Introduction to editing approaches and book updates[00:47] Nathan's progress on "The Witch" and query letters[01:36] Discussion of manuscript feedback and beta readers[02:58] Exploring non-traditional publishing options[03:17] Breakdown of Author's Equity publishing model[05:09] Nat's update on "Husk" manuscript feedback[07:11] Editing strategies and question-based feedback approach[08:28] Common editing mistakes and inefficient processes[10:05] Hierarchy of editing levels: story, act, scene, prose[13:34] Strategies for avoiding over-editing while writing[16:31] Effective questions for beta readers[19:36] When to share drafts with others for feedback[25:36] Using GitHub for manuscript version control[37:06] Experience working with professional editors[38:58] Impact of different reading mediums on editing[42:34] Techniques for improving prose and writing style[49:35] Finding honest feedback and handling criticism[51:43] Current reading recommendations and discussions
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55:23
Getting an Agent for Your Novel: Lessons from 90+ Rejections (Ep. 3)
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Nathan shares his journey querying agents for his debut novel, the brutality of getting rejected 90+ times, and the lessons learned along the way.
Most importantly, he shares what he's going to do differently with his new novel, and why he thinks he has a much higher chance of success now than he did before.
[0:00] Getting an Agent for a Novel[1:37] How Long Should Your Book Be?[4:27] When Are You Ready?[7:32] Getting Feedback Before Querying[9:40] Finding Beta Readers[10:41] Searching for Agents[12:43] What to Send Agents[17:18] Writing An Exciting Query Letter[19:14] Paid Query Critique Services[22:37] The Book Synopsis[25:30] Example Query Structure[29:17] How Long Does a Response Take?[31:07] Reasons Agents Aren't Interested[34:41] Rejections Hurt[37:06] What Nathan's Doing Differently This Time[39:41] Getting Warm Intros[42:23] Having an Author Platform[44:28] Successful Query Letters to Copy
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Are you an aspiring author dreaming of writing full-time? Join Nathan and Nat, two online writers navigating the murky waters of the publishing world, as they pull back the curtain on their journeys to becoming professional authors. With refreshing honesty and hard-won insights, they'll share the ups and downs, rejections and victories, and get real about their numbers, pitches, and publishing experiences.
Whether you're hoping to publish fiction or nonfiction, traditionally or independently, this is a candid, unfiltered look at what it really takes.
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