If you’re writing and self-publishing a book, where should you start? And who do you need on your team?

This episode, we’re changing up our usual format with a short, practical answer to a common publishing question. In a whirlwind tour through writing, design, publication and promotion, Arthur explains how a writing coach, editor, proofreader, designer, and distributor can help your book do its job – and what it means to be the centre of your fan community.

Links from the show:

• Arthur’s list of writing coaches recommended by trusted sources
• Electric Book Works

The allure of crowdfunding is that you can sell your book before it costs you any money. But that’s harder than it looks!

To find out what it takes to run a crowdfunding campaign properly, Arthur speaks to Aaron A. Reed, who has successfully crowdfunded several books, including one of the most well-funded non-fiction books on Kickstarter. Aaron is a writer and a game developer, and the author of 50 Years of Text Games. Right now, he’s in the middle of another crowdfunding campaign, for his role-playing-game kit Downcrawl 2e.

Links from the show:

• 50 Years of Text Games
• 50 Years of Text Games Kickstarter campaign
• Downcrawl 2E on Backerkit
• Subcutanean
• Aaron A. Reed’s website
• Electric Book Works

Children's publisher Book Dash makes beautiful books in a single day, then gives them away. And their method is catching on around the world.

Book Dash believes every child should own a hundred books by the age of five. They gather creative professionals who volunteer to create new storybooks that anyone can freely translate, print and distribute. Then they work with partners to get those books to preschool children and their families to own.

In this episode, Arthur wears his Book Dash co-founder hat, and speaks to its outgoing Executive Director Julia Norrish about how and why their ambitious approach to book-making actually works.

Links from the show:

• Book Dash
• Research on the difference that books make in children’s homes
• Book Dash’s latest event in Johannesburg
• Book Dash’s event in Bologna
• Electric Book Works