It's Friday! It's the Indie Writers Club!

We continue our deep dive into the new era of searching using AI.

Even if you are dead set against all things AI - you cannot ignore the fact that readers will be searching for your books using AI in the future. That means you need to adapt the way you describe your books, where you list them and a host of other things.

If you want to learn more on this subject, I'd encourage you to sign up to Reedys's Ricardo Fayet's newsletter here: https://www.indiewritersclub.com/ricardo.

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Last night we had a great live Q&A with our top two tiers of Patreon supporters. You can be on the next call by signing up below:

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The era of keywords and Google searches is coming to an end. Searching through a longer form conversation with an AI is already taking over. That means we need to get our blurbs and book packages ready for the new era.

James & Cara discuss the take-aways from NINC including Ricardo Fayet's talk on GEO.

USEFUL LINKS:

Ricardo's Blog: indiewritersclub.com/ricardo

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In episode 55, James reports from the Floridian beach where he's attending the annual NINC conference. He and Cara also report some encouraging signs from their Facebook Ads campaigns.

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Making the switch from hobbyist to full-time author is a dream for many. But it comes with its own challenges. From two of us who have become full time self-employed, we go through some of the pitfalls and areas to think about.

USEFUL LINKS:

Self Publishing Launchpad is open for enrolment:

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It's part 2 of our discussion about generating income from audio versions of your books. We talk about the AI options among other things, and James has a mini rant about the opposition many authors still face, because they use the latest technology which is available to all.

USEFUL LINKS:

ElevenLabs: https://www.indiewritersclub.com/elevenlabs

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We take a two episode dive into audio books. In the first part we discuss the options facing indies, such as wide or exclusive, self produce or collaborate etc.

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There's no correct way to plot, but here are our suggestions.

Mentioned in the pod were my 5 points to note during plotting - see below the links.

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Novel November - a new way to write a novel in November

https://prowritingaid.com/novel-november

Five Plotting Points to help Guide You:

1. Conflict and stakes

Identify the main conflict that drives your story forward

Ensure the stakes are high enough to keep readers engaged

Consider both external conflicts (between characters or characters and their environment) and internal conflicts (within the characters themselves)

2. Character arcs

Develop your main characters' journeys throughout the story

Ensure each main character has a clear goal, motivation, and potential for change

Consider how the plot events will affect and change your characters

3. Pacing and structure

Decide on the right structure for your story (e.g., three-act structure, hero's journey)

Balance action, dialogue, and description to maintain a good pace

Consider the timing of key events, revelations, and twists to keep readers engaged

4. Causality and coherence

Ensure that plot events have a cause-and-effect relationship

Avoid coincidences or deus ex machina solutions

Make sure all subplots and character arcs are coherently tied to the main plot

5. Theme and message

DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THEME IN FIRST DRAFT

Consider the overarching theme or message you want to convey through your story

Ensure that your plot, character arcs, and conflicts all reinforce this central theme

Avoid being too heavy-handed or preachy in your message delivery

Episode 50 is a good time to take stock of the industry and discuss the latest developments that can affect our indie world.

Useful links:

LSP Launchpad Course waitlist:
https://www.learnselfpublishing.com/launchpad

Get your ticket for SPS Live:
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Join our Patreon for exclusive access including Live Q&As with James & Cara and your chance to discuss your writing career.
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