Your Breakout Book

Dana Kaye

Welcome to Your Breakout Book, the podcast that helps authors like you write, publish and prosper. Hosted by Dana Kaye, founder of Kaye Publicity, Your Breakout Book is a combination of live audio trainings and expert interviews, providing everything you need to launch your own breakout book. If you’re looking to implement long-term, sustainable strategies that ensure your readers will come back for every book you write, then you, my friend, are in the right place. read less
ArtsArts

Season 2

How Ghostwriting Helped Keir Graff Write Full-Time
Jan 15 2021
How Ghostwriting Helped Keir Graff Write Full-Time
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:WebsiteThe Graff PaperOther Resources Mentioned:ReedsyPublishing Cocktails
Choosing Not to Be a Full-Time Author with Gigi Pandian
Jan 22 2021
Choosing Not to Be a Full-Time Author with Gigi Pandian
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.
February Theme: In The Media
Feb 1 2021
February Theme: In The Media
Today is February 1st, which means it’s time to announce this month’s theme: In the Media. All month long, we’re exploring what it takes to secure book reviews, features and interviews in and on a variety of media outlets. I speak with S. Zainab Williams of Book Riot about how she considers what books and authors to feature on the popular website. I speak with Angie Trueblood about how authors can grow their readership through podcast interviews. I also talk with Ashley Hasty of the Hasty Book List about working with book influeners. And finally, I chat with Ed Aymar about how he was able to secure a slew of media coverage for his recent book.If you’re ready to learn the ins and outs of launching your own publicity campaign, hit subscribe wherever you’re currently listening so you never miss an episode.But that’s not all.In addition to media-centric podcast interviews, today marks the first day of 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 refundIt’s not too late to get in on the 28-Day PR Challenge. Click here to sign up!
How to Work with Online Editors and Reviewers with Sharifah Williams
Feb 5 2021
How to Work with Online Editors and Reviewers with Sharifah Williams
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
Go Pitch Yourself to Podcasts with Angie Trueblood
Feb 12 2021
Go Pitch Yourself to Podcasts with Angie Trueblood
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 mentionedRacheal CookEveryday Style School
Book Influencers with Ashley Hasty of The Hasty Book List
Feb 19 2021
Book Influencers with Ashley Hasty of The Hasty Book List
Around 2009, book bloggers emerged as the next big thing in books coverage. Today, blogs may be taking a back seat to #bookstagram #booktwitter and #booktok, but the concept is the same: any fan has the potential to cultivate an online audience and make an impact with their platform.And that’s just what today’s guest, Ashley Hasty, did.Ashley is the book blogger behind HastyBookList.com, a site for reviews, features, and interviews with authors, audiobook narrators, and book jacket designers. She has a Ph.D. in fashion history so it’ll come as no surprise that her favorite genre is historical fiction, but she also enjoys mysteries, rom coms, and non-fiction. When not reading or blogging, she teaches college courses in marketing, merchandising, and fashion history.Today, she shares how she started writing about books as a passion project and a way to escape her day job. She shares how she works with authors and publicists to amplify the voices of new authors and connect readers with great books. Resources Mentioned:https://www.instagram.com/ashleyhasty/ https://www.hastybooklist.com/subscribe-hasty-book-list https://www.facebook.com/hastybooklist https://www.pinterest.com/hastybooklist/ https://twitter.com/AHastyLifeConversations like these are happening every day in Your Breakout Book. As a member, you'll gain access to trainings, tutorials, monthly roundtable discussions, and a community of savvy authors. If you're ready to take your writing career to the next level by increasing your sales and expanding your name recognition, then you're ready for Your Breakout Book. Click here to get started!
March Theme: Cultivating Community
Mar 1 2021
March Theme: Cultivating Community
It’s March 1st, which means it’s time to introduce this month’s theme: Cultivating Community. As humans, we all want to feel seen and understood. Whether it’s your monthly book club, moms group, professional organization, or religious community, commiserating with likeminded individuals around a common interest is important.2020 truly punctuated the need for human connection. Even introverts like me, once sent to lock down, really missed visiting with friends and family. And that led to an explosion in online memberships, Facebook groups, and virtual meet ups.So what does that mean for authors like you? It may mean creating a Facebook group for your superfans. It may mean organizing a virtual meet up for fellow writers or those in the publishing industry. Your community may be an online forum or a paid membership.As you’ll hear from our guests this month, there are countless ways to cultivate a community.All month long, we’re going to hear from authors and publishing pros on what it takes to create a vibrant and loyal community. We’ll discuss the things they wish they knew when they first started and the impact their communities have had on their careers, and their lives in general. If you’d like to experience a supportive and vibrant community firsthand, I encourage you to become a member of Your Breakout Book. Your Breakout Book is where author like you come to write, publish, and prosper. As a member, you’ll gain access to live trainings, roundtable discussions, plus plenty of templates and tutorials to help you launch your breakout book. You’ll also learn and commiserate with a supportive community of savvy authors, which, I think, it the most valuable part of your membership. Finally, you have the opportunity to be paired with an accountability partner to ensure you stay on track.Click here to learn more: kayepublicity.com/yourbreakoutbook
All About Facebook Groups with book designer Melinda Martin
Mar 12 2021
All About Facebook Groups with book designer Melinda Martin
This month, we’re focusing on communities: why we need them and what it takes to cultivate them.  Last week, I shared a few different ways authors like you to can cultivate a community of superfans that will not only buy your books, but tell their friends about them. This week, we’re taking a deeper dive into Facebook groups with publishing consultant and full-service book designer, Melinda Martin.Melinda loves to work with authors who are process-minded, relationship-centric, and quality-driven. In 2008, she left Corporate America, became a stay-at-home mom to her two children, and started a blog as a means of developing community. In 2012, she transitioned from blogger to book designer and pursues living her best life on the daily. Her Facebook group, Self-Publishing Support Group is a place for authors to connect with service providers and collaborate with each other…and it has nearly 13K members.If you’re ready to hear what’s working for Facebook groups, both as a moderator and as a participants, then start listening to this episode!Resources mentioned:https://www.facebook.com/groups/selfpubsupportgrouphttps://melindamartin.me/If you enjoy these conversations, I encourage you to join my membership community. As a member of Your Breakout Book, you’ll gain access to live trainings, roundtable discussions, plus plenty of templates and tutorials to help you launch your breakout book. You also have the opportunity to be paired with an accountability partner to ensure you stay on track. Visit http://kayepublicity.com/yourbreakoutbook for more info.
The Village That Launched a Book with Lainey Cameron
Mar 26 2021
The Village That Launched a Book with Lainey Cameron
Dig the well before you’re thirsty.That is something that has been told to me several times over the years and is the perfect philosophy when it comes to creating a community.We’ve all been in situations where someone from high school or a distant relative randomly reaches out under the pretense of re-connecting only to ask for a favor or try to sell us something. We’ve been in Facebook groups where people who never post or provide feedback suddenly surface around book launch to continuously post their promotional content. We’ve received random emails from fellow writers asking for a blurb, social media support, and so on.None of us want to be those people, but we feel like we have to. It’s true, successful authors rarely do it alone. They rely on the support of fellow authors, super-fans, and their friends and family. But if you don’t want to leave a bad taste in people’s mouths, it’s necessary to nurture those relationships before asking for favors.You must dig your well before you’re thirsty.This is something today’s guest, Lainey Cameron, has truly embraced. Before she was published, she joined Women’s Fiction Writers Association and provided support for their events and social media channels. When she secured her book contract, she joined the 2020 Debuts, a group of traditionally published authors making their publishing debut in 2020. She also reached out to friends and family to join her launch team who not only helped her promote her novel, but provided morale boosts and encouragement as well.In this episode, Lainey shares the power of online communities and the impact it has made on her writing career. If you’re an author looking to find your people, connect with readers, and create impactful online communities, then this one's for you!Connect with Laineyhttps://www.laineycameron.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/BlueSkyBookChathttps://www.bestofwomensfiction.com/podcastResources Mentioned:https://www.womensfictionwriters.orghttps://2020debuts.com/meet-the-authorshttps://www.instagram.com/2021debutshttps://www.facebook.com/groups/Bloomwithtpw
A New Approach to Shameless Shilling with Mystery Author Ellen Byron
Apr 16 2021
A New Approach to Shameless Shilling with Mystery Author Ellen Byron
For today’s guest, Ellen Byron, writing frequently and on a deadline is not a challenge. She began her career as a playwright before moving to LA and transitioning to sitcom writing. As she says in this interview, there was no time to be precious with words or to not be inspired. If you weren’t contributing to the team, there was a line of writers waiting to take your seat.Now, as a multi-published author of three cozy mystery series, Ellen is putting her writing skills to use to reach new readers, specifically through blogs and newsletters. Today, she shares how she approaches what she calls “shameless shilling”, how by approaching her newsletter differently she actually grew to love it, and how blogging has not only helped her connect with new readers, but a community of writers as well.About Ellen ByronEllen Byron is the Agatha Award-winning author of the Cajun Country Mysteries. The USA Today bestselling series has also won multiple Best Humorous Mystery Lefty awards from the Left Coast Crime conference. She also writes The Catering Hall Mysteries (under the pen name Maria DiRico), which launched with Here Comes the Body.Ellen’s TV credits include Wings, Just Shoot Me, and Fairly OddParents. She’s written over 200 national magazine articles, and her published plays include the award-winning Graceland. She also worked as a cater-waiter for the legendary Martha Stewart, a credit she never tires of sharing. A native New Yorker who attended Tulane University, Ellen lives in Los Angeles with her husband, daughter, and rescue chi mix, Pogo. She still misses her hometown - and still drives like a New York cabbie.Resources MentionedEllen's website and newsletter: https://www.ellenbyron.comEllen's workshops: https://www.ellenbyron.com/workshopsChicks on the Case blog: https://chicksonthecase.com/Canva: http://canva.com
From Articles to Book Deals with Tori Telfer
Apr 23 2021
From Articles to Book Deals with Tori Telfer
All month long, we’ve been exploring how authors like you can leverage their writing skills to secure more readers for their books. Today’s we’re looking at a different aspect of writing for readers: freelancing and podcasting.Now, you may not think of podcasting as writing, but for many of us, our episodes are scripted and outlined, and we spend just as much time writing the content as we do reading it into a mic. You also heard in the first episode of the month how my freelance writing career better prepared me for a career as a publicist. Today, we’ll hear from full-time freelancer, podcaster, and book author Tori Telfer, who has created an ecosystem of content creation that all feeds on each other.When we’re talking about freelance writing, we’re talking about paid writing gigs. Not highly paid writing gigs, but actual compensation other than publicity. I think this is an important distinction because while it’s great to write an op-ed or guest blog to gain exposure for your book, you’ll want to be wary of outlets asking you to write longer journalism pieces without any compensation. Plus, wouldn’t it be nice to BE paid for exposure?About Tori TelferTori Telfer is the author of Lady Killers: Deadly Women Throughout History and Confident Women: Swindlers, Grifters, and Shapeshifters of the Feminine Persuasion. She is also the host of the podcast Criminal Broads. She lives in NYC with her husband and son.Connect with Tori:https://toritelfer.comhttps://criminalbroads.comhttps://instagram.com/tori__telferhttps://instagram.com/criminalbroadshttps://https://www.harpercollins.com/products/confident-women-tori-telfer?variant=32180878868514