I’m getting back into writing this year in a big way and there are a few reasons for that. Writing gets me into a flow state like nothing else. It’s calming and allows me to process current events with more clarity. I finally have time to write since I quit my full-time job last May. And, most importantly, I’ve got more to say. There are so many changes I want to see in the world. Writing is one of the best ways I can think of to be the change I want to see, to share what I’ve learned over the past few decades, and help a lot of people live better, more fulfilling lives. So, I am writing another book this year and doing a few other things that might be of interest to the author community. Here’s what I’m up to.
Publishing an Audiobook
I wrote my first solo book, Agile Discovery & Delivery: A Survival Guide for New Software Engineers & Tech Entrepreneurs, in 2023. At that time, I created Kindle, hardcover, and paperback copies on Amazon and also published through Ingram Spark in order to get my book into libraries and bookstores. You can read all about how I did this in my self-publishing series.
One request I get often from my readers is that they would prefer an audiobook version of the book. Audiobook sales are increasing, while eBook revenue is headed downward, so it’s not a bad idea to consider creating an audiobook. A lot of people in my target audience (tech) solely read audiobooks. Given the number of requests, I felt that creating one would be a good use of my time and money.
I could, of course, hire someone to create the audiobook for me. The costs to have someone else record and produce an audiobook are somewhere between $700-$2000, but that saves you, the author, a lot of time. I chose to create my own. I wanted to add more female voices to the tech landscape and feel that this book will be better if I read it. It’s also an interesting challenge. Creating an audiobook, for me, has come with a steep learning curve. For instance, just this week, I found out that my first few recordings need to be scrapped because I didn’t get the audio leveling right. Learning the ins and outs of audio, audiobook publishing, and the tools used to do it has been a lot of fun so far.
I have a lot to share about the specifics of recording your own audiobook, so I promise to follow-up with a separate blog post soon.
Writing My Second Book
As I mentioned above, I have more to say to the world. I am currently at the very beginning stages of writing my second book. The book is meant to be a humorous, yet serious book of advice for women. I’d been saving up some material that I thought would someday go into a memoir. But, given the state of the United States right now and Trump’s dismantling of DEI programs left and right, I feel the time is now to share that advice.
This book will be incredibly blunt. I’m going to tell readers things I think not enough people are being truthful about. Things like “hey, kids are not for everyone” and “you really should be making your own money because money gives you options”. Each chapter will have a different theme based around a piece of advice I’ve been telling my mentees for years. For example, “Life is Too Damn Short….To Work for Oracle”. This topic is all about finding workplaces that you’ll really enjoy and that will value your work and help you grow. I go deep on the kinds of companies not to bother with, how to improve your chances of landing in a good position, and how to negotiate pay increases and other perks. I also intersperse the chapters with stories from my own career and others’.
Another topic will center around living your best life: “There’s Nothing Worse Than a Clean Pair of Hiking Boots”. Even if you don’t like hiking, what those clean boots symbolize is you missing out on something you really want to be doing. How do you avoid that and live your best life? I will cover topics from marriage to rest to diet culture to kicking ass and taking names at work. I am SO excited about this book and I can’t wait to bring it to life. More to come on this topic very, very soon.
Networking with Other Authors
Through one of my favorite author podcasts, The Creative Penn, I heard about a conference called Author Nation. It is one of the largest gatherings of indie authors, traditional authors, and authors-to-be in the world and it takes place in Las Vegas in November. When I heard Joanna Penn and Joe Solari, the director of the conference, talk about last year’s conference, I immediately wanted to go….and I just bought a ticket!
They have tracks on everything from writing craft to marketing your book. There’s even a “pre-published” track for aspiring writers. This year’s closing keynote is going to be given by none other than James Patterson, who has sold quite a few more books than me at 425 million. I’m sure I’ll enjoy listening to what he has to say about the business of books. I really can’t wait to meet a bunch of other authors and learn from them this November!
I also have an online author group that keeps me going each and every day. There are times to meet just to talk and write, plus a place to post my updates. This group keeps me accountable and without them, I wouldn’t get anything done. If you are interested in learning more about our online writing community, contact me.
And that about wraps it up. It’ll be a busy, but fun year for me on the author front. Stay tuned as I share updates along the way!