If you’re serious about becoming a published author, determining your novel’s genre is one of the most important things you’ll have to do. But sometimes that’s easier said than done, especially if your book toes the line between Women’s Fiction and Romance.

In this episode, I’m going to walk you through the difference between Women’s Fiction and Romance so you can write the best book possible and snag the attention of both agents and readers alike. You'll learn things like:

• [02:12] Five different ways to talk about the genre of your story (and why it’s so important to know where your book fits in the market)
• [04:18] How to tell the difference between Women’s Fiction and Romance—and why this difference really boils down to just one thing
• [07:53] The key characteristics of a Romance novel—including my thoughts on romance genre tropes and creating sizzling character chemistry
• [11:52] The defining traits of a Women’s Fiction novel (and how to develop your story’s plot when these stories tend to be so character-driven)
• [19:13] Episode recap and final thoughts

If you’ve ever struggled to understand the difference between Women’s Fiction and Romance, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

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"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!

Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Download the Women’s Fiction vs. Romance Cheat Sheet
• Ep. 2 - Genre: The Key To Writing A Story That Works
• Ep. 23 - The 6 Key Scenes Every Romance Needs
• Ep. 38 - Romance Genre Conventions
• Ep. 46 - The 6 Scenes Every Worldview Novel Needs
• Ep. 25 - Worldview Genre Conventions
• Ep. 84 - The 6 Scenes Every Status Story Needs
• Ep. 70 - Status Genre Conventions
• Book Club Replay: Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Interested in becoming a book coach? Click here to watch Author Accelerator's free video for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a successful book coaching business!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

“When should I start marketing my book?” This is a question I get asked all the time! Along with other similar questions like, “Do I need to build an email list?” And “What are some effective ways to market my book?”

My guest, Lacy Lieffers of Black Fox Marketing, is here to answer all of these questions (and more) in this podcast episode! Tune into this episode to hear us talk about why marketing matters from day one, how to think about book marketing throughout the entire writing, editing, and publishing process, and so much more.

We’ll also cover things like:

• [04:59] Why it’s important to start your book marketing efforts early—and how integrating marketing into your writing process from day one can set you up for long-term success
• [05:33] What to do if you feel overwhelmed by book marketing (and how to avoid spinning your wheels, wasting a bunch of time and money)
• [10:28] Lacy shares her thoughts on the age-old debate of growing your social media versus growing your email list and tells you exactly where to spend your time and energy to make the most impact
• [11:08] How to flip the script on what it means to work with book influencers (spoiler alert: stop making everything all about you!)
• [25:22] How to build your author brand in a way that resonates with readers and sets you (and your books) apart in a crowded market
• [33:52] A few of Lacy’s favorite tactics for creating buzz around your book (and later, driving sales during your book launch)
  
  

I LOVED this conversation with Lacy because she’s so knowledgeable and passionate about book marketing—and no wonder, with over 16 years of experience helping authors build their personal brands and market their books! If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed or uncertain about book marketing, you’re going to love this episode!

⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts

"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!

Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Black Fox Marketing
• Lacy Lieffers on Instagram
• Grab Lacy’s Book Launch Playbook here!

Interested in becoming a book coach? Click here to watch Author Accelerator's free video for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a successful book coaching business!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Selling 5,000+ copies of a debut novel in 18 months (without a massive social media following) might seem out of reach to most aspiring authors. But, in fact, it’s not. And our incredible podcast guest, Jennifer Lauer, is here to show you how it's done.

When we last spoke, Jennifer was on the brink of launching her debut sci-fi novel, The Girl in the Zoo. Fast-forward to today, and she's sold over 5,000 copies, launched a successful fiction podcast, and released a new paranormal mystery novella series.

In the episode, you’ll hear us talk about things like:

• [05:01] Jennifer's honest breakdown of book launch setbacks, including how she handled unexpected Amazon delays and a COVID diagnosis
• [07:49] How Jennifer leveraged NetGalley to rack up over 200 Amazon reviews and 250 Goodreads reviews—and why she says it was worth braving the potential for harsh feedback
• [10:57] Jennifer's persistence in securing BookBub features for international and US markets that drove her novel to #1 on multiple Amazon lists
• [21:48] How Jennifer sold just over 5,000 copies in 18 months with minimal social media presence (plus, the importance of releasing your work, even if it's imperfect, and how this mindset contributed to her success)
• [28:03] How Jennifer's fiction podcast, The Strange Chronicles, helped her overcome writer's block and draft her latest novella in one summer
• [38:24] The marketing plans for Jennifer's new series launch, including which strategies she's keeping, which she's ditching, and why influencer boxes might not be worth the hype

Whether you're gearing up to launch your first novel or looking to breathe new life into your backlist, this episode is packed with actionable strategies you can use today.

⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts

"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!

Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Ep. 85 - Student Spotlight: How She Overcame Her Fear of the Blank Page (and Indie Published Her Novel) with Jennifer Lauer
• Jennifer Lauer's Website & Instagram
• Start Somewhere by Jennifer Lauer

Interested in becoming a book coach? Click here to watch Author Accelerator's free video for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a successful book coaching business!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.