Today I talk about outlining, writing literary fiction fast and ambition with Libbie Hawker.
In the intro I mention my own writing update and how CrimeFest literary festival has changed so much for indies over the last few years, plus, Goodreads expansion into ebook giveaways and email marketing for books on sale, which will see them up against promotional platforms like BookBub.
And I’m running an exciting free webinar on Facebook Advertising to help you build your email list and sell books with Mark Dawson. Join us on Sun 5 June or Thurs 9 June, both 3pm US Eastern / 8pm UK.
This podcast is sponsored by Kobo Writing Life, which helps authors self-publish and reach readers in global markets through the Kobo eco-system. You can also subscribe to the Kobo Writing Life podcast for interviews with successful indie authors.
Libbie Hawker writes historical and literary fiction featuring complex characters and rich details of time and place, including an awesome series about ancient Egypt, one of my own obsessions. Libbie is well known in the author community for her books for authors, Gotta Read It, about book descriptions, Take Off Your Pants, about outlining, and Making it in Historical Fiction.
You can listen above or on iTunes or Stitcher or watch the video here, read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and full transcript below.

* How long it took Libbie to become a full-time author.

* Why deadlines and accountability matter when setting large goals like becoming a full-time author.

* The difference between plotting and pantsing and what the three-legged outline is.

* On whether outlining makes stories formulaic.

* How outlining plays a role in prolific output and where research falls in Libbie’s writing schedule.

* Are speed and quality mutually exclusive?

* How Libbie plans her writing schedule for the year and decides which projects are indie and which are traditionally published.

* Balancing earning a living versus literary work.

* On the change in attitude toward an author’s work once decades have passed.

You can find Libbie at www.LibbieHawker.com and on twitter @LibHawker

Transcript of Interview with Libbie Hawker:
Joanna: Hi everyone I’m Joanna Penn from www.TheCreativePenn.com and today I’m here with Libbie Hawker. Hi, Libbie.
Libbie: Hi, how are you?
Joanna: I am good and very excited to have you here today. Just a little introduction, Libbie writes historical and literary fiction featuring complex char...