Listen Linda! Hosted by Jacquiline Cox
Music commentary
Listen Linda! Hosted by Jacquiline Cox
From Hidden Pages To Author Platforms: How Indie Writers Build Visibility
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
A blank page can feel loud with doubt, but the moment you finish a book—and own the path to readers—everything changes. We sit down with author and host Danny Nicole to trace that journey from childhood stories to a romantic drama debut, then onward to a purpose-driven platform that helps other writers claim visibility with confidence. Along the way, we unpack the emotional high of holding a first novel, the honest reality that publishing is more than pressing upload, and the mindset shift from “being discovered” to “building discovery.”
We take a clear-eyed look at publishing models—traditional, hybrid, and vanity—so you understand who pays for what, and who keeps the royalties. If you’re self-publishing, guard your income: connect your book to your own KDP or distributor accounts, route deposits to your bank, and treat any request to collect royalties “on your behalf” as a red flag. We talk NDAs, clean contracts, and intellectual property protection, with practical scripts and steps you can use before you ever send a manuscript. Protecting your work is not paranoia; it is professional.
Then we get scrappy about selling. Visibility grows where readers gather: QR codes on shirts that point to your buy link, paperbacks in your trunk for spontaneous signings, free or low-cost events at Kroger or Barnes & Noble, and podcast appearances that fit your genre. Budget matters, but momentum matters more. Vetted freelancers can help you polish covers, editing, and formatting on a tight spend; AI can draft copy you refine with heart; and fair-paid placements respect the labor of platforms amplifying your voice. Danny’s north star is service—build the space you wish existed and invite others in. If you’ve waited for permission to start, this conversation is it.
If this resonated, follow, share with a writer who needs a push, and leave a quick review so more authors can find tools to finish, publish, and be seen.
Meet Author Danny Nicole
SPEAKER_02Before we start tonight's conversation, let's take a moment to pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day, for this platform, and for every person who has taken time to join us tonight or catch the replay. Lord, we thank you for the gift of creativity, purpose, and the courage to walk in the calling that you have placed inside of us, Lord God. We pray that tonight's conversation will inspire someone, encourage someone, and remind someone that their story still matters, Lord God. Cover this platform, cover our guests, and cover every listener who is watching tonight or listening to the sound of our voices, Lord God, that every word spoken bring light, wisdom, and motivation to those who need it most. In Jesus' mighty name we pray. Amen, amen, and amen. Well, welcome to the Listen Linda Podcast, where stories spark purpose, voices build platforms, and powerful conversations inspire people to walk boldly in their calling. Now, I am your host, Dr. Jaclyn Cox. And tonight we are continuing our celebration of extraordinary women who are making an impact. And for everyone who's tuning in, the songs you heard playing before we went live and before we go live each week is Listen Linda from my brand new album. The album Listen Linda is streaming on all platforms. And if you're someone who still loves collecting music the old school way, it's also available on vinyl and CD on my website. So you can grab your copy at www.listenlindapresents1.com. Now let's get into tonight's conversation. Tonight's guest is an author, podcast host, and advocate for helping writers gain their visibility that they deserve. And after publishing her first independent novel in 2024, she didn't just stop at telling her own story. She created a platform to help other authors tell theirs. She is also one of our Listen Linda International Women's History Month spotlight features and the newest edition of Listen Linda magazine. Please help me welcome to the Listen Linda podcast, Miss Danny Nicole.
SPEAKER_01Hey, man. Hey Danny. What's going on? Oh thank you, girl.
Early Writing Roots And First Projects
SPEAKER_02You know, good to be here. I am great. I am great. And I'm glad that you came, honey. I'm glad that you came. Now let's start at the beginning. You know, I come right in my way. Um let's start at the beginning. Exactly. Period. That's hard. What first inspired you to start writing?
SPEAKER_01So I have always wanted to write, even uh as a little girl. Um I used to write stories. Um probably earliest I can remember was elementary school. And um a couple of years, well, years later, as an adult, and an old friend, um, she lived in the neighborhood. We had um met up through her daughter, and she shared with me that I used, I asked her, because she was a neighborhood friend. I said, Did I use, do you remember me writing in school? And she was like, Oh yeah, I remember you're writing and you shared your stories, and yeah, either I sold them or I gave them away back then. This was like in the 80s, telling my age now. But so I was like, Really? She was like, Oh yeah, you wrote quite a few stories, and so it's always been there. But growing up in the 80s, the thought of writing or or or doing any type of job that but that's the first thing my mom would say, are you can you make money that way? And so it was kind of I didn't pursue it because I kind of was like, Well, I'm young, I'm thinking no one can make money, you know, as a writer. I mean, it's like a hobby. So years went on, and but so it's always been in me. And I actually no one knows. Um, so in 2013, I actually published uh an anthology with my former church in Milwaukee. We it was about 20 members and non-members, and we have written a 365-day daily devotional. So that was the start of that. Um fast forward to 2017 is when I began to write the novel, but I didn't publish it to 2024.
SPEAKER_02Okay, and and that's your first novel, which is the romantic drama. Now, what drew you to that genre?
SPEAKER_01So I I'm a hopeless romantic. I I I like romantic books, I like romantic stories, um, I like the fairy tales. So when so with writing this book, I said, okay, I wanted to be a romantic drama, but it's not gonna be a happy ending. Although happy endings are, you know, where I'm emotional, like, oh my gosh, they, you know, the couple united and they had this happy, happily ever after. So the book was written from some experiences as a single woman, you know, growing up, my 20s, my 30s, um, other relationships I've seen over the years. So I just decided to take a culmination of that and make a fiction novel of a man and a woman falling in love, there's betrayal, there's deceit, and that's how Entangled with deceit came about.
SPEAKER_02And um when what did that moment feel like to you when you officially became a published author? Because I know for me, I was elated before I knew anything about this industry. But um not not saying that, you know, it's like when you publish your first book and you like you holding it in your hand, you know, what was that moment like for you?
Holding The First Book And What It Meant
SPEAKER_01Um, it was it was it was really surreal. It was it it was unbelievable. I I just I I I have um I can't explain it. I was like, I did it. Like the the journey from the first edits to figuring out the title of the book and the cover letter. I mean, I'm sorry, the book cover and the formatting. And I was like, it's actually done. Like a year I started all that stuff in like 2023. And when it hit in 2024, I was like, I'm actually a writer. Like I can call myself an author. And it was it was the best, it was the best feeling that I've I've had because it's finally happening. I finally have said I birthed this book that was inside me, and it's something that I can share with the world. So it was it was I just I still think about it, and I'm like, wow, this is really happening.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah. Yes, and I'm so glad that you said that because you know, many people they dream about writing a book, but they never finish it, or sometimes they never even start. Um what really helped you stay committed to completing your book.
SPEAKER_01Uh yes, it froze a little bit. Um I'm here. Okay.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I can hear you. Um many people they dream about writing a book, but they never finished that book. Um, or sometimes they don't even start start the book. What helped you stay committed to completing your book?
SPEAKER_01So what helped me stay committed? It was hard. It was hard, it was not easy um at all, but it was something I've always wanted, and I knew that I had to work at it if I wanted it as much as I did. And it, you know, it wasn't gonna be easy, um, it wasn't gonna be smooth. Um, getting into this industry. I really thought I could just write the book and publish it, but nope.
SPEAKER_02I don't like yes. We all think that we think, oh, we're gonna put this book out there, the world's gonna see it. We ain't doing no more. We don't gotta do no marketing, we don't know nothing about marketing, we'll know nothing about promotion, we'll know nothing about none of that. We just think we're gonna be like the man from misery. We just gonna put our book out and the world's gonna go.
SPEAKER_04Yep.
SPEAKER_02And that's not how it happens. That is not so that is so funny.
SPEAKER_01That's not the case.
SPEAKER_02No, it is not. So, how was that experience like when you found out you gotta actually do work behind publishing your book?
SPEAKER_01Yes. I was like, wow. Yes. Rude awakening.
The Reality Of Self Publishing Work
Marketing Models: Traditional Vs Hybrid Vs Vanity
SPEAKER_02Yes, it was work, it worked. I tell everybody who coming in that self-publish artist, this is not, you're not going the traditional route where you are pitching your manuscript to big publishers who go through hundreds of thousands of manuscripts. So it's different when you are going through a hybrid publisher, which is someone who, okay, I'll pay for marketing, you pay for publishing, and we split the royalties, or you go through a vanity publisher, and they're they're more so like um contracted people who come and they actually publish it for you, but you pay them everything up front and you keep your royalties. So it's a difference, and when you do it that way through vanity or hybrid, you have to do your own marketing people. You have to pay money. No one owes you to come on their platform to expose your book. No one knows you yet. And not saying the people in your neighborhood don't know you, right? Or maybe your three thousand volumes don't know you, but is that your reading audience? Is that your audience that's gonna put you out there and sell books? No, you have to pay people for their time to publish you unless you are bringing them visibility, unless you are bringing them income, unless you are bringing them clients, you know, like if Michelle Obama was to come on my platform, no, she ain't gotta pay me to come online. She don't gotta pay me nothing because if she comes, she comes with millions of people. But if you come with your 1,000 people or your 500 people, I'm not nothing to you. But what I'm saying is that in order to get your exposure, you have to pay for promotional marketing. No one owes you that. So I'm just putting that out there for me and you, Danny, because you know, we do this and we promote people, and they think that for some reason we owe them supposed to do it for them for free. That was a little nugget, that was a little nugget. Now, before I go and I want to talk with you more about um something special you're offering readers. But before I do that, I do want to take a small, maybe one-minute break and do a word of the day, okay, from Listen Linda, which is I'm listening Linda, but my avatar, listen Linda. So she's gonna give you all a word of the day. Um, and then we're going to come back and we're going to talk more about something special that Danny has, especially for our readers.
Word Of The Day: Royalties 101
SPEAKER_00Royalties are how authors get paid from book sales. Your royalty percentage depends on your publishing model and distribution platform. Traditional publishers usually pay a smaller percentage because they handle production, distribution, and marketing investments. Independent and self-publishing often allow authors to keep a much higher percentage of their earnings. If you paid a vanity publisher or hired a publishing service to edit, format, and set up your book, remember that you already paid for those services up front. In most cases, that means you should keep 100% of the royalties your book generates. It's also important that your book is connected to your own publishing accounts, such as your personal KDP account, with your own bank information. That way, your royalties are paid directly to you. If a contracted publisher wants to collect your royalties through their accounts or never asks for your account information for direct deposits, that can be a red flag. When royalties go through someone else's account, they control what you receive, if anything at all. Understanding how royalties work protects both your book and your income as an author. If you want guidance on publishing your book and setting up your royalties the right way, book a consultation here.
Red Flags And Protecting Your Accounts
SPEAKER_02And that's bad on that. Okay. Now I could have told y'all all that, but ain't she cute? And she got her makeup done and stuff, so she just said it so much better. Y'all, y'all seem to take advice better for my avatars than y'all do for me. So I just want to let my avatar speak for me for a minute. But yes, royalties are definitely important. I wanted to throw that out there. Um, there is a difference between traditional, hybrid, and vanity. So traditional publishers pay you a fee up front for your book, and they collect the royalties afterwards. So they pay you a significant amount, and then after that, they keep the royalties for themselves because they have put up all of the money behind you. Okay. Now, a hybrid publisher, they take a portion of your royalties because they either do the service and you pay for promotion, or you pay them for publishing and they do marketing and promotion. So they may get a 30%, you know, off of your royalties. But if you are hiring a contracted vanity publisher and you are paying them everything up front for promotions, for um, for publishing, for editing, for formatting, you don't owe them another dime after you publish your book. So make sure that it's under your account and your bank information. Never allow them to collect your royalties. That is a red flag, people. Anyone who's saying, oh, I'll collect them and just give it to you. No, never do that. Okay, KDP pays every 60 days after your book come, after your book sales are generated, okay? So if I publish on in March, I will get my March royalties from KDP in May, okay? So at the end of every month, okay. So I just want to make sure that you guys are aware because I've had people come to me with horror stories. Horror stories. If if the publisher, if your vanity publisher does not ask for your banking information for your royalties, that is a red flag. That is a red flag. If your book is published and you never gave nobody your information on how you're supposed to collect your funds, you might want to look into that. Okay, so that is just food for thought. Thought I would throw that out there. Make sure your banking information and everything is under your Amazon KDP account. And if they say you can't get one, they are lying from the pits of hell because as long as you have an Amazon account, you have a KDP account. If you want to know more, contact me. I will walk you through it. Okay. You can book a consultation with me, DM me directly on Facebook, and I will send you a 15-minute free consultation link where I will walk you through step by step on how to set up your information to collect your own royalties. Okay. So let's get back to my girl Danny. I'm so sorry, Danny, but I had to do that word of the day. I had to let some people know because I got some horror stories today. And I was like, some people need to know this information, okay? So now I really want to talk to you about your book and something special that you are offering readers. Can you tell us a little about your novel first and what readers can expect from your story?
Practical Steps To Secure Royalties
SPEAKER_01Yes. So I have a copy of my beautiful novel. And so again, this is. Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. That's my baby. That's my first uh novel published, me only. And um again, it's a romantic drama. Um, believe it or not, I got the cover published by someone on a freelancer on Fiverr. I didn't pay a lot at all. So those freelancers for those new authors. Um, if you're trying to have a budget, be on the budget, like I was an author on a budget, those freelancers come in handy with helping with edits and um book covers and things like that.
SPEAKER_02Absolutely, absolutely. Now, you're all you also offer a book bundle, and I'm gonna put that up here so people can see your book bundle. And with this book bundle, uh, what is by you to create the bundle and what all is included in it? Uh, just read it all for us really fast. What you're offering. Yes, sure.
About The Novel And Budget Publishing
SPEAKER_01Yes, so I'm offering my fiction novel. I'm also offering um, so I worked with a group of women on an anthology called Moments for Moms. Um, and these volumes spoke to women and their joys and resilience of motherhood. So those are the two books in the middle, and then the last book, or it's actually a coloring book, it's a 30-day positive affirmation coloring book. And I had that idea at a vacation Bible school last year at my church. Um, the young people did a skit, um, and they were talking, they were saying positive things about themselves. You know, I'm brave, I'm courageous, um, I'm beautiful, I'm a child of God, things like that. And so um God dropped that in my spirit because I had already been thinking about trying to create a color book for um kids, for adults, for everyone, not just for children. And then that's how this positive affirmation color book came about. I know grown-ups that color, like they live, they like that's their hobby, like that's what they like to do in their spare time, and so it's it's just a word, uh, a scripture, you color, um, and it's 30 days of affirmation. So and um I won't sorry, go ahead.
SPEAKER_02No, no, I'm sorry, go ahead. I apologize. Go ahead, go ahead, girlfriend.
SPEAKER_01So I wanted to, and I have them here, but what I wanted to do was include, I thought about the bundle because it's it's all of me. It's it's a different different parts. It's me as a mom, um, it's me with the creative side, the coloring book, um, it's me in um my not so serious fiction element. And so I wanted to share all of that, all of me into one bundle, and that's how the book bundle or book, I like to call it my book collection came about.
SPEAKER_02Okay, great, great, great. How much is the book bundle?
The Book Bundle And What’s Inside
SPEAKER_01So I am now I'm running a special limited time. Um, it's$60. I have extended the pre-order to um next Saturday, March 14th. So um, my link is in the bio if you follow me on Facebook and on Instagram. Um, but I will let you know that it's at payhip.com slash the variety shop as well. So get your bundles.com slash the variety shop.
SPEAKER_02Okay. So you all can purchase right there um from Scanny to get the book bundle right now for sixty dollars, which is a fabulous uh price. I'll let y'all know right now. You can I don't know what will you get four books for sixty dollars. Um, some phenomenal, phenomenal, phenomenal money. Yes. Um, hey Pam, girlfriend, hey T of B. I saw you earlier, girl. I couldn't say nothing, girl, but hey girlfriend. Okay, and now I want to really dive into um your podcast, Book Talk, Authority, Invisibility. Let's get into that, the podcast. What inspired you to create it? Yes.
Why A Bundle: Sharing The Whole Self
SPEAKER_01So the inspiration came from so initially, so uh back in 2024 when the book was published, I was trying to gain visibility as an author. Um, and I joined some podcasts, I attended some book fairs. In 2025, it kind of I didn't plan as good as great as I thought, so I didn't do as much. And so I was trying to reach out to other people. Can I get on your podcast? You know, do you have any openings? But God spoke to me and said, create your own. If you can't have find the space, create a space. And that's what I did. And that's that's the intention of the um podcast is to help other authors because I had the same thing problem, gaining visibility, it's really, it's really tough. For me, it was I had to work at and you know put work in. So if I can help some authors get out there, share their book, share their their journey as a writer, this is what the podcast will do for them.
Price, Preorder, And Where To Buy
Creating A Podcast To Create Space
Visibility Barriers And Building Your Own Platform
SPEAKER_02Well, me and you, we like one and the same. Because I'm gonna tell you something. Believe it or not, if I didn't have listen Linda podcast or listen linda magazine, I wouldn't be in nothing. I'll let you know that right now. People will not, and it's not like because I'm a bad person or I rub people wrong. I at least I don't think so. I I I I believe I'm I'm a breath of fresh air, amen. But people for some reason just, you know, you say, hey, can I come on your podcast? They'll say yeah, and then they'll cancel on me last minute, or it's always a reason why, or they're always too booked, or it's it's just always, you know, and it's not saying that it's anything personal, I would hope not, but I always had that that um that problem as well. Like people just didn't want to share their space with me. So I created this one, and I was like, I'm gonna help anybody that I feel needs my help. If they are genuine and they are passionate about what they do, I'm gonna do my very best to help them move forward. And some people I help and they'll move forward and won't even look back and say, or they'll see uh uh something that they know I'm I could be interested in, or they'll see something that an opportunity that they know I will be good for, and they will never tag me, girl. Do you believe I I don't get tagged in nothing? I tag everybody, nobody tag me in nothing. They they just keep going. But you know what? It's okay because I think a lot of people feel like, well, her reach is this and her reach is that, and and and people need, and they probably felt the same way about you. Well, she got her reach, or she this or she that. But the purpose is to grow our reach. We want to reach other audiences too. We we want to get our name out there beyond the scope of what we have. So, yes, we want you to share our stuff, yes, we want to be in. I got a magazine, but I would love to be on somebody's magazine, I would love to be on other people's podcasts so people other people can know who I am beside my own little group of followers. I just don't understand. But they show but come on your stuff, girlfriend. But maybe we go, but that's the reason why when you can when you and when you said when I said, okay, I want to come on your you was like, sure, no problem. You took the time out, you did it, you don't charge much, you know, but the price that went up, amen. Um, because she knows her work. But the point I'm making is that you welcome me. Open arms, you was early, you wasn't late, you didn't scold me about being late. You know, you you are just a breath of fresh air. And so it's good to meet people who really are passionate about helping other people. Because, like I told you before, if we ain't down for each other, who's gonna be down for us? Who are going to be down for us? Because it's so much, oh, she does the same thing I do, I'm not bringing her on my show, you know, or she does the same thing I do, I'm not having her working with her, and it's that's not how we're supposed to do. I had a publisher tell me, I don't, I don't, I don't share other publisher stuff on my platform. I don't share the competition. I don't look at it like that. If somebody publishes something, whether I published it or not, I'm gonna share it, I'm gonna support it because I'm not in competition. I know what God got for me for me. I'm not intimidated. I want everybody to win. Amen. I want everybody to win, and I'm so glad that you said that because it's so that the world makes it hard for women as it is, right? We got we we get the the butt end of the stick every time we are at the bottom of the totem pole holding everybody else up. No man can understand what that feels like. Only women understand what that feels like. We are at the we are at the the lowest at the bottom of the totem pole, but we are holding everybody else up. If we were to let go, everybody would fall. So if we don't support each other as women, and not just black women, but all women, if we are not supporting each other as women, what are we doing? What are we doing? Amen. Girls, so glad you said that. I'm so glad that you said that. Now, I want to ask you this question, even though I know I kind of touched on it a little bit. Why do you think why do you think um visibility why do you think visibility is one of the biggest challenges that Arthur's faced today? I'm sorry, but why do you think that visibility is one of the biggest challenges that Arthur's faced today?
SPEAKER_01I think that um I don't I don't think and speaking from from my experience, we're probably afraid to put ourselves out there. I was. I was nervous, I really was. As a new author, I was nervous about who do I reach out to? Um, are they gonna reject me? You know, are they gonna say, well, my space is filled, or like you said, I don't um I don't support other people. That's that competition. So my own insecurity for me at first had me believing that how am I gonna get visible? You know, but I've had to put in the work. You gotta put and you're gonna have to put in the work. You're gonna have to put in the work, and that's what I have to learn. Danny, Danny, you're gonna have to just put in some work and get yourself visible. You're gonna have to research, you're gonna have to find places in your city, you might have to travel an hour or two, um, you might have to, you know, jump on some podcasts, you might have to. I at one time I was gonna do a um a book mobile. I said that would be a trip.
Why Visibility Is Hard For Authors
Guerrilla Sales: QR Shirts, Cars, And Stores
SPEAKER_02Yes, yes, you should. I'm gonna tell you, somebody um they call they call her America Supermom. Um, I can't think of her name right now, but they call her America Super Mom. And um she was saying something. Um, we were on a we were we were in a um like a virtual seminar, right? Um, and this was early on in my art of career. I wish I could remember this lady's name. Um, but she spoke and she said, put a QR code that links to your book on your t-shirt. She said she put it on the back of her t-shirt, and everywhere she went, people would scan that QR code and they would ask her about the book, and she would have books in her car, and she would do book signings in her car outside the Walmart. And I was like, that is phenomenal. So anytime like my kids have book signings, or because I don't really usually do book signings anymore because I'm so caught up in like the the um anthologies right now. Um, so if I release something, I just put it on Amazon, with the exception of my new book, right? Um with the exception of that, but that's even limited. That's 37 of those, right? But um, so I will put the QR code on their shirts. I put the my QR code when I heard that I put on my shirt, and I gained so many sales. Just walking around the neighborhood, walking in the Walmart, walking in the grocery stores, walking in the mall, people will scan and they would ask me about the book. And then they say, Hey, well, do you got one? And if I could, if I didn't have any, I would take their information because they will use the square to put all the information, and I would mail them their book, girl. So nothing wrong with being a mobilized author. A lot of us do it, and and and I think that is a fantastic idea for you to have the copies in the trunk of your car, put a QR code on the back of your shirt, just try it one day. Put a QR code on the back of your shirt and walk around the mall and see, or walk around the grocery store, walk around Kroger or Jewel or whatever it is that y'all have and see how many sales you get that day. And did you know that you can uh you can contact Kroger and you can have book signs inside of Kroger for free? You did not know that, did you? I found that out through a publisher. I found that out through a publisher as well, that you can you can sign up with Kroger Foods and uh go on their website and and and and look up or contact them or even Google it and contact them and they do it for free. Or maybe a small fee or something like that, but you can go and they will give you a table, they'll set up your books, all that. Sure will that's another channel that I learned. I learned from um a publisher um by the name of Laquita Parks. Everybody knows who I know who that is. Uh Laquita Parks gave me that information and it has stuck with me. We don't have a Kroger here, right, in Illinois, but for people who do have Kroger or who have Myers or things like that, contact them, okay, because that is another way for you to push out your book. Another way that you can push out your book, go to a local Barnes Noble. Go to your local Barnes and Noble or call your local Barnes and Noble people and ask them. They do book signings for people for free. They will get the books, they will have them in stock. You come in, you can do a live sign, and they set up the table, the banner, all that for free. For free. Okay, so that's another way for free.
SPEAKER_01I like that.
SPEAKER_02For free. Now, of course, they're gonna get their portion off the book. They bought the books, right? So they bought the books, so they're gonna get the portion, but it's up to your local Barnes and Noble's manager to make that call. But if uh close, like my name said, closed mouth don't get fed, honey. So you got to put in the work, that's right. And with that, I want to actually, and I'm gonna take it back off of what you said. What is the biggest mistake that artists make when trying to promote their books?
Book Signings At Kroger And Barnes & Noble
SPEAKER_01Um, for me, I I didn't have a budget, so I went into this writing. Like I said, I'm I was new. So um, but I didn't I didn't know what things cost, I didn't know how to navigate and and and get the things done that I needed. Um because I was I was like, I gotta be, I don't have the money. So I was trying to not I wouldn't say cut corners, but that's where the freelancers came in. And and you know, they gave and they did they did good work. Um, you know, I had to do what I need to do at the time. Um but I would I would say you have to have a budget because it's gonna cost you, even if it's not a lot, you even if you self-publish, even if you say, okay, I don't want to go with the traditional publishing because that's kind of maybe expensive, and it can be, and I want to self-publish and and go through or go through Amazon KDP or go through Book Brush or things like that, there's still gonna be some some money coming out that you you just again, you might have to pay a small fee, but there's gonna be a fee for or fear of service or for things you need to do, and so have a little bit of something. Amen.
Biggest Mistakes: No Budget And Entitlement
Respect The Labor: Pay To Play Wisdom
Contracts, NDAs, And IP Protection
Horror Stories And How To Avoid Them
SPEAKER_02Amen. Yes, and from a 26-time best-selling author. I want to let you all know what the biggest mistake that authors are trying to promote and an award-winning brand and marketing firm owner, okay, clock that. Um, I will say that the biggest mistake that authors make when trying to promote their books is thinking that they are entitled to promotion for free. They come in again thinking they are already famous, they're thinking that people owe them like that the like promotions should automatically be free. Or a lot of times they come in with so much arrogance, and I'm not saying this to come down on people, I'm really saying this to school you all on on why I'm saying this, right? They come in with this sense of entitlement and arrogance where they feel like you should pay me to be on your platform, but they have not taken the time to build a brand, to build an audience, or to gain reach. Yes, a lot of podcasters won't mind bringing you on for free if you have a following, because that would be like TFP, like Trade for Play, right? You come on, I'm getting something, we are bartering, right? I'm getting your audience, you're getting my services for free. But if you are coming on to someone else's platform and they are not benefiting at all, and they have to make graphics, they have to, they have to uh spend their time in their day to promote your work, which you will gain some type of money, whether somebody in their audience sees it or somebody uh uh solicits you for work or for speaking engagement because someone from their audience saw you on their platform, you're getting something. You're getting visibility. You are paying for the promotional and marketing aspect. People who do promotion and marketing, they are business owners. They are like running a business. You cannot go into Jewel or Meyer or Kroger and fill up your car full of groceries and get to the grocery counter and tell them, oh, you're gonna give me these for free because I'm me. Treat your promotional team, your marketing team, your publishing team as if they are worthy. You are coming to them for something. So they the it's that's biblical. That's biblical. Pay the laborer. That is biblical, people. Okay, so don't think that you are coming in and you are owed anything for free. Now, if you cannot afford and you don't have a budget, I'm with Danny Nicole all day. I even take it a step further. Ask Chat GPT to walk you through how to promote your stuff, okay? Um, ask ChatGPT to make your make your graphics. Um, go to Fiverr, get them to make your book covers, get them to do your editing. I'm all for that. It may not be as perfect as Lisa Linda publishing or as perfect as Lisa Linda branding marketing, but you will have something within your budget, okay? But don't go to book talk podcasts with Danny. Nicole and think that she's supposed to carve in portions of her day that she could be doing something else to help you promote your book and don't feel like you're at least supposed to tip her. That's all I'm saying. Okay. I'm gonna be, you know, she's gonna be the nice cop. I'm gonna be the bad cop on here. Y'all gotta pay. That's one thing. You have to pay to play if you are a self-published author or you are going through a hybrid. Now, if you're going through a traditional publishing, they put all the money up front and they just collect the royalties. All you gotta do is sit back and be great. They're gonna handle everything for you, okay? But if you're going through somebody like Liz and Linda, which me, Danny, I'm kind of like a vanity traditional publisher, if that makes sense. I do it all. I'm like one-stop shop, okay? You're gonna get your branding, your marketing, your publishing, your bestseller campaign, your New York Times gonna be a boy. You can get it all right here with me. I do everything. International magazine, I have one of those bestseller, every copy that ever came out. And it's quality, okay? So you're gonna get everything that you would get from a traditional publisher from me. Only difference is that I can't put the money up front. You're gonna have to pay. And what I charge is not even half of what vanity people charge. So respect the craft of the creator. That's that is one thing that a lot of artists come in and they make that mistake of not appreciating and respecting the craft of the creator. They think that what we're doing is a hobby and they can just throw us a couple of dollars, but it really takes time and effort to get you all's book out there and visibility to reach the market and an audience that you deserve, not your friends and family. You want to reach the people who actually read books, who actually enjoy books, and not just any book, but your book. Because I may have an audience that's faith-based, right? Danny might have an audience that's romantic novels. You're not gonna get a lot of feedback if I don't have a mixed audience, a mixed genre of audience, which I'm glad I do because anybody is welcome on here, with the exception of Veronica, right? Anybody is welcome on my platform. But if you're going to a platform where it's Christian only and you have a uh a romantic novel or historical fiction, you're not gonna get a lot of feedback from that. So you want to be mindful of the audience, and you definitely want to respect the creative that is handling your project. Yes. Now did I say it right, girl? Because you know you tell me a little song. You taught me a little song. So as we go on into um the next thing I want to talk about, okay? Because we are excited to add Danny Nicole as our new contributor writer for magazine. I thought I just throw that out there, amen. So congratulations. Look at her little cartoon, ain't it cute, y'all? Any cute absolutely nothing is worth it, it's free anyway. I try to explain to people who ask me, as new many authors, we don't expect to get something for nothing. Now, I will stop you there because I have uh I would say a quality platform, and I always, um, to the best of my ability, try to um do things for free, right? So I have the Women of the Waiting Room Volume 3 Poetry Edition, and that is free, right? So I do certain things for free. Um, and some people are weary because it's free, but a lot of times, if if you're if you're doing something and it's free, absolutely, Pam. You definitely have to do your research on the people that's offering it for free, and you definitely have to Google and make sure that they are legit, that they are known because and and make sure they come with a contract. If somebody ain't telling you to sign, if they're not protecting themselves, they are definitely not protecting you. Okay. Um, so I tell that all the time. I always come up with a job form, a publishing agreement, a price defeat. Every time you look up an NDA, every time you look up, you go, I had one lady say, You gave me an NDA before why do I have to sign an NDA before you accept my manuscript? Because I want you to understand that me accepting your manuscript does not mean that you're publishing with me. So I'm protecting you and letting you know, hey, I'm just reading this. You won't see nothing about it being published under my name, you won't see no no no no similarities of your book and me be coming out with something similar. I'm protecting you as the client. So when you come on, I want you to know, hey, at least she is protecting me by letting me know that she's not going to copy my right work because intellectual property matters. It matters. That is yours, you own it. So make sure whoever you're working with, they have legit contracts, they have legit um NDAs before you give them your manuscript. If they don't have an NDA before you turn in your manuscript, you create one and you give it to them and you protect yourself and you make sure they sign it before they even accept it, especially if it's a hybrid or a vanity publisher. Hey, look, uh, I need your manuscript. Okay, I need you need my manuscript, not a problem. Sign this NDA first. Let me know that you will not copy my work, and then we can work. Okay, so keep that in. Oh, I'm dropping gems tonight. Ain't I, girlfriend? Girl, we dropping. Okay, now let's start back. But yes, I want to just put that out there. If they are not selling, I mean, if they are not making you sign something, protecting themselves and you red flag. Red flag, okay. Um, because I got some horror stories. I got some horror stories. I was gonna join this one person um anthology, and you know I'm bold, I'm gonna tell. So I was gonna join this one person anthology, and I remember sitting in a meeting, and um she went around, she asked everybody, hey, what's y'all uh what's y'all's story about? And everybody said what their story was about. And then we had a meeting, and um because she was gonna be in mind, so we had a meeting, and she turned in her chapter, and lo and behold, and everybody's story went in her chapter. I said, wait a minute. Be careful, be careful. It did not get published because I don't play that. But I will say protect your work, please protect your work. And if the publisher or the visionary is not protecting your work, that is a red flag. Okay, so this is also for visionaries who are just starting out who may not know how to protect people's work. Take notes. This is not to bash anyone, this is not throw anybody under the bus, but this is to protect not only your client or the person that's coming on and being a your co-author, but this is also to protect you as well. Okay, take that time out to draft up that contract, take five seconds, draft that contract up, do a PDF, make sure that you you post in that PDF that you are protecting their intellectual property, okay? And you are protecting your own. So do that, okay? Now we're gonna get started on Listen Linda magazine and Danny Nicole coming on as our new contributor writer for her book talk podcast. Um, how did it feel to be invited to join the Listen Linda platform?
SPEAKER_01It was exciting. I I'm I'm honored um just to be um approached. Um I it's still I I and it's still surreal, honestly. Um I just I just appreciate um the support for for this is even before the Linda Linda. Um when you came on my podcast and which um uh Dr. Cox, we will be dropping her episode next Friday. So let me put the plug in. So March 13th, March 13th, Dr. Jacqueline Cox will be on the recorded episode on YouTube for Book Talk, Author Visibility Podcast. Um, but it's an honor. Um I I asked, I'm I'm a woman of God, I'm a woman of faith, and I asked God to let my writing serve others. So I was like, whatever that looks like, let my writing serve others because I I want to help others with my writing. And then when I was given the opportunity to be the writing, the contributor, I was um, I'm still excited. I'm still excited, so uh I just can't wait to share. Um, I and I've already had some podcast guests that did the podcast and now they want to be part of the column. So I'm working, I'm working on it for you. I'm gonna be proud.
Danny’s New Column And Vision
SPEAKER_02And I do want to note that I I reach out to people, okay, uh, to be contributing writers. Um, you don't have to pay anything to be a contributing writer. You can always, if you want to spotlight somebody, you can charge that person a, you know, you that you can you can build your brand and and you can collect off that. And I don't charge anybody a risk. And sometimes I may ask for a donation to the magazine. Other times I just say share the post, okay? That's all I ask. Help us to become visible. Um, so I've reached out to numerous amounts of people who have podcasts or who do book talks and different things like that. Um, so um just in case they're watching, yeah, I did reach out to you too. So don't think I'm not gonna last, I didn't reach out to a bunch of people, okay? I did reach out to a bunch of people, but it was really it was special for me to reach out to you because we had that one-on-one. And um we we know, we know, and so I was I was uh very, very glad that you did say yes. Um and get more into your column. Um, and your column is Book Talk with Danny Nicole. What can readers expect from your column?
SPEAKER_01So readers can expect um some gems, not only well, some gems from the author. So these um this column is from the author themselves. Um, you know, they they've shared with me um the synopsis or the description of their book, and you know, I asked questions, you know, what inspired you, you know, how can your book reach other the other audience or other followers? And so it's gonna be uh it's gonna be a delight. You'll get to hear from the authors themselves, their journey, and how they got to publish their book, you know, the you know, what they want to share uh with others. I'm I'm just excited for this new opportunity and for the authors to gain visibility. Um, again, to share their brand and their book with others.
How To Pitch The Podcast And Links
SPEAKER_02Amen. Amen. Now you you're also helping authors expand their reach as well. Um, and I want to ask you this: if an author is watching tonight and wants to be featured on book talk author visibility, where should they go?
SPEAKER_01So uh if if you want to be uh a guest on the podcast, again, so you can go to the payhip.com and I list the book talk podcast there as well. Payhip.com slash the variety shop. Yes. So there is a um when you click the picture, you'll have a link. It'll come up, and you can go ahead and uh um book uh on the podcast right through the the payhip, it's like a one-stop shop. You get the bundle, you get the podcast. Amen, amen, amen. Yes, amen. And then it's on YouTube. Keep going. It's on YouTube. Yes, and it is on YouTube, Spotify, yes, uh, under Danny. So it's on YouTube under um Danny Nicole, the author. Okay. But okay, if you go to Spotify, it's on the it's under book talk author visibility. And uh where can people follow you to stay connected? Okay, so they can follow me on Facebook at Danny Nicole, D-A-N-I-N-I-C-O-L-E. They can also follow me on Facebook at book talk, author visibility, they can follow me on Instagram at um author.danny Nicole, and they can follow me on TikTok, which I'm getting into posting more there, at lovely diva14 on TikTok.
Where To Follow Danny Nicole
SPEAKER_02Okay, and I got two of them right here, and you guys can read rewind it back after that to get the other ones. But I got Danny Nicole here on Facebook and Instagram at Arthur.dani Nicole. Yes. Now it's time for everybody's favorite part of the show, which is the lightning round. So before we wrap up, we always do a quick lightning round, and that's just me asking you a question and it's a one-word answer, okay? So let's get started. Coffee or tea while writing. Coffee. Morning writing or late night writing. Late night. Favorite genre to read.
SPEAKER_01Um, I'm liking mystery now.
SPEAKER_02Mystery, mystery. Okay, that's a good one. One word that describes your author journey.
SPEAKER_01One word. Oh uh one word, just one no, um my author journey has been enlightened.
SPEAKER_02Enlightful. That's a great one. One word that describes the impact that you want to make.
Lightning Round Favorites
SPEAKER_01The impact I want to make. Ooh. Oh, that's tough. I want to make impact um of service.
SPEAKER_02Service, that is phenomenal. That is a great word. Oh my goodness, service, amen. Service, service, service. And last but not least, um, if someone is watching tonight and they that has a story inside of them, but is afraid to write it, what would you say to encourage them?
SPEAKER_01I would say write the story because there is someone out there who will need it. Your story, everyone's story is different, but that doesn't mean it's not for another person. So write it. Write your story, tell your story, because it will reach the person it's supposed to reach. But you gotta write it. You gotta write it, and you gotta don't be afraid to share it.
SPEAKER_02Amen. Now, thank you so much, Danny. I really appreciate you coming on. And as we prepare to close tonight, let's end the way we began with gratitude, peace. Okay, Heavenly Father, we thank you for the conversation tonight. We thank you for the wisdom that will share the stories told and the encouragement that has gone out through this platform, Lord God. Continue to guide each of us in our purpose and remind us that the gifts you placed aside of us were never accidental, Lord God. Bless every person watching tonight and cover their homes, their dreams, and their journeys. And also do the same for the people who are catching the replay or who are listening on the radio tonight, Lord God. Make sure that you bless every person tonight. Cover their homes, their dreams, and their journeys as they press forward in whatever it is that you have called them to do. In Jesus' mighty name, we pray. Amen. Amen.
SPEAKER_01Amen. Thank you for having me. I appreciate you too. I appreciate you. Oh, thank you. Oh, no problem, sweetheart.
Final Encouragement To Write
SPEAKER_02You can come on, you can come on listen to Linda Podcast anytime.
SPEAKER_01All right, I'm coming.
SPEAKER_02I'm coming kids. Now, y'all, y'all know tonight before we sign off, I want to remind you about another song that's from my new album, Listen Linda, call God Did That. If you've ever looked back over your life and you realize doors that opened, the opportunities that came and the breakthroughs that you experienced could only be explained one way. God did that. Okay. The album Listen Linda is streaming now on all platforms. And you can also purchase the vinyl or the CD from my website. So go visit www.listenlindapresents1.com. Thank everyone for tuning in to the Listen Linda podcast. And like my word of the day yesterday said, just go. Love y'all. Have a rest, have a great rest of your night, and we let me test it real quick.
Album Shoutout And Sign Off
SPEAKER_03It's a glowing love. It's a glory. Hold the whole breakthrough. Yeah. Look at me now. Only one name gives the credit.
