Becoming a full-time writer can be overwhelming. Join J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon as they help you improve your craft and find your audience, so you too can become…a career author. This is The Career Author Podcast.
Site
RSS
Apple
Data updated on 04/07/2026
Recent rankings
Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.
Shared links between episodes and podcasts
Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.
Discover shows related to The Career Author Podcast, based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.
There is no related content for this show.
We're Back in Black!
Episode 151
Monday, March 27, 2023 • Duration 59:46
Zach and J. are back with a new podcast called "Men in Black Shirts" with T.W. Piperbrook!
The Final Episode: LIVE!
Thursday, October 29, 2020 • Duration 57:29
The Final Episode: LIVE!
This is it. The final episode. We hope you’ll join us at the Writers, Ink podcast!
The Career Author Podcast is a podcast where co-authors J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon share their struggles and successes as full-time authors, advice for improving your writing craft, and honest discussions of what it takes to build a successful career as an author.
Thanks to all of our listeners--past, present, and future!
As The Career Author podcast winds down, we’re reminded of how difficult it can be to avoid sunk cost fallacy and remove things that have been a big part of our lives for so long. Whether it's a relationship, business deal, friendship, or podcast, walking away is never easy but sometimes necessary and inevitable.
In this candid conversation, J. and Zach discuss reasons why you might want to walk away from a project and suggestions on how to move through what can be an emotional and stressful transition.
The Career Author Podcast is a podcast where co-authors J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon share their struggles and successes as full-time authors, advice for improving your writing craft, and honest discussions of what it takes to build a successful career as an author.
Also, J. recommends a little book to help you know when to walk away.
Leave us a comment: How do you know when it’s time to walk away from a project?
Join us for the final episode on Oct 26, 2020 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
ADVANTAGE with Joe Solari
Thursday, October 15, 2020 • Duration 39:45
ADVANTAGE with Joe Solari
We’re all looking for an advantage as it gets more challenging to find and retain readers. In a rare interview episode, the guys invite Joe Solari on the show to discuss how you can harness a cumulative advantage in the winner takes all publishing market.
From Amazon.com:
The top 2.5% of high performing authors…
…earn 64% of the book profits.
How do they do it?
We are in the golden age for authors. The gatekeepers are gone. The books and novels that have been buried on your “Bucket List” can be brought to life. Nobody can tell you, “No!”
It’s not even that hard.
Getting the readers, well, that’s where we all need help.
What are the KEY PRINCIPLES?
Joe Solari has experience from 20-years as an entrepreneur and in 2016 began to help authors get to six and seven figures. It became his passion. He understands the engine that drives success.
Are you willing to learn the power of cumulative advantage?
He has shown that not only can cumulative advantage be systematized, but a unique flavor is possible for every author. This professionally researched book contains never before seen data on just how demand works in publishing and how the top authors become best sellers.
Are you ready?
You’ll love this road map to finding readers, because the world is a vast social place and knowing how it works can make all the difference.
The Career Author Podcast is a podcast where co-authors J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon share their struggles and successes as full-time authors, advice for improving your writing craft, and honest discussions of what it takes to build a successful career as an author.
Leave us a comment: What is your question for Joe about cumulative advantage?
Links:
The Golden Age of Independent Publishing
Thursday, October 8, 2020 • Duration 50:24
The Golden Age of Independent Publishing
Has there ever been a better time to be an independent author or publisher? The guys don’t think so. Whether it's the tools available to publish books or the ease of finding readers, there’s never been so many literate people on the planet.
J. and Zach discuss the reasons why, despite J.’s pessimistic outlook on AI, this is the golden age of independent publishing. Put on your rosy glasses and a smile as the career authors get happy on your ass.
The Career Author Podcast is a podcast where co-authors J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon share their struggles and successes as full-time authors, advice for improving your writing craft, and honest discussions of what it takes to build a successful career as an author.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
How technology favors the independent author
Why it’s easy to learn from the masters
How diversity in storytelling is making the world a better place
The difference between micro niche and mass markets
Also, J. shares an interesting announcement about Kindle Create.
There’s no way around it. Publishing a book that is presentable enough to ask money for is going to cost some cash of your own. But do you have to break the bank in order to publish a good book?
In this conversation, J. and Zach discuss ways you can publish your book on a budget. What are the expenses you can avoid, and which are essential to helping your book succeed? And is it possible to provide a professional product on a shoestring budget?
The Career Author Podcast is a podcast where co-authors J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon share their struggles and successes as full-time authors, advice for improving your writing craft, and honest discussions of what it takes to build a successful career as an author.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
What costs to consider
How to determine what to spend money on
Tools you need and probably don’t need
Also, Zach recommends a method to gain clarity on your creative life.
Do you feel a dip in your enthusiasm for that WIP? Are you procrastinating by working on another project instead? Sometimes it's hard to diagnose the problem, to tell if you’re burnt out or in a writing rut. Spoiler alert: They’re not the same thing.
In this conversation, J. and Zach talk about the difference between burn-out and a writing rut by examining questions you can ask yourself. Although it’s good to build habits and routines, it’s also possible to coast along the learning plateau producing average stories that lack enthusiasm.
The Career Author Podcast is a podcast where co-authors J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon share their struggles and successes as full-time authors, advice for improving your writing craft, and honest discussions of what it takes to build a successful career as an author.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
The difference between a writing rut and being burnt out
How you can determine if you’re in a writing rut
Ways you can climb out and re-energize your writing
Also, J. recommends a new course (shout to Diann Gunn for sending it along).
It’s crazy to think there was a time not too long ago where the only way to read a book was by picking up a physical object and reading real, paper pages. Or when audiobooks were called ‘books on tape’ because you had to pop one cassette at a time into a tape deck in order to hear your favorite book read to you by a narrator.
Times have changed fast. Not only with how we consume books, but also with how they are published. With things moving as quickly as they are, what could come next? Tune in to this week’s episode to hear how the guys think technology will continue to change the publishing industry.
The Career Author Podcast is a podcast where co-authors J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon share their struggles and successes as full-time authors, advice for improving your writing craft, and honest discussions of what it takes to build a successful career as an author.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
What other innovations could come to the eBook and eReaders
How A.I. can change publishing
How software and algorithms could change how you tell stories
Why technology has created more opportunities for creatives
Do you suffer from mono-mouth? Are you experiencing side effects such as decreased reader engagement, poor sales, and a lack of energy? If so, it might be time for a house call from the Dialogue Doctor, Jeff Elkins.
In a rare interview on The Career Author Podcast, J. talks to Jeff about his most recent manuscript, how Jeff helped J. regain the joy of writing, and why every writer needs to pay attention to what characters say and how they say it.
The Career Author Podcast is a podcast where co-authors J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon share their struggles and successes as full-time authors, advice for improving your writing craft, and honest discussions of what it takes to build a successful career as an author.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
The problem with most dialogue
Why readers will bail on your story without sharp dialogue
What the Dialogue Doctor does and how he can help writers
Why J. was thrilled when he had to convert a first draft into a screenplay
Also, J. recommends a new service for tracking your book’s rank and reviews.
Most people don’t enjoy watching only one kind of movie, eating one type of food, or wearing the same clothes every day. Okay, maybe Zach likes that last one, but either way, it’s not uncommon for writers to want to explore writing in different genres. But should you?
On this ‘landmark’ episode, the guys discuss the pros and cons of genre hopping. Does it make sense to write in other genres, and if so, when? Genre hopping is one of the most debated topics in the indie publishing community. Join Zach and J. as they discuss and give their opinions on this controversial topic.
The Career Author Podcast is a podcast where co-authors J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon share their struggles and successes as full-time authors, advice for improving your writing craft, and honest discussions of what it takes to build a successful career as an author.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
The big questions to ask when deciding whether to hop genres
How genre hopping can prevent burnout
What you can do to scratch your creative itch without investing too much time
How switching genres can hurt your pursuit to earning more money as an author
How to decide whether writing in another genre is right for you
Also, Zach recommends a book from friend of the show, Jim Kukral.
