The Career Novelist™ Podcast With Camille Pagán – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to the Career Novelist Podcast!

After 100 episodes of You Should Write a Book, Camille is (very slightly) shifting the focus of the podcast. In this episode, she shares: 

• The definition of a Career Novelist—and why this term alone can help you bounce back from publishing setbacks.
• Her response to a well-known industry expert who asked her, “Aren’t you worried about giving writers false hope?” 
• The number one hurdle novelists face when it comes to publishing (spoiler alert: it’s marketing!)—and why focusing on writing is the best way to get over that and reach more readers. 

To learn more about Bestseller Bootcamp, visit: www.evenbetter.co/bestseller

On the 100th episode of the You Should Write a Book podcast, Camille shares: 

• How a quote from James Clear prompted her to rethink her business. 
• The single most important thing a writer can do to reach their publishing goals (hint: it’s not building a social media following).  
• What to do if a lack of time, focus, or follow-through is keeping you from writing. 

To sign up for the free Nail Your Comps webinar on October 24, 2024, visit: www.evenbetter.co/webinar

To learn more about The Hot Sheet newsletter, which Camille mentions in today’s episode, visit: https://hotsheetpub.com

Note: This podcast will publish biweekly for the rest of 2024. The next episode will air October 29, 2024. 

Whether you’re working on your first novel or your fiftieth, showing up a professional will help you reach your goals faster—and help your success stick. On this episode, Camille shares:

• The one question every writer should ask herself
• How to plan to succeed (hint: it doesn’t involve a traditional business plan)
• Using setbacks to supercharge your motivation
• Why belief is more important than talent (really)

If you’re ready to go pro, apply for the Career Novelist Mastermind, which combines proven publishing strategies with research-backed career and mindset coaching. To learn more and apply, visit evenbetter.co/mastermind.

In this episode, Camille coaches Lea Ann, an artist who wants to make the most of a last-minute opportunity.

We cover:

• What to do when your schedule gets re-shuffled
• How to identify the real reason you’re overwhelmed (and how to turn it around)
• Why it’s important to realize you do have control
• Harnessing your emotions to create your best work

Deadlines can help you get the job done—but they sometimes backfire, too. In this episode, Camille discusses: 

• The research-backed benefits of self-imposed deadlines
• Signs you might be using a deadline or tight timeline against yourself
• Simple ways to up the odds of meeting your deadline (and what to do if you don’t)
• How to add an external deadline when you don’t have an agent or editor waiting for your draft 

Sign up for the You Should Write a Book newsletter to learn about a special bonus for novelists who join the Career Novelist Mastermind this month: https://www.evenbetter.co/how-to

Blurbs—that is, endorsement quotes from other authors—are still a standard publishing practice. In this episode, Camille covers: 

• Why blurbs probably don’t sell books—but what they can do to help your career. 
• How to up the odds an author will say yes to your blurb request.
• The unexpected benefit of asking another author for a favor.
• What to do if you don’t end up liking a book you’ve been asked to blurb. 

The Career Novelist Mastermind is accepting applications early. This small group coaching program kicks off September 4th. The mastermind is capped at 12 novelists, so early applications are encouraged. To learn more, visit evenbetter.co/mastermind. 

There are still six months to reach your big writing goals. In this episode, Camille shares: 

• Her strategy for doing a mid-year assessment. 
• How the planning fallacy can sabotage your goals—and simple ways to bypass it. 
• Two secrets to effective visualization.
• Using quick wins to create long-term success. 

If you’re interested in coaching with Camille in Q3, email team@evenbetter.co. 

To learn more about the upcoming Career Novelist Mastermind, visit evenbetter.co/mastermind.

And to sign up for the You Should Write a Book newsletter, visit www.evenbetter.co/how-to.

Do you procrastinate when you should be working on your book? In today’s episode, Camille shares: 

• When procrastination’s actually a good thing.
• The real reason you don’t write when you plan to.
• Simple ways to increase your focus and follow through more often.

The Career Novelist Mastermind begins in August! To learn more and be the first to know when applications open, visit www.evenbetter.co/mastermind

Neil Gaiman said, “Everything good that happened in my writing career happened because someone, normally another writer, helped me.” In today’s episode, Camille shares:

• The surprising connection between community and grit.
• Why it’s crucial to find writers who cheer you on during good times as well as bad.
• The network-limiting mistake many early-career authors make.
• How to decide whether your current writing community is still right for you.

The Your First 50 Readers webinar is June 21st. If you want to learn how to get authentic reviews from readers who actually like what you write, visit www.evenbetter.co/reviews to register.

Camille follows up with author Darci St. John—who was featured in episode 18—about: 

• How self-publishing her debut led to a two-book deal with a traditional publisher.
• Why everything changed once Darci chose herself instead of waiting to be chosen.
• The magic that happens when hard work coincides with what the market wants.
• Why being used to rejection can be an author’s superpower. 

Learn more about Darci’s novel, Crash Into Me, at www.darcistjohn.com

To register for the Your First 50 Reviews webinar, visit www.evenbetter.co/reviews

Note: we experienced some audio issues during recording. We did our best to minimize them but could not eliminate all of them.