EP 356 - The Midlist Indie Author Mindset with T. Thorn Coyle

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Mark interviews T Thorn Coyle about writing, community, and their new book The Midlist Indie Author Mindset.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update and a word from this episode's sponsor.

Cruising Writers - 7 Day Western Caribbean Cruise - Feb 22 to Mar 1, 2025

Featured Guest Speakers: Erin Wright and Mark Leslie Lefebvre

More details at: Cruising Writers

In the interview, Mark and Thorn talk about:

• Getting into writing when they were 5 years old - and the variety of types of writing they did
• Thorn jokingly torturing fiction and deciding to write non-fiction until a few characters showed up and knocked on their door
• Writing mostly fantasy-tinged fiction
• How most of Thorn's non-fiction guides have been about spiritual practice, but that this latest one is their first non-fiction business of writing book
• Thorn's author tagline: "Magic is real. And justice is worth fighting for."
• The way that Portland is such a fascinating city and how Thorn can find magic anywhere
• An appreciation of Charles de Lint
• Thorn's forthcoming book: The Midlist Author Mindset
• The massive mindset shift that comes from being curious about business the way one is curious about writing
• Value that came with learning what worked for Thorn, as opposed to things that work for other writers
• The numerous streams of income that Thorn has been developing over the years
• Looking at long-term sustainability by thinking of it like cultivating a garden instead of seeking out short-term dramatic spikes
• Some of the roadblocks that Thorn encountered on the way to establishing the Midlist Author Mindset
• Understanding that for Thorn marketing was about connection with readers
• How asking "Does social media sell books?" is the wrong question to ask
• The Kickstarter for the book and related materials and exclusive content that runs April 16, 2024 to May 7, 2024
• A little bit about Thorn's fiction series books
• Thoughts and current approach to audiobooks
• Thorn's final words of advice that they would want to leave with writers
• And more . . .

After the interview, Mark reflects on the concepts of sustainable, long-term, and burn-out as well as the important question of what is practical for you and your life and goals.

Links of Interest:

• T. Thorn Coyle's Website
  • Kickstarter for The Midlist Indie Author Mindset
  • Fiction Titles
  • Non-Fiction Titles
• Thorn's Patreon Site
• Writers of the Future - Blog Post Announcing Mark as a Judge
• Stark Publishing Support for Authors Via Margins Agency
• ScribeCount (Mark's Affiliate Link)
• Mark's YouTube Channel
• Buy Mark a Coffee
• Patreon for Stark Reflections
  • How to Access Patreon RSS Feeds
• An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries
• The Relaxed Author
  • Buy eBook Direct
  • Buy Audiobook Direct
• Publishing Pitfalls for Authors
• An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores
• Wide for the Win
• Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books
  • This Time Around (Short Story)
  • A Canadian Werewolf in New York
  • Stowe Away (Novella)
  • Fear and Longing in Los Angeles
  • Fright Nights, Big City
  • Lover's Moon
  • Hex and the City
  • Only Monsters in the Building
• The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles
• Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard

T. Thorn Coyle worked in many strange and diverse occupations before settling in to write full time. Buy them a cup of tea and perhaps they’ll tell you about it.

Author of The Witches of Portland, the Seashell Cove Paranormal Cozy Mysteries, the Pride Street Paranormal Cozy Mysteries, The Steel Clan Saga, and The Panther Chronicles, Thorn’s multiple non-fiction books include Sigil Magic for Writers, Artists & Other Creatives, Crafting a Daily Practice, Kissing the Limitless, and Evolutionary Witchcraft. Thorn's work also appears in many anthologies, magazines, and collections.

An interloper to the Pacific Northwest U.S., they pay proper tribute to all the neighborhood cats, and talk to crows, squirrels, and trees.

You can find them at thorncoyle.com.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0