From Writer to Publishing Business
My Chat with Stella Oni on Talking Tech With Creatives
I recently joined author and podcaster Stella Oni on Talking Tech With Creatives for a wide-ranging conversation about the business side of being an author, and the growing role of technology and AI in publishing.
We covered how I went from a first experimental self-published novel back in 2006 to writing full-time as a hybrid author. That means publishing with Joffe Books and Liquid Mind Media while also running my own imprint, Mortlake Press. I talked about what traditional publishing taught me, how I outline to keep my books fast-paced, and what it actually takes to make writing pay.
We also got into the big topic everyone’s talking about: AI. I shared where I draw the line (my novels will always be written by me, in my own voice) and where I think technology is opening doors for indie authors, from translations and foreign markets to data and discoverability.
In this episode:
- My journey from South Africa to London to full-time author
- Why a hybrid publishing model works as a safety net
- How I outline, and why nothing goes into a book unless it earns its place
- Can you really make money from writing? Series, read-through, and Kindle Unlimited
- Using AI ethically as a business tool, not a replacement for the author’s voice
- Launching books in foreign markets, and what surprised me about Germany
- What excites me, and what worries me, about the future of genre fiction
If you’re a writer thinking about the business side of publishing, or you’re just curious about what goes on behind my books, I hope you enjoy it.
🎧 Listen to the full episode: https://talkingtechwithcreatives.com/episode/from-writer-to-publishing-business-biba-pearce-on-indie-publishing-making-books-pay-and-ai
Also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all major podcast apps.