Libsyn Directory

EP 470 - Building Your Author Brand with Isabelle Knight

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Release Date: 04/16/2026

EP 486 - Seeing The World Metaphorically with Melissa Heathers

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this episode Mark interviews Melissa Heathers, author and host of The Book Crawl. Prior to the main content, Mark welcomes new patrons, and shares a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to . Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report. Links of Interest: (Use code STARKDIRECT at checkout to save $4.00. Patrons, check the post on Patreon.com/starkreflections for the post dated June 12, 2026 for your special 67% off coupon) (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%) (AI Voice Generation -...

EP 485 - On Failure, Mistakes, and the Gift of Getting It Wrong

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this solo episode Mark reads Chapter 5 (The Beautiful Mess: On Failure, Mistakes, and the Gift of Getting It Wrong) from his book STARK REALITIES: Stacked-up Lessons Every Writer Needs to Know About the Business of Writing and Publishing. Prior to the main content, Mark welcomes new patrons, and shares a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to . Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report. Links of Interest: (Use code STARKDIRECT at checkout to save $4.00. Patrons, check the post on Patreon.com/starkreflections...

EP 484 - Serializing a Novel on Substack with Matty Dalrymple

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this episode Mark talks to Matty Dalrymple about her recent experience serializing a never-before-published new novel on Substack. Prior to the main content, Mark welcomes new patrons, shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to . Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report. In the interview, Mark and Matty talk about: How long Matty has been a writer, a podcaster, and a consultant to indie authors The 52 days Matty has been experimenting with serialization...

EP 483 - Author Branding with Jessica Sorentino

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Mark interviews Jessica Sorentino, an author brand strategist with more than a decade of experience helping writers and thought leaders connect with their audiences in meaningful, lasting ways. Prior to the main content, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to . Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report. In the interview, Mark and Jessica talk about: What an author's brand is and how to determine what that brand is A technique of visualizing a...

EP 482 - Outlining for Novelists Who Don't Outline with Paul Austin Ardoin

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this episode Mark interviews Paul Austin Ardoin about his new book OUTLINING FOR NOVELISTS WHO DON'T OUTLINE. Prior to the interview Mark shares a person update and a word from this episode's sponsors. This episode is sponsored by Author Nation, being held in Las Vegas Nov 13 through 14, 2026 Learn more about Author Nation and register at . In the interview Mark and Paul talk about: Paul's previous non-fiction book for writers FROM ZERO TO FOUR FIGURES Mark's offer of gifting 3 copies of FROM ZERO TO FOUR FIGURES by buying them from Paul and/or a local bookshop for listeners based...

EP 481 - Becoming A Creative Luminary with Voice Actor Laura Holley

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this episode Mark interviews Laura Holley, a Utah-based voice actor and speculative fiction writer whose passion for storytelling began with her first stage performance at seven years old. Prior to the main content, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to . Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report. In the interview, Mark and Laura talk about: Laura getting into theatre in the second grade and the first role that she played The power of playing a...

EP 480 - Rambling Reflections From The Road: Returning From Camping & Vitamin N

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this episode Mark shares a solo reflection recording pm his return from a couple of nights spent camping on the shores of Lake Huron at Point Farms Provincial Park. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a brief personal update (which includes a segment from Joanna Penn's latest episode of The Creative Penn Podcast) and a word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Author Nation, being held in Las Vegas Nov 13 through 14, 2026 Learn more about Author Nation and register at . In his reflection Mark considers the idea of the value of nature/simplicity when recharging. He asks...

EP 479 - The Keyboard Is My Favorite Fidget Toy with Premee Mohamed

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this episode Mark interviews Premee Mohamed, a Nebula, World Fantasy, Ignyte, Locus, and Aurora award-winning Indo-Caribbean scientist and speculative fiction author based in Edmonton, Alberta. Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by the with Suzy Vadori. In this weekly show, Suzy brings you writing techniques, best practices, motivation, inspirational stories from real live authors out there making it in the world, and actionable advice that can help you turn that book...

EP 478 - Stark Realities Excerpt: The Pinocchio Problem

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

This episode features an excerpt from Chapter 1 of Mark's book STARK REALITIES: Stacked-up Lessons Every Writer Needs To Know About The Business of Writing and Publishing. The chapter is called "The Pinocchio Problem." Prior to the main content Mark shares a brief personal update and a word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by the book STARK REALITIES: Stacked-up Lessons Every Writer Needs To Know About The Business of Writing and Publishing. The Truth About Building a Writing Career With No Sugarcoating, Just Real Talk. The Honest, practical guide that every writer...

EP 477 - Rambling Reflections From The Road to StokerCon

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this solo episode recorded while driving between Waterloo, Ontario and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on his way to attending StokerCon, a horror writer conference, Mark shares some reflections on his dual life as an author-supporting industry representative and a horror author. This episode is sponsored by Author Nation, being held in Las Vegas Nov 13 through 14, 2026 Learn more about Author Nation and register at . Links of Interest: (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%) (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link) The introductory, end,...

More Episodes

Mark interviews former publicist to the stars Isabelle Knight who is the founder of Build Your Author Brand, an online consultancy helping fiction and non-fiction authors to grow your readership, raise your profile and give your books the best chance of success.

Prior to the interview Mark shares that he is on the road at the Writers and Illustrators of the Future annual workshops and gala as one of the writer judges and is using his digital voice clone from ElevenLabs to record the introduction and closing reflection. He also shares a word about this episode's sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report.

During the interview Mark and Isabelle talk about:

Isabelle's background as a publicist for film, TV, and books
Recognizing how there's a real knack of knowledge for creating an effective brand/profile
Teaching authors the basics of that branding without using the terms PR or publicity
The idea of creating foundations of how an author can be able to pitch their books to an audience
How talking about marketing can quickly fill authors with a sense of terror
The importance of wanting to know, before helping an author, what makes them tick
How the author's story is what tells us who they author is and ultimately "why do we care?" about your book(s)
Finding the themes that can tie books together rather than what makes them different when an author has written more than one book
The challenge of wanting, too much, to share the details from a book, the plot, the tropes, etc versus sharing higher level themes and patterns
The misconception that PR and Publicity is only for celebrities or people who are comfortable being in the spotlight
A misperception that authors have about how to provide content for social media
How Isabelle doesn't work like a traditional publicist
The course that Isabelle runs with a cohort about three times a year
And more...

After the interview Mark shares a few reflections about the conversation.

Links of Interest:

Former publicist to the stars, including titans of industry JK Rowling and the BBC, Isabelle Knight is the founder of Build Your Author Brand, an online consultancy helping fiction and non-fiction authors to grow your readership, raise your profile and give your books the best chance of success.

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

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