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PODCAST

The Wordslinger Podcast

It"s all about the story here.

From award-winning and bestselling author J. Kevin Tumlinson, this weekly podcast explores the stories that shape us into who we are, and shape the world into what it can become. There are interviews with authors and non-authors, deep dives into useful ideas, and solo-slinger episodes that are authentic and real, aimed at giving you the best, most honest advice about life as a writer, creator, and creative entrereneur. Every episode is a story. It"s all about the story here.

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All Episodes

00:37:14

This One Habit made me a Successful Writer

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/10/08

A WORDSLINGER PODCASTThis One Habit Made Me a Successful WriterWhat's the secret to writing more books, building an audience, and making a living as an author? It's not talent, luck, or the latest writing software. It's consistency.After publishing more than 90 books and selling millions of copies worldwide, I've learned that showing up and doing the work, day after day, is one of the most powerful habits a writer can develop. In this episode of the Wordslinger Podcast, I'm sharing how my daily

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00:14:21

Should Authors Use Substack?

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/10/07

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOTShould authors use Substack?I’ve been using Substack for several years now, and I’ve come to see it as something more useful than just another social media platform. For writers, it can be a blog, newsletter, community, podcast platform, and—most importantly—a way to build an audience you actually own.In this episode, I break down how I use Substack as an author, how recommendations and Notes can help grow your readership, how often I think writers should post, what kinds of

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00:16:46

You Should Use AI to Write Your Book (sort of)

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/10/06

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOTShould writers use AI to write their books? My answer is yes—but probably not in the way you think.I don’t use AI to write the actual prose of my novels. That’s the part I love. But while working on a research-heavy historical novel, I’ve found some incredibly useful ways to make AI part of my writing process without handing over the creative work.In this episode, I break down how I’m using AI as a research assistant, organizational tool, outlining partner, fact-checking aid,

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00:17:32

My Biggest Failures as a Writer

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/10/05

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOTEvery successful writing career is built on mistakes. I’ve made plenty of them.In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, I share some of my biggest failures as a writer—from falling for a literary agent scam and spending thousands on things that didn’t move my career forward, to signing a publishing contract without proper representation and eventually burning myself out trying to keep up an impossible pace.The point isn’t to avoid failure entirely. You can’t. The goal is to learn from it,

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01:13:51

How to Write Characters Who Aren’t Like You

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/10/01

A WORDSLINGER PODCASTHow do you write a character who is smarter than you, comes from a different background, sees the world differently, or believes things you never would? In this episode of the Wordslinger Podcast, Don King joins me for another Kevin on Craft conversation about creating characters who feel like real human beings instead of extensions of the author.We talk about writing characters with knowledge and intelligence you don’t possess, avoiding stereotypes, writing across gender and

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00:12:39

Should Authors Use AI-Generated Book Covers?

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/09/30

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOTShould authors use AI-generated book covers?AI can produce some astonishingly good artwork, but that doesn’t mean the decision is simple. In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, I break down what authors should consider before using AI for a book cover—from Amazon’s disclosure requirements and copyright questions to reader backlash, professional design, and the alternatives available if you don’t want to go the AI route.I’ve designed nearly all of my own book covers over more than 20

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00:10:58

How to Be an Anonymous Author and Still Sell Books

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/09/29

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOTCan you build an author career without putting your face, real name, and personal life all over the internet? Absolutely—but anonymity takes more than choosing a pen name.In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, I break down practical ways authors can market their books while protecting their identity. We’ll talk about building a brand around your pen name, keeping your author life separate from your personal life, creating ways for readers to connect with you without revealing who you are,

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00:18:11

When Should an Author Hire a Virtual Assistant?

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/09/28

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOTWhat if the thing keeping you from writing more books isn’t the writing—it’s everything else that comes with being an author?In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, Kevin talks about working with a virtual assistant, or author assistant, to take some of the business of being a writer off your shoulders. Marketing, social media, video editing, graphic design, administrative work, Kickstarter campaigns, online stores, and more can potentially be delegated—giving you more time and energy for

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00:31:35

The Weird Way I Start Writing a Novel

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/09/24

A WORDSLINGER PODCASTMost writers start with a character, a premise, a scene, or maybe an ending.I often start with the title.In this episode of the Wordslinger Podcast, I talk about the weird way I begin many of my novels, why a good title can sometimes unlock an entire story, and what happens when the title changes halfway through the book.I also get into what I’m working on right now, including a commissioned historical novel, the Wordslinger book, short fiction, and the challenge of keeping

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00:10:55

Why Do You Write? This Answer Changes Everything

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/09/23

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOTWhy do you write?It sounds like a simple question, but your answer may be the thing that keeps you going when the words aren’t coming, the sales aren’t happening, and nobody seems to notice the work you’re putting in.In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, I talk about an unexpected encounter with a reader that reminded me of something every writer needs to remember: there’s a real human being on the other side of the book. Someone is reading your words, entering the worlds you create,

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00:12:38

This SECRET makes writers successful

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/09/22

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOTWhat do successful writers have in common? They surround themselves with writing.In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, I talk about one of the most useful habits I’ve developed over the years: reading books by writers about the writing life, learning from other authors, attending conferences, listening to interviews and podcasts, and immersing yourself in the experiences of people who understand what it means to do this work.I’ve recently been reading Larry McMurtry’s Walter Benjamin at

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00:10:30

Hate Marketing? Here’s What I Do Instead.

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/09/21

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOTHate marketing your books? You’re probably thinking about marketing the wrong way.A lot of writers hear “book marketing” and immediately think about running ads, posting constantly on social media, chasing TikTok trends, finding reviewers, testing campaigns, and spending money they may never earn back. No wonder authors get exhausted.But marketing doesn’t have to mean any of that.In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, I talk about a simpler way to think about marketing: reaching the right

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00:46:15

How I Keep Multiple Writing Projects Moving at Once

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/09/17

A WORDSLINGER PODCASTHow do you keep multiple writing projects moving without losing momentum—or your mind?In this episode, I’m breaking down the systems I use to manage several creative projects at once, including nonfiction, historical fiction, novels, short stories, YouTube, research, and everything else competing for attention.The key isn’t working harder. It’s building systems that reduce friction and make it easier to sit down, do the work, and keep moving.I talk about how I break larger books

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00:10:30

Way too busy for writing

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/09/16

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOTWay too busy for writing?Travel, work, family, deadlines, vacations, and plain old life can wreck even the best writing routine. But staying productive doesn’t always mean forcing yourself to sit down for a full writing session every single day.In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, I share some of the ways I keep my writing moving even when I’m traveling or my normal routine gets disrupted. That might mean getting up early, writing ahead, shifting from drafting to outlining or editing,

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00:11:54

BETA READERS - Here's how you find them

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/09/15

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOTHow do you actually find beta readers for your book?In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, I break down the practical ways I’ve built a beta reader and street team over the years—from starting with friends and family, to recruiting readers who already send useful feedback, to finding potential beta readers in reader and writer communities.But finding them is only half the job. You also need to give your beta readers clear expectations: what kind of feedback you need, how you want them to

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00:12:03

AI isn't going to replace you

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/09/14

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOTAI isn’t going to replace you.At least, not if you’re doing the part of writing that actually matters.In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, Kevin Tumlinson talks about the fear that AI will replace writers, artists, and other creative professionals—and why he thinks that fear is aimed at the wrong target.Yes, AI may replace some types of high-volume, formula-driven content. But real creative work comes from human experience, judgment, emotion, taste, perspective, and the strange

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00:27:46

Theo of Golden Proves You Don’t Need Action to Create...

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/09/11

A WORDSLINGER STORY CUTCan a novel keep you turning pages without explosions, car chases, monsters, or constant high-stakes action?Theo of Golden by Allen Levi proves that it can.In this Wordslinger Story Cut, I take a storyteller’s look at one of my new favorite novels and examine why such a quiet, heartfelt story works so well. Theo arrives in the small town of Golden, Georgia, and begins purchasing hand-drawn portraits of local people, returning those portraits to their subjects and asking one

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00:46:15

Writers: You’re Running a Business Whether You Like...

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/09/10

A WORDSLINGER PODCASTIf you want people to read your books, buy your books, and help you build a sustainable writing career, then you’re already in business—whether you like that idea or not.In this episode of the Wordslinger Podcast, I talk about why writers need to start thinking like entrepreneurs, what marketing really means, and why building your own platform matters more than chasing individual book sales.We get into mailing lists, reader ownership, Amazon exclusivity versus wide distribution,

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00:15:53

You Don’t Need to Buy ISBNs

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/09/09

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOTDo indie authors really need to buy their own ISBNs? For most self-published authors, the answer is probably no.In this episode, J. Kevin Tumlinson breaks down the real differences between purchasing your own ISBN and using a free ISBN from services such as Draft2Digital or Amazon. We’ll look at what “publisher of record” actually means, whether an ISBN affects copyright or ownership, how ISBNs work across paperback, hardcover, ebook, and audiobook editions, and when paying for

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00:12:50

Amazon, Kobo, D2D: Here’s How I Distribute My Books

The Wordslinger Podcast ·

2026/09/08

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOTWhat’s the best way for an indie author to distribute their books?In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, I break down the book distribution strategy I actually use—including why I go direct to Amazon and Kobo, use Draft2Digital to reach Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, libraries, and thousands of other outlets, and maintain my own direct storefront.We’ll also talk about KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited, the tradeoffs of Amazon exclusivity, the advantages of going wide, why I prefer having

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365 results

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