E.A. Winters went from $0 to six figures and left a ten-year counseling career behind — but she's blunt about why most authors never get there: "Most people want to spend hobby energy on it and get career revenue from it. That is not a thing that will happen."
In this episode, Erin breaks down the difference between the author hat and the publisher hat, why she stacks a series before launching it, how she went from writing in naps and after bedtime to 12 books and a full-time income, and what she looks for in a writer that tells her whether they'll make it.
We also get into the Level Up Conference she co-founded with Seth Ring for authors who've outgrown the beginner track, and her new LitRPG series set in a world where XP is reaped, taxed, and sold back to the people.
Check out my previous episode with E.A. Winters (Episode 7): https://youtu.be/uEiUuO2cI1I
FIND E.A. WINTERS
Website & newsletter: https://www.eawinters.com
For Authors resource page: https://www.eawinters.com/forauthors
Amazon: E.A. Winters on Amazon
TikTok: @eawinters
Instagram: @e.a.winters
Facebook: eawintersnovels
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Monster Makers (Book 1, out September 15): preorder on Amazon
Blood and Flame Saga Special Edition on Kickstarter
Level Up Conference for Authors: https://luca.vip
THE PINT & PORTAL AUTHOR PODCAST
Website: https://www.pintandportal.com
Support the show: https://www.pintandportal.com/deals
HERMAN'S BOOKS & NEWSLETTER
Books and newsletter: https://www.hermansteuernagel.com
My Kickstarter campaigns: https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/hermansteuernagel/created
Instagram: @hermansteuernagel
Facebook: hermansteuernagelwrites
TIME STAMPS
00:00 From counselor to full-time fantasy author
09:22 The author hat vs. the publisher hat
15:55 Getting in rooms with people ahead of you
19:02 The levers that actually moved the needle
21:31 Preorder and release strategy
26:24 Building a conference for authors past the basics
39:50 Why fast success can be a trap
41:18 Her number one piece of advice
43:12 Monster Makers, LitRPG, and the Kickstarter
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