Episode 162 - Elizabeth Conte - Doing Well as an Indie Author

The Make Meaning Podcast

Elizabeth Conte is an author with a passion for bringing 19th-century literature to the 21st-century reader. She is the author of Finding Jane, a time travel historical novel, and Chosen Mistress, a scintillating story set in Victorian England. Elizabeth is the founder of Jane Writes Press, a hybrid publishing house for writers who don't fit into traditional publishing boxes.

In the latest episode of the Make Meaning Podcast, host Lynne Golodner interviews Elizabeth about her debut novel, Finding Jane, her inspiration for the book and the challenges she faced while writing and editing it. Elizabeth also talks about her marketing strategies and the success she has achieved as an indie author. She introduces her next book, Chosen Mistress, which explores the dark side of Victorian life and women's roles during that time. She also explains her decision to self-publish and her vision for her imprint, Jane Writes Press.

In this episode, Lynne and Elizabeth discuss:

• The story behind Finding Jane, an homage to Pride and Prejudice

• Making 19th century literature more accessible

• What it means to "do really well" with book sales

• Book marketing strategies

• The importance of consistent marketing efforts

• Pitching media outlets for author interviews

• The purpose of writing & target audience

• Perspectives on adverbs – listen to a fierce debate on adjectives & adverbs around the 10-minute mark!

• The indie author’s journey

• Frustrations with fitting into traditional publishing categories

• Starting a publishing house

• The importance of professional editing

• Creating a new category called Literary Romance

• What is the purpose of your writing & how do you want people to know you?

Links and Resources:

• Pride and Prejudice

• Nathaniel Hawthorne

• Writing Coaching

• Woman of Valor

• The Los Angeles Times article about Elizabeth Conte

• Lynne’s class, Demystifying Show, Don’t Tell

Find Elizabeth Conte:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

TikTok

Blog

LinkedIn

Instagram

If you enjoyed this episode, you’ll like these other Make Meaning Podcast episodes:

Episode 152 – Ami Irmen – Character-Driven Narratives

Episode 146 – Barbara Stark-Nemon – Tracing the Path of Historical Fiction

Episode 136 – Tammy Pasterick – Writing & Publishing Your Way

Episode 129 – Rosina Lippi – Author of the Wilderness Series

Episode 128 – Becky Robinson – Building Reach for Books