Many authors dream of becoming award-winning authors, but are book awards really worth pursuing?

In this episode of Finish the Damn Book, Susie Schaefer sits down with Carol Abrahamson, founder of Book Award Mastery and former McGraw-Hill executive, to discuss how book awards can help authors build credibility, increase visibility, and create new opportunities long after publication. Carol shares insider insights from decades of experience helping authors navigate the world of book awards, avoid scams, and develop a strategy that supports their long-term goals.

In this episode:

• Are book awards worth the investment?

• How awards support book marketing

• Common myths about book awards

• How to identify legitimate award programs

• Why some authors win more awards than others

• Using awards to build authority and credibility

• The connection between intuition and business decisions

Connect with Carol Abrahamson

Book Award Mastery:
https://bookawardmastery.com/contact/finish

22 Free & Nearly Free Ways to Promote Your Award-Winning Book:
https://bookawardmastery.com/22-ways-award/finish

Watch the Full Episode

https://geni.us/fdb-carol-abrahamson

Reflection Moment

What would change if you stopped thinking of your book as a product. and started thinking of it as a platform?

Finish the Damn Book Podcast helps aspiring authors, entrepreneurs, creatives, and writers finally complete the book they know they’re meant to write.

Hosted by Susie Schaefer, the podcast cuts through perfectionism, writer’s block, overwhelm, and publishing confusion with honest conversations about writing, publishing, book marketing, creativity, and the author journey.

Featuring authors, editors, ghostwriters, publishers, writing coaches, and industry professionals, each episode offers practical strategies to help writers finish, publish, and share meaningful books.

Topics include:
• Writing and revision tips
• Publishing and self-publishing guidance
• Book marketing and platform-building
• Creativity, confidence, and procrastination
• Encouragement for writers stuck in the messy middle

Many episodes close with Susie’s signature “Reflection Moment”, an intuitive conversation exploring creativity, identity, purpose, and the emotional side of becoming an author.

Whether you’re writing memoir, nonfiction, business, or personal development, Finish the Damn Book is here to help you trust your voice and finally bring your story to life.

Ready to move your book forward?
https://www.finishthebookpublishing.com/

Many authors spend years learning how to write, but very few learn how to edit.

In this episode, Susie Schaefer talks with editor and educator Katie Chambers about self-editing, working with professional editors, building a stronger manuscript, and the growing role of AI in publishing.

Katie shares how she transitioned from teaching English to running a successful editing business, why authors often submit manuscripts too early, and what writers can do to improve their books before hiring an editor.

They also discuss:

• Why self-editing matters

• Common mistakes first-time authors make

• Building systems that create creative freedom

• The future of self-publishing

• AI-generated writing and editing

• Why human creativity still matters

Connect with Katie

Website:
https://beaconpointservices.org

Watch the Full Episode
https://geni.us/fdb-katie-chambers

Books:
Self-Editing Essentials for Fiction
Self-Editing Essentials for Nonfiction

Reflection Moment

What would happen if you spent more time revising your manuscript than writing the next chapter?

Finish the Damn Book Podcast helps aspiring authors, entrepreneurs, creatives, and writers finally complete the book they know they’re meant to write.

Hosted by Susie Schaefer, the podcast cuts through perfectionism, writer’s block, overwhelm, and publishing confusion with honest conversations about writing, publishing, book marketing, creativity, and the author journey.

Featuring authors, editors, ghostwriters, publishers, writing coaches, and industry professionals, each episode offers practical strategies to help writers finish, publish, and share meaningful books.

Topics include:
• Writing and revision tips
• Publishing and self-publishing guidance
• Book marketing and platform-building
• Creativity, confidence, and procrastination
• Encouragement for writers stuck in the messy middle

Many episodes close with Susie’s signature “Reflection Moment”, an intuitive conversation exploring creativity, identity, purpose, and the emotional side of becoming an author.

Whether you’re writing memoir, nonfiction, business, or personal development, Finish the Damn Book is here to help you trust your voice and finally bring your story to life.

Ready to move your book forward?
https://www.finishthebookpublishing.com/

What happens when technology becomes so advanced that it can imitate your voice?

In this episode of Finish the Damn Book, Susie Schaefer sits down with David Wolf, founder of Audivita Studios and longtime producer across radio, television, film, podcasts, and audiobooks, to explore one of publishing’s fastest-changing frontiers: audio.

Together they unpack:
• Why audiobooks are no longer optional for many authors
• How podcasting evolved into today’s version of on-demand radio
• The surprising limits of AI-generated voice
• What makes human storytelling impossible to replicate
• How intuition and creativity shape great work
• Why authors should think beyond the manuscript

This conversation moves beyond publishing strategy and into something deeper: connection, voice, trust, and the human experience behind the work.

If you’ve ever wondered whether AI can replace authors, speakers, narrators, or whether your own voice matters more than ever, this episode is for you.

Guest: David Wolf
Audivita Studios
https://audivita.com/

Subscribe and keep writing… so you can finish the damn book.

Finish the Damn Book Podcast helps aspiring authors, entrepreneurs, creatives, and writers finally complete the book they know they’re meant to write.

Hosted by Susie Schaefer, the podcast cuts through perfectionism, writer’s block, overwhelm, and publishing confusion with honest conversations about writing, publishing, book marketing, creativity, and the author journey.

Featuring authors, editors, ghostwriters, publishers, writing coaches, and industry professionals, each episode offers practical strategies to help writers finish, publish, and share meaningful books.

Topics include:
• Writing and revision tips
• Publishing and self-publishing guidance
• Book marketing and platform-building
• Creativity, confidence, and procrastination
• Encouragement for writers stuck in the messy middle

Many episodes close with Susie’s signature “Reflection Moment”, an intuitive conversation exploring creativity, identity, purpose, and the emotional side of becoming an author.

Whether you’re writing memoir, nonfiction, business, or personal development, Finish the Damn Book is here to help you trust your voice and finally bring your story to life.

Ready to move your book forward?
https://www.finishthebookpublishing.com/