A WORDSLINGER PODCAST

What does it actually take to build a bestselling author career—and turn writing into a sustainable business?

In this episode of the Wordslinger Podcast, I sit down with New York Times bestselling author J.D. Barker to talk about the business behind the books. J.D. has worked with James Patterson, built a career spanning traditional and independent publishing, developed an unusual partnership with Simon & Schuster, co-authored numerous books, and had multiple projects optioned for film and television.

We get into the realities of traditional versus indie publishing, why J.D. believes writers need to think like business owners, what James Patterson has taught him about building a scalable author career, how Hollywood book options really work, and why branding matters far more than many authors realize.

J.D. also shares his strategy for producing as many as 10–12 books per year through co-authoring, how he has streamlined his publishing operation to support that output, and the quality he believes matters most if you want to build a long-term writing career: tenacity.

If you're a writer, author, creator, or creative entrepreneur trying to build a career around your work instead of simply publishing one book at a time, there's a lot to learn from this conversation.

J.D.'s newest novel, The First Scarlet Door, releases September 22.

Subscribe to the channel for practical, experience-driven guidance on writing, publishing, marketing, creativity, and building a career as an author. If you're serious about your writing and publishing journey, this is the place to be.

TIMECODES:

00:00 Welcome to the Wordslinger Podcast
03:51 J.D. Barker joins the show
06:02 Sylvester Stallone and The Fourth Monkey
08:33 How Hollywood book options actually work
11:34 Can authors make money from options alone?
14:09 The First Scarlet Door
15:55 J.D.'s journey from indie to traditional publishing
18:38 Building a new publishing model with Simon & Schuster
20:35 Is traditional publishing changing?
22:14 Should new writers pursue traditional publishing first?
23:43 The danger of publishing a book before it's ready
24:39 Why authors must treat writing like a business
26:22 Building an author career over time
28:14 What publishing can learn from other industries
29:12 Why author branding matters
32:03 J.D.'s co-authoring strategy
33:14 Scaling to 10–12 books per year
35:44 What James Patterson taught J.D. Barker
36:55 The real secret to J.D.'s success

Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com

GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS

FIND KEVIN:

Find Kevin and his books: https://kevintumlinson.com

Join Kevin on Substack: https://kevintumlinson.substack.com

Wordslinger Podcast home page: https://wordslingerpodcast.com

SERVICES FOR AUTHORS:

Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWriting Aid: https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5

Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital: https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger

Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books (and more!) at AuthorAnchor: https://authoranchor.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOT

What if the secret to original writing is to stop trying so hard to be original?

Writers and creators often feel pressure to make everything completely unique—from book covers and story ideas to marketing and branding. But readers don’t necessarily want something they’ve never seen before. They’re often looking for something familiar enough to recognize, but different enough to feel fresh.

In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, Kevin explores the idea of being “original within constraints”—using genre expectations, familiar storytelling structures, and creative boundaries as a framework for doing something uniquely your own.

You’ll learn why making your book look too different from others in its genre can actually hurt its chances, why “same but different” is such a powerful principle for writers, and how creative constraints can lead to some of your most original work.

If you’re a writer, creator, or creative entrepreneur trying to stand out without confusing or alienating your audience, this episode is for you.

What constraints have actually made you more creative? Tell me in the comments.

Subscribe to Wordslinger for practical, experience-driven guidance on writing, publishing, creativity, marketing, and building a sustainable career as a writer.

Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com

GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS

TIMECODES:

00:00 Stop trying to be original
00:43 The problem with chasing originality
01:24 Why book covers shouldn’t be too different
02:13 Readers want “same but different”
03:13 Originality within constraints
03:49 Using genre expectations creatively
05:02 Experimenting inside the boundaries of genre
05:58 Science fiction, fantasy, and The Worthing Saga
08:00 What expectations are you trying to meet?
08:48 How constraints create originality
09:28 Why boundaries can make you more creative

FIND KEVIN:

Find Kevin and his books:
https://kevintumlinson.com

Join Kevin on Substack:
https://kevintumlinson.substack.com

Wordslinger Podcast home page:
https://wordslingerpodcast.com

SERVICES FOR AUTHORS:

Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWriting Aid:
https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5

Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital:
https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger

Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books (and more!) at AuthorAnchor:
https://authoranchor.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOT

You don’t need an agent, a publisher, an editor, or anyone else to give you permission to be a writer.

For years, I waited for someone else to tell me it was okay to take writing seriously. I chased opportunities, worked jobs, paid bills, and kept telling myself that someday I’d finally have enough time to write.

But someday doesn’t show up on its own.

In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, we’re talking about what it really means to give yourself permission to write, why so many aspiring authors get stuck waiting for validation, and the difference between wanting to be a writer and simply liking the idea of having written a book.

We’ll also talk about making writing part of your actual life, Stephen King’s “open-door” approach to writing, why indie publishing has changed who gets to call themselves an author, and why the story that keeps nagging at you may be yours to tell.

If you’ve been waiting for someone to tell you that you’re allowed to write the book, consider this your permission.

Now go do the work.

Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com

GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS

TIMECODES:

00:00 You don’t need permission to be a writer
00:51 Waiting for someone to validate your writing
01:37 Why “I’ll write someday” doesn’t work
02:22 Stephen King’s open-door approach to writing
03:02 You don’t need an agent or publisher’s blessing
03:28 What indie publishing changed for writers
04:17 Do you want to write—or just have written?
05:30 Why some stories won’t leave you alone
06:44 Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic and where ideas come from
07:41 What happens when you don’t pursue an idea
08:31 AI, authorship, and actually doing the creative work
09:11 Your official permission to write
09:34 Discipline, habits, and making consistent progress
10:16 What keeps you writing?

If you’re a writer, aspiring author, indie publisher, or creative entrepreneur trying to build a sustainable creative life, subscribe to Wordslinger. This channel is here to give you practical, experience-tested guidance on writing better books, publishing intelligently, building your author career, and doing the work that moves you forward.

FIND KEVIN:

Find Kevin and his books: https://kevintumlinson.com

Join Kevin on Substack: https://kevintumlinson.substack.com

Wordslinger Podcast home page: https://wordslingerpodcast.com

SERVICES FOR AUTHORS:

Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid: https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5

Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital: https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger

Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books and more at AuthorAnchor: https://authoranchor.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.