Episode Description

After 10 novels and building Serenade Publishing from the ground up, I'm getting honest about what actually shaped my author career -- the things I got right, the one thing I couldn't find, and why that gap is the reason the Author CEO Mentorship exists.

What we cover:

• Why writing for yourself isn't the same as knowing your reader -- and how to make the shift

• How to make publishing decisions deliberately instead of by default

• Why your newsletter is the most powerful thing you own as an author

• The real limit of learning from podcasts alone -- and what only a thinking partner can give you

• What I'd do exactly the same, and why belief in the work is what holds everything together

If something's been missing in how you're building your author career, this episode will help you name it.

Apply for the Author CEO Private Mentorship: serenadepublishing.com/the-author-ceo

Show Notes

What We Cover

– Why most authors are writing for themselves and calling it a target audience — and the shift that changes everything

– How I made my publishing path decisions deliberately — and what that actually looked like

– Why I started building my reader relationship early and what I’d tell you to do today

– The one thing I couldn’t find when I needed it most — and how it shaped everything I’ve built since

– What a thinking partner actually gives you that a podcast, a course, or a Facebook group never can

– The things I’d do exactly the same — because knowing what to protect matters just as much as knowing what to change

Links Mentioned

– Apply for the Author CEO Private Mentorship: serenadepublishing.com/the-author-ceo

– The Creative Penn Podcast with Joanna Penn: thecreativepenn.com

– Follow Serenade Publishing on Instagram: @serenadepublishing