SPA Girls Podcast

How to Write a Book Series Readers Binge ft. Helen Scheuerer (Classic Replay EP#559)

Want to write a book series readers binge — and come back to buy again and again? Bestselling YA fantasy author Helen Scheuerer joins the SPA Girls to break down how to design a series that hooks readers, boosts your read-through rate, and sets you up for long-term author income. Whether you’re plotting your first trilogy or wondering if your genre even suits a series, this episode covers the strategy behind binge-worthy fiction. Helen shares the real reasons a series is more lucrative than standalones (hint: you build your audience once), how to use open loops, breadcrumbs, and cliffhangers to pull readers into the next instalment, and why a working series bible will save you serious time and heartache. She also unpacks exit and expansion strategies so a slow-selling — or runaway-hit — series never traps you. 🔁 CLASSIC REPLAY — This episode was originally recorded in 2022 and the series-building advice is just as relevant today. #SelfPublishing #WriteAStory #IndieAuthor 📌 IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 — Introduction & catching up with Helen 03:30 — What actually counts as a “series” (dynamic vs static) 06:00 — Why a series is more lucrative than standalones 10:30 — How many books should a series be? (and why not to lock it in) 14:00 — Literary universes & rewarding long-term readers 19:00 — How Helen plans a brand-new series from scratch 27:00 — Open loops, breadcrumbs & cliffhangers explained 38:00 — Series arc vs individual book arcs 47:00 — Keeping a series bible (and why every genre needs one) 58:00 — Does any genre NOT suit a series? 👤 ABOUT HELEN SCHEUERER: Helen Scheuerer is the bestselling YA fantasy author of The Oremere Chronicles and the Curse of the Cyren Queen quartet, known for strong, flawed female characters and action-packed plots often likened to Sarah J. Maas. She holds a Bachelor of Creative Writing and a Masters of Publishing, and now writes full-time from the mountains of New Zealand. Her non-fiction guide, How to Write a Successful Series, distils everything she’s learned across two bestselling series. 🔗 https://helenscheuerer.com/ 📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED: • How To Write A Successful Series: Writing Strategies For Authors by Helen B. Scheuerer: https://helenscheuerer.com/ • Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes • The One Page Novel outline by Derek Murphy 🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS: 🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com 🎧 Listen on your favourite podcast app — search “SPA Girls Podcast” 💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community! ⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast Subscribe so you never miss an episode! #WritingCommunity #WritingPodcast

Mental Resilience for Indie Authors (EP#558)

Why do the highs and lows of an indie author career always hit when you least expect them? In this episode of the SPA Girls Podcast (EP558), it’s just the four of us — Cheryl, Shar, Wendy, and Trudi — talking openly about mental resilience and how to weather the emotional rollercoaster of self-publishing. We unpack the panic of watching your numbers drop, the comparison trap, and the burnout that can quietly creep up on even seasoned authors. Whether you’re spiraling over a bad sales week or questioning whether your writing matters at all, this episode is a reminder that the dips are part of the journey — and you will come out the other side. We share the real tools we’ve used to climb back up: managing what you can control, setting boundaries with social media, knowing when to fold ’em, and learning to be gentle with yourself. #SelfPublishing #AuthorMindset #IndieAuthor Watch on YouTube 📌 IN THIS EPISODE:• Why you can’t measure your worth against your Amazon ranking• The “money date” approach to checking your numbers without the panic• How comparison and online echo chambers fuel the spiral• Accepting that change is normal (blame the saber-toothed tiger)• Recognising and recovering from burnout• Knowing when to say yes — and when to walk away• Controlling the narrative and asking for help• Remembering your “why” and defining your own version of success 📌 LINKS MENTIONED Heather Hildenbrand https://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep434-top-3-mindset-tips-for-authors-with-heather-hildenbrand/Screen Zen phone app 🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS:🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.spagirlspodcast.com🎧 Listen on your favourite podcast app — search “SPA Girls Podcast”💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community!⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast Subscribe so you never miss an episode! #WritingCommunity #WritingPodcast

Six-Figure Income on One Book a Year: An Indie Author’s Slow-Release Strategy ft. Helen Scheuerer (EP#557 Classic Replay)

🔁 CLASSIC REPLAY — This episode was originally recorded in 2021 and the strategy is just as relevant today. Helen has since gone on to become an internationally bestselling romantasy author with multiple series, proving the long-game approach works. What if you could earn six figures a year writing just ONE book? We sit down with International Bestselling Fantasy author Helen Scheuerer to unpack how she built a six-figure self-publishing career on a single annual release — the opposite of the “rapid release” model most indie authors are told to follow. Helen took her traditional publishing education (Bachelor of Creative Writing, Masters of Publishing) and applied it to her indie career with stunning results. If you’re a slow writer, a perfectionist, or a deep-world fantasy author who can’t churn out four books a year, this episode is for you. We dig into Helen’s launch strategy, her decision to leave traditional publishing behind, and the marketing approach that lets one book a year perform spectacularly. Watch On You Tube 📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED: The Oremere Chronicles trilogy: https://helenscheuerer.com/the-oremere-chronicles/ About Helen Helen Scheuerer is the Sunday Times bestselling author best known for her romantasy series, The Legends of Thezmarr and The Ashes of Thezmarr. Her work has been highly praised for its strong, flawed female characters and its action-packed plots. She also publishes advice for authors with her nonfiction series, Books For Career Authors. Helen’s love of writing and books led her to pursue a creative writing degree and a Masters of Publishing. She has been a full-time author since 2018 and now lives amidst the mountains in New Zealand where she is constantly dreaming up new stories. Find her at: https://helenscheuerer.com/ 🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS: 🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com 🎧 Subscribe to our weekly episodes on your favourite podcast app — search “SPA Girls Podcast” 💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community! ⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

How to Market Audiobooks Wide: Direct Sales, Spotify & Facebook Ads ft. Rebecca Hefner (EP#556)

What if you could make more money selling audiobooks direct than on Amazon and Audible combined? In this episode of the SPA Girls Podcast (EP556), USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Hefner returns for a third time to break down exactly how she’s doing it — and how indie authors can market audiobooks wide, build a direct store that converts, and stop relying on a single retailer. Rebecca walks us through the Facebook ad strategies, Pinterest funnels, newsletter excerpt formula, and bundle pricing that now drive the majority of her author revenue from her own Shopify and Payhip stores. We also dig into the rapidly changing audiobook landscape — Spotify, YouTube audiobooks, Kobo Plus, and why repackaging your existing catalog into box sets is one of the smartest moves you can make right now. Whether you’re brand new to direct selling or already running a wide audiobook strategy, this episode is packed with practical, no-fluff advice from someone testing it all in real time. watch on YouTube 👤 ABOUT REBECCA HEFNER: USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Hefner grew up in Western NC and now calls the Hudson River of NYC home. In her youth, she would sneak into her mother’s bedroom and read the romance novels stashed on the bookshelf, cementing her love of HEAs. A huge Buffy and Star Wars fan, she loves an epic fantasy and a surprise twist (Luke, he IS your father). Before becoming an author, Rebecca had a successful sales career. After launching her own indie publishing company, she is now a full-time author who also helps coach authors especially on publishing Wide strategies and direct selling. Rebecca’s author website is rebeccahefner.com and visit https://indieauthorvault.com for a free listing of curated resources for authors. She is also the admin of the Marketing Audiobooks Wide group on FB (https://www.facebook.com/groups/marketingaudiobookswide) and Buy Direct From Authors (https://buydirectfromauthors.com/) which we highly recommend you join. 📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED: Indie Author Vault: https://indieauthorvault.com Indie Audiobook Deals: https://indieaudiobookdeals.com Buy Direct From Authors: https://buydirectfromauthors.com Wide & Direct Autthor Substack: https://wideauthormarketing.substack.com Book a Consult with Rebecca: https://payhip.com/b/L6XMI 🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS: 🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com 🎧 Listen on your favourite podcast app — search “SPA Girls Podcast” 💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community! ⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast Subscribe so you never miss an episode! #WritingCommunity #WritingPodcast

From Zero to $100K per Month – A Prolific Author’s Business Strategy ft. Elana Johnson (EP#555 Classic Replay)

We loved our first chat with Elana so much that we kept the mics running! In this follow-up episode to #553, Elana dives into the business side of her prolific career — the release strategies she swears by, the advertising that actually moves the needle, and the mindset it took to reach her first $100K month. True to form, she’s just as honest about the mistakes as the wins. If EP553 was about how she writes, this one’s about how she earns. #SelfPublishing #WritingProductivity #IndieAuthor About Elana Johnson USA Today Bestselling Author, Top 10 Kindle Unlimited All-Star Author, and #1 Bestselling Author on Nook and Apple Books, Author Elana Johnson writes clean and wholesome contemporary romance, usually set on the beach or within the vicinity of the beach. Unfortunately, she lives in a landlocked state and must travel to the beach to get her fix, which her husband gladly accompanies her to do a few times each year. She also writes contemporary Christian cowboy romance as Liz Isaacson and sweet romantic women’s fiction as Jessie Newton, and all of her books are part of the Feel-Good Fiction Books brand. 🔗 authorelanajohnson.com 🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS: 🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com 🎧 Subscribe to our weekly episodes on your favourite podcast app — search “SPA Girls Podcast” 💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community! ⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast #SelfPublishing #romancewriter #writingpodcast #writingcommunity