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
TikTok
Blog
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
Episode 44 - Celebrating One Year Of The Make Meaning Podcast!
Episode 43 - Rising Above With Natasha Guynes
Episode 42 – Building Detroit with April Jones Boyle
Episode 41 – Making Meaning from Loss with Marianne Simon
Episode 40 – The Message Matters with Lynne Golodner
Episode 39 - Rabbis Who Rock
Episode 38 – Cities and Communities with Andrew Stein
Episode 37 – A True Education with Lynne Golodner
Episode 36 – Teens and Food with Jen Rusciano
Episode 35 – Purposeful Third Spaces
Episode 34 – Building True Health
Episode 33 – Transcending Transactions
Episode 32 – A Poet's Legacy
Episode 31 – Art from the Heart
Episode 30 – The Power of Culture
Episode 29 – Brilliant Detroit with Cindy Eggleton
Episode 28 – Greening of Detroit
Episode 27 – Advancing Justice
Episode 26 – Profit + Well-Being
Episode 25 – Perfect PR Moments
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Lit Society: Books and Drama
Ex Libris
Write The Book: Conversations on Craft
The Art of War
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Fresh Air
Myths and Legends