Kobo Writing Life

Thanks for listening!

This week on the podcast, historical fiction author Sarah Elizabeth Sawyer shares how dictation transformed her writing process and helped her build a sustainable career as an indie author.

Listen here: https://pod.link/672421253

#Kobo #WritingCommunity

Thank you!! Excited to be part of the Bluesky community 🥰

So little, filled with hope, and obsessed with books.

We won’t sugar-coat it: Rejection sucks. Putting yourself out there on paper, only to have someone say “eh, it’s not for me”? No one likes that. But author Marie Hoy-Kenny has some great advice on how to use negative feedback to improve your writing. Read more on our blog: https://bit.ly/46taikh

For this Kobo Re-Writing Life podcast, we spoke with John Gaspard, author of The Popcorn Principles: A Novelist’s Guide to Learning from the Movies

https://pod.link/672421253

Welcome to a special episode of the KWL podcast, where we hear from three of Kobo’s own bookselling experts! Deandra, Tiana, and familiar face (and voice) of the podcast, Rachel, are all booksellers with years of experience in the field at Kobo and beyond.

https://pod.link/672421253

Want to make more money with your writing this year?

The 2025 Indie Author Survey (1,300+ authors worldwide) shows clear habits among top earners:

📚 Write genres that pay (romance leads the pack)
📈 Build a strong backlist. More books = more income
🎨 Invest in professional covers

#kwl #kobo

On this episode of the Kobo Re-Writing Life podcast, we revisit our conversation with Jackie Lau! We spoke to Jackie about her writing process, what it’s like to be a hybrid author and the differences between traditional and indie publishing, and so much more: https://pod.link/672421253

#kwl

Do you have an author website—and is it doing what you want?

• Use creative design to reflect your books and vibe.
• Add newsletter sign-ups or giveaways.
• Include clear links to buy your books.
• Share updates in a simple blog.
• Add fun extras like bonus chapters, polls, or pet pics ✨

#kwl

The 12th annual Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize is now open for submissions. The award showcases Canadian debut authors, with a prize of $20,000 CAD plus marketing support for winning books.

Rules and registration here: https://koboemergingwriterprize.typeform.com/to/rdzSfAce

#kobo #ewp

You don’t build an online community of hundreds of romance writers without forging some unbreakable bonds—and learning a thing or two about writing books. Remember:

"Writing and publishing builds community. It’s not a competition.”

#kobowritinglife #kwl #kobo #authorservices #indieauthors

This week on the podcast, we’re joined by thriller author Rachel Amphlett to talk long-term writing careers, treating publishing like a business, and what it really takes to sustain a 15-book series.

https://pod.link/672421253

#kwl #kobo #kobowritinglife

The Bends – A Science Fiction Short Story by Nina Chyll – Reedsy Prompts _October 10, 1045 Earth EST, 1920.2 Europa LST_Dear Bob, this is going be so bizarre for you to read, but I am 35 now, have rewritten this LSM at l…

Congratulations to the KWL/Reedsy prompt winner Nina Chyll with their story 'The Bends.'

“Words cannot describe the otherworldliness of this view. Somehow, if I put my hand over it, I can convince myself I am still on Earth.”

Read it here: https://reedsy.com/short-story/jw9w17/

Happy Library Shelfie day! A day for readers and authors to share their favourite books and library shelves with the world. Let us know which KWL books of yours are available on Overdrive 💕

#kobo #libraries #kwl #kobowritinglife

Hi writers! We are currently experiencing issues with our "writinglife@kobo.com" email address. You can reach us by using the "submit request" button on our Help Centre, or you can email us at writinglife@kobosupport.com

Tips for writing a successful series:
• Characters are the heart of a series
• Study what character types readers love in your genre
• Shared worlds make for easy series
• Be clear about pacing & release timelines
• Build trust with consistency
• Novellas & extras keep readers engaged between books

This week on the podcast, we are joined by bestselling author of steamy sports romance novels, Lainey Davis! Join us to chat about indie publishing, sports romance, and our shared love of Heated Rivalry!

https://pod.link/672421253

#kobowritinglife #kwl #kobopodcast #sportsromance #heatedrivalry

Have you heard of LitRPG? It blends gaming and storytelling—stats, magic systems, level-ups, and characters who know they’re in a game.

⚔️ Love the genre
🧙 Join the community
📖 Protect your narrative voice
📊 Respect the stats

Ready to roll the dice? 🎲

Congratulations to all the winners 🥰

Once more, we'd like to thank everyone who participated in the cover contest this year, from the authors who submitted their covers to all those who voted for their favourite cover. We're already looking forward to next year's cover contest!

In this episode of the Kobo Re-Writing Life podcast, Kate Tilton joined us to discuss figuring out your goals as an indie author and what practices to implement in order to reach them.

https://pod.link/672421253

#kobowritinglife #kwlpodcast

Hi writers!
We’re collaborating with @reedsy.bsky.social this week for their short story writing competition! Check it out and enter here: https://reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/contests/337?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=kobo

Sports romance is one of our all-time favourite genres (yes, we’re looking at you, Ilya Rozanov).

Here’s advice worth bookmarking: write the sport you know, make your characters flawed and human, do the research anyway (fans notice 👀), and find your writing cheerleaders.

#writing #sportsromance

To give us an idea of books available on Kobo & Kobo Plus, I'd like to do a Kobo Books Thread🧵

So authors drop your;
Genre & book or series description
Kobo link & graphic
Let us know if your book's also in Kobo Plus!

🌈📚🪐📚💙

LOVE this! Thank you for sharing 💕

Most new novelists don’t fail from lack of talent—they don’t start. You find your way by doing. Writing is hard because it’s vulnerable. The cure is simple: butt in chair, hands on keyboard. Leave things unfinished. Start again tomorrow.

#kobowritinglife #indieauthors

We at Kobo Writing Life wish you the very best in the New Year, and we look forward to all the amazing work, goals, and writing you’ll achieve in 2026!

#kobowritinglife #kwl #kobo #newyears

Planning your 2026 writing goals? Here are a few ideas to get you started:

✔️ Finish (or start!) a new book
✔️ Publish consistently throughout the year
✔️ Grow your readership and email list
✔️ Experiment with pricing or promotions
✔️ Try a new genre or series

#kobowritinglife #kwl #newyears #kobo

A new year is the perfect time to turn the page and become the writer you’ve always imagined.
It’s never been easier to publish, indie authors control their creative future, and readers care about great stories—not how they’re published.

New year. New you. New story. Go write. ✍️📚

Two grinch memes this week. I can't be stopped 🤷‍♀️