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The Bestseller Experiment

Join author and screenwriter Mark Stay with coach and entrepreneur Mark Desvaux, as they discover the secrets to writing a bestseller and challenge themselves and you to write, market and self-published a bestselling book in just one year. Each week, they are guided by and interview million-selling, chart-topping authors, publishers on the inside, editors, agents, social media specialists, and many more big names who play a part in the bestseller process. From the writing to marketing, plotting to publishing, learn the secrets to help you write your way to the top of the charts.
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Now displaying: 2017
Dec 29, 2017

Here are some clips of what is happening over on the Deep Dive at Patreon.com/bestsellerexpiment

Dec 29, 2017

A Happy New Year to all our listeners! In today’s special episode we conclude our thrilling countdown of our top 10 best episodes as voted for by you with our favourite clips from those shows! Who will come top? Listen now..

In this episode you will discover...

- What really scares one of our horror author guests

- How to cope with the infamous kitchen scene trap

- What does one of our guests consider to be “bollocks advice”?

- And what effect has Ben Aaronovitch’s rant had on the two Marks’ writing…?

 To hear more of this episode in our deep dive, check out patreon.com/bestsellerexperiment
Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Dec 22, 2017

Merry Christmas to all our listeners! In today’s special episode we begin our countdown of our top 10 best episodes as voted for by you with our favourite clips from those shows! We start with, er… number 12… Course we do.

In this episode you will discover...

  • The most important lessons we’ve learned from our guests
  • Which author we were most nervous about interviewing
  • How Donald Trump was key to our success
  • The names of those on Santa’s “Nice” list

 To hear more of this episode in our deep dive, check out patreon.com/bestsellerexperiment
Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Dec 15, 2017

Mike Carey writes comics, novels and screenplays like Hellblazer, Lucifer, X-Men, the Felix Castor novels, and The Girl With All the Gifts. He’s also written novels with his wife Linda and daughter Louise. Linda joined Mike for this amazing chat about story writing in all its forms.

In this episode you will discover...

- How comics can help you structure a story, and the key differences between comics, novels and screenplays

- How co-writers can find a single voice with harmony and negotiation

- How your short story can evolve into a full-length novel

- How sequels can evolve from the negative space of the first story

 

To hear more of this episode in our deep dive, check out patreon.com/bestsellerexperiment
Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality
Dec 11, 2017

The Two Marks answer your questions in this recording of our first Patreon subscribers’ live show.

 

To hear more of this episode in our deep dive, check out patreon.com/bestsellerexperiment
Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Dec 3, 2017

Tad Williams is a master of the fantasy genre. Not only an incredible world builder, but he populates his books with memorable and beloved characters. He’s returned to the world of Memory, Sorrow & Thorn with his latest book The Witchwood Crown and we were delighted to speak to him about returning to the past and horizontality…

To hear more of this episode in our deep dive, check out patreon.com/bestsellerexperiment
Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Nov 26, 2017

We hitch a ride with Victoria Aveyard, the bestselling author of the Red Queen series, and we talk unreliable narrators, copy edits and building characters.

To hear more of this episode in our deep dive, check out https://patreon.com/bestsellerexperiment

Our novel Back To Reality is out now https://bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Nov 19, 2017

On the day the Two Marks land a big feature in Publisher's Weekly, they talk with top publicists Elaine Egan, Lauren Woosey and Virginia Woolstencroft about interview tips, creating a buzz around your book, how to recognise the hook of a good publicity story, what makes a great pitch, and we discover the dos and don’ts of a great press release.

http://www.bestsellerexperiment.com

Nov 10, 2017

Bestselling author and friend of the show Shannon Mayer joins Mark Desvaux in the final part of the launch day event for the two Marks’ novel Back to Reality.

Check out bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Nov 1, 2017

The sky over London turns red as the two Marks recall the third part of their launch day event for their novel Back to Reality.

Check out bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 27, 2017

It’s High Noon as the two Marks recall the second part of their launch day event for their novel Back to Reality.


Check out bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 23, 2017

Relive the magic of launch day as the Two Marks attempt to hit the bestseller charts with their novel Back to Reality. Will it be a car crash or chart crash? Buy your copy at bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

 

Oct 23, 2017

Relive the magic of launch day as the Two Marks attempts to hit the bestseller charts with their novel Back to Reality. Will it be a car crash or chart crash? Buy your copy at bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

 

Oct 16, 2017

It's Launch Day! After a year of podcasting and writing our book, Back to Reality is finally available to buy on Kindle for a special launch day price.
Buy your copy at bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 15, 2017

In the seventh of our daily mini-episodes in the run-up to publication we thought you might like a little taster of an early scene from our novel Back to Reality, out Monday 16th October 2017!

Check out bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 13, 2017

In the sixth of our daily mini-episodes in the run-up to publication of Back to Reality, The Two Marks look back at some of their favourite moments over the last year of the podcast.
Check out bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 13, 2017

How do you harness the power of social media in your book launch? Find out in the fifth mini-episode, as we
prepare for the launch of our novel Back to Reality (bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality)

Oct 11, 2017

In the fourth of our daily mini-episodes in the run-up to publication we look at the importance of reviews and how you get readers to spread the word.

Check out bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 10, 2017

In the third of our daily mini-episodes in the run-up to publication we look at Beta readers and reviews and how to cope with feedback.

Check out bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 10, 2017

How do you get pull quotes from other authors for your book?

Find out in the second of our daily mini-episodes in the run-up to the release of Back to Reality - bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 8, 2017

Holy cow, there’s only seven days left until we publish our book!

This is the first of eight daily mini-episodes looking at different aspects of the book, the podcast and the long road to publication.

Today: we read out our blurb.

Check out bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 1, 2017

Only two weeks to go till the publication of our book Back To Reality, and we seek the advice of the amazing Joanna Penn, NY Times bestselling author, public speaker and podcaster…
In this episode you will discover:
 
- The value of content marketing and how to make it work for you
- When is it the right time to promote your book?
- And why you should never just sign a contract!
- The power of social proof and why there has never been a better time to be an author


Get your free ebook with advice and tips from million-selling authors at: http://www.bestsellerexperiment.com

Sep 22, 2017

Only three weeks to go till publication, but we somehow found time to talk to the wonderful folk from Gollancz about GollanczFest and we find our show gatecrashed by an old friend.

In this episode you will discover:
 
- Why you should be going to writers’ festivals and what to expect
- Some tips on writing novellas and keeping track of an expanding universe
- How to host an online launch party for your book
- And we delve into the world of YouTube, BookTube and Readathons

Get your free ebook with advice and tips from million-selling authors at: http://www.bestsellerexperiment.com 

Sep 17, 2017

Holy cow! Only four weeks till publication? Already?? What do we do? What do we do? How did it come round so soon? Yes, the two Marks discuss their impending deadline and their pre-publication marketing strategy with their usual calm, professional manner… and they finally reveal the title of their novel!

In this episode you will discover:
 
- Strategies for choosing a title
- The process of choosing and working with a cover designer
- How to create a publication plan
- And how you can get quotes and blurbs from beta readers and other authors

Get your free ebook with advice and tips from million-selling authors at: http://www.bestsellerexperiment.com

Sep 8, 2017

Samantha King is a bestselling debut novelist, and her book The Choice taps into parental fears. Sam has also worked in publishing and has a unique perspective on the process of writing, editing, publishing and promoting a bestseller…

In this episode you will discover:
 
- How you can discover your story’s true intent through rewrites
- The subject you should study to become a better writer (and it isn’t creative writing!)
- How to cope with those first reader reviews.
- How you can build compelling characters.

Get your free ebook with advice and tips from million-selling authors at: http://www.bestsellerexperiment.com

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