Daniel P Riley: Iron Age Marketing Podcast 024

In today's episode of Iron Age Marketing, I talk to Daniel P Riley, author and literary coach at whimsyland.org.

Let's Meet Iron Age Creator Daniel P Riley

Daniel is a former teacher, an avid lover of written works, and a literary coach at whimsyland.org where he helps other writers realize their dream of publication. Daniel lives in Pennsylvania with his daughter and writes tales of fantasy and science fiction. His favorite authors are Roger Zelazny and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

"Writing is a passion and Daniel writes about the hundreds of wild worlds that reside in his head. Each novel he creates is a doorway into the strange and fantastical lands of his subconscious. Come, stay a while, and listen to his tales."

Whimsyland.org And The Authors Journey

Our interview begins with Daniel laying out exactly what he does at whimsyland.org. Currently, his company handles everything up until the physical production of a book. He does expect to grow into a position to actually publish as well though.

Following up on what whimsyland.org does Daniel gets into his background and how his service is unique in a world with no shortage of companies helping you create your book. One of the biggest differences is his expertise in fiction. While he cut his teeth with "business Twitter," his passion is in helping other science fiction and fantasy authors reach what he has already achieved.

The Joys Of Coaching, Macro Storytelling & Power Creep

Digging deeper into the joys of coaching Nicky P and Daniel share some of their most eye-opening moments with clients. Nicky relays a tale about digging into who the true customer is for a former client of his' business. For Daniel he sees authors getting so lost in their own world that they forget their trying to introduce a stranger to this world.

Nicky draws a parallel to modern television series' and their overuse of macro storytelling in place of the episodic monster-of-the-week fare that initially drew fans to their shows. This leads to a discussion on power creep in storytelling. Both Nicky P and Daniel examine the places where storytellers find ways to take stories to interesting places without needing to escalate the power fantasy.

Marketing Timelines, Character-Driven Marketing & Blue-Collar Writers

While Nicky P stands steadfast that marketing needs to begin months in advance of the release of a project, Daniel gets into some of the struggles Iron Age creators uniquely face in this regard. Nicky P brings up the over-emphasis of writers on story for marketing when the richer connections for potential readers are in the characters. Daniel retorts with the shortened release schedules and blue-collar ethos of Iron Age creators. When creators expect to put in their day's work, it often doesn't include marketing.

Nicky follows up with how focusing on a character-driven marketing campaign can create an ever-evolving and ever-present campaign that requires minor tweaks as new books come out. Maintaining the emotional core of the story with new struggles for the protagonist to build against. Daniel talks about the retooling needed for most Iron Age creators to reach the place where this is possible.

Imposter Syndrome, The Power Of Goal Setting, And Persistent Action

While there are hurdles for Iron Age creatives to overcome, they aren't entirely alone. Nicky P and Daniel get into how important goal setting and setting expectations is to moving past imposter syndrome. Much of Daniels work is helping establish positive reinforcement for his clients. Along with this he also helps to unlock the gems overlooked by being too close to the work.

Digging deeper into the importance of goals, Daniel walks us through his process. He lets us into how he looks at everything as a project. Things don't become books til they are complete. Finishing up, Daniel gives us his own goals to establish how he practices what he preaches.

The Parent Author And What Makes A Successful Creative

Wrapping up the conversation Nicky P and Daniel start out talking about being a parent while trying to chase down your dream of being a writer. Daniel tells his own story of being a young, single father. He's proof positive that if you want to be a writer you can be.

Daniel's final insight is what he finds all his most successful clients have in common. A desire to tell stories seems to be the most important factor in success. The passion to tell a story seems to be enough to propel you past the struggle to your goal.

Hopefully, today's episode with Daniel P Riley serves as both inspiration and education in your own journey to bring your creation to the world.

Daniel P Riley Resources & Extra Media
- https://whimsyland.org
- https://twitter.com/Misterdpriley
- https://www.amazon.com/author/danielpriley

Shill
Need help connecting with your audience for your book, comic, or other creative endeavors? Check out Nicky P @ ironagemarketing.com