Writing The Other And Self-Publishing in South Africa With Ashling McCarthy

The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

Joanna Penn

Self-improvement, Arts, Books, Entrepreneurship, Business, Education

4.8 • 745 Ratings

🗓️ 2 December 2024

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

How can we write from the perspective of others while still respecting different cultures? How can a children's book author make money from bulk sales? How is self-publishing in South Africa different? With Ashling McCarthy.

In the intro, Spotify for Authors and Katie Cross on self-narration and email marketing; How do I know when to leave my publisher? [Katy Loftus]; and Claude Styles.

Today’s show is sponsored by FindawayVoices by Spotify, the platform for independent authors who want to unlock the world’s largest audiobook platforms. Take your audiobook everywhere to earn everywhere with Findaway Voices by Spotify. Go to findawayvoices.com/penn to publish your next audiobook project.

This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn

Ashling McCarthy is a South African author and artist, as well as an anthropologist, graphic designer, and non-profit founder. Her latest book is Down at Jika Jika Tavern, in The Poacher's Moon Crime Series.

You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below.

Show Notes

* How Ashling's background in anthropology helps in writing books

* How research can help us write from other perspectives

* The importance of empathy when writing “the other”

* Debunking South African stereotypes and tips for visitors

* The book ecosystem in South Africa

* Difficulties of selling direct in different countries

* Marketing your book to schools and creating teaching opportunities

Find out more about Ashling at AshlingMcCarthy.co.za.

Transcript of Interview with Ashling McCarthy

Joanna: Ashling McCarthy is a South African author and artist, as well as an anthropologist, graphic designer, and non-profit founder. Her latest book is Down at Jika Jika Tavern, in The Poacher's Moon Crime Series. So welcome to the show, Ashling.

Ashling: Hi, Joanna. Thanks so much. I'm really looking forward to it.

Joanna: Yes, great. So first up—

Tell us a bit more about you and how you got into writing and publishing.

Ashling: Well, writing and publishing has come quite late to me. It wasn't something that I'd ever actually intended on doing. I started off as a graphic designer in South Africa and did a bit of work in the UK, then came home when I was completely homesick.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Creative Pen podcast. I'm Joanna Penn, thriller author and creative entrepreneur,
0:08.0	bringing you interviews, inspiration and information on writing craft and creative business.
0:14.7	You can find the episode show notes, your free author blueprint, and lots more at thecreativepen.com.
0:22.5	And that's Penn with a double N.
0:25.0	And here's the show.
0:26.7	Hello, creatives.
0:27.8	I'm Joanna Penn, and this is episode number 783 of the podcast, and it is Friday the 29th of November,
0:35.2	2024 as I record this.
0:41.0	In today's show, I'm talking about writing the other and self-publishing in South Africa with Ashling McCarthy, who has a gorgeous accent
0:47.7	and I really love the South African accent. And it's always interesting to learn how things
0:52.5	are for authors in other countries and also
0:55.5	consider other perspectives in our writing. So that's coming up in the interview section.
1:04.2	In writing and publishing things, Spotify has launched a new portal and landing page,
1:13.0	Authors.spotify.com.
1:18.2	Now, it's not currently available to everyone, the portal side of it, the web page is there.
1:23.4	I don't have access yet, but hopefully they'll be rolling it out to findaway voices authors soon enough.
1:26.3	And of course, Spotify own findaway voices.
1:33.7	It says, you can grow your audience, personalise your presence with a bio and social links and an author profile.
1:40.4	You can use redemption codes to promote your work and you'll be able to see aggregated demographic data,
1:45.3	which is probably what we already see in the Findaway Voices report, which you can download every week on your findaway voices side of things. They're also starting to put out
1:51.1	more content on the associated blog on that page, authors.spotify.com. And there's an interview
1:58.3	with a lovely Katie Cross, who has been on the show talking about
	...

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