James Blatch is a former BBC Defence Reporter, BBFC Film Examiner, and author of military aviation thrillers. His reporting career included coverage from HMS Invincible during the Operation Desert Fox build-up, Kuwait's Ali Al Salem allied air base, the Arctic Circle, and the UK air offensive during the Kosovo Conflict in 1999. James is also the co-founder of the Self Publishing Formula and organizer of the Self Publishing Show Live conference.

In this episode:

• James' journey from BBC reporter to novelist
• How his defense reporting experience influences his writing
• The inspiration behind his first book "Final Flight"
• Using NaNoWriMo to kickstart writing
• The value of working with a book coach
• Understanding the "why" behind your writing
• Plotting techniques and book structure
• Marketing strategies for self-published authors
• Success with German translations
• Organizing and running the Self Publishing Show Live conference
• The importance of networking for authors
• Thoughts on traditional vs self-publishing
• Advice for new authors starting out

Resources mentioned:

• NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)
• Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody
• BookBub for book promotions
• Self Publishing Show Live conference

Book recommendations:

• "Save the Cat! Writes a Novel" by Jessica Brody
• "On Writing" by Stephen King

Connect with James Blatch:

• Website: jamesblatch.com
• Self Publishing Formula: selfpublishingformula.com

Connect with Teddy Smith:

• @teddyagsmith
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