Breaking Writer's Block

Friends, you don't need confidence to write--you need courage. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Theory will only take you so far. And practicing techniques in small, separate pieces may not be nearly as helpful as just writing the story you really want to be working on. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

How do you deal with writing advice when it seems like everything is contradictory? Let's discuss. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Every author has heard the advice to "Write what you know." But what if instead you decided to do the research to know what you write? Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

I don't like to give many rules to writing, but when it comes to Romance, there's one big rule. Happy Writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

My friends, I want you to take some time today to imagine what your ideal author life will really be like. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Why do you resist writing? Most of the time it boils down to one thing: FEAR. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Scenes and chapters are two different ways to break down a longer chunk of writing. They are similar but definitely not the same! Let's chat about the differences and why it is helpful to draft in scenes without worrying about chapter breaks. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

We all need support, and it can be hard to pursue a writing career if you're not getting the support you need. This episode is all about how to navigate a lack of support. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

It can be hard to find the time to write, especially when you have another job, a family, and other responsibilities. Let's chat about how to write in the little bits of time you can find. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

How do you know when it's time to leave a writing project in the past and move on to something else? Let's breakdown how to decide. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Feeling stuck? Grab a napkin and break through your block. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Sometimes, no matter your best intentions, you miss a scheduled writing session. Let's chat about what to do when it inevitably happens. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Today, I want to talk specifically to those of you who are writing your first book or screenplay. This is my advice for first-time writers. Happy writing! Related Episodes: ⁠#13: Why Do You Resist Writing?⁠ ⁠#40: Why Do You Procrastinate?⁠ ⁠#165: Be a Beginner⁠ Let's Connect: ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Threads⁠ ⁠Email

With so much writing advice out there, it's hard to decide which is best for you. When listening to advice, the most important thing to remember is that it's not universal and there is no one right way to do things. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Starting a new writing project can feel a lot like starting a new relationship: all excitement and adrenaline and giddy love. But what happens when the honeymoon period wears off? Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Your inner editor is not your enemy. You just need to learn how to work with the inner editor instead of against it. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Let's chat about a real simple hack to get your brain to associate writing with pleasure. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Creating consistency in your life is simple as long as you work with your existing habits instead of against them. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

A writing coach can be a great partner to your writing career. Unfortunately, not every who calls themself a coach is a good coach. Here's some red flags to watch for. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Conflict. You may avoid it in your daily life, but your writing needs it. So let's talk about how to write effective conflict. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Huge word count goals and daunting deadlines can make writing harder for a lot of people. So instead, let's set some Good Enough Goals. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

It's spooky season, friends! Let's talk about writing effective horror. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Writing and publishing is not a race. Stop focusing on your perceived competition, and focus on you. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Winning the lottery (or getting that once-in-a-lifetime book deal) would be awesome...but it's not something to stake your future on. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

If your writing isn't paying the bills yet, stop thinking of your bill-paying job as a fallback...it's a support job. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

One of the most powerful tools for creativity is one that is free to everyone: boredom. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Querying can be hard, but you don't need to let it strip your joy of writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Writing does not need to be hard to be worthwhile! Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

There will always be someone willing to tell you that you can't do it. Don't let that someone be you. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

It's time to check in with our writing goals for October and the fourth quarter of 2024! Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

A great plot twist can absolutely make a book...but only when it's executed well. A twist that misses the mark can ruin an otherwise decent book. Today, let's talk about how to write effective twists. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

"You've always got to do something you want to do and not because you think you ought to do it." ~Edgar Wright Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

What do you do if you've been writing and rewriting the beginning of your book but can't get it quite right? The answer to the beginning will likely be found in the end. Happy writing!

What if people think you're wasting your time writing and should be doing something more productive instead? How do you convince yourself what you're doing is worthwhile? Let's discuss. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #36: Your Circle of Support #48: Swing for the Fences #49: Quantity Dictates Quality Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

The word on the publishing street is that vampires, as a subgenre, are dead and nobody wants them. But if we turn to Hollywood, we can see a vampire resurgence over the past few years. Let's chat about what it's like to write in a "dead" genre and the cyclical nature of the industry. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #137: The Sky is Falling! How to Write in a "Dead" Genre #143: It Only Takes One #44: Who Is Your Ideal Reader? Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Turns out my voice wasn't as back as I thought and I'm down sick again today. SIGH. Enjoy this throwback episode of Breaking Writer's Block. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #74: The One Thing Guaranteed to Boost Your Productivity #220: Do You Need a Social Media Platform to Traditionally Publish? #268: Going Viral Isn't the Goal Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

When dealing with your writerly social media, going viral doesn't help move the needle the way you may want it to. It's time to spend less time focusing on trying to make a viral post and more time on nurturing the audience you already have. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #220: Do You Need a Social Media Platform to Traditionally Publish? #74: The One Thing Guaranteed to Boost Your Productivity #75: How to Take Control of Your Social Media Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

I'm back with a voice! In this brand new episode of Breaking Writer's Block, let's chat about discouragement, wanting to give up, and what it means to be a writer. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #175: What's Your Fallback Job? #77: The Danger of Success Stories #65: An Overnight Success Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

One more day being sick, my friends, so one more rerun episodes. Fingers crossed I'll be back up and recording new episodes for you tomorrow. Happy Writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Another day with no voice, friends, so it's another day with a rerun episode. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Y'all, I've lost my voice. So. No new episode today. Instead, enjoy this rerun episode about a topic that's been on my mind for several days. Happy writing! Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

How are the writing memes you're consuming on social media impacting your mindset and ability to write? Let's discuss in this special repeat episode of Breaking Writer's Block. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #26: What Do You Expect? #34: Are You in the Dip? #35: How to Write When You Are Unmotivated Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

"Failure is not an option," is a phrase that gets tossed around a lot, but not only is failure always an option, it's a possibility you shouldn't shy away from. Embrace your failures and use them to get closer to your dreams. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #236: How to Navigate the Doom and Gloom #233: Hidden Perfectionism #10: The One Thing ALL Successful Authors Have in Common Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Let's chat about your writing schedule. I know, this sounds like an incredibly boring topic, but it's also a super important one. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #9: Finding Time to Write...When You Have No Time #17: You Need to Write Every Day...Right? #26: What Do You Expect? Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

One of the most common questions in online writing groups is, "Can I write XYZ in my book?" Let's chat about how, not only can you, but you should. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #71: Trust Your Instincts #102: What You WANT to Write #124: Originality is Overrated Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

Today, I'm sharing some of my favorite writing podcasts with you. Happy listening! ⁠The Author Burnout Cure with Isabel Sterling⁠ ⁠Fiction Writing Made Easy with Savannah Gilbo⁠ ⁠Unpublished with Amie McNee and James Winestock⁠ ⁠Scriptnotes with John August and Craig Mazin⁠ ⁠The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna⁠ ⁠Post Mortem with Mick Garris⁠ ⁠How to Horror with Mick Garris⁠, a three-night course hosted by ⁠Story Summit⁠ Related Episodes: ⁠#246: Let's Talk Craft Books⁠ ⁠#207: The Books I Read on Vacation⁠ ⁠#243: Spooky Season TBR⁠ Let's Connect: ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Threads⁠ ⁠Email⁠

I had an epiphany while playing the 1988 Classic Nintendo video game Friday the 13th, and today I want to share my epiphany with you. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #139: Write Like the Young #130: There Are No Rules #119: Be Unreasonable Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

The current great debate in the writer world on Threads: When writing dialogue, should your tag be Character said or said Character? Let's discuss in today's somewhat ranty episode. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #12: The Problem With Writing Advice #130: There Are No Rules #45: Is the Advice Helpful or Harmful? Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

...when you need to actually write. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #103: Writing Doesn't Always Look Like Writing #14: Is It Time to Take a Nap? #66: Stop Setting Word Count Goals Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email

What do you do when you come to the page to write but all you can think about is all the other things you need to do and all the stresses of your life? Today, I'm sharing a quick exercise to help you work through this. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #215: You're Allowed to Have Fun #193: Intentional Dream Building #160: Just One Thing Let's Connect: Instagram Threads Email