The Write Approach

In the final episode of The Write Approach, Barbara Hinske and J. W. Judge talk about what they've learned over the previous 74 episodes and what is next for each of them.

For the last several years, Angela Redden has been the owner of Reading Rock Books in Dickson, Tennessee. In that time, she has had lots of experiences with authors peddling their books to her. As it concerns indie authors, more of those experiences have been bad than good. In Episode 74 of The Write Approach, there are some hard truths about the business of bookselling and information that will help authors when they consider approaching booksellers about selling their books.Reading Rock Books' website: https://readingrockbookstn.com/ Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com

As a lifelong selective rule follower, J. W. Judge was overjoyed to come across an article written by Randall Silvis about writing rules that beg to be broken. In Episode 73, we discuss "rules" about writing that function more as guidelines and should only be considered if they work for you. We also talk about Silvis' writing path that in which he has traditionally published his fiction and is now indie publishing his non-fiction works.Randall Silvis' website: https://www.randallsilvis.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com

In Episode 72, Jeanne Blasberg talks about how farming helps fill her creative well. She also discusses her trilogy of novels that are modern retellings of biblical stories, capturing their themes while putting them in a modern context. Jeanne Blasberg's website: https://jeanneblasberg.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com

In her return episode, Tiffany Yates Martin talks with us about finding joy and satisfaction in the writing and creative processes. You are going to encounter plenty of obstacles along the way, both internal and external. You can't control the outcome of what happens to your work once you release into the world. But if you can be determined to find satisfaction in the process of creating, you spark will remain steadfast.You can also hear Tiffany Yates Martin in Episode 36 about writing effective dialogue.Tiffany Yates Martin's website: https://foxprinteditorial.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com

Whether you sketch out your characters and know everything about them before you begin writing or learn about your characters as you write, it's important that they be compelling and individualistic. Prolific crime writer Vicki Delany joins us for Episode 70 to discuss things we can do to ensure that the casts of characters with tell our stories through are interesting and help us achieve our story goals.Vicki Delany's website: http://vickidelany.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com

 We all carry with us the wounds and trauma and scars that are, along with the good things we've experienced, integral to the people we've become. The same is true for your characters. While their story begins with the first words you put on the page, their backstory precedes your novel . Janet S. Fox joins us to talk about how to use your characters' backstories to develop and shape them into the person your readers experience. Janet S. Fox's website: https://janetsfox.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com

You work really hard to make sure you suspense and mystery novels have enough twists and turns to keep your reader guessing about how things will turn out. Samantha Skal joins us this week to talk about things you need to do to make sure you have twists that work, and don't fall into traps.Samantha Skal's website: https://www.samanthaskal.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com

Kyla Zhao wrote her debut novel, The Fraud Squad (link), with no expectations and no pressure. But as it came out with media attention and fanfare, she was writing her second novel in the midst of promoting the first and had to learn to juggle the dueling responsibilities of introducing one novel to the world while writing the next, Valley Verified (link).Kyla also talks about how the pandemic lockdown in 2020 directly resulted in her authoring her first book, and how she manages her author career alongside a burgeoning job in the tech industry.Kyla Zhao's website: https://kylazhao.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com

For Episode 66, intellectual property lawyer Jodé Millman joins us to talk about what legal right we have for the written works we create. She helps distinguish between copyright and trademark laws, and what kinds of works fall under each category. She also takes about steps you can take to protect your work.Jodé Millman's website: https://jodemillman.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com/

Lynne Golodner is a Jewish woman telling Jewish stories. She focuses her marketing efforts and community building on reaching Jewish readers. She is not excluding anyone, but she knows who her core audience is. She knows who will most closely identify with the books she is writing. And she is using her energy and efforts to draw in the people most likely to support her work. Lynne Golodner's website: https://lynnegolodner.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com/

Author Yasmin Angoe joins us for an inspiring conversation about perseverance and purpose. J. W. Judge's high school football coach referred to perseverance as stick-to-it-tiveness, a quality that all writers need to cultivate. Of equal (or possibly greater) importance is knowing why you are endeavoring to do your creative work. Listen to this refreshing conversation, and walk away with encouragement to keep carrying on with your creative work. Yasmin Angoe's website: https://yasminangoe.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com/

 For Episode 63, Kimberly G. Giarratano joins us to talk about writing mystery novels in a four-act structure. Giarratano gives insights into using Scrivener to set up your story templates and even gives ideas to panters/non-plotters/discovery writers about applying structure after drafting to make sure your novel has the appropriate pacing and hits the right plot points.  Kimberly G. Giarratano's website: https://www.kimberlyggiarratano.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.comJ. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com/

Dreams don't have to be the strange things that live at the outer rim of your consciousness after you wake up in the mornings. You can use them to inspire you, to guide your writing, and to help you answer questions. Tzivia Gover joins us with practical ideas for incorporating dreams into your writing process and implementing methods that will enable you to capture and utilize your dreams. Tzivia Gover's website: https://thirdhousemoon.com/ Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com/

In Episode 61, Christopher Hoffman joins J. W. Judge and Barbara Hinske to discuss methods of researching literary agents to find those who represent authors in your genre and who you may want to query. The group also talks about the business decisions that go into query selections and whether to accept an offer of representation if one finds its way to your inbox.Christopher Hoffman's website: https://copywriteconsultants.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com/

Great scenes are the foundation upon which modern novels are built. In Episode 60, we talk with Margaret Lucke about writing compelling scenes and avoiding unnecessary exposition or explanation. Margaret Lucke's website: https://www.margaretlucke.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com/

We talk a lot on this podcast about maintaining reader interest. One of the keys to doing that is setting the right stakes for your novel. Susanne Dunlap joins us for Episode 59 to discuss how to set and maintain tension in our novels to keep the reader engaged and drive the story forward.You can read more of Dunlap's perspective on this topic in her article "How High Stakes Keep Readers (and Viewers) Invested," which is where we first encountered her work.Susanne Dunlap's website: https://www.susanne-dunlap.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com

Writing is hard. Writing humor is even more so. In Episode 58, Joni B. Cole visits to give us tips for writing humor more effectively and with more consistency. It's important to note that you don't have to be a "humor writer" to have funny lines, scenes, or characters. Humor is an intrinsic part of the human experience. For writing of any ilk to feel authentic to our humanity, humor is a natural component.You can also check out Joni B. Cole's article, "Find the Funny: 8 Tips on Writing Humor".Joni B. Cole's website: https://www.jonibcole.com/ Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com/

Sometimes podcast episodes choose us. As J. W. Judge was scrolling through Threads, he came across a statement by author Kyra Davis that was simultaneously honest and encouraging and disconcerting: "I've been relatively successful as an author. “Relatively” because I've occasionally struck gold but it has frequently been a struggle. I've made the NYT list, there have been yrs when my royalties have been 150-350k, & yrs when they've been 10-20k. There have been times when my publishers have literally toasted me with champagne & others when they've declined to give me a new contract.The lowest advance I've ever accepted ended up being for my highest grossing book. The publishing industry is rife with uncertainty, but uncertainty is the price we pay for possibility.So to my fellow authors, struggling, successful or in between the two, hang in there with me. As long as you keep writing your possibilities are boundless."This episode of The Write Approach, which touches on humor and hope and hard times was born out of that social media post. Kyra Davis' website: https://kyradavis.com/ Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com/

The Write Approach returns in 2024 with more practical discussions for authors. We start with interviewing Deborah Williams about making your story relatable to readers. You protagonist is likely going to bring different experiences to the table than your readers have ever experienced. Still, it is imperative that the reader is able to make an emotional connection with the protagonist, which you achieve through relatability. In Episode 56, Deborah Williams gets into the weeds about things authors can do to achieve that. It's also important to note that being relatable is not the same as being likable.We first encountered Deborah Williams by reading her article, What It Means to Make Your Story Relatable.Deborah Williams' website: https://mannahattamamma.net/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com/

 In Episode 55, Barbara Hinske and J. W. Judge talk about their works in progress. After waffling between three different ideas, Judge made a business decision for writing his sixth novel. Hinske is taking on the issues discrimination and solitude that affect the visually impaired in her fifth Guiding Emily novel. They also talk about using foreshadowing to delight readers.  Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com/

 In Episode 54, editor, author, and podcaster Erin P.T. Canning joins us for a practical and implementable topic -- strengthening your sentences. Canning shares seven ideas for ensuring that your writing has more dynamic sentences that will better engage readers and drive your story forward with more vivid language. Erin P.T. Canning's website: https://erinptcanning.com/Erin's podcast, Parents Who Write: https://parentswhowrite.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com/

There's a lot the opening pages of your novel need to accomplish so readers are completely engaged and to ensure you hit the benchmarks readers are subconsciously expecting. Susan DeFreitas share some practical advice for making sure you are starting your novel in the right place and what elements of story you need to establish to keep the reader to pages and not putting your book in the DNF pile.Susan DeFreitas is another in a growing line of Jane Freidman alums (along with Tiffany Yates Martin and Allison K Williams); check out her article, How Can You Tell If You're Starting Your Story in the Right Place?, which served as the base for our conversation.Susan DeFreitas' website: https://susandefreitas.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com/

In Episode 52, author Angie Elita Newell joins us to talk about her experience as an indigenous person trying to bring her novel All I See Is Violence into the world. We discuss how Newell researched for her novel by interviewing elders who share the oral histories of their people and coupled her lyrical storytelling with the magical realism that is intrinsic to the worldview of many indigenous people. Angie Elita Newell's website: https://www.angieelitanewell.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com/

When you're writing there are plenty of people willing to offer their opinions about your work. Some of them are even qualified to do so. However, among professional editors there will be differing ideas, and the writing may receiving conflicting suggestions about revisions they should make to their work. When this conflict arises, how should the writer decide what to do? We walk about this with author and writing coach, Allison K Williams.Allison K Williams' website: https://idowords.net/ Allison K Williams' article, I Received Conflicting Advice on My Query Letter. What Now?Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com/

In Episode 50, Barbara Hinske and J. W. Judge discuss the lessons they've learned over the past 49 episodes and how they've incorporated that into both their author business and their writing.

 Tammy L. Grace joins us to talk about her experience writing and releasing six books consecutively in 2023 in her Sisters of the Heart series. Tammy discusses her motivation for publishing this as a rapid release series and whether she would embark on a similar endeavor again. She and Barb discuss collaborating on connected series with other authors (like their series, The Wishing Tree), including both the benefits and pitfalls. Tammy L. Grace's author website: https://www.tammylgrace.com/Barbara Hinske's author website: https://barbarahinske.comJ. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com

In Episode 48, we talk with donalee Moulton the role of an editor in the writing process, and how to have an effective (and positive) relationship with your editor. There are different ways to approach working with an editor -- either throughout the writing process or once the work is completed. Find what works for you and run with it.donalee Moulton's website: https://donaleemoulton.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.comJ. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com

 Who we read affects how we write. But the more we write and the more intentional we are about language choices, character decisions, and prose styles, the more definitively we establish our own voice from which we are telling our stories. In Episode 47 of The Write Approach, Barbara Hinske and J. W. Judge talk about the authors who have influenced (and continue to influence) their writing and they've cultivated their voices as authors. Barbara Hinske's author website: https://barbarahinske.comJ. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com

In Episode 46 of The Write Approach, Barbara Hinske talks about being on set for the filming of Guiding Emily (Amazon link), the second of her novels that has been converted to a movie by The Hallmark Channel. Guiding Emily is set to air for the first time on September 8. Barbara was on set for the filming of the movie in Canada, and shares her experience of watching her written work transformed into scenes being acted out in front of her. Meanwhile, J. W. Judge talks about the energy that went into writing the last leg of his fifth novel and putting it through several rounds of revisions. Barbara Hinske's author website: https://barbarahinske.comJ. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com

Writing in first person has both its advantages and disadvantages. It opens up the interiority of your protagonist for unfiltered and unfettered exploration, but constrains you to only the things they know. In Episode 45, we talk with author and editor Amy L. Bernstein how when to first in first-person POV and how to make the most out of it.I reached out to Amy after first reading her article, The Peril and Promise of Writing in First-Person POV.Amy L. Bernstein's website: https://amywrites.live/Barbara Hinske's author website: https://barbarahinske.comJ. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com

 D.R. Ransdell has been writing fiction for years. She has done writing workshops and worked on her novel-writing craft along the way. But it wasn't until she got serious about screenwriting that she obtained transferable skills with writing dialogue and quickly diving into a story that improved all of her fiction writing. D.R. Ransdell's author website: https://www.dr-ransdell.com/Barbara Hinske's author website: https://barbarahinske.comJ. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com

In Episode 43, we talk with Dr. Millicent Eidson about using her background in disease and epidemiology to inform the fiction that she writes. She also discusses using short stories and short form fiction to experiment writing styles and points of view and to expand her skill set as a fiction writer. The portion of this conversation about point of view builds on last week's conversation that we had with Savannah Gilbo (Ep. 42). Millicent Eidson's website: https://drmayamaguire.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com/

In Episode 42, we talk with developmental editor, book coach, and podcaster Savannah Gilbo about crafting a story that works. Specifically, we discuss choosing the writing point of view for your story, and the pros and cons of the most prevalent points of view, first person and third person limited. We also talk about what should go into choosing how many points of view characters your story needs.If you enjoy this episode, you'll also want to listen to or watch Episode 29 with Valerie Francis.Savannah Gilbo's website: https://www.savannahgilbo.com/Barbara Hinske's author website: https://barbarahinske.comJ. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com

 Diane Kelly is the bestselling author of several series spanning from cozy mysteries to white-collar crime. In Episode 41, we discuss the benefits of writing a series, including knowing when its time to close out a series. Diane talks about the business decisions involved in her hybrid approach to traditional and indie publishing. And she talks about the value and importance of being involved in writing organizations. Diane Kelly's author website: https://www.dianekelly.com/ Barbara Hinske's author website: https://barbarahinske.comJ. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com

In our conversation with USA Today bestselling author Kellie Coates Gilbert, we talk about setting reader expectations through your author branding (including your book covers) and meeting those expectations within the stories you tell. Kellie also talks about her love for the settings in which she sets her novels and how she brings them to life. Kellie Coates Gilbert's author website: kelliecoatesgilbert.comBarbara Hinske's author website: https://barbarahinske.comJ. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com

In Episode 39, Brock Swinson stops by to talk about the principles that guide his creative life. He focuses on being prolific and diversifies the projects he works on. We discuss being generous with our time and experiences. One of the last things we talk about is how to develop relationships with people further down the career path of commercial success and when it's okay to tap into those relationships.

In Episode 38, Barbara Hinske and J. W. Judge discuss various aspects of their writing businesses. J. W. is deep into the writing of his fifth novel, which has involved a significant amount of hurricane research so he can accurately terrorize his characters. Barb is focused on the business side of developing keywords that will prompt more search results, clicks, and purchases of her books.

In Episode 37 of The Write Approach, Barb talks about how a recent trip to Paris has affected her inspiration, including one particular interaction that she definitely plans to incorporate into a future novel. We also talk about generally about building travel experiences and settings into your creative works.

In Episode 36, we talk with developmental editor and author Tiffany Yates Martin about writing dialogue that drives your story and provides more color for your characters.  Effective dialogue is as much about what your characters are saying with their body language as with the words they're using.Tiffany Yates Martin's website: https://foxprinteditorial.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com/

In Episode 35, we talk with author and podcaster Kristina Adams about the physical, mental, and emotional toll that writing can have on a person. But we don't just identify problems. Adams also talks about things authors can do to better take care of themselves and improve their well-being.And ghosts. We also talk about ghosts.If you enjoy this topic on mindfulness and self-care, check out our past episode with Claire Parsons (Ep. 21).The Writer's Mindset Podcast: https://www.writerscookbook.com/podcast/Kristina Adams' website: https://www.kristinaadamsauthor.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com/

J. W. Judge and Barbara Hinske discuss the value of consistently showing up to do your creative work regardless of your perceived progress. Consistency drives you toward hitting inflection points and give you the opportunity to success that you otherwise wouldn't have if you didn't persevere. 

In our conversation with NYT bestseller Alessandra Torre, we talk about launching into indie publishing in 2012 as a romance author and how her early success enabled her to quit her job to write full time. As a hybrid author, Torre has had huge success in both the indie and traditional publishing spaces. But more recently, she has made strategic business decisions about the kinds of novels she wants to write and who she wants to publish through, to attempt to amplify her success and reach new levels. In addition to her writing, Torre is the founder of Inkers Con, so we talk about why this project and connect with other authors has been important enough to take time away from writing.If you want to listen to other hugely successful suspense authors, check out our past interviews with Robert Dugoni (Ep. 18), Georgina Cross (Ep. 14), and Robert Bailey (Ep. 27).Alessandra Torre's website: https://www.alessandratorre.comInkers Con Author Conference website: https://www.inkerscon.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com/

Many authors have the idea that working with a publicist can change the trajectory for commercial success or failure of their book. Frequently, their expectations are unreasonable or not aligned with the budget. Kathleen Schmidt is our guest for Episode 32 of The Write Approach to talk about what it's like to work with a publicist, what it is that publicists do, and how authors can have an effective relationship with the person doing the publicity work for their books.You can find Kathleen on Twitter and subscribe to her Substack newsletter, Publishing Confidential, where she sheds light on the inner workings of the publishing and publicity industries.

One of the keys for a successful writing career marketing yourself and networking with other writers. It can take a while to figure out what sorts of marketing and networking are sustainable for you and your personality type. But like many other aspects of your writing career this is worth experimenting with and stepping out of your comfort zone.For Jessie Kwak, science fiction writer and author of Big Idea to Book: Create a Writing Practice That Brings You Joy, stepping out of her comfort zone includes launching her own conference, Author Alchemy Summit, for February 2024.Jessie Kwak's website: https://www.jessiekwak.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com/

Author, lawyer, and entrepreneur Lisa M. Lilly knows what it's like to have ambitions of becoming a writer, setting that aside for a time, and coming back to fiction writing as a second career. In Episode 30, we talk with Lilly about practical measures that busy professionals can take to pursue writing as a second career. For a deeper dive into the topic, pick up Lisa M. Lilly's newest non-fiction book, Fiction Writing as Your Second Career. J. W. Judge's own book, Write Your Novel One Day at a Time, explores a similar topic and includes a separate interview with Lilly. Lisa M. Lilly's website: https://lisalilly.com/ (including the podcast, Buffy and the Art of Story)Lilly's Writing As a Second Career website: https://www.writingasasecondcareer.com/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com/

As a certified Story Grid editor and the co-host of the Story Nerd Podcast, Valerie Francis knows so much more about the art of story than we could have ever hoped to discuss in one episode. So in Episode 29 of The Write Approach, we keep the interview to a high-level discuss about how authors can study and apply story theory without getting lost or overwhelmed. Valerie Francis' website: https://valeriefrancis.ca/Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com/

 An author's decision about whether to pursue traditional or indie publishing, or a hybrid model that incorporates both, is a deeply personal one. It should be an educated decision that is made on the basis of (among other things) what business model the author is most comfortable with. In Episode 28 of The Write Approach we aim to help inform that decision. We discuss why we've each chosen traditional or indie publishing at various times, any why one of us is opening up our options.  Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com/

In Episode 27, we talk with best-selling legal thriller author Robert Bailey about his rise through the ranks of the genre. His early novel-writing career hit a snag when his publisher closed shop, but fortune shined on him when he caught the attention of Thomas & Mercer, who he's been working with ever since. We discuss how Bailey used writing to contend with turmoil and tragedy in his life, and how he launched his writing career while practicing law full time.Bailey is also friends and neighbors with past podcast guest, Georgina Cross (Episode 14).Robert Bailey's author website: https://robertbaileybooks.com/ Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com/The Write Approach's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thewriteapproach/

In Episode 26, we talk with Michael La Ronn about what authors need to do to protect the legacy of the intellectual property they create, even after they've shuffled off their mortal coils. Creating an author estate is an essential act of empathy and kindness that you can do now that will benefit your heirs for years after you're gone. We highly recommend Michael La Ronn's books, The Author Estate Handbook and The Author Heir Handbook.Michael La Ronn's author website: https://authorlevelup.com/Michael La Ronn's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AuthorLevelUpBarbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com/The Write Approach's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thewriteapproach/

In Episode 25 of The Write Approach, Dave Chesson of Kindlepreneur talks with us about current trends on Amazon, scams that are prevalent on the Amazon platform and in the author community, problems with pirates, and dealing with copyright issues.Dave Chesson's website -- https://kindlepreneur.com/Barbara Hinske's  author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/