Podcasts about writer advice

In 2013, we predicted that the bookstore model would shift to more specialized indie stores that offered a narrower offering around their own curated interests and values, with more books face-out and unabashedly clear messaging about who the store is and is not for. And here are we are in 2024, with Charlie's Queer Books of Seattle, Washington offering a perfect example. This week on the pod, we interview Charlie, who has awesome stories about the importance of creating a safer space to demonstrate that there are, in fact, happy queer people.************Thank you for watching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.comMore by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.netMore by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.comSubscribe to our monthly email newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/0EABB2040D281C9CFind us on social mediaFacebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishingTwitter: http://twitter.com/microcosmmmInstagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub************

Most small presses use a trade distributor. What do they do? What are the components of a distributor's function? Can you do them yourself? What does a distributor do? What does a distributor look for? This week we take a look at these things and more, as we unpack distribution! ************Thank you for watching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.comMore by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.netMore by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.comSubscribe to our monthly email newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/0EABB2040D281C9CFind us on social mediaFacebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishingTwitter: http://twitter.com/microcosmmmInstagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub************

How do authors find a publisher? (or how can publishers find them?) How do publishers choose which books to acquire? What does the development and contract negotiation process look like? How can the publishing process be re-shaped to be more inclusive for diversity, equity, and inclusion? What are the best practices? Why do they work? ************Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/7504Thank you for watching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.comMore by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.netMore by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.comSubscribe to our monthly email newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/0EABB2040D281C9CFind us on social mediaFacebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishingTwitter: http://twitter.com/microcosmmmInstagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub************

When we tell strangers what we do, they either bemoan the death of the publishing industry or assume that we sit around and read books all day. So this week on the pod, we take a look at what a publisher actually does and the outcome of all of this work! ************Thank you for watching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.comMore by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.netMore by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.comSubscribe to our monthly email newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/0EABB2040D281C9CFind us on social mediaFacebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishingTwitter: http://twitter.com/microcosmmmInstagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub************

This is the question that just about everyone actually wants the answer to, beneath all of their qualifying questions: where are the jobs in publishing? Where is my job in publishing? So this week on the pod, we unpack the leverage of jobs, how to prepare yourself with job skills, and making yourself attractive in the workforce. Hint: it's not about being pointy-headed.************Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/7504Thank you for watching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.comMore by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.netMore by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.comSubscribe to our monthly email newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/0EABB2040D281C9CFind us on social mediaFacebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishingTwitter: http://twitter.com/microcosmmmInstagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub************

What happens when "in sickness and in health" becomes "in sickness"? Today's guest, author Suzanne Marriott addresses that question, and many others, in her memoir Watching for Dragonflies: A Caregiver's Transformative Journey. She joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about that, and so much more! Meet Suzanne Marriott Suzanne Marriott is a memoirist and deep-travel writer who shares her transformative experiences with her readers. Her writings on compassionate caregiving have been published by The Union newspaper and Writer Advice awarded her the “Scintillating Start Prize” for the first chapter of her memoir, Watching for Dragonflies. Suzanne's stories of deep travel have appeared in the award-winning online magazine Your Life is a Trip. Key Topics How her relationship with her husband changed after his MS diagnosis The story behind the title of her book, Waiting for Dragonflies: A Caregiver's Transformative Journey The benefits and drawbacks of traveling with a disability, and what changes need to be made in order for travel to be truly accessible What she learned in her 10 years of caregiving, and her advice for other caregivers How her caregiving experience helped her cope with her own cancer diagnosis Her spiritual journey, and how spiritual inquiry helped her heal Buy Watching for Dragonflies: A Caregiver's Transformative Journey Amazon:https://amzn.to/3AIGrnJ Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781647424367 Connect With Suzanne Website: https://suzannemarriottauthor.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzannemarriottauthor/   Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Responding to a frequently asked question, Leani explains what ghostwriting is as well as the pros and cons of the medium.  Author Website (www.leanilopez.com) Author Projects (https://linktr.ee/leanimlopez) Affiliated with Deep Earth Press (www.deepearthpress.com) Author Coaching Info (www.deepearthpress.com/authorcoaching) Music: Blippy Trance Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

We asked Robert Reich to share his advice on learning to use his writing and drawing skills to illustrate his Substack. Read on for Robert’s advice, or listen to him read it aloud above.This is the fifth in a recurring series of longform writer advice, following Alicia Kennedy’s advise on learning to listen, Embedded’s Kate Lindsay’s advice on creating trust with your readers, Lance’s Anna Codrea-Rado’s advice on learning to celebrate just how far you’ve come, and Mason Currey’s advice on creative growth.Could you use some advice or inspiration from a fellow writer about creativity, motivation, and the writing life? Submit your question for consideration for a future advice column by leaving it in the comments below. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit on.substack.com

We asked Robert Reich to share his advice on learning to use his writing and drawing skills to illustrate his Substack. Read on for Robert's advice, or listen to him read it aloud above.This is the fifth in a recurring series of longform writer advice, following Alicia Kennedy's advise on learning to listen, Embedded's Kate Lindsay's advice on creating trust with your readers, Lance's Anna Codrea-Rado's advice on learning to celebrate just how far you've come, and Mason Currey's advice on creative growth.Could you use some advice or inspiration from a fellow writer about creativity, motivation, and the writing life? Submit your question for consideration for a future advice column by leaving it in the comments below. Thank you for subscribing. Share this episode.

We asked Helena Fitzgerald to share her advice on navigating isolation as a writer. Helena writes Griefbacon—a newsletter on the weirdness of relationships for “the last people at the party after everyone else has gone home.” Listen on for her experience of solitude in writing, or listen to her read it aloud above.Dear writer, how does isolation play into your writing experience? When do you crave it, and at what point do you seek support, collaboration, or edits? How do you come up for air when the loneliness of writing becomes too much? *This is the fifth in a recurring series of longform writer advice, following Alicia Kennedy's advice on learning to listen, Embedded's Kate Lindsay's advice on creating trust with your readers, Lance's Anna Codrea-Rado's advice on learning to celebrate just how far you've come, and Mason Currey's advice on creative growth.Could you use some advice or inspiration from a fellow writer about creativity, motivation, and the writing life? Submit your question for consideration for a future advice column by leaving it in the comments on Substack. Thank you for subscribing. Share this episode.

We asked Helena Fitzgerald to share her advice on navigating isolation as a writer. Helena writes Griefbacon—a newsletter on the weirdness of relationships for “the last people at the party after everyone else has gone home.” Listen on for her experience of solitude in writing, or listen to her read it aloud above.Dear writer, how does isolation play into your writing experience? When do you crave it, and at what point do you seek support, collaboration, or edits? How do you come up for air when the loneliness of writing becomes too much? *This is the fifth in a recurring series of longform writer advice, following Alicia Kennedy’s advice on learning to listen, Embedded’s Kate Lindsay’s advice on creating trust with your readers, Lance’s Anna Codrea-Rado’s advice on learning to celebrate just how far you’ve come, and Mason Currey’s advice on creative growth.Could you use some advice or inspiration from a fellow writer about creativity, motivation, and the writing life? Submit your question for consideration for a future advice column by leaving it in the comments on Substack. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit on.substack.com

On respecting your energy needs so creativity can thrive, from Emma Gannon of The Hyphen. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit on.substack.com

We asked Alicia Kennedy to share her advice on interviewing. She calls From the Desk of Alicia Kennedy Podcast, her weekly podcast that's part of her food newsletter, “a curated conversation series.” She recently wrote about her belief in unscripted, unedited interviews here. Read on for her advice, or listen to her read it aloud above.Dear writer and podcaster, what's the secret to a good interview? My podcast always begins with the same question: “Can you tell me about where you grew up and what you ate?” This establishes the conversation in some straightforward biography, while also grounding it in the flavors and food philosophies that have shaped the guest's life. From there, the audience and I will get to go deeper, but the guest sets the terms of the conversation by choosing what and how much to share. Do they become wistful and nostalgic, or do these memories seem painful? Are they tinged by grief and loss, or by joy and whimsy? The question sets the tone and tenor of the rest of the conversation.   To me, a good interview is governed by the same thing as good nonfiction writing: curiosity. I've made mistakes before by doing interviews with people whose work I, frankly, was not curious about, and that means I'm just going through the motions. But what makes an interview good for the audience—whether a listener or reader—is that the people having the conversation are actively engaged with each other, and ideally with each other's work. As an interviewer, I want the people listening to feel like they're overhearing a natural conversation, something that would happen spontaneously after the plates are cleared away from the dinner table and all that's left is some wine and cake.There also needs to be a spirit of generosity on the part of the person being interviewed. When people come on who've never bothered to listen to a past episode and don't respond generously to good-faith questions, it can feel like pulling teeth. I've learned for myself, whether I'm the host or the guest, that I shouldn't show up unless I can get locked into having a generous conversation. This means being curious and being engaged, of course, but also believing that every question is a good question, a worthwhile question, and if I think perhaps it hasn't been phrased well, that I can reframe it in my response. I want the people listening to feel like they're overhearing a natural conversation, something that would happen spontaneously after the plates are cleared away from the dinner table and all that's left is some wine and cake.In order to facilitate better conversations, I send my guests the questions a week ahead of time. This provides not too much time to overprepare and thus kill spontaneity, but it does allow them to get a sense of the trajectory of the conversation and tell me whether they'd prefer to go in another direction. I want guests to be comfortable and know that it will be a safe space for anything they wish to talk about, and I like to establish their boundaries ahead of time. I try to ask big, open questions, too, so that the guest feels free to take their response in any direction. Specific questions, I've found, lend themselves too easily to simple answers. The worst feeling is to receive a “yes” or “no” in response. Though sometimes one can want to flex just how deep they've researched in their questions, I find it better to be looser and to let the guest guide the conversation a bit, because their spontaneity will also be more compelling to the listener. In writing these bigger, more open questions, I dive into all the person's work and also try to listen to or read past interviews. I want to honor the subjects that drive the guest's life while also bringing something different to it, something less anticipated. My questions that I ask to everyone are very important for this reason, such as in how I begin, but also in how I finish, which is with the same two questions. Each guest responds to the same questions in new ways.I want to honor the subjects that drive the guest's life while also bringing something different to it, something less anticipated. I used to ask just, “For you, is cooking a political act?” but I change it up based on whether the guest has told me they like to cook or not. If they don't, I ask about writing or bartending or whatever it is they put all their soul into. I've begun to add the question “How do you define abundance?” because the concept of “abundance” keeps working its way into my own writing—how we define it, yes, as well as how to cultivate it and how to reframe it in a world that tries to tell us abundance looks one way, means one thing.My podcast is, in this way, an extension of my writing, a way to engage with its themes with folks who've done different kinds of work in food and culture, who can bring new perspectives to themes I work with consistently. We all eat and engage with food differently, and I want to honor that diversity through generous, curious conversation.Sincerely, AliciaThis is the fourth in a recurring series of longform writer advice, following Embedded's Kate Lindsay's advice on creating trust with your readers, Lance's Anna Codrea-Rado's advice on learning to celebrate just how far you've come, and Mason Currey's advice on creative growth.Could you use some advice or inspiration from a fellow writer about creativity, motivation, and the writing life? Submit your question for consideration for a future advice column by leaving it in the comments below. Thank you for subscribing. Share this episode.

On learning to listen, from Alicia Kennedy of From the Desk of Alicia Kennedy Podcast. Subscribe at on.substack.com

Welcome to Episode #12 of the Written in Melanin Podcast. One of the most common things creatives are told, in any medium, is to consume the type of content you're trying to create. If you want to make movies, watch them. If you want to paint, look at paintings. If you want to write, read. Today, I'm here to add to tweak that a bit: if you want to create anything, consume everything. And I mean everything -- because knowing how other creators create will help you be a better one. Especially if they're creating something that you aren't. Say something positive: http://www.writteninmelanin.com/episode-12 Request a promotion: https://MelaninLibrary.com/services Purchase We Are the Origin: https://payhip.com/b/KihME OR https://amzn.to/35hVsAm Support C. M. Lockhart, her books, and the Melanin Library by joining her Patreon at https://Patreon.com/WrittenInMelanin or visiting her website at https://WrittenInMelanin.com Check out the Melanin Library for books by Black authors at https://MelaninLibrary.com Join her for the Melanin Chat on Tuesdays at 4p EST on YouTube (YouTube.com/c/WrittenInMelanin). Sign up for Dabble Writer (her preferred writing software) using her affiliate link: https://www.dabblewriter.com/?via=cmlockhart Follow her on social media @CLockhartWrite, @WrittenNMelanin, and @Melanin_Library Music by Akia DaGreat

As we kick off the Substack category tour, we asked Kate Lindsay, co-author of Embedded, to share some writer-to-writer advice about creating trust with your readers. Co-founded with Nick Catucci, Embedded is a twice-weekly guide to new internet creators including trends and weekly interviews with “very online” people. Read on for her advice, or listen to her read it aloud above.​Dear writer,How do you approach reading, as a writer? How does the lens of your own audience impact how and what you read?Dear writer,I'll admit, there was a period of time when I was too jaded from working in the digital media industry to read any online content. At my first writing job, I wrote seven stories a day, sometimes waking up as early as 6 a.m. to fit it all in. By the time I'd worked at a few different publications, I could tell when an article was actually an SEO grab masquerading as a legitimate piece of writing, or a piece of clickbait meant to make people mad, and I wasn't interested in feeding the machine with my own reading habits.While I'd like to think this particular era of digital media is on its way out, you still see shades of it when the latest viral moment prompts every outlet to scramble for its own unique take. So many websites are writing the same thing. This can be helpful: When Yellowjackets was airing, I was so deep in the show and its fan theories that I read every perspective I could find in hopes of getting all the crumbs. But this strategy doesn't work universally. For instance, I similarly consumed Covid-19 content in the first year of the pandemic, but I realized that this wasn't actually reading—it was anxiety-spiraling.All this is to say, I'm somewhat precious with what I consume, and definitely read a lot less than perhaps you'd think for someone who calls themselves “chronically online.” I like pieces that work to clarify a moment with reason rather than drum up anxiety for clicks, and I have a natural aversion to reading whatever piece has my Twitter timeline in an uproar—because it was probably designed to do just that. “I like pieces that work to clarify a moment with reason rather than drum up anxiety for clicks.”This was one of the first things I noticed about writing Embedded: I no longer have to cater to SEO, or try to get someone's attention on a timeline. We're writing for readers who, by nature of signing up, already want to read us. So our coverage can be more thoughtfully catered to them in a way that feels helpful, not exploitative. Our best-performing pieces for Embedded are often the ones that seek to make the reader feel understood. Our newsletter is about the internet, but rather than highlight what's dystopian about this time, I always try to focus on the things about it that are uniquely human, or voice something we all experience that hasn't been formally put to paper. Similarly, the pieces I love and share with others aren't ones that are particularly spicy or that make me want to get up and go do something, but that reflect back to me a thought or experience that makes me feel seen.This isn't to say you need to try to broadly appeal to your readers. Curating our My Internet series has taught me that the internet may be getting bigger, but people still find and occupy their own particular corners of it. The 2020 National Book Award nominee Rumaan Alam follows Mary-Kate and Ashley fan accounts. Former New York Times columnist Ben Smith is on Geocaching reddit. Writer Taylor Lorenz loves bird TikTok. Investing in a niche may not reach the most readers, but the people you are writing for will be real and engaged and appreciative, which is, ostensibly, why we all started doing this. “Investing in a niche may not reach the most readers, but the people you are writing for will be real and engaged and appreciative, which is, ostensibly, why we all started doing this.” I've also learned that people will pay for writing, and we should continue to normalize that. For My Internet, we always ask people what they pay for online, and some have named publications from the New York Times to Insider to Study Hall to, of course, their favorite Substacks. But when you step back and look at social media as a whole, everyday people in the replies and comments are routinely astonished when something is paywalled. Sure, running into a paywall is annoying, but the fact that you're annoyed you can't read something is the reason to pay for it! If you want to read good stuff, then you have to free writers from the advertising model that forces quantity over quality, and that means people with the means to give their money, doing so. If all else fails, I'll leave you with these two pieces of advice: Trust recommendations from humans, not algorithms, and treat your clicks like currency—give them to the kind of content you want to see more of, not less. Sincerely,KateThis is the third in a recurring series of longform writer-to-writer advice, following Mason Currey's advice column on creative growth and Anna Codrea-Rado of Lance on learning to celebrate just how far you've come.Could you use some advice or inspiration from a fellow writer about creativity, motivation, and the writing life? Submit your question for consideration for a future advice column by leaving it in the comments below, or entering it (with the option to remain anonymous) using this form.Bonus: Reading RoomReading Room is a new mini series with writers like Anne Helen Petersen sharing their favorite publications to read on Substack. Kate is a thoughtful reader and researcher, both of her peers and of the online spaces that she covers. We asked Kate to share what she is reading.Kate Lindsay's recommended reads:Substack I'm most excited to open ASAP: Today in Tabs—it breaks down the exact discourse I recommend against reading, but now I can still know what people are talking about. Substack most likely to make me think: ¡Hola Papi!—I keep rereading this post about stepping back from social media. I'm like, did I black out and send this letter? First Substack I subscribed to: That's gotta be Garbage Day, and I still open every single one! I recently cited this one, about how social media is digesting the crisis in Ukraine, in my own writing. Substack I subscribed to most recently: After School—one of the only places to report on Gen Z that isn't patronizing. I think this Gen Z gift guide is a perfect example of how hard its author, Casey Lewis, works to be accurate and comprehensive. Substack I recommend to friends most often: Rachel Karten's Link in Bio is essential for understanding the professional social media space. I love this one about the personal social media accounts of people who run brand accounts. Visit Kate's profile page to see more from her current reading list. Subscribe to Kate and Nick's publication on Substack, Embedded, and you can also find them on Twitter here and here. Thank you for subscribing. Share this episode.

We asked Kate Lindsay, co-author of Embedded, to share some writer-to-writer advice about creating trust with your readers.  Subscribe at on.substack.com

Leani responds to a topic suggested by listeners discussing tips and tricks when it comes to writing endings.  Music: Blippy Trance Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

As the year draws to a close, we asked Anna Codrea-Rado to share a piece of writer-to-writer advice about taking stock of one's creative accomplishments. Anna writes Lance, a publication all about building a freelance career without burning out. Read on for her advice, or listen to her read it aloud above.Dear writer,How do you stop to recognize what you've accomplished? And how do you refocus and refresh when starting a new chapter?Dear writer,On the eve of a breakup, a past boyfriend said to me that I'd never be happy because I'm always looking for something else.Over a decade later and the memory of that remark still stings. Not because I regret dumping him, but because he'd touched on something that I was (and still am) prone to doing: ambitiously going after something but not stopping to appreciate its fruits. I share this relic from my relationship graveyard to confess that I too struggle to recognize my accomplishments. And before I can attempt to answer what you can do about that, first I want to ask: why can't you recognize what you've accomplished? Earlier this year, I wrote my first book and while I knew it was a huge milestone, I couldn't feel it. So much so, that I felt uncomfortable whenever other people told me how proud I must be of myself. I started calling this inability to see my own success "productivity dysmorphia.” The pursuit of productivity spurs us to do more while at the same time robbing us of the ability to savor any success we might encounter along the way. As for why it happens, personally, I think the biggest culprit is our toxic work culture which not only moves the goal posts, but then tells us that if we miss, that's our personal failing. The pursuit of productivity spurs us to do more while at the same time robbing us of the ability to savor any success we might encounter along the way.There's a badly wrapped gift to be had here: This stuff isn't your fault! This partly explains why I've only ever had mixed results in my attempts to do something about it. Because believe me, I've tried all the hacks for recognizing my achievements. The big one is writing down your wins at the end of each day. Seems like a no-brainer for a writer, right? Make yourself feel better about your writing by writing about it? And indeed, scribbling “Wrote 1,000 words today” in my bullet journal does make me feel smug. When I'm fretting about my newsletter, a game I like to play is zooming in and out of the graph in the “Subscriber” tab. There, I can see my growth over the last 30 days, 90 days, and all time. My 30-day chart looks like a rollercoaster; a rickety track of dizzying climbs preceded by stomach-flipping descents. Then I toggle to the 90-day view and things look a little gentler. At the “all-time” setting, all the bumps are smoothed out into a healthy line that clearly points upwards. At that distance, I have an uninterrupted view of how much further along I am now from my starting position. These tactics (or maybe it's better to call them reflections) have definitely helped me better appreciate my achievements, but only ever after the fact. It's a bit like how I experience the benefits of exercise, not so much in the moment of doing it, but only after a period of inactivity when I feel terrible for its absence. As the French political theorist, Germaine de Staël wrote, “The human mind always makes progress, but it is a progress in spirals”. And so, I don't think the move is to throw out these acts of reflection, but rather to accept their limitations. “The human mind always makes progress, but it is a progress in spirals” ~ Germaine de StaëlThen the question becomes, how can we recognize our accomplishments in the moment? For me, the answer lies in getting back to why I write in the first place. I believe that the writing subjects we're drawn to aren't random. Richard Bach, the American writer said, “We teach best what we most need to learn.” And I think the same is true for writing—I write best about the things I need to work out for myself. I find this to be particularly important to remember at the close of one chapter and the beginning of another. And if you too are at a similar crossroads right now and struggling with which direction to take next, try asking yourself the following question: Even if no one read me, what would I write about? It's easy to lose sight of why you're even writing in the first place, so recentring can be a powerful way to help you get unstuck. Asking yourself this simple question will help you reconnect with your writing and remind you why you're even doing it in the first place. You'll be surprised how clearly the answer will come to you. And remember, the sheer act of even asking these kinds of questions is a celebration of how just far you've come.Sincerely,AnnaThis is the second in a recurring series of longform writer-to-writer advice, following Mason Currey's advice column on creative growth. Could you use some advice or inspiration from a fellow writer about creativity, motivation, and the writing life? Submit your question for consideration for a future advice column by leaving it in the comments below, or entering it (with the option to remain anonymous) using this form. Thank you for subscribing. Share this episode.

As the year draws to a close, we asked Anna Codrea-Rado to share a piece of writer-to-writer advice about taking stock of one’s creative accomplishments. Anna writes Lance, a publication all about building a freelance career without burning out. Read on for her advice, or listen to her read it aloud above.Dear writer,How do you stop to recognize what you've accomplished? And how do you refocus and refresh when starting a new chapter?Dear writer,On the eve of a breakup, a past boyfriend said to me that I’d never be happy because I’m always looking for something else.Over a decade later and the memory of that remark still stings. Not because I regret dumping him, but because he’d touched on something that I was (and still am) prone to doing: ambitiously going after something but not stopping to appreciate its fruits. I share this relic from my relationship graveyard to confess that I too struggle to recognize my accomplishments. And before I can attempt to answer what you can do about that, first I want to ask: why can’t you recognize what you’ve accomplished? Earlier this year, I wrote my first book and while I knew it was a huge milestone, I couldn’t feel it. So much so, that I felt uncomfortable whenever other people told me how proud I must be of myself. I started calling this inability to see my own success "productivity dysmorphia.” The pursuit of productivity spurs us to do more while at the same time robbing us of the ability to savor any success we might encounter along the way. As for why it happens, personally, I think the biggest culprit is our toxic work culture which not only moves the goal posts, but then tells us that if we miss, that’s our personal failing. The pursuit of productivity spurs us to do more while at the same time robbing us of the ability to savor any success we might encounter along the way.There’s a badly wrapped gift to be had here: This stuff isn’t your fault! This partly explains why I’ve only ever had mixed results in my attempts to do something about it. Because believe me, I’ve tried all the hacks for recognizing my achievements. The big one is writing down your wins at the end of each day. Seems like a no-brainer for a writer, right? Make yourself feel better about your writing by writing about it? And indeed, scribbling “Wrote 1,000 words today” in my bullet journal does make me feel smug. When I’m fretting about my newsletter, a game I like to play is zooming in and out of the graph in the “Subscriber” tab. There, I can see my growth over the last 30 days, 90 days, and all time. My 30-day chart looks like a rollercoaster; a rickety track of dizzying climbs preceded by stomach-flipping descents. Then I toggle to the 90-day view and things look a little gentler. At the “all-time” setting, all the bumps are smoothed out into a healthy line that clearly points upwards. At that distance, I have an uninterrupted view of how much further along I am now from my starting position. These tactics (or maybe it’s better to call them reflections) have definitely helped me better appreciate my achievements, but only ever after the fact. It’s a bit like how I experience the benefits of exercise, not so much in the moment of doing it, but only after a period of inactivity when I feel terrible for its absence. As the French political theorist, Germaine de Staël wrote, “The human mind always makes progress, but it is a progress in spirals”. And so, I don’t think the move is to throw out these acts of reflection, but rather to accept their limitations. “The human mind always makes progress, but it is a progress in spirals” ~ Germaine de StaëlThen the question becomes, how can we recognize our accomplishments in the moment? For me, the answer lies in getting back to why I write in the first place. I believe that the writing subjects we’re drawn to aren’t random. Richard Bach, the American writer said, “We teach best what we most need to learn.” And I think the same is true for writing—I write best about the things I need to work out for myself. I find this to be particularly important to remember at the close of one chapter and the beginning of another. And if you too are at a similar crossroads right now and struggling with which direction to take next, try asking yourself the following question: Even if no one read me, what would I write about? It’s easy to lose sight of why you’re even writing in the first place, so recentring can be a powerful way to help you get unstuck. Asking yourself this simple question will help you reconnect with your writing and remind you why you’re even doing it in the first place. You’ll be surprised how clearly the answer will come to you. And remember, the sheer act of even asking these kinds of questions is a celebration of how just far you’ve come.Sincerely,AnnaThis is the second in a recurring series of longform writer-to-writer advice, following Mason Currey’s advice column on creative growth. Could you use some advice or inspiration from a fellow writer about creativity, motivation, and the writing life? Submit your question for consideration for a future advice column by leaving it in the comments below, or entering it (with the option to remain anonymous) using this form. Subscribe at on.substack.com

In this podcast we look at the art and techniques of storytelling.  We speak to novelist Zoe Gilbert about the ways in which she uses folklore and folk tales as inspiration and backdrop for her storytelling and actress Tiffany Clare about telling stories through characters and narration. Our first guest in this edition is Zoe Gilbert.  Zoe won the Costa Short Story prize in 2014.  He debut novel Folk was published to considerable acclaim and featured on BBC Radio.  Zoe's second novel Mischief Acts will be published in 2022.  She co-founded London Lit Lab with novelist and memoirist Lily Dunn who we'll be featuring in part two of this short series. Find out more about Zoe and her work by visiting her website here http://zoegilbert.com/You can follow her on twitter here https://twitter.com/mindandlanguage Find out more about London Lit Lab and sign up for their courses and workshops here https://www.londonlitlab.co.uk/ You can buy Folk as paperback, e-book or audiobook through all the usual outlets. Tiffany Clare is an actress working on stage, screen and in audio drama.  She has appeared in many Alternative Stories dramas being nominated for two audio verse awards for her appearances in our dramas The Adults in The Room and No Words.  The latter represented the UK at the International Radio Drama Festival in 2020.  Tiffany works as a voice artist in commercials, presents podcasts and has worked as a voice actor for video games.  If you would like to work with Tiffany you can contact her via her website https://www.voicebytiffany.com/ In this podcast you can hear extracts from the following  Two extracts from Mischief Acts by Zoe Gilbert read by Sally Walker-TaylorAn extract from Folk by Zoe Gilbert read by Tiffany ClareAn extract from The Seeing Trees by Kaitlin Felix featuring Tiffany Clare and Charlie Richards An Extract from The Adults in the Room featuring Tiffany Clare and Catherine D'Addario We would like to thank Bloomsbury, Zoe Gilbert's publisher for permission to recreate extracts from her books for this podcast.  You can visit Bloomsbury here https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/And follow them on twitter here https://twitter.com/BloomsburyBooks In our next podcasts you'll be able to hear ·      Storytelling Part Two featuring Lily Dunn·      Real Boy, a new audio drama by Cailean Steed ·      A folklore special edition about creatures, beasts and familiars in folklore guest-edited by Signe Maene·      Midwinter Monologues – our Christmas 2021 edition featuring short seasonal monologues from a variety of writers. 

The hive mind of Book Publicists come together in this episode with Desireé Duffy. Kathleen and Desireé discuss what an author just starting out needs to be successful in their marketing campaign. how an author can use amazon and their social media. All around great advice for either the novice or experienced self or indie published author that needs to navigate the business side of being published.

Charlie and Caitlyn talk to teens (and anyone else who needs some encouragement). We discuss about publishing young, our own high school experiences, and remind you that not everyone's opinion should matter.

The best advice from 40+ episodes of The Best of Women's Fiction interview series. Tips from best-selling and debut authors on getting started, finding your voice, the power of community, writing craft, dealing with fear, and more. Find interviews with all the featured authors at www.bestofwomensfiction.com

How does a 62-year-old woman who's never been married find happiness with a two-time widower seeking his third wife on . . . Craigslist!? Does she throw caution to the wind and relinquish her freedom, or should she take a crash course in compromises? B. Lynn Goodwin owns Writer Advice, www.writeradvice.com. Her memoir, Never Too Late: From Wannabe to Wife at 62 was released in December.  It was a National Indie Excellence Award Winner and a two-category finalist at Next Generation Indie Book Awards. In addition, she has written You Want Me to Do WHAT? Journaling for Caregivers and Talent, which was short-listed for a Literary Light box Award, won a bronze medal in the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards and was a finalist for a Sarton Women’s Book Award. Goodwin's work has appeared in Voices of Caregivers, Hip Mama, Dramatics Magazine, Inspire Me Today, The Sun, Good Housekeeping.com, Purple Clover.com and many others. She is a reviewer and teacher at Story Circle Network, and an editor, writer and manuscript coach at Writer Advice. At any stage of writing, if you find yourself stuck, Lynn can help you.  She knows what agents are looking for and will assist you in editing, proofreading, etc.  In addition, enjoy her story and share it with anyone who thinks it may be too late for love:  

Below is a podcast we recorded for my Catholic Blog in November 2010 with B. Lynn Goodwin. B. Lynn Goodwin is the author of “YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT?” Journaling for Caregivers and is also the Editor of Writer Advice, a website dedicated to promoting authors through its interviews. Her site publishes both experienced […] The post Podcast with Lynn Goodwin, part I, November 2010 appeared first on My Catholic Blog.

Below is part II of a podcast we recorded for my Catholic Blog in November 2010 with B. Lynn Goodwin. B. Lynn Goodwin is the author of “YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT?” Journaling for Caregivers and is also the Editor of Writer Advice, a website dedicated to promoting authors through its interviews. Her site […] The post Podcast with Lynn Goodwin, part II, November 2010 appeared first on My Catholic Blog.

Lauren Beukes discusses her new book Zoo City, tells us what she's doing in London and why you shouldn't stalk her. She also offers advice to writers and suggests who'd win in an author fight. Zombies also get a mention.

Parents give and children take. That's the natural order of things. But sometimes it all gets flipped on its head when aging parents become unable to care for themselves and adult children become caregivers. In this podcast I talk with B. Lynn Goodwin, author of "You Want Me To Do What? – Journaling for Caregivers" (Tate Publishing 2008). Lynn takes her experience as an English teacher, writer and former caregiver and provides the safe space, the compassion, and the inspiration for caregivers to process their stress and celebrate what is right. About B. Lynn Goodwin B. Lynn Goodwin is a teacher, editor, freelance writer, former caregiver, and the author of "You Want Me To Do What? – Journaling for Caregivers" (Tate Publishing). She is published in Voices of Caregivers; Hip Mama; the Oakland Tribune; the Contra Costa Times; the Danville Weekly; Staying Sane When You're Dieting; Small Press Review; Dramatics Magazine; Career, Caregiving, and Self-Care NCDA Monograph (forthcoming); 24/7—a caregiving anthology (forthcoming); and numerous e-zines. She facilitates journaling workshops for caregivers and publishes Writer Advice, www.writeradvice.com You can reach Lynn at Lgood67334@comcast.net More info at: writeradvice.com Opening Music: Ignorant Meadow by Curt Siffert - www.curtsiffert.com Subscribe to Family Confidential on iTunes: http://bit.ly/famconf Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.