Podcasts about writers

On today's program, WaterStone is being sued by a client who claims that the donor-advised fund cut him off from his family's account. The results of this case could have larger implications for the rights of donors and other donor advised funds. We'll have details. Also, the ‘He Gets Us' Campaign is back for the 2026 Super Bowl—but under new leadership, this year's ad is less political, more personal. We'll take a look. And, a new study shows that American donors think they're a whole lot more generous than they actually are. Plus, the Christian Broadcasting Network announced job cuts this week as part of a larger ‘workforce realignment.' But first, The president of the Central Illinois District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod was arrested last week for child pornography.  The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Bob Smietana, Isaac Wood, Marci Seither, Stacey Horton, Makella Knowles, and Christina Darnell.

This week we Byron's back, Kelly is sick, & we process living, dying, and ritual, reviewing the Adams family's 'Mother of Flies'.  Want more? Join the Frightday Society, at http://thefrightdaysociety.org As a Society Member, you'll have access to all Screamium content (Behind the Screams, It's Been a Weird Week, A Conversation With..., Toast to Toast PM with Wine Kelly, Cinema Autopsy, the Writers' Room, bonus episodes of Captain Kelly's Cryptids & Conspiracies, Byron's Serial Corner, and so much more! You'll also be part of our interactive community dedicated to the advancement of horror, hauntings, cryptids, conspiracies, aliens, and true crime. All things frightening. Keep our mini-fridges full of blood...I mean...not blood...normal things that people drink...by going to http://shop.frightday.com Theme music by Yawns Produced by Byron McKoy Follow us in the shadows at the following places:  @byronmckoy @kellyfrightday @frightday This is an Audio Wool Original.

Free Video Tutorial for ScreenwritingIn this episode of The Storyteller's Mission, Zena explores a foundational principle of character development: why a character's wound isn't their flaw — the lie they believe is. This episode is especially for writers, storytellers, and worldview-driven creatives working with trauma, redemption, and transformation arcs.In great storytelling, a character's problem isn't just what happened to them. It's the lie they believe because of it. And that distinction — between wound and lie — often determines whether a story actually moves forward or stays emotionally stuck.In this episode, we explore:Why wounds hurt, but lies imprisonHow false beliefs shape character behavior, identity, and plotWhy acknowledging trauma is not the same thing as redemptionWhat great stories like Good Will Hunting, Frozen, Jane Eyre, and The Lord of the Rings get right about character transformationHow confronting the lie — not just naming the wound — creates real narrative changeThis is essential viewing for:Fiction writersScreenwritersStorytellersFaith-adjacent creativesWriters working with trauma, flaws, and redemption arcsIf you want to write characters who don't just suffer — but transform — this episode will help you clarify the difference between what happened and what it meant.

John and Craig ask, what makes a useful comp? Writers often use comparisons when pitching or discussing projects, but what separates good comps from bad comps, why do we use them, and when do comps hurt more than they help? Basically, it's The Studio meets My Dinner with Andre. We also follow up on orality and "film by" credits, answer listener questions on getting AI feedback and attaching an actor to a microbudget feature, plus bring you another installment of John Recently Learned. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig are having weird issues with their email servers and need your help! Links: The Sheep Detectives trailer The Great Gazoo Ben Turpin The Party (1968) Fulla Regrets on Instagram Kitty Carlisle Bobbie Wygant interviews Jodie Foster by Jack Plotnick on Instagram Catherine O'Hara dies via Variety Get your copy of the Scriptnotes book! Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt! Check out the Inneresting Newsletter Become a Scriptnotes Premium member, or gift a subscription Subscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTube Scriptnotes on Instagram John August on Bluesky and Instagram Outro by Pete White (send us yours!) Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.  

Alex Poppe joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about working in conflict zones, living abroad and negotiating cultural differences, teaching in northern Iraq, youth and female resilience, pursuing something elusive, using fiction techniques for creative nonfiction and essays, not standing on a soapbox in memoir, moving from the personal to the universal, safe domesticity vs. unpredictable intensity, feeling haunted, the tension between wanting to settle down and set roots but feeling desperate to travel, and her love letter to teaching the new memoir-in-essay Breakfast Wine: A Memoir of Chasing an Unconventional Life and Finding a Way Home.   Info/Registration for Ronit's 10-Week Memoir Class Memoir Writing: Finding Your Story https://www.pce.uw.edu/courses/memoir-writing-finding-your-story   Also in this episode: -field reporting -theTulsa Remote Program  -starting chapters in scene and dialogue Books mentioned in this episode  -Woman in Berlin by Anonymous -The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from The Border by Francisco Cantú -Hollywood Park by Mikel Jollett -The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood -No Good Men Among the Living by Anand Gopal -The Underground Girls of Kabul by Jenny Nordberg  -The Natashas:The Horrific Inside Story of Slavery, Rape, and Murder in the Global Sex Trade by Victor Malarek -Notebooks on a Foreign Country: An American Abroad in a Post-American World by Suzy Hansen  -Emergency Sex and Other Desperate Measures: A True Story from Hell on Earth by Heidi Postlewait, Kenneth Cain and Andrew Thomson   Having worked in conflict zones such as Iraq, the West Bank, and Ukraine, Alex Poppe writes about fierce and funny women rebuilding their lives in the wake of violence. She is the award-winning author of four works of literary fiction. Breakfast Wine, her memoir-in-essay of her near decade teaching and volunteering in northern Iraq, celebrates women and youth resilience, post-conflict. Most recently, she served as the strategic communications advisor for a democracy and governance initiative at the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Alex continues to be awed by place, people, and their stories.    Connect with Alex: Website: www.alexpoppe.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallyalexpoppe/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex_poppe_author/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alex.poppe.16/ Get the book: https://bookshop.org/p/books/breakfast-wine-alex-poppe/22155518?ean=9781627205931 – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book.   More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank   Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social

On this week's Game Deflators podcast episode, John and Ryan are back with a packed lineup of gaming chatter, industry hot takes, and a double dose of Highguard discourse. The episode kicks off with fresh gaming updates as the guys break down what they've been playing, what's caught their attention. From there, they dive into Highguard's rocky reception, comparing its early reviews to other notoriously low‑rated titles. Is the criticism fair, or is this another case of the internet dog‑piling a new release? The conversation then shifts to censorship in gaming, with Nintendo's recent decision to censor Dispatch taking center stage. John and Ryan break down why this move feels out of step with the company's own history, especially considering similar or even more provocative titles that previously launched on Nintendo platforms without edits. They explore what might be driving this sudden change and whether it signals a new, less predictable approach to content approval going forward. Next, the duo speculates on Switch 2 pricing, weighing hardware rumors, and market trends. They also turn their attention to the future of PlayStation 6, discussing delays, shifting expectations, and what Sony needs to do to regain momentum. Finally, the guys return to Highguard for a full hero shooter review and critique, breaking down gameplay, design choices, and whether the title has the potential to grow—or if it's destined to fade fast. 00:00 Introduction to the Game Deflators Podcast 03:12 3D Printing Adventures and New Gear 06:03 Gaming Updates: Plucky Squire and Feedback 09:11 Voice Acting in Games: A Discussion 12:14 The Impact of AI in Gaming Voiceovers 15:12 Speedrunning and Community Dynamics 18:04 High Guard and Game Reception 21:10 Censorship in Gaming: Nintendo's Decisions 26:57 Nintendo's Innuendos and the Switch 2 Price Predictions 33:16 The Future of PlayStation: Delays and Expectations 44:08 Highguard: A Hero Shooter Review and Critique   Find us on TheGameDeflators.com Twitter - www.twitter.com/GameDeflators Facebook - www.facebook.com/TheGameDeflators Instagram - www.instagram.com/thegamedeflators   The views and opinions expressed on this channel are solely those of the author. The content within these recordings are property of their respective Designers, Writers, Creators, Owners, Organizations, Companies and Producers. Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted. Permission for intro and outro music provided by Matthew Huffaker http://www.youtube.com/user/teknoaxe 2_25_18

Playwright and BAFTA-nominated screenwriter Moira Buffini on moving between theatre, film, and fiction, writing for yourself instead of the market, and shaping structure by rewriting toward the ending you want readers to feel.    You'll learn:Why “you are the audience” can be a practical rule for cutting through market noise and writing with conviction. A useful way to handle reviews and outside opinions without letting them steer the work. How to build story momentum when you can't fully plot ahead, and why not knowing the next move can be a strength. A structure approach based on “writing toward a feeling” at the end, then layering drafts until the story clicks. What discipline looks like when you're writing big worlds in prose, and how constraints can keep you from getting lost. How a dramatist's instincts (plot, structure, obstacles) can transfer into long-form fiction and help sustain narrative drive.   A grounded reminder about the “mundane” day-to-day of being a professional writer, and why that doesn't cancel the magic. The practical foundations she names for keeping your mind working (sleep, movement, and treating the body as part of the instrument). What it can take to keep writing alongside caring responsibilities, and why persistence is often the hardest part.   The simplest career advice she returns to: don't accept the story that you “can't,” and keep putting in the hours. Resources & Links:

Send us a textWhat happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? Not today. Welcome back, everyone, to the conclusion of my interview with retired Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sergeant Jenn Benjamins. Jenn Benjamins is a retired sergeant from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department with nearly 22 years of real-world experience in patrol, case investigations, and covert/undercover operations.Her interest in undercover work led her to the Vice Section, where she refused to be limited by traditional expectations. While excelling in female undercover roles, Jenn was determined - and succeeded - in working undercover alongside her male counterparts. She developed a specialized training program within the Vice Section, implemented policy, and conducted department-wide training on vice crimes and related laws.Throughout her career, Jenn worked a wide variety of undercover assignments throughout Las Vegas, collaborating not only with specialized units such as narcotics but also with federal partners, including the ATF, DEA, and FBI. Recognizing a critical need, Jenn founded Covert Blue, where she makes it her mission to provide specialized training for women in undercover roles - programs that build technical expertise while also addressing the unique dynamics and challenges women face in the field.Please enjoy this very real and informative interview with someone who has lived a life that is found more often in movies and books. Vegas baby! In today's episode, we discuss:·      How long did she work in Vice as a cop and sergeant doing UC work? ·      Where did these prostitutes come from?·      What's a trick roll?·      What's the difference between a carpet ho and a renegade ho?·      The most memorable arrests or situations she had during her career?  ·      Your company Covert Blue LLC, why start this and who is it for?·      The personal toll that working vice takes on a cop.·      Best advice for someone who wants to work as an undercover cop. All of this and more on today's episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.Check out Jenn's website!Visit the Cops & Writers Website!Support the show

The hosts discuss Stephanie Wambugu's justly-hyped novel Lonely Crowds before they're joined by Noah Kulwin, an avowed Macdonaldhead who details the pleasures of private eye fiction through 1966's Black Money. Noah Kulwin is a writer based in New York City. He is also the co-host of the podcast Blowback, a history program about American empire. He has written for a wide variety of publications, but more recently can be found in The Baffler, The Intercept, Screen Slate and Protean. Please consider supporting our work on Patreon, where you can access additional materials and send us your guest (and book!) coverage requests. Questions and kind comments can be directed to readingwriterspod at gmail dot com. Charlotte Shane's most recent book is An Honest Woman. Her essay newsletter, Meant For You, can be subscribed to or read online for free. Her social media handle is @charoshane.  Jo Livingstone is a writer who teaches at Pratt Institute.To support the show, navigate to https://www.patreon.com/ReadingWritersAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's program, a report reveals past sexual abuse among the Christian scouting program, the Royal Rangers. Now, the Assemblies of God—who heads up the group—is being criticized for not providing adequate safeguards. We'll have details. And, the popular Passion Conference attracted some 60-thousand young people to its flagship event earlier this month, bringing in millions of dollars —but a deep dive into the ministry's financials shows a lack of transparency in how that money is being used. We'll take a look. Plus, one week ago, tens of thousands of pro-lifers flooded the National Mall in Washington D.C. for the 2026 March for Life. But just how unified is the pro-life movement? We'll try to answer that question. But first, the Jesus Film has become one of the most widely viewed films ever, having been used by missionaries for decades to share the gospel. Now, the Jesus Film Project is shifting away from in-person relationships and is focusing on digital products.  The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Isaac Wood, Kim Roberts, Stacey Horton, Diana Chandler, Jessica Eturralde, Aleja Hertzler-McCain, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

A number of Rochester businesses are banding together in support of anti-ICE protesters across the nation. On Friday, a group of businesses will close in a show of solidarity, while others will donate proceeds to organizations that support immigrants. Hundreds of businesses in Minnesota made similar decisions last Friday. This hour, we talk to some of the local owners about why they made this decision and what they hope it accomplishes. Our guests: Bob Hartman, co-owner of AltBar Niraj Lama, owner/operator of Happy Earth Tea Rob Nipe, owner of Grass Fed Molly Hartley, owner of Scratch Bakeshop Katarina Eddy, owner of Katboocha Jenna Kirchner, owner of The Unreliable Narrator Michael Solis, executive director of Writers & Books ---Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.---Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.---Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

London Writers' Salon co-founder Matt Trinetti and Head of Writer Experience Lindsey Trout Hughes share prompts from our Dreaming Big in 2026: Creative Goal Setting for Writers workshop – designed to help writers get clear on what they actually want from their writing life in 2026, and translate that desire into a plan that can survive reality in the first 1-3 months of the year.Through 8 steps – from identifying desire to committing to a 48-hour move – Matt and Lindsey step through over a dozen prompts, discuss why each is important for writers to think about, and share what's coming up for them personally for the year ahead.Download the free workbook: community.londonwriterssalon.com/dreamingbigTimestamps:(00:00) Introduction(02:07) Step 0: Two Words (bringing in & leaving behind)(08:05) Step 1: Identifying what we truly desire(17:42) Step 2: Vision (translating desire into clear vision)(25:18) Step 3: Moving from wanting to deciding(34:35) Step 4: Building a project bank(42:02) Step 5: Finding a first season focus(47:32) Step 6: Designing your creative practice(59:00) Step 7: Your 30-day plan & 48-hour move(01:04:50) Step 8: Opening up to support(01:09:40) Conclusions and next steps You'll learn:A simple “two words” ritual to decide what you're bringing into 2026 (and what you're leaving behind).Prompts to identify what you truly desire, including what you might feel embarrassed to say out loud.How to reframe desire as a helpful signal instead of something “selfish” you should downplay.How to build a project bank so you can choose one focus without feeling like you're abandoning your other ideas.Ways to use simple lists to spark clearer project options.How to choose a first-season focus (a three-month container) so you're not trying to hold the entire year at once.The importance of defining what “done” looks like for the season and setting milestones that make progress visible.How to design a writing practice while planning for obstacles before they derail you.How to set a measurable 30-day goal, choose your first moves, and turn intention into proof.   About London Writers' Salon:London Writers' Salon is a community and membership that helps writers make meaningful progress on their work, stay committed to a writing practice, and find creative friends around the world. Members can build consistency through Writers' Hour, develop craft through interviews and workshops, and connect with a global community of writers.  Resources & Links: Download the free workbook at: community.londonwriterssalon.com/dreamingbigJoin Writers' Hour - daily silent writing sessions: writershour.comAttend live events and workshops – Become a Member: community.londonwriterssalon.com/membership For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers' Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS' SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you're enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!

Want to raise a good writer?Helene Lieberman from BlackBack Writing joins me this week to discuss how to raise good writers. We discuss early habits, creating good habits and how to get little hands ready to write. Helene is a MS, OTR/L and has been a pediatric Occupational Therapist for 36 years. She has participated in researching the effect of sensory integration treatment in preschool and the use of BlackBack Writing in preschool. Helene is the creator of BlackBack Writing to teach shapes, letters and numbers and Write Bright cards and paper to teach the proper alignment of letters. Learn more about BlackBack Writing Programs at www.blackbackwriting.com⁠Want to learn more about the 4 C's of Collaborative Discipline?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab your free download and embrace connection before correction! Get it ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠January 29, 2026Episode 306Raising Good Writers with Pediatric Occupational Therapist Helene Lieberman About Your Host: Cara Tyrrell, M.Ed. is a mom or three, early childhood author, parent educator, and founder of ⁠⁠⁠Core4Parenting⁠⁠⁠. A former preschool and kindergarten teacher with degrees in ASL, Linguistics, and Education, she created the Collaborative Parenting Methodology™ to help parents, caregivers, and educators understand the power of intentional language in shaping a child's identity, confidence, and future success.As host of the top-ranking podcast Transforming the Toddler Years, Cara blends science and soul to show adults how to “talk to kids before they can talk back,” turning tantrums into teachable moments and everyday challenges into opportunities for connection. She is also the author of the forthcoming book Talk to Them Early and Often, a guide for raising emotionally intelligent kids who thrive in school and life.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Interested in being a guest on the podcast? We'd love to hear from you! Complete the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest Application form⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠

For years, Word Balloon has celebrated comics, pop culture, and the creative voices that shape them. Now, I want to turn the spotlight home, to Chicago radio comedy, a tradition that doesn't always get its due.Other cities produced comedy collectives that broke out nationally—groups like The Credibility Gap, The Committee, Ace Trucking Company, and The Firesign Theater. They built reputations that went far beyond their local airwaves. Chicago took a different path. Our radio comedy was more idiosyncratic, more personality-driven, and deeply rooted in the city itself. But make no mistake—we had stars, innovators, and voices that mattered.This series of Word Balloon episodes will explore that history by talking directly to the people who lived it. Writers, performers, hosts, and producers who made Chicago radio funny, fearless, controversial, and unforgettable. Today's episode starts on a personal note. During my years at WSCR The Score, I was lucky enough to contribute parody songs and character voices during a time when bland sports radio stiffness made room for sketch comedy. I learned the sports street chatter from some of the best like Mike North and Dan McNeil but a guy who's persona stood out most was Terry Boers, one of the great Chicago newspaper men and radio voices.A mentor whose impact on this city's airwaves can't be overstated.Terry passed away last week, and on Tuesday, WSCR The Score aired a tribute show in his honor. I was deeply touched to be asked to participate. That led to this conversation. I sat down with Matt Spiegel, someone I worked closely with during those years. Someone who helped me shape those parody songs as both a performer and a comedy writer, and who has since become one of the most recognizable voices on Chicago sports radio. What followed was a warm, honest conversation about the creative chaos, the laughs, and the influence of a man who helped define an era.This episode is about remembering Terry Boers, celebrating Chicago radio comedy, and setting the stage for a deeper dive into a pop culture scene that deserves to be documented, and remembered.

“When I tell you a story about my body, I cannot separate it from a story about water. And a story about water is also a story about family. And a story about family is rooted in the earth…,” opens Sangamithra Iyer’s Governing Bodies. What does it mean for a memoir to assume the elusive, ever-changing shape of water, to be the story of family but where the notion of family crosses the boundaries of blood, culture, nation and even species? Governing Bodies, as the Whiting judges said in their citation, is “a subtle, meditative exploration on grief and nonviolence, an international and intergenerational voyage through shared histories and a consideration of what we owe to each other and the natural world.” For the bonus audio archive, Sangu contributes a reading of her remarkable essay “Are You Willing?” which originally appeared in the anthology Writing for Animals: New Perspectives for Writers & Instructors to Educate & Inspire. This joins an ever-growing archive of contributions from past guests—from Richard Powers to adrienne maree brown, Forrest Gander to Arthur Sze, Natalie Diaz to Ada Limón. You can find out how to access the bonus audio and about the many other potential benefits and rewards to choose from, when you join the Between the Covers community as a listener-supporter, at the show’s Patreon page. Finally, here is today’s BookShop.

Today's episode is a little different. Over the past year, I've been talking more openly about the shifts happening in our industry. And a few weeks ago, I made a clear decision, which I announced in my first newsletter of 2026: the focus of this podcast and my newsletter going forward will center on AI… and the disruption, changes, and opportunities it's creating for writers. AI is reshaping business models, demand, pricing, and even the types of roles writers are being hired for. And I know this conversation can make a lot of people uncomfortable. It forces us to look at signals we might rather ignore. That's exactly why I wanted to bring today's guest on. Sara Howard is a longtime writer and agency owner based in Sydney, Australia. She's been in the business for nearly two decades and has lived through multiple cycles, recessions, and industry distruptions. But recently she made a decision that surprised a lot of people: she chose to shut down her content agency... even though it was financially healthy. Not because the business failed. Not because the work vanished overnight. But because she could clearly see where things were headed… and she was willing to act before waiting too long. In this conversation, Sara and I talk about what actually changed behind the scenes as AI adoption accelerated inside the large organizations her agency served. She explains: How corporate clients moved faster than most people expected How running an agency can suddenly become a liability instead of an advantage What writers may need to rethink about identity, specialization, and where real value comes from now. This is not a doom-and-gloom episode. It's a candid, grounded conversation about timing, positioning, and paying attention to the right signals. And to be crystal clear: this is NOT an endorsement for shutting down your freelance business. Not at all. In fact, Sara believes 2026 will be the year of the freelancer, but only for those who are willing to make critical shifts in mindset and value proposition. If you've been feeling unsettled, conflicted, or quietly wondering whether the path you're on still makes sense, I think this episode will give you a lot to think about. Connect with Sara on LinkedIn. Sara's book, Beyond Solo.

Every novel has its challenges–and it's normal to feel intimidated at the start of a new project–but sometimes we find ourselves with a novel idea that feels impossible. Though you're captivated by the idea, you have this feeling in your gut that you're not “good enough” yet to write it. But are you really not good enough? Or are you just scared of the work required to nail it? This week on podcast, I offer guidance on how to tease apart whether your novel idea is the kind of challenge you can take on today… Or if you genuinely need to level up as a storyteller before you commit to the idea. *** Applications are open for limited 1:1 coaching spots for the first half of 2026. Learn more and apply here. *** You deserve to love your author career. I can help with that. Learn more about private coaching opportunities here: http://www.isabelsterling.com/academy Looking for even more author advice and notifications about upcoming workshops? Sign up for my weekly Real Talk for Writers newsletter by clicking here. DM me on Instagram & let me know what you thought of this episode!

In this episode I fly solo yet again! I share about some great news that closed out 2025. One being that I was given a clear scan and can enjoy this moment being cancer-free. The other is that my book has finally been released!    I also share some lessons learned from the book writing process such as: Writers must write. Being edited is hard but necessary. Be careful not to lose your voice. Be proud of yourself when your piece is released, but know that there are many more pieces to come. And be sure to celebrate your arrival at the destination, but know that the journey is truly what it's all about.    I also dive into what's to come! A couple of workshops, more time spent writing, a local radio show on CIDI and...who knows! I'm taking my time entering into this New Year and deciding what's next. Afterall, what's the rush?   If you're looking to connect you can find me over here! Instagram Website Mailing list Order my book on Amazon Or you can wait until it's available at Brome Lake Books near the end of January!   Thank you so much for being here! Lots of love, Jaime xo

Louise Southerden joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about building a tiny home in Australia by hand during the Covid pandemic, being a travel writer for much of her career, choosing freedom over security, writing about exes, struggling with how much backstory to put in, narrative arc and the hero's journey, firming up a timeline, wanting to be fair in depicting loved ones, taking care of and pacing ourselves while we're writing, creating the life that we want to live inside with words, being led by how the story wants to be told, and her new memoir TINY: A Memoir About Love, Letting Go and a Very Small House. Info/Registration for Ronit's 10-Week Memoir Class Memoir Writing: Finding Your Story https://www.pce.uw.edu/courses/memoir-writing-finding-your-story Also in this episode: -using Scrivener -the freelance writing life -what one really needs to be happy   Books mentioned in this episode:  -Tracks by Robyn Davidson -Unfinished Woman by Robyn Davidson -Wifedom by Anna Funder -The Little Red Writing Book by Mark Tredinnick  -Things I Learned From Falling by Claire Nelson   Louise Southerden is an Australian author and award-winning travel writer who has spent more than 25 years travelling all over the world and won the Australian Travel Writer of the Year award a record five times. She's the author of five non-fiction books including Surf's Up, the world's first surfing guide for women; a working holiday guide to Japan, where she once lived for a year and a half; an anthology of her best adventure travel tales; and her latest, TINY: A memoir about love, letting go and a very small house, published by Hardie Grant Explore. Originally from Sydney, Louise now lives and writes in her tiny home by the sea in northern NSW, Australia.   Connect with Louise: Website: https://www.noimpactgirl.com/ More info about TINY on Louise's Substack: https://noimpactgirl.substack.com/p/tiny-a-memoir-about-love-letting-af1 TINY on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tiny-Memoir-About-Letting-Small/dp/174117922X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.cDx-4ItRYaLsBKW5vu1dfQ.Pozgks-L91kJZfC4hCxsGFIuB_FqZlo7oJW31ra3GYU&qid=1755581587&sr=8-1 Living Big in a Tiny House episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipAxKp5fbvQ  Substack: https://noimpactgirl.substack.com/  FB: https://www.facebook.com/noimpactgirl/# Fishpond: https://www.fishpond.com/Books/Tiny-Louise-Southerden/9781741179224   – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book.   More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank   Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social

In this episode of Splitting Heirs, host Warren K. Racusin invites Lowenstein partner Matt Savare and Bart Feller, Principal flute of the New Jersey Symphony, New York City Opera Orchestra, and Santa Fe Opera Orchestra, to break down copyright law for music and other original works and to talk about the importance of estate planning for creatives. The conversation covers the terms of a copyright, including author rights, for hire and not for hire stipulations, and termination timelines. The episode also analyzes examples of similar songs, determining whether or not the musician may be infringing copyright on the original work. Speakers: Warren K. Racusin, Partner and Chair, Trusts & Estates Bart Feller, Principal flute of the New Jersey Symphony, New York City Opera Orchestra, and Santa Fe Opera Orchestra Matt Savare, Partner, Chair, Commercial Contracts, Emerging Companies & Venture Capital, IP & Tech Transactions, Patent Counseling & Prosecution

Writers face blocks that feel insurmountable but aren't. Discover the 5 story barriers keeping you stuck - outlining traps, getting lost in the middle, perfectionism, comparison, and rejection - and how to cross to the other side. Confidence doesn't come before you cross the barrier. It comes from crossing it.Episode Web Page10 Questions First Time Novelists Ask, and Encouraging, Practical Answers to Help You Finish Your BookWant to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.

Doctors? Lawyers? Writers? No one's safe. Here's which roles Microsoft says have the most crossover with AI and are likely to be taken over. Plus, the staggering number of ads you see every day, ChatGPT slipping in ads, and how your grocery store is spying on you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Game Deflators Podcast, John and Ryan dive into a packed week of gaming chatter. They kick things off with their latest pickups and what's been spinning in their consoles, including early impressions of the charming new adventure Plucky Squire. The conversation heats up as they break down the Xbox Developer Direct 2026, spotlighting standout announcements and examining how Ubisoft's recent wave of project cancellations could reshape the industry. Amid the news roundup, the duo tackles one of the week's biggest talking points: rumors that the PlayStation 6 may launch as a hybrid console, blending traditional power with portable flexibility. They explore what this could mean for Sony's strategy and how it might shift the competitive landscape. To wrap things up, John and Ryan jump into a deep-dive inflation–deflation challenge featuring Final Fantasy XIII, dissecting its combat, visuals, legacy, and whether its current market value holds up today. 00:00 Introduction to the Game Deflators Podcast 01:54 Game Pickups and Current Playthroughs 05:20 Challenges in Prince of Persia 07:30 Exploring Plucky Squire 10:51 Nostalgia and Movie References 12:21 Speedrunning and Game Challenges 17:09 Discussion on Game Licensing and Pricing 20:45 The Future of Portable Consoles 29:19 Xbox Developer Direct 2026 Insights 38:46 The Evolution of Pokémon Games 42:48 Excitement for Fable's Return 45:36 The Future of Fable: Choice and Consequence 47:35 Ubisoft's Project Cancellations and Studio Closures 49:55 The Downward Spiral of Ubisoft: Management Issues 54:32 Final Fantasy XIII: A Mixed Legacy   Find us on TheGameDeflators.com Twitter - www.twitter.com/GameDeflators Facebook - www.facebook.com/TheGameDeflators Instagram - www.instagram.com/thegamedeflators   The views and opinions expressed on this channel are solely those of the author. The content within these recordings are property of their respective Designers, Writers, Creators, Owners, Organizations, Companies and Producers. Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted. Permission for intro and outro music provided by Matthew Huffaker http://www.youtube.com/user/teknoaxe 2_25_18

When Ann Packer's latest novel, Some Bright Nowhere, was chosen by Oprah for her book club last November, we saw what an impact this book was making on so many folks and their experiences with dying loved ones. The book was written in a record four months – in contrast to her novel The Dive from Clausen's Pier which took nearly 10 years. It's a masterclass in subtle conflict, in putting ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, in compressed dialogue that heightens tension, in character change, in point of view decisions. It gave us a lot to pick apart on the craft level. She joined Marrie Stone to talk about it, as well as her 2015 NYT essay Between Books. In addition to Some Bright Nowhere, Ann is the author of three other bestselling novels: The Children's Crusade, Songs Without Words, and The Dive from Clausen's Pier, which received the Kate Chopin Literary Award among many other prizes and honors. Her short fiction has been published in two collections — Mendocino and Other Stories and Swim Back to Me — and includes stories that appeared in The New Yorker and in the O. Henry Prize Stories anthologies. For more information on Writers on Writing and to become a supporter, visit our Patreon page. For a one-time donation, visit Ko-fi. You can find hundreds of past interviews on our website. You can help out the show and indie bookstores by buying books at our bookstore on bookshop.org. It's stocked with titles by our guest authors, as well as our personal favorites. And on Spotify, you'll find an album's worth of typewriter music like what you hear on the show. It's perfect for writing. Look for the artist, Just My Type. Email the show at writersonwritingpodcast@gmail.com. We love to hear from our listeners! (Recorded January 13, 2026) Host: Barbara DeMarco-Barrett Host: Marrie Stone Music: Travis Barrett (Stream his music on Spotify, Apple Music, Etc.)

Business - DeaRonda Harrison, Founder and President at June First Firm

Translator, performance artist, writer, and educator Haleh Liza Gafori on translating Rumi with fidelity and music, and what his poetry can teach us about liberation, attention, and love.You'll learn:Habits Haleh uses to re-centre and get quiet enough to work. How she learned to trust sound and rhythm first, and let meaning arrive through the ear. The moment she realised she needed to make her own translations, and what triggered that decision. A simple test for “is this translation working?”, including why one wrong image can flip the whole poem. Principles Haleh uses to keep translations clear, musical, and emotionally true in English. What an editor can mean by “find your voice,” and how to develop a consistent voice as a translator. How to work with old texts honestly, including naming what doesn't align with your ethics today. What Rumi can teach modern readers about attention, ego, and compassion in daily life. How love shows up in Rumi as a discipline, not a vibe, and why that matters in hard times. What Haleh is building next, and how teaching can deepen (not dilute) your creative practice. About Haleh Liza Gafori:Haleh Liza Gafori is a New York City-born translator, performance artist, writer, and educator of Persian descent. A 2024 MacDowell fellow, she has translated the poetry of the Persian mystic and sage Rumi. Her book of translations, Gold: Poems by Rumi, was published by New York Review Books in 2022. Her second volume of translations, Water: Poems by Rumi, was released in 2025, also by NYRB Classics. Supported by an NYSCA grant, Gafori has created a musical and cross-media performance based on the book, and has presented her work through performances, lectures, and workshops at institutions such as Lincoln Center, Stanford University, the Academy of American Poets, and Sarah Lawrence College. Her book of translations Gold has been incorporated into curricula at universities across the country. For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers' Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS' SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you're enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!

Send us a textWhat happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? Not today. Welcome, everyone, to part one of my interview with retired Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sergeant Jenn Benjamins. The conclusion of this interview will be next Sunday!Jenn Benjamins is a retired sergeant from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department with nearly 22 years of real-world experience in patrol, case investigations, and covert/undercover operations.She began her career in patrol before moving into Community Oriented Policing, serving in one of the newest area commands in the oldest, most historic parts of Las Vegas. Her interest in undercover work led her to the Vice Section, where she refused to be limited by traditional expectations. While excelling in female undercover roles, Jenn was determined - and succeeded - in working undercover alongside her male counterparts. She went on to develop a specialized training program within the Vice Section, implement policy, and conduct department-wide training on vice crimes and related laws.Throughout her career, Jenn worked a wide variety of undercover assignments throughout Las Vegas, collaborating not only with specialized units such as narcotics but also with federal partners, including the ATF, DEA, and FBI. Recognizing a critical need, Jenn founded Covert Blue, where she makes it her mission to provide specialized training for women in undercover roles - programs that build technical expertise while also addressing the unique dynamics and challenges women face in the field.Please enjoy this eye-opening, entertaining, and informative interview with someone who has lived a life that is found more often in movies and books.  In today's episode, we discuss:·      Where and how she got interested in law enforcement. ·      Why be a cop in Vegas?·      Jenn's experience in the police academy being one of the few females in her class.·      Her first day of field training.·      An armed suspect firing at an airship on her first assignment.·      Her first day going out solo when she finished field training. ·      First time riding the lightning (Taser) during training.·      Jenn's crazy pepper spray story.·      How soon she started doing undercover work. Was she ready?·      Her first time being an undercover prostitute and an interesting question she didn't know how to answer.·      Arresting pimps and other prostitutes for pandering. All of this and more on today's episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.Check out Jenn's website!Visit the Cops & Writers Website!Support the show

As a winter storm sweeps across the United States, bringing heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain from the Southern Rockies and Plains through the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, we hope everyone stays warm and safe. Today, we're excited to welcome Brian Austin Green, a talented actor who's been a familiar face on television for over thirty years. He's most popular for his role as David Silver on "Beverly Hills 90210." With an impressive list of credits, including Smallville, Desperate Housewives, CSI, and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Brian joins us to share his thoughts on writers from an actor's perspective. So, cozy up, add another log to the fire, and enjoy the show!  Executive Producer Kristin OvernCreator/Executive Producer Sandy AdomaitisProducer Terry SampsonMusic by Ethan StollerCheck out our fantastic sponsor, Novelium:https://novelium.so

Mentre si ipotizza un evento alternativo all'Adelaide Writers' Week, saltata quest'anno tra mille polemiche, riflettiamo sui costi culturali ed economici della cancellazione con Vincenzo Latronico, tra gli autori invitati a questa edizione che non ci sarà.

When writer Rachel Eliza Griffiths married Salman Rushdie in 2021, she expected her wedding  day to be joyful. But the joy was invaded by tragedy, when she got the news her best friend had died. Eleven months later, Rushdie was stabbed and nearly killed onstage. Griffiths describes that year in her new memoir, ‘The Flower Bearers.'Also, we hear from Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes, writer of ‘In the Heights,' ‘Water by the Spoonful,' and the memoir ‘My Broken Language.'  Her new novel, ‘The White Hot,' tells the story of a young mother who buys a one-way bus ticket and leaves her 10 year-old daughter behind. Plus, film critic Justin Chang reviews ‘Sound of Falling,' which is shortlisted for an Oscar for Best International Feature.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Charlotte and Jo spring into the new year with a conversation about ancient poetry: Beowulf, The Iliad, and Dante's Inferno as translated by Mark Musa, Mary Jo Bang, and Danny Lavery. They're then joined by the wise and wonderful Hanif Abdurraqib who—after sharing a scoop about what series of book he reads every year (!)—reflects on the formative impacts of his encounter with Gloria Naylor's The Women of Brewster Place. Other titles discussed: Toni Morrison's Jazz, Bebe Moore Campbells' Your Blues Ain't Like Mine, Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain. Hanif Abdurraqib is a writer from the east side of Columbus, Ohio.Danny Lavery's translations of The Inferno can be found here.Please consider supporting our work on Patreon, where you can access additional materials and send us your guest (and book!) coverage requests. Questions and kind comments can be directed to readingwriterspod at gmail dot com.Charlotte Shane's most recent book is An Honest Woman. Her essay newsletter, Meant For You, can be subscribed to or read online for free. Her social media handle is @charoshane.  Jo Livingstone is a writer who teaches at Pratt Institute.To support the show, navigate to https://www.patreon.com/ReadingWritersAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Outlouders, welcome to the third and final instalment of our Summer Book Club where we’re going out strong.

Writers of the Future first readers Leah Ning, Martin Shoemaker, Eric James Stone, and Coordinating Judge Jody Lynn Nye answer questions submitted by Contest entrants on what is looked for in stories submitted to the Contest. What excites them. What turns them off. What determines an Honorable Mention, Silver Honorable Mention, and Finalist. How stories are handled in genres that aren't their favorite. And dozens of other questions.

We welcome author Shelley Dark to the show! After a lifetime raising cattle on Queensland's Granite Belt, Shelley and her husband swapped the bush for the Sunshine Coast of Queensland Australia. She's an award-winning Australian author who travels as often as she can and enjoys iPhone photography. She's a member of the ALLWRiTE Club and Writers on the Coast Noosa—a generous community of writers whose work and thinking continually stretches her own.Her books include Hydra in Winter (2024), awarded a Gold Medal at the Global Book Awards 2025 (Biographical—Traveler & Explorer), about her trip to the Greek island of Hydra to uncover her husband's ancestor, Ghikas Voulgaris—Australia's first Greek convict pioneer. And Son of Hydra (2025), awarded a Silver Medal at the Global Book Awards 2025 (Historical Fiction), inspired by his extraordinary life. Next will come Daughter of Cork, the story of his Irish wife, along with another exciting new narrative non-fiction. Her short fiction appears in anthologies. Join us in getting to know Shelley!WebsiteFacebookInstagramSon of Hydra on AmazonHear more on GreekAF!

On today's program, Cities Church in Minneapolis is considering legal options after protestors stormed its church service Sunday in response to the government's immigration measures in the city. We'll have details. And, philanthropists are turning to family offices to manage their wealth—but what are they, why have they grown so much in the past decade, and how will it impact ministries? We'll take a look.  Plus, Missouri passed a law to hold boarding schools accountable after several were shut down over allegations of neglect and abuse. Now, another ministry is fighting that law, saying its broad requirements are infringing on its religious freedom. But first, Apologia Church in Arizona is suing a former member for defamation. The former member made videos, claiming church leadership mishandled confidential marriage counseling information. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Bob Smietana, Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Christina Darnell, and Warren Smith. You've been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

More title nerdery, more poetic mischief! In this episode we keep digging into poem titles with Dante Di Stefano—how a title frames the reader, flips the meaning, or sets the trap door. We continue to unpack Dante's Poets & Writers essay. Warning: you may immediately rename a draft of your own!At the table:Katie DozierTimothy GreenDante Di StefanoBrian O'SullivanDick Westheimer

Welcome to the Writers Series on Voices on the Side! As part of celebrating my upcoming book - Mom, Unfiltered: Maternal Mental Health and Finding Freedom through Motherhood - I'll be focusing the podcast on conversations with fellow writers. From authors to essayists to journalists and professors, we are going to be talking about all things writing. In this first episode of the series, Joon Ae takes the position of host and interviewer and asks me about the book and how I became a writer. If you have a favorite writer you'd love to hear from or a specific question you're wondering about, leave it for me in the reviews (Apple) or comments (Spotify). Joon Ae websiteLeah website

This week Andrew talks with New York Times bestselling author Sarah McCoy.  Sarah shares a behind-the-scenes look at her creative process as well as many of the moments & experiences that have shaped her personally and professionally. You'll hear about Sarah's now decade-plus long pen pal relationship with former actress Dolores Hart – and the profound impact the correspondence has had on both of their lives. This conversation is a powerful reminder of what's possible when we seek connection, follow our curiosities, & lift others up along the way. ** Follow Andrew **Instagram: @AndrewMoses123X: @andrewhmosesSign up for e-mails to keep up with the podcast at everybodypullsthetarp.com/newsletterDISCLAIMER: This podcast is solely for educational & entertainment purposes. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional.

Kavita Das is a an author and mother who has worked for social change for close to fifteen years, addressing issues ranging from community and housing inequities, to public health disparities, to racial injustice. Her first book Poignant Song: The Life and Music of Lakshmi Shankar tells the life story of Grammy-nominated Hindustani singer Lakshmi Shankar.Kavita has been a regular contributor to NBC News Asian America, Los Angeles Review of Books, and The Rumpus. In addition, her work has been published in Salon, WIRED, Poets & Writers, Catapult, LitHub, Tin House, Longreads, Kenyon Review, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Guernica, McSweeney's, Fast Company, Quartz, Colorlines, Romper, and elsewhere. Kavita created the popular “Writing About Social Issues” nonfiction seminar, which inspired Craft and Conscience, and has taught at the New School and continues to teach across multiple venues and serve as a guest lecturer. Kavita Das is currently a Masters in Fine Arts candidate in creative nonfiction and screenwriting at Antioch University where she is the Eloise Klein Healy Scholar. Previously, she received a B.A. in Urban Studies from Bryn Mawr College. She lives in her hometown of New York City and tries to keep up with the city that never sleeps and her six-year-old daughter Daya.

Stranger Things Season Finale Review through a writer's eyes and a fan's heart.In this episode of Unwritten Chapters I break down what the Stranger Things finale does right and what most people miss on a first watch. Not plot trivia. Not outrage. The craft. The choices. The emotional beats that land hardest when you've lived through stress grief addiction recovery or the kind of work that makes you carry other people's pain.If you're a first responder a veteran a trauma literate human who is burnt out but still trying to stay soft this one is for you.I talk about:Why the ending hits so deep when you're exhaustedWhat the finale reveals about grief hope and survivalThe writing moves that make it workWhat I would steal as an author and what I would changeWhy this story connects with mental health and recoveryIf you love Stranger Things and you're also a writer reader creative or just someone trying to make sense of life after hard years you'll feel seen here.Drop a comment with the moment that got you. I read them all.

Send us a textIn this Aviatrix Writers' Room conversation, former NASA public affairs specialist and author of four nonfiction picture books, Kirsten W. Larson talks about writing true stories for young readers. We dig into how she learned the craft, the communities and organizations that helped her grow, and the realities of traditional publishing timelines (especially for illustrated nonfiction).Kirsten shares a clear-eyed look at writing “school and library” work-for-hire books, what those contracts mean for rights and creative control, and why she ultimately shifted her focus toward her own trade projects. We also talk about nonfiction kidlit craft—how research becomes story, why emotional connection matters, and the revision mindset behind her Reimagine Your Writing craft books Reimagining Your Nonfiction Picture Book: A Step-by-Step Revision Guide and her latest launching February 1st -  Telling it True: How to Write Non-Fiction Kids (and Teens) Want to Read (Reimagine Your Writing). What we cover• How Kirsten developed her craft (study, critique, repetition, feedback)• Communities that helped: critique groups, SCBWI, NFFest, webinars, classes• What “kidlit nonfiction” really asks of the writer: story first, facts supported in back matter• The publishing timeline reality for illustrated books (and why it takes years)• Work-for-hire school/library books: what the contracts typically mean (flat fee + publisher holds rights)• How to break in: magazine clips, portfolios, pitching educational publishers• Why she wrote Reimagining Your Nonfiction Picture Book (and what it's designed to solve)• What she's building next: a broader nonfiction craft “prequel” + a middle grade graphic novel project• Encouragement for new writers: read what's being published now, learn the medium, write, revise, repeatDid you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening!-Liz Booker

On a new episode of "The Show," Joel Sherman & Jon Heyman are joined by Dylan Hernandez & Jack Harris, our Dodgers writers for the new California Post. Joel & Jon talk to them about coming aboard The Post, if the Dodgers have an unlimited budget and if there's a scenario where this season goes poorly for LA. Plus, Joel & Jon grade the Mets pivot from Kyle Tucker to Bo Bichette and Luis Robert Jr, discuss why there's no other place that makes nearly as much sense for Cody Bellinger as the Yankees (recorded before he re-signed) & dive into the Hall of Fame results. 0:00 Intro 1:57 Grading Mets Pivot From Kyle Tucker To Bo Bichette 8:50 Kyle Tucker Signs With Dodgers 12:25 Mets Trade For Luis Robert Jr. 17:17 Yankees-Cody Bellinger Update 20:14 California Post Dodgers Writers Dylan Hernandez + Jack Harris Join The Show! 52:57 Hit Or Error - Hall Of Fame Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anna Rollins joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about the relationship between evangelical purity culture and diet culture, incorporating research and reporting into personal narrative, the intricate connections between religion, God, and body shame, fearing our own desires, extreme thinking, body dysmorphia, viewing our bodies as suspect, the physical effects of belief systems, writing memoir plus, tying our work to the culture, learning how to pitch and get bylines, the logistics of placing short pieces in large outlets, religion on our own terms, rejecting scripts, and her new memoir Famished: On Food, Sex, and Growing Up as a Good Girl. Info/Registration for Ronit's 10-Week Memoir Class Memoir Writing: Finding Your Story https://www.pce.uw.edu/courses/memoir-writing-finding-your-story   This episode is brought to you by Prose Playground. If you've been writing for years but haven't published, have tons of ideas but can't get them on the page, if you have a book coming out, or you're simply curious about writing, join Prose Playground—an active, supportive writing community for writers at every level. Visit www.ProsePlayground.com to sign up free.   Also in this episode: -church hurt -publishing scores of stand alone essays -tuning into the newscycle and calendar to sell our work   Books mentioned in this episode: Before and After the Book Deal by Courtney Maum Writing That Gets Noticed by Estelle Erasmus The Byline Bible by Susan Shapiro The Creative Act by Rick Rubin A Swim in the Pond in the Rain by George Saunders   Anna Rollins is the author of Famished: On Food, Sex, and Growing Up as a Good Girl. Her groundbreaking debut memoir examines the rhyming scripts of diet culture and evangelical purity culture, both of which direct women to fear their own bodies and appetites. Her writing has appeared in outlets like The New York Times, Slate, Electric Literature, Salon, Joyland, and more. She's also written scholarly articles about composition and writing center studies. She's an award-winning instructor who taught English in higher education for nearly 15 years. She is a 2025 West Virginia Creative Network Literary Arts Fellow. A lifelong Appalachian, she lives with her husband in West Virginia where they're raising their three small children.   Connect with Anna: Website: http://annajrollins.com Substack: http://annajrollins.substack.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/annajrollins Book: https://amzn.to/3Lu6uHR   – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank   Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social

We're living in a storytelling moment deeply fascinated by darkness—and for good reason. Stories have always helped us metabolize fear, trauma, and moral failure. But darkness is not meant to be the destination. In this episode, I explore why writers need a sense of wonder in fiction, not as escapism or denial, but as a way of completing the story arc. Wonder is what allows stories to move through the descent rather than getting stuck there and to imagine a future still worth moving toward. This is a reflection on how stories work psychologically and culturally, why so many books already carry hope with quiet integrity, and how writers (often without realizing it) contribute to building meaning, courage, and care through the stories they tell. In This Episode, We Explore: Why dark stories play an essential role in storytelling The danger of getting stuck in the descent Why stories must complete the arc The sense of wonder in fiction as moral imagination How stories help us imagine a future worth moving toward Links & Resources

What if the most transformative thing you can do for your writing craft and author business is to face what you fear? How can you can find gold in your Shadow in the year ahead? In this episode, I share chapters from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words. In the intro, curated book boxes from Bridgerton's Julia Quinn; Google's agentic shopping, and powering Apple's Siri; ChatGPT Ads; and Claude CoWork. Balancing Certainty and Uncertainty [MoonShots with Tony Robbins]; and three trends for authors with me and Orna Ross [Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast]; plus, Bones of the Deep, Business for Authors, and Indie Author Lab. This show is supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn  Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, and memoir as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. What is the Shadow? The ‘creative wound' and the Shadow in writing The Shadow in traditional publishing The Shadow in self-publishing or being an indie author The Shadow in work The Shadow in money You can find Writing the Shadow in all formats on all stores, as well as special edition, workbook and bundles at www.TheCreativePenn.com/shadowbook Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words The following chapters are excerpted from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words by Joanna Penn. Introduction. What is the Shadow? “How can I be substantial if I do not cast a shadow? I must have a dark side also if I am to be whole.” —C.G. Jung, Modern Man in Search of a Soul We all have a Shadow side and it is the work of a lifetime to recognise what lies within and spin that base material into gold. Think of it as a seedling in a little pot that you're given when you're young. It's a bit misshapen and weird, not something you would display in your living room, so you place it in a dark corner of the basement. You don't look at it for years. You almost forget about it. Then one day you notice tendrils of something wild poking up through the floorboards. They're ugly and don't fit with your Scandi-minimalist interior design. You chop the tendrils away and pour weedkiller on what's left, trying to hide the fact that they were ever there. But the creeping stems keep coming. At some point, you know you have to go down there and face the wild thing your seedling has become. When you eventually pluck up enough courage to go down into the basement, you discover that the plant has wound its roots deep into the foundations of your home. Its vines weave in and out of the cracks in the walls, and it has beautiful flowers and strange fruit. It holds your world together. Perhaps you don't need to destroy the wild tendrils. Perhaps you can let them wind up into the light and allow their rich beauty to weave through your home. It will change the look you have so carefully cultivated, but maybe that's just what the place needs. The Shadow in psychology Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychologist and the founder of analytical psychology. He described the Shadow as an unconscious aspect of the human personality, those parts of us that don't match up to what is expected of us by family and society, or to our own ideals. The Shadow is not necessarily evil or illegal or immoral, although of course it can be. It's also not necessarily caused by trauma, abuse, or any other severely damaging event, although again, it can be. It depends on the individual. What is in your Shadow is based on your life and your experiences, as well as your culture and society, so it will be different for everyone. Psychologist Connie Zweig, in The Inner Work of Age, explains, “The Shadow is that part of us that lies beneath or behind the light of awareness. It contains our rejected, unacceptable traits and feelings. It contains our hidden gifts and talents that have remained unexpressed or unlived. As Jung put it, the essence of the Shadow is pure gold.” To further illustrate the concept, Robert Bly, in A Little Book on the Human Shadow,uses the following metaphor: “When we are young, we carry behind us an invisible bag, into which we stuff any feelings, thoughts, or behaviours that bring disapproval or loss of love—anger, tears, neediness, laziness. By the time we go to school, our bags are already a mile long. In high school, our peer groups pressure us to stuff the bags with even more—individuality, sexuality, spontaneity, different opinions. We spend our life until we're twenty deciding which parts of ourselves to put into the bag and we spend the rest of our lives trying to get them out again.” As authors, we can use what's in the ‘bag' to enrich our writing — but only if we can access it. My intention with this book is to help you venture into your Shadow and bring some of what's hidden into the light and into your words. I'll reveal aspects of my Shadow in these pages but ultimately, this book is about you. Your Shadow is unique. There may be elements we share, but much will be different. Each chapter has questions for you to consider that may help you explore at least the edges of your Shadow, but it's not easy. As Jung said, “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The latter procedure, however, is disagreeable and therefore not popular.” But take heart, Creative. You don't need courage when things are easy. You need it when you know what you face will be difficult, but you do it anyway. We are authors. We know how to do hard things. We turn ideas into books. We manifest thoughts into ink on paper. We change lives with our writing. First, our own, then other people's. It's worth the effort to delve into Shadow, so I hope you will join me on the journey. The creative wound and the Shadow in writing “Whatever pain you can't get rid of, make it your creative offering.” —Susan Cain, Bittersweet  The more we long for something, the more extreme our desire, the more likely it is to have a Shadow side. For those of us who love books, the author life may well be a long-held dream and thus, it is filled with Shadow. Books have long been objects of desire, power, and authority. They hold a mythic status in our lives. We escaped into stories as children; we studied books at school and college; we read them now for escape and entertainment, education and inspiration. We collect beautiful books to put on our shelves. We go to them for solace and answers to the deepest questions of life. Writers are similarly held in high esteem. They shape culture, win literary prizes, give important speeches, and are quoted in the mainstream media. Their books are on the shelves in libraries and bookstores. Writers are revered, held up as rare, talented creatures made separate from us by their brilliance and insight. For bibliophile children, books were everything and to write one was a cherished dream. To become an author? Well, that would mean we might be someone special, someone worthy. Perhaps when you were young, you thought the dream of being a writer was possible — then you told someone about it. That's probably when you heard the first criticism of such a ridiculous idea, the first laughter, the first dismissal. So you abandoned the dream, pushed the idea of being a writer into the Shadow, and got on with your life. Or if it wasn't then, it came later, when you actually put pen to paper and someone — a parent, teacher, partner, or friend, perhaps even a literary agent or publisher, someone whose opinion you valued — told you it was worthless. Here are some things you might have heard: Writing is a hobby. Get a real job. You're not good enough. You don't have any writing talent. You don't have enough education. You don't know what you're doing. Your writing is derivative / unoriginal / boring / useless / doesn't make sense. The genre you write in is dead / worthless / unacceptable / morally wrong / frivolous / useless.  Who do you think you are? No one would want to read what you write. You can't even use proper grammar, so how could you write a whole book? You're wasting your time. You'll never make it as a writer. You shouldn't write those things (or even think about those things). Why don't you write something nice? Insert other derogatory comment here! Mark Pierce describes the effect of this experience in his book The Creative Wound, which “occurs when an event, or someone's actions or words, pierce you, causing a kind of rift in your soul. A comment—even offhand and unintentional—is enough to cause one.” He goes on to say that such words can inflict “damage to the core of who we are as creators. It is an attack on our artistic identity, resulting in us believing that whatever we make is somehow tainted or invalid, because shame has convinced us there is something intrinsically tainted or invalid about ourselves.” As adults, we might brush off such wounds, belittling them as unimportant in the grand scheme of things. We might even find ourselves saying the same words to other people. After all, it's easier to criticise than to create. But if you picture your younger self, bright eyed as you lose yourself in your favourite book, perhaps you might catch a glimpse of what you longed for before your dreams were dashed on the rocks of other people's reality. As Mark Pierce goes on to say, “A Creative Wound has the power to delay our pursuits—sometimes for years—and it can even derail our lives completely… Anything that makes us feel ashamed of ourselves or our work can render us incapable of the self-expression we yearn for.” This is certainly what happened to me, and it took decades to unwind. Your creative wounds will differ to mine but perhaps my experience will help you explore your own. To be clear, your Shadow may not reside in elements of horror as mine do, but hopefully you can use my example to consider where your creative wounds might lie. “You shouldn't write things like that.” It happened at secondary school around 1986 or 1987, so I would have been around eleven or twelve years old. English was one of my favourite subjects and the room we had our lessons in looked out onto a vibrant garden. I loved going to that class because it was all about books, and they were always my favourite things. One day, we were asked to write a story. I can't remember the specifics of what the teacher asked us to write, but I fictionalised a recurring nightmare. I stood in a dark room. On one side, my mum and my brother, Rod, were tied up next to a cauldron of boiling oil, ready to be thrown in. On the other side, my dad and my little sister, Lucy, were threatened with decapitation by men with machetes. I had to choose who would die. I always woke up, my heart pounding, before I had to choose. Looking back now, it clearly represented an internal conflict about having to pick sides between the two halves of my family. Not an unexpected issue from a child of divorce. Perhaps these days, I might have been sent to the school counsellor, but it was the eighties and I don't think we even had such a thing. Even so, the meaning of the story isn't the point. It was the reaction to it that left scars. “You shouldn't write things like that,” my teacher said, and I still remember her look of disappointment, even disgust. Certainly judgment. She said my writing was too dark. It wasn't a proper story. It wasn't appropriate for the class. As if horrible things never happened in stories — or in life. As if literature could not include dark tales. As if the only acceptable writing was the kind she approved of. We were taught The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie that year, which says a lot about the type of writing considered appropriate. Or perhaps the issue stemmed from the school motto, “So hateth she derknesse,” from Chaucer's The Legend of Good Women: “For fear of night, so she hates the darkness.” I had won a scholarship to a private girls' school, and their mission was to turn us all into proper young ladies. Horror was never on the curriculum. Perhaps if my teacher had encouraged me to write my darkness back then, my nightmares would have dissolved on the page. Perhaps if we had studied Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, or H.P. Lovecraft stories, or Bram Stoker's Dracula, I could have embraced the darker side of literature earlier in my life. My need to push darker thoughts into my Shadow was compounded by my (wonderful) mum's best intentions. We were brought up on the principles of The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale and she tried to shield me and my brother from anything harmful or horrible. We weren't allowed to watch TV much, and even the British school drama Grange Hill was deemed inappropriate. So much of what I've achieved is because my mum instilled in me a “can do” attitude that anything is possible. I'm so grateful to her for that. (I love you, Mum!) But all that happy positivity, my desire to please her, to be a good girl, to make my teachers proud, and to be acceptable to society, meant that I pushed my darker thoughts into Shadow. They were inappropriate. They were taboo. They must be repressed, kept secret, and I must be outwardly happy and positive at all times. You cannot hold back the darkness “The night is dark and full of terrors.” —George R.R. Martin, A Storm of Swords It turned out that horror was on the curriculum, much of it in the form of educational films we watched during lessons. In English Literature, we watched Romeo drink poison and Juliet stab herself in Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet. In Religious Studies, we watched Jesus beaten, tortured, and crucified in The Greatest Story Ever Told, and learned of the variety of gruesome ways that Christian saints were martyred. In Classical Civilisation, we watched gladiators slaughter each other in Spartacus. In Sex Education at the peak of the AIDS crisis in the mid-'80s, we were told of the many ways we could get infected and die. In History, we studied the Holocaust with images of skeletal bodies thrown into mass graves, medical experiments on humans, and grainy videos of marching soldiers giving the Nazi salute. One of my first overseas school field trips was to the World War I battlegrounds of Flanders Fields in Belgium, where we studied the inhuman conditions of the trenches, walked through mass graves, and read war poetry by candlelight. As John McCrae wrote: We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields. Did the teachers not realise how deeply a sensitive teenager might feel the darkness of that place? Or have I always been unusual in that places of blood echo deep inside me? And the horrors kept coming. We lived in Bristol, England back then and I learned at school how the city had been part of the slave trade, its wealth built on the backs of people stolen from their homes, sold, and worked to death in the colonies. I had been at school for a year in Malawi, Africa and imagined the Black people I knew drowning, being beaten, and dying on those ships. In my teenage years, the news was filled with ethnic cleansing, mass rape, and massacres during the Balkan wars, and images of bodies hacked apart during the Rwandan genocide. Evil committed by humans against other humans was not a historical aberration. I'm lucky and I certainly acknowledge my privilege. Nothing terrible or horrifying has happened to me — but bad things certainly happen to others. I wasn't bullied or abused. I wasn't raped or beaten or tortured. But you don't have to go through things to be afraid of them, and for your imagination to conjure the possibility of them. My mum doesn't read my fiction now as it gives her nightmares (Sorry, Mum!). I know she worries that somehow she's responsible for my darkness, but I've had a safe and (mostly) happy life, for which I'm truly grateful. But the world is not an entirely safe and happy place, and for a sensitive child with a vivid imagination, the world is dark and scary. It can be brutal and violent, and bad things happen, even to good people. No parent can shield their child from the reality of the world. They can only help them do their best to live in it, develop resilience, and find ways to deal with whatever comes. Story has always been a way that humans have used to learn how to live and deal with difficult times. The best authors, the ones that readers adore and can't get enough of, write their darkness into story to channel their experience, and help others who fear the same. In an interview on writing the Shadow on The Creative Penn Podcast, Michaelbrent Collings shared how he incorporated a personally devastating experience into his writing:  “My wife and I lost a child years back, and that became the root of one of my most terrifying books, Apparition. It's not terrifying because it's the greatest book of all time, but just the concept that there's this thing out there… like a demon, and it consumes the blood and fear of the children, and then it withdraws and consumes the madness of the parents… I wrote that in large measure as a way of working through what I was experiencing.” I've learned much from Michaelbrent. I've read many of his (excellent) books and he's been on my podcast multiple times talking about his depression and mental health issues, as well as difficulties in his author career. Writing darkness is not in Michaelbrent's Shadow and only he can say what lies there for him. But from his example, and from that of other authors, I too learned how to write my Shadow into my books. Twenty-three years after that English lesson, in November 2009, I did NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, and wrote five thousand words of what eventually became Stone of Fire, my first novel. In the initial chapter, I burned a nun alive on the ghats of Varanasi on the banks of the Ganges River. I had watched the bodies burn by night on pyres from a boat bobbing in the current a few years before, and the image was still crystal clear in my mind. The only way to deal with how it made me feel about death was to write about it — and since then, I've never stopped writing. Returning to the nightmare from my school days, I've never had to choose between the two halves of my family, but the threat of losing them remains a theme in my fiction. In my ARKANE thriller series, Morgan Sierra will do anything to save her sister and her niece. Their safety drives her to continue to fight against evil. Our deepest fears emerge in our writing, and that's the safest place for them. I wish I'd been taught how to turn my nightmares into words back at school, but at least now I've learned to write my Shadow onto the page. I wish the same for you. The Shadow in traditional publishing If becoming an author is your dream, then publishing a book is deeply entwined with that. But as Mark Pierce says in The Creative Wound, “We feel pain the most where it matters the most… Desire highlights whatever we consider to be truly significant.” There is a lot of desire around publishing for those of us who love books! It can give you: Validation that your writing is good enough Status and credibility Acceptance by an industry held in esteem  The potential of financial reward and critical acclaim Support from a team of professionals who know how to make fantastic books A sense of belonging to an elite community Pride in achieving a long-held goal, resulting in a confidence boost and self-esteem Although not guaranteed, traditional publishing can give you all these things and more, but as with everything, there is a potential Shadow side. Denying it risks the potential of being disillusioned, disappointed, and even damaged. But remember, forewarned is forearmed, as the saying goes. Preparation can help you avoid potential issues and help you feel less alone if you encounter them. The myth of success… and the reality of experience There is a pervasive myth of success in the traditional publishing industry, perpetuated by media reporting on brand name and breakout authors, those few outliers whose experience is almost impossible to replicate. Because of such examples, many new traditionally published authors think that their first book will hit the top of the bestseller charts or win an award, as well as make them a million dollars — or at least a big chunk of cash. They will be able to leave their job, write in a beautiful house overlooking the ocean, and swan around the world attending conferences, while writing more bestselling books. It will be a charmed life. But that is not the reality. Perhaps it never was. Even so, the life of a traditionally published author represents a mythic career with the truth hidden behind a veil of obscurity. In April 2023, The Bookseller in the UK reported that “more than half of authors (54%) responding to a survey on their experiences of publishing their debut book have said the process negatively affected their mental health. Though views were mixed, just 22%… described a positive experience overall… Among the majority who said they had a negative experience of debut publication, anxiety, stress, depression and ‘lowered' self-esteem were cited, with lack of support, guidance or clear and professional communication from their publisher among the factors that contributed.” Many authors who have negative experiences around publishing will push them into the Shadow with denial or self-blame, preferring to keep the dream alive. They won't talk about things in public as this may negatively affect their careers, but private discussions are often held in the corners of writing conferences or social media groups online. Some of the issues are as follows: Repeated rejection by agents and publishers may lead to the author thinking they are not good enough as a writer, which can lead to feeling unworthy as a person. If an author gets a deal, the amount of advance and the name and status of the publisher compared to others create a hierarchy that impacts self-esteem. A deal for a book may be much lower than an author might have been expecting, with low or no advance, and the resulting experience with the publisher beneath expectations. The launch process may be disappointing, and the book may appear without fanfare, with few sales and no bestseller chart position. In The Bookseller report, one author described her launch day as “a total wasteland… You have expectations about what publication day will be like, but in reality, nothing really happens.” The book may receive negative reviews by critics or readers or more publicly on social media, which can make an author feel attacked. The book might not sell as well as expected, and the author may feel like it's their fault. Commercial success can sometimes feel tied to self-worth and an author can't help but compare their sales to others, with resulting embarrassment or shame. The communication from the publisher may be less than expected. One author in The Bookseller report said, “I was shocked by the lack of clarity and shared information and the cynicism that underlies the superficial charm of this industry.” There is often more of a focus on debut authors in publishing houses, so those who have been writing and publishing in the midlist for years can feel ignored and undervalued. In The Bookseller report, 48 percent of authors reported “their publisher supported them for less than a year,” with one saying, “I got no support and felt like a commodity, like the team had moved on completely to the next book.” If an author is not successful enough, the next deal may be lower than the last, less effort is made with marketing, and they may be let go. In The Bookseller report, “six authors—debut and otherwise—cited being dropped by their publisher, some with no explanation.” Even if everything goes well and an author is considered successful by others, they may experience imposter syndrome, feeling like a fraud when speaking at conferences or doing book signings. And the list goes on … All these things can lead to feelings of shame, inadequacy, and embarrassment; loss of status in the eyes of peers; and a sense of failure if a publishing career is not successful enough. The author feels like it's their fault, like they weren't good enough — although, of course, the reality is that the conditions were not right at the time. A failure of a book is not a failure of the person, but it can certainly feel like it! When you acknowledge the Shadow, it loses its power Despite all the potential negatives of traditional publishing, if you know what could happen, you can mitigate them. You can prepare yourself for various scenarios and protect yourself from potential fall-out. It's clear from The Bookseller report that too many authors have unrealistic expectations of the industry. But publishers are businesses, not charities. It's not their job to make you feel good as an author. It's their job to sell books and pay you. The best thing they can do is to continue to be a viable business so they can keep putting books on the shelves and keep paying authors, staff, and company shareholders. When you license your creative work to a publisher, you're giving up control of your intellectual property in exchange for money and status. Bring your fears and issues out of the Shadow, acknowledge them, and deal with them early, so they do not get pushed down and re-emerge later in blame and bitterness. Educate yourself on the business of publishing. Be clear on what you want to achieve with any deal. Empower yourself as an author, take responsibility for your career, and you will have a much better experience. The Shadow in self-publishing or being an indie author Self-publishing, or being an independent (indie) author, can be a fantastic, pro-active choice for getting your book into the world. Holding your first book in your hand and saying “I made this” is pretty exciting, and even after more than forty books, I still get excited about seeing ideas in my head turn into a physical product in the world. Self-publishing can give an author: Creative control over what to write, editorial and cover design choices, when and how often to publish, and how to market Empowerment over your author career and the ability to make choices that impact success without asking for permission Ownership and control of intellectual property assets, resulting in increased opportunity around licensing and new markets Independence and the potential for recurring income for the long term Autonomy and flexibility around timelines, publishing options, and the ability to easily pivot into new genres and business models Validation based on positive reader reviews and money earned Personal growth and learning through the acquisition of new skills, resulting in a boost in confidence and self-esteem A sense of belonging to an active and vibrant community of indie authors around the world Being an indie author can give you all this and more, but once again, there is a Shadow side and preparation can help you navigate potential issues. The myth of success… and the reality of experience As with traditional publishing, the indie author world has perpetuated a myth of success in the example of the breakout indie author like E.L. James with Fifty Shades of Grey, Hugh Howey with Wool, or Andy Weir with The Martian. The emphasis on financial success is also fuelled online by authors who share screenshots showing six-figure months or seven-figure years, without sharing marketing costs and other outgoings, or the amount of time spent on the business. Yes, these can inspire some, but it can also make others feel inadequate and potentially lead to bad choices about how to publish and market based on comparison. The indie author world is full of just as much ego and a desire for status and money as traditional publishing. This is not a surprise! Most authors, regardless of publishing choices, are a mix of massive ego and chronic self-doubt. We are human, so the same issues will re-occur. A different publishing method doesn't cure all ills. Some of the issues are as follows: You learn everything you need to know about writing and editing, only to find that you need to learn a whole new set of skills in order to self-publish and market your book. This can take a lot of time and effort you did not expect, and things change all the time so you have to keep learning. Being in control of every aspect of the publishing process, from writing to cover design to marketing, can be overwhelming, leading to indecision, perfectionism, stress, and even burnout as you try to do all the things. You try to find people to help, but building your team is a challenge, and working with others has its own difficulties. People say negative things about self-publishing that may arouse feelings of embarrassment or shame. These might be little niggles, but they needle you, nonetheless. You wonder whether you made the right choice. You struggle with self-doubt and if you go to an event with traditional published authors, you compare yourself to them and feel like an imposter. Are you good enough to be an author if a traditional publisher hasn't chosen you? Is it just vanity to self-publish? Are your books unworthy? Even though you worked with a professional editor, you still get one-star reviews and you hate criticism from readers. You wonder whether you're wasting your time. You might be ripped off by an author services company who promise the world, only to leave you with a pile of printed books in your garage and no way to sell them. When you finally publish your book, it languishes at the bottom of the charts while other authors hit the top of the list over and over, raking in the cash while you are left out of pocket. You don't admit to over-spending on marketing as it makes you ashamed. You resist book marketing and make critical comments about writers who embrace it. You believe that quality rises to the top and if a book is good enough, people will buy it anyway. This can lead to disappointment and disillusionment when you launch your book and it doesn't sell many copies because nobody knows about it. You try to do what everyone advises, but you still can't make decent money as an author. You're jealous of other authors' success and put it down to them ‘selling out' or writing things you can't or ‘using AI' or ‘using a ghostwriter' or having a specific business model you consider impossible to replicate. And the list goes on… When you acknowledge the Shadow, it loses its power Being in control of your books and your author career is a double-edged sword. Traditionally published authors can criticise their publishers or agents or the marketing team or the bookstores or the media, but indie authors have to take responsibility for it all. Sure, we can blame ‘the algorithms' or social media platforms, or criticise other authors for having more experience or more money to invest in marketing, or attribute their success to writing in a more popular genre — but we also know there are always people who do well regardless of the challenges. Once more, we're back to acknowledging and integrating the Shadow side of our choices. We are flawed humans. There will always be good times and bad, and difficulties to offset the high points. This too shall pass, as the old saying goes. I know that being an indie author has plenty of Shadow. I've been doing this since 2008 and despite the hard times, I'm still here. I'm still writing. I'm still publishing. This life is not for everyone, but it's my choice. You must make yours. The Shadow in work You work hard. You make a living. Nothing wrong with that attitude, right? It's what we're taught from an early age and, like so much of life, it's not a problem until it goes to extremes. Not achieving what you want to? Work harder. Can't get ahead? Work harder. Not making a good enough living? Work harder. People who don't work hard are lazy. They don't deserve handouts or benefits. People who don't work hard aren't useful, so they are not valued members of our culture and community. But what about the old or the sick, the mentally ill, or those with disabilities? What about children? What about the unemployed? The under-employed? What about those who are — or will be — displaced by technology, those called “the useless class” by historian Yuval Noah Harari in his book Homo Deus? What if we become one of these in the future? Who am I if I cannot work? The Shadow side of my attitude to work became clear when I caught COVID in the summer of 2021. I was the sickest I'd ever been. I spent two weeks in bed unable to even think properly, and six weeks after that, I was barely able to work more than an hour a day before lying in the dark and waiting for my energy to return. I was limited in what I could do for another six months after that. At times, I wondered if I would ever get better. Jonathan kept urging me to be patient and rest. But I don't know how to rest. I know how to work and how to sleep. I can do ‘active rest,' which usually involves walking a long way or traveling somewhere interesting, but those require a stronger mind and body than I had during those months. It struck me that even if I recovered from the virus, I had glimpsed my future self. One day, I will be weak in body and mind. If I'm lucky, that will be many years away and hopefully for a short time before I die — but it will happen. I am an animal. I will die. My body and mind will pass on and I will be no more. Before then I will be weak. Before then, I will be useless. Before then, I will be a burden. I will not be able to work… But who am I if I cannot work? What is the point of me? I can't answer these questions right now, because although I recognise them as part of my Shadow, I've not progressed far enough to have dealt with them entirely. My months of COVID gave me some much-needed empathy for those who cannot work, even if they want to. We need to reframe what work is as a society, and value humans for different things, especially as technology changes what work even means. That starts with each of us. “Illness, affliction of body and soul, can be life-altering. It has the potential to reveal the most fundamental conflict of the human condition: the tension between our infinite, glorious dreams and desires and our limited, vulnerable, decaying physicality.” —Connie Zweig, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul The Shadow in money In the Greek myth, King Midas was a wealthy ruler who loved gold above all else. His palace was adorned with golden sculptures and furniture, and he took immense pleasure in his riches. Yet, despite his vast wealth, he yearned for more. After doing a favour for Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry, Midas was granted a single wish. Intoxicated by greed, he wished that everything he touched would turn to gold — and it was so. At first, it was a lot of fun. Midas turned everything else in his palace to gold, even the trees and stones of his estate. After a morning of turning things to gold, he fancied a spot of lunch. But when he tried to eat, the food and drink turned to gold in his mouth. He became thirsty and hungry — and increasingly desperate. As he sat in despair on his golden throne, his beloved young daughter ran to comfort him. For a moment, he forgot his wish — and as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek, she turned into a golden statue, frozen in precious metal. King Midas cried out to the gods to forgive him, to reverse the wish. He renounced his greed and gave away all his wealth, and his daughter was returned to life. The moral of the story: Wealth and greed are bad. In Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is described as a “squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner.” He's wealthy but does not share, considering Christmas spending to be frivolous and giving to charity to be worthless. He's saved by a confrontation with his lonely future and becomes a generous man and benefactor of the poor. Wealth is good if you share it with others. The gospel of Matthew, chapter 25: 14-30, tells the parable of the bags of gold, in which a rich man goes on a journey and entrusts his servants with varying amounts of gold. On his return, the servants who multiplied the gold through their efforts and investments are rewarded, while the one who merely returned the gold with no interest is punished: “For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” Making money is good, making more money is even better. If you can't make any money, you don't deserve to have any. Within the same gospel, in Matthew 19:24, Jesus encounters a wealthy man and tells him to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor, which the man is unable to do. Jesus says, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Wealth is bad. Give it all away and you'll go to heaven. With all these contradictory messages, no wonder we're so conflicted about money! How do you think and feel about money? While money is mostly tied to our work, it's far more than just a transactional object for most people. It's loaded with complex symbolism and judgment handed down by family, religion, and culture. You are likely to find elements of Shadow by examining your attitudes around money. Consider which of the following statements resonate with you or write your own. Money stresses me out. I don't want to talk about it or think about it. Some people hoard money, so there is inequality. Rich people are bad and we should take away their wealth and give it to the poor.  I can never make enough money to pay the bills, or to give my family what I want to provide. Money doesn't grow on trees.  It's wasteful to spend money as you might need it later, so I'm frugal and don't spend money unless absolutely necessary. It is better and more ethical to be poor than to be rich. I want more money. I read books and watch TV shows about rich people because I want to live like that. Sometimes I spend too much on things for a glimpse of what that might be like.  I buy lottery tickets and dream of winning all that money.  I'm jealous of people who have money. I want more of it and I resent those who have it. I'm no good with money. I don't like to look at my bank statement or credit card statement. I live off my overdraft and I'm in debt. I will never earn enough to get out of debt and start saving, so I don't think too much about it. I don't know enough about money. Talking about it makes me feel stupid, so I just ignore it. People like me aren't educated about money.  I need to make more money. If I can make lots of money, then people will look up to me. If I make lots of money, I will be secure, nothing can touch me, I will be safe.  I never want to be poor. I would be ashamed to be poor. I will never go on benefits. My net worth is my self worth. Money is good. We have the best standard of living in history because of the increase in wealth over time. Even the richest kings of the past didn't have what many middle-class people have today in terms of access to food, water, technology, healthcare, education, and more. The richest people give the most money to the poor through taxation and charity, as well as through building companies that employ people and invent new things. The very richest give away much of their fortunes. They provide far more benefit to the world than the poor.  I love money. Money loves me. Money comes easily and quickly to me. I attract money in multiple streams of income. It flows to me in so many ways. I spend money. I invest money. I give money. I'm happy and grateful for all that I receive. The Shadow around money for authors in particular Many writers and other creatives have issues around money and wealth. How often have you heard the following, and which do you agree with? You can't make money with your writing. You'll be a poor author in a garret, a starving artist.  You can't write ‘good quality' books and make money. If you make money writing, you're a hack, you're selling out. You are less worthy than someone who writes only for the Muse. Your books are commercial, not artistic. If you spend money on marketing, then your books are clearly not good enough to sell on their own. My agent / publisher / accountant / partner deals with the money side. I like to focus on the creative side of things. My money story Note: This is not financial or investment advice. Please talk to a professional about your situation. I've had money issues over the years — haven't we all! But I have been through a (long) process to bring money out of my Shadow and into the light. There will always be more to discover, but hopefully my money story will help you, or at least give you an opportunity to reflect. Like most people, I didn't grow up with a lot of money. My parents started out as teachers, but later my mum — who I lived with, along with my brother — became a change management consultant, moving to the USA and earning a lot more. I'm grateful that she moved into business because her example changed the way I saw money and provided some valuable lessons. (1) You can change your circumstances by learning more and then applying that to leverage opportunity into a new job or career Mum taught English at a school in Bristol when we moved back from Malawi, Africa, in the mid '80s but I remember how stressful it was for her, and how little money she made. She wanted a better future for us all, so she took a year out to do a master's degree in management. In the same way, when I wanted to change careers and leave consulting to become an author, I spent time and money learning about the writing craft and the business of publishing. I still invest a considerable chunk on continuous learning, as this industry changes all the time. (2) You might have to downsize in order to leap forward The year my mum did her degree, we lived in the attic of another family's house; we ate a lot of one-pot casserole and our treat was having a Yorkie bar on the walk back from the museum. We wore hand-me-down clothes, and I remember one day at school when another girl said I was wearing her dress. I denied it, of course, but there in back of the dress was her name tag. I still remember her name and I can still feel that flush of shame and embarrassment. I was determined to never feel like that again. But what I didn't realize at the time was that I was also learning the power of downsizing. Mum got her degree and then a new job in management in Bristol. She bought a house, and we settled for a few years. I had lots of different jobs as a teenager. My favourite was working in the delicatessen because we got a free lunch made from delicious produce. After I finished A-levels, I went to the University of Oxford, and my mum and brother moved to the USA for further opportunities. I've downsized multiple times over the years, taking a step back in order to take a step forward. The biggest was in 2010 when I decided to leave consulting. Jonathan and I sold our three-bedroom house and investments in Brisbane, Australia, and rented a one-bedroom flat in London, so we could be debt-free and live on less while I built up a new career. It was a decade before we bought another house. (3) Comparison can be deadly: there will always be people with more money than you Oxford was an education in many ways and relevant to this chapter is how much I didn't know about things people with money took for granted. I learned about formal hall and wine pairings, and how to make a perfect gin and tonic. I ate smoked salmon for the first time. I learned how to fit in with people who had a lot more money than I did, and I definitely wanted to have money of my own to play with. (4) Income is not wealth You can earn lots but have nothing to show for it after years of working. I learned this in my first few years of IT consulting after university. I earned a great salary and then went contracting, earning even more money at a daily rate. I had a wonderful time. I traveled, ate and drank and generally made merry, but I always had to go back to the day job when the money ran out. I couldn't work out how I could ever stop this cycle. Then I read Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, a book I still recommend, especially if you're from a family that values academic over financial education. I learned how to escape the rat race by building and/or accumulating assets that pay even when you're not working. It was a revelation! The ‘poor dad' in the book is a university professor. He knows so much about so many things, but he ends up poor as he did not educate himself about money. The ‘rich dad' has little formal education, but he knows about money and wealth because he learned about it, as we can do at any stage in our lives. (5) Not all investments suit every person, so find the right one for you Once I discovered the world of investing, I read all the books and did courses and in-person events. I joined communities and I up-skilled big time. Of course, I made mistakes and learned lots along the way. I tried property investing and renovated a couple of houses for rental (with more practical partners and skilled contractors). But while I could see that property investing might work for some people, I did not care enough about the details to make it work for me, and it was certainly not passive income. I tried other things. My first husband was a boat skipper and scuba diving instructor, so we started a charter. With the variable costs of fuel, the vagaries of New Zealand weather — and our divorce — it didn't last long! From all these experiments, I learned I wanted to run a business, but it needed to be online and not based on a physical location, physical premises, or other people. That was 2006, around the time that blogging started taking off and it became possible to make a living online. I could see the potential and a year later, the iPhone and the Amazon Kindle launched, which became the basis of my business as an author. (6) Boring, automatic saving and investing works best Between 2007 and 2011, I contracted in Australia, where they have compulsory superannuation contributions, meaning you have to save and invest a percentage of your salary or self-employed income. I'd never done that before, because I didn't understand it. I'd ploughed all my excess income into property or the business instead. But in Australia I didn't notice the money going out because it was automatic. I chose a particular fund and it auto-invested every month. The pot grew pretty fast since I didn't touch it, and years later, it's still growing. I discovered the power of compound interest and time in the market, both of which are super boring. This type of investing is not a get rich quick scheme. It's a slow process of automatically putting money into boring investments and doing that month in, month out, year in, year out, automatically for decades while you get on with your life. I still do this. I earn money as an author entrepreneur and I put a percentage of that into boring investments automatically every month. I also have a small amount which is for fun and higher risk investments, but mostly I'm a conservative, risk-averse investor planning ahead for the future. This is not financial advice, so I'm not giving any specifics. I have a list of recommended money books at www.TheCreativePenn.com/moneybooks if you want to learn more. Learning from the Shadow When I look back, my Shadow side around money eventually drove me to learn more and resulted in a better outcome (so far!). I was ashamed of being poor when I had to wear hand-me-down clothes at school. That drove a fear of not having any money, which partially explains my workaholism. I was embarrassed at Oxford because I didn't know how to behave in certain settings, and I wanted to be like the rich people I saw there. I spent too much money in my early years as a consultant because I wanted to experience a “rich” life and didn't understand saving and investing would lead to better things in the future. I invested too much in the wrong things because I didn't know myself well enough and I was trying to get rich quick so I could leave my job and ‘be happy.' But eventually, I discovered that I could grow my net worth with boring, long-term investments while doing a job I loved as an author entrepreneur. My only regret is that I didn't discover this earlier and put a percentage of my income into investments as soon as I started work. It took several decades to get started, but at least I did (eventually) start. My money story isn't over yet, and I keep learning new things, but hopefully my experience will help you reflect on your own and avoid the issue if it's still in Shadow. These chapters are excerpted from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words by Joanna Penn  The post Writing The Shadow: The Creative Wound, Publishing, And Money, With Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn.

Ella Quittner is a journalist, screenwriter, and humorist who writes about obsession, culture, and food. She's the author of a terrific new cookbook, Obsessed with the Best: 100+ Methodically Perfected Recipes Based on 20+ Head-to-Head Tests. On this very fun episode we talk about those tests, and finding the absolute best recipes for biscuits, pancakes, cookies, yellow cake, roasted chicken, and so much more. We also talk about her writing, and unique journey to cookbook authordom.  Subscribe to This Is TASTE: ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After making a splash at Cannes, THE CHRONOLOGY OF WATER is finally getting released to theaters around the US. It's a faithful film adaptation of the memoir by Lidia Yuknavitch, and we're joined by both a memoirist and a filmmaker to discuss it all — Roxane Gay (HUNGER, BAD FEMINIST, and much more) and Alain Martin (The Forgotten Occupation). Then we'll name some of our favorite memoir adaptations, and some memoirs we'd like to see adapted to film  What's Good?Alonso - The Hunger: Film Writing 2012-2024 by Melissa AndersonDrea - TasteBuds NYC videosRoxane - Heated Rivalry book seriesAlain - LA trip (for local premiere of The Forgotten Occupation!)Kevin - Buzz Ballz for DreaITIDICGolden Globes 2026 HappenedAlamo Drafthouse Shifting from Pen-and-Paper to Mobile Menu OrderingStaff PicksAlonso - The SwimmerDrea - Sound of FallingAlain - Nouvelle VagueRoxane - HeddaKevin - Cedar Rapids Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or LetterboxdWithKevin AveryDrea ClarkAlonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa FlaxbartSr. Producer Laura Swisher

Brent Crane is being chased through a mall in the Philippines. He's on the trail of Page Turner, the company that has been accused of stealing $44 million from hopeful writers in one of the most brazen scams the book publishing world has ever seen.Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck.Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Discover how three Notes to Novel™ students stopped guessing their way through drafting and built steady, sustainable momentum toward a finished first draft.In this short bonus episode, I'm sharing three real case studies from past Notes to Novel students who were all stuck in different ways but wanted the same thing: to finish their first draft. You'll hear how each writer went from stalled, inconsistent drafting to steady momentum once they stopped overthinking and started working with a clear story structure and scene-level direction. These aren't theories or abstract tips. They're real examples of what changes when writers have a proven process that they can trust.Here's what we cover:[03:56] How Lindsay went from 25,000 words in six months to a 100,000-word draft after finding the missing piece that finally made her story flow.[08:47] Why Alison kept putting finished drafts in a drawer, and the realization that finally explained why her scenes weren't working.[10:40] How Sharon, a first-time novelist, set a realistic goal of 6,000 words per week and finished her entire first draft two days ahead of schedule, stress-free. [13:18] The drafting strategy that keeps you moving forward with confidence instead of second-guessing every scene you writeReady to stop stalling and start finishing? Join Lindsay, Alison, Sharon, and hundreds of other writers who've discovered that drafting doesn't have to feel like a slog. You just need the right roadmap. Get on the waitlist for the next open enrollment of my Notes to Novel course and get my complete, step-by-step framework for writing a story that works. Doors open January 22nd—don't miss your chance to turn your ideas into a finished draft you're proud of.

In episode 1989, Jack and guest co-host Mort Burke are joined by comedian, Blake Wexler, to discuss… At Least Zohran Is Getting Busy, The Trump Administration Wants Us To Believe That They Havana Syndrome-d Venezuela, Finally An App To Ensure You’re Not Dead, Now Stranger Things Fans Are Convinced That ChatGPT Wrote The Finale and more! US used powerful mystery weapon that brought Venezuelan soldiers to their knees during Maduro raid: witness account This Pain-Inducing Acoustic Device Used to Control Crowds in Azerbaijan Might Be U.S.-Made How to Dodge the Sonic Weapon Used by Police Are You Dead?: The viral Chinese app for young people living alone An App Called ‘Are You Dead?’ Is Climbing the Apple Charts A record share of Americans is living alone Why humans are increasingly choosing to live alone Rising numbers of people found long after death in England and Wales – study The Backlash Against Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things 5’ Documentary, Explained Stranger Things Fan Tweet: "is that a f**kin chatgpt tab i see" LISTEN: Victory Lap by Fred again.., Skepta, PlaqueboymaxSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.