Podcasts about writer's digest

Hi #AmWriting listeners, Jennie here! Today, I'm talking to Jane Friedman, who is one of the most trusted voices in the world of publishing.She has advised and served organizations such as Writers Digest, The Chicago Manual of Style, The Editorial Freelancers Association, the Alliance of Independent Authors, and the National Endowment for the Arts, among others. She writes two must-read newsletters for industry professionals. One is her personal newsletter, and the other is The Bottom Line (previously called The Hot Sheet), where she provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals. The reason I wanted to speak with Jane on the podcast today is that she has just released an updated version of her book, The Business of Being a Writer, which digs into the nuts and bolts of the writing life, including the work of getting published and choosing how to do that, and the work of making money. It is one of those must-read books for writers who are serious about making a mark.Jane offers so much information, some tough love, and also a reason for hope, and I'm so excited I'm talking to Jane about her own writing process, and her advice for writers.Links from the PodJane's Trademark situation via Writer's DigestJane's The Bottom Line Newsletter The Author's Guild (for AI info)Simon Willison's Things We Learned About LLMs in 2024 (via Substack)Make Art Make Money, Elizabeth Hyde StevensHow to Reform Capitalism, Alain de BottonThe Gift, Lewis Hyde Dana GioiaAlan Watt's Out of Your MindFind Jane via her website: www.janefriendman.com, or on Instagram at @janefriedman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

We pulled one of our favorite interviews from the BLS interview archives where Derek Champagne interviews Michael Levin. This was a powerful interview and Michael overdelivered as our guest! As one of the most established writers in the nation, New York Times best-selling author Michael Levin has written or co-written more than 100 books, of which eleven are national best sellers.He appeared on ABC's Shark Tank on January 20th, 2012. In the past, Michael has published with Simon & Schuster, Random House, St. Martin's Press, Putnam/Berkley, and many other houses. His works have been optioned for film and TV by Steven Soderbergh/Paramount, HBO, Disney, ABC, and others. One of his own novels became Model Behavior, an ABC Sunday night Disney movie of the week. He has also made contributions to the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes.com, Politico, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, the Jerusalem Post, Writers Digest, CBS News. Michael has had the experience to teach writing classes at the University of California – Los Angeles and New York University. As an Amherst College and Columbia Law School graduate, Michael served for many years as a member of the prestigious Authors Guild Council and as Treasurer of the Authors Guild Foundation.Michael currently resides with his wife and four children in Boston, Massachusetts. Learn more about Michael at www.businessghost.com

GHOST MUSIC finds the fictional Orchestra of London beset by difficulties. Zimetski, their fiery Polish conductor, drives musicians simultaneously to greater performances and personal desperation, while Pete, the orchestral manager, attempts damage control. William Mellor, a cellist, buys an antique cello at auction only to discover that it has supernatural qualities. A mysterious young woman then joins the orchestra, captivates the conductor and attempts to captivate William, who's struggling to get back together with his estranged wife. In the end, no force, whether earthly or otherwise, can keep William from confronting the cello's true nature – as well as his own. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Alice McVeigh has been published by Orion/Hachette in contemporary fiction, by UK's Unbound using a pen name in scifi, and now in multi-award-winning Austenesque fiction. Her books have been honoured at the most recent London Book Fair in the UK Selfies Book Awards, runners-up for the prestigious Foreword Indies "Book of the Year" and joint runner-up for Writers Digest ebook awards. She is married, and lives in London. Previously, she played all over the world with London orchestras, including the BBC Symphony and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - which inspired this work. LEARN MORE ABOUT ALICE MCVEIGH AND HER WORK AT: https://www.alicemcveigh.com Connect with Alice McVeigh: https://www.linktr.ee/ASTMcVeigh TOPICS OF CONVERSATION Personal Journey and Career Shift: Transition from professional cellist to writer, including challenges with infertility and ADHD diagnosis. Inspiration and Writing Process: Dreams as a source of inspiration, particularly the dream of a cello playing her, influencing Ghost Music. Orchestral World and Cultural Shifts: Experiences in male-dominated orchestras, rivalry, and the evolving culture of inclusivity in music. Character Exploration and Themes: Protagonist William Miller's open-hearted nature, Shakespearean themes, and the cello as a character. Future Projects and Genre Balance: Plans for a thriller finale in the orchestral series, challenges of balancing multiple genres, and ongoing Jane Austen-inspired works.  

Thom Francis welcomes poets James H Duncan and Melissa Anderson who shared their work at a special reading at the Art Associates Gallery in Albany on October 27, 2022. --- This coming Saturday, the Hudson Valley Writers Guild is teaming up with online literary journals Hobo Camp Review and Trailer Park Quarterly for a poetry reading featuring Steven Minchin, Melissa Anderson, Bunkong Tuon, Tony Gloeggler, Erin Lynn, and James H Duncan at MoJo's Cafe and Gallery in downtown Troy. Today we are going hear from two of those poets who shared their work at the Art Associates Gallery in Albany in October 2022 First up is James H Duncan with a “true story about the ghost in the guest room closet," & another Halloween tale titled “October 31.” James Duncan is the editor of Hobo Camp Review, a former editor with Writers Digest, and the author of Vacancy, Both Ways Home, and We Are All Terminal But This Exit Is Mine, among other books of poetry and fiction. He also reviews independent bookstores on his blog The Bookshop Hunter, and resides in Albany, NY. And then, Melissa Anderson reads a piece titled “The Snake, or the Dream of the Werewolf” a meditation on tragedy. Melissa Anderson is a writer, artist, and craftsman. Now a furniture maker by trade, she has worked variously in theater, the fine arts, and leather production, all of which influence her poetry. Like the constellations, she sees poems as navigational, both records Of the past and maps forward to the future. Her poetry explores the beauty in the banal and how the things we make help define who we are and the places we call home. She has been published in Cathexis Northwest Press and performs as a member of Slam Euphoria. Dogstar Poems, from Main Street Rag, is her first published collection.

A listener once suggested that for a podcast episode I should read from the book I wrote in 2016, THEM- The Richer Life Found in Caring for Others. It's about relationships, which of course, is what this podcast is about. But I don't know if reading from it would interest many of you. Maybe the first chapter might, I don't know. It's about how people are like houses when it comes to deepening our relationships with others. But before we get into today's episode, here's what this podcast is all about.  Welcome to You Were Made for This If you find yourself wanting more from your relationships, you've come to the right place. Here you'll discover practical principles you can use to experience the life-giving relationships you were made for. I'm your host, John Certalic, award-winning author and relationship coach, here to help you find more joy in the relationships God designed for you. To access all past and future episodes, go to the bottom of this page to the yellow "Subscribe" button, then enter your name and email address in the fields above it. The episodes are organized chronologically and are also searchable by topics, categories, and keywords. THEM - The Richer Life Found in Caring for Others My book THEM has never sold well. Many of them sit on a shelf in our basement to prove it. Two of my relatives I know bought the book, and I offered it to the rest of the extended family as Christmas gifts after it came out. But no one wanted a free and signed copy. I was going to pay the postage, too. Yeah, that was my Charley Brown Christmas alright. But I did get an award and a cash prize for the book. Writers Digest named it the “Best Inspirational Book of 2016.” However, there wasn't much competition for inspiration in 2016. It was a lean year in the inspiration department, as you may recall. Nevertheless, I'm going to take a chance and read from selected portions of chapter one of the book that I think you'll enjoy hearing, and maybe even find inspiring. It's about a useful principle that could help you in deepening the relationships in your life. It's called, “People Are Like Houses.” People are like houses I'll begin with this. Every house has multiple openings. All kinds of openings— windows, doors, chimneys, even clothes-dryer vents. Openings to bring the outside in, or openings to let the inside out.  When you walk past some houses, the resident of the house will see you from inside through a window, open the door and come bounding out to greet you.  “Why don't you come in and I'll get you something to drink. Please stay a while so we can chat and get caught up with each other's lives. I've been thinking about you. I have so much to tell you since we last met. It is so good to see you.”  This is how some people respond when we walk past their houses. Such people are wide-open houses with openings that invite you in. They are easy people to engage with—the low-hanging fruit of relationships. It doesn't take a lot of work to relate with people like this. Me, I get along great with children and older ladies because they are houses with relational openings I can easily pick out. Younger than eight and older than eighty is my sweet spot. With everyone in between, not so much.  Other people are houses with fewer openings. Walk past someone's house like this and when she sees you from her front window, she closes the drapes, pulls the blinds, and turns off the lights. If you go to her front door and ring the doorbell, she'll pretend she's not home and leave you standing there like a rebuffed Jehovah's Witness.  Closed openings to this house A number of years ago, the elders from a church in our area called me into a meeting to ask me how they could better care for their pastor, who was going through a rough time. Their question showed me they didn't know him very well. The better we know someone, the easier it is to care for them.  I responded to their question with, “I think you need to get to know him better.”  “We've tried, but it's hard because he plays it close to the vest. He doesn't let anyone in,” replied one of the elders.”  His house is full of closed doors and covered windows. The opening to his house is hard to find, but if you work at it long and hard enough, you'll find it.  “Maybe he plays it close to the vest because he's been hurt in the past with being more open, and he doesn't want to be hurt again. Maybe he plays it close to the vest because he doesn't trust you.”  A few heads nodded, but that's as far as it went. Some people have closed houses like this. I'm like this myself at times. I play it close to the vest when I don't trust people either. I close the openings to my house to protect myself, which Christian psychologist Larry Crabb calls the most common sin of us all—self-protection. Delayed openings Other people have houses whose openings will close up at first, but who wait to see if you come back, and then if the stars are properly aligned, and they've finished watching Dancing with the Stars, will crack open the door and whisper to you, “Now is not a good time, maybe next week. I'm not feeling well right now.” So you leave with a small opening for the future, a little hope.  Still other people, when they see you come by, will call out from the window, “I'd really like to talk, but the baby is napping, and my husband thinks I spend too much time with my girlfriends, so could you please come back tomorrow? Come at night, though, and come to the back door. I really need to talk to you.” Different houses, different openings Get the picture? People are like houses with many different openings. Some are wide open, and others closed shut like a lake cottage in the dead of winter. The frustrating thing for me is that I often want to enter a person's relational house through the opening I want, through an easy opening like the front door. I don't want to have to come back again and again, or wait until spring. And I don't want to go to the back door at night. Nor do I  want to talk through the screen of the kitchen window, or get on the ground and whisper through the basement window.  But the fact is, if I want to relate well with someone, I have to go with the opening that person gives me, not the one I want. This principle is especially true in caring for others. We can't care well for people if we don't know them very well. To care well means at times we have to pursue people and look for openings to get to know a person at a heart level. It's not always easy, for some people have closed up many of the openings to their house. We can't give up, though. It's important that we work at it. For in the end, it's always worth it.  The openings children give us These grandsons of ours have also taught me much about how people, even children, are like houses. They open themselves up to us when they want in ways they want—not at the time or manner I prefer.  On the occasions Janet and I have picked them up from school because their parents were away, I've wanted to understand how their day went. What did  they learn in kindergarten today? What is going on in their little hearts. I want to know because I love them deeply and want to enter into their world. When I try to get into their “house,” they are often very closed. They pull the blinds and turn off the lights with their favorite response, “It's classified.”  It's classified? Please, don't they know who I am? I've changed their diapers, which should entitle me to more than, “It's classified, Grandpa.” They closed one of the openings to their house I was trying to enter.  I wondered if there is another opening they would give me. There was.  I discovered the opening one night when Janet and I were babysitting and it came time to put them to bed. They got their pajamas on, brushed their teeth, and crawled into bed. I then read them a book.  “Can you read another one? Please? Oh please!” “I need a glass of water.” “Where's my Star Wars guy? I have to look for it. I can't go to sleep without it! Really, I won't fall asleep without it!” Typical bed-time stall routines. I've been through all of this many times, but then one night, Grant, firmly tucked in bed with the covers up to his chin, pulled out from his arsenal of sleep-delaying tactics, this question “Grandpa, are you going to die?” I didn't see this one coming Has someone been talking to this boy? Does he know something I don't know?  Ironically, his question came eerily close to the question too frightening for all of our family just six years earlier, “Is Grant going to die?” More about that later.  As I sat down on Grant's bed and looked into his eyes, I could tell he had moved from stalling at bedtime, to a deep metaphysical issue people have pondered for centuries. I was not prepared for his question, nor for such an opportunity to see into his heart. Grant was giving me an opening to his house, and I wanted to take advantage of it. I can't afford to miss this one, I thought, even though it came at night when I am least alert. But there he was, opening his house to me in a way that worked for him.  As I sat on the bed, I told him, “Yes, I will die someday, but it most likely wouldn't happen for a very long time.” I went on to tell him that when I did die, I would go to heaven to be with Jesus, where I would wait for him—to join me many years later. I told Grant we have nothing to worry about when it comes to dying if we know Jesus. For if we know Jesus, we will spend forever with Him and with all the other people who know Him.  Grateful for this opening I was invited into A smile broke out on his small lips that told me he was okay with my answer. He could now call it a day because his question about the destiny of humanity was settled and he could move on. He was comforted, as was I.  “Good night, Grant. I love you.” “I love you, too, Grandpa.” I turned out his light, thankful for the opening he had given me to his house, to his heart. We connected at an unwelcome, unexpected time for me. I found with our grandkids some of the most significant conversations I've had with them happened at night sitting on their bed, because it is when it is most comfortable for them. It's when they were the most reflective. I have to be on guard, to be aware, so I can take advantage of the openings they give me.  *   *   *   *   *   *   * Well there you have it, the “People Are Like Houses” principle from chapter one of my book, THEM. In addition to the two examples of this principle I've shared here, there are three more stories like it in chapter one of the book. But we've run out of time for today, as you've probably finished with folding laundry or picking up the kids from school. I'll leave you with two thoughts. I wonder if people you want to understand better are giving you “openings to their house” that you might be missing.  And secondly, are you making it harder on people to relate to you because many of the openings to your house are closed?  Are your drapes closed and your porch light turned off? It might be worth the risk to switch the lights on and open a window are two. Closing As we close up shop for today, I'd love to hear any thoughts you have about today's episode. I hope your thinking was stimulated by today's show, to look a little more closely at the openings people may be giving you into their house. Because when you do, it will help you experience the joy of relationships God desires for you. Because after all, You Were Made for This. Well, that's it for today. Don't forget to spread a little relational sunshine around the people you meet this week. Spark some joy for them.  And I'll see you again next time. Other episodes or resources related to today's shows 139: Why Should I Listen to This Podcast? 021: The Most Important Relationship of All Prior recent episode  213: Five Things to Watch for in Your Next Conversation All past and future episodes    JohnCertalic.com Our Sponsor You Were Made for This is sponsored by Caring for Others, a missionary care ministry.  Donate Please consider donating to help cover the costs associated with this podcast and the other services we provide missionaries around the world. You can make a tax-deductible contribution to Caring for Others when you click here.  You can also contribute by clicking on the yellow "Donate" box in the upper right corner at the top of the first page.    

TRIGGER WARNING: THEMES OF SUICIDE. Laura was a teenage girl in the '60s when she found out she was pregnant. With no support from the father of the child and feeling the shame of her circumstances from her parents, Laura found herself in a home for unwed mothers, feeling forced to give her baby up for adoption. Laura wrote a book about her experience called You'll Forget This Ever Happened, and according to Laura, one of the most rewarding things about writing her book has been readers reaching out to tell her how much her book has helped them as well as increased their knowledge of women's lives in the 1960s and the Baby Scoop Era. Laura L. Engel, an award-winning author, is originally from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She moved to San Diego, California over 55 years ago. She lives with her husband, Gene and their beloved golden retriever, Layla. She is the mother of 5 adult children and 10 adored grandchildren. Two scenes from Laura's book have been performed live on stage at the San Diego Memoir Showcase and she is published in four Shaking the Tree anthologies as well as many online magazines including Writers Digest. Today finds Laura's life-long dream to write a book fulfilled. Her award-winning memoir You'll Forget This Ever Happened was published May 2022 by She Writes Press. It became a Best Seller on Amazon and finalist in the 2023 International Book Awards and in the 2023 National Indie Excellence Awards. In August of 2023, Laura was honored to be selected as the Local Author for San Diego's Downtown Central Library. You can reach Laura at: https://www.lauralengel.com IG  @storytellerlaura FB @lauralbaliusengel.com   The organizations I told you about that help birthmothers who do not want to choose adoption: SAVING OUR SISTERS https://www.savingoursistersadoption.org    BRAVE LOVE www.bravelove.org   For Birthparents: CUB:   Concerned United Birthparents https://www.concernedunitedbirthparents.org If you or someone you know would like to tell their adoption story on the podcast (anyone in the adoptee constellation), please send an email to mindyourownkarma@gmail.com, and your story will be considered for the podcast. _________ Due to the LONG-LASTING EMOTIONAL FALLOUT that can be part of adoption, I highly support the GENTLE HEALING SUPPORT of SMGI: Somatic Mindful Guided Imagery. For more information on this groundbreaking and highly successful method, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.somatichealingjourneys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please seek professional help if you find yourself struggling with some of the realizations that you may experience during this episode. This podcast's mission is on adoption education. If you have an expertise that you think would be beneficial to anyone touched by adoption and would like to be on the podcast, get in touch with me. I love to help fellow adoptees by helping to promote your latest project or expertise. It's time WE educate the world!! Check out the MYOK website for resources, ALL episodes of the podcast, and more about me! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mindyourownkarma.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow me on Socials! MYOK on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mind_your_own_karma⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ MYOK on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/mindyourownkarma⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ MYOK on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MindYourOwnKarma⁠⁠ #adopt #adoption #adoptee #adopteevoices #adopteesspeak #adoptionpodcast #adopteepodcast #mindyourownkarma #PrimalWound #adopted #adoptionjourney #thefog #adoptionfog #adoptiveparents #birthmother #firstmother #mindyourownkarma #constellationconversation #firesideadoptees #adoptivefamily #adoptionawareness #birthfamily #biologicalfamily #biologicalmom #biologicaldad #biologicalsister #biologicalbrother #birthmom #biologicalparents #biologicalsiblings #birthfather #biomom #biodad #biofamily #biosister #biobrother #adoptionsecrets #adoptiontrauma #emotionaltrauma #emotionalhealing #findmyfamily #smgi --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/melissa-ann-brunetti/support

TRIGGER WARNING: THEMES OF SUICIDE. Laura was a teenage girl in the '60s when she found out she was pregnant. With no support from the father of the child and feeling the shame of her circumstances from her parents, Laura found herself in a home for unwed mothers, feeling forced to give her baby up for adoption. Laura wrote a book about her experience called You'll Forget This Ever Happened, and according to Laura, one of the most rewarding things about writing her book has been readers reaching out to tell her how much her book has helped them as well as increased their knowledge of women's lives in the 1960s and the Baby Scoop Era. Laura L. Engel, an award-winning author, is originally from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She moved to San Diego, California over 55 years ago. She lives with her husband, Gene and their beloved golden retriever, Layla. She is the mother of 5 adult children and 10 adored grandchildren. Two scenes from Laura's book have been performed live on stage at the San Diego Memoir Showcase and she is published in four Shaking the Tree anthologies as well as many online magazines including Writers Digest. Today finds Laura's life-long dream to write a book fulfilled. Her award-winning memoir You'll Forget This Ever Happened was published May 2022 by She Writes Press. It became a Best Seller on Amazon and finalist in the 2023 International Book Awards and in the 2023 National Indie Excellence Awards. In August of 2023, Laura was honored to be selected as the Local Author for San Diego's Downtown Central Library. You can reach Laura at: ⁠https://www.lauralengel.com⁠ IG  @storytellerlaura FB @lauralbaliusengel.com   The organizations I told you about that help birthmothers who do not want to choose adoption: SAVING OUR SISTERS ⁠https://www.savingoursistersadoption.org⁠    BRAVE LOVE ⁠www.bravelove.org⁠   For Birthparents: CUB:   Concerned United Birthparents ⁠https://www.concernedunitedbirthparents.org⁠ If you or someone you know would like to tell their adoption story on the podcast (anyone in the adoptee constellation), please send an email to mindyourownkarma@gmail.com, and your story will be considered for the podcast. _________ Due to the LONG-LASTING EMOTIONAL FALLOUT that can be part of adoption, I highly support the GENTLE HEALING SUPPORT of SMGI: Somatic Mindful Guided Imagery. For more information on this groundbreaking and highly successful method, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.somatichealingjourneys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please seek professional help if you find yourself struggling with some of the realizations that you may experience during this episode. This podcast's mission is on adoption education. If you have an expertise that you think would be beneficial to anyone touched by adoption and would like to be on the podcast, get in touch with me. I love to help fellow adoptees by helping to promote your latest project or expertise. It's time WE educate the world!! Check out the MYOK website for resources, ALL episodes of the podcast, and more about me! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mindyourownkarma.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow me on Socials! MYOK on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mind_your_own_karma⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ MYOK on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/mindyourownkarma⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ MYOK on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MindYourOwnKarma⁠⁠⁠ #adopt #adoption #adoptee #adopteevoices #adopteesspeak #adoptionpodcast #adopteepodcast #mindyourownkarma #PrimalWound #adopted #adoptionjourney #thefog #adoptionfog #adoptiveparents #birthmother #firstmother #mindyourownkarma #constellationconversation #firesideadoptees #adoptivefamily #adoptionawareness #birthfamily #biologicalfamily #biologicalmom #biologicaldad #biologicalsister #biologicalbrother #birthmom #biologicalparents #biologicalsiblings #birthfather #biomom #biodad #biofamily #biosister #biobrother #adoptionsecrets #adoptiontrauma #emotionaltrauma #emotionalhealing #findmyfamily #smgi --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/melissa-ann-brunetti/support

We pulled one of our favorite interviews from the BLS interview archives where Derek Champagne interviews Michael Levin. This was a powerful interview and Michael overdelivered as our guest! As one of the most established writers in the nation, New York Times best-selling author Michael Levin has written or co-written more than 100 books, of which eleven are national best sellers.He appeared on ABC's Shark Tank on January 20th, 2012. In the past, Michael has published with Simon & Schuster, Random House, St. Martin's Press, Putnam/Berkley, and many other houses. His works have been optioned for film and TV by Steven Soderbergh/Paramount, HBO, Disney, ABC, and others. One of his own novels became Model Behavior, an ABC Sunday night Disney movie of the week. He has also made contributions to the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes.com, Politico, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, the Jerusalem Post, Writers Digest, CBS News. Michael has had the experience to teach writing classes at the University of California – Los Angeles and New York University. As an Amherst College and Columbia Law School graduate, Michael served for many years as a member of the prestigious Authors Guild Council and as Treasurer of the Authors Guild Foundation.Michael currently resides with his wife and four children in Boston, Massachusetts. Learn more about Michael at www.businessghost.com

A little monday morning pep talk for your writing, marketing & selling, Enjoy! Big love, Liv x GRAB A COPY OF THE WRITERS JOURNAL HERE Grab a copy of my Shadow & Shifter Series here Grab a copy of my new dystopian release – Block Delete here. JOIN THE WRITERS ADVICE FACEBOOK GROUP Become a part of my ARC TEAM HERE To Contact Me:Website: oliviahillier.comInstagram: @oliviahillierauthor

Have you ever wondered who writes the articles in your favorite magazines? How do they know what to say? What makes you read it? Where do they find the courage to be vulnerable and how do they know where to draw the line? Are you yourself a writer (maybe even secretly)? Do you want writing be your work? Do you wonder how to effectively pitch a publication, how to submit, and how to get your writing noticed?  If any of these strike a chord you do not want to miss today's episode! Estelle Erasmus found herself fired from her first job. Want to guess why? She was caught reading at the library (true story!). This was the beginning of what would turn into her life's work; surrounding herself with words and stories, turning them into music on a page, getting paid for it, and helping others learn how to do the same. It's not all business, though. Estelle also shares personal and professional experiences -such as becoming a mother during midlife and guesting on the soap opera Guiding Light- as they relate to her life and career.  In her recent release "Writing that Gets Noticed", Estelle gives us access to the information she shares with her students at Writers Digest and New York University School of Professional Studies. She explains both the business and craft of writing. From what makes a pitch effective and how to tighten up our work to explaining the different genres of essays, Estelle reveals a path flooded with light and support for those of us who have always dreamed of getting our writing noticed.  Where to Find Estelle: Click here to learn about and order "Writing that Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published" Click here for Estelle's website.  Click here for Estelle's Online Pitching Class with Writers Digest.     

Sam Horn is the founder/CEO of the Tongue Fu! Training Institute. Here 3 TEDx talks and 10 books – including Tongue Fu!, POP!, SOMEDAY is Not a Day in the Week, and Talking on Eggshells – have been featured in New York Times and presented to Oracle, Intel, Accenture, the U.S. Embassy in London, and the Asian Leadership Conference.  She has been hired by Richard Branson's New Now Leaders, TED Fellows, NASA, and EO to train their project managers in media training and public speaking.  She's the former Pitch Coach for Springboard Enterprises which has helped entrepreneurs generate more than $26 billion in funding/valuation.  Sam also served as the Executive Director of the world-renowned Maui Writers Conference, which Writers Digest called “the best writers conference in the world.”   --- SOCIALS: https://www.facebook.com/samhornintrigue/ https://www.instagram.com/samhornintrigue/ https://twitter.com/SamHornIntrigue  

Rudeness is on the rise. While it seems easier to let our emotions get the best of us, doing this takes us out of alignment from a life of peace and joy. Sam Horn, author and CEO of the Intrigue Agency, graces the show and shares valuable tips on what to say (and not say) when you just don't feel like talking, and how to prevent tricky situations from getting worse. We can't control outside circumstances, but we can control how we respond and what we say. Tune in to this episode: Talking on Eggshells—What to Say When You Don't Know What To Say  Key points covered in this episode: ✔️ Never use “but” in a disagreement.  This signals an explanation that comes across as an excuse. It also signifies that you aren't holding yourself accountable for what happened. ✔️ Apologizing doesn't mean you're responsible.  It's a way to acknowledge the other person's inconvenience. Giving them compassion avoids further conflict. ✔️ Say “Yes” more often.  Instead of telling children, “No, you can't do this.” Give them a condition that they need to accomplish before they can get what they asked for. ✔️ Be more specific.  Avoid sweeping generalizations. Find out the root of the issue and address it before jumping to conclusions. ✔️ No one can make us angry without our consent.  We all have control over our own emotions. You have that power. ✔️ Set boundaries without getting angry.  You can use non-verbal cues to get people to back off when you feel like a boundary has been crossed. --------------- Sam Horn, CEO of the Intrigue Agency, is a 3-time TEDx speaker and author of 10 books - including her newest available in June, Talking on Eggshells, plus Tongue Fu!, POP!, Washington Post bestseller, Got Your Attention? - that have been featured in NY Times, Fast Company, Forbes, on NPR, and taught to Intel, Cisco, Oracle, Capital One, Fidelity, and Accenture.  Richard Branson's New Now Leaders, TED Fellows, NASA, and EO have all hired Sam to coach their executives on media training and public speaking.  Sam was Executive Director of the Maui Writers Conference (which Writers Digest called "the best writers conference in the world") for 17 years, and has helped hundreds of clients crystallize quality books and keynotes that have scaled their impact and income - for good. Website: https://samhorn.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samhorn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samhornintrigue Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samhornintrigue YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/samhornintrigue Twitter: https://twitter.com/samhornintrigue --------------- ★★★ About Marie-Elizabeth Mali ★★★ Marie-Elizabeth is the founder of Relationship Alchemy, where she helps growth-oriented women develop clarity and alignment with themselves and their vision, so they can attract or deepen their relationship with their ideal partner and create a fulfilling life without compromising who they are.  ★ TAKE THE “YOUR GROWN-ASS POWER” QUIZ ★ For passionate women having a “Now what?” moment who are ready to turn on their unapologetic power. http://relationshipalchemy.com/power-quiz As a Relationship Alchemist, two-time TEDx Speaker, and host of the Relationship Alchemy podcast, Marie-Elizabeth Mali helps women communicate more effectively and transform patterns of thinking and behavior that get in the way of love, connection, and success in relationships and business. Drawing on her Master's degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and over 20 years of working with clients, she teaches women how to show up as authentic leaders in their relationships and work instead of twisting themselves to fit in. Marie-Elizabeth's work has been featured in Thrive Global, SWAAY, and Forbes. She is also a published author with an MFA in Poetry from Sarah Lawrence College, and an underwater photographer who has a thing for sharks. Learn more at https://relationshipalchemy.com.

What would happen if the entire California electrical grid went down? You don't want to know...but you MUST! Find out about his exciting thriller about this catastrophe-in-waiting and more as we meet the author, Christopher J. Lynch, who has inside info on our country's vulnerabilities. He's also an adventurer and the biographer of the iconic child actor who played the conniving Eddie Haskell on the TV series Leave it to Beaver. Lynch is the author of the ONE EYED JACK crime novel series about a professional blackmailer. The debut novel in the series was a 2013 Shamus Award finalist, and a 2014 Writers Digest honorable mention for genre fiction. He's also the author of, EDDIE: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF AMERICA'S PREEMINENT BAD BOY, the biography of Ken Osmond, the iconic child actor who played Eddie Haskell on the TV series Leave it to Beaver. His latest work, DARK STATE, is a chilling modern-day thriller about a terrorist attack that takes down California's electrical grid. Imagine if the world's 5th-largest economy went dark—it's not pretty. Listen in as we discuss: DARK STATE and its parallels to the recent substations attacks in North Carolina and Washington State. How I conceived of DARK STATE, and the amazing availability of open source information I was able to find on the internet. The “rotten onion” power grid The main characters he chose in DARK STATE, and how he also wrote short vignettes to cover other individuals and how they would be impacted by a devastating power outage. Why you should have certain supplies in your home in case of disaster. The awful truth about extended loss of power. The myth of “rugged individualism.” The truth about Leave it to Beaver actor Ken Osmond and porn actor John Holmes. His work leading blind hikers up a mountain and back. And more! Website: Christopherjlynch.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopher.j.lynch.3?fref=ts BUY DARK STATE here. BUY EDDIE: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF AMERICA'S PREEMINENT BAD BOY here. BUY ONE EYED JACK here. Lynch believes in working with his fellow authors and has helped numerous aspiring writers achieve their dream by offering free self-publishing seminars. Not one to be limited to speaking in the comfortable settings of libraries or writing groups, he also taught writing in a maximum-security prison for several years. He even helped get one of the inmate's books published on Amazon. And finally, he is an adventurer who has climbed some of the highest peaks in the world including Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, and trekked to Mount Everest Base Camp. He also trained and led nine blind hikers to 10,000 ft. Mount Baldy, the third-highest peak in Southern California. He's also ridden his bike across Cuba, Alaska, and the American south. And, he's flown on the zero-G plane, aka: “The Vomit Comet.” Don't miss it! Visit Alex Greenwood's website: JAlexanderGreenwood.com. Follow him on Twitter:  @A_Greenwood This Mysterious Goings On Podcast episode was recorded and mixed at Green Shebeen Studios in beautiful Kansas City, Missouri. Copyright 2023, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission. We are an Amazon Associates seller, and some of our links may earn us a commission. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/j-alexander-greenwood/message

Listen to this week's podcast with our guest Karen Winn (Our Little World, Dutton, May 2022). Karen's an example of how helpful writing conferences can be as she met her dream agent at a Muse and the Marketplace event in Boston and then worked with her on an extensive revision before going out on sub. Hear what it's like to publish through an imprint of the Big Five, including cover design, titling (hint: they may change it), and book promotion and how part of Karen's journey has been homing in on what works best for her in terms of both writing process and generating ideas. Karen Winn's debut novel, Our Little World, was published in May 2022 with Dutton/ Penguin Random House.  Having been a nurse for decades, she is now pursuing writing as a second career.  Karen's short stories and essays have appeared in Hippocampus, Lithub, Writers Digest, and elsewhere.  Originally from New Jersey, where she obtained a low-residency MFA from Fairleigh Dickinson University, she now lives in Boston with her husband and children.       To learn more about Karen, click here.

Banjo Music Courtesy of Banjo HangOut --  Under The Double Eagle.The PodCast Doctor talks to another author. I subscribe to two writing journals, Writer's Digest is digital & a paid subscription to Poets & Writers.FYI/Poets & Writers long & strong is the list of writing contests in the index of each issue (it's a bi-monthly).Writer's Digest on the other hand has mastered the art of making money in writing — they are all about teaching others. A recent article piqued my interest with the title: 8 Steps To Prepare for Podcasts and Radio Interviews To Promote Your Forthcoming Book.Generally, if you follow the advice of this author you might not like the result. I once interviewed a guest who was determined to manage the interview (he was a retired Army officer) and used to being “in charge”. My audience didn't respond, he never promoted his organization.If you would like to know the 14 Hacks to create great interview podcasts visit my YouTube channel; https://youtu.be/FTdZW_moh9Y

S&S Live (Episode 26): Live Stream Q&A w/ Jeanne Veillette Bowerman (Editor-in-Chief Pipeline Artists, co-creator #ScriptChat, former EiC Script Magazine, Writers Digest) about breaking into the industry, getting worthwhile feedback, building a network and answer questions live from the chat. JVB on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeannevb WATCH a VIDEO version of this Episode: https://youtu.be/3AQF0nrcGok More great screenwriting and industry interviews and resources: http://scriptsandscribes.com/ Join us on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/wey4e6E and Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scriptsandscribes Stay up to date on Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/ScriptsScribes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scriptsandscribes/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/scriptsandscribes/ Listen to the podcast on: Anchor.fm: https://anchor.fm/scriptsandscribes iTunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scripts-scribes/id527744621 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1XcDzrHXhwIfTtiLW1SXGY Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5zY3JpcHRzYW5kc2NyaWJlcy5jb20vP2ZlZWQ9cnNzMg

S&S Live (Episode 26): Live Stream Q&A w/ Jeanne Veillette Bowerman (Editor-in-Chief Pipeline Artists, co-creator #ScriptChat, former EiC Script Magazine, Writers Digest) about breaking into the industry, getting worthwhile feedback, building a network and answer questions live from the chat.   JVB on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeannevb   WATCH a VIDEO version of this Episode:  https://youtu.be/3AQF0nrcGok More great screenwriting and industry interviews and resources: http://scriptsandscribes.com/   Join us on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/wey4e6E  and Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scriptsandscribes   Stay up to date on Social Media:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/ScriptsScribes  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/scriptsandscribes/  IG: https://www.instagram.com/scriptsandscribes/   Listen to the podcast on:  Anchor.fm: https://anchor.fm/scriptsandscribes  iTunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scripts-scribes/id527744621  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1XcDzrHXhwIfTtiLW1SXGY  Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5zY3JpcHRzYW5kc2NyaWJlcy5jb20vP2ZlZWQ9cnNzMg

Cynthia Gregory, MFA, is an award-winning author of short stories. Her work has appeared in a range of publications, including The Sun, Glimmer Train, the Briar Cliff Review, Santa Barbara Review, The Ear, and Central PA. She took second place in Writers Digest annual fiction contest, first place in the Glimmer Train Family Matters short story competition, and first place in the Mark Twain Short Fiction Prize. Her nonfiction book, Journaling As Sacred Practice: An Act of Extreme Bravery was published in 2016 under the Green Tara Press imprint. Her new book, What is Possible From Here will be released in 2021. Cynthia coaches would-be authors through the exciting and terrifying process of writing and producing the book of their dreams through 1:1 coaching, online workshops, and group coaching. She lives in California's Sonoma Valley with her rescue pups, Winston the Wonder Dog, and the fabulous Mr. Blue. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lucia-matuonto/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lucia-matuonto/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cynthia Gregory, MFA, is an award-winning author of short stories. Her work has appeared in a range of publications, including The Sun, Glimmer Train, the Briar Cliff Review, Santa Barbara Review, The Ear, and Central PA. She took second place in Writers Digest annual fiction contest, first place in the Glimmer Train Family Matters short story competition, and first place in the Mark Twain Short Fiction Prize. Her nonfiction book, Journaling As Sacred Practice: An Act of Extreme Bravery was published in 2016 under the Green Tara Press imprint. Her new book, What is Possible From Here will be released in 2021. Cynthia coaches would-be authors through the exciting and terrifying process of writing and producing the book of their dreams through 1:1 coaching, online workshops, and group coaching. She lives in California's Sonoma Valley with her rescue pups, Winston the Wonder Dog, and the fabulous Mr. Blue. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lucia-matuonto/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lucia-matuonto/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicole attempts to run through her notes from two different writing events held this past weekend: The WRITER'S DIGEST ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2021, and DANIEL DAVID WALLACE'S FIND YOUR READERS SUMMIT. She gives each panel two minutes, but asks listeners to reach ut and let her know which panel(s) they want to hear more about. Sign up to receive Friday Night Writes emails, including the link to the monthly Writing Prompt Party! https://mailchi.mp/cc1507dc3fbd/friday-night-writes   Mentioned in this episode: WRITER'S DIGEST ANNUAL CONFERENCE https://writersdigestconference.com/ Ran Walker Author Page https://www.ranwalker.com/ Sharon Short Author Page http://www.sharonshort.com/ Nicole Blades author page https://www.nicoleblades.com/ Sadequa Johnson Author Page https://www.sadeqajohnson.net/  Katrina Kittle author page http://katrinakittle.com/ Carla Hoch's website https://www.fightwrite.net/ Larry Brooks website https://storyfix.com/ Donna Russo Morin Official Website https://www.donnarussomorin.com/ Chris Bohjalian website https://chrisbohjalian.com/ FIND YOUR READERS SUMMIT https://summit.findyournextreader.com/ Daniel David Wallace https://danieldavidwallace.com/ Elle Griffin https://ellegriffin.com/ Daje The Story Doula https://www.thestorydoula.co/ Kristen Kieffer's website https://www.well-storied.com/ Erin Elizabeth Smith website http://www.sundresspublications.com/erin/  STOP WRITING ALONE EMAIL LIST:  To find all the books discussed in this episode, check out Nicole's Summer Reading List on Bookshop https://bookshop.org/lists/2021-summer-reading-323d643d-d561-46e4-8db7-4d95a64b9c47  SIGN UP TO GET THE STOP WRITING ALONE REUSABLE WRITING PROMPTS https://mailchi.mp/0e082fd88a6d/stopwritingalone-reusable-writing-prompts  Kim A. Flodin Wise Woman of the Woods https://www.kelekilove.com/  Introduction to Friday Night Writes with Stop Writing Alone https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2syi6s1pDYs&t=1s  Join the Stop Writing Alone with Nicole Rivera FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2205774733034348/ Stop Writing Alone Bookshop https://bookshop.org/shop/Stopwritingalone  NV Rivera YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpPlp1EVzQhDFPdGp5w2KoQ?view_as=subscriber  Stay connected to learn about all Stop Writing Alone stuff -- get on Nicole's email list: https://mailchi.mp/ff8df93e57dc/penpals  Buy Nicole a coffee (AKA support the podcast!) https://ko-fi.com/stopwritingalone   Places to connect to the STOP WRITING ALONE community and introduce yourself: Stop Writing Alone FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/stopwritingalone/ Join the Stop Writing Alone with Nicole Rivera FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2205774733034348/ Stop Writing Alone website: https://stopwritingalone.com/ Join the Stop Writing Alone email list: https://mailchi.mp/ff8df93e57dc/penpals  Stop Writing Alone Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/stopwritingalone/  Nicole's Twitter: https://twitter.com/nv_rivera  The Stop Writing Alone voice number (call to introduce yourself!): (646) 907-9607    When you find a group of people who lift you up on a daily basis, it is important to share their awesome. Here are links to the women in Nicole's Mastermind group (currently going by the name The Voxer Vixens!). Please support these women who do so much to support Nicole on a daily basis! Kim A. Flodin https://www.kelekilove.com/  Lisa Murray https://ihavedreamsdammit.com/ Claire Oldham West https://slimmingstories.podbean.com/ Johanna Jaquez-Peralta https://www.instagram.com/latina_livin_keto/ Emma Isaacs https://www.instagram.com/emmaisaacsdesign/   

JD lives in San Francisco with her husband and a turtle. Besides writing she likes British TV shows. She wrote her first book, which she didn't publish, for her nephew. She has written a fairy tale - Marigold and the Snoring King which got an honorable mention in the Writers Digest awards. Her other grade is called Melanie on the Move - which is loosely based on a summer camp from her childhood. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1620209535/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1620209535&linkCode=as2&tag=saschneider-20&linkId=a3a74f422a67ef104f11615d9db99319 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B092W9X625/ref=as_li_tl And her favorite book to read: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0141439513/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0141439513&linkCode=as2&tag=saschneider-20&linkId=a1aab93d8f479cb49c13633d9604911e J.D. Rempel is a California native, whose passion is writing speculative and contemporary fiction for all ages. Her books include a children's picture book, Marigold and the Snoring King and her middle-grade fiction novel, Melanie on the Move. As a confessed Anglophile, she's usually found watching British TV, especially mysteries. She loves to read, listen to music with her husband, and play peekaboo with her turtle, Applesauce. LINKS: Website: jdrempel.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jdrempel/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.d.rempel

Notes:As Fable mentioned, there are a lot of articles on query letter writing online. Here are a few:NY Book Editors - https://nybookeditors.com/2015/12/how-to-write-a-darn-good-query-letter/ Writers Digest - https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/tips-on-writing-query-letters-to-publishers-and-literary-agents Jane Friedman - https://www.janefriedman.com/how-to-take-the-sting-out-of-query-rejections/ Fable and the Verbivore mentioned several websites during this episode. They are as follows:Query Manager - https://querymanager.com/ - Website many agents use for submissionQuery Tracker - https://querytracker.net/ - Website that functions like yelp for authors looking for agentsManuscript Wish List - https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/ - Website where authors can see the types of things specific agents are currently interested in receivingThe Verbivore referenced New Leaf agent Suzie Townsend. We’d recommend checking out the stories sections of her instagram account @sztownsend81 where she has hosted Q&As over the last year answering both direct questions and providing general advice on querying and working with an agent. Music from: https://filmmusic.io’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

After decades of working in the art world in some of the  most highly regarded  galleries in  Soho, and throughout NYC, Andrew Sarewitz, has started putting pen to paper for his own nonfiction works. Hear excerpts from his deeply personal story "In The First Person" as well as stories of his relationship with his mother.  When it came time to tell his mom something very important,  she was in denial, yet his dad was proactive-something that Andrew didn't see coming.  Was it a mom protecting her son? Looking back, Andrew definitely had regrets . Judith always taught Andrew to 'be in the moment'.   He appreciated and embraced all the years of taking care of his mom, so when the end came, he was absolutely certain that the two had had a very loving relationship one that he still misses every day.You'll also hear more about Andrew's writing career regarding  workshops and  accolades.

In this episode, you’ll learn:The value of your heritage to your identity now. What is visual identity? How can you use it to connect with others?What it’s like being a published author that inspires people?Facing the truth that getting to your dreams takes time and a ton of rejections.Unlocking clarity in your life by taking risks and trying new things.And more!~About Carol Van Den Hende:CAROL VAN DEN HENDE is an author and American Fiction Awards winner who explores the visible and invisible challenges of imperfect heroes and heroines. When she’s not penning stories of resilience and hope, Carol applies her MBA to marketing and strategy (in chocolate, sweet!).She’s also a public speaker, who’s presented at Writers’ Digest, Women Who Write, Authorpreneur, Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, NJ Romance Writers, Rutgers, Liberty States Fiction Writers’ conferences and other events.Carol is active in her community, as a Climate Reality Leader, as a Board of Trustees Volunteer Officer for a special needs school, and by raising funds for non-profits through the launch of her novel, Goodbye, Orchid.One secret to her good fortune? Her humorous husband, kids and rescue cat, who prove that love really does conquer all.~You can find Carol Van Den Hende on... Website: https://carolvandenhende.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolvandenhende/Facebook: https://fb.me/CarolVandenhendeAuthorGoodbye, Orchid on Amazon: https://bit.ly/AMZNGO   Goodbye, Orchid on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54297964-goodbye-orchidTwitter: https://twitter.com/c_vandenhende   Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/goodbyeorchid/

We have trouble believing you haven’t already heard of our guest this week, Susan Wiggs, but just in case—she’s the author of many many novels, a multiple #1 New York Times bestseller and an overall amazing storyteller. Her current novel, The Lost and Found Bookshop, is on sale now and her most recent bestseller, The Oysterville Sewing Circle, is just out in paperback.We talk crafting a story, starting from the emotional journey versus the physical plot, building a character, choosing a setting and our collective addiction to writing books, and Susan reveals that she does indeed read fiction while she’s writing fiction—and it’s a good thing, too, because her reading list is long indeed. Links from the PodWriting the Blockbuster Novel by Albert ZuckermanThis American Life, Promised Land (the “I Wish” song episode)#AmReading (all Susan, and you’ll see why)Aging in Place by Aaron D MurphyBeing Mortal by Atul GawandeOn Ocean Boulevard by Mary Alice MonroeHouse Lessons by Erica BauermeisterUntamed by Glennon DoyleThe Splendid and the Vile by Erik LarsonSabrina and Corina by Kali Fajardo-AnstineThe Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins ReidThanks to everyone who supports the podcast financially. To join that team, click the button below:But it’s all good. The pod is free as it always has and always will be. This shownotes email is free, too, so please—forward it to a friend, and if you haven’t already, join our email list and be on top of it every time there’s a new episode.Find more about Jess here, Sarina here and about KJ here.KJ Dell'Antonia 0:00 Hey, fellow writers this week we've got an outright amazing conversation with Susan Wiggs. Many, many times bestselling author of many, many novels, who really knows how to construct a story. And when getting the work done doesn't just take talent and dedication, but an understanding of the craft of creating a story. If you'd like to work with someone who understands that craft, head over to Author Accelerator and look into finding the right book coach for your work, or if craft is your jam, learn more about becoming a book coach yourself at authoraccelerator.com. Is it recording? Jess Lahey 0:36 Now it's recording.KJ Dell'Antonia 0:39 This is the part where I stare blankly at the microphone and try to remember what I'm supposed to be doing. Jess Lahey 0:43 Alright, let's start over. KJ Dell'Antonia 0:44 Awkward pause. I'm gonna rustle some papers. Okay, now one, two, three. Hey, I'm KJ Dell'Antonia. And this is #AmWriting. #AmWriting is the podcast, the weekly podcast, about writing all things, fiction, nonfiction, short things, long things, pitches, proposals, everything you have to write before anybody lets you write anything. And in short, this is the podcast about sitting down and getting that work done.Sarina Bowen 1:16 And this is Sarina Bowen. I'm the author of 35 romance novels. You can always find more about me at sarinabowen.com.KJ Dell'Antonia 1:26 And I am KJ Dell'Antonia, the author of the novel The Chicken Sisters, and also the book How to Be a Happier Parent, former editor of the New York Times' Motherlode blog, and still sometimes a contributor there. And we are so excited to welcome our guest this week. This is the first guest we've ever had that has rivaled Sarina in prolificness. We're so excited to welcome Susan Wiggs. She is the author of (I think I counted 37 but as soon as I let her talk, I'm gonna check) novels, multiple number one New York Times' bestseller and an overall amazing storyteller. When you pick up a Susan Wiggs book, you know that you're getting a fully built world and a story that's going to grab you and hold you tight and that you're going to be sorry when it lets you go. Her current novel is The Lost and Found Bookstore. And she's also got another novel just out in paperback - The Oysterville Sewing Circle. That one's just out right now. Am I right?Susan Wiggs 2:29 That's correct. It's just out in a paperback, the book club edition just came out.KJ Dell'Antonia 2:35 Ooh, cool. I love the whole book club edition and this edition.Susan Wiggs 2:41 I just love book clubs in general. So yeah, thank you so much for having me. This is such a thrill to talk to somebody who's not a fictional character.KJ Dell'Antonia 2:51 Yeah, we don't do much of that right now either. They're either fictional characters or they live in our house, that's all we got. So yeah, we are really excited - so, how many books is it before I even get started? Susan Wiggs 3:02 Oh, I knew you're gonna ask me that. And you know what? To be honest, I don't have a count. But I can tell you my first book was published in 1987. Huntington Zebra books, and I've published a book or two every year since. And so I've stopped doing the math. I just write my next book.KJ Dell'Antonia 3:27 But we will ask, you just because our listeners always want to know. How did you get started? Tell us how that first 1987 book happened, travel back in time with us.Susan Wiggs 3:40 You know what, you always remember your first time and I'll just leave it at that. I'll leave that to your imagination. But honestly, I was a young teacher just out of graduate school. I got myself through graduate school by reading really big, thick, romance novels, you know, the real bodice rippers all through the 80's. And so yeah, I had such a taste for them, and such an affection for them and a love for the form that I just wrote one. And I had no idea what I was doing. I wrote it on a typewriter. I didn't know about any writer's associations. I knew Writer's Digest, I was a subscriber to Writer's Digest, I always knew that I wanted to write and so I wrote a book called Texas Wildflower and I wrote it on a typewriter. It was this huge, unwieldy pile of pages. I was very proud of it, but I didn't know what to do with it. And so somehow, I wormed my way onto an editor's desk at Kensington Books, which had and probably still prints Zebra, Pinnacle, various ones like that and they're still up and going, and the editor's name was Wendy McCurdy, and she's still in the business. I believe she may be back at Kensington now. Anyway, she was delightful. You know, very young, probably as young as I was at the time, editor who called me up in the middle of a very busy life. I had a toddler, and dogs, and a house, and a teaching job. And I was very overwhelmed. And she called me in the middle of all that and said, 'We like your book, and we want to publish it.' And I was just floored. Yes, I was stunned. I didn't have an agent. And so I just said, 'Yes, where do I sign?' And so it's interesting that we would be talking about this right now because one of the things that I did because I didn't have a literary agent, I didn't really know how to negotiate any sort of contract. And one of the biggest blunders that I made that is turning out to be kind of a very funny and happy accident was I gave them the copyright back then. And I think now copyrights revert to the author if the book is out of print and unavailable for, I believe, three to five years. And I think I signed my name to something to say it was out of print and unavailable, but they had 16 years to reprint it. And in those 16 years, my books became rather popular. And so they never wanted to revert the rights to me because I would always say the book's not out, it's very old, don't you want to revert the rights to me? Because that way, the author controls his rights and creative control over that property and you know, you can resell it and things like that, but no, they kept hanging on to it. And so I'm sitting here, it is 2020 and I'm looking at a royalty check dated May 26, 2020 for that book, for Texas Wildflower that was first published in April 1987. Because they keep reissuing it, they still have it in print, they reissued it numerous times in different packaging. And as my books have evolved, the very original cover (you can probably find it on my website susanwiggs.com) was a very, very in your face bodice ripper cover. I just loved it, I thought was really cool. But as my books have become more mainstream and evolved into general fiction, or mainstream fiction, the covers look very upmarket now and rather sophisticated. It's basically the same book - at one point I did go in and do some light editorial work, and, you know, cringing the whole time because obviously after you know, 50 something books, I'm not that same writer that wrote Texas Wildflower - and so I had some rookie moments in that book, many of them, and yet readers still, they're drawn to something about that book. So, you know, it's still in print. So thank you, Kensington Books for keeping me alive on your list.KJ Dell'Antonia 5:40 That's a great story. And I love that it is still out there. And the cover thing is really funny because we have talked to a lot of authors and we've seen that same evolution many times. And I know Sarina and I are both really fascinated by cover art and why publishers and authors pick one style over the other and the new trend towards the sort of drawings instead of actual pictures of people.Susan Wiggs 8:48 All authors are obsessed with cover art. You know, even before I was published, I was designing the cover in my head, and I'm terrible at it, but I'm always gratified when I see the way that my books go out into the market because usually it's spot on, there have been some turkeys in my repertoire - no fault of mine or the publisher, sometimes they just don't turn out well, but the new book, The Lost and Found Bookshop, did you guys get a copy of it? Or the advanced reading copies? KJ Dell'Antonia 9:23 Yes, and I really, really love it. But do you know what, my copy doesn't have a cover. So I haven't seen it.Sarina Bowen 9:32 It's beautiful, though. I love the cover. Susan Wiggs 9:35 Well, the journey - that cover went through so many iterations. And the reason is that they try to build and this is a really great thing about publishers, if they're committed to an author, they really try to build you as a brand. And so you don't want each cover to be so unique that it doesn't even look like it could be by the same author. And so I had a rather good hit with The Oysterville Sewing Circle last year, and one of the big pieces and one reason that that book really struck a chord was it had an incredibly striking cover. It was like stark white with this blood red spool of thread on the front with a sharp pin sticking through it. And they wanted to build on that. But I wrote about a bookshop, so there's no sharp needles or anything. And so we really struggled with what this new book should look like so that it kind of accesses the spirit of the previous book, but also is inviting and beautiful enough to attract new readers as well. So I hope this cover does it. It hasn't hit the shelves yet, so I guess we'll see.Sarina Bowen 10:43 It's very beautiful.KJ Dell'Antonia 10:45 Yeah, I agree. And I can see how it looks with The Oysterville Sewing Circle, I've just pulled it up. Sarina Bowen 10:52 It's a lovely analogy to that other book but I also noticed that your that Oysterville has a new cover, too. Which is also very beautiful, and sometimes publishers do that. If they don't like a cover, but sometimes they do it just to catch the eye of people who didn't grab it the first time.Susan Wiggs 11:12 Yes, there's been three iterations of the Oysterville cover. The first one with a big spool of thread was the hardcover. And then there was a mass market paperback that came out in January. And because of the timer in the pandemic time, it was widely available only in essential markets like Walmart, the places that could stay open during the pandemic. And so it sold like wildfire. In March, it was the number four New York Times' paperback. And so there was this little paperback edition of it and then they decided for this summer to do a premium paperback, they're called trade size paperback, and it's a bigger edition and they add extra content in the back. I think there's a reading group guide, and article, and a recipe, and some other materials back there to give reading groups something to chew on. And then they decided, let's use a new image on this cover and the one that they did on that edition was actually a rejected hardcover look, you know, they they tried several looks, and they knew it was a pretty look, but they wanted to go out in trade paperback with that one. So no effort is ever wasted. That's what I am finding out. Yeah, my agent calls it four bites at the apple because the fourth bite is the audio book. And audio books are quite a big category these days and there was a slump during pandemic but as things are opening and people are going back to work and commuting again, there's an upturn in audio sales.Sarina Bowen 12:12 Mm hmm. Yes, I definitely felt that audio slump in April.KJ Dell'Antonia 13:04 I want to say, You have so many books under your belt and you were talking about how that first one is very, very different from the writer that you are now and we wanted to talk about how you go about now, structuring a new story. Because your stories are so - I've only read your later stuff, so I didn't read the earlier stuff. Your stories now are so tight, and they really don't have a lot of extraneous stuff, and I really would love to hear where you start from and I guess we'll start with that. Where do you start when you're looking to start a new book?Susan Wiggs 13:54 That's one of those things that probably didn't change a lot from the very beginning. What inspires us, you know, something has to grab you, and it's almost visceral. And for example, in The Lost and Found Bookshop, it was a very stark moment that I had. I was speaking with some elderly people that lived at my mother's assisted living place, and I'm in charge of my mom's elder care, she now lives with me. And so I do a lot of speaking with groups like that. And one question that I love to ask older people is, what if you got to have a do over, you know, what if you got to make a different decision in your life? And so, somebody said something like, 'I would have been a meteorologist, but women weren't allowed to do that back then.' And I thought, wow, you know, I want to write about somebody who does get that opportunity. You know, she does get to walk away from her very steady, predictable, corporate job and life. Unfortunately, what drives her to that point is very tragic, but she does get there. And suddenly she gets to make a new blueprint for her life. And so I was very inspired by that. And I realized that with every book, even from that very, very first one, it's a moment of profound change in a character's life, whether it's a decision that she has to make or some situation that's forced on her. And so I'm most fascinated by that. And it's always, you know, my characters, there's a lot of variety. They come from all walks of life, but she's usually the smartest person in the book, but she doesn't know it. That's the one thing I would say they have in common, but from there, the process has become not a routine for me, but definitely a journey that has familiar signposts, you know, I have to know my character and I get to know her in ways that come to me subconsciously or I consciously research her world. I build her world around her, what did she do? What does she fear? What was her family of origin? Like that's huge for me, because I believe that people, as adults are the sum of their family of origin, good, bad, indifferent, or usually a mixture of everything. And I sort of build the character, psychologically and physically, that way. And at that point, I kind of have a sketch. It's usually written down in sketchy notes, and then I figure out what does she want, what is her utmost desire? And I try to figure out what that is and then find ways for her to not be able to have that. I know, it's kind of mean, but that's where the story comes from. Because people read for the struggle, I do, you know, somebody wants something, you know, Dorothy wants to get back to Kansas or Luke Skywalker wants to destroy the Death Star. Whatever, the main character has to want something that is profoundly important to them. Whether it's you know, to revive a failing bookstore and look after her elderly granddad, or to create a women's support group for domestic violence survivors, which is The Oysterville Sewing Circle. There has to be a really powerful want that I believe I relate to and readers might relate to and once I have that, I'm off to the races. I sort of pick the setting, and I populate her world, and I create a plot, and I write an outline. And I say outline, it's really just a 5-10 page present-tense narrative that I then pitch to my literary agent and my editor, sometimes separately, sometimes, simultaneously and they usually have some feedback for me. I have a writing group that I meet with regularly here on the West Coast up in Puget Sound, which is where I'm broadcasting from. And through that process, I get a roadmap for my book and then I kind of disappear with my pen and paper for about six months and I do write with pen and paper it's kind of old school but it keeps the distractions at bay while I'm drafting the story.KJ Dell'Antonia 18:41 Wow, I want to come back to drafting with pen and paper. But Sarina and I often talk about (I'm only on like novel number two in terms of anything I'm going to try to sell) but...Susan Wiggs 18:53 Then you are light years ahead of 99% of everybody else, believe me.KJ Dell'Antonia 18:58 And I don't discount my treatment I'm super excited, my debut is coming out this summer, everything is going great. And I'm just literally, like, painful minutes away from giving the draft of the second book to my agent so we can figure out if maybe we can go out with it before the first one comes out. Susan Wiggs 19:23 You know, every writer is convinced that all the other writers have the answer. And we always want to pick each other's brain.KJ Dell'Antonia 19:29 Yes, it's easier for everyone else. Susan Wiggs 19:30 I want to hear how everybody else does it because I'm doing something wrong because I'm so stuck right now.KJ Dell'Antonia 19:36 Well, we often talk about whether you start from the emotional story or the plot story and it sounds like for you, it's almost always the emotional story.Susan Wiggs 19:46 Yes, because I have to have some sort of connection. Otherwise, I'm just writing a work report. And there's also something that really resonated with me, it was on that one of the very first podcasts of history This American Life, probably familiar with it, with Ira Glass. I don't remember the the specific episode but he talked about something called the wish song that appears in every Disney animated musical. The main character looks out at the landscape whether it's in the little French town for Beauty and the Beast or in the wishing well for Snow White or whatever and they sing a song, and the song expresses their wish. And so I don't give my character a wish song but I look for that deeply held emotional and sentimental desire, you know, the yearning that the characters expresses. And when you build the story around the character, then her emotional journey is really the plot. She has to do something she has to be in a world in a situation but her emotional journey is really where I go to get my deepest pieces of the story.KJ Dell'Antonia 21:39 And then when you're trying to take that emotional journey and marry it to a physical journey. Do you generally know where you're going from the beginning? Is it hard to figure out what physical journey will best tell that emotional story? I'm sure you're really good at by now...Susan Wiggs 22:00 Well i don't know but I do know that it's the fun part for me because I love to explore different settings. There are some writers who go back to the same setting again and again and it really works for them and they get known for being a writer of a certain region or something like that. For me, I love to travel and I'm such a fan of world travel. So I love to find what will bring out the deepest aspects of this character. Is it a city, is it a beach, is a lake, is it somewhere out in the countryside? What time period is it and so I have all these different explorations that I do where I find the perfect pairing. Because some of my stories, like The Oysterville Sewing Circle, it could take place anywhere in the world. It's a woman on a career path, who has a big complicated life situation, and she ends up forming a group for domestic violence survivors, but I ended up setting it in the most remote town in the most remote piece of beach on the Washington coast called Oysterville, because I felt like that was a metaphor for you know, this woman going out on a limb. And on the other hand, The Lost and Found Bookshop, I wanted a bookshop on like the cutest vintage street in San Francisco. Usually my setting is a place that I would love to be, a place I would love to visit. Some of my favorite books are books that make me want to go there, want to be there. So I've got a stack on my desk right now - I've got Ocean Boulevard, and there's a beach picture, and I've got hello summer, and there's another beach. We've got a theme going here. So the setting is something that I hope will play up aspects of the story and character in a metaphorical way. And so that's one of the things and then the other thing that I love playing with is, as a writer, we get to live so many different lives, we get to have so many different jobs. And so every main character I've ever written has a job that I fantasize about. She's a photographer, she's a dancer, she's a writer. Well, I don't fantasize about that, I know the grim reality of that, but I've always wanted to be a bookseller. And so The Lost and Found Bookshop was gratifying for me to write about that. But we're very lucky because we get to experience these things vicariously through our research and through the people that we write about. So it keeps it very exciting and fresh. We don't go back to the same job day in and day out.Sarina Bowen 25:08 Right. And a bookseller is an interesting observer of humanity in terms of who comes in to look at what. That's a really durable archetype, which is amazing.KJ Dell'Antonia 25:24 Hey, listeners, KJ here, before Susan tells you what she's been reading, let me tell you, that's a lot. Let's talk about what you're writing, or rather where you're writing, Sarina and I have been loving our new Dabble Writer software. I've already raved about how intuitive it is, and how much we love the plotting tool. But since this episode is about beach reads, and I hope you're finding a way to indulge in a summer getaway, I want to tell you that another cool feature of dabble is that you can use it anywhere and on any device. Online, offline, PC, Mac, Chromebook, Mobile, they all work and they're always synched up. So the edits you jotted into your phone yesterday are right there on your desktop today. We really think you'll like it and we'd love to hear what you think. So check it out with a free trial at dabblewriter.com and then get in touch.Sarina Bowen 26:25 But I wanted to take you back a second to the Disney wish song because that was really interesting to me. I'm actually not a big Disney watcher, as my kids are a little older now but, I hadn't really realized that before. And I love that you start from the character's wish. I find when I start, and I'm wondering how you get past this, but sometimes does that wish feel a little bit thin to you until you really dig in. It's like the chicken and an egg of character conflict.Susan Wiggs 27:03 Absolutely, totally. And I'm always so envious when I open a book, and the character has this life or death problem or situation, because my books are really personal and they're kind of intimate and they're very much about a woman's desires in her everyday life and she's not out saving the world or vanquishing bad guys or something like that. And so my stories - until I really dig into them - feel a little every day, a little mundane. And so I'm very sensitive about that and it possibly makes me work harder, all the harder on the aspects that are really going to bring the story to life for the reader and really going to get the reader involved and behind the character. And with The Lost and Found Bookshop, one of the things that the publisher did is they sent out a lot of advance reading copies to working booksellers, or actually furloughed booksellers because of the time that we're in, and the feedback that they got was so extraordinary that they ended up making a deck of quote cards with feedback from these booksellers. And it was really extraordinary to see how they experienced this book and what their feedback was. And so even though it was a woman who doesn't consider herself anything special, she was really special to these readers. So I'm really hopeful that when the book goes out into the world and is not my baby anymore, the readers will relate to that.Sarina Bowen 28:51 That's wonderful. And as you point out, those of us who write emotional journeys, you know, some days doesn't it seem super tempting to just kidnap your heroine on the first page?Susan Wiggs 29:02 Yeah, it does really and you know, have her like swept away by pirates or something just to get the action going, when instead she's got to give a presentation at work and it sucks and, you know, something like that. Actually, that's interesting that you brought that up because my original opening scene of The Lost and Found Bookshop was pretty much exactly that. She had a work situation at her corporate job and it does not go well. And it's very important to her. But I was concerned that the readers might not hook right into her because she's a little challenged by the situation and she's not a warm, fuzzy person in that moment. And that's a little risky to do, because you want your reader to like your protagonist right from the start. And so, I was apprehensive about doing that. So what I did is I added and this is something I sometimes do, I sometimes don't, I added a prologue. And the prologue put her in the most emotionally stressful situation I could find for her at that moment, so there's like just a one page prologue, it's really quick, but it's like, everything that I wanted the reader to know about this character, so that when they turn the page, and there she is in her work meeting, and she's sweating and nervous and that sort of thing, they can relate to her in a different way. So that was actually a writing craft moves that I made, you know, a lot of writing is inspiration and it's art and it's talent. But a good other segment of it is just knowing how to manipulate your craft and steer your craft towards the best experience for the reader.Sarina Bowen 30:59 It's been Powerful to realize at some point in your development as an author that you have got the spotlight in two hands and you can point it wherever you want.Susan Wiggs 31:10 It is and hopefully we know what to do with that spotlight. That's generally what revisions are for, right?KJ Dell'Antonia 31:19 Yeah. I sometimes find myself just thinking, I don't know, it felt kind of like this last time and it kind of worked last time. So I'm just hoping it's working now.Susan Wiggs 31:32 Yes. And it's hard when you're deep in the weeds of your draft of your novel, it's really, really hard to have the perspective that ultimately the reader is going to have and sometimes you just have to forge ahead on faith. KJ Dell'Antonia 31:48 So when you are lost in those weeds do you find yourself going back to that 5-10 page narrative that you mentioned at the beginning? Susan Wiggs 31:56 Um, no, what I usually do is go pull weeds in my garden or hike with the dogs or something, and try to walk away from it for a bit. And then I also do more research, a lot of times I'm stuck at a spot in the book, and I just need to read more about the situation, you know, whether it's more articles about elder care or more articles about this Spanish American War, which has a very weird, kind of interesting little spotlight in the book. So sometimes I just do more research. There's a very good book, there's so many good writing books, but one of them that was quite instructive to me a million years ago, it was called Writing the Blockbuster Novel by Al Zuckerman. He was (maybe still is) a big agent in New York, and he was Ken Follett's agent and he talks about when you get blocked the first thing you should do is go back and do more research into your setting, and your situation, and into the character's job. And I don't know that that resolves it every time for me, but it's very helpful.KJ Dell'Antonia 33:11 I love books like that. I love books that at least just tell me something to do when I'm stuck, anything, just just give me something I can get my fingers into.Susan Wiggs 33:24 Yeah, I'm a writing book junkie. I have probably 16 linear feet of books on writing and I have my favorites but there's always something that I can glean from most of these. I don't always work through them cover to cover but I love browsing through them, that's always inspiring to me as well.KJ Dell'Antonia 33:48 I love hearing that because I am so there. I love stuff like Save the Cat Writes a Novel and Write Your novel in 90 days and it doesn't have to be great. I don't know, I like dipping out and finding a roadmap from time to time, I think.Susan Wiggs 34:06 Yeah. It goes back to writers being convinced that every other writer has a secret and they're hiding it from us. KJ Dell'Antonia 34:14 I do have the secrets to how other people can write them that turn out to be the problem. Well, this is a great time to shift into talking about what we have been reading. In every episode, we like to just shout out something that we've been enjoying lately. And so I hope you've had some time to read and have something in mind that's been keeping you entertained when you're not writing right now?Susan Wiggs 34:46 Absolutely. I'm always reading and I've always got a couple of books going - one on the nightstand and one in the living room and one wherever I happen to be. And right now some of my books reflect where I am in my life. I think I mentioned that my mom has moved here, she's 90, she's a bit high maintenance right now. So I'm reading. Let's see, I've got a stack here. I'm reading Aging in Place by Aaron D. Murphy. Not very interesting, except when you need it. But the other one that I just love, and I've read it before, but I'm rereading Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. Medicine and What Matters in the End. And then for light hearted reading, I have the new Mary Kay Andrews, Hello, Summer, was just published. And a good friend of mine, Mary Alice Monroe has a new book out called On Ocean Boulevard. And it's like the ultimate summer read. It looks like I haven't started it yet, but I'm looking forward to that one. I have a book here that is a memoir. Because one of the things that my husband does, he does a lot of things, he's a designer, but one thing that he's been doing is he's been renovating old houses. And he's not really a flipper because he renovates them beautifully and then sells them or rents them. But anyway, I'm very preoccupied with old houses these days. So I found this book House Lessons by Erica Baumeister, who's written some of my favorite books. She wrote a book called The School of Essential Ingredients that I loved. And this is a memoir of restoring an old house called House Lessons: Renovating a Life.Sarina Bowen 36:58 And then for my birthday my husband got me Untamed by Glennon Doyle, amazing, amazing memoir about a woman's very extraordinary journey.KJ Dell'Antonia 37:15 I'm in the middle of that one might now myself.Sarina Bowen 37:18 She's a wonderful writer and then I bought well because Father's Day is coming up and and Jerry is not my father, but his sons are probably going to forget. So I bought him the new Eric Larsen, The Splendid and the Vile, which is a history of Churchill during World War Two. And I just love Eric's books and Eric's a good friend of mine and so I tease him I say that he's everybody's father's favorite writer. You could always count on somebody's dad liking an Eric Larson book, just like you can always count on somebody's mom liking a Susan Wiggs book. And then two more on my nightstand. This one is a collection of stories called Sabrina and Kareena, there was a there's a lot of controversy about a big book that was out earlier this year called American Dirt. And it focused some attention on Latino writers or Latin ex-writers. And so I decided that I did not have enough on my shelf and so a bookseller recommended Sabrina and Kareena by Kali Fajardo-Anstine. But it won the National Book Award and the stories are just lovely. I love them. And then finally, I just started this morning over coffee The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, by Taylor Jenkins Reid and If you haven't heard of her, you will soon because her book, which was called Daisy Jones and The Six is about to be a very big series on, I think Amazon Prime, or maybe Netflix, and quite, quite the big hit. And I adored that book as well. So I know I'm gonna like this new one. And you wonder with all these books that I'm reading, do I have time to write? No, I don't. Do I have a deadline? Yes, I do.KJ Dell'Antonia 39:26 We fully understand.Sarina Bowen 39:29 But you know what, reading books keeps the craft alive. As a writer, you read a book differently than just a reader. And I say just a reader with a lot of respect, but it's kind of like my husband's an apparel designer. And he can look at any garment and see what it took to make that garment and he knows a lot of technical things about it that the casual person wouldn't even know and I think the same can be said, of writing and it is a little harder for me and probably you guys to, to really get into a book. Just because we're also noticing things that are not supposed to be noticeable.KJ Dell'Antonia 40:14 Every so often I'll be like, Oh, I bet that was a major subplot at some point, there's a reason that that dog is a German Shepherd or whatever, you know, and but now there's not and you can go in and out of that mode, right? Well, so it I think rather than say anything that I'm reading, just because we have a great list here, I'm gonna just ask you one last question, which is - do you read fiction while you're writing it?Susan Wiggs 40:49 Always? Yes, I do.KJ Dell'Antonia 40:52 We do, too! So many people don't - or say they don't. Susan Wiggs 40:56 Um, I would probably go through withdrawal symptoms if I couldn't read fiction, and so for some reason, it's not a problem for me personally to distinguish what I'm writing from what I'm reading. And you know that I don't know if that's true for everybody. But it doesn't seem to be a problem for me. Maybe it's telling that one of my first things that I remember writing for publication was when I was in seventh grade, they decided to publish a book report that I had written in the newspaper because I was supposed to do a book report on Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. And I was so destroyed by the ending of that book that I rewrote the whole ending of the book, and that was my book report. So my seventh grade teacher thought that it was interesting enough that you know, she published it in the newspaper. So that was one of my first publishing credits. I was rewriting John Steinbeck. So, I don't know maybe you need maybe you need that level of arrogance to kind of push your way into publishing.KJ Dell'Antonia 42:06 I think that you predicted your own future. Well, we have to respect your time but we are so grateful that you came and did this. I think this was a fantastic conversation about writing. I enjoyed it so much. Thank you.Susan Wiggs 42:21 Thank you so much. I'd love talking shop with you guys. You're amazing.KJ Dell'Antonia 42:25 It's great. So for our listeners, you're definitely going to want to look for The Lost and Found Bookshop and also maybe take a look at The Oysterville Sewing Circle. So, Sarina you want to take us out with our with our always final saying?Sarina Bowen 42:56 Until next week everyone, keep your butt in the chair and your head in the game. This episode of #AmWriting with Jess and KJ was produced by Andrew Parilla. Our music, aptly titled unemployed Monday was written and performed by Max Cohen. Andrew and Max were paid for their services because everyone, even creatives should be paid. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

On this episode of the podcast, I speak with Joanna Penn, Award-nominated, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She is a podcaster, international speaker, and award-winning creative entrepreneur. Her site, The Creative Penn is regularly voted one of the Top 100 blogs for writers by Writers Digest. If you want to figure out how to write books and even make money writing, then this interview is a must-listen. Joanna studied theology in school and then went into IT consulting where she learned all about business but was miserable doing it. She went through a cycle of working and quitting until she realized that she should start her own business. It took stints in real estate and then a scuba diving company, all of which she hated and “failed” at to realize she needed to do something she loved.  These “failures” also gave her the insight that she did not want to manage people or assets. Rather, she wanted to do high-profit margin work that she loved that could be done anywhere in the world on a laptop. That led her to become a writer where she could do the things she loved -- read, write, and travel.  Joanna loves reading Thrillers and Dan Brown inspired her to combine her fascination with religion to write her highly successful ARKANE series. This following your interests approach is a great way for entrepreneurs to figure out a way to create an independent life that completes them. If you're an author, chances are, you don't make a whole lot from your writing and that's why Joanna has multiple streams of income -- selling books is only one of them. This allows her to do what she loves while also making a living -- an important part of being an entrepreneur. Now let's get better together Actions to Try or Advice to Take Freelancing: A good way to see if you have the entrepreneur mindset is to freelance either on the side or if you're bold, fulltime. Business Overhead (office space, insurance, employees, etc.) is one thing that can sneak up on you. Make sure you have a handle on that. Try different paths: You never know what will work for you so try things and don't be afraid to “fail.” What you learn early in life may come back and be useful someday. Case in point Joanna's knowledge of theology is throughout her novels. Your work environment will impact your physical health -- especially if you're an introvert. Make sure that you understand what affects you and build an environment around you that feeds you. Most authors are not entrepreneurs because they don't think of themselves as business people or rather they are not business people. This is a big hurdle to get over as an author because you do have to do the business side of authorship in order to be successful. If you struggle with something or learn something, it's important that you share that knowledge with the world.  When you exchange time for money, you lose a certain amount of freedom. It's best, if possible, to create products or services that can generate money for you. Digital, Global, and Mobile First: That's how Joanna thinks about her businesses. Links to Explore Further The Creative Penn Joanna on Twitter and LinkedIn Jarie's Episode on Joanna's Podcast. AI Superpowers Book. 7 Figure Small Stone of Fire and Valley of Dry Bones part of the ARKANE series. Keep In TouchBook or Blog or Twitter or LinkedIn or JSYPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jane Friedman, author of The Business of Being a Writer, and one of the most trusted consultants in the publishing industry, gives us the reality check we definitely needed.

After decades of working in the art world in some of the  most highly regarded  galleries in  Soho, and throughout NYC, Andrew Sarewitz, has started putting pen to paper for his own nonfiction works. Hear excerpts from his deeply personal story "In The First Person" as well as stories of his relationship with his mother.  When it came time to tell his mom something very important,  she was in denial, yet his dad was proactive-something that Andrew didn't see coming.  Was it a mom protecting her son? Looking back, Andrew definitely had regrets . Judith always taught Andrew to 'be in the moment'.   He appreciated and embraced all the years of taking care of his mom, so when the end came, he was absolutely certain that the two had had a very loving relationship one that he still misses every day.You'll also hear more about Andrew's writing career regarding  workshops and  accolades.

Today, Lara’s here to share how we can write our greatest desires into existence!  She takes us through the ups and downs of her career, which includes writing steamy romance novels under a pseudonym, Kim Amos. It was through a moment of crisis that Lara discovered the magical manifestation tool of Authoring Your Life, which entails writing about ourselves as characters.  Guess what? All you need to use this powerful tool is something to write with, something to write on, and your imagination!  Listen to hear how you can manifest with words just like Lara, who manifested a beautiful life and a home in Northern Michigan!  Lara Zielin is a published author, editor, and the founder of Author Your Life. Her debut young-adult novel Donut Days was selected to the Lone Star Reading List, and her romance novel And Then He Kissed Me (written as Kim Amos) was nominated for a Romantic Times Reader's Choice Award. Her magazine articles have appeared in Writers Digest, Culture, Medicine at Michigan, and more. Her nonfiction book Author Your Life is about using the power of writing to create a better story for yourself. She lives in Michigan with her husband and dog, and her goal is pretty much to eat ALL THE CHEESE. Do you consistently put everyone’s needs before your own? If so, join me for this free workshop on setting healthy boundaries. Start saying “NO” here.  Click here to buy me a chai and support the show. Shownotes: Book a Discovery Call with Charlotte Free workshop: 5 Boundary Setting Practices To Make You Love Saying “No” Book Your "Reflect and Elevate" Session Lara’s Free 3-Part Video Series on Authoring Your Life  Author Your Life Website  Author Your Life Instagram  Author Your Life Facebook  Connect with me Instagram: @airyfairyfeminist Facebook group Airyfairyfeminist.com

In Paulette's own words: I created The Authors Remedy when I realized that so many first-time authors were struggling with story mapping, the publishing process and marketing their books. These first-time authors would try to look for answers in Writers Digest or ask for feedback on, Facebook, Google or YouTube, but they weren’t really getting the help they needed. And I’ve studied this problem for Eight Years and have found the solution! A FOUR MODULE TEMPLATE THAT TAKES YOU FROM CONCEPTION TO PUBLICATION! This course is designed to teach first-time authors how to write, publish and market nonfiction books. This course does that by showing authors how to GET WRITTEN, GET PUBLISHED AND GET PURCHASED!This course is ideal for anyone desiring to write memoirs, autobiography, self-help, short stories, inspirational, transformational, informational writing . Reference books, subject books and textbooks. Suitable for: Speakers, Divorcees, Ministry Leaders, Pastors, Entrepreneurs, Ex Pastors Wives, Coaches and Teachers. Want to know more? Get the inside scoop, and all the behind the scenes take on this new initiative from Paulette Harper on a special edition of the show, Tuesday, March 24th at 7pm Eastern time. Now accepting enrollment! You can call in at 646-668-8485 and press 1 to be live on air. Download Stitcher on your mobile device. Follow us on iTunes. Or, click on the link here: http://tobtr.com/11693394.

“Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also the love of humanity”. This quote from Hippocrates, the father of medicine, is especially true when doctors imbue their experiences into artistic pursuits like today's guest. Kimmery Martin is an emergency room physician turned author whose medical fiction features female doctors shouldering the life and death responsibilities of their profession but also dealing with questions of friendship, love, and the thorny cultural Issues of our times with a good dose of humor thrown into the mix. Her first novel Queen of Hearts, published in 2018, was praised by the New York Times and cited as a most anticipated book by Southern Living and Writers Digest. Her newest book, The Antidote for Everything, explores the friendship between a female specialist and her best friend, a male family physician who also happens to be gay. Her book explores what happens when her best friend is told by the administration of the hospital that he can no longer provide care for LGBTQ patients or risk being fired. Kimmery talks to us about her childhood growing up in Eastern Kentucky, the humorous way she chose the profession for her main character, what the storyline of her next book will look like, and why physicians have a unique perspective for writing fiction. Books and Authors Discussed in this Episode: 1- Any book by Bill Bryson 2- Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin 3- The Antidote for Everything by Kimmery Martin 4- Any book by Chris Bohjalian 5- Booked by Kwame Alexander 6- Emma by Jane Austen 7- The Innocents by Micheal Crummey You can find us on FB, instagram (@perksofbeingabookloverpod) and on our blog site at www.perksofbeingabooklover.com Perks airs on Forward Radio 106.5 FM and forwardradio.org every Wednesday at 6 pm, Thursdays at 6 am and 12 pm. We have purchased the rights to the theme music used.

“Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also the love of humanity”. This quote from Hippocrates, the father of medicine, is especially true when doctors imbue their experiences into artistic pursuits like today’s guest. Kimmery Martin is an emergency room physician turned author whose medical fiction features female doctors shouldering the life and death responsibilities of their profession but also dealing with questions of friendship, love, and the thorny cultural Issues of our times with a good dose of humor thrown into the mix. Her first novel Queen of Hearts, published in 2018, was praised by the New York Times and cited as a most anticipated book by Southern Living and Writers Digest. Her newest book, The Antidote for Everything, explores the friendship between a female specialist and her best friend, a male family physician who also happens to be gay. Her book explores what happens when her best friend is told by the administration of the hospital that he can no longer provide care for LGBTQ patients or risk being fired. Kimmery talks to us about her childhood growing up in Eastern Kentucky, the humorous way she chose the profession for her main character, what the storyline of her next book will look like, and why physicians have a unique perspective for writing fiction. Books and Authors Discussed in this Episode: 1- Any book by Bill Bryson 2- Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin 3- The Antidote for Everything by Kimmery Martin 4- Any book by Chris Bohjalian 5- Booked by Kwame Alexander 6- Emma by Jane Austen 7- The Innocents by Micheal Crummey You can find us on FB, instagram (@perksofbeingabookloverpod) and on our blog site at www.perksofbeingabooklover.com Perks airs on Forward Radio 106.5 FM and forwardradio.org every Wednesday at 6 pm, Thursdays at 6 am and 12 pm. We have purchased the rights to the theme music used.

We talk to Jeanne Veillette Bowerman, Editor & Chief of Script Magazine, Senior Editor of Writers Digest, and Co-Founder of the weekly Twitter Screenwriters Chat, about the best decisions you can make on your path to becoming a screenwriter.

  We talk to Jeanne Veillette Bowerman, Editor & Chief of Script Magazine, Senior Editor of Writers Digest, and Co-Founder of the weekly Twitter Screenwriters Chat, about the best decisions you can make on your path to becoming a screenwriter.  

My guest is Mignon Fogarty, known as The Grammar Girl (https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl). Mignon is the founder of the Quick and Dirty Tips network, and creator of Grammar Girl, which has been named one of Writer's Digest's 101 best websites for writers multiple times. She is also an inductee into the Podcasting Hall of Fame. You can follow Mignon on Twitter (https://twitter.com/GrammarGirl) (@GrammarGirl), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/GrammarGirl/?__tn__=%2Cd%2CP-R&eid=ARDU-sFmRHIr3Pqzyn6YzIaLvhc6hMqQOGEt-urKY0qIeufgcQHfVynvKownBlYyv7tYoUz8_Kmg77wC) (@GrammarGirl), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGrammarGirl) (GrammarGirl), and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thegrammargirl/) (@thegrammargirl). The article we discuss about potential font changes to the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure is available here (https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-news/in-font-astic-decision-committee-prefers-bookman-old-style-over-times-new-roman/). Your host is Duane Daiker (https://www.shumaker.com/professionals/A-D/duane-a-daiker), a board certified appellate lawyer in the Tampa office of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP (https://www.shumaker.com). You can reach him at: ddaiker@shumaker.com. Please support our sponsor: Court Surety Bond Agency (http://courtsurety.com/). CSBA is the nation's leading surety agency specializing in supersedeas bonds. (877-810-5525). If you love the show, feel free to Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Daiker)! Please follow the show on Twitter (https://twitter.com/IssuesonAppeal), and consider subscribing and rating the show on iTunes. Special Guest: Mignon Fogarty.

Joanna Penn is an award-nominated, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers under J.F.Penn and also writes non-fiction for authors. She’s also a podcaster and an award-winning creative entrepreneur. Her site, TheCreativePenn.com has been voted in the Top 100 sites for writers by Writer's Digest.TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLESHOW LINKS:Written World Podcast: WrittenWorld.usSubscribe to my YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/KevinTumlinsonWordslinger Podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/c/wordslingerpodcastAuthor.Email: author.emailIndie Author Blueprint: indieauthorblueprint.comGUEST LINKS:Website:: www.TheCreativePenn.com , www.TheCreativePenn.com/voicedoubleAmazon Author Page:: https://www.amazon.com/Joanna-Penn/e/B002BM8ICWTwitter Handle:: @thecreativepennFacebook Page:: https://www.facebook.com/TheCreativePenn/How can people join your mailing list?: www.thecreativepenn.com/blueprintMENTIONS- https://www.descript.com/- https://wavve.co/- Otter.aiSPONSORS:DRAFT2DIGITAL: Convert, publish, and distribute your book worldwide, with support the whole way. https://draft2digital.com/wordslingerACORNS: Start an Acorns account today and get FREE MONEY! kevintumlinson.com/acornsAUDIBLE.COM: Get a FREE 30-day trial of Audible and listen to any audiobook in their vast library, when you go to http://audibletrial.com/wordslinger

Barbara Poelle demystifies the book publishing industry and answers Hilary's burning questions about becoming a published author. Barbara is a literary agent and author of the new book, Funny You Should Ask: Mostly Serious Answers to Mostly Serious Questions About the Book Publishing Industry.  If your smartphone, streaming video, or social media use ever bums you out or feels like a distraction, grab your copy of the 2020 Technology Manifesto to get clear on your values and commit to a better, healthier relationship with technology in 2020. Download it here.  Hustle & Grace FB group: https://facebook.com/groups/hustleandgracewithhilarysutton/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/hilary.sutton Twitter: www.twitter.com/hilarysutton Facebook: www.facebook.com/hilarysutton 

Joanna Penn spent the last ten years designing a career as an authorpreneur. As a self-published author, business owner, and podcaster, she thrives on self-investment and brand recognition. Penn is most known for her international and award-winning podcast, The Creative Penn. She has written many titles for independent writers including How To Market a Book and Successful Self-Publishing. In addition, Joanna publishes a unique brand of dark fiction under the name J.F. Penn. When she isn’t writing, she runs Curl Up Press and speaks professionally around the world.From Amazon.com:Joanna Penn is a bestselling author, international speaker and award-winning entrepreneur based in Bath, England. Her site, www.TheCreativePenn.com helps authors with creativity, writing, publishing, book marketing and creative entrepreneurship. It has been voted one of the top 100 sites for authors by Writers Digest. Joanna has a popular podcast, The Creative Penn, and a YouTube Channel.Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins.Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouse, J. Thorn, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business.In this episode, you’ll discover:How to find an enjoyable careerHow to establish a brandWhy time comes before moneyHow to scale a productWhy to invest in yourselfLinks:Joanna Penn - https://jfpenn.com/The Creative Penn Podcast - https://www.thecreativepenn.com/Books and Travel Podcast - https://www.booksandtravel.page/listen/Successful Self-Publishing by Joanna Penn - https://books2read.com/PennSelfPublishingHow To Market a Book by Joanna Penn - https://books2read.com/HowToMarketABookJ. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.comContact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join Dino, Chris, and Ragolution as they discuss worldbuilding for RPGs. Focusing particularly on worldbuilding as a shared setting, and getting a behind the scenes look into the RPG publishing world from their special guest. Joining for this episode is industry veteran Phil Athans, who is a New York Times Best Selling Author, founding partner of Athans & Associates Creative Consultants, and former senior editing manager for Wizards of the Coasts on their Forgotten Realms DnD line. This episode was edited by Anna Hannon. Phil is running a worldbuilding workshop for Writer's Digest, it can be found here: https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/worldbuilding-in-science-fiction-and-fantasy-writing Phil's Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhilAthans?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Website: http://www.athansassociates.com/index.html

In this episode of In the Artists realm with Sylvia Stein I am discussing the book entitled, Crafting Dynamic Dialogue: The Complete Guide to Speaking,  Conversing, Arguing,  and Thinking in Fiction.   From The Editors of Writer's Digest the Foreword is by Cheryl St. John.   I am discussing Chapter 7 by Jeff Gerke.   I also share excerpts of my latest thriller coming out soon: Battered Mind     All music by Garage band.       

Diane Mulligan is the author of three novels and numerous online publications and media outlets, including Boston’s WBUR, The Grub Street Daily Blog and The Moon Magazine. Her first novel, Watch Me Disappear, was a finalist in the Kindle Book Review's 2013 Best Indie Book Awards in the Young Adult category while her second novel, The Latecomers Fan Club was named a 2014 IndieReader Discovery Award winner. Mulligan’s most recent work, What She Inherits, earned an Honorable Mention in the Writer's Digest 25th Annual Self-Published Book Awards. An independently published author herself, Mulligan released a brief guide book in 2015 called The Sane Person's Guide to Self-Publishing. Mulligan stopped by the program to talk about her creative process, literary labels, the landscape for writers in today’s market and what projects she has in store for the future. Diane Mulligan's work is available at her author website.

Welcome back everyone,    Happy to be back to In the Artists Realm:  I am starting the show by sharing excerpts of my new Book, Battered Mind My  Thriller coming out next year:    All Excerpts:  Intro Poem,  Sadie November,  Sadie Revelations Reprise, Anna The one true Friend All copyright by Sylvia Stein 2019.      Also Recapped on the book:  Crafting Dynamic Dialogue by the Editors of Writers Digest.    Announcements.      All Music by: Garage band    

Natalie chats with veterans of the Writers Digest Conference in NYC about pitching to agents and how to prepare for your first conference!

SPECIAL RELEASE! In this special edition of The Story Geeks podcast, we bring you to our TIMESLINGERS Launch Party live audience recording! Daryl Smith and our live audience interview Jay Sherer, the co-writer (with Nathan Scheck) of TIMESLINGERS! They cover why a Writer's Digest judge considered the book "trailblazing," and how the story came about in the first place. Jay also talks about his behind-the-scenes tour of Los Alamos National Laboratories, how to find time to write, how to setup time travel as a gimmick, and then dives into some audience Q&A! The Story Geeks finally get to dig deeper into one of their own stories, TIMESLINGERS!   PURCHASE TIMESLINGERS! Jay and Nathan's time travel novel is available now in print! Kindle version available by 07/29/19, and audiobook version out by 08/05/19. Follow Timeslingers on Twitter for the latest updates!   LINKS: TIMESLINGERS (Jay & Nathan's time travel novel) MORE CONTENT (our blog) SUPPORT US (...unlock EXCLUSIVE content!) FACEBOOK GROUP   SUBSCRIBE iTunes | Podbean | Stitcher | Spotify   SOCIAL Facebook Group | The Story Geeks YouTube Channel | Reclamation Society YouTube Channel Twitter | Instagram | Email: thestorygeeks@gmail.com | Jay: @JaySherer | Daryl: @darylhsmith | Sandra: @sand_rad | Justin: @justintheweaver

Mamta Chaudhry's fiction, poetry, and feature articles have been published in the Miami Review, The Illustrated Weekly of India, The Telegraph, The Statesman, Writer's Digest, and The Rotarian, among others.She lives with her husband in Coral Gables, Florida, and they spend part of each year in India and France. Haunting Paris is her first novel. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode of In the artists realm with Sylvia Stein I dive into Part II of Great Dialogue and start on Chapter 6 The Source of Great Dialogue by author Elizabeth Sims.     All of this through the book, Crafting Dynamic Dialogue:  The Complete Guide to Speaking, Conversing, Arguing, and Thinking in Fiction by the Editors of Writer's Digest.     Foreword by Cheryl St. John.    All music provided by Garage band.     Author Announcements and news for in the artists realm.      A

Authors on the Air Global Radio Network host and thriller author Eliot Parker interviews Jessica Strawser. Jessica is the editorial director of Writer’s Digest magazine and the author of Almost Missed You and Not That I Could Tell. She has written for The New York Times Modern Love, Publishers Weekly and other fine venues, and lives with her husband and two children in Cincinnati. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eliot-parker/support

Announcements for In the Artists Realm:   Sylvia Stein     Crafting Dynamic Dialogue:  The Complete Guide to Speaking, Conversing, Arguing and Thinking in Fiction.    From the Editors of Writer's Digest:    Foreword by Cheryl St. John      Pic by Pexels:     Garage band music:  Off Broadway     

Barbara Poelle began her publishing career as a freelance copywriter and editor before joining the Goodman Agency in 2007, but feels as if she truly prepared for the industry during her brief stint as a standup comic in Los Angeles. She has found success placing thrillers, literary suspense, Young Adult and upmarket fiction and is actively seeking her next great client in those genres, but is passionate about anything with a unique voice. Barbara also writes the column Funny You Should Ask, in Writer's Digest.How Do You Write Podcast: Explore the processes of working writers with bestselling author Rachael Herron. Want tips on how to write the book you long to finish? Here you'll gain insight from other writers on how to get in the chair, tricks to stay in it, and inspiration to get your own words flowing. Join Rachael's Slack channel, Onward Writers.90 Day Revision HERE. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Questions on today's show: How do/did people carry weapons? What sounds do they make when wielded? (I say that you can hear the chamber turn in a pistol, but it's more correct to say revolver.) How can a woman overcome size and strength differential to beat a man? (I say judo is a reference for takedowns but it's more correct to say it's a good reference for throws.) Best underwear for battle!!!  

Kim D. Bailey is a 2016 Pushcart Nominee for nonfiction, and 2018 Best of the Net Nominee for poetry. Currently, she works as a paid reviewer for Carpe Librum books and does some freelance work on the side. She is published in several online and print journals and in audio, including but not limited to Firefly Magazine, Tuck Magazine, Drunk Monkeys, The Scarlet Leaf Review, Writer's Digest, Anti Heroine Chic, Sick Lit, The Song Is, Indigent Press, The 52 Men Podcast, and Tupelo Press. Kim was a columnist for Five 2 One Literary Magazine from June 2016 to October 2017, writing to Breaking the Legacy of Silence. She has also held editorial positions with Firefly Magazine and Sick Lit Magazine. At the moment, Kim is taking her creativity a day at a time and is compiling a memoir as well as poems for a chapbook. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two dogs. You can find her work mostly compiled at Kim D. Bailey. www.kimbaileyspradlin.com

ANGEL CUSICK   Studied at the London College of Psychic Studies for 15 years, and granted access to the inner circles for Advanced Psychic Development. Studied the formerly known as Royal National Academy for Medical Hypnosis and Psychotherapy at the NHS Hospital in Blackheathe,, England  (now known as The Hypnotherapy Training institute of Britain). Certificate of Achievement in Ancient Divination Studies at Harvard University Trained with the National Federation of Spiritual Healers in England  Certificate of Achievement in Contract Law from Harvard University Studied Psychology and Communications at Ohio UniversityPost Graduate Degree from the DSL in West London in Classical Studies. Nominated for the international "New Voices in Literature Award" by Writers Digest, THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE SOUL is available on Amazon (as all other books, read either as a hard copy, electronic download or as an audible book). Here readers can gain insight with never before published material and secret equations that activate psychic sensing. Angel also has received literary acclaim for A COMPENDIUM OF SOULS, THE SECRET HISTORY OF YOUR SOUL and ANGELIC HEALING SOUPS-where you can find medicinal recipes to help deal with various maladies, disorders and diseases (including cancer), based on ancient formulas and modern scientific research. Having conducted well over 15,000 case studies on psychic development in London, Angel's established practice was popular throughout all of Europe. Contact Angel Cusick: www.angelville.net Spiritual Intelligence: imasumacwatkins@gmail.com    

Carla is a writer for Writer's Digest. Her book, Fight Write: How to Write Believable Fight Scenes releases in June 2019. She is a professional fight scene editor, consultant, and FightWriting teacher. She is the host of The Geek Block podcast on the Along Came a Writer network and as far as you know not working with cats in their evil plot to overtake the world.   

We are blessed to have Kay Turner of Kay Turner Today with us  on the podcast today for a special author interview. This is an interview that is inspiring, encouraging, filled with tips, but so much more than that - just a hug through the podcast is all I can say. Follow Kay Turner to see what God has in store for her next:  Website/Blog -  https://www.kayturnertoday.com/  Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/kayturnertoday/  Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/kayturnertoday/  Bible Verse: "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11  Share this interview with everyone you know! It will be an inspiration to all!  Link to the book Mrs. Kay recommended, The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman -  https://www.amazon.com/First-Five-Pages-Writers-Rejection/dp/068485743X  Link to the wonderful article by Diana Pho,  Representation in Fiction: How to Write Characters Whose Experiences Are Outside of Your Own as featured in Writer's Digest online March 25, 2019 -  https://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/write-better-characters/representation-in-fiction-how-to-write-characters-whose-experiences-are-outside-of-your-own  Blessings,  Jen --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/jen-lowry-writes/message

Has publishing changed much in the past decades? A lot, but in many ways not at all. Influential blogger and opinion leader Joel Friedlander tells us what’s still important for all publishers to know . . . and do. Topics include: First rule: authors still have to understand their market. Hard copy printing, despite what we hear about ebooks, is still the most popular way of manufacturing, and most of that is offset. Can author-publishers get into bookstores? (One thought: consignment is not the way to go except in one specific instance.) So who gets mainstream distribution? What ever happened to ebooks? Humans have an endless need for stories, which is why we’ll always have books. The future of publishing: interactivity, special editions, crowdfunding. Bottom line: quality is still the most important thing a publisher can bring to a book. Participants Joel Friedlander is an award-winning book designer, blogger (since 2009!), and writer. He speaks regularly at industry events and is the author of A Self-Publisher’s Companion and The Book Blueprint. The blogger behind TheBookDesigner, Joel is a columnist for Publishers Weekly, and was named by Writer's Digest as one of the 10 people to follow in book publishing. He also operates several websites that provide design, marketing, and project planning resources for indie publishers and authors. Joel Friedlander’s blog and websites The Book Designer: http://www.thebookdesigner.com/ BookDesignTemplates.com: https://www.bookdesigntemplates.com/ AuthorToolkits.com: http://authortoolkits.com/ BookPlanner.com: http://bookplanner.com/ Books by Joel Friedlander The Book Blueprint: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Blueprint-Expert-Creating-Industry-Standard-ebook/dp/B07D5NRYW3/ A Self-Publisher’s Companion: http://www.amazon.com/Self-Publishers-Companion-Joel-Friedlander/dp/0936385111/ IBPA Industry Standards Checklist: https://www.ibpa-online.org/general/custom.asp?page=standardschecklist Peter Goodman (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing career in Tokyo, Japan, in 1976. A longtime member of IBPA, he has served on the IBPA board and as IBPA board chair.

Are you ready to write a better story for yourself? Author Your Life is the oh-heck-yeah transformation that can happen when you literally put pen to paper and write the life you want to have. Lara Zielin is a published author, editor, and the founder of Author Your Life. Her debut young-adult novel Donut Days was selected to the Lone Star Reading List, and her romance novel And Then He Kissed Me (written as Kim Amos) was nominated for a Romantic Times Reader's Choice Award. Her magazine articles have appeared in Writers Digest, Culture, Medicine at Michigan, and more. Her nonfiction book Author Your Life is about using the power of writing to create a better story for yourself. She lives in Michigan with her husband and dog, and her goal is pretty much to eat ALL THE CHEESE. How Do You Write Podcast: Explore the processes of working writers with bestselling author Rachael Herron. Want tips on how to write the book you long to finish? Here you'll gain insight from other writers on how to get in the chair, tricks to stay in it, and inspiration to get your own words flowing. Rachael's Writing SLACK CHANNEL: Click HERE to join! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome To Plotpoints Podcast! This is Plotpoints Podcast! www.plotpoints.com Show Notes March 01, 2019 EP 147 Author/Screenwriter Christopher Stires, Author/Filmmaker Lorenzo Porricelli, Teacher/Author/Screenwriter Raymond Obstfeld Join Mark Sevi. #Starbeasts #PaladinsJourney #RebelNation #TheInheritance #DarkLegend Starbeasts Chris' Amazon Page Chris' BarnesAndNoble See Chris' full bio at end of the show notes. Raymond Obstfeld is a writer of poetry, non-fiction, fiction, and screenplays.  He has written over 50 novels. Solo and recently with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar he has won several awards for his work.  He is also a staff writer on the reboot of the TV show Veronica Mars. Full Bio At Bottom Of Page Raymond's Amazon Page #raymondobstfeld #KareemAbdulJabbar #robthomas #veronicamars #kristenbell #LaramieDunaway #MycroftHolmes  00:00:00 Intro #dandywarhols Veronica Mars Clip Mark 00:01:30 WELCOME/TABLE TALK/BLAH BLAH BLAH All 00:5:35 WORKING ON All Working with Kareem and other topics. 00:10:57  SO SPAKE RAYMOND: WORKING ON VERONICA MARS And OTHER JOYS Writers Room, Kristen Bell, Rob Thomas Raymond 00:33:50 TOP MOVIES BASED ON EVENTS (NOT CHARACTERS) All CHRIS: In the line of duty Zulu Unstoppable Dogdayafternoon All The President's Men LARRY: All the President's Men Kings Speech Titanic Munich Great Escape RAYMOND: All the President's Men Dog Day Afternoon Bridge On The River Kwai The Right Stuff Great Escape MARK: The Man Who Invented Christmas Inherit The Wind Day of the Jackal The Post Social Network Need a Writing Class?  For info go to www.scriptwritingclasses.org LEARN PODCASTING For info go HERE 00:42:00 Q&A Is Location Important in a Script? Raymond/Mark 00:45:00 THANKS AND OUT! All UPCOMING AT C3 Vape and Coffee (www.ocfilmandtv.com) MEETUP DETAILS Need a Writing Class?  For info go to www.scriptwritingclasses.org #scriptwritingclasses.org #ocscreenwriters #ocfilmandtv   QUESTIONS?  COMMENTS? 919-Scripts www.ocscreenwriters.com Write Better Dialogue - Mark's Latest Article For Creative Screenwriting Magazine. www.ocfilmandtv.com #richdalessio #c3vapeandcoffee Call 816-WRITERS for info on the MeetUps Meetup www.ocscreenwriters.com / www.ocfilmandtv.com HEY! Tell us what is your favorite Scifi, Romantic Comedy or Comic Book movie? Call (919) Scripts and shout it out to us. Resources: 919-SCRIPTS to leave a message/ask questions. www.plotpoints.com (show blog and more) www.ocscreenwriters.com - by writers for writers. Be Inspired, Do Good Work! Need a Writing Class?  For info go to www.scriptwritingclasses.org #scriptwritingclasses.org Writers Guild Registration – www.wgawregistry.org U.S. Copyright Office - www.copyright.gov Podcast available on iTunes All Material copyright (c) Mark Sevi #marksevi Christopher Stires is a novelist, short-story writer and screenwriter living in Riverside CA. He has four novels currently in print. PALADIN’S JOURNEY, REBEL NATION, DARK LEGEND, and THE INHERITANCE (Winner of the 2003 Dream Realm Award for Horror) are available from Zumaya Publications (http://www.zumayapublications.com/). PALADIN’S JOURNEY: SABIAN (the sequel to PALADIN’S JOURNEY) will soon be released by Zumaya. STARBEAST (a reprint/retitle of TO THE MOUNTAIN OF THE BEAST) will soon be released by World Castle Publishing (http://www.worldcastlepublishing.com/home.html). He has had more than 70 short stories and articles appear in publications in the United States, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Finland, France, Greece, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. With co-writer, Mark Sevi, he has had one screenplay optioned. He is a member of Facebook and Goodreads. Raymond Obstfeld published his first novel, The Goulden Fleece, when he was 24. His second novel, Dead Heat, was nominated for an Edgar by the Mystery Writers of America. Although he has published extensively under his own name, he has also written under the pseudonyms Pike Bishop (the Western series Diamondback), Jason Frost (the futuristic series Warlord), Carl Stevens (a mystery series), Don Pendleton (the Executioner series), and Laramie Dunaway (Hungry Women, Borrowed Lives, and Lessons in Survival). He wrote the award-winning young-adult novel Joker and the Thief. He co-authored a number of non-fiction books with former professional basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He is also the co-author, with Abdul-Jabbar, of the children's basketball-themed fiction series "Streetball Crew". As a screenwriter, Obstfeld adapted his novel Dead Heat for Michael Keaton and his novel Warlord for Arnold Schwarzenegger and Robert Hamner. His original scripts include various genres, from romantic comedy (Mr. Moonlight) to caper-comedy (Foolproof) to teen action (The Joker and the Thief) to cop dramas (Tangled Up in Blue and Gambol's Luck). He has rewritten original screenplays for Paramount (Sword Fight) and Don "the Dragon" Wilson (Whatever It Takes). Most recently he has rewritten the scripts Whackers and Robodog for Thornbush Entertainment. His adaptation of his novel, Joker and the Thief, is being developed by Chartoff Productions. He is a contributing editor for Writer's Digest. He has also published two instructional books on writing, The Novelist's Essential Guide to Crafting Scenes and Fiction First Aid. In addition, he has several books due in the coming years, including What God Wants: What the World's Major Religions Teach about Today's Most Controversial Issue, SpiritWise: The Moral Teachings of Native Americans, and Black Op. Four books have been written for Lucent Books: Napoleon Bonaparte, Moby-Dick: Critical Essays, The Renaissance and Nations in Transition: India. Fair Use Act Disclaimer This podcast/website is for educational purposes only. Fair Use Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Fair Use Definition Fair use is a doctrine in United States copyright law that allows limited use of copyrighted material without requiring permission from the rights holders, such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, research, teaching or scholarship. It provides for the legal, non-licensed citation or incorporation of copyrighted material in another author’s work under a four-factor balancing test.

Episode 56 of He Said What features Matt Nagin, a writer, comedian, actor, and filmmaker. He has been featured in The Tribeca Film Festival, on CNN, The NY Post, Writer's Digest, The Wendy Williams Show, Lifetime, etc. On this episode we discuss dating someone with an age gap, how to get out of the friend zone, orbiting, commitment phobia, texting 101, and so much more!

Tara Sutphen will interview Estelle Erasmus, she is an award-winning journalist, writing coach, and former magazine editor in chief. She has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Family Circle Magazine, Brain, Child. She teaches Writing Parenthood at NYU and personal essay writing and pitching for Writers Digest and hosts the podcast ASJA Direct: Inside Intel on Getting Published and Paid Well. Follow her on Twitter Facebook and Instagram. Join us Friday 9am Pacific/noon Eastern www.ctrnetwork.com

John Peragine is a published author of 13 books, has ghostwritten over 100 others and does freelance work for the New York Times, Reuters, and Bloomberg News. John ghostwrites for some of the top names in business, real estate, fitness and health. He has published articles in Writer's Digest, Wine Enthusiast, WineMaker Magazine, and Speaker Magazine to just name a few. John has been writing professionally since 2007, after working 13 years in Social Work and as a professional musician in the Western Piedmont Symphony. He has been providing services to the National Speakers Association since 2013. His expertise are personal memoirs, real estate, small business, Corporate Business, spirituality, health and fitness. You can find him at https://johnpwriter.com/. To find out more about Laura and her work please visit her website at www.laurapowers.net. You can also find Laura on twitter @thatlaurapowers, on Facebook @thatlaurapowers, and on instagram at laurapowers44.

Bill welcomes author Kerrie Flanagan to the show. Kerrie is an author, writing consultant, accomplished freelance writer with over 18 years’ experience, and the founder of Hot Chocolate Press. Her work has appeared in publications such as, Writer’s Digest, Alaska Magazine, The Writer and six Chicken Soup for the Soul books.  Her article, “How to Find Success in the Magazine World,” has been featured in the Writer’s Market for the past six years. She is also the author of eight books all published under her label, Hot Chocolate Press. In addition to her own writing, she is passionate about helping other writers. She was the founder and former director of Northern Colorado Writers and now does individual consulting with writers. Her background in teaching and enjoyment of helping writers, has led her to present at writing conferences across the country, including Writer's Digest. Don't miss it!

In the final episode of Season 3 of Inside the Writer's Head with Writer-in-Residence Emma Carlson Berne, we hear from our 2019 Writer-in-Residence Jessica Strawser. Strawser is editor-at-large for Writer's Digest and an author of several novels set in nearby towns, including "Almost Missed You" and "Not That I Could Tell." In this episode, Emma and Jessica discuss how to stay committed as a writer even when you have a full-time job and a family. They also answer questions from participants in Emma's last writer's workshop and talk about Jessica's plans as the new Writer-In-Residence. Tune in!

Crafting Dynamic Dialogue"  Chapter 4 by Author Sarah Domet:  " Say What?"  Quick Tips for your Characters Crafting Dynamic Dialogue From the Editors of Writers Digest.     Music by Garage band.    Read Excerpts of books by Author Sylvia Stein  Recommended books by Author AJ Brown and Stitched Smile Publications.   

On October 27th, Kasie was at Pawley’s Island for the SCWA’s annual writers conference. We pre-recorded this episode with an interview with Chuck Sambuchino, former Writers Digest contributor and organizer of writing industry events. Here are the show notes for the show we recorded discussing the advantages of attending events like that one: https://writeonsc.blog/2018/10/27/episode-16-conferences-workshops-and-retreats/

NaNoWriMo, the National Novel Writers' Month, is well underway. By this point in week two your story might have become a little bit, well, stuck. In these next two episodes I share tips and advice from myself and others about how to get unstuck when you still have 30,000 words to write!   Unsticking Yourself thread on Twitter: https://stada.me/unstuck Tony Conaway's article on public readings: https://stada.me/tonytalk Further reading: What To Do When You're Stuck In The Middle of Your Novel, (https://stada.me/wdstuck) from Writer's Digest, with advice from the excellent DIYMFA book by Gabriela Pereira  James Scott Bell's book: Write Your Novel From The Middle    

Advice about how to get unstuck when you still have 30,000 words to write! RESOURCES: Unsticking Yourself thread on Twitter: https://stada.me/unstuck Tony Conaway's article on public readings: https://stada.me/tonytalk Further reading: What To Do When You're Stuck In The Middle of Your Novel, (https://stada.me/wdstuck) from Writer's Digest, with advice from the excellent DIYMFA book by Gabriela Pereira  James Scott Bell's book: Write Your Novel From The Middle

Gorilla Film School. On our podcast, the Dailies give you short bits of filmmaking and acting advice almost every day, plus our longer form interviews and trainings with filmmakers and actors. Get instant access to all of our training at http://gorillafilmschool.com. Link to the Writer's Digest article: https://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/excellent-publishing-advice/dealing-with-rejection-how-to-never-be-a-writing-failure Short. Sweet. Film Fest.: http://shortsweetfilmfest.com/ International Screenwriter's Association: https://www.networkisa.org/ Screewriting Workshop with Mary Davis: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/short-sweet-film-fest-community-workshop-screenwriting-with-mary-davis-tickets-51103809871?aff=efbeventtix  

AN INTERVIEW WITH ANNE R. ALLEN Anne R. Allen writes funny mysteries and how-to-books for writers. She also writes poetry and short stories on occasion. Oh, yes, and she blogs. She's a contributor to Writer's Digest and the Novel and Short Story Writer's Market. In this episode, Anne shares how keeping a writer's blog may be easier than you think! First month is FREE for the Writers' Block! Go to writingforchildren.com/writersblock

Full show notes HERE Hello!  Welcome to the RealFastResults.com podcast!  If you are publishing books, and you want those books to actually sell, you’re going to want to stick around.  Alinka Rutkowska is today’s special guest.  Alinka has had a lot of successes in her own publishing journey.  She is, in fact, a top-100 Amazon bestselling author in the “Business & Money” category, and she has sold more than 100,000 copies of her books.  Her book creation process has also been showcased in Entrepreneur magazine. Alinka is the CEO of a small press, called Leader’s Press, and she has launched all of its titles to bestseller campaign status.  That’s remarkable!  She’s also the founder of LibraryBub, which connects independent authors with 10,000+ libraries, to help get their books into libraries.  Alinka has also been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, Writers Digest, and a whole host of other media.  Recently, she has orchestrated a project in which a number of successful authors collaborated to create the book, Write and Grow Rich. How to Get Write and Grow Rich If you’ve been following the RealFastResults.com podcast, then you know that many of the authors of Write and Grow Rich have been interviewed.  Twenty-four coauthors worked together to create the book.  Each of these authors shared their knowledge in support of a basic premise, which is that if you have the ability to write, you can transform that ability into money in your bank account. This book was Alinka’s “brainchild,” because she’s the one that put this project together, and the goal of the entire team is to have the book make the USA Today Bestseller List.  Therefore, the creators of this show would like to invite you to head over to RealFastResults.com/wagr, where you can pick up the book, Write and Grow Rich.  By the way, if you do this around the time the book is being launched (around October 2, 2018) you should be able to purchase the book for only $0.99. Download the Complete PDF Show Notes Free for this Episode Not only are you going to receive a great value because the book is really, really great, but if you purchase it now, you’re going to receive a host of different bonuses.  All in all, these bonuses carry a $5,000 value, and this includes Daniel Hall’s own New York Times bestselling covers.  This particular portion of the bonus currently sells for $120 by itself.  You’ll get access to this part of the bonus, plus a whole lot of other very valuable materials that are meant to help you successfully publish and generate revenue doing so.  Now that you know who the mastermind behind this great work is, please welcome Alinka to the show… [bctt tweet="I started by reaching out to my closest collaborators who were sharing this dream." username="danielhall"] Promise: How to Orchestrate a USA Today Bestseller Campaign Thank you for having me!  The big promise today is that by the end of today’s episode, you’ll know exactly what to do in order to orchestrate a USA Today bestseller campaign.  Just to clarify and make it easier, first you have to go to Amazon and get Write and Grow Rich, and then you can visit RealFastResults.com/wagr to claim your $5,000 worth of bonuses.  So, that’s a two-step process. Download the Complete PDF Show Notes Free for this Episode Back to our promise… If you want to hit the USA Today Bestsellers List… We don’t really know if we’ve managed to do that, but we’re very, very close.  I think that we will hit it.  Actually, I’m 99% sure, but whether we hit it or not, you’ll have everything you need to accomplish this yourself, or at least, orchestrate that type of launch. Download the Complete PDF Show Notes Free for this Episode Learn How to create a USA Today bestseller campaign How to know when you're getting close the bestsellers list How to reach out to collaborators What a bestseller needs to have Organization and foundational elements Should you put together an anthology Authors should have a responsive email list It's important to work with other authors and influencers Download the Complete PDF Show Notes Free for this Episode Connecting with Alinka I think the best way would be to head over to AuthorWisdom.com and get yourself a free copy of my award-winning guide, “How I Sold 80,000 Books”.  This way, you’ll also have my email.  Whenever people write me at that address, I always answer.  So, you’ll get the great guide, and we’ll be in touch!  Again, if you have not grabbed Write and Grow Rich, you’ll need to head over right now.  Hopefully, you’re reading this in time to actually pick it up for $0.99, and then you can grab the bonuses by visiting RealFastResults.com/wagr. Resources Write and Grow Rich - RealFastResults.com/wagr AuthorWisdom.com LibraryBub Real Fast Results Community If you are diggin’ on this stuff and really love what we’re doing here at Real Fast Results, would you please do me a favor? Head on over to iTunes, and make sure that you subscribe to this show, download it, and rate & review it. That would be an awesome thing. Of course, we also want to know your results. Please share those results with us at http://www.realfastresults.com/results. As always, go make results happen!

From 2009: Jane Friedman is publisher and editorial director of the Writer's Digest community at F+W Media in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she oversees all facets of the Writer's Digest brand, including Writer's Digest magazine, Writer’s Digest Books, annual market guides, online education, events, and competitions. Her blog, "There Are No Rules," discusses how writers can succeed in an era of change in the writing and publishing industry.

In this episode, I share a more recent story titled. The One That Got Away. It's a quick little jaunt that was inspired by a Writer's Digest prompt. Resources mentioned Writer's Digest Writing Prompt Book Camp http://bit.ly/2zbcTSP Let’s connect! Instagram ► www.instagram.com/chachannawrites/ Twitter► twitter.com/ChaChanna Podcast Website ► www.writingincolorpodcast.com Read some of my stories ► www.chachannawrites.com

“The second you make someone laugh, it’s so much easier to get money out of 'em!” / Live from McNally Jackson NYC in January 2018!We discussed colorism at strip clubs, #MeToo issues, Spread Magazine, how being a stripper prepares you to write single panel comics, and a certain portrait of Aya's mom wearing a leopard print fur bikini holding a snake! / From I Was A Teenage Dominatrix to The Happy Hooker, classic sex work books have been limited to pretty one-dimensional points of view. In the 21st century, sex work books are as prismatic as the workers themselves. Join sex work journalist and podcaster Tina Horn for a panel on the exciting and nuanced ways sex work is being written about right now. Learn how strippers around the world represent themselves, on topics ranging from snacks to the male ego, in Jacq the Stripper's crowdfunded self published Striptastic. Learn why Aya de Leon chose escort characters as the protagonists of her Justice Hustlers crime series. Learn how Akynos uses both her blogging and performance art as activism. We'll be discussing everything from stigma to genre to branding to high heels in an effort to create a real and honest portrait of the modern literary sex worker. / Jacq the Stripper is a Canadian writer, comedian, stripper and illustrator. She lives in New York City with her wife and plants.Beaver Show, Striptastic, social media... / Aya de Leon is an author, teacher, and activist in the Oakland Bay Area. Kensington Books publishes her sex worker heist series, Justice Hustlers: Uptown Thief in 2016 (winner of Independent Publisher and International Latino Book Awards), The Boss in 2017, and The Accidental Mistress in 2018. She has received acclaim in the Washington Post, Village Voice, Tits and Sass, The SF Chronicle, and The Establishment. Her work has also appeared in Ebony, Guernica, Writers Digest, Huffington Post, The Toast, The Honest Courtesan, Essence, VICE, Bitch Magazine and on Def Poetry. She is also at work on a black girl spy YA novel called Going Dark, and an adult spy novel about FBI infiltration of an African American political organization. She teaches creative writing in the African American Studies Department at UC Berkeley, and blogs and tweets about race, gender, and culture at @AyadeLeon and ayadeleon.com. kynos is a New York raised stripper and performance artist. For the past decade she has been featured in showcases from New York to Europe. She is a proud sex worker and human rights activist. She has spoken at events such as the 2016 International AIDS conference in South Africa and the AWID conference in Brazil of the same year. Her film Whore Logic has been featured in film festivals such as The Sex Worker Film and Arts festival. She currently has a new bi-weekly variety showcase with her dance troupe Koffee every other Thursdays at Essence bar in Brooklyn. To support her artistic endeavors please support her current gofundme campaign and sign up for her patreon where she will feature writings and a podcast on topics pertaining to her life, sex worker rights and conversations around sex and sexuality. She is currently a grad student at Goddard College in Vermont. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

MacGregor Literary- the agency was founded by Chip MacGregor in August 2006. Chip has been a publisher with Time-Warner, a senior editor with a couple of houses, and had worked at another literary agency for several years before deciding to create his own company. From the first day, he wanted the company to help authors think strategically about their careers, whether that was in the type of story, the choice of publisher and venue, or simply the direction the author wanted to move in his or her art.Now ten years old, the agency has represented nearly a thousand books, and Chip's blog is read regularly by people throughout the industry. And, just as when we began, we're always on the lookout for books that make a difference. When Chip was in first grade, Chip hurried home one day and announced to his mother, “When I grow up, I'm going to be a book guy!” He clearly could see the future —from high school literary magazine editor to writing bestselling books, from speaking at writing and publishing conferences to representing renowned writers, Chip MacGregor is a book guy. Chip has presented workshops at more than 200 publishing conferences, spoken at colleges and universities, and is frequently invited to speak to writers groups around the country on the topics of writing and publishing. He earned his BS with High Honors at Portland State University, earned an MA with Honors from Biola University, and did his doctoral work at the University of Oregon in Policy and Management, focusing on organizational development. He later did a post-doctoral semester at Oxford University. Chip has been written up in numerous writing and publishing related magazines and newsletters, is frequently asked for his opinions on trends in the publishing industry, and his blog is regularly on the list of Writers Digest's “101 Best Websites for Writers.” www.macgregorliterary.com

Bill welcomes author Jordan Rosenfeld to the show. Jordan is author of the suspense novels Women in Red, Forged in Grace and Night Oracle as well as the writing guides Writing the Intimate Character, Writing Deep Scenes: Plotting Your Story Through Action, Emotion & Theme,  A Writer’s Guide to Persistence: How to Create a Lasting & Productive Writing Practice , and Make a Scene: Crafting a Powerful Story One Scene at a Time. Her essays and short fiction have appeared in numerous periodicals including, The Atlantic, The Daily Beast, The Washington Post, and Writer's Digest.

Today we are going to talk about creativity, and to do that, we are inviting someone on the show who really has helped thousands and thousands of people become more creative in a way that might surprise you. His name is Grant Faulkner, and he is the executive director of National Novel Writing Month and he's the co-founder of a 100 Word Story. Now you've seen his stories in Tin House, Southwest Review, Green Mountains Review, all kinds of different places, and you've seen his essays in the New York Times, Poets and Writers Digest, and The Writer. Grant recently published a collection of 100 word stories, Figures and what he does is help people become more creative. He's written a book called Pep Talks for Writers, and he has a new book coming out in October. I wanted to have Grant on the show because he has helped so many people do something that maybe they didn't think they could do: be creative and write. But in the course of the conversation we go a lot deeper and we talk about why writing and creativity are such superhuman skills, why they will change the way you think, change the way you live, and help you accomplish your goals. It's a great episode, and I think you guys are going to find it very interesting. Grand and I have a lot of in common things as you will see. Enjoy!  

Today’s guest is Jessica Strawser, editor of Writer’s Digest, and author of ALMOST MISSED YOU, which was named to the March 2017 Barnes & Noble Best New Fiction List. Jessica joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about how her career in journalism led to a position at Writers Digest, and how that informs her fiction writing, as well as her novel, ALMOST MISSED YOU, which deals with miscommunication in relationships, the all-encompassing love of motherhood, and the question of if we truly know our significant other. Episode Links: Acting Out of Character – Writers In the Storm Writer’s Digest Jessica’s Site Facebook Twitter

An interview with Scott Atkinson Editor-in-Chief of Belt Magazine and writing instructor at The University of Michigan-Flint. Scott is an award-winning journalist who has written for several publications including The New York Times, Vice, and Writer's Digest. He is also the editor of Belt Magazine and in 2016 edited Happy Anyway: A Flint Anthology from Belt Publishing.

  My wife, Tara, interviews me!  What Writing Means to Me(Show notes: huntingthemuse.com/podcast/8) Welcome to HuntingTheMuse.com's Creative Writing Podcast.  If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element. Today's podcast episode is a special one. My wonderful wife, Tara, interviews me and asks that tough question: what does writing mean to me?We talk about my first writing experience and why I feel so drawn to writing. This podcast episode follows a conversational format, but under the surface of my own recounted experiences, you can see some of the underlying foundations of writing and what it takes to be a writer as it applies to your own story.We all come to the empty page with different backgrounds. And if storytelling has taught me anything, it's that there are hidden gems of truth within every story. Not subscribed to the podcast? Get it now!When did you first develop a desire to write?The first writing experience I remember was in Ms. Shupe's first grade class. We were supposed to write a short story and I wrote one that was very similar to The Lion and the Mouse. It was called, The Lion and the Turtle. It was a total knock-off.But my mom worked at Hill Air Force Base and they had computers. So she typed it up for me and printed it out and put it into this very professional looking folio. I took it to school and, probably more because it looked nice, Ms. Shupe put it on the bulletin board outside the classroom for the whole school to read. It blew me away and I was so excited about writing, you know, in first grade... with my knock-off story. So, where did it go from there?Well, for the most part, I only wrote for school assignments. There was something that went down in fifth or sixth grade. A couple of the guys in my class started writing a story about kids with super powers. But it got out of hand and nobody ended up wanting to finish it because we couldn't stop fighting about who had more super powers. So that didn't go very well.But then in junior high I started to write poems. I wanted to write stories, but I got hung up on using the correct punctuation. I had questions and I tried to ask my English teacher but it never came out right, so I never got the answers I was looking for. It was really stupid stuff like, do you put the period before the quotation marks or after the quotation marks. If somebody asks a question, is it a question mark and then quotation marks, and then if it's 'he said' or 'she said' is the 'h' or the 's' capitalized?We didn't have the Internet back then, so I couldn't just look it up and I never really got any good answers to those questions and I just felt kind of silly for asking them after a while so I stopped. But the stories that I did start writing, I would love to tell you that they were awesome, but they weren't. They were crap. I still have some of them. They were just utter crap, but what are you going to expect from a junior high school kid?At the time you thought they were awesome, though?I was pretty sure I was writing them with the punctuation wrong and I talked in the last episode about perfection and how that can be a total creativity killer and that totally killed it for me. Because I wanted them to be perfect. It was really bad cliche stuff. Yeah, I thought it was cool at the time, but it wasn't that great.And then, it was before the Internet, right? So we had the Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) and we would, I called myself a modemer, you'd use the modem on your computer and dial in over the phone line and connect to the BBS. It was basically a simple chat program that brought in all sorts of different users across different telephone line systems and you could chat with people. You could post files. So I posted up some of my poems up there and you read some of them, didn't you?I did.It was before we met.Yeah, I was only on there because a friend who got me on. I wasn't computer savvy, even then. But I was just perusing the file section one day and came across them and the name 'Brady Frost' stuck in my head. And so when I met him later, after he mentioned he had written something, I... it was kind of crazy. Because your name had been stuck in my head.You were stalking me. No, I wasn't stalking you.I was really excited about writing in high school, very passionate. I took Creative Writing, Advanced Creative Writing classes. I ended up getting in a semester of Journalism and I did a horrible job writing articles. I didn't have any beats. I just kind of pumped out pulp crap. But it was fun. It was a lot of fun.I read some of  yours, they were funny.They were humor pieces but there was no... nothing. So, yeah, my humor as a teenager was kind of borderline offensive... non-politically correct, slap and giggle type stuff. So, yeah, it wasn't great work, but I did enjoy writing a lot.Then we got married and I joined the military. And I remember that I wrote a few poems when I was in Basic Training. But that whole time period really took a lot out of me. We had a little girl on the way and the doctor said, well, first... they saw on the ultrasound a dark spot?There was an enlarged area in her kidneys.So, why don't you tell that side of the story since I was away in Basic.It was just during the routine ultrasound and I guess they kind of saw something. I got a phone call later that evening that she had been diagnosed with hydronephrosis. It just means that the middle of the kidney was enlarged and they thought it was filled with fluid. It could be something minor or it could be something very severe that required surgery and Brade was gone to Basic Training. So I had to tell him over the phone.Yeah and it was really tough because we didn't have a lot of time and I had a million questions and I couldn't ask hardly any of them. It was really tough because I was so far away and I was cut off. I couldn't just call whenever we wanted to. That was a really hard time for me. I got pneumonia in Basic and carried it for four to five weeks because I didn't want to flunk out or get washed back or miss any of my training because if I missed any of my training cycles because I might have to wait until the next training class of people came through.That isn't a bit deal in Basic, but when you go to your tech school that next block could be like three months, whenever they have enough people to fill their quotas. And Tara was due like a month after I was supposed to get out of training, so that would give us enough time to get my orders and figure out what we were doing.So with all that stress, I just kept pushing it and pushing it and pushing it. This included everything with the military normally.Even beyond then, you weren't very creatively driven during your time in the military.Yeah, but I'm just saying from that time period, running and everything with pneumonia. We had to run like five miles, we had to run three miles a couple times a week.. I can't even remember, it's been so long now. But by the time I finally collapsed after taking the first block test and getting a 96%, they took me to the emergency room. And I remember I was so hot and I hadn't eaten for days. It was all I could do to sip down some liquids and what-not.It was interesting, they got me a cab. It was at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas and they drove me from the school house for our tech school to the hospital. I must have looked like death, I don't know, the base taxi driver took one look at me and cranked up the AC all the way and turned all the vents toward me. By the time we got to the hospital I was feeling good, which was bad.Here I was thinking... they told ya, if you're trying to fake being sick, don't think you're going to get away with it because a million people before you have tried before you. And here I am at the emergency room and I'm feeling great after feeling like crap for weeks, so... yeah... I was like, okay, I gotta act sick. So I tried to act sick, but then they took my temperature and it was at 104 degrees. And then they took X-rays and my lungs were substantially filled with water, or liquid. So I had pretty bad pneumonia and I had to convince them not to keep me in the hospital because I didn't want to miss the next training block that was starting on Monday, and this was on Friday. But yeah, that whole time period took a lot out of me and then my focus became doing well in the military, as best I could, so writing really just fell off to the side. But I still wanted to write.You would still talk about it sometimes.We would go to Barnes & Noble and I would buy a new notebook and write in a few pages.Yeah, you did gather a lot of notebooks during those years.I subscribed to The Writer Magazine and I'd get Writers Digest every now and then. That's when I amassed a lot of the books on writing that I have. I've spent so much money on writing and really I should have just been writing.What would you say that writing means to you now?I think that I've learned a lot of lessons over time and I'm learning more of what goes into a story to make it work. And it isn't necessarily the punctuation things I was getting hung up on before. Because really, learning how to edit and doing an editing pass and then getting outside input can help resolve those issues. It's the story part. Even a poorly written book, grammatically speaking, can do very well if it's got a great story. And people will keep reading even though the writing, itself, isn't that great. Which just boggled my mind with as a reader. And maybe it's because the books I fell in love with seemed to be written very well. But over the years I've read books and thought, this is crap! How did this get past an editor? How is this a best seller, because here's an error, here's an error, and here's an error... and over years I just became more and more and more critical of these books.  I would tell you a book that I liked and then you would start reading it and you couldn't even get through a bit of it. You would say, "How do you like this? It's so awful this way and that way." And I just stopped telling him about books I liked because he would just knock on them.It was really... a lot of that was probably an external manifestation of my insecurities as a writer on the inside, I would hyper-analyze. Because I wanted to be, and I still want to be, the best writer I can be. To see these errors and mistakes, all the books I had said "don't do this..." and there's thins book that's a best-seller that my wife loved and it does all the things the books I had bought said don't do... It... just... arrrgh.. it was so hard.It's like I would tell you, they told a good story.Yep, so that's one thing I've really learned, not just to make the writing as beautiful as I can (but not too wordy for some of the readers) and then encapsulate what really boils down to a great story. And that's a lot harder than it seems because you have to build a story so it's good.You can't just say, why did the story cross the road? I mean, there could be a great story in there, but it's the difference between just telling someone something and the art of story craft. Right? So I'm learning a lot more about what writing is. Writing is about storytelling and it's not just the words you choose to use, but it's also the point that you're trying to get across and how you can strum the emotions of the reader with a good story. We're all kind of programmed to speak the language of storytelling. But I've also learned that writing is hard work sometimes and that's a big difference between when I started out and where I am now. I'm learning to push through the resistance I have. Because for somebody who's thought about writing and dedicated a lot of their mind space toward writing for a very, very long time, I'm a horrible writer. I mean I think I can write well, but I don't do it regularly in a lot of cases. It's really about hard work for me. I know I have to overcome so much to get the story out. There are so many days when I can say, "Uuuuuhng, I'm tired," "My head hurts," "I'm feeling sad." There's a lot of excuses and if I really want to be a writer I've got to learn how to reprogram myself. I can really enjoy writing, then the next day I HATE what I wrote, but then if I put it away and I read it a couple weeks later after I forget the whole process, I'm like, "Hey, that's not that bad." There's this emotional rollercoaster from like in the moment, "Oh, I love this! It's so great." And then, "Aww, I hate it, it's so horrible!" To the point where I'm having nightmares.There are sometimes I wonder why you like it. Because you both love and hate writing from one moment to the next.Another thing I've learned, what writing means to me now is that writing is not cool new gadgets.You mean still, still learning?Hey, I've held off! I've held off for the most part.That doesn't stop you from looking at them all the time. "This would be good for writing, this would be good..."But it would! It would make the process so much simpler, until my technical brain... because I mean, I'm an IT Specialist by day so my whole thing is like figuring out computers and problems and setting up servers and programs and applications and whatever. So, whenever I get a.. it's the funniest thing... this, analyzing myself on this whole process. I get a new piece of technology like a tablet or a Surface Pro and I spend the next two weeks getting it set up perfect and that's two weeks of not writing. In some ways, they are your new notebooks. Although, you still get notebooks!You just can't beat a good looking notebook and a nice pen that flows well when you write and doesn't smear.Yeah, you are a pen snob.Mmmm, yeah. So, where do you see your writing five years from now?Well, I would like to be writing full-time. So, I've worked really, really hard to get to where I'm at career-wise. It was a lot of time spent going to school and taking on tough, challenging jobs, but at no point in my career or my life, did I stop working to go to school. So whenever I've gone to school it was full-time work and full-time school and then spending time with you and the kids.And it's been tough.Yeah.So, on one hand, I don't want to walk away from that, but on the other hand, I'm kind of burnt out. I want to write stories. I want to tell stories. I love telling stories.Now, I would say you're good at your job. It's just not a passion for you anymore.And, especially with some of the stuff I deal with after being in the military, I have days when it's really tough to do what I do and it takes a lot out of you. And those are the days when I come home and I say, "Yeah, if I were feeling better, today would be a good day to write. But my brain is just shot." I'm learning to overcome those because I know I have to overcome them if that's something that I want to end up doing.And those are the days, when you overcome, you feel best about.YeahAre you in-line right now with where you want to be in five years?Like effort-wise?Yeah, with what you're doing.Yes and no. So, I have productive days and I have not-so-productive days. But Chlorophyllium 9 and Final Hope, like that two-part story with the novella and the novel, this is the farthest I've ever got on a single project.By quite a lot.Yeah. I usually get really excited and there are different pitfalls I have. Like sometimes I tell you and it lets all the excitement out of what I'm wanted to do. I'm learning to do that better, though. And there's, like, I think the idea I had is stupid and I let those bad days overcome the good days and I let things go. But I'm really learning how to put a lot more effort into it and overcome.I would say that Chlorophyllium 9 and Final Hope are on track for being finished hopefully in October, maybe I'll give it a push back into November, but I don't want it going further than that. If I just have to sit down and crank out the words and come up with a horrible first draft just to get it done and then go back and slaughter it in editing, then that's what I'll have to do.Even though I've never seen you write a horrible first draft. You self-edit too much.I do. That's the biggest thing for me, is learning how to streamline my process. I spend way too much time trying to find the right words when I'm writing. It goes back to not comparing yourself to other writers, and I have to respect some of my own process, but if I can learn how to do things better, that would be really good.I've also released COMA: The Cataclysm, the first chapter on my blog. rbradyfrost.com/coma. You've read the first chapter. Yep.Do you remember that story?I do. I remember from when it was originally done.So, if there's enough interest, I will continue that. I'll just post a chapter at a time and I think spreading it out like that and only doing it if there's interest really helps free me from trying to do too much at once.It kind of goes back to something I did this last week. I was a part of a multi-author project. We each wrote a chapter to complete a novel and all you really had, there was no preplanning, we just had the chapter that came before ours. Mine was the second chapter and I wrote almost two thousand words in one evening and that was after a long day in the office and driving home from Dallas. I was pretty beat, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be able to do it. But I had a 48-hour deadline and I ended up meeting it. And I thought I did pretty good.I enjoyed it.So, I think this is something I can do with COMA. And I really like seeing that old story kind of coming forward and getting some closure on that one. Because I think that one was actually a pretty good premise.So to answer your question, if I keep working really hard and I keep learning how to write better stories, then I do think that within five years I could seriously consider whether we want to just rely on my income as a writer rather than as an IT guy.Yeah.So that's where I am. That's what writing means to me, as of this week anyway.I think that's good.Okay. Well, I guess I'll give them their writing prompts.Sounds like a plan.Okay, stay tuned. You have this little intro and then you have seven writing prompts for the week.And now, for this week's writing prompts!What you'll find below is a series of creative writing prompts to help get you through your week. There are no rules as to how you should use them, but I recommend taking your muse's hand; wherever she may lead you. Whether you find yourself writing a descriptive scene or dialogue, a poem or prose, or anything else (even if it seems entirely unrelated to the prompt), you have won. Happy writing, and may you find success in hunting your muse this week.  1. Unknown CityA team of scientists have unearthed several rare artifacts from a construction site in a well-populated city. The discovery has all-but halted normal life in the area as experts from around the world flock to examine the unexpected discovery. All evidence seems to indicate the presence of a very prosperous civilization that existed tens of thousands of years ago in this location. The people of this era appear to be very advanced, using technology we can’t fully understand. This is all in direct conflict with everything we thought we knew.  There are so many questions raised about the discovery. How did this civilization come into existence, where did they go, and what practical applications can we find for their strange devices? 2. The Inside JobYou’ve just discovered that someone very close to you might be a clandestine agent of unknown origin. You have no idea who they’re working for or what their objective is, but one thing is clear; they are not the person you thought they were. As tensions rise, you try to find out anything you can, all while pretending to be as oblivious and trusting as ever. What are they after? Why go to such lengths to get close to you?3. The ReversalPeople aren’t always who they appear to be. You’ve worked hard through the years and managed to amass a small fortune. Since you grew up in a disadvantaged situation, you always try to give back to the community and create opportunities for others to succeed. This means you can usually be seen out volunteering, and you save the fancy duds for special occasions. This has led to some very interesting misunderstandings, but today takes the cake. You’re running a little late on your way to the office after volunteering with a housing improvement project, when one of the candidates for a special fast-track program you just established literally runs into you on the street on their way to a one-on-one interview with… you. You’ve read their file and watched their application submission video, but the person yelling profanities and admonishments bears nothing more than a physical resemblance to the candidate you were sure you were going to pick. Deciding to allow things to play out, you apologize to them for being in their way and then slowly make your way to your building, stopping in a spare office to change into your business attire before walking in and calling them into a conference room.4. Creature ComfortsWhile on a solo vacation adventure, you decide to pay for a cheaper seat on a returning flight of a small charter plane instead of booking a seat on the normal airlines. When you board the plane, you’re taken aback by the luxury that surrounds you.  Halfway through the leg; however, the small plane experiences a mechanical failure and the flight is diverted. The owner of the plane insists on compensating you for the inconvenience and puts you up in a five-star hotel while the parts for the plane are ordered and installed. This strange glimpse into a different world soon affords you with unexpected opportunities and you can’t help but think that this is a life you could get used to.5. Just a Little Bit LongerSomething is out there. You don’t know what it is or where it came from, but one thing is for sure. Where it goes, death follows. You’ve been on the run, dashing blindly through the dense overgrowth, for what seems like ages. The only thing you know for certain is that this creature, whatever it is, doesn’t like sunlight. With the first hints of dawn peeking over the tips of the mountains, you know you’ll be safe if you can somehow manage to stay one step ahead until the sun emerges in the east. But then you hear it somewhere close behind you. Without a second to spare, you don’t dare look back. Up ahead you see a small cave opening. If you can manage to squirm inside, you might have a chance. You just have to hold out just a little bit longer.6. Community SurvivalIn the aftermath of a terrible disaster, a community must overcome isolation and a lack of supplies to rebuild. Together, they work hand in hand. Strangers who largely ignored each other before the event now challenge their vast differences in order to survive. There are many things once taken for granted that are now in high demand and your diverse character ensemble must figure out how they will cope until outside help arrives. How will your characters handle outside threats to their small community? What happens if new parties arrive and old bonds begin to unravel the cohesiveness the group has worked so hard to form? 7. The Super-Secret AdmirerIt all started a couple days ago when you found a long-stem rose tucked under the windshield wiper blade of your car. There wasn’t a note and, as far as you can tell, there wasn’t a special occasion to celebrate. Another rose showed up on your doorstep the following evening. And now there’s an entire bouquet sitting at your desk. No one seems to know who they came from or why. Try as you might, you can’t think of anyone who would have a reason to shower you with gifts like this. Is this the beginning of something special, or are these strange gifts a small precursor to something darker than love? I hope you've enjoyed this week's episode and creative writing prompts. Please consider supporting this effort by signing up for my newsletter.  #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; } /* Add your own MailChimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */ Join my monthly newsletter for writers and get more helpful content, encouragement, and more!* indicates requiredEmail Address * First Name Last Name Email Format htmltext Powered by MailChimp (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); If you enjoyed this feed, please stop by my blog! www.HuntingTheMuse.com

Hey there word nerds! Today I am excited to interview Dan Blank, founder of WeGrowMedia and author of the new book Be The Gateway that just came out a few weeks ago. Dan helps writers and creative professionals share their stories and grow their audience. He has worked with hundreds of individuals and some amazing organizations who support creative people, such as Random House, Hachette Book Group, Sesame Workshop, Workman Publishing, J. Walter Thompson, Abrams Books, Writers House, The Kenyon Review, Writer’s Digest, Library Journal, And more. His work has been featured by Poets & Writers magazine, The National Endowment for the Arts, Professional Artist magazine, Compose Journal, and 99u. To read the post titled “Be the Gateway” where Dan first talked about the gateway idea, click here. Embed Episode Here In this episode Dan and I discuss: Sometimes setting limits helps you make something big out of something small. We talk about the ups and downs of writing this book and how Dan landed on this particular project The idea of being the gateway (instead of focusing on specific metrics) is a radical shift from how many people think about platform. We discuss why creative people get so hung up on the numbers and how can they get past that and focus on what really matters. Be the Gateway touches on these three themes: Story, Creator, and Topics. We talk about these three components and how they contribute to creating that gateway for an audience Why the “visualization” myth so dangerous and why people buy into it. We also talk about what people can do instead. Plus, Dan's #1 tip for writers. About the Author Dan Blank is the founder of WeGrowMedia, where he helps writers and creative professionals share their stories and grow their audience. He has worked with hundreds of individuals and amazing organizations who support creative people, such as Random House, Hachette Book Group, Sesame Workshop, Workman Publishing, J. Walter Thompson, Abrams Books, Writers House, The Kenyon Review, Writer's Digest, Library Journal, and many others. Dan's work has been featured by Poets & Writers magazine, the National Endowment for the Arts, Professional Artist magazine, Compose Journal, and 99u. Be the Gateway Many people feel the drive to do creative work, but get overwhelmed by the process of connecting with an audience. They follow “best practices” in marketing that never seem to pan out, don’t produce results, and make them feel lost and oftentimes, frustrated. Be the Gateway offers a powerful way to have an impact. If you want to share your voice and inspire people with your writing, art, craft, or creative idea, you have to be the gateway for them. Instead of throwing “products” out into the marketplace, you open them up to a new way of looking at the world, of knowing themselves, and connecting with others. You unlock new experiences for them — not just through what you create, but through the unique way in which you share it with the world. Too often we think about the creative process as being separate from the marketing process. Instead, view them as the same. Replace the inclination to “promote” with the desire to share and engage. How and why you create is a story — and is the best asset you can use to truly engage people. Be the Gateway shows you how to use that gift with joy and confidence. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/139.

Join Host Elizabeth Black on Thursday February 23 at 4EST 3 CST 2 MT 1 PST when she welcomes Dana Fredsti, Billie Sue Mosiman, Nikki Guerlain and Sèphera Girón. Dana Fredsti, author, screenplay writer, and feline advocate. Her works include the Ashley Parker "Plague" trilogy, the upcoming trilogies Spawn of Lilith and TimeShards (with David Fitzgerald), and numerous short stories and essays, including stories in V-Wars:Shockwaves and the Joe Ledger: Unstoppable anthology. Edgar and Stoker novel nominated Billie Sue Mosiman has written sixteen novels, hundreds of published short stories, a few poems and articles. Her first novel was bought in 1983.She hastaught writing for Writers Digest. Her latest novel is The Grey Matter from Post Mortem Press. Sèphera Girón is an award-winning author of several horror novels and short stories. She has been published by Leisure, Conari, Weiser, Orion, Masquerade, Darktales, Samhain Horror, Crossroads, and many others. Currently she is working with Riverdale Avenue Books with her Witch Upon a Star series. Nikki Guerlain's work appears both online and in print and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. Her debut novel Machine Gun Vacation will soon be released by Thunderdome Press. This will be the first of a series of Two Dudes novels. Her fiction is heavily influenced by movies, video games, and other media and tends to play fast, funny and weird. For more info on the shows go to http://www.marshacaspercook.com http://www.worldofinknetwork.com

An intimate conversation with LaWayne Childrey Author, Journalist, HIV Advocate, Inspirational Speaker.  A native of Birmingham, Alabama. His autobiography, Peeling Back the Layers: A Story of Trauma, Grace and Triumph, was selected as one of the top six autobiographies of 2015 by the Colorado Independent Publishers Association. Childrey is also a recipient of the national Edward R. Murrow Award for Journalistic Excellence. In addition, Childrey has won numerous Mississippi Associated Press Broadcasters awards for his reporting with Mississippi Public Broadcasting, a statewide affiliate of National Public Radio. In 2014 the Alabama Community College System selected Childrey as its most outstanding alumnus in the institution’s 50-year history. The ACCS awarded a $5,000 scholarship in Childrey’s name to a deserving Alabama high school senior. . "This book is therapy for anyone who needs it, and a re-affirmation for all that hope is never lost." - Joel Eisenberg "This memoir is one of the most candid that I've read" - Writer's Digest

Tough Talk Christian Radio with Host Tony Gambone and Special Guest Liz Beemer and Terry Whalin: Liz Beamer is the author of "Set the Captive Free: Be Who God Wants You to Be." As an intercessor, Beamer prays with others on a daily basis. Her unique style blends intense listening with a sharp sense of humor and has helped many people to overcome difficulties and grow into the life God intended for them. Beamer has helped countless people overcome addiction, depression, and crisis of faith. Her vast experience and deep relationship with God, along with her gift of prophecy, has equipped her to offer valuable insight and powerful intercession on behalf of those searching for God’s help. She resides in Youngsville, La., where she operates her ministry. http://lizbeamerministries.com/ W. Terry Whalin has always been fascinated with stories about people and their lives. As a youth, he read many biographies and later he wrote stories as a journalist. Terry has profiled more than 150 bestselling authors in more than 50 magazines including Christianity Today and Writers Digest. Terry is the author of more than 60 books including biographies of Chuck Colson, John Perkins, Sojourner Truth, Billy Sunday, Samuel Morris and Luis Palau. An Acquisitions Editor at Morgan James Publishing, Terry and his wife Christine live in Colorado. His website is at: www.terrywhalin.com and his book website is at: www.BillyGrahamBio.com

Today's episode is all about looking back at your year and capturing the achievements in your writing life that can help power you forward into your next year of writing. Includes WHY it's good to track your achievements HOW to remember what you've achieved EXAMPLES of the kind of things you might list RECOMMENDED READING for further thoughts on motivation   LINKS mentioned in the podcast writers.digest@fwcommunity.com (to nominate StoryADay.org or another favorite blog for a Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers listing) Motivation For Creative People by Mark McGuinness (AF) How Do You Want Your Novel to Change the World? by Julia Monroe Martin at WriterUnboxed.com      

Hey there Word Nerds! I’m so glad you’ve joined me for this episode. Today I am so thrilled to be  interviewing someone who I have honor of calling a mentor and friend: James Scott Bell. Jim is the author of the #1 bestseller for writers, Plot & Structure, and numerous thrillers, including his Mike Romeo series: Romeo’s Way. He is also a wonderful teacher who has taught writing at numerous conferences and I’ve had the pleasure of hearing him speak about writing at several events. Each time I come out learning a valuable new technique that I can apply to my work right away. As a teacher, his superpower lies in the way he explains plot and story structure. Whenever I have questions about how to structure a book or plot a story, I always look first to his books or the notes I took in one of his conference sessions. So get those pens and notepads ready, people because you are going to learn a LOT during this episode. Today Jim and I talk about what is perhaps one of the most important, and yet most often overlooked elements of your story: the midpoint. In this episode Jim and I discuss: The difference between plot and story The midpoint (or mirror moment) of your story and why it’s important How to use the middle of the story to make the beginning and ending make sense Pre-story psychology of your main character Using Scrivener to help structure your story Plus, Jim’s #1 tip for writers. More about James Scott Bell: JAMES SCOTT BELL is the author of the #1 bestseller for writers, Plot & Structure, and numerous thrillers, including, Romeo’s Rules, Try Dying, and Don't Leave Me. In addition to his traditional novels, Jim has self-published in a variety of forms. His  novella One More Lie was the first self-published work to be nominated for an International Thriller Writers Award. He served as the fiction columnist for Writer's Digest magazine and has written highly popular craft books including: Write Your Novel From the Middle, Super Structure, The Art of War for Writers, and Conflict & Suspense. Jim has taught writing at Pepperdine University and at numerous writers conferences in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. He attended the University of California, Santa Barbara where he studied writing with Raymond Carver, and graduated with honors from the University of Southern California Law Center. To learn more about Jim and his writing, hop on over to his website, www.jamesscottbell.com, or follow him on Twitter and Facebook. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/108

As one of the most established ghostwriters in the nation, New York Times best-selling author Michael Levin has written, co-written or ghostwritten more than 100 books, of which eleven are national best sellers. He appeared on ABC's Shark Tank on January 20th, 2012. In the past, Michael has published with Simon & Schuster, Random House, St. Martin's Press, Putnam/Berkley, and many other houses.  His works have been optioned for film and TV by Steven Soderbergh/Paramount, HBO, Disney, ABC, and others. One of his own novels became Model Behavior, an ABC Sunday night Disney movie of the week. He has also made contributions to the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes.com, Politico, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, the Jerusalem Post, Writers Digest, CBS News.  Michael has had the experience to teach writing classes at the University of California – Los Angeles and New York University. As an Amherst College and Columbia Law School graduate, Michael served for many years as a member of the prestigious Authors Guild Council and as Treasurer of the Authors Guild Foundation. Key Takeaways: [2:08] How to go about finding a ghostwriter [5:31] The nickname that Michael Gerber (from E-myths) has given him [7:49] Why Michael's company only employs US writers [9:40] The 3 critical issues Michael discusses with clients on their first call [11:54] The price point that should make you wonder whether the person you're dealing with has ever written a book before [16:41] Michael's tips for vetting prospective authors [19:45] What it takes to get published by a New York company Website Mentioned: www.businessghost.com

Battle of the Book Reviews Featuring Lover in the Nobody by Jonathan Harnisch (Author) Kirkus Literary Magazine Book Review vs. Writers DigestAn extraordinary, harrowing odyssey into an embattled self, full of humor, compassion, and a rare understanding of mental illness.-- Kirkus Reviews The characters' conversation seems stiff and "literary." -- Judge, 23rd Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book AwardsA young man battling extreme mental illness brings his sadomasochistic fantasies to life in Harnisch's (Sex, Drugs, and Schizophrenia, 2014, etc.) latest novel.As this riveting story opens, Georgie Gust, a suicidal Tourette's syndrome patient, tells his doctor he wants to leave the mental institution where he's been committed. When the doctor puts him off, Gust finds himself buffeted by violent fantasies of escape, and he even prepares to hang himself. The novel plunges readers into the mind of a man at war with his own urges, memories, and sexual obsessions. After a scene shift, Gust's chauffeur, Ben, delivers him to his empty home, where Margaret, his only friend, visits to check on him. However, she annoys him because "she seems to care." Later, Gust, a foot fetishist, gives a pedicure to his sexy neighbor, Claudia, in a scene lit with unexpected poetry and poignancy. As the narrative viewpoint flickers among Gust, Ben, and a quasi-omniscient third-person perspective, Gust's voracious appetite for pain prompts him to hire Claudia to torment him. (He has wealthy parents, so he spends cash liberally.) When Claudia's house goes up in flames, she moves in with him, and their sadomasochistic bond descends into extraordinary, hallucinatory violence. In Claudia's hands, Gust discovers new depths of masochism, and she finds joy in tormenting him. Despite the garishness, brutality, and squalor of many passages (which are not for the squeamish), more sophisticated readers will appreciate the extraordinary feat Harnisch has accomplished. He lucidly, poignantly conveys a mind rivenwith what are, after all, human vulnerabilities: mental pathologies, shameful fantasies, anguished doubts about the natures of reality, love, and memory. In the hands of a lesser writer, these themes would splinter the narrative. Fortunately, the author masters his material; readers will believe the voices that vivify it and compassionately wish them to find the healing that eludes them.An extraordinary, harrowing odyssey into an embattled self, full of humor, compassion, and a rare understanding of mental illness.--Kirkus Reviews

Tara Sutphen will interview Bryant McGill. He is is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling author, speaker, and activist in the fields of human potential, personal empowerment, human rights and social entrepreneurship. His prolific writings and small aphorisms have been published in hundreds of books and thousands of works by other authors and thought leaders.Bryant's writings and aphorisms have been published by Oprah's Lifeclass, The Chopra Center, Simon & Schuster, Random House, HarperCollins, Wiley, McGraw Hill, and Writer's Digest. McGill was the subject of a front-page story in the Wall Street Journal, has appeared in Forbes, Nasdaq's leadership series, and was listed in Inc. Magazine as one of, "the greatest leaders, writers and thinkers of all time." In an official Congressional commendation, the nation's leaders applauded McGill's, "highly commendable life's work," as a Goodwill Ambassador for World Peace, and his thoughts on diplomacy have been featured by President Clinton's Foundation. Bryant has appeared in programs with Tony Robbins and Oprah Winfrey, and in a Desmond Tutu endorsed PBS Special with Jack Canfield. He has delivered speeches with the Los Angeles Mayor's Office, the Chief of the LAPD, the United Nations, and with Dr. Gandhi, Grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.McGill is on a quest to prove that life is still beautiful, and that all people have the power to have a better life and world —

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Please join Marsha Cook and V S Grenier on  September 7- 10AM PST 11AM EST NOON PST 1PM EST as they welcome Barbara Rogan. Barbara has had an incedible career and she is still doing so many things to help writers. This is going to be a great show that will be both entertaing and very informative.  BARBARA began her publishing career with Fawcett Books before moving to Israel. One year later she established the Barbara Rogan Literary Agency, which specialized in representing American and European publishers and agents for Hebrew-language rights. With a few years the agency had become the largest in the country, supplying over 60% of the large Israeli market for translated books. During this period Barbara served on the Board of Directors of the Jerusalem Book Fair. Her first novel, Changing States, was published simultaneously in England, the U.S., and Israel. Shortly after its publication, she sold the literary agency and returned to New York.  Since then she's published seven novels, most recently Suspicion and Hindsight (Simon & Schuster), and co-authored two non-fiction books. Her latest novel, A Dangerous Fiction, will be published in 2013 by Viking/Penguin. Barbara's books have been translated into six languages, featured by all the major book clubs, optioned for movie and television and issued as audio books. She has taught fiction writing at Hofstra University and SUNY, and currently teaches online for Writers Digest and in her own school, Next Level Workshops.  She lectures widely on both the business and craft of writing and teaches seminars and master classes at writers' conferences, including the Surrey Writers' Conference in Vancouver.Her wesites are  - barbararogan.com- nextlevelworkshop.com for more info http://worldofinknetwork.blogspot.com/

This week on Word Patriots@Webtalkradio, my guest is Barbara Michel, the author of seventeen books. She is a graduate of the British American School of Writing. Several of her novels have won first-place awards at writers’ workshops and conferences. Her “Colorado Blaze” entry won a national award in “The Writers’ Digest” 2006 contest. While director of the Christian Writers’ Guild, … Read more about this episode...