Author Diary Entries

Learn the top 10 tips for how to prepare for National Novel Writing Month in this episode of the Indie Author Weekly podcast! These NaNoWriMo prep tips are a great resource for preparing in advance for writing your next book, regardless of whether you plan to participate in National Novel Writing Month this November, or if you are writing a book at any time of the year.    National Novel Writing M...

Learn the top 10 tips for how to build a story for your book, whether you write fiction or non-fiction content, in this episode of Indie Author Weekly!  In this episode, you'll find out practical strategies for crafting a story from the beginning of your initial idea to the end of your work. This episode includes examples of both fiction and non-fiction, so regardless of the type of content y...

Learn what do when you decide to change your original book writing and publishing plans in this episode of Indie Author Weekly. You'll find out the top 5 questions you MUST ask yourself if you're changing your plans (and yes, your writing plans will inevitably change at some point!), plus get some insight into your host Sagan Morrow's experience with changing her writing and publish...

Learn 4 tips for how to get back into book writing after taking a break. This step-by-step guide will help you out if you've taken a break from writing and are ready to return to a book project!   After all, who hasn't taken a break from writing their book? Whether you took a week, a month, or a year—or longer!—away from your book project, the tips shared in this author podcast will give...

Get a sneak peek of the next installment in the Polyamorous Passions series, "Being Good" (Book 5), in this episode of the Indie Author Weekly podcast! This teaser is from Chapter 3: Helen and her fiance Ben, together with Emma and one of her boyfriends Carlos, just arrived at a bar. They are all here tonight because Scarlett is performing a burlesque show at this bar, so right now they...

Learn a step-by-step method for how to create a playlist for the next book you write in this episode of the indie author podcast. Although creating playlists can be time-consuming, it’s also a straightforward process that everyone (author and readers alike) can benefit from!  Plus, find out a few of the songs your host Sagan Morrow chose to feature as the “soundtrack” for her books, and why you mi...

Learn what it’s like to navigate real or perceived pressures as an author, and how your host Sagan Morrow has handled that. Polyamory is a niche topic to write as a romance author—and that means there can be a lot of pressures around it!  How do you as an author ensure you are best representing the community? And what can you do to deal with situations when readers want you to write one thing or a...

Learn a 4-step process for how to figure out which book you should write first. Newbie authors, this podcast episode is for you! Plus, find out why you need to write the book you're excited about, regardless of whether or not you think you're "good enough" to write it yet. This episode shares some tough love, writing motivation, writing encouragement, and practical tips for cho...

Learn about 3 ways to keep accountable with your writer friends in this episode of the indie author podcast! You'll find out the benefits of writing in virtual groups, doing one-on-one writing session hangouts, and participating in global writer challenges.  Access sample chapters of Sagan's novels, transcripts of each episode, cheatsheets and spreadsheets relevant to the episode topics,...

Learn 6 tips for how to improve your writing skills as an author in this episode of the Indie Author Weekly podcast! You'll find out why rereading your work matters so much, how even 15 minutes/day can make all the difference for improving writing skills, why you should "read between the lines" with what readers say about your work, and more. This episode of the indie author podcast...

Learn how an author's writing is affected by her real life (and vice versa!) in this episode of Indie Author Weekly. This episode shares a behind-the-scenes peek at author Sagan Morrow's personal life and the integration between books and real-life situations. This episode answers 3 listener-submitted questions:  For many authors, real life informs their work. Do you incorporate elements...

Learn a simple exercise you can use in your novels to improve character development in this episode of the Indie Author Weekly podcast! This technique, Situationals, will enable you to get to know your characters better, so whether you want to create a more complex character or whether you need to get past writer's block, you'll find this exercise helpful. Don't forget to grab the f...

Learn a simple 3-step system for how to keep track of everything when you're writing a book series in this episode of the Indie Author Weekly podcast! Plus, get 5 tips for how to write a book series so that everything stays consistent and cohesive from one book to the next. You'll find out how your podcast host, Sagan Morrow, has organized her 9-book series (4 published to date, with the...

Learn 10 tips for editing your own work, plus the editing process your host Sagan Morrow (a professional editor) uses when self-editing her own books, in this episode of Indie Author Weekly. You'll learn about the importance of having a personal style guide and character bible for your books, different types of edits and ways to review your work, and more. This episode provides you with pract...

7 questions to ask yourself, plus actionable ways for how to understand your unique strengths and weaknesses as a writer—so you can improve your writing skills and become a better author. It can feel scary to analyze our work and figure out our unique strengths and weaknesses, but there is power in it. The more that you know this about yourself, the more you can do something about it. You will be...

Learn 5 tips for how to deal with writer's block (or creative blocks) so that you can get past the slump and keep making progress with writing your awesome story. Access sample chapters of my novels, transcripts of each episode, cheatsheets and spreadsheets relevant to the episode topics, and additional resources, at SaganMorrow.com/audio .  Resources & links mentioned in this episode:  ...

Learn why book reviews are so important for both readers and authors, the difference between book ratings & reviews, an easy strategy for writing 2-minute book reviews, plus book review prompt ideas to get you started, in this episode. This episode of the Indie Author Weekly podcast originally appeared on the “secret” version of this podcast, which you can learn more about at SaganMorrow.com/a...

Learn why oral storytelling is so cool, plus listen to a complete reading of Chapter 2 from your host's latest novel, She Wants More (Book 4 in the Polyamorous Passions series). This episode of the Indie Author Weekly podcast originally appeared on the “secret” version of this podcast, which you can learn more about at SaganMorrow.com/audio . You can also access sample chapters of my novels,...

Learn how to play the "what if" game (your host's favourite strategy for coming up with new ideas), why you shouldn't always force ideas when you're writing a book, and the benefits of getting inspiration from your current/past interests, in this episode. These writing inspiration tips and ideas will help you make progress with your next novel. This episode of the Indie Au...

This episode celebrates the book release of She Wants More , Book 4 in the Polyamorous Passions series! Learn about some of the fears around book launching, how female friendship plays a huge role in this romance novel, the challenge authors face around trying not being too subtle—or too overt—with themes, and tips for choosing how to categorize the genre of a novel, in this episode. This episode...

Learn the best (free!) time-tracking software, why the amount of time spent on a project does NOT necessarily equate to a higher-quality product, how many hours it's taken your host to write & market each of her books to date, and 4 tips for managing time as an indie author, in this episode. This episode of the Indie Author Weekly podcast originally appeared on the “secret” version of thi...

Learn 4 reasons why your host chose not to use a pen name for her novels, the problem with NOT using a pen name as an author, and a few ways to navigate the awkwardness of writing about romance and sex, in this episode. Note: this episode discusses being sex-positive. This episode of the Indie Author Weekly podcast originally appeared on the “secret” version of this podcast, which you can learn mo...

Learn 8 ways to advertise your books as a self-published author (plus your host's experience with those strategies), 4 other book marketing ideas to try, how to decide whether to invest money in your books, plus a few resources for advertising books in this episode. This episode of the Indie Author Weekly podcast originally appeared on the “secret” version of this podcast, which you can learn...

Learn how your host Sagan Morrow wrote the first draft of a book within the space of 10 days during Camp NaNoWriMo, problems she faced during the novel-writing challenge, and what to do if you're having trouble focusing on your book project. This episode of the Indie Author Weekly podcast originally appeared on the “secret” version of this podcast, which you can learn more about at SaganMorro...

Learn 5 ways you can stay disciplined with writing & publishing books, plus get a pep talk on prioritizing projects you care about in your life and business, in this episode. You'll also find out a handy method for tracking your daily word count and your word count goals.  This episode of the Indie Author Weekly podcast originally appeared on the “secret” version of this podcast, which yo...