The Daily Writer

Most of us grow up believing that we can change the world.    Then, as we get older, some life experience and a bit of cynicism set in. Pretty soon we give up on the idea of changing much of anything… much less the world.   But imagine for a moment… what if you COULD actually change the world? How would you go about it?    On today’s episode, Kent reminds us that writers are uniquely positioned to...

John Steinbeck said, “Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.”   Writers are known for their creativity, but the truth is that the well sometimes runs dry. If you’ve ever found yourself fresh out of ideas, a way to instantly get more is by using a strategy called “Idea Mating.”   On today’s episode, you’ll discover an effective metho...

As writers, we spend a lot of time worrying about people who don’t like our writing. But what happens when you are the one who hates someone else’s book?   Maybe you read a novel that you thought was poorly written. Maybe you completely disagreed with an author’s perspective on politics, religion, parenting, or a hundred other topics.   On today’s episode, you’ll learn why it’s best to remember th...

We look at our writing as a journey that takes us somewhere else. Most of the time, our normal lives seem pretty boring in comparison to the worlds we can imagine.   But you don’t have to take a crazy, dangerous journey somewhere to have a meaningful adventure. All you have to do is take a journey to the center of YOU.   On today’s episode, you’ll be reminded that one of the most significant adven...

When you read great writing, it has a magical quality. Those words can transport you to faraway worlds or help you see things you never saw before. Great writing can also help you learn something that will change your life.   But where does great writing come from? And more importantly, how can we create it?   On today’s episode, Kent answers these questions and also explains why your first draft...

Based on my interactions with writers over the years, I would categorize writers this way:   A third of you have active projects in the works.   A third of you have an idea what you want to write but have not started.   A third of you want to write but don't know where or how to start.       No matter where you fall on that spectrum, all writers have one thing in common: we constantly fight r...

My guest today is Karen Anderson, and she imminently qualified to talk about what it means to be successful as an author. She is a Strategic Book Coach and Associate Publisher for Morgan James Publishing (full disclosure: I am a proud literary scout for Morgan James!).   Karen is also a nationally published author, a co-author on numerous books, a self-published author, a ghostwriter, and an edito...

One of the most interesting questions you will ever ask yourself as a writer is this: what drives you? Some writers are driven by fame or money. Others are driven by the need for employment. Still others are driven by a need to create. All of those have their place. Yet, at our core, there must be something deeper, stronger, and more primal. On today's episode, Kent reminds us of our God-give...

We deal with a lot of obstacles as writers, but one of the biggest is rejection. Rejection can come in many forms and whatever form rejection takes… it hurts. And let’s be honest, it can hurt pretty badly. Some writers never recover from it. So how can we deal with it? On today's episode, Kent shares advice from J. K. Rowling on how to handle rejection. *** Are you looking for a community of...

Have you ever had the unfortunate luck of losing a great idea because you failed to write it down? This is one of the most vexing problems we writers deal with. We have great ideas all of the time, but we neglect to write them down. So what’s the solution? Make a notebook your new sidekick. On today's episode, you’ll rediscover one of the most important tools in your writing arsenal. ***    A...

Writers and artists seem to be prone to discouragement. It’s not easy to be a writer. We spend our lives putting our stories, thoughts, and emotions out there … and sometimes it feels like your heart gets trampled on. This is why we need all the encouragement we can get. But how do we create a ready source of encouragement for those dark days? On today's episode, Kent shares a powerful tip on...

As writers, we have a lot of different ways to measure success and failure.  Were we as successful as that other writer? Did the client hire us for that gig? Did our book launch go as planned? But what if you still did the work and none of those things happened? Does that mean you failed? On today's episode, you’ll learn why your success or failure as a writer doesn’t depend on external facto...

If you’ve been listening to this podcast for a while, you have heard me talk about the Daily Writer Community. This is a membership community I’ve put together to help writers improve their habits and mindset.    In addition to all the other benefits of the DW Community, we have a group call each week. On this episode, I’m sharing a recording of a call we had a couple of months ago.    This call f...

Everyone knows we live in a world that is increasingly fragmented and fractured. As a communicator, you must learn to interact with the world through empathy, understanding, and compassion.    In other words, it's hard to be relevant or successful if you're not a good listener! That's why I'm thrilled to have my good friend Elaine Grant as a guest on this episode.    Elaine App...

Writers tend to be a pretty friendly bunch, but we do have our moments.    There are times when we get jealous of other writers. There are times when we think some other writer doesn’t deserve the success they have. There are times when we secretly enjoy it when another writer’s book bombs, because then we don’t feel so bad about ourselves.   On today’s episode, Kent shares a timeless truth from B...

On this podcast, we talk a lot about topics that are focused on the writer. We spend a lot of time thinking about mindset, habits, and success.   Writing is a great tool for overcoming fear, building a business, making an income, and all sorts of other benefits. But all those things ultimately exist for the purpose of adding value to the world.   On today's episode, Kent reminds us that your...

Have you ever said to yourself, “I really wish there was a book on so-and-so topic?”    Maybe it’s a nonfiction book about a topic you are interested in. Maybe it’s a story you would love to read. Maybe it’s a book of certain recipes you would love to see in print.    The topic doesn’t matter. What matters is that you would love to see that book… but nobody has created it.   On today's episod...

English teachers in high school and college often get a bad rap. Students who did not do well in those classes sometimes blame teachers for killing their writing dreams.    Some students look at their bad grades and wonder, “Am I cut out to be a writer?”   I want to challenge this question because it assumes that you are either born a writer, or you aren’t. In reality, if you want to be a writer,...

We writers live in a world of “yesses.” We love to say yes to that podcast interview, that new idea, that speaking opportunity, or that client work. There’s a good reason we do this. We don’t want to waste opportunities to build relationships and reach new readers. But the problem is that every yes we speak is also a no to something else. We only have so much time on this earth and we have to defe...

Success is all about building great relationships and serving other people well. But what if you’re an introverted writer? How can you succeed in a world that is so relationship-driven?    Although extensive social interaction can be draining, introverts have unique tactics at their disposal when it comes to fostering deep relationships with others. From handwritten cards to personalized videos to...

The main topic of this podcast focuses on the mindset and habits related to writing. However, a crucial element of our success is generosity. You can have the greatest writing skills in the world, but without good relationships and a giving spirit, it doesn't mean much.  That's why I'm excited to have April Shprintz as my guest today. She has spent over two decades driving growth fo...

Mark Twain wrote, “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear.” You can still be afraid and take action.    In fact, your fear can be the very thing that propels you to action.  On today's episode, you’ll be emboldened to take action, regardless of your fears.    ***    Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits an...

One of the most famous episodes of  Seinfeld  is “The Contest.” In this episode, Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer compete to see who can demonstrate self-control the longest. The one who wins will be known as “master of their domain.”    The concept of self-mastery is an important one for writers. If we don’t master ourselves, nothing else matters.   On today's episode, Kent highlights  why...

There is a lot of talk in the writing community about finding your voice. But hardly anyone ever talks about what it means or how to do it.    In the simplest terms, your voice is how you talk. It is how you express yourself. It is your style. However, the most important thing is not what your voice is, but that you use it.    On today's episode, you'll learn that the trick to finding yo...

Author and teacher Parker Palmer wrote a profound little book called  Let Your Life Speak . In the book, he writes, “Before I can tell my life what I want to do with it, I must listen to my life telling me who I am.”    What does it mean to listen to your life? It means paying attention to the signposts telling you where you should go.    On today's episode, you'll discover how to recogn...