The Novel Writing Podcast

As of June 2026,  The Chronicles of Talahm is a complete 4-book series (quartet). It took eight years to write, and almost five to publish, but here are my main lessons learned from the self-publishing process. What you can expect to learn: How it feels to complete the series Managing a series arc Skill increases across the books Lessons from series data (because why wouldn't I have data?) Wh...

AI can do far more than simply chat back and forth in a tool like ChatGPT or Grok.  Book marketing expert Thomas Umstattd Jr, host of The Novel Marketing Podcast , joins me to share how AI can become a gamechanger in your marketing tasks. Whether you're an AI proponent or not, this conversation is eye-opening to the scope of what tasks authors can delegate to an AI agent as if it were a virtu...

Creating a believable sci-fi or fantasy world doesn't happen by accident. Whether a world has lived rent-free in your heads for years or you're trying to create one from the ground up, immersing the reader takes more than an infodump of backstory or lore. Author Clint Hall shares how he built not one, but five worlds in his Worlds Collide trilogy (book 1 available now), and did so such t...

White Room Syndrome: when scenes without setting descriptions to ground readers turn into bland, boring white rooms. This writing problem can happen for a variety of reasons, whether it's that your scenes are dialogue heavy, characters move without reference to or interaction with their surroundings, or the setting changes without warning.  Thankfully, setting description doesn't have to...

If your author email inbox (or spam folder) is filled with messages supposedly from big name authors (or agents and publishers), emails from randos asking to beta read your book, or out-of-the-blue invitations to feature your book in their book club, cold pitches for book marketing services... They're scams. With AI, author scams are through the roof, and they're getting more convincing...

Daphne James Huff, author of sweet kissing-only romance, burned out in 2019 after publishing 6 books in a year WHILE also working full time AND running a podcast. At the time, the Amazon algorithm rewarded constant publishing, and Daphne bought into that, to the detriment of her mental health. In this interview, she shares how she identified, dealt with, and overcame the burnout. As of 2023, she&a...

"Cut adverbs!" is common(ly) misused writing advice.  It assumes adverbs are the enemy when they're a legitimate and necessary part of speech.  It also makes newer writers afraid of using adverbs at all, which can lead to instances of unnecessary showing, and lose out on the precision of a correctly used adverb. This episode makes a case against all the adverb hate, and provides exa...

Whether it's query rejection letters, alpha readers giving harsh feedback, or negative reviews, rejection is part of every author's life. Steve Laube, renowned literary agent and head of Enclave Publishing, knows a thing or two about rejection—and how authors can learn to handle it better. You can find Steve's book, Sacred Margins, at https://www.shoptheword.com/ For more informatio...

Finding the right comparison (comp) titles can make all the difference in pitching or marketing your novel, but many authors don't know where to start.  In this episode, you'll learn what comp titles are, where to find them, how to use them, and what mistakes to avoid. Whether published or not, querying agents or going the indie route, choosing comps will help potential readers understan...

If you've ever struggled finding a cover designer or knowing what to put on the cover at all, Matt Stone, CEO of 100 Covers, is here to answer your questions. 100 Covers specializes in affordable yet high quality, market-forward covers for indie authors. Save 20% off your cover with 100 Covers by using coupon code COLLEEN at checkout! This discount is ONGOING for your cover needs. 100 Covers...

Do you need to copyright your book? While it's true it's "copyrighted" the moment you write it, registering with the Copyright Office provides legal protections you don't get with the automatic one. This episode covers what those legal protections are, and the information you need to register with the US Copyright Office. https://www.copyright.gov/ Send us Fan Mail What to...

If you've ever dreamed for a peek behind the traditional publishing curtain, now's your chance. Mark Gottlieb, renowned literary agent with Trident Media Group, shares his industry expertise around querying, pitching, best practices, and common mistakes authors make when trying to go traditional. As of this interview in July 2026, Trident Media Group is actively seeking new and establish...

Do you read in your genre, widely, or not at all?  The advice to read in your genre is often met with fear around accidentally stealing story ideas. Turns out reading is incredibly important for writers, both in AND out of the genre you write, and this episode covers why.  Send us Fan Mail What to do next… Read transcripts & access interview recordings on Substack Apply for Author Coaching wit...

Book marketing expert and host of The Novel Marketing Podcast , Thomas Umstattd Jr., joins us to share his wisdom on what it takes to successfully market your book in today's world, where social media "hasn't worked" for ten years, all without losing your mind. Connect with Thomas at authormedia.com Send us Fan Mail What to do next… Read transcripts & access interview recor...

What's the big deal about writing groups?  Finding "your people" can be not only a life-changing moment, but a career-changing one too.  This episode covers four reasons why it's important to find a writer's group or community that shares your worldview, and get plugged in with other writers at or just ahead of your level.  NEW SUBSTACK LAUNCHED!  For episode transcripts (...

Have you longed for a multi-cast audio version of your book but choked at the price tag?  Phil Marshall, founder and CEO of Spoken Press, joins the show to unpack the magic of AI narration and how Spoken is doing it ethically.  With how expensive audio production can get, having a budget-friendly but high-quality solution like Spoken is a no-brainer. Regardless of your stance on AI, please give th...

Caitlin Shetterly, who first was a guest in episode 136, is back to share her experience writing a character with breast cancer... only for Caitlin herself to develop the exact same type of cancer in the exact same breast.  Her journey through recovery and learning how to write while on cancer drugs is a testament to human resilience and how to determine which pieces of writing advice work for the...

Have you ever heard the advice to not publish your first book? Did it ruffle your feathers? It doesn't mean what you think it means. In this episode we break down this advice to understand the motivation behind it. SERIES NOW COMPLETE!  Binge The Chronicles of Talahm (or just learn more):  Curios (eBooks) Main Website (signed paperbacks) Send us Fan Mail What to do next… Read transcripts &amp...

Have you ever read a book that feels like it was supposed to be written in 3rd person omniscient (like many regency romances or books in the style of Jane Austen), but you couldn't keep track of who was actually telling the story? The author might have mistaken head hopping for omniscient. It's pretty easy to do nowadays with the emphasis on showing over telling, but true omniscient POVs...

Cathryn deVries "accidentally" became a writer through chronicling her family's Dungeons & Dragons campaign. The process helped her work through old emotional wounds, but then she had to deal with imposter syndrome over whether the story really was *hers* if it came from a campaign her daughter dreamed up. Listen in to find out how Cathryn went from "Am I really an author?&...

Getting critiques on our writing is a core part of improving, but what if you didn't have to wait until you finish the first draft? Enter short-cycle feedback. This episode is all about why writers ought to share their work before writing THE END and use that critique to make the entire book stronger while you're still working on the first draft. (Even if it's still garbage.) * Some...

Dictating is one of many tools writers can slot into their writing toolbelts, but many who try dictation don't stick with it long enough to see real results. I took Seth Ring's challenge to commit at least 20 hours to learning how to dictate, and this is what I learned by dictating 70,000 words in about 38 hours. Learn more about AI transcription with Book Scribe: https://bookscribe.ai/...

Publisher Rocket creator Dave Chesson walks through how to use features like keyword search, competition analyzer, category search, and reverse ASIN lookup.  For Publisher Rocket and other self-publishing tools by Kindlepreneur, visit https://kindlepreneur.com/tools/ Send us Fan Mail What to do next… Read transcripts & access interview recordings on Substack Apply for Author Coaching with Coll...

A common piece of writing advice from prolific, full-time authors is that we need to write every day. *insert squinty-eyed Thor Ragnarok meme* But do we, really? If your life circumstances by nature prevent you from putting your butt in the writing chair at least once a day, this episode is for you. Send us Fan Mail What to do next… Read transcripts & access interview recordings on Substack Ap...

We've all heard the claim... you NEED to be on social media if you want to make it as an author. Or, do you? Let's bust this pervasive myth that success requires a social media presence, even if you would rather eat nails than make a reel.  Being a social media content creator in addition to being an author is not for everyone, and thankfully it's totally possible to build an author...