John Helps You Write Better

Don't fear the tropes and cliches 11.03.2025 9:02 ↓

In today's episode, I want to talk you about tropes and cliches. They're nothing to overthink or fear.

I've been sick. Have a podcast episode. 03.03.2025 9:03 ↓

In today's episode, I've gotten out of bed to talk to you about pushing yourself to work and being kind to yourself about doing it

You need to start AND finish AND finish what you start. 18.02.2025 12:10 ↓

In today's episode, I want to talk to you about that first draft you've been working on since the dawn of time and somehow still haven't finished it yet.

You're going to need to learn to take a punch. 17.02.2025 10:23 ↓

In today's episode, I want to talk to you about how you're handling rejection and the less-than-ideal feedback you might be getting.

Why do you want to rush? What's the hurry? 28.01.2025 12:56 ↓

In today's episode I want to ask you why you think "taking too long" matters and why you want to go faster.

And why exactly are you using AI? 27.01.2025 9:59 ↓

In today's episode, I'd like to ask you about why you're using AI to "edit" your work.

Separate your character from your plot 15.01.2025 11:58 ↓

In today's episode, I want to encourage you to make your character not just the being doing the plot, but a wholly formed person who happens to be doing a plot.

Local royalty vs global royalty AKA Who's the most specialest person? 14.01.2025 9:56 ↓

In today's episode, I want to talk to you about the royalty problem in your story.

Global global versus local global - Worldbuilding and scale 13.01.2025 10:21 ↓

In today's episode, I want to talk to you about how a character can operate in their world versus the world of the story.

Have you been complicating your world-building? 06.01.2025 1:03:47 ↓

In today's episode, I've got the audio from a workshop I did this past weekend on world-building. I think it'll help you.

We never know what we're doing or where we're going, and that's fine. 31.12.2024 9:37 ↓

As the year ends, I want to talk you about the not-knowing of making things and how it's okay to not know how things are going to be.

Answering 27 questions from webnovelists and new writers 30.12.2024 1:28:36 ↓

In this nearly 90-minute Q&A session, I answer 27 questions from webnovelists and new writers. I think you'll find it really useful and enjoyable.

You and your voice and trying to be like other authors 24.12.2024 10:58 ↓

In today's episode, I want to talk to you about trying to ape someone else's style.

Let's talk about beats and scenes 23.12.2024 1:09:53 ↓

This is the audio from a workshop I gave on 12/21 to some webnovelists and self-publishing authors about scene and beat usage in their writing. I think you'll find this helpful

How are you feeling about your progress? 23.12.2024 9:42 ↓

In today's episode, I want to talk you about your goals and what you're doing to reach them.

What the hell happened to Superman in the Superman movie? 19.12.2024 10:21 ↓

In this episode, we need to talk about Superman.

And now, a word for co-authors 18.12.2024 8:11 ↓

In today's episode, I'd like to talk to you about co-authorship.

How's that fantasy going? 17.12.2024 13:19 ↓

In today's episode, I want to talk you about your fantasy of being a writer.

What do you think you're doing? 16.12.2024 10:23 ↓

In today's slightly cantankerous episode, I want to ask you what you think you're doing.

How Do I Make A Plot? (Audio from A Plot Building Session) 15.12.2024 1:18:43 ↓

In this bonus audio from this past weekend, here's me talking to a group of writers about what plot is and what plot isn't and how to build an effective plot.

Why are you waiting? 10.12.2024 10:37 ↓

In today's episode, I want to ask you about why you're waiting and not making art.

Just start. 09.12.2024 9:48 ↓

In today's episode, I want you to just start.

The anti-pants system of writing 05.12.2024 14:36 ↓

In today's episode, I would like to tell you how to get away from pantsing forever.

The #1 excuse of pantsing. 04.12.2024 11:36 ↓

In today's episode, I want to take the bite out of pantsing's number one excuse.

Pantsing is making it harder for you to succeed, here's why 03.12.2024 11:14 ↓

In today's episode, I want to keep talking to you about pantsing. It's a theme all week.