Embracing the Fiction Author Journey

What makes a sentence strong? How do you create concrete images for your readers? How do you make sure your prose won’t put your readers to sleep?   In today’s episode, you’re going to learn the answers to those questions with four easy tips that have a powerful impact on your sentences. In fact, they’re so easy that you can start implementing them today. So tune in to learn how to strengthen your...

Are you looking for organic marketing tips that will help you grow your social media audience? In this episode, you’ll learn six ways to do just that, without spamming other groups or turning potential readers away with only “buy my book” posts. Today’s guest, Chad Miller, a writer of dark fiction and horror and a single father to three tweens, also shares the pros of working with indie publishers...

Do you have a story idea that doesn’t fit neatly into one genre?  If you’ve ever considered writing cross-genre, then stick around and learn how one author managed to successfully combine travel writing, memoir, and young adult into a single book.  You’ll also know the key benefits of researching your idea compared to the others who’ve already published, and you’ll learn how to find quality editor...

The traditional publishing route can feel overwhelming. Query letters and manuscript evaluations and book agents—oh, my!  In this episode, you’ll learn how one author entered Dante’s inferno, her words, not mine, and took initiative to get her narrative nonfiction novel published.  You’ll also walk away not only better understanding the twists and turns of the traditional publishing route but also...

One year ago, I released my first podcast episodes. Since then, I have had the privilege of speaking with 26 other writers who have shared their lessons learned and inspired more parents and writers to pursue their writing dreams. I've noticed some reoccurring themes among my guests and myself, choices and ways of thinking that shift the needle from dreaming about writing to taking action.  S...

Have you started revising your story only to feel like you're going in circles? Does the revision process feel overwhelming and you don't know what to tackle next?  In today's episode, you are going to learn how you can use different lenses to review your work and how this method can help make the revision process less chaotic.  Tune in to learn 6 different editing lenses for the re...

How often do you read romance novels in which mental health issues are a normal part of the main characters? Joining today’s conversation is Ginny Moore, a romantic historical fiction author, middle school assistant principal, and mother to three kids. In this episode, you’ll hear Ginny share not only why her postpartum anxiety and depression went undiagnosed for far too long but also how subconsc...

Are you curious how writing can foster healing, which practices you might try, and how to protect your well-being if you tackle difficult memories? Joining today’s conversation is Rebecca Evans, a memoirist, poet, essayist, and professor of creative non-fiction. In this episode, you’ll discover how Rebecca uses creative writing and journaling not only to reconnect with herself daily but also to fi...

Do you struggle with spreading the word about your writing and growing your audience organically? Do you fear people just scroll past your “buy my book” or “read my writing” posts?  In this episode, you’ll learn how to reach your ideal readers and why spamming other groups doesn’t convert users into readers.  Best of all, you’ll walk away knowing how to create content that users actually want to c...

Have you had that moment when your words flow effortlessly onto the page and what you write completely surprises and delights you?  Joining today’s conversation is Jackie Amsden, an indie comedy author, podcaster, and mom of two. In today’s episode, you’ll hear about how tapping into creative space helped Jackie reconcile her struggle with becoming a mother and the loneliness she felt throughout t...

Can you recall a book that inspired you to become a writer? What about a book that fundamentally changed your view of the world or yourself? Never underestimate the power of reading books you love—and books you hate. Joining today’s conversation is Maria Secoy, a romance fiction author, former English teacher, and book coach for those who self-publish literary romance novels.  In this episode, you...

Have you heard this advice read like a writer but have wondered what does that actually mean?  In today's episode, you are going to learn how this practice helps strengthen your writing, which books you should apply this approach to, and how to actually read like a writer.  Topics discussed in this episode:  Books that resonate Subconsciously learning through imitation Deciding what lessons a...

We all fight imposter syndrome. But some of us have better weapons.  In this episode, you’ll learn to fight off imposter syndrome by living the true life of a writer and the keys to building that life for yourself, regardless of where you’re at in your writing journey. Topics discussed in this episode:  Becoming a writer later in life The importance of validation Facing rejection after writing tha...

Do you have personal moments of your life that you want to write about, but you're not sure how to approach difficult memories? Or you fear backlash from the people you'd have to write about in order to tell that story? In today's episode, I'm going to share how I navigate those issues, after I read for you one such story that I wrote. Topics discussed in this episode:  Reading...

Have you ever written a sentence that just feels off? And you’re not sure how to rearrange the words or phrases to create a stronger sentence? Today’s episode plants the first seeds for gaining this knowledge. Just listen, and let these concepts grow roots. And when you come back and listen again, you’ll strengthen these ideas, which in turn will begin to strengthen your writing. Why? Because no m...

Have you pondered writing children’s book but aren’t sure how to pull the whole project together, from prose, to illustrations, to publication?  In this episode, Sheryl Bass discusses various resources that can help you write and publish your book, how to handle illustrations, and what to consider when pondering traditional or self-publishing.  You’ll also learn more about social emotional learnin...

Do you keep toying with an idea for a novel, but you’re not even sure what constitutes a chapter?  In today’s episode, you’ll learn not only why we use chapters but also what to include in them, their average length, and different ways to end chapters.  So tune in to find out how to identify the purpose or goal of your chapter and thus what to write next.  Topics discussed in this episode:  Defini...

Are you curious about writing romance stories, but you’re not sure what qualifies as romance? In this episode, you’ll get a deeper look into what constitutes the romance genre. You’ll learn what makes a romance novel literary and what distinguishes the 50+ subgenres from each other.  Joining this conversation is Maria Secoy, a literary romance author and writing coach. Today, Maria shares three st...

Have you contemplated creating a writer’s profile, but you aren’t sure if that’s necessary, what the benefits might be, or when would even be the right time? In this episode, you’ll not only learn the answers to these questions but also walk away with tips like what to beware of so that your second profile doesn’t get shut down AND how to set up your writer’s profile so that you maximize its poten...

When postpartum depression strikes, escaping those feelings can seem impossible. But finding a way to overcome the impossible and turn what we view as a weakness into our strength is part of what draws us to superheroes. Joining today’s conversation is Samantha Bryant, an author of horror and superheroes. This mom of two returned to creative writing as a means to help herself through postpartum de...

How do we push through moments that feel like epic failure?  In this episode, Erin shares with you her pain from a recent failure and her own process for getting through moments such as these when we feel we haven’t lived up to our potential and didn't reach our goal.  More importantly, you’ll hear Erin find her motivation again as she keeps things in perspective, with the hope that both you...

How do we show what we or our characters are feeling so our readers can experience those emotions for themselves as the scene unfolds?  In this episode, you’ll learn eight questions you can ask yourself so you can better visualize what those emotions look and feel like and thus how to show your readers.  Tune in so you can also gain tips on how to identify when you’re telling, instead of showing,...

As parents, we tend to read a lot of children’s stories. In fact, for many years, those were the only types of books I had time to read. I wish I had known then that children’s stories actually provide writers, of all genres, with simpler means for observing writing techniques.  Joining today’s conversation is Maria Secoy, a writing coach, romance author, and former middle school English teacher. ...

After becoming a parent, tackling the mental and emotional changes that arise is no small feat. Once you’ve worked through those feelings of self-doubt and being stuck, creativity once again flows. And before you know it, that idea in your head has turned into a finished story. But what comes next? Joining today’s conversation is Stephanie Brandt, an author, photographer, and mother to a boisterou...

It’s that time of year again when we ponder what we want to achieve in the new year. For parents who write, our lives are exceptionally busy, so planning our writing goals is crucial to our success. However, we also need to intentionally set writing goals that we can realistically achieve. So if you haven’t already sat down to plan out your writing goals for the new year, use this template that is...