Pencils&Lipstick podcast

Carissa Andrews is back on the podcast to talk about her newest brand course called  4 Book, 5 Days: Mastering AI-Enhanced Series Planning! 4 Book, 5 Days  is going to run October 1st – 6th and you can sign up for the early bird price until September, then for just $47 until October. Find out more and register here: https://authorrevolution.org/4books5days Find out more about Cariss...

Alicia McCalla creates thrilling stories, audiobooks, and merchandise featuring courageous Black heroines. After losing her son, she dedicated herself to sharing empowering tales of overcoming adversity. Her sci-fi, fantasy, and paranormal horror celebrate badass Black women - superheroes, slayers, and more. Fin out more about Alicia and her books on her website here: https://aliciamccalla.com/ Si...

I was so honored to get to talk to Desiree Holt. She was an amazing guest and had so much to say about writing. If you don't know here, check out her website here: https://desireeholt.com/ The romance community lost a very valuable writer, but at least her stories live on! Sign up for my writer's newsletter here: https://katcaldwell.com/writers-newsletter Sign up for my reader's newsletter here: h...

We're pulling out some of my favorite interviews for the next few weeks. This week is my interview with Jasper Fforde. He has built a career and writing books that don't 'fit' into a traditional genre. And yet I will repeat, He has made a CAREER out of it! This is good news for all of us who don't write in a specific genre or like to write what we have in our heads instead of what the industry say...

Let's talk about writer's block and what we can do to combat it. At least one of these will help you! Rest, by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang Sign up for my writer's newsletter here: https://katcaldwell.com/writers-newsletter Sign up for my reader's newsletter here: https://katcaldwell.com/readers Find me at https://katcaldwell.com or on Instagram as @katcaldwell.author or @pencilsandlipstick Find the tran...

Today I speak with Mary Adkins, best-selling novelist of Palm Beach and Privileged about her writing journey and the business she created to help other writers find success called The Book Incubator. Want more information about Mary? Check out her website:  https://maryadkinswriter.com/ her IG:  https://www.instagram.com/adkinsmary/?hl=en And for more information about The Book Incubator...

The 10 Things I Learned at SPS LIVE (and throughout my years as an Indie Author). Sign up for my writer's newsletter here: https://katcaldwell.com/writers-newsletter Sign up for my reader's newsletter here: https://katcaldwell.com/readers Find me at https://katcaldwell.com or on Instagram as @katcaldwell.author or @pencilsandlipstick Find the transcription for this episode here .

Jeff Elkins, aka The Dialogue Doctor, has finally written a book! Over the last two years, Jeff has done more than 200 editing sessions with writers. This book is a collection of the tools he built together to solve problems around writing dialogue. Reading it will help you write dialogue and create characters that connects with readers. Want to find out more? Listen in or find the book here . Fin...

Want more help writing better book blurbs? I hate writing them, but like most indie authors, I also don't want to pay someone else to write them for me. Today we're talking tips to make your book blurbs even better than before so you can sell more books! Want to find out more about Stacy Juba's Book Blurbs Made Simple course that I used? Check it out here: https://katcaldwell.com/blurbs-made-simpl...

My guest today is Claire Taylor, author and creator of FFS Media and co-host of the Sell More Books Podcast Claire wrote ether book Reclaim Your Author Career in which she explains how understanding the Enneagram can be helpful in creating a successful and fun author career. Today we talk bout that and more. C heck out Claire's free author alignment mini course here https://ffs-media.teachable.com...

In publishing you have traditional publishing, indie publishing and hybrid publishing. Mountain Ash Press combines the expertise of two female writers, Caroline Topperman and Andi Cumbo-Floyd, to create a boutique hybrid press that helps writers from the beginning concept of a book all the way to the end. Today I have them on the show to talk about everything their press does for authors, how they...

Have you ever considered becoming a ghost writer? Are you trying to write your story, but find yourself stuck and are wondering if hiring a ghost writer might be the best idea for you? Today I talk with JB Favour about the ins and outs of ghostwriting. This is an episode if you want to find out how to be a ghostwriter, what it requires of you and how to get started. And this episode is also for an...

All stories need conflict! Let's talk about why and what you can do to actively add more to your story. Are you writing a book? Check out my friend Stacy Juba's Perfect Your Plot course. For just $47 you can get all the plot points down so you won't come across a plot hole during edits! Want to support the show? Go here: https://pencilsandlipstick.com/support-the-show/ Looking for tips on writing,...

Today I talk with Evan Gow, creator and developer of the amazing Story Origin App. This website is the one-stop shop for marketing for authors. If you want to join promotions, manage a swap with other authors, have a landing page for beta readers and more, you NEED to check out Story Origin App. Want to support the show? Go here: https://pencilsandlipstick.com/support-the-show/ Looking for tips on...

Join me today as I talk with Lisa Shaughnessy, founder of the Writing Retreat Sampler. Lisa has taken it upon herself to not only find the writing retreats offered around the world, but to interview the hosts and bring all the links to one place, WritingRetreatSampler.com so that writers can have a better way of discovering the writing retreat for them! You can find interviews from the past and si...

Welcome to Pencils&Lipstick! This week we are answering some questions I get as well as talking about subplot characters. Check out Lisa Cron's Wired for Story and Story Genius . Also John Truby's The Anatomy of Story . And Save the Cat . Sign up for the Write With Us online retreat! Want to support the show? Go here: https://pencilsandlipstick.com/support-the-show/ Looking for tips on writing, pu...

Chris K Jones decided to give it all up for his dream to write a story. What he found was that it wasn't as easy as we all think it is. But after researching, courses and much perserverance Chris finished his first book. And now? He's caught the bug and is writing another! Come hear about his journey to writing, marketing and learning this new business pursuit called being an author. Find out more...

Today we're talking about Author Newsletters. Why? Because I still have seasoned authors ask me why I feel so strongly that they need one. I break down why I think you should have one and go over the items you need from the beginning to have a successful author newsletter. Check out my mini author newsletter course here . https://pencilsandlipstick.com/author-newsletter In the course I break down...

What does it take to be a book coach? Do you have to be a writer to understand writing? Jennie Nash doesn't think so. After teaching writing for years as a professor, Jennie decided the way we teach writing. I can't say enough about how much I love the Author Accelerator program! If you want to know more about becoming a book coach, click on my affiliate link here: https://katcaldwell.com/fiction-...

This week I'm talking with Marc Reklau about writing nonfiction books as an indie author. His book 30 Days: Change Your Habits, Change Your Life is a great nudge into life-changing habits which are great to make as an author. Find out more about Marc on his website https://www.marcreklau.com Want to support the podcast? You can check out ProWriting Aid with my affiliate link: https://katcaldwell.c...

Today we're going to look at the Big 5 personality types to help us define and refine who our characters are (and how they should react to different forms of stress.) You can find the notes for the show here: https://katcaldwell.com/Big5 Want to check out ProWritingAid? Get there through my affiliate link here: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=21405 Want to support the podcast? You can support the...

David Rocklin is a traditionally publish writer who s coming out with his third book. We talk about how he comes up with the premise and characters of his books, why he has chosen to run writing retreats, what it is like to be traditionally published and what keeps him going as a writer. You can find out more about David on his website. http://davidrocklinauthor.com/ Want to know more about Magic...

Troy Lambert is a serial Thriller writer. With 30 novels under his belt and many more edited by him, Troy knows what makes a story work. Today he and I talk about how he got into writing, how he learned the ropes around writing and how he has kept his career going for so long. Find more about Troy Lamber at TroyLambertWrites.com Find out more about thought my referral link at Plottr. Go to  h...

Do you struggle with writing new and fresh body language and emotional description in your stories? Today Stacy Juba is bringing us some tips to freshen and liven up our character's emotions. Don't miss it! Attend Stacy's free mastermind here . Find more about Stacy's courses here . Want to support the show? Go here: https://pencilsandlipstick.com/support-the-show/ Looking for tips on writing, pub...

Emma Dhesi is my guest this week to talk about Launch Pad: The Countdown to Writing Your Book . It's a collaborative craft book between Emma Dhesi and Grace Sammon to help writers write their best book. Grace and Emma chose 11 other writers to write one chapter each to create this book plus a 10 Countdown PDF for writers to use to put into practice everything in each chapter. I was asked to write...