Simply Write w/ Polly Campbell

A writing niche can make researching, interviewing, and even writing more efficient and leave you more time to write. In this episode, Polly Campbell explains how to find your niche and why it makes the writer's life easier. Get in touch with Polly and join the Simply Write community https://simplywrite.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last time thriller writer Tara Laskowski was here she was working on her book The Weekend Retreat. The book is now available and Tara returns to tell us what it was like to write the book under contract and on deadline, why she decided to toss out the original story--tears may or may not have been involved-- and what she's been up to since the book's publication. For more join Polly and the Simply...

Whether you are writing nonfiction essays or books or novels and short stories, the most compelling pieces include emotional resonance. As readers, we are often sucked in by the feelings our characters are experiencing. We want to follow them through the story to see what happens next and the unique ways they experience and express their fear, joy, sadness, love. Our characters' emotions provide c...

From the comfort of a recliner Rachael Herron writes about her obsessions, whatever the thing is that has captured her interest, the thing that she's thinking about when she can't fall asleep--and then she gets down to the writing business working on deadlines, revisions, her podcast or classes that are coming up. Herron who produces her podcast Ink In Your Veins and has traditionally and self-pub...

You might be able to work in your pajamas, but creating freelance writing success or securing an agent and publishing deal often comes down to much more than your ability to write. You've got to act like a professional. In this episode Polly talks about what it means to be a professional writer, including the importance of meeting deadlines, getting work in on time, meeting editorial market requir...

Don't be afraid to take a risk, says James Beard-winning food writer and author Danielle Centoni. "If you believe you can do the job do anything you can to prove to that person that you can." Centoni, a food writer with a background in journalism and the co-author of Oregon Wine + Food and other books had a love for cooking and food and created an opportunity for herself when the newspaper she wor...

Writer's Retreat for One Producing on deadline is exhausting and a necessary part of the writer's work. Whether you are writing to publish or writing between breaks from your other job, between your child's school hours, or even early in the morning before the others in the house wake and you have to head out the door. Yes, we have learned how to write in slivers of time. But the work deserves mor...

Though Amy Stewart author of the Drunken Botanist, the Kopp Sisters historical fiction series, and many others, has wanted to be a writer since she was a kid, that doesn't matter one bit, she says. We change throughout our lives, whether you wanted to write early or are coming to it now, writing is accessible to anyone. Writing, like her urban sketching and artwork she creates, is about practice,...

Are platforms still a thing? Absolutely. If you want to publish traditionally, publishers and agents will want to know you have a built-in audience and have expertise in the topic you want to write about. Having an expanded platform is important for self-publishing writers and fiction writers too. It's a way to reach readers and be seen as the "authority" by your target audience. And fiction write...

Short pieces between 250 and 1,000 can be a good way to break into new markets and create a steady flow of income. Content marketers are often hired to write 500-word Welcome pages, many publications publish and pay for short essays, and front-of-the-book shorts are a good way to see your name in print. If you can explain a complex idea in a brief, or rally brand enthusiasm in less than 400 words...

Many people from entrepreneurs to entertainers hire ghostwriters to write books on their behalf. And that makes for some great writing opportunities for writers who can manage a book project from start to finish and do it in the voice, cadence, and tone of their client. But how can you break into the ghostwriting business? What skills are required for writers who want to work as ghostwriters, and...

Writing happens long before we sit down at the computer. It happens in our hearts and our heads. Yet too, often writers don't leave the time they need to think their stories through. I'm not suggesting you develop a specific outline, or have everything figured out before you sit down to write, but it is helpful, necessary even to invest some time to think about this. This counts as writing too. Th...

Enjoy this replay of one of our most popular shows and learn why Polly doesn't really believe in writer's block. Join us Monday, Jan. 8 for all new shows and author interviews on Simply Write w/Polly. To get in touch with Polly and pick up the End of the Year Writer's Wrap Up and other tip sheets join the Simply Write Community at https://simplywrite.substack.com Happy New Year. There are plenty o...

The New Year is a great time to reflect on your writing process and routines. What is working? What isn't? How can you be more productive, and creative, and generate more publishing opportunities? Rituals and routines can help. In this episode, one of our most popular from last year, Polly talks about her writing routines and how you can create those practices that will help you get the writing do...

It's true agents are inundated with pitches from authors. And, says Amy Collins, an agent at Talcott Notch Literary it's also true that they routinely turn down great work. But that doesn't mean you should stop trying and it helps a lot when you learn how to provide agents what they need. Often, Collins says, agents turn down good books, because they already have authors with books in similar genr...

'Tis the season to take care of business. In this episode, we cover the end-of-the-year reminders and the planning and development work you can do now to create a successful year ahead. Have you renewed your business license, and prepared your estimated taxes? Have you established your editorial calendar and drafted letters of introduction? Now is the time. Listen to this episode to learn how I la...

End-of-the-year planning and paperwork. Kids on break from school. Seasonal festivities. Planning and pitching for the year ahead. Editorial calendars and goal planning. These are just a few of the things professional writers contend during this time of the year. But, instead of being thrown by the distraction, they flex their schedule and get the job done. Here are a few of the strategies Polly u...

Sonia Frontera has always had a love of writing--even when she went to law school. Now she uses both her legal expertise and writing skills to independently publish books such as Relationship Solutions: Effective Strategies to Heal Your Heart and Create the Happiness You Deserve. Her writing voice is accessible, positive, and authentic and her books avoid pages of legal jargon. That was by design,...

Yeah, I know, it can be tough to see even the most well-deserved colleagues climb the bestseller charts when you are struggling to find an agent or even knock out a first draft. I get it. Writer's Envy is real, but it can also be motivating. There are opportunities out there for hardworking writers and your success will not limit my chances. So the best way to deal is to celebrate the success of o...

Journaling helps award-winning author Kathryn Brown Ramsperger solve problems, access her imagination, and free up her creative brain to get the work done. Whether it's Morning Pages or journaling on the go, Rampsberger is a firm believer that journaling is a door to our imagination. A journal can keep our ideas in a safe place, or allow us to release big feelings so that we can move on. It's also...

Every Service Piece Needs These Things Problems. Solutions. Hope and Humans. There are plenty of places to break in with service pieces, but each article must include the components editors are looking for and readers want. I've written service for decades and in this episode I'll share what those elements are and how you can structure them to break in and publish. Want more? Join our Simply Write...

Writing for the Children's Market Author, poet, and journalist Susan Johnston Taylor writes articles and books for children and adults, and her newest picture book is written in poetry. Diversifying your writing career is akin to diversifying your investment portfolio, Johnston Taylor says, and an important way to publish in a variety of markets. Throughout her career, Johnston Taylor says she has...

Keep Going Writing Our Way Through The news of the week has knocked me back. It can be hard to head into the quiet of the writing desk and focus on the work we need to get done. But, writing is also a job. My husband works in a hospital, and he doesn't skip work when he's feeling sad or uninspired. Last week we took our car to the mechanic, and he was there. I don't know if he has problems in his...

Reframe Your Marketing Mindset Author, writer, and book marketing expert Sandra Beckwith suggests that when writers and authors change how they think about marketing they will feel more comfortable promoting their work. It's a simple reframe, says the host of BuildBookBuzz.com a marketing resource for writers and authors at https://buildbookbuzz.com/ Nobody cares about your book more, and nobody i...

Are You a Pre-crastinator? Have you ever heard of the term, pre-crastination? I hadn't and yet, now I know, I am an avid pre-crastinator. When the to-do list is too long, or I'm feeling the tension of deadlines, I tend to act hastily, quickly checking things off my list. And that can cause big problems for writers. Pre-crastination is when we are more focused on getting things done rather than del...