The Daily Writer

If you’ve been listening to this podcast for a while, you’re probably familiar with my story. I used to be a pastor, then I was a teacher at a Christian college for a long time before I made ghostwriting and coaching my main gig. I am extremely familiar with the tension that comes from wanting to make a living with writing, while also at times wrestling with guilt and uncertainty because of how th...

Much has been written about the voice that lives in every writer’s head. We normally think and talk about this voice as a bad thing. So, it’s not a surprise that we think of that voice as untrustworthy. But if you listen as closely as you can, there is another voice. On today’s episode, Kent reminds us why we can trust our intuition when we make creative decisions. *** Check out my NEW book:  18 W...

John Steinbeck said, “Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.” Writers are known for their creativity, but the truth is that the well sometimes runs dry. If you’ve ever found yourself fresh out of ideas, a way to instantly get more is by using a strategy called “Idea Mating.” On today’s episode, you’ll discover an effective method fo...

Every writer talks about wanting success, but what does success actually mean? How do you measure it? Is it even a worthy goal in the first place? Those are valid questions, but they aren’t what we should be asking first. Instead, we should be asking how we can add value to others’ lives. On today’s episode, Kent shares three simple ways you can encourage and make connections with the people aroun...

Author and teacher Parker Palmer wrote a profound little book called  Let Your Life Speak . In the book, he writes, “Before I can tell my life what I want to do with it, I must listen to my life telling me who I am.”   What does it mean to listen to your life? It means paying attention to the signposts telling you where you should go.   On today's episode, you'll discover how to recogniz...

The greatest superhero movie ever made is 2008’s The Dark Knight. The movie is admired for many reasons, the biggest of which is Heath Ledger’s amazing performance as Batman’s arch-nemesis, the Joker. But one of the most underrated aspects of the film is Aaron Eckhart’s portrayal of Harvey Dent, the Gotham City District Attorney. Before he becomes the villain known as Two-Face, he is known for his...

One of the most fascinating aspects of being a writer is that lots of people are eager to give you advice. In fact, there is a giant industry of books, conferences, retreats, coaching, and podcasts (this being one of them!) devoted to giving you writing advice. However, be careful who you’re listening to. There is a whole group of people who are eager to give advice about writing and book marketin...

Picture this: You are the co-author of an enormously successful business book series. You want to write another book in the series, but it’s on a very different topic than the others. You also want to write it with your wife, instead of your original co-author. And, by the way, you’re also going to use a different publisher than the original series. Sounds like a challenge you would back away from...

I’m excited today to feature a conversation with my good friend Phyllis Jenkins, who is here to help authors get a handle on how to put together a powerful live event that can impact lives. Phyllis is a Transformational Coach, business mentor, host of PowerLift Stories Podcast , and Founder of the Powerful Journey Organization where she’s on a mission to mobilize 100,000 women to ‘Tell Their Stori...

Let’s talk about one of the hardest truths to swallow. Here it is: the circle of relationships that brought you to where you are is not the circle of relationships that will take you to where you want to be. Most of us don’t like conflict. We don’t want to feel like we’re leaving others behind. This fact alone prevents a lot of people from growing because they are not willing to make tough changes...

If you really want to grow your network and reach a higher level of success in your life as a writer, you must invest in yourself. There is a lot you can learn from books, conferences, videos, and podcasts. But those can only take you so far. The true test of how badly you want success is whether you are willing to part with your hard-earned cash in order to learn more and invest in deeper relatio...

Let’s talk about one of the more uncomfortable truths of the author life. It has nothing to do with books, but it has everything to do with how others perceive you. And therefore, that means it has everything to do with your social standing and how much others want to be around you. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: people judge you by the company you keep. On this episode, you’ll be reminded that y...

Jealousy causes us to be inwardly focused. The more we fixate on what others have, the more angry, resentful, and bitter we become. You can’t be at your best as a writer when you’re angry, resentful, and bitter. Those emotions are like an empty well that is dry and lifeless. They will suck the life right out of you. On this episode, Kent shares a simple but powerful way you can replenish yourself...

As writers, sometimes we see another person’s success and believe we should have it as well. But when you stop and think about it, the logic doesn’t add up. Creativity is like a thumbprint. Everyone has creative gifts (whether they realize it or not), and everyone has something unique to offer the world. Creativity is like the thumbprint of your soul. On this episode, you’ll be encouraged to use y...

In the previous two entries in this series, we have taken a look at the destructive nature of jealousy, and why you should focus on what you can do to make yourself successful rather than spending your emotional energy being envious. Let’s dive into three questions that will help you focus on attitudes and actions that will spur your writing success. We’ll tackle the first one here today. Also, no...

I’m thrilled to feature this conversation with my good friend Ken Hannaman. Ken is a Possibility Mindset Coach who has a never-ending thirst for knowledge and personal self-discovery. Ken is an executive in the corporate space and has just written and published his first book, which is titled Ungraduated: Finding Your Why and Dropping Out of Outdated Belief Systems. Ken is also the host of the exc...

Have you ever felt like you live in a room with invisible walls that have you trapped? You’re trapped by questions like this: Why does that so-and-so writer get all the attention? Why do they have more book sales? Why is my blog traffic so stagnant? Why isn’t anyone paying attention to me? Sound familiar? On this episode, you’ll learn how you can reframe your questions, so that you can have an abu...

If you’re alive and breathing, you have struggled with jealousy. It’s part of the human condition. But for most writers, jealousy is more than an occasional struggle. It’s a daily battle that threatens our very souls. It’s nearly impossible for us to separate ourselves from our creative work. It’s part of who we are. On this episode, Kent begins a series on jealousy and kicks it off with why we sh...

In yesterday’s episode, we talked about the power of being a guest on other people’s podcasts. Today, we will turn the tables and talk about the importance of starting your own podcast. Podcasting is a powerful and inexpensive way to build an audience and share your ideas. When you are “in someone’s head” for that much time, they develop an intimate relationship with you as a listener. On today’s...

Being an author in our media age isn’t just about creating books or written content. It’s also about creating a media platform that can consist of video, podcasts, and social media. Of course, I encourage you to take advantage of all these for yourself. In addition, you can greatly increase your network if you are a guest on other people’s media platforms. On today’s episode, you’ll discover how y...

I’m thrilled to share with you that my brand-new book, 18 Words to Live By: A Father’s Wisdom on What Matters Most , is available today! 18 Words is a compass, a sort of a collection of essential values to carry with you on life’s journey. These are values that help you become a person of character. In the book, I talk about values such as empathy, responsibility, integrity, freedom, forgiveness,...

In the musical “Hamilton,” Aaron Burr sings a number called “The Room Where It Happens.” He is upset that his rival, Hamilton, has been invited into the inner circle of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson to help make decisions that will impact the future of the country. All the while, Burr is left out in the cold. We all want to be around influencers and decision-makers. However, you don’t have to...

As writers, we spend a lot of time focusing on helping other people tell their stories. Maybe you do client work, coaching, run a writing community as I do, or interview others for a podcast, as I do as well. Even if you only write for yourself, much of your time is spent thinking about how you can help other people live a better story. It is important, however, that we don’t forget about our own...

There are few things in life as powerful as a handwritten note sent through the mail. Why? Because we all want to feel noticed. We want to feel special. We love the feeling that someone took the time to hand-write a note, put it in an envelope, and mail it. As a writer, you interact with a lot of people: readers, other writers, clients if you have them, people who have helped you with publishing,...

One of the most critical truths of living in the modern world is that we are all connected. As the poet John Donne wrote, “No man is an island.” (And neither is any woman, of course.) And because you are the type of writer who wants to be generous, the kind of writer who gives more than you take, you will want to discover ways to support the important work of other writers. On this episode, Kent s...