The Daily Writer

It’s natural for us to talk about our successes and triumphs. It’s not quite so natural to talk about our mistakes and failures. We’re afraid people will think less of us. Truthfully, though, none of us is perfect. And whenever we see another writer be vulnerable enough to talk about their failures, we relate to it. On today’s episode, you’ll discover how being vulnerable strengthens your relation...

When you look back over your life, you can see a pattern. We spend lots of time and energy going from person to person trying to find an answer to the central question that drives our lives: What is my purpose? On today’s episode, you’ll gain knowledge about how to discover your purpose, so you can live the life you are meant to live. ***     Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, genero...

As I talk to writers, one of the most frustrating parts of the book creation process seems to be creating an outline. Many people have great ideas for books. They seem equally motivated to tackle the writing and publishing aspects. But the outline gives writers a lot of trouble because it seems like a mysterious, vague process. On this episode, I’ll walk you through a simple 5-step roadmap for out...

I had the opportunity to speak with Marie-Elizabeth Mali. I have only recently gotten to know Marie-Elizabeth through an introduction by our mutual friend, Tricia Brouk. I wanted to have Marie on the show because it's so easy to get lost in the processes and details of writing and publishing, and so easy to lose the heart of what we do and why we are doing it. Drawing on her Master’s in Chine...

No matter what you’re writing, your mission as a writer is to help the reader get a clearer vision of life. But how is your vision? Do you see clearly? No one can believe your writing, believe the truth in it, unless you first believe it yourself. On today’s episode, you’ll discover why your vision and your belief in what you’re doing are essential in accomplishing your mission. ***     Are you lo...

Nothing else defines you quite like your family. It’s where you got your name, your personality, your sense of a place in this world, and so much more. Some writers came from a supportive environment, while others were not so lucky. On today’s episode, you’ll be encouraged that regardless of what family you come from, you have the ability to dream big, set huge goals, and define yourself. ***    ...

It’s scary to start a writing project. But you know what’s even scarier? Finishing it. Sometimes we think that being a writer means to be constantly gaining new ideas and exploring creative possibilities—which is true. But those ideas and possibilities must live somewhere. They need to be published. On today’s episode, Kent challenges you to be confident and finish what you started. ***     Are yo...

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. ***     Are you looking for a co...

This one is for all the kids who were always picked last in middle school gym class. You remember what it was like: You’d stand there awkwardly with the group, each kid getting their name called by one of the team captains. Each time, you hoped you wouldn’t be the last one. But once again, it got down to four, then three, then two, and you were the only one left. On today’s episode, you’ll be remi...

On today’s episode, I share a business update about my ghostwriting business, what’s been happening with the Daily Writer, and a few updates from my personal life, as well. ***     Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our  Daily Writer Community .      Check out our  Daily Writing Prompts , which...

I'm excited to feature a conversation with my friend Matt McWilliams. Matt helps online business owners and brands, both large and small, to leverage the power of partners to grow their businesses. He teaches you how to make money as an affiliate and how to work better with affiliates. He has worked with the best of the best in the online, entrepreneur, and leadership space, including Ray Edw...

Have you ever done a little bit of research on the percentage of people who start writing books but don’t finish them? Statistics vary, but no matter what numbers you look at, one thing is clear: most people who start writing a book never finish it. A casual conversation with writers will reveal the same thing, at least if they are being honest. On today’s episode, you’ll learn why writers do not...

If you ever run a race, you’ll notice there are two kinds of runners: those who are competing against everyone else, and those who are competing against themselves. The ones who are competing against everyone else take running very seriously. They like to set records and get the glory of being known as a winner. The runners who are competing against themselves aren’t worried about anyone else’s ti...

From the time we are kids, our parents and teachers told us to be ourselves. It is especially important in your writing, where it is critical to develop your own unique voice. It can be confusing when you are trying to build your writing career, because you must fit into a category. Readers expect that a book will fit certain conventions as far as page count, length, and divisions into chapters. O...

For most people, running a marathon is a pretty big deal. The distance of 26.2 miles is a long way for one person to run in a single shot. So how do people actually pull it off? On today’s episode, Kent offers encouragement as he breaks down the process of writing a book. ***     Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing...

If there’s one thing that is true about writing, it’s that it requires a lot of emotional energy. Even professional writers confess to only being able to write for a few hours a day. That’s why we must stay emotionally healthy. Corrie ten Boom said, “Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength—carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying do...

This is the second part of a two-part series on how to use the Overlap Principle to build your writing business. I cover ten tips for getting started with your writing business: Go in the direction of your gifts, not your passion. Choose a niche that has good income potential. Take ownership of your career trajectory. Take the next logical step. Be consistent in your efforts. Remember, it's g...

On this episode, I'm honored to be joined by two young writers: Annabelle Healy and Mason Hagner. I thought it would be a blast to feature a couple of young writers who have gotten a great start as authors. I believe strongly that people of all ages should be writing, including kids and teens. My first guest is Annabelle Healy, who recently published her novel Far Below Human Eyes with Morgan...

There are a lot of questions you have probably asked about the results of your writing. Here are a few of them: Will it make my life better? Will it make me money? Will it grow the size of my audience?   Here is another important one to consider: Will it make me happy?   On today’s episode, Kent shares insight about how to find true happiness in your writing. ***     Are you looking for a communit...

Here is one of the most interesting paradoxes of successful writers: the more books someone writes, the more obvious their one true message is. What is the one true message? It is the singular theme that dominates most of a writer’s content. On today’s episode, you’ll discover the central messages of many famous authors and how to find your own. ***     Are you looking for a community of enthusias...

When you walk into a library or a bookstore, even if it’s online, you’ll notice that books are categorized into genres. Popular genres include biography, children’s books, adult fiction, self-help, spirituality, and history, among many others. No matter what type of books you write, your work always belongs in the history category. On today’s episode, you’ll be reminded that your words are not sel...

One of the essential themes of the superhero genre is that of the double life. However, superheroes aren’t the only ones who live double lives. We writers can develop an alter-ego if we’re not careful. It’s easy to appear bold and brave on the page… but how do we handle the challenges of real life? On today’s episode, you’ll learn why it’s vital to face real-life problems head-on. ***     Are you...

If you had to pin down one universal emotion that all humans experience, it’s pain. We are often afraid to share our pain because we’re afraid we will look weak. So, we lock up our feelings in a box, set it on a shelf in the back of a dark closet, and try to forget about it. This is not a healthy way to deal with grief or loss. One of the best ways to work through your pain is to write about it. O...

A few weeks ago, I stepped away from my full-time teaching job in order to focus on ghostwriting and the Daily Writer.    As I have spent some time reflecting on this major change in my life, it occurred to me that I've followed a very simple principle as I have transitioned into several different roles in my work life over the last 25 years. I want to share that principle with you today, alo...

On today's episode, I'm thrilled to be joined by Jeremiah Timmons. He's a writer and TV producer who has done work for Tyler Perry Studios, as well as HBO. Jeremiah also coaches writers on how to increase productivity by including wellness tools into their routines.   Jeremiah got in touch with me a little while back, and I am so glad he did, because we had a fantastic conversation...