The Merry Writer Podcast

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Self-publishing can cost more than you think. And, as the author, you have to be responsible for all the costs. This week, Ari and Rachel break down budgeting a book for you. As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Resources: Writers Beware  |  Kindlepreneur  |  Atticus  |  Vellum   Support the Podcast:   Patreon Want to support ou...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Finding time to write can be hard, so what can you do to protect that writing time you've etched out for yourself?  Here are a few ideas. As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below about the advice shared in the episode.   Support the Podcast:   Patreon Want to support our show and show our little podcast some extra love, then please c...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Do you love writing but have a hard time talking about it? Promoting your book can be difficult if you're too shy to tell the world about it. This week, author Chris Tullbane joins Ari and Rachel as we discuss why it's important to talk about your work and how to be confident in doing so.  As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below abo...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Have you lost your love of writing?  Is your manuscript getting your down?  Considering throwing in the towel?  Don't worry, we've all been there.  So today, we discuss ways to help you fall in love with writing again. As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below about the advice shared in the episode.   Support the Podcast:   Patreon Wa...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Have you had some rough mental health days where you seem like you can't write or do anything at all? We've all had those moments. This week, Ari and Rachel are discussing how you can continue to write through those rough days and other methods of getting out of the funk. As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below about the advice shar...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Let's talk about all those old stories and ideas you have tucked away.  Or maybe you don't keep any and ruthlessly delete and discard any ideas that so far haven't made it into manuscript form.  Just what do you do with old story ideas or what could you do with them? As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below about the advice shared in...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Do you know who your target audience is for your book? How do you begin to figure it out? This week, Ari and Rachel discuss what a target audience is and ways you can find yours. As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below about the advice shared in the episode.   Support the Podcast:   Patreon Want to support our show and show our litt...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Have you ever considered collaborating with another author?  If so, then check out today's episode where author Morgan R R Haze joins Ari and Rachel.  This guest author is actually 3 writers who collaborate on their novel series.    As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below about the advice shared in the episode.   ABOUT MORGAN R R HA...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Do you have your author bio written yet? How about a few different versions of it? This week, Ari and Rachel discuss how to write a good author bio, such as what elements to include, how long it should be, and more. As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below about the advice shared in the episode.   Support the Podcast:   Patreon Want...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Marketing may not be everyone's favourite thing to do, but there are strategies that can put you on the best footing.  In today's episode, we discuss some marketing strategies to put in place when you are working on your marketing plan. As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below about the advice shared in the episode.   Support the Pod...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Do you know the difference between self-publishing your book yourself or going through a vanity press? This week, Ari and Rachel discuss the differences and red flags to watch for when it comes to going through a self-publishing company. As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below about the advice shared in the episode. Resources: Write...

Are you writing a series but aren't sure how to start?  Then check out today's episode where author Helen Scheuerer joins Ari and Rachel in discussing how to plan a series and things you might need to consider.  As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below!   ABOUT HELEN SCHEUERER   Helen Scheuerer is the YA fantasy author of the bestselling series, The Orem...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Do you know what a book publicist is? Do you know how they can help you as an author? In this week's episode, Ari and Rachel discuss what a book publicist is, what they do, the average cost of hiring one, and more. As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below about the advice shared in the episode.   Support the Podcast:   Patreon Want t...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Have you ever created an Ideal Reader?  This is a specific marketing technique and in today's episode it's what we are going to be discussing!  As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below about the advice shared in the episode.   Support the Podcast:   Patreon Want to support our show and show our little podcast some extra love, then pl...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Have you ever tried writing diverse characters and didn't know where to start? Or maybe you want to dive deeper into historical fiction? This week, author Yecheilyah Ysrayl joins Rachel in discussing how to approach writing black historical fiction with plenty of tips, advice, and fun conversation.  As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments...

QUICK NOTE: Apologies for the sound quality at the start, I was having issues with my mic.  It does get better pretty soon, so please do persevere.  Thanks ~Ari   EPISODE SHOW NOTES   How important are beta readers?  Do you think you'll recruit any for your novel? Today, we discuss whether writers really need beta readers. As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comme...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Are you interested in being a fantasy author?  This week, author I. L. Cruz joins Ari to discuss how to approach writing fantasy and things to consider when building your fantastical worlds. As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below about the advice shared in the episode.   ABOUT I. L. Cruz I.L. Cruz decided to make writing her full-t...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Today, we discuss the concept of adding pictures to your novel and the different forms these can take.  Do you think you would ever add imagery to your book?   As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below about the advice shared in the episode.   Support the Podcast:   Patreon Want to support our show and show our little podcast some ext...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Have you ever come across a secondary character in your novel that doesn't need to be there? Or maybe a character's death needs to advance the character development of the MC? This week, we discuss a few ways to get rid of your characters - and yes, that means we're talking mostly about character deaths.  As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the co...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   When you have finished your manuscript, is it a good idea to let family and close friends read your work?  You may be surprised by our thoughts on this one.  As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below about the advice shared in the episode.   Support the Podcast:   Patreon Want to support our show and show our little podcast some extra...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Have you ever thought about writing craft books? Or do you read them and haven't quite found the information you're looking for? Luckily, that's exactly what we're talking about in this week's episode.   Author Sacha Black joins Ari and Rachel in talking about her process of writing craft books for writers. We cover outlining, difficulties, research, and more.   Thanks for lis...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   We are back with a Marketing episode today, when we ask "Should You Offer Your Books For Free?"  and whether the free book is a good marketing strategy or not. As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below about the advice shared in the episode.   Support the Podcast:   Patreon Want to support our show and show our little podcast some ext...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Writing can be a lonely job and there are many other writers who have similar setbacks with their novels as you do. Also, they have different strengths and weaknesses than you.  In this week's episode, we're discussing whether you should have a writing buddy or not. We discuss pros of having writing buddies and also a few cons to having one.  As always, thanks for listening, a...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Do you find yourself getting tired throughout the day, and struggling to make good decisions?  You might be suffering from Decision Fatigue.   That's the topic of this week's podcast episode as we discuss what it is, how it affects us and what we can do to combat it. As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below about the episode.    Supp...

EPISODE SHOW NOTES   Have you ever thought about writing a series of books but thought it might be too daunting to start? This week, author KM Allan joins Ari and Rachel as we discuss tips and tricks to writing a series of novels. As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below about the advice shared in the episode.   About KM Allan K.M. Allan is an identical...