The Write Mindset

He Lies to People to Find Out If They're Lying | James Franklin Williams Jr.! Thomas J. Bellezza talks with storyteller and author James Franklin Williams Jr. about collecting true paranormal accounts and turning them into books. They cover why the person always mattered more than the entity, the method he uses to catch people lying, following the order a witness tells it in rather than restructur...

She Hid His Daughter for Two Years, and Readers Loved It | Emma Bennett Interview! Thomas J. Bellezza talks with romance author Emma Bennett about writing the happily ever after, why a sequel can undo it, and the miscommunication trope that split her readers. They get into how much accuracy historical fiction actually owes its readers, blending genres without losing what fans came for, and finding...

A Passing Character in the Novel Is the Hero of the Game | Building the World of Maya! Thomas J. Bellezza talks with filmmaker Anand Gandhi and game designer Zain Memon about Maya, a narrative universe spanning novels, games, graphic novels, and film. They cover starting from the question rather than the plot, simulating an entire ecology before writing a line, building villains whose arguments ac...

In My Head It Was a Thunderstorm. On the Page It Said "It Was Raining." | April Dávila! Thomas J. Bellezza talks with author and writing coach April Dávila about voice, revision, and mindfulness in the writing process. They cover journaling as voice practice, why she cuts most of her dialogue, the word searches she runs in final passes, cutting a character she loved, and why writing every day is t...

Thomas J. Bellezza talks with author and teacher Dawn Reno Langley about writing while traveling, why every scene needs action even in a memoir, and how character names carry assumptions before a reader knows anything else. They cover conflict that isn't violent, describing it through a character's eyes, breaking the second-person rule, and delivering a theme without preaching. ▶ Dawn Reno Langley...

Laura Lekkos on Character, POV, and Writing Cinematically! Screenwriter and debut novelist Laura Lekkos joins The Write Mindset to talk craft. Thomas J. Bellezza and Laura dig into moving from screenplays to long-form fiction, writing cinematically and using "room tone," building two distinct POVs, letting characters fail, why character drives plot, and the network side of a writing career. Her de...

Shalini Abeysekara on White Room Syndrome, Spice, and the Market! Former corporate lawyer and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Shalini Abeysekara joins The Write Mindset to talk craft and the business of publishing. Thomas J. Bellezza and Shalini dig into reverse-engineering the market, cutting 27,000 words from a debut, fixing white room syndrome, writing morally gray characters, handling edito...

Martha Conway on Prose, POV, and Writing Two Worlds at Once! Award-winning author and Stanford writing teacher Martha Conway joins The Write Mindset to talk craft. Thomas J. Bellezza and Martha dig into lyrical vs. purple prose, how to handle research without info-dumping, why beautiful words must serve character or plot, breaking the rules that make your style, distinct POV voices, and the dual-w...

Every Book Has to Be a Five-Star Read, Says Author J.D. Barker! Bestselling hybrid author JD Barker returns to talk craft, business, and the realities of publishing at scale. Thomas J. Bellezza and JD dig into his six-step pipeline, what James Patterson taught him about branding and "being there" in a scene, why writing cinematically gets books optioned, review bombing, trigger warnings, and adapt...

Matt Weiss on Fan Series Writing, Improv, and the Hero's Journey! Matt Weiss, Star Trek Cello Guy, creator of Egotastic Trek and Adam's Radio Hour, joins Thomas J. Bellezza for a wide-ranging conversation on writing a Star Trek fan series, building Captain Hardinger's arc from villain to hero, voice acting and cold reads, the hero's journey, and a deep philosophical exchange on faith, language, an...

Author Randee Dawn on Overwriting and Building Worlds! Author Randee Dawn (We Interrupt This Program, Tune in Tomorrow) joins Thomas J. Bellezza on The Write Mindset to talk about her path from music and TV journalism into contemporary fantasy, the magical Tunaverse, why a chapter is an event with its own arc, the cost of overwriting, and what screenplays taught her about word budgets. ▶ RANDEE DA...

Crime vs Thriller: This 20-Book Author Knows the Difference! With Author Danielle Girard! Danielle Girard has written 20 books, 16 police procedurals, and her latest thriller, Pinky Swear. We discuss the real difference between crime and thriller genres, discovering character voice through writing, placing clues that feel earned, and how she used fiction to process betrayal and rebuild trust after...

From Bedtime Stories to Published Sci-Fi with Author Jason Randall Spriggs interview! Join me for a conversation with Randall, author of Star Skimmer, about writing science fiction that balances imagination with realistic science. We discuss his process of turning bedtime stories into published novels, building alien ecosystems inspired by Carl Sagan, creating pronounceable names, and the fine lin...

An interview with Jacqueline Pennewill, author of The Book of Eternity. Actress turned novelist Jacqueline joins The Write Mindset to talk about writing The Book of Eternity, her debut fantasy trilogy born from grief and a hospital room promise to her mother. We explore how acting shapes character work, why behavior matters more than dialogue, finding trusted readers, and the business parallels be...

Writing Culture, History, and Lost Worlds: A Conversation With Deepa Anappara. Thomas J. Bellezza sits down with author Deepa Anappara to explore writing culture, researching history, and how her novel The Last of Earth weaves map making and lost history together. A must-watch for writers drawn to culturally rich, research-driven storytelling. ▶ Deepa Anappara Books: https://amzn.to/40QczTp ▶ The...

Be Willing To Write Poorly: Author Faulkner Hunt on the Journey to Fiction: Screenwriter turned novelist Faulkner Hunt joins Thomas J. Bellezza to talk about outlining, overexplaining, trusting readers to discover the story, and why great writing is rewriting. This is an honest conversation about the real craft journey that every fiction writer needs to hear. ▶ Faulkner Hunt's Books: https://amzn....

Do Writers Have to Read? A Conversation With Poet Jeff Rimland: Do you have to read to be a great writer? Thomas J. Bellezza sits down with published poet Jeff Rimland for an honest conversation about reading as a writer and a deep dive into the craft of poetry, essential listening for any serious writer. ▶ Jeff Rimland's Books: https://amzn.to/46mrqrU

Author Interview: Stefanie Nici on Likable Characters, Voice, And More... Join me for a conversation with author Stefanie Nici about the unique depth writers bring to dialogue, the power of writing from personal interest, and the craft of creating likable characters. We explore how mentors shaped our approaches, why writing what fascinates you connects with readers, and the difference between ever...

I had the pleasure of spending time with one of my childhood heroes, Edo van Belkom, the author of Lord Soth Dragonlance and Death Drives A Semi. Learning about his journey as an author, insight on writing, and the ins and outs of the publishing industry. Edo van Belkom's Books: https://amzn.to/4t2kXMk ▶ The 27 Plot Point Outline: When Plot meets Story https://amzn.to/4r2H1EO ▶ The Foundation For...

Join Thomas J. Bellezza in conversation with bestselling author J.D. Barker (Dracul, The Fourth Monkey, Something I Keep Upstairs) about his writing process, collaborating with James Patterson, hybrid publishing strategies, and how autism profoundly influenced his creative work. Discover practical advice on author branding, coauthoring, and decades of experience building a successful writing caree...

Kitchen Witch Cookbook Author on Writing Nonfiction and Cooking With Intention. Join Thomas J. Bellezza in conversation with published author Dawn Aurora Hunt about writing cookbooks, the differences between nonfiction and fiction writing, and how food influences personal energy. Discover what it takes to become a published cookbook author, cooking with intention as a kitchen witch, and the unique...

Wendy Dale on Dodging Bombs, Guerrilla Soldiers, and Writing Memoirs. In this unforgettable interview, author Wendy Dale joins Thomas J. Bellezza on The Write Mindset to share her incredible journey: from traveling the world and dodging bombs and bullets to partying with guerrilla soldiers and eventually becoming a celebrated memoirist. We dive into her latest release, The Memoir Engineering Syste...

How It Feels to Be a New Author with J.K. Lambo. In this special episode of The Write Mindset, I sit down with J.K. Lambo, a debut author on the rise, to talk about her journey writing her new novel and stepping into the world of authorship. We dive into her creative process, the story she's working on, and what it’s like to navigate the publishing path for the first time. I'm honored to be the on...

Should Authors Be Judged by Their Stories? In this thought-provoking conversation, author Eloise Bahr joins Thomas J. Bellezza to explore a complex question: Is what you write a reflection of who you are? Together, they unpack the debate around whether authors should be judged by the themes they explore, especially controversial ones like slavery, murder, or violence. Is a writer responsible for t...

Succeeding On Your Own Terms: Author Dr. Sheena Howard wrote fiction, non-fiction, film, comics, and graphic novels | Howard University Alum | Eisner Award winner | Featured in Emmy-nominated episode of State of the Arts | Appearances on BCC, ABC, PBS, and more | All types of stories deserve to be told, and I'm here to tell them | Growth happens when you listen to the stories that make you uncomfo...