The Write Note

In this episode we examine the long-lost art of writing advertising jingles and recognize the copywriters and creative directors who crafted the most memorable songs from commercial advertising’s golden era. Along the way, we revisit classic commercial tunes. Episode highlights: 01:20    From song to sonic tagline 03:38    A jingle that went to Billboard’s No. 2 06:14...

In this episode J Ryan and Keira discuss the importance of creating an engaging premise when crafting a story and share their Top-3 list of story examples having an awesome premise. Episode highlights: 01:25         What if? 02:53        The components of a great premise 04:50      &n...

This episode is a horse of a different color as J Ryan and Keira take a deep dive into idioms. Join their exploration of how these beloved expressions of speech have permeated our culture and day to day lives and learn the amazing history and origin of some of their favorites. Episode highlights: 01:55 What is an idiom? 03:50 Our verbal culture (Tribal Knowledge) 05:35 Character is King: Idiom Edi...

In this episode, J Ryan and Keira welcome romance & fantasy author Kara Douglas to discuss the tropes of love, unraveling fate, and making magic. Kara also shares her key to social media book promotion and how she gets advanced copies of her books into readers hands. Episode highlights: 01:20               Blending Genres 03...

In this episode, J Ryan and Keira welcome USA Today bestselling thriller and suspense author Luana Ehrlich to discuss the secret of being a prolific writer, the challenge of juggling multiple series characters, and the art of intertwining faith with thrills and chills. Episode highlights: 01:15               What makes a prolifi...

 In this second installment of the Lyrically Speaking series, J Ryan and Keira shine a festive light on classic Christmas songs and explore the lyrics that make the holidays bright. Along the way, they share not-so-well-known stories behind these beloved tunes and reveal a 400-year-old mystery surrounding one cherished Christmas carol. Episode highlights: 02:14      ...

In this episode, J Ryan and Keira take a deep dive into Pixar Studio's 22 Rules of Storytelling, examining each rule and sharing examples of how they are executed in popular films and in their own writing projects. They also unveil Pixar's unique corporate creative process, "The Pixar Braintrust," and discuss how it came to be. Episode highlights: 03:33       &nb...

In this episode, J Ryan and Keira welcome author Dony Jay to discuss writing action-packed spy thrillers from a Chistian perspective. Dony also shares his insights into police procedurals, and how his 20-year career as a police investigator has prepared him to write his new crime thriller series. Episode highlights: 01:52            &nbsp...

In this episode, J Ryan and Keira welcome thriller author Jack Arbor to discuss his action & espionage series The Russian Assassin , the weight of Cold War history, and the challenge of crafting a lovable anti-hero. The conversation also delves into the business side of independent publication and the benefits of cultivating an extensive Beta Reader network. Episode highlights: 02:58 &nbs...

In this episode, hosts J Ryan and Keira dive into the world of music to discuss how the structure and conventions of the modern pop song provides fertile ground for excellent writing, and they share their favorite examples of stellar lyrics from songs over the past 70 years. Episode highlights: 02:41                 &n...

In this episode contemporary romance novelist Kristy Lynae Moore joins J Ryan and Keira to talk about travel adventures, life on a ranch, and a fascination for a particular Kingsman. Kristy also discusses how she discovered and fell in love with the art of typography, and shares her biggest challenge with independent publishing. Episode highlights: 01:25        &...

In this episode YA novelist Nicole Adair joins J Ryan and Keira to talk about the twists and turns of teenage angst, the work of writing, and the unifying power of Taylor Swift. Nicole also discusses the purpose and importance of her social media posts, and the awesome yet terrifying world of independent publishing. Episode highlights: 01:20          &n...

Hosts J Ryan and Keira discuss the importance of building confidence in your writing, and how to go about doing it. Confidence is nurtured through hard work and experience, but it can come from other surprising places as well. Episode highlights: 01:45                   Character is King   &nbs...

In this episode hosts J Ryan and Keira take you inside the Writing Workshop of San Francisco. Having participated in this year’s event, Keira provides a debrief and exploration of the 2-day workshop, including session offerings, an overview of the literary professionals in attendance, and a detailed look at the book pitch process. Along the way she shares an exciting bit of news as well. Episode h...

In this episode romance novelist Bitsy Yates joins J Ryan and Keira to talk about how the Massachusetts landscape and a mandated quarantine inspired her to write her debut novel Unapologetically Yours. Along the way, they discuss the power of social media, writing while being a mom, hybrid publishing, and the challenges and opportunities of writing a romance story in the midst of a global pandemic...

Hosts J Ryan and Keira have a fun discussion about lines from movies that are so well written and executed they become ingrained in popular consciousness, regardless of if you've seen the movie or not. And they explore how these lines provide a lesson to authors in how to write dialogue for their own characters. Episode highlights: 01:17           ...

Write Note hosts J Ryan Fenzel and Keira F Jacobs introduce themselves, give a little bit of their background stories, and discuss why they decided to start a writing podcast focused on independent authors. Episode highlights: 00:39        Why we’re doing a podcast          03:55      &nbs...

Hosts J Ryan and Keira discuss how injecting non-standard character struggles, traits, and relationships into a genre novel can strengthen the story. And they delve into the questions an author must consider before going independent. Episode highlights: 02:47                 What is a Whim?    &nbsp...

The Write Note is a podcast for independent authors by independent authors. Topic-of-the-month episodes focus on key elements of creative writing and storytelling. Interview episodes delve into the writing life with indie authors or explore the path to book production with industry professionals. The Write Note is hosted by 20-year indie author J Ryan Fenzel and his daughter, Keira F Jacobs, a new...