The WritersWeekly Podcast

THEY VIOLATED THE FIRST AMENDMENT! That’s what we’re hearing about the suspension of the Jimmy Kimmel Live show from ABC’s lineup.  Did they, in fact, violate the 1st Amendment?  Who exactly are “they?”  CAN “they” violate the 1st Amendment?  Is our “democracy” in peril if we can’t watch Kimmel on ABC?  What does the 1st Amendment actually say?  What does the 1st Amendment actually protect?  Wheth...

Amazon KDP. Do you, like many other authors, believe that, for the best chance at sales, you need to use Amazon's KDP book publishing program? That's NOT true at all but there's something else you probably don't know.  Have you read the fine print before clicking “I Agree?” Did you know that Amazon can shut down your account for anything they deem a “violation” of their policie...

She spoke to them on the phone. They sounded like publishing experts! They knew all the lingo! But, one year and $20,000 later, she discovered that they had been stringing her along, and scamming money out of her. Jennifer Westecott decided to let Brilliant Books Literary (AKA "Leap Write Literary") publish her book, Heartbreak Falls, after talking with their "representative" o...

Today, more than ever before, society is dependent on a fragile electrical grid, a vulnerable supply chain, and a delicate medical system to survive. All of these critical systems are plugged into the Internet, which has proven to be crawling with malevolent actors, constantly looking to disrupt civil societies and their ability to function. We’ve already seen how our systems fail when confronted...

*What disappointing truths shock authors today when they land a traditional publishing contract? Things aren't like they used to be!    *What does the term "self-publishing" REALLY mean today? (There is lots of confusion online!)  *What exactly is "hybrid publishing" and how have foreign scammers hijacked the term?    In this episode, we delve into the details, and discuss...

Did you know that there is a whole generation of people who simply will not read books? But, they do LISTEN to books! Audio storytelling is a booming medium! Tens of thousands of people listen to audiobooks and podcasts while driving, working, exercising, cooking, and even just relaxing. For years now, converting a print book to an audiobook required either thousands of dollars to hire a professio...

Why do Chris Emery’s books sell so well? Because, he is not only warm and friendly to everyone, but he’s also HILARIOUS! If you want to crack up, don’t miss this episode! Here are a few teasers: - Chris Emery served under three presidential administrations, and was the only White House Usher to get fired in the 20th Century. Find out which first lady fired him, and why! And, find out how that firs...

Think your family members will play nice once you kick the bucket? THINK AGAIN!  TRUE STORY: A BookLocker author who earned more than $200K in royalties died. Extended family members then took his widow to court. More about that story is under this podcast episode on https://WritersWeekly.com/podcast.  TRUE STORY: One author’s relatives went to court, and spent thousands, not even knowing the palt...

In this episode, Professional Editor and Book Marketer Clayton Jones joins Angela and Brian to discuss what authors need to know when vetting and hiring a professional editor for their book. What are the different types of editing? How does the editing process work? How long does it take? How do you know if your editor even speaks English as a native language? (Yes, there are ways foreign scammers...

In this episode, Angela and Brian review emails they have received from authors who lost anywhere from thousands, to tens of thousands of dollars, after signing up with what they thought were legitimate online publishing companies. Unfortunately for many of them, when they realized that these entities were not what they claimed to be, it was too late and the money was gone.  Don’t be one of the th...

This week, Angela and Brian interview the author of SEVEN books, two of which have received literary awards. Thomas Berry is a history enthusiast and has used this interest to craft a combination of Historical Fiction and Biographical stories that immerse the reader in some of humanity's greatest struggles. Did you know that Meriwether Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark expedition was found dead a...

Back from a bout of COVID, Angela and Brian sit down to tackle legal questions from our listeners and readers with the help of James Walsh, Esq. James is an attorney in Pennsylvania with a background in criminal and contract law. He has also been instrumental in helping Angela track down and identify over 1500 online scammers who target the writing/publishing industry. In this episode, we discuss...

In this episode, Angela and Brian discuss book marketing with author Gary Sturgis, who is BookLocker's #1 best-selling author. In 2014, Gary suffered a devastating loss that shook his world. After years of working his way to his "new normal" Gary wanted to help others find their way out of the dark pit that the death of a loved one can often leave us in. He wrote his first book Surv...

In our 10th episode, Angela Hoy tells us the interesting circumstances that led to the creation of WritersWeekly.com, how she later created a successful book publishing business, and about the oftentimes stressful (but sometimes funny) personal and professional struggles she had along the way.  We learn how WritersWeekly.com went from being almost a side hobby to make a little extra money, to a me...

In this episode, Angela and Brian go over general points of advice on how to win short story contests, with a narrower focus on best methods to win the WritersWeekly 24 Hour Short Story Contest. First, in the "News From the Home Office" segment, listen to a run-in Brian had during a fishing trip. What would you do? Then, Angela and Brian explain how best to plan your short story for a wr...

Have you ever wondered what goes into getting a book published? Do you have a manuscript that you're holding onto because you're afraid of not knowing what to expect? How can you make sure someone won't take advantage of you? How long should the process take? In this episode, Angela and Brian go through the book publishing process from start to finish. From submitting your manuscrip...

In this episode, Angela and Brian cannonball back into the cesspool of online scammers who target authors and writers. Joining them is James M. Walsh, Esq. James is an attorney from Pennsylvania, and has been assisting in the research to uncover how foreign criminals are scheming to steal your money. He also has an interesting story of his own. We expose just how bold and brazen these thieves are,...

In this episode, we have a special guest. Clayton Jones is a professional writer, editor, ghostwriter, and a college professor who teaches English and writing at the University of Tennessee.  He will be joining us to explore the role of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in the writing world. IS there a role for AI in professional writing? How are people currently using it? What are the ethical and unet...

Angela and Brian explore the potential liabilities and pitfalls of publishing "tell-all" memoirs.  Many people want to publish accounts of their lives, recounting experiences that negatively affected their lives, and exposing people who "wronged" them. Unfortunately, such declarations have opened many an author up to civil litigation, initiated by the very people they criticize...

Query Letters and Book Proposals are very important tools for those who want to earn money from their writing. If you aren't landing as many contracts and book deals as you'd like, it may be because your "pitching" isn't as polished as it could be.  Angela and Brian lay out how query letters and book proposals work, explain what publishers and editors are looking for, and...

In this episode, Angela and Brian do a deep dive into the non-profit organization known as "NaNoWriMo" (National Novel Writing Month), and their recent announcement that they would be shutting down.  Did financial mismanagement bring about their demise? Or was it a failure to address alleged accusations that a child groomer was on their forum? Could it have been their stance on AI being...

In this second part to our scam episode, Angela and Brian discuss steps the WritersWeekly team have been taking to combat the prolific rise in international publishing scams, and specific steps YOU can take to make sure that a 'publishing company' you may be looking into isn't a scam operation.  Also, something odd happened during the recording of this episode. Listen carefully arou...

In our first episode, Angela and Brian tackle the astronomical rise in scams that target writers and authors. These criminals from outside the US are using professional looking websites, social media, and direct messaging to lure people in with the promise of writing related services at bargain-basement prices. But look out! Once they have your money, you're not getting it back - or any of th...