The Writing at the Red House Podcast

In the last episode, Kathi sat down with Michele Cushatt to discuss the first step of how to take a break from your platform. Now, in Part 2, they are continuing their conversation to reveal the next four steps that Michele learned during her own platform break. These steps include: Establishing a timeline that makes sense for your why. Doing a brain dump of all your tasks and projects. Prioritizi...

Life can throw us curve balls, and if we are not careful, our platform can take over our life. In this episode, Kathi is sitting down with her friend and fellow author Michele Cushatt to discuss when taking a platform break is needed and steps to take that break. Michele shares her first book launch experience, which occurred while she was battling cancer. She was led to write more books following...

Have you been experiencing a crisis of confidence? If so, then this is the episode for you. Kathi is sitting down with her friend and fellow author Michele Cushatt to discuss how to regain your confidence after hitting a low point with your writing.  Listen in and learn three ways to get your confidence back: Acknowledge and normalize what is happening. Take stock of how you speak and how you thin...

Speaking events may be down, but there is a way to get bookings. Are you looking to connect with event planners this year? Then this episode is for you! Join Kathi as she talks to speaker Amberly Neese about different types of speaking events you can be part of or make happen. Listen in and learn the four types of events that could get you noticed: • One Offs • Retreats • Tours • Self-Produced Eve...

Kathi is back with agent and editor Kathleen Kerr to continue their conversation about how to take your writing to the next level in 2023. In the last episode, Kathleen shared her first two tips for preparing to work with an agent, editor, or publisher, which included starting conversations as well as clarifying your hook and message. Now, she is sharing her last two tips and explaining why they a...

In this episode, Kathi welcomes agent and editor Kathleen Kerr as the first of several rotating co-hosts on the Writing at the Red House podcast! Together, they share ideas to help you take your writing to the next level in 2023.  Kathi wants to know what agents and editors are looking for and how authors can move toward those goals. Here are some of Kathleen’s answers: Focus on social media engag...

Are you looking to build your writing business in 2023? Today Kathi is discussing this question with her friend, author and agent Debbie Alsdorf. They share not only a little bit about the business side of the publishing industry but also their tips for making yourself more marketable and ready for an agent. Listen in and learn their four tips, which include: Test your mission and your message. Co...

Kathi is back with Amberly Neese to continue their discussion about the four important points to keep in mind when starting or refreshing your speaking career. Last week, they covered the first two points: Getting clear on your topic and your audience’s needs. Now, it’s time to learn the final two points, which focus not only on your audience but also on your event organizer. Listen in and learn h...

Are you looking to start or refresh your speaking career? Then this episode is for you! Join Kathi as she talks to Amberly Neese about some important points that can help you stay focused and avoid unnecessary heartache. Listen in and learn the first two points: Get clear on your topic. Get clear on your audience’s needs. If you join  The Red House Writers Collective  by January 6, 2023, you can g...

Kathi is back to share the second half of a workshop from her Leverage speakers’ conference. In this episode, she is joined by Kristie Christie to focus on the fourth and final communication style: motivating. Listen in and learn: Why motivation is a good way to end a talk. What you should remember about motivating people. Some final tips for discovering your communication style. Want to write dow...

As speakers, many of us start out by imitating others. Then we wonder, “Why doesn’t this work for me?” Today Kathi shares the first half of a workshop from her Leverage speaker conference. She is joined by her husband, Roger, and author Michele Cushatt. They discuss the first three of four communication styles: Entertaining: Driving a point home in a memorable way using humor. Educating: Bringing...

Have you ever struggled with ADHD and creativity? Join Kathi as she discusses how ADHD can impact both characters and creatives with her fellow author Suzanne Woods Fisher. Listen in and learn: How ADHD can present itself in characters and creatives. Some simple tips for limiting distractions. Why it’s so important to say no sometimes. Living with ADHD can be challenging. However, as Suzanne says,...

Have you ever panicked about meeting a writing deadline? Today Kathi chats with author and recovering “panicker” Mary Carver about how to cope with a looming deadline. Listen in as Kathi and Mary answer our cries for help with these great ideas: Understand where your pride may be tripping you up. Make your writing more collaborative. Break large projects into small, manageable goals. Get rid of di...

Do you have a hard story that you feel led to write? Join Kathi as she talks with Becky Keife, the community and editorial manager for (in)courage, about how to write those hard and tender stories. Listen in and learn: The different types of hard stories. How to approach each type of hard story. Why it’s so important to be both honest and respectful while writing hard stories. Hard stories can be...

Do you want to make sure that your audience remembers you and your message long after the event is over? Today, speaker coach Mary Snyder joins Kathi for the second part of their discussion on how to motivate your audience to move. These two successful speakers can help you improve your effectiveness with these tips: Know the specific problem you want to solve. What to do if you feel like your per...

Do you want to learn how to move your people to action? In this episode Kathi is chatting with speaker coach Mary Snyder about how to motivate your audience.  That may mean encouraging people to join a movement, take part in a project, make a donation to a worthy cause, or buy a book.  Mary shares tips that will help you craft a powerful message, including: How to avoid guilt, fear, and shame as m...

Do you ever worry about whether your website is full of mistakes? Today, Kathi is back with her web designer, Angela Sue Garvey, to reveal the final five mistakes that too many people are making on their websites.  Angela discusses each of the following pitfalls and advises us how to avoid them: Poor navigation and lack of search engine optimization. The dreaded broken links. Dates on blog posts....

Kathi says the rules of making a website have changed a lot since she created her first website many years ago. Today she talks with author and web designer Angela Sue Garvey about ways authors and communicators can improve their website. Angela advises us to avoid these five common mistakes: Poor use of the website landing page. Filling your page with lots of writing. Omitting a picture of yourse...

Have you ever wondered if people are born funny or if some people can never be funny? In this “Best Of…” episode, Kathi talks with Jason Earls, a professional comedian, about how to bring the funny when we are communicating our message.  Listen in and learn how to discover the authentic funny within you by understanding: The triangle theory How to show you are relatable What a bloodhound has to do...

Kathi continues her conversation with event planner and speaker coach Mary Snyder about what to include in your speaker one sheet. Listen in and learn from their hard-won wisdom (and avoid the mistakes they each made). Kathi and Mary will walk you through: Creating a blurb about your topic that catches the reader’s attention. How to get endorsements that will get you future bookings. The key items...

Have you heard of a speaker one sheet but have no idea how to make one? Even if you have no idea what a speaker one sheet is, this episode is for you. Today, Kathi Lipp is joined by fellow podcaster and speaker, Mary Snyder, to help you create your very own speaker one sheet. Listen in and learn: What a speaker one sheet is. The purpose of a speaker one sheet. What you do and don’t want on your sp...

In Writing at the Red House, we talk about social media and platform building in terms of service. How do you serve your audience? Is content creation a chore for you, or are you passionate about your topic and your people? Today Kathi and Red House director Lori Young help us think through creating the habit of serving our audience. They also discuss the arrival of Jack Jack the Rooster to the Re...

Have you ever struggled to make writing a habit? Today, Kathi Lipp is talking with Lori Young, the director of Writing at the Red House, to unpack how they write and what they’ve learned over their individual writing journeys. Listen in and learn: The three crucial steps in Kathi’s writing process. How you can make space for a writing habit. Why joining The Collective will benefit your creativity....

Do you have a lot of stress about building a business around your writing? When you think about building your business, what does that look like to you? Today Kathi is talking with Enneagram coach and Writing at the Red House leader, Lori Young, about building a writing habit. Listen in and learn: • The difference between taking the “writer route” and the “expert route” as a communicator. • Thinki...