thewritingcoach's podcast

National Novel Writing  Month (NaNoWriMo) is an annual event where writers attempt to draft a 50,000-word manuscript in the month of November. The event has  helped tens of thousands of writers with their writing. That said, NaNoWriMo is not without its problems. In this episode  of  The Writing Coach  podcast, host Kevin T. Johns outlines what you need to know before committing to participating i...

In this episode of The Writing Coach  podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns speaks with his client, award-winning romance author Anne Kane. Anne lives in the beautiful Okanagan Valley. She's always been fascinated by science fiction and fantasy, so she lets her imagination take over when she writes. The one thing the reader can always count on is that the main characters will live happily ever aft...

In this episode of  The Writing Coach  podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns responds to a challenge issued by author  Daniel Pease . Pease challenged Kevin to watch  a drum performance by El Estepario Siberiano  and develop training advice for writers based on what he sees. So that's exactly what he did! Kevin identifies 8 key things writers can learn from watching Siberiano's video. Listen to th...

In this episode of  The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns continues his examination of the Scene Alchemy Essentials Checklist  tool and discusses the importance of: The four internal and four external literary elements Avoiding infodumps Ensuring your protagonist struggles to achieve their goals And why, even when your character achieves their scene goal, something else should go...

In this episode of  The Writing Coach  podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns continues his review of the  Scene Alchemy Essentials Checklist  tool and discusses the importance of: Dialogue Sense Descriptions Theme Pushing drama, emotion, and tension to the max Coming into scenes late and leaving them early Listen to the episode now!

In this episode of  The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns continues his review of the Scene Alchemy Essentials Checklist tool and discusses the importance of: Scene Goals Proper Tense Scene Structure Decision Points Polarity Shifts Progressive Complications Openings and Closings Pacing Listen to the episode now!

In this episode of  The Writing Coach  podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns introduces his new scene Alchemy Essentials Checklist tool and discusses the importance of: Scene length Point of View Stakes Intern and External Conflict Causality Setting Listen now!

In this episode of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns shares three experiences that changed the way he thought about the invisible art of teaching. Listen to the episode now!

In this episode of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns explains the excitement art can provide and the joy literature can bring to a reader's life. Listen now!

In this episode of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns discusses the habit writers have of wanting to jump to a new project and provides advice about when is the right time to do it.  Listen now!

In this episode of The Writing Coach Podcast , writing coach Kevin T. Johns shares his thoughts on four quotes related to writing from futurist, author, and founder of Wired magazine, Kevin Kelly. Listen now!

In this episode of The Writing Coach Podcast , writing coach Kevin T. Johns outlines half-a-dozen common mistakes he sees in the manuscripts of aspiring authors. The mistakes are so common, in fact, that he made every single one of them himself while drafting his first novel. Listen now!

In this episode of The Writing Coach Podcast , writing coach Kevin T. Johns discusses the "literary elements" he considers the building blocks of any scene. He covers the four external literary elements and the four internal literary elements, and then asks whether a ninth should be included. Listen now!

In this episode of The Writing Coach Podcast , writing coach Kevin T. Johns explains why no writer gets it right on the first try and how writing is always iterative. He also explores the joys and benefits of the revision process. Listen now!

In this episode of The Writing Coach Podcast , writing coach Kevin T. Johns discusses Star Wars , punk rock, and how writers should consider desperation as a preferable alternative to perfection. Listen now!

In this episode of  The Writing Coach Podcast , writing coach Kevin T. Johns says goodbye to The Story Grid Podcast , which published its final episode last week. Kevin discusses the importance of the podcast, and his admiration for its hosts Shawn Coyne and Tim Grahl, and explains how their podcast was a profound act of generosity for both writing coaches and students of writer's craft. Listen no...

Writing coach Kevin T. Johns explains how To Do lists, checklists, standard operating procedures, and calendars can help writers and artists get organized, stay motivated, track progress, prioritize, and achieve a flow state easier.  Listen now!

In episode 159 of The Writing Coach podcast, I explore Aristotle's "Doctrine of the Mean," and how it can help us understand why both living a virtuous life and writing a fantastic book are so difficult to achieve. Listen now!

In episode 158 of The Writing Coach podcast, I explore the powerful role that change plays in storytelling. Change impacts the characters and the world of your story but also the reader themselves. You'll learn about the transformative nature of storytelling and the undeniably powerful writer's craft tool that change can be for an author. Listen to the episode or read the transcript now!

Writing a book is a long-term project with lots of ups and downs along the way. While almost every writer begins work on their book brimming with enthusiasm for the project, the initial excitement inevitably fades over time. In episode 157 of  The Writing Coach  podcast, I explore what to do at that critical moment in the creative process when your initial enthusiasm for a project begins to fade....

One of my favourite bands, Rancid, recently announced their forthcoming album will be titled Tomorrow Never Comes. The title and the song it shares its name with got me thinking about time. In episode 156 of The Writing Coach podcast, I explore time -- how we use it, how to reclaim it, and when the "right" time is to take on a project like writing a book.

On Monday, April 24, 2023, I'm hosting a webinar called First Draft Secrets: How to Write a Fun and Focused First Draft, and it got me thinking about my first book and the role protocols played in helping me get it finished and published. Writing and publishing a book sure isn't easy, which is why learning from those who have already achieved what we want to accomplish is so important. In episode...

In episode 154 of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns tackles a hot topic in the world of writing these days: artificial intelligence (AI). Will AI writing soon replace human writing, and should writers be fearful for the future of their livelihood? Find out in this episode.

In episode 153 of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns discusses how in creating their art, writers can often stir up memories, traumas, and deep emotions not just within the reader but also within themselves. Listen now!