Write Better Together

From brainstorming to revision, Emily shares how her writing process has changed over time and what worked for her when she wrote her most recent fantasy novel. WE RECOMMEND* Emily uses this Word Count Tracker and Agent Query Tracker , both available on her store. The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr. See all of Emily's favorite books on writing here ! All books are available in her bookshop....

Author/Entrepreneur Sandra Tayler shares her process for cultivating multiple communities, balancing several projects at once , optimizing crowdfunding efforts, choosing the appropriate live events, and a host of other related independent publishing issues. SANDRA'S LINKS Sandra Tayler's Website (plus pre-orders for her new book) Sandra's Patreon https://www.patreon.com/SandraTayler Sandra's colla...

We reflect on our takeaways from Writer Fest 2024 in Nashville! We were inspired by various presenters and friends, and today we talk about Aaron Covington, William Paul Young, Kiersten Modglin, Randa Newman, Korby Lenker, Mimi McCarley, and David L Hancock! LINKS The Arrangement by Kiersten Mogdlin - https://amzn.to/3Z3ddM2 All Kiersten Mogdlin books (all free with Kindle Unlimited - https://amzn...

Physicist and professor Dr. Matthew Huddleston share his research process for his new novel, Final Eclipse, which included on-site exploration, interviews, and study, as well as his own personal expertise. He also shares his unique layering approach to drafting. MATTHEW'S PROJECTS Final Eclipse Substack Youtube Channel EMILY'S INSIDE OUT 2 RESPONSE Read Part 1 of Emily's response to Inside Out 2 h...

We talked (again!) with the wonderful screenwriter Bob Sáenz about marketing yourself and your scripts. We talked about querying, festivals, contests, and other insights about joining the film industry. BOOKS BY BOB SÁENZ That's No The Way It Works: a no-nonsense look at the craft and business of screenwriting Jessica's Vampire Diary HEY JON MEYERS Do organic farmers use pesticides? Emily disagree...

Austin Francis practices pitching and tells us about his networking experiences. We also talk about the movie business and what it takes to be a screenwriter. Then, Emily talks about her ringneck doves, and Jon Meyers and Emily play an "Underconsumption Core" scavenger hunt. Check back next week for our episode with Bob Sáenz where we go even deeper into the business. Links A Conversation with Bob...

Are you a writer? Can you confidently say it? Last week, we were at the Southern Festival of Books and talked to many people who hesitated to say, "Yes, I'm a writer." We dig into why we hesitate—including our own perfectionism, confidence killers, burn-out, and more—and how we overcome them. We also learn about the origins of our perception of ghosts and play a silly game where Emily has to creat...

We talked with screenwriter David Hal Chester about how he creates characters using a questionnaire (see show notes for questionnaire download) Learn more about David Hal Chester with these links: davidhalchester.com David on IMDB "Goodbye My Best Friend-Lyric Video" "Cry the Big Tears" album on Spotify Echoes of Heartache and Hope Hey Jon Meyers Learn more about prison cats here! Call to Action W...

What is the difference between confidence and self-esteem, and how do they impact our creativity differently? How can we grow in confidence? We talk about all this and react to a beautiful song by Aimee Carty View full show notes and respond to our call to action at https://www.writebettertogether.com/shownotes

We talked with Fallon Bechtel about why she writes and reads fan fiction, and why it's a tool for authors to grow. You can find Fallon's work at https://archiveofourown.org/users/abrahamsdaughterraisedherbow/works Fallon can also be found at: Instagram: @itsmefallonb X: fallonsbechtel HEY JON MEYERS Today's fact came from a video by @tirthak.saha on Instagram CALL TO ACTION Choose a character you...

We talk with author and screenwriter Rene Gutteridge about the mental work of revision, from receiving feedback to editing with grace. We also talk about how to have a healthy author’s identity. Rene Gutteridge has been writing professionally for over twenty years, with diversified expertise in fiction, non-fiction, comedy sketches, novelizations and screenwriting. She is the multi-genre author of...

We talked with screenwriter Charlotte Winters about why we shouldn't quit our day jobs but embrace them instead. Charlotte reads from Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert to inspire us to not force our creativity to make us a living. By placing our creativity in it's proper place, we create with more freedom and joy. Charlotte is an award-winning screenwriter with an MFA fro...

We talk with cowriters Sophie Gardiner and Fiona Ross about how they WRITE BETTER TOGETHER! We also talk about confidence and the power of collaboration. Full Show Notes

We continue our conversation about indie artists with Dean Diehl! Dean Diehl shares why indie and amateur artists are essential for moving an art form forward, and why writers must have intrinsic motivations to create good work. Dr. Dean Diehl worked in the music industry for 35+ years, working with artists such as Jars of Clay, Casting Crowns, and Michael W. Smith. Most recently, he worked as Sen...

Dr. Dean Diehl worked in the music industry for 35+ years, working with artists such as Jars of Clay, Casting Crowns, and Michael W. Smith. Most recently, he worked as Senior Vice President of Strategy for Provident Entertainment, a division of Sony. He now exclusively teaches music business and entrepreneurship at Trevecca Nazarene University. He is also the author of Crawl Walk Run: Finding the...

We talked with Dr. Cindy Childress about outlining nonfiction and memoir, considering audience, dialoguing with the reader, and branding! Basically it was the hardest episode to title because we talked about so many different things!  "Dr. Cindy, The Expert’s Ghostwriter®, supports entrepreneurs to write books that make money and make an impact. Her clients achieve bestseller status, give TED...

We continue our conversation with Lucy V. Hay about mental health that we started in Episode 18! YOU RESPOND! Professor Thomas Maldonado What other forms of multi-modality do you use? Learn more here! Paperback: https://amzn.to/3WQtByu eBook: https://amzn.to/4cFH6qI Listener responses Our book, Write Anyway, is available! CONNECT WITH US Website: writebettertogether.com Email: writebettertogethern...

ABOUT Ami McConnell We talked with the wonderful Ami McConnell about collaborative writing! Ami calls herself a "book midwife" who helps authors birth the stories within them. She has worked on numerous projects, including The Ins-N-outs of In-N-out Burger with Lynsi Snyder; Me and Patsy Kicken up Dust with Loretta Lynn, and Kind is the New Classy with Candace Cameron Bure. Ami has also...

Author, songwriter, and music teacher Misty L. Butler went to the same conference as Emily Brooks, but in another state! We talk about what it was like to pitch to agents, what strategies we learned to pick out agents, and what we learned about agents, networking, and the publishing business. Misty also shares the process of co-writing the memoir of an elderly man, the power of music, and more! Mi...

Whether you’re a writer or not, you have probably been disappointed by something. If you are a writer, you’ve most definitely been disappointed (unless you’re Jon Meyers and have trained your brain to think positively at all times!). Today, we share how we deal with disappointment and offer some advice to help you make the most of it. But first we talk to Eeky, Emily’s imaginary friend she referre...

We talked with Paul Guay about his work on The Little Rascals (1994) film! This was a fun, insightful conversation about screenwriting, working in the business, and what new screenwriters should know. Paul Guay is the co-writer of The Little Rascals and worked on several other films, including Liar Liar (1997) starring Jim Carrey. Jon Meyers and Emily Brooks also talk about Jon Meyers's #stupi...

Hunter Little shares her doctoral research on the effects of centering a writing class on mental disability. We talk about building community, the opportunity for building relationships in a writing classroom, how students respond to discussions of mental health, and more! Meanwhile, Jon Meyers and Emily Brooks talk about octopuses and play a silly game from the Taskmaster TV show.

We talked with author/screenwriter Lucy V. Hay about mental health and overcoming the past. Find Lucy at Bang2Write.com where she shares invaluable tips and masterclasses on writing! On the Bookshelf: To purchase your own autographed copy of Jack Handey's MY FUNNY COWBOY DANCE go to: https://deepthoughtsbyjackhandey.com/... To read Jon Meyers interview with Jack Handey, go to jonmeyersscripts....

Welcome to Write Better Together, the interactive writing lifestyle podcast!

We welcomed back Brian Baker from our Wes Anderson/Montblanc episode to talk about adding conflict to your story! Brian Baker is a poet, YouTuber, freelance editor, and craftsmen. He reviews stationary on his Youtube Channel, Down the Breather Hole , and crafts his own stationary and mini books on his Etsy shop . If you're interested in working with Brian, check out his Fiverr profile. We all...