Writer Craft Podcast

How to fit in All the Things in a pandemic. Plus, best tips for entrepreneurs that have little time. Learn more about Sarina at sarinadorie.com.  

After my personal and professional update, we launch into an interview with author and advocate, Kim Johnson. Find out more about her and her book at kcjohnsonwrites.com. We talk success, fitting it all in, and the patience it takes to follow your dreams.

I have a lot of goals. But I need systems like this CEO Control Journal to keep me in the game.

I want to tell you about a book I read. It was so fabulous, I think I might just have to read it again. Better Than Before: Mastering the habits of our everyday lives by Gretchen Rubin   This book didn't say "Just do this and your set." It didn't even say, "Here's one way and see if it works for you." And it didn't just say, "Everyone's different, do your best, here are some principles." It said,...

Sometimes you just need to take a step back.

I was just playing around with Overdub and created a voice double of myself. I'll use it for editing audio on my podcast files. Have a listen! The future is grand!

For me, a monthly review is super important to do every month, for personal health and for business health. So that I can make sure that I'm on track, to make sure that I can pivot if I need to. And to remind me of the things that are important. 

A step-by-step accounting of how I create an action plan for a coaching client.

Every entrepreneur needs to be able to pivot these days. Things change fast in this world, including the business world, and if you want a sustainable business model that will ride the waves--even global pandemic waves--you'll need to quickly change course to stay afloat.   http://valerieihsan.com

  Hello Indie Authors! I'm Valerie Ihsan, and Episode 33 of the podcast and it's April 17, 2020 as I record this. Main Topic: Healthy Grieving When Things Aren't Great But first the personal update segment:   INSTEAD of the hard launch of Focus and Finish ( valerieihsan.com/focus ), I've opened up my schedule to individual coaching sessions to support authors through this weird and unsettling time...

Hello Indie Authors! I'm Valerie Ihsan, and Episode 32 of the podcast and it's April 8, 2020 as I record this. Main Topic: Myths About Productivity But first the personal update segment:   My planned launch for FOCUS and FINISH this month has been largely post-poned.   Meaning, it's live and available but I'm not doing an advertised hard launch. I just think right now people's heads are elsewhere,...

  Hello Indie Authors! I'm Valerie Ihsan, and Episode 31 of the podcast and it's Feb 5, 2020 as I record this. Main Topic: Focus and Productivity without Burnout (Not my round-up of the 20BKs Vegas conference) But first the personal update segment:   This podcast is sponsored by my patrons at Patreon.com/valerieihsan . Their support pays for the hosting of this podcast, BUT because of my Audacity/...

An email question came in: "I just published my first book. How do I promote it?" All marketing plans will be different based on your plans for the book, your career, and your personality, and--to some degree--your budget. 1) First, you'll need to decide what your plan is for this book and for any future books you plan to write. And you'll need to define TO YOU what success would look like for thi...

erickmertzauthor.com erickmertzwriting.com Portland-based author Erick Mertz talks about his upcoming talk, Monsters Are Needy, and his new fiction series, Strange Air.

No intro or outro today, as my newest iOS won't play with Audacity. I need to learn a new software for making podcasts! (Gasp!) The main topic is all about Oh Shit lists and why they work.     Hello Indie Authors! I'm Valerie Ihsan, and This is Season Two, Episode 28 of the podcast and it's 10/16/2019 as I record this. Main Topic: Action Steps But first the personal update segment: New job (more p...

Valerie goes over five tips to getting back on track when you've fallen off of it.   Show Notes:  Hello Indie Authors! I'm Valerie Ihsan, and This is Season Two, Episode 27 of the podcast and it's 9/28/2019 as I record this. Main Topic: How to Get Back on Track (hint: it's not beating yourself up) But first the personal update segment: • Passion Planner rep (affiliate, but different). 10% new cust...

Valerie interviews author Jessica Cagle-Faber and they talk about rejection and Writing by the Numbers.

Author Valerie Ihsan gives tips on filling the creative well.

Hello Indie Authors! I'm Valerie Ihsan, and This is Season Two, Episode 24 of the podcast and it's 9/11/2019 as I record this. Main Topic: monthly reflection But first the personal update segment: Passion Planner rep (affiliate, but different). 10% new customers. http://rwrd .io/ox4t691 If you want to talk to me for a 30-minute interview and tell me what your challenges are and what you think can...

How do you deal with the fear of judgment as a writer? Show Notes: Hello Indie Authors! I'm Valerie Ihsan, and this is Season Two, Episode 23 of the podcast and it's 9/3/2019 as I record this. Main Topic: Fear of Judgement  But first the personal update segment: • Course work for Sweet Spot Strategy. It's all about sweetening the deal and settling on my pricing for this particular signature servic...

Valerie interviews Cai Emmons about her new book, her writing process, and her brain hack tip for more productive writing. Cai will be giving a talk on The Evolution of a Novel at Tsunami Books on WEDNESDAY, September 4, 2019, at 7:00 p.m. Suggested donation: $5-10 (for non-Willamette Writers members; members are free) CaiEmmons.com CaiEmmonsAuthor.com

Procrastination and Writer's Block might just be the same thing around here. What about you? Show Notes: Hello Indie Authors! I'm Valerie Ihsan, and This is Season Two, Episode 21 of the podcast and it's 8/21/2019 as I record this. Main Topic: Procrastination/Writer's Block But first the personal update segment: • Course work for Sweet Spot Strategy. I finished writing my Origin Story and I'm work...

The definition of perfectionism, how it shows up in a writer's life, and what to do about it.   Show Notes:   Hello Indie Authors! I'm Valerie Ihsan, and This is Season Two, Episode 20 of the podcast and it's 8/14/2019 as I record this. Perfectionism But first the personal update segment: Course work for Sweet Spot Strategy; contact me via email valerie@ValerieIhsanAuthor.com to meet with me (virt...

Valerie goes over some of her highlights from the conference this year.

What's the difference and does one work better than the other?   Show Notes:   Hello Indie Authors! This is Episode 18, Season Two, and it's 7/24//2019 as I record this. Goal-setting vs Time Blocking   But first the personal update segment: Course work for Sweet Spot Strategy; contact me via email valerie@ValerieIhsanAuthor.com to meet with me (virtually or locally) for a four-question interview....