Writer Syndrome

When self-publishing there are many decisions to be made. The biggest is how you'll publish and distribute your novel. In this episode Russ & Tim chat about the pros and cons of publishing exclusively with Amazon or going WIDE and the choices they've made.

Looking to build hype before a book launch? One tool that can boost an initial launch is ARC (Advanced Review Copy) readers. In this episode, Russ and Tim explore the pros and cons of ARC Readers, why and how authors enlist them, and how they plan to use them (or not) for their upcoming book launches.

What does it take to stand out and be successful when publishing a novel? Spoilers: It's more than simply selling your novel. This episode Russ & Tim chat with Joe Mynhardt from Crystal Lake Publishing about publishing and finding your personal brand.

Are fourth walls made to be broken? Have you mastered the basics and are now ready to experiment with story structure? In this episode, Russ and Tim discuss metafiction and self-awareness, their meaning and characteristics, and how these tools can be used to create engaging narratives.

When is the best time to write? Whenever possible. At least that's what works for John Durgin. This episode, Russ and Tim dig into publishing, horror, and the prolific horror writing habits of John Durgin. John has published over five books in the last few years, with his next, I Woke Up A Final Girl, coming in June of 2026.

WHAM! BAM! ZAP! Interested in knowing what goes into writing a comic book? In this episode, Russ and Tim chat with comic book writer Joey Esposito. He's published stories for DC Comics, working on titles such as BATMAN: URBAN LEGENDS, AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM. He's currently working on the new POWER RANGERS UNLIMITED series from Boom Studios, which kicks off with a special free preview issue o...

Do you have a manuscript sitting in a drawer somewhere? Are you staring at a screen, unsure where to restart? Us too! Sometimes your manuscript will take a backseat to life, by choice or not, and finding your way back can be difficult. In this episode, Russ and Tim find ways to reconnect with projects that life has pushed aside, whether they wanted to or not.

Ever felt like someone was telling you one thing, but their tone was screaming another? Or maybe you’ve decoded a "fine" that definitely didn't mean things were okay? In life and fiction we're always finding meaning beyond intention. In this episode Russ and Tim read between the lines of another idiom and how it functions as a literary device.

A great story deserves a great layout. In this episode, Russ and Tim dig into the nuts and bolts of professional book formatting. Whether you’re prepping a manuscript for a traditional editor or self-publishing a masterpiece, the way your words sit on the page matters just as much as the words themselves.

Love it or hate it, networking is essential for building your writing community. In this episode, Russ and Tim explore why networking matters, share their personal anxieties, and remind people they’re not alone.

Short stories can open many doors for authors, and also be used as a tool to hone storytelling skills and craft. This episode Russ and Tim delve into the power of short stories and all the ways they can help along the author journey.

To have a great hero, you need a great villain. In this episode, Russ and Tim dig into what makes an effective antagonist. Whether they’re an equal, an opposite, or a force more powerful than the hero. They dig into why villains get a bad rap, why they deserve as much care as your protagonist, and how to sidestep the tired tropes that flatten them out. If you want your hero to grow, it starts with...

Tropes can be useful building blocks of storytelling. They're familiar patterns that help audiences quickly understand the parts of a story. In this episode, Russ and Tim explore why tropes aren’t inherently bad, how they support story structure, and what actually counts as a trope. From character types to plot beats. The key isn’t avoiding tropes, but using them in smart, fresh ways.

That's a wrap on 2025! In this episode, Russ and Tim close out the year with a book swap discussion of Annihilation (Jeff VanderMeer) and Parable of the Sower (Octavia E. Butler), exploring themes, writing styles, and why these haunting stories feel especially resonant today. Happy New Year!

A reflective journey about finding your way back to the page after doubt, distraction, or burnout. This episode Russ and Tim talk about what it means to rediscover the path of writing, how creativity drifts and returns, and why the act of writing itself can feel like coming home again.

Who wrote "Not Worth The Paper It's Written On?" Was it film producer Samuel Goldwyn or an Irish Politician who coined this famous idiom? In this episode, Russ and Tim delve into the past to uncover the origins of this well-known phrase and how it went "viral" in the late 1800s, becoming what it is today.

How factual should fiction be? What level of real-world detail is necessary for a story, its plot, and characters to feel authentic? In this episode, Russ and Tim explore the role of facts in fiction, reflect on their own manuscripts, and debate when facts enhance a story and when they get in the way of good storytelling.

Foreshadowing is another tool in the writer's toolkit that can enhance a reader's story experience. Early hints that can pay off later to build suspense, tension, and make that climax that much better. This episode, Russ and Tim get into what foreshadowing is, what it isn't, and how they used it in their stories. As a bonus, they work through what exactly Chekov's gun actually is.

It's what the entire story has been building toward. The climax! The promise set at the beginning of your story comes to a breaking point, all is revealed, and your characters' flaws are resolved (maybe). In this episode, Russ and Tim chat about getting to the climax of a story, what it is, and how it should satisfy your readers.

With their popularity increasing year after year Audiobooks are a massive business. Making it a must have in your distribution arsenal as an author. Using Russ' recently launched audiobook for HOST as an example. Russ and Tim discuss the production, distribution, and goals of having an audiobook and why people love them.

Wrapping up our replay series on Story Beats from 2023 with Act III. It all comes down to this...Act III. Our heroes have been removed from their normal world, thrust into a chaotic Act II world, been through the ringer, hit the bottom of the barrel, now it's time for them to shine (or maybe not?) and finish their journey. Join Russ and Tim as they wrap-up their deep dive into the Save the Cat! Ac...

Continuing the Story Beats replays from 2023. Doing their best to avoid strong act II vibes, Russ and Tim continue their deep dive into Save the Cat! Writes A Novel story beats with Act II.

Diving into the Writer Syndrome archive we're revisiting our Story Beats episodes from 2023. Using Save the Cat! Writes A Novel as a jumping off point, Russ and Tim do a deep dive into the Act I story beats, and reference how this methodology was useful in crafting their own works.

A replay of an episode recorded in 2023. Story archetypes are a great starting point for building your narrative. In this episode Russ and Tim discuss the seven core story archetypes that can be found in most fiction, how they can be used to create engaging novels, and how they used (or didn't use) them for their own projects.

If you've survived the second draft, congrats! But you still have quite a way to go on your journey, which brings us to the third draft and beyond. Refining sentence structure and word choice, incorporating beta reader feedback, eliminating crunch words and phrases, the drafts where the polish happens. In this episode, Russ and Tim reflect on their drafting process, how many it took, and what hurd...