Writing Break

We all dream of making it big with our writing, but what happens when that dream doesn’t unfold the way you expect? We’ll talk about how that dream didn’t quite come true for one author. Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at the publishing industry and for the latest publishing news. More Writing Tips The debate over blurbs in publishing, explained | Vox ‘It’s quite galling’: children’s authors...

In this episode, we bring you the latest publishing news along with a discussion on finding a balance between inspiration and hard work. I'll let you know where to access tax tips for authors and where to view sessions that took place during the Winter 2024 Book & Author Festival. I also tell you about a literary agent scam preying on authors. Plus, we discuss a significant legal victory prote...

In this episode, we take a look at writing advice from Chuck Palahniuk. Can his approach to storytelling help you craft more immersive scenes, or is it too restrictive for your taste? More Writing Tips Nuts and Bolts: “Thought” Verbs | LitReactor Free Style Sheet Templates Music licensed from Storyblocks.

Looking for the perfect gift for the writer in your life? Forget notebooks and pens—this episode reveals five priceless gifts that every writer needs. Best of all, they’re completely free! Whether you’re a writer yourself or supporting one, these gifts can make all the difference. Tune in for a fun and insightful holiday episode that celebrates writers and their craft. More Writing Tips Free Style...

Publishing slows down significantly at the end of each year. So, don’t fret if your query letters remain unanswered this month. Today, we’re exploring 9 practical, actionable writing tips approved by bestselling authors. As the year winds down, it’s the perfect time to sharpen your writing craft. In this episode of Writing Break , we explore nine practical, actionable writing tips from bestselling...

Your first draft is done! Now what? In this episode of Writing Break , we break down eight essential steps for revising your manuscript, regardless of genre. Whether you're on your second or sixth draft, this guide will help you refine your work into a polished, compelling manuscript. We also cover major publishing industry updates, including HarperCollins’ AI licensing deal and social media shift...

There is a lot of writing advice out there, but remember that not every piece of writing advice is first-draft writing advice. This episode of Writing Break is all about writing your first draft. Learn how to silence your inner editor, embrace the messy process, and focus on getting the story down before worrying about perfection. We’ll cover why momentum matters, how to keep moving forward when y...

National Novel Writing Month begins next week, which is why today’s episode is a pep talk of sorts. In this episode of Writing Break , we discuss how turning down distractions can help you prioritize your writing and make real progress on your novel. We also highlight publishing houses currently accepting unsolicited manuscripts, plus a look at Taylor Swift’s latest self-publishing venture. If you...

This season we’ve been covering seven types of literary conflicts, and I thought it might be useful for you to have a bonus episode that has all seven conflicts back to back. Let’s settle in at the Writing Break cafe and get started on a full episode of writing tips. More Writing Tips Free Style Sheet Templates Music licensed from Storyblocks

Today we are wrapping up our seven-part series on literary conflicts with the final boss: Character vs Destiny. More Writing Tips Free Style Sheet Templates Music licensed from Storyblocks

As I record this, a hurricane is sideswiping my city, so if the power stays on, we’ll continue our literary conflict series and discuss, aptly enough, Character versus Technology. We’re also catching up on the Internet Archive court case. More Writing Tips OpenAI looks to shift away from nonprofit roots and convert itself to for-profit company Update: How to Tell Internet Archive to Remove Your Bo...

The Writing Break cafe is open, so let’s gather on the Overthinking Couch to discuss the literary conflict of Character vs Supernatural. More Writing Tips Free Style Sheet Templates Music licensed from Storyblocks

Welcome back. After last week’s discussion about character vs nature, I hope you managed to work some weather into your current work in progress. In this episode we’re discussing character vs society. The Writing Break cafe is open, so let’s grab a drink and settle into the Overthinking Couch.  More Writing Tips Free Style Sheet Templates Music licensed from Storyblocks

We’re discussing publishing news today, including what’s trending in books. We’re also talking about the fascinating literary conflict of character versus nature. More Writing Tips Generative AI reduces the collective diversity of novel content Report Finds Customer Traffic Rising at Barnes & Noble Shelf Awareness for Friday, July 12, 2024 | Shelf Awareness K-lytics Historical Fiction Market Repor...

The literary conflict of character versus character seems simple enough, right? Two characters are pitted against each other in some way. This clash can be physical or mental, but it’s best when it’s a bit of both . . . or a lot of both. More Writing Tips Free Style Sheet Templates Music licensed from Storyblocks

Today we are talking about the literary conflict known as character versus self. More Writing Tips Free Style Sheet Templates Music licensed from Storyblocks

Whether or not you seek to avoid conflict in real life, avoiding conflict in your writing will make for a boring book. For the first half of this season we are covering conflict as a literary device and taking a close look at the seven different types. I’ll offer examples, I’ll discuss how conflict should guide your story, and I’ll explain how more than of these conflicts can be at play within you...

I discuss the new format for the show moving forward and how I talk myself out of having imposter syndrome. More Writing Tips Free Style Sheet Templates Music licensed from Storyblocks

Thank you to everyone who filled out the Listener Feedback Survey . I am in the process of reviewing and revising the show’s format accordingly, but there is still a little bit of time to complete our survey and tell me what to do. Check the show notes for a link to the survey, and remember that all responses are anonymous and highly appreciated. For now, it’s review time again. More Writing Tips...

Today we are wrapping up our series on how to write better than AI and insisting on our cup of stars. Please remember to fill out the Writing Break survey . The feedback we're receiving is changing the format of the show. Thank you! More Writing Tips Association of American Literary Agents - Association of American Literary Agents K-lytics Fantasy Romance Report and Market Seminar Video Warner Mus...

We have a Listener Feedback Survey for you today in addition to our usual publishing news and writing tips. We appreciate you taking a minute to complete the survey. More Writing Tips Writing Break Listener Feedback Survey - Please complete this survey. Bloomberg - Are you a robot? Farshore Annual Review Judge a Book by its Edges | Barnes & Noble How to get kids to read for fun: People who work on...

It’s break time, writers. We have a lot of publishing news to get through today, and we’re continuing with our four-part series on how to write better than AI. More Writing Tips 10 Things Author-Publishers Should Know About Amazon Advantage AI book publishing platform Spines raises $6.5M to disrupt centuries-old industry - SiliconANGLE Fake AI law firms are sending fake DMCA threats to generate fa...

Since the release of ChatGPT, the number of freelance writing jobs is shrinking. Can writers even compete? I hope so, which is why today we are beginning a four-part series that will highlight several writing techniques that elevate any work, be it fiction or nonfiction. Let’s see how many of them you already incorporate into your work. More Writing Tips The Forgotten Painting: A Historical Myster...

Today we are looking at innovations in book publishing and discussing subtitles. The Writing Break cafe is open, and we have a lot of publishing news to get through today, so let’s grab a drink and a snack before settling in at our usual table. More Writing Tips The Art of the Mini Sales Pitch: How to Subtitle Your Book So People Will Read It ‹ Literary Hub The Art of the Mini Sales Pitch: How to...

As an editor, my authors’ late-night, semi-coherent correspondence, choppy first drafts, and deepest darkest secrets die with me. However, today I am sharing an email exchange between an author and myself, with the author’s permission, of course. More Writing Tips The Touch of Her Voice by Sara Scott - Featured Author Blush Bookstore, Wichita, Kansas - Featured Bookstore Why romance novels are hav...