Writing with Friends

We’ll be taking a tool deep dive. We’ll be highlighting the features and the challenges of a tool we think you’ll find helpful as a writer. And the tool we’ll be talking about today is the infamous revision spreadsheet! Picks of the Week: Seconds by Brian Lee O’Malley Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention and How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari Mentioned in the Episode: Revision Spreadshe...

We’ll be talking about beta readers. After you’ve finished writing your latest pieces, you might want to consider sharing them with others to get vital feedback from a sample audience. And our tool tip of the week is Zotero. Stay tuned to hear about how painless constructing a research bibliography can actually be. For real. We promise it’s not that bad! Picks of the Week: A Monster Calls by Patri...

We’ll be talking about printed drafts. If you consider yourself a pen and paper person – or if you’re seeking a way to look at a picked-over draft with fresh eyes, this craft topic is for you. And our tool tip of the week is OneNote. Stay tuned to hear about this personal notebook in the cloud! Picks of the Week: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins Who? A Celebration of Babies by...

We’ll be talking about short stories as a means of plot and setting exploration. If you have a great idea for a novel but are feeling uncertain of where to dive in, this craft topic may be the perfect way to get started. And our tool tip of the week is writers’ association webinars.  Stay tuned to hear about what perks writing associations offer and why joining a non-work-related Zoom might a...

We’ll be talking about morning pages. If you’re feeling stuck in your current writing project or you think you might even be engaging in a bit of self-sabotage or procrastination in your writing life, this craft idea just might be for you! And our tool tip of the week is the Libby app. Stay tuned to hear about how Hillary and BJ access library books in the digital age. Picks of the Week: The Linco...

Welcome to a tool deep dive episode, where we highlight the features and the challenges of a tool we think you’ll find helpful as a writer. And the tool we’ll be talking about today is Scrivener, our favorite writing software! Picks of the Week: Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov Alaska Sourdough by Ruth Allman Mentioned in the Episode: Scrivener writing software

We’ll be talking about character spectrums. More specifically, we’ll be covering Brandon Sanderson’s sliding scales for writing a character: likability, proactivity, and competence. And our tool tip of the week is the Zettelkasten notetaking system. Stay tuned to hear about how a 20th century German sociologist inspired a modern-day open source note taking software. Picks of the Week: Dune Messiah...

We’ll be discussing the muse– where our writing inspiration comes from and why the way we conceptualize inspiration can have an impact on our writing practice. And our tool tip of the week is grammar apps and extensions. Stay tuned to hear about how Grammarly and other grammar checking software can speed up your draft editing workflow. Picks of the Week: Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sande...

We’ll be talking about how often we should use adverbs in our writing and addressing Steven King’s adverb advice in particular. And our tool tip of the week is setting up a distraction-free writing environment. Stay tuned to hear about how the humble tomato could help you power through a difficult round of revisions! Picks of the Week: Foundation by Isaac Asimov Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy...

Writing workshops are the best way we’ve found to breathe new life into stale drafts and get the encouragement and camaraderie you need to stay the course on the sometimes lonely path of consistent writing practice! And our tool tip of the week is text to speech tools. Stay tuned to hear about how you can let your web browser narrate your own novel right back to you! Picks of the Week: Dune by Fra...

Welcome to Writing with Friends! We’re writers and friends on a quest to improve our creative writing craft. And along the way, we’ll be sharing our best tips, insights, and the writing tools we love. From building an awesome character to deciding if writing software is worth the sticker price, we’ve got you covered. Tune in each week for a little friendship and shop talk on your writing journey....