Your Mom Writes Books

Today Caitlyn and Charlie talk all things horror with someone who has much more experience in the genre than they do. What exactly IS horror, and how does one go about crafting a horror novel? Tune in to find out! If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out the link in our Instagram bio @yourmomwritesbooks).

Welcome to season 4! Today Charlie and Caitlyn plot a book using prompts from YOU. The dice choose the plot twists, and we have to make it work. Who are our heroes? Will they achieve HEROIC THINGS? Tune in to find out. Many thanks to those who have helped cushion our editing costs! If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out the lin...

Season 3 finale! Today we’re doing our Ask Me Anything, with questions from you! Among today’s topics are the cover-art process, whatever happened with the book Charlie and Caitlyn cowrote, why word count does (or doesn’t) matter, and aggressive T poses. Season 4 will air in two weeks! Thank you to everyone who has donated, shared, and reviewed our podcast. This wouldn’t be possible without you! I...

Conventions and conferences are great way to netwwork and hone your writing skills! What the difference between them? What should you bring? How do you handle agent and editor pitches? HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU SHOWER?? Tune in to find out! Love our podcast? Please leave a review or donate toward our editing costs at charlienholmberg.com/podcast <3 Because Charlie didn't clarify: SFWA is the Sc...

Happy New Year! Today Charlie and Caitlyn make assumptions about the publishing industry, where it's heading, and how it may (or may not) change. Love our podcast? Please leave a review or donate to our editing costs at charlienholmberg.com/podcast <3 EXTRA GOSSIP: After we recorded this, Brandon Sanderson posted a blog talking about Audible and how it treats authors. Recommended read! htt...

How do we write a beginning? Where should the book start? Caitlyn and Charlie discuss beginnings after a long tangent on the British royal family (which ends at time marker 16:33 if you want to skip ahead) that we do bring back around to the point, eventually ;) If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out the link in our Instagram b...

What is "sandbox" worldbuilding, why is it captivating, and how do we create one? Charlie and Caitlyn dive into sandbox worldbuilding and the massive fandoms it seems to create. Love listening to Your Mom Writes Books? Consider donating to our cause! charlienholmberg.com/podcast  If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out...

Not sure what to get the writer in your life? Caitlyn and Charlie go over a list of possibilities, from grandiose to humble.  If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out the link in our Instagram bio @yourmomwritesbooks).

Caitlyn and Charlie share their thoughts on Lindsay Lohan's new "Hallmark"-style Christmas movie. If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out the link in our Instagram bio @yourmomwritesbooks).

A rant on a web comic leads us to ask, what do creators owe their fans, if anything? What if money is involved? Join Caitlyn and Charlie as they discuss both sides of the equation. If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out the link in our Instagram bio @yourmomwritesbooks).

Authorship . . . the good, the bad, and the ugly. In truth, most things can fall into the good and the bad. Today Caitlyn and Charlie talk candidly about the realities of living off one's writing. We mention Caitlyn's friend Raylene, who also has a podcast! Check out her Still Sleeping podcast (episodes may contain adult themes). If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, plea...

Now that Charlie has returned from the desert, we have part TWO of our likeable characters episode! We discuss secrets, wounds, and how to get the reader rooting for an "unlikeable" character. If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out the link in our Instagram bio @yourmomwritesbooks).

While Charlie is off in Moab, Caitlyn meets with two Dungeons & Dragons game masters to discuss elements of story within the game that can be applied to writing. Today is the first day of NaNoWriMo!  If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out the link in our Instagram bio @yourmomwritesbooks).

Likeable characters part 1! We talk about what makes a character likeable, how to balance positive traits with negative traits, and using emotion to sympathize with POV characters. If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out the link in our Instagram bio @yourmomwritesbooks).

Learn how Charlie and Caitlyn plot novels backwards, weaving the threads for a successful ending all the way through to the beginning of a story. They'll also talk about what sorts of stories this technique works better for. Gearing up for NaNoWriMo? Use code YMWB20   at BrightBirdPress.com to save 20% on your next order of $20 or more on planners, journals, notepads, sticky notes, and more....

Are you ready for NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month? This week Caitlyn and Charlie share tips for hitting your NaNoWriMo goals, including how to mete out your time, what to prepare beforehand, and how to pump out them words! If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out the link in our Instagram bio @yourmomwritesbooks).

Today Charlie and Caitlyn discuss bestseller lists, Brandon Sanderson's kickstarter, the publishing merger, and the state of young adult publishing. Gearing up for NaNoWriMo? Use code YMWB20   at BrightBirdPress.com to save 20% on your next order of $20 or more on planners, journals, note pads, sticky notes, and more. This month (October 2022), Charlie's newest novel, KEEPER OF ENCHANTED...

What is story math? It's the "equation" used in plotting that lets savvy readers determine what's going to happen in a story. Today, CAITLYN and Charlie talk story math and how to still surprise the reader despite it. If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out the link in our Instagram bio @yourmomwritesbooks).

Charlie chats with fantasy author and marketing guru Kristin J. Dawson about marketing, especially in the realm of social media. Learn the top four marketing tools for your book, which platforms you should be on, and more. If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out the link in our Instagram bio @yourmomwritesbooks).

Charlie forces a mysterious male guest to join her as she discusses front and back matter: a la prefaces, forwards, dedications, acknowledgements, and so on.  If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out the link in our Instagram bio @yourmomwritesbooks).

Charlie mourns Caitlyn's lack of internet by sharing anonymous horror stories about critique partners, writing groups, and beta readers. She also shares advice for critiquing, offers default compliments to give someone when you hate their work, and a presents few horror stories of her own. If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or chec...

Caitlyn decided to uproot her family and move to Missouri, so today Charlie is solo and sharing her query letters/pitches from her past published novels. Entertainment factor not guaranteed. If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out the link in our Instagram bio @yourmomwritesbooks).

This newfangled installment descants exaggerated composition! Or, in layman’s terms, Charlie and Caitlyn discuss “purple prose,” or the overwriting of description and overuse of the thesaurus.  If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out the link in our Instagram bio @yourmomwritesbooks).

This week Caitlyn and Charlie discuss the work that goes into achieving one's publishing dreams, as well as the toxic positivity that can leak into it. If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out the link in our Instagram bio @yourmomwritesbooks).

Your Mom Writes Books is back and saltier than ever! Charlie and Caitlyn start off season three by  hot-taking terrible hot-takes we hear about in the writing world, and Caitlyn tells us how she really feels. If you would like to donate to Your Mom Writes Books, please go to charlienholmberg.com/podcast (or check out the link in our Instagram bio @yourmomwritesbooks).