Podcasts by Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach
Reach your writing goals (and have fun!) by being more curious, creative, and productive. Ann provides practical tips and motivation for writers at all stages to improve their skills, pursue publishing, and expand their reach. Ann keeps most episodes short and focused so writers only need a few minutes to collect ideas, inspiration, resources and recommendations to apply to their work. She incorporates interviews from publishing professionals and authors like Allison Fallon, Ron Friedman, Shawn Smucker, and Jennifer Dukes Lee to bring additional insight. Ann and her guests cover everything from self-editing and goal-setting to administrative and scheduling challenges. Subscribe for ongoing coaching to advance your writing life and career. More at annkroeker.com.
Further podcasts by Ann Kroeker
Podcast on the topic Bücher
All episodes
What’s a Writing Coach (and what kind do I need)? from 2022-02-08T13:42
Have you ever wondered what a writing coach is?As you can imagine, I get asked this a lot. I mean, it is baked into my branding, and I love sharing insights I've gained over my years of coaching. ...
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Find Your Book Midwife, Say “Yes” Before You’re Ready, Pitch to Build Platform, and Authentically Engage with Readers (interview with author Clarissa Moll) from 2021-12-16T20:43:17
For author Clarissa Moll, hiring a writing coach was like finding her book midwife, and she urges writers to seek that kind of intimate, knowledgeable support and input for their own writing and pu...
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10 Ways to Start the Writing Process When You’re Staring at a Blank Page from 2021-09-28T12:00
Louis L'Amour is attributed as saying, “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”1 Sounds easy enough, but a lot of times we can’t even find the fauc...
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Embrace These 4 Key Roles for a Flourishing Writing Life from 2021-07-27T12:00
I was an English major with a creative writing emphasis. When I looked to my future, I saw myself writing. Over the years I managed to build a writing career, but as an English major, I wasn’t ...
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How Simple Systems Can Unlock Your Writing Productivity, with Kari Roberts from 2021-07-06T12:00
If you're like me, you struggle to carve out time to write...you wish you could uncomplicate life and get more done. Good news! I have business coach and online business manager Kari Roberts on ...
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Decoding Greatness: Discover the Fast Track to Writing Success from 2021-06-08T12:00
What if the stories we've been told about success are wrong? What if you could unlock secrets that shave years off your writing journey?In this interview, Ron Friedman demystifies the writing p...
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Do you view your writing life as a profession? from 2021-05-25T12:00
I watched the professor of my advanced poetry class open the lid of a metal box crammed with 3x5 cards. He wiggled out one of the worn cards covered with notes and held it up. On this card was ...
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It’s fun to write with others! from 2021-05-09T14:51:22
About seven years ago, I partnered with Charity Singleton Craig to co-author On Being a Writer.While working on the draft, we often pulled up one of our shared Google Docs to review our drafts and ...
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Develop a Daily Writing Practice to Find Your Voice: Interview with Allison Fallon from 2021-03-29T12:00
I listened to Allison Fallon's The Power of Writing It Down while jogging through my neighborhood. Those weren't my best runs, because I kept pulling out my phone to thumb-type a great quote before...
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Shawn Smucker&Maile Silva on creative legacy, rejections, and being faithful to the work from 2021-02-13T23:24:16
[Ep 234] On this episode of the podcast, I hosted two novelists: Shawn Smucker and his wife, Maile Silva, for a literary discussion. Imagine you're at a writing conference and we're on stage...
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Winning Book Proposals Need These 3 Things from 2021-01-12T13:00
When you seek traditional publishing for your nonfiction book, you don’t just write the book and send it off.Instead, you craft what’s called a book proposal—an essential business document expected...
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Resolved to Write a Nonfiction Book This Year? Let’s Do the Math! from 2020-12-21T17:37:27
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to write a book in the year ahead, you’re going to have to do several things. One of those things you’ll have to do is...some math. But don’t worry—I’ve ...
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How to Structure Your Nonfiction Book from 2020-12-11T13:00
[231] You're tackling a non-fiction book and you're making progress. You're doing research, you're writing, and now you're staring at all those ideas. Your book needs form. It needs orga...
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How Do You Read Like a Writer? from 2020-11-16T13:00
You're a writer, so you write. But do you read?Silly question, I know, because of course you read. A better question is how do you read? Do you read like a writer?There are ways writers can read t...
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5 Writing Strengths You Need to Succeed from 2020-11-02T21:16:10
You want to start out strong as a writer and succeed at your work. A lot of different strengths are at play to keep us at the keyboard or page, and the good news is—you may already have some of ...
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Validate Your Idea to Produce Your Best Project (Back to Basics) from 2020-08-17T19:25:54
[Ep 228] You have an idea for your next writing project.That's great! Before you get too far—before you write too much—you need to be sure this idea is going to fly with your audience. Y...
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Back to Basics: 6 Methods to Right-Size Your Next Writing Project from 2020-07-16T18:43:23
[Ep 227] Have you ever written a blog post and found it's growing too big and unwieldy? Or you set out to develop a book only to realize you don't have enough material to fill a 45K- or 50K-...
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Back to Basics: Generate Ideas to Find What You Have to Say from 2020-06-24T12:00
[Ep 226] With my Back to Basics series, I'm providing tools you can apply to your next project in hopes it will make the writing process easier and the final product stronger than ever—so yo...
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Ep 225: Improve Your Writing by Getting Back to Basics from 2020-05-12T19:41:10
[Ep 225] You’re inspired. An idea seizes you and before the energy fizzles, you whip out a laptop, open a new document, and slam out words. Get it down fast—start writing and discover along the ...
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Ep 224: Find What You Need and Write What You Can from 2020-04-15T12:00
[Ep 224] At the close of a brilliant blue-sky summer-warm April afternoon, a heavy thunderstorm swept across my state, pelting us with hail and hurtling branches across yards.We stared in awe at...
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Ep 223: One Thing Writers Can Do in a Pandemic: Document the Days from 2020-03-17T16:46:42
[Ep 223] As I write this, a pandemic is spreading across the planet. I surely hope you and those you love are spared any sickness during this worldwide crisis. I’m stating this in part to docume...
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Ep 222: Can a Poem a Day Make Us Better Writers? from 2020-03-08T21:00
[Ep 222] My most effective year teaching high school composition was the one I began with poetry. From day one, I introduced literary devices through poems, inviting students to spot metaphor an...
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What’s a Book Proposal (and why do I need one)? from 2020-02-17T03:20:22
[Ep 221] If you’re trying to land an agent and eventually a contract with a publisher, you can’t get around it: you need to craft a compelling proposal to pitch your nonfiction book. This may b...
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How to Get Your Nonfiction Book Traditionally Published from 2020-02-01T01:04:45
[Ep 220] A writer reached out to me with news that she's writing a nonfiction book and wants to be published. “What’s the process?” she asked. I'm happy to explain. I'll cover the main steps to...
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Build Your Platform: To Be More Findable, Find Your People from 2020-01-17T13:00
[Ep 219] Whether you’re interested in increasing blog readership or building a freelance writing business—and especially if you’re pursuing traditional publishing—you’ll want to connect with rea...
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Ep 218: Do writers really need to do *all the things* for a successful career? from 2020-01-10T16:30
[Ep 218] Do we really need to do all the things to be a writer these days? Are all those extra activities and tasks required for a successful career?Do we really need to vlog and launch social m...
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Ep 217: How to Gather Momentum When Your Writing’s at a Standstill from 2020-01-01T18:19:44
[Ep 217] I don’t know much about science, but I'm pretty sure Newton’s First Law goes like this: an object at rest stays at rest unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.1 Okay, I looked it up ...
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Ep 216: An Easy Structure for Your Chaotic Work in Progress from 2019-12-05T21:54:54
You've researched your topic, taken copious notes, created a mind map, made lists, but you haven't settled on the best way to organize all of your material. You aren't sure how to structure your ch...
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Try This Classic Structure for Your Next Nonfiction Writing Project from 2019-11-06T13:00
Organization is a challenge for writers. You may have strong ideas, feel confident with grammar, and write in a fun style.But putting it all together in a structure that makes sense? That can ...
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Ep 214: Are Outlines a Writer’s Greatest Gift…or Curse? from 2019-10-10T20:17:24
[Ep 214] Back in July I bought a Garmin watch that tracks steps and heart rate. More importantly, it offers training plans for beginning and intermediate runners. I clicked on a beginner’s plan ...
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Ep 213: How to Hook and Hold Your Readers from 2019-09-19T15:00
[Ep 213] If you didn’tclick to read this first sentence, I failed. If we want to hook readers and hold their attention so they read all the way to the end, we have to generate an intriguing title...
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Ep 212: Productive Writers Build Their Body of Work–Pillar Three from 2019-08-27T12:00
[Ep 212] For aboutfour years, I didn’t do much to get healthy or stay healthy. I’d talk about getting in shape but wouldn’t actually do anything. I’d wake up and think about it, then roll over a...
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Ep 211: Be More Creative to Enjoy Your Best Writing Life: Pillar Two from 2019-08-22T19:05
[Ep 211] Creativityas a pillar of the writing life? It’s a no-brainer. Creativity and writing go together like pencil and paper. Writers practice creativity each and every day.But when we think...
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Ep 210: Cultivate Curiosity for Your Best Writing Life, Pillar One from 2019-08-06T17:05:50
[210] Dani Shapirowrites, “When I think of the wisest people I know, they share one defining trait: curiosity” (213, Still Writing). As she notes this connection between wisdom and curiosity, s...
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Ep 209: Curiosity, Creativity, Productivity: Three Pillars to Building Your Best Writing Life from 2019-07-30T12:00
[Ep 209] Each week Iclaim that writers are discovering ways to reach their writing goals—and have fun—by being more curious, creative, and productive. And each week you may be thinking, “Really...
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Ep 208: Children’s Book Author Sharon Stohler’s Path to Self-Publishing from 2019-07-23T12:00
[Ep 208] Today I’m chatting with Sharon Stohler, author of the nonfiction children’s biography Affectionately Yours: The Devoted Life of Abigail Adams, a charming and inspiring picture book rele...
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Ep 207: How to Sort and Stack Your Ideas and Tasks to Transform as a Writer and Person from 2019-07-16T15:43:35
[Ep 207] On my drive to Minneapolis to serve on the faculty of Northwestern Christian Writers Conference, I listened to podcasts: one after another, back-to-back.I welcomed that stream of input ...
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Ep 206: A Writer’s Guide to ROI (Part 4) from 2019-07-09T12:00
[Ep 206] Several years ago I watched a free training presented by Chalene Johnson, where she explained how to start with one piece of content and then use it in several forms for various outlets...
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Ep 205: A Writer’s Guide to ROI (Part 3) from 2019-07-02T12:00:36
[Ep 205] In the Next-Level Writer series, we talked about plans and goals.When we set out with a goal and make a plan to methodically move toward that goal, we see what it takes. We understand t...
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Ep 204: A Writer’s Guide to ROI (Part 2) from 2019-06-25T12:00:01
[Ep 204] My son participates in value debate. The competitors take either the affirmative or negative stance on a resolution and argue for or against it based on a value. The judge determines wh...
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Ep 203: A Writer’s Guide to ROI (Part 1) from 2019-06-18T12:00:47
[Ep 203] If you’re like me, you do a lot of writing and writing-related activities essentially for free. You craft social media content, articles for a blog, and guest posts as part of your plan...
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Ep 202: Enjoy Creative Freedom with the Modular Approach to Writing from 2019-06-11T12:00
[Ep 202] When my kids were little they didn’t really like the LEGO sets that require you to put the bricks together a certain way to create a specific thing, like a Death Star. They preferred gi...
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Ep 201: Next-Level Writer–Have You Emerged at the Next Level? from 2019-06-04T12:12
[Ep 201] In the first episode of this series, I described a hypothetical character in a hypothetical game—a little dragon that gains power or abilities after playing the game for a while. This d...
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Ep 200: Next-Level Writer–Relentlessly Execute Your Plan to Level Up from 2019-05-28T12:00:31
[Ep 200] Unless a fairy godmother shows up and sprinkles fairy dust all over your laptop to magically boost you to the next level—without any effort on your part—you’ll have to commit to your pl...
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Ep 199: Insights into Christian Publishing with NavPress Publisher Don Pape from 2019-05-21T12:00:42
[Ep 199] Today I’m chatting with NavPress Publisher Don Pape. Don has published over a dozen New York Times best-sellers, including Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Don is also the publisher of Juli...
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Ep 198: Next-Level Writer–Organize, Schedule, and Enact Your Plan to Level Up from 2019-05-15T15:29:26
[Ep 198] Some people love to sit down and just start writing with no worries whether or not the work is moving them toward their goals. Others love to spend time making lists, making plans, set...
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Ep 197: Next-Level Writer: Is This a Season to Slow Down or Surge Ahead? from 2019-05-07T19:23:53
[Ep 197] Everyweek I follow a pattern of sorts. Sometimes it gets thrown off by a day or two, but for my regular routine I write, record, prep, and publish content you may consume via the podc...
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Ep 196: Next-Level Writer–Plan and Persist from 2019-04-30T12:00
[Ep 196] Last time, I asked: Where do you want to be in a year?You may have read that and set a big, hairy, audacious goal—a BHAG. Or maybe you called it a “stretch goal.” You want to aim high a...
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Ep 195: Next-Level Writer–Develop Your Macro Plan to Level Up from 2019-04-24T02:27:21
[Ep 195] I’m not by nature a planner. I am, in fact, more of a tumbleweed.You know what I mean? If I went with my personality, I’d be blown around with no particular direction—wherever the wind ...
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Ep 194: Next-Level Writer–Where Are You Now? from 2019-04-16T12:00
[Ep 194] When a client brought me along to New York City, the airport shuttle bus dropped us off near Times Square and we had to find our way to the hotel. For a couple of Midwesterners who had ...
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Ep 193: Next-Level Writer–To Start, You’ve Got to Get in the Game from 2019-04-09T12:00
[Ep 193] Leveling up, according to my teenage son, who is familiar with several different video games, refers to a character or creature that gains enough experience to unlock new skills or featu...
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Ep 192: (Re)Write to Discover How to Improve Your Drafts from 2019-04-02T22:49:34
[Ep 192] “I have rewritten—often several times—every word I have ever published. My pencils outlast their erasers.” Vladimir Nabokov, Speak, Memory1First Drafts Reveal What You Want to Say We’ve ...
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Ep 191: Write to Discover Your Voice from 2019-03-26T12:00
[Ep 191] You know within a few notes if you're listening to the Beatles or the Bee Gees, James Taylor or Justin Timberlake, Sting or Cher. Why?Well, it’s their voice. You recognize their voice....
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Ep 190: [Interview] Author&Literary Agent Jeff Herman from 2019-03-19T12:00
Today I’m chatting with author and literary agent Jeff Herman.Jeff’s literary agency has ushered nearly one thousand books into print. He’s the coauthor of the acclaimed Write the Perfect Book Prop...
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Ep 189: Write to Discover New Skills and Techniques from 2019-03-13T01:07:09
[Ep 189] When I feelmy writing getting a little stale, I start looking around for a teacher. Now, I don’t mean I’m looking for a class with an instructor, although that’s certainly another way t...
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Ep 188: Write to Discover What You Really Want to Say from 2019-03-05T13:00
[Ep 188] In this series,you’ve discovered more about yourself through writing—you may have begun to heal emotional wounds. The act of writing has helped you find the courage to continue to write. ...
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Ep 187: Write to Discover Your Ideal Reader from 2019-02-26T13:00:43
[Ep 187] In composition classes, college students learn to identify their audience—who are they writing for? On the topic of audience, The Writing Center at The University of North Carolina at Ch...
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Ep 186: Write to Discover Your Favorite Type of Writing from 2019-02-19T13:00:23
When I was in junior high, I joined the track team. Track and field offers a lot of events, so the coach had us try a little bit of everything so we could get a feel for what we might like.I had pl...
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Ep 185: [Interview] Poet Tania Runyan from 2019-02-12T13:00:01
As you’ll discover in this conversation with Tania Runyan, she’s experimented with being a screenwriter and playwright and written several nonfiction books, including How to Read a Poem, How to Wri...
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Ep 184: [Interview]Jennifer Dukes Lee–Author, Acquisitions Editor from 2019-02-05T13:00:52
When Author and Acquisitions Editor Jennifer Dukes Lee was in town for an event, we met up and discussed challenges that writers—especially nonfiction authors—face as they try to land a traditional...
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Ep 183: Write to Discover Your Top Themes&Topics from 2019-01-30T12:00:09
I recently signed up for Reddit. During setup, I clicked on categories and topics of interest so the app could deliver relevant updates.On the spot I had to decide my preferences: do I want ongoing...
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Ep 182: Write to Discover Your Reason for Writing from 2019-01-23T19:31:39
If you’ve read On Being a Writer, you know my coauthor Charity Singleton Craig and I start with identity—claiming we are writers. I told the story of the university publication that accepted my fir...
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Ep 181: Write to Discover the Courage You Need to Confront Your Fears from 2019-01-16T13:00:37
Ralph Keyes observes in his book The Courage to Write, “The trail of literary history is littered with those who fell along the way because the anxiety of trying to write paralyzed their hand”1.Wri...
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Ep 180: Write to Discover–Start with Yourself from 2019-01-08T13:00:18
A few weeks ago I shared with you how freewriting freed me. The book Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg, played a big part in that during my college years, introducing me to the idea of ti...
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Ep 179: Time to Schedule Your Writing Life Tune-up from 2018-12-19T18:04:53
Tis the season for many things. One thing that doesn't roll off the tongue as jolly as a line in a carol is a writing life tune-up. Yes, tis the perfect time for writing life maintenance. It sound...
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Ep 178: The Writer at Work–Use Freewriting to Give It Some Thought from 2018-12-13T22:37:41
My first university-level creative writing course used as the main text a book that, at that time, was a brand-new release: Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg.After moving through the exer...
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Ep 177: [Interview] Alison Hodgson on Boiling a Story Down to Its Essence, One-Star Reviews, and Perseverance from 2018-12-04T13:00:26
Back in October 2018, I interviewed three authors who served on the speaking team at Breathe Christian Writers Conference. We discussed all things writing, like their writing challenges, their writ...
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Ep 176: What Do You Know to Be True? from 2018-11-29T21:55:55
Last time, I talked about the power of lists to get us writing about all kinds of things. Lists trick us into writing. In her famous TED talk, spoken word poet Sarah Kay invites the audience to ma...
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Ep 175: How to Use Lists to Transform Your Writing (and your life) from 2018-11-20T22:01:57
Tis the season for lists, even for those who aren't naturally checklist and to-do list types. For the holidays, people will make packing lists, shopping lists, cleaning lists, address lists, and wi...
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What Lies Beneath the Surface of Your Life? from 2018-11-13T13:00:48
[Ep 174] In last week’s interview, Patrice Gopo described the stories that bubbled up inside her—personal stories about topics she cared deeply about as she grappled with her identity and where sh...
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Ep 173: [Interview] Patrice Gopo on Meaning Making on the Page and Studying the Craft from 2018-11-06T13:00:44
At Breathe Christian Writers Conference, held October 12 and 13, 2018, I interviewed three authors who served on the speaking team. We discussed all things writing, like their writing challenges, t...
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Ep 172: 4 Simple Ways to Put Your Own Writing First from 2018-10-30T12:00:50
As you know from my interview with Shawn Smucker, he’s a novelist with ambitious goals—on track to write ten books in ten years. He's written three of his own books—two novels and a memoir. His fou...
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Ep 171: [Interview] Shawn Smucker on Cowriting, Ghostwriting, and Prioritizing Your Own Work from 2018-10-23T12:00:31
At a writing conference held October 12 and 13, 2018, I interviewed three authors who served on the speaking team. We discussed all things writing, like their writing challenges, their writing proc...
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Ep 170: How to Be a Better Writer (Pt 5)–Four Writing Tips from 2018-10-17T14:36:53
Last time, we talked about the 6+1 Traits. When you take time to evaluate your work in each one, you can begin to identify areas of strength and weakness. Over time you can boost the weaker areas a...
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How to Be a Better Writer: Boost All 7 Traits of Great Writing from 2018-10-05T12:00:23
[Ep 169] I’m glad tobe back after an unexpected and lengthy break when I needed to care for a relative during a complicated emergency. I’m sorry I didn’t have a way to let you know in the midst of...
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Ep 168: How to Be a Better Writer (Pt 3): Write Tight from 2018-09-04T12:00:05
In a recent release of Revisionist History, Malcolm Gladwell introduces his podcast listeners to Dr. Bernadine Healy.In this episode, he asks Johanna Schneider, who worked with Dr. Healy at the Nat...
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Ep 167: How to Be a Better Writer (Pt 2): 3 Simple Tweaks You Can Try Today from 2018-08-28T12:00:35
Last week I talked about the mindset that believes growth is possible—that you are neither stuck at your current level nor have you arrived at mastery. With that mindset, you can begin to evolve an...
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Ep 166: How to Be a Better Writer (Pt 1): Start with the Right Mindset from 2018-08-21T12:00:46
Last week, we started to explore a fear that haunts many writers, which is the fear that they aren’t good enough.Or they think they aren’t enough. I hope you've explored the root of this fear and o...
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Ep 165: Writing Fears and How to Overcome Them: Feeling Not Good Enough from 2018-08-14T12:00:19
A few times I brought my high school English papers to my dad for him to look over. Trained as a newspaper editor, he’d reach into his desk drawer and pull out either a red pen or a soft black penc...
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Ep 164: Writing Fears and How to Overcome Them–Fear of Rejection from 2018-08-07T12:00:35
Over the past week I followed several women on Instagram as they traveled to London for a literary-themed trip. One woman on the trip, Bri McKoy, posted a photo of a letter preserved under glass at...
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Ep 163: How to Write When You Work Full Time from 2018-07-31T12:00:56
I love that today’s theme comes from a newsletter subscriber who responded when I asked for ideas to address on the podcast or in articles. So this is a real writer with a real struggle—a reality f...
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Ep 162: What Do You Do with Story Ideas? from 2018-07-24T12:00:18
Last week I told my email subscribers I'd love for future content to be inspired by the very issues that trip them up or hold them back. Today I’m going to spotlight one of the first responses: Wh...
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Ep 161: Subscribe to Podcasts to Learn on the Go from 2018-07-17T12:00:38
When I was in college, I bought a small recorder. A Sony, I think. You’re wondering the year? Well, let’s just say I bought packs of cassette tapes for this gadget.My goal was to record the lectur...
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Ep 160: Ways to Rebrand Yourself as a Writer–Cold Turkey from 2018-07-10T12:00:16
My dad started smoking when he was a teenager and smoked like a chimney all the way through college and into adulthood. He worked in the newsroom of a major metropolitan newsroom, where smoking cig...
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Ep 159: Ways to Rebrand Yourself as a Writer–Slow Transition from 2018-07-03T12:00:18
If you’ve concluded you really need to leave behind who you are and the writer you’ve been, and transition to a completely new look, feel, tone, and type of writing, you’re going to rebrand yoursel...
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Ep 158: Ways to Rebrand Yourself as a Writer: Integrate from 2018-06-26T12:00:54
You’re going for it. You decided you’re going to rebrand yourself.How will you go about it? We already discussed one option: the trial run.Rebrand Yourself: Integrate Today we’ll see if choosing t...
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Ep 157: Ways to Rebrand Yourself: Trial Run from 2018-06-19T12:00:36
You’re going for it. You decided you’re going to rebrand yourself.How will you go about it? You have options. One is what I’ll call “Trial Run.” Next time, we’ll talk about “Integration.” Then “Sl...
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Ep 156: In a World of Author Branding, What If You Want to Rebrand? from 2018-06-12T12:00:34
In the last episode, I finally attempted to define an author brand. Before that, we talked about staying consistent with the core you—the brand you’ve developed, the tone you take, the voice your r...
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Ep 155: In a World of Author Branding, uh…What’s an “Author Brand”? from 2018-06-05T12:00:36
I guess I got ahead of myself.I’ve been talking about author branding, but I didn’t describe or define it. And in this world of author branding, you may be wondering, “Uh...what’s an ‘author brand’...
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Ep 154: In a World of Author Branding, Be Consistent at Your Core from 2018-05-29T12:00:19
Last time we talked about having a playground. A place to relax and try new things. A place where you can experiment and be a little messy until you figure out how you want to use that space.Consis...
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Ep 153: In a World of Author Branding, Find a Place to Play from 2018-05-22T12:00:30
If you scroll through my Instagram feed, it won’t take long before you’ll see quotes on pictures, quotes with colored backgrounds, sourced images and my own snapshots all jumbled together. It’s not...
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Ep 152: 20 Generous (and Easy!) Ways to Encourage a Writer Today from 2018-05-15T12:00:03
As a writer, you know how amazing it feels to get positive feedback on something you've shared with the world, whether a blog post, article, poem, or even a short social media update. And if you'r...
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Ep 151: Your Best Mother’s Day Gift Ever–A Written Tribute from 2018-05-08T12:00:48
This coming Sunday in the United States we celebrate Mother’s Day. Eight years ago, I wrote a tribute to my writer-mom, reflecting on they way she modeled how to live the tension of being the mom s...
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Ep 150: Write Your One-Line Legacy from 2018-05-01T12:00:59
About 20 minutes before the my dad’s calling and funeral service were scheduled to begin, we were milling around, chatting with various family members, organizing papers for the service.Throughout ...
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Ep 149: Write Your Own Obituary from 2018-04-24T12:00:41
When my dad died in March, our family worked together to write the obituary. Each of us thought back on his life to decide the right stories to tell, the best details to share.What career highlight...
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Ep 148: Increase Writing Quality by Both Filling and Stilling Your Mind from 2018-04-17T12:00:58
On a recent road trip, I loaded the “up next” feature of my podcast player with every episode that sounded intriguing. One episode would play after another without my having to touch it.Hours of Fi...
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Ep 147: You and Your Writing Deserve the Grand Gesture from 2018-04-10T12:00
About a month ago, I escaped the frigid late-winter temperatures of the American Midwest and headed out on a big road trip.By myself. To write.(And to walk on the beach.) ’Twas a big investment o...
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Ep 146: Your Writing Life Beginnings from 2018-04-03T12:00:56
The past two weeks, I shared with you parts one and two of my writing life beginnings. I reflected back on when, where, and how I began to dream of writing, pursue writing, and latch on to the writ...
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Ep 145: My Writing Life Beginnings, Pt 2 from 2018-03-27T12:00:49
Note: This was originally published both at my website and at Tweetspeak Poetry back in 2013.I signed up for an American Literature class. The instructor didn’t ask about my brother, and I understo...
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Ep 144: My Writing Life Beginnings, Pt. 1 from 2018-03-20T12:00:03
Note: This was originally published both at my website and at Tweetspeak Poetry back in 2013.My mom, a journalist, was talking with a friend. She beamed at my brother. “Charlie, he’s the writer of ...
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Ep 143: If You Want to Be a Writer, Keep Showing Up from 2018-03-13T12:00:07
Last time we talked about getting that first pancake out of the way so you can make more pancakes. We can be so afraid of that wobbly-edged first pancake that we don’t even start, but wh...
Ep 142: If You Want to Write, You Have to Get Started from 2018-03-06T13:00:54
Back in December of 2014, my first podcast episode spoke...
Ep 141: Writers Help the World Begin to See from 2018-02-27T13:00:02
Photographer Walker Evans said, “Stare. It is the way to educate your eye, and more. Stare, pry, listen, eavesdrop. Die knowing something. You are not here long."
Pay attention...
Ep 140: Listen for the Music – More Self-Editing Tips from ‘The Artful Edit’ from 2018-02-20T20:33:41
In her book The Artful Edit, Susan Bell says editing “involves a deep, long meditation within which the editor or self-editor listens to every last sound the prose before him makes, then separates ...
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Ep 139: Tips on Self Editing from The Artful Edit from 2018-02-13T13:00:59
Recently I plucked from the shelf The Artful Edit: On the Practice of Editing Yourself, by Susan Bell. Already I can tell that Susan Bell's approach to editing has less to do with comma-spotting an...
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Ep 138: Beware of These 5 Ways Curiosity Can Ruin Your Writing from 2018-02-06T13:00:33
Curious writers are generally creative and productive, and able to achieve their writing goals—all while having fun. This is no surprise to you—I say it every week! Curiosity can fuel our writing p...
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Ep 137: What Do I Write Next – Experiment and Expand Your Repertoire from 2018-01-30T13:00:29
Last time we talked about enjoying our vein of gold as we decide what to write next.
To discover our strength as a writer—writing that represents our brightest, most brilliant ...
Ep 136: What Do I Write Next – Enjoy Your Vein of Gold from 2018-01-24T23:08:29
If you were to meet me in person, you’d find out I’m a little silly. My humor is situational, and a story grows more animated in relation to audience reaction—which I don’t have in real time here o...
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Ep 135: What Do I Write Next – Why Not a Series? from 2018-01-18T03:07:51
A few weeks ago, when I introduced the idea of how we can decide what to write next, I proposed several ways a writer can approach that decision. One was to write whatever’s next in sequence.
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