Dive into the complete episode list for The Well-Storied Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
Interested in building a career as a published author? Don't dive in just yet...
In today's episode, Kristen breaks down several common myths about publishing for profit and discusses how successful novelists earn their livings. She also doles out the key questions every writer should ask before committing to a writing career.
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Motifs are one of those literary devices that are often ignored because of the belief that they only have a place in academic circles. But in truth, motifs serve two key purposes that can be just as powerful in genre fiction as in literary novels.
In today's episode, I’m breaking down exactly what a motif is, the purposes it can serve, and how you can begin making use of motifs in your own stories today. I also share examples of motifs from The Great Gatsby, A Game of Thrones, and Bridge to Terabithia.
👉 Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers. 👈
Feel Like You're Falling Behind In Your Writing Life?
00:21:33
I've long wondered if I'm falling behind in my writing life. I blog about writing (and talk about it here on the podcast), but I haven't yet published my fiction. And as I toil away on my manuscript, it seems like every other writer I see is passing me by, hot on the trail of their writing dreams. Am I falling behind? Am I working hard enough? Am I enough?
These are the doubts that I've lived with for many years, and though I'm still a work-in-progress, I've done a tremendous amount of work to overhaul my limiting beliefs and build confidence in my creative process. Have you also worried that you're failing to live up to your creative potential? Today, I'd like to share with you five hard truths I've learned in working to overcome the fear that I'm falling behind. Let's dive in.
// Episode Links // Article + Transcript: www.well-storied.com/fallingbehind Article on Doubt: www.well-storied.com/doubt Build Your Best Writing Life sign-up: www.well-storied.com/best On Patreon: www.patreon.com/wellstoried
// Recent Guest Posts // How to Beat Writer's Block by Kate Johnston: www.well-storied.com/block Five Tips & Four Myths About The Editing Process by Jackie Cangro: www.well-storied.com/editingprocess Guest Post Submission Guidelines: www.well-storied.com/guest
// Additional Links // Well-Storied Communities: www.well-storied.com/community All Episodes: www.well-storied.com/podcast You can find the show on: iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, Youtube, RSS, and other popular podcatchers!
Every phenomenal story unfolds in a series of scenes. And if each scene in a book is a link in a chain, one weak link can threaten the overall power of a story. How, then, do we craft well-structured and compelling scenes for our stories?
In today's episode, we break down what exactly defines a scene (hint: it's not just a fun, frightening, or steamy moment between characters), the six elements that most compelling scenes contain, and how you can ensure your scene serves a powerful purpose by utilizing a quick summary formula. Shall we dive in?
// Episode Links // Article + Transcript: www.well-storied.com/scenes Comic Sans Trick: http://bit.ly/2E8faOP On Patreon: www.patreon.com/wellstoried
// Recent Guest Posts // Seven Tips For Submitting Your Fiction For Publication by Lynne Lumsden Green: www.well-storied.com/subtips Guest Post Submission Guidelines: www.well-storied.com/guest
// Additional Links // Well-Storied Communities: www.well-storied.com/community All Episodes: www.well-storied.com/podcast You can find the show on: iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, Youtube, RSS, and other popular podcatchers!
“If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.” — Stephen King
Earlier this year, I mentioned in a newsletter that I had set out to read 100 books in 2019. Five months and 35 books later, I've decided to call this challenge quits. Why? Well, the answer's a bit complex, as is the reason I decided to take on this challenge.
In today's episode, I'm sharing the dangers of setting arbitrary creative goals and chasing other authors' ideals. If you don't share my Type A personality, this may all seem a bit silly. But if, like me, you often find yourself victim to doubt, burnout, and the Comparison Trap, this one's for you.
// Additional Links // Well-Storied Communities: www.well-storied.com/community All Episodes: www.well-storied.com/podcast You can find the show on: iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, Youtube, RSS, and other popular podcatchers!
How Fiction Writers Can Improve The Quality Of Their Prose
00:23:34
Feel like your writing skills aren't doing your stories justice?
I hear you, writer. I love crafting characters, plots, settings, and story worlds, but I lack a natural knack for prose. Unsatisfied with my writing, I've spent the past several years working day in and day out to level up my writing game, and though I'll always be improving, I'm proud of where my prose now stands.
The process of improving your writing can certainly be intimidating. In today's episode, I aim to help you overcome that overwhelm by breaking down the elements of prose you should consider at each step in the writing process: drafting, revising, and editing.
Improving your writing takes time and determination, no doubt, but you are as good a writer as you work to be. Let's get to work.
// Additional Links // Well-Storied Communities: www.well-storied.com/community All Episodes: www.well-storied.com/podcast You can find the show on: iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, Youtube, RSS, and other popular podcatchers!
Eight Things to Cut or Reconsider When Editing Fiction
00:22:53
Eager to improve the quality of your writing? Don't underestimate the power of tightening your prose. In today's episode, I'm sharing the eight items you should cut or reconsider when editing fiction, helping you transform weak and clumsy writing into irresistible read.
// Write. Publish. Profit. // Grab your copy of this epic resource bundle today! My affiliate link: https://kakieffer--infostack.thrivecart.com/wpp2/ (Available until June 18th, 2019 at 11:59pm Eastern)
// Additional Links // Well-Storied Communities: www.well-storied.com/community All Episodes: www.well-storied.com/podcast You can find the show on: iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, Youtube, RSS, and other popular podcatchers!
Flashback scenes are some of the most difficult to write.
An ineffective flashback may bore readers, jarring them out of the story, making them wish the author would just get on with it. Excessively lengthy and frequent flashbacks may even make readers set a book aside.
How can you ensure your story’s flashbacks don’t make readers’ eyes glaze over? Let’s break down how you can craft these tricky contextual scenes with confidence, clarity, and success.
Enjoy the show? Consider leaving a rating & review, both of which go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Part of crafting characters involves exploring their history. Just as your lived experiences have shaped the person you are today, a character’s backstory has the power to provide depth and understanding to their characterization. But crafting a rich and compelling character backstory is far from simple.
What elements should you consider when weaving your character’s history? Better yet, how do you translate that history onto the page without bogging down your story? Let’s answer both of these questions and more in today’s episode!
Enjoy the show? Consider leaving a rating & review, both of which go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Getting published isn't just for the lucky. Today's episode breaks down the key points from Landing Your First Publication by Mandy Wallace, a short story writing prompt + publication strategy guide that is truly the only resource you need if you want to stop wishing and starting making your publication dreams come true.
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
The New Writer's Guide to Working With Beta Readers
00:17:30
Nothing improves the quality of your writing like a little objective feedback.
A few well-honed self-editing skills can go a long way, but at the end of the day, you’re simply too close to your work to truly revise and refine it to be the best that it can be. This is where beta readers come in handy.
In this new two-part blog & podcast series, I'll break down everything you need to know about working with beta readers: what they are, the value they can bring to your work, where to find them, and how to set yourself up for the very best beta reader experience.
// Additional Links // Well-Storied Communities: www.well-storied.com/community All Episodes: www.well-storied.com/podcast You can find the show on: iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, Youtube, RSS, and other popular podcatchers!
How Writers Can Prepare For a Fantastic Beta Reader Experience
00:18:48
A little beta reader feedback can go a long way toward improving the quality of your work.
In last week’s episode, I answered six common questions about working with beta readers, including what beta readers are, why their feedback is invaluable, and how you can find the beta readers who will provide the most constructive feedback on your work.
Today, I’m following that introduction with a guide to creating the very best beta experience for both you and your readers. Remember, beta readers are providing you with a free service. It’s your job to make that work as enjoyable as possible for your beta readers — and when you do, you may just find that you set yourself up for a fantastic beta reader experience as well.
// Additional Links // Well-Storied Communities: www.well-storied.com/community All Episodes: www.well-storied.com/podcast You can find the show on: iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, Youtube, RSS, and other popular podcatchers!
Why is it so hard to put pen to paper when you desperately long to write? The answer to this question is deceptively simple: because writing isn’t easy — and neither is drumming up the motivation to complete difficult creative work.
But with a well-established writing practice, there’s no need to chase the muse or strive to drum up a measure of motivation. You sit down and do the work because it’s your habit to do so. Because you’ve created a simple system that allows you to make slow but steady progress toward your goals and dreams regardless of the difficult work involved.
That is the power of habit — and in today's episode, I'm sharing everything you need to know about building a sustainable writing practice of your own.
// Additional Links // Well-Storied Communities: www.well-storied.com/community All Episodes: www.well-storied.com/podcast You can find the show on: iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, Youtube, RSS, and other popular podcatchers!
From the copy on your author website to the emails you send your readership and the marketing ads and campaigns you create —to thrive in your writing career, you must present your work to the world with professionalism.
One of my favorite tools for achieving professionalism is Grammarly. After crafting and revising content, Grammarly reveals key insights and inaccuracies that help me polish my work before I present it to the world. And making use of this AI-powered text editor is a joy thanks to its easy-to-use interface and various available formats.
Today, I’m sharing with you how I make use of the features available through Grammarly's online text editor at Grammarly.com. (Note: I've created a video to accompany today's podcast that's available through the episode transcript linked below.)
Sitting down to write isn’t always easy. When creative work proves difficult, many writers turn to goal-setting to motivate themselves to action, only to experience shame and frustration as they fail to fulfill their goals. Sound familiar? You aren’t alone.
Goal-setting often proves an ineffective productivity hack for one simple reason: a goal is an aim; not an action plan.
In today's episode, I share how you can set truly effective macro- and micro-goals that will help you find creative focus, avoid writing burnout, and making consistent progress toward building the writing life you long to lead.
// Additional Links // Well-Storied Communities: www.well-storied.com/community All Episodes: www.well-storied.com/podcast You can find the show on: iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, Youtube, RSS, and other popular podcatchers!
Don’t underestimate the power of a quality interior book design.
If you're interested in self-publishing your work, it's important that you consider every element of your book's production, including how you'll format your book for easy reading. In today's episode, Kristen shares five common book formatting options to help you discover which is right for you and your book.
With sky-high stakes, fast-paced action, and your characters’ adrenaline running high, fight scenes can be tricky to write.
Here’s the good news: No matter if you’re writing a sword fight, a bar room brawl, or a magical duel for the ages, Kristen is breaking down eight tips that will help you write an epic fight scene in today's episode!
👉 Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers. 👈
Writing challenges can present great opportunities to improve your writing skills and commitment to the craft. But writing challenges have a dark side that isn’t often discussed.
The drive to produce a specific creative output, especially within a limited time, can introduce an unhealthy pressure to succeed. This pressure can then lead to creative burnout, a broken writing habit, and feelings inadequacy and shame. These results don’t benefit your writing practice or long-term creative success in any way.
Still, these potential consequences don’t mean you should avoid participating in writing challenges. In addition to the benefits I shared above, completing a challenge can provide a sense of creative accomplishment and motivation. But how do you gain these positive benefits without encountering unhealthy pressure and its consequences?
Good news, writer! Today, I’m sharing my top eight tips for making the most of a writing challenge. Let's dig in!
Finding your personal writing process is essential to building a writing life you love, and this includes the method that helps you craft your best first drafts.
Traditionally, writers outline their stories, then use that outline to guide them as they draft their idea in full. But what if this method doesn’t work well for you?
In today's episode, Kristen shares three alternative drafting techniques that might just revolutionize your writing process.
👉 Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers. 👈
There's something magical about romance, with its unique tension and allure and its will-they-or-won’t-they mystery that leads to such great page-turning material.
But that material can’t exist without strong romantic chemistry between the characters in question (as evidenced by many a lackluster rom-com, right?). And unfortunately, chemistry isn’t exactly easy to define or to craft.
That's why I'm sharing everything I've learned about building romantic chemistry between characters in today's episode, from what chemistry is to the four types of attraction that can lead to romantic chemistry and the key to crafting chemistry readers can believe in.
Enjoy the show? Consider leaving a rating & review, both of which go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Despite the saying, readers do indeed judge books by their covers. That's why today's episode breaks down everything you need to know about commissioning a great cover design, including why a cover can make or break your book marketing, how much covers typically cost to commission, and what the process of working with a book cover designer looks like.
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Resolving Common Story Issues With "Show, Don't Tell"
00:13:41
The "Show, Don't Tell" technique is often used to craft immersive sensory descriptions. But what if it could also be used to solve some of the most common storytelling issues?
Say goodbye to lengthy info-dumps, on-the-nose writing, and heavy-handed themes. In today's episode, I'm breaking down how you can use "Show, Don't Tell" to resolve common story critiques via the use of subtext. Hooray!
What does it mean to be a "real" writer? If you're waiting on publishing or commercial success to validate your skills and stories, you'll never find the creative confidence you crave. In today's episode, I explain why and break down the key to finding true joy, confidence, and fulfillment in your writing life.
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
What to Expect When Working With a Freelance Editor
00:15:30
Preparing to work with a freelance editor for the first time? In today's episode, I'll share what you can expect from the experience, the ways in which editors' processes frequently differ, and the key tips you can apply to ensure you have a fantastic collaboration with your editor of choice!
From first kisses to sensual love scenes, crafting physical intimacy between your characters that doesn't feel cheesy or cringe-worthy can be tough. Today's episode breaks down my top tips for crafting an intimate scene that readers will love using techniques gleaned from Diana Gabaldon's "I Give You My Body (How I Write Sex Scenes)".
Three Lessons Learned From a 'First Three Chapters' Critique
00:12:58
The opening chapters of your story are doubtless some of the most important you will write. That's why I'm taking time today to share three lessons I learned from receiving a critique of my novel's first three chapters!
All writers experience creative frustration from time to time. But what if you experience creative frustration most of the time? Today, I'm sharing my top insights into the true nature of creative doubt and fear, as well as the strategies you can use to the battle against resistance in your writing life.
Note: Today's episode is an excerpt from my upcoming book, "Build Your Best Writing Life", debuting January 2nd, 2020.
You know it’s essential to make time to write. You can’t maintain a consistent writing practice without carving out time in your schedule for creative work. But how are you supposed to make that time when you have a career, a family, a home, and other responsibilities to address? Today, I'm sharing the top five principles that can help you make the most of the writing time available to you.
Note: Today's episode is an excerpt from my upcoming book, "Build Your Best Writing Life", debuting January 2nd, 2020. To be the first to know when the book goes live, subscribe to my email list below.
As writers, it’s our job to craft fully-realized characters: characters that feel as real as the people around us. And like the people around us, this means our characters should be flawed.
Why, then, do so many inexperienced writers to shy away from crafting flawed characters? And what does it mean for a character flaw to have an impact on your story? Tune in to today's episode for answers to both of these questions about more!
Are you ready to bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be in your writing life? In today's episode, I break down the essential strategies for writing success I share in my new book for writers, Build Your Best Writing Life.
Did you know that audio can prove a powerful tool in writers' arsenals, especially when editing? Dustin Maxey, author and founder of Edit Out Loud, explains why and how you can incorporate audio into your writing process today!
Are you willing to adopt an entrepreneurial spirit to make a living from your writing? If so, let's break down the most common business models authors use to build their writing careers in today's episode.
If part of your personal definition of writing success includes making a living from your writing, it's time to start thinking like an entrepreneur. That's why today's episode breaks down the most common business models authors use to build their writing careers.
Inside every writer sits a creative well. Whenever you sit down to write, you dip your bucket into this well, drawing the energy you need to attend the work at hand. Draw too deeply, however, and you'll run into writing burnout. Learn how to recover from this creative exhaustion and better mind your creative energy in today's episode.
If you consider yourself a pantser, you likely don’t spend much (or any) time pre-writing your stories prior to drafting. Instead, you “write by the seat of your pants,” using your first draft to explore and develop your story.
But just because you don’t find pre-writing helpful to your writing process doesn’t mean that you can’t take advantage of the power of story structure. Learn how in today's episode!
Never is a reader more likely to set your book aside (and perhaps not pick it up again) than when they finish a chapter. Therefore, as a writer, it's important to consider how you'll make your chapter endings as gripping as possible.
In today's episode, I show you how to do just that by moving beyond the cliché cliffhanger to dig deep into the concept of turning points.
Popular writing rules exist for a reason. Or do they? Writing is both an art and a craft. While language and storytelling serve as forms of self-expression, one can also learn structures and techniques that can help them become a better writer.
Such guidance exists in every creative art, from painting to dancing, playing music, and beyond. Why, then, might it be problematic to follow common writing rules?
Past events hold the power to shape who your character is and how they act when your story begins. With that in mind, today's episode takes a deep dive into backstory, exploring the aspect of your characters' pasts that holds perhaps the greatest potential to impact their present stories: their ghosts.
To write inclusively is to take an active role in improving how marginalized communities are represented in literature by including a diverse cast of characters in your stories. Why is this such an important endeavor? And how can you ensure you represent characters accurately and well? Let's break this topic down in today's episode, writer!
(Note: Today is Thursday, March 26th, not Friday. Anyone else losing track of time while social distancing?)
A character arc is a sequence of events that details a character’s internal struggle. In today's episode, Kristen Kieffer breaks down how to craft powerful positive change arcs that will see your characters overcome a core fear, flaw, or false belief to transform for the better.
Do you need to maintain an active social media presence to be successful in your writing career? I explore this question in today's episode, breaking down how writers use social media to their advantage and whether engaging online is truly the best way to connect with writers, readers, and industry pros.
Enjoy the show? Consider leaving a rating & review, both of which go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Emotional struggles are human struggles. To create conflict readers find compelling, it's worth considering the internal obstacles that directly impact your characters' ability to achieve a goal, experience personal growth, and/or realize a happier future. This is where the "lie" your characters believe comes into play...
Enjoy the show? Consider leaving a rating & review, both of which go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
To fill our stories with characters who feel as real as the people around us, we must delve deeper than classic archetypes and easy characterizations. This work begins with developing richly complex personalities for our characters that lend to their most vibrant portrayals. Discover my favorite personality-building tool in today's episode!
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Your characters’ motivations hold the power to make or break readers’ interest in your story. Why? Because conflict means little without context.
But when you allow readers to understand and sympathize with your characters’ actions, you encourage the reader-character connection that keeps readers turning pages.
In today's episode, Kristen breaks down how you can develop powerful motivations for your characters by delving into the psychology of human behavior.
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
If you want readers to invest in your characters and their journeys, then you must craft characters that readers can believe in—characters so well-developed and realistic that they seem to spring to life on the page.
But crafting a cast that moves beyond caricatures and cardboard cutouts can be difficult. What steps can you take to develop complex and compelling characters today?
Today's episode includes 33 tips you won’t want to miss…
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Themes are an integral part of any good story. Yet many genre fiction writers fail to consider their story’s themes, believing they have no place beyond literary novels — or worse yet, that authors who actively explore themes in their stories do so to preach to readers.
These harmful misconceptions hinder writers’ efforts to produce effective and engaging stories. Why? And how can you go about developing powerful themes for your story? Tune into today's episode to find out...
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
As writers, holding our work to high standards can help us craft sensational stories. But when those high standards aren’t accompanied by a healthy creative mindset, the seeds of perfectionism can take root.
Why is this so dangerous? In today's episode, Kristen breaks down how perfectionism can wreak havoc on your writing life, how you can recognize the signs that you're struggling with perfectionist behaviors, and the steps you can take to kick perfectionism to the curb ASAP.
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
The surest way to drive your plot forward is to arm your characters with goals they’re motivated to achieve. Pit your characters’ goals against one another (or against their internal needs), and you’ll create deliciously engaging conflict that keeps readers turning pages.
But how does one develop goals that effectively serve their characters and story? Is it even necessary to give every character a goal, for that matter?
Let’s delve into this topic together in today's episode, writer!
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Shiny new story ideas are doubtless tempting to pursue. The only issue? Some story ideas simply aren’t worth developing. In today's episode, Kristen explores two easy activities that can help you determine whether your new story idea has powerful narrative potential.
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Subplots are more than just a secondary plotline in a story; They're secondary conflicts that arise from characters’ actions & reactions as they engage with the story’s central conflict.
What types of subplots exist, how can these secondary plotlines lend depth to your story, and most importantly, how can you craft effective subplots all your own? Let's dive into today's episode together, writer.
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Wish you could crank out your stories more quickly? You aren’t alone.
In today's episode, Kristen breaks down why more isn't always better and shares the seven key aspects writers should cultivate if they want to build a strong foundation for better, faster writing.
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Every story features at least one arc of events. This arc can be broken down into acts, which are comprised of chapters that contain scenes.
Inside every scene should live the most atomic aspect of storytelling's composition: the beat. What is a beat exactly? Why is it an essential element in any story, and how can you craft powerful beats of your own? Let's dive in!
Want to create a better, stronger writing habit? One of the easiest ways to double down on your commitment to the craft is by habit tracking.
In today's episode, Kristen breaks down what habit tracking is, what writers should log when tracking, and how habit tracking can serve as a source of motivation, momentum, and a sense of accomplishment.
Grab your free writing habit tracker today by visit our episode transcript linked above.
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Have you tried and failed to build a lasting writing habit time and time again?
Taking a break from writing when life gets tough is one thing. But when the slightest hint of upheaval repeatedly sends your creative practice into a tailspin, you know you have a bigger issue on your hands — and that is issue is almost certainly a lack of self-trust.
In today's episode, learn how you can begin building self-trust ASAP using atomic habits, as well as how to maintain your habit through turbulent times in your writing life.
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Writers are commonly advised to craft complex characters. But what exactly makes a character complex?
In today's episode, Kristen explains why characters are often defined by the archetypes they embody and how developing characters who experience a wealth of emotions beyond their defining archetypical traits can lead to a cast that feels fully real and believable on the page.
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Both the traditional and independent publishing industries offer writers the fantastic opportunity to share their work with the world. But which path to publication is right for you?
In today's episode, Kristen breaks down an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of both publication paths, as well as common publishing misconceptions and a persistent limiting belief that may cloud your understanding of which path is best for you.
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Death can serve as a powerful storytelling tool in many ways, but with great power comes great responsibility. What's the secret sauce to killing off characters in a way that readers can respect?
In today's episode, Kristen breaks down the five key reasons that good storytellers choose to kill their characters.
👉 Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers. 👈
To find commercial success, every author needs a platform -- the ability to sell books because of who they are or who they can reach. But how do you build a platform that helps you reach the right readers and sell more books?
In today's episode, Kristen breaks down the four foundational elements of any successful author platform, the five most popular strategies that authors use to expand their reach, and the key to successful platform growth that can make or break your success as an author.
👉 Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers. 👈
Creative comparison often gets a bad rap. Like self-doubt, comparison can be a lens through which writers can identify the strengths and weaknesses in their work, ultimately helping them improve the quality of their skills and stories with intention.
But without the right attitude in place, ego and insecurity can blind writers to the insights that comparison can provide, warping constructive comparison into a dangerously destructive act.
So, how can you overcome unhealthy creative comparison? Kristen breaks down everything you need to know in today's episode, writer.
To succeed in the business of writing and selling books, you’ll need an online headquarters — a place that readers can visit to learn everything they need to know about who you are, what you write, and where they can purchase your books. In other words, you’ll need an author website.
What information should an author website include? How does one go about creating an author website, exactly? When is the right time to create and launch your online headquarters? Kristen breaks down each of these questions in turn in today's episode!
How Writers Can Handle Constructive Criticism With Grace
00:12:32
As helpful as external feedback can be, there’s no doubt that allowing others to read and critique our work can be a terrifying process. Even with a positive attitude in place, criticism can sting.
But receiving feedback can also be an empowering and uplifting experience. How can we ensure that our own encounters with solicited criticism are as positive as possible?
Kristen breaks down five key tips that writers can use to handle constructive criticism with grace in today's episode!
How Writers Can Weather Creative Setbacks With Resilience
00:21:11
Every writing journey has its bumps in the road. Sometimes those setbacks are of our own making, while other times they aren't our fault in the slightest.
Either way, there’s no doubt that setbacks can drain your mental and emotional energy.
Thankfully, there are steps that every writer can take to not only minimize the number of setbacks they experience but to weather creative turbulence with resilience and strength. What must you do to begin cultivating a little of this creative fortitude?
In today's episode, Kristen breaks down her top eight tips for weathering creative setbacks with resilience!
Consistency is key to building a successful and fulfilling writing life, yet it's all too easy to procrastinate the act of putting pen to paper when our creative work gets tough.
How can we overcome this urge to avoid writing and start building a little creative momentum?
Kristen shares her top tips—including insights into why we procrastinate in the first place and why motivation as we know it is a myth—in today's episode of the podcast!
How to Level Up Your Writing & Storytelling Skills
00:14:04
Storytelling is both an art and a craft — and like any craft, the skills required to write great stories can be taught and learned.
What are some of the other steps you can take to improve your skills and stories beyond simply consuming how-to content? And how can you best apply what you learn to truly level up in your craft?
In today's episode, Kristen breaks down the six essential strategies you can put into practice to pave the way for incredible growth in your writing life!
How Writers Can Organize Creative Work in a Second Brain
00:20:12
Creative are knowledge workers who rely upon information and ideas to create fantastic work. So it’s no wonder that our heads are often chaotic or in the clouds, brimming with all sorts of thoughts that we struggle to organize and employ.
That's where a second brain comes into play. By taking the time to create a unified system for knowledge management, we can organize our creative work and get serious about writing with clarity and focus.
In today's episode, Kristen breaks down her preferred knowledge management system, why she loves it, and how you can set up your own!
Three Simple Steps to a Satisfying Writing Session
00:17:35
Do you often get lost in research rabbit holes or relentlessly re-read old work? Do you toggle between chapters in search of scenes you "feel" like writing — or often fail to write at all?
In today's episode, Kristen breaks down the three simple steps you can follow to ditch dissatisfying writing sessions in favor of writing with clarity, focus, and intention (and build a sustainable writing habit while you're at it!).
How to Craft Complex Plots by Introducing Side Quests
00:16:55
Do you often struggle to write full-length novels, never sure how to fill the gaps in your story without writing filler or fluff?
In today's episode, Kristen breaks down one simple strategy for expanding your storytelling and crafting more complex plots: giving your protagonist a side quest!
In today's episode, Kristen launches a new feature called Book Notes in which she summarizes and provides key takeaways from books on writing, publishing, and creative living.
This first edition of Book Notes explores Rachel Aaron's "2,000 to 10,000" — an actionable guide to boosting your creative efficiency.
Running an Amazon ad campaign can be a great way to introduce your book to new readers and increase sales, but there’s no denying that Amazon Advertising comes with a learning curve.
In today's episode, Kristen breaks down an introduction to Amazon Ads as a book marketing tool and walks you through the process of creating your first Sponsored Product ad step by step.
In today's episode, Kristen shares the second installment of Book Notes, a blog + podcast series that summarizes and provides key takeaways from books on writing, publishing, and creative living.
This episode explores Joanna Penn's "How to Market a Book" — a powerful reference guide that teaches authors how promote their books and build lucrative and long-lasting creative careers.
To write great stories, we must find comfort in our writerly skin. Today, Kristen shares her top ten tips and tricks for taking care of yourself as a writer so you can build a happy, healthy, and fulfilling writing life.
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Chapters do more than just add structure to your story; they can create a sense of pacing and page-turning urgency. In today's episode, Kristen talks all about how to write chapters that captivate!
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Eight Steps To Pursuing A Professional Writing Career
00:11:33
In today's episode, Kristen explores some of the steps you can take to begin building a professional writing career today, no matter where you are in your writing journey.
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Opening lines can be tricky. You only have a sentence or two to hook readers, to grip their attention strongly enough that they’ll allow you to draw them deeper into the heart of your story world.
In today's episode, Kristen breaks down how strong opening lines hook readers, how you craft openers that pack a powerful punch, and the five main ways you can frame your lines for maximum effect.
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
In today's episode, learn how to create a Writer's Mission Statement using 5 key elements that will keep you motivated and focused as you work toward your writing goals.
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In today's episode, Kristen breaks down how to build your novel's core stakes and continue to expand upon them on a scene-by-scene basis, helping you build a book so intriguing readers will fly through its pages!
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Eleven Tips For Creating a Feel-Free Writing Routine
00:14:57
In today's episode, Kristen talks about how to build a consistent writing routine that doesn't drag you down, but rather allows you to make the absolute most of your limited writing time!
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If you’re gearing up to publish your first book, then you might be wondering what the traditional publishing process looks like.
What’s involved in finding and signing with a literary agent? How exactly do you land a book deal? And what happens after you ink your name on the dotted line?
In today's episode, Kristen breaks down an overview of the process that most debut authors follow as they build careers within the traditional publishing industry.
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Both the traditional and independent publishing industries offer writers the fantastic opportunity to share their work with the world. But which path to publication is right for you?
In today's episode, Kristen breaks down an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of publishing traditionally.
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The freedom to publish whatever you want whenever you’d like makes self-publishing an attractive option for many writers. But such freedom comes, quite literally, at a cost.
How much would it set you back to self-publish a book? In today's episode, Kristen breaks down the most common self-publishing expenses, including what each service entails and the general range of prices you'll find from reputable online companies and freelancers.
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Think you might like to self-publish your book? Great!
There are many valid reasons to opt out of the traditional publishing industry in favor of sharing your work independently. But to truly ensure that self-publishing is right for you, it’s important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of both publication paths.
In today’s episode, Kristen explores the pros and cons of independent publishing, the chosen path to publication for millions of writers worldwide.
In this episode, Kristen talks about New Adult fiction, including the stigma surrounding it and how, as writers, we can push past that stigma and make the most of this emerging fiction market.
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In this episode, Kristen introduces a new mini-series on crafting trilogies and dives straight in by breaking down the three main types of trilogies, as well as four different plot structures you can follow when crafting your own.
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Today's episode marks the second installment in our miniseries on crafting trilogies. Ready to learn how to craft epic character arcs for your trilogy? Tune in to today's discussion!
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In today's episode, Kristen discusses if and how we can make the mental and emotional space to write when the evening news is overwhelming and life reads like conflict straight out of a history book.
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In today's episode, Kristen discusses five alternative frameworks you can use (beyond a simple solo POV) to successfully present your story to readers.
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Let's face it: writing is hard. It's no wonder we often find ourselves struggling to sit down and get to work. In today's episode, Kristen discusses how to fight back against writing procrastination like a champ!
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Breaking Down The 4 Main Types of External Conflict
00:12:43
Conflict is the crux of any good story. In today's episode, Kristen breaks down the difference between external and internal conflict, the four types of external conflict you can use in your story, and how to weave external conflict into your story with ease.
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Three Awesome Plot Structures For Building Bestsellers
00:11:44
Structure is the backbone of any great plot. In today's episode, Kristen breaks down three plot structures often employed by authors of bestselling books.
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How To Craft Riveting Internal Conflict For Your Stories
00:09:05
If character is the backbone of story, internal conflict is the backbone of character. But what exactly is internal conflict, and how can you build it into your story with ease? Let's talk about that in today's episode of the podcast!
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Are you participating in NaNoWriMo (i.e. National Novel Writing Month) this November? If so, today's episode breaks down eight essential tips you need to know to make the most of this epic writing challenge.
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Every story needs a good villain, right? Well, not so fast…
Conflict drives plot, certainly. But it doesn’t take a mustache-twirling supervillain or omnipotent Dark Lord to create the conflict your protagonist will encounter.
In fact, there are four main types of antagonists that appear in fiction. Understanding how each type operates can help you develop the most effective, edge-of-your-seat conflict for your story. So let's discuss!
Enjoy the show? Leave a rating & review! Both go a long way toward helping the podcast grow and reach new writers.
Does your story feel too fast or too slow at times? Are you worried about whether a lack of consistent pacing will discourage readers from finishing your novel?
In today's episode, Kristen breaks down why consistent pacing is so important, how to mindfully build strong pacing into your story, and even how to break your consistent pacing to achieve specific effects within your story.
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Is a daily writing routine right for you? In today's episode, Kristen shares her own experience in forging a 1,000-day daily writing streak, as well as the pros and cons of creating a daily practice of your own.
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The First Act: Nailing Your Novel's Opening Chapters
00:13:34
Are you ready to write an amazing opening sequence for your story, one that hooks readers in for the long haul? Learn how to nail your novel's opening act in this first installment of our series on the 3-Act Story Structure. (Spoiler Alert for The Hunger Games, Pride & Prejudice, and The Fault in Our Stars...)
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The Second Act: Is The Middle Of Your Story Dragging?
00:13:44
Don't settle for Sagging Middle Syndrome! If you struggle to connect random scenes into a proper narrative, worry that your book will bore readers, or often leave your first drafts unfinished, this breakdown of Act Two is for you. (Spoiler Alert for The Hunger Games, Pride & Prejudice, and The Fault in Our Stars...)
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Writers, it's time to go out with a bang! Learn how to write a killer climactic sequence in today's episode on the third act of the 3-Act Story Structure. (Spoiler Alert for The Hunger Games, Pride & Prejudice, and The Fault in Our Stars...)
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