SURPRISE! We said we were taking a break for the summer—and we are—but we couldn't skip this opportunity to have the fabulous Alessandra Torre on the show to talk about her journey into writing, publishing, and running one of the best writer conferences in the country. Alessandra (AR) Torre is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bes…

Do you have an intentional author brand? If not, today's guest is bound to help. In fact, in this interview, she did an on-the-spot workshop with Megan, helping her rethink her own social media content strategy! If you want practical tips and real-world examples, you have to listen in on this one. Melanie Herschorn wants to help you step into your …

Ever wonder why some books grab you from the first line, while others fail to spark your interest? This week's quick tips are all about the opening hook. Tip #1: Some people never read past the first paragraph, let alone the first page. Make it count! Tip #2: Know the difference between in medias res and place en scene. Choose your start carefully.…

Walking the knife's edge between depth and brevity... Today's guest is a master of the short story and professor at George Mason University. He's built a career in the trenches of the literary magazine world, where every word counts. Our conversation digs deep into the art of the scene, with a ton of practical advice to keep readers turning pages n…

Don't be a bunny. Avoid head hopping. We're tackling one of Megan's biggest pet peeves this week; head hopping, or changing character point of view without a visual transition in between. It happens when authors switch from the internal monologue or emotions of one character into another character, within the same scene, without a scene break or ch…

The journey of a writer is a blend of art and commerce, heart and head. "Intuitive Editing is the process of taking the hard craft skills and melding it with creating the story that you're trying to create, not the one that some writing guru or dogma has suggested would be the right structure for you." This week we're thrilled to have editor Tiffan…

In this week's quick tips, we're taking a deep dive into the info dump. What's that, you ask? An info dump happens with the author writes everything they know about a character, setting, or their worldbuilding into a single stretch of prose. It's really common, especially for newer writers who feel like they need to explain everything for the reade…

Books get claimed by the world... In this week's episode, we're taking a deep dive into audience building, author platform, and finding your tribe with publisher and agent, David Morris. David Morris is the publisher of Lake Drive Books and a literary agent at Hyponymous Consulting, two innovative ventures working together to specialize in authors …

Ever struggled to write dialogue that sounds natural and captures the essence of your characters? This week's quick tips will help you overcome that challenge. Tip #1: Listen to people talk in real life. Hang out in different locations with people from different walks of life. They don't speak the same! Tip #2: Don't overdo dialect. While you want …

We're entering a new era for the indie author... In the last few years we've once more seen seismic shifts in the self-publishing industry. No one understands that better than author consultant Joe Solari, who recently took the reins of what was once the 20Books to 50k conference. Rebranding under the Author Nation banner, Joe has been on the front…

Want to create deeper, more three-dimensional characters? Today's quick tips are geared to help you do just that. Tip #1: Use the Enneagram to understand your character's motivations, fears, and desires. Make sure this stays consistent throughout your story. Tip #2: Give your character a flaw or a quirk. Make it a visual representation of their int…

From a family band to scriptwriting to romance novels and teaching... Ines Johnson joins us on the show this week to talk about understanding the market and finding your place in the trends. She's a master at finding patterns and applies that skill to the art of storytelling while meeting reader needs. Lucky for us, she's also a teacher at heart. T…

How do you research your novel? How do you avoid procrastinating via research? In this week's Quick Tips we're tackling the pre-planning journey of research. Tip 1: Set limits, create deadlines, and use timers. Tip 2: Understand the type of research you need. Is it traditional, freeform, or experiential? Each type has its benefits and drawbacks, so…

The new digital-first traditional publisher... It's been awhile since we talked about the differences, pros and cons of traditional versus indie publishing. As our tagline says, "We believe there's no single right way to produce, publish, or promote your writing, only what works for you!" Which is why we're excited to have Stephanie Carey on the sh…

Ever felt like your creative well has run dry? In this week's Quick Tips we're tackling brainstorming and writing creativity. Tip 1: You are what you eat so consume good content. Tip 2: Capture and expand on your ideas. If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider supporting the show. For a few dollars a month, you can help us cover the ongoing…

What makes a reader experience? How do you build a sustainable author career? We're thrilled to have Kevin Tumlinson back on the show this week to talk about what he's coined "The Artisan Age." If you follow the podcast you know that we interviewed Kevin for our first episode of 2024, but we felt like we didn't have time to cover all the issues we …

This week is all about the book series. How do you plan your writing to build an expansive world? What are the kinds of series you can choose from? (Psst: there's more than one!) Tip #1: Think big, even if you have a small town. Tip #2: Identify the type of series that's best for your story. If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider supporti…

Ever feel like your voice as an author gets lost in the crowd? In this week's interview, Matty Dalrymple of the Indy Author Podcast joins us to talk all about podcasting for authors. If you've ever wondered what it takes to be on a podcast, or start your own, this is the episode for you. It's a conversation packed with practical tips and advice you…

As we jump into April, we're sharing some of our favorite tips in the pre-writing stage, starting with Worldbuilding! Tip #1: No matter the genre, every book needs a world, so don't forget to build one. Tip #2: Keep your own rules to avoid breaking reader immersion. If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider supporting the show. For a few dol…

Personalizing the pyramid of needs... This week, we're thrilled to have Melissa Storm join us on the Author Wheel Podcast to talk about writing craft, authorpreneurship, being a hybrid author, crossing genre lines, writing under pennames, mental health, wellness, and more. It's an absolutely fabulous interview packed with actionable advice for writ…

This week's Quick Tips are all about Easter Eggs—what they are, how to use them, and why you should. Tip #1: Use Easter Eggs to build a fandom. Tip #2: Be open-minded about what to use as Easter Eggs. Bonus Tip: Use Easter Eggs as a cross-promotional tool. If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider supporting the show. For a few dollars a mon…

How do you promote your books? It's not just about penning the next bestseller; it's about connecting with readers, and that's where Written Word Media comes in. If you have questions about book marketing, listen in. In this week's interview, we're talking with Clayton Noblit, senior marketing manager at Written Word Media, a platform that empowers…

This week's Quick Tips are all about meeting reader expectations to satisfy their literary cravings. Tip #1: Put the hook on page one! Tip #2: Check your pacing. Learn from our mistakes! If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider supporting the show. For a few dollars a month, you can help us cover the ongoing expenses—like hosting and editin…

". . . my job is as a coach is to help writers recognize the things that they have control over and that they don't." This week's interview is with Enneagram teacher and Author Accelerator book coach Dani Abernathy. She helps people write the stories they need to tell so their readers can feel seen and can see others. She believes that stories can …

How do you write genre fiction without feeling formulaic? This week, we’re taking a deeper look at tropes and giving you our best tips for combining elements to effectively cross genre lines. Tip #1: Understand the rules before you break them Tip #2: Pick a primary genre first, then twist it with other elements, keeping your reader in mind Get a fr…

Do you use AI tools in your writing? AI is the hot button topic of the modern creative industry. No matter your position, the genie is out of the bottle, the cat is out of the bag, and Pandora's box is open. So how do we, as authors, decide where we stand and what our personal positions will be? This week, we're thrilled to have Cameron Sutter—foun…

When we’re first learning to write fiction, most of us know broadly what genre we’re targeting. You might tell people you're working on a Fantasy, or Thriller, or Romance novel. That's a great starting point, but it's not specific enough once you're trying to publish and market that book. There’s nuance to the niche sub-genres on the major ebook re…

Have you ever considered writing serialized fiction? What about releasing your novel chapter by chapter as you write it? In this week's episode, author coach Kim Boo York joins us to talk about how she rediscovered her love of writing through fan-fiction, dealt with imposter syndrome and the internal critic telling her there wasn't an audience for …

This week's Quick Tips are all about self-care. From setting realistic expectations to financial budgeting, building in time for self-reflection and rest, and taking care of our physical bodies, we're tackling the mental, emotional, and physical roadblocks that can hold you back from a sustainable author career. Follow Us! The Author Wheel: Website…

Ever wondered how your favorite indie authors make their mark in the vast expanse of international publishing? In this episode, we're talking with Tara Cremin of Kobo Writing Life. She's giving us the inside look at international publishing as well as the secrets to success on Kobo. Tara Cremin is the Director of Kobo Writing Life (KWL), Kobo’s ind…

How do you deal with rejection, negative criticism, and disappointment? In this week's Quick Tips, we're giving you our best advice to overcome the negativity and flip the switch to a positive mindset. There are all kinds of disappointments in this job. Rejections from agents and editors, fizzled launches, and one-star reviews. Our advice? Remember…

What's hiding in your shadow self, and how can you use it to improve your writing? Today's conversation with Joanna Penn is a brilliant look at what it takes to unearth the raw essence of author creativity. Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-nominated, New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller author as J.F. Penn. Sh…

When motivation is flagging, how do you fall back in love with writing? The key lies in self-awareness—recognizing your introversion, extroversion, or something in between, and how these traits fuel your creative fire. Our personal stories and practical strategies will guide you to embrace who you are and channel your innate strengths into a writin…

Have you ever tried to write your novel longhand? For this week's guest, that's simply how it's done. At least for the first draft. For her, it's a great way to connect body and brain and keep the story flowing. But when even that fails, Paula turns to reading to fuel her creative soul. This week's episode offers new solutions that can turn setback…

How do you refill your creative well? In this week's quick tips, we're talking about creativity and how we can nurture our subconscious mind. Tips include: Intentional content consumption: no matter the medium, what we watch, read, or experience influences our writing Building community: conferences, writing groups, online summits are all fodder fo…

Have you ever attended an in-person writing conference or summit? This week's guest is not only a full-time writer and productivity guru, she's organizing the Author Alchemy Summit in Portland February 22-25! Jessie Kwak is an author and business book ghostwriter living in Portland, Oregon. She is the organizer of the Author Alchemy Summit, as well…

Ever feel like your New Year's resolutions vanish into thin air before January's over? In this week's quick tip, we're talking about the difference between goals and resolutions, and how to turn vague wishes into achievable progress. We'll walk you through the basics of the SMART goal setting method so you can make your goals Specific, Measurable, …

Too many external voices... Today's guest, a former lawyer turned author and book coach, joins us in this week's interview to talk about her writing process. Mary's journey from courtrooms to the craft of storytelling is not only inspiring but also enlightening for writers navigating their own creative paths. Mary Adkins is the author of the nation…

Imposter syndrome. It's the elephant in the room that almost every author faces at some point in their career. In today's episode, Mark Leslie Lefebvre's shares his wisdom on dealing with this behemoth. With over 30 years experience in the writing, publishing, and bookselling industry, Mark understands the heartbeat of writing and publishing. . Mar…

Ever feel like the intricate dance of authorship could use a choreographer? Well, put on your dance shoes because we're here to help. From the solid foundation of goal setting with an author strategy template to the daily twirls of bullet journals and to-do lists, we have tools to help guide your steps. We share how breaking tasks into bite-sized p…

As we catapult into a fresh year, many of us grapple with a mounting stack of tasks and the elusive beast that is organization. Luckily, tools like StoryOrigin are here to help! We're thrilled to have guest Evan Gow on the show. Evan is the indie developer of StoryOrigin, a marketing tool and community of authors that work together to find reviewer…

Happy New Year and welcome back to the Author Wheel Podcast! This week isn't so much a quick tip as an update on our plans for 2024, and boy oh boy, do we have some great shows headed your way. Our regular Monday interviews will continue, and we have some fantastic guests lined up for the show. From the brilliant Joanna Penn, to indie guru Mark Les…

Happy New Year! We're starting 2024 with a bang, and digging right into our first guest interview with the Voice of Indie Publishing, Kevin Tumlinson. Our conversation wheels through the valleys and peaks of a writer's life, from childhood tales etched in crayon, to overcoming self-limiting beliefs, to live blogging his story as its being written, …

Ready to supercharge your productivity in 2024? This week marks our final December Quick Tip, and it's all about implementing a workflow that will keep your stories rolling. We dig into our past, examining our old habits and systems, and underscore the importance of making necessary amendments. Our personal experiences, like our morning writing rou…

Do you know the difference between strategy and tactics? In this week's Quick Tip, we're talking about how we can simplify our strategy to focus on the most impactful activities that will move us toward our goals. To do that, we first have to understand the difference between the day-to-day tasks (tactics) and the overarching plan (strategy.) Keep …

Ready to jumpstart your writing journey this New Year? This episode of the Author Wheel podcast will be your perfect guide. We've stitched together a mashup of wisdom-rich clips from our previous guests, including Tonya Kappes, Matt Holmes, Claire Taylor, Sacha Black, Paul Ardoin, and Becca Syme. Struggles and success go hand in hand. As a creative…

Clarity. It's such an ephemeral concept. Ever changing and just out of reach, and yet we need clarity to focus. This week's quick tip is all about understanding ourselves and our motivations so we can set audacious goals for 2024 that are aligned with the future we want. Our dreams and ambitions can evolve over time. The things that we wanted yeste…

Dream big and go for it! In this highly motivational interview, we're talking with bestselling author Jonathan Yanez about his journey from the written word to the big screen. From learning to write screenplays by reading them online, to immersing himself in film culture by attending film conventions and events, he discusses the importance of under…

This month's quick tips are all about the end of year reset and refresh. Join us as we take a deep dive into the world of author strategy, turning the rear-view mirror towards 2023 and putting 2024 in sharp, clear focus. It's all about finding the sweet spot between your dreams, realities, and actions. We’ve distilled the planning process into four…

The art of blurbs, navigating Amazon Ads, and seeking help . . . Writing is a lonely craft, but it doesn't have to be. In this week's episode, Bryan Cohen gets candid about the necessity of help-seeking in the author space, sharing personal stories of how collaboration and networking transformed his business. He opens up about his personal journey,…