Kimboo York, author of Become an Unstoppable Storyteller: How to Craft Compelling Serials, gives us the low down on writing serial stories for publication. Serials are a longstanding and honored publishing tradition that are now a growing trend. Guest: Kimboo York Kimboo York's website: HouseofYork.info Substack: https://houseofyork.substack.com/ R…

Tips for mature, first-time authors to get over impostor syndrome and conquer self doubt. Mentioned in the episode: AI for Authors: Practical and Ethical Guidelines. Alliance of Independent Authors Independent Book Publishers Association Question of the week: What is the most challenging part of being a mature author? Get your free copy of the Firs…

An overview of the benefits to authors of using Substack for blogging, newsletters, and a stand-in website. The question of the week is: What email service provider do you use and why? Get your free copy of the First Chapter Rubric. Links: WritingPursuits.com Instagram: @WritingPursuitsPodcast Three Story Method Certified Editor KathreseMcKee.com Y…

Explores plagiarism, academic cheating, intellectual property concerns, and the ethical use of AI by authors.Read the accompanying post at WritingPursuits.com: LINK The question of the week is: What are your predictions about how authors will use AI in the future? Get your free copy of the First Chapter Rubric. Links: Accompanying post: https://wri…

Interview with J. Thorn, author of Three Story Method: Cowriting with ChatGPT: AI-Powered Storytelling. Join the revolution transforming storytelling as we explore the synergy between human creativity and AI's formidable power. Discover how this union will shape the narratives of tomorrow. J. Thorn has published two million words and has sold more …

Discover the key plot points that drive the narrative, from the thrilling inciting event to the breathtaking resolution. Don't miss this in-depth analysis of how structure plays a pivotal role in creating an unforgettable adventure. Resources mentioned: *The Hero with a Thousand Faces* by Joseph Campbell - https://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Faces-Coll…

JP Rindfleisch IX and Kathrese McKee discuss must-know tips for author collaborations. ADDITIONAL LINKS: https://www.jprindfleischix.com/ Book 3 of the Leah Ackerman series launched last month! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B5XWG3G9 Story Hypothesis will be coming out in August (no link yet) I also host coworking streams on Twitch with the pomodoro m…

The 12 Week Year - Discover how accountability, commitment, and greatness in the moment can elevate your writing game. "The 12 Week Year" by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington - https://www.amazon.com/12-Week-Year-Others-Months/dp/1118509234/ "The 12 Week Year for Writers" by A. Trevor Thrall - https://www.amazon.com/12-Week-Year-Writers-Compreh…

Fantasy authors get to create captivating worlds, epic battles, and unforgettable characters. We do a deep dive into the realms of fantasy subgenres and their tropes. Read the accompanying post at WritingPursuits.com: LINK The question of the week is: What are your favorite fantasy books, series, or authors? Get your free copy of the First Chapter …

Jeff Elkins, aka, the Dialogue Doctor, who is an author, podcast host, and writing coach. Jeff shares his experience of conducting over 200 coaching sessions to help authors improve their dialogue and create engaging characters. He explains that the ideas and techniques in his book, "The Dialogue Doctor Will See You Now: How to Write Dialogue and C…

Making connections as writers is important. But how do you go about leaving your shell to make those connections? Here are eight ways to connect. Collaboration for Authors: A Complete Guide to Collaborating, Finding a Partner, and Accelerating Your Author Career by Daniel Willcocks and J. Thorn Co-writing a book: Collaboration and Co-creation for A…

Today, we will cover using body language to improve your writing by conveying emotions, showing instead of telling, boosting characterization, and so much more. Former FBI Agent Explains How to Read Facial Expressions | WIRED - YouTube Question of the week: What are some overused phrases you try to avoid in your fiction writing? Get your free copy …

58: 7 Tips to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Writing, focusing on brain health and wellbeing for authors. The question of the week is: How do you refresh and renew your mind? Get your free copy of the First Chapter Rubric. Links: WritingPursuits.com Instagram: @WritingPursuitsPodcast Three Story Method Certified Editor KathreseMcKee.com Mailerl…

This is the last part of a six-part World Building Series. Today, we discuss five tips for incorporating myth and magic into your world building. The question of the week is: What are your favorite books, series, or movies that include mythology or magic? Get your free copy of the First Chapter Rubric. Links: WritingPursuits.com Instagram: @Writing…

In this episode, we cover 5 tips to help your create and remember your world's history and use it to drive your stories forward. The question of the week is: What is your method for creating the history for your fictional worlds, and how do you keep track?? Get your free copy of the First Chapter Rubric. Links: WritingPursuits.com Instagram: @Writi…

Today, iwe discuss everything from transportation and communication to architecture, construction, technology, and medical knowledge that goes into creating a believable, immersive world. Read the accompanying post at WritingPursuits.com: LINK The question of the week is: What are your favorite books and movies where these topics played a pivotal r…

Society's rules is a part of world building that often does not get enough attention. This is part 3 of a six-part world building series. Helpful Sources: 77 Caste System Examples (2023) - Helpful Professor Elumis - What Are Basic Human Rights? Sanderson's Three Laws of Magic: Worldbuilding Advice for Game Masters The question of the week is: How h…

This is part 2 of a 6-part series on Worldbuilding entitled "Natures' Realm: Set the Stage." Discover ways to exploit the setting of your story for plot points and sources of conflict to make your novels more engaging and immersive. Accompanying YouTube video: https://youtu.be/_dl7rvWseqg Question of the week: How does the place you set your storie…

Unlock the secrets of effective world building with the tips from my world building Series. Today, we explore how world building benefits your writing. The question of the week is: What fictional book world have you always wanted to visit and why? Get your free copy of the First Chapter Rubric. Links: WritingPursuits.com Instagram: @WritingPursuits…

Is ChatGPT for Authors? Angela Haas and V.E. Griffith are my guests as we discuss the pros and cons of ChatGPT for writers. Listen in as three authors discuss how they use ChatGPT, its strengths and weaknesses, and the potential legal ramifications. To try ChatGPT, go to https://chat.openai.com/ See the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Jf3h8_bIdk…

Plottr is an app that helps authors outline faster, organize smarter, and turbocharge their productivity. Troy Lambert, author of more than 25 mystery novels, reveals how he uses Plottr to keep up with the demanding writing schedule of a commercial writer. Troy reveals his process for plotting, creating character profiles, revision, and keeping the…

What is "Author Fade?" How do you recognize it? And how do you avoid it or recover from it? Learn 5 steps to fight author fade. Read the accompanying post at WritingPursuits.com: https://www.writingpursuits.com/5-steps-to-fight-author-fade/ The question of the week is: Do you have tips and tricks for overcoming author fade? Get your free copy of th…

A synopsis is a useful tool for authors and a necessary one to attract an agent or publisher. Use these tips to make the process easier. The question of the week is: Do you have any pointers or experiences to share about writing synopses? Get your free copy of the First Chapter Rubric. Laube, Steve. 2018. “Book Proposals: The Fiction Synopsis -.” T…

Getting to the finish line for your first book is the most important task for a new author. How do you overcome the obstacles and develop the mindset to get to The End? Emma Dhesi coaching at https://www.emmadhesi.com Special offer ending Saturday, September 10, 2022 https://www.emmadhesi.com/21days. The question of the week is: What is your bigges…

In this episode of Writing Pursuits, I will discuss twelve ways to find story ideas. Question of the week: What is your favorite method of brainstorming new story ideas? Get your free copy of the First Chapter Rubric. Links: WritingPursuits.com Instagram: @WritingPursuitsPodcast Three Story Method Certified Editor KathreseMcKee.com Mailerlite (affi…

The puzzler approach takes a fair amount of prewriting and preparation before the real work begins, but don't call it an outline. Check out The Heroine's Journey: For Writers, Readers, and Fans of Pop Culture by Gail Carriger for a great addition to your author library. Read the accompanying post at WritingPursuits.com: "Don't Call It an Outline". …

Use content pillars to generate content for your blog, social media posts, and newsletters. Stop struggling with what to write about in your blog and your author newsletter and your social posts! Who Is Your Ideal Reader Avatar? goes with Episode 2: Who Is Your Ideal Reader?. Use Content Pillars to Generate Strong Content Content Pillars Exercise d…

The mirror moment in a story is when the main character experiences a moment of clarity that pushes them to change direction. It is the turning point. That moment of clarity is when your character experiences an ah-hah moment. Most often, it is the unveiling of a truth about—themselves, the world, what they must do if they hope to survive, or what …

This is part 2 of a two-part series. Part 1 is in Episode 41. Your story is finished. You've reached the end. Your beta readers are waiting, an agent has asked for a full manuscript, or maybe you are getting it ready for your editor. What are some easy ways to immediately improve it before your send it out? Let's find out in this episode of Writing…

Before you send your manuscript to an agent, editor, or your beta readers, use these steps to immediately improve your manuscript. Read the accompanying post at WritingPursuits.com: Seven Easy Ways to Improve Your Manuscript. The question of the week is: What are your favorite last-minute checks before your send your manuscript out? Get your free c…

Scenes are the building blocks of novel writing. If you master writing scenes, your stories will be unputdownable. Riveting. Engaging. If you are an experienced author, you know these things, but every fiction author must learn how to write a good scene. The question of the week is: How do you know you have reached the end of a scene? Get your free…

Is writer's block real? Yes. Can you beat it? What to do when you have writer's block. Writer's block is not a permanent condition, and there are ways to minimize its impact. The question of the week is: What is your favorite way to get unstuck and beat writer's block? Get your free copy of the First Chapter Rubric. Links: WritingPursuits.com Insta…

Figuring out your characters' fears and deepest needs and desires is a key to characterization and generating conflict for your plot. The question of the week is: How have you used your characters' fears to drive your plot? Or, what is your favorite example of a character's fears driving a plot? Get your free copy of the First Chapter Rubric. Links…

Today, I have a guest, Stephen Schneider, and we will be discussing his middle grade fiction and a few other topics. Stephen writes as S. A. Schneider, and he is a purveyor of fantasy and a travel guide for kids to explore the many worlds found in books. Anyone who has a wolf should be a writer of fantasy, right? Enjoy the adventure. Discovered Wor…

Time is our most precious commodity, but we spend too much effort and thought--too much time--on stuff that actually holds us back. We also avoid a couple of things that make all the difference. Get your free copy of the First Chapter Rubric. Links: WritingPursuits.com Instagram: @WritingPursuitsPodcast Three Story Method Certified Editor KathreseM…

In this week's episode, I interview Christine Daigle about her experience with Kindle Vella, and she gives lots of tips and insights for successfully writing serial fiction. Christine is co-writing two Kindle Vella series with Stewart Sternberg under the pen name of L. P. Styles. Guest: Christine Daigle who co-writes with Stewart Sternberg Author W…

In a world where time travel is real - We skip back to the beginning and tune into these innocent weirdos who thought they'd have the stamina to make a podcast every week.By Tania 'doodlezilla' Vincent

There are plenty of tools and apps to help you market your books, but most of those come at a premium. Today, we are going to look at a free tool that will simplify your life and help you market your books. In fact, you can earn money on books you didn't write by maximizing your affiliate links. Let's learn about Universal Book Links and how to use…

Do authors of books need to write blog posts too? What about doing blog tours during your book launch? Who should blog and who shouldn't? What are the best topics to blog about? Links: WritingPursuits.com Instagram: @WritingPursuitsPodcast Three Story Method Certified Editor KathreseMcKee.com Mailerlite (affiliate link) YourFirstChapter.com…

First Chapter analysis with Alden Burgess's science fantasy YA novel, The Elusion Crystals. Great discussion with this film maker turned novelist. Links: WritingPursuits.com Instagram: @WritingPursuitsPodcast Three Story Method Certified Editor KathreseMcKee.com Mailerlite (affiliate link) YourFirstChapter.com…

An emergency in my personal life taught be lessons about needing margin in my life. Here, I share 8 ways I have found to create margin. Links: WritingPursuits.com Instagram: @WritingPursuitsPodcast Three Story Method Certified Editor KathreseMcKee.com Mailerlite (affiliate link) YourFirstChapter.comBy Kathrese McKee

What do you do when your email service provider changes their product, changes their pricing, and doesn't let you migrate your data to the new platform? This is what happened to me and thousands of other clients lately when MailerLite rolled out their newer, better, shinier MailerLite and assured their existing clients that the "classic" version wo…

Your author biography is your business card, your elevator pitch, and your introduction rolled into one. Taking the time to craft a strong author bio will help you establish a consistent image across your books and across the internet. Authors mentioned in this episode: Lane Rebelo, LCSW at TinySigns.com Jen Fisch at KetoInTheCity.com James L. Ruba…

You need to consider plain text as a means to future-proof your written work. Why plain text? How hard is it to do? What are the advantages and disadvantages? My suggestions? Let's find out. The question of the week is: What steps have you taken to archive your manuscripts or other important work? Alternate question: What is your favorite text edit…

Full episode on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/3LTx2NYPDoM Katherine (Kat) Vinson's website: https://sparksofember.wordpress.com/ Links: WritingPursuits.com Instagram: @WritingPursuitsPodcast Three Story Method Certified Editor KathreseMcKee.com Mailerlite (affiliate link) YourFirstChapter.comBy Kathrese McKee

Mind maps are a powerful way to think about story writing, so today, we are looking at mind mapping software for writers. https://www.coggle.it https://www.ayoa.com https://www.mindmeister.com Links: WritingPursuits.com Instagram: @WritingPursuitsPodcast Three Story Method Certified Editor KathreseMcKee.com Mailerlite (affiliate link) YourFirstChap…

You want to be an author. Or maybe you already are an author, but for some reason, you are dissatisfied with the book writing software you are currently using. Today, I am going to concentrate on software you would use on a PC or Mac, not standalone writing machines like the Traveler by FreeWrite. So which software should you look at? Which one sho…

Cybersecurity is always a concern, but due to the war in Ukraine, world governments have issued warnings about data security to protect against hacking. How can authors protect their work and take action to protect their data? What easy steps can you take this week to be in a much better state of preparedness? To be ready? To safeguard your finance…

Introducing the First Chapter Rubric In this episode, we analyze Becky Appleby-Sparrow's first chapter of Love Unlikely, a YA romantic fantasy. We use the newly available First Chapter Rubric, available for free at FirstChapterRubric.com. Get your copy and follow along. Links: WritingPursuits.com Instagram: @WritingPursuitsPodcast Three Story Metho…

An agent can be an invaluable partner, but how do can you tell if an agent is legit? Which literary agents should you avoid? How much do literary agents cost? Do you pay literary agents upfront? Do agents charge fees? Association of American Literary Agents (AALA). Founded in 1991 as the Association of Authors' Representatives (AAR) http://aaronlin…