Best Leandre Larouche Podcasts (2024)

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320. How to Build a Body of Work 7:15

1+ y ago7:15

7:15

Very few things bring people as much meaning as building. Whether it be a brand, a business, or a portfolio… we humans love building. That’s why we’ve seen the rise and fall of empires, the growth and collapse of multinational corporations, and the advancement of the arts and sciences. In this episode, I’d like to suggest that rather than thinking …

1
319. Writing for Happiness and Wealth 6:11

1+ y ago6:11

6:11

In this episode, I share with you three ways to use writing as a means to achieve more happiness and wealth. Writing, in its essence, is a tool for business success and personal development. It's a craft you can use not only to communicate with other people but also to understand yourself. I personally recommend writing every single day—regardless …

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318. The Paradox of Writing 6:07

1+ y ago6:07

6:07

In this episode, I talk about a writing paradox you may have never thought about. Writing is a skill necessary for success, yet its economics are far from great. Why? Because there are more writers than there is demand for writing. Still, writers can make a great living by choosing a profitable industry and by honing their craft. The people who tru…

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318. Is ChatGPT a Scam? 10:22

1+ y ago10:22

10:22

ChatGPT is a free, new, and revolutionary AI technology that generates “original” text within seconds after being prompted by the user. Since its release in November 2022, people have been contending that ChatGPT is bound to replace writers. But what are the implications of using ChatGPT? Might ChatGPT be a scam? This is the question we answer in t…

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317. Can Anyone Write a Book? 6:51

1+ y ago6:51

6:51

I was at a bar on Friday. And as is often the case when meeting new people, I was asked what I do for a living. So I said, as I commonly do (unless I decide to be cheeky), that I write books and help others do the same. So far so good. But my interlocutor was a curious one. So I was pressed to give more details and was asked one very interesting qu…

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316. Book Writing and Personal Development: Interview with Maida Celedon 50:44

2y ago50:44

50:44

In this episode, I interview Maida Celedón M., a life coach based out of Toronto, Canada, who recently published her first personal development book, The Road to F*ck It: An Unapologetic Guide to Standing in Your Power with Trivium Writing's help. During our conversation, we talked about the book writing process, personal development, coaching, and…

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315. Becoming a First-Time Author: Interview with Dr. David Diehl 38:25

2y ago38:25

38:25

Have you ever wanted to become an author? If so, this episode is for you as we interview Dr. David Diehl, a retired educator from Houston, TX, who worked with Trivium Writing on his very first book The Umbrella: Your Personal Guide to Weathering Life Storms. During this interview, we talk about Dr. Diehl's book, which is all about creating better w…

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314. A Phrase to Avoid to Be Persuasive (Persuasion Series - Part 5) 2:09

2y ago2:09

2:09

To be persuasive, you should avoid certain words and phrases. One of them is the phrase "it's interesting to note that..." The reason this phrase hinders your persuasion is that it forces a conclusion onto the reader. Your readers are capable of making their conclusions, and if they come to the same conclusions as you do, they will be persuaded. Bu…

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313. The Difference in Persuasion Between Speaking and Writing (Persuasion Series - Part 4) 4:12

2y ago4:12

4:12

There is a large difference between speaking and writing as far as persuasion goes. When we speak, we can use tonality and body language to show confidence. But when we write, we have to double down on the power of our words themselves, and we can do so by revising and editing our words. Visit www.triviumwriting.com to learn more about writing, rea…

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312. Can Any Type of Content Be Persuasive? (Persuasion Series - Part 3) 3:20

2y ago3:20

3:20

Can any type of content be persuasive? The short answer is "yes," but it depends on the writing goal. In Trivium Writing's Architecture of Writing methodology, there are 4 writing goals: description, narration, narration, and persuasion. These 4 goals contribute to content being persuasive, but in the end, for content to be persuasive, there must b…

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311. How to Fix an Unconvincing Sentence (Persuasion Series - Part 2) 1:50

2y ago1:50

1:50

From time to time, you will find yourself faced with an unconvincing sentence. The rest of the text may be persuasive, but one sentence in particular sounds off. To fix an unconvincing sentence, you have to ask yourself the following question: is the problem inside or outside the sentence? In other words, is the problem the words or the content? If…

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310. How to Know if a Sentence is Persuasive (Persuasion Series - Part 1) 3:05

2y ago3:05

3:05

How can you tell if a sentence is persuasive? Sure, you can know if a text is persuasive. But how can you tell if one sentence in particular helps the text being persuasive? The answer lies in the certainty of the language. Some words and phrases such as "I think" and "I believe" insert doubt in your writing. Unless you actually doubt what you are …

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309. The Undying Power of Narrative Structure 4:00

2y ago4:00

4:00

What's interesting about Hollywood movies is they follow a specific structure. Not only that, we can know the structure and have studied and still feel emotionally compelled by it. Why is that? That's because humans are completely wired for story. We understand the world through storytelling, and we crave stories. So, when writing and communicating…

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308. What the Top 2021 Nonfiction Bestselling Books Have in Common 13:04

2y ago13:04

13:04

The other day, I was reading the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list and noticed something particular. What was it? It was that the top 5 books on the list all had one thing in common: their title was one word only. Of course, that fact does bear significance: it means these words are very strong and capable of drawing the audience in. In thi…

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307. How to Stay Focused and Productive When Writing 6:08

2y ago6:08

6:08

It can be hard to stay focused and productive when working on a long piece of writing. One thing I have noticed about myself is that varying where I write helps me a great deal in staying focused. I enjoy being in different environments, in different positions (sitting, standing), and using different devices. I have three different locations where …

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306. Schooled by a Lawyer 10:28

2y ago10:28

10:28

Not very long ago, I was reminded by a lawyer that the written word is more persuasive than speech. I should know better since I talk about the importance of writing every single day to anyone willing to hear me out. But I may be excused this time as I was under pressure and looking to avoid a legal dispute. What had happened? I was speaking with a…

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305. The Sheer Power That Words Can Have 9:57

2y ago9:57

9:57

I was driving down in Toronto when suddenly I was struck with a sense of sadness and nostalgia. What had happened? I was driving by an avenue where an ex-lover was living when we were seven years ago. I associated that specific corner of the city with the heartbreak that occurred because it was around there I last saw that woman. But how could my e…

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Interview with Author & Social Engineer Ben Bressington 35:34

2+ y ago35:34

35:34

The Word Leader Podcast is back from a longer-than-expected break! Today's episode is an interview with author and social engineer Ben Bressington. Benjamin is a speaker and author of multiple books. His latest book People Ignorant: Unlocking Success, Confidence & Influence. Ben has a Law & Criminology degree from Australia. Ben spent 10 years help…

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304. Short Pause Until the End of the Year 2:04

3y ago2:04

2:04

It’s hard to believe, but we have passed the 300th episode of The Word Leader Podcast. We are going to take a short pause until the end of the year, and we’ll be back strong in January 2022. Visit www.triviumwriting.com to learn more about writing, read our blog, and grab our resources. Get your copy of Write a Book That Matters today.…

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303. Create Stories Out of Thin Air 3:44

3y ago3:44

3:44

Stories sell, but how do you write a story? Not every piece of information in your hand is a story, but it can become one if you make it so. Remember that a story is made of someone doing something. There needs to be a character and an important action. These two elements create a journey, and the journey creates a change. The character’s action is…

1
302. How to Improve Your Writing Easily 3:25

3y ago3:25

3:25

You don’t need to be in love with writing to be a good writer. You simply need to be observant and analytical. You can identify the patterns of good writing. Learn some writing concepts and identify them in texts you love. Start implementing these patterns in your own writing, one at a time. Slowly but surely you’ll be implementing most of the patt…

1
301. Less is More 3:07

3y ago3:07

3:07

The best and easiest way to improve your writing is to cut words and sentences. The less words you have, the more impact each word has. The same goes for sentences. Shorter and more concise texts require more from readers. The more engaged the reader, the more power your writing has. When you strike someone’s imagination, you leave a mark on their …

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300. Let Them Come to Their Own Conclusions 4:36

3y ago4:36

4:36

You can educate people all you want, but nothing comes close to letting them come to their own conclusions. Your job as a writer is to connect facts, ideas, and stories for readers to make their own minds. You can try to force a perspective down their throat, but you likely won’t succeed. Your job is simpler than that. Connect the right information…

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299. When You Read Something is as Important as What You Read 5:10

3y ago5:10

5:10

Some books contain knowledge that will change your life. Knowledge is power, as the saying goes. But power can kill you, too—or at least leave you incapacitated. Knowledge is empowering if one knows how to use it. There are many unfortunate things about the world we live in, and knowing all about it without the ability to change anything is soul-cr…

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298. Be Cognizant of What’s Worked Before 3:26

3y ago3:26

3:26

If you’re writing and publishing a book, one of your goals is to sell copies. To sell copies, you must be cognizant of what’s been done before you because success leaves a trail. In the end, you have to find a compromise between what you really want (which doesn’t necessarily sell) and what works (what sells). One of the biggest mistakes we make bo…

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297. Don’t Let Your Book Be a Let Down 3:25

3y ago3:25

3:25

What’s hard about writing a good book is keeping the quality consistent. All too often, when we write our first draft, the quality of our content and writing vary between chapters and sections. Although it can be avoided through solid writing foundations, it’s not completely abnormal. Writing is a difficult task, and writing well is even more so. B…

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296. Learn How to Write Anywhere 5:07

3y ago5:07

5:07

It’s tempting to believe that we can only learn how to write well by reading books on writing, by writing a lot, or by taking a graduate program. But the reality is that the mechanics of writing are only one aspect of writing—and it’s not even the most important. The most important aspect of writing is human psychology. How well do you understand h…

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295. The Importance of Time 3:07

3y ago3:07

3:07

Books take time to write, and that’s a good thing. You’ve probably been in a situation where you spoke too fast and regretted it. Or perhaps you’ve sent a text message and didn’t take the time to evaluate whether you meant what you wrote. That happens to the best of us. But that happens because we don’t take the time to review ourselves. Books are …

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294. The Branding of Everything 5:41

3y ago5:41

5:41

When I was in university, I used personal branding to get good grades on my paper. I developed a very unique way of writing papers, and they usually involved mixing cultural politics and humour. The reality is that you can brand yourself through the way you write and the way you communicate. Branding can be found in everything, and everything can b…

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293. Variety is How You Win at Writing and Communication 4:57

3y ago4:57

4:57

Two important needs humans have are certainty and variety. Though certainty matters because people need to trust you to take them somewhere, variety matters a great deal because people get bored if they can predict what’s next. At every level of your writing and communication, you need to offer variety. You do so by changing the variables you are u…

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292. Conceptual Thinking is Underrated 6:29

3y ago6:29

6:29

Conceptual thinking is the ability to connect ideas and turn abstract thoughts into compelling concepts people can visualize. This skill is highly profitable and highly underrated. We don’t talk a lot about conceptual thinking, just as we don’t talk a lot about writing. Yet it is so important. Conceptual thinking produces best-selling books, billio…

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291. If You’re Struggling With Writing 6:42

3y ago6:42

6:42

If you feel you’re struggling with writing, you need to ask yourself why. You need to assess your expectations and vision. You also need feedback. The truth might be that you’re doing just fine, and that your expectations are too high for where you are. High achievers have a way of always looking ahead and wanting to improve. But you can’t get ahea…

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290. No Need for a Template 5:59

3y ago5:59

5:59

A client asked how to bridge the gap between being structured and being generic. The truth is that structure doesn’t need to be generic. The problem with book and content coaches is they put a bandaid on the problem of structure. They say, “put these elements in this order” when in fact the order doesn’t matter much. Sure, some things need to go at…

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289. Writing as Preventive and Reactive Medicine 8:00

3y ago8:00

8:00

Writing is the key to a successful life because writing is formalized thinking. Good thinking leads to a good life. But why is that? There are two ways writing can be useful to lead a good life. First, writing helps us figure out what we want. Writing about the future helps get a crystal-clear picture of what we want out of life. Second, writing he…

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288. Slow Down, You’re Going Too Fast 5:47

3y ago5:47

5:47

One of my mentors once told me, “No. Stop. You’re growing too fast and not slowing down for your audience. Teach one simple nugget at a time, and your audience will be better off. Stop letting your expertise be your biggest shortcoming.” Damn, he was right. He was completely right, and it was tough to accept. Unfortunately, this happens to everyone…

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287. You Have More Than a Book 5:01

3y ago5:01

5:01

If you write a book for the first time, you’ll quickly notice that it’s like opening a Pandora's box. You’ll find a lot more than you thought you would. In fact, you may wonder whether you have more than one book. You may wonder if you should be expanding your thoughts—or not. You may wonder if you should be blogging, if you should be writing artic…

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286. How to Handle Feedback 5:35

3y ago5:35

5:35

While writing your book, you’ll get feedback from other people. But chances are that you’re attached to your work and taking criticism (even if constructive) can be difficult. I catch myself every so often wincing at the feedback I get when it’s not what I want it to be. Of course, I’d like to get everything perfectly the first time. Don’t we all? …

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285. Let’s Not Dismiss Theory 5:28

3y ago5:28

5:28

We often dismiss theory on the basis that it’s not as useful as practice. We often believe that “practical” books—how-to books—are inherently better. I think that is because we live in the era of personal development. But let’s not dismiss theory because we need theory to get to the practical stuff. We need to lay out theories about the world becau…

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284. Your Responsibility as an Author 7:30

3y ago7:30

7:30

We often talk about all the beautiful things that come with writing and being an author. Of course, writing is a potent way to make a mark on the world and impact other people’s lives. But writing can also backfire. Words have lives of their own, and so do texts. Think of how Karl Marx’s work was appropriated by various revolutionaries who killed m…

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283. Write a Book That Matters - Book Titles and Subtitles 5:19

3y ago5:19

5:19

In the traditional publishing world, books are the fruit of a collaboration between an author and an editor. It’s impossible to overstate the importance of the editor. The editor acts on behalf of the audience and the publishing company. After all, giving a book deal to an author is a business decision—it’s an investment. From the publisher’s compa…

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282. Write a Book That Matters - The Architecture of Writing 3:17

3y ago3:17

3:17

I am not an artist. At least, I don’t consider myself one. Sure, I do like poetry and like to put rhythm in my writing. Still, I don’t consider myself an artist because I don’t think like one. The way I approach writing is closer to architecture. Over the past decade, I’ve dissected writing and broke it down into its different elements. When I writ…

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281. Write a Book That Matters - Direction vs. Destination 3:05

3y ago3:05

3:05

Almost every aspiring author thinks they need a destination when, in reality, they need a direction. You don’t need to know precisely where you’ll land to get to the place where you need to be. It’s just like life. (Ouh!) The people who carefully plan every aspect of their life and their final destination miss out on the richness of the world. In o…

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280. Write a Book That Matters - The Dirty Word 3:50

3y ago3:50

3:50

“Assumption” is a dirty word. We’re told we shouldn’t make assumptions about people, how things will go, and just about anything we can think of. Assumptions are the opposite of empirical evidence, so the story goes. And the story is true — in certain contexts, at least. For example, you shouldn’t assume someone’s behaviours based on their ethnicit…

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279. Write a Book That Matters - Dinner Party Analogy Part III 4:00

3y ago4:00

4:00

Let’s be honest: The people who open their mouths simply because they like the sound of their voice aren’t worth listening to. Neither are the people who interject because they think they’re smart and know it all. People of substance talk when they have something valuable to say, namely, when they know something that’s missing from the conversation…

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278. Write a Book That Matters - Dinner Party Analogy Part II 4:17

3y ago4:17

4:17

So, what do your people talk about? That’s the general topic. Within a group of people, there’s always one (or many) recurring conversation topics determined by the group’s identity. For example, when mechanics get together, they don’t talk about philosophy. That doesn’t mean mechanics aren’t interested in philosophy; it just means that’s not what …

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277. Write a Book That Matters - Dinner Party Analogy 4:05

3y ago4:05

4:05

As an individual, you are multifaceted. You have different desires, interests, problems, and pains. This means you are part of different communities. Communities have different bodies of knowledge and different understand- ings of the world. As an individual, you contribute to your communities in different ways… Which is an exciting opportunity for…

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276. The Tools Also Matter 5:20

3y ago5:20

5:20

I always talk about how everything starts from your identity, but the tools also matter in the writing process. The tools matter because they influence your identity. You need to love the way your tools make you feel throughout the writing process—otherwise, you won’t stay motivated and you won’t enjoy the journey. For example, I recently bought a …

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275. Writing Is Just the Beginning 6:14

3y ago6:14

6:14

You always hear me talk about writing on this podcast, but writing is just the beginning. Writing is a tool you can use for your life, your business, or your personal development. But once you’ve written and published something, you need to stand by it. You need to live up to its promise. By writing, you’ve made a commitment to the world about the …

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274. You Are Someone’s Favorite Writer 5:32

3y ago5:32

5:32

Even if you haven’t published anything yet, you are someone’s favorite writer. Someone somewhere is craving for the way you articulate your experience as a human. Someone somewhere wants to hear your deepest thoughts about who we are, what we’re doing, and why we’re here. We have intellectual sister souls—people who feel the same things we do, peop…

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273. The Frightening Beauty of Writing 6:10

3y ago6:10

6:10

There is a word I love in the English language, and that word is serendipity. That word means an unexpected discovery or finding something different than what you were expecting. There exists book serendipity, and there also exists writing serendipity. And the latter makes writing frighteningly beautiful. Book serendipity is finding a book you need…

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Leandre Larouche Podcasts

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