Best Meredith Bond and Pru Warren Podcasts (2024)

1
Episode 100 40:39

2y ago40:39

40:39

Pru and Merry look back at what they’ve learned and how their positions have sort of equalized over the last two years—and we talk about Merry setting up a “You Decide” story for reader engagement. Which is a MOST excellent idea. You should do it, too!By Meredith Bond and Pru Warren

1
Episode 99: Kickstarter for a Romcom Book Launch 32:38

2y ago32:38

32:38

Proving once again that fools rush in where angels fear to tread, Pru blurts all over Merry as she talks about her plan to launch her next trilogy with a detour into the Kickstarter universe. Listening is clearly taking advice from a novice, so be warned…but maybe this is a good place for you to start thinking about the Kickstarter opportunity! Her…

1
Episode 98: Author Planner and Community with Audrey Hughey 38:12

2y ago38:12

38:12

How do you get the support you need as well as the kick in the pants that gets you going? Podcast guest Audrey Hughey is that brilliant combination of Mom and Army Guy you’ve been looking for! Merry and Pru explore all the goodness in Audrey’s Author Transformational Alliance and look at the many ways she’s providing usable author planners. Interes…

1
Episode 97: Book Marketing with Mindy Klasky and Heather Roberts, recorded on June 22, 2022 50:17

2y ago50:17

50:17

When it comes to marketing your book, how do you know if you’re surfing a very short wave, or rising on the strength of a true marketing movement? Promotions expert Heather Roberts (of Elle Woods Promotions) and wise author Mindy Klasky join Pru and Merry to discuss what’s working, what might be a trend, and just how much you need to commit to a lo…

1
Episode 96: Checkov’s Gun with JT Bock 46:15

2y ago46:15

46:15

Romantic suspense novelist JT Bock pushes all of Pru’s buttons by talking about her favorite movies in a discussion of Chekov’s Gun—a tool every writer should know about to lay the groundwork (and provide the glorious resolution) that turns indifferent readers into rabid fans. Where JT goes (Pru says), I will certainly follow!…

1
Episode 95:Talking Book Coaching with Jennie Nash 40:37

2y ago40:37

40:37

Jennie Nash wants to change the industry! She wants to improve how authors nurture themselves, how they approach the business, and how we (and the world) value our work. Go, Jennie, go! All this from the woman who founded a book-coaching training program. And she’s got a yenta on staff who will find YOU the right book coach, too! Need some links? H…

1
Episode 94: The Editorial Process with Matrice Hussey 38:41

2y ago38:41

38:41

What kind of an editor do you need? How much will it cost? Does it take a long time? Are you going to tell me my baby is ugly?? Don’t tell me my baby is ugly! Merry and Pru talk with Matrice Hussey, exceptionally kind and clever romance editor, about all aspects of authors working with editors. It’s okay; you can do this! To get in touch with Matri…

1
Episode 93: Writing Inspiration with Michael LaRon 38:54

2y ago38:54

38:54

Author Michael LeRonn is the antidote to the energy drain and toxicity that is wearing you down. Have a listen; in just about half an hour, you’ll feel better about yourself and more eager to get some writing done. Plus you’ll have a better answer to a few key questions—like “How do you connect to the “why” of why you write?” And “What does a pictu…

1
Episode 92: Atticus with Dave Chesson 48:28

2y ago48:28

48:28

What if you were annoyed by something that didn’t work as well as it should and instead of just grumbling about it, you RE-PLOWED THE WORLD to make it right?! Dave Chesson of Kindlepreneur and Publisher Rocket stops by the podcast to explain to Merry and Pru how he’s calmly revolutionizing how authors write, collaborate, and publish with his new go…

1
Episode 91: Imagery with Kathleen Gilles Seidel 42:41

2y ago42:41

42:41

The brilliant Kathleen Gilles Seidel read a book each by Merry and Pru and gave us the benefit of her expensive education and vast experience to share praise and opportunity with us…and then we made a left turn into a pretty great discussion of talent, too. Kathy Seidel is our Returning Champion, and this podcast proves why!…

1
Episode 90: Mindy Klasky on Transparency in Publishing 40:59

2y ago40:59

40:59

As authors, we tend to be so grateful that someone bought our book that we don’t ask too many questions…but maybe we should. Hybrid author Mindy Klasky (with traditional and indie publishing cred) returns to the podcast to discuss the history and current state of what authors have been trusting is true in their publishing journey. Warning: Might ma…

1
Episode 89: Foreign Translations with Jodi Vaughn 33:06

2y ago33:06

33:06

Ever wondered what it would take to sell your book in other languages? Noted author Jodi Vaughn has; she says it’s a leap of faith—but it looks to Pru more like a voyage into madness! Man, oh man—there’s a LOT that goes into just selling your romance in the profitable German market. Jodi makes it work, though—and here’s how! To find Jodi's paranorm…

1
Episode 88: When is a Book Set in Stone? 20:16

2y ago20:16

20:16

With the ease of uploading corrected or edited copies of your novel to the ebook platforms, when should you correct your text and when should you create a new edition? We wander far afield—should “Huck Finn” be rewritten to reflect the cultural awareness of today? Can we imply any more strongly that our romance novels should be considered alongside…

1
Episode 87: Sensitivity Readers with Natasha D. Lane 1:04:33

2y ago1:04:33

1:04:33

The diversity (or lack thereof) in your book is worrying you; how do you make sure you’re not perpetuating your own unsuspected biases? Sensitivity reader Natasha Lane fields a million basic questions from Pru and has intelligent discussions with Merry to advise and inform you on matters from the thoughtfully highbrow to the immensely practical. Th…

1
Episode 86: Genres and Traditional Publishing with Alix Rickloff 36:00

2+ y ago36:00

36:00

Settle in for an informative chat with author Alix Rickloff, who has not only mastered a leap between genres but who has attracted the praise of readers AND PUBLISHERS alike. Imagine—if publishers wanted you multiple times! Pru has a little fan-girl moment over that one... You can learn more about Alix at https://alixrickloff.com/…

1
Episode 85: Multiple POVs 36:12

2+ y ago36:12

36:12

Merry and Pru do a little literary name-dropping on this discussion of points of view to use in your book. Can you borrow the techniques of George R.R. Martin? How about William Styron or F. Scott Fitzgerald? Too “guy” for you? Okay—how about Georgette Heyer or Jane Austen? They all used the points of view of their characters to draw you in and hol…

1
Episode 84: Kathleen Gilles Seidel: An Expert Opinion 33:35

2+ y ago33:35

33:35

Merry and Pru get to talk with the chattiest of academics, the brilliant romance author Kathleen Gilles Seidel, about how publishing has changed—and how READERS have changed. We learn that while much has changed since Kathy’s first book in the 80s, a few very annoying habits have continued to plague authors!…

1
Episode 83: The Bridgerton Bee: Repeated Motifs 34:23

2+ y ago34:23

34:23

Did you notice the bee in the filmed version of Bridgerton? Merry did—and she uses it as a superb example of how to skillfully weave a repeated motif into your story. Wide-eyed, Pru discovered repeated motifs all around her. Hey--can I do that, too?? More importantly, listener—can you?!By Meredith Bond and Pru Warren

1
Episode 82: The End--Writing the Satisfying Ending 33:58

2+ y ago33:58

33:58

Listener, strap in: We range far afield, from how not to tick off your reader to how to use the ending to sell your next book. Epilogues are heavily discussed! Merry shares five ways to avoid the dreaded Bad Ending, and Pru asks all the simplistic, novice questions you were too embarrassed to ask. As usual! Meredith quotes from an article entitled …

1
Episode 81: Once Upon A Time: Writing a Great Lead 33:37

2+ y ago33:37

33:37

Was it really the best of times, the worst of times? How has writing a gripping lead to your story changed over time—and how has it remained the same? Merry and Pru consider lots of examples and come up with a few rules of thumb that will help to make the beginning of your book so slippery that readers won’t realize they’ve fallen in deep until it’…

1
Episode 80: Setting up your files with Heather Maddix 36:33

2+ y ago36:33

36:33

Pru and Merry happen to know a file guru—someone who can show us how to set up the good habits that will avoid disaster (like, O GOD MY COMPUTER CRASHED and O GOD I DELETED THE WRONG SCENE and O GOD IT WAS BETTER FOUR EDITING ROUNDS AGO). Heather Maddix knows the simple tricks that will save you gallons of adrenaline, tears, and despair. Go, Heathe…

1
Episode 79: Writer’s Block with Christi Barth 48:49

2+ y ago48:49

48:49

Staring into your coffee mug each morning—deep breathing—the fragrance of bergamot or lavender—a simple neck roll. Author Christi Barth not only tells Merry and Pru HOW to break up writer’s block…she also explains WHY her solutions have such power. Dang, girl—that list is amazing! Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert. For ess…

1
Episode 78: Theme 30:21

2+ y ago30:21

30:21

Did you loathe the concept of “theme” in high school English class? Oh, gaw—me, too! (said Pru.) Fortunately, Merry knows what she’s talking about, and she teases out the concept of theme so it actually makes sense and becomes a valuable tool for an author. Plus—bonus!—an aside on the concept of diversity and why you CAN write with diverse voices, …

1
Episode 77: Tips and Tricks for Writing a Series 32:20

2+ y ago32:20

32:20

We go from the wildly ethereal (the mystical power of three throughout the known universe) to the hugely practical (why you want to write a trilogy and not a quartet—pay attention, now, this affects the bottom line!). Merry tells us about the sophisticated experienced author’s planning philosophy, and Pru blurts out what the novice does instead. Th…

1
Episode 76: Imagery 33:04

2+ y ago33:04

33:04

Is it all just metaphors and similes? Was your English teacher right? Do you have what it takes to create a rich description that tells you as much about the describer as about the object described? Where did I leave my red gloves?! So many questions. At least some of them are answered in this example-rich half hour! For your edification: https://a…

1
Episode 75: World Building 31:38

2+ y ago31:38

31:38

If you think world-building is only for sci-fi, listen up! The subtlety of world-building may be why your book feels flat or overly factual. If you want a slippery book that people just fall into, then consider the concept of world-building (in the wine world, it’s called “terroir”—the flavor of the earth). Merry and Pru wander through this topic, …

1
Episode 74: The Heroine’s Journey 30:04

2+ y ago30:04

30:04

The author of “The Heroine’s Journey”—noted author Gail Carriger—recently spoke to the Washington Romance Writers, and Merry and Pru are eager to discuss this fascinating theory. Don’t worry; it’s not all philosophy. We talk about The Lion King, Harry Potter, The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars…all the juicy stuff that makes philosophy so much more fun! Wa…

1
Episode 73: An Interview with Cyber-Security Expert Chuck Hall 51:40

2+ y ago51:40

51:40

You thought you were safe. You’re an author—why do you need to care about all that Skynet internet security stuff? Oh, honey. Listen to a fascinating chat with cyber-security expert (and urban legend) Chuck Hall about the steps you really DO need to take to avoid some kind of embarrassing cyber-disaster. And we thought it was only going to be an ex…

1
Episode 72: An Interview with Meg Napier 37:13

2+ y ago37:13

37:13

Merry and Pru visit with a new romance author to hear her take on writing (pantsing or plotting? Meg’s answer is so cool!), publishing (and the annoyances of multiple platforms), and marketing (oy! What an endless rabbit hole to fall into!). There’s so much to learn—and all we want to do is write!By Meredith Bond and Pru Warren

1
Episode 71: Writer Accountability Tools 31:50

2+ y ago31:50

31:50

The “frustrated writer” is all too common a type—but be in the now, man. Work with who you ARE, not who you want to be! Meredith shares all kinds of writing tools and jaw-dropping tips with Pru in this podcast to help the four major personality types find the motivation and success they crave as authors. Accountability—turn it into your greatest st…

1
Episode 70: Redefining Success 31:46

2+ y ago31:46

31:46

It’s been about a year since novice author Pru Warren published her first novel—and a bit more than a year since our podcast episode #13, where we defined several different definitions of success. How has a year in indie publishing changed Merry and Pru’s definitions? Turns out, the answers are pretty surprising!…

1
Episode 69: Writer’s Goals: Preparing for the new year 35:56

2+ y ago35:56

35:56

Sure—it starts out airy-fairy. Goals, hopes, dreams, oh my…but the discussion rapidly dials down to how to set definable, measurable goals and then gives you the tools you need to attain your year’s ambition. That was fast; gravity asserted itself and all the pie-in-the-sky writer dreams became marketing, publication, engagement…and words written! …

1
Episode 68: Front and Back Matter 46:51

2+ y ago46:51

46:51

Chock-full of fascinating ideas and basic, raw information on what you NEED and COULD/SHOULD have in your book’s front and back matter—so much information that we ran over our self-imposed time. This isn’t a chore, dear author—it’s a rich and delicious opportunity, and you, too, can come to love the extras you add onto your brilliant story!…

1
Episode 67:Gretchen Rubin‘s Four Tendencies 35:41

2+ y ago35:41

35:41

Merry walks Pru through a remarkably adept method for understanding the motivations that make writing either a chore or a burden, as defined by famed sociologist Gretchen Rubin. Each of the four tendencies suggests great writing tools to assist you on your journey. And Pru sings a little at the end. Bonus! To take the quiz yourself: https://quiz.gr…

1
Episode 66: The Amazon Whisperer 40:11

2+ y ago40:11

40:11

Expert Keri-Rae Barnum shares her wisdom on the whiny question of “How do I get Amazon to like me?” Keywords, comps, optimizing, training the bots, revising your book description and title and series title and subtitle, and OMIGAWD Amazon ads—Keri knows her stuff and shares freely! She’s a goddess at New Shelves.…

1
Episode 65:Writing--Art, Identity, or Profession 30:26

2+ y ago30:26

30:26

How do you perceive yourself? What role does writing play in your life? Is it time to move from “writer” to “author?” Merry starts asking some Big Thinking questions while Pru is staring stupidly into the Zoom screen. As usual, Merry gets Pru thinking and gabbing. Art, identity, or profession? The answer is YES! With thanks for the topic from the o…

1
Episode 64: Reader Engagement 33:06

2+ y ago33:06

33:06

Especially for indie publishers, the goal is to create “superfans” or brand ambassadors who will not only buy your books but will also tell their friends, write reviews, and otherwise make noise. How do you engage with your readers? How do you help them to feel that their relationship with you is one of friendship and not just buyer/seller? Merry h…

1
Episode #63: A Chat with JT Bock 38:39

2+ y ago38:39

38:39

Indie author JT Bock joins the podcast to discuss the current state of indie publishing (and what the hell is going on in traditional publishing!). Much hilarity and forehead palming when Merry compliments Pru on an Amazon sponsored ad that Pru didn’t know she was running. Plus—can an introvert survive an in-person book signing event? With JT on ha…

1
Episode #62: The Novelist‘s Pre-publication Schedule 40:14

2+ y ago40:14

40:14

What happens after you type “The End” and before your indie book is published? Pru says the in-between stages take 140 days; Merry can shorten that to 110. Here’s the run-down of what to do when and why, before you publish your indie book. And it’s complicated…but definitely possible!By Meredith Bond and Pru Warren

1
Episode #61: Show versus Tell 29:06

2+ y ago29:06

29:06

Pru begins the discussion in quite a belligerent mood because the always-annoying advice “Remember, dear: Show, don’t tell!” makes so little sense—-but Merry talks her down. Pru discovers that there are times when you should TELL, NOT SHOW (“HAH!” cries Pru in victory) and also learns the valuable link between “show” and both deep and shallow POV. …

1
Episode #60: A Frank Discussion with Mary Jo Putney 41:38

3y ago41:38

41:38

Regency Romance legend Mary Jo Putney joins Merry and Pru to consider the publishing industry—where it’s been, where it is, and how authors (published and otherwise) should plan for the future. Need some advice? Some direction? A reminder of why you love to write? Spend half an hour with a remarkable author!…

1
Episode #59: Facebook Ads 26:28

3y ago26:28

26:28

Despite some familial difficulties, we got some fantastic information from author Victoria Pinder on how to set up Facebook Ads.By Meredith Bond and Pru Warren

1
Episode #58: Regency Romance 35:36

3y ago35:36

35:36

Meredith Bond (who needs more than all her fingers and all her toes to count the Regencies she’s written) explains why the Regency romance is such a popular genre. Her reasons astonish her rom-com co-host, Pru Warren, who (as usual) “never thought of it that way!” (Pru writes the podcast descriptions; can you tell??)…

1
Episode #57 Purpose of a Scene 30:29

3y ago30:29

30:29

In your outline, you can’t just say “Hero and heroine play chess; witty banter.” Experienced author Meredith Bond explains to her novice acolyte, Pru Warren, how to make your story tight and strong: The hidden skeleton beneath the witty banter. Every scene has a purpose. Yes, EVERY scene! If you don’t know yours, then this is your podcast!…

1
Episode #56: Marketing a Series 36:07

3y ago36:07

36:07

Publishing three books in three months is the kind of thing only a novice author would do, since once you do it, you’re no novice anymore! Pru Warren has been throwing money at the problem, with curious results. Here’s a talk on Facebook ads, BookBub, social media, promo stacking, and the massive Amazon overlord. Got to get in good with the boss! M…

1
Episode #55: Author Newsletters and Mail Privacy Protection 32:26

3y ago32:26

32:26

With Apple’s iOS15 update, how do authors handle the loss of one of the best ways to know if your newsletter is annoying your subscribers… or how do you make sure the mystical “mailer daemons” still think highly of you? No actual answers yet, but good information and a plan for the future come from the discussion.…

1
Episode #54: Writer‘s Block 34:36

3y ago34:36

34:36

Every writer knows the feeling: That blank screen, that white page is MOCKING YOU. What can you do to get those words flowing again? Expert author and book coach Meredith Bond has got you covered. Here’s a list of great ideas to open you up again. Novice author Pru Warren learns a thing or two about quieting that inner critic! Merry uses http://bra…

1
Episode #53: Amazon Categories 32:21

3y ago32:21

32:21

Novice writer Pru Warren discovers the occult mysteries of selecting Amazon categories and bowls experienced author Meredith Bond over in her rush to share what she learned. Merry smiles indulgently, like a fond mother watching her toddler learn to walk. (Obviously, Pru writes the show descriptions.) BISAC, ASIN, ISBN, Publisher Rocket, Book Link—i…

1
Episode #52: The Big Overview: What we‘ve learned in our first year 34:12

3y ago34:12

34:12

On the first anniversary of our podcast, Pru Warren and Meredith Bond take the time to admire ourselves very much. We look back on what we’ve learned (which is a staggering amount, in Pru’s case). Like a Greatest Hits album, we focus on the very best of The Writer’s Block Party Podcast. Yay, us!By Meredith Bond and Pru Warren

1
What is Romantic Comedy 30:51

3y ago30:51

30:51

What makes a book a rom-com, and why isn’t Amazon policing this better?! Ah…THAT’S why. Damn. Pru shakes off her novice status to lead a conversation with Merry on romantic comedy. From arch wit to zany slapstick—what makes something a rom-com? (And is rom-com hyphenated or not? Where’s a proofreader when you need one?!)…

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Meredith Bond And Pru Warren Podcasts

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