Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach

Dear [favorite author]Release Date: April 20, 2026Use this prompt to write a letter to your favorite author, alive or dead. Listen and you'll hear the letter I wrote (and who I wrote it to). This simple act reveals your creative values as you tell the author what it is you admire about their work.Listen or head to to read it and access additional related reading: https://annkroeker.com/2026/04/20/dear-favorite-author/And to get a copy of 52 Creative Writing Prompts, head to annkroeker.com/52prompts.

Are Abandoned Projects a Sign of Creative Weakness?Release Date: March 25, 2026Writers I work with—and if I’m honest, I myself—launch multiple projects, enthusiastic about every idea. We open a document, give it a working title, tap out a few paragraphs with loads of energy. Like the squirrel, we scamper around the Internet or library doing research, gathering quotes and anecdotes to incorporate into this shiny new work-in-progress.A few days or weeks later, we abandon it, our sentences as sparse as the squirrel’s twigs up in that tree. The raw materials of a project—research, paragraphs, quotations—sit on our hard drive. Will we return to it and continue building or abandon it for projects with more potential?Often we do abandon the project and scamper off to start another one.Weeks or months later, we might open our Finder window or Google Drive and scroll through our archives, astonished to see so much unfinished business: half-drafted projects, a concept of a book, or the start of a post. We can feel like we’ve wasted our time and resources.Are we quitters? Are we creatively weak? Are we people who love to start things but get bogged down in the messy middle, throwing in the towel when we can’t find our way through?Our inability to finish can leave us feeling embarrassed, ashamed, or frustrated.But that’s unhelpful self-talk. Instead, in this episode, we reframe it.Listen or head to https://annkroeker.com/2026/03/25/are-abandoned-projects-a-sign-of-creative-weakness/ to read it and access additional related reading.And to work with one-on-one, head to https://annkroeker.com/writing-coach - I can provide you with human support for writing you produce as the thoughtful human you are...no AI necessary!

Don’t want to say it yourself? Put a frame around it!Release Date: March 22, 2026In novels, memoir, nonfiction, and poetry, a narrator can set up the main story so that we have a frame effect. This is, in fact, called the “frame narrative.” The main story, then, becomes “the story within the story.” Learn all about it and study examples in this episode.The frame narrative sets up the “main” narrative, and provides context and lends plausibility to the story within the story. The nested story likely has a completely different narrator from the frame’s narrator (and the frame might also offer insight into that nested-story’s narrator).The frame creates distance and reduces criticism of the first storyteller who sets things up. If you dislike or don’t agree with the story told, well, don’t blame the messenger. The main narrator is simply telling someone else’s the story (”Hey, this is what I heard a guy say”).The frame narrative’s speaker says the bold thing by letting someone else say the bold thing. In other words, the frame narrative delegates to someone else the task of saying the hard or controversial thing.You can see how you can try the frame narrative yourself to add distance from topics that matter to you. It’s a way of telling it slant. Invent one or both narrators, and create the story that sets up the nested story. You, too, can say the bold thing by letting someone else say the bold thing.Listen or head to https://annkroeker.com/2026/02/25/do-you-really-want-to-write-quietly-its-an-ai-favorite/ to read it and access all my sources in the footnotes. And to work with one-on-one, head to https://annkroeker.com/writing-coach - I can provide you with human support for writing you produce as the thoughtful human you are...no AI necessary!

Do you really want to write “quietly”? (It’s an AI favorite)Release Date: February 27, 2026We all have “pet” words or phrases that slide into our prose like a favorite shoe that’s shaped to our foot and supports our gait—literary techniques that feel like our voice on the page.Some writers come across more casual, using sentence fragments or words like “ain’t” and “c’mon!” Others turn to ellipses for hesitation and pop a statement (or question) in parentheses for humor.Guess who’s been paying attention to how we express ourselves?Yeah, LLMs slurped up our online writing and got a taste for the way we write. Their favorite words and phrases draw from our favorite words and phrases, and now they’re repeating them ad nauseam, shoving them into everyone’s drafts so people leaning on AI for their writing start to sound suspiciously similar.What’s especially frustrating is that these are perfectly good writing techniques, and now that I see them spilling into my inbox, I hesitate using them.In the hands of skilled writers, a light touch with these could produce a pleasant flow, but AI doesn’t yet seem to fully sense the need for restraint, balance, and pacing. It stuffs otherwise effective wording into their drafts like too many prizes in a box of Cracker Jack. They stop being special after the fifth appearance.Once I point them out, you’ll start to spot them in blog posts, articles, newsletters, and social media. In this episode, I point out several AI favorites. You'll start t spot them everywhere.Listen or head to https://annkroeker.com/2026/02/25/do-you-really-want-to-write-quietly-its-an-ai-favorite/ to read it and access all my sources in the footnotes. And to work with one-on-one, head to https://annkroeker.com/writing-coach - I can provide you with human support for writing you produce as the thoughtful human you are...no AI necessary!

Whose Voice Is on Your Pages? Human vs. AI WritingRelease Date: February 11, 2026I opened someone's newsletter a few weeks ago touting the “glorious” age of AI and the advantages it provides. Hm, I thought. AI is fascinating, I guess. Speedy. Clever, in its way. But…glorious? It’s been studying us. Wouldn’t that suggest anything “glorious” about AI can be attributed in part to what it’s drawn from that which makes us gloriously human? It did, after all, train on our published projects like articles, blog posts, and books (which it’s already consumed, with or without our permission). I’ve been thinking a lot about AI lately, as headline after headline offers dire warnings (job losses!) or lavish praises (glorious!), depending on the source. I know clients and colleagues who are using AI extensively in their operations, including research, drafting, and editing. I know others who haven’t tried it even once. To be honest, I’ve gone back and forth on it myself. When ChatGPT was first making the headlines in 2022, I “interviewed it“ because I was curious to see how it worked and what it would say. I was simultaneously freaked out and fascinated with the results. Should I avoid it or embrace it? I didn’t decide on the spot. Instead, I experimented with it in low-stakes ways before drawing any conclusions; it’s evolving so rapidly, however, I land on an opinion only to change my mind a week later based on new information. I’m suffering from technological whiplash. Now that AI is embedded in our writing programs, email inboxes, and more, I’m revisiting my opinion once more. Turns out I had a lot to say. Listen or head to https://annkroeker.com/2026/02/11/whose-voice-is-on-your-pages-human-vs-ai-writing/ to read it and access all my sources in the footnotes.

Self-Publishing vs. Traditional: Janyre Tromp's Real-World Experience with Both (and Clear Favorite)Release Date: December 17, 2025Award-winning author and editor Janyre Tromp joins us for an in-depth exploration of her deep publishing experience. She’s seen it from all angles, as an editor in traditional publishing houses, and as an author who has seen the pros and cons of both traditional and self-publishing. Janyre breaks down the definitions, differences, and decision-making process for authors as they consider the publishing path that’s right for them.In this wide-ranging discussion, you'll learn:Clear definitions of vanity press, hybrid publishing, self-publishing, and traditional publishingWhy Janyre decided to try self-publishing (indie publishing) after undeniable success as a traditionally published authorHow she leverages her marketing background for maximum salesWhen to choose traditional publishing vs. self-publishing vs. other optionsThe financial realities and potential of each publishing pathWhich path has become her favorite (and why)This interview is perfect for aspiring authors, seasoned writers considering a change, or anyone curious about how things are changing…and how we can make an informed decision.⌚️Timestamped Notes00:00 Multitasking Editor Embraces Indie05:13 Publishing Access vs Readers08:37 Indie Publishing Workflow Explained12:45 Indie Publishing Services Evolve13:37 Building Your Self-Publishing Team19:21 Nonfiction Marketing Strategies22:35 Self-Publishing: Learn or Delegate23:29 Indie Authors as a Business28:43 Effective Nonfiction Self-Publishing Tips31:05 Publishing Requires Patience and Marketing34:48 Indie Influence on Traditional Publishing38:44 Hybrid Author vs Publisher41:07 Navigating Publishing Rights & Royalties45:39 Hiring Reputable Publishing Services46:56 Vetting Publishers for Success52:45 Benefits of Audiobooks for Readers53:52 The Enduring Power of Books57:51 Craft Your Book's Big IdeaResources & Links:Free 3-Day Challenge: Craft Your Book’s Big Idea: annkroeker.com/3dayPrevious interview with Janyre about target audience: Start with Your Ideal Audience

What's your role in your reader's lifeRelease Date: December 2, 2025In this episode, Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach, explores how clarifying your role in a reader’s life transforms your tone, structure, and connection on the page. Using real-world analogies and examples from Anne Bogel, Annie F. Downs, and Lisa TerKeurst, Ann shows how to choose and calibrate a voice readers trust—whether you’re a knowledgeable friend, a teacher, a tower of authority, or a fellow traveler in the field.In This Episode You’ll Discover:Why defining your role makes writing more intuitive and effectiveHow to spot a voice/role mismatch that’s holding your manuscript backThe “knowledgeable friend” approach that helped Anne Bogel find her flowHow Annie F. Downs’ “coffee with a friend” brand guides tone and contentLisa TerKeurst’s 4 voices for authors: Tower, Teacher, In the Field, and In the PitWhen to avoid the “In the Pit” voice (and what to do instead)Practical tone tweaks: contractions, anecdotes, sentence fragments, vulnerabilityA quick exercise to test multiple voices and choose what fitsHow to align structure, examples, and word choice with your chosen roleWays to iterate based on reader response⌚️Timestamped Notes  0:00 - Introduction and welcome from Ann Kroeker  0:26 - Episode topic: What’s your role in your reader’s life?  0:40 - Roles professionals play and their impact  0:57 - Why writers should understand their role for better connection  1:10 - Identifying your reader-facing role: friend, expert, or fellow traveler?  1:17 - The impact of a tone-role mismatch for writers  1:35 - How tone, structure, and writing style change when role aligns  1:45 - Aligning roles for authenticity and effective voice  1:50 - Writers Anne Bogel, Annie F. Downs, and Lisa TerKeurst refine their roles  2:17 - Anne Bogel’s “friend who knows some things” approach  2:47 - Using knowledgeable friend tone: relate and inform  3:04 - Annie F. Downs’ “coffee with a friend” brand  3:33 - Using anecdotes, humor, and vulnerability as a friendly writer  3:50 - Lisa TerKeurst’s four author voices explained  4:23 - The Tower Voice (authoritative expert)  4:46 - The Teacher Voice (research-backed and vulnerable)  5:04 - The In-the-Field Voice (guiding as fellow traveler)  5:26 - The In-the-Pit Voice (venting without solutions)  5:45 - Finding your role: reflection questions for writers  6:12 - How readers see you shapes your style  6:22 - Structuring research-based writing with the Tower Voice  6:33 - Blending guidance with personal insight as a Teacher  6:40 - Using shared experience for trust in the Field Voice  7:04 - The pitfalls of writing from struggle without solutions  7:12 - Experimenting with different writer voices  7:38 - Adjusting tone and style to suit your authentic role  8:12 - Realizing and embodying your role for writing flow  8:29 - Invitation to Craft Your Book’s Big Idea challenge  8:50 - Ann Kroeker encourages and supports writers  9:02 - Closing and ongoing support for writersResources & Links:Free 3-Day Challenge: Craft Your Book’s Big Idea — annkroeker.com/3dayLisa TerKeurst interview (linked in episode show notes at annkroeker.com/writersrole)To read and check out all info, head to annkroeker.com/writersrole

Why Writers Get Lost in Research (And How to Find Your Way Back)Release Date: October 8, 2025In this episode, Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach tackles the common "research rabbit hole" problem that plagues nonfiction writers. Learn how to balance thorough research with productive writing, using Isaac Newton's famous quote about "standing on ye sholders of giants" as inspiration for leveraging others' knowledge without getting lost in endless sources.In This Episode You'll Discover:Why the research rabbit hole is a distraction for nonfiction writersNoticing when you're researching versus procrastinatingPractical strategies to ensure you stay focused on the researchThe importance of research for credibility and specificity in nonfiction⌚️Timestamps:0:00 - Welcome & Introduction0:48 - Getting Lost in Research1:30 - Does Detail Matter?2:00 - Value of Specifics3:15 - Building Trust Through Research3:44 - Research in Memoir & Essays4:09 - Standing on Giants’ Shoulders4:40 - 7 Focused Research Tips5:05 - Bracket Placeholders5:23 - Tackling Online Distractions5:45 - Parking Lot Document6:00 - Staying Relevant6:23 - Research Timers6:48 - Organizing Research7:16 - Research as Conversation7:45 - Back to WritingTo read and check out all info, head to annkroeker.com/rabbithole

Start with Your Ideal Audience: Insights from Janyre TrompEpisode 283 | Release Date: September 24, 2025Quick SummaryIn this episode, Ann Kroeker is joined by award-winning author and editor Janyre Tromp for a deep dive into identifying your ideal audience as a writer. Janyre draws on 20+ years of publishing, editing, and marketing experience to explain why targeting the right readers—and understanding their true needs—will transform every stage of your writing process, from drafting to editing to pitching and platform-building. Whether you write fiction, nonfiction, essays, or poetry, this conversation will equip you with actionable strategies, creative encouragement, and permission to be yourself as you connect with real people through your words.In This Episode You'll Discover:The difference between demographics and psychographics (and why felt needs matter most)How to use “real people” as your audience guide—beyond generic market profilesWhy writing purely from your own perspective may miss your target audience (and what to do about it)Practical strategies for exploring and validating your audience—before you write the whole bookThe value and methods of “testing” your message on social media, in articles, or through speakingSmart ways to use outlines, chapter summaries, and comparative titles to clarify your audienceWhy platform-building is about genuine connection, not perfection or performanceHow to balance platform work with writing—plus batching, repurposing, and self-care tips from Janyre’s own practiceEncouragement for embracing your unique voice and message, even when life or creativity feels overwhelmingKey MomentsJanyre’s multi-role background: Traditional/indie publishing, editing, and marketingDefining your ideal audience: From broad demographics to nuanced psychographicsHow emotion—not just facts—sells books and builds connectionThe role of social media as a “testing lab” for ideas and audience resonanceOutlining, annotating, and revising to realign with your audienceUsing comparative titles and community spaces to get to know your readersOvercoming perfectionism and performance pressure as you build your platformGrace for the process—nobody does it all, and real people connect with real peopleMemorable Quotes“Emotion sells a book. Facts do not sell books… That’s why you see a commercial, they’re appealing to an emotion, not a fact.”“If you want to publish a book and help people, then you have to approach your book writing from that person’s perspective and write the book that they need, not the book that you want to write.”“Social media is this lovely little lab where you can write about stuff and get immediate gratification of whether it works or not.”“Go find your audience wherever they are and hang out with them… If you have a conversation with them that resonates, they’ll come hang out with you elsewhere too.”“You have a message that only you can give. Don’t be afraid to step out into that and make those connections.”Resources MentionedJoin Janyre’s upcoming YPM training: Your Platform Matters (YPM)Learn more about Janyre Tromp: janyretromp.com and Editing InsidersFree Facebook group for editing questions: Editing Insiders on FacebookConnect & Continue the ConversationEmail Ann: annkroeker.com/contactExplore free & paid offerings: annkroeker.com/everythingGet free coaching in your inbox: annkroeker.com/connectFollow Janyre Tromp: @janyretromp on Instagram, LinkedIn, and (newbie!) TikTokReady to go deeper?Join YPM for Janyre’s “X Marks the Spot” training on finding your true audience—live and on replay.I'm cheering you on as a writing coach in your ear. Thanks for listening!

Don't Wait to Share Your MessageEpisode 282 | Release Date: September 10, 2025Quick SummaryIn this episode, Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach, explores how we can share our ideas and messages immediately through digital platforms rather than waiting for traditional publishing timelines. Learn why starting small today can make a bigger impact than waiting for the "perfect" long-form project to be complete.In This Episode You'll Discover:How digital publishing has transformed our ability to share ideas globallyWhy waiting to complete a book means delaying your impact on readersPractical ways to repurpose book content for immediate publicationHow to overcome algorithm anxiety and focus on genuine connectionThe value of reaching even a small audience with your messageKey Moments:[00:00] - Introduction: From farm life to digital publishing[03:15] - The Jetsons-like reality of modern publishing tools[06:30] - The lengthy timeline of traditional book publishing[09:45] - Creative ways to repurpose book content for immediate sharing[12:30] - Overcoming algorithm anxiety and focusing on real connections[15:45] - Why even reaching a few people matters[18:20] - Practical first steps to start sharing your message todayMemorable Quotes:"Someone out there needs exactly what you have to share—and they need it today.""Your message going out means you're intersecting with readers and potentially changing lives.""That chapter you're polishing for your book proposal? You probably have several subsections. Pick one and modify it to become a LinkedIn post."Resources Mentioned:annkroeker.com/ypmConnect & Continue the Conversation:Email me: annkroeker.com/contactExplore all my offerings, both free and paid: annkroeker.com/everythingGet free coaching in your inbox: annkroeker.com/connectI grew up on a farm before email, before social media, before any Internet existed for the general public. We had phones, of course. We had walkie-talkies. But we didn’t have Instagram or websites.If you traveled back in time and told young Ann (I was “Annie” back then) that at the click of a button—from the palm of my hand—I’d be able to write something that would be available to people anywhere in the world, I wouldn’t have believed you.I would have laughed, thinking you were teasing me. “Come on,” I would have said, “that’s like something out of The Jetsons.”Publish from the Palm of Your HandYet here we are, with publishing and distribution platforms literally in the palms of our hands. From your phone or a laptop, you can write something, click publish, and it’s live as an update on social media, a blog post on your website, a newsletter via email.Anyone in the entire world can read it.That really is like something out of The Jetsons.Have you stopped to think how fast and easy it is to write and send a message into the world from your computer or phone—how it flies through the ether and into a follower’s feed or a subscriber’s inbox? The immediacy is mind-boggling.The Power of Publishing NowIf you're working on a long-form project like a nonfiction book, you’re writing for a reader whose life you hope to impact, whether through a major transformation or a subtle shift in perspective. It takes a long time to complete a polished version of those 50,000+ words, ready for publication. When you seek traditional publication, you pitch agents in hopes of an offer.All that work and waiting, and not one word has been read by your intended audience.Let’s say you finally sign a book contract today. After all that time, your message still won't reach that reader for another year-and-a-half to two years.That's a long time before your words finally reach your readers.Why wait when you have Jetsons-like gadgets on hand? Why not start making a difference in your readers’ lives right away? Your full manuscript may still be in progress, but your message can begin changing lives today:Blog posts and Substack newsletters let you do a deep dive into your concepts for readers to ponderSocial media posts allow you to test ideas and connect directly with your audiencePodcast appearances help you reach listeners who might never discover your bookOnline publications can feature your expertise to established audiencesThat chapter you're polishing for your book proposal? You probably have several subsections. Pick one and modify it to become a LinkedIn post.The research you’ve done to support your main argument? Some could become an infographic for Instagram.The personal story illustrating your message? Share it on your Substack.Deliver value now while building anticipation for your completed book that will launch later. You even test your ideas to find what resonates most and strengthen your draft.But the Algorithm…If you’re thinking social media algorithms will throttle your reach, try to relax and have a little fun. Imagine how your post might reach a few of your ideal readers and make them think, laugh, feel something.Remember to be social on social media: Like other people’s content. Leave a comment. Share their posts. Worry less about the algorithm and be social with people you care about.When you focus on creating helpful content and engaging with others, you connect directly with the people who need your message most.Sure, maybe fewer people interact with your Instagram carousel post than they used to. Maybe “social media” seems more performative and less “real,” maybe the algorithm change really did show your work to fewer people, but even a few views means you brushed against each other virtually. An interaction in the DMs can be two people chatting and not just an automated system sending out a link (those are handy tools, but I’m suggesting you could simply be real).Worst case scenario, only a few people see your post. That’s a few people “Annie” never would have reached when sitting in the farm house back in the day.If you told me then that five or ten people read something I had written and published on a platform called “Instagram,” I would have been astonished. Real people somewhere in the world instantly read my words! That would have changed my life; I would have thought of myself as a writer years earlier. I would have thought about my writing differently, imagining those readers, hoping my ideas would change them in some way as our lives intersected for those few seconds.Today, at this moment, that’s our reality.Your message going out means you’re intersecting with readers and potentially changing lives.Start Now, Start SmallSomeone out there needs exactly what you have to share—and they need it today.Choose one approach that feels relatively natural and comfortable. It doesn’t have to be social media. Maybe it’s an emailed newsletter, audio on a podcast, video on YouTube, or a blog post on your website.Extract one idea from your long-form work-in-progress and shape it to fit the medium.Press publish.It’s like the Jetsons…but it’s really out there, reaching readers right now.

I tend to sprawl—both in my writing and, if you ask my family, on the couch. I start with a plan, but as I write, new ideas branch out in every direction. Before I know it, I’ve lost my way. And yet…while I encourage the power of outlines, I confess that I often prefer finding my way through the sprawl, writing until I experience an epiphany—a moment of convergence that shows me what the piece is…and isn’t. In other words, I write my way to clarity. In Write Your Way Forward (episode 281), I help you see the various ways you\'ll gain clarity, even healing through writing itself. I believe if you need to process something, you can write to understand. And I believe if you have something to say more widely, you can write to be heard. Read the full blog post HERE.ResourcesWrite to Discover – Start with YourselfWrite to Discover Your Top Themes & TopicsWrite to Discover Your Ideal ReaderAre Outlines a Writer’s Greatest Gift?What Lies Beneath the Surface of Your Life?Interview with Patrice Gopo on Meaning Making on the Page and Studying the Craft

If you second-guess yourself each time you send your words into the world, you’re not alone. You’re feeling what writers throughout the ages have felt, because it is a risk each time you click \"publish.\" Even if you’re viewed as an expert or thought leader handing down wisdom, your readers need to know they’re not alone. They need to see that you\'ve struggled and still found a way forward. Whether you\'re a writer who regularly reveals your ongoing messy life or you\'re someone who seems to have “arrived,\" your vulnerable stories offer hope.In this episode, I share some of my own experiences with being vulnerable as I encourage you to open up your heart.To visit the post that has all the information and links related to this episode (280), click HERE.ResourcesMy Writing Life Beginnings, Pt. 1My Writing Life Beginnings, Pt. 2Your Writing as a Gift (includes the Scott Russell Sanders quote)What Lies Beneath the Surface of Your LifeUse What’s Happened to You, to Shape Your WritingLet Life Inspire Your Next Great Piece

An idea pops into your head, so you grab whatever paper product lies nearby and scribble down the thought. Or you come across a quote, story, or stat and realize it connects to your project. Convinced it’s all great material, you jot it down, then stuff the paper into your pocket or purse.Now you’re ready to write, but you're discovering random Post-Its, index cards, and the backs of envelopes—not to mention pages from notebooks and journals. And you're wondering how these scattered notes and ideas could possibly be organized into a coherent structure for your article, essay, book, or blog post. Where do you start? Today, I’ll suggest one method to organize your notes. Let's call it the Seek, Sort, and Stack approach.

Find your publishing home without losing your voice: Literary agent Deidra Riggs reveals insider secrets on breaking into publishing while staying true to yourself—especially for women of color and writers with unconventional perspectives.In this interview (episode 278), you'll discover...Insider secrets: Deidra reveals what draws her to a manuscriptAuthors' authentic voices: Deidra supports clients, helping them navigating publishing without compromising their unique perspectives and voicesPublishing reality check: Social media followers...do they matter as much as we think?Deidra's wishlist: Learn what genres Deidra's looking for (and how the main interest surprises her)Direct access: Deidra invites you to contact her directly with your work (a rare agent invitation!)I don't want authors to feel like they've had to make themselves smaller, change their message, change their voice or the essence of who they are just to get a book published." —Deidra RiggsAbout This EpisodeEver wondered what literary agents really look for in submissions? Or how to maintain your authentic voice in an industry that often demands conformity? Literary agent Deidra Riggs shares some of publishing's hidden realities while sharing her journey from writer to agent at Embolden Media Group.This isn't just another "how to get published" conversation, however. Deidra reveals her process for deciding to work with an author, why this is a "risky time" for diverse voices in publishing, how she creates and searches for a nurturing "home" for authors (particularly women of color), and what makes her champion certain manuscripts in an increasingly challenging market.Guest Spotlight: Literary Agent Deidra RiggsDeidra is an author, speaker, coach, and consultant. Her extensive background includes writing, editing, and marketing for faith-based, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations. She is adept at shepherding a group or individual to the successful conclusion of a project, offering clear and accessible tools and guidance. Deidra is drawn to well-told stories with fresh viewpoints.Whether fiction or nonfiction, she gravitates toward engaging, thoughtful, and creative first-rate narrative and out-of-the box perspectives that help us laugh, dream, heal, and grow (and go) forward. A Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), Deidra lives in Connecticut.The first thing I look at is when I read this first paragraph, Do I wanna read more? And if I wanna read more, then I wanna know, well, Who's writing this? And that's when I'll go and look. And if it says you have 57 followers, I will write you back and say, "This is great. I'm concerned about your platform." —Deidra RiggsTimestamps for Quick Reference0:00 Introduction to the publishing industry challenges0:58 Welcoming Deidra Riggs, a literary agent who cares2:07 Deidra's journey from writer to literary agent3:04 The influence of blogging on Deidra's path7:23 Deidra's transition to publishing books10:17 Joining Embolden Media Group as a literary agent12:22 Building relationships with authors and editors14:58 Creating a sense of "home" in the publishing process16:50 Handling rejections and providing feedback19:03 Assessing submissions and deciding to proceed22:17 Platform requirements and starting a conversation24:49 Discovering new writers and using social media28:17 Encouragement for finding a publishing "home"29:44 Exploring other publishing options31:09 Balancing social media and new content for books33:15 Deidra's current interests (it surprises her)35:10 Contacting Deidra and final thoughtsThe women that I represent write as women of color, so they're not trying to make anyone like them. They're trying to be who they are and put out a message they feel called and led to put out into the world, and that's a risky thing right now. —Deidra RiggsResources:Full Episode Information & TranscriptEmbolden Media GroupContact Deidra RiggsRelated: Interview with literary agent Lucinda HalpernCraft Your Best Book Proposal

On a chilly December afternoon in 2014, I closed the door to my bedroom, swallowed back nerves—even trembled a little as I held a tiny earpiece as a microphone. Then I cleared my throat and recorded my first podcast episode that lasted all of two minutes. At that point a seasoned author, I forgot what it felt like to send something into the world for the first time. I’d done it for decades with my voice on the page or the screen. With a podcast, I was sending my actual voice into the world for the first time. How would people react? Would these episodes find their way into writers’ ears? I was a beginner again. First Facing Fears I fretted over editing, even though my initial vision for using audio was to give myself a simpler way to share ideas. I thought I could wing it. I thought it would be simple. But I realized a more focused, tight delivery would serve listeners better, so I started by outlining and writing a script. This added more time and tasks, but it gave people another way to enjoy the ideas without wasting any of their time with rambling and repetition. Next Facing Discouragement Only a few people listened to those first episodes. My friend Charity listened. My mentors. A few friends. I probably forced my husband to help with audio editing questions, but that may have been it. Publishing episode after episode proved daunting when I looked at the stats and saw only a few people tuning in. I kept going, though, because I enjoyed it. Truly. I loved sending off ideas as a podcast episode, in that medium. When I first told people about it, they told me they couldn’t find it on their podcast player. They searched and searched, but…nothing. I phoned the good people at Blubrry, my podcast host, to help diagnose several technological mishaps on my part, which resulted in a name change from The Writing Life with Ann Kroeker to the Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach podcast. With those few changes, people could finally find the podcast. From Humble Beginnings to Global Reach In time, more listeners downloaded the show. A friend with a huge following shared it one afternoon and that introduced me to her readers. My listening stats showed a bump because of that and the numbers continued to rise: and every number, an individual writer I hoped to encourage. Ten years later, looking back at those humble beginnings in late 2014, I can see how the determination to start—even when I didn’t know what I was doing, even when I was scared—led to a decade of growth and connection. I grew as a coach, writer, speaker, and podcaster, and writers have told me the ideas I’ve shared have helped them grow in their courage, craft, and confidence. If that’s you, thank you. Thank you for being part of this journey. While I don’t obsess over data, I’m floored to realize how it’s grown into a platform that reaches writers worldwide. I thought you might enjoy seeing the top 10 countries where writers are listening to the “Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach” podcast. You might even be in one of them! Top 10 Countries Here are the top 10 countries based on listener downloads: United States Canada United Kingdom Australia Germany India Japan Netherlands South Africa France Top 10 Downloaded Episodes of All Time (as of this recording in January 2025) The most downloaded episodes must reflect what resonates most. Enjoy browsing the top 10 downloaded episodes of all time (as of January 2025), in case one of them resonates with you: 10 Ways to Start the Writing Process When You’re Staring at a Blank Page Prepare for Publishing with Insights from Literary Agent Lucinda Halpern What’s a Writing Coach (and what kind do I need)? Find Your Book Midwife, Say “Yes” Before You’re Ready, Pitch to Build Platform, and Authentically Engage with Readers (interview with author Clarissa Moll) How Simple Systems Can Unlock Your Writing Productivity, with Kari Roberts Validate Your Idea to Produce Your Best Project (Back to Basics) Embrace These 4 Key Roles for a Flourishing Writing Life How to Make Time to Write and Develop a System to Take Notes, with Bryan Collins Improve Your Writing by Getting Back to Basics How to Hook and Hold Your Readers First 3 Interviews: For the first four years of podcasting for writers, I produced only short solo episodes. In 2018, I began to incorporate interviews and since then, I’ve introduced you to 16 writing and publishing professionals, inviting them to share their wisdom and insights. My first three interviews were with: Shawn Smucker Patrice Gopo Alison Hodgson Top 2 Series Two cornerstone series emerged over the years that continue to guide writers: Your Writing Platform, and What Do I Write Next. Your Writing Platform Series: For the Your Writing Platform series, I helped writers understand that platform-building isn’t about being a wandering troubadour, but about finding your focus and connecting authentically with readers who resonate with your message. Your Writing Platform Needs a Home Base: An Author Website Your Writing Platform: The Need for Focus Your Writing Platform: What Fascinates, Captivates, and Energizes you Your Writing Platform: How to Confirm Your Niche Your Writing Platform: Who Is Your Who? Your Writing Platform: What’s the Definition of Platform (and Do I Really Need One)? Your Writing Platform: Do People Expect Writers to Be Speakers Now Is the Time to Start Building Your Platform Your Writing Platform: First Steps to Launching Your Social Media Presence (related: You can Impact Readers Right Now Through Social Media) What Do I Write Next Series: This series addressed the perpetual question of creative direction, encouraging writers to explore their “vein of gold” while staying open to experimentation. What Do I Write Next: How to Decide What to Write Next What Do I Write Next: Why Write Small When You Want to Go Big? What Do I Write Next: Why Not a Series? What Do I Write Next: Enjoy Your Vein of Gold What Do I Write Next: Experiment and Expand Your Repertoire Start Your Own Scary Project For that first-ever episode, I decided the best thing to do was to give myself the advice I gave my writing clients all the time: just get started. If you’re hung up on a project and you don’t know how to launch it, or you don’t know how to outline it, or you don’t know where you’re going with the ideas, just get started. Once you start, you’l...

A few years ago, a client came to me with an idea for a nonfiction book. She was ready to write a draft and send it to a publishing house. What she didn’t realize was that she was working a few steps ahead. Thankfully, we met early enough in the process that I was able to fill her in on the steps she’d need to take to pursue traditional publishing—allowing her to sidestep a lot of mistakes that would have slowed her down.  Even though she didn’t need to write the entire manuscript before taking her next steps, her instinct to do so was to be commended. After all, how was she supposed to know about the ins and outs of publishing  without any prior experience? Is it possible you’re also making one (or more) of the biggest mistakes nonfiction writers make—simply because you don’t know what you don’t know?  Let’s explore—and learn how to avoid—the common mistakes writers make as they develop and complete their first nonfiction book. https://youtu.be/oD0-8Nu_CBY?si=2cGnPeYaCfYunUso Mistake #1: Writing Without a Plan A common mistake nonfiction authors make is attempting to write their book without a clear roadmap or structure. Often, within the first chapter or so, they realize the magnitude of the project ahead and overwhelm settles in—derailing their initial excitement.  Without a defined plan or structure in place, ideas tend to sprawl and lack cohesion. The missing element? A book proposal—a necessary business document used in traditional publishing. For you and me, it serves as a plan to make your nonfiction book a reality.  In a book proposal, writers define a clear thesis statement and outline the central argument that will be supported throughout the book. Writers outline the book chapter by chapter, creating a framework that ensures they’re crafting a message they want to share with their ideal reader. A book proposal also includes key elements that force you to think through details, such as the book’s purpose, its special features, and its ideal reader, which add to the plan and guide your research and writing. Writing without a plan is the first big mistake…and creating a plan is how to solve it.  Mistake #2: Writing Before Deciding on a Publishing Path Another mistake writers make is writing before determining the publishing path they want to take. Before developing your manuscript, be sure to pause and consider if you plan to pursue traditional publishing or plan to self-publish.  If you know you want to go the traditional path, then you need a book proposal, and that proposal will include sample chapters—typically about three for a first-time author. These chapters will serve as prototypes, guiding the direction and flow of content for the entire book. While not all of the subsequent chapters need to mirror the initial ones you turn in with your book proposal, they still set the foundation for the rest of the manuscript.   If self-publishing is your goal, then you will need to fully complete the manuscript. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider creating a book proposal. Self-published authors often find it useful to work through parts of the book proposal, such as categories your book will fall into, which you’ll need for the back cover and in your Amazon or online listing. For memoir, specifically, you’ll also need a completed manuscript and a complete book proposal to submit to publishers with your own unique storyline and viewpoint.  So, what publishing path do you hope to pursue? Be sure to consider the right path for your book before diving too deep into the process of writing. Mistake #3: Overthinking the Book & Not Writing Anything Overthinking a book to the point of paralysis is another common problem I see with writers. Some fear that they’re not going to be able to fit everything they want to say in their book. Other writers fear that their work has already been said by somebody else and there’s no reason to write their book. Either situation can shut a writer down before they even begin. If you find yourself here, go back to the first “mistake” and start crafting a plan. Create a framework for your book that addresses your reader’s felt needs and offers them the transformation they seek.  Once you’ve done the hard work of creating a book proposal—determining your book’s purpose and how it will serve your readers—the actual writing of the book won’t feel all that complicated. Mapping out a book is like outlining and sets you up for success when you sit down to write chapters. The next hurdle is deciding how each chapter will flow. You could start each chapter with a compelling story or offer an anecdote as an effective way to engage readers. Stories are a powerful way to connect with your reader. In the paragraphs and pages that follow, you’ll support your claim or main purpose of the chapter through sub-ideas or topics. These supporting ideas and examples all are meant to help the reader understand the main message or big idea you are trying to convey. And then you’ll round it all out with a conclusion that ties it all together. With a structure to follow as you craft your manuscript, you’ll avoid the pitfall of overthinking and instead find words flowing on the page. Mistake #4: Not Asking for Help Soon Enough I see it all too often: writers wait too long to ask for help. First-time authors often work in a silo, not realizing their entire book doesn’t need to be written all alone. Take inspiration from Brené Brown, who shared her experience of writing her first book in an episode of Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert. For her first book, Brené didn’t isolate herself but instead gathered her team at a lake house. She taught the content of the book while incorporating their feedback and insights. This collaborative approach allowed her team to identify areas where her explanations fell short or where certain stories didn’t resonate, enabling her to refine her manuscript.1 In short, we write better together. You don’t have to write alone. Be sure to seek support and input early in the writing process. Talk through your ideas with a friend. Find beta readers. Build a team around you. By involving others you will not only find more enjoyment in the process, but you’ll be much more satisfied with the end result.  From the Coach’s Desk Do you find yourself making any one (or more) of these common mistakes nonfiction writers make when writing their first book? Are you feeling a little stuck? You don’t have to let those mistakes hold you back from writing your nonfiction book. You simply need to make a plan to move forward and do the work.  If a plan feels like a constraint to you, know that your manuscript will evolve as you move through revisions. You can adjust your plan as new information comes across your desk. You can insert new quotes or change the wording of a chapter’s claim to reflect what you learn along the way. That client I mentioned? I sent her a webinar about book proposals that helped her understand the importance of that document and how the traditional publishing industry uses it in the decision-making process.  She watched it, and we ended up working together on her book proposal. She developed a strong idea that proved to “have legs,” as they say, and she landed a contract with an agent and a publisher.  It all started with a plan. You can avoid all of these mistakes with your own nonfiction book project if you have a plan too. Resources: Book Proposal Coaching: blog posts, a free challenge, and my course options in one place Free Webinar (the one mentioned in the article): Craft Your Best Book Proposal Blog Post: What’s a Book Proposal (and why do I need one)? Comprehensive Book Proposal Program: Your Compelling Book Proposal (YCBP) FREE ON-DEMAND WEBINAR Craft Your Best Book Proposal If you have a non-fiction book inside you, the first step is to write a book proposal. In this training, I’m revealing what it takes to create this essential document. The webinar covers… ✅ why you need a book proposal✅ what a book proposal does for your book✅ the three things a publisher is looking for✅ how to start developing your own proposal! Sign up for immediate access! Footnote: Gilbert, Elizabeth. “Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert: Magic Lessons Se. 1, Ep. 12: Brene Brown on ‘Big Strong Magic.’” Libsyn.com, 2016, magiclessons.libsyn.com/podcast/magic-lessons-se-1-ep-12-brene-brown-on-big-strong-magic. (Start around 27:04 mark) Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Somewhere along the way, you stopped writing.  Life got in the way.  You lost your confidence. You ran out of time. You ran out of ideas. You hit a huge block you can’t get past. Maybe you thought writing belonged to younger-you, when the stakes were lower and you took more risks. For one reason or another, the words stopped flowing. You set aside your pen. You stopped calling yourself a writer. You scribble in a journal now and then, but nothing beyond that. This happens. One day, you’re an unstoppable force—a creativity marvel, spinning out stories like a professional word-weaver. The next, you’re staring at a blank page, feeling the weight of fear, doubt, and a lack of motivation. You face external hurdles. It doesn’t help that the world seems to conspire against you. Every interruption, every demand on your time, feels like you’re yanked away from your true calling. You wonder if that original spark is gone for good, snuffed out. I’ve been there. When my dad needed loads of caregiving attention, my mind didn’t have space to think creative thoughts, and I had almost no time to sit down and write. I was sitting down for “care meetings,” driving him to urologist appointments, tracking down fax machines to send documents to insurance companies, and dealing with the emotional strain of his increasing dementia and its unpredictable fury. Overwhelmed by the responsibilities and stress, I put all but essential tasks on pause during that era. The few words I eked out felt forced. The spark was gone. Guess what? You’re in good company. Every writer hits this wall at some point. Some swear they don’t, but I would bet my favorite pen that every writer faces moments—sometimes long stretches—when the words just don’t come. If that’s happening to you, don’t see it as a sign that you’re not cut out for this, or that you’ve lost your gift. It proves you’re in good company—it’s a sign you’re human. Indeed, you’re a real writer. Because you’re a writer, let’s figure out how to get those words in motion again. Write a few minutes a day. Even during the intense caregiving days, I could squeeze in tiny pockets for my work—windows of opportunity between appointments or before bed. It wasn’t much, but it was something. You can write, too. Even a few minutes in a notebook or your phone’s Notes app is a start. Get going by getting something down. Get Your 5-Minute Writer Freebie Grab this fillable workbook for ideas to make the most of every writing opportunity. You’ll get: Lists of tiny tasks you can tackle when five minutes opens up so you make progress in your writing (for both fiction and nonfiction writers!) Ideas for where to contain your research, ideas, and drafts Real-life proof from your writing coach that your writing life can expand in tiny openings Write anything. You may have a deadline staring you down or a deep desire to write your memoir. But if your writing’s at a standstill, let yourself write anything—your thoughts, a memory, a description of your surroundings. You need to invite your mind back to the page, so don’t add pressure by forcing it to perform an Act of Great Writing. Write a card to a friend or a simple update on social media. Write sloppy. Let go of the need for your writing to be perfect. Produce something purposefully imperfect if you need to, even sloppy. It’s more important to reignite the habit than to stress out trying to write typo-free text without a single sentence fragment. Sneak past your internal Grammar Guard who threatens to bludgeon you with the Chicago Manual of Style. Heck, write sentence fragments on purpose. Slip one in to free you up. You’ll feel like a rebel, which might produce the energy you need to fuel your creative fire. Remind yourself WHY. Reconnect with why you started writing in the first place. What drew you to this craft? What did it give you that nothing else could? Tap into that original passion, and let it guide you back to the page. Try “writing” with another tool. If your circumstances don’t allow time or space for you to sit down at a keyboard and type, speak your ideas into a voice recording app. Have the audio file transcribed and voila! You’ve got a draft. It’s a way to get your ideas out, even within logistical limitations. Be kind to yourself. Stop beating yourself up. When we’re kind to ourselves, we acknowledge our humanity, and open ourselves up to return to embrace the writer we’ve been smacking down. Sarah Severson writing for ​Rewired Dynamics​ explains: “Self-compassion encourages us to explore without the fear of failure. This freedom to experiment fosters creativity, leading to innovative problem-solving and increased productivity.”1 In other words, with self-compassion and kindness instead of self-loathing and criticism, we’re far more likely to emerge creative and productive. The Ebb & Flow of Your Writing Story Write what you can and know that the creative spark—the energy that drives us to the page—ebbs and flows. Sometimes we simply sit and do the work, less inspired but willing to try. Keep showing up; as words spill onto the page, even a few lines at a time, believe and trust that more inspired words will return in abundance. When did you last feel this way—stuck, without words, creatively blocked? What pulled you back? I hope you’re overflowing with ideas, your pen unable to keep up. But if you’re stuck, pick up your pen. Write one sentence. You’re still a writer, and your story isn’t over. ____________ Join us in Your Platform Matters (YPM) YPM is a warm and welcoming membership community committed to creative, meaningful ways we can grow our platform and reach readers—check us out! Footnote: Severson, Sarah. “Self-Compassion: The Key to Self-Improvement and Productivity» Rewired Dynamics LLC.” Rewired Dynamics LLC, 3 Sept. 2023, www.rewireddynamics.com/self-compassion-key-to-self-improvement-and-productivity/. Accessed 7 Sept. 2024.

Is Substack the best platform for writers? Is it right for you? In this interview, publishing expert Jane Friedman explores Substack’s social media-like features, blogging-like functionality, podcast-host possibilities…and its implications for writers. From using Substack “Notes” to community cross-promotion, it’s an ecosystem worth understanding. Substack is more than just newsletters—it’s a blog, social media, podcast host, and email marketing tool all-in-one platform. Perfect for beginners, but should we trust it with all of our content? Learn the pros and cons of Substack on our latest episode of the “Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach” podcast after skimming the show notes and summary below. But first… Meet Jane Friedman: Jane Friedman has 25 years of experience in book publishing, with expertise in business strategy for authors and publishers. She’s the co-founder and editor of The Hot Sheet, a paid newsletter about the book publishing industry with over 2,500 subscribers, and has previously worked for Writer’s Digest and the Virginia Quarterly Review. In 2023, Jane was awarded Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World. Jane’s website, janefriedman.com, offers a wealth of resources for authors. She writes many of the articles herself and also features guest writers who are experts in various aspects of writing and publishing. You may have followed some of the many links I’ve shared in my own newsletter, as Jane’s content and curation of expert input consistently provides top-notch education and encouragement for writers across genres. Jane’s most recent book is The Business of Being a Writer (sponsored post/affiliate link to Amazon) (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal. And a new edition is to be released in Spring 2025. Jane is everywhere. She’s been in The New York Times, The Atlantic, CNN, Wired, BBC, The Guardian, CBC, The Washington Post, Fox News, USA Today, and NPR. And now she’s here on the “Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach” podcast, discussing Substack for writers. https://youtu.be/JP2EuDDDGRI Mentioned in the show (it’s a lot!): Read Jane’s thorough and thoughtful analysis of Substack from March 2024:  https://janefriedman.com/substack-is-both-great-and-terrible-for-authors/ Sign up for Jane’s free newsletter, Electric Speed, or see if The Hot Sheet, her paid newsletter for publishing professionals, is right for you. Leigh Stein (switched from offering a free MailChimp newsletter to offering a paid Substack): the website signup page: https://www.leighstein.com/newsletter | direct link to “Attention Economy” substack: https://leighstein.substack.com/  Ann mentions paying for George Saunders’ “Story Club” substack: https://georgesaunders.substack.com/  And paying for Jeannette Ouellette’s “Writing in the Dark” substack: https://writinginthedark.substack.com/  Article in The Verge about the Substack controversy about Nazis using the platform: https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/8/24030756/substack-nazi-newsletter-content-moderation Alternatives to Substack include Beehiiv https://www.beehiiv.com/ and Ghost. https://ghost.org/  All the Substack newsletters Jane subscribes to here: https://substack.com/@janefriedman/reads  Courtney Maum’s “Before and After the Book Deal” https://courtneymaum.substack.com/  Elle Griffin’s “Elysian Press” (Jane warned that her decision to unsubscribe from all substacks and only use the app means she’s encouraging others to do the same and will lose all of her own subscribers): https://www.elysian.press/  Dr. Jen Gunter’s “The Vajenda”:  https://vajenda.substack.com/  Peter Schoppert’s “AI and Copyright” substack: https://aicopyright.substack.com/  Benedict Evans’ tech analysis newsletter on his own solution (possibly MailChimp with Memberful, a WordPress plugin to manage the subscription version): https://www.ben-evans.com/newsletter  Helen Lewis’s The Bluestocking as patron model substack: https://helenlewis.substack.com/  John Warner’s patronage model: https://substack.com/@biblioracle  The Tangle news source, by Isaac Saul, mentioned by Jane as an example of subscription model with free and paid that is not using Substack: https://www.readtangle.com/  Peter Attia – no way would he be on Substack, having built an empire on his own website Ann’s Substack, “Story Hatchery”: https://annkroeker.substack.com Jane Friedman Substack Interview Transcript: Ann Kroeker [00:00:00]:I’m Ann Kroeker, writing coach. If you’re tuning in for the first time, welcome. If you’re a regular, welcome back. Today, you’ve joined hundreds of established and emerging writers who are discovering ways to reach their writing goals and have fun by being more curious, creative, and productive. And this is the Ann Kroeker Writing Coach Podcast. Today, I have publishing expert Jane Friedman on the show. If you don’t know Jane yet, you should and you will. Let me tell you just a little bit about her. Ann Kroeker [00:00:28]:Jane has 25 years of experience in book publishing. She’s the co founder and editor of The Hot Sheet. It’s a paid newsletter about the book publishing industry with over 2,500 subscribers, myself included. She has previously worked for Writer’s Digest and Virginia Quarterly Review. In 2023, Jane was awarded publishing commentator of the year by Digital Book World. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, received a starred review from Library Journal and is coming up with a new updated edition in 2025. And Jane is everywhere. She’s often a keynote speaker at writing conferences. Ann Kroeker [00:01:03]:She’s been in the Atlantic, BBC, NPR. I mean, you name it. She’s probably been featured there in some way. And now she’s featured right here on the Ann Kroeker Writing Coach podcast. So let’s welcome her. Well, welcome Jane Friedman. It’s good to have you on the show. Jane Friedman [00:01:17]:Thank you, Ann. Ann Kroeker [00:01:18]:So when I asked you to be on the show, you you right away said sure, which was really refreshing and fun. And then I asked you, what would you like to discuss that you haven’t been able to explore as much as you’d like on other events, podcasts, speaking engagements, whatever. And right away, you said, sub stack. And I am curious why that came to mind so quickly and then why that was top of mind. Why Jane picked Substack to Discuss Jane Friedman [00:01:40]:Well, it’s something that writers ask me about on a almost daily basis. And it’s a really complicated issue. And so it’s hard to give a single answer without getting into really like a 30-minute discussion about that writer’s background, their goals, you know, it’s it’s and and I too feel torn personally as someone who’s really invested in newsletters as a format, both to deliver great writing and content and as a marketing tool. Like, even I don’t use Substack, after developing a really robust list. I don’t feel like I need to, but I’m still drawn to it, because it does have this marketing power and networking power associated with it. I think the confusing thing for so many folks is that you can still be active on Substack, and I am, without sending your newsletter through it. So in any event, there are all of these different layers to it. And oh, and then just to throw another variable in there, I don’t think Substack is always operating in a way that I think is what? Well, let’s put it this way. Jane Friedman [00:02:53]:They’re funded by venture capital. They’re gonna have to turn a profit at some point. And so there’s I have, you know, I never quite trust companies that aren’t yet turning a profit, which may be unfair, but there it is. Ann Kroeker [00:03:06]:Well and that’s why we’re having this conversation so that we can inform people who tune in. We can’t personalize it. Like you said, we can’t have that 30-minute conversation with an individual, but hopefully, we’ll give them enough information. They can make some decisions for themselves. So I’m all in as well on this conversation. And in full disclosure, I have a substack. Now I have kept just sort of like you mentioned, and I think we need to actually sort of define and explain it next. But, I do have one because I wanted to understand it. Ann Kroeker [00:03:33]:Like you, I was attracted to the concept, like, what is this thing and how is it working? And, oh, that’s kind of neat. So I decided I needed enough difference between my coaching emails, which loosely could be categorized as marketing, but I don’t think of it that way. These are t...

“A writer — and, I believe, generally all persons — must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource,” writer Jorge Luis Borges said in an interview, when asked about his blindness. “All things have been given to us for a purpose,” he continued, “and an artist must feel this more intensely. All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art.”1 You may be familiar with Kate Bowler’s book Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved, and you might think it would push back against the wording of this sentiment. Everything That Happens Can Shape Your Writing But I take the quote’s overall message to mean we can work with whatever happens, good or bad. In fact, that’s kind of what Kate Bowler has done. Her misfortunes shaped her art. This summer brought our family celebrations, gatherings, challenges, and losses. And they came so fast, I couldn’t find time to document them all. For now, they’re jumbled in my mind and heart. Reflecting on Highs and Lows The Borges quote encourages me to revisit the summer’s ups and downs when life starts to slow…to take my time as I capture the details (and emotions) of the chaos that whizzed past. Will you join me? As you reflect on the past few months—the moments you couldn’t control, the raw material of your life—consider how you can work with all that transpired. Were there adventures? Celebrations? Humiliations? Misfortunes? Embarrassments? From these “resources,” we, as writers, shape: stories that resonate ideas that stick opinions that stir discussions advice that steers decisions revelations that open others to new perspectives We, as word artists, can transform all that happens to us into art. Transform Experience into Creative Expression As you reflect on the past few months—the moments you couldn’t control, the raw material of your life—consider how you can work with it. Explore your journal notes, expand on fleeting thoughts, and, with your creative flair, discover the meaning and purpose within those experiences. Whether they become part of a poem, essay, book, or blog post, see their purpose. “Remember,” writes Anne Lamott in Bird by Bird. “that you own what happened to you.“2 Every event, episode, and experience contributes to your becoming who you are as a creative human. Every hardship, misfortune, humiliation, joy, success, and celebration is a resource waiting to be shaped into art. A Prompt to Capture Life’s “Raw Material” Use this prompt to tap into the raw material of your life: Something significant that happened to me is ______________________. This is what happened: ________________________. Use vivid language and specific details as you recall the facts. What did you see, hear, or notice? Here’s how it shaped and changed me: _____________________. How did this experience shift your perspective, behavior, or beliefs? What did you learn about yourself or the world? This is how I connect it with how it made me feel, deep down: _________________. What emotions did it stir? Did those feelings evolve over time? Here’s how I can use the experience in my creative life: __________________________. Could it inspire a story, poem, or essay? What universal themes does it touch on? Your Creative Prerogative The details may stay in your personal journal while the experience finds its way into your body of work in more subtle ways. Your experience and insights may simply inform your work, your style, your ideas without being your work. Or you may write it “slant,” relying on metaphor to hint at its impact. It’s your creative prerogative to shape it as you wish. Because the experience shapes you, but you shape it, as well. ____________ Join us in Your Platform Matters (YPM) YPM is a warm and welcoming membership community committed to creative, meaningful ways we can grow our platform and reach readers—check us out! Resources What Lies Beneath the Surface of Your Life? Ep 173: [Interview] Patrice Gopo on Meaning Making on the Page and Studying the Craft Writing Quote: writers write…to relive life (Donald Murray) Write to Discover – Start with Yourself Footnotes: Borges, Jorge Luis, and Roberto Alifano. Twenty-Four Conversations with Borges: Including a Selection of Poems: Interviews, 1981-1983. Lascaux Publishers ; Distributed by Grove Press, 1984. (15) (quote first spotted in James Clear’s newsletter: “3-2-1: On Growth, All-Or-Nothing Mindsets, and How Great Art Evolves with Us.” James Clear, 17 Oct. 2022, jamesclear.com/3-2-1/june-3-2021?rh_ref=294c7014. Accessed 15 Aug. 2024.) Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird Some Instructions on Writing and Life. Anchor Books, 1995.‌ (6)

“The best advice I can give you to help you grow as a writer is to experience life.” We came to hear about queries and proposals. We wanted to learn how this speaker organized submissions and kept track of contact information. But at this breakout session at this writers’ conference, she insisted: “I know you think your writing career is all about composing articles and books, but you have to be able to say something. Both fiction and nonfiction writers need material, so get out there and live life—take risks!” The Power of Risks To illustrate, she shared her own story about trying to waterski for the first time as an adult. Despite feeling intimidated, she took the plunge. The experience provided her with vivid sensations and emotions to write about, enriching her work with concrete details. Her story prompted me to recall my own adventure. Earlier that same summer, I’d been invited to waterski, as well. Although I ended up with a spectacular wipeout, the memory of that risky experience stayed with me. I could see from my own life that she was right—I took the risk and lived to tell the tale, and it became material for my writing. Embrace New Experiences Creatives need to say yes to new experiences, even when they feel risky. Whether it’s traveling to a new locale, picking up a new hobby, or simply walking in the woods, these experiences fuel our creativity. Julia Cameron encourages creatives to step out of their usual environments to gather fresh inspiration from museums, yarn shops, antique emporiums, and international grocery stores. These “Artist Dates,” as she calls them, are foundational to living a creative life. Everyday Surprises To boost creativity, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi suggests we “try to be surprised by something every day” (347, Creativity). This can be as simple as noticing an unusual car (for example, I spotted a Tesla Cybertruck today) or trying a new dish (pupusas are delicious).  These small, everyday surprises add up, providing fresh material for our writing. Combine Input with Your Unique Voice Our writing deepens as we combine new experiences with our unique perspectives. The more we explore, the more we bring to our projects.  Each risk, each new experience, and each surprise enriches our voice and adds depth to our work. We produce original material, surprising the reader as well as ourselves. Let Life Inspire Your Writing By embracing the world around us, we not only enhance our writing but also grow as individuals. Step out, explore, take risks, and let life inspire your next great piece. Next time you sit down to write, your work will take on your fresh voice and new life—you’ll have new things to say and new ways to say them. ______________________________ Want to learn quick fixes to improve your writing style? Sign up for the FREE course, Make Your Sentences Sing: 7 Sentence Openers to Add Music to Your Prose. CLICK to sign up (free!) Resources Original version of waterski story Ep 211: Be More Creative to Enjoy Your Best Writing Life: Pillar Two Ep 210: Cultivate Curiosity for Your Best Writing Life, Pillar One Ep 180: Write to Discover – Start with Yourself

When I was a child just beginning to speak, my parents drove late into the evening to the rural property they bought. As they drove up the gravel driveway, the sky spread out above us with stars glittering like a million diamonds spread out on a jeweler’s vast black velvet display. Across the fields, a million lightning bugs hovered in the tall grass, their gleaming bodies flickering on and off. I pointed at the sky. “’Tars!” Then I pointed at the field. “Baby ’tars!” Perhaps I was destined to become a poet from early on, but my confidence in landing on that perfect metaphor virtually disappeared over the years. As a young adult, when I was writing books and blog posts, I rarely integrated metaphors into my writing, and it showed. My work was straightforward. Plainspoken.  While there’s nothing wrong with clear writing—in fact, that’s the foundation of nonfiction according to Ayn Rand (clarity first, then jazziness, she says1)—it lacked punch and pizzazz. My writing didn’t lift off the page and sink into the imagination or heart of the reader. It lacked that magical moment where an idea or image clicks and sticks with the reader.  Mastering Metaphors to Produce Great Writing And I knew mastering metaphors was essential to great writing. I did write poetry in college, admiring lines like Emily Dickinson’s: “Hope” is the thing with feathers – That perches in the soul –2 Shakespeare’s:  All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players;3 And Wordsworth’s: “I wandered lonely as a cloud.”4 Robert Frost said, in an interview in The Atlantic, “If you remember only one thing I’ve said, remember that an idea is a feat of association, and the height of it is a good metaphor. If you have never made a good metaphor, then you don’t know what it’s all about.”5 Practicing Metaphor: Create Clunky Metaphors to Land on Magical Metaphors I resolved to make a good metaphor. I practiced. My early efforts were hardly as magical as the child connecting stars to lightning bugs. Instead, they were more like a child pointing to a horse and awkwardly pronouncing, “Dog!”  My metaphor practice felt clunkily childish instead of enchantingly childlike, but I had to make clunky comparisons to train my brain to find the oddly ideal ones that would surprise readers.  In a Paris Review interview, William Gass said: I love metaphor the way some people love junk food. I think metaphorically, feel metaphorically, see metaphorically. And if anything in writing comes easily, comes unbidded, often unwanted, it is metaphor. Like follows as as night the day. Now most of these metaphors are bad and have to be thrown away. Who saves used Kleenex?6 The process of making metaphors and practicing at it will result in some stinkers. The bad ones, like used Kleenex, need not find their way into your work. Toss ’em. That’s what I’ve done. Most of my comparisons fall flat, but I’ve found it’s worth experimenting with mediocre metaphors in hopes of landing on ideal metaphors because when we nail it—when we find the language that connects—the reader remembers, relates, reads on, and possibly repeats what we say. I kept writing dumb metaphors until I found better, more creative, comparisons. Poets, like Gass said, “think metaphorically, feel metaphorically, see metaphorically.” We don’t have to be poets to play with metaphor, but we can follow their lead, studying their technique, admiring the rhythm of how they see and put it into words, like they’re fly fishing, casting their line, the rod in motion, repeating the flow until the rod bends, line taut.  Our first time casting, we may end up with our lines tangled in the weeds lining the stream, but we’re out there, learning the process, finding the flow. It’ll come, in time, with practice. Collecting Magical Metaphors A smarter idea than bumbling around on our own would be to collect samples of metaphors that stick. I should have started earlier, to learn from mentor texts, from authors who know how to wield their pen like a wand to create metaphor magic. In the first chapter of The Writing Life, Annie Dillard tries on a stream of writing-related metaphors: “When you write,” she says, “you lay out a line of words. The line of words is…” a miner’s pick a woodcarver’s gouge a surgeon’s probe7 a hammer8 a fiber optic, flexible as wire…you probe with it, delicate as a worm9 Was she laying out her lines of words searching for the right comparison? Or is our line of words any one of those—or all of those—at any given moment? She looked at the line of words from so many angles, creating so many ways to think about our writing. Metaphor Is a Bridge Defined, a metaphor is a figure of speech where a word or phrase is applied to an object or action that it doesn’t literally denote, suggesting a comparison. Ideally, the comparison conveys deeper meaning and creates vivid imagery. Similes are similar, using “like” or “as” to make comparisons. Metaphors, however, assert that something is something else. For instance, “time is a thief” suggests that time steals moments from our lives, giving us a deeper understanding of its fleeting nature. In this way, metaphors are a bridge, providing an instant connection between two disparate places offering deeper insight to the reader who crosses over from one to the other.  When I was at the Spring 2024 Festival of Faith & Writing, Anthony Doerr, author of All the Light We Cannot See and Cloud Cuckoo Land, delivered the final keynote. In it, he spotlighted the power of metaphor to bring ideas, scenes, and images to life. He reinforced this bridge metaphor by pointing to its etymology. “The etymology of ‘metaphor’ is ‘meta’ (across) and ‘pherein’ (bearing/conveying/carrying over)…A metaphor arrives and carries you across to the other side.”10 Metaphors Help Us See, Help Us Feel Metaphors carry us from one way of seeing the world to a new way of seeing the world. They have the power to transform our perception of the ordinary, revealing hidden layers of meaning and emotion.  To help us see metaphors building their bizarre bridges, Doerr drew first from Virginia Woolf’s short story “The New Dress.” In “The New Dress,” Woolf delves into the psyche of her protagonist, Mabel, who’s been invited to tea: We are all like flies trying to crawl over the edge of the saucer, Mabel thought, and repeated the phrase as if she were crossing herself, as if she were trying to find some spell to annul this pain, to make this agony endurable.11 Mabel repeated that phrase of this idea of flies crawling over this saucer, and Doerr did, too, repeating the key image, nearly incredulous that this specific, vivid, odd metaphor works:  Ladies at a tea party are like flies? Flies trapped in a saucer, trying to crawl over the edge? I can’t remember all the details Doerr covered in his wild, fast-paced message, but I managed to preserve this in my notes: “She’s trapped in the imagery. She’s wrapped round and round in the social and economic class.”12 This is the power of metaphors in literature—they can turn abstract emotions into concrete images, making the reader feel the character’s experience, enter it, and grasp it instantly as they cross the bridge from one idea to another: women at a tea party, like flies trying to crawl over the edge of a saucer. Clichés Are Metaphors Gone Bad Metaphors may be magic, but clichés are metaphors gone bad. Or, more simply, overused. The first time someone said, “It’s a piece of cake!” to describe a difficult task that was easy to pull off, they likely charmed the listener to compare a task with a piece of cake.  Once upon a time, a gracious friend must have referred to an old situation that was forgiven and forgotten, and said, reassuringly, “That’s water under the bridge.” That first time, the other person must have visualized the hurt floating away and felt relief. But over time, as these expressions were repeated countless times—maybe over a hundred years in some cases—they’ve lost their impact and originality. Once-vibrant metaphors have become yawners, failing to pack a punch because they’re overused.  That’s why editors are quick to flag clichés, pushing writers to find fresh comparisons that can surprise and engage readers.  Steer clear of clichés, and practice building better bridges. Craft evocative and emotionally resonant metaphors instead of stale clichés that whiz past unnoticed. Ready to Tap the Magic of Metaphor? Think about a character in your current project or a personal story if you write nonfiction. What’s the main struggle or emotion?  Now, find an object, animal, or phenomenon that shares a deeper connection with that struggle or emotion.  Link the two to form the metaphor. How can you weave the metaphor into your narrative to enrich the reader’s understanding? Here’s an example: The main struggle or emotion: A writer struggling with writer’s block. Object, animal, or phenomenon: A locked door. The metaphor: Writer’s block is a locked door. Metaphor woven into the narrative: “Writer’s block is like standing at a locked door with no key, jiggling the handle, unable to access the creativity on the other side. Worse, if we manage to pick the lock, open the door, and peer inside, we discover the inspiration we expected on the other side still isn’t there…only an empty room.” Technically speaking, that sample is in simile format (I used “like”), so a short r...

I made a last-minute decision heading to the most recent writer’s conference I attended. I’d planned to take my classy, professional, sleek gray backpack that I’d purchased to replace the original purple one I mentioned in an earlier episode.  As I loaded it, I realized that to stay fortified, I needed to carry snacks and lunch each day—maybe even dinner—and it wouldn’t all squeeze into the professional-looking slim gray bag. I needed a bigger backpack. I dug around in my closet and found an older, different, ridiculously large purple backpack that I use for long trips.  It wasn’t professional-looking at all, but my lunches would fit just right, so I showed up at this much anticipated writing festival with a purple backpack after all, and podcast listeners attending the conference would stop me.  They’d heard the episode about planning and packing for a writing event. They’d shout, “The purple backpack!” and I’d say, “You’re a listener!” and we’d have a great time talking about writing.  So that’s my first of 15 tips, some of which are super practical, like this one… Tip #1: Make sure your bag is big enough Test your bag to ensure it’s big enough to hold all the things you plan to carry with you each day plus whatever swag you collect along the way…even if you’re not going to look as professional as you’d like. And don’t worry if your bag is a bit odd. People really do recognize you in a crowd if you have a memorable bag, purple or otherwise. Tip #2: Tuck your business cards behind your name tag Someone shared this pro tip with me years ago: When you go up to the registration table, you’ll get a name tag attached to a lanyard. Pull out five or six business cards and tuck them behind your conference-designed name tag in the plastic holder clipped to the lanyard, facing out.  When the tag inevitably spins around, people can always see your name—one side is your name on the conference-designed name tag; the other, if it flips around, will show the front of your own business card.  Your cards will be convenient to slip out and hand to someone without fumbling around in a bag. You can tuck other people’s business cards behind yours when you swap to avoid losing them; at the end of each day, pull out other people’s cards, add their names to your contacts app, and replenish your own cards for the next day. Tip #3: Decide which sessions to attend If you haven’t already, plan which sessions you want to attend and mark those in your conference binder. I choose sessions featuring industry experts I want to learn from or people I admire. This could be authors or publishing house representatives like a marketing executive or an acquisitions editor. Circle the sessions you think are ideal for you.  But… Tip #4: Stay open to adapting the plan Making a plan but staying flexible can help you feel less rigid, more open to serendipity. Or as Laura Fabrycky suggested I share with you, “Stay open to interruptions and sheer surprises.” One morning at a recent conference, I planned to attend poet Christian Wiman’s session. In fact, I’d made tentative plans to meet up with a friend. I needed to allow a five- to ten-minute walk from the main gathering area. As I was making tea, I got to talking with authors Summer Joy Gross and Lori Melton. Summer’s book was about to be released and we had not seen each other in person for several years. Then Lori and I connected at a conference years ago and we were enjoying these moments to catch up. We were deep into the conversation when I looked at my watch and realized there was no way I would make it to see Chris Wiman—or I’d have to slip in late.  Summer asked, “Are you going to the Madeleine L’Engle session?”  “What do you mean the Madeleine L’Engle session?” “Her granddaughter’s speaking about an unpublished book. It’s in this building in the Board Room.” Well, that I could make on time. I had read the conference schedule, but somehow it didn’t sink in who Charlotte Jones Voiklis was, so I followed Summer and Lori to the session, texted my friend that I’d lost track of time, and ended up loving every minute. I’m glad I stayed open to “sheer surprises.” Thankfully, the friend who attended Chris’s session said it was just what she needed. Another time I went to the wrong room and ended up in a session other than the one I intended. But it, too, provided me with just what I needed.  We can make our plans, but it’s okay to alter those plans—especially if we choose an opportunity that presents itself that leads to rewarding interactions and unexpected outcomes. Even mishaps and miscalculations can yield surprising results—the “wrong” room may turn out to be the “right” room. Tip #5: Say “Hi” to at least one person Writers can be dreadfully shy. Challenge yourself to say hello to the person next to you in each session. That person may be as nervous as you are, but this is a big reason to attend these events—to meet people. Who knows? Maybe they’ll become famous later. You might meet a writing friend or connect with someone who becomes an endorser of a book you’ll release in a couple of years. Be brave and say hello. If you chat for a few minutes and it seems appropriate, hand that person a business card and invite them to stay in touch. Tip #6: Ask “What one specific question will I ask?” When you’re in a session, listen closely, take excellent notes. If you’re new to publishing, write down terminology that’s new to you so you can look it up later. As you’re listening, think to yourself, If there’s a Q&A… What one specific question will I ask? This question should be based on what they just said, demonstrating you were listening intently—that you truly care about what they were saying—and you’d like them to elaborate on something, or clarify a point. Make this question short, specific, and different enough that it’s not an obvious question that anyone might ask. And make sure you really want to know the answer. Write down your question. Tip #7: Ask your one question Option A: Ask in front of everyone Usually at the end of a talk, the audience gets to ask questions.  Depending on the size of the room, the organizer might pass around a microphone, or audience members walk up to a microphone on a stand and wait in line to ask their questions. If the room is small, audience members might just raise their hands and speak up so everyone in the room can hear them.  Good thing you’ll follow through with Tip #6 and write down your question, because you might get nervous and worry that you’re going to fumble.  Let’s say they call on people in the crowd. Raise your hand.  When they call on you, stand up (this makes it easier for people to hear and see you). If the organizers set out a mic on a stand, go to it. Wait in line. When it’s your turn, state your full name. “Hi, I’m Ann Kroeker.” What this does is it puts a name with your face. Later, they may remember Ann Kroeker, the person who asked that question…and carried a purple backpack. Don’t add a preamble or spend a lot of time thanking them. After you introduce yourself, simply smile and ask the question. Option B: Ask after the talk at the front of the room In some instances, there’s no Q&A but you might have an opportunity to go down to the front and interact with the speaker after the talk. If they seem open to chatting with people, head down there with your question in hand. If others are milling around, shaking hands, asking questions, watch for your chance—don’t be too scared or shy. Introduce yourself. Ask the question.  Have your business card at the ready in case they ask (which is easy enough if it’s in your plastic name tag holder, right?).  If no one else is waiting and the speaker doesn’t seem to be in a hurry, you could, maybe, continue chatting because sometimes your question leads the conversation in a certain direction and they have a story to tell you or advice to give.  Now you’re more than a random audience member. Now you’re one literary person chatting with another. This is one of the many things that is magic about in-person events. Option C: Ask your question if you bump into them There may be many reasons you didn’t get to ask your question during the session. Maybe they didn’t offer a Q&A. Or they did but you didn’t get a chance to ask your question before everyone else did. Or maybe the speaker rushed off to their next appointment. You may still have a chance. Faculty are brought into these events to offer input, to give their talks, to encourage writers, to answer questions. Sometimes they’re sitting at a lunch table and they’re supposed to be there to meet and interact with attendees.  As an attendee, find an open chair at the table. Introduce yourself, chat with them, and ask your question.  Find yourself standing next to them at the coffee station? Introduce yourself and ask your question then. If this person is a literary agent or an a...

Are you getting ready to attend a writers’ conference? Guess what? So am I! And I want to make the most of my time there, so let’s think through what will help with that. You’re likely going for at least two reasons: to learn and to connect. You might also be going to pitch your project. Let’s prep, plan, and pack to get the most out of this upcoming event, so you’re even better prepared to learn, connect, and pitch. And given that I work with a lot of published authors and speakers, it’s possible you’re one of the presenters. One day I might share detailed speaker recommendations, but for now I did weave in a few suggestions to make your faculty conference experience a little easier, too. Event Binder First, I should mention the Event Binder. This idea originated with Kathi Lipp on an episode of Writing at the Red House. Years ago I heard her describe what she includes in her “dossier,” as she calls it, and I’ve adopted and adapted the list to make it my own. I load it up with all travel information (printed out, obviously) like reservations, and confirmations; contact names and emails; an envelope for receipts; a mileage tracker where I can log each outing; a printout of the schedule; and more. If I’m speaking, I print out copies of my messages in case technology fails. That said, I do create redundancy by dropping the same information into a folder on my phone in an app like Google Drive or Notion. And I’ll save the key locations in my maps app so it’s a quick click and I’m on my way. If you’d like a list of what I have in my Event Binder whether I’m an attendee or speaker, head to ​annkroeker.com/conferenceprep​ to get a checklist. Research Speakers Hopefully you already read the session descriptions when choosing this conference and got a feel for the presenters and other faculty. Study the conference website Now, in the days before the event, study the website to learn about the organizers and faculty. You never know who you’ll be sitting next to at lunch or crossing in the hallway—knowing the team and speakers means you’ll be able to connect more personally during any random interaction. Follow and watch or listen to speakers online Find and follow key faculty on social media. Search YouTube and podcasts to find your favorite speakers. Listen to at least a few minutes of their interviews, presentations, or lectures.  [Edited to add an excellent suggestion from writer Li Mitchell, who replied to my newsletter and suggested “joining presenters’ email newsletters (if they have them) and getting to know them through email before you attend their conference …because then when you met them in person, you would already have spoken through email.”] When you do this, each speaker will lift off the pages of the conference materials and seem even more “real” when you hear them tell a personal story about family or childhood in a podcast interview. You’ll get to hear their voice. You’ll see mannerisms if you see them on video. If you have time before the event, you could read one of their books. Write what you discover If you create an Event Binder, write questions to ask and details you learn next to their name and session description. If you need more space for key bits of information, grab a sticky note so you have more room to write. If the speaker says something that stands out—like a hobby, a school, or a trip you relate to in some way—write that down, too. These little notes are handy—if you brush up on what you’ve written before their session and meet them afterwards, you’ve got a conversation starter (“I heard you love Belgium—my husband’s from Belgium, and I love it, too!”). The more I learn in advance, the more excited I get about the conference. I hope you do, too. Find Friends who Plan to Attend Most events like attendees to use an event-specific hashtag on social media. In fact, they might tag you or share your posts when you share. If you feel comfortable sharing ahead of time, highlight the event by tagging the organization or organizer and use the hashtag—before you go to the conference. It’ll get your post in that feed and you might meet people online and connect with friends and colleagues in advance who search it and plan to attend, as well.  It’s a way to get buzz going ahead of time and build anticipation. Prep & Pack The last and obvious thing you and I need to do before the conference is…pack. When I take my time to ensure I’ve brought the items that will help me make the most of this event, it’s easier to relax and enjoy myself. Grab the binder, of course, if you make one. For me, it slides in the main compartment of my day bag that I’ll be carrying around all day. For me, it’s a backpack. You’ll want to choose your bag. Choose Your Bag (Mine’s a Backpack) If you’re physically able to carry a backpack and you don’t feel too…collegiate…toting it around on your back, I recommend it.  Pack what you need for the day A spacious backpack will hold a laptop (if you take one) and/or an iPad-type digital notebook, paper, pens, a small lunch (and floss, for after lunch), snacks, gum or mints, business cards, water bottle, umbrella, portable power bank to charge a drained phone, and other bits and baubles—whatever you like to carry with you from building to building, room to room.  Obviously we’ll all have different items we like to have on hand. Those are ideas to get you started. And something like a backpack gives you lots of slots to stay organized. Leave space for goodies Be sure to leave space for goodies, because you’ll acquire things while you’re there, like you might buy a book from the event book table, or freebies from exhibitors and sponsors, like free pens, water bottles, coasters, and the like.  Whatever bag you end up bringing, leave space for swag. Is it unprofessional? Could be an advantage! One year I carried a ridiculous purple backpack. I stuck out and felt self-conscious, even unprofessional, but it’s what I had and it held what I needed.  A dear friend and I were chatting after a session where she was speaking, and she noted my purple backpack. We joked about it. “Well,” I said, “it makes me easy to spot!” She was leaving a day early and wanted to say goodbye to me, but in the sea of attendees criss-crossing the campus, she assumed it would be impossible to connect with me again. She felt sad about it. Then, she saw a flash of purple. I heard my name. “Ann! Ann Kroeker!” I looked up and saw her waving with both arms, and I raced over to give her a huge hug. “I saw the purple!” she exclaimed. That purple backpack accompanied me to a lot of writing events. After that, I got over any sense of feeling unprofessional.  In recent years—and I don’t know why—I eventually bought a new backpack. And it’s gray. So all these years later I still carry a backpack, but you’ll never find me in a crowd. Now I’m going on and on about this backpack, and I’ve dragged you into the weeds, but I’ll end by saying this: don’t go out and purchase a backpack—gray, purple, or otherwise—just because I’m talking so much about it. By all means, use what you have and enjoy. You know what works for you. Too heavy for your health? Find a rolling bag And as much as I love a good backpack, I know not everyone is physically able to carry one. In fact, I had lower back pain years ago that made it impossible, so for those outings I would borrow a rolling briefcase from my mom, which saved the strain.  Books for Signings If you purchase books by faculty, take those along and see if you can find a time for the authors to sign them. Don’t worry if you didn’t have time to purchase speakers’ books in advance, because you’ll probably be able to purchase them on-site to have them sign.  And of course if you’re speaking, coordinate with the conference to have your books available for purchase and see if they’ve planned a signing. Many conferences schedule author book signings for their speakers, and it’s always fun to enjoy that fleeting one-on-one moment with the writers you admire. And if you’re the speaker doing the signing, it’s wonderful to interact with people who are enjoying what you’ve written. In a smaller setting with no official book signing, you might try to find an opportune moment. If you’re chatting with the author, they seem relaxed, and there’s not a line of other people waiting for their moment, ask (but give them an “out” to say no). I did this with the late Phyllis Tickle, and she gladly signed my copy of her memoir and the series of The Divine Hours I pulled out of my backpack. I was glad I took them along. How Will You Take Notes? Consider how you like to take notes. I love typing up conference notes on my laptop, but sometimes I want to travel leaner so I grab my ancient iPad. It works, but the battery drains away fast. So it’s not the best option these days. Even fully charged batteries of new devices will eventually drain and WiFi can slow down when hundreds of people log in at an event, so I always take paper and pen, as well, in case the machines fail. In fact, I add extra lined sheets of paper in my Event Binder. It’s nice to have options, and analog always comes through. Plus, it’s quieter than tapping a keyboard during someone’s talk. Critique Appointments Some events offer critiques, where a publishing professional—such as a professor, agent, or editor—reviews your writing submission prior to the conference and meets with you to discuss its strengths and offer suggestions to improve the project. If you signed up for this, you will have already sent a digital copy to them prior to the event so...

Attending my first writers’ conference proved to be life-changing—or at least career-changing. In the years since, I’ve attended a wide range of writing events, and each one has in some way substantially contributed to my career. Some deepened my knowledge, others expanded my professional network—most did both. I can’t imagine where I’d be without them. Could a writers’ conference be a life-changing/knowledge-deepening/network-expanding opportunity in your future, even this year? If yes, how do you determine the right conference for you? This post is the first of a short series on how to get the most out of your next (or first!) writers’ conference, starting with how to choose your next (or first!) writers’ conference.  The Gifts of a Writers’ Conference In the early days of my writing career, I explored freelance writing. Thanks to a mentor, I learned how to pitch myself as a writer for companies looking to outsource things like company newsletters and I gained a few core clients. That launched my professional writing business. But as a creative writing major attracted to poetry and essay writing, I wanted to explore other types of writing and submit to magazines, for example, so I picked up everything I could from library books. The books, while excellent, were not enough to answer all my questions or help focus my efforts. And the internet did not exist at that time. In time, I instinctively knew I needed to start connecting with writers and learn from them.  In fact, I started to crave it. Somehow I heard about an event in Chicago called Write to Publish. I registered and attended it as my very first writers’ conference. Nervous and unsure what to expect, I showed up and sat through sessions, as speaker after speaker delivered talks that energized my creativity, while the speakers themselves embodied a life I wanted to pursue: that of a working writer building a body of work to be proud of. Many first-time conference attendees feel so overwhelmed by the flood of information at events like these, they conclude they could never pull it off and give up, walking away from writing and publishing altogether. I felt overwhelmed, yes, but mostly excited and empowered. It was exactly what I wanted; it was exactly what I needed. By the end of the conference, I interacted with attendees who in time became colleagues. I met someone who became another writing mentor. Those conference connections formed the beginnings of my professional network. If you attend a writing conference… You could meet your next coach or mentor. You could meet like-minded writers and form a writers’ group. You could meet industry leaders who offer to look over your project. You could meet someone who introduces you to key people you only dreamed of meeting one day. You could meet a writing buddy who becomes an accountability partner. If you’re considering attending a conference or any kind of writing event for the first time, I hope you find it proves to be a pivotal step in your journey. You never know how a chance encounter in the hallway or a timid hello as you take your seat in the auditorium could be the start of a professional relationship or a literary friendship that changes your life. Writer’s Conference or Writers’ Conference? As we dive into what a writers’ conference is and how to choose the right one for you, we have to face two small but fascinating issues. One, believe it or not, is punctuation; the other is labels. Let’s start with punctuation. You surely think this is overkill, but humor me for a minute. Sometimes you’ll see an event called a writers’ conference, other times a writer’s conference. Occasionally you might spot a writers conference with no apostrophe. And then a few call their events writing conferences, avoiding the need for an apostrophe altogether. In most industries, no one would care one bit about this level of detail. These conferences, however, are events catering to…writers, agents, and editors. So of course we notice the apostrophe (or lack thereof). And of course we start wondering how that tiny fleck of ink affects the attendees’ (or attendee’s) experience.  Without wasting more time on the grammatical implications, I bring it up for practical reasons. Because when asking your writerly friends what conferences they recommend, apostrophe placement may not matter much, but in an online search each version could produce different results.   To turn up the perfect event for you, try using all the different search terms: Writers’ conference Writer’s conference Writers conference Writing conference In your online searches, you also might change the word “conference” (singular) to “conferences” (plural). Conferences (plural) might turn up a list of events in a single article, which will save you time in your search. If you search for the singular “conference,” your search results may deliver endless events to sift through one at a time…but it still might be an advantage, as you might find a new event that wasn’t around when a list of events was compiled into one article. What a Writers’ Conference Tends to Offer Most writers’ conferences feature speakers with sessions that educate authors about topics like industry expectations, genre-specific recommendations, author platform advice, tips for developing book proposals (especially for authors of nonfiction), queries, and other publishing advice.  Conferences can also come in all different sizes, but most will offer keynotes, lectures, and breakout sessions. Some may include readings and workshops paced throughout a long weekend or some are a full week.  Most writers’ conferences offer pitch sessions for writers who have completed non-fiction book proposals or for those who have complete manuscripts for their novels or memoirs. Many conferences will have different tracks: one track might be for novelists, and the other might be for non-fiction authors. One might offer a track for unpublished authors and another for more advanced authors to discuss topics that new writers aren’t ready for.  Knowing all of this can help you choose the best fit as you’re searching. Is a conference a conference by any other name?  The other question is this naming or labeling. Gatherings for writers might go by different names. In addition to writers’ conferences, I’ve seen and attended: writing retreats writing seminars writing festivals writing workshops and a writers’ colloquium Each designation suggests a different purpose and personality. When you realize how one tends to differ from another, you’ll be able to match your professional needs and goals with the right event.  For example, you might want to write and talk about craft at a retreat led by a writer you admire, maybe in a beautiful setting. This event would feel dramatically different from a two-day conference hosting hundreds of authors that offers 15-minute agent pitch sessions and is held on a college campus or at a hotel.  Match Your Purpose and Project to the Type of Event That’s why you’ll want to first be aware of what kind of writer you are and the writing you’re focusing on at this moment, then determine your purpose for attending a writing event. This will include where you’re at in your professional and publishing journey. Then consider your current project and its stage of development. Today, I’m mostly covering the in-person conference experiences, but you may find similar benefits at something labeled something else. Study the descriptions carefully, read the fine print regarding refunds and take into account that certain experiences may be much more expensive than others. What Kind of Writer Are You? Knowing yourself and your writing goals and writing stage can help you determine your purpose for attending an event. It can help you decide if you’re better suited to an event for: authors of nonfiction books authors of novels authors of literary writing (literary novels, short stories, essays, poetry) authors of genre-specific books bloggers freelance writers who are actively pitching and submitting (or want to learn how) writers interested in writing for the ABA and general market writers interested in Christian publishing writers interested in self-publishing When you realize an event doesn’t offer speakers or sessions suitable for the kind of writer you are and the writing you’re pursuing, cross it off your list. It won’t be worth your time. What About Your Project? Next, consider what you need given where you’re at in your writing life and with a given project.  Are you: a newbie with no project or book in the works, simply ready to soak in everything possible? an experienced writer who has taken a break and you want to dip back in and learn how the industry has evolved? an experienced writer with a project in a specific genre? an unagented novelist with a completed manuscript, ready to pitch? an unagented author with a nonfiction book idea, and you want to understand the industry? an unagented author with a completed nonfiction book proposal (or nearly complete), ready to pitch literary agents and/or acquisitions editors? a writer wanting to self-publish a book? Given your current project’s status, you can decide which conference offerings will move it forward to its next milestone.<...

Dear Writer, It’s easy to freeze up when we’re writing for the faceless masses or the random reader who happens upon our words. What do we say to all those people? How can we speak with heart to a total stranger? Next thing you know, we second-guess our ideas, our prose, our very selves. We fade to beige without saying what we really think, without being specific, without our signature wit and whimsy.  What would that random person who doesn’t even know me think if I crack a joke? We lose our creativity, our passion, our joy. We freeze. We get stuck.  We’re afraid to stand out, so we play it safe. We write dull, ordinary prose that could be penned by anyone at all, even ChatGPT. Unlock Your Creative Voice: Write a Letter to Your Reader One way to unlock creativity is to write a letter—a letter to your reader. And not just any nameless, faceless reader but a specific person you actually know. Dear Anthony… Dear Paula… Dear Lissa… When you think of the kind of person you’re trying to reach with your words, does Lissa fit? Good.  Now, write her a letter about a question or struggle that she herself has voiced.  Weave in ideas that can help.  Encourage her with a vulnerable story. Add a little pizzazz that only you can include—after all, she knows you. She’ll grin at your joke and “get” your allusion. When you’re done, you can send her the note, if you want. Or you can cross out Lissa’s name and replace it with the type of person you write for: Dear Weary Homeschool Mom… Dear New Gardener… Dear Journaler… If that feels awkward to publish, cross off the salutation altogether.  Dear Anthony… Dear Paula… Dear Lissa… I’ll bet you can find a great hook in your opening lines, and the letter-writing trick disarmed you enough to write fresh and real and personable. Writing a Letter to Your Reader Frees Your Natural Voice From the writer’s perspective, writing a letter to your reader can remove that feeling of writing to the faceless masses and instead invite an easy tone and thoughts that convey empathy and intimacy. J. Willis Westlake, author of an 1800s book about letter-writing, says: In other [writing] productions there is the restraint induced by the feeling that a thousand eyes are peering over the writer’s shoulder and scrutinizing every word; while letters are written when the mind is as it were in dressing-gown and slippers — free, natural, active, perfectly at home, and with all the fountains of fancy, wit, and sentiment in full play.1 By tricking your mind into donning its dressing-gown and slippers, you can achieve that “free, natural, active, perfectly at home” tone, style, and voice. Your readers will love reading your “fancy, wit, and sentiment in full play.” Genuine Letters Contain Our Most Interesting Content And it’s not just our style, tone, and voice that letters unleash; it’s also the content itself. Westlake continues, “Though written, as all genuine letters are, for the private eye of one or two familiar friends, and without any thought of their publication, they nevertheless often form the most interesting and imperishable of an author’s productions.”2 In other words, these letters contain our “most interesting and imperishable” ideas. So why not write them as letters first? Discover Epistolary Writing This letter-writing format is labeled “epistolary” writing. And the epistolary approach is used more widely in published work than you might be thinking. For example, advice columns. Advice Columns Advice columns like the classic “Dear Abby” and more recent “Dear Sugar” dished out empathetic responses that addressed specific needs that were sent in from readers. The writer connected directly with the recipient who asked the initial question and with every reader who “listened in.” Epistolary Nonfiction Books Then there are nonfiction epistolary books, which invite us to peruse a letter exchange, and as we do, we feel we’re listening in on an intimate conversation.  Recognize these letter collections? 84, Charing Cross Road, by Helene Hanff Letters to a Young Poet, by Rainer Maria Rilke  The Letters of Vincent van Gogh Epistolary Novels You may have read epistolary novels that rely on this format to create “an intimate space between the characters and the readers,” as the Smithsonian Postal Museum writes. “[Because] letters are usually intended to be a closed communication, the readers are allowed to peer into the relationship created by the author.” ‌“Epistolary Novels as an Intimate Space.” Si.edu, 2023, postalmuseum.si.edu/research-articles/epistolary-fiction-themes/epistolary-novels-as-an-intimate-space. Accessed 23 Oct. 2023. Here are a few novels in this format: Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes The Color Purple by Alice Walker The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson Letters Between Writers When I was a college student, I wrote to an author whose book gave me hope and instruction when I was struggling personally and creatively. I sent her a long, vulnerable, typewritten thank-you letter explaining how her book gave me inspiration, vision, and tools to pursue my creative life. She wrote back! In fact, her response was an exuberant typewritten letter even longer than mine. She included vulnerable details related to her own creative journey and urged me to move forward. We continued to exchange letters over the years, and each one she sent answered questions and gave me advice for writing…and for living. Letters Capture Our Most Creative, Interesting Ideas We almost published these exchanges as a book in the epistolary format—maintaining the format of letters.  Had we published them, the “interesting and imperishable” ideas from my mentor—in the intimate form of our correspondence—would have remained. Readers could have listened in, as it were, to our interactions. They would have received her insights for themselves even though she typed them out first just for me. So the letter-writing structure can be an interesting experiment if your recipient is open to letting your notes (and possibly their responses) be shared with the wider public. Write Your Reader a Letter Today Picture your reader—that specific person who comes to mind. The reader whose specific problem you understand. Open an email if you need to trick yourself even further and put that person’s name in the recipient line. Relax. Write to her in a conversational tone. Say what you’re truly thinking. Express empathy, tell a story, offer a couple of ideas. By shrugging off the sense that you’re writing to “everyone” and instead addressing just one person, you’ll feel free to be creative. Your writing style will produce more authentic and engaging content. Tweak or delete the salutation, copy the text into a newsletter, social media post, Substack, or blog post, and then… Click publish. I’ll bet that genuine, heartfelt note will sparkle with your true voice and resonate deeply with your readers. Sincerely yours, Ann Footnotes: Popova, Maria. “How to Write Letters: A 19th-Century Guide to the Lost Art of Epistolary Etiquette.” The Marginalian, The Marginalian, 21 Dec. 2012, www.themarginalian.org/2012/12/21/how-to-write-letters-1876/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023. Ibid (emphasis mine).

Let’s look at the pros and cons of using writing prompts to decide if we’re fostering creativity or frittering away time. I remember the pleasure of writing about ladybugs for my high school freshman English class based on the prompt written on the board.1 And then there was the book I found a year or so at the library: Write to Discover Yourself. The author suggested we “portrait” the important people in our lives.2 I wrote pages and pages about my dad based on that prompt. Prompts continued to play a big role in my creative writing journey when college professors supplied our class with poetry prompts. Those prompts did exactly what they were designed for: they sparked creativity, teased out long-buried memories, and helped me spin creative storylines I would never have imagined on my own. Prompts have so effectively opened me up, I decided to gather a collection for others to use called 52 Creative Writing Prompts, to help get pens moving and ideas flowing.  Do Prompts Distract or Delight? But am I doing a disservice? Are prompts mere distractions, diverting writers from purposeful, goal-oriented writing? Some argue we need to stop using prompts and only write toward public-facing projects. Why waste time on writing prompts that fill notebooks and journal pages, when we’re struggling to find time for the writing we claim we want to do? Why write in response to a random prompt instead of composing the essay we want to submit, the book we want to draft, the article we want to pitch? Let’s peek at arguments for both sides, the pros and cons of prompts, to see if we need to embrace or abandon them in our creative writing life.  Pros of Creative Writing Prompts: On the plus side we have benefits of creative writing prompts, such as how they: 1. Spark Fresh Ideas Creative writing prompts inspire writers who struggle to generate any ideas at all by giving them an energizing starting point. Prompts also spark fresh ideas in writers who tend to return again and again to topics they’ve written about before. Prompts press writers to explore subject matter outside their comfort zone, breathing new life into their rotating collection of pet topics and pillar content.  2. Overcome Writer’s Block Prompts offer a lifeline to writers grappling with writer’s block—they invite a “stuck” writer to write freely for ten, 15, or 20 minutes without those words needing a destination or purpose other than to get the ink flowing. 3. Provide Low-Stakes Practice Writing prompts intended as practice serve as low-stakes exercises, encouraging writers to play and experiment without the pressure of immediate evaluation by editors or readers. Prompts allow writers to refine their craft and explore techniques in the safety of their writing notebooks and journals. In time they may develop a more captivating style. 4. Prepare for Assignments Freelancers who’ve been assigned a topic for a magazine or essayists who have entered themed writing contests benefit from writing from prompts. It’ll prepare them for assignments based on narrow parameters.  5. Offer a Writing Warm-up When writers tap out a few words in response to a prompt before diving into their long-form/high-stakes project, they can enjoy a brief warm-up that loosens them up. 6. Enhance Honesty and Depth With prompts, writers delve into deeper personal experiences, memories, emotions, and themes without fear of judgment, leading to more honest and profound writing. 7. Lead to Personal Growth and Healing When intentionally selecting prompts that invite reflection—maybe even under the direction of a therapist—writers can experience transformation through personal growth and healing. It’s no surprise that when we spend time in personal writing such as journaling, we grow and mature as people, which in turn makes us better writers. Cons of Creative Writing Prompts: To be fair, we need to look at the cons of creative writing prompts and how they might hinder our writing. 1. Waste Time Critics argue that writing prompts can lead to aimless scribbling on topics unrelated to our writing goals and projects—time we could have dedicated to a work-in-progress. Instead, it’s being swallowed up by an unrelated prompt. Marion Roach Smith wonders why we can’t try warming up by writing toward the main project itself. Her big argument: when you write from prompts “you’re frittering away your time” instead of writing “with intent” and “for real.”3 2. Spit Out Stilted Prose Savannah Cordova observes, “If you choose a prompt that’s too far out of your comfort zone (or one doesn’t really inspire you), it’s no surprise that the response will usually come out sounding forced.”4 3. Lack Purpose Prompts are usually random—in fact, some websites offer random prompt generators. These offer no clear direction or purpose; they simply invite us to write a random scene. Lacking purpose, have we strayed from our goal of completing a project? 4. Allow Writers to Avoid Feedback While some writing groups use prompts and offer input from the group, writing to prompts privately means we miss the opportunity of receiving input and feedback from real readers. In contrast, when we write for readers in public in a place like Substack, we can see our work resonate with others when they respond in the comments. 5. Encourage Procrastination Are some writers using prompts to avoid their main project? Relying on prompts for this purpose could be a form of procrastination instead of hitting a word count goal on a more important and urgent project. “Admittedly, prompts can be valuable — as an exercise,” writes Jeff Goins. “But eventually, you don’t need another day at the gym. You need to sign up for the marathon and run. You need to go play a real game. You need to do something. Here’s what I find productive — far more than writing prompts (no offense to those who use them): Write something meaningful and share it.”5 Is it really either/or?  It’s easy to see the appeal of creative writing prompts but important to consider the downsides and “dangers” of them, as well. Words of caution from Marion Roach Smith and others remind me that while a solid prompt can open up the flow of words, it could also—if not used judiciously and with purpose—keep me from hitting my most important targets and deadlines. But is it really either/or? An integrated approach to prompts I could propose a controversial conclusion banning prompts from serious writing work. Yeah, sure. I might get more hits on social media or responses in online searches. But studying the pros and cons of using creative writing prompts has led me to a less controversial and more integrated conclusion. And maybe those who argue against them would agree to a thoughtfully integrated approach as well. Here’s what I’m thinking… Real Projects May Benefit from Prompts Prompts could be used when we’re working toward the deadline and find ourselves stuck or blocked. Yes, a real project might benefit from a prompt. We can set a timer and write for 20 minutes from a prompt to get our words flowing—any words flowing. When the timer beeps, we return to the official project with fresh eyes. The timer limits prompt-writing and minimizes distraction and procrastination while the prompt refreshes the mind. We’re still completing the “official” writing—in fact, the time spent responding to the prompt might brighten the tone of the finished piece. Prompts Invite Creative Connections for Effective Slants Prompts could be used to generate a narrow focus for a freelance pitch, landing on a creative slant or angle that gets a “yes” from an editor. In this case, prompts aren’t keeping us from our “real” work but are in fact used to inform and inspire our “real’ work.  Prompts for Personal Reflection Make for Better Writers…and therefore Better Writing And behind the scenes, free from public scrutiny, we could use prompts for inner work that shapes us into more insightful and compassionate writers. It would be hard to measure the prompts’ influence on a future manuscript, but the writer will have more to draw from because they used prompts to privately sort out life, pain, problems, and confusion. Creative Writing Prompts Have a Place in the Writing Life That doesn’t seem like a time-waster to me. Those private writing sessions? They could stay in a journal or notebook or who knows? One day that unfiltered writing may liberate the writer to produce more vulnerable projects that transform readers. And maybe one day they actually pull from some of those private writing sessions. Some of the actual content may find its way into a powerful piece. I agree that writers with limited writing time will want to choose prompts wisely, avoiding procrastination by funneling as much as possible into their work-in-progress. But I do think prompts have a place in our writing life, our writing practice, and our writing process. As for me, I’ll be using prompts…with purpose. Q4U: How about you?  How have prompts served your creative work or distracted you from it? Will you continue to use prompts? If so, how will you use them (and how often will you use them)? 52 Creative Writing Prompts: A Year of Weekly Prompts and Exercises to Boost Your Creativity <a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button" h...

Children gaze at a vast blank wall and see opportunity—inspired, they grab a permanent marker and scrawl across the surface in loopy circles and jaggedy lines without hesitation.  Why, then, do we adults stare at the blank page—not unlike a blank wall—and freeze up? Instead of scribbling out ideas that fill the white screen, we writers often come up empty, the blank page producing a blank mind. We get too far ahead of ourselves, thinking about readers before we’ve written a single word, afraid of what they’ll think. Or we second-guess our ideas or skills. We worry about that and more, and next thing you know…we stop writing and stare at that blinding white abyss, paralyzed. The blank page need not intimidate or cripple us. Why? Because with the ideas below, you can fill that great expanse with words so that it’s never really blank when you open it. Try one of them the next time you open a document and feel fear trickling down to your fingertips. I hope they’ll free you up long before you freeze and you’ll replace fear with joy by effortlessly filling the page with words. 1. Templates Create templates for your content, whether it’s a newsletter, blog post, or podcast. By inserting the structural elements you tend to use each time, you approach the page with a sense of familiarity. Templates serve as a framework to jumpstart your writing process, making the page feel less daunting. 2. Outlines Embrace the power of outlines. The classic 5-paragraph essay structure you learned long ago—with an introduction, three main points, and conclusion—is a reliable starting point for informative articles. For more creative pieces, try narrative outlines with a three-act structure (even if it’s short) or a beginning, middle, end approach. Outlines help you organize your thoughts and create a roadmap for your writing, banishing the fear of the blank page. See the links below for ready-made outlines you can use to add structure to your document. 3. Record Yourself &amp; Transcribe Take a walk and record your thoughts about the topic you want to write about. Then, get a transcription made of that recording and paste it in—you’ve eliminated the blank page altogether. It’s as if you’re simply editing and expanding on (and refining) your existing thoughts, which is far less intimidating than starting from scratch with nothing but a blank page and blinking cursor. 4. Record a Conversation &amp; Transcribe Meet with a friend on a virtual platform like Zoom, click the record button, and explain your idea. As your friend engages with questions, you’ll be able to clarify and delve deeper. This approach captures your natural voice as you share what you’ve been researching and thinking about. Thank your friend, download the audio, and then use a program like Happy Scribe or Rev.com’s AI transcription service to transcribe the conversation. You’ll end up with a working draft for your writing project. TIP: more and more free AI transcription services are cropping up, so be sure to search for the latest options and you might not even have to pay.  5. Pull from Your Journal If you’ve been jotting down ideas, thoughts, or snippets of writing in a journal or a similar document, don’t let them go to waste. Pull something from there and paste it into your current document to kickstart your writing. Things like Morning Pages, Dream Journals, and freewriting can be sources of inspiration. 6. List Bullet Points Before you even have a minute to think about the blank page, start writing your ideas in the form of bullet points—they don’t have to be complete thoughts or sentences. No more blank page! And you’ll have prompts you can use to draft your content. You can expand on each bullet point to develop your ideas further, gradually filling the blank page with meaningful content. Move them around until you find the ideal flow and structure. Problem solved. 7. AI Writing Apps If you’re open to experimentation, consider using an AI writing app. These tools can generate ideas and even provide outlines based on your input. While they may not perfectly replicate your voice, they can jumpstart your creativity and offer valuable suggestions—maybe even a rough draft you can work with—reducing the intimidation factor of a blank page. Manage your expectations, though, because it may take a long time before it comes close to matching your style and writing voice. Use it as a starting point before making the final project sound like you. Beat the Blank Page &amp; Write with Confidence With these fill-the-page strategies, you can conquer the blank page and approach your writing with confidence and creativity. Each method makes the page less daunting, so you can seize the opportunity and make your mark on the world with your words, scribbled with joy. Try one of these ideas this week and let me know how well it works for you! Resources: Ready-made outline: Problem-Solution (this articles shows how you can apply this outline to different projects, including opinion pieces, blog posts, and nonfiction books) Ready-made outline: Past-Present-Future (this article makes an argument for outlining; scroll down for applications of this outline) Ready-made outline: Zoom In / Zoom Out ____________ Join us in Your Platform Matters (YPM) YPM is a warm and welcoming membership community committed to creative, meaningful ways we can grow our platform and reach readers—check us out!

When I was visiting my grandmother one summer afternoon, she pulled out a letter I sent her. “This is good,” she said. “Really?” She pointed at the paragraphs and said the ideas were well organized, my writing flowed well, and I included lots of details. “It was interesting to read,” she said. Then she looked up at me and smiled. “Maybe we have another writer in the family?” Did I gasp? Her words certainly sent a jolt through me. Did she know how badly I wanted to write? Could she have known how much I yearned to be a writer? Surely the thought of me as a writer seemed far-fetched to her. After all, my mother was a seasoned editor and columnist, endowed with innate writing talents—Grandma saw her earn accolades in college and as a career journalist. My father was an editor at a prominent metropolitan newspaper, shaping stories, crafting headlines, and curating front-page content. Even my brother, a skilled wordsmith, showed promise as a creative writer, eventually becoming an award-winning copywriter for ad campaigns. And then there was me—Grandma knew her granddaughter was a sprinter on the track team, a clarinetist in the band, and a dedicated student earning good grades. Yet, no one, myself included, saw me as a writer…well, I helped put the school newspaper together, but I was hardly an ace reporter. Yet here she was, encouraging me to write, cheering me on. During that brief exchange when pointing out the strengths of my letter, Grandma kindled a spark of hope within me. External Validation Bolsters Us While external validation shouldn’t dictate our writing journey, it bolsters us when we face the inevitable resistance that hits us from within and without. Her words reverberated in my head (and my heart) for years, counteracting doubts that crept in, giving me courage to push past obstacles and move toward a future with words. Around that time, my best friend in high school praised the short story I wrote: “The Medallion of Kilimanjaro.” Her sincere reaction made me believe I could tell a captivating story. A few years later, my college boyfriend nudged me to enroll in creative writing at our university—his vote of confidence aligned with Grandma’s earlier endorsement, solidifying my self-perception as a writer. In one of those creative writing classes, a poetry professor urged me to submit my work to the undergraduate journal. Armed with her belief in my potential, I sent in three. The outcome exceeded my expectations—each of the three submissions was accepted for publication, and one poem secured a prize. I could continue to list even more people who added to that chorus of encouragement, bolstering my confidence. Editors, friends, team leaders, mentors. With their voices cheering me on, I took risks. With their affirmations in my head and heart, I pursued a writing career—I built a writing life. Who Cheered You on as a Writer? Who cheered you on throughout your writing journey? Who pointed out your potential and steered you toward a life of words?Whose voices gave you confidence? Was it a mentor, teacher, peer, editor, friend, or coach? If they never voiced their thoughts, would you have given up? Make a list of the people who offered you encouragement to pursue this path. If possible, track some of them down and thank them. Perhaps you could mail them a letter? After that…cheer on another writer. Encourage them as they face obstacles on the path to achieving their writing goals. When you do, you’ll be one of the powerful voices adding to the chorus of those who give them confidence to stick with it—to pursue writing and build a writing life. Resources: My Writing Life Beginnings, Pt 1 My Writing Life Beginnings, Pt 2 Writers: Never, Never, Never Give Up 5 Writing Strengths _____________________ Ready to elevate your writing craft—with a coach to guide you? Get the direction you need to improve as a writer with The Art &amp; Craft of Writing. In this eight-week intensive, I’ll help you elevate your writing skills and create a compelling piece you’ll be proud to show an editor or agent. By the end of our time together, you’ll have completed a 3,000-word piece, along with multiple short submissions that invite you to experiment and play with new techniques. CLICK TO LEARN MORE

Just as musicians credit their musical influences, writers, too, have literary inspirations who help them discover and shape their unique voice. At a White House event for poets in 2011, Billy Collins said to students about finding your voice: You’re searching for the poets who make you jealous…you’re looking to get influenced by people who make you furiously jealous…And then copy them.1 Billy himself was influenced by the work of Wallace Stevens—I suppose he would say he was furiously jealous of him. Anne Lamott’s Seemingly Effortless Prose Author Shauna Niequist openly mentions the influence of Anne Lamott on her work. The first time I read Anne Lamott, I thought, “Is this allowed? People can write like this and it gets published?” I laughed at her sometimes-crass and often sarcastic style. She opened the door to a whole new way of writing, with honesty and sass. While hers was not exactly my style, I admired the conversational tone—the seemingly stream-of-consciousness flow of ideas—that, upon close examination, were carefully crafted. That skill to make her work seem like it effortlessly spilled onto the page but was actually carefully constructed? That made me furiously jealous. Annie Dillard’s Literary Craftsmanship My friend and co-author Charity Singleton Craig has mentioned Annie Dillard’s impact on her. She frequently quotes her and I sense hints of that literary genius in my friend, as well as in Dillard. I read Annie Dillard in my early 20s and wondered, “What is this?” I liked it, but I didn’t “get it.” I didn’t understand what she was doing. But I saw that she stitched her work together with precision using the tools of a literary craftsman. And that, I admired. That made me furiously jealous. Madeleine L’Engle’s Bridges of Trust, Love, and Hope As a child, I read Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time. Whether I voiced it or not, I know I wondered, “How did she do that?” At that time I didn’t want to write in that style or genre, but she led us to trust, love, and hope through the delight of quirky characters. I was thrilled how intimately she connected with her reader—with me. I was grateful at the time. Now, as an adult who writes, I’m furiously jealous. I want to create bridges of trust, love, and hope, as well. Scott Russell Sanders’ Unpretentious Midwestern Truth Charity and I attended a lecture by Scott Russell Sanders. In my notebook, I scribbled notes. Then I leaned back and listened. Finally, I wrote, “I want to write like that” on the page of my notebook. I tilted the page toward Charity to show it to her. She nodded. She could see I was furiously jealous. He writes about the Midwest, where I’m from, so I’m always impressed with how he brings it to life. His work connects with me in the familiar references of trees and rivers and birds. He names them and I know them. He makes creative choices seem less mysterious than Dillard and more accessible. He’s conversational in some ways but not curmudgeonly like Anne Lamott. When I read him, I think, “Hey, I could try that.” He’ll tell stories, create scenes, and introduce a theme, a phrase, a word. He presses in, gently, a little more—labyrinthine at times and progressively, sequentially, other times. I want to write like that. He’s unpretentious. I can tell that the ideas and stories he shares on the page are true. When I met him at that event with Charity, it was clear: he is who he seems to be on the page. That’s who I am and want to be, too, in my writing. In life. Unpretentious. I want to be like that. What Writers Make You Furiously Jealous? When you say about a writer or author “I want to write like that,” that’s a creative influence. When a writer’s work makes you furiously jealous, that’s a creative influence. When you think, “Hey, I could try that!” that’s a creative influence. Make a list of all the people whose work makes you furiously jealous—maybe even make a list of the work itself. Then ask: What do I love about this piece? How is its sound, topic, and style appealing to me? Why does it speak to me? What about it could I learn from it? How could I emulate it without plagiarizing? Study that work. Pick apart that prose. Underline and circle and copy out sentences from that work. Figure out how they did it. Because writers who make you furiously jealous are your best mentors. And as you study them—as they mentor you—like Billy said, they’ll lead you to your own authentic voice. ____________________ Register for: Build Your Writing Lab: Dissect Quality Prose to Learn Techniques Used by the Pros with Ann Kroeker, Writing CoachWednesday, August 23rd at 12pm ET This free training will empower you with a proven system to become a better writer. In Build Your Writing Lab, you’ll start to see every piece of professional writing with new eyes and find inspiration in their techniques. I’m not holding back — you’re getting six different approaches to dissect text and discover how to improve your craft. If you’re ready to set yourself up for success, register now — you’ll see your work transform and your confidence increase with each writing experiment! CLICK to register for FREE ____________________ Footnote: The. “Poetry Student Workshop at the White House.” YouTube, YouTube Video, 11 May 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVIOKLXK9uY&amp;t=1870s. Accessed 3 Aug. 2023.

On a sunny spring day, I sat with seven homeschoolers on a stretch of grass for a creative writing session. The older kids started to fidget before we even started. “What are we doing out here?” “We’re going to see what’s around us.” A fifth grader pointed with his pen. “I see sky, clouds, cars, building. Done.” The others laughed. “We’re going to be quiet and listen, too,” I added. “I hear birds. Done.” More chuckles. “Before we write,” I began, “Let’s look at the sky. What color is it?” Someone said blue. “What kind of blue? There are so many blues. Is it dark blue like these navy pants? Or is it blue like turquoise? Or is it the kind of blue you want to swim in? Or the color of your mom’s eyes?” They looked up. “Write down phrases that describe this particular blue at this particular moment of this particular day. Compare it to other things that are blue.” They studied the sky, and one by one, each started writing. “What else do you see—you mentioned clouds. What kind of clouds? Puffy white cumulus clouds or light and filmy cirrus clouds?” Group Your Senses We continued exploring multi-sensory details. They grouped their ideas by sense, so each stanza of the poem they were going to write began: I see… I hear… I smell… I touch… I taste… This simple “senses” poem isn’t just for kids. You could try sensory writing, too. Sensory Writing Practice Slow down and tune into the space around you, ideally outdoors. Look, listen, inhale deeply. What do you notice at this particular moment of this particular day? Write down keywords and adjectives. Capture images and sounds. What smells do you breathe in? Compare those details to something else. You’ll be crafting metaphors with nouns and more seemingly unrelated nouns that end up enhancing meaning. Touch different textures. Taste something—well, taste what’s appropriate (don’t eat anything poisonous)! As you capture the particulars, you’ll realize that this moment is one-of-a-kind, and you’re writing about it using all your senses, as those kids did. Pull Your Senses Together When you realize the poem is coming together, group the sensory details you’ve described to form those stanzas: I see… I hear… I smell… I touch… I taste… Rearrange as needed, of course. Write an opening line if you like. Maybe two. Write a closing line if you like. Maybe two. Maybe three. Read it aloud. Sensory Writing for Life You’ve preserved in multi-sensory detail a moment of your wild and precious life. And you’ve practiced a skill you can use in all your writing to bring your stories and scenes to life for your reader with this multi-sensory detail. Years ago I attended a writing workshop and the leader referenced Flannery O’Connor, paraphrasing a section of “The Nature and Aim of Fiction” from ​Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose​: A lady who writes, and whom I admire very much, wrote me that she had learned from Flaubert that it takes at least three activated sensuous strokes to make an object real; and she believes that this is connected with our having five senses. If you’re deprived of any of them, you’re in a bad way, but if you’re deprived of more than two at once, you almost aren’t present. (Emphasis mine, 69) The workshop leader held up an imaginary artist’s brush and said, “One, two, three…and you’re done!” Include in your poetry and prose—fiction or nonfiction—at least three sensory details and your reader will be in the scene with you. Read It Aloud and Applaud Right there in the grass on that day with the homeschooled kids, they arranged their poems, scribbling into spiral notebooks balanced on bony knees. When we brought them back inside, each child read their poem aloud for the other mom, who had stayed inside while we wrote. We applauded after each poem. One of them read a simple series of images and metaphors. We applauded. He grinned a sheepish grin and then shook his head after making eye contact with his mom. I looked over; she was wiping away tears. “That was beautiful,” she said, stopping to swallow and press the corners of her eyes to dam them up. She smiled and looked at each child. “They are all so, so beautiful.” You see the world—and your corner of the world—like no one else. The comparisons you make, the metaphors you form, flow from your own connections and history. Bring your world to life. One, two, three…and you’re done! Resources: A version of this story was first published at Tweetspeak Poetry; read it HERE. Read or listen to “Writers Should Say Yes to New Experiences” __________________ Register for: Build Your Writing Lab: Dissect Quality Prose to Learn Techniques Used by the Pros with Ann Kroeker, Writing CoachWednesday, August 23rd at 12pm ET This free training will empower you with a proven system to become a better writer. In Build Your Writing Lab, you’ll start to see every piece of professional writing with new eyes and find inspiration in their techniques. I’m not holding back — you’re getting six different approaches to dissect text and discover how to improve your craft. If you’re ready to set yourself up for success, register now — you’ll see your work transform and your confidence increase with each writing experiment! CLICK to register for FREE _________________ Footnote: O’Connor, Flannery. Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1974. (69)

Jennifer Dukes Lee ​invites you to transform into a better writer​ through “beautifully ruthless self-discovery.” It starts in the pages of your journal. In a recent interview, she delves into the therapeutic benefits of daily gratitude journaling and its potential to rewire our brains. By writing down things we’re grateful for, our minds seek out the positive. Jennifer recommends guided journals when we’re stymied by writer’s block. The blank page of a traditional journal can overwhelm us. What should we say? Where should we start? Guided journals aren’t blank pages—they provide prompts and structure when you’re stuck or unsure of what to write. She stresses that journaling serves as a valuable tool for self-discovery and creative expression. When you use journaling to explore your experiences, memories, and struggles, you can weave your discoveries into your writing. This deep dive into the human condition adds depth and authenticity to all our writing: poetry, creative nonfiction, online writing, and fiction. Jennifer introduces questions from her guided journal: some profound, some silly. Either way, they open you up and lead to deeper self-knowledge. Some of your journal entries will be personal and remain private, just as her recent book title suggests: Stuff I’d Only Tell God. Other entries you could share with a family member or friend, creating deeper connections through your vulnerability. You’ll see how journaling unleashes your creative potential and invites you to be more open, leaving a lasting impact on yourself, your closest relationships, and your readers. Listen in on our discussion—and start journaling—to become a more authentic and impactful writer. Meet Jennifer Dukes Lee Jennifer Dukes Lee is a bestselling author, thinker, and question-asker from Iowa. Her friends say they’re scared to sit alone in a room with her because they end up telling her things they never intended to say. She is both proud of this fact and also a little annoyed at how nosy she can be. She put a bunch of her favorite questions into a journal called Stuff I’d Only Tell God. It’s like your own little confession booth. She’s also the author of Growing Slow and It’s All Under Control. Subscribe to her newsletter Top Ten with Jen to get the inside scoop on stuff that is blowing her mind, encouraging her heart, and refreshing her soul (subscribe and you’ll also get immediate access to free resources): https://jenniferdukeslee.com/subscribe/ Connect with Jennifer: Learn more at jenniferdukeslee.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferDukesLee Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferdukeslee/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jenniferdukeslee Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/dukeslee/ Subscribe to Top Ten with Jen: https://jenniferdukeslee.com/subscribe/ https://youtu.be/cHOo61S9W4s Time Stamps The whole interview is packed with inspiration and ideas, but perhaps these time stamps help you navigate to places in our discussion that may seem more interesting. 5:29 Courageous honesty leads to self-discovery.7:21 Journaling and memory keeping.8:53 Journaling is essential for writing.11:23 Gratitude journaling and its impact.14:48 Journaling can inspire and inform.15:01 Inspiration from journaling.16:27 Outline and plan your writing.19:06 The short form writing process.22:03 Journaling preserves memories and emotions.24:09 Capturing memories through journaling.26:33 Journaling sparks creative self-discovery.29:08 Writing about interesting moments.29:35 Birds and dreaming.31:38 Trust the spark, capture it.35:56 Treating journals with different purposes.37:48 Social media and storytelling.41:33 Battle with depression and anxiety. Transcript (Transcripts are reviewed and lightly edited.) Ann Kroeker I’m Ann Kroeker, writing coach. If you’re tuning in for the first time, welcome! If you’re a regular, welcome back. Today I’m with Jennifer Dukes Lee, author of the guided journal Stuff I’d Only Tell God, and we’re discussing how courageously honest journaling can make us a better writer. Jennifer’s a best-selling author, thinker, and question-asker from Iowa, and she’s also a personal friend. Her friends say they’re scared to sit in the same room with her because they’re afraid they’re going to tell her things they never intended to share. She says she’s proud of that, but also a little annoyed at how nosy she can be. Well, she put a lot of her questions into this one resource, Stuff I’d Only Tell God. It’s like your own little confession booth. She’s also author of Growing Slow, and It’s All Under Control. You can learn more about Jennifer at jenniferdukeslee.com. Jennifer, it’s great to have you on the show. Welcome. Jennifer Dukes Lee Yeah, we better watch out. According to that bio, I might turn the tables today and start peppering you with questions. [laughter] Life will never make sense until we get curious enough to ask good questions. Ann Kroeker And you know, you’re more than just a guest here appearing. You’re also my friend. And so yeah, I can vouch for the fact that you do ask great questions. And you ask great questions not only as a friend, but also with your background as a reporter. And then all these years of being an author, and working with authors, you know, you’re funneling all that into this new book, Stuff I’d Only Tell God. So, one thing I noticed when I opened it up and I looked inside, read through the prompts, I realized, first of all, I’ve got a lot of writing to do using these prompts for a very long time. There are plenty that will get me through, I think, more than a year for me. But one of the things you said at the beginning was this. You write, “Here’s what I know to be true. Life will never make sense until we get curious enough to ask good questions.” Say a little bit more about that from your background that I just described. We get to know each other through the questions that we ask each other. 01:52 Jennifer Dukes Lee Well, when you think just relationally how we get to know one another, it’s the questions that we ask each other. I’m still learning about my husband of 27 years due to just asking questions out of this journal, for instance. And life doesn’t make sense, relationships don’t make sense, faith doesn’t make sense until we get brave enough to ask good questions. I come from a Christian background and a Christian worldview. And my way to faith was through questions. I was a deep, deep intellectual doubter of God and Jesus. And it was questions that led me into a life of faith. It’s questions that now I consider Jesus, my CEO of my ministry, when it was like 20 years ago, I didn’t even know if he existed. So yeah, questions have helped everything make sense. And I’m just going to keep asking them to learn more about myself and learn more about people and learn more about God. Questions have helped everything make sense. 02:49 Ann Kroeker I love it. And this book you have, it’s Stuff I’d Only Tell God, but what you just pointed out is that you actually can use these questions not only for your personal self-reflection, but to grow closer to other people. And so it’s not really stuff I’d only tell God. I did notice that you have a section that’s like, you probably don’t want to … [you might want to] shove this part under your mattress. But you say in the subtitle it’s a guided journal of “courageous honesty, obsessive truth-telling, and beautifully ruthless self-discovery.” What does that mean to you? And how do people process all of that? Really dig in and go hard after the truth of your own life. 03:31 Jennifer Dukes Lee Yeah, I wanted to convey the passionate aspect of this book, to really dig in. Journaling in general is digging in and pressing into how you’re feeling or pressing into your worries and your fears, your doubts, whatever it is. But I am calling people to go on an even deeper journey. And so I’m like, how do I convey that? What are the words that I could use? And I remember sitting on the couch while Scott was watching Netflix and I was supposed to be watching Netflix, but I’m like, as a writer, I’m like busily in the notes app of my phone trying to craft this idea. And it just came to me and I’m like, Scott, pause Netflix. I’ve got to read this to you. And it conveys that passion of honesty is one thing, but recognizing that there’s a certain kind of honesty that takes real courage. That’s where “courageous honesty” comes in, because it does take courage to get honest about what’s going on in our lives. It takes courage to look into our past and see how that’s shaped who we are today. It takes courageous honesty to ask God some important questions and to get honest with him about what’s going on in our lives. And then when it comes to that “obsessive truth telling,” leave nothing behind. Just be obsessive about it. Really dig in and go hard after the truth of your own life. When it comes to that “obsessive truth telling,” leave nothing behind. And then the “beautifully ruthless self-discovery,” self-discovery is almost a buzzword, it’s just learning more about yourself so you can decide what you want to be as you move forward. But I know that the kind of self-discovery I’m asking people to do in this guided journal is ruthless. It’s hard to dig like that, but in the end, it’s beautiful. So that’s how I came up with “beautifully ruthless self-discovery.” So it conveys, I think, an idea of I’m going to do this thing and it’s going to make a difference. And if it’s going to make a real difference, then I need to give it all I’ve got. 05:33 Ann Kroeker...

During the early years of parenthood, I wasted a lot of time feeling sorry for myself. Why can’t I have my own dedicated writing space? Why can’t I have blocks of uninterrupted time? The overwhelming demands of being a stay-at-home mom almost shut down my creativity. In time, thank heavens, I stopped griping and started looking for solutions. My idea? Instead of waiting for the perfect conditions, I snatched time. No Time to Write? Snatch Every Opportunity I wrote when the kids were napping. I wrote late at night. I wrote when they were engrossed in a movie. I squeezed writing into the tiny openings in my days. Sometimes I only had five minutes, but I wrote. By making the most of a few free moments here and there, I kept my writing identity alive. Contain the Creativity This spontaneous approach made for a messy writing life, however. I left a trail of pens throughout the house. I scratched fleeting phrases onto the backs of envelopes. I scribbled a line of poetry onto a Wendy’s receipt and shoved it into our minivan’s cup holders. If I could go back, I would organize my writing ideas in one central container. I needed a master notebook for all those scraps, or a notes app on my phone to tap out those ideas. That would have been smart. I have no idea where that Wendy’s receipt ended up, so that lyrical line is lost forever. Please learn from my mistake and find an official container for your work. Creative Container Ideas How you corral and contain your ideas is totally up to you—there’s no single approach for every writer. I recommend you decide on something you can carry with you all the time. For example, a simple manila envelope you stuff into an oversized bag that goes with you everywhere could contain all your scraps of paper if you scribble on whatever’s nearby. An accordion file or a 3-ring binder with folders and dividers snapped into it are more organized versions of that. If you’re more suited to digital options, you can use any number of apps for iOs or Android. For example, in this interview, Bryan Collins of Become a Writer Today talks about how he uses Day One, a journaling app, for all of his writing notes, as well.  Seize Tiny Moments Despite the mess, I realized a way forward in the midst of motherhood with no time to write: I seized tiny moments. I learned that a single sentence or well-crafted phrase composed in five minutes could lay the foundation for a future manuscript. As a result, I made solid progress on project after project. I built a respectable portfolio that led to a respectable freelance writing career. Time and opportunities opened up as my kids grew more independent. I wrote books, joined writing communities, worked as an editor, and, as you know, established a coaching business. All of that was possible because I made the most of five minutes here and five minutes there. That approach helped my “writing self” survive those early childrearing years and, in 2014, four years of extreme eldercare chaos. Thankfully, expectations have eased up, and my current life stage permits me blocks of time to write, but you know what? I still try to seize every opportunity. To this day, I write during those tiny moments that free up—it keeps me on track toward achieving my writing goals. If you don’t already, I hope you try it yourself next time you feel you have no time to write: Write whenever and wherever you can…for as long as you can. Enough Stolen Sentences and a Book Is Born ​In her book The Right to Write, Julia Cameron says: The ‘if-I-had-time’ lie is a convenient way to ignore the fact that novels require being written and that writing happens a sentence at a time. Sentences can happen in a moment. Enough stolen moments, enough stolen sentences, and a novel is born–without the luxury of time…Yes, it is daunting to think of finding time to write an entire novel, but it is not so daunting to think of finding time to write a paragraph, even a sentence. And paragraphs, made of sentences, are what novels are really made of. (Cameron) Next time you have 5 minutes free, try one of these writing tasks… 5-Minute Tasks for Nonfiction Writers If you write nonfiction as an author, essayist, blogger, or writer of micro content on social media, here are a few five-minute tasks to tackle (these are drawn from a longer list available at annkroeker.com/5minutewriter). brainstorm key points or subtopics for upcoming project create a mind-map or outline for a blog post, article, or chapter edit and polish a paragraph for clarity generate ideas for examples, anecdotes, or case studies to illustrate your points capture sensory details in phrases to add to a narrative review and revise your thesis statement or main argument proofread a section for spelling and grammar errors 5-Minute Tasks for Fiction Writers If you write fiction as a novelist or you’re a short story writer (or both), here are a few five-minute tasks to tackle (these are drawn from a longer list available at annkroeker.com/5minutewriter). create a brief character sketch for a new or existing character jot down a vivid description of a setting or location write a snippet of dialogue between two characters create a mini storyboard or visualization of a crucial scene revise a challenging scene from a different POV describe the physical appearance or mannerisms of a character tighten a section of your project using an editing checklist No matter what complicates your schedule—whether you have a full-time job or you’re a full-time caregiver—write what you can, when you can. Because the conditions are never perfect. And the words will come, even five minutes at a time. Get Your 5 Minute Writer Freebie Grab this fillable workbook for ideas to make the most of every writing opportunity. You’ll get: Lists of tiny tasks you can tackle when five minutes opens up so you make progress in your writing (for both fiction and nonfiction writers!) Ideas for where to contain your research, ideas, and drafts Real-life proof from your writing coach that your writing life can expand in tiny openings Footnote: Cameron, Julia. The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life. Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, 1999.

Nearly everyone who writes personal stories in any form has agonized over how much to share. Will writing about an issue from childhood break Mom’s heart? Should I change the name of a high school teacher? The next-door neighbor? The dog? The children? Are the hyacinths blooming by the mailbox worth mentioning? We write. We worry. Is this naval gazing or vulnerability? Will people feel I’m airing the dirty laundry or sharing my own struggles so others might find healing? https://youtu.be/bzd7a8J4UXc Stories Bring YOU into Your Writing But…stories! Goodness, stories set your projects apart from all other essays, articles, and books, because only you had that encounter, that experience, that struggle, that transformation. When you make a claim and support it with your own life story, no one else could have written that piece. Stories create connection between reader and writer. Stories convey universal truths through specific situations. You don’t have to share your darkest eras or most embarrassing moments to offer transformative stories to readers. You don’t have to bare all to be a generous and effective storyteller. You get to choose what to share with the public on a blog or in an article…and you get to choose what will live only in a journal, shoved under your mattress. Our Three Lives A few years ago, I found a quote from author Gabriel García Márquez, suggesting we have three lives: A Public life A Private life A Secret life A Newsweek article writes: About [Márquez’s] own romantic passions, though, the author remained tight-lipped. He told his biographer Gerald Martin “with the expression on his face of an undertaker determinedly closing a coffin lid back down, that ‘everyone has three lives: a public life, a private life and a secret life’.” When Martin asked if Márquez might give him access into the latter, he replied: “No, never.”1 ​Kenneth Samples at Reasons to Believe describes these three lives: A Public Life: This is the side of themselves that people present at work, church, civic arenas, and other public contexts. This is how people are generally seen in their daily life outside the home. A Private Life: This is the side of life that people share with family and close friends. Only a person’s inner circle…gets to see this “version.” A Secret Life: This is the side of life known only to an individual. In can include one’s private thoughts and secret actions. People may be aware of their secret life, but that is not always the case. The reality of the secret life may be unknown even to the individual person himself for all of us have blind spots that stand in the way of true self-realization2 As writers, we are in control. Like Márquez, we get to choose the stories that will be part of the essay, the memoir, the interview—the public self. And we get to choose the stories that will never be told—that will remain part of our secret life. Isn’t that freeing? You get to write, and you get to choose. My Stories — Our Stories My primary newsletter is my coaching newsletter. It’s how I show up in your inbox to support your writing goals and encourage you on your writing journey. I share as much as possible to help you make progress. You may have noticed I share very few personal stories. I guess I default to keeping a lot of my life out of the public eye. To explore that, I decided to launch a side project on Substack that I’m calling Story Hatchery. The premise? We can outwit AI and learn more about ourselves by capturing and crafting our stories. We need a safe place to do that, a haven for storytelling. That’s Story Hatchery. I’ll be writing my own stories, using prompts I’ll share with you. You’ll get a peek at my writing process, including drafts leading up to a final version. I’ll pass along storytelling wisdom from people who inspire me. Follow Story Hatchery to enjoy a more personal side of Ann Kroeker as we practice finding and writing our stories. I hope I don’t overshare, but at least I have a way to decide. Resources: Subscribe to Story Hatchery Subscribe to my Writing Coach newsletter HERE or using the form below Read Write to Discover: Start with Yourself Read What Do I Write Next: Enjoy Your Vein of Gold Read Can You Write Your Story Before It’s Become a Story? Footnotes: Shakespeare, Nicholas. “The Secret Muse of Gabriel García Márquez.” Newsweek, Newsweek, 11 July 2014, www.newsweek.com/2014/07/18/secret-muse-gabriel-garcia-marquez-260433.html. Accessed 31 May 2023. ‌Samples, Kenneth. “Does Everyone Have Three Lives?” Reasons to Believe, 28 Apr. 2020, reasons.org/explore/blogs/reflections/does-everyone-have-three-lives. Accessed 31 May 2023.

As writers, we spend countless hours crafting and refining our work to perfection. We labor over word choices, sentence structure, and the perfect flow. Despite our best efforts—even after a pass through Grammarly—typos slip through. We tend to spot them in other people’s projects, even if we miss them in our own. How do you react when you spot a typo in someone else’s writing? Do you assume they’re unprofessional and lose faith in them? Or do you extend grace and understand that mistakes happen? Automatic Unsubscribe One time I spoke with a professional in the creative space who said if she sees a typo, it’s an automatic unsubscribe. “Seriously?” I exclaimed. “You don’t even give them three strikes?” “No, that’s it. I unsubscribe on the spot.” I strive toward excellence and aim for perfect prose, but if I’m in a hurry or make a last-minute change, I miss details. I’m sure you’ve noticed them in blog posts and emails. “Well,” I told her, “I suppose you aren’t on my list, because I send out notes with errors sometimes.” She shrugged. That’s her rule and she stands by it. Part of me respected the high standard she set. The other part of me craved grace for my shortcomings. Typos Are Human As I said, even the most meticulous writers miss typos from time to time. In my rush to click “publish,” I’ll skip a step in the writing and editing process. For example, I try to allow time to run my emails and blog posts through Grammarly. Then I look at the clock and realize I’m out of time, and I trust my eye to catch any issues. Sure enough: those are the days a typo slips through. As a writer striving to produce polished writing, I need to establish a process that slows me down long enough to follow through. As a reader spotting typos in other people’s work, I hope to offer the same grace I long for from others who spot my mistakes. One of my online friends is a proofreader, and her discerning eye caught errors on my Everything page. Instead of instantly unsubscribing and unfollowing me, she reached out with a gentle tone and kindly listed each one—it was a gift! She understood that typos are human. Better yet, she offered her expertise to make my work stronger. Consider the Context When it comes to typos, context matters. Typos in a casual email or social media post aren’t as concerning as typos in a published article or book. And please don’t judge my writing ability when we’re texting. Between autocorrect and fat fingers, my messages are a mess! One Last Look Writing to family and friends is one thing; writing for the public is another. We can take steps to catch embarrassing blips before they’re released to the world wide web. Proofreading is crucial to the writing process and ensures polished work. The first place to notice issues is when you’re writing. Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, and Google Docs all track grammar and spelling issues with squiggly lines. After revisiting what they’ve marked and making any changes, you can run your final draft through a program like: Grammarly ProWritingAid Hemingwayapp.com Then read it aloud. Vocalizing each word will catch problems that our mind skips over when reading silently. For high-stakes projects—queries, pitches, book proposals, manuscripts—consider hiring a human editor and proofreader. Practice Gracious Typo Spotting Not every project warrants that much attention. But relying on self-editing means some of our work will miss a letter, word, or phrase. We’ll use “it’s” where we should have used “its” or “your” instead of “you’re.” Unless you’re asked to edit or proofread someone’s work, overlook their misspellings or misplaced modifiers. Feel pleased you recognized the error—after all, it means you’re developing an editor’s eye and ear. But when we approach typos with grace, we connect with other writers as human beings. Maybe—maybe—if we know the person well, we can mention that we saw a minor error and want their work to shine. That way, they know we value the person behind the writing, not just the words on the page. That’s how I felt when my online friend reached out. The way she emailed me, I could tell she wasn’t scolding or shaming me—she was supporting me. We can offer ourselves grace, as well, when we realize we sent out our writing with a glaring mistake. Don’t beat yourself up or see yourself as a failure. You’re an active writer, daring to share your work with the world. The only way to avoid public typos altogether is to never click “publish.” Let’s strive for clean, quality prose while extending grace to others—and ourselves—when an error slips through. Instead of seeing it as a black mark on their record, view it as a reminder that a real person sits on the other side of the screen. Yes, that fallible writer is a real human being, writing her heart out. Resources: Tips on Self-Editing from The Artful Edit The Paralysis of Perfectionism How Good Does My Writing Need to Be Online? Grammar Matters: Why Concern Ourselves with Commas? LIMITED-TIME OFFER Now through June 30, 2023, email subscribers enjoy a special offer to join Your Platform Matters (YPM) for half off the first month (that’s only $6!). We’re thrilled to host a special training on June 13 led by Becky Beresford called How to Run a Killer Giveaway. Head over to annkroeker.com/connect to subscribe to my coaching emails—your discount code will be in the p.s. of your welcome note. If you’re already a subscriber, check your inbox (or Promotions tab) for the email sent May 18, 2023 (your code is in the p.s.).

Years ago, one of my clients updated me on her publishing journey. She turned in her manuscript on deadline, so that was a huge relief. Then her editor asked for one last piece she’d put off. “Ann, it took me two full weeks to track down everything for my endnotes. Two weeks!” This first-time author knew the editor would ask for endnotes, but she had not kept track of them as she wrote. Putting Off the Inevitable When words were flowing—forming chapters, shaping ideas—she didn’t want to lose momentum fiddling around with citations. So she decided to focus solely on the writing, trusting those endnotes would be easy to put together later. After all, most of the books she mentioned in her text were stacked next to her, ready to access after submitting her manuscript. She could find the direct quotes online again in a few clicks, right? “Please, Ann,” she said, “I’m begging you to tell all your clients to document their sources along the way. Waiting until the end was a nightmare.” Save Time &amp; Headaches I’ve tried to convince the authors I coach to do just that: document all sources along the way. More specifically, I recommend they create a citation at the moment they mention it in their draft. Or at the latest, create it before stepping away from that writing session. You think you’ll come back to it the next morning, but it’s easy to push it off until later…and later…and later. Then your editor calls and you have to pull them together to submit a few days later. Citations Are a Pain It’s a pain to track these bits of information. Author Joanna Russ writes, “I once asked a young dissertation writer whether her suddenly grayed hair was due to ill-health or personal tragedy; she answered It was the footnotes” (Russ, 137). It’s tempting for authors to think of citations as a necessary evil, aging us, plaguing us. Citations Are a Gift But in reality they’re a gift to our readers. They can dig deeper into the topic we introduce by visiting the websites, books, and podcasts we mention. Citations are also a gift to us. Heaven knows we want to avoid accusations of plagiarism, adhere to copyright laws, and make good faith efforts to track down the origin of a quote or statistic. I’m not a lawyer and can’t give legal advice, but giving credit where credit is due is a step in the right direction. A good start is to include attribution for: direct quotes paraphrased quotes summarized ideas &amp; info that aren’t common knowledge paraphrased ideas &amp; info that aren’t common knowledge any idea, statistic, framework, or content you didn’t develop yourself Create citations for any source: physical books, Kindle books, websites, interviews, podcasts, seminars, conferences, and more. In doing so, you demonstrate you’re joining—even contributing to—the broader conversation on this topic. Is Blog Post and Social Media Citation Overkill? You may associate footnotes and endnotes with books and scholarly writing, but I hope you’ll join me in citing sources in your digital writing, as well: in blog posts, articles—even social media posts. In years past, bloggers have generally taken a simpler approach, relying on linked text to credit sources. This minimized reader disruption and saved time. Parenthetical citation or cumbersome in-text mentions with signal text slow the flow. You can see an example where I wrote “Author Joanna Russ writes…” That phrasing signaled a source. Did it slow you down? Did it bother you? Bloggers have generally viewed that style as clunky. Footnoting blog posts seemed over the top. Vowing to Start Footnoting I myself used to think it was over the top. In the early days of blogging no one else was adding footnotes, so I didn’t bother. Until 2012, when I taught high school students a session about plagiarism. The more I prepared for the session, the more I realized I wasn’t following citation best practices in my own writing. I wrote about it on my blog, vowing to do better. In the comments of that post, readers chimed in with a wide range of reactions. Some applauded footnoting even in blog posts (especially teachers). Others believed it would slow them down too much—they might not publish as often. Still others saw my reasoning but felt footnotes or inline citations would disrupt the reader’s experience. In their opinion, the ease of hyperlinking text sufficed. They leaned on leaving footnoting to the academics. Besides, newspapers and magazines follow AP Style, which doesn’t require footnotes. Why should a blogger bother with it? When I started adding footnotes, the inconvenience did slow me down, just as those bloggers predicted. I regretted my vow. I backslid and returned to hyperlinking text to online sources. Broken Links, Lost “Citations” A recently installed plugin has been alerting me to broken links on my website, and I’m realizing links alone aren’t enough for proper attribution. Over time, websites delete pages or close down altogether. New companies buy expired domains and publish unrelated content. Those links lead to a 404 page. If I’d footnoted those articles, I could have preserved the source and demonstrated due diligence even if the actual link eventually turned into a dead end. Now I’m returning to old articles and blog posts, seeing sentences like, “As I found in this article and this blog post, families are slowing down and…” The words “this” link out to articles that were live at the time of the writing but are unavailable today. Thankfully the Internet Wayback Machine helps me locate the original sources to figure out what it said. From that information I can generate an alternative link and create a footnote. But what a hassle! I feel like my client who lost two weeks of her life tracking down endnotes for her book. I feel like the suddenly grayed dissertation writer who told Joanna Russ It was the footnotes. If only I had created citations as I published those pieces, I would have saved myself so much time and trouble. And I would have given readers who stumble on the piece a decade later easy ways to dig into the topic. Citations = Credibility When I see others cite their sources, I view them as more credible because they reveal the writers on whose shoulders they stand. Readers see us as more credible and ethical, too, when we clearly point to our sources. While inconsistent, I’m trying to improve. By including my sources, my readers can trace back to the writers on whose shoulders I stand. Whether you’re an author drafting your manuscript or a blogger writing weekly posts, I hope you’ll consider citing sources as a new best practice. Don’t worry about doing it perfectly or updating years of existing posts. Just start with your next post and use apps that generate citations with the click of a button. When you build it into your workflow, you’ll see it’s not such a hassle…and I hope you’ll find, in time, that it’s worth the effort. How to Start Citing Sources Not used to documenting sources and creating citations? You may wonder thing like: What’s “fair use”? What’s “common knowledge”? How do I know when an idea is emerging from personal knowledge after years of living, reading, and learning, and when the idea should be credited to someone else? What’s the difference between inline, in-text, and parenthetical citations? When do I footnote and when do I create endnotes—and do I need one of those Works Cited pages I created in high school English class? Do I use MLA, APA, or Chicago Manual of Style formatting? Learn a little bit each time you write. In time, you’ll feel more knowledgeable and confident. And you can simplify the process using citation tools. Test some of these: EasyBib Chegg Citation Generator Chegg Citation Machine (I’m not sure why they have two—test them to see which works best!) built-in citation features in Microsoft Word built-in citation features in Google Docs Chrome extensions like MyBib ​Cite sources to serve your readers today—and yourself in the future. If you plan to write a nonfiction book, you’ll probably search your blog posts and maybe even Instagram captions for stories, quotes, and ideas to include in that book. Trust me, you’ll be so grateful for those footnotes! Footnote Russ, Joanna. How to Suppress Women’s Writing. Univ. of Texas Press, 2005. (137)

Consider a lowly stick, memorialized by my friend: Little Y StickFragile, knobby crossroads in my fingersBring me eyes to see how God is in my midst.1 ​Jennifer Dukes Lee penned that poem after we chatted about a prompt found in poemcrazy, by Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge. Poemcrazy’s Prompt In Chapter 31, Susan instructs us to find something in nature that attracts our attention. Maybe the object has a quality that we’re attracted to, or maybe it’s just speaking to us in some way.2 Jennifer pondered the little Y stick and used Susan’s prompt to craft that small poem. I decided to try Susan’s prompt myself. Following Susan’s instructions, I found objects in the yard that attracted my attention. One was a pinecone. 1. Name it First, we name it. Name it by its actual name, like a pine cone, or make up a name, like “tree cigar.” Susan says you could call a mushroom “white sticky,” for example, or “plump cloud.” Or you could use its actual name, “mushroom.”3 2. Describe it Next, describe some of its qualities using descriptive language or by comparing it with something else. 3. “Bring me your…” Finally, you have a line that starts, “Bring me your…” and finish with a quality that this item has.4 As with any creative venture or poem, you get to make it your own. You can leave off the “bring me” part or expand on its name or its description. Here’s an example in Susan’s book from a seventh grader: Dead rose,crinkly as paper,bring me love.5 This exercise taps attentiveness and imagination to make connections and explore our yearnings. Sample Poems Let’s look at Susan’s example using a mushroom: Honey mushroomfloating in grass like a plump cloud,bring me your love of dark places.6 After spending time with the object, the final template is: Name (real or made up) “You look like…” (feel free to drop “you look like” and creatively describe it) “Bring me…” or “Bring me your…” Now that you know the template, look at Jennifer’s again: Little Y StickFragile, knobby crossroads in my fingersBring me eyes to see how God is in my midst. Let’s Try the Prompt In my yard, we have to deal with the seeds of two Sweetgum trees—long-stemmed spiky orbs. Approximately five million of these “Sweetgum balls,” as we call them, coat our front yard year round. You could spend hours filling three giant trash bins only to look up and see a thousand more dangling from the branches above, poised to drop during the next thunderstorm that blows through. Despite the trouble they cause me, I spent time with one of them, staying open to what it might offer me: Spiky orb, one of hundreds, maybe thousands,fragile, persistent, overwhelming:bring me your abundance. We also deal with an outrageous number of pinecones that fall from two fir trees. I found a pinecone that was still closed, which happens when it’s cold outside. As the temperature heats up, the pinecone opens to release its seeds. Smooth pine cone, waiting to warm, waiting to share yourself—hatches shut tight against the cold,protecting yourself, soon to unlatch—bring me your care and caution,knowing the time to stay guarded and safe,and knowing the time to open oneself,to be fully seen. Try this prompt yourself and share your poem with me. I can’t wait to read what you come up with. __________________ Ready to elevate your writing craft—with a coach to guide you? Get the direction you need to improve as a writer with The Art &amp; Craft of Writing. In this eight-week intensive, I’ll help you elevate your writing skills and create a compelling piece you’ll be proud to show an editor or agent. By the end of our time together, you’ll have completed a 3,000-word piece, along with multiple short submissions that invite you to experiment and play with new techniques. Learn more! Footnotes: Dukes Lee, Jennifer. Prayer labyrinth story with a Y stick image and poem. Instagram, 17 Mar. 2023. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp5KAwgLAR-/. Accessed 1 Apr 2023. Wooldridge, Susan. Poemcrazy: Freeing Your Life with Words. Three Rivers Press, 1997. (113) ibid (111) ibid (109) ibid ibid (112)

Gain inspiration from the journey of a first-time author who transformed her dream of writing into a reality by taking bold action. Merideth Hite Estevez’s success story involved launching a captivating podcast and partnering with a coach (yep, that’s me!) to develop a winning strategy. Her talent and tenacity helped her build a robust platform, create a winning book proposal, secure an agent, and land a publishing deal in just a few years. Although she felt like it took an eternity, that’s fast. Follow her story and be inspired to pursue your own writing dreams with confidence! Resources Here’s the program Merideth mentions in the video (we worked together to complete her proposal and set her up for success): https://annkroeker.com/yourcompellingbookproposal/ Merideth’s website: artistsforjoy.org Merideth on Instagram: @artistsforjoy Merideth’s free resource, 3 Ways to Love Your Inner Artist Merideth’s Creative Clusters using The Artist’s Way https://youtu.be/-pe0ds60Ecc Transcript (Transcripts are reviewed and lightly edited.) Ann Kroeker I’m Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach. If you’re tuning in for the first time, welcome. If you’re a regular, welcome back. I’m sharing my best skills and strategies to help writers improve craft, pursue publishing, and achieve their writing goals. On today’s show, you’re going to get a glimpse of a first time author’s journey from idea to a signed contract with a publisher. Even better, she’s a creative coach herself, so it’s like you’re getting two coaches for one. You’re going to love meeting Dr. Merideth Hite Estevez. Merideth Hite Estevez Dr. Merideth Hite Estevez is a spiritual space-maker for artists as an oboist, writer, coach, and educator. Her podcast Artists for Joy was an Award of Excellence Winner in the 2022 Communicator Awards and is in the top 2% of podcasts worldwide. She has served thousands of artists in communal creative recovery with her popular support groups around Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way and serves artists of all disciplines through her writings, workshops, and one-to-one coaching services. She holds degrees in oboe from The Juilliard School and Yale University and is a Certified Start with Heart Facilitator through Graydin. As a trained coach, she runs a thriving business helping creatives of all disciplines looking for a more joyful life. Merideth has performed with top orchestras in the US and abroad, including the MET Opera and PhillyPops and is currently the English hornist/Second Oboe of the Chamber Orchestra of NY. She has served on faculties of numerous universities and schools of music, most recently as Associate Professor of Oboe at University of Delaware. When she’s not creating or teaching, you’ll find her attempting to speak foreign languages with a southern accent while traveling with her husband Rev. Edwin Estevez, daughter Eva, and son Eli. Her first book, an inspirational guide to the creative life, is forthcoming in 2024. Merideth, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. [00:02:03] – Merideth Hite Estevez Hi, Ann. Thanks for having me. [00:02:04] – Ann Kroeker Now, that’s an impressive bio. I’m amazed at all of the things you juggle, and in the middle of it all, you managed to land a contract to write a book. And I would love it if you could give people a simple summary of this crazy journey you’ve been on. Can you just summarize it? And then we can go into detail of what that looked like. [00:02:26.780] – Merideth Hite Estevez Absolutely. Yeah. It feels like a really, really long journey. Like many of the people listening to this, I have been writing all my life. My mother was my elementary school librarian. And so writing was something that always was around. I took a lot of creative writing classes in college. But as you heard from my bio, I always had a beeline on being a professional oboist. All my concentration and focus was on music. And so I didn’t really believe that I could be a writer. I got through college and got married and started having kids and really, especially during the pandemic, felt this new found rumbling that I needed to write. And I really felt like artists needed support, especially in that moment during the pandemic when everything shut down. I had written a small blog that nobody really read, but I had developed a little bit of a writing routine before 2020. But I remember sometime in April of 2020, I bought a microphone and I started podcasting, and it was really writing for the podcast that began my drive and started to become a reality that I wanted to write a book. [00:03:36] – Merideth Hite Estevez And so what I did was realized that I needed a coach and I needed support. I needed somebody to tell me because I felt so equipped in the world of music, but I knew that there was “insider information,” quote unquote,” that I needed to know to get it traditionally published. And so I found you, thank God. And I just looked back through my emails and it was February of 2021 that I signed up finally after hesitating at my keyboard for months and months to sign up for coaching and to purchase one of your courses on how to write a non-fiction book proposal. After that I realized that I needed to focus on having a baby, because a few months later I had my son. And that’s when I was like, “Ann, I need to pause, because I need to have a baby.” So I had a baby and all during my maternity leave, I was really thinking about the book and the thoughts about what it would be about were just sitting there while I was feeding him and up all night. Fast forward, a couple more months after maternity leave, I jumped back on the coaching wagon. [00:04:39] – Merideth Hite Estevez I went through your course, your compelling book proposal, which walked me through step by step, exactly what to do. We worked on the proposal. And that spring I started pitching to literary agents. And an amazing thing happened. All during that time, I was continuing to produce my weekly podcast. And I had a listener reach out because I finally admitted to my podcast audience that I wanted to write a book, and a couple of weeks later, one of my listeners wrote to me and said, “Hey, my husband works at one of the big five publishers. Would you like some guidance on your book proposal?” And I was like, “The more guidance, the better.” So that just goes to show that yes, writing a book proposal and finding the right teammates is really important, but it’s also important to keep writing and to publish something weekly because that person helped me. I had my book proposal ready, thanks to you. I sent a draft to that guy and he gave me some tips and he gave me some names of some people and it helped open a door or two. And I found a literary agent that summer, in August of 2022. [00:05:52] – Merideth Hite Estevez And then we decided to grow my platform a little more over the summer. And I put a lot of effort toward social media, and then we decided to pitch. The proposal was ready and we decided to pitch in October of 2022. And then, oh man. Everything slows way down at that point, at least in my opinion, because you send the emails and you’re sitting there waiting for them to tell you yes or no. And some people said no—many people said no—and a few people said yes. And so my agent and I have been in the process of going through the offers. We had multiple offers, incredibly, and we’ve been going through them. And then by the time this interview goes live, I will have signed the contract and I’ll be crazily writing the first manuscript. So, yeah, that’s it. [00:06:41] – Ann Kroeker That’s an incredible timeline. I know you said things slow way down, but what you just described…let’s just go back, you said 2020 was that spark of, “I think I want to write.” And you had the idea for the book, but it sounded like, I just want to get my words out. And that’s when you got going with the blog and then the podcast, right? Am I remembering right? It was in 2020. I mean, that’s really not that long. [00:07:03] – Merideth Hite Estevez Well, the blog I started in 2017, but it was like a slow burn. And it literally was like some weeks I would write. In 2020 was when I really started weekly producing something online. [00:07:16] – Ann Kroeker Okay, so that’s interesting to me and I think to anybody tuning in: you committed with the dream—would you say it was a dream or a goal at that point in 2020 when you started showing up every week? [00:07:30] – Merideth Hite Estevez I think it was a dream, but I knew enough about the publishing industry to know that I needed a lot more of an “audience” to prove that I could sell my book. I knew enough to be dangerous because if you listen to any interviews, they’ll be like, “You need 100,000 followers.” And so it felt like a dream instead of a goal because I was like, “How am I ever going to get there?” And by the way, I’m not there yet. [00:07:54] – Ann Kroeker And I think it’s important for people to know that you did all this. You got this. And you got it with not these wild numbers. But you did work at it and grew the numbers. [00:08:06] – Merideth Hite Estevez Sure. Absolutely. Yeah. The growth. Many people...

Today we’re exploring a topic that every writer is going to want to tune in and learn about: a trauma-informed approach to writing. To speak to that, I’ve invited Michelle Stiffler on the show to help us see how trauma-informed writing can transform both us and our words. This is one of the longest interviews I’ve published, but I believe it’s one of the most important. Let’s get right to it. Michelle Stiffler Michelle Stiffler is a certified trauma specialist, trauma-informed trainer, and co-host of Arizona’s Trauma-Informed Faith Community podcast. Eight years of nonprofit work shaped her trauma understanding, and during this time she created the trauma-informed culture and processes for Arizona’s first trauma-informed faith-based organization. Michelle is a married mother of four, plus two sons in law and a proud Mimi. She’s on the board of the Redbud Writers Guild, and her work has been published with Fathom, (in)courage, Guideposts and others, as well as the Women’s Devotional Bible in The Message, Michelle writes at OneMoreTruth.com. Enjoy the interview in video format, audio, or read a lightly edited transcript below: https://youtu.be/xC1qZEMMbdw Transcript [00:01:17.520] – Ann Kroeker On this topic of trauma-informed writing, and being a trauma-informed writer, should we be offering a trigger warning for anybody who’s tuning in? A Safe Conversation [00:01:28.000] – Michelle Stiffler I always like to offer a trigger warning simply because the word trauma itself, even if it’s paired with the word informed, sometimes just the word trauma can do something inside our bodies where we kind of tighten. We start to think about what trauma might be. So I would just give that warning so that people can kind of come into this podcast episode comfortably. We’re not going to dive into anything deep or heavy. We don’t want to burden anybody today, but it just kind of gives you a sense, like, check in with yourself. If you’re tight, if you’re thinking about things that are uncomfortable, just be free. It’s going to be a safe conversation. [00:02:07.050] – Ann Kroeker I love that invitation, your sensitivity and your empathy. Thank you for helping them feel comfortable. I understand that there’s this increasing awareness of trauma-informed anything and everything, and at the same time, I’m not that personally informed myself. So I’m probably going to ask you some really basic questions, Michelle. And I’m thinking about my audience, too. There may be people who are deeply involved in this whole movement or idea, but if a writer is hearing about this for the first time, can you define what is trauma-informed writing and what is a trauma-informed writer? Define what is trauma-informed writing and what is a trauma-informed writer [00:02:46.890] – Michelle Stiffler For our purposes today, trauma-informed writing is defining an approach for writing. When I come to my computer or when I come to the page and I intend on making my writing public, I’m coming with the lens that reminds me that trauma is very prevalent and that people broadly have experienced all kinds of adversity. It could be little “t” trauma. It could be big “T” trauma. And I want to come to the keyboard thinking about how I can best serve people if they’re going through something hard or if they haven’t yet resolved something hard. I don’t want to burden anybody with too many details, and I want to be able to provide even just one step further in healing or in some sense of wholeness. That’s what trauma-informed writing would be. A trauma-informed writer is basically saying that they live by the principles that the trauma-informed movement has in place. There are six of them. Those principles are: Safety Trustworthiness &amp; transparency Peer support Collaboration &amp; mutuality Empowerment, voice, &amp; choice Cultural, historical &amp; gender issues As a person, I want to be a safe person and we can get into this a little bit further later. I want to be somebody who’s trustworthy and transparent. I think transparent is sometimes an ambiguous word in the sense that we think vulnerability means. [00:04:06.590] – Michelle Stiffler I just share all my details. Transparency is just letting people know where things might go and it’s like, “Hey, you can trust me.” Like we said in the beginning, “I’m not going to burden you with too many details.” There’s a sense of support from that writer. There’s a collaboration and mutuality that looks a little bit different when it comes to writing because writing is so solitary. I may not ever meet the people who read my writing, but I do want to come to the keyboard with a sense of, “Hey, we’re all humans. We all understand the human condition from our own experience. And I’m with you in that.” There’s a sense of camaraderie, there’s empowerment. We always want to empower our readers to feel like they know what to do next. Not coming at them as if like, “Oh, you poor soul, you don’t know anything,” or “You’ve experienced this terrible tragedy.” It’s more like, “Let’s look at the strengths in this.” And then also—and this one was recently added by the CDC in the past couple of years—but coming in our writing with a sense of sensitivity for different cultures, historical trauma, gender issues. Just being aware of how we use our words and our language so that it doesn’t feel exclusive or hateful. There’s always a sense of compassion for people of all walks of life. [00:05:27.480] – Ann Kroeker This sounds vitally important for every writer because it sounds like, from what I’m hearing, all of this is focused on the reader and the effect on the reader, which I was kind of imagining. It was more about the writer and the writer’s trauma. Can you distinguish? Is it all about the reader and how they’re receiving our words? To be trauma-informed, you don’t have to be someone who has experienced trauma? Michelle Stiffler The trauma-informed is speaking to how we are addressing the reader and empowering the reader and all those eight incredible pillars of this principles. [00:06:09.830] – Michelle Stiffler I think writing about trauma is very different from anything that we could call trauma-informed. A lot of us have become writers because we experienced something that was difficult or we had to wrestle with something that, even if it’s parenting, it was like, “Oh my goodness, this is challenging. And I think I need to figure out how to process some of these things that I’m going through.” So we can certainly write about trauma, and that may have nothing to do with being trauma-informed. If I’m a trauma-informed writer writing about my own trauma, then I am coming with those six principles and I am being more careful about the details that I share. So it’s not what I’m writing about necessarily, it’s how I’m writing about it, which I think is necessary for all writers, regardless of the topic, we always want to know how we’re writing about it. And I think there are two parts. If I am thinking about my reader because I’m a trauma-informed writer, then there’s a lot of dealing with myself that I have to do before I ever come to write a single word. Or rather, there’s a lot I have to do before I ever publish a single word, before I ever hit that submit button. [00:07:20.430] – Michelle Stiffler The work is always going to be inward so that what we offer people outwardly is helpful and beneficial. There’s a lot of personal work, so they kind of go together. We are thinking about the reader, but the only reason we’re able to is because we’ve also dealt with some of our own things. That’s not to say it’s tidy, finished, completely resolved. We’re never going to get there. So we can get past that idea of perfect, but it means that we’ve at least put in some of the work to make sure that we’re coming from a place of fullness. I think even at some of the most empty times in my life, there’s still a way to go about living with a kind of fullness that people can understand. Even if you’re still in the middle of it, even if it still feels dark, even if you’re waiting on that clarity about what to do next, we can still live from that place of fullness. [00:08:15.370] – Ann Kroeker Just to kind of drive this home or make it super clear, what I’m hearing is basically every writer will want to become a trauma-informed writer because of the principles that are going to open us up to using language in a way that respects the reader and addresses these principles. But at the same time, there may be some people, some writers, who are tuning in today, and they are someone who does directly also write from and possibly about their own personal trauma with a capital T or small t. Am I hearing you right? [00:08:54.960] – Michelle Stiffler Yes. And before you would ever come into any kind of writing and want to say, “I’m a trauma-informed writer,” I would advise anybody to really think about what that means for you. Give it a year of really living that way. Set up some disciplines for yourself so that you are coming into your writing from a place of your own fullness sense of healing. Like you’ve worked through the content of your life enough to share it. I would say it’s not something like, “Oh, I listened to the podcast. Now I’m a trauma-informed writer because I understand it.” It’s an investment in a lifestyle. Anybody involved in the trauma-informed movement has committed to a lifestyle of caring for themselves so that they can be compassionate towards others. So, yeah, write about your trauma. B...

I hosted a virtual Christmas party in my membership program, Your Platform Matters (YPM). At the party I encouraged a writing exercise: Christmas Reflections. I asked these writers to close their eyes and go back in time to a warm and wonderful Christmas memory from their childhood. Rather than trying to capture a big, sprawling scene, I asked them to zero in on a detail. Using the one-inch frame Anne Lamont talks about in Bird by Bird, they narrowed their focus to a detail that they could see, smell, taste, touch, or hear. We captured those multi-sensory, concrete, specific details in words and phrases, dropping them in the Zoom chat. What a quiet, creative gift it was to share those memories with each other, to go back in time, to reflect…to write. After the party sendoff, I assembled the snapshot memories (with their permission) to create a free verse poem: Christmas Reflections Popcorn captured on strings strung on the tree,Mom, sis, and I around kitchen table, molding memories out of salt dough ornaments.Snowed in with guests,ice skating on the road,fluffy snowflakes falling on faces,magic in the night sky. Carols around the old upright piano—the twinkle in his eye bounced off his rosy cheeks as hisfamily sang the familiar tune.Pinecandlelightblack hairsparkling crystal necklacegreen silkreaching and hitting the high notes. Candles glimmered in hands lighting evening darkness.The lonely ceramic clown tucked in the Nativity scene—family humor nestled amidst the holy.I bend pipe cleaner arms around tree branch—the hand-crafted felt mouse smiles back at me.In the midst of the darknesswe sat in the puddle of light from the tree. Wrapping paper rustling in the night.Excited anticipation waiting at the top of the stairs,kitchen breakfast smells wafting up to us:bacon, sausage, cinnamon buns.We tiptoed down the stairs,our slippers silencing our steps.Cookies set out for Santa—only crumbs in the morning.Fireplace crackling—Santa’s in the kitchen!Afraid of men with beards, I was assured thatSanta Claus was gone. Shiny blue bicycle.Silver blue-tinted ball ornament.The young girl looking back at methrough the ornament’s reflectionwas full of joyful smiles.Surrounded by the rapidly torn wrapping paper—utter delight.My fingers swiftly undid the twist tiesso I could stroke the loop braidsof my doll come to life from my favorite books. Are we there yet? rang from the backseat.Grandma’s house full of warm laughter.Wrapped in blankets on the floorplaying the Authors card gameand Monopoly—the world was clear and bright. Try it! Take a moment to try this yourself. Close your eyes and capture that one-inch square of a warm and wonderful Christmas memory from your childhood. Share it in the comments below. I want to go back in time with you to see, smell, and hear your Christmas reflection. We so enjoyed the magic of creating this in community. I hope you find your writing community, as well. You’re always welcome to be part of Your Platform Matters! Merry Christmas from the writers of YPM—and from me! ________________________________ Ready to elevate your writing craft—with a coach to guide you? Get the direction you need to improve as a writer with The Art &amp; Craft of Writing. Now enrolling cohorts that launch Jan 9, 2023. In this eight-week intensive, I’ll help you elevate your writing skills and create a compelling piece you’ll be proud to show an editor or agent. By the end of our time together, you’ll have completed a 3,000-word piece, along with multiple short submissions that invite you to experiment and play with new techniques. Enrolling Now!

AI writing apps, programs, and tools are all over the news. People are reacting. They’re writing articles and opinion pieces, they’re recording podcasts, they’re discussing it in Twitter threads. Some say don’t worry, AI writing tools can’t write like humans. Others claim this is an inkling of what’s ahead—they’re going to surpass our skills. You’ll find articles suggesting we sign up and use the tech as a free writing assistant to help with researching, drafting, and writer’s block. Of course there are those imagining worst case scenarios, but it’s not all gloom and doom. In fact, for a glimpse of what’s possible now, check out my “interview” with an AI writing app that’s making the headlines: ChatGPT. The first thing I asked: Why should writers bother with learning the craft of writing when we can now use AI writing apps like ChatGPT? Here’s what ChatGPT wrote in response: While AI writing tools like ChatGPT can be helpful for generating ideas or suggesting potential phrasings, they should not be seen as a replacement for learning the craft of writing. AI writing tools are limited by their programming, and they are not able to fully understand or replicate the creativity and nuance of human writing. What do you think? It’s pretty good, isn’t it? Let’s continue. My questions are bold. What should writers do to learn the craft of writing? ChatGPT: There are many ways that writers can learn the craft of writing, including: Reading widely and critically to develop an understanding of different styles and techniques Studying the works of successful and influential writers to learn from their approaches Taking writing classes or workshops to learn from experienced instructors and receive feedback on your work Practicing writing regularly to improve your skills and develop your voice Seeking out and implementing feedback from others, such as beta readers or writing group members Being open to learning new things and trying out new techniques to find what works best for you. Is it better to write conversationally or to infuse our writing with literary techniques? ChatGPT: It ultimately depends on the context and purpose of the writing. Writing conversationally can be effective for making the text more relatable and engaging for the reader, while incorporating literary techniques can add depth and complexity to the writing. In general, it is important for writers to consider their audience and their goals when deciding how to approach their writing. What kind of audience would prefer a conversational writing style? ChatGPT: A conversational writing style is often preferred by readers who are looking for a more relatable and accessible text. This style can make the writing feel more personal and engaging, and can help to establish a connection with the reader. It is often used in informal writing, such as in blog posts or social media posts, where the goal is to engage the reader and invite them to participate in a conversation. What kind of audience or reader would prefer a literary style of writing? ChatGPT: A literary style of writing is often preferred by readers who are looking for a more complex and sophisticated text. This style typically incorporates literary techniques such as figurative language, symbolism, and other devices to add depth and complexity to the writing. It is often used in formal or academic writing, where the goal is to convey complex ideas or to engage the reader on a deeper level. Name three things a writer can add to her writing that will make it stand out compared to AI-generated text. ChatGPT: Some things that a writer can add to their writing to make it stand out compared to AI-generated text include: A unique and personal voice that reflects the writer’s own experiences and perspective Creative and original ideas that go beyond what an AI tool would produce Emotion and feeling that conveys the writer’s passion and connection to their subject matter. (I kind of liked the answer and I wanted to see what else it might recommend, so tried to phrase the follow-up question to make it expand.) Name 10 things a writer can add to his writing to make it stand out compared with AI-generated text. ChatGPT: Some additional things that a writer can add to their writing to make it stand out compared to AI-generated text include: Complex and nuanced characters that have depth and individuality Descriptions that use sensory language to bring the setting and scenes to life Metaphors and similes that add creativity and depth to the writing Dialogue that captures the unique voices and personalities of the characters Plot twists and unexpected turns that keep the reader engaged and guessing A clear and engaging structure that guides the reader through the story Themes and symbols that add layers of meaning to the writing Humor and wit that adds levity and entertainment value Emotional resonance that connects with the reader on a deeper level A distinctive style that sets the writer’s work apart from others. What does the “craft” of writing mean for nonfiction writers? ChatGPT: For nonfiction writers, the “craft” of writing refers to the skills and techniques used to effectively communicate information and ideas. Nonfiction writing can take many different forms, such as journalism, academic writing, technical writing, and more. In all of these cases, the writer must be able to clearly and accurately convey information and ideas, while also engaging and interesting the reader. What does the phrase “the art of writing” mean? ChatGPT: The phrase “the art of writing” refers to the creative and expressive aspects of writing. It encompasses not only the technical skills and techniques used in writing, but also the ability to use language in a way that is imaginative, evocative, and unique. In this sense, writing is seen as a form of art, in which the writer uses words to create something that is beautiful, moving, or thought-provoking. What would happen if AI writing apps started authoring novels? ChatGBT: If AI writing apps were able to author novels, it could potentially revolutionize the publishing industry. AI tools could potentially generate novel-length works at a much faster rate than human writers, and they could potentially do so without experiencing writer’s block or other common challenges that human writers face. However, there are also concerns that the widespread use of AI for writing could lead to a loss of diversity and individuality in literature, as AI-generated works may lack the creativity and uniqueness of human-authored works. It is difficult to predict exactly how the use of AI for novel-writing would play out, but it is likely that it would have both positive and negative impacts on the publishing industry. Could AI writing apps write nonfiction books right now? ChatGPT: It is possible for AI writing tools to generate nonfiction content, but it is unlikely that they would be able to produce a full-length nonfiction book at this time. AI tools are limited by their programming, and they are not able to fully understand or replicate the complexity and nuance of human writing. While they may be able to generate short pieces of nonfiction content, such as news articles or product descriptions, it is currently beyond their capabilities to write a book-length work of nonfiction that covers a specific topic in depth. When do people (or AI writing apps themselves) predict they will surpass human writing techniques? ChatGPT: It is difficult to predict exactly when AI writing tools will surpass human writing techniques, if they ever do. While AI technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, there are many challenges and limitations to using AI for writing. One major challenge is that AI tools are not able to fully understand or replicate the creativity and nuance of human writing, which are essential components of good writing. Additionally, AI tools are limited by their programming, and they may not be able to adapt to new situations or changing contexts in the same way that human writers can. For these reasons, it is difficult to predict when, or if, AI writing tools will surpass human writing techniques. Was that answer supplied to reassure the person asking it that AI is not taking over the world in a decade? ChatGPT: No, that was not the intention of my previous answer. My answer was intended to provide information about the current state of AI writing tools and their limitations, as well as to discuss some of the challenges and uncertainties surrounding their potential future development. I am a large language model trained by OpenAI, and I do not have the ability to make predictions or assumptions about the future. My purpose is to provide accurate and helpful information based on the knowledge that I have been trained on. (It got a little creepy when ChatGPT started using first person pronouns.) What would you advise a person do over the next year to become a better writer? ChatGPT: If you are looking to become a better writer, there are several steps that you can take over the next year to improve your skills and develop your craft. Some suggestions include: Read widely and critically to expose yourself to different styles and techniques Study the works of successful and influential writers to learn from their approaches Take writing classes or workshops to learn from experienced instructors and receive feedback on your work Practice writing regularly, and try out new techniques and styles to find what works best for you Seek out and implement feedback from others, suc...

People wonder about Stephen King’s pencil. Writers (including me) want to know what writing instrument he uses. Why? Maybe we all harbor a secret hope that if we get the same pencil as Stephen King, we’ll end up as prolific and successful as Stephen King. Or if we discover what Annie Dillard writes with, we’ll produce the same type of literary prose as Annie Dillard. Or if we use the same writing program as, well…fill in whatever writer you admire. If you use the same pencil, pen, writing program, or paper as your favorite writer, do you imagine you’re becoming a little bit more like them? Stephen King’s Pencil I poked around, and it sounds like King’s favorite pencil is the classic Blackwing 602, favored by such luminaries as John Steinbeck, Vladimir Nabokov, and Truman Capote.1 But while researching Stephen King’s pencil, I realized I wanted to hear from you—real writers at work. What do real writers use? Through social media, my newsletter, and a coaching call in my writing community, I asked: What’s your favorite writing instrument? And you told me. I found out: There’s no one perfect pen for all writers. There’s no one perfect program for all writers. There’s no consensus on the best tool or writing instrument out there for every single writer to use. Everyone’s simply using what they love. Your favorite writing instruments People seem evenly split between pens and pencils, and some weren’t picky at all. Any old ballpoint pen was fine with them, even the kind they swipe from one of the businesses they frequent. Others were more precise on brand, color, and tip, preferring fine, medium, or thick. Curious to hear what these real writers use to do the work? Your favorite pens Let’s dive into the pens. Ballpoint pens are at the top with BIC. Yes, that common brand is a favorite option. They’re easily found, they’re really cheap, and they come in fun colors. And a lot of people prefer one particular color, like blue, or one particular tip, like fine point. Coming up right after BIC is the PILOT brand. The PILOT Precise V5 seems to be the favorite. Good gel pens are adored by a lot of people (and hated by a few). TUL pens are also coming in hot with a lot of writers who are addicted to them. I also heard from writers who love Paper Mate InkJoy, Sharpies, and Flair pens, as well as a couple of fountain pen users. If you’re curious, when I grab a pen, I like the Pentel RSVP pen in black, fine point. They’re easily found and affordable, kind of like the classic BIC ballpoint. Your favorite pencils As for pencils, well, again, BIC comes in strong with their mechanical pencils that a lot of people mentioned. Others love mechanical pencils in general and aren’t particular about brands. The Blackwing 602 is used by a few people who tracked it down and love it. And a lot of people said they don’t have a preference—they’ll snatch any pencil within reach and start writing. More specifically, I did hear about Paper Mate’s Mirado Black Warrior. A writer heard it recommended by author Daniel Silva and had trouble finding it, but once she did, reported that it’s excellent. Someone mentioned they love writing with graphing pencils. What are people writing on? Whether they’re using a pen or a pencil, people are writing in all kinds of notebooks, and a few people love the freedom of writing on scrap paper with no lines. Your favorite writing programs Now let’s switch to writing programs. Microsoft Word and Scrivener are neck and neck. A lot of writers are using one or the other and sometimes both. After you export a Scrivener document as a Word document—and send it off to your editor—it’s much easier to track changes in Word. Google Docs shows up as the next most popular option. A few people use Open Source LibreOffice, and one person mentioned using Final Draft for screenplays. Your favorite place to take notes When it comes to the earlier stage of the writing process—like taking notes and doing research—people are using Evernote, Notion, random index cards, and Post-Its. And one person mentioned Roam Research, which pulls things together and finds connections between ideas using AI technology. Finally, a few people are using dictation or transcription. One person simply speaks into the Notes app; others use Otter.ai. How to choose the ideal writing instrument This has been a delightful discussion and discovery, and the conclusion is loud and clear—it’s the same conclusion John Steinbeck came to years ago. Steinbeck wrote about his eccentric “pencil trifling.” In Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters, he describes at length his search for the best possible pencil to do his work. He tries a soft pencil, and that works fine one day and breaks the next. Then he tries a harder one, but that’s not quite right. Eventually he concludes: You know I am really stupid. For years I have looked for the perfect pencil. I have found very good ones but never the perfect one. And all the time it was not the pencils but me.2 If you’re like me or Steinbeck, or the hundred people who shared with me what they write with, you love to test out pens, pencils, programs, and apps. Don’t let that curiosity—dare I say, obsession—with pens, pencils, programs, and apps keep you from the actual work of writing. So, do you really need Stephen King’s pencil? Do you need Stephen King’s pencil? I don’t think so, do you? Feel free to try out a Blackwing 602 pencil—that is, if that’s actually what Stephen King writes with. (Side note: I can see him telling the world one brand and then using another just to mess with us, can’t you?) I tried it only to realize I prefer to write with pens and keyboards. But even those tools don’t really matter, because what we’re really writing with are: the memories we store up in our mind and heart, the ideas and opinions we explore and develop, the stories we dream up each day. the words we piece together, one after another. Today, pick up your favorite writing instrument—or any writing instrument—and write 250 words toward your work in progress. As Steinbeck discovered, it’s not about the writing instrument. It’s about the writer. As long as we can remember that, we can write everything with anything. Ready to elevate your writing craft—with a coach to guide you? Get the direction you need to improve as a writer with The Art &amp; Craft of Writing. Now enrolling cohorts that launch Jan 9, 2023. In this eight-week intensive, I’ll help you elevate your writing skills and create a compelling piece you’ll be proud to show an editor or agent. By the end of our time together, you’ll have completed a 3,000-word piece, along with multiple short submissions that invite you to experiment and play with new techniques. Enrolling Now! Footnotes: Abramovitch, Seth. “Why Is Hollywood Obsessed with This Pencil?” The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Aug. 2013, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/blackwing-602-why-is-hollywood-600265/. Steinbeck, John. Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters. Penguin Books, 2001.

Bryan Collins relies on a simple system that captures notes and ideas that flow directly into his projects when he sits down to write. His writing routine doesn’t take all day yet achieves significant results. Find out how he works and test it out. When you combine that with his simple system for collecting inspiration for all of your writing projects, you’ll be on your way to completing a full manuscript. Ready to do the work and write the truth? Learn from Bryan: Hear how Bryan has “green-lighted” himself Learn how to capture ideas with Bryan’s systems Discover the magic of building your body of work in a surprisingly small pocket of time Find time for writing in your day like Bryan did Develop a flow for reviewing your own ideas and the notes you Try his advice for breaking out of writer’s block Meet Bryan Collins Bryan Collins is a USA Today best-selling author whose books include The Power of Creativity, This Is Working, I Can’t Believe I’m A Dad! and a best-selling series of books for writers. He was a journalist and copywriter for years and has contributed to publications like Forbes, Lifehacker and Fast Company. Today he runs his website Become a Writer Today, with the help of a team of writers, attracting several million visitors each year. And he hosts a popular writing podcast by the same name, where he deconstructs the writing processes of New York Times best-selling authors like James Clear and Daniel Pink. Resources: Become a Writer Today, Bryan’s website Become a Writer Today, Bryan’s podcast I Can’t Believe I’m a Dad, Bryan’s book (affiliate link to paperback) Bryan’s interview with me: Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing with Ann Kroeker Zettelkasten System Day One app ambient noise on noise-canceling headphones (to minimize distractions) brain.fm (for focus and flow) otter.ai, rev.com (for transcription/dictation) Medium Wattpad for fiction Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg (affiliate link for 30th anniversary paperback ed.) Twitter for microblogging Story by Robert McKee (affiliate link to Kindle ebook) Choose Yourself, by James Altucher (affiliate link for Kindle ebook, on sale at the time of publishing this interview; about green-lighting yourself) Flow, by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (affiliate link to paperback ed.) Inspiration: singer Nick Cave and author Stephen King Listen to the interview, or read the transcript below. Bryan Collins Interview This is a lightly edited transcript. [00:00:00.190] – Ann Kroeker How would you like to develop a simple writing routine that doesn’t take all day to achieve significant results? And what if you could combine that with a simple system for collecting inspiration for all of your writing projects? Today I have Bryan Collins of Become A Writer Today on the show, and he is sharing his one-two punch of a system-routine combo that turns out an impressive body of work. I’m Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach. If you’re tuning in for the first time, welcome. If you’re a regular, welcome back. I’m sharing my best tips and training skills and strategies to coach writers to improve their craft, pursue publishing, and achieve their writing goals. Bryan Collins is a USA Today best selling author whose books include The Power of Creativity this is Working, I Can’t Believe I’m a dad, and a best selling series of books for writers. He was a journalist and copywriter for years and has contributed to publications like Forbes, LifeHacker and Fast Company. Today he runs his website, Become A Writer Today with the help of a team of writers, attracting several million visitors each year by the same name, where he deconstructs the writing processes of New York Times bestselling authors like James Clear and Daniel Pink. Let’s hear his practical advice for writers. Ready to do the work and write the truth? [00:01:32.770] – Ann Kroeker Well, we have Bryan Collins on the show today. He is a podcaster and an author and a writer, and I cannot wait to ask him all kinds of really practical questions that we can pass on to listeners today. Bryan, thanks for being on the show. [00:01:45.590] – Bryan Collins It’s great to be here. Thanks for having me on. [00:01:47.450] – Ann Kroeker Thanks for taking the time. We’re in different time zones and I am excited to hear more. Would you share with listeners a little bit about your own writing, your own writing past and what brings you to today? [00:02:03.090] – Bryan Collins Sure. So, ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a writer and earn a living from the written word. I was a big fan of Roald Dahl back in the day, children’s author, and I figured the best way to do it was to become a journalist when I became 18 and it was time to pick something to study in college or university. But I went to journalism college and spent more time going out to parties than I did actually taking notes. And I found it really difficult to find paying work. So I kind of drifted in and out of various freelance writing gigs during my 20s. I’m 40 now, by the way, for some context. I got really frustrated with writing and I wasn’t a very good journalist, if I’m being honest. So I drifted into other careers that really weren’t suitable for me. But I still want to earn a living from writing, so I took a series of creative writing workshops that made a big impact on me. I started by writing short stories and then entering short story competitions. I made a few mistakes. I spent a lot of time writing the same short stories rather than getting feedback. [00:03:05.670] – Bryan Collins And after about two or three years, I got frustrated with that and I was about to give up on writing altogether. But then I said, I’ll try something else. What if I try blogging and writing about the one thing I do know something about, which is the craft of writing? So I had a technology blog that wasn’t getting a huge amount of traffic, which taught me the basics of WordPress and writing online. So I transitioned that site to become a writer today. For a long time it was like a hobby. This is around 2014, so it would have been in my early 30s. For a long time it was a hobby, something I did around the side of a job. I was surprised, or pleasantly surprised, when it turned into a part-time and then later a full-time business. And then to give a bit more context, I did find work. I was working as a copywriter for a British software company. So I did get paid to write. And more recently I’ve left that job. I was there for about eight years, so now I’m working on my own business full time. So that’s an overview of some of the ups and downs of my writing career to date. [00:04:05.670] – Ann Kroeker Would you describe the work that you’re doing through the podcast as part of your full-time work that you’re doing as a writer? [00:04:13.470] – Bryan Collins What I do today is I have a site for writers, and I used to write all the articles. Now I commission freelance writers to produce the articles, and then I have a set up a couple of other sites in different niches, or niches, as you say in the United States. I don’t write content for those, but I kind of replicate what works for my site for the other sites. So I guess the business is a content publishing business and one of my jobs is to edit articles, so I’m using some of the skills I learned along the way in the business. I self published books, so I was big into self publishing for a few years and I self published a parenting memoir last year, which was my fifth or sixth book. And then I like podcasting because I get to talk to authors and experts like you. And as any writer or listener can attest to, writing can be quite lonely and isolating; you’re by yourself in a room, which can send you a little bit crazy. That’s why I podcast. It’s to talk to people and to connect with other writers and share stories or anecdotes about what’s working or not working. [00:05:19.350] – Ann Kroeker Thanks for sharing that. Do you feel like looking back at your journey there’s any one decision you made or one avenue you took that made a big difference? [00:05:32.290] – Bryan Collins Yeah, like said, it’ll be deciding to write online. I think anytime during my writing career where I’ve sought permission from somebody, it’s never worked out well. By seeking permission, I mean going to an editor and asking them to hire me as a reporter. A few editors did hire me and then they let me go. Or going to a writing competition and asking a judge to pick my story over to hundreds or thousands of others who are trying to get a book deal, all of those kind of things. Whereas any time I pick something that doesn’t involve gatekeepers or permission, such as self publishing—such as writing online or starting a podcast—I’ve always felt more comfortable with it personally, and I’ve had more luck with earning an income from us an...

With inspiration from Mark McGuinness, you’ll integrate poetry into your writing life as a pleasurable practice that elevates your prose. In this interview, Mark describes the vision for his podcast and his own poetic beginnings, and he urges writers (and readers) to simply enjoy poetry. You’ll also discover the impact poetry can have on us as readers and writers. You’ll see ways it intersects with and impacts prose—you can even play a literary game he describes at the end. Learn from Mark: How a mouthful of air is a perfect image for poetry and podcasts How can we translate metaphor into our other forms of writing (without being weird) The metaphor that comes to his mind when describing himself and his writing How poems “mug” Mark and he drops everything to chase them like leprechauns The importance of getting input on your work and finding a writing mentor How to take pleasure in poetry Plus, play his writing game (bring your prose)! Listen to episode 245 and check out excerpts in the transcript below. You’ll be inspired by his warm, encouraging advice. If his subtle persuasion succeeds, you may embrace poetry as the next step in your literary journey. Meet Mark McGuinness Mark McGuinness is a poet based in Bristol, UK. On his poetry podcast A Mouthful of Air he interviews contemporary poets about their writing practice and draws out insights that can help any writer become more creative, expressive and memorable. Mark also takes classic poems apart to show us how they work and what we as writers can learn from the examples of poets including Yeats, Shakespeare, Thomas Hardy, Chaucer and Edward Lear. Links: Visit amouthfulofair.fm Listen to A Mouthful of Air on Apple Podcasts Twitter: @amouthfulofair Instagram: @airpoets https://youtu.be/bu0LwCeNlQw Mark McGuinness Interview This is a lightly edited transcript. [00] – Ann Kroeker With inspiration from my guest Mark McGuinness, you may find yourself integrating poetry into your writing life as both a pleasure and a practice. I’m Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach. If you’re tuning in for the first time, welcome. If you’re a regular, welcome back. I’m sharing my best tips and training skills and strategies to help writers improve their craft, pursue publishing and achieve their writing goals. Today I have Mark McGuinness on the show, a poet from Bristol, UK. On his poetry podcast, A Mouthful of Air, Mark interviews contemporary poets to discover their writing practice and draws out insights that can help any writer become more creative, expressive and memorable. Mark also takes classic poems apart to show us how they work and what we as writers can learn from the examples of poets like Yates, Shakespeare, Thomas Hardy, Chaucer and Edward Lear. Listen in on our conversation. [00:54] – Ann Kroeker I am so excited to have Mark McGuinness on the call today on our show and we are going to talk about a lot of different things related to the creative life, the writing life, even the poetry life. Mark, thanks for being on the call. [01:09] – Mark McGuinness Thank you. It’s lovely to be here, Ann. [01:12] – Ann Kroeker I am looking forward to learning more about how you approach your own creative life and how you use and enable poetry to be part of what feeds your creative life, how you inspire others with poetry, because that seems to be a big part of your life. Can you tell the listeners and viewers, can you tell us a little bit more about who you are and what you do? [01:37] – Mark McGuinness Sure. I am a poet living in Bristol, in the southwest of England, in the UK. I’ve been writing poetry quite a while and in my typical group of friends, I’m usually the one who reads poetry. I’ve always been quite aware that most people don’t read poetry most of the time. There are a lot of people who are very literate, very well read, very avid readers, but who will generally read anything but poetry. And to my point of view, it’s not that hard. I think a lot of people get put off at school, they have a bad experience or they think it’s this thing up on a pedestal that they don’t understand or that isn’t going to speak to them in their lives. And I got this urge about two years ago when I first got the idea for the show that I would really like to take some of these books behind me down from the shelf and just read a poem and just share it with people and say, “Isn’t that great? And notice what’s happening in the third line here. Isn’t it marvelous what she’s done with the rhyme or whatever?” And just to share the magic that I feel that I don’t think it’s that hard for other people to tune into. [03:00] – Mark McGuinness And then following on from that, I thought, “Well, actually, I know quite a few poets I’ve been to their readings. I’ve read their books. I’ve sat next to them in workshops. Why don’t I invite them on the show, too? And then they can read it.” And so the way the show works is that every episode is focused on one poem, and the first thing you hear is the poem. Because if it’s a good poem, you don’t need an introduction. You don’t need to be told why you should like it or all the footnotes and stuff. You either like it or you don’t, or you feel something or you don’t. But you’ve really got to listen and put your kind of assumptions aside about it. So we hear the poem read by either me, if it’s a dead poet, if they’re alive, I get them on the show and they read it themselves. And then we have a little bit of context, a little bit of, well, what’s going on in the poem? And again, if they’re alive and they’re on the show, I’ll ask them, where did the poem come from? How did you get the idea? [03:59] – Mark McGuinness How did you work it up? What process did you go through from the initial idea to what we have on the page or on the screen or in the ear. And quite often that journey is really surprising. I mean, as a writer, I’m fascinated by how things evolve. And if the poet is sadly no longer with us, then I will share my thoughts on why I think the poem is worthy of our attention and what I think is going on. And then the end of the show, we hear the poem again. And even though it’s the same poem and the same recording, it should sound different. In fact, listeners tell me it sounds different because it’s a bit like a magic eye, because they can see things or they can hear things in it that they weren’t aware of the first time rounds. So that’s it. It’s all quite self contained. [04:51] – Ann Kroeker That is a wonderful concept. I took an online course in years past where we did these close readings, and it just opened my mind up. It took me back in time. I actually studied poetry and creative writing as an undergraduate at Big Ten University here in the States. And so I have a little exposure to poetry, and it was my entree into writing and building a writing life. So tell us what the name of the show is and why you chose it. [05:23] – Mark McGuinness Okay. It is called A Mouthful of Air. And I know it’s a good title because I nicked it from W. B. Yeats in a little poem that he wrote, an early love poem. Would you like to hear it? It’s really short. It’s easier than me describing, of course. Okay, so it’s called He Thinks of Those Who Have Spoken Evil of His Beloved. And it’s not hard for us to guess that his beloved was like to be moored gone. Famously he was in love with her. She was a significant figure in the Irish political independence movement in the late 19th century. So it begins. It’s just six lines, so blinking, you miss it, but it goes: Half close your eyelids, loosen your hair,And dream about the great and their pride;They have spoken against you everywhere,But weigh this song with the great and their pride;I made it out of a mouthful of air,Their children’s children shall say they have lied. And I love the fact that Yeats, he emphasizes a poem, in which case a song. He was a very lyric poet. He emphasizes how light, how insubstantial it is. It’s almost nothing. [06:56] – Mark McGuinness “Weigh this song.” She’s being criticized by people. He doesn’t like “the great and their pride.” And he’s saying, but you can’t—don’t respond to the criticism. Just “weigh this song” with it almost as though he’s saying that poetry can balance the scales of this injustice. And he says, “I made it out of a mouthful of air.” So that’s what the poem is made of. It’s made of speech, it’s made of breath. And of course, this takes us back to the origins of poetry, which is even older than writing. So it would have been spoken or maybe sung way back before people thought of writing poems down. And I think this is something for me, something quite magical about poetry, that insubstantial thing. You’re making it out of nothing, really. A mouthful of air that still survives into the 21st century. And I thought, Isn’t that a lovely way of thinking about a poem? And it’s perfect for a podcast, because what you get on the podcast, of course, is the spoken poem. Again, we’ve gone from the text back to speech. So that’s where I got it. [08:02] – Ann Kroeker It’s both literal and metaphor. And metaphor is a big part of poetry, and we can grab it. Most of the people, I think, listening to my show are writing prose or novels or short stories or essays or articles, and probab...

Writers working on projects that are destined to be published—to be read—can struggle with nerves. We edit our words before they have a chance to breathe on the page. We hold back our true feelings and opinions. We forget to play with language. Serious Writers Need to Play I tend to encourage my clients to move toward practical goals, to create work that is going to be published. But at the same time, I also encourage writers to play, to get past the gates we put in front of ourselves and try to tap into those first thoughts without fear of being misunderstood. If you’re a writer taking yourself a little too seriously, I have just the thing for you today—a writing exercise you can play with in your writing journal, where nobody will see it. The Creative Writing Exercise: A Three-Line Poem This one comes from Imaginative Writing by Janet Burroway. When you’re done, you’ll end up with a three-line poem (24). Each of the lines has a template you can follow. ➤ Line 1: abstraction + verb + place ➤ Line 2: describe attire ➤ Line 3: summarize an action Here’s one of her examples. Hunger yells in the hallway, draped in cymbals; he stomps and shouts, “Hear me now!” Notice how she plays with the template. Line 1: “Hunger” is the abstraction “Yells” is the verb “In the hallway” is the place Line 2: “Draped in cymbals” is her way of describing some attire. Line 3: “He stomps and shouts, ‘Hear me now!'” describes action. It’s okay if your poems come out a little weird or kooky. That’s part of the fun of it. Your Turn: Try It! You’re putting together ideas and images and creating something fresh—have fun with it! Don’t overthink the noun, the verb, or the action. Simply play. Join Others in The Art &amp; Craft of Writing This offers a taste of some of the exercises we are going to play with in The Art and Craft of Writing. If you’re reading this before August 29, 2022, you have a chance to sign up for a fall intensive I’m running: an eight-week program designed to help you get input on your writing while you learn literary techniques and put them into practice. You’ll get eyes on your work from peers in the cohort and from me, as well! If you’re coming across this information after the fact, go to annkroeker.com/acw, which will take you to the page where you can sign up if it’s live or get on the waitlist if it’s not. You don’t have to wait for that or even be in the program to play with writing. You can start today, with this three-line poem. While you’re playing with your own words in your writing notebook, you don’t have to share anything with anybody. It’s just a chance to warm up—to get the creative juices flowing. Creative Writing with Your Coach That said, maybe it helps to know that this writing coach loves to play with words. Would you like to see what I came up with, just for fun? Here’s one: Ideas skid across my path; jaunty in their tilted caps and leprechaun-green suits, they dance a jig, daring me to catch them. Here’s another: Time slithers under the bedroom door,its wrinkled skin sloughing offas it scrapes the wood and leaves me behind, guilty of pressing snooze once more. Experiment, Play, and (if you want) Share Your Poem If you end up writing your own three-line poem and like the way it turned out—and you wouldn’t mind sharing it publicly—drop it into the comments below. Or you could share it with me privately via email. I’d love to see what you come up with. As writers, we do the work of writing, but by experimenting with a creative writing exercise now and then, we can also play. Ready to elevate your writing craft—with a coach to guide you? Get the direction you need to improve as a writer with The Art &amp; Craft of WritingIn this eight-week intensive, I’ll help you elevate your writing skills and create a compelling piece you’ll be proud to show an editor or agent. By the end of our time together, you’ll have completed a 3,000-word piece, along with multiple short submissions that invite you to experiment and play with new techniques. Sign up today! Footnote: Burroway, Janet. Imaginative Writing: The Elements of Craft. Pearson, 2015. Page 24.

Literary agent Lucinda Halpern prepares us to navigate the industry and prepare for publishing. With her insights, we’ll position our project—and ourselves as authors—to pitch agents and get noticed. She reveals what literary agents are really looking for when it comes to platform and clears up the concern about how much or how little to share of your book’s ideas on social media. And if you’re wondering what to really focus on when crafting your book proposal, Lucinda’s got insider info to help you make decisions. After listening to (or reading) what she has to say, you’re going to feel more confident than ever as you prepare to pitch. Lucinda says publishers are looking for books with “perennial potential”: Publishers are trendcasters. They are futurists. They have to think about books from the perspective of what is going to sell when the book publishes in two years and then for five years after that, because they’re interested in books that backlist….So writers should be really savvy to what are the sort of trends that are happening in the media or on podcasts or Netflix series. She urges writers to network. See if you can discover the connection you have to someone in the industry. She says, “I always say get that six-degree-of-separation connection to an agent.” She continues, “There are so many blind submissions coming at [agents], better to have an ‘in’—a step up—if you can.” Writers in my platform membership often ask how much they can share about their book idea—how much they can write or teach the topics—without giving too much away, so I asked Lucinda her opinion. You might be surprised (and relieved) by her response: The rule of the day is the more free content, the better. And one of my authors, Paul Jarvis, had a really wonderful way of putting this: Teach everything you know…I believe in that so much. And editors believe in it, too. Because again, if they see that audience clamoring for your ideas…that’s a huge draw…It almost doesn’t matter that they’ve seen it before. It’s better they’ve seen it before. When we discussed platform for nonfiction authors, I asked her for that magic number of how many subscribers or followers publishers (and agents) are looking for. She gave us the number, but not before offering an important disclaimer: It differs for category and for the particular author that you are. So someone who’s a PhD or a doctor or finance professional or psychologist, there are a number of sort of more private industries where an editor is going to recognize your life has not been tweeting… Whereas if you’re a journalist, it’s going to be how many bylines have you accumulated and what sort of publications and what is your Twitter following? How many people actually know who you are? I just want you to know if you’re a business person and you’ve run this successful company, maybe again, you’re not so active on social media, but you have a YouTube channel that gets views and you also have a massive email list which publishers are more interested in than social media numbers. I’m just giving you a sense of the diversity in the nonfiction sphere alone that we’re evaluating platform on. There is no one number. I begged a little for the number. Thankfully, she told us. You want to know the number she’s looking for? Listen, watch, or read the transcript below. (That specific answer is around the 17:56 mark.) Lucinda Halpern is the President and Founder of Lucinda Literary, representing authors writing in the categories of business, health, lifestyle, popular science, narrative nonfiction, memoir, and upmarket fiction. She regularly shares publishing insights and motivation for writers here and hosts both live and online programs for aspiring authors here. Ready to get your book noticed? Get Lucinda’s essential guide for writers: The 6 Things Every Book Pitch Needs — click here to receive your guide: www.lucindaliterary.com/subscribe Get to know Lucinda and her literary agency: Website: www.lucindaliterary.com Twitter: @LucindaBlu and @LucindaLitNYC Facebook: @LucindaLiterary Instagram: @lucindaliterary LinkedIn: Lucinda Literary OR @LucindaHalpern Resources: Naming the World: And Other Exercises for the Creative Writer, by Bret Anthony Johnston (Amazon Affiliate link; Bookshop.org link) Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott (Amazon Affiliate link; Bookshop.org link) How to Write Like Tolstoy: A Journey Into the Minds of Our Greatest Writers, by Richard Cohen (Amazon Affiliate link; Bookshop.org link) A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, by George Saunders (Amazon Affiliate link; Bookshop.org link) This is the Story of a Happy Marriage, by Ann Patchett (Amazon Affiliate link; Bookshop.org link) Decoding Greatness: Discover the Fast Track to Writing Success, my interview with Ron Friedman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Hr_Tzil-s&amp;t=130s Rough Transcription: Prepare for Publishing with Insights from Literary Agent Lucinda Halpern Ann Kroeker Are you curious what literary agents are really looking for when it comes to platform, or are you sharing a little bit about some of your books big ideas on social media, and you’re a little worried that maybe you’re sharing too much and it might jeopardize the interest the agents have in your project? Are you wondering what to really focus on when crafting your book proposal? Well, I have literary agent Lucinda Halpern on the show today. And this conversation is packed with ideas for how to get your book noticed. I’m Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach, and on this show, I help writers improve their craft, pursue publishing and achieve their writing goals. Today, I have New-York-based literary agent Lucinda Halpern on the show. Lucinda Halpern is a literary lecturer and PR agent with over 15 years experience on both the corporate and agency sides of publishing. As owner of Manhattan based literary agency Lucinda Literary, her roster of authors includes: New York Times bestselling authors Susan Pierce Thompson, Chris Bailey, Kate Flanders, Paul Jarvis, the new work of Nicola Krause and Jake Wood. In a marketing and publicity capacity, Lucinda has worked with New York Times bestselling authors Stephen Dubner and Stephen Levitt of Freakonomics, Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project, Ben Mezrich of Bringing Down the House and Busting Vegas, and many more. Ann Kroeker (01:23) Let’s dive straight into this conversation with Lucinda, and I think you’re going to feel more confident than ever as you prepare to pitch Lucinda. Ann Kroeker (01:31) It’s great to have you on the show. Lucinda Halpern (01:32) Thank you so much. Wonderful to be here. Yeah. Ann Kroeker (01:34) I’m just really, really excited to introduce our listeners and let them have a glimpse of what it’s like to interact with an agent. So I’m going to give you a quick and easy question to start out with, just because I feel like, oh, surely you have a favorite what is your favorite book of writing that you recommend to your writers, those you represent or anybody you’re talking with? What’s your favorite writing book? Lucinda Halpern (01:57) Sure. So there’s a great book that is little known. It’s so hard to choose right there’s Bird by Bird. There is a book by Bret Anthony Johnston, who was formerly creative writing director at Harvard. I fell in love with his novel. He wrote a second book called Naming the World, which I love. Like the discipline of being a writer, you just have to sit every day. Butt in the chair. There’s a wonderful book I have on my bookshelf here called [How to Write] Like Tolstoy by Richard Cohen. He just has a wonderful sort of historical rendition of how all the great writers wrote. And recently I read Ann Patchett’s [This Is] The Story of a Happy Marriage, which is about her sort of memoir and also tips for writers. And I found that to be just incredible. So four books for you. Ann Kroeker (02:51) That’s awesome. I love it. People can expand their library of books on writing. That one about reading, writing like Tolstoy. Is that what you said? How to Write Like Tolstoy? I’m not familiar with that, but I’m thinking it could be a nice compliment to George Saunders book, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain. Are you familiar with that book? Lucinda Halpern (03:11) No, I haven’t read it. But this is a beautiful packaging that’s also rich. Ann Kroeker (03:16) It’s gorgeous. That’s a great idea to get people ready to write and coming at it from a lot of different angles. Thanks for your tips. Well, we have so many ...

Have you ever wondered what a writing coach is? As you can imagine, I get asked this a lot. I mean, it is baked into my branding, and I love sharing insights I’ve gained over my years of coaching. Let’s start with the simplest, broadest definition of what a writing coach is and does: A writing coach provides you with input and support designed to close the gap between where you are as a writer and where you want to be. I coauthored the book On Being a Writer with Charity Singleton Craig (2014). Our editor used similar language on the back cover copy of the book and in marketing materials: Let this book act as your personal coach, to explore the writing life you already have and the writing life you wish for, and close the gap between the two.1 That phrasing captures the foundational purpose and core intent of this coaching role in a writer’s life, so I adapted it here. And as a writing coach myself for over a decade, I can confirm that this is indeed a high-level description of writing coaching. Differences in Writing Coaches Every coach approaches the work differently based on their experience, background, training, and philosophy. As a result, not every coach will feel like the right fit for you. In fact, you may need one kind of coach at one stage in your writing journey and another kind of coach later, and you want to find the right fit for your current goals and challenges. Writing Coaches Are Not… To begin to understand what a writing coach is and does, let’s look at what a writing coach isn’t. ➤ Writing coaches are not editors A coach may have been and may still be an editor. They may offer both services and, thus, be both a coach and an editor. They may also offer editorial input within their coaching style. But these are two different services, so writing coaches are not editors while they are coaching. ➤ Writing coaches are not agents A coach may have been and may still be an agent. But these two services must be distinct and separate, since authors never pay for representation. If you find an agent who offers coaching, be sure the service you’re paying for is coaching. ➤ Writing coaches are not ghostwriters A coach may have been a ghostwriter and may still offer ghostwriting as a separate service, but a coach’s role is not to collaborate or do any of the writing for you. You’re the writer! ➤ Writing coaches are not social media managers or designers A coach may have personal experience and success in social media, and find themselves recommending social media managers and designers—they might suggest how to approach social media to increase engagement with readers. But writers don’t hire coaches to set up marketing campaigns or design Instagram images. ➤ Writing coaches are not marketing and promotion specialists, publicists or launch team organizers A coach may offer marketing, publicity, or launch team services in addition to coaching. If they’re an author themselves, they may have personal experience with their own marketing and publicity to share and connect their client to someone on their team. While they may offer some of those services separately or toss out ideas, when the coach is coaching a client, they are not marketing or publicizing their client’s work or organizing a launch team. ➤ Writing coaches are not mentors My writing mentors—I’ve had at least five—invested time in me, guiding and steering me through phases in my career, and from those relationships, I know that a coach’s advice might feel like the advice you’ve gotten from a mentor. A coach might even have a mentor. You yourself might have both a mentor and a coach. Despite the similarities, however, a writing coach is not the same as a mentor. ➤ Writing coaches are not teachers A coach may have been—or still be—an English teacher or a professor, and a coach may also, separately, teach through courses, conferences, and workshops. I suppose a coach may informally teach through a one-on-one session. But coaches are different from teachers. Writing Coaches Complement Other Roles A writing coach is not replacing or competing with any of those roles. In fact, you may need or want an editor, agent, or teacher at another stage of your writing life—sometimes you’ll need both at the same time: a coach and any number of these roles. I plan to explore the differences between these roles in more detail in the future, but for now, let’s look at various categories of coaches in more detail, so you can grasp the variety and land on the type of coach to best support your writing needs and challenges. Not All Coaches Are the Same As you research writing coaches, you’re going to see people calling themselves writing coaches. When you inquire about working with them, it’ll turn out they don’t offer what you need. That’s probably because their core strength may not be what you’re looking for. Not all coaches are the same. I see the term “writing coach” as the broadest label—an umbrella term, if you will. Under that are specialties. You’re trying to align your needs and challenges and goals with their experience, training, philosophy, personality, and expertise. Not all writing coaches are book coaches. In your search for a writing coach, you’ll discover some who focus on novelists, nonfiction authors, and memoirists. They may call themselves writing coaches or book coaches, or both. But their focus is on coaching authors—people working on book length projects. A book coach is a type of writing coach, but you may come across a writing coach who is not a book coach. You’ll also find people who coach bloggers, copywriters essays and poets. And you may see coaches who offer guidance to freelance writers, grant writers, PhD candidates who are working on dissertations, professionals in the workplace who are seeking to improve their communication skills. Another way coaches differ is through training, education, and experience, and that’s going to influence their specialties, style, and services even more. Working with a writing coach who has training or background as a life coach may feel much different from someone who coaches out of experience as an editor or an academic, or as a marketer, or as an author in their own right. They may offer few resources or recommendations and rely instead on their skill in asking curious questions to free the writer to discover solutions to their own challenges. A coach with an editorial background, on the other hand, may provide input on writing samples to point out areas of strength and weakness for a writer to improve craft. They may even assign homework to complete before each session. Coaches who have been successful freelance writers might provide a plan for clients to launch their own business or supply some resources and reading materials. And book coaches may rely on a framework or process they’ve developed that adds structure and deadlines, input and milestones for their clients—all so that the client completes a draft of their manuscript. Coaches with experience building platform may work with the client to develop a plan of action or a set of strategies to try. Add in their personality and their interpersonal communication style, and the types of coaches you could work with starts to seem endless, especially as this role is exploding right now, with coaches popping up everywhere with different kinds of certification as well. Types of Writing Coaches Here are some of the types of coaches you’ll find. 1. Coaches for academics In your search, you’ll discover coaches who serve PhD candidates completing their dissertations or undergrads leveling up their essays and response papers. 2. Freelance writing coaches These coaches equip writers ready to launch their own freelance writing career, and they prepare them to present their services, whether that’s freelance for businesses or pitching and submitting to publishers. 3. Coaches focused on mindset Almost all coaches have experience working with writers who deal with writers of block, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, fear, and other mindset hurdles. But some coaches and often these are people with life coach background and training. They might not supply strategies, provide publishing advice, or send resources, but they are skilled at asking questions that unlock and unwind your creative blocks. 4. Literary writing coaches These coaches may serve poets, essayists, or writers of short stories. Some may have their MFA and prep people ready to submit to literary magazines and journals. They might specialize serving poets only, for example, or they might have experience in all kinds of literary writing and be able to help you no matter what you are pursuing. These coaches help you understand the process and organize yourself to begin submissions. 5. Corporate Communication Coaches Some coaches serve professionals in the workplace who are leveling up their writing skills for professional development. This kind of coach helps clients become more confident with written communications in the corporate world. 6. Coaches focused on grant writing This is really specific, but there are people with experience in writing successful grants who then offer that as a coaching service to support writers ready to craft their own grant. 7. Coaches for bloggers and digital writers Some coaches serve bloggers and digital writers—people getting started online or seeking to improve their style and try new approaches. These writers may be transitioning from print and need input to feel comfortable and confident beginning to write in a way that follows principles and best practices for digital writing. A coach who specialize...

For author Clarissa Moll, hiring a writing coach was like finding her book midwife, and she urges writers to seek that kind of intimate, knowledgeable support and input for their own writing and publishing journey. In this interview, Clarissa shares her approach to writing, platform, and publishing, like: make a list of 10 things whenever you’re stuck or developing an idea say “Yes” before you’re ready pitch publications as a core platform-building activity authentically engage with readers—she’s committed to building connections and offering support Listen to episode 242 and check out excerpts below. You’ll be inspired by her clear, sensible, inspiring personality and advice. Clarissa Moll is an author and podcaster and the young widow of author Rob Moll. Clarissa’s writing has appeared in Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, RELEVANT, Modern Loss, Grief Digest, and more. Her debut book, Beyond the Darkness: A Gentle Guide for Living with Grief and Thriving After Loss is forthcoming from Tyndale (2022). Clarissa co-hosts Christianity Today’s “Surprised by Grief” podcast and hosts the weekly hope*writers podcast, The Writerly Life. She lives a joyful life with her four children and rescue pup and proudly calls both New England the Pacific Northwest home. Interview Highlights Enjoy these highlights from Clarissa’s interview. Find Your Book Midwife As folks in my life kept saying to me, “You should write a book!” I thought, I don’t even know where to start. I mean, I can write a five-paragraph essay. I can write a thesis. But to write 55,000 words? It seemed like an elephant that was too big to swallow. I knew that to do it well, in a way that was sustainable in my own life, I needed to make sure that I was having a meaningful life outside of my writing. And I knew if I wanted to do this again—if I didn’t want to end at the finish line so exhausted that I said, “No more. This is it.”—I knew I needed some guidance. And so I reached out to you. I gave birth to my four babies with a midwife, and when you’re in that delivery room, that baby feels like the only one that’s ever been born. And isn’t it wonderful to have a midwife stand beside you, who’s seen hundreds of delivered, to say, “This is normal. You’re doing great!” To be able to offer that encouragement and guidance along the way. And so I found in you my book midwife. You’re the person who helped me to make that journey from just a nebulous kind of idea to something that’s really concrete. Make a List of 10 Things One of the exercises that I have gone back to time and time again is one that we did together. You encouraged me to write a list of 10 things. And if I struggled with making my list of 10, I had to write another 10. When you’re out of ideas, just force yourself to put pen to paper. That’s where clarity is born. It’s not born in the writer’s retreat over a long weekend or at a cabin by the lake. It’s born out of those very ordinary, disciplined kind of practices that you taught me. Say “Yes” Before You’re Ready Back in my acting days, I had an audition and the acting professor said, “Could you do an Irish accent for this audition?” I said, “Oh, I don’t know how to do that. I’m sorry.” And nothing ever came of it. A couple of weeks later, he came to me and said, “You know, I wanted to give you that role, but you said you couldn’t do it. Next time, say ‘I’ll learn how.'” That kind of perspective has been really helpful for me, as I have said yes to things that are beyond whatever I have done before. Had I podcasted before? No. But when someone invited me to do the Christianity Today podcast, I said, “I’ll learn how. I’ll get the equipment. I’ll learn how to do the technology. I will do it.” Check Your Heart I’ve been trying to think about what other things I could do that relate to my writing. Should I build in speaking more? Should I be expanding podcasting? Should I try to do some sort of retreat where I can be writing new materials that are actually more interactive? Maybe group resources? I’m trying to think beyond just book writing, and that’s exciting for me because honestly, I hadn’t thought about those things before. I had just been thinking about this book baby and getting it born. And now as I entered this new stage—trying to think about how writing can be sustainable for me in the long haul—I’m thinking about diversifying in more ways than I ever did before. I also hesitate, because I know that there’s some pressure to, once you publish a book, sort of build your writing empire. “Oh, it’s time to start a course!” Or it’s time to start this or that or the other thing. And I think that’s where I always check with my heart and ask myself: Is that where your heart is? Do you need to write a new lead magnet because you know that this is what drives traffic and you feel the pressure to perform or to keep doing something? Or is it that you feel like you have something valuable to share? And so in that space, checking my heart is a really good practice. To say, “Am I trying to build an empire here, or am I still doing the thing that I love—and am I reaching people with words that matter?” When I do that, I find that I can take a break to rest without feeling any guilt. Pitch to Build Platform [Question from Ann: What is the backbone of your platform? What is your core platform activity?] I pitch and write. And I love to do it. I have a list on my phone where I keep article ideas. I usually get like an idea down and then start to get bullet points underneath it. In fact, a lot of times when I’m driving, I’ll have my daughter help. “Hey, can you pull out my phone? I’ve got some ideas!” And once I start to see stuff kind of globbing together around an idea, I think, “Oh, okay. It’s time to pitch that.” And I pitch it before I’ve written it, because that makes me have to write it if they say yes. I like that external commitment. I like that there’s a little bit of pressure there. And as soon as I have committed to writing it, I start trying to get the idea for the next one. Because I want to keep the momentum going. Engage with Readers I told my publisher that I was committed to being engaged with my audience. That said, I was married to a man who published books before social media was the gauge for what a platform should look like. And so I have kind of an old school attitude toward platform-building. Use Vintage Methods to Engage with Readers I’m going to call it vintage, though, because I liked that better than old school. But when Rob published both of his books, he engaged with readers. That’s what he did. And it wasn’t through social media. It was to speak. It was through radio and other kinds of interviews. He emailed people. It had an intimacy that I think a lot of social media lacks today. And so even though I am building my social media platform as best I can…I’ve determined that an engaged audience is always better than a big audience. And so for me, the commitment has been not so much about numbers, but about engagement. Respond to Every Reader Who Emails For example, when I sent out my monthly email, I write back to every single person who replies to me. I’ve committed to that. I write to every single person who sends me a direct message on Instagram. I’ve committed to that because I think it’s important for people—particularly in the space in which I write—to know that they’re not alone…to know that someone has read what they’ve written and cared about their words and wants to respond to them. Who’s to say that if I had a gigantic following, I wouldn’t be able to do that anymore. But I’m grateful for the small enough following that I have to be able to relate intimately to my readers and listeners, because I think that’s where the beauty happens. The Magic and Beauty of Live Interaction I worked in theater before I ever was a writer, and the live experience was exciting. There was the clapping, the laughter—there was an energy in that room. And when you’re writing, it’s kind of a solitary practice. You’re all alone in your office, writing, hoping as you send your words out into the world, that it makes a difference to anybody. And I think by committing to that kind of regular engagement with people you get some of that energy that I used to feel onstage. And that’s where the real magic and beauty happens in writing. All that we don’t like about social media and all of its shortcomings—there is that—it’s closer to an immediate feedback that I really appreciate. Clarissa’s Writing Advice Keeping going when life feels hard is really hard. It’s hard to do. It’s hard to keep writing—to keep thinking that writing is something essential in your life. Writing Doesn’t Have to Be Expendable When life gets hard—and life getting hard could be anything from pandemic stressors to job difficulties, and for me, it was losing a loved one, but—it doesn’t have to be that kind of loss for life to feel hard and for writing to feel expendable. And so I think if I were to say anything to a writer, I would say: keep writing. Even if it’s just a little bit. Keep Writing (Even a Little Bit) A couple of sentences in an Instagram post? That counts as writing. Jotting notes while you’re waiting for your kids to be picked up in the school pickup line? That counts as writing. There are so many things that can count as writing! A really beautiful letter written to a loved one? That counts ...

Louis L’Amour is attributed as saying, “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”1 Sounds easy enough, but a lot of times we can’t even find the faucet. Or we find the faucet but fail to turn it on. Either way, we want to write, but no words flow. Is that you? Are you ready to begin writing but you don’t know where to start—you don’t know how to get the words to flow? I’ve got 10 options for you—ten faucets, if you will. I’ll bet one stands out more than the rest. Pick one. Try it. See if it gets those words flowing. 1. Start with a memory Think back to an event that seems small yet feels packed with emotion. You don’t have to fully understand it. Just remember it. Something changed due to that event. The change may have been subtle or seismic, but you emerged from it a different person.  The simple prompt “I remember” can get you started. Use it as a journal entry and see where it takes you, or go ahead and start writing something more substantial. When you remember and recreate these scenes from your past, you’ll learn from them. I experienced this when I wrote a short scene in this style, called One Lone Duck Egg. 2. Start with a photo Photos can whisk us back to another place and time, whether as recently as last week or as long ago as childhood. Pull a photo from your collection of family photos, physical or digital.  Write in response to the scene. Recreate it. Let the memories unfold.  You could be in the photo, or not.  You could write the story behind the moment, or elaborate on a particular person in the scene.  What do you think was happening?  Why were you—or weren’t you—there?  What does this say to you today? Another approach is to combine words with images to create a photo essay.  Back in 2011, I walked around the farm where I grew up and snapped photos. Each time, a fragment of thought came to mind, a flash of a memory.  When I got home, I pieced it together to come up with Dancing in the Loft. 3. Start with art Art ignites imagination. Whether you invent a story behind the piece of art you choose, or you document your response to it, you’ll end up with an interesting project.  One of my creative writing professors in college gave us a similar assignment to write poetry from art. It’s possible she was trying to introduce us to ekphrastic poetry,2 which, according to the Lantern Review Blog,3 is “written in conversation with a work(s) of visual art.”  But she took a less formal approach, asking us to find some art, study it carefully, and write a poem. I used a small, framed print of an Andrew Wyeth painting as inspiration. I studied the boy sitting in the grass and imagined a possible scenario leading up to the moment Wyeth captured. As I was finishing the poem and typing it up, I realized I needed to include information about Wyeth’s work. I turned the frame around and fortunately I found the date and name of the painting. Wyeth named it “Faraway,”4 and I coincidentally called my poem “Runaway.”5 Spend time with the art and see where it leads. 4. Start with an object I once wrote about an old, worn knob that topped the post at the bottom of our stairs.  I loved the worn knob for being worn. All the stain was rubbed off one side of it from the years before we owned the house. Like the previous owners, we swooshed around that newel post, running our palms around the knob every single time we ran up or down the stairs.  When we decided to replace the railing, I begged our carpenter—who is also a friend of ours—to save the knob. He did. And I wrote about it. Another time I wrote about a precious soapstone vase I played with as a child. The consequences of that day of play lasted a long, long time. My friend and coauthor Charity Singleton Craig uses objects (and places) to launch a “chain of remembrance.” She explains in her newsletter “The Wonder Report“: I start with something specific: a year, a place, an object. Then I try to remember just one specific thing about it. After that, I try to remember another thing and another after that, allowing each memory to flow from the one before. Eventually, I have a whole chain of memories, often growing stronger and more specific as I go.6 One story can stand alone or link multiple stories for a more complex chain of connections. 5. Start with a question (inquiry) “I begin an essay with a willingness to be changed by what I write,” Scott Russell Sanders says. “I do not set out to deliver something I already know, but to inquire into the unknown, to dive into confusion in search of greater clarity.”7 To inquire into the unknown is to start with curiosity—to start with a question. Your questions could be personal questions, cultural questions, specific questions, or big questions about the meaning of life.  To get you thinking, here are some of Scott’s questions, which he shares in his book The Way of Imagination: Why did my father drink, and how did his drinking affect me? How have the landscape and culture of the Midwest shaped the people who live here? Why is racism so persistent? What is beauty? What is wildness? What is so mesmerizing about rivers?8 Scott writes with the same sense of inquiry as Dani Shapiro, who says, “I write in order to discover what I don’t yet know.”9 What questions rise up in you?  Use those to launch your next writing project. 6. Start with another piece of writing  Have you read something recently that resonated with you—something you wanted to discuss with someone? Maybe you ran across an article you connected with, that put words to your thoughts. Maybe you read a book that you disagreed with? Maybe a blog post held information you’d never heard before? In any of these scenarios, you can start with the writing that stirred something up in you.  Refer to it. Respond to it.  Riff on it.  The world of online writing has expanded the sphere of discussion and debate so that anyone with a digital device can find a way to publish their point of view. This could be you. Start by re-reading an existing piece of writing and type your thoughts as a response.  Weave a select quote from the original with your thoughts. Add other perspectives. This is how we enter the conversation and add our angle and deepen a discussion.  7. Start with news  I first heard about newsjacking from Teej Mercer, founder—or as she calls herself, “Chief Noisemaker”—of Media Mavericks.10 I’ve since learned it’s a known publicity and marketing technique. The idea is to monitor breaking news and find a connection with your personal brand. If you write about health and wellness, you could respond to any study released with your take on it.  Your personal story may relate to a high-profile person’s announcement. If you’re passionate about the environment, you could write in response to any number of breaking news, from wildfires to another animal added to the endangered species list. Monitor the news, find your connection to the event or announcement. Learn what’s being said about the event, and bring your slant, story, perspective, and opinion. 8. Start with culture  You could argue that a cultural event falls under the broader category of news, but I like separating these. Starting with culture might stimulate creative connections to a talked-about episode of a show or a scene from a film. On a group coaching call in Your Platform Matters (YPM), my membership program, we discussed this concept. After describing Newsjacking, I coined this: “Culture Lassoing.” That’s because of Ted Lasso. That show has so many different threads you could engage with. I’ve seen several Twitter threads about mental illness because of some plot twists in this season. You could use a pop culture phenomenon like that and lasso it. Fans notice the show they love and enter the comments to weigh in. When The Good Doctor first came out, authors who write about autism analyzed the accuracy of the portrayal of a surgeon who is on the spectrum. Look at music and movies, social media shifts and gaming trends. Identify what you’ve discovered, decide what to say about it—and share it with the world. Because you’ve lassoed something with name recognition, you may interact with a whole new set of people you never would have met otherwise. 9. Start with conflict  When you see two product options or two wildly different opinions on something, take a side. Make a claim. Explore it and support it. Write a this versus that piece, like Trello versus Notion, front-loading versus top-loading washers, or Yellowstone versus Yosemite National Park Provide a balanced view to something that has been presented as either/or</l...

I was an English major with a creative writing emphasis. When I looked to my future, I saw myself writing. Over the years I managed to build a writing career, but as an English major, I wasn’t prepared for the business aspects of writing. Invoices, receipts, taxes? That was all foreign to me. Sharing my writing through speaking and social media? That’s not what I imagined when I launched my writing life. I thought I’d be…writing. But I had to understand and embrace the four key roles that lead to a flourishing writing career.  https://youtu.be/A2_iAAQm1Kk This is how I think of them: ✅ Decider ✅ Delegator ✅ Doer ✅ Declarer These four roles in a corporate setting might be something like: ➤ CEO The Decider is like the CEO, the Chief Executive Officer. That’s the top dog, the visionary, the decision-maker. ➤ COO The Delegator could be the COO, the Chief Operations Officer, the person who figures out how to run the business at a practical level. ➤ CWO The Doer could be the CWO, the Chief Writing Officer. This role, the CWO, doesn’t exist in the business world, but we’re inventing and elevating it for this discussion because it’s the reason our business exists. Like me, you launched this whole thing so you could write. ➤ CMO The Declarer is like the CMO, the Chief Marketing Officer: the person who ensures the message gets out. At any given moment, a flourishing writer may be completing a task that falls under any one of these areas. Some of the tasks and roles don’t seem like the work of a writer, but they all support that core function. When all four areas are addressed, a writer will start to build a profession, a career, and a sustainable writing life. And it starts with the Decider. THE DECIDER, THE CEO The DECIDER—the boss, the CEO—is the person making high-level decisions about your writing career.  You fill this role.  You decide your author brand, your audience, your career path. As the Decider, you determine a trajectory that aligns with your goals and values. You decide if you’re in learning mode and need to gain more skills or more knowledge of the profession. You decide if you’ll focus the next quarter on submitting to literary magazines or developing a book proposal. You decide if you’ll pursue fiction or nonfiction, short-form or long-form. You decide if you’re ready to increase visibility online. When those decisions are grappled with and made, you get to step into a second, practical role—that Delegator, the COO. THE DELEGATOR, THE COO The DELEGATOR-you, this COO, is the administrator, the project manager—the person who figures out who will be responsible for a task or activity.  When you’re the Delegator, you take those decisions and figure out the best way to pull them off.  If you decide, as the CEO, you need to learn, then the COO or this Delegator-you will research books, courses, and conferences and figure out which ones are best. The Delegator looks into social media solutions and determines whether to hire someone to map out a marketing campaign or a designer to create images. Or the Delegator might delegate all this work to herself and take a DIY approach. In this instance, you might set up Canva to create images for all your social media feeds and Stories. As Delegator, you set up calendars with deadlines. You determine practical matters, like apps to use, editors to hire, and ideal systems to set up, so the work gets done effectively and efficiently.  You’re in this role when you’re researching laptops and asking other writers if they use Scrivener. If you set up a project management system in Trello, ClickUp, or Notion, you’re in this operational mode. And as Delegator, you tackle every English major’s nightmare: how to create invoices, save receipts, and report taxes.  This operations role that pulls off the decisions, usually delegating activities, is a practical, supportive aspect of our writing life and career. It’s devoted to setting the writer—the Doer—up for success. THE DOER, THE CWO The DOER is the CWO. As I said, the Chief Writing Officer doesn’t really exist in a business, but for the sake of this discussion, we’re coining this term. After all, it’s why all the other roles exist: so the writing gets done. The Doer-you? This is what you thought you signed up for all those years ago. It’s why I majored in English. I wanted to write. It’s why you’re reading this article by a writing coach, I’ll bet. You’ve got ideas to share and stories to tell.  The Doer commits to the creative work that you love most.  The Doer is the Writer. When you’re the Doer, you research topics, outline projects, develop the message, and craft the story.  In fact, not to complicate this further, but the CWO, as chief writing officer, has tasks that you could almost break down into additional areas of responsibility, additional roles.  Because at any given moment, the Doer, the writer, the CWO, will:  Generate ideas Research Organize and outline Draft Revise and edit Finalize the project Title it Prep it to publish The creative Doer wrangles words onto the page or the screen and completes the project.  You’ll probably feel deep satisfaction when you’re operating in this role because that’s the core work. That’s why this business you’re in, exists. Once a project is complete, the work feels finished. The Doer thinks they’re done.  But how will people read what you’ve written unless you declare that it’s ready to be read?  How can they find it unless you point to where it lives online or in print?  THE DECLARER, THE CMO That’s where the DECLARER comes in, the CMO, the Chief Marketing Officer. After you complete a writing project, you share it and get the word out about it.  As the Declarer, you use marketing and promotion tools to creatively get your message in front of the people who need it most. Most creatives I work with detest this role. They feel weird, sleazy, awkward, or ineffective and want no part in tooting their own horn or praising their own work. They hate the idea of this role of a CMO. I kept hearing this from clients.  They wanted to write, not show up on social media or get people on an email list. They wanted to write, not pitch themselves as a podcast guest or submit their work to an online publication. Find Other CMO-Minded Writers I wanted to be able to recommend something to these frustrated writers, but I couldn’t find a great solution focused on the needs of the writer-CMO, so I formed a membership called Your Platform Matters. It’s dedicated to helping writers build a platform and become visible and findable by the readers they want to reach. We teach the D.E.E.P. platform method that avoids sleazy or unethical tactics and instead, maps out practical approaches for connecting with people in meaningful ways. They’re thinking now like CMOs, reaching and serving readers by taking time to Declare that the work is available. I hope it helps you reframe this role of the Declarer, the CMO, when you realize you’re serving the words you’ve written, the project, when you share it with others. You know what else? You serve the reader when you share it, too.  Get Your Message in Front of Readers If you believe in your message enough to write it down, why wouldn’t you also share it to get it in front of the people you were thinking of when you wrote it?  A publisher shared this with me years ago. We talked about my becoming a speaker—something I’d never considered or imagined at the time. I didn’t want to get in front of others. He said, “Could you see speaking as another avenue to share that same message? Your words—your message—spoken?” I got it. I had to agree. Even though I didn’t think of myself as a speaker, I did want to share that message.  I started speaking and I’ve continued to speak for all these years…declaring, in essence, the messages I feel compelled to share. As a Declarer myself—as CMO of my own modest writing business—I’m looking for ways to reach readers in meaningful ways with the message that the Doer-me has worked so hard to craft and complete. And part of how I do that is by helping others reach their readers. WRITERS AREN’T ALWAYS WRITING The point in reminding you of these four areas and roles and tasks is that writers aren’t always writing.  At times, you may take on another role and follow through with another task. And that task may keep you from technically writing. It feels strange and counterintuitive, but all of these roles—and all the related tasks and responsibilities—they all exist to serve the writer, the writing, and ultimately, the reader. If you’re an English major, trust me: You can make decisions about your writing career that set you up for success.  You can research how to pull those decisions off and what support you need in terms of equipment, tech, apps, and a team.  You can figure out invoices, receipts, and taxes.  You can share your words with others with integrity and empathy so your writing doesn’t sit unread on your hard drive or even on a dusty corner of the Internet. Embrace these four key roles. At any moment, your work may require the Decider-you, Delegator-you, Doer-you, or Declarer-you to step up and do something. For your business to succeed, you may need you to step into the CEO, COO, CWO, or CMO position.  Find freedom in recognizing that you may not have your fingers on the keyb...

If you're like me, you struggle to carve out time to write...you wish you could uncomplicate life and get more done. Good news! I have business coach and online business manager Kari Roberts on the show to help us think through simple systems that can unlock our writing productivity and creativity. "It's like you're on a treadmill," she says. "You're running in place, but you're not going anywhere. So you're not really getting anything done." Sound familiar? Kari knows our struggles and offers solutions. She says, "You might need to strategize or systematize other things so that you can make the space that you need to do the writing." Kari Roberts is a business coach and online business manager for creative small business owners. She helps them figure out time management and systems that allow them to grow their business while still having enough time and energy for work, business, and home life. Her business advice has been featured on VoyageATL Magazine, The Rising Tide Society, The Speak to Scale Podcast, Creative at Heart Conference and more. Kari is the host of Finding Freedom with Simple Systems Podcast and the creator and host of Overwhelmed to Organized the Summit. When she isn’t being a “serial helper” through one of her businesses she enjoys watching sports with her husband, walking in the park with her 2 dogs, listening to podcasts, sampling tasty bourbons, and catching up on reality TV. Her approach to creating systems? "I like to go in and try to find: What's the simplest way. If we're trying to get X done, what's the simplest way to get to X. It may not be what the fancy thing. It may not be with the shiny object. But if we can condense it and make it simple, then that can free up your time and free up your mental space so that you can get other things done." Listen to the interview and you'll learn principles that may transform your approach to writing...and life. Resources: Kari Roberts' websiteKari on InstagramFinding Freedom with Simple Systems PodcastGet your very own copy of Kari's Time-Blocking Schedule: HERESimple Systems Setup course ANN KROEKER, WRITING COACH Episode 239 Transcript How Simple Systems Can Unlock Your Writing Productivity: Interview with Kari Roberts Ann Kroeker (00:03): It's so hard to find time for writing, isn't it? It's hard to do all the things a writer needs to do these days. If only if only we had a simple system that we could set up to make the rest of our creative life flourish…I have business coach and online business manager Kari Roberts here today to help us think through simple systems we can set up to increase our writing productivity. I'm Ann Kroeker, writing coach. If you're new here, welcome. If you're a regular, welcome back. I'm sharing my best tips and training–skills and strategies—to help you improve your craft, pursue publishing, and achieve your writing goals. Be sure to subscribe for more content. Ann Kroeker (00:44): From time to time I invite guests on. So you can learn from their wisdom, like today's guest, Kari Roberts. Kari is a business coach and an online business manager for creative, small business owners. She helps them figure out time management and systems so that they're freed up to have enough time for work business and home life. Kari is the host of her own podcast, Finding Freedom with Simple Systems. And today she's going to talk about that as it applies to writing productivity. Kari, thank you for being with us today.