The Creative Writer's Toolbelt
by Andrew Chamberlain
The Creative Writers Toolbelt gives practical accessible advice and encouragement to Creative writers.Each episode explores an aspect of creative writing technique, with examples, allowing you to apply what you learn immediately to your writing. We also throw in the occasional interview with writers and other artists, exploring their wisdom on subjects like story, style, character and the writing process
Episodes
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Do you know your dead salmon from your downpipe?
Hello and welcome to one of my occasional episodes of the Creative Writers Toolbelt, this is episode 181, and I want to ask you a question - Do you know your dead salmon from your downpipe? If you know what these phrases mean, well done! But whether you do or don't, please do keep listening. In…
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Getting the marketing basics right with Written Word Media's Clayton Noblit
This episode is a conversation with Written Word Media's Senior Marketing Manager, Clayton Noblit. In this episode we talk about what basics an author needs to focus on, using our own email lists, Facebook pages, and social media, and web pages, we also talk about how Written Word Media can take...
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Episode 179: Escaping the submissions treadmill: could a service like Submitit be the way forward?
Erik Harper Klass is the founder of Submitit, a company that directly addresses the stress and uncertainty of the submissions treadmill. Submitting your work, again and again, can be time-consuming and exhaustive, especially if you get more than enough rejection slips to cover the walls of your...
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Episode 178: Trust the process that gives you joy! With Jessie Kwak
My guest for this episode is the non-fiction and science fiction writer Jessie Kwak. In this episode, we talk about the different writing processes that people use, how to choose the right one, and why some writers have found the pandemic such a difficult time. We discuss the importance of…
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Episode 177: The mind of the warrior. A conversation with Nick Narbutovskih of the US Air Force Special Operations Command
Nick Narbutovskih grew up knowing that he wanted to be a pilot in the military, now Assistant Operations Officer Narbutovskih with Air Force Special Operations Command, and he now trains others who are going to be pilots in the US Air Force. On the day of our conversation, Nick was supposed to be...
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Episode 176: Making peace with the internet. Practical advice for your digital presence, with Jason Smith of Social Shapes
In this episode, my guest is the Digital Marketing expert Jason Smith. In this conversation, we talk about the essentials of setting up a web and managing social media accounts for your brand as a writer. We talk about the best platform to use to design a first website, the importance of design...
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Episode 175: A guest at the reader's table, with veteran publisher and literary agent Tony Collins
My guest for this episode is someone who has spent nearly 50 years in publishing. Tony Collins has worked for a number of publishing houses, owned three magazines, published an astonishing 1,400 books, and is now a literary agent. In this conversation, we talk about the lessons he’s learned in…
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Episode 174: Writing your novel is part of your heart - with Lynn Hightower
Welcome to Ep 174, my guest for this episode is the writer and writing coach Lynn Hightower. Lynn writers thriller with a darkly paranormal twist. In this conversation, we discuss why we do need to tell as well as show, especially in terms of plot, why we need to hear the character’s voice in our...
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Episode 173: Make your reader feel smart, with Jessica Brody
Suppose you discovered that nearly all of the great stories written conform to a particular structure, a structure that would help to guide you in your writing and that, subconsciously at least, your readers are expecting to see in your work. This is the contention of my guest today, the writer…
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Episode 172: Immersed in the sensorium: how we can enjoy, and learn from poetry, with Aaron Poochigian.
I have always believed that there are important lessons for prose writers to learn from poetry, and I also think we can always gain something from the joy and discipline of listening to good poetry. To test and prove this belief, in this episode, I am talking to the teacher, poet, and translator...
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Episode 171: The layers of character with H. Claire Taylor
Welcome to episode 171 of the Creative Writers Toolbelt. My guest today is the author, writing consultant, and presenter Claire Taylor. Claire will be known to many of you as one-half of the team at the Sell More Books Show with her co-presenter, Bryan Cohen. In this episode we talk about what...
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Episode 170: Be the hero of your own story, with Donna Lichaw
Those of you who have read the book that accompanies this podcast will know that, in my opinion, one of the best explanations and representations of the way story works comes from the executive coach, speaker, and author Donna Lichaw. Donna is not a creative writing professor, nor is she a...
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Episode 169: Creating stories that work: content and structure
Welcome to episode 169 of the Creative Writer’s Toolbelt. In the next few episodes, I am going to be exploring the fundamentals of story structure. We’re going to look at different perspectives on story and story structure with the help of a number of guests and I am looking forward to hearing…
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Episode 168. Passion Focus and Discipline with Dave Chesson
Welcome to Ep 168 of the Creative Writer’s Toolbelt podcast. My guest for this episode is Dave Chesson. Dave is an author, entrepreneur and something of a famous name in the self-publishing scene. For many years he has been creating free courses and articles as well as applications that help...
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Episode 167. Building your authority as a writer, with Bryan Collins
Welcome to episode 167 of the Creative Writer’s Toolbelt podcast. My guest for this episode is the writer, journalist and blogger Bryan Collins. Bryan has written for Forbes, the Huffington Post, and Fast Company. He has published 16 books on creativity, non-fiction, and being a productive…
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Episode 166 From Aristotle to Hollywood with Susan Isaacs
Welcome to episode 166 of the creative writer’s toolbelt podcast. My guest for this episode is the actor and writer and Lutheran Susan Isaacs. Susan has worked in TV, and got a Masters degree in screen writing. She moved to New York, and worked in comedy there before moving back to California to…
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Episode 165. Flightpath to publication with James Blatch
Welcome to episode 165 of the Creative Writer’s Toolbelt My guest for this episode is the author, James Blatch. Some of you will know James as one half of the team who present the hugely popular Self Publishing Show with Mark Dawson. James is a former radio and television journalist, he has…
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Episode 164. A citizen of two worlds. Juggling writing and life with Sam Mills and Michael J. Harvey
The American writers Joyce Carol Oates famously said: “The biggest obstacle for writers is distraction from other people." And it’s substantially true. But those who say we should exclude these distracting people are offering a solution that is both naïve and selfish, and doesn’t really allow for...
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Episode 163. Getting in touch with our own inner champion - with Cami Ostman
So much of how we engage with our writing is bound up with the disciplines, good and bad, we apply to ourselves, and how we feel about ourselves as writers. In this episode I tackle these issues, together with the thorny subject of dealing with our own inner critic, with speaker writer and…
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Episode 162. Keep the faith! With Sarah Moorhead
Yes! The Creative Writer’s Toolbelt is back after a hiatus of about 18 months and it’s a delight to talking to you again. If you haven't subscribed you can do so at: https://the-creative-writers-toolbelt.castos.com/ My guest for this first episode of the relaunched podcast is the author and…
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Announcement: The Creative Writer's Toolbelt will return on Friday 3rd September 2021
Hi and welcome to this brief message about the Creative Writer’s Toolbelt podcast. I have news! The Creative Writer’s Toolbelt is relaunching on Friday 3rd September. To catch all the new episodes you can subscribe to the podcast here: https://the-creative-writers-toolbelt.castos.com/ After a...
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Episode 161 Writing your memoir
Has the Covid-19 virus forced you into being at home with time on your hands? Could now be the time to start that memoir project you've been meaning to get around to for so long? If so, this is the episode for you. My guest for this episode is the journalist, editor, commissioning editor and...
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Episode 160 Lockdown for writers
Yes I'm back! I want to do two or three more episodes before I finish, to address the extraordinary times we are living in, and in this episode I am talking to two writer / entrepreneurs, Wendy H Jones and Abidemi Sanusi about how writers can survive and thrive in Lockdown. We discuss motivation,...
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Episode 159 Thank you for listening, and goodbye
Sadly, this is the last episode of the podcast, at least for now. From the end of March I am putting The Creative Writer's Toolbelt on hiatus. Listen to this episode for my explanation of why I am finishing (nothing sinister!) and news about a possible writer's event that I'd like to host at some...
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Episode 158 Take the advice that works for you. A conversation with freelance editor Ellen Brock
This episode features one of my favourite guests, an editor who manages to combine a formidable expertise with a friendly and accessible manner, you’ll most likely know her from her YouTube channel, but she also featured in a two part episode on the podcast in 2018, it’s the wonderful Ellen…
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Episode 157 - Keep your eyes on your own paper! Maintaining your balance as an author - with Barbara Poelle
This episode is a conversation with Barbara Poelle, agent with the Irene Goodman Literary Agency. We talk about the importance of having good critique partners, how to approach an agent at a conference, and that old favourite – showing not telling. Enjoy!
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Episode 156 - Observing your characters with compassion. A conversation with Abbigail N. Rosewood
This episode is a conversation with the Vietnamese born writer, Abbigail N. Rosewood, about her first novel 'If I had two lives'. In this conversation we talk about withholding judgement to maintain the story, how to use sensory information to introduce a character, how honesty can lead to…
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Episode 155 Dana Kaye saves the day! Branding Marketing and a Crisis Consultation if you need it. With branding and marketing expert Dana Kaye
Writing is hard, branding and marketing can be even harder! So I was delighted to have the chance to talk to branding and marketing expert Dana Kaye. Dana works with authors to develop a coherent authentic brand, and effective and innovating marketing initiatives.
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Episode 154 - From perseverance to publication. A conversation with writer and speaker Joan E Histon
This episode features a friend of mine who has worked hard to overcome the issues so many of us writers face. Joan Histon is a writer, a speaker, and a spiritual director. She has faced the kinds of challenges and obstacles that you and I have faced with our writing, and yet she overcome these…
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Episode 153 Kandy Kingdom's Most Wanted! A conversation with Greg Millman
This episode is a conversation with Hollywood script writer, ad exec, and YA author Gregg Millman. Gregg has been on the writing teams for documentaries, films and TV series, and more recently has worked with a number of global brands across a range of media and platforms.In this episode we talk...
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Episode 152 - From the page to the stage with Tony Award winning Broadway producer Ken Davenport
Have you ever wanted to write for the theatre but haven’t had the incentive or help to get do it? Have you ever wondered what makes a Broadway producer decide to bring a show to the bright lights and the big stage? Well you are about to find out because this episode is a conversation with Tony...
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Episode 151 - Do it without having to prove you're good! Encouragement for the writer's life with Cynthia Morris
This episode can be summed up with a single, wonderful word: encouragement! My guest is the author, artist, and coach Cynthia Morris, and in this episode we discuss the fears writer's feel, the need to be kind to ourselves, and how we should sneak up on ourselves to write something great.
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Episode 150 - 'Trust the truth; trust your writing.' A conversation with the Pope's Astronomer Brother Guy Consolmagno
Do you trust your work? Do you trust yourself enough to let your work go wherever it wants to go, to be authentic? That’s one of the questions, and challenges I explore with my guest in this episode of the podcast. His name is Brother Guy Consolmagno, and he is a Jesuit Brother and also an MIT...
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Episode 149 Cops and Writers! Tips for authoring your police procedural with Wendy H Jones and Sergeant Patrick O'Donnell
One of the most popular genres for fiction writers is the murder mystery or police procedural. But this is also a genre where writers can easily get things wrong. In this episode I'm joined by crime writer Wendy H Jones and we speak to Patrick O’Donnell, a serving officer with 25 years of...
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Episode 148 - More than Pandas! The renaissance in Chinese Science Fiction and what it means for readers and writers in the West
This is a special episode examining the rise in the popularity and influence of Chinese Science Fiction. In the last twenty years, Chinese Sci Fi has flourished across a range of media, spurred by successes like Liu Cixin's Hugo Award-winning novel The Three-Body Problem, and this year's Chinese...
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Episode 147 - Perseverance branding and podcasting for writers with Sarah Werner
My guest for this episode is my friend Sarah Werner. Sarah is a creator, producer, and encourager of fellow creatives. She is also the host of the 'Write Now' and 'Girl In Space' podcasts. Sarah always manages to combine warmth and wisdom in what she says, and in this conversation she shares...
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Episode 146 - A request to hear about YOUR writing challenges and it's time for a story!
This episode starts with a request. Tell me your writing challenges! What are the technical craft problems you're facing? Give me the challenge of research and presenting a solution for you and all of us here on the podcast. Also, it's story time. Sit back and listen to the original, unpublished...
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Episode 145: Own it! How to take charge of your own destiny as a writer with Abidemi Sanusi
My guest for this episode is Abidemi Sanusi. Abidemi is a Nigerian born former human rights worker turned author, and has been writing and publishing books across multiple genres for fifteen years. Her novel, Eyo, about a 10 year old girl trafficked to the UK with promises of a better life, was...
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Episode 144 What writers can learn from 'Emeralds of Oz'. A conversation with Peter Guzzardi
My guest for this episode has spent over 40 years in the publishing business, editing everyone from Professor Stephen Hawking to Douglas Adams. And now it's his turn to write a book rather than edit one, and so Peter has written "Emeralds of Oz: Life Lessons from Over the Rainbow" a look at the...
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Episode 143 Disrupted! How self-publishing became the most significant thing to happen to the publishing business for centuries - with Orna Ross
This episode is the second part of my conversation with Orna Ross: poet, author and founder and Director of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi). Here Orna and I discuss the amazing impact of self-publishing, the rise of the indie author, the priorities for indie authors, the challenges…
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Episode 142 The renaissance in poetry: new opportunities in poetic expression with Orna Ross
The combination of new social media platforms and the rise of opportunities for self publishing has led to an amazing renaissance in poetry and poetic expression, both digitally and on the page. This is truly an exciting time for poets, and there are lots of new opportunities for poetic…
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Episode 141 So why did it take you 10 years to write this book? And other awkward questions for writers
This episode features a conversation with me about my book "The Centauri Survivors" which is published today, and explores some of the lessons any author can learn as publication day approaches. I'm the guest for this one and the questions are being asked by my friend Wendy H. Jones. In this...
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Episode 140 How to work with your development editor. With Amanda Rutter and examples from The Centauri Survivors
Writers are becoming more convinced of the need to use professionals to help them with their work, and one of the essential members of the team is the Development Editor. But what do Development Editors do and how can they add value? In this episode I talk to my development editor Amanda Rutter…
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Episode 139 When characters go rogue.
This episode is a response to an issue I’ve been discussing with a listener. We talked about characters who seem to take over the story, who depart from the script and, as the title of this podcast suggests, go rogue. In this episode we look at what a rogue character is, why characters go rogue…
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Episode 138 "The smell of saffron; the shadow of war". Writing and publishing out of a non-Western background with Dr Pamela Fernandes
Pamela Fernandes is a writer and doctor. She escaped the first Gulf War with her family, fleeing to India. Since then she has lived in Asia, the US, and the Middle East and writes both fiction and non-fiction, drawing on her personal and professional experience. In this episode we discuss the...
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Episode 137 Tools and markets for the Indie Author. With Ricardo Fayet of Reedsy.com
As I prepare for the launch this summer of "The Centauri Survivors" my YA SciFi novel, I have been using the services of Reedsy.com, and so I caught up with co-founder Ricardo Fayet to talk about Reedsy Discovery: https://reedsy.com/discovery a service that allows you to showcase your new...
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Episode 136 Your guide for the journey. The work of the sensitivity reader with Patrice Williams Marks
We all want to introduce diverse characters into our work and not be afraid to tackle difficult social and cultural themes, but can we be sure we're getting the tricky issues right? Sensitivity readers like my guest Patrice Williams Marks can help us navigate and master the challenge of avoiding...
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Episode 135 'You are valuable just as you are. And so is your writing.' A conversation with Jen Louden.
In this episode, I have a great conversation with the writer and international speaker Jen Louden. I talk about my own personal philosophy for being a writer and we get into the hard questions: why do you want to write? What's your story REALLY about? And do you know who you are, and what you are...
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Episode 134 "All successful books have this one thing in common..." A conversation with Dr Ginger Moran
This episode is a conversation with the author, writing coach and academic Dr Ginger Moran. We talk about the right mindset for writing, the different disciplines that we need to bring to the first draft and editing, learning from great writers, and why we writers are such tender souls. And yes,...
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Episode 133 - Why it's so important for writers to feel proud of their work
Can we talk about our work without hesitation, and without feeling like there's some aspect to it that could have been better? Have we done your best with our book project? In this episode, I look at what it means for us writers to be proud of our work, how we achieve that, and what the benefits...
About this show
The Creative Writers Toolbelt gives practical accessible advice and encouragement to Creative writers.Each episode explores an aspect of creative writing technique, with examples, allowing you to apply what you learn immediately to your writing. We also throw in the occasional interview with writers and other artists, exploring their wisdom on subjects like story, style, character and the writing process
Hosted by
Andrew Chamberlain