The Merry Writer Podcast

EPISODE SHOW NOTES A few episodes ago, we touched upon book launch roadmaps. It was then we realized that we had never discussed a roadmap on the show before, so here we are. Just what is a book launch roadmap and what does it entail? This week, we discuss how to use a roadmap to streamline your self-publishing journey. In this episode, we cover: What a book launch roadmap is Why it's important How to create and use one As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES This week, we’re getting to know author Jill Haymaker. Jill is a contemporary western romance author with several short stories published. She writes the Montana Pines series, which currently has eight books available now. In this episode, we cover: Jill's writing inspiration Marketing tactics Her self-publishing journey and more! As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! ABOUT JILL HAYMAKER ill has always had a passion for writing. She resides on the front range of Colorado and enjoys getting up into the mountains and riding horses. If you love western small town romance, you will love the strong heroines and handsome cowboys in her books. She has three contemporary romance series set high in the Colorado Rockies—the Peakview Series, the Aspen Ridge Series, and the Peaktop Dude Ranch Series. Currently she is writing a Montana Pines Series. She also has several short stories published by Chicken Soup for the Soul. She practiced family law for over 20 years before closing her law office to become a full-time author. She has three grown children, and six granddaughters and one grandson. When not writing, Jill enjoys the Colorado mountains, horseback riding, gardening, long walks with her Toy Australian Shepherd, Merlin, and spending time with her children and grandchildren. Website | Instagram | Goodreads | TikTok WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES A crucial part of prepping your book for publication to ensuring it prints correctly and looks great without any errors. To check that, you need to order an author proof. This week, we discuss how to give your author proof a thorough look over to make sure it's 110% ready for publication. In this episode, we cover: What an author proof is Draft2Digital vs IngramSpark vs Amazon KDP Checking in interior and exterior and more! As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES EDIT: Apologies for the technical issues. During the recording our connection became unstable and both myself and Rachel ended up out of Zoom for brief periods   Yes, we are back with another editing episode. For those new to writing, the editing process can be quite overwhelming, so we discuss some things that can help you get started and what to consider when editing your first manuscript. In this episode, we cover: Know the types of edits Make a list of things to consider Take a break Use a style sheet First pass read Get outside help and more As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take a moment to review our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are currently accepting submissions. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Unfortunately, we need to promote our books when we write them. In a digital world, social media is the way to go. But how can you take enticing book photos for your social channels? That's what we discuss this week. In this episode, we cover: Equipment and lighting to use Props you can use Editing your photos As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES We are discussing characters and how to develop them a little deeper. In this episode, we cover: Go beyond the basic archetype Beginning, middle and end Use conflict Don't forget side characters As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES This week, we’re getting to know Sam Weiss. Sam is a sci-fi horror author who’s been published for over ten years, drawing inspiration from 80s horror films and 90s sci-fi films. Her latest release, In the House of Root and Rot, is available now. In this episode, we cover: Sam's writing inspiration Weird book research Her self-publishing journey and more! As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! ABOUT SAM WEISS While Sam is terrible at writing “About Me”s about her, she’s been told she’s great at writing about what fictional people do. The more miserable she can make them, the better. Her love of horror films from the 80s, sci-fi shows from the 90s, and alternative music from the 00s have inspired her to write what she’s calling “Weird Sci-fi Horror” although she’s kind of making that up as she goes along. Website | Instagram | Goodreads | TikTok Buy The Stages of Decay WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES We are back with another editing episode. Today, we are discussing when to hire a professional editor. In this episode, we cover: What you need to have done Who needs to see it first Getting over perfectionism and more As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take a moment to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are currently accepting submissions. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Universal links are an excellent way to tell people where you are and what you do with one click of a button. But not as many people seem to use them often, so we decide to discuss it this week. In this episode, we cover: What universal links are What to include in your universal link How you can make universal links As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Today, we are all about the ISBNs - covering lots of things from pricing to expiry dates.   In this episode, we cover: What is it? Where to get them How many are needed Do they expire Costs Barcodes Resources Nielsen ISBN Store Bowker ISBN ISBN International Kindlepreneur (for free barcodes) Draft2Digital As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take a moment to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are currently accepting submissions. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Please help us welcome our first guest of 2026, Jenna Moreci! Jenna is a dark fantasy romance author who also runs a successful YouTube channel. The first installment of her dark fantasy romance series, The Savior’s Champion, was voted one of the best books of all time by Book Depository. The latest installment, book three titled The Savior’s Army, is available for pre-order. In this episode, we cover: Jenna's writing process Her YouTube channel Her writing journey and more! As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! ABOUT JENNA MORECI Jenna Moreci is an award-winning romantasy and writing craft author and YouTube sensation. Her first installment in the Savior’s Series, The Savior’s Champion, was voted one of the Best Books of All Time by Book Depository. Following the release of her first writing craft book, Shut Up and Write the Book, she’s been asked to speak for many literary communities and affiliations about the writing process and romantasy genre, including Robinson College at Cambridge University, the University of Groningen, and the London Screenwriters’ Festival. Website | YouTube | Instagram | BookBub | Facebook Preorder The Savior's Army WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Do you struggle with knowing when to "finish" your writing? Are you stuck in a loop of never-ending edits? Don't worry, you're not alone - we've been there too. In this episode, we cover: Getting outside help Acknowledging procrastination Setting deadlines and more As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take a moment to review our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are currently accepting submissions. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Reviews are precious to an author, but how can you get them? Most casual readers don't leave reviews so you'll have to seek them out. One way to do that is to reach out to book bloggers. This week, we discuss how to pitch your book to them. In this episode, we cover: What to do before pitching your book Sending your pitching After you send the pitch As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Just how many edit passes do you give your manuscript before sending it off to a professional editor? This is what we are discussing in today's episode! In this episode, we cover: Ari’s editing process Rachel’s editing process Our thoughts As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take a moment to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are currently accepting submissions. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES This week, we discuss some of our favorite writing craft books that help us get through our writing. We touch upon mystery, fantasy, and writing in general, plus the career side of it. In this episode, we cover: Why writing craft books are useful Rachel's recs Ari's recs Books mentioned: Howdunit Book of Poisons: A Guide for Writers by Serita Stevens & Anne Bannon Howdunit Forensics by D.P. Lyle Police Procedure & Investigation: A Guide for Writers by Lee Lofland The Crime Writer's Reference Guide: 1001 Tips for Writing the Perfect Murder by Martin Roth How to Write a Successful Series by Helen B. Scheuerer How to Launch a Successful Series by Helen B. Scheuerer Wonderbook by Jeff VanderMeer Writer's Complete Fantasy Reference: An Indispensible Compendium of Myth and Magic by Writers Digest Writing and Editing Checklists by K.M. Allan (plus the Authoring Checklists companion) As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES You've finished your story, edited it to within an inch of its life, and now it's time to let a professional take a look! So just what do you need to consider when choosing an editor?  In this episode, we cover: Qualifications Contracts AI clause Cost and lots more Bonus We created a bonus for our Ko-fi Members on where you can find an editor.  As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take a moment to review our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are currently accepting submissions. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES An author newsletter, or email list, is important to have for writers to connect with their readers and have a unique platform to promote their books. However, there's many pros and cons to having a list, and is it even still relevant in 2026? In this episode, we cover: What an author newsletter is and its purpose Factors and stats to think about before starting an email list Conversion rates References: What is a Good Open Rate? What is a Click Rate? As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Do you ever come away from a doom-scrolling session and feel energised? Probably not. Our tech devices demand a lot of our time and often leave us feeling drained, down in the dumps and struggling to focus. If that's you, then maybe a digital detox is in order. Check out today's episode as we discuss just that! In this episode, we cover: What is a digital detox? Why do a digital detox? Benefits of a digital detox How to do a digital detox? As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take a moment to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are currently accepting submissions. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Happy New Year! With a new year comes new goals, of course. This week, we discuss accomplishments and goals for our writing in 2026. In this episode, we cover: Our writing accomplishments in 2025 Rachel's 2026 writing goals Ari's 2026 writing goals As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Since this is the last episode of 2025, we thought we'd do another Rapid Fire Question episode (yes, we know it's seldom "rapid" but just go with it) :) These questions are not just any questions; we are re-answering ones from way back... in 2020! In this episode, we cover: Are you a planner, pantser or plantser? What is your typical writing routine? Do you prefer hardbacks, paperbacks, ebooks or audiobooks? What is the best / worst thing about writing? How do you keep up with your writing goals? How do you choose which story to write? What do you do if you hit a roadblock in your novel? As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Happy 300 episodes! This means you've been listening to us talk every week for 300 weeks straight. Crazy, huh? This week, we thought it'd be fun (and horrifying) to listen back to some old episodes and see how far we've come as podcasters and writers. Thanks for listening for so long! In this episode, we listen to: Clips from episode 2 Clips from episode 6 Clips from episode 12 As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Since we are almost at the end of the year AND close to our 300th episode, we thought we do a silly-ish episode taking a look at some of the haters and crappy people you might meet when you become a writer.  As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES We all know the author bio, but have you heard of an author brand story? This week, we discuss what it is and why it could be beneficial to write one for your author career. In this episode, we cover: Brand story vs. bio How to write one How many should you write Related Episode: How Do You Write A Good Author Bio? As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES This week, Ari is sadly absent due to timezones. So, I'm interviewing author KM Allan on my own. Join me as we talk about her routine, books, and more. In this episode, we cover: KM's writing process Her new checklist book Writing routine (writing and authoring) and more! As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! ABOUT KM Allan K.M. Allan is the author of The Blackbirch Series and a blogger powered by chocolate and green tea. She's also an identical twin, but not the evil one. Website | Instagram | Amazon  WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you! If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES It's time for another writing challenge! This time, we decided to use Write or Die to get some work done and test if it can help (or hinder) your progress. In this episode, we cover: What Write or Die is Our experiences with the program Whether we'd recommend it As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES We are back with an episode on editing as we discuss and share some of the words you can cut to help tighten up your manuscript. Do you have any of these littered through your work? Or maybe ones we haven't mentioned! In this episode, we cover: Weak words Adverbs Overused words Redundancies Resources Mentioned: Wordcounter.net Wordhipp.com As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES We've discussed budgeting for a book launch, now it's time to budget your whole author career! Well, at least get to know some of the expenses you may have. In this episode, we cover: Figuring out your author goals List of potential expenses Legal stuff List of potential income Related Episodes: How Should You Budget For Your Novel? How Can You Create A Professional Author Website? (with Pauline Wiles) Do You Need Author Insurance? As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES This week, we interview film-maker and author Melanie Ansley. She discusses her books, processes, and inspirations. In this episode, we cover: Melanie's start with writing Her writing process and routine What inspired her Book of Theo series Publishing path  and more! As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! ABOUT Melanie Ansley Hi! I'm an award-winning author and filmmaker of Chinese descent. I love stories involving magic, underdogs, and the power of art in our lives. I've written for Oscar-winning producers, been held at gunpoint during a film festival, and penned a series that won a student Emmy. When I'm not doing those things, I'm juggling writing, filmmaking, and raising two children (all of which involve a certain level of magic and a lot of luck). Website | Instagram | Facebook  WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

FIRSTLY, AN APOLOGY This was meant to go out on Monday 27th October. However, I (Ari) messed that up by not having it ready and then forgetting completely. So, despite what the audio says about it being Monday (it isn't) and the book launching today (it didn't... it launched on Monday), I hope you still enjoy this! Rachel has graciously forgiven me for being scatterbrained. ;)    This is a little Mini Merry Moment, to give a shout-out to Rachel's upcoming book: Happily Ever Afterlife (book 2 in the Grim Reaper Files)! Please make sure to give Rachel lots of love on this new endeavour. ​Add the book to your Goodreads, keep an eye out for it on Amazon or wherever you buy your books and don't forget to leave a review once you've read it!   Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of http://www.incompetech.com | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Do you track your WIP's progress? If so, how? This week, we discuss various ways you can track your progress to meet your novel's goals. In this episode, we cover: Word counts Page counts Tacking time Recommendation: TrackBear As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Are you creating a rich world for your new fantasy story? Ready to populate it with different types of characters? In today's episode, we discuss writing fantasy characters and what you might want to think about when creating them. In this episode, we cover: What is a fantasy character? Types of fantasy characters Things to consider and more! As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take a moment to review our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are currently accepting submissions SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Writing can be a lonely journey, which is why it's best to have a friend to do it with. And why not keep each other accountable with your work? In this episode, we cover: What an accountability buddy is How to choose a partner Having regular check-ins Having goals As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Have you ever considered writing a serial? Today we are discussing the option of serial writing, where readers are forced to have delayed gratification as they way to learn "what happens next". In this episode, we cover: What is a serial? What are some of the benefits? What are some of the possible issues? Platforms you can upload serials on Our thoughts Platforms Wattpad Ream Inkitt Substack Raddish - (this has now closed) Royal Road Dreame Moonquill Webnovel As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take a moment to review our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are currently accepting submissions. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Another guest joins us on the show this week! We're talking to fantasy author C.H. Carter about how she started as an author and her work. In this episode, we cover: Her inspiration Her writing process Her publishing journey and more! As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! ABOUT C.H. CARTER C.H. Carter is a fantasy author with a lifelong love of the genre in all its forms. In middle school, she wrote a fan letter to Tamora Pierce and received the most encouraging reply! That experience cemented her desire to become an author. (She also still holds out the hope they can meet in person one day!) When not writing, you can find her working on a number of rotating projects (Crochet, anyone?) and obsessing over her two rescue dogs. TO KISS THE SEA is C.H. Carter's debut novel. Website | Instagram | Threads | TikTok | Goodreads WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES We are at it again with another challenge. Today, we discuss our progress and results from writing Morning Pages. In this episode, we cover: What are Morning Pages? Why are Morning Pages encouraged? Rachel’s experience Ari’s experience Final thoughts As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take a moment to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are currently accepting submissions. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES You can't please everyone, but your readers should be able to relate to some of your fictional babies. But how do you do that? Well, that's what we're discussing this week. In this episode, we cover: What "relatable characters" mean How to develop your characters in a relatable way Keeping track of your characters Related Episode - How Do You Create Character Profiles? As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Do you handwrite any of your novel? Maybe the outline? How about the notes? Do you do any handwriting, outside perhaps the odd birthday card? Well, in today's episode, we discuss why it might be a good idea to write by hand more often. In this episode, we cover: What the science says Our thoughts on the growth of technology (yes, we went on tangents) Suggestions for things to handwrite Accessibility acknowledgement and more Source Frontiers National Library of Medicine Springer Nature BBC As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES This week, we're back with another author interview! Liz Shipton, a speculative fiction author, joins us to discuss her work. In this episode, we cover: Liz's creative process Themes she covers in her books How she sells her books direct and more! As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! ABOUT LIZ SHIPTON Liz Shipton is a writer a fully off-grid liveaboard sailor. She's currently sailing around the world with her partner and her dog, turning her real-life adventures into speculative fiction. She's also known for her viral comedy videos on Booktok and Bookstagram. Website | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | YouTube | Threads WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Today, we are looking at keeping consistent within our manuscripts, which is why we are all about Style Sheets In this episode, we cover: What is a style sheet? Why is it used? What can you add to your style sheet? and more! As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take a moment to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are currently accepting submissions. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES We all need to procrastinate on our writing once in a while, so why not create fun aesthetics for your WIP? This week, we discuss cool things for you to make that your readers will most likely enjoy, too! In this episode, we cover: Types of aesthetics you can make How you can make them How (and where) you can use them As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Sometimes, even the most prolific writers feel themselves struggling with inspiration and ideas. So what can we do when our creative well runneth dry? In this episode, we cover: What is the creative well What depletes the creative well Some methods for refilling the well and more! As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take a moment to review our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are currently accepting submissions SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES This week, we interview author LB Carter on her and her work. She talks about her many works, themes in her books, and more. In this episode, we cover: LB's start with writing Her writing process and routine Advice on promoting your work and more! As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! ABOUT LB Carter L.B. Carter is a multi-award-winning, internationally bestselling author, dancer, scientist with a PhD in volcanoes, and cat-mom who loves hot chocolate, fairy lights, foxes, and morally gray characters. She writes a mix of haunting paranormal urban fantasy, gripping suspense, chilling mystery, and dark humor with a dash of light romance. Expect unique magical realism with lore twists told by quirky anti-heroes. Website | Amazon | Goodreads | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Check out Body Snatcher WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES We're back with another mini writing challenge. We've all heard the advice about the importance of writing daily. So, we decided we would take 30 days and writing every day. In this episode, we cover: How we had thought it would go Discussing weeks 1-5 What we learnt from this challenge As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Recently, we discussed creating an author media kit. To go along with that, we thought it'd be a good idea to discuss book press releases. This week, we're talking about how to create one for your latest release. In this episode, we cover: What a book press release is Why you should have one What to include in your press release Where (and how) to share it As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES We are back to talking about Productivity as we look at ways to find more time to write. We could all use more time, right? So, today we are discussing the benefits of a Time Budget. In this episode, we cover: What a time budget is How long to track your time Tracking your energy The importance of rest time and wiggle room and more! As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Every book needs a blurb or how else are readers going to know what it's about? The blurb helps a reader decide to open the book to its first page and possibly buy it. This week, we're talking about book blurbs and how to write one. In this episode, we cover: Blurb vs. synopsis What to include in your blurb What to possibly avoid in the blurb Ari reads an example blurb As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Today, we welcome back author Andrew McDowell on the podcast. He shares his thoughts, insights and experiences in this author interview.  Andrew appeared on our Podcast way back at the beginning for episode 023 back in 2020. In this episode, we cover: His writing processes and writing style His inspiration Marketing tactics and more! Click here to listen to his earlier episode As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! ABOUT Andrew McDowell is the author of the fantasy novel Mystical Greenwood and Beneath the Deep Wave, which was a finalist in the 2019 American Fiction Awards, won the 2021 Maryland Writers’ Association Novel Contest, and was an honorable mention in the 2021 Top Shelf Magazine contest. He studied at St. Mary’s College of Maryland and the University of Maryland, College Park. Andrew has had poetry, short stories, and essays featured in anthologies and literary journals. He was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder. He is a member of the Maryland Writers’ Association.  Website | Facebook | Bluesky | YouTube WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi, Jeremy, Kris & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES Habits are never easy to maintain. Building a writing habit is just as tough. This week, we go over some ideas on how to keep the writing consistency going. In this episode, we cover: Knowing the difference between progress and procrastination Having a plan Find a writing buddy or group Being flexible and more! As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES We have decided to do a few silly mini challenges, and we are starting with this one. One piece of (odd) advice that circulates the writing community every few years is the "miracle" of Comic Sans and how it can help you be motivated and get out of writer's block. So we decided to give it a try, and these are the results In this episode, we cover: Why are we doing this challenge? Why Comic Sans? Rachel's detailed insights Ari's roughshod insights Final thoughts As always, thank you for listening. Please share your thoughts in the comments below, like the video, and subscribe to the channel if you're not already! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; we have plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0  

EPISODE SHOW NOTES If you have a book published and want to get your name out there more, then having an author media kit is a great place to start. This week, we discuss what an author media kit, and how to put one together. In this episode, we cover: Media kit vs. press kit vs. press release Why having an author media kit is important What to include in your media kit How to present your media kit As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content! WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page. If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time. SUPPORT THE PODCAST Ko-fi You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support. Special Thanks Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie Share If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments. CREDITS Hosts Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli Music Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0