This week I'm talking with Rebecca A. Dolence about writing scary stories for kids. Because it's almost Halloween! Come join the fun. Rebecca A. Dolence is a Certified Author Accelerator Book Coach, writer, and member of the SCBWI. Her passion lies in serving fiction writers who are serious about investing in their writing success. With a proven tr…

Rejection comes with writing, unfortunately. This week I talked with Rhonda Douglas about rejection. We swapped stories in which we have experienced it, Rhonda tells us what it's like to be the one rejecting stories and poems (eek!) and then we talk about some different perspectives in order to get through rejection. To find out more about Rhonda g…

I talk with Monica Hay today about something she helps writers with everyday: procrastination and perfectionism. Do you struggle with either of those? Me, too! Join us in today's talk! Find out more about Monica Hay and get into the Overcoming Resistance Bootcamp here (affiliate link): https://katcaldwell.com/monica-hay Join me at the Escape the Pl…

My interview today is with debut novelist, Ben Hawken. We chat about creative energy, a life of finding creative outlets and, ultimately, how he took on book writing. You can find out more about Ben on his website at https://www.benhawken.com/ You can buy Chandelier here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFNXQSKZ Join me at the Escape the Plot Forest Su…

Should we write backstory? Should we not? How much backstory should we include? Where and how should we include it? We tackle these questions today with three simple tips that will help you navigate backstory and make the decisions that are right for your story. PODCAST SUMMARY Bended Loyalty is out!! https://books.katcaldwell.com/loyalty Want to b…

Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer is an indie author who writes historical fiction that features authentic American Indian characters. Sign up for her newsletter here: https://www.subscribepage.com/sarahelisabethwrites And get signed up for the Dictation bootcamp (I will be there (this link is an affiliate)) here: https://www.fictioncourses.com/dictationbootc…

The other day, I heard Mark Hurwitz say that "the beginning of the book (exposition is the literary term) is a bit like a social contract between the reader and the writer. This got me thinking about the different critique groups and contests that we have that focus solely on the beginning phrases of our books. Are they helpful? I’m of the opinion …

Paulette Perhach’s writing has been published in the New York Times, Vox, Elle, The Washington Post, Slate, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Marie Claire, Yoga Journal, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Hobart, and Vice. She’s the author of two million-reader viral essays. Her book, Welcome to the ​Writer's Life, was published in 2018 by Sasquatch Books, part o…

Bended Loyalty is up for PREORDER! https://books.katcaldwell.com/loyalty Get Bended Dream here: https://books.katcaldwell.com/bended-prequel Like Substack? Find me at Lessons In Story. https://lessonsinstory.substack.com Sign up for my writers' newsletter to learn more about the craft of writing, know when my workshops are and be the first to get e…

Summer is here! Which can mean a complete disruption to our writing routine. Whether you're continuing a novel, starting a new one or wondering how to keep creative this summer, this episode is for you! The BookTribe podcast: https://thebooktribe.podbean.com/ Bended Loyalty is up for PREORDER! https://books.katcaldwell.com/loyalty Get Bended Dream …

Mary is a bestselling and award-winning author of 14 books in 3 genres, chef and former cooking school instructor. Her latest novel, A Woman's Guide To Search & Rescue (Oct24, 2023), is a cross-genre literary thriller that details a woman's escape for survival and how she flees to her estranged sister...who doesn't even know she exists.Her latest b…

Have you ever wanted to make your story into a movie? Beth Barany dreamed about it for years and is now making her dreams come true! In this episode we talk about moving making, about Kickstarters, about novel writing and editing and so much more! If you want to find out more about Beth, go to BethBarany.com. You can follow her film making process …

Today I speak with Chelle Honiker of Indie Author Magazine. We talk about the origins of the magazine, where it started and where it's going, what attending a writing conference can gain you and much more! Find the magazine here: https://indieauthormagazine.com/ Find the courses here: https://indieauthortraining.com/ Bended Loyalty it up for PREORD…

I have return guest Claire Taylor back to talk about her new book Sustain Your Author Career. We talk about the changes already happening in the book and publishing industry and what we can do to not freak out about them. Find out more about Claire Taylor here: https://www.ffs.media/about Find the book here: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/sustain…

For most of her life, Pacific Northwest naturalist, photographer, poet, and author Cheryl Grey Bostrom has lived in the rural and wild lands that infuse her writing. Her work has appeared in a variety of print and online publications, currently including the American Scientific Affiliation’s God and Nature Magazine (for which she’s a regular photo …

Karyn Fischer has extensive experience in the publishing and story world. She has worked behind the scenes at publishing house, as children's book and YA literary agent and now is a story coach helping writers get their stories crafted how they envision them. Listen to this episode to find out more about the details of the publishing and literary w…

You can find out more about Jeanne and get her book from your favorite bookstore at https://jeanneblasberg.com/ Be sure to sign up for her reader's newsletter! The classes she mentioned are from https://grubstreet.org/ Sign up for my writers' newsletter to learn more about the craft of writing, know when my workshops are and be the first to get exc…

Discover more about Lynn, her freelance writing company, her love for dogs and all her books at https://www.lynnbohart-author.com. Find Lynn's marketing book, The Little Book of Unconventional Marketing Ideas for Self-published Authors: Or How to Sell Books with Little to No Marketing Savvy on Amazon https://a.co/d/aPy6vVN Sign up for my writers' n…

Steven James is a critically acclaimed author of eighteen novels and numerous nonfiction books that have sold more than 1 million copies. His books have won or been shortlisted for dozens of national and international awards. In addition, his stories and articles have appeared in more than eighty different publications, including the New York Times…

At Golden May, we offer one-on-one coaching, a life-time access writing program, and regular workshops/events. We love working with fiction writers in MANY genres—especially those who write in fantasy, romance, sci-fi, historical, and contemporary works for all ages. If you’re ready to stop fighting what your writing life ‘should’ look like and sta…

If you're looking for an expert course on this the one I took was the WriterMBA course found here: https://courses.writermba.com/p/the-kickstarter-accelerator Novel Marketing (Thomas Umstad) also has a course. I have not taken it but have heard good things about it. You can find that here: https://training.authormedia.com/p/the-ultimate-crowdfundin…

Sher Davidson is an author of many genres. Her memoir, Europe with Two Kids and a Van, came out 50 years ago but is still relevant today. Now the travel guide has also launched. You can find out more about Sher at https://sherdavidson.com/ Be part of the Kickstarter at https://katcaldwell.com/bended-duology-kickstarter Sign up for my writers' newsl…

Check out ReamStories.com PublishDrive.com Look into IndieAuthorTraining.com Be an early reader of the Bended Duet by supporting the Kickstarter here: https://katcaldwell.com/bended-duology-kickstarter Join my writer's newsletter here: https://katcaldwell.com/writers-newsletter Join my reader's newsletter here: https://katcaldwell.com/fans-of-good-…

WRITEDAY is a subscription box program that delivers curated products from authors, creators, and small businesses to writers and readers in the US. It’s unique in that many products are sourced from writers who are also crafters and artisans. Each bi-monthly box delivers a writing craft book of the month and 3-7 items associated with the key conce…

Brooke Adams Law is an award-winning author and founder of the Writing Brave movement. Brooke helps creative, intuitive women claim their author identity so that they can start, finish and publish brave, dazzling books. Brooke’s debut novel Catchlight won the Fairfield Book Prize, was named a Best Indie Book of 2020 by Kirkus Reviews, and was featu…

Today my guest is Paula Judith Johnson. She's a historical romance writer and the creator of the Writing Romance Mastery Summit held twice a year. While involved in mountain man-era black powder clubs, Paula Judith Johnson regularly participated in shooting reproduction muzzleloading rifles, pistols, and shotguns. She also enjoyed activities that i…

My guest today is Traci Skuce. She's been a writing mentor to me during Covid. I took her six-month Embodied Story Intensive TWICE, that's how much I loved it. You can find it here: https://www.traciskuce.com/embodied-story-intensive/ Sign up for the Writing From the Heart Intimate Summit here to participate and then get on Traci's amazing newslett…

You can find everything you need to know about Book Brush and how to get started with their hourly concepts of ethel social media management with the following links: Hourly Concepts: https://bookbrush.com/hourly-concepts/ Hourly Concepts portfolio to peep the cool stuff: https://bookbrush.com/hourly-concepts-portfolio/ Hourly Concepts pricing menu…

Lynne is an author, writing coach, marketing entrepreneur and host of the Make Meaning Podcast. Her first novel, Woman of Valor, was released on September 26, 2023 and is a story about the courage to love the ordinary and seek satisfaction where you are, while shedding the need to please others. Lynne draws from her life experience as an Orthodox J…

You can find out more about Michelle and buy How to Get On Podcasts at https://michelleglogovac.com/ Find out more about the work and the clients she helps at https://themlgcollective.com/. Follow Michelle on the following social media apps: Facebook: The MLG Collective Instagram: The MLG Collective Podcast: My Simplified Life Sign up for my writer…

Susan DeFreitas is on a 'mission to tell stories that matter and help other's to do the same.' You can find out more about Susan, including how to work with her, at https://susandefreitas.com/ Sign up for my writers' newsletter to learn more about the craft of writing, know when my workshops are and be the first to get exclusive information on my w…

Emily A. Myers is an award-winning author of romantic suspense. Her first novel, The Truth About Unspeakable Things, was a First Place winner for the Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) Clue Award (2021) for suspense/ thriller fiction. The Truth About Unspeakable Things was also a finalist for the CIBA Chatelaine Award (2021) for romance a…

Go to Emmadhesi.com to sign up for the Be A Best-Seller summit. Looking for workshops? Go here https://workshops.katcaldwell.com/2024-workshops/ to find out more and use the coupon code LIPSTICK for $7 off the price Sign up for my writers' newsletter to learn more about the craft of writing, know when my workshops are and be the first to get exclus…

The name of the series I talk about in this episode is called The Last Of Us. Sign up for my writers' newsletter to learn more about the craft of writing, know when my workshops are and be the first to get exclusive information on my writing retreats. https://www.subscribepage.com/katcaldwellnewsletter Want more information on my books, author swap…

Sign up for my writers' newsletter to learn more about the craft of writing, know when my workshops are and be the first to get exclusive information on my writing retreats. https://www.subscribepage.com/katcaldwellnewsletter Want more information on my books, author swaps, short stories and what I’m reading? Sign up for my readers' newsletter. htt…

Gabriela Pereira is an author, speaker, and self-proclaimed word nerd who wants to challenge the status quo of higher education. Her mission is to empower writers to apply an entrepreneurial mindset to their professional growth. Find out more about DIYMFA by joining the newsletter here: https://diymfa.com/join/ and you'll be the first to know when …

Links Atticus: https://www.atticus.io ProWritingAid: https://katcaldwell.com/blackfridayprowritingaid PublisherRocket: https://katcaldwell.com/blackfridayrocket Scrivener: https://www.literatureandlatte.com BookFunnel: https://bookfunnel.com StoryOriginApp: https://katcaldwell.com/storyoriginapp (some are affiliate links from which I receive a smal…

Sign up for my writers' newsletter to learn more about the craft of writing, know when my workshops are and be the first to get exclusive information on my writing retreats. https://www.subscribepage.com/katcaldwellnewsletter Want more information on my books, author swaps, short stories and what I’m reading? Sign up for my readers' newsletter. htt…

It's one week into NaNo and 8 weeks until the end of the year. How can we accomplish our writing goals while staying sane? Sign up for my writers' newsletter to learn more about the craft of writing, know when my workshops are and be the first to get exclusive information on my writing retreats. https://www.subscribepage.com/katcaldwellnewsletter W…

There are certain scenes each novel needs. Whether you're participating in NaNoWriMo or not, this episode will help you get through the muddy middle and write a bang up beginning and ending. Sign up for my writers' newsletter to learn more about the craft of writing, know when my workshops are and be the first to get exclusive information on my wri…

This week I'm divulging what happened when I got together with another book coach to talk about my book that I want to come out next February: I was convinced to cut an entire plot point! Since I'm sure I'm not alone in this writing journey, I share why I decided to do it and how you can step back and decide whether you have too much plot or not as…

My guest today is Jennifer Hilt, multi-genre author and author of The Trope Thesaurus. We talk about tropes, the misconceptions surrounding them, how to use them properly and why you should chose them on purpose. You can find out more about Jennifer and buy her trope books at: https://www.jenniferhilt.com/ Sign up for my writers' newsletter to lear…

Sign up for my writers' newsletter to learn more about the craft of writing, know when my workshops are and be the first to get exclusive information on my writing retreats. https://www.subscribepage.com/katcaldwellnewsletter Want more information on my books, author swaps, short stories and what I’m reading? Sign up for my readers' newsletter. htt…

One way you can figure out your character is to choose an imbalance in one of the Big 5 Personality traits. Here's a quick exercise to apply it. Worksheet for personality is: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/k2d2x6 Plotting workshop: https://katcaldwell.com/plotting-on-the-spot Character workshop: https://katcaldwell.com/whats-in-a-c…

Want to know how to build buzz for your book? ZS Diamanti is here today to tell us how he did it. It's work, but it's worth it! Grab your favorite drink and come listen to how Zach drummed up interest for his book launch (ps, he's a BRAND new author, so these are tips everyone will find useful!) Check out Zach's books at https://zsdiamanti.com/ Sig…

Want to expand your first book into a series? Or do you want to write a series from scratch? Did you knew that there are four different ways to write a series? Join me this week as Lewis educates me on writing Beyond Book One. Find the book here. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CH1H36R5/ Sign up for my writer's newsletter here:https://katcaldwell.com/w…

Today I'm talking with Katia from MiblArt. She explains to us how MiblArt is different from other book cover designers as well as gives us tips to creating the best book cover for your book. Find out more about MiblArt at miblart.com Find out more about Katia here https://linktr.ee/katia.bookcoverdesign Sign up for my writer's newsletter here:https…

Today we're going over the 7 things you MUST have in each story. A bit of a refresher course before we go into fall. Sign up for my writer's newsletter here:https://katcaldwell.com/writers-newsletter Sign up for my reader's newsletter here: https://katcaldwell.com/readers Find me at https://katcaldwell.com or on Instagram as @katcaldwell.author or …

Carissa Andrews is back on the podcast to talk about her newest brand course called 4 Book, 5 Days: Mastering AI-Enhanced Series Planning! 4 Book, 5 Days is going to run October 1st – 6th and you can sign up for the early bird price until September, then for just $47 until October. Find out more and register here: https://authorrevolution.org/4book…

Alicia McCalla creates thrilling stories, audiobooks, and merchandise featuring courageous Black heroines. After losing her son, she dedicated herself to sharing empowering tales of overcoming adversity. Her sci-fi, fantasy, and paranormal horror celebrate badass Black women - superheroes, slayers, and more. Fin out more about Alicia and her books …