Explore every episode of the podcast Breaking Writer's Block
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spooky Season Writing | 10 Oct 2024 | 00:06:50 | |
| Focus on YOU | 09 Oct 2024 | 00:05:26 | |
| Advice from Edgar Wright | 29 Sep 2024 | 00:03:26 | |
| Mid-year Check-in: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself | 01 Jul 2024 | 00:08:47 | |
We've made it halfway through 2024, friends! Today, I have five questions for you to ask yourself to evaluate the first half of the year and set yourself up for success in the second half of the year. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #153: Setting Flexible Goals AKA June Check-in Let's Connect: | |||
| For the First-time Writers | 30 Jun 2024 | 00:06:58 | |
Today, I want to talk specifically to those of you who are writing your first book or screenplay. This is my advice for first-time writers. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #13: Why Do You Resist Writing? #40: Why Do You Procrastinate? Let's Connect: | |||
| Choose Brave Today | 29 Jun 2024 | 00:05:47 | |
Bravery doesn't mean you don't feel fear; it simply means you choose to act in spite of the fear. Today, I'm challenging you to choose bravery. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #3: Are Your Thoughts Helping You Write? Let's Connect: | |||
| Your Pace Is YOUR PACE | 28 Jun 2024 | 00:05:40 | |
There's a lot of noise in the writing world about whether it's best to write fast or write slow. But the reality is, there is NO morality to the speed at which a book is written. Your Pace Is YOUR PACE. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #12: The Problem With Writing Advice #23: The Practice Is What's Important #27: How Do They Write So Fast? Let's Connect: | |||
| The Most Important Writing Advice | 27 Jun 2024 | 00:06:45 | |
I was recently asked what's the most important advice I have for writers...if I could give new writers only ONE piece of advice, what would it be? Today's episode is that advice. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #25: YOU the Successful Author #42: You Might Not Win the Superbowl Let's Connect: | |||
| Baste Your Story Together | 26 Jun 2024 | 00:07:06 | |
I spent the last two days sewing a new swimsuit. This is how much thread I needed to put in and then pull back out of the suit. See the ball of basting thread I pulled from my swimsuit here! Related Episodes: #83: Does Outlining Ruin the Discovery of Your First Draft? Let's Connect: | |||
| Should You Change Your Outline? | 25 Jun 2024 | 00:05:58 | |
You've taken the time to plan out your book and create an outline...but now that you're writing your first draft, you find yourself veering off course. Should you force yourself to write to the outline, or should you stop writing to change your outline? Let's discuss. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #83: Does Outlining Ruin the Discovery of Your First Draft? #102: What You WANT to Write #116: Why Bother Outlining? Let's Connect: | |||
| What Time of Day Should You Write? | 24 Jun 2024 | 00:05:11 | |
Should you be writing at the same time every day? What should your daily writing schedule look like? Let's discuss all things routine! Happy writing! Related Episodes: #17: You Need to Write Every Day...Right? #12: The Problem With Writing Advice #9: Finding Time to Write...When You Have No Time Let's Connect: | |||
| What's Your Fallback Job? | 23 Jun 2024 | 00:06:16 | |
Eddie Murphy said having something to fall back on is setting yourself up for failure because if you have something to fall back on, you will fall back. But we live in a world where you need money to support yourself, and that may mean needing a job outside of your writing. Let's discuss how to navigate this without setting yourself up for failure. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #25: YOU the Successful Author #37: The Secret to a Successful Creative Career Let's Connect: | |||
| It's All Subjective | 22 Jun 2024 | 00:05:55 | |
Getting a negative review can be heartbreaking, but it's part of being an author. Let's discuss the subjectivity of reviews and how to protect yourself from the hurt they can cause. Happy writing! Related Episodes: Let's Connect: | |||
| Getting the Beginning Right | 28 Sep 2024 | 00:06:11 | |
What do you do if you've been writing and rewriting the beginning of your book but can't get it quite right? The answer to the beginning will likely be found in the end. Happy writing! | |||
| Is it Legit or a Scam? | 21 Jun 2024 | 00:09:03 | |
There's some author drama on the internet this week, friends, and with it comes a lot of questions about how to know if a writing/publishing course or service provider is legit or scamming you. Today, I want to review the red flags to watch for to help keep you safe. Happy writing! Related Episodes: Let's Connect: | |||
| The Easiest (and BEST!) Way to Learn Your Genre | 20 Jun 2024 | 00:06:29 | |
Learning how to effectively write in a new genre can be an intimidating prospect, but don't worry--the best way to learn a new genre is also the easiest way. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #44: Who Is Your Ideal Reader? #87: Does My Romance Novel Need a Happy Ending? Let's Connect: | |||
| Maintaining Boundaries for Your Writing Practice | 19 Jun 2024 | 00:07:23 | |
Not everyone in your life will respect your time and your writing practice. Setting--and then maintaining--boundaries around your writing is one of the best things you can do to bring peace to your practice. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #57: How to Balance Writing with Your Other Work Let's Connect: | |||
| Take a Vacation | 18 Jun 2024 | 00:06:10 | |
I'm back from my vacation and ready to talk about why I chose not to record new episodes for the four days I was gone, as well as why taking a vacation from your writing is a good idea. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #4: How to Avoid the Pressure of Hustle Culture as a Writer #17: You Need to Write Every Day...right? #9: Finding Time to Write...When You Have No Time Let's Connect: | |||
| The Three Types of Writer's Block and How to Overcome Them - RERUN | 17 Jun 2024 | 00:08:12 | |
Hey friends! I'm on vacation this weekend, so rather than a brand new episode, I hope you enjoy this rerun of one of my favorite episodes of Breaking Writer's Block. Happy writing! Let's Connect: | |||
| Writer's Block Is Not a Luxury - RERUN | 16 Jun 2024 | 00:06:23 | |
Hey friends! I'm on vacation this weekend, so rather than a brand new episode, I hope you enjoy this rerun of one of my favorite episodes of Breaking Writer's Block. Happy writing! Let's Connect: | |||
| Why Do You Resist Writing? - RERUN | 15 Jun 2024 | 00:06:30 | |
Hey friends! I'm on vacation this weekend, so rather than a brand new episode, I hope you enjoy this rerun of one of my favorite episodes of Breaking Writer's Block. Happy writing! Let's Connect:
| |||
| Busting Writer's Block's Biggest Myth - RERUN | 14 Jun 2024 | 00:06:59 | |
| Be a Beginner | 13 Jun 2024 | 00:05:46 | |
“It is necessary to any originality to have the courage to be an amateur.” ~Wallace Stevens Happy writing! Related Episodes: #10: The One Thing ALL Successful Authors Have in Common #58: The Audacity to Chase Your Dreams #85: How to Inform Your Writing Let's Connect: | |||
| Back to the Basics | 12 Jun 2024 | 00:05:09 | |
No matter your skill level, sometimes the best way forward is to go back to the basics. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #18: Why is This Book Harder to Write Than the Last? #69: What if You Don't Need to Do MORE? Let's Connect: | |||
| None of Your Business | 27 Sep 2024 | 00:06:54 | |
What if people think you're wasting your time writing and should be doing something more productive instead? How do you convince yourself what you're doing is worthwhile? Let's discuss. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #49: Quantity Dictates Quality Let's Connect: | |||
| HOW Doesn't Matter | 11 Jun 2024 | 00:04:52 | |
There's a lot of debate about the best way to write a book or screenplay, but the reality is HOW you do it doesn't matter. All that matters is that you're writing in a way that works for you. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #12: The Problem With Writing Advice #23: The Practice is What's Important #45: Is the Advice Helpful or Harmful? Let's Connect: | |||
| A Practical Tip | 10 Jun 2024 | 00:04:39 | |
I have one simple tip for you today. It's not a writing tip, but it can help with your writing nonetheless. Happy writing! Related Episodes: Let's Connect: | |||
| Do You Need a Big Platform? | 09 Jun 2024 | 00:04:51 | |
There's been a lot of chatter online about growing an author platform before querying agents, but how big does your platform really need to be. Let's discuss. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #12: The Problem With Writing Advice #45: Is the Advice Helpful or Harmful? #91: How to Keep Your Peace While Querying Let's Connect: | |||
| Just One Thing | 08 Jun 2024 | 00:05:29 | |
It can be incredibly daunting and overwhelming to think about all the things that need to happen to give you your dream writing life. Today, I want you to pick just one thing that will bring you closer to your dreams. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #25: YOU the Successful Author #58: The Audacity to Chase Your Dreams #159: Two Lies That Are Keeping You Small Let's Connect: | |||
| Two Lies That Are Keeping You Small | 07 Jun 2024 | 00:06:35 | |
There are two lies that many writers have internalized as truths, and they are keeping so many people from reaching their dreams. Are you lying to yourself? Let's discuss. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #3: Are Your Thoughts Helping You Write? #25: YOU the Successful Author Let's Connect: | |||
| Dare to Dream... | 06 Jun 2024 | 00:03:35 | |
...and dare to start! I'm sharing a bit of wisdom from my journal today. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #25: YOU the Successful Author #37: The Secret to a Successful Creative Career #50: You Are NOT Aspiring. You Are a Writer! Let's Connect: | |||
| Get a Rubber Duck | 05 Jun 2024 | 00:05:18 | |
Today is my 16th wedding anniversary, so what better way to celebrate on the podcast than by sharing a trick Geek Husband taught me for breaking through any plot or story issues I might be facing. It's time to get a rubber duckie, y'all. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #6: Overcoming Writer's Indecision #22: Three Simple Steps to Solve Any Writing Problem #62: Writer's Block Isn't a Luxury #63: The Three Types of Writer's Block and How to Overcome Them Let's Connect: | |||
| How to Manage Research | 04 Jun 2024 | 00:06:16 | |
Research can be one of the most fun parts about writing, but it can also get in the way of writing your actual book. In today's episode, I share a couple tips for managing your research so you can both learn what you need to in order to write your book and avoid getting so caught up in the research phase that you never actually write the book. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #20: The Importance of The End #99: Working WITH Your Inner Editor Let's Connect: | |||
| The Best Part | 03 Jun 2024 | 00:05:41 | |
Recently I was asked what my favorite part of writing a book is, and the answer made me a bit sad. Here's why. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #5: The Importance of Boredom for Boosting Creativity Let's Connect: | |||
| Blue Ceilings | 02 Jun 2024 | 00:05:09 | |
When several authors do the same thing, it's tempting to think you need to do that thing too. But do you really? Happy Writing! Related Episodes: #17: You Need to Write Every Day...Right? Let's Connect: | |||
| Vampires Are (un)Dead? | 26 Sep 2024 | 00:06:22 | |
The word on the publishing street is that vampires, as a subgenre, are dead and nobody wants them. But if we turn to Hollywood, we can see a vampire resurgence over the past few years. Let's chat about what it's like to write in a "dead" genre and the cyclical nature of the industry. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #137: The Sky is Falling! How to Write in a "Dead" Genre #44: Who Is Your Ideal Reader? Let's Connect: | |||
| Setting Flexible Goals AKA June Check-in | 01 Jun 2024 | 00:07:28 | |
It's the start of a new month, so it's time to check in and see how May goals went and chat about being flexible in goal setting so you can take advantage of opportunities that come your way. Happy writing! Related Episodes: Let's Connect: | |||
| How Long Should a Chapter Be? | 31 May 2024 | 00:06:10 | |
One of the most frequently asked questions, especially by newer writers, is, "How long should a chapter be?" Well...how long is a string? Today, I talk about what a chapter actually is, the difference between a scene and a chapter, and why you should write your first drafts without chapters. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #12: The Problem With Writing Advice #45: Is the Advice Helpful or Harmful? Let's Connect: | |||
| Plot Bunnies | 30 May 2024 | 00:05:55 | |
Sometimes, it seems like story ideas are multiplying faster than rabbits and completely overwhelming you. Here's a quick tip to help you manage the deluge of plot bunnies. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #13: Why Do You Resist Writing? #29: How to Deal With Idea Overwhelm #121: You Don't Have a Craft Problem #149: What's the Worst That Can Happen? Let's Connect: | |||
| When Does it End? | 29 May 2024 | 00:06:04 | |
The question on many writers' minds is: When does it end? When will you no longer experience impostor syndrome and fear of failure? When will you no longer resist your writing practice? Let's discuss. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #13: Why Do You Resist Writing? #16: Nobody Knows What They Are Doing #10: The One Thing ALL Successful Authors Have in Common Let's Connect: | |||
| What's the Worst That Can Happen? | 28 May 2024 | 00:07:11 | |
When you're feeling inadequate, facing resistance, or experiencing a fear a failure, there's one tool that works wonderfully to help you get past those feelings and back to writing. It's time to ask yourself, What's the worst that can happen? Happy writing! Related Episodes: #13: Why Do You Resist Writing? Let's Connect: | |||
| How to Manage Overwhelming Wordcount Goals | 27 May 2024 | 00:06:15 | |
"An effective method for motivating yourself to exercise: go running every day for 30 minutes, and if you miss it, add 30 minutes to the next day. It's works really well--tomorrow, I'm going to run for two weeks." We laugh at the joke because we all know that's not a good way to approach your exercise. So why to we treat our word count goals like this as writers? It's time to build a more sustainable practice. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #4: Are Your Thoughts Helping You Write? #11: Is Your Writing Goal GOOD ENOUGH? #66: Stop Setting Word Count Goals Let's Connect: | |||
| A Surprising Way to Encourage Creativity | 26 May 2024 | 00:08:10 | |
When it comes to finding your deepest creativity, there's one super helpful trick that may surprise you: placing restrictions, constraints, and boundaries on your writing. Sometimes that's exactly what you need to nudge your creativity along. Happy writing! Read this fabulous op ed by Jason Blum, where he talks about how placing budget limitations on movies can actually increase the quality of the movies. Related Episodes: #137: The Sky Is Falling! How to Write in a "Dead" Genre Let's Connect: | |||
| There Is Success in Failure | 25 May 2024 | 00:06:56 | |
One of the least fun parts of being a writer is facing failure. But there is success in failure, and even your failed pieces are essential. Let's discuss. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #134: Is it Practicality or Is it Fear? #10: The One Thing ALL Successful Authors Have in Common Let's Connect: | |||
| Querying Brand New Agents | 24 May 2024 | 00:05:31 | |
When it comes time to query agents, there's one wonderful resource that is often overlooked: brand new agents who may not have sales yet but who are hungry for more clients. In today's episode, I discuss the ins and outs of targeting newer agents and things to watch out for so you can make sure you're only querying new agents who have the ability to sell your books. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #72: Traditional Publishing Myths #91: How to Keep Your Peace While Querying Let's Connect: | |||
| A Change of Scenery | 23 May 2024 | 00:06:01 | |
Routine and ritual are great for creating a sustainable writing practice, but what happens when they aren't working for you? It's time for a change of scenery! Happy writing! Related Episodes: #2: My Journey With Writer's Block #23: The Practice is What's Important #67: Create a Consistent Writing Practice in ONE Step Let's Connect: | |||
| Managing Your Social Media | 25 Sep 2024 | 00:06:56 | |
Turns out my voice wasn't as back as I thought and I'm down sick again today. SIGH. Enjoy this throwback episode of Breaking Writer's Block. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #74: The One Thing Guaranteed to Boost Your Productivity #220: Do You Need a Social Media Platform to Traditionally Publish? #268: Going Viral Isn't the Goal Let's Connect: | |||
| It Only Takes One | 22 May 2024 | 00:08:55 | |
Paranormal Activity is one of the most profitable movies of all time, a true Hollywood success story. But, for a long time nobody wanted it. What it took for things to change was one person believing in the movie enough to champion it. The same goes for your writing; you simple need to find your one person. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #10: The One Thing ALL Successful Authors Have in Common #25: YOU the Successful Author #77: The Danger of Success Stories Let's Connect: | |||
| Navigating Writing With Unsupportive Family Members | 21 May 2024 | 00:06:57 | |
In the idea world, the people closest to you will be your biggest supporters, but what if they aren't? Today's episode is all about how to navigate chasing your writing dreams when your family is unsupportive. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #58: The Audacity to Chase Your Dreams Let's Connect: | |||
| There's ALWAYS an Excuse | 20 May 2024 | 00:08:16 | |
If you look for an excuse for why you're not finding success, you will ALWAYS find one. There are unfortunately a lot of things standing between a writer and success--don't let the thing that is standing between you and success be YOU. Happy writing! Related Episodes: #4: Are Your Thoughts Helping You Write? #15: Four Words That Will Change Your Life #25: YOU the Successful Author Let's Connect: | |||