Explore every episode of the podcast The Daily Writer

We'd all like to have the perfect writing day with no interruptions and everything just like we prefer. But that rarely happens. We have to learn to work with what we have in the moment.

The Writer’s Notebook is a monthly digest where we dive into books, questions, and resources to help you become the author of your own life. I hope these pique your interest and give you something to think about.

An anchor ritual is a small action that helps you get into the right mental space to write. Let’s explore how you can get started.

Your environment is a key part of your writing habit. In today’s episode, we’ll look at a few ways to create a writing space that helps you be more productive and successful.

When you know what you’re working toward, it’s a lot easier to build a habit that gets you there.

These truths will give you a solid perspective as you work on building a writing habit that lasts.

We writers love to talk about writing but often struggle to do it consistently. The key is to build a writing habit that lasts. Welcome to a new series that will teach you seven keys to building a habit that will unlock your writing goals.

If you commit to writing just thirty minutes a day, it can absolutely change the course of your life. Let’s explore.

If you’re wondering how to structure your writing-based business, these three questions will help you figure it out.

In which we examine the time-honored tradition of journaling and whether it’s actually adding value to your life.

If I were starting over today with writing-based business offering (such as ghostwriting, editing, or design), here are the four things I’d do immediately.

If you want to read much more about my thinking and processes related to ghostwriting, you can get your hands on a FREE copy of my new book, The Ghost-Powered Author, here:

https://kentsanders.net/free-book

Sometimes when I write the first draft of the email this podcast is based on, I think it’s terrible. But there’s a huge flaw in that thinking. Let’s explore.

P.S. If you haven’t gotten your hands on a FREE copy of my new book, The Ghost-Powered Author, you can get it here: https://kentsanders.net/free-book.

Let’s explore this principle: The more permanent the content is, the more effort it deserves.

Grab your free copy of my new book,The Ghost-Powered Author: https://kentsanders.net/free-book. 

It’s a good day to be grateful for all the people who have made our modern writing life possible through their innovation and hard work.

Here’s what I learned about defeating writer’s block from re-watching The Sopranos TV series.

When you follow your own path, you will inevitably disappoint some people. And that’s completely okay.

Do you struggle with getting your writing done as quickly as you’d like? When you set a deadline for yourself, it helps improve your speed and capacity, especially for a first draft. Let’s explore.

Grab my free book, The Ghost-Powered Author.

Why a “bad” day doesn’t have to be “bad.”

As the Beatles famously sang, “I get by with a little help from my friends.” That’s especially true for writers. We all need help from others in various forms. Do something today to help another writer.

Let’s dive into a listener question about the business side of writing. I share some no-holds-barred advice about what it takes to really make it as a writer if you want to build a sustainable business.

On today’s episode, I’m sharing a deceptively simple editing tip that will take your next book from good to great. 

If you haven’t grabbed your free copy of The Ghost-Powered Author, you can get it here: https://kentsanders.net/free-book. Even if you’re not in the market for a ghostwriter, you’ll learn a lot by the way the book is tightly written and organized.

Storms in life will come. The only question is: are you going to continue writing and getting your work done … or will you let the storms deter you?

Have you downloaded your free copy of my new book, The Ghost-Powered Author? If not, you can grab it here.

Sure, you can read all kinds of books on cleaning and downsizing. But there’s a deeper principle that will help if you’re chronically disorganized. Let’s explore.

Have you downloaded your free copy of my new book, The Ghost-Powered Author? If not, you can grab it here.

I read a page from Meditations by Marcus Aurelius every day. Nearly two thousand years after he wrote it, his words are still having an impact. Your words in the form of books can live far beyond your own life, too.

Have you downloaded your free copy of my new book, The Ghost-Powered Author? If not, you can grab it here.

On today’s episode, we explore whether you should be public about your dreams … or keep them private. My thoughts may surprise you.

Have you downloaded your free copy of my new book, The Ghost-Powered Author? If not, you can grab it here.

Do you find yourself getting annoyed by people who make too much noise and cause chaos around you? Is it getting in the way of your writing and creative work? Here are three tips to help you deal with it.

Have you downloaded your free copy of my new book, The Ghost-Powered Author? If not, you can grab it here.

All around us, people are searching for their purpose. If you feel a bit lost and have been searching for your purpose in life, I’ll share four questions below that can help. 

Have you downloaded your free copy of my new book, The Ghost-Powered Author? If not, you can grab it here.

I’d love to give you a copy of my new book, The Ghost-Powered Author. On this episode, I describe why I wrote the book and how it can help you—even if you’re not looking to hire a ghostwriter.

You can grab it here.

We’re only a few days into Q4. You have a choice: do you put off your goals to next year, or get started now? You can probably guess what my answer will be. Let’s explore.

Ah, the age-old question of whether you should use “down time” to get any work done. There’s no simple answer, but on this episode I’ll give you a few things to think about so you can use your time wisely.

All you have is this moment, right now. Everything has led up to this point, and everything that follows flows from this point. How will you use it?

Repurposing your content is a fantastic way to get way more bang for your buck out of your writing. You can easily 10x the value of what you’ve already created by re-using it in another medium.  Let me give you a couple of basic principles, then I’ll talk about some examples of how I have repurposed content.

The Writer’s Notebook is a monthly digest where we dive into books, questions, and resources to help you become the author of your own life. I hope these pique your interest and give you something to think about.

Anytime you work on a big project, there comes a point when you’ve lost some enthusiasm, and you start to wonder if you should continue. That’s when you show up as a professional and keep pushing through.

When you are clear on what you don’t want in your business, you can lean into what you do want. 

Last week, I had dinner with a writer friend, and he asked what motivates me. Let’s explore what I shared with him and what asking yourself this question can help you, too.

Seems like a lot of people are facing big challenges right now. If you’re crawling through a river of you-know-what, keep crawling. A few inches at a time if needed. You’re gonna make it.

In which we learn from the world of sports that clear metrics are important. As a writer, you get to decide what matters to you.

Email subscriber Jane Anderson sent in a two-part question about which book-formatting tools are best and whether you can use these tools to serve writers. My answers might surprise you.

If you want to be more productive, it starts by knowing what you want your week to look like. Here’s how I set up my week for maximum success.

For years, we’re heard about “alpha males,” but let’s apply this concept to writers, but in a new and healthier way. The core trait of an alpha writer is leadership. Let’s explore thirteen traits of an alpha writer.

I want you to have as much success in your life, writing, and business as possible. That’s why I recommend setting aside your anxiety and worry about things you don’t control. 

If you’re always waiting and hoping other people will give you the green light to chase your dreams, you might be waiting a long time. It’s time to choose yourself.

If you’re in the St. Louis area, a great way to “choose yourself” is to join me for a free workshop on Tuesday, September 29: Think Like an Author: Four Practices for Your Life and Writing.

In this 90-minute workshop, I’m introducing a fresh perspective on the creative life. We’ll dive into four simple, high-impact practices designed to help you write and create with purpose, consistency, and confidence.

You can learn more and register at the link above. I’d love to meet you in person.

I will always be grateful for the work I’ve had the opportunity to do as a ghostwriter over the last decade. It has provided for my family, given me a great outlet for serving others, and connected me with some truly amazing people.

However, there’s a dark side to ghostwriting—in fact, a dark side of having any client-based business. It’s very easy to hide behind clients and ignore your own work. Let’s explore.

In which I lay out my ridiculously simple system for organizing content for my daily emails.

A heartfelt message to my fellow Gen X’ers stuck in the nostalgia of the 80s.

I’m just as much of an introvert as the next writer. But I think we can all agree that there’s something special about connecting with people in person. Let’s talk about three simple ways to make it happen.

If you’re in the St. Louis area, a great way to connect with some fellow writers is to join me for a free workshop on Tuesday, September 29: Think Like an Author: Four Practices for Your Life and Writing.

In this 90-minute workshop, I’m introducing a fresh perspective on the creative life. We’ll dive into four simple, high-impact practices designed to help you write and create with purpose, consistency, and confidence.

While you’re waiting for your next win, you can still move the ball forward in your life. I suggest three actions you can take while you’re waiting for that answer, result, or resolution. Let’s explore.

As the old saying goes, “He who chases two rabbits catches neither.”

I’m a firm believer that you can do almost anything you want in life. However, you can’t do everything. Because the further you want to go, the more focused you’ll have to be.

You can’t do everything, but you can far more than you ever thought possible when you focus on just one thing.

Whenever I hire someone, my goal is to be their favorite client. Let’s talk about a few ways to treat people well and honor the work they’re doing on your behalf.