Episode Archive

205 episodes of Writing Tips and Writerly Musings since the first episode, which aired on August 20th, 2020.

  • The Day After The End Of Winter (Fiction)

    December 25th, 2023  |  Season 7  |  19 mins 13 secs
    beta-reading, books, christmas, critique, story, writers, writing, writing tips

    For the Christian holiday, here is one of my original stories -- a re-imagining of the origin of Santa Claus. This is an early draft, but be warned, it is not a feel-good piece. The fae drive hard bargains.

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    Why That Writing Advice is Both Right and Wrong

    December 18th, 2023  |  Season 7  |  9 mins 55 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    What writing advice is completely right -- most of the time? And when should you break the rules? (Spoiler -- always break the rule if it's not working for your story)

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    Are You Using The Easy Way to Find Markets For Your Short Stories and Poetry?

    December 11th, 2023  |  Season 7  |  4 mins 21 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    If you're writing short stories and poetry, it can be hard to find markets to publish your works -- if you're not looking in the right places!

  •

    When An Idea Breaks Your Manuscript - 4 Ways To Fix It

    December 4th, 2023  |  Season 7  |  4 mins 21 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    I am a huge fan of serendipity. That moment when you realize something about your world or your character or your setting that makes what you’ve been planning and your story all seem inevitable. -- This post isn’t about that. This is about when you realize everything is wrong.

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    Getting An Agent: Querying In Batches

    November 27th, 2023  |  Season 7  |  6 mins 41 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    When you start querying, some writers only send to 1 or 2 agents, while others blast their query letter to the world. Tune in for some reasons why you should pace yourself -- but keep at it!

  •

    Giving Thanks

    November 20th, 2023  |  Season 7  |  5 mins 2 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, holiday, thanksgiving, writers, writing, writing tips

    It’s that time of year, especially for most Americans, to give thanks. Despite the admittedly troublesome history, I can’t hate the concept of a holiday that exists to gather with friends and family, eat foods that we don’t normally get, and take a moment to count our blessings.

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    What To Do When Your Manuscript Is The Wrong Length

    November 13th, 2023  |  Season 7  |  6 mins 33 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    If you’ve tried to write a manuscript, you’ve probably been at one end of the scale or the other, before. It’s hard to get a manuscript — or even a short story — to end up at the right word count. Tune in for tips to make your story longer -- or shorter!

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    If You're Not Making Progress, Change Direction

    November 6th, 2023  |  Season 7  |  6 mins 10 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    When a story is fighting you, the problem just might be that you’re going the wrong direction. Sometimes, you’re writing the wrong story.

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    My Favorite Tools for Starting a Novel!

    October 30th, 2023  |  Season 7  |  16 mins 45 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, nanowrimo, novel, writers, writing, writing tips

    I know most of you following me are already writers, but some of you only dabble, and a few of you have only entertained the thought from time-to-time. And while it is a lot of work, dedication, and persistence to write a manuscript, there are things you can do to make it easier.

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    What Does My Form Rejection Mean?

    October 23rd, 2023  |  Season 7  |  7 mins 51 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    All writers try to get meaning out of form rejections. Sometimes there is personalized advice, but usually? They're just not that in to you.

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    In Space, No One Can See You Hide The Evidence: Crimes In Space

    October 16th, 2023  |  Season 7  |  11 mins 38 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    Laws are influenced by the people and societies in which they exist. In what ways does your world-building affect your criminals and your crime fighters?

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    Writing For Young Adults

    October 9th, 2023  |  Season 7  |  9 mins 19 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    Does writing for young adults differ from other writing? If so, how do writers approach it?