In this extensive interview, Rosanne Bane helps writer's unlock their resistance to write. Author of "Around the Writer's Block," she explains the science behind our procrastination and excuses, and provides practical tips to get back on track.   Great Moments in the Episode (3.30) The story of a woman in France in 1906 with a brain injury and how her response to pain illustrates conscious and unconscious memory. (8:08) Rosanne discusses how, traditionally, the brain is thought to be made up...

Bryan Cohen is Da Guru when it comes to selling your book with Amazon ads. In this practical interview, Bryan gives us the inside scoop on how self-published authors can use Amazon ads to promote their books and other products and services. Bryan, the founder of "Author Ad School," is a USA Today bestselling author. He is also CEO of "Best Page Forward" and the author of many fiction and nonfiction books.   Great Moments in the Episode (4.10) How Bryan used fictionalized characters to engage...

In this interview with youth fantasy fiction and non-fiction writer Jaimie Engle, she describes her journey to become a RomCom screenplay writer.   Great Moments in this Episode (4:30) How Jaime made a surprise connection to an attorney in the film industry during what she calls the Apocalypse (the first couple years of Covid) (6:00) Her decision to take a Zoom class on "How to write the Christmas RomCom" (8:20) The moment Jaime heard the news that she had landed a contract for her first...

At one point in writing her debut novel, The Road between Two Skies, Linda Fifer lost the entire manuscript. Her husband had misplaced it, and there was no digital copy. In our interview with Linda, she discusses how she reconstructed her story and how she persisted for years before she was able to complete and then self-publish the novel. The story is about how an abduction upends a woman’s life. The main character loses her memory after the kidnapping and finds herself on a journey to...

It's a big expense to publish your book. And most likely the sales from it won't cover the publishing costs. At least for most writers. We all have fantasies about landing a big publisher and selling millions, but the super majority of books sell around 250 copies. At least that's what Google says. If that's true, there's no way to recoup the costs to publish your ideas. At least not from book sales only. So why write? In this episode, Melissa and Dave get real about the true costs of...

Until you know the "why" of your book, you may struggle to structure it. So believes Donna Freitas, Brooklyn-based author of fiction and nonfiction. Her writing has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The LA Times, among other places. She is currently on faculty at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s MFA in Creative Writing. In this delightful episode, Donna discusses the "hooking and holding" approach to writing chapters. She says that your first draft is for you. You...

"Show, don't tell" - that is the most basic advice given at every writer's workshop or conference. As a writer, you must show what is happening, not merely tell what happened. Writers do not have the luxury of sound to assist with narrating the story. Nor do writers have video or motion graphics. Or even images to illustrate their stories. Writers have only words. In this episode, Melissa and Dave offer six strategies for making sure you are "showing, not telling" in your novels, memoirs, and...

Novelist and memoirist Ann Hood prefers the phrase "glorious mess" when referring to the first draft of a writing project. Ann recently published "Fly Girl: A Memoir," about her career as a life attendant in the late 1970s and 1980s. She has written 14 novels and four memoirs. In this episode, Ann discusses the revision process, quoting another writer who said that revising your work isn't cleaning up after the party, it is the party. She gives us insight into her revision process, how she...

Your readers need you to be clear. Jennifer Bisbing, book editor and author of the mystery “Under the Pines," says that if an author writes with clarity about his or her theme, readers will have greater insight and appreciation. In this interview with Jennifer, she discusses how she researched her novel, which is told through the eyes of an eight-year-old. She also describes her experience in a writer's group and its value for an aspiring author. Jennifer is a professional editor, providing...

Most every family story includes heroes and scoundrels, and lovable as well as colorful characters. If you've ever considered writing your family history, you've probably asked, "Where do I begin the story?" In this episode, Melissa and Dave offer seven tips to begin writing your family story. One is to select a purpose early on for the writing project: "Why am I writing this?" That will help you decide what to include in your writing - and what to leave on the cutting room floor.

Promoting your book should begin the day you decide to write a book. That may seem like an overstatement, but the earlier you begin to think about your audience, the more success you'll have if later you decide hire a book publicist like Julia Drake, president and co-founder of Wildbound PR. In this episode, Julia identifies the three keys to book promotion (media, social media, and events).  She explains how authors can make their books stand out, even in a crowded, noisy marketplace. Julia...

The word platform is a synonym for "audience." To build your writing platform means to build your audience. Many new writers groan at the idea of building their audience while also trying to write a book. It seems overwhelming. In this episode, Stephanie Chandler gives writers a simple roadmap for getting started in building an audience. CEO of NonfictionAuthorsAssociation.com, Stephanie is also the author of numerous books for writers, including The Nonfiction Book Publishing Plan and The...

Even if they are not actively soliciting new ideas, most literary agents still long for the thrill of discovering a new writer who speaks to them. In this interview with Soumeya Bendimerad Roberts, she identifies the three elements that she looks for in a manuscript - style, structure, and setting. A literary agent with HG Literary, Soumeya represents literary novels and collections, upmarket fiction, and non-fiction, both narrative and prescriptive. Aspiring writers will come away from this...

"Publishing is a business." That statement is as true for those who self publish as it is for those who plan to pitch a traditional publisher. Who will purchase your book? And how do you reach them? Years ago, a popular writer named Michael Hyatt coined the phrase "platform building." It's the idea that if you want to publish, you need to simultaneously create followers who will purchase your book. In this episode, we identify the five main ways that writers can build their following.

New York literary agent Miriam Altshuler looks for specific elements in a query letter. For starters, the query should not be longer than three paragraphs. In this delightful interview with Miriam on the wonder of books, she also offers some practical advice for first-time authors. If you're writing a memoir, for example, you need to complete the entire book before you pitch it to an agent. Publishing is a business, she says, and it's critical that you understand how to pitch your book - and...

They say to write what you know. It’s no wonder there has been a surge in memoir writing. You know nothing better than yourself. As The Art of Memoir author, Mary Karr, said, “Anyone who’s lived can write one.” But to write a memoir that people want to read requires "craft, voice, and concept." In this episode, we interview Rob Lewis, a writer and editor with Journey Sixty6 who recently ghostwrote a memoir for an orthodox Jewish businessman. Rob walks us through the process of structuring the...

Every writer who has ever stared at a blank screen (or page) has eventually had to lay down a first sentence. And then revise that sentence. Again and again. First drafts are just that - the first of many drafts to come. In this episode, Melissa and Dave identify seven self-editing questions to help you revise your manuscript. One question has to do with the passive voice: Do I use the passive voice too much? Of course, it's okay to use the passive voice occasionally, but it needs to be...

The countdown begins, after you sign a contract with a publisher. There is a deadline. And, suddenly, there is an urgency to putting a period to your writing, if you haven't yet completed the manuscript. The process shifts from creative to production. In this interview with Dr. Jamie Weiner, he discusses the process of working with a traditional publisher. His book, The Quest for Legitimacy: How children of prominent families find their unique place in the world, releases in early summer. He...

Every book that is published starts out as a raw, unformed idea in the mind of a writer. A companion of that initial idea is often an emotion: fear. Is my idea really good enough for an entire book? In this episode, Melissa and Dave identify seven questions to help writers evaluate whether their idea is book worthy. One question pertains to passion: Am I passionate enough about this idea to sustain my energy and focus to write 60,000 words? Aspiring writers will come away with some practical...

"Book coach" is a category that for the most part didn't exist several decades ago. There was a literary agent.  And the acquisitions editor at the publishing house. Between the two of them, writers found various kinds of help with their manuscript. Today, book coaches help writers with everything from goal setting to developmental editing to building their social media platforms and promoting their books. In this episode, we discuss the duties of an effective book coach and how to set and...

Art, color, and design - these three elements define the brand of Natalie Papier, interior designer and Instagram influencer (@home_ec_op). In this wide-ranging interview, Natalie discusses the role of authenticity in her brand and how she began working on a book project. Through connections on a different project, Natalie found a book proposal editor, who is helping Natalie tease out her ideas for the framework of the book. Natalie makes the trenchant point about timing for one's writing...

What does it mean to publish? The original, Latin definition of the word publish means "words made public." In this episode, we make the case that to develop a rich writing life means embracing a broader definition of the word "publish." Even a Christmas letter or a social post is a form of publishing. Every time you write something intended for others to read, you are publishing. So, make it count. This episode will encourage you to persist in your current writing project and thus take the...

It's always the little things that can make or break a project. In the publishing process especially, an author needs to pay attention to every detail until after the book has been printed. In this interview, Robin Zachary discusses the process to publish her forthcoming book, Styling Beyond Instagram: Take Your Prop Styling Skills from the Square to the Street. She explains how she landed a book deal, but most importantly, she gives aspiring writers some practical tips for when they near the...

Parenting is not for wimps, as the saying goes. Science journalist Melinda Wenner Moyer might say that the biggest parenting challenge is "How to Raise Kids Who Aren't Assholes," the provocative title of her recent book. Melinda has written a column for Slate magazine and publishes regularly with the New York Times. In this interview, she discusses the "scaffolding" (structure) of her book chapters and her writing process. She also helps writers maintain their voice while integrating research...

Editors serve an audience. A magazine editor keeps his or her job only if the majority of readers renews their yearly subscription. A book editor whose acquisitions are not profitable will need to find a new job. In this episode, Melissa and Dave discuss eight specific insights into how an editor thinks. One is the hyper focus on serving readers. Other insights include their perspective on articles or book proposals that don't immediately arrest their attention. You'll come away with a better...