The Path to Success, or This is a Lie
People often ask me how I got to be so successful. I’m the author of seven books and I run a profitable coaching business, so folks are naturally curious to know my path to success. Here’s the answer… I’m successful because I was born into a wealthy and highly regarded family. I was raised by a…
Sarah Foil: Writer, Editor, and Media Manager — The Writing Coach 062
Welcome to The Writing Coach. On this podcast, I speak with the instructors, editors, coaches, and mentors who help writers and authors create their art, build their audience, and sell their work. In episode #62 of The Writing Coach podcast, I speak with writer, editor, and media manager Sarah Foil. Sarah describes herself as a cliché: an introverted,…
Why Writers Need to Count Words, NOT Pages
Early on in my relationship with a new coaching client – often as early as our initial consultation call – I’ll ask about the targeted total word count for their manuscript. Often the response I get is something along the lines of, “Oh, I don’t think in terms of word count. I just want the…
Audrey Hughey of the Author Transformation Alliance — The Writing Coach 061
Welcome to The Writing Coach. On this podcast, I speak with the instructors, editors, coaches, and mentors who help writers and authors create their art, build their audience, and sell their work. In episode #61 of The Writing Coach podcast, I speak with Audrey Hughey. Audrey is the founder of The Write Services Social Media Management and…
How to Ensure Your Writing Sessions Aren’t Derailed by “Research”
Regardless of whether you’re writing a novel, a how-to book, or a helpful blog post, you’ll almost certainly need to do some research before you start writing. In his fantastic book on writing, Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting, Robert McKee refers to research as “feeding your talent” and suggests “research not…
13 Novels Every Writer Absolutely Must Read — The Writing Coach 060
Welcome to The Writing Coach. On this podcast, I speak with the instructors, editors, coaches, and mentors who help writers and authors create their art, build their audience, and sell their work. A client of mine recently asked me what novels I would recommend for the purpose of demonstrating different aspects of writer’s craft. This episode answers…
Should You Write While on Vacation?
Writing is about making choices. Thousands and thousands of choices. Is your protagonist going to be blonde or brunette? Is her husband going to live through the third act or die a gruesome death at the hands of your maniacal antagonist? Of course, as a writer, you don’t just have to make story decisions. If…
How to Avoid Burning Out Beta Readers
Beta readers are an integral part of the revision process for most books in both the fiction and non-fiction fields. A beta reader is “a non-professional reader who reads a written work with the intent of looking over the material to find and improve elements such as grammar and spelling, as well as suggestions to…
Celebrating 1 Year of Writer’s Craft Academy — The Writing Coach 059
Welcome to The Writing Coach. On this podcast, I speak with the instructors, editors, coaches, and mentors who help writers and authors create their art, build their audience, and sell their work. One year ago, I launched Writer’s Craft Academy, my private membership site and group coaching program. In episode 59 of The Writing Coach, I celebrate the…
The S-Word, or How to Meet Self-Imposed Deadlines
In my last article, I discussed one of the most common reasons aspiring authors have trouble meeting their deadlines. Far too often, they create unrealistic deadline they can’t possibly meet. The realism of deadlines, however, isn’t the only cause for missed deadlines. Sometimes the usual suspects of focus and discipline come in to play. Even…
