Shake Up Your Writing

In which I get excited about a project again…

In this on-the-road episode, I come to you fresh from a conference, full of new energy and ideas, and I encourage you to find ways to shake up YOUR practice.

LINKS

Critique Week

Other Ways To Increase Your Joy Around Writing

Download the Short Story Framework:

Take the 3-Day Challenge

Sign up for the StoryAWeek Newsletter

Take the I, WRITER Course

https://stada.me/iwriternow

Join the Superstars Group

https://storyaday.org/superstars

Coaching with Julie

The Art of Improving (with groundhogs)

In which I give you a writing prompt and talk about the perils of success beyond your wildest hopes


What do groundhogs have to do with getting better at skills? So much. Listen…

LINKS: Friday Freebie

Other Ways To Increase Your Joy Around Writing

Download the Short Story Framework:

Take the 3-Day Challenge

Sign up for the StoryAWeek Newsletter

Take the I, WRITER Course

https://stada.me/iwriternow

Join the Superstars Group

https://storyaday.org/superstars

Coaching with Julie

Fiction Matters

In which I try to persuade you not to persuade anyone this way…

In which I talk about Mary Oliver and the power of words to lift us out of the everyday.
I also invite you to take part in the January Challenge, a five-day exercise that will make you more decisive around your fiction and every aspect of your writing life.
Sign up here: https://storyaday.org/jan-challenge

Transcript

Good morning. Good evening. Good afternoon, Julie from story a day here.

I’m going to be inviting you today to join me next week in a free mini challenge that’s going to set you up for the year ahead for the life ahead. And it’s, it’s a challenge that helps you get back in the groove with your writing helps you stay on track.

I’ll send you five tiny little lessons over the week and you’ll build a tool that will help you in your writing everyday.

Sign up right now and, and we’ll go from there.

Fiction Matters

But I wanted to. Read you something today that I wrote, this week. In case you are wavering in your commitment to your fiction, in your courage around your fiction, in case the world is beating you down and telling you that fiction doesn’t matter and you should be doing more important things.

I don’t think there’s much more. Important work than

stimulating peoples imaginations, giving them hope. Giving them a respite from the world. So here’s what I wrote one morning this week.

When it seems. Like everything in the world is terrible. How can I possibly justify writing about. Or playing with my imaginary friends. When there’s so much news to catch up on to care about. So many causes to champion. Persecuted groups to try and save. How can I possibly find the time and energy for creative acts?

It’s a real question.

But we creative people must be courageous enough to try.

Because we can write beautiful, inspiring. Terrifying. Hopeful things. That lift people out of their everyday experiences and show them how they are part of something bigger than themselves. Not everyone can do this. But you can.

This morning, I read an essay by the poet, Mary Oliver. In which she talked about Walt Whitman as if he really was her friend although I don’t think they ever met. She only met him on the page. She took him everywhere with her and he lifted her when times were difficult.

And I thought about all the times and places where I’ve heard Mary Oliver’s poems quoted, on social media, at business conferences. Poetry is possibly the most exalted and derided. Form of writing that there is: how are you ever going to make money from poetry? Nobody makes money from poetry.

And yet poetry reaches us in a way that sermons and lectures and essays can’t do.

I thought about the pause, the hush in the room, the sense of respite that her words provide.

In March of 2020, what did everyone reach for, to lift themselves out of the fear and uncertainty that the news was dishing up to us? Art. Stories. Stories made up by writers. Stories brought to life by actors. Stories sung by musicians. Wordless music shared from makeshift kitchen stages.

Humans can be rational creatures, but we don’t thrive on logic alone. So today, please, step away from the real world and create something true. Something that reminds me, that takes me into a moment of being human that I couldn’t experience otherwise.

Tell me about the sunrise over Martian mountains, or the houses where you live.

Show me a morning glory flower, unfurling.

Give me a moment of true connection between two characters when one finally learns the care, or terrify me as another character stands to lose everything that matters to them.

The world can overwhelm us and the only way to cope is to avoid or to shut down our feelings. So please write something that reminds me to feel. Remains me to fear. Reminds me to hope. Reminds me to love.

I realize the irony of delivering a kind of persuasive essay and then telling you that fiction is a much better way to persuade anyone of anything. And yet I’m doing it.

I think your teachers misled you. I don’t think persuasive essays should be called that they should be called. Informative essays. Because they don’t change hearts. Emotion persuades. And there is no better way to convey emotion, even though I’m doing it in an essay, than through the arts.

There’s no easier way to create empathy for others than by making me care for your characters.

So no, writing fiction is not an irresponsible use of your time, during difficult teams or any other times in the world.

It is necessary. It’s generous. It’s healing.

It’s a gift.

Thank you for writing.

Other Ways To Increase Your Joy Around Writing

Download the Short Story Framework:

Take the 3-Day Challenge

Sign up for the StoryAWeek Newsletter

Take the I, WRITER Course

https://stada.me/iwriternow

Join the Superstars Group

https://storyaday.org/superstars

Coaching with Julie

When Writing Feels Hard…

In which I’ve got blisters on my fingers…

In this episode I discuss the concept of discomfort in the journey of pursuing creative endeavors and explore the different types of discomfort, such as striving to reach one’s ambitions versus worrying about not having what it takes. I encourage listeners to embrace discomfort as a sign of growth and progress, and suggest a solid-gold way to make that less grim. I also invite you to the Story A Day Superstars, a supportive community for writers, and announce upcoming writing challenges and courses. Plus: a writing tip about making characters sound more realistic.

0:00 StADa133 When Writing Feels Hard

00:31 On Discomfort

13:02 StoryADay Support

14:37 My Annual Theme

16:11 Writing Tip on Character Voice

LINKS:

StoryADay Superstars: https://storyaday.org/superstars

Other Ways To Increase Your Joy Around Writing

Download the Short Story Framework:

Take the 3-Day Challenge

Sign up for the StoryAWeek Newsletter

Take the I, WRITER Course

https://stada.me/iwriternow

Join the Superstars Group

https://storyaday.org/superstars

Coaching with Julie

What Are You Turning Towards, this New Year?

In which I, rather unexpectedly, talk about dog training…

Are you setting goals for outcomes or simply turning towards your writing more?

Here are some ways I can help

Download the Short Story Framework:

Take the 3-Day Challenge

Sign up for the StoryAWeek Newsletter

Take the I, WRITER Course

https://stada.me/iwriternow

Join the Superstars Group

https://storyaday.org/superstars

Coaching with Julie

CHAPTERS

[00:00:00] Intro

[00:00:32] Where Are You Headed?

[00:03:16] Turning Towards Your Writing, Consistently

[00:05:12] Goals or GPS?

[00:06:26] More Successes

[00:12:02] No More Negative Voices

[00:13:54] Ways To Get Support from StoryADaym

[00:14:25] Short Story Framework

[00:14:35] The 3-Day Challenge

[00:15:51] StoryAWeek Newsletter

[00:18:50] I, WRITER Course

[00:19:39] January 5-Day Challenge

[00:20:18] StoryADay Superstars

[00:21:51] Coaching

[00:23:19] Wrap up

2023 Triumphs

In this episode I talk about some of the publishing successes StoryADay Superstars have achieved this year, and invite you to share your own. Also, a special invitation for you, if you’re ready…

in this week’s episode I’m celebrating the successes of writers from the StoryADay Community, and our Superstars Group. Some of those successes are publication-related and others are more about the progress of the writers’ practice. Join us. I also extend an invitation to join our Superstar group in the coming year.

LINKS

Join Superstars


Never Give Up (Brenda’s Post)

WATCH NOW (with subtitles)

Watch with transcript

Superstars Triumphs

Publications:

The Mothership, The Rumpus, Maery Rose

Elixir – Laura Porter

Bikes In Space AnthologyMonique Cuillerier

Sad Goose Collective Issue 2 –  Astrid Eggar

Blink-Ink Issue 51 – Astrid Eggar

A Boat, a Bike, and a Balloon (Or What It Takes to Return a Stolen Sun), Bikes In Space Anthology – Marta Pelrine-Bacon

Bones In The Road, Pilgrimage Magazine – Peyton Ellas

Naming The Dead, Heartwood Literary Press – Walter Lawn

The Unguarded Moment , Active Muse – Astrid Eggar

Death Chips & Love Fries – Short Stories for City Lovers – Neha Mediratta

Make A Wish, Fiddlehead Folio – Robin Stein

From Nothing, Rise – Monique Cuillerier

Fixing The Books, a novel –  Fallon Brown

The Garage Fridge Situation, a novel  – Fallon Brown

The Warrior Defying Time And Space, Short Fiction Break Reader’s Choice Award – Neha Mediratta

The Painter Must Be Going Nowhere, Wingword Poetry Prize, longlisted – Neha Mediratta

Honorable Mention in NYC Midnight Short Story Contest – Kim Younkin

300 Episodes Later…

In which I share what’s been going on and what’s coming up at StoryADay AND talk about AI and you.

In this episode I explain where the podcast has been for the past few week, talk about the workshops I’ve been running and talk about what’s coming next for StoryADay, AND encourage you to understand the value of the work you’re doing.

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Updates
00:10 Creating Content and Workshops
02:08 Exploring the Use of AI in Writing
04:56 AI for Organizational Structures and Marketing
11:21 Reflections on Recent Events and Future Plans
11:40 StoryADay Superstars Group and Annual Planning Bundle
15:48 The Pressure of Milestones and Overcoming Blocks
20:19 The Importance of Writing and Encouragement
24:15 Conclusion and Future Podcast Plans

LINKS:

Holiday Stories Workshop 50% discount

Annual Planning Bundle

Would you like the AI workshop?

What do you love/like/want in the podcast

StoryADay Superstars waitlist

Your stories from 15 years of StoryADay

WATCH NOW (with subtitles)

Not ‘If’, But ‘How’

I could give you a million and one tactics for fitting writing into your life…and none of them will matter a jot until you do this one simple (not easy) thing…

🎧 Listen now!

Links:

The Keep Writing Workbook https://stada.me/kww

The Short Story Framework: https://storyaday.org/framework

Want to go deeper? Take the 3-Day Challenge

Want to go for longer? Let me send you a StoryAWeek writing lesson & prompt

Transcript is here

Subscribe to the podcast and don’t miss an episode

Support the podcast

And finally a remainder that know you can support this podcast, if you would like to, which some people have asked me about and to do that, you go to glow.fm/storyaday, and you can make a one-time or recurring donation to keep the show going. And I really appreciate your support. That’s it from me this week. Happy writing. And I’ll see you again soon.

How Good Is Good Enough?

Beyond Prizes and Awards: The True Value of Sharing Your Stories

Welcome to The StoryADay Podcast, where we explore the power of storytelling and the importance of writing every day.

In this episode encourage you to think about the significance of our narratives and the impact they have on the world around us. Drawing inspiration from a talk by former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, I reflect on imposter syndrome, internal motivation, and the responsibility writers have to capture the essence of human experience. Join me as we explore the value of our stories, regardless of accolades or recognition, and the role they play in helping others make sense of the world.

It’s time to embrace our unique perspectives and share our narratives with the world. So grab your pen and paper, and let’s get started on this storytelling journey together. Stay tuned!

🎧 Listen now!

TIMESTAMPS

[00:01:33] No one is asking for your story

[00:02:17] We are wonderful weirdos

[00:04:42] Who We Are Not Competing Withx

[00:07:45] How We Spend Our Lives

[00:08:49] What Stops You From Writing? (And Is It Worth It?)

[00:10:20] How Good Is Good Enough?

[00:12:53] Get the Short Story Framework or take the 3-Day Challenge

Links:

The Short Story Framework: https://storyaday.org/framework

Want to go deeper? Take the 3-Day Challenge

Want to go for longer? Let me send you a StoryAWeek writing lesson & prompt

Transcript is here

Subscribe to the podcast and don’t miss an episode

Support the podcast

And finally a remainder that know you can support this podcast, if you would like to, which some people have asked me about and to do that, you go to glow.fm/storyaday, and you can make a one-time or recurring donation to keep the show going. And I really appreciate your support. That’s it from me this week. Happy writing. And I’ll see you again soon.

Engaging With The Publishing Industry

In which Julie has opinions how to engage with the publishing industry…if that’s something you’re interested in doing

Making Your Stories Pop and Connecting with Your Audience

Are you looking to find success in the publishing world?

Join me on The StoryADay Podcast as I discuss the importance of engagement in writing and publishing.

In this episode titled “Lurk Your Way to Success in Publishing”, I share strategies and insights that can help you achieve your goals as a writer.

Here are 3 key takeaways from the episode:

1️⃣ Don’t rush into building an author platform: While it’s tempting to focus on social media presence and building a following, it’s crucial to prioritize the writing itself. Spend time honing your craft and creating compelling content before diving into the world of author branding.

2️⃣ Engage with the publishing world: Stay updated by following authors on social media, reading industry publications, and educating yourself about the realities of being a writer. Become part of the conversation, learn from experienced authors, and stay informed about industry trends.

3️⃣ Define your own success: Don’t let societal expectations or external pressure define your writing journey. Take the time to reflect on what success means to you personally and set realistic goals that align with your values. Remember, writing is a journey of personal growth and creativity, and your definition of success should reflect that.

🎧 Listen now!

TIMESTAMPS

[00:02:03] Engaging With The Publishing World

[00:03:42] Should You Even Pay Attention?

[00:06:54] Have a Strong Definition of Success For Yourself

[00:09:18] If You Want To Publish

[00:10:25] First Steps In Pursuing Publication – Lurk (aka ‘research’)

[00:11:53] Agents

[00:14:44] Queries and Book Proposals

[00:15:45] Why Submission Guidelines Matter

[00:18:33] Ways to Lurk

[00:19:35] Publishing Shorter Pieces

[00:21:56] Get Off My Lawn

[00:23:22] Be Human, Make Friends, Be Successful

[00:25:37] Where To Find Writers and Publishing Folks, Online in 2023

[00:29:04] Wrap Up

Links:

Kameron Hurley Interview

Kate McKean’s Agents & Books Substack Newsletter

The Sh*t No One Tells You About Writing

Want to go deeper? Take the 3-Day Challenge

Want to go for longer? Let me send you a StoryAWeek writing lesson & prompt

Transcript is here

Subscribe to the podcast and don’t miss an episode

Support the podcast

And finally a remainder that know you can support this podcast, if you would like to, which some people have asked me about and to do that, you go to glow.fm/storyaday, and you can make a one-time or recurring donation to keep the show going. And I really appreciate your support. That’s it from me this week. Happy writing. And I’ll see you again soon.

Engaging Readers

In which Julie has opinions how to make your stories compelling and keep readers hooked.

Making Your Stories Pop and Connecting with Your Audience

Welcome to another episode of The StoryADay Podcast! I’m your host, Julie Duffy, from Storyaday.org, and today we’re diving into a topic that every writer grapples with: engaging the reader.

As we explore the importance of captivating our audience, we’ll also discuss the challenges that come with balancing our own creative process and the desire for validation from readers. \

Join me as we uncover strategies to make our stories irresistible and learn how to effectively engage with our readers. So, grab your pen and notebook, and let’s get started on this storytelling adventure!

00:01:27 Permission to create freely, fear of judgment.
00:03:58 Engaging stories and readers: tips and importance.
00:11:17 Structure, pacing, and character engagement in writing.
00:14:17 Direct contact without social media or ads.
00:19:58 Don’t overthink, write and engage with readers.
00:21:17 Writing challenge: 3 days to complete stories

Listen to Part I – How To Be A Writer

Listen to Part III – Lurk Your Way To Publishing Success

Subscribe to the podcast and don’t miss an episode

Sign up for the StoryADay September Challenge: https://storyaday.org

Want to go deeper? Take the 3-Day Challenge

Want to go for longer? Let me send you a StoryAWeek writing lesson & prompt

Transcript is here

Support the podcast

And finally a remainder that know you can support this podcast, if you would like to, which some people have asked me about and to do that, you go to glow.fm/storyaday, and you can make a one-time or recurring donation to keep the show going. And I really appreciate your support. That’s it from me this week. Happy writing. And I’ll see you again soon.

How to Be A Writer

In which Julie has opinions how creative people should engage with their writing…and their identity as a writer

As we kick off StoryADay September 2023 I talk about how there is more than one way to engage with your writing…and your identity as a writer.

CHAPTERS
00:15 How To Engage with Your Writing Practice
15:16 Strategies for StoryADay

Listen to Part II – What About The Readers?

Listen to Part III – Lurk Your Way To Publishing Success

Subscribe to the podcast and don’t miss an episode

Sign up for the StoryADay September Challenge: https://storyaday.org

Want to go deeper? Take the 3-Day Challenge

Want to go for longer? Let me send you a StoryAWeek writing lesson & prompt

Transcript is here

Video Version

Support the podcast

And finally a remainder that know you can support this podcast, if you would like to, which some people have asked me about and to do that, you go to glow.fm/storyaday, and you can make a one-time or recurring donation to keep the show going. And I really appreciate your support. That’s it from me this week. Happy writing. And I’ll see you again soon.

Amazon, AI & Author’s Rights

In which Julie has opinions about AI and Amazon, and invites you to get in the habit of celebrating all your triumphs, this month

This week author Jane Friedman noticed that someone had used her name on a bunch of junk, AI-generated books about writing, and they had become attached to her profile on Amazon and Goodreads…and the kicker is that there is no due diligence done by these companies to make sure the books were actually hers. Their response? “Trademark your name, or there’s nothing we can do about it.”

Which is patently nonsense.

But, lest you get discouraged about having to monitor identity theft as yet another writing-adjacent task youhave to ad to your to-do list, I have some thoughts on what authors can do instead.

Also in this episode: the Importance of Celebrations, and some tips for how to do that.

Want to jump straight to the part where you’re celebrating your writing? Buy the workbook now!

The Importance of Celebrations Image BUY NOW

TRANSCRIPT IS HERE

LINKS:

The Importance of Celebrations Workbook: http://stada.me/wb-celebrations

This episode: https://storyaday.org/episode294

Some Author Advocacy Groups:

The Alliance of Independent Authors: https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org/

The Author’s Guild: https://authorsguild.org/

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America: https://www.sfwa.org/

PEN America: https://pen.org/


Subscribe to the podcast and don’t miss an episode

Sign up for the StoryADay Anytime Challenge: https://storyaday.org

Want to go deeper?: Take the 3-Day Challenge

Video Version

Support the podcast

And finally a remainder that know you can support this podcast, if you would like to, which some people have asked me about and to do that, you go to glow.fm/storyaday, and you can make a one-time or recurring donation to keep the show going. And I really appreciate your support. That’s it from me this week. Happy writing. And I’ll see you again soon.

How to Improve, as Writers

In which Julie has opinions how creative people should think about organization

All writers want to improve, but what does that mean and how do you, ah, do it?

Subscribe to the podcast and don’t miss an episode

Sign up for the StoryADay Anytime Challenge: https://storyaday.org

Want to go deeper?: Take the 3-Day Challenge

Transcript is here

Video Version

coming soon…

Support the podcast

And finally a remainder that know you can support this podcast, if you would like to, which some people have asked me about and to do that, you go to glow.fm/storyaday, and you can make a one-time or recurring donation to keep the show going. And I really appreciate your support. That’s it from me this week. Happy writing. And I’ll see you again soon.

Record-Keeping For Writers

In which Julie has opinions how creative people should think about organization

Do you struggle to keep records of what you read or write? Do you beat yourself up over it, because you’re sure it’d make your life easier? Maybe yes, maybe no. Let’s dig in to record-keeping for creative people: why it works, why it doesn’t, and what to do about it!

Subscribe to the podcast and don’t miss an episode

Sign up for the StoryADay Anytime Challenge: https://storyaday.org

Want to go deeper?: Take the 3-Day Challenge

Transcript is here

Video Version

coming soon…

Support the podcast

And finally a remainder that know you can support this podcast, if you would like to, which some people have asked me about and to do that, you go to glow.fm/storyaday, and you can make a one-time or recurring donation to keep the show going. And I really appreciate your support. That’s it from me this week. Happy writing. And I’ll see you again soon.

7 Lessons from StoryADay in May 2023 – Part 2

In which Julie has opinions about someone else’s (terrible) opinions…

In part 1 of this 2-part podcast, I talk about the first 5 things I learned while writing a lot during a busy month!

In this episode I talk about the two most important things I learned (again) while writing A StoryADay in May. Listen in!

LINKS:

3-Day Challenge

Transcript is here

Video Version

Support the podcast

And finally a remainder that know you can support this podcast, if you would like to, which some people have asked me about and to do that, you go to glow.fm/storyaday, and you can make a one-time or recurring donation to keep the show going. And I really appreciate your support. That’s it from me this week. Happy writing. And I’ll see you again soon.

Transcript available here

7 Things I Learned While Writing A StoryADay in May 2023

In which Julie has opinions about someone else’s (terrible) opinions…

In part 1 of this 2-part podcast, I talk about the first 5 things I learned while writing a lot during a busy month!

LINKS:

3-Day Challenge

Transcript is here

Video Version

Support the podcast

And finally a remainder that know you can support this podcast, if you would like to, which some people have asked me about and to do that, you go to glow.fm/storyaday, and you can make a one-time or recurring donation to keep the show going. And I really appreciate your support. That’s it from me this week. Happy writing. And I’ll see you again soon.

Transcript available here

StoryADay Update Week 3, 2023

In which Julie updates you on her (imperfect) progress this May

In which I talk about perseverance during the StoryADay May Challenge

Video Version

Support the podcast

And finally a remainder that know you can support this podcast, if you would like to, which some people have asked me about and to do that, you go to glow.fm/storyaday, and you can make a one-time or recurring donation to keep the show going. And I really appreciate your support. That’s it from me this week. Happy writing. And I’ll see you again soon.

Transcript available here

Don’t Be Afraid of #OwnVoices

In which Julie has opinions about someone else’s (terrible) opinions…

On May 12, 2023 Kathleen Porter published an opinion piece entitled “Limiting What Novelists Can Write is Bad For Readers.”

I think she almost entirely missed the point of the diversity movement and I am…irritated. Please join me for a walk through some terrible opinions and what YOU can do, as a sensitive, thoughtful writer, to avoid this kind of knee-jerk reaction and keep writing.

Video Version

Support the podcast

And finally a remainder that know you can support this podcast, if you would like to, which some people have asked me about and to do that, you go to glow.fm/storyaday, and you can make a one-time or recurring donation to keep the show going. And I really appreciate your support. That’s it from me this week. Happy writing. And I’ll see you again soon.

Transcript available here

5 Days In May

Catch up with the first week of StoryADay May 2023 through the experiences of founder and writer, Julie Duffy

On this episode of the podcast I update you on how my StoryADay challenge is going this year, in the hopes that I’ll inspire you to get or keep going too!

Subscribe to the daily series here: http://stada.me/2023lives

00:00 StADa287 Five Days In May
01:14 D
04:40 Day 2
09:56 Day 3
13:41 Day 4
17:26 Day 5
21:21 Wrap up

And finally a remainder that know you can support this podcast, if you would like to, which some people have asked me about and to do that, you go to glow.fm/storyaday, and you can make a one-time or recurring donation to keep the show going. And I really appreciate your support. That’s it from me this week. Happy writing. And I’ll see you again soon.

Transcript available here

Your Writing Questions, Answered

In which I answer questions sent in by the StoryADay Community about how to overcome their writing challenges.

On this episode of The StoryADay Podcast, I discuss how to manage fear when it comes to writing, and how to overcome common struggles that writers often face.

You’ll learn why taking action is key to managing fear, and how participating in Story A Day can help with perfectionism and encourage creativity.

I also dive into the importance of having a deeper purpose for writing, and how to find motivation when it feels impossible to make time for writing.

Tune in to hear about the Story A Day Superstars Group and how it can help writers build community and celebrate their successes.

Plus, learn tips and tricks for acquiring and polishing writing skills. T

his is a must-listen episode for anyone looking to find inspiration, motivation, and guidance on their journey as a writer.

LINKS

Sign up for the StoryADay Challenge

Find out more about the Superstars group

Support the podcast

Watch vvv

TRANSCRIPT

StADa285 StoryADay QA

 Good morning. Good evening. Good afternoon, Julie, from StoryADay here.

We are a little over a week away from StoryADay May.

[00:00:21] Survey Responses – challenges

I sent out a survey recently asking you all. About your secret dream for your writing life? I talked a little bit about that in the last episode. I also asked about people’s biggest challenge.

When it comes to writing at this moment in your life. And that’s what the first question. There was a lot of very personal heartfelt. Honesty in the answers. And there was a lot of. Similarity between what you all had to say. Everyone has their own take on it. There were certain people struggling with different areas of writing.

But, and none of it surprised me and none of it made me feel like any of you needed to quit. I think what we need to do. Is acknowledged that writing is hard. And there’s no better way to do that than to hang out with other writers because I, I. See this, I see all these answers and I’m staring at a screen of them right now.

I see all these answers and it’s all stuff I’ve heard. From other writers that I’ve been hanging out with, who are going through the process of writing.

And I’ve been hanging out with them for the past couple of decades and this stuff is. Is part of the process of writing. So let’s talk about what am I talking about? Things that I see in the survey.

[00:01:50] Writing Is Hard, M’Kay?

Making time and space to sit and write every day. Consistency of output, finishing what I’ve started. The confidence to keep making, moving forward, having the team and capacity to rate. All of these things. Are. Incredibly common among us. It’s very difficult. To take words. And create worlds.

And create interesting characters. And put them in fascinating situations that have twists and turns and can hold somebody’s interest. And we all read these wonderful books that have been published that have been through the polishing process and the revision process and the draft after draft, to get them to be

brilliant and twisty and fascinating. And much less often do we get to look at first drafts. Second drafts. Or to hear from writers who are going through that process.

It turns out that.

[00:03:06] Mythbusting

Everything we think we need to do in writing usually comes with an asterisk. Yeah, you have to write a polished draft that goes through multiple revisions. Except some of it may not. You might actually. write a great couple of scenes that stay intact all the way through the process.

Yeah, you have to write consistently, but consistently doesn’t mean every day.

It means keep coming back to it. Don’t leave a three year gap between stories that you’ve written.

[00:03:37] Fear is Managable

People who are retired or out of work will tell you that simply having space and time for your writing does not guarantee that you’re going to be able to sit down and write, because once you’ve solved the time and space issue. Then you have to deal with all the inner stuff. Am I good enough? Do I know what I’m doing? The fear of of not being good enough.

Which is by far the harder problem to solve. It is solvable. Because. Those kinds of fears. Am I good enough. Am I going to be able to, am I interesting enough? I’m going to be able to write this way or that way, these. Once you acknowledge that chatter is happening in your head. You can give it a name and that name is fear.

And once you have a name for it, you can start thinking about it. And once you start thinking about it, you look at these questions that are popping up in your head about, are you good enough? Can you do this? Can you write an eight? Eight 80,000 word novel. Can you tell an interesting story? All of these things are skills.

That you can acquire that you can build that you can polish.

And the thing about fear as the bravest people in the world will tell you. Is that it doesn’t go away. You just get better at managing how much power it has over you and the way to manage that power that it has over you. Is by taking action and doing a thing. So if you’re feeling fear,

The best thing to do is just to write anyway. It won’t be as bad as you thought and the , next time you feel that fear, you will know that you can push through it. And the more you do that, the less of a hold fear. Has over you.

So if you are. Avoiding your writing for some reason, if you are sitting down at your desk and then stepping away to do something more easy, clean the kitchen or do the laundry or make a meal. These are things that you know how to do. So they are easier, even if they’re not more enjoyable, they might be, but I don’t know who you are. If you enjoy cleaning the kitchen

more than you enjoyed writing. The point is. That. If you don’t know why you’re getting up and running away from your desk. Whenever you want to sit down and write it’s possibly fear-based. So call it that and then have a look inside and see what those fears are. Are they about. You’re afraid that you’re going to write a boring story. Okay.

Then write a boring story and then go and figure out how to make it more interesting. Don’t wait for it to come out perfectly, and be interesting on the first shot. Write some characters don’t put them in a setting, ask them some questions. What do you want and why can’t you, why don’t you have it already? And then start listening to what.

What comes out of your brain as you write, and you have to be writing for those answers to appear.

And once you’ve written your boring story, you’ll discover that the world did not end. And you get to write more stories or you get to revise this story. But nothing permanent happened. And if you feel like nothing happened in your story, then you go and you read some articles or a book about story structure, or how to add tension to a story or how to inject conflict into a story.

And you go and ask other writers, how do you do this? I had an example of this the other day. I’m writing. I’m writing a romance. I got a little stuck and I talked to a friend of mine who specializes in romance.

And I told her the story and I told her what was happening and how I’d set it all up. And she immediately asked me one question that made me realize what my story was lacking. And it was just, she just has that skill in her toolbox that she understands that genres so well that as I was fumbling through telling her my story, she realized there was a huge piece missing.

And she asked me where’s this piece. And I said, I haven’t written it into the story. And she went well, start there and it was just a very low key question from her because she understood. The skill she has these tools. And she asked. The right question.

 If you have fear about not being good enough, It might just be a lack of skills. You just don’t know if you have the skills you need, in which case you get to pursue the skills, you got to go find them. You get to ask people questions and say how do you do this? And if you’re hanging out with other writers, you’ve got a wealth of people to do that with. The good news for you is that the internet is full of writers who are very happy to talk about their process. So there’s tons of interviews and there’s tons of classes you can take. There’s tons of groups you can join to find other writers.

Even if you’re introverted. Joining a group and being with other people who are pursuing this difficult thing. Has been transformational for me. And for, I think a number of people. In the story of the superstars, which is opening up again soon. So keep an eye on your emails for that.

So if you have time and space to write and you’re running up against that fear there. There are some things that you can do to help yourself keep moving.

[00:09:09] Finding Time

 I think one of the things that we all have to do, and this will. Address those of you who said that you have. Trouble finding or making time to right now, there are genuinely lives out there that are very busy.

And especially those of you with young children or people, other people that you’re looking after or demanding jobs, or maybe three demanding jobs. Making time is tricky.

For some of us that is less tricky. But for all of us. The thing that will make it more compelling. For us to make time for a writing. Is to manage the motivation question. This was another one that I saw coming up for people was that they were struggling with finding the motivation to write, keeping the momentum going.

All of these kinds of words, cropping up in the survey. And the most powerful thing. I have. Discovered in this area. Is to think of other people.

To remove yourself from the equation a little bit. And weight more heavily the people who will be impacted by your story. And you can think about when you were a kid. And you read that book that just made you feel seen, that entertained you when you were down, that. Just moved you. And this doesn’t have to be when you were a kid, it could be last week.

If you think about that. And if you can keep your thoughts, cause I know you’ve got your thoughts, recent mailer minute. That’s why you’re a writer. You’re very creative. You’re very imaginative. I knew tend. I am speaking for myself. When you start thinking, doing this thought exercise.

 It’s very common to think about. Oh, I want to create something like that, that, that moves someone and then respond to oh, but. Oh, but oh, . I have to write it all, but I have to finish it, or, but I’m not good at this, or, but I have to figure out how to get it published and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But that stuff is a different skill set. That is managing the business of being a writer professionally.

And you have to learn to put these things in silos and move that one over there. Let’s not think about that today. What we’re thinking about today is really. Thinking about your. Ideal reader. And.

Feel the love. For that ideal reader.

I know, it’s motivating to think about, getting checks from publishing houses and production companies and all of that kind of stuff. That’s great. That’s fine. That’s motivating. That gets you excited. Go for it. But it doesn’t tend to last as much because we’re all sensible people and we’re aware that there’s a certain amount of luck involved in there.

And you can’t guarantee that’s going to happen. You can guarantee that you can write something that will move someone. And if you have that, someone in mind, even a a theoretical person or somebody real from your life. It may be somebody who’s departed from your life already. And focusing on doing your best work

and trying to move that person, trying to reach that person, trying to help that person.

We’re pretty altruistic. I think. Most of us. And the idea of helping someone else is a really good way. to. Get over. A lack of confidence in ourselves.

If I was standing in front of you, and I cut my hand and I was bleeding and holding it out to you. I don’t think any of you would go, oh, I don’t really know what to do, but I’ll just, you just stand there with your hand bleeding. No, you’d grab a paper towel and you’d. Hand it to me and save, I don’t know, put pressure on it because , you know, that much.

And I don’t think anybody who’s listening to this, wouldn’t do that for me.

You don’t need to know how to do things perfectly, to be able to help people, touch people, move people, see people. If that helps you. Shift, focus from your shortcomings as a writer. To your aspiration. To help someone else. If that is motivating to you. Then hang on to that one.

And once you have that kind of motivation, whichever one you choose that really. Grabs you and moves you. Once you have that motivation in your mind.

You will. Find it harder to not find the time to write. So if you’re struggling to make time to write.

Keep in mind that deeper purpose that you have for writing. And you will find yourself much more motivated to cram little bits of writing into the little bits of time you can find. And two. Carve out pieces of time. Elsewhere.

[00:14:11] Overwhelm

 We do have big dreams. And a lot of answers from people who have this big dream of publishing a novel. Getting the movie deal, but. They are. New mothers or. Have elderly parents to look after. And so the whole big goal of writing or finishing the novel, or this is also for people who’ve lost momentum and are one person said, which I think is brilliant.

When I’ve lost momentum on a project, getting started again feels like standing at the base of Everest in flip-flops. Tell me that’s not a writer.

Overwhelm. It’s really common. And. This will not be news to you, but the idea of chunking things down, making them manageable, doing what you can today and not worrying about the whole project,

is really the only way to get anything done. If you are feeling like you’re not being consistent enough or that you don’t have enough time, that you can’t imagine rating. 80,000 words on one project, you don’t have to. Not today. You have to write the next scene. Or you have to think about the next scene.

Maybe map out the next scene, what does it need to achieve? Who’s going to be in it. Where are they going to be standing relative to each other? Maybe that’s all you can do today. But that means that when you sit down tomorrow, you’ll have that roadmap and you’ll be able to maybe write. 500 words, 300 words of that scene.

We tend to be very ambitious, which is good, but we also tend to be ambitious, which is bad. Because we want to write 2000 words every day and we want to finish a story every day. Now I’m going to encourage you to do that during May , but that’s not a sustainable goal for the rest of your life. And that’s part of the reason.

That I do story a day, because I want you to understand that some days you’re going to fail and some days you’re going to write badly and some days you’re not going to finish and you just get up and keep going the next day. And then at the end of a month, Look what you did. You wrote all of these words, all of these stories or partial stories and you weren’t perfect.

And. You still produced a bunch of stuff and you had fun.

You know what I’m going to say next perfectionism. Whether or not you think of yourself as a perfectionist. I certainly don’t think of myself as a perfectionist and yet. Perfectionism creeps in. We have to battle it.

You don’t have to be consistent in a way that doesn’t feel right for you. You don’t have to finish everything. You don’t have to write a good story.

You don’t have to have a perfect writing practice. You don’t have to have a perfect system, for getting your stories out to market. You just have to keep coming back. And B. Optimistic and hope filled about it.

[00:17:14] Want More Julie?

 There’s so much more and I’ll be coming back to these questions on your responses. In future episodes.

I’m always really touched when people contact me after I released these podcasts and tell me that I said just what they needed to hear. Inspired them to keep going, something like that. But it’s not magic. The reason I know what’s going on in your head is because I spend a lot of time with writers.

These kinds of questions come up in our StoryADay Superstars group, which is a group that gets together monthly for Hangouts to talk through issues like this. But also during the week, we have lots of writing dates where we get together and we actually hold each other accountable. Actually sit and write together on zoom calls.

And in the breaks in those calls, these kinds of questions come up as well. And we talk about them. You’re able to, if you’re in that group, you’re able to ask me very specific questions about your writing and the particular project you’re working on. And I, and the other writers in the group are able to ask you very specific questions about what exactly is going on, where the problem arises.

What, what is stalling you? What particular, you know, character issues are you having that kind of thing? So as well as the workshops that we do together really the benefit of. Being in the Superstars group, which is, as I have mentioned, opening up again soon. Is that you get. Basically more me.

You get more eyes on your specific problems. You don’t have to listen to me talking about these generic writer problems. You actually get. Coached on your specific. Issues. And. You get to celebrate with people who understand. The nuances of the writing life. So, if you are interested in. Finding a group like that in getting more access to me to get my eyes on your particular writing practice.

Come over to story day.org. Get yourself on my mailing list by putting your name in one of those sign up boxes. And I will email you this week to let you know more. About how you get into this group, which is like being at the best writers conference or workshop, but all year round.

Remember StoryADay May start soon so make sure you’re signed up for that. at StoryADay.org/signup

[00:19:45] Support the podcast

And finally a remainder that know you can support this podcast, if you would like to, which some people have asked me about and to do that, you go to glow.fm/storyaday, and you can make a one-time or recurring donation to keep the show going. And I really appreciate your support. That’s it from me this week. Happy writing. And I’ll see you again soon.

Why You Should Write during StoryADay, This May

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Of all the reasons you should join us in attempting to write a StoryADay May the best might possibly be because:

Don’t you want to be the kind of writer who writes?

Who writes so much they get good?

Who stands a chance of realizing those unreasonable-exciting dreams you’re not telling anyone about?

Don’t you at least deserve to try?

LINKS

Sign up for the StoryADay Challenge: https://storyaday.org/signup

Rachel Swearingen Interview Part 2

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This time we talk about her favorite stories of her own and the writers she admires, working in short fiction now. We also talk about the importance of community for writers, and then Rachel turns the tables on me!

(You can find Part 1 of this interview, here)

Rachel Swearingen is the author of “How to Walk on Water and other short stories” which received the New American Press Fiction Prize. 

LINKS

This episode: storyaday.org/episode283

Rachel’s site: rachelswearing.com

Sign up for StoryADay May: http://storyaday.org/signup

Support the podcast: glow.fm/storyaday

Rachel Swearingen Intervew – on Writing

In this conversation with award-winning writer Rachel Swearingen we talk about how to build a writing practice that grows with you, the art of writing short and long fiction the importance of play, her residency in Berlin and about some of her short stories and how they came to be written.

^^^ Watch (captions available)

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˅˅˅ listen (mp3)

Next time we’ll talk about her favorite stories of her own and the writers she admires, working in short fiction now. We also talk about the importance of community for writers, and then Rachel turns the tables on me!

Rachel Swearingen is the author of “How to Walk on Water and other short stories” which received the New American Press Fiction Prize. 

LINKS

This episode: storyaday.org/episode282

Rachel’s site: rachelswearing.com

Sign up for StoryADay May: http://storyaday.org/signup

Support the podcast: glow.fm/storyaday

How to Be A Writer Even When You Don’t Feel Like Being A Writer

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What to do when life won’t get out of your way.

We all go through seasons where other concerns pull at us (family, friends, world events). It doesn’t mean you’re failing as a writer if you are less productive at some times than others.

And I have some thoughts on how you can stay connected to your writer self even if the words aren’t flowing.

Links:

storyaday.org/3dc

Getting Unstuck with K. B. Carle Pt. II

It’s really nice to know that there is still an outlet or a form of writing that I can do and still keep a full-time job while doing it.

And it didn’t really bend my schedule too much. So that’s how I really started exploring Flash

-K. B. Carle

In the second part of my conversation with author KB Carle (listen to Part 1 here) we talk about what attracted her to Flash Fiction; the challenges of moving from short to novel-length fiction; how to get unstuck ; and how being a writer includes building your community

There’s a ton of practical tips (and resources) to keep you going in this week’s episode. Enjoy!

Need the transcript? Click here

RESOURCES

In Exchange for the Final Pudding Cup, We Offer Our Inner Thoughts, from The Offing (includes a Venn diagram)

Hello, My Name Is Marley in CRAFT Literary Magazine (this one has a word search!)

Vagabond Mannequin in Jellyfish Review (crossword clues as story!)

How We Survived , in Lost Balloon

Grace Q. Song‘s website

Christopher Gonzalez

Tommy Dean

Cathy Ulrich

Kathy Fish

Meghan Phillips

Best Small Fictions 2021

I Keep My Exoskeleton To Myself by M. Crane

Smokelong Quarterly

Five South

No Contact

Atlas & Alice

Atticus Review

Keep writing,

Julie

About KB Carle

K.B. Carle lives and writes outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her flash has been published in a variety of places including Lost Balloon, Five South Lit., The Rumpus, JMWW, and elsewhere. K.B.’s stories have been nominated for The Pushcart Prize, and her story, “Soba,” was included in the 2020 Best of the Net anthology. Her story, “A Lethal Woman,” will be included in the 2022 Best Small Fictions anthology. She can be found online at kbcarle.com or on Twitter @kbcarle.

Want more?

Weekly writing prompts and lessons in your inbox, every Wednesday with the StoryAWeek Newsletter

A Conversation with K. B. Carle Part I

When I’m most relaxed, here comes the character…

That’s when everybody decides to show up and just interrupt my day like they don’t have a care.

-K. B. Carle

In this conversation with author KB Carle we talk about writing flash fiction and micro fiction, the importance of community, getting through the middle, and more

Need the transcript? Click here

K.B. Carle lives and writes outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her flash has been published in a variety of places including Lost Balloon, Five South Lit., The Rumpus, JMWW, and elsewhere. K.B.’s stories have been nominated for The Pushcart Prize, and her story, “Soba,” was included in the 2020 Best of the Net anthology. Her story, “A Lethal Woman,” will be included in the 2022 Best Small Fictions anthology. She can be found online at kbcarle.com or on Twitter @kbcarle.

I hope it’ll leave you inspired and ready to get to your own stories!

Keep writing,

Julie

P. S. You can listen to Part 2 here

Want more?

Weekly writing prompts and lessons in your inbox, every Wednesday with the StoryAWeek Newsletter

A Conversation with K. B. Carle

When I’m most relaxed, here comes the character…

That’s when everybody decides to show up and just interrupt my day like they don’t have a care.

-K. B. Carle

In this conversation with author KB Carle we talk about writing flash fiction and micro fiction, the importance of community, getting through the middle, and more

Need the transcript? Click here

K.B. Carle lives and writes outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her flash has been published in a variety of places including Lost Balloon, Five South Lit., The Rumpus, JMWW, and elsewhere. K.B.’s stories have been nominated for The Pushcart Prize, and her story, “Soba,” was included in the 2020 Best of the Net anthology. Her story, “A Lethal Woman,” will be included in the 2022 Best Small Fictions anthology. She can be found online at kbcarle.com or on Twitter @kbcarle.

I hope it’ll leave you inspired and ready to get to your own stories!

Keep writing,

Julie

Want more?

Weekly writing prompts and lessons in your inbox, every Wednesday with the StoryAWeek Newsletter

Forget the Hero’s Journey – a conversation with Gwen E. Kirby Pt II

In the second part of my conversation with Gwen E. Kirby we talk about developing characters that feel real to people, about writing at this moment in time, writing about women, and the question that Gwen Kirby doesn’t get asked often enough,

Gwen E Kirby is the author of the fabulous debut collection of short stories Shit Cassandra Saw. has a MFA from Johns Hopkins university. PhD from the University of Cincinnati and is the Associate Director of Programs and finance for the Sewanee Writers. Conference at the University of the South where she’s also teaching students about creative writing. Her writing has appeared in One Story Tin House Guernica. Smoke Long Quarterly, and many other places.

LINKS

Gwen’s book: https://stada.me/cassandra

This interview: https://storyaday.org/episode278

Ready to write today, not “some day”?

Forget the Hero’s Journey, a conversation with Gwen E. Kirby

“when we leave our characters in sort of these vagaries, these big emotions and these big ideas, we don’t have anything to hang the characters or the emotions on.”

-Gwen E. Kirby

In the second part of my conversation with Gwen E. Kirby we talk about developing characters that feel real to people, about writing at this moment in time, writing about women, and the question that Gwen Kirby doesn’t get asked often enough,

Gwen E Kirby is the author of the fabulous debut collection of short stories Shit Cassandra Saw. has a MFA from Johns Hopkins university. PhD from the University of Cincinnati and is the Associate Director of Programs and finance for the Sewanee Writers. Conference at the University of the South where she’s also teaching students about creative writing. Her writing has appeared in One Story Tin House Guernica. Smoke Long Quarterly, and many other places.

Need the transcript? Find it here

I hope it’ll leave you inspired and ready to get to your own stories!

Keep writing,

Julie

Want more?

Weekly writing prompts and lessons in your inbox, every Wednesday with the StoryAWeek Newsletter

Sh*t Cassandra Saw, an Inteview with Gwen E. Kirby

“So little of life is comprised of huge dramatic running out into the rain to cry “Stella!”  If we saved our short fiction for only those moments, not only am I not totally sure what we would write about, but I’m not sure it would be all that accurate a portrayal of what it is to be a person.”

-Gwen E. Kirby

On this week’s podcast I’m in conversation with author Gwen E. Kirby, whose debut collection Sh*t Cassandra Saw was one of my absolute favorites from last year.

In our conversation we talk about the stories in her new collection, the benefit of a fantastic title, how to take an idea and develop it into a story. 

Need the transcript? Find it here

Next week, in the second part of this interview, we will talk more about developing characters that feel real to people, about writing at this moment in time, writing about women, and the question that Gwen Kirby doesn’t get asked often enough.

It was a delightful conversation and I hope it’ll leave you inspired and ready to get to your own stories!

Keep writing,

Julie

P. S. Mary Robinette Kowal, who I interviewed a few episodes ago, is offering a class this Sunday on diagnosing (and fixing) story problems. I always leave her classes feeling as if someone has flipped my head open and dropped in a bunch of sparklers. You might want to check it out.

Want more?

Weekly writing prompts and lessons in your inbox, every Wednesday with the StoryAWeek Newsletter