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.

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

“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

You Don’t have To Be Brilliant From The Beginning

I found this in my Free Little Library the other day and it prompted a powerful lesson that I thought I’d share here as advice for writers. If you’re struggling to write and wondering if you’re any good, Snoopy has a lesson for you.

Continue reading “You Don’t have To Be Brilliant From The Beginning”

The One Thing You Must Do Before Taking Writing Advice

The problem with writing advice is that it all weighs the same.
Weigh Scale

  • You read four articles on character development and start to worry because vibrant characters don’t come easy to you.
  • Your favorite writing-blogger is having trouble with dialogue in her own fiction so she does a series on the importance of natural dialogue. Now you start to think worry that your high-fantasy characters’ dialogue isn’t naturalistic enough.
  • It’s coming up to NaNoWriMo, and everyone’s talking about outlining and sharing their own Type-A version of it, which makes you start to doubt that you could ever write a novel because…damn!

There is an abundance of wonderful advice about writing online. If you are ever having a problem in your writing it is easy to find five different polemics on that topic in as many seconds.

But if you’re not writing regularly, how do you know what advice YOU need hear?

Find Your Strengths, Work On Your Weaknesses

I had the pleasure recently of being able to ask the talented and prolific Chuck Wendig about his characters and how he makes them pop off the page.

His answer took me completely by surprise.

“I feel like voice is my strong suit,” he said, simply.

He went on to talk about other areas that he struggles with more — areas that need work in the rewrites — but this? It was the easy stuff for him.

A small, controlled explosion went off in my brain:

He’s just good at this stuff.

I don’t have to be as brilliant at characterization as him. Maybe I can’t be.

If I’m really, really good in some other area, maybe it’s OK if I focus on that.

This Is Not An Excuse

This is not at excuse to avoid learning about the craft. You do need to be proficient in all areas of writing.

But if your first draft is weak in one area (or several), don’t let it slow you down. Instead, play to your strengths. If you’re witty, play that up. If your wordplay makes people smile, go to town on it. If  you are all about the dialogue, get that down first.

  • Write a lot to discover your strong suit.
  • Play to those strengths.
  • Fix the rest in the rewrite.

 

Need help with the ‘write a lot’ part? Try these articles:

How To Become An Insanely Productive Writer

Delegate Your Way To Writing Success

Five Irresistible Writing Prompts

Need more help? Take a look at the Time To Write Workshop, The StoryADay Guide to Breaking Writers’ Block and the Warm Up Your Writing Home Study Course in The StoryADay Shop.