The Dialogue Doctor Podcast

In this episode, Jeff sits down with Author Beth Biss to discuss Beth's work in progress. They focus on the emotional experience of Beth's main character in the scene and how the reader's emotional journey matches it. Jeff also compares composing the emotions of a scene to playing music.  For more on the craft of writing, go to https://dialoguedoctor.com/

In this episode, Jeff sits down with members of the Dialogue Doctor Community to talk about An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by the father of True Crime and Psychological Horror, Ambrose Bierce. They talk about the mastery of the writing, creating a main character the reader is supposed to dislike, and playing tricks on the reader.  For more on the craft of writing, come to DialogueDoctor.com

In this episode, Jeff sits down with authors Christine Daigle, Tom Hollbrook, and JP Rindfleisch IX to talk about their experience at Author Nation. 

In this episode, Dialogue Doctor Coach Laura Humm sits down with author Liz Woodiwiss. They look at a Call to Action scene Liz has written and discuss how to make world building more engaging by leading with emotion. For more on the craft of writing, check out https://dialoguedoctor.com/ To join the community, come to https://www.patreon.com/JeffElkins  

In this episode, Jeff breaks down every theory and tool the Dialogue Doctor Team has created about writing. He talks about:  Why you should focus on the emotional journey, The different types of vehicle characers, The Dialogue Daisy, How to build a character voice, Understanding your character possiblities, The Story Hypothesis, Building an emotional shape of a story, Understanding your cast through VEAH Dialogue First drafts, Voice Modulation, The 5 different ways to open a scene, Dialogue Tags, And the 10 Magical Dials of Manipulating a Character's emotional journey At the end of the episode, Jeff makes a big announcement. For more on the craft of writing, check out https://dialoguedoctor.com/

Want to write better mystery stories? In this episode of The Dialogue Doctor Podcast, Jeff Elkins sits down with crime and mystery writer Doug Dorow for a live editing session focused on how to write sidekicks and build a strong detective character arc. They discuss: How to write compelling sidekicks that make your detective shine  How sidekicks can reveal your protagonist's strengths, flaws, and growth  What makes a great detective arc across a mystery or crime series  How to keep character development evolving from book to book  If you're crafting a detective series, crime novel, or cozy mystery, this episode will help you create unforgettable character partnerships and deeper emotional arcs that keep readers coming back. 👉 Subscribe for weekly writing tips and editing sessions that make your stories stronger. 👉Check out the DialogueDoctor.com for more on the craft of writing. #WritingTips #MysteryWriting #CrimeFiction #DetectiveSeries #CharacterDevelopment #WritingPodcast #DialogueDoctor

This week, Jeff Elkins is joined by author V.E. Griffth. Together, they examine the climatic fight of V.E.'s action novel. They discuss aligning the final fight with what the character has learned and creating clear emotional lines for the reader.  Check out more at https://dialoguedoctor.com/

In this episode, Jeff sits down with Becca Syme. Jeff and Becca talk about the state of publishing, howt things have changed, and how writers should see and understand themselves in the market. As conversations with Becca do, they veer into strengths and how writers need to find power in their work. To find Becca's new kickstarter, go to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/beccasyme/dear-writer-you-still-need-to-quit For more on the craft of writing, check out https://dialoguedoctor.com/

In this episode, Jeff is joined by his writing partner, Dialogue Doctor Coach JP Rindfleisch the IX. Jeff and JP talk about the book The Hidden Tools of Comedy by Steve Kaplan. They discuss Kaplan's theory of comedy, talk about the comedic equation, and then discuss the 8 tools of comedy.  Find Steve Kaplan's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Tools-Comedy-Serious-Business/dp/1615931406 Check out JP's work here: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/ Check out Jeff and JP's Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jprindfleischix/nrds-queer-paranormal-comedy-seasons-1and2-special-editions For more on the craft of writing, go to https://dialoguedoctor.com/  

In this episode, Jeff sits down with the amazing author, Laura Goode. Jeff and Laura talk about the art of pitching your work, performative confidence, and he wonderful book "Pitch Craft."  To find Laura's book, go to https://www.amazon.com/Pitch-Craft-Writers-Getting-Published/dp/0593837126 For more on the craft of writing, check out https://dialoguedoctor.com/ To find Jeff and JP's Kickstarter, go to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jprindfleischix/nrds-queer-paranormal-comedy-seasons-1and2-special-editions  

In this episode, Jeff sits down with author Mary Van Everbroeck to work through a short story she's written. They talk about the complexity of writing and "big cast" scene, and creating powerful emotional tension in a scene.  For more on the craft of writing, check out https://dialoguedoctor.com/

In this episode, Dialogue Doctor Coach Laura Humm meets with two of the Dialoggers for an "Office Hour." In this session, Laura and the Dialoggers talk about:  Writing distinct character voices Making child characters sound like children And what makes a thriller a thriller.  For more on the craft of writing, check out, https://dialoguedoctor.com/

In this episode, Jeff, Laura, and a few members of the community discuss the book My Friends by Fredrik Backman. [WARNING! SPOILERS] They get into the character arcs, the power of the narrator, nonlinear story telling, and the beauty of Backman's writing. Also, Jeff reveals his super fandom, and Laura and Jeff debate the ending of a character. For more on the craft of writing, come to https://dialoguedoctor.com/

In this episode, Jeff sits down with author John Krause to talk about John's work in progress. They look at John's Middle Grade mystry thriller and discuss how to build emotional peaks into the climax of the plot.  For more on the craft of writing, check out https://dialoguedoctor.com/

In this episode, Jeff, JP Rindfleisch IX, and Laura Humm (all the Dialogue Doctor Coaches) come together for a COACHES CALL! They discuss why they stop reading books, the best teachings to come out of the Dialogue Doctor, and places they are finding beauty in the world.  For more on the craft of writing, or to hire a coach, come to https://dialoguedoctor.com/

In this episode, Jeff and JP Rindfleisch IX dig into the book Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. They discuss the the major teachings of the book, how the book impacted their early writing, and how they have move away from its teachings over time.  Find more on Jessica here: https://www.jessicabrody.com/ Check out JP's work here: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/ For more on the craft of writing, go to https://dialoguedoctor.com/

In this episode, Dialogue Doctor Coach Laura Humm sits down with author Danielle Bonneau to talk about Danielle's work in progress. They focus on an important scene in Danielle's work in progress. After talking about high lighting and other editing tools, they get into the characters emotional flows and wants/needs at the turns in each scene. For more on the craft of writing, come to https://dialoguedoctor.com/

In this episode, Jeff sits down with Pitch Master Lindsey Hughes to discuss why pitching is important and how to pitch your work. They then read pitches from the Dialoggers and offered feedback.  To find Lindsey's work, go to https://thepitchmaster.com/ For more on the craft of writting, check out https://dialoguedoctor.com/

In this episode, Jeff sits down with Johnny B Truant to talk about his new work The Artisan Author. They discuss how he understands himself as an author, how his understanding is shaping his craft, and how he hopes to bring joy back to the indie author world.  To learn more about Johnny's work, check out https://johnnybtruant.com/ To see Johnny's Kickstarter, go to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/johnnybtruant/the-artisan-author-your-way-out-of-the-self-pub-rat-race

In this episode, Jeff is joined by publishing veteran and founder of Bold Story Press, Emily Barrosse. Emily tackles 7 (plus a few more) questions from listners about publishing.  Questions are:  Are publishers more likely to accept submissions from agents or do they equally accept direct subs? What's the proportion of submissions accepted via agents vs directly from authors? What timeline can I expect with a traditional publisher (small, mid, or large)?  If an author is adamant about not wanting to change their story in any way, should they avoid seeking a traditional publisher and pursue independent publishing instead? What are your thoughts? What is the most important thing to include in an agent Query when writing a memoir? Is the perception that agents only look at current trends true?  If I'm writing outside of sales trends (writing the book of my heart) what should I do to get a publisher to see value in my work? In the changing landscape of publishing in general and how traditional publishers are pivoting? How are the Big Trad publishers situating AI within their operations? If someone is considering a hybrid press today, are there any telltale clues that we can use to separate out the legit small publishing houses from those that are out to scam authors? To contact Emily or find out how to work with her, go to https://www.boldstorypress.com/ For more on the craft of writing, check out https://dialoguedoctor.com/