Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach

Why Writers Get Lost in Research (And How to Find Your Way Back)Release Date: October 8, 2025In this episode, Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach tackles the common "research rabbit hole" problem that plagues nonfiction writers. Learn how to balance thorough research with productive writing, using Isaac Newton's famous quote about "standing on ye sholders of giants" as inspiration for leveraging others' knowledge without getting lost in endless sources.In This Episode You'll Discover:Why the research rabbit hole is a distraction for nonfiction writersNoticing when you're researching versus procrastinatingPractical strategies to ensure you stay focused on the researchThe importance of research for credibility and specificity in nonfiction⌚️Timestamps:0:00 - Welcome & Introduction0:48 - Getting Lost in Research1:30 - Does Detail Matter?2:00 - Value of Specifics3:15 - Building Trust Through Research3:44 - Research in Memoir & Essays4:09 - Standing on Giants’ Shoulders4:40 - 7 Focused Research Tips5:05 - Bracket Placeholders5:23 - Tackling Online Distractions5:45 - Parking Lot Document6:00 - Staying Relevant6:23 - Research Timers6:48 - Organizing Research7:16 - Research as Conversation7:45 - Back to WritingTo read and check out all info, head to annkroeker.com/rabbithole

Start with Your Ideal Audience: Insights from Janyre TrompEpisode 283 | Release Date: September 24, 2025Quick SummaryIn this episode, Ann Kroeker is joined by award-winning author and editor Janyre Tromp for a deep dive into identifying your ideal audience as a writer. Janyre draws on 20+ years of publishing, editing, and marketing experience to explain why targeting the right readers—and understanding their true needs—will transform every stage of your writing process, from drafting to editing to pitching and platform-building. Whether you write fiction, nonfiction, essays, or poetry, this conversation will equip you with actionable strategies, creative encouragement, and permission to be yourself as you connect with real people through your words.In This Episode You'll Discover:The difference between demographics and psychographics (and why felt needs matter most)How to use “real people” as your audience guide—beyond generic market profilesWhy writing purely from your own perspective may miss your target audience (and what to do about it)Practical strategies for exploring and validating your audience—before you write the whole bookThe value and methods of “testing” your message on social media, in articles, or through speakingSmart ways to use outlines, chapter summaries, and comparative titles to clarify your audienceWhy platform-building is about genuine connection, not perfection or performanceHow to balance platform work with writing—plus batching, repurposing, and self-care tips from Janyre’s own practiceEncouragement for embracing your unique voice and message, even when life or creativity feels overwhelmingKey MomentsJanyre’s multi-role background: Traditional/indie publishing, editing, and marketingDefining your ideal audience: From broad demographics to nuanced psychographicsHow emotion—not just facts—sells books and builds connectionThe role of social media as a “testing lab” for ideas and audience resonanceOutlining, annotating, and revising to realign with your audienceUsing comparative titles and community spaces to get to know your readersOvercoming perfectionism and performance pressure as you build your platformGrace for the process—nobody does it all, and real people connect with real peopleMemorable Quotes“Emotion sells a book. Facts do not sell books… That’s why you see a commercial, they’re appealing to an emotion, not a fact.”“If you want to publish a book and help people, then you have to approach your book writing from that person’s perspective and write the book that they need, not the book that you want to write.”“Social media is this lovely little lab where you can write about stuff and get immediate gratification of whether it works or not.”“Go find your audience wherever they are and hang out with them… If you have a conversation with them that resonates, they’ll come hang out with you elsewhere too.”“You have a message that only you can give. Don’t be afraid to step out into that and make those connections.”Resources MentionedJoin Janyre’s upcoming YPM training: Your Platform Matters (YPM)Learn more about Janyre Tromp: janyretromp.com and Editing InsidersFree Facebook group for editing questions: Editing Insiders on FacebookConnect & Continue the ConversationEmail Ann: annkroeker.com/contactExplore free & paid offerings: annkroeker.com/everythingGet free coaching in your inbox: annkroeker.com/connectFollow Janyre Tromp: @janyretromp on Instagram, LinkedIn, and (newbie!) TikTokReady to go deeper?Join YPM for Janyre’s “X Marks the Spot” training on finding your true audience—live and on replay.I'm cheering you on as a writing coach in your ear. Thanks for listening!

Don't Wait to Share Your MessageEpisode 282 | Release Date: September 10, 2025Quick SummaryIn this episode, Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach, explores how we can share our ideas and messages immediately through digital platforms rather than waiting for traditional publishing timelines. Learn why starting small today can make a bigger impact than waiting for the "perfect" long-form project to be complete.In This Episode You'll Discover:How digital publishing has transformed our ability to share ideas globallyWhy waiting to complete a book means delaying your impact on readersPractical ways to repurpose book content for immediate publicationHow to overcome algorithm anxiety and focus on genuine connectionThe value of reaching even a small audience with your messageKey Moments:[00:00] - Introduction: From farm life to digital publishing[03:15] - The Jetsons-like reality of modern publishing tools[06:30] - The lengthy timeline of traditional book publishing[09:45] - Creative ways to repurpose book content for immediate sharing[12:30] - Overcoming algorithm anxiety and focusing on real connections[15:45] - Why even reaching a few people matters[18:20] - Practical first steps to start sharing your message todayMemorable Quotes:"Someone out there needs exactly what you have to share—and they need it today.""Your message going out means you're intersecting with readers and potentially changing lives.""That chapter you're polishing for your book proposal? You probably have several subsections. Pick one and modify it to become a LinkedIn post."Resources Mentioned:annkroeker.com/ypmConnect & Continue the Conversation:Email me: annkroeker.com/contactExplore all my offerings, both free and paid: annkroeker.com/everythingGet free coaching in your inbox: annkroeker.com/connectI grew up on a farm before email, before social media, before any Internet existed for the general public. We had phones, of course. We had walkie-talkies. But we didn’t have Instagram or websites.If you traveled back in time and told young Ann (I was “Annie” back then) that at the click of a button—from the palm of my hand—I’d be able to write something that would be available to people anywhere in the world, I wouldn’t have believed you.I would have laughed, thinking you were teasing me. “Come on,” I would have said, “that’s like something out of The Jetsons.”Publish from the Palm of Your HandYet here we are, with publishing and distribution platforms literally in the palms of our hands. From your phone or a laptop, you can write something, click publish, and it’s live as an update on social media, a blog post on your website, a newsletter via email.Anyone in the entire world can read it.That really is like something out of The Jetsons.Have you stopped to think how fast and easy it is to write and send a message into the world from your computer or phone—how it flies through the ether and into a follower’s feed or a subscriber’s inbox? The immediacy is mind-boggling.The Power of Publishing NowIf you're working on a long-form project like a nonfiction book, you’re writing for a reader whose life you hope to impact, whether through a major transformation or a subtle shift in perspective. It takes a long time to complete a polished version of those 50,000+ words, ready for publication. When you seek traditional publication, you pitch agents in hopes of an offer.All that work and waiting, and not one word has been read by your intended audience.Let’s say you finally sign a book contract today. After all that time, your message still won't reach that reader for another year-and-a-half to two years.That's a long time before your words finally reach your readers.Why wait when you have Jetsons-like gadgets on hand? Why not start making a difference in your readers’ lives right away? Your full manuscript may still be in progress, but your message can begin changing lives today:Blog posts and Substack newsletters let you do a deep dive into your concepts for readers to ponderSocial media posts allow you to test ideas and connect directly with your audiencePodcast appearances help you reach listeners who might never discover your bookOnline publications can feature your expertise to established audiencesThat chapter you're polishing for your book proposal? You probably have several subsections. Pick one and modify it to become a LinkedIn post.The research you’ve done to support your main argument? Some could become an infographic for Instagram.The personal story illustrating your message? Share it on your Substack.Deliver value now while building anticipation for your completed book that will launch later. You even test your ideas to find what resonates most and strengthen your draft.But the Algorithm…If you’re thinking social media algorithms will throttle your reach, try to relax and have a little fun. Imagine how your post might reach a few of your ideal readers and make them think, laugh, feel something.Remember to be social on social media: Like other people’s content. Leave a comment. Share their posts. Worry less about the algorithm and be social with people you care about.When you focus on creating helpful content and engaging with others, you connect directly with the people who need your message most.Sure, maybe fewer people interact with your Instagram carousel post than they used to. Maybe “social media” seems more performative and less “real,” maybe the algorithm change really did show your work to fewer people, but even a few views means you brushed against each other virtually. An interaction in the DMs can be two people chatting and not just an automated system sending out a link (those are handy tools, but I’m suggesting you could simply be real).Worst case scenario, only a few people see your post. That’s a few people “Annie” never would have reached when sitting in the farm house back in the day.If you told me then that five or ten people read something I had written and published on a platform called “Instagram,” I would have been astonished. Real people somewhere in the world instantly read my words! That would have changed my life; I would have thought of myself as a writer years earlier. I would have thought about my writing differently, imagining those readers, hoping my ideas would change them in some way as our lives intersected for those few seconds.Today, at this moment, that’s our reality.Your message going out means you’re intersecting with readers and potentially changing lives.Start Now, Start SmallSomeone out there needs exactly what you have to share—and they need it today.Choose one approach that feels relatively natural and comfortable. It doesn’t have to be social media. Maybe it’s an emailed newsletter, audio on a podcast, video on YouTube, or a blog post on your website.Extract one idea from your long-form work-in-progress and shape it to fit the medium.Press publish.It’s like the Jetsons…but it’s really out there, reaching readers right now.

I tend to sprawl—both in my writing and, if you ask my family, on the couch. I start with a plan, but as I write, new ideas branch out in every direction. Before I know it, I’ve lost my way. And yet…while I encourage the power of outlines, I confess that I often prefer finding my way through the sprawl, writing until I experience an epiphany—a moment of convergence that shows me what the piece is…and isn’t. In other words, I write my way to clarity. In Write Your Way Forward (episode 281), I help you see the various ways you\'ll gain clarity, even healing through writing itself. I believe if you need to process something, you can write to understand. And I believe if you have something to say more widely, you can write to be heard. Read the full blog post HERE.ResourcesWrite to Discover – Start with YourselfWrite to Discover Your Top Themes & TopicsWrite to Discover Your Ideal ReaderAre Outlines a Writer’s Greatest Gift?What Lies Beneath the Surface of Your Life?Interview with Patrice Gopo on Meaning Making on the Page and Studying the Craft

If you second-guess yourself each time you send your words into the world, you’re not alone. You’re feeling what writers throughout the ages have felt, because it is a risk each time you click \"publish.\" Even if you’re viewed as an expert or thought leader handing down wisdom, your readers need to know they’re not alone. They need to see that you\'ve struggled and still found a way forward. Whether you\'re a writer who regularly reveals your ongoing messy life or you\'re someone who seems to have “arrived,\" your vulnerable stories offer hope.In this episode, I share some of my own experiences with being vulnerable as I encourage you to open up your heart.To visit the post that has all the information and links related to this episode (280), click HERE.ResourcesMy Writing Life Beginnings, Pt. 1My Writing Life Beginnings, Pt. 2Your Writing as a Gift (includes the Scott Russell Sanders quote)What Lies Beneath the Surface of Your LifeUse What’s Happened to You, to Shape Your WritingLet Life Inspire Your Next Great Piece

An idea pops into your head, so you grab whatever paper product lies nearby and scribble down the thought. Or you come across a quote, story, or stat and realize it connects to your project. Convinced it’s all great material, you jot it down, then stuff the paper into your pocket or purse.Now you’re ready to write, but you're discovering random Post-Its, index cards, and the backs of envelopes—not to mention pages from notebooks and journals. And you're wondering how these scattered notes and ideas could possibly be organized into a coherent structure for your article, essay, book, or blog post. Where do you start? Today, I’ll suggest one method to organize your notes. Let's call it the Seek, Sort, and Stack approach.

Find your publishing home without losing your voice: Literary agent Deidra Riggs reveals insider secrets on breaking into publishing while staying true to yourself—especially for women of color and writers with unconventional perspectives.In this interview (episode 278), you'll discover...Insider secrets: Deidra reveals what draws her to a manuscriptAuthors' authentic voices: Deidra supports clients, helping them navigating publishing without compromising their unique perspectives and voicesPublishing reality check: Social media followers...do they matter as much as we think?Deidra's wishlist: Learn what genres Deidra's looking for (and how the main interest surprises her)Direct access: Deidra invites you to contact her directly with your work (a rare agent invitation!)I don't want authors to feel like they've had to make themselves smaller, change their message, change their voice or the essence of who they are just to get a book published." —Deidra RiggsAbout This EpisodeEver wondered what literary agents really look for in submissions? Or how to maintain your authentic voice in an industry that often demands conformity? Literary agent Deidra Riggs shares some of publishing's hidden realities while sharing her journey from writer to agent at Embolden Media Group.This isn't just another "how to get published" conversation, however. Deidra reveals her process for deciding to work with an author, why this is a "risky time" for diverse voices in publishing, how she creates and searches for a nurturing "home" for authors (particularly women of color), and what makes her champion certain manuscripts in an increasingly challenging market.Guest Spotlight: Literary Agent Deidra RiggsDeidra is an author, speaker, coach, and consultant. Her extensive background includes writing, editing, and marketing for faith-based, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations. She is adept at shepherding a group or individual to the successful conclusion of a project, offering clear and accessible tools and guidance. Deidra is drawn to well-told stories with fresh viewpoints.Whether fiction or nonfiction, she gravitates toward engaging, thoughtful, and creative first-rate narrative and out-of-the box perspectives that help us laugh, dream, heal, and grow (and go) forward. A Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), Deidra lives in Connecticut.The first thing I look at is when I read this first paragraph, Do I wanna read more? And if I wanna read more, then I wanna know, well, Who's writing this? And that's when I'll go and look. And if it says you have 57 followers, I will write you back and say, "This is great. I'm concerned about your platform." —Deidra RiggsTimestamps for Quick Reference0:00 Introduction to the publishing industry challenges0:58 Welcoming Deidra Riggs, a literary agent who cares2:07 Deidra's journey from writer to literary agent3:04 The influence of blogging on Deidra's path7:23 Deidra's transition to publishing books10:17 Joining Embolden Media Group as a literary agent12:22 Building relationships with authors and editors14:58 Creating a sense of "home" in the publishing process16:50 Handling rejections and providing feedback19:03 Assessing submissions and deciding to proceed22:17 Platform requirements and starting a conversation24:49 Discovering new writers and using social media28:17 Encouragement for finding a publishing "home"29:44 Exploring other publishing options31:09 Balancing social media and new content for books33:15 Deidra's current interests (it surprises her)35:10 Contacting Deidra and final thoughtsThe women that I represent write as women of color, so they're not trying to make anyone like them. They're trying to be who they are and put out a message they feel called and led to put out into the world, and that's a risky thing right now. —Deidra RiggsResources:Full Episode Information & TranscriptEmbolden Media GroupContact Deidra RiggsRelated: Interview with literary agent Lucinda HalpernCraft Your Best Book Proposal

On a chilly December afternoon in 2014, I closed the door to my bedroom, swallowed back nerves—even trembled a little as I held a tiny earpiece as a microphone. Then I cleared my throat and recorded my first podcast episode that lasted all of two minutes. At that point a seasoned author, I forgot what it felt like to send something into the world for the first time. I’d done it for decades with my voice on the page or the screen. With a podcast, I was sending my actual voice into the world for the first time. How would people react? Would these episodes find their way into writers’ ears? I was a beginner again. First Facing Fears I fretted over editing, even though my initial vision for using audio was to give myself a simpler way to share ideas. I thought I could wing it. I thought it would be simple. But I realized a more focused, tight delivery would serve listeners better, so I started by outlining and writing a script. This added more time and tasks, but it gave people another way to enjoy the ideas without wasting any of their time with rambling and repetition. Next Facing Discouragement Only a few people listened to those first episodes. My friend Charity listened. My mentors. A few friends. I probably forced my husband to help with audio editing questions, but that may have been it. Publishing episode after episode proved daunting when I looked at the stats and saw only a few people tuning in. I kept going, though, because I enjoyed it. Truly. I loved sending off ideas as a podcast episode, in that medium. When I first told people about it, they told me they couldn’t find it on their podcast player. They searched and searched, but…nothing. I phoned the good people at Blubrry, my podcast host, to help diagnose several technological mishaps on my part, which resulted in a name change from The Writing Life with Ann Kroeker to the Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach podcast. With those few changes, people could finally find the podcast. From Humble Beginnings to Global Reach In time, more listeners downloaded the show. A friend with a huge following shared it one afternoon and that introduced me to her readers. My listening stats showed a bump because of that and the numbers continued to rise: and every number, an individual writer I hoped to encourage. Ten years later, looking back at those humble beginnings in late 2014, I can see how the determination to start—even when I didn’t know what I was doing, even when I was scared—led to a decade of growth and connection. I grew as a coach, writer, speaker, and podcaster, and writers have told me the ideas I’ve shared have helped them grow in their courage, craft, and confidence. If that’s you, thank you. Thank you for being part of this journey. While I don’t obsess over data, I’m floored to realize how it’s grown into a platform that reaches writers worldwide. I thought you might enjoy seeing the top 10 countries where writers are listening to the “Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach” podcast. You might even be in one of them! Top 10 Countries Here are the top 10 countries based on listener downloads: United States Canada United Kingdom Australia Germany India Japan Netherlands South Africa France Top 10 Downloaded Episodes of All Time (as of this recording in January 2025) The most downloaded episodes must reflect what resonates most. Enjoy browsing the top 10 downloaded episodes of all time (as of January 2025), in case one of them resonates with you: 10 Ways to Start the Writing Process When You’re Staring at a Blank Page Prepare for Publishing with Insights from Literary Agent Lucinda Halpern What’s a Writing Coach (and what kind do I need)? Find Your Book Midwife, Say “Yes” Before You’re Ready, Pitch to Build Platform, and Authentically Engage with Readers (interview with author Clarissa Moll) How Simple Systems Can Unlock Your Writing Productivity, with Kari Roberts Validate Your Idea to Produce Your Best Project (Back to Basics) Embrace These 4 Key Roles for a Flourishing Writing Life How to Make Time to Write and Develop a System to Take Notes, with Bryan Collins Improve Your Writing by Getting Back to Basics How to Hook and Hold Your Readers First 3 Interviews: For the first four years of podcasting for writers, I produced only short solo episodes. In 2018, I began to incorporate interviews and since then, I’ve introduced you to 16 writing and publishing professionals, inviting them to share their wisdom and insights. My first three interviews were with: Shawn Smucker Patrice Gopo Alison Hodgson Top 2 Series Two cornerstone series emerged over the years that continue to guide writers: Your Writing Platform, and What Do I Write Next. Your Writing Platform Series: For the Your Writing Platform series, I helped writers understand that platform-building isn’t about being a wandering troubadour, but about finding your focus and connecting authentically with readers who resonate with your message. Your Writing Platform Needs a Home Base: An Author Website Your Writing Platform: The Need for Focus Your Writing Platform: What Fascinates, Captivates, and Energizes you Your Writing Platform: How to Confirm Your Niche Your Writing Platform: Who Is Your Who? Your Writing Platform: What’s the Definition of Platform (and Do I Really Need One)? Your Writing Platform: Do People Expect Writers to Be Speakers Now Is the Time to Start Building Your Platform Your Writing Platform: First Steps to Launching Your Social Media Presence (related: You can Impact Readers Right Now Through Social Media) What Do I Write Next Series: This series addressed the perpetual question of creative direction, encouraging writers to explore their “vein of gold” while staying open to experimentation. What Do I Write Next: How to Decide What to Write Next What Do I Write Next: Why Write Small When You Want to Go Big? What Do I Write Next: Why Not a Series? What Do I Write Next: Enjoy Your Vein of Gold What Do I Write Next: Experiment and Expand Your Repertoire Start Your Own Scary Project For that first-ever episode, I decided the best thing to do was to give myself the advice I gave my writing clients all the time: just get started. If you’re hung up on a project and you don’t know how to launch it, or you don’t know how to outline it, or you don’t know where you’re going with the ideas, just get started. Once you start, you’ll get in motion. When you get in motion, you’ll get clarity. And when you get clarity, you’ll get both vision and specifics, and you’ll be able to get the thing done. You’ll solve your problems as you go. You’ll discover new solutions. And in the end, you’ll have a product. It may or may not be what you thought it would be when you started out—and you may adapt and evolve as you go along—but you’ll never get there if you don’t start. So that’s my message to you both then and now, as I look back on the ten years I’ve been speaking to you about your writing life. Do you have something you haven’t started yet because you’re afraid, worried, uncertain? Don’t put it off any longer. Your audience is out there. Just get started. Resources All Podcasts (with summaries for browsing) Blubrry (you can check out my podcast host; affiliate link, which means I’ll receive a small commission from Blubrry as a thank you) ____________ Join us in Your Platform Matters (YPM) YPM is a warm and welcoming membership community committed to creative, meaningful ways we can grow our platform and reach readers—check us out!

A few years ago, a client came to me with an idea for a nonfiction book. She was ready to write a draft and send it to a publishing house. What she didn’t realize was that she was working a few steps ahead. Thankfully, we met early enough in the process that I was able to fill her in on the steps she’d need to take to pursue traditional publishing—allowing her to sidestep a lot of mistakes that would have slowed her down.  Even though she didn’t need to write the entire manuscript before taking her next steps, her instinct to do so was to be commended. After all, how was she supposed to know about the ins and outs of publishing  without any prior experience? Is it possible you’re also making one (or more) of the biggest mistakes nonfiction writers make—simply because you don’t know what you don’t know?  Let’s explore—and learn how to avoid—the common mistakes writers make as they develop and complete their first nonfiction book. https://youtu.be/oD0-8Nu_CBY?si=2cGnPeYaCfYunUso Mistake #1: Writing Without a Plan A common mistake nonfiction authors make is attempting to write their book without a clear roadmap or structure. Often, within the first chapter or so, they realize the magnitude of the project ahead and overwhelm settles in—derailing their initial excitement.  Without a defined plan or structure in place, ideas tend to sprawl and lack cohesion. The missing element? A book proposal—a necessary business document used in traditional publishing. For you and me, it serves as a plan to make your nonfiction book a reality.  In a book proposal, writers define a clear thesis statement and outline the central argument that will be supported throughout the book. Writers outline the book chapter by chapter, creating a framework that ensures they’re crafting a message they want to share with their ideal reader. A book proposal also includes key elements that force you to think through details, such as the book’s purpose, its special features, and its ideal reader, which add to the plan and guide your research and writing. Writing without a plan is the first big mistake…and creating a plan is how to solve it.  Mistake #2: Writing Before Deciding on a Publishing Path Another mistake writers make is writing before determining the publishing path they want to take. Before developing your manuscript, be sure to pause and consider if you plan to pursue traditional publishing or plan to self-publish.  If you know you want to go the traditional path, then you need a book proposal, and that proposal will include sample chapters—typically about three for a first-time author. These chapters will serve as prototypes, guiding the direction and flow of content for the entire book. While not all of the subsequent chapters need to mirror the initial ones you turn in with your book proposal, they still set the foundation for the rest of the manuscript.   If self-publishing is your goal, then you will need to fully complete the manuscript. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider creating a book proposal. Self-published authors often find it useful to work through parts of the book proposal, such as categories your book will fall into, which you’ll need for the back cover and in your Amazon or online listing. For memoir, specifically, you’ll also need a completed manuscript and a complete book proposal to submit to publishers with your own unique storyline and viewpoint.  So, what publishing path do you hope to pursue? Be sure to consider the right path for your book before diving too deep into the process of writing. Mistake #3: Overthinking the Book & Not Writing Anything Overthinking a book to the point of paralysis is another common problem I see with writers. Some fear that they’re not going to be able to fit everything they want to say in their book. Other writers fear that their work has already been said by somebody else and there’s no reason to write their book. Either situation can shut a writer down before they even begin. If you find yourself here, go back to the first “mistake” and start crafting a plan. Create a framework for your book that addresses your reader’s felt needs and offers them the transformation they seek.  Once you’ve done the hard work of creating a book proposal—determining your book’s purpose and how it will serve your readers—the actual writing of the book won’t feel all that complicated. Mapping out a book is like outlining and sets you up for success when you sit down to write chapters. The next hurdle is deciding how each chapter will flow. You could start each chapter with a compelling story or offer an anecdote as an effective way to engage readers. Stories are a powerful way to connect with your reader. In the paragraphs and pages that follow, you’ll support your claim or main purpose of the chapter through sub-ideas or topics. These supporting ideas and examples all are meant to help the reader understand the main message or big idea you are trying to convey. And then you’ll round it all out with a conclusion that ties it all together. With a structure to follow as you craft your manuscript, you’ll avoid the pitfall of overthinking and instead find words flowing on the page. Mistake #4: Not Asking for Help Soon Enough I see it all too often: writers wait too long to ask for help. First-time authors often work in a silo, not realizing their entire book doesn’t need to be written all alone. Take inspiration from Brené Brown, who shared her experience of writing her first book in an episode of Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert. For her first book, Brené didn’t isolate herself but instead gathered her team at a lake house. She taught the content of the book while incorporating their feedback and insights. This collaborative approach allowed her team to identify areas where her explanations fell short or where certain stories didn’t resonate, enabling her to refine her manuscript.1 In short, we write better together. You don’t have to write alone. Be sure to seek support and input early in the writing process. Talk through your ideas with a friend. Find beta readers. Build a team around you. By involving others you will not only find more enjoyment in the process, but you’ll be much more satisfied with the end result.  From the Coach’s Desk Do you find yourself making any one (or more) of these common mistakes nonfiction writers make when writing their first book? Are you feeling a little stuck? You don’t have to let those mistakes hold you back from writing your nonfiction book. You simply need to make a plan to move forward and do the work.  If a plan feels like a constraint to you, know that your manuscript will evolve as you move through revisions. You can adjust your plan as new information comes across your desk. You can insert new quotes or change the wording of a chapter’s claim to reflect what you learn along the way. That client I mentioned? I sent her a webinar about book proposals that helped her understand the importance of that document and how the traditional publishing industry uses it in the decision-making process.  She watched it, and we ended up working together on her book proposal. She developed a strong idea that proved to “have legs,” as they say, and she landed a contract with an agent and a publisher.  It all started with a plan. You can avoid all of these mistakes with your own nonfiction book project if you have a plan too. Resources: Book Proposal Coaching: blog posts, a free challenge, and my course options in one place Free Webinar (the one mentioned in the article): Craft Your Best Book Proposal Blog Post: What’s a Book Proposal (and why do I need one)? Comprehensive Book Proposal Program: Your Compelling Book Proposal (YCBP) FREE ON-DEMAND WEBINAR Craft Your Best Book Proposal If you have a non-fiction book inside you, the first step is to write a book proposal. In this training, I’m revealing what it takes to create this essential document. The webinar covers… ✅ why you need a book proposal✅ what a book proposal does for your book✅ the three things a publisher is looking for✅ how to start developing your own proposal! Sign up for immediate access! Footnote: Gilbert, Elizabeth. “Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert: Magic Lessons Se. 1, Ep. 12: Brene Brown on ‘Big Strong Magic.’” Libsyn.com, 2016, magiclessons.libsyn.com/podcast/magic-lessons-se-1-ep-12-brene-brown-on-big-strong-magic. (Start around 27:04 mark) Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Somewhere along the way, you stopped writing.  Life got in the way.  You lost your confidence. You ran out of time. You ran out of ideas. You hit a huge block you can’t get past. Maybe you thought writing belonged to younger-you, when the stakes were lower and you took more risks. For one reason or another, the words stopped flowing. You set aside your pen. You stopped calling yourself a writer. You scribble in a journal now and then, but nothing beyond that. This happens. One day, you’re an unstoppable force—a creativity marvel, spinning out stories like a professional word-weaver. The next, you’re staring at a blank page, feeling the weight of fear, doubt, and a lack of motivation. You face external hurdles. It doesn’t help that the world seems to conspire against you. Every interruption, every demand on your time, feels like you’re yanked away from your true calling. You wonder if that original spark is gone for good, snuffed out. I’ve been there. When my dad needed loads of caregiving attention, my mind didn’t have space to think creative thoughts, and I had almost no time to sit down and write. I was sitting down for “care meetings,” driving him to urologist appointments, tracking down fax machines to send documents to insurance companies, and dealing with the emotional strain of his increasing dementia and its unpredictable fury. Overwhelmed by the responsibilities and stress, I put all but essential tasks on pause during that era. The few words I eked out felt forced. The spark was gone. Guess what? You’re in good company. Every writer hits this wall at some point. Some swear they don’t, but I would bet my favorite pen that every writer faces moments—sometimes long stretches—when the words just don’t come. If that’s happening to you, don’t see it as a sign that you’re not cut out for this, or that you’ve lost your gift. It proves you’re in good company—it’s a sign you’re human. Indeed, you’re a real writer. Because you’re a writer, let’s figure out how to get those words in motion again. Write a few minutes a day. Even during the intense caregiving days, I could squeeze in tiny pockets for my work—windows of opportunity between appointments or before bed. It wasn’t much, but it was something. You can write, too. Even a few minutes in a notebook or your phone’s Notes app is a start. Get going by getting something down. Get Your 5-Minute Writer Freebie Grab this fillable workbook for ideas to make the most of every writing opportunity. You’ll get: Lists of tiny tasks you can tackle when five minutes opens up so you make progress in your writing (for both fiction and nonfiction writers!) Ideas for where to contain your research, ideas, and drafts Real-life proof from your writing coach that your writing life can expand in tiny openings Write anything. You may have a deadline staring you down or a deep desire to write your memoir. But if your writing’s at a standstill, let yourself write anything—your thoughts, a memory, a description of your surroundings. You need to invite your mind back to the page, so don’t add pressure by forcing it to perform an Act of Great Writing. Write a card to a friend or a simple update on social media. Write sloppy. Let go of the need for your writing to be perfect. Produce something purposefully imperfect if you need to, even sloppy. It’s more important to reignite the habit than to stress out trying to write typo-free text without a single sentence fragment. Sneak past your internal Grammar Guard who threatens to bludgeon you with the Chicago Manual of Style. Heck, write sentence fragments on purpose. Slip one in to free you up. You’ll feel like a rebel, which might produce the energy you need to fuel your creative fire. Remind yourself WHY. Reconnect with why you started writing in the first place. What drew you to this craft? What did it give you that nothing else could? Tap into that original passion, and let it guide you back to the page. Try “writing” with another tool. If your circumstances don’t allow time or space for you to sit down at a keyboard and type, speak your ideas into a voice recording app. Have the audio file transcribed and voila! You’ve got a draft. It’s a way to get your ideas out, even within logistical limitations. Be kind to yourself. Stop beating yourself up. When we’re kind to ourselves, we acknowledge our humanity, and open ourselves up to return to embrace the writer we’ve been smacking down. Sarah Severson writing for ​Rewired Dynamics​ explains: “Self-compassion encourages us to explore without the fear of failure. This freedom to experiment fosters creativity, leading to innovative problem-solving and increased productivity.”1 In other words, with self-compassion and kindness instead of self-loathing and criticism, we’re far more likely to emerge creative and productive. The Ebb & Flow of Your Writing Story Write what you can and know that the creative spark—the energy that drives us to the page—ebbs and flows. Sometimes we simply sit and do the work, less inspired but willing to try. Keep showing up; as words spill onto the page, even a few lines at a time, believe and trust that more inspired words will return in abundance. When did you last feel this way—stuck, without words, creatively blocked? What pulled you back? I hope you’re overflowing with ideas, your pen unable to keep up. But if you’re stuck, pick up your pen. Write one sentence. You’re still a writer, and your story isn’t over. ____________ Join us in Your Platform Matters (YPM) YPM is a warm and welcoming membership community committed to creative, meaningful ways we can grow our platform and reach readers—check us out! Footnote: Severson, Sarah. “Self-Compassion: The Key to Self-Improvement and Productivity» Rewired Dynamics LLC.” Rewired Dynamics LLC, 3 Sept. 2023, www.rewireddynamics.com/self-compassion-key-to-self-improvement-and-productivity/. Accessed 7 Sept. 2024.

Is Substack the best platform for writers? Is it right for you? In this interview, publishing expert Jane Friedman explores Substack’s social media-like features, blogging-like functionality, podcast-host possibilities…and its implications for writers. From using Substack “Notes” to community cross-promotion, it’s an ecosystem worth understanding. Substack is more than just newsletters—it’s a blog, social media, podcast host, and email marketing tool all-in-one platform. Perfect for beginners, but should we trust it with all of our content? Learn the pros and cons of Substack on our latest episode of the “Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach” podcast after skimming the show notes and summary below. But first… Meet Jane Friedman: Jane Friedman has 25 years of experience in book publishing, with expertise in business strategy for authors and publishers. She’s the co-founder and editor of The Hot Sheet, a paid newsletter about the book publishing industry with over 2,500 subscribers, and has previously worked for Writer’s Digest and the Virginia Quarterly Review. In 2023, Jane was awarded Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World. Jane’s website, janefriedman.com, offers a wealth of resources for authors. She writes many of the articles herself and also features guest writers who are experts in various aspects of writing and publishing. You may have followed some of the many links I’ve shared in my own newsletter, as Jane’s content and curation of expert input consistently provides top-notch education and encouragement for writers across genres. Jane’s most recent book is The Business of Being a Writer (sponsored post/affiliate link to Amazon) (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal. And a new edition is to be released in Spring 2025. Jane is everywhere. She’s been in The New York Times, The Atlantic, CNN, Wired, BBC, The Guardian, CBC, The Washington Post, Fox News, USA Today, and NPR. And now she’s here on the “Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach” podcast, discussing Substack for writers. https://youtu.be/JP2EuDDDGRI Mentioned in the show (it’s a lot!): Read Jane’s thorough and thoughtful analysis of Substack from March 2024:  https://janefriedman.com/substack-is-both-great-and-terrible-for-authors/ Sign up for Jane’s free newsletter, Electric Speed, or see if The Hot Sheet, her paid newsletter for publishing professionals, is right for you. Leigh Stein (switched from offering a free MailChimp newsletter to offering a paid Substack): the website signup page: https://www.leighstein.com/newsletter | direct link to “Attention Economy” substack: https://leighstein.substack.com/  Ann mentions paying for George Saunders’ “Story Club” substack: https://georgesaunders.substack.com/  And paying for Jeannette Ouellette’s “Writing in the Dark” substack: https://writinginthedark.substack.com/  Article in The Verge about the Substack controversy about Nazis using the platform: https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/8/24030756/substack-nazi-newsletter-content-moderation Alternatives to Substack include Beehiiv https://www.beehiiv.com/ and Ghost. https://ghost.org/  All the Substack newsletters Jane subscribes to here: https://substack.com/@janefriedman/reads  Courtney Maum’s “Before and After the Book Deal” https://courtneymaum.substack.com/  Elle Griffin’s “Elysian Press” (Jane warned that her decision to unsubscribe from all substacks and only use the app means she’s encouraging others to do the same and will lose all of her own subscribers): https://www.elysian.press/  Dr. Jen Gunter’s “The Vajenda”:  https://vajenda.substack.com/  Peter Schoppert’s “AI and Copyright” substack: https://aicopyright.substack.com/  Benedict Evans’ tech analysis newsletter on his own solution (possibly MailChimp with Memberful, a WordPress plugin to manage the subscription version): https://www.ben-evans.com/newsletter  Helen Lewis’s The Bluestocking as patron model substack: https://helenlewis.substack.com/  John Warner’s patronage model: https://substack.com/@biblioracle  The Tangle news source, by Isaac Saul, mentioned by Jane as an example of subscription model with free and paid that is not using Substack: https://www.readtangle.com/  Peter Attia – no way would he be on Substack, having built an empire on his own website Ann’s Substack, “Story Hatchery”: https://annkroeker.substack.com Jane Friedman Substack Interview Transcript: Ann Kroeker [00:00:00]:I’m Ann Kroeker, writing coach. If you’re tuning in for the first time, welcome. If you’re a regular, welcome back. Today, you’ve joined hundreds of established and emerging writers who are discovering ways to reach their writing goals and have fun by being more curious, creative, and productive. And this is the Ann Kroeker Writing Coach Podcast. Today, I have publishing expert Jane Friedman on the show. If you don’t know Jane yet, you should and you will. Let me tell you just a little bit about her. Ann Kroeker [00:00:28]:Jane has 25 years of experience in book publishing. She’s the co founder and editor of The Hot Sheet. It’s a paid newsletter about the book publishing industry with over 2,500 subscribers, myself included. She has previously worked for Writer’s Digest and Virginia Quarterly Review. In 2023, Jane was awarded publishing commentator of the year by Digital Book World. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, received a starred review from Library Journal and is coming up with a new updated edition in 2025. And Jane is everywhere. She’s often a keynote speaker at writing conferences. Ann Kroeker [00:01:03]:She’s been in the Atlantic, BBC, NPR. I mean, you name it. She’s probably been featured there in some way. And now she’s featured right here on the Ann Kroeker Writing Coach podcast. So let’s welcome her. Well, welcome Jane Friedman. It’s good to have you on the show. Jane Friedman [00:01:17]:Thank you, Ann. Ann Kroeker [00:01:18]:So when I asked you to be on the show, you you right away said sure, which was really refreshing and fun. And then I asked you, what would you like to discuss that you haven’t been able to explore as much as you’d like on other events, podcasts, speaking engagements, whatever. And right away, you said, sub stack. And I am curious why that came to mind so quickly and then why that was top of mind. Why Jane picked Substack to Discuss Jane Friedman [00:01:40]:Well, it’s something that writers ask me about on a almost daily basis. And it’s a really complicated issue. And so it’s hard to give a single answer without getting into really like a 30-minute discussion about that writer’s background, their goals, you know, it’s it’s and and I too feel torn personally as someone who’s really invested in newsletters as a format, both to deliver great writing and content and as a marketing tool. Like, even I don’t use Substack, after developing a really robust list. I don’t feel like I need to, but I’m still drawn to it, because it does have this marketing power and networking power associated with it. I think the confusing thing for so many folks is that you can still be active on Substack, and I am, without sending your newsletter through it. So in any event, there are all of these different layers to it. And oh, and then just to throw another variable in there, I don’t think Substack is always operating in a way that I think is what? Well, let’s put it this way. Jane Friedman [00:02:53]:They’re funded by venture capital. They’re gonna have to turn a profit at some point. And so there’s I have, you know, I never quite trust companies that aren’t yet turning a profit, which may be unfair, but there it is. Ann Kroeker [00:03:06]:Well and that’s why we’re having this conversation so that we can inform people who tune in. We can’t personalize it. Like you said, we can’t have that 30-minute conversation with an individual, but hopefully, we’ll give them enough information. They can make some decisions for themselves. So I’m all in as well on this conversation. And in full disclosure, I have a substack. Now I have kept just sort of like you mentioned, and I think we need to actually sort of define and explain it next. But, I do have one because I wanted to understand it. Ann Kroeker [00:03:33]:Like you, I was attracted to the concept, like, what is this thing and how is it working? And, oh, that’s kind of neat. So I decided I needed enough difference between my coaching emails, which loosely could be categorized as marketing, but I don’t think of it that way. These are the coaching emails that go out on a more or less regular basis. The attempt is every other week. But then I I thought I need something different. So I called it story hatchery, but I did get my name, which is something I always recommend to people when something new comes along, grab your name. So I have ankroeker.substack.com. Ann Kroeker [00:04:04]:So I got my name, sat on it for a long time, then decided I’m gonna do something called Story Hatchery, and it’ll be more of my personal stories still with a writing angle, but that’s what I’m doing over there. So and what I mean by full disclosure is I’m there, and I kinda like it. Mhmm. And so I bet people who I have people who don’t have any idea what Substack is, so they must not even subscribe to Substack newsletters, or they don’t realize that they are. So how about we take a minute, and you do, your best to try to describe all the different moving parts of Substack and how what it is it? Jane Describes What Substack Is (and it’s not as easy as you’d think) Jane Friedman [00:04:35]:What is it? So when it first launched, and this is, I don’t know, in the mid 2010s, I believe, maybe 2017 when it first started really people started noticing it as a platform. I feel like it was positioning itself primarily as this is a great way to do a paid newsletter. Now it’s important to understand that at the time, this was kind of a novel idea. I hate to say novel idea because I was running a paid newsletter befor

“A writer — and, I believe, generally all persons — must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource,” writer Jorge Luis Borges said in an interview, when asked about his blindness. “All things have been given to us for a purpose,” he continued, “and an artist must feel this more intensely. All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art.”1 You may be familiar with Kate Bowler’s book Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved, and you might think it would push back against the wording of this sentiment. Everything That Happens Can Shape Your Writing But I take the quote’s overall message to mean we can work with whatever happens, good or bad. In fact, that’s kind of what Kate Bowler has done. Her misfortunes shaped her art. This summer brought our family celebrations, gatherings, challenges, and losses. And they came so fast, I couldn’t find time to document them all. For now, they’re jumbled in my mind and heart. Reflecting on Highs and Lows The Borges quote encourages me to revisit the summer’s ups and downs when life starts to slow…to take my time as I capture the details (and emotions) of the chaos that whizzed past. Will you join me? As you reflect on the past few months—the moments you couldn’t control, the raw material of your life—consider how you can work with all that transpired. Were there adventures? Celebrations? Humiliations? Misfortunes? Embarrassments? From these “resources,” we, as writers, shape: stories that resonate ideas that stick opinions that stir discussions advice that steers decisions revelations that open others to new perspectives We, as word artists, can transform all that happens to us into art. Transform Experience into Creative Expression As you reflect on the past few months—the moments you couldn’t control, the raw material of your life—consider how you can work with it. Explore your journal notes, expand on fleeting thoughts, and, with your creative flair, discover the meaning and purpose within those experiences. Whether they become part of a poem, essay, book, or blog post, see their purpose. “Remember,” writes Anne Lamott in Bird by Bird. “that you own what happened to you.“2 Every event, episode, and experience contributes to your becoming who you are as a creative human. Every hardship, misfortune, humiliation, joy, success, and celebration is a resource waiting to be shaped into art. A Prompt to Capture Life’s “Raw Material” Use this prompt to tap into the raw material of your life: Something significant that happened to me is ______________________. This is what happened: ________________________. Use vivid language and specific details as you recall the facts. What did you see, hear, or notice? Here’s how it shaped and changed me: _____________________. How did this experience shift your perspective, behavior, or beliefs? What did you learn about yourself or the world? This is how I connect it with how it made me feel, deep down: _________________. What emotions did it stir? Did those feelings evolve over time? Here’s how I can use the experience in my creative life: __________________________. Could it inspire a story, poem, or essay? What universal themes does it touch on? Your Creative Prerogative The details may stay in your personal journal while the experience finds its way into your body of work in more subtle ways. Your experience and insights may simply inform your work, your style, your ideas without being your work. Or you may write it “slant,” relying on metaphor to hint at its impact. It’s your creative prerogative to shape it as you wish. Because the experience shapes you, but you shape it, as well. ____________ Join us in Your Platform Matters (YPM) YPM is a warm and welcoming membership community committed to creative, meaningful ways we can grow our platform and reach readers—check us out! Resources What Lies Beneath the Surface of Your Life? Ep 173: [Interview] Patrice Gopo on Meaning Making on the Page and Studying the Craft Writing Quote: writers write…to relive life (Donald Murray) Write to Discover – Start with Yourself Footnotes: Borges, Jorge Luis, and Roberto Alifano. Twenty-Four Conversations with Borges: Including a Selection of Poems: Interviews, 1981-1983. Lascaux Publishers ; Distributed by Grove Press, 1984. (15) (quote first spotted in James Clear’s newsletter: “3-2-1: On Growth, All-Or-Nothing Mindsets, and How Great Art Evolves with Us.” James Clear, 17 Oct. 2022, jamesclear.com/3-2-1/june-3-2021?rh_ref=294c7014. Accessed 15 Aug. 2024.) Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird Some Instructions on Writing and Life. Anchor Books, 1995.‌ (6)

“The best advice I can give you to help you grow as a writer is to experience life.” We came to hear about queries and proposals. We wanted to learn how this speaker organized submissions and kept track of contact information. But at this breakout session at this writers’ conference, she insisted: “I know you think your writing career is all about composing articles and books, but you have to be able to say something. Both fiction and nonfiction writers need material, so get out there and live life—take risks!” The Power of Risks To illustrate, she shared her own story about trying to waterski for the first time as an adult. Despite feeling intimidated, she took the plunge. The experience provided her with vivid sensations and emotions to write about, enriching her work with concrete details. Her story prompted me to recall my own adventure. Earlier that same summer, I’d been invited to waterski, as well. Although I ended up with a spectacular wipeout, the memory of that risky experience stayed with me. I could see from my own life that she was right—I took the risk and lived to tell the tale, and it became material for my writing. Embrace New Experiences Creatives need to say yes to new experiences, even when they feel risky. Whether it’s traveling to a new locale, picking up a new hobby, or simply walking in the woods, these experiences fuel our creativity. Julia Cameron encourages creatives to step out of their usual environments to gather fresh inspiration from museums, yarn shops, antique emporiums, and international grocery stores. These “Artist Dates,” as she calls them, are foundational to living a creative life. Everyday Surprises To boost creativity, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi suggests we “try to be surprised by something every day” (347, Creativity). This can be as simple as noticing an unusual car (for example, I spotted a Tesla Cybertruck today) or trying a new dish (pupusas are delicious).  These small, everyday surprises add up, providing fresh material for our writing. Combine Input with Your Unique Voice Our writing deepens as we combine new experiences with our unique perspectives. The more we explore, the more we bring to our projects.  Each risk, each new experience, and each surprise enriches our voice and adds depth to our work. We produce original material, surprising the reader as well as ourselves. Let Life Inspire Your Writing By embracing the world around us, we not only enhance our writing but also grow as individuals. Step out, explore, take risks, and let life inspire your next great piece. Next time you sit down to write, your work will take on your fresh voice and new life—you’ll have new things to say and new ways to say them. ______________________________ Want to learn quick fixes to improve your writing style? Sign up for the FREE course, Make Your Sentences Sing: 7 Sentence Openers to Add Music to Your Prose. CLICK to sign up (free!) Resources Original version of waterski story Ep 211: Be More Creative to Enjoy Your Best Writing Life: Pillar Two Ep 210: Cultivate Curiosity for Your Best Writing Life, Pillar One Ep 180: Write to Discover – Start with Yourself

When I was a child just beginning to speak, my parents drove late into the evening to the rural property they bought. As they drove up the gravel driveway, the sky spread out above us with stars glittering like a million diamonds spread out on a jeweler’s vast black velvet display. Across the fields, a million lightning bugs hovered in the tall grass, their gleaming bodies flickering on and off. I pointed at the sky. “’Tars!” Then I pointed at the field. “Baby ’tars!” Perhaps I was destined to become a poet from early on, but my confidence in landing on that perfect metaphor virtually disappeared over the years. As a young adult, when I was writing books and blog posts, I rarely integrated metaphors into my writing, and it showed. My work was straightforward. Plainspoken.  While there’s nothing wrong with clear writing—in fact, that’s the foundation of nonfiction according to Ayn Rand (clarity first, then jazziness, she says1)—it lacked punch and pizzazz. My writing didn’t lift off the page and sink into the imagination or heart of the reader. It lacked that magical moment where an idea or image clicks and sticks with the reader.  Mastering Metaphors to Produce Great Writing And I knew mastering metaphors was essential to great writing. I did write poetry in college, admiring lines like Emily Dickinson’s: “Hope” is the thing with feathers – That perches in the soul –2 Shakespeare’s:  All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players;3 And Wordsworth’s: “I wandered lonely as a cloud.”4 Robert Frost said, in an interview in The Atlantic, “If you remember only one thing I’ve said, remember that an idea is a feat of association, and the height of it is a good metaphor. If you have never made a good metaphor, then you don’t know what it’s all about.”5 Practicing Metaphor: Create Clunky Metaphors to Land on Magical Metaphors I resolved to make a good metaphor. I practiced. My early efforts were hardly as magical as the child connecting stars to lightning bugs. Instead, they were more like a child pointing to a horse and awkwardly pronouncing, “Dog!”  My metaphor practice felt clunkily childish instead of enchantingly childlike, but I had to make clunky comparisons to train my brain to find the oddly ideal ones that would surprise readers.  In a Paris Review interview, William Gass said: I love metaphor the way some people love junk food. I think metaphorically, feel metaphorically, see metaphorically. And if anything in writing comes easily, comes unbidded, often unwanted, it is metaphor. Like follows as as night the day. Now most of these metaphors are bad and have to be thrown away. Who saves used Kleenex?6 The process of making metaphors and practicing at it will result in some stinkers. The bad ones, like used Kleenex, need not find their way into your work. Toss ’em. That’s what I’ve done. Most of my comparisons fall flat, but I’ve found it’s worth experimenting with mediocre metaphors in hopes of landing on ideal metaphors because when we nail it—when we find the language that connects—the reader remembers, relates, reads on, and possibly repeats what we say. I kept writing dumb metaphors until I found better, more creative, comparisons. Poets, like Gass said, “think metaphorically, feel metaphorically, see metaphorically.” We don’t have to be poets to play with metaphor, but we can follow their lead, studying their technique, admiring the rhythm of how they see and put it into words, like they’re fly fishing, casting their line, the rod in motion, repeating the flow until the rod bends, line taut.  Our first time casting, we may end up with our lines tangled in the weeds lining the stream, but we’re out there, learning the process, finding the flow. It’ll come, in time, with practice. Collecting Magical Metaphors A smarter idea than bumbling around on our own would be to collect samples of metaphors that stick. I should have started earlier, to learn from mentor texts, from authors who know how to wield their pen like a wand to create metaphor magic. In the first chapter of The Writing Life, Annie Dillard tries on a stream of writing-related metaphors: “When you write,” she says, “you lay out a line of words. The line of words is…” a miner’s pick a woodcarver’s gouge a surgeon’s probe7 a hammer8 a fiber optic, flexible as wire…you probe with it, delicate as a worm9 Was she laying out her lines of words searching for the right comparison? Or is our line of words any one of those—or all of those—at any given moment? She looked at the line of words from so many angles, creating so many ways to think about our writing. Metaphor Is a Bridge Defined, a metaphor is a figure of speech where a word or phrase is applied to an object or action that it doesn’t literally denote, suggesting a comparison. Ideally, the comparison conveys deeper meaning and creates vivid imagery. Similes are similar, using “like” or “as” to make comparisons. Metaphors, however, assert that something is something else. For instance, “time is a thief” suggests that time steals moments from our lives, giving us a deeper understanding of its fleeting nature. In this way, metaphors are a bridge, providing an instant connection between two disparate places offering deeper insight to the reader who crosses over from one to the other.  When I was at the Spring 2024 Festival of Faith & Writing, Anthony Doerr, author of All the Light We Cannot See and Cloud Cuckoo Land, delivered the final keynote. In it, he spotlighted the power of metaphor to bring ideas, scenes, and images to life. He reinforced this bridge metaphor by pointing to its etymology. “The etymology of ‘metaphor’ is ‘meta’ (across) and ‘pherein’ (bearing/conveying/carrying over)…A metaphor arrives and carries you across to the other side.”10 Metaphors Help Us See, Help Us Feel Metaphors carry us from one way of seeing the world to a new way of seeing the world. They have the power to transform our perception of the ordinary, revealing hidden layers of meaning and emotion.  To help us see metaphors building their bizarre bridges, Doerr drew first from Virginia Woolf’s short story “The New Dress.” In “The New Dress,” Woolf delves into the psyche of her protagonist, Mabel, who’s been invited to tea: We are all like flies trying to crawl over the edge of the saucer, Mabel thought, and repeated the phrase as if she were crossing herself, as if she were trying to find some spell to annul this pain, to make this agony endurable.11 Mabel repeated that phrase of this idea of flies crawling over this saucer, and Doerr did, too, repeating the key image, nearly incredulous that this specific, vivid, odd metaphor works:  Ladies at a tea party are like flies? Flies trapped in a saucer, trying to crawl over the edge? I can’t remember all the details Doerr covered in his wild, fast-paced message, but I managed to preserve this in my notes: “She’s trapped in the imagery. She’s wrapped round and round in the social and economic class.”12 This is the power of metaphors in literature—they can turn abstract emotions into concrete images, making the reader feel the character’s experience, enter it, and grasp it instantly as they cross the bridge from one idea to another: women at a tea party, like flies trying to crawl over the edge of a saucer. Clichés Are Metaphors Gone Bad Metaphors may be magic, but clichés are metaphors gone bad. Or, more simply, overused. The first time someone said, “It’s a piece of cake!” to describe a difficult task that was easy to pull off, they likely charmed the listener to compare a task with a piece of cake.  Once upon a time, a gracious friend must have referred to an old situation that was forgiven and forgotten, and said, reassuringly, “That’s water under the bridge.” That first time, the other person must have visualized the hurt floating away and felt relief. But over time, as these expressions were repeated countless times—maybe over a hundred years in some cases—they’ve lost their impact and originality. Once-vibrant metaphors have become yawners, failing to pack a punch because they’re overused.  That’s why editors are quick to flag clichés, pushing writers to find fresh comparisons that can surprise and engage readers.  Steer clear of clichés, and practice building better bridges. Craft evocative and emotionally resonant metaphors instead of stale clichés that whiz past unnoticed. Ready to Tap the Magic of Metaphor? Think about a character in your current project or a personal story if you write nonfiction. What’s the main struggle or emotion?  Now, find an object, animal, or phenomenon that shares a deeper connection with that struggle or emotion.  Link the two to form the metaphor. How can you weave the metaphor into your narrative to enrich the reader’s understanding? Here’s an example: The main struggle or emotion: A writer struggling with writer’s block. Object, animal, or phenomenon: A locked door. The metaphor: Writer’s block is a locked door. Metaphor woven into the narrative: “Writer’s block is like standing at a locked door with no key, jiggling the handle, unable to access the creativity on the other side. Worse, if we manage to pick the lock, open the door, and peer inside, we discover the inspiration we expected on the other side still isn’t there…only an empty room.” Technically speaking, that sample is in simile format (I used “like”), so a short revision as a pure metaphor could be more like this: “Writer’s block is a locked door, keeping ideas and inspiration just out of reach no matter how much I jiggle the handle or pound on the wood.” Or… The main struggle or emotion: A writer struggling with writer’s block. Object, animal, or phenomenon: A foggy window. The metaphor: Writer’s block is a foggy window. Metaphor woven into the narrative: “Writer’s block is like staring out a foggy window, ideas blurred and obscured, leaving the writer struggling to articulate them with clarity.” With this sample, I also slipped into si

I made a last-minute decision heading to the most recent writer’s conference I attended. I’d planned to take my classy, professional, sleek gray backpack that I’d purchased to replace the original purple one I mentioned in an earlier episode.  As I loaded it, I realized that to stay fortified, I needed to carry snacks and lunch each day—maybe even dinner—and it wouldn’t all squeeze into the professional-looking slim gray bag. I needed a bigger backpack. I dug around in my closet and found an older, different, ridiculously large purple backpack that I use for long trips.  It wasn’t professional-looking at all, but my lunches would fit just right, so I showed up at this much anticipated writing festival with a purple backpack after all, and podcast listeners attending the conference would stop me.  They’d heard the episode about planning and packing for a writing event. They’d shout, “The purple backpack!” and I’d say, “You’re a listener!” and we’d have a great time talking about writing.  So that’s my first of 15 tips, some of which are super practical, like this one… Tip #1: Make sure your bag is big enough Test your bag to ensure it’s big enough to hold all the things you plan to carry with you each day plus whatever swag you collect along the way…even if you’re not going to look as professional as you’d like. And don’t worry if your bag is a bit odd. People really do recognize you in a crowd if you have a memorable bag, purple or otherwise. Tip #2: Tuck your business cards behind your name tag Someone shared this pro tip with me years ago: When you go up to the registration table, you’ll get a name tag attached to a lanyard. Pull out five or six business cards and tuck them behind your conference-designed name tag in the plastic holder clipped to the lanyard, facing out.  When the tag inevitably spins around, people can always see your name—one side is your name on the conference-designed name tag; the other, if it flips around, will show the front of your own business card.  Your cards will be convenient to slip out and hand to someone without fumbling around in a bag. You can tuck other people’s business cards behind yours when you swap to avoid losing them; at the end of each day, pull out other people’s cards, add their names to your contacts app, and replenish your own cards for the next day. Tip #3: Decide which sessions to attend If you haven’t already, plan which sessions you want to attend and mark those in your conference binder. I choose sessions featuring industry experts I want to learn from or people I admire. This could be authors or publishing house representatives like a marketing executive or an acquisitions editor. Circle the sessions you think are ideal for you.  But… Tip #4: Stay open to adapting the plan Making a plan but staying flexible can help you feel less rigid, more open to serendipity. Or as Laura Fabrycky suggested I share with you, “Stay open to interruptions and sheer surprises.” One morning at a recent conference, I planned to attend poet Christian Wiman’s session. In fact, I’d made tentative plans to meet up with a friend. I needed to allow a five- to ten-minute walk from the main gathering area. As I was making tea, I got to talking with authors Summer Joy Gross and Lori Melton. Summer’s book was about to be released and we had not seen each other in person for several years. Then Lori and I connected at a conference years ago and we were enjoying these moments to catch up. We were deep into the conversation when I looked at my watch and realized there was no way I would make it to see Chris Wiman—or I’d have to slip in late.  Summer asked, “Are you going to the Madeleine L’Engle session?”  “What do you mean the Madeleine L’Engle session?” “Her granddaughter’s speaking about an unpublished book. It’s in this building in the Board Room.” Well, that I could make on time. I had read the conference schedule, but somehow it didn’t sink in who Charlotte Jones Voiklis was, so I followed Summer and Lori to the session, texted my friend that I’d lost track of time, and ended up loving every minute. I’m glad I stayed open to “sheer surprises.” Thankfully, the friend who attended Chris’s session said it was just what she needed. Another time I went to the wrong room and ended up in a session other than the one I intended. But it, too, provided me with just what I needed.  We can make our plans, but it’s okay to alter those plans—especially if we choose an opportunity that presents itself that leads to rewarding interactions and unexpected outcomes. Even mishaps and miscalculations can yield surprising results—the “wrong” room may turn out to be the “right” room. Tip #5: Say “Hi” to at least one person Writers can be dreadfully shy. Challenge yourself to say hello to the person next to you in each session. That person may be as nervous as you are, but this is a big reason to attend these events—to meet people. Who knows? Maybe they’ll become famous later. You might meet a writing friend or connect with someone who becomes an endorser of a book you’ll release in a couple of years. Be brave and say hello. If you chat for a few minutes and it seems appropriate, hand that person a business card and invite them to stay in touch. Tip #6: Ask “What one specific question will I ask?” When you’re in a session, listen closely, take excellent notes. If you’re new to publishing, write down terminology that’s new to you so you can look it up later. As you’re listening, think to yourself, If there’s a Q&A… What one specific question will I ask? This question should be based on what they just said, demonstrating you were listening intently—that you truly care about what they were saying—and you’d like them to elaborate on something, or clarify a point. Make this question short, specific, and different enough that it’s not an obvious question that anyone might ask. And make sure you really want to know the answer. Write down your question. Tip #7: Ask your one question Option A: Ask in front of everyone Usually at the end of a talk, the audience gets to ask questions.  Depending on the size of the room, the organizer might pass around a microphone, or audience members walk up to a microphone on a stand and wait in line to ask their questions. If the room is small, audience members might just raise their hands and speak up so everyone in the room can hear them.  Good thing you’ll follow through with Tip #6 and write down your question, because you might get nervous and worry that you’re going to fumble.  Let’s say they call on people in the crowd. Raise your hand.  When they call on you, stand up (this makes it easier for people to hear and see you). If the organizers set out a mic on a stand, go to it. Wait in line. When it’s your turn, state your full name. “Hi, I’m Ann Kroeker.” What this does is it puts a name with your face. Later, they may remember Ann Kroeker, the person who asked that question…and carried a purple backpack. Don’t add a preamble or spend a lot of time thanking them. After you introduce yourself, simply smile and ask the question. Option B: Ask after the talk at the front of the room In some instances, there’s no Q&A but you might have an opportunity to go down to the front and interact with the speaker after the talk. If they seem open to chatting with people, head down there with your question in hand. If others are milling around, shaking hands, asking questions, watch for your chance—don’t be too scared or shy. Introduce yourself. Ask the question.  Have your business card at the ready in case they ask (which is easy enough if it’s in your plastic name tag holder, right?).  If no one else is waiting and the speaker doesn’t seem to be in a hurry, you could, maybe, continue chatting because sometimes your question leads the conversation in a certain direction and they have a story to tell you or advice to give.  Now you’re more than a random audience member. Now you’re one literary person chatting with another. This is one of the many things that is magic about in-person events. Option C: Ask your question if you bump into them There may be many reasons you didn’t get to ask your question during the session. Maybe they didn’t offer a Q&A. Or they did but you didn’t get a chance to ask your question before everyone else did. Or maybe the speaker rushed off to their next appointment. You may still have a chance. Faculty are brought into these events to offer input, to give their talks, to encourage writers, to answer questions. Sometimes they’re sitting at a lunch table and they’re supposed to be there to meet and interact with attendees.  As an attendee, find an open chair at the table. Introduce yourself, chat with them, and ask your question.  Find yourself standing next to them at the coffee station? Introduce yourself and ask your question then. If this person is a literary agent or an acquisitions editor, you may be tempted to pitch.  Oh, friend, resist!  Unless they ask what brought you to the event or what you’re working on, okay, then, by all means, share your hook. If they’re interested and ask for more, follow their lead. But don’t haunt or hound any faculty (actually, don’t haunt or hound anyone, to be clear).  Most conferences warn people, “Don’t follow agents into the restroom and talk to them outside a closed stall door.” Everyone laughs, but they say that because it happens. It really does. Be patient. At many writing events, you’ll find an occasion to chat in a more appropriate location. Why the one specific question? You might have multiple questions, and that’s great. If you have a lunch table chat, you might get to ask them all. But some people are too nervous to ask even one question, and they might miss a chance to connect if they don’t write that out ahead of time. And limiting it to one keeps you from accidentally dominating that brief time of Q&A by asking too many questions. Be yourself, be relaxed, be real. You’ll leave a good impression as a real

Are you getting ready to attend a writers’ conference? Guess what? So am I! And I want to make the most of my time there, so let’s think through what will help with that. You’re likely going for at least two reasons: to learn and to connect. You might also be going to pitch your project. Let’s prep, plan, and pack to get the most out of this upcoming event, so you’re even better prepared to learn, connect, and pitch. And given that I work with a lot of published authors and speakers, it’s possible you’re one of the presenters. One day I might share detailed speaker recommendations, but for now I did weave in a few suggestions to make your faculty conference experience a little easier, too. Event Binder First, I should mention the Event Binder. This idea originated with Kathi Lipp on an episode of Writing at the Red House. Years ago I heard her describe what she includes in her “dossier,” as she calls it, and I’ve adopted and adapted the list to make it my own. I load it up with all travel information (printed out, obviously) like reservations, and confirmations; contact names and emails; an envelope for receipts; a mileage tracker where I can log each outing; a printout of the schedule; and more. If I’m speaking, I print out copies of my messages in case technology fails. That said, I do create redundancy by dropping the same information into a folder on my phone in an app like Google Drive or Notion. And I’ll save the key locations in my maps app so it’s a quick click and I’m on my way. If you’d like a list of what I have in my Event Binder whether I’m an attendee or speaker, head to ​annkroeker.com/conferenceprep​ to get a checklist. Research Speakers Hopefully you already read the session descriptions when choosing this conference and got a feel for the presenters and other faculty. Study the conference website Now, in the days before the event, study the website to learn about the organizers and faculty. You never know who you’ll be sitting next to at lunch or crossing in the hallway—knowing the team and speakers means you’ll be able to connect more personally during any random interaction. Follow and watch or listen to speakers online Find and follow key faculty on social media. Search YouTube and podcasts to find your favorite speakers. Listen to at least a few minutes of their interviews, presentations, or lectures.  [Edited to add an excellent suggestion from writer Li Mitchell, who replied to my newsletter and suggested “joining presenters’ email newsletters (if they have them) and getting to know them through email before you attend their conference …because then when you met them in person, you would already have spoken through email.”] When you do this, each speaker will lift off the pages of the conference materials and seem even more “real” when you hear them tell a personal story about family or childhood in a podcast interview. You’ll get to hear their voice. You’ll see mannerisms if you see them on video. If you have time before the event, you could read one of their books. Write what you discover If you create an Event Binder, write questions to ask and details you learn next to their name and session description. If you need more space for key bits of information, grab a sticky note so you have more room to write. If the speaker says something that stands out—like a hobby, a school, or a trip you relate to in some way—write that down, too. These little notes are handy—if you brush up on what you’ve written before their session and meet them afterwards, you’ve got a conversation starter (“I heard you love Belgium—my husband’s from Belgium, and I love it, too!”). The more I learn in advance, the more excited I get about the conference. I hope you do, too. Find Friends who Plan to Attend Most events like attendees to use an event-specific hashtag on social media. In fact, they might tag you or share your posts when you share. If you feel comfortable sharing ahead of time, highlight the event by tagging the organization or organizer and use the hashtag—before you go to the conference. It’ll get your post in that feed and you might meet people online and connect with friends and colleagues in advance who search it and plan to attend, as well.  It’s a way to get buzz going ahead of time and build anticipation. Prep & Pack The last and obvious thing you and I need to do before the conference is…pack. When I take my time to ensure I’ve brought the items that will help me make the most of this event, it’s easier to relax and enjoy myself. Grab the binder, of course, if you make one. For me, it slides in the main compartment of my day bag that I’ll be carrying around all day. For me, it’s a backpack. You’ll want to choose your bag. Choose Your Bag (Mine’s a Backpack) If you’re physically able to carry a backpack and you don’t feel too…collegiate…toting it around on your back, I recommend it.  Pack what you need for the day A spacious backpack will hold a laptop (if you take one) and/or an iPad-type digital notebook, paper, pens, a small lunch (and floss, for after lunch), snacks, gum or mints, business cards, water bottle, umbrella, portable power bank to charge a drained phone, and other bits and baubles—whatever you like to carry with you from building to building, room to room.  Obviously we’ll all have different items we like to have on hand. Those are ideas to get you started. And something like a backpack gives you lots of slots to stay organized. Leave space for goodies Be sure to leave space for goodies, because you’ll acquire things while you’re there, like you might buy a book from the event book table, or freebies from exhibitors and sponsors, like free pens, water bottles, coasters, and the like.  Whatever bag you end up bringing, leave space for swag. Is it unprofessional? Could be an advantage! One year I carried a ridiculous purple backpack. I stuck out and felt self-conscious, even unprofessional, but it’s what I had and it held what I needed.  A dear friend and I were chatting after a session where she was speaking, and she noted my purple backpack. We joked about it. “Well,” I said, “it makes me easy to spot!” She was leaving a day early and wanted to say goodbye to me, but in the sea of attendees criss-crossing the campus, she assumed it would be impossible to connect with me again. She felt sad about it. Then, she saw a flash of purple. I heard my name. “Ann! Ann Kroeker!” I looked up and saw her waving with both arms, and I raced over to give her a huge hug. “I saw the purple!” she exclaimed. That purple backpack accompanied me to a lot of writing events. After that, I got over any sense of feeling unprofessional.  In recent years—and I don’t know why—I eventually bought a new backpack. And it’s gray. So all these years later I still carry a backpack, but you’ll never find me in a crowd. Now I’m going on and on about this backpack, and I’ve dragged you into the weeds, but I’ll end by saying this: don’t go out and purchase a backpack—gray, purple, or otherwise—just because I’m talking so much about it. By all means, use what you have and enjoy. You know what works for you. Too heavy for your health? Find a rolling bag And as much as I love a good backpack, I know not everyone is physically able to carry one. In fact, I had lower back pain years ago that made it impossible, so for those outings I would borrow a rolling briefcase from my mom, which saved the strain.  Books for Signings If you purchase books by faculty, take those along and see if you can find a time for the authors to sign them. Don’t worry if you didn’t have time to purchase speakers’ books in advance, because you’ll probably be able to purchase them on-site to have them sign.  And of course if you’re speaking, coordinate with the conference to have your books available for purchase and see if they’ve planned a signing. Many conferences schedule author book signings for their speakers, and it’s always fun to enjoy that fleeting one-on-one moment with the writers you admire. And if you’re the speaker doing the signing, it’s wonderful to interact with people who are enjoying what you’ve written. In a smaller setting with no official book signing, you might try to find an opportune moment. If you’re chatting with the author, they seem relaxed, and there’s not a line of other people waiting for their moment, ask (but give them an “out” to say no). I did this with the late Phyllis Tickle, and she gladly signed my copy of her memoir and the series of The Divine Hours I pulled out of my backpack. I was glad I took them along. How Will You Take Notes? Consider how you like to take notes. I love typing up conference notes on my laptop, but sometimes I want to travel leaner so I grab my ancient iPad. It works, but the battery drains away fast. So it’s not the best option these days. Even fully charged batteries of new devices will eventually drain and WiFi can slow down when hundreds of people log in at an event, so I always take paper and pen, as well, in case the machines fail. In fact, I add extra lined sheets of paper in my Event Binder. It’s nice to have options, and analog always comes through. Plus, it’s quieter than tapping a keyboard during someone’s talk. Critique Appointments Some events offer critiques, where a publishing professional—such as a professor, agent, or editor—reviews your writing submission prior to the conference and meets with you to discuss its strengths and offer suggestions to improve the project. If you signed up for this, you will have already sent a digital copy to them prior to the event so they could review it. Check your email, though, in case they ask you to bring one or more physical copies of the document to the conference. And prepare to take notes during the meeting. Will you use a laptop (that might be in the way), an ancient (or new) iPad, or paper and pen? Record their suggestions quickly, as individual sessions aren’t a leisurely coaching call. You’re only going

Attending my first writers’ conference proved to be life-changing—or at least career-changing. In the years since, I’ve attended a wide range of writing events, and each one has in some way substantially contributed to my career. Some deepened my knowledge, others expanded my professional network—most did both. I can’t imagine where I’d be without them. Could a writers’ conference be a life-changing/knowledge-deepening/network-expanding opportunity in your future, even this year? If yes, how do you determine the right conference for you? This post is the first of a short series on how to get the most out of your next (or first!) writers’ conference, starting with how to choose your next (or first!) writers’ conference.  The Gifts of a Writers’ Conference In the early days of my writing career, I explored freelance writing. Thanks to a mentor, I learned how to pitch myself as a writer for companies looking to outsource things like company newsletters and I gained a few core clients. That launched my professional writing business. But as a creative writing major attracted to poetry and essay writing, I wanted to explore other types of writing and submit to magazines, for example, so I picked up everything I could from library books. The books, while excellent, were not enough to answer all my questions or help focus my efforts. And the internet did not exist at that time. In time, I instinctively knew I needed to start connecting with writers and learn from them.  In fact, I started to crave it. Somehow I heard about an event in Chicago called Write to Publish. I registered and attended it as my very first writers’ conference. Nervous and unsure what to expect, I showed up and sat through sessions, as speaker after speaker delivered talks that energized my creativity, while the speakers themselves embodied a life I wanted to pursue: that of a working writer building a body of work to be proud of. Many first-time conference attendees feel so overwhelmed by the flood of information at events like these, they conclude they could never pull it off and give up, walking away from writing and publishing altogether. I felt overwhelmed, yes, but mostly excited and empowered. It was exactly what I wanted; it was exactly what I needed. By the end of the conference, I interacted with attendees who in time became colleagues. I met someone who became another writing mentor. Those conference connections formed the beginnings of my professional network. If you attend a writing conference… You could meet your next coach or mentor. You could meet like-minded writers and form a writers’ group. You could meet industry leaders who offer to look over your project. You could meet someone who introduces you to key people you only dreamed of meeting one day. You could meet a writing buddy who becomes an accountability partner. If you’re considering attending a conference or any kind of writing event for the first time, I hope you find it proves to be a pivotal step in your journey. You never know how a chance encounter in the hallway or a timid hello as you take your seat in the auditorium could be the start of a professional relationship or a literary friendship that changes your life. Writer’s Conference or Writers’ Conference? As we dive into what a writers’ conference is and how to choose the right one for you, we have to face two small but fascinating issues. One, believe it or not, is punctuation; the other is labels. Let’s start with punctuation. You surely think this is overkill, but humor me for a minute. Sometimes you’ll see an event called a writers’ conference, other times a writer’s conference. Occasionally you might spot a writers conference with no apostrophe. And then a few call their events writing conferences, avoiding the need for an apostrophe altogether. In most industries, no one would care one bit about this level of detail. These conferences, however, are events catering to…writers, agents, and editors. So of course we notice the apostrophe (or lack thereof). And of course we start wondering how that tiny fleck of ink affects the attendees’ (or attendee’s) experience.  Without wasting more time on the grammatical implications, I bring it up for practical reasons. Because when asking your writerly friends what conferences they recommend, apostrophe placement may not matter much, but in an online search each version could produce different results.   To turn up the perfect event for you, try using all the different search terms: Writers’ conference Writer’s conference Writers conference Writing conference In your online searches, you also might change the word “conference” (singular) to “conferences” (plural). Conferences (plural) might turn up a list of events in a single article, which will save you time in your search. If you search for the singular “conference,” your search results may deliver endless events to sift through one at a time…but it still might be an advantage, as you might find a new event that wasn’t around when a list of events was compiled into one article. What a Writers’ Conference Tends to Offer Most writers’ conferences feature speakers with sessions that educate authors about topics like industry expectations, genre-specific recommendations, author platform advice, tips for developing book proposals (especially for authors of nonfiction), queries, and other publishing advice.  Conferences can also come in all different sizes, but most will offer keynotes, lectures, and breakout sessions. Some may include readings and workshops paced throughout a long weekend or some are a full week.  Most writers’ conferences offer pitch sessions for writers who have completed non-fiction book proposals or for those who have complete manuscripts for their novels or memoirs. Many conferences will have different tracks: one track might be for novelists, and the other might be for non-fiction authors. One might offer a track for unpublished authors and another for more advanced authors to discuss topics that new writers aren’t ready for.  Knowing all of this can help you choose the best fit as you’re searching. Is a conference a conference by any other name?  The other question is this naming or labeling. Gatherings for writers might go by different names. In addition to writers’ conferences, I’ve seen and attended: writing retreats writing seminars writing festivals writing workshops and a writers’ colloquium Each designation suggests a different purpose and personality. When you realize how one tends to differ from another, you’ll be able to match your professional needs and goals with the right event.  For example, you might want to write and talk about craft at a retreat led by a writer you admire, maybe in a beautiful setting. This event would feel dramatically different from a two-day conference hosting hundreds of authors that offers 15-minute agent pitch sessions and is held on a college campus or at a hotel.  Match Your Purpose and Project to the Type of Event That’s why you’ll want to first be aware of what kind of writer you are and the writing you’re focusing on at this moment, then determine your purpose for attending a writing event. This will include where you’re at in your professional and publishing journey. Then consider your current project and its stage of development. Today, I’m mostly covering the in-person conference experiences, but you may find similar benefits at something labeled something else. Study the descriptions carefully, read the fine print regarding refunds and take into account that certain experiences may be much more expensive than others. What Kind of Writer Are You? Knowing yourself and your writing goals and writing stage can help you determine your purpose for attending an event. It can help you decide if you’re better suited to an event for: authors of nonfiction books authors of novels authors of literary writing (literary novels, short stories, essays, poetry) authors of genre-specific books bloggers freelance writers who are actively pitching and submitting (or want to learn how) writers interested in writing for the ABA and general market writers interested in Christian publishing writers interested in self-publishing When you realize an event doesn’t offer speakers or sessions suitable for the kind of writer you are and the writing you’re pursuing, cross it off your list. It won’t be worth your time. What About Your Project? Next, consider what you need given where you’re at in your writing life and with a given project.  Are you: a newbie with no project or book in the works, simply ready to soak in everything possible? an experienced writer who has taken a break and you want to dip back in and learn how the industry has evolved? an experienced writer with a project in a specific genre? an unagented novelist with a completed manuscript, ready to pitch? an unagented author with a nonfiction book idea, and you want to understand the industry? an unagented author with a completed nonfiction book proposal (or nearly complete), ready to pitch literary agents and/or acquisitions editors? a writer wanting to self-publish a book? Given your current project’s status, you can decide which conference offerings will move it forward to its next milestone. Even if you’re an unagented writer—that means a writer without a literary agent representing you—if you have a partially developed nonfiction book proposal, you may want to attend a writers’ conference to meet people and practice pitching. You might converse with an industry expert who offers ideas to strengthen your project! What’s Your Purpose, Goal, and Need? Once you narrow the options to an event that seems right for you, you’ll have access to useful information provided by industry experts, and you’ll meet other writers, literary agents, and acquisitions editors who are in the same space as you. Here are common benefits: Learn and be inspired: If you’re new to writing and publishing or if you’re new aga

Dear Writer, It’s easy to freeze up when we’re writing for the faceless masses or the random reader who happens upon our words. What do we say to all those people? How can we speak with heart to a total stranger? Next thing you know, we second-guess our ideas, our prose, our very selves. We fade to beige without saying what we really think, without being specific, without our signature wit and whimsy.  What would that random person who doesn’t even know me think if I crack a joke? We lose our creativity, our passion, our joy. We freeze. We get stuck.  We’re afraid to stand out, so we play it safe. We write dull, ordinary prose that could be penned by anyone at all, even ChatGPT. Unlock Your Creative Voice: Write a Letter to Your Reader One way to unlock creativity is to write a letter—a letter to your reader. And not just any nameless, faceless reader but a specific person you actually know. Dear Anthony… Dear Paula… Dear Lissa… When you think of the kind of person you’re trying to reach with your words, does Lissa fit? Good.  Now, write her a letter about a question or struggle that she herself has voiced.  Weave in ideas that can help.  Encourage her with a vulnerable story. Add a little pizzazz that only you can include—after all, she knows you. She’ll grin at your joke and “get” your allusion. When you’re done, you can send her the note, if you want. Or you can cross out Lissa’s name and replace it with the type of person you write for: Dear Weary Homeschool Mom… Dear New Gardener… Dear Journaler… If that feels awkward to publish, cross off the salutation altogether.  Dear Anthony… Dear Paula… Dear Lissa… I’ll bet you can find a great hook in your opening lines, and the letter-writing trick disarmed you enough to write fresh and real and personable. Writing a Letter to Your Reader Frees Your Natural Voice From the writer’s perspective, writing a letter to your reader can remove that feeling of writing to the faceless masses and instead invite an easy tone and thoughts that convey empathy and intimacy. J. Willis Westlake, author of an 1800s book about letter-writing, says: In other [writing] productions there is the restraint induced by the feeling that a thousand eyes are peering over the writer’s shoulder and scrutinizing every word; while letters are written when the mind is as it were in dressing-gown and slippers — free, natural, active, perfectly at home, and with all the fountains of fancy, wit, and sentiment in full play.1 By tricking your mind into donning its dressing-gown and slippers, you can achieve that “free, natural, active, perfectly at home” tone, style, and voice. Your readers will love reading your “fancy, wit, and sentiment in full play.” Genuine Letters Contain Our Most Interesting Content And it’s not just our style, tone, and voice that letters unleash; it’s also the content itself. Westlake continues, “Though written, as all genuine letters are, for the private eye of one or two familiar friends, and without any thought of their publication, they nevertheless often form the most interesting and imperishable of an author’s productions.”2 In other words, these letters contain our “most interesting and imperishable” ideas. So why not write them as letters first? Discover Epistolary Writing This letter-writing format is labeled “epistolary” writing. And the epistolary approach is used more widely in published work than you might be thinking. For example, advice columns. Advice Columns Advice columns like the classic “Dear Abby” and more recent “Dear Sugar” dished out empathetic responses that addressed specific needs that were sent in from readers. The writer connected directly with the recipient who asked the initial question and with every reader who “listened in.” Epistolary Nonfiction Books Then there are nonfiction epistolary books, which invite us to peruse a letter exchange, and as we do, we feel we’re listening in on an intimate conversation.  Recognize these letter collections? 84, Charing Cross Road, by Helene Hanff Letters to a Young Poet, by Rainer Maria Rilke  The Letters of Vincent van Gogh Epistolary Novels You may have read epistolary novels that rely on this format to create “an intimate space between the characters and the readers,” as the Smithsonian Postal Museum writes. “[Because] letters are usually intended to be a closed communication, the readers are allowed to peer into the relationship created by the author.” ‌“Epistolary Novels as an Intimate Space.” Si.edu, 2023, postalmuseum.si.edu/research-articles/epistolary-fiction-themes/epistolary-novels-as-an-intimate-space. Accessed 23 Oct. 2023. Here are a few novels in this format: Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes The Color Purple by Alice Walker The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson Letters Between Writers When I was a college student, I wrote to an author whose book gave me hope and instruction when I was struggling personally and creatively. I sent her a long, vulnerable, typewritten thank-you letter explaining how her book gave me inspiration, vision, and tools to pursue my creative life. She wrote back! In fact, her response was an exuberant typewritten letter even longer than mine. She included vulnerable details related to her own creative journey and urged me to move forward. We continued to exchange letters over the years, and each one she sent answered questions and gave me advice for writing…and for living. Letters Capture Our Most Creative, Interesting Ideas We almost published these exchanges as a book in the epistolary format—maintaining the format of letters.  Had we published them, the “interesting and imperishable” ideas from my mentor—in the intimate form of our correspondence—would have remained. Readers could have listened in, as it were, to our interactions. They would have received her insights for themselves even though she typed them out first just for me. So the letter-writing structure can be an interesting experiment if your recipient is open to letting your notes (and possibly their responses) be shared with the wider public. Write Your Reader a Letter Today Picture your reader—that specific person who comes to mind. The reader whose specific problem you understand. Open an email if you need to trick yourself even further and put that person’s name in the recipient line. Relax. Write to her in a conversational tone. Say what you’re truly thinking. Express empathy, tell a story, offer a couple of ideas. By shrugging off the sense that you’re writing to “everyone” and instead addressing just one person, you’ll feel free to be creative. Your writing style will produce more authentic and engaging content. Tweak or delete the salutation, copy the text into a newsletter, social media post, Substack, or blog post, and then… Click publish. I’ll bet that genuine, heartfelt note will sparkle with your true voice and resonate deeply with your readers. Sincerely yours, Ann Footnotes: Popova, Maria. “How to Write Letters: A 19th-Century Guide to the Lost Art of Epistolary Etiquette.” The Marginalian, The Marginalian, 21 Dec. 2012, www.themarginalian.org/2012/12/21/how-to-write-letters-1876/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023. Ibid (emphasis mine).

Let’s look at the pros and cons of using writing prompts to decide if we’re fostering creativity or frittering away time. I remember the pleasure of writing about ladybugs for my high school freshman English class based on the prompt written on the board.1 And then there was the book I found a year or so at the library: Write to Discover Yourself. The author suggested we “portrait” the important people in our lives.2 I wrote pages and pages about my dad based on that prompt. Prompts continued to play a big role in my creative writing journey when college professors supplied our class with poetry prompts. Those prompts did exactly what they were designed for: they sparked creativity, teased out long-buried memories, and helped me spin creative storylines I would never have imagined on my own. Prompts have so effectively opened me up, I decided to gather a collection for others to use called 52 Creative Writing Prompts, to help get pens moving and ideas flowing.  Do Prompts Distract or Delight? But am I doing a disservice? Are prompts mere distractions, diverting writers from purposeful, goal-oriented writing? Some argue we need to stop using prompts and only write toward public-facing projects. Why waste time on writing prompts that fill notebooks and journal pages, when we’re struggling to find time for the writing we claim we want to do? Why write in response to a random prompt instead of composing the essay we want to submit, the book we want to draft, the article we want to pitch? Let’s peek at arguments for both sides, the pros and cons of prompts, to see if we need to embrace or abandon them in our creative writing life.  Pros of Creative Writing Prompts: On the plus side we have benefits of creative writing prompts, such as how they: 1. Spark Fresh Ideas Creative writing prompts inspire writers who struggle to generate any ideas at all by giving them an energizing starting point. Prompts also spark fresh ideas in writers who tend to return again and again to topics they’ve written about before. Prompts press writers to explore subject matter outside their comfort zone, breathing new life into their rotating collection of pet topics and pillar content.  2. Overcome Writer’s Block Prompts offer a lifeline to writers grappling with writer’s block—they invite a “stuck” writer to write freely for ten, 15, or 20 minutes without those words needing a destination or purpose other than to get the ink flowing. 3. Provide Low-Stakes Practice Writing prompts intended as practice serve as low-stakes exercises, encouraging writers to play and experiment without the pressure of immediate evaluation by editors or readers. Prompts allow writers to refine their craft and explore techniques in the safety of their writing notebooks and journals. In time they may develop a more captivating style. 4. Prepare for Assignments Freelancers who’ve been assigned a topic for a magazine or essayists who have entered themed writing contests benefit from writing from prompts. It’ll prepare them for assignments based on narrow parameters.  5. Offer a Writing Warm-up When writers tap out a few words in response to a prompt before diving into their long-form/high-stakes project, they can enjoy a brief warm-up that loosens them up. 6. Enhance Honesty and Depth With prompts, writers delve into deeper personal experiences, memories, emotions, and themes without fear of judgment, leading to more honest and profound writing. 7. Lead to Personal Growth and Healing When intentionally selecting prompts that invite reflection—maybe even under the direction of a therapist—writers can experience transformation through personal growth and healing. It’s no surprise that when we spend time in personal writing such as journaling, we grow and mature as people, which in turn makes us better writers. Cons of Creative Writing Prompts: To be fair, we need to look at the cons of creative writing prompts and how they might hinder our writing. 1. Waste Time Critics argue that writing prompts can lead to aimless scribbling on topics unrelated to our writing goals and projects—time we could have dedicated to a work-in-progress. Instead, it’s being swallowed up by an unrelated prompt. Marion Roach Smith wonders why we can’t try warming up by writing toward the main project itself. Her big argument: when you write from prompts “you’re frittering away your time” instead of writing “with intent” and “for real.”3 2. Spit Out Stilted Prose Savannah Cordova observes, “If you choose a prompt that’s too far out of your comfort zone (or one doesn’t really inspire you), it’s no surprise that the response will usually come out sounding forced.”4 3. Lack Purpose Prompts are usually random—in fact, some websites offer random prompt generators. These offer no clear direction or purpose; they simply invite us to write a random scene. Lacking purpose, have we strayed from our goal of completing a project? 4. Allow Writers to Avoid Feedback While some writing groups use prompts and offer input from the group, writing to prompts privately means we miss the opportunity of receiving input and feedback from real readers. In contrast, when we write for readers in public in a place like Substack, we can see our work resonate with others when they respond in the comments. 5. Encourage Procrastination Are some writers using prompts to avoid their main project? Relying on prompts for this purpose could be a form of procrastination instead of hitting a word count goal on a more important and urgent project. “Admittedly, prompts can be valuable — as an exercise,” writes Jeff Goins. “But eventually, you don’t need another day at the gym. You need to sign up for the marathon and run. You need to go play a real game. You need to do something. Here’s what I find productive — far more than writing prompts (no offense to those who use them): Write something meaningful and share it.”5 Is it really either/or?  It’s easy to see the appeal of creative writing prompts but important to consider the downsides and “dangers” of them, as well. Words of caution from Marion Roach Smith and others remind me that while a solid prompt can open up the flow of words, it could also—if not used judiciously and with purpose—keep me from hitting my most important targets and deadlines. But is it really either/or? An integrated approach to prompts I could propose a controversial conclusion banning prompts from serious writing work. Yeah, sure. I might get more hits on social media or responses in online searches. But studying the pros and cons of using creative writing prompts has led me to a less controversial and more integrated conclusion. And maybe those who argue against them would agree to a thoughtfully integrated approach as well. Here’s what I’m thinking… Real Projects May Benefit from Prompts Prompts could be used when we’re working toward the deadline and find ourselves stuck or blocked. Yes, a real project might benefit from a prompt. We can set a timer and write for 20 minutes from a prompt to get our words flowing—any words flowing. When the timer beeps, we return to the official project with fresh eyes. The timer limits prompt-writing and minimizes distraction and procrastination while the prompt refreshes the mind. We’re still completing the “official” writing—in fact, the time spent responding to the prompt might brighten the tone of the finished piece. Prompts Invite Creative Connections for Effective Slants Prompts could be used to generate a narrow focus for a freelance pitch, landing on a creative slant or angle that gets a “yes” from an editor. In this case, prompts aren’t keeping us from our “real” work but are in fact used to inform and inspire our “real’ work.  Prompts for Personal Reflection Make for Better Writers…and therefore Better Writing And behind the scenes, free from public scrutiny, we could use prompts for inner work that shapes us into more insightful and compassionate writers. It would be hard to measure the prompts’ influence on a future manuscript, but the writer will have more to draw from because they used prompts to privately sort out life, pain, problems, and confusion. Creative Writing Prompts Have a Place in the Writing Life That doesn’t seem like a time-waster to me. Those private writing sessions? They could stay in a journal or notebook or who knows? One day that unfiltered writing may liberate the writer to produce more vulnerable projects that transform readers. And maybe one day they actually pull from some of those private writing sessions. Some of the actual content may find its way into a powerful piece. I agree that writers with limited writing time will want to choose prompts wisely, avoiding procrastination by funneling as much as possible into their work-in-progress. But I do think prompts have a place in our writing life, our writing practice, and our writing process. As for me, I’ll be using prompts…with purpose. Q4U: How about you?  How have prompts served your creative work or distracted you from it? Will you continue to use prompts? If so, how will you use them (and how often will you use them)? 52 Creative Writing Prompts: A Year of Weekly Prompts and Exercises to Boost Your Creativity Get your copy on Amazon Footnotes: Kroeker, Ann. “Creating Worlds from Words: The Unremarkable Beginnings of a Writing Life.” Substack.com, Story Hatchery, 15 Apr. 2023, annkroeker.substack.com/p/creating-worlds-from-words-the-unremarkable. Accessed 12 Oct. 2023. Kroeker, Ann. “Ep 180: Write to Discover – Start with Yourself – Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach.” Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach, 8 Jan. 2019, annkroeker.com/2019/01/08/ep-180-write-to-discover-start-with-yourself/. Accessed 12 Oct. 2023. ‌Smith, Marion Roach. “Memoir Writing Resolutions. Number One: No More Writing Prompts – Memoir Coach and Author Marion Roach.” Memoir Coach and Author Marion Roach, 27 Dec. 2011, marionroach.com/2011/12/memoir-writing-resolutions-number-one-no-more-writing-exercises/. Acces

Children gaze at a vast blank wall and see opportunity—inspired, they grab a permanent marker and scrawl across the surface in loopy circles and jaggedy lines without hesitation.  Why, then, do we adults stare at the blank page—not unlike a blank wall—and freeze up? Instead of scribbling out ideas that fill the white screen, we writers often come up empty, the blank page producing a blank mind. We get too far ahead of ourselves, thinking about readers before we’ve written a single word, afraid of what they’ll think. Or we second-guess our ideas or skills. We worry about that and more, and next thing you know…we stop writing and stare at that blinding white abyss, paralyzed. The blank page need not intimidate or cripple us. Why? Because with the ideas below, you can fill that great expanse with words so that it’s never really blank when you open it. Try one of them the next time you open a document and feel fear trickling down to your fingertips. I hope they’ll free you up long before you freeze and you’ll replace fear with joy by effortlessly filling the page with words. 1. Templates Create templates for your content, whether it’s a newsletter, blog post, or podcast. By inserting the structural elements you tend to use each time, you approach the page with a sense of familiarity. Templates serve as a framework to jumpstart your writing process, making the page feel less daunting. 2. Outlines Embrace the power of outlines. The classic 5-paragraph essay structure you learned long ago—with an introduction, three main points, and conclusion—is a reliable starting point for informative articles. For more creative pieces, try narrative outlines with a three-act structure (even if it’s short) or a beginning, middle, end approach. Outlines help you organize your thoughts and create a roadmap for your writing, banishing the fear of the blank page. See the links below for ready-made outlines you can use to add structure to your document. 3. Record Yourself & Transcribe Take a walk and record your thoughts about the topic you want to write about. Then, get a transcription made of that recording and paste it in—you’ve eliminated the blank page altogether. It’s as if you’re simply editing and expanding on (and refining) your existing thoughts, which is far less intimidating than starting from scratch with nothing but a blank page and blinking cursor. 4. Record a Conversation & Transcribe Meet with a friend on a virtual platform like Zoom, click the record button, and explain your idea. As your friend engages with questions, you’ll be able to clarify and delve deeper. This approach captures your natural voice as you share what you’ve been researching and thinking about. Thank your friend, download the audio, and then use a program like Happy Scribe or Rev.com’s AI transcription service to transcribe the conversation. You’ll end up with a working draft for your writing project. TIP: more and more free AI transcription services are cropping up, so be sure to search for the latest options and you might not even have to pay.  5. Pull from Your Journal If you’ve been jotting down ideas, thoughts, or snippets of writing in a journal or a similar document, don’t let them go to waste. Pull something from there and paste it into your current document to kickstart your writing. Things like Morning Pages, Dream Journals, and freewriting can be sources of inspiration. 6. List Bullet Points Before you even have a minute to think about the blank page, start writing your ideas in the form of bullet points—they don’t have to be complete thoughts or sentences. No more blank page! And you’ll have prompts you can use to draft your content. You can expand on each bullet point to develop your ideas further, gradually filling the blank page with meaningful content. Move them around until you find the ideal flow and structure. Problem solved. 7. AI Writing Apps If you’re open to experimentation, consider using an AI writing app. These tools can generate ideas and even provide outlines based on your input. While they may not perfectly replicate your voice, they can jumpstart your creativity and offer valuable suggestions—maybe even a rough draft you can work with—reducing the intimidation factor of a blank page. Manage your expectations, though, because it may take a long time before it comes close to matching your style and writing voice. Use it as a starting point before making the final project sound like you. Beat the Blank Page & Write with Confidence With these fill-the-page strategies, you can conquer the blank page and approach your writing with confidence and creativity. Each method makes the page less daunting, so you can seize the opportunity and make your mark on the world with your words, scribbled with joy. Try one of these ideas this week and let me know how well it works for you! Resources: Ready-made outline: Problem-Solution (this articles shows how you can apply this outline to different projects, including opinion pieces, blog posts, and nonfiction books) Ready-made outline: Past-Present-Future (this article makes an argument for outlining; scroll down for applications of this outline) Ready-made outline: Zoom In / Zoom Out ____________ Join us in Your Platform Matters (YPM) YPM is a warm and welcoming membership community committed to creative, meaningful ways we can grow our platform and reach readers—check us out!