The Write Anyway Podcast

The new year is coming and I want you to be well prepared to set goals in a new and more effective way, so I’m bringing you interviews with students from my Goal Getter School for Writers. In this episode, we look at how one writer met her goal to finish her first (aka zero) draft. Lori Howard is a fantasy writer currently working on her first full-length novel. A bookkeeper by trade, she also teaches Scottish Country Dancing. She lives with her husband, daughter and cat in the San Francisco Bay Area. In Goal Getter School, you will set a big goal for your writing career and learn a framework to manage your mind to achieve it. The goal of the program is to teach you to manage your mind so you can better realize your creative potential for the rest of your life. If you’re interested in learning more about Goal Getter School and maybe even applying for the January 2023 cohort, visit http://pagesandplatforms.com/goalgetter

The new year is coming and I want you to be well prepared to set goals in a new and more effective way, so I’m bringing you interviews with students from my Goal Getter School for Writers. In this episode, we look at how one writer met her goals to create and execute a launch plan for her second novel. Drēma Drudge is the award-winning author of the novels Victorine (March 2020) and Southern-Fried Woolf (January 2023). A graduate of the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing, she and her husband, musician and writer Barry Drudge, have two grown children, a new granddog, and live in a picturesque town in Indiana. They also host the podcast MFA Payday.  Learn more about Drēma and get a free art fiction short story at: www.dremadrudge.com. In Goal Getter School, you will set a big goal for your writing career and learn a framework to manage your mind to achieve it. The goal of the program is to teach you to manage your mind so you can better realize your creative potential for the rest of your life. If you’re interested in learning more about Goal Getter School and maybe even applying for the January 2023 cohort, visit http://pagesandplatforms.com/goalgetter

The new year is coming and I want you to be well prepared to set goals in a new and more effective way, so I’m bringing you interviews with students from my Goal Getter School for Writers. In this episode, we look at how one writer met her goals to create and execute a launch plan for her novel while pivoting on her memoir. Sue Campbell interviews Kathryn Brown Ramsperger, a lifelong journalist and novelist. She's written for Nat Geo and Kiplinger publications, the MacGuffin and Thought Catalog, and many more, She's the author of three award-winning novels, the most recent (to launch in 2023) is titled A Thousand Flying Things. Kathryn worked for the International Red Cross for 25 years, and she brings that humanitarian eyewitness viewpoint to her writing. She's also a coach who founded Ground One, LLC who helps creatives and families with differences get unstuck.  You can find more about her writing at https://kathrynbrownramsperger.com. Connect with her on social media @kathyramsperger. In Goal Getter School, you will set a big goal for your writing career and learn a framework to manage your mind to achieve it. The goal of the program is to teach you to manage your mind so you can better realize your creative potential for the rest of your life. If you’re interested in learning more about Goal Getter School and maybe even applying for the January 2023 cohort, visit http://pagesandplatforms.com/goalgetter

The new year is coming and I want you to be well prepared to set goals in a new and more effective way, so I’m bringing you interviews with students from my Goal Getter School for Writers. In this episode, I’m talking with the author Joy Imboden Overstreet (https://www.joyoverstreet.com/). Joy created the original Thin Within workshops in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1975.  She was one of the very first health educators to ditch diets in favor of mindful eating. She’s published a book called The Cherry Pie Paradox and came to Goal Getter School to work on finishing the accompanying workbook and audiobook and the marketing around them.  Learn how she used Goal Getter School to complete her audiobook and workbook, book podcasts to promote them, and start on her next memoir project. In Goal Getter School, you will set a big goal for your writing career and learn a framework to manage your mind to achieve it. The goal of the program is to teach you to manage your mind so you can better realize your creative potential for the rest of your life. If you’re interested in learning more about Goal Getter School and maybe even applying for the January 2023 cohort, visit http://pagesandplatforms.com/goalgetter

The new year is coming and I want you to be well prepared to set goals in a new and more effective way, so I’m bringing you interviews with students from my Goal Getter School for Writers. In this episode, I’m talking with the writer Sarah McKee.  Sarah is a mother and wife who loves writing and being outdoors.  She used to believe that being sensitive was a disgrace but has learned how to use this gift to the fullest by writing better characters and has recently learned how to set real goals and get them achieved! Learn how she finally completed her first draft in three months after years of working on it. You can find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s.e.mckee/ In Goal Getter School, you will set a big goal for your writing career and learn a framework to manage your mind to achieve it. The goal of the program is to teach you to manage your mind so you can better realize your creative potential for the rest of your life. If you’re interested in learning more about Goal Getter School and maybe even applying for the January 2023 cohort, visit http://pagesandplatforms.com/goalgetter

2020 has dealt us uncertainty like never before. I have some experience with uncertainty--and I daresay an unfair advantage--so I'm sharing with you some things I've found helpful in hopes that it helps reduce your suffering a bit too.

In this episode, Sue discusses that age-old question: When is the best time to write?  As we've mentioned, we'll be opening the doors to our Story Path course soon, which is designed to help you use the power of Story Types to write a great book. Please join us on Friday, August 28 at 12 PM PT for a free webinar: "Get Your Story Unstuck" where we'll give you an overview of the 7 essential Story Types. We promise you'll walk away with something useful to apply to your story. Visit pagesandforms.com/eb-registration to register.

 In this episode, we offer a tiny little slice of what's inside our Story Path course: a discussion of between Rachelle Ramirez and me about the importance of audience emotion and what you can do to help create specific feelings in your audience. Learn more about story types and how they help you solve your pesky story problems at by watching our free, on-demand "Get Your Story Unstuck" webinar: https://www.storypath.me/masterclass-registration

We have a special treat for you this week. We're getting ready to reopen the doors on our Story Path course, so we've got a little audio sample for you of something from Module 5 on the importance of premise in your story.  When it comes to what your story is about, the answer you give to others and the answer you need yourself to write the book can be completely different. One helps others find your book, the other helps you find your story. Rachelle Ramirez and Anne Hawley dive into how and why to distill your premise down to its essence.   If you want to hear more about our Story Path course, visit http://storypath.me where you can download our seven page guide to the essential story types and you'll get on a mailing list to be notified when the Story Path course opens for enrollment later in August 2020.

If you’re writing a novel or piece of narrative nonfiction and you can’t seem to get anywhere with it, I’ll bet you dollars to dark chocolate you can’t satisfactorily answer the following question: What type of story are you telling? If the question itself confuses you, if your answer takes twenty minutes, or if you said “It’s a fantasy,” or “It’s young adult,” I have good news. By the end of this article, you’ll have a much clearer idea of why you’ve wandered off the path, and how to get back on. Download a free guide to all 7 Story Types at http://storypath.me.

Many writers know they'll have to do their marketing eventually, they just want to put it off as long as possible. In this episode, we'll look at 6 reasons to start now. And if your author website is one of the places you're stuck, Pages and Platforms is offering a free webinar on Friday, July 10, 2020. Sue will show you exactly what you do and don’t for your author website. Register at https://www.pagesandplatforms.com/author-website-registration.

Our brain sends us fear messages all the time. How do we know when to heed them and when to plow ahead, even when we are afraid? This episode will give you one powerful question to ask to help you decide.

Sue talks with author Helen Zuman, author of the memoir Mating in Captivity, about her successful outreach push during the pandemic with the help of the Pages & Platforms Outreach Intensive. A new session of the Outreach Intensive begins June 8, 2020. Visit http://pagesandplatform.com/outreach-intensive.

Writers face a ridiculous amount of choices. But we've got to get good and making them and moving on or we'll never get anywhere.

Sue takes a look at what an author website is actually for (and it's probably not what you think). And she shares some essential dos and don'ts for author websites so you can give yours a tweak.

Settings goals is crucial for your success as an author. But there are some pitfalls to goal-setting. The biggest one is getting graspy and desperate to reach our goals. In this episode, I'm introducing the "goal sandwich" as a way to get yourself mentally prepared to set goals from a place of already feeling worthy.

We're gearing up to present the Pages & Platforms Scene Workshop later this month, so we're kicking things off by taking a look at the first essential element of a good scene: The inciting incident. I'm passing the mic to Story Grid certified editor Anne Hawley to take us through some of the finer details of inciting incidents: what they are, why you need one, and their various flavors. To learn more about the upcoming Scene Workshop, visit: http://pagesandplatforms.com/sceneworkshop.

I'm helping run a productivity mastermind right now and I asked all the incoming writers to tell me their biggest obstacles to reaching their writing goals. Of the 18 or so writers polled, 3-4 main obstacles surfaced: not enough time, fear of failure, perfectionism, and procrastination. But there's ONE thing that sits behind of all of these obstacles that writers often don't see.

Times being what they are, it can be tough to get your writing done. The first question to ask, whether you're writing or you're not is this: Do I like my reasons? If you're not writing, and you don't like your reasons, I offer a tip for overcoming the urge to procrastinate your writing.

 Rachelle and Anne discuss the importance of creativity and writing during challenging times. They explore how writing can help individuals personally by enhancing self-esteem, resilience, and mental health, and collectively by fostering empathy and connection. Writing different types of narratives—be it fun stories or political essays—remains significant, even when the world feels tumultuous. Every form of storytelling, whether a memo, a romantic novel, or an essay, can be a powerful tool for personal expression and societal impact.00:00 Introduction: Writing in Dark Times00:14 The Importance of Creativity Now00:33 Struggles and Doubts of Writers01:27 The Value of Art and Writing02:10 Personal Growth Through Writing03:46 Connecting with Others Through Stories04:11 The Impact of Fiction10:38 Writing as a Form of Activism13:24 The Power of Memoirs14:00 Conclusion and Farewell