Advancing Authors: Writer Coaching

Many writers find the first draft the hardest part of writing – harder than outlining, revising, editing, marketing, and everything else involved. Yes, it’s daunting to turn a blank page into a story, but it’s also exciting! Time to let your imagination fly.

This episode includes 6 tips to help you climb that first-draft mountain. We'll touch on mindset, timing, tools, and more. For more writing resources, visit blockbusterYA.com/blog

Links discussed in the podcast: https://thewritepractice.com/permission-to-suck/ & https://www.paymoapp.com/blog/pomodoro-apps/

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© Blockbuster YA Author Coaching LLP

Created and produced by Tiana Warner and Stephanie Warner

Jingle:

Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3788-funkorama

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The success of your goal depends on how well you’re able to commit to it. What determines our commitment is whether or not we have a strong reason to do so. Listen to our podcast to learn what commitment pitfalls to avoid and then use our free workbook to define your writing Reason.

Get the workbook and read the blog: https://www.blockbusterya.com/post/commit-to-writing

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© Blockbuster YA Author Coaching LLP

Created and produced by Tiana Warner and Stephanie Warner

Jingle:

Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3788-funkorama

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Many of us writers are goal-oriented. So you’re probably no stranger to the idea of goal setting.

But writers often do goal setting wrong. Are you feeling desperate to reach your goal? Or if you have not yet committed 100% to it?

If this is you, this is completely normal. Most people resist setting goals because it’s uncomfortable. It brings up a lot of doubt when we’re reaching for something we’ve never done before.

But having a measurable goal, set from the correct mind frame will make achieving it more likely, and more enjoyable. Learn more in our latest blog and podcast.

Read the blog: https://www.blockbusterya.com/post/goal-setting

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© Blockbuster YA Author Coaching LLP

Created and produced by Tiana Warner and Stephanie Warner

Jingle:

Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3788-funkorama

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

You’ve got a brilliant story idea that you’ve been working on for ages. You can’t wait to publish it. Then, one day, you’re at the movies or you turn on your favorite streaming service and… A trailer shows up. And the concept is like, the same thing you’re working on. What do you do? Stop writing your book now that the idea has already been done? Change your whole story? Sue someone for stealing your idea?

Answer: None of the above. In fact, your response should be the opposite of panicking and despairing! You should be excited. Let's talk about why.

For more blogs, free resources, and personalized coaching, visit https://www.blockbusterYA.com/. Join our community at https://www.blockbusterYA.com/forum.

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© Blockbuster YA Author Coaching LLP

Created and produced by Tiana Warner and Stephanie Warner

Jingle:

Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3788-funkorama

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Whether you're a writer who finds writing easy or a writer who finds writing hard, we all need to encourage ourselves on the way to our goals. This podcast will take you through seven exercises that you can start using right away to get you writing.

Get the worksheet at blockbusterya.com/post/encouraging-yourself-to-write

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© Blockbuster YA Author Coaching LLP

Created and produced by Tiana Warner and Stephanie Warner

Jingle:

Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3788-funkorama

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Whether you're writing fantasy, horror, literary fiction, or any other genre, you as a writer have reader expectations to fulfill. In this lesson, we talk about the rules for writing Young Adult and Middle Grade novels, along with rules for specific genres and subgenres. By familiarizing yourself with these rules, you'll set yourself up to meet your readers' expectations and even exceed them. We'll cover: 

7 guidelines for writing Young Adult and Middle Grade novels. 

What tropes are and how to use them to your advantage. 

Genre example: rules for writing Action-Adventure 

How to figure out your subgenre and why this helps you make sales  

For more writing resources, visit https://www.blockbusterYA.com/blog. Join our community of YA/MG writers at https://www.blockbusterYA.com/forum 

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© Blockbuster YA Author Coaching LLP

Created and produced by Tiana Warner and Stephanie Warner

Jingle:

Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3788-funkorama

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Self-doubt shows up in a multitude of ways for writers. For some, it's the struggle to start or finish their book. But it can also show up in writers who sit on their novels and don't seek representation or self-publishing, or those who choose not to get beta readers, enter contests, or hire editors. In this podcast, learn how you can overcome this pattern.

Read this podcast as a blog and access free resources on: https://www.blockbusterya.com/post/self-doubt

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© Blockbuster YA Author Coaching LLP

Created and produced by Tiana Warner and Stephanie Warner

Jingle:

Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3788-funkorama

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The exciting thing about being an author is that there is no ceiling to how much you can earn. This is also the biggest challenge, because there's no baseline salary. So how can you increase your income as an author so you can quit your day job and live the life of your dreams?

Here are five pieces of advice to help you earn a living as an author, including building your platform, treating your books as a business, and making smart investments.

Read this podcast as a blog and access free resources on https://www.blockbusterYA.com/post/earn-a-living

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© Blockbuster YA Author Coaching LLP

Created and produced by Tiana Warner and Stephanie Warner

Jingle:

Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3788-funkorama

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

If you find yourself idling and potentially in “Writer’s Block,” it’s important to identify and understand the cause so you can ultimately overcome it. While some causes are more obvious, others are harder to spot because they are not where you thought to look.

Writer’s Block is never permanent. Once you practice self-awareness and recognize the cause, the solution will become obvious.

Read the blog: https://www.blockbusterya.com/post/redefining-writers-block

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© Blockbuster YA Author Coaching LLP

Created and produced by Tiana Warner and Stephanie Warner

Jingle:

Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3788-funkorama

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The first scene of your novel determines whether agents, publishers, and readers will keep going or put your book down. That's a lot of pressure!  The good news is that there are proven techniques you can use to craft the perfect opening scene. This lesson will help you decide on the best opening scene for your plot and what components it should include. We'll talk about what makes an effective opener and some tricks to hook the reader and pull them into the next chapter. We'll also cover opening lines, which need to serve the same purpose in fewer words! Use the worksheet to brainstorm ideas and pick the best opening scene and opening line for your story. 

In this podcast episode, we'll cover: 

- The 3 things your first scene needs to include.

- How to make readers care about your protagonist right away.

- How to write the best opening line for your book.

- Examples of effective opening scenes and opening lines. 

Download the opening scenes/lines worksheet at https://www.blockbusterYA.com/post/opening-scenes

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© Blockbuster YA Author Coaching LLP

Created and produced by Tiana Warner and Stephanie Warner

Jingle:

Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3788-funkorama

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/