Author Diary Entries

Find out why Sagan got outraged at a random person’s Instagram comment when they were dismissive of a 30-something Twilight Instagrammer reading Young Adult novels, the POWER of the YA genre, why you should read what makes you happy, her opinions about referring to romance novels as “fluffy,” and more!

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

• Small Town Stilettos and the Polyamorous Passions series: SaganMorrow.com/books 
• Author Diary Entries podcast, ep 180: Labels and gatekeeping in romance novels
• Twilight Instagrammer Corinne: https://www.instagram.com/corinnieeeee/ 
• Twilight Instagrammer Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahelizabeth_talks/ 
• Book: Why We Love and Hate Twilight 
• Book: The Girl Who Was On Fire: Your Favorite Authors on Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games Trilogy
• Connect with Sagan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saganlives 
• Connect with Sagan on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@saganlives 

Send fan mail! Click HERE to leave Sagan a voicemail & share your thoughts about this episode.

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“Do you write queer characters?” → Well… Yes and no! In this episode, I explain why this question is a tricky one, what makes a novel “queer enough” (an even more loaded question!), the nuance behind all of this, and the importance of using the words and labels that feel right for you.

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

• Small Town Stilettos and the Polyamorous Passions series: SaganMorrow.com/books 
• Episode 180 on the Author Diary Entries Podcast: Labels and gatekeeping in romance novels
• Connect with Sagan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saganlives 
• Connect with Sagan on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@saganlives 

Send fan mail! Click HERE to leave Sagan a voicemail & share your thoughts about this episode.

Support the show

Is it rude to refer to a romance novel “smut”? Not to me ;) You can call my books whatever you want! …BUT, there’s a lot of nuance to this (and context matters) — so in this episode, we’re exploring important questions we need to ask around the labels we use, our intentions behind our word choices, and the problems with gatekeeping in the romance novel community. 

Examples we discuss in this episode include: Smut, enemies to lovers trope, spice levels, smutty vs spicy vs sexy, and “fairy porn” in romantasy.

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

• Small Town Stilettos and the Polyamorous Passions series: SaganMorrow.com/books 
• Sagan’s burlesque persona (Babe Maverick) on Instagram: Instagram.com/babemaverick 
• Connect with Sagan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saganlives 
• Connect with Sagan on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@saganlives 

Send fan mail! Click HERE to leave Sagan a voicemail & share your thoughts about this episode.

Support the show

In this episode, your host (and indie author) Sagan Morrow shares an author update about what she's been working on since our previous episode over a year ago, plus why we've rebranded the podcast from "Indie Author Weekly" to "Author Diary Entries!"

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

• Small Town Stilettos and the Polyamorous Passions series: SaganMorrow.com/books 
• Haus of Misfit: https://www.hausofmisfit.ca/ 
• Life coaching with Sagan: SaganMorrow.com/coaching 
• Solopreneur Diary Entries weekly newsletter: SaganMorrow.com/newsletter 
• PREMIUM Edition of the Solopreneur Diary Entries (monthly trainings): SaganMorrow.com/premium 
• Connect with Sagan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saganlives 
• Connect with Sagan on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@saganlives 

Send fan mail! Click HERE to leave Sagan a voicemail & share your thoughts about this episode.

Support the show

In this episode, we explore the dynamic of being a beginner vs being intermediate at your practice... and why being a beginner can, in some ways, be a lot easier! Tune in now to find out about the pressure I put on myself in my 2nd solo burlesque dance performance, what I took from that experience compared to my 1st solo burlesque act, how this connects back to my work as a fiction author, and the top 3 takeaways for how you can apply this to your own creative practice or craft (including important questions to ask yourself in order to relieve fear and/or pressure from yourself).

Resources & links mentioned in this episode: 

• Learn more about all of Sagan’s books (including the Polyamorous Passions romcom series, Small Town Stilettos, and her business books for solopreneurs) at https://saganmorrow.com/books/ 
• Get success & life coaching: https://saganmorrow.com/coaching 
• Babe Maverick burlesuqe Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/babemaverick 
• Episode 171 of the Indie Author Weekly podcast — Applying my 2024 Word of the Year (ELEVATE) to Creative Writing: https://www.buzzsprout.com/400015/14272088-171-applying-my-2024-word-of-the-year-to-creative-writing 
• Tune into Indie Author Weekly on your favourite podcast platform at https://saganmorrow.com/podcast 
• Subscribe, rate, and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/indie-author-weekly/id1469586590 
• Enroll in the Productivity Powerhouse anti-hustle e-course: https://saganmorrow.com/powerhouse 
• Work with Sagan: https://saganmorrow.com/workwithme/ 

Let’s chat about this episode:

• @Saganlives on Twitter and Instagram
• Hashtag: #IndieAuthorWeekly
• Email: [email protected] 
• Share your thoughts (or submit requests for future episode topics) at https://saganmorrow.com/question 

Send fan mail! Click HERE to leave Sagan a voicemail & share your thoughts about this episode.

Support the show

In our previous episode, Episode 176, we talked about what it means to be a creative and an indie author — and how it can be so much more comprehensive than book writing! That's why, in today’s episode, I want to build on that and share with you the idea creation and writing process around my weekly Saturday email newsletter: the Solopreneur Diary Entries.

Tune in now for the inside scoop on what that weekly newsletter is all about, an exercise to expand your own creativity, why I never worry about coming up with fresh new ideas (even after writing these emails for 8-ish years), the logistics of my writing process, and more...

Resources & links mentioned in this episode: 

• Subscribe to the Solopreneur Diary Entries weekly newsletter: https://saganmorrow.com/newsletter 
• Indie Author Weekly episode 176: What does it mean to be a creative and an indie author? https://www.buzzsprout.com/400015/14452324 
• Learn more about all of Sagan’s books (including the Polyamorous Passions romcom series, Small Town Stilettos, and her business books for solopreneurs) at https://saganmorrow.com/books/ 
• Get success & life coaching: https://saganmorrow.com/coaching 
• Tune into Indie Author Weekly on your favourite podcast platform at https://saganmorrow.com/podcast 
• Subscribe, rate, and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/indie-author-weekly/id1469586590 
• Enroll in the Productivity Powerhouse anti-hustle e-course: https://saganmorrow.com/powerhouse 
• Work with Sagan: https://saganmorrow.com/workwithme/ 

Let’s chat about this episode:

• @Saganlives on Twitter and Instagram
• Hashtag: #IndieAuthorWeekly
• Email: [email protected] 
• Share your thoughts (or submit requests for future episode topics) at https://saganmorrow.com/question 

Send fan mail! Click HERE to leave Sagan a voicemail & share your thoughts about this episode.

Support the show

In our most recent couple of episodes here on the Indie Author Weekly podcast, we’ve been exploring the importance of trust in the creative process — including self trust and trusting others. I want to take it a step back today and ask this question: What does it even mean to be a creative, and, since this is the Indie Author Weekly podcast, what does it mean to be an indie author?

Especially given that recently here on the podcast, I’ve been sharing about my creative process in designing burlesque choreography. What does that have to do with being an indie author? Can we count that as something appropriate for our purposes of being on this podcast? 

TUNE IN NOW for my take on the question of “What does it mean to be a creative and an indie author” — plus what you can expect as we move forward with the Indie Author Weekly podcast...

Resources & links mentioned in this episode: 

• Learn more about all of Sagan’s books (including the Polyamorous Passions romcom series, Small Town Stilettos, and her business books for solopreneurs) at https://saganmorrow.com/books/ 
• Get success & life coaching: https://saganmorrow.com/coaching 
• Episode 174 of this Indie Author Weekly podcast — self trust thought exercise when you experience self doubt as a creative: https://www.buzzsprout.com/400015/14340711-174-self-trust-thought-exercise-when-you-experience-self-doubt-as-a-creative 
• Episode 175 of this Indie Author Weekly podcast — creative process as a solo artist and TRUSTING others: https://www.buzzsprout.com/400015/14450389-175-creative-process-as-a-solo-artist-trusting-others 
• Episode 17 of this Indie Author Weekly podcast — "Situationals" technique as an exercise to improve character development: https://www.buzzsprout.com/400015/1434766-017-an-exercise-to-improve-character-development 
• Babe Maverick burlesque persona: https://www.instagram.com/babemaverick 
• Tune into Indie Author Weekly on your favourite podcast platform at https://saganmorrow.com/podcast 
• Subscribe, rate, and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/indie-author-weekly/id1469586590 
• Enroll in the Productivity Powerhouse anti-hustle e-course: https://saganmorrow.com/powerhouse 
• Work with Sagan: https://saganmorrow.com/workwithme/ 

Let’s chat about this episode:

• @Saganlives on Twitter and Instagram
• Hashtag: #IndieAuthorWeekly
• Email: [email protected] 
• Share your thoughts (or submit requests for future episode topics) at https://saganmorrow.com/question 

Send fan mail! Click HERE to leave Sagan a voicemail & share your thoughts about this episode.

Support the show

In this episode, we explore the delicate balance of the creative process when you are a solo artist — Because it’s hard to maintain distance and objectivity when you are working on creative pursuits in a silo! Is it good enough? Is it good at all? Are you conveying what you intend to convey? Even if it IS “good enough,” what interesting improvements can be made? And if you don’t have confidence in it being “good enough,” how is that going to affect the way you share your work with the world?

These are all big questions! 

In our previous episode here on the Indie Author Weekly podcast, we talked about the value and importance of trusting yourself and building that self trust muscle. Tune into episode 174 to check it out — it’s a great episode and includes a 3-part exercise for improving self trust!

So in this episode, let’s talk about a different element of TRUST — trusting other people and bringing them into the creative process when you're a solo artist...

Resources & links mentioned in this episode: 

• Learn more about all of Sagan’s books (including the Polyamorous Passions romcom series, Small Town Stilettos, and her business books for solopreneurs) at https://saganmorrow.com/books/ 
• Episode 174 of this Indie Author Weekly podcast — self trust thought exercise when you experience self doubt as a creative: https://www.buzzsprout.com/400015/14340711-174-self-trust-thought-exercise-when-you-experience-self-doubt-as-a-creative 
• Babe Maverick burlesque persona: https://www.instagram.com/babemaverick 
• Get success & life coaching: https://saganmorrow.com/coaching 
• Tune into Indie Author Weekly on your favourite podcast platform at https://saganmorrow.com/podcast 
• Subscribe, rate, and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/indie-author-weekly/id1469586590 
• Enroll in the Productivity Powerhouse anti-hustle e-course: https://saganmorrow.com/powerhouse 
• Work with Sagan: https://saganmorrow.com/workwithme/ 

Let’s chat about this episode:

• @Saganlives on Twitter and Instagram
• Hashtag: #IndieAuthorWeekly
• Email: [email protected] 
• Share your thoughts (or submit requests for future episode topics) at https://saganmorrow.com/question 

Send fan mail! Click HERE to leave Sagan a voicemail & share your thoughts about this episode.

Support the show

In this episode, I talk about the balance between trusting yourself AND not believing that negative voice in your head which might be filled with self doubt.

As long-time listeners of the podcast will already know, I’m a Personal Fulfillment Coach when I’m not writing novels! And many of my clients first come to me because they’re struggling internally: there’s an internal battle going on, where they have a mean voice in their head that sends them into negative thought spirals.

I feel like we can ALL relate to this. Most of us have at the very least experienced this from time to time. And when it comes to ANYTHING in life — including our creative endeavours — we need to be able to differentiate between those parts within us.

TUNE IN to this episode for a 3-question thought exercise to help you navigate self doubt and improve your self trust.

Resources & links mentioned in this episode: 

• Learn more about all of Sagan’s books (including the Polyamorous Passions romcom series, Small Town Stilettos, and her business books for solopreneurs) at https://saganmorrow.com/books/ 
• Get success & life coaching: https://saganmorrow.com/coaching 
• Episode 172 of the Indie Author Weekly podcast — Improving one's relationship with the creative process: https://www.buzzsprout.com/400015/14315351-172-improving-one-s-relationship-with-the-creative-process 
• Tune into Indie Author Weekly on your favourite podcast platform at https://saganmorrow.com/podcast 
• Subscribe, rate, and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/indie-author-weekly/id1469586590 
• Enroll in the Productivity Powerhouse anti-hustle e-course: https://saganmorrow.com/powerhouse 
• Work with Sagan: https://saganmorrow.com/workwithme/ 

Let’s chat about this episode:

• @Saganlives on Twitter and Instagram
• Hashtag: #IndieAuthorWeekly
• Email: [email protected] 
• Share your thoughts (or submit requests for future episode topics) at https://saganmorrow.com/question 

Send fan mail! Click HERE to leave Sagan a voicemail & share your thoughts about this episode.

Support the show

Last week, I went through the entirety of my current work in progress — Book 8 in the Polyamorous Passions series. So today I want to share with you what happened when I read through it… It had been a few months since I last worked on it, so it was great to review it with fresh eyes!

There were 5 main things that jumped out at me… TUNE IN to this episode to find out what I realized and discovered as a result of reviewing the first full draft of my current work in progress manuscript.

Resources & links mentioned in this episode: 

• Learn more about all of Sagan’s books (including the Polyamorous Passions romcom series, Small Town Stilettos, and her business books for solopreneurs) at https://saganmorrow.com/books/ 
• Get success & life coaching: https://saganmorrow.com/coaching 
• Tune into Indie Author Weekly on your favourite podcast platform at https://saganmorrow.com/podcast 
• Subscribe, rate, and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/indie-author-weekly/id1469586590 
• Enroll in the Productivity Powerhouse anti-hustle e-course: https://saganmorrow.com/powerhouse 
• Work with Sagan: https://saganmorrow.com/workwithme/ 

Let’s chat about this episode:

• @Saganlives on Twitter and Instagram
• Hashtag: #IndieAuthorWeekly
• Email: [email protected] 
• Share your thoughts (or submit requests for future episode topics) at https://saganmorrow.com/question 

Send fan mail! Click HERE to leave Sagan a voicemail & share your thoughts about this episode.

Support the show