Become a Writer Today

Would you like to write an allegory?

An allegory is basically a story that reveals a hidden meaning or moral. One great example is *The Alchemist* by Paulo Coelho. An allegory is necessarily as long as a novel, but it should leave the reader with an understanding of a key concept or idea.

An allegory is a little like self-help, except in the vein of a story.

Jordan Gross is author of the allegory The Journey to Cloud Nine and a TEDx speaker. He's also a prolific non-fiction Medium writer.

In this interview, Gross explains:

• The problems with traditional self-help books today
• Why he veered away from this genre
• How to write an allegory
• What it took to land a TEDx speaking gig
• How he's selling copies of his new book through public speaking  

And lots more.

I started by asking Jordan why he decided to write the allegory The Journey to Cloud Nine in the first place

Resources

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

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What is HitRecord?

HitRecord is a creative platform where writers can collaborate with illustrators, graphic designers other creatives across disciplines on short films, animations, scripts and more.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jared Geller founded the company in 2004. It claims over 900,000 users and employs 40 people in Los Angeles.

I recently interviewed Jared and in this interview, he explains:

• How writers can use a platform like HitRecord
• Why every creative project needs a leader
• What it takes to start a creative project on HitRecord
• Why successful creatives collaborate

And lots more.

I started by asking him how creatives can use HitRECORD.

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Will it make our boat go faster? That's a question Great Britain's 2000 Olympic rowing team asked itself every day prior to winning gold in Australia.

For a writer, your boat might represent writing a memoir and publishing it, landing a new client or launching a course. So when faced with a decision about to do more or less of, frame it around the boat question.

This is an idea Irishman Brian Pennie speaks about regularly. The author of Bonus Time, Pennie is also a PhD student of neuroscience, lecturer and a recovering heroin addict.

In this interview he explains:

• How he overcame his heroin addiction
• Why he decided to write a memoir about his painful personal story
• How to make decisions faster
• What his writing process looks like
• And lots more.

I started by asking Brian how he overcame heroin and started writing a memoir.

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If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins

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Do you want to go from blog to book?

Nina Amir is the author of titles like *How to Blog a Book* and *The Author Training Manual*. Amir coaches clients and students through this iterative creative process.

Formerly a journalist like me, Amir has been blogging since 2006 and runs not one but four different sites including Write Nonfiction Now!, How to Blog a Book.

In this interview, Nina explains:

• How to go from blog to book
• Why bloggers have all they need to become nonfiction authors
• What to do before you write a single blog post
• How to conquer problems like overwhelm and not having time to write

And lots more.

I started by asking Nina why she left her journalism career behind and if she'd ever go back.

Resources:

Poor Brother, Rich Brother
The Art of Writing a Non-Fiction Book
The Power of Creativity
This Is Working



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Support the show

If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins

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During the early 2000s, Canadian-lawyer Jon Dykstra faced a unique challenge. His employer wanted him to attract more clients through blogging and content marketing. So, Dykstra began writing about legal topics that interested clients, based on their search queries. 

Today, he regularly earns over $40,000 a  month from online publishing.

In this interview, Jon explains:

• What is a niche website and why they're so profitable 
• Why niche sites are ideal business opportunities for writers
• Where to get niche website ideas
• What Jon would do if he had just one hour a week to work

And lots more

I started by asking Jon how he transitioned from a career as a lawyer to becoming an online publisher, running nine profitable niche sites.

Resources:

Fat Stacks Blog

Attention writers

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Support the show

If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins

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COVID-19 is an unprecedented and worrying event. The closet comparison is the 1918 Spanish flu.

I'm handling this crisis in a several different ways.

Apart from following advice to wash my hands my frequently and practice social distancing, I've started meditating for twenty minutes twice a day.

It helps me decompress after reading or listening to bleak news updates. It can also help with finding more creative ideas and mastering the art of focus.

If you want to get started, check out...

How to Learn to Meditate Effectively: An Insider’s Guide

I'm lucky enough to work from home full-time anyway, but many new writers could find this transition a little jarring.

I recently wrote these two articles that might help.

About To Work From Home? Here's What To Expect
Want To Work From Home? Master These 3 Skills

This podcast also delves deeper into the topic.

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If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins

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Are you looking for profitable side hustle ideas? It’s not a good idea to depend on one income source. If you’re working a fulltime job, you could lose it and find yourself scrambling to pay the bills.

That happened to me back in 2008 when I was a freelance journalist dependent on one client. It happened again in 2012 when a charity I was working for let me go.

Even if you don’t depend on your employer, profitable creatives avoid trading all their time for money. They create assets that help them focus on what they love making without worrying about paying the bills.

You can too.

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If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins

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The biggest and most successful personal brands put their audiences first every time. And they get paid well for doing it. That applies to writers too. 

In this short episode, I explain how to get personal branding right.

Attention writers

Masterclass is one of my the best places to learn from creative writers and entrepreneurs today, including the likes of Neil Gaiman and David Lynch. If you want to claim a free book from a Masterclass instructor, read this Masterclass review. 

Support the show

If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins

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Do you have a business disaster recovery plan?

Florida Keys-based ceramicist and painter Sally Binard’s home and livelihood were destroyed by Hurricane Irma in September 2017. With her studio and home in ruins, Sally had to start rebuilding her creative business.

Her experiences reveal how many creative people can get ready for the worst... and rebuild after it's over.

In this interview, we cover:

• How advice from Jack White changed Binard's art
• Why creative entrepreneurs can achieve more with less
• How to prepare a business disaster recovery plan
• The differences in her creative process compared to writers
• How she balances running a business with the creative process
  And lots more.

Binard is also a former marine biologist. So, I started by asking her why she decided to move away from that career and start a creative business in the first place.

Attention writers

Masterclass is one of the best places to learn from creative writers and entrepreneurs today, including the likes of Neil Gaiman and David Lynch. If you want to claim a free book from a Masterclass instructor, read this Masterclass review

Support the show

If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins

Thanks for listening!

Let's say goodbye to the myth of the starving artist.

Every writer and creative professional deserves to get paid... and there's no reason why you can't.

In this week's mini-episode, I cover 5 great ways writers can get paid for their hard creative work, list the pros and cons and offer some ways to get started faster.

Resources from the episode

• AWAI.com
• How to Write a Book
• Where to Find Writing Jobs
• The Best Online Writing Courses

Support the show

If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins

Thanks for listening!