Notes in the Margin

Vicky and Joe wander into 2021 with a change of name, a Christmas report, and some sage advice about where to start your book. Tune in to find out where most authors get stuck, why it happens, and how you can go from struggling to motivated just by changing your starting position. Hurrah!

Key Takeaways:

[1:30] Vicky is changing her last name, but don't worry, Joe is still in the picture!

[5:25] It's so lovely taking a break and chilling out during the end of the year.

[7:00] Didn't get a day off during December? Maybe consider taking one off during January. Vicky feels great after the break!

[7:30] It doesn't matter where you start (when it comes to writing your book)!

[10:00] You don't have to write your book in order. If you're struck, then skip a chapter (for now).

[12:00] Every book Vicky has written has ended up somewhere different than when she has started.

[14:15] Should you start on the 'hardest thing' on your book? Vicky thinks no. Why make it harder on yourself?

[17:10] There are no rules. You can start writing your book at any point in its journey. Just start.

[19:55] Want to write a book, but everything has already been said?

[20:35] Want to know how to start writing a nonfiction story? Tune in next week!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Website

Order Vicky's new book!

90-day Book Course

Join Vicky's Power Hour

Banish the Blank Page of Doom-Fast: Why Writer's Block is a Myth, and Other Stories by Vicky Fraser

Projectdingle.co.uk

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast

Big Book Idea Generator

Get Vicky's latest audio book: That's What She Said

The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss

The Wise Man's Fear, by Patrick Rothfuss

Out on the Wire, by Jessica Abel

It's the last episode of the horror show that has been 2020 and Vicky and Joe are slacking. You know those episodes of Star Trek where they do a flashback thing so they don't have to write an actual episode? This is a bit like that: a roundup of our favourite podcasts. It's our Christmas gift to you: the gift of new shows and stories to enjoy. There's glitter, there's hot chocolate, there's sequins... and our usual 100% professional delivery. Enjoy!

Key Takeaways:

[1:30] Yay! It's Christmas!

[2:10] What's been going on at the Dingle?

[6:10] Joe is re-reading the Wheel of Time. Why!

[9:55] Let's do some podcast recommendations!

[16:20] Joe loves the podcast Philosophize This, but you have to start at the beginning to understand all the concepts he's talking about.

[19:00] Vicky understands why people might find Professor Brian Cox annoying, but she loves him and likes how he can simplify complex science topics.

[24:45] One of Vicky's fav podcasts right now is Guilty Feminist, and it's very accessible to men! Hilarious show.

[31:20] The podcast 99% Invisible started off as an architecture podcast.

[34:15] We're running out of time! Vicky gives some honorable mentions of podcasts she loves.

[37:20] Merry Christmas everybody! Vicky and Joe will be back next year!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Website

Order Vicky's new book!

90-day Book Course

Join Vicky's Power Hour

Banish the Blank Page of Doom-Fast: Why Writer's Block is a Myth, and Other Stories by Vicky Fraser

Projectdingle.co.uk

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast

Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley

The Wheel of Time, by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss

‎The Secret Lives of Black Women

Hidden Brain

Unlocking Us | Brené Brown

Philosophize This!

The Infinite Monkey Cage

Everything is Alive

The Guilty Feminist

You Are Not So Smart

This American Life

99% Invisible

After a brief argument about whether or not time travel is possible (it's not), Vicky explains how time travel is, in fact, possible. But not like you think. Not with paradoxes and stepping on ants that turn out to be Hitler, or whatever. In this week's episode, Vicky and Joe talk about the power of story, space archaeology, and why the oldest letter in the world is hilarious.

Key Takeaways:

[1:40] Vicky and Joe faced some chicken drama.

[5:30] Lovely Christmas lights have been put up in the village.

[6:35] Is time travel actually possible?

[9:10] What is the oldest piece of writing in the world? It was from over 3,000 years ago!

[13:10] A little bit of history behind the Bill of Rights, and why people write what they write.

[15:20] By reading people's old love letters and examining how they lived, you can get a better idea of not only what they did, but also how they felt.

[17:50] Did organized religion exist before we started farming? Some people believe it didn't.

[20:10] The core of our history showcases that we like to work together and look after each other.

[21:25] Even if you think no one is interested in your story, people are!

[23:25] Can Vicky convince Joe to get a puppy? Stay tuned.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Website

Order Vicky's new book!

90-day Book Course

Join Vicky's Power Hour

Banish the Blank Page of Doom-Fast: Why Writer's Block is a Myth, and Other Stories by Vicky Fraser

Projectdingle.co.uk

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast

Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley

The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss

The Secret Lives of Colour, by Kassia St Clair

Out on the Wire: the Storytelling Secrets of the New Masters of Radio, by Jessica Abel

Well this is pretty freakin' cool: Vicky sits down with Laura F*cking Belgray and talks being funny for money, making your first million aged 50, and the crucial importance of writing EVERY DAMN DAY. Oh, and we got the lowdown on Laura's forthcoming book with the best title we've heard all year: Tough Titties. Hurrah!

Key Takeaways:

[2:00] What's Laura is reading right now?

[3:10] How did Laura get started in content writing?

[8:25] How did Laura get connected with the entrepreneur Marie Forleo?

[12:50] Laura shares the best ways to balance your voice, your personality, with your professional brand.

[15:30] Offending someone shouldn't stop you from creating your best work.

[15:50] How does Laura deal with the trolls?

[18:45] Laura has always been transparent about how much money she makes on her products. People are really receptive to it.

[22:25] So many people fudge the numbers and say they make x amount of money on the internet, but have they really?

[25:15] What was the moment Laura realized she could do this online?

[27:55] How did Laura get her book deal?

[35:50] What's the one thing writers need to know about?

Mentioned in This Episode:

Website

Order Vicky's new book!

90-day Book Course

Join Vicky's Power Hour

Banish the Blank Page of Doom-Fast: Why Writer's Block is a Myth, and Other Stories by Vicky Fraser

Projectdingle.co.uk

Chemical Translator

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast

Talkingshrimp.com

Laura on Instagram

Leave the World Behind: A Novel Book by Rumaan Alam

Marieforleo.com

Get Laura's Freebies here & here!

Do not email Vicky about pickled eggs. Please. But you can email her about how to grow vegetables. In this episode, we find out how often Joe is wrong (once, today, about pickled eggs) and discover that Vicky is incapable of planning her vegetable garden. And then our intrepid podcasters get to the good stuff: the reason we can't write, can't finish stuff, and struggle to "find the time". This episode will fix it all for you. Enjoy!

Key Takeaways:

[5:40] Are there any gardeners out there? Did Vicky kill her cactus?

[9:25] Vicky really needs a foolproof gardener plan. Also, she wants to grow potatoes.

[11:00] Remember, people need help and no matter what your skill set is, you can help other people bridge the gap.

[11:35] Vicky is serious! She needs help with her garden. DM her!

[12:05] Do you have a hard time sitting down and writing your book?

[15:00] There are three reasons why you might be procrastinating on your writing.

[18:15] You don't have accountability when you're writing for yourself.

[18:50] Don't get to the end of the day regretting that you didn't get your things done!

[22:00] Joe threatens Vicky with no food if she is procrastinating or holding off on a personal deadline. Get yourself someone who will do something similar.

[23:05] Make it a habit so that you feel weird if you don't do it; like when you don't brush your teeth.

[25:40] You can write a book in two months. You can do it if you just put in the practice!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Website

Order Vicky's new book!

90-day Book Course

Join Vicky's Power Hour

Banish the Blank Page of Doom-Fast: Why Writer's Block is a Myth, and Other Stories by Vicky Fraser

Projectdingle.co.uk

Chemicaltranslator.com

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast

The Bus Driver Who Wanted To Be God & Other Stories, by Etgar Keret

The Secret Lives of Colour, by Kassia St Clair

Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me Book by Kate Clanchy

Neuromancer, by William Gibson

In an incredible twist of irony, Vicky and Joe are talking about how to avoid looking like an amateur, whilst doing a tremendous job of being absolute amateurs on this podcast. Enjoy the uncontrollable fit of giggles while Joe fails to find his forehead with his own hand, and then settle in as our hosts share the most common mistakes first-time authors make with their books. Just because your book is self-published doesn't mean it needs to LOOK self-published. Check this out...

Key Takeaways:

[2:25] Vicky dyed her hair and now she has blue ears.

[6:15] Just because you're self published doesn't mean you have to look self-published!

[8:35] Do not do your book cover yourself.

[11:05] Odds numbered pages are always, always on the right hand side.

[11:45] Let's talk about inner book navigation.

[15:40] The white spaces and margins are a dead giveaway whether something has been published vs. self-published.

[20:00] How should you think about text layout?

[22:05] Hiring certain professionals in this process is money well spent.

[24:15] Check the little details! Vicky shares what she means.

[26:10] Interested in barcode readers? Joe knows the answer to it.

[27:45] Just become a person who writes everyday.

[29:55] How do you finish a chapter? Tune in next week!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Website

Vicky on Medium

Order Vicky's new book!

Book checklist

90-day Book Course

Join Vicky's Power Hour

Banish the Blank Page of Doom-Fast: Why Writer's Block is a Myth, and Other Stories by Vicky Fraser

Projectdingle.co.uk

Chemicaltranslator.com

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast

Bookshop.org

Vellum.pub

The Bus Driver Who Wanted To Be God & Other Stories, by Etgar Keret

Carpe Jugulum, by Terry Pratchett

The Secret Lives of Colour, by Kassia St Clair

Neuromancer, by William Gibson

Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me Book by Kate Clanchy

This week, in a strange turn of events, Joe channels Jeremy Paxman and grills Vicky about her experiences in the recording studio last week. Tune in to find out what Vicky learned about how to record an audiobook - and the latest on what they're reading, what's going on in the Dingle, and why Vicky is covered in bruises (nothing sinister).

Key Takeaways:

[5:40] Joe interviews Vicky about her experiences at Audible.

[8:15] The audible book industry is growing.

[11:05] How does recording a book work?

[12:30] Vicky thought she'd just come in and read a book. It was nothing like that.

[14:20] Read your stuff out loud. When Vicky said some stuff, she noticed it was landing differently.

[15:45] Vicky does not recommend reading a 60,000 word audio book in two days. It was really hard to do.

[18:00] Vicky shares some of her audio recording tips.

[20:20] How do you speak or say your words clearly without getting tired?

[23:40] The more important the point is, the quieter you need to get.

[27:35] The takeaway? You really need to practice!

[29:35] Listened to every single episode? Let Vicky know!

[29:50] Vicky has a new book out. It's on Amazon! Link below.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Website

Vicky on Medium

Order Vicky's new book!

90-day Book Course

Join Vicky's Power Hour

Banish the Blank Page of Doom-Fast: Why Writer's Block is a Myth, and Other Stories by Vicky Fraser

Projectdingle.co.uk

Chemicaltranslator.com

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast

The Bus Driver Who Wanted To Be God & Other Stories, by Etgar Keret

Carpe Jugulum, by Terry Pratchett

The Secret Lives of Colour, by Kassia St Clair

Read Books All Day and Get Paid For It, by Jennie Nash

Neuromancer, by William Gibson

Vicky and Joe go all-out for Halloween this year, with an episode that has absolutely nothing to do with spookiness at all. Although you do get to hear the word xenotransplant, which sounds pretty Frankensteiny. Speaking of cutting things up and improving them, that's what this episode is all about: how to copy edit your own manuscript. This week's nattering is packed with tips to help you take your draft from good to splendid. Happy editing!

Key Takeaways:

[6:00] Vicky and Joe have new windows!

[8:05] What is the difference between copyediting and proofreading?

[12:00] Search for words you tend to use a lot and see if you can rewrite it in a different way.

[12:30] Get rid of your exclamation marks!!!!!!!

[13:30] Make an effort to use simpler words.

[17:30] Get rid of needless words.

[21:15] Ditch words like 'very', and other boring words.

[23:30] Leverage your metrics more effectively by being specific.

[27:20] Tip you might want to try: Read your book backwards. Vicky doesn't have the patience to do this, though.

[30:35] Vicky and Joe read your reviews!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Website

Vicky on Medium

Order Vicky's new book!

90-day Book Course

Join Vicky's Power Hour

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast

Don't Touch My Hair, by Emma Dabiri

The Bus Driver Who Wanted To Be God & Other Stories, by Etgar Keret

Read Books All Day and Get Paid For It, by Jennie Nash

Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me, by Kate Clanchy

Vicky, Joe, and Vicky's giant jumper are back to talk about wonderful books, waterproof houses, and how the hell you edit your book. Yep: the last thing you want to do immediately after writing 50,000+ words is read the damn thing... so how do you start editing? Vicky has the answers and you'll like her approach. It involves not reading your book word-by-word (yet). Tune in - and get in touch if you have any questions!

Key Takeaways:

[4:50] The dingle finally has walls!

[8:10] There are four stages to editing.

[9:25] Before you read everything line by line you want to take a big picture perspective and see if the whole book works first.

[11:35] Take a look at the chapter order. Does it work? Is the purpose of the book being fulfilled by the end of it?

[13:55] Print out your first draft. It's important to feel it and see it physically.

[18:20] Once you've done the big picture overview, the next step is to include beta readers!

[20:00] Make sure you communicate with your beta readers on what you're looking for.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Website

Vicky on Medium

Order Vicky's new book!

90-day Book Course

Join Vicky's Power Hour

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast

Listen to Episode 172 & 173 about beta readers

The Bus Driver Who Wanted To Be God & Other Stories, by Etgar Keret

The Last Continent, by Terry Pratchett

Don't Touch My Hair, by Emma Dabiri

Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me, by Kate Clanchy

Read Books All Day and Get Paid For It, by Jennie Nash

Join Vicky and Joe as they talk books, writing, and the patriarchy - and Vicky bemoans the fact that lipstick doesn't in fact have magical powers. After that, you'll get the lowdown on why "just be your authentic self" is total crap advice, and we're sorry for the number of times we say "authentic" in this episode. But to make up for it, what you get is a little masterclass in how to become a better writer and genuinely find your unique voice. Cool, huh?

Key Takeaways:

[6:15] Unfortunately, women are valued for their beauty and their child rearing abilities.

[7:25] Joe has had an exciting work trip to Poland!

[10:15] Why should you be your authentic self?

[15:45] How can you figure out how to be your 'authentic' self?

[16:50] Start by reading really great stuff.

[18:55] Take notes when you see something you like!

[19:20] Create a list of writers you currently admire and try to rewrite (in your own words) some of their work.

[20:30] Good writing is often very subjective.

[21:55] Are you writing / sounding like someone else? The good news is you can fix that!

[22:10] Thank you for leaving a review of the podcast!!!!!!!!!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Website

Vicky on Medium

Order Vicky's new book!

90-day Book Course

Join Vicky's Power Hour

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast

The Bus Driver Who Wanted To Be God & Other Stories, by Etgar Keret

The Last Continent, by Terry Pratchett

Don't Touch My Hair, by Emma Dabiri