Simply Write w/ Polly Campbell

"You've got to habituate your creativity," says renowned memoirist and teacher Marion Roach Smith. "Be hospitable to your writing."

That means making time for your writing and doing it when you are at your creative peak.

Then, says Roach Smith, you've got to sit down and discover what your story is really about and spill it out on the page. She tells you how in this episode. Listen up. This episode is will make you better writer. At least it did that for me.

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Which habits are helping you get the writing done? Which are slowing you down, feeling dull, or keeping you stuck?

In this episode we talk about the habits I believe every writer needs to give attention to if they want to write more and publish more and feel good doing these things. Changing your writer mojo can come down to replacing old routines with better ones and in this episode we'll talk about some I'm adding in, or giving renewed attention to that can help you jumpstart your practice too.

For more on the writer's craft and crafting a writer's life join the Simply Write community at https://simplywrite.substack.com.

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We hope you enjoy this replay featuring author Khan Wong who talks about blurring genre lines, writing to big themes, and inspiration. All of us at Simply Write will be back in a couple of weeks with new shows about writing and living. In the meantime, please join the Simply Write community and subscribe to our Simply Write substack at https://simplywrite.substack.com

Now about the episode:

It's described as science fiction but Khan Wong's newest book The Circus Infinite, is also apace fantasy and some even call it a space opera. No matter how it's categorized the book is getting rave reviews.

Publishers and readers rely on genres to identify and group books on bookstore shelves and for marketing materials, but blurring the lines can make for a compelling story. In this episode, Wong talks about genres, his writing process draws on both outlines and in-the-moment inspiration, and how his work was pulled from the slush pile to get a publishing deal.

This is a must-listen for authors exploring genre, sci-fi, fantasy, and anyone who needs a dose of hope and inspiration to keep writing.

Get in touch with Wong and find his book The Circus Infinite https://khanwong.com

Get in touch with me Polly and join our Simply Write community at https://simplywrite.substack.com where you can become a paid member and support more of these kinds of conversations with authors and writing discussions.

Thank you for listening

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If you are looking to launch your freelance business in 2025 this episode can help.

Enjoy this replay of one of our most popular episodes from 2023 and we'll be back in a couple of weeks with all new shows to help us with the writing craft and crafting a writing life.

For more on the writing craft and craft a writer's life be sure to subscribe to our Simply Write substack at https://simplywrite.substack.com

Now about the episode:

The end of the year is a good time to make sure you have a healthy business infrastructure, one that supports the writing work you want to do. In this episode we talk about some of the people and processes that can help you create a health shop, so you can publish more.

Follow Polly on Instagram @PollyLCampbell

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Can a typewriter be an antidote to perfectionism? It was for author Woz Flint, author of The Distraction Free First Draft: Unplug, Forget Perfectionism, and Write More Than Ever Using a Typewriter. Flint was gifted a typewriter a decade ago and that ignited her curiosity and opened up a new world of writing and writers, and, typewriter users nationwide. In this episode, she takes us on a deep dive into the world of typewriters and how they help her get her writing done.

For more on Woz Flint and her book go to https://wozflint.com

You can connect with Polly and join our Simply Write community at https://simplywrite.substack.com

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We've all heard about the importance of platform and branding, but today we go deeper to talk about shaping the arc of our careers to do work that is not only enjoyable but meaningful. What do you value about writing and what do you want to write next? What have you accomplished, which goals are no longer important? Now is the time to reflect on our work, our goals, and what we want to do with our writing in the months and years ahead so we can be deliberate with our writing and our process to create resonant work and a life that matters. In this episode, we talk about how to do it.

For more about the writing craft and crafting a writer's life, subscribe to Simply Write at https://simplywrite.substack.com

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Award-winning author Carol Hoenig, works on all sides of publishing. She's owned a bookstore, worked at another, and handles publicity and events for other authors. In this episode this publishing professional talks about her writing process--yes, her characters speak to her--why she goes all in to marketing her own books, and the one thing she does at the end of her writing session that makes it easier to begin again the next day.

Find Carol Hoenig and her books including the newest When She Was a Finley at https://carolhoenig.com

For more on the writer's craft and crafting a writer's life, join our Simply Write subscription community at https:simplywrite.substack.com

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Sure gratitude is good for our health, lowering our blood pressure, easing our stress, and improving our moods, but did you know it can also enhance creativity? A regular gratitude practice will not only leave you feeling better but it will also help you be more open to new experiences, expansive in your thoughts, and more optimistic about writing. And that will help you keep going on the tough days.

For more on how gratitude helps writers and the writer's craft and crafting a writer's life, please join our Simply Write community at https://simplywrite.substack.com

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Author Scott Semegran is a family man with a full-time job, and author who has written nine books, including several award winners, by writing on his lunch break. The author of The Codger and the Sparrow says it's about making the time you have to write, efficient. He uses a spreadsheet to track his work, so he doesn't waste time trying to find his place in the work, he often plays the same music, without lyrics, pours a cup of coffee, and blocks out the time on his lunch break to get the writing done. The habits, he says, help prime his brain to write, helping him to use the time he has efficiently. The practice has helped him produce multiple award-winning stories, and he explains in its episode how awards can help an author.

Find Scott Semegran , author of The Codger and the Sparrow here: https://scottsemegran.com/

Join Polly and the Simply Write community https://simplywrite.substack.com

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Patience is linked to perseverance, well-being, and creativity--all things writers need to successfully write and publish without compromising their mental health. Tune in to learn how you can build your patience levels to keep creating amidst the uncertainty of a writing life.

For more on the the writing craft and crafting a writer's life join Polly and the Simply Write Community at https://simplywrite.substack.com

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