Every time Polly hits "send" on a new piece, it's nerve-wracking, but especially when I'm going out cold, to the readers without editors or publishers to hone my work. Still, this regular practice of publishing on blogs or newsletters, even social media forums can elevate your writing, help you find your voice, and become better at taking a concept from your mind to the page for readers.

Journaling, expressive writing, and morning pages are all important forms of writing. Heck, writing anything matters. But professional writers write for readers and the more often you do that, the better you'll become.

So whether you have a big assignment in the works, or you are working top publish for the first time, this regular publishing practice will help.

And, the What's in the Deak segment highlights a sweet notebook. Check it out here: https://papress.com/collections/journals-notebooks

Get in touch: https://simplywrite.substack.com

The Simply Write community is where I put this practice to the test. If you decide to take on this week's assignment leave a comment and let me know so I can be one of your readers.

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One of Our Favorites and News About Season 2

We are in the dog days of summer and, though we feel like lazing on the couch in the warm afternoons, we are not. We are writing and interviewing and are hard at work on Season Two. We are excited to bring you more tips and insider info, more guests, more authors and freelancers, and people who are crafting writing careers and have ideas and insights that can help us do it too.

We will be back with all-new shows Monday, Sept. 5 and in the meantime, we want to share a couple of our favorites and two of the most listened-to shows from our first year. We hope you enjoy and don't forget to subscribe so you get all new shows. If you love the show, please leave a review. That is the best way to help showcase the authors and guests we feature and help other writers find the show.

And be sure to join our Simply Write community at https:simplywrite.substack.com and keep up on the tips and ideas professional writers use to get published.

Enjoy the show.

If you want to publish regularly, a strategic planning process backed up by an editorial calendar can help. In this popular show, Polly explains what an editorial calendar is, how it determines what publications publish, and when and how you can make your own to track ideas, markets, deadlines, and publishing opportunities. The process is also a way to ignite creativity and develop saleable ideas. Listen to this crowd-favorite show to understand why.

For more, don't forget to become part of our community here: https://simplywrite.substack.com and keep up on the tips and ideas professional writers use to get published.

And please subscribe to this show Simply Write w/Polly. Your subscription and reviews help us reach more writers. Thanks for your support.

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One of Our Favorites and News About Season 2

We are in the dog days of summer and, though we feel like lazing on the couch in the warm afternoons, we are not. We are writing and interviewing and are hard at work on Season Two. We are excited to bring you more tips and insider info, more guests, more authors and freelancers, and people who are crafting writing careers and have ideas and insights that can help us do it too.

We will be back with all-new shows Monday, Sept. 5 and in the meantime, we want to share a couple of our favorites and two of the most listened-to shows from our first year. We hope you enjoy and don't forget to subscribe so you get all new shows. If you love the show, please leave a review. That is the best way to help showcase the authors and guests we feature and help other writers find the show.

And be sure to join our Simply Write community at https:simplywrite.substack.com and keep on the tips and ideas professional writers use to get published.

Now, enjoy the show--one of our most popular.

If you want to publish, it's not enough to have a good idea. You have to have the right idea, at the right time for the market you want to pitch or the readers you want to reach.

So how do you choose the right one? We cover that in today's show and explain why you must scrutinize your idea and evaluate form, timeliness, and focus before you ever start writing.

Don't forget to subscribe to the Simply Write w/Polly podcast and become part of our community here: https://simplywrite.substack.com and keep up on the tips and ideas professional writers use to get published.

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Study the Site to Become a Go-To Writer

Livestrong.com Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Director Sarah Klein talks about the importance of collaboration between writers and editors.

Writers who find success and publish repeatedly tend to be those who understand the site or publication they are pitching to and the needs of the readers. Klein suggests that writers study the publication they want to write for to get an idea of the audience, tone, and voice used and to avoid making assumptions on the page.

She encourages her writers and editors to challenge assumptions and look for ways to make each piece and the information provided more accessible, applicable, and inclusive to all readers.

"The writers I have the best relationships with are open to collaborating to fine-tune the voice and tone to fit the brand," Klein says.

In the pitch form available at Livestrong.com Klein wants to know why the article you are pitching is ideal for Livestrong.com and why you are the one to write it.

For more go to Livestrong.com or find Sarah Klein at Sarahklein.com

Connect with Polly and receive more writing tips, publishing insights, and author perspectives at Simply Write at https://simplywrite.substack.com

https://pollycampbell.com

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Everyone talks about the Rules of Writing. The thing is many of them change depending on who you are talking to and the piece you are writing.

Yet, this is a craft and we can become better writers by applying some basic techniques even while we learn about genre and figure out our process. No matter what you are writing, i think there are five things (and of course many more) that can instantly make your work better.

And the last two? Are all about the habits we need to avoid and the mindsets we have to adopt if we are going to get anything on the page. Listen to learn more.

And let me know what techniques you use to instantly uplevel your writing. Join the Simply Write community at https://simplywrite.substack.com and drop a note or comment. And you can see how Ii apply some of the tips in my newest book You, Recharged. https://www.amazon.com/You-Recharged-Fatigue-Mostly-Usually/dp/1642504882/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1690564939&sr=1-1

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Quirky, interesting characters, a comfortable and familiar world, with plenty of clues and plot twists are the main things that keep readers coming back to a cozy mystery series, says Angela M. Sanders.

She writes nonfiction pieces and is the author of multiple cozy mystery series, including the Witch Way Librarian Cozy Mysteries, beginning with Witch Upon a Star

It's the continuity readers like and the safe, welcoming feel, Sanders says, but that poses unique challenges for the writer. You want to create a fictional world that is familiar and welcoming, yet interesting to old and new readers like and one that can accommodate the varied plot twists and turns throughout a long-running series.

Sanders suggests cozy writers:

Create a community or setting --with natural features and changing dynamics that would naturally attract new people -- characters-- so you have storylines for a long-running series.

Drop in red herrings and clues for readers to follow throughout the book.

And, don't forget to add some humor or funny, odd characters.

You'll find these elements and others in Sander's books and these are the types of things she notices in real life too.

"The world is a fascinating place and everyone has stories," Sanders says.

In this far-reaching conversation Sanders shares her writing process, information about her advances and income, and how she creates a synopsis for each book for her publisher.

Angela M. Sanders also coaches writers. For more about her coaching and books go to https://angelamsanders.com/

And, join the Simply Write community at https://simplywrite.substack.com for more about writing craft, and crafting a writing life.

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The writing process is personal, there is no one right way to do it, but no matter how you set your schedule up, you've got to find your way to get the writing done, to do the work whether you are publishing or not.

For award-winning thriller author and essayist E.A. Aymar, his writing process starts at 4 a.m. before he gets his son ready for school and starts his day job.

Aymar began writing daily in 1997 and persisted for nearly 20 years before selling his first book. So what kept him going despite years of rejection? Inspiration, a community of writers, and believing that he is a writer and writing is what he does so it wasn't a question of quitting.

Though the slow-evolving success sometimes made him question his writing chops, he was always committed to the craft and now that's paid off big time.

E. A. Aymar is the author of No Home For Killers, an Amazon bestseller. His Short Story Still Crazy After All These Years has been nominated for an Anthony Award and he's got a new novel coming out next year.

On Simply Write w/Polly Aymar talks about his process, persistence, and identity in his writing, and explains how he, a man born in Panama accurately writes female characters. And what about the violence in Thrillers? Listen to hear Aymar's take on the issue.

Connect with the author E.A. Aymar at https://www.eaymarwrites.com/

And sign up for his free Crime Fiction Newsletter here: https://www.eaymarwrites.com/

Check out his Anthony-Aware Nominated short story in the anthology Paranoia Blues

For more on authors, the writing craft and crafting a writing life, and the occasional freebie, join Polly and the Simply Write community at SimplyWrite.substack.com

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Plan Ahead to Establish a Constant Revenue Stream

It can take months to get paid for the essays, articles, or marketing pieces you're writing now. Sure, those delays can cause real stress. But with a savings account and a development calendar, a well-organized writer will not only have pieces ready to ship but also assignments on deck for the weeks and months ahead.

Creating a developmental calendar and strategy can help you identify what's due when and what openings you have in your assignment schedule so you can direct pitches, Letters of Introduction, and cover letters to secure assignments all year round. It's never too soon to plan for the next job. In this episode, Polly talks about how she plans her future log to secure work year-round.

To learn more about 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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Time To Get Up and Go

Remember from your school days the fun of a field trip? It was always exciting to get out of the classroom for a day-long trip to the zoo or a museum or a Shakespeare play. It didn't matter what we did, it was good to have a break in the routine.

Writers need to change up their routines too to rejuvenate and ignite inspiration. It's good for you and great for the work.

Julia Cameron writes about the Artist's Date in her book The Artist's Way.

Polly takes Field Trips where she can shake loosen the cobwebs in her mind, learn something new, be surrounded by inspiring people and works, and rejuvenate.

Over the years her field trips have included one-hour trips to a bookstore, a walk in a park, a mixology class, ukulele lessons, and movie matinees, and other fun things. What will your next Writer's Field Trip be? It's fun to think about and fun to get out there. Makes coming back to the desk more satisfying too.

Tour a museum, visit a gallery, take a cooking class, or visit a bookstore. It doesn't matter what you do, but it does matter whether you do it. To have interesting things to write about, writers must immerse themselves in the world, experience new things and chase their curiosities. That's also a fun excuse to get up from the keyboard and go exploring for an hour or two.

Plan a field trip and let us know how it went. Join Polly and the Simply Write community at https://simplywrite.substack.com.

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In this episode, Polly Campbell talks about why she loves revising and the seven-step process she uses to stay on track.

Revising is an essential part of the writing process and a must-do if you want to publish and continue your writing career. But revision becomes easier when you have a process--even a checklist -- so you can optimize your time, remember to dot our i's and cross our t's, and create the best piece possible.

In this episode, Polly shares her revision process and more to help you get the job done.

And be sure to join Polly and the Simply Write community for more on craft and creating a writer's life, https://simplywrite.substack.com

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