The Author Wheel Podcast

SURPRISE!

We said we were taking a break for the summer—and we are—but we couldn't skip this opportunity to have the fabulous Alessandra Torre on the show to talk about her journey into writing, publishing, and running one of the best writer conferences in the country.

Alessandra (AR) Torre is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of more than 30 novels. In addition to writing, she's the co-founder of Authors AI and Inkers Con.

In this interview, Alessandra shares how a spontaneous tweak in her book description led to massive success, how she's overcome writer's block and the inertia of the messy middle, and why she developed Inkers Con, an online-first conference geared to help writers across all stages find success for their career.

GET $50 OFF YOUR INKERS CON TICKET WITH CODE WHEEL50!*

Inkers Con online Digital Conference is a full-scale indie fiction authors' conference with two weeks of interactive launch events kicking off on July 20th.

Attendees get access to:

✅ 26 motivating and actionable classes, taught by bestselling authors and experts who will share their best insights for crafting compelling books, improving your business, finding your readers, and more. 

✅ Dozens of interactive live events including author roundtables, Q&As with bestselling authors, speed networking, virtual happy hour, and more. 

✅ Co-working writing sprints so you can focus on getting large chunks of writing done.

Check out their lineup of classes and events here >> www.inkerscon.com

*Note: We are proud affiliates of Inkers Con 2024. By clicking the link or using the code WHEEL50, you will receive $50 off your ticket and we will receive a commission from your purchase, at no extra cost to you.

Follow Us!

Alessandra Torre
Website:  www.alessandratorre.com
Inkers Con: www.inkerscon.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/alessandratorre0/

The Author Wheel:
Website: www.AuthorWheel.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWheel

Greta Boris:
Website: www.GretaBoris.com
Facebook: @GretaBorisAuthor
Instagram: @GretaBoris

Megan Haskell:
Website: www.MeganHaskell.com
Facebook & Instagram: @MeganHaskellAuthor
TikTok: @AuthorMeganHaskell

Support the show

FREE Mini Email Course

Have you ever struggled to explain to others exactly what you write? Or wondered which of the many fiction ideas running through your brain you should tackle? If so, The Author Wheel’s new mini-course might be your solution.

7 Days to Clarity: Uncover Your Author Purpose will help you uncover your core writing motivations, avoid shiny-thing syndrome, and create clear marketing language.

Each daily email will lead you step by step in defining your author brand, crafting a mission statement, and distilling that statement into a pithy tagline. And, best of all, it’s free.

Click here to learn more!

Do you have an intentional author brand?

If not, today's guest is bound to help. In fact, in this interview, she did an on-the-spot workshop with Megan, helping her rethink her own social media content strategy! If you want practical tips and real-world examples, you have to listen in on this one.

Melanie Herschorn wants to help you step into your spotlight as an authority. As a book marketing and publishing strategist for business owners, consultants, and speakers worldwide, she’s on a mission to support and empower her clients to share their message with the world. Her new book, Make a Big Impact with Your Book, is available now.

Follow Us!

Melanie Herschorn
Website:  vipbookmarketing.com
Book: Make a Big Impact with Your Book
Facebook: @vipbookgroup
Instagram: @vipbookgroup

The Author Wheel:
Website: www.AuthorWheel.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWheel

Greta Boris:
Website: www.GretaBoris.com
Facebook: @GretaBorisAuthor
Instagram: @GretaBoris

Megan Haskell:
Website: www.MeganHaskell.com
Facebook & Instagram: @MeganHaskellAuthor
TikTok: @AuthorMeganHaskell

Support the show

FREE Mini Email Course

Have you ever struggled to explain to others exactly what you write? Or wondered which of the many fiction ideas running through your brain you should tackle? If so, The Author Wheel’s new mini-course might be your solution.

7 Days to Clarity: Uncover Your Author Purpose will help you uncover your core writing motivations, avoid shiny-thing syndrome, and create clear marketing language.

Each daily email will lead you step by step in defining your author brand, crafting a mission statement, and distilling that statement into a pithy tagline. And, best of all, it’s free.

Click here to learn more!

Ever wonder why some books grab you from the first line, while others fail to spark your interest?

This week's quick tips are all about the opening hook.

Tip #1: Some people never read past the first paragraph, let alone the first page. Make it count!

Tip #2: Know the difference between in medias res and place en scene. Choose your start carefully.

We will be taking a break for the summer, so we're turning off paid sponsorships. Make sure you subscribe on your favorite podcast player so you don't miss out when we come back on the air!

Plus, there might be a few summer surprises headed your way as well!

In the meantime, if you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider supporting the show by leaving  a five star review and sharing it with a writer friend. We don't advertise, so our growth is entirely dependent on word of mouth.

We appreciate your generous help!

Follow Us!

The Author Wheel:
Website: www.AuthorWheel.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWheel

Greta Boris:
Website: www.GretaBoris.com
Facebook: @GretaBorisAuthor
Instagram: @GretaBoris

Megan Haskell:
Website: www.MeganHaskell.com
Facebook & Instagram: @MeganHaskellAuthor
TikTok: @AuthorMeganHaskell

Support the show

FREE Mini Email Course

Have you ever struggled to explain to others exactly what you write? Or wondered which of the many fiction ideas running through your brain you should tackle? If so, The Author Wheel’s new mini-course might be your solution.

7 Days to Clarity: Uncover Your Author Purpose will help you uncover your core writing motivations, avoid shiny-thing syndrome, and create clear marketing language.

Each daily email will lead you step by step in defining your author brand, crafting a mission statement, and distilling that statement into a pithy tagline. And, best of all, it’s free.

Click here to learn more!

Walking the knife's edge between depth and brevity...

Today's guest is a master of the short story and professor at George Mason University. He's built a career in the trenches of the literary magazine world, where every word counts.

Our conversation digs deep into the art of the scene, with a ton of practical advice to keep readers turning pages no matter the length of your book.

Art Taylor is the Edgar Award-winning author of  two collections: The Adventure of the Castle Thief and Other Expeditions and Indiscretions and The Boy Detective & The Summer of ’74 and Other Tales of Suspense. His debut book, On the Road with Del & Louise: A Novel in Stories, won the Agatha Award for Best First Novel. His short fiction has also won the Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, and Macavity Awards. He is an associate professor of English at George Mason University. 

Follow Us!

Art Taylor
Website:  www.arttaylorwriter.com
Facebook: @ArtTaylorShortStories
Instagram: @ArtTaylorWriter

The Author Wheel:
Website: www.AuthorWheel.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWheel

Greta Boris:
Website: www.GretaBoris.com
Facebook: @GretaBorisAuthor
Instagram: @GretaBoris

Megan Haskell:
Website: www.MeganHaskell.com
Facebook & Instagram: @MeganHaskellAuthor
TikTok: @AuthorMeganHaskell

Support the show

FREE Mini Email Course

Have you ever struggled to explain to others exactly what you write? Or wondered which of the many fiction ideas running through your brain you should tackle? If so, The Author Wheel’s new mini-course might be your solution.

7 Days to Clarity: Uncover Your Author Purpose will help you uncover your core writing motivations, avoid shiny-thing syndrome, and create clear marketing language.

Each daily email will lead you step by step in defining your author brand, crafting a mission statement, and distilling that statement into a pithy tagline. And, best of all, it’s free.

Click here to learn more!

Don't be a bunny. Avoid head hopping.  

We're tackling one of Megan's biggest pet peeves this week; head hopping, or changing character point of view without a visual transition in between.

It happens when authors switch from the internal monologue or emotions of one character into another character, within the same scene, without a scene break or chapter break to identify the new point of view.

Tip #1: Know your point of view

Tip #2: Put yourself in the head of the character. Only write what that character can see or feel.

If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider supporting the show. For a few dollars a month, you can help us cover the ongoing expenses—like hosting and editing—that are critical to the creation of this podcast. Plus, supporters will be thanked on each interview episode, so you'll get to hear your name on the air!

Click here to become a paid subscriber and support the show!

Another great way to support the show is to leave a five star review and share it with a writer friend. We don't advertise, so our growth is entirely dependent on word of mouth.

We appreciate your generous help!

Follow Us!

The Author Wheel:
Website: www.AuthorWheel.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWheel

Greta Boris:
Website: www.GretaBoris.com
Facebook: @GretaBorisAuthor
Instagram: @GretaBoris

Megan Haskell:
Website: www.MeganHaskell.com
Facebook & Instagram: @MeganHaskellAuthor
TikTok: @AuthorMeganHaskell

Support the show

FREE Mini Email Course

Have you ever struggled to explain to others exactly what you write? Or wondered which of the many fiction ideas running through your brain you should tackle? If so, The Author Wheel’s new mini-course might be your solution.

7 Days to Clarity: Uncover Your Author Purpose will help you uncover your core writing motivations, avoid shiny-thing syndrome, and create clear marketing language.

Each daily email will lead you step by step in defining your author brand, crafting a mission statement, and distilling that statement into a pithy tagline. And, best of all, it’s free.

Click here to learn more!

The journey of a writer is a blend of art and commerce, heart and head.

"Intuitive Editing is the process of taking the hard craft skills and melding it with creating the story that you're trying to create, not the one that some writing guru or dogma has suggested would be the right structure for you."

This week we're thrilled to have editor Tiffany Yates Martin on the show. She is strong believer there's a difference between editing and revising. Editing gives you the map for revising your story, while revising sculpts your novel into shape.

Tiffany Yates Martin has spent nearly thirty years as an editor in the publishing industry, working with major publishers and New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling and award-winning authors as well as indie and newer writers. She is the founder of FoxPrint Editorial (a Writer's Digest Top 100 Best Websites for Writers in 2023 and 2024) and author of Intuitive Editing: A Creative and Practical Guide to Revising Your Writing. She is a regular contributor to writers’ outlets like Writer’s Digest, Jane Friedman, and Writer Unboxed, and a frequent presenter and keynote speaker for writers’ organizations around the country. Under her pen name, Phoebe Fox, she is the author of six novels.

Follow Us!

Tiffany Yates Martin
Website:  https://www.foxprinteditorial.com
Book: Intuitive Editing: A creative and practical guide to revising your writing
Online Courses: https://foxprinteditorial.com/online-courses/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tiffanynyates/

The Author Wheel:
Website: www.AuthorWheel.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWheel

Greta Boris:
Website: www.GretaBoris.com
Facebook: @GretaBorisAuthor
Instagram: @GretaBoris

Megan Haskell:
Website: www.MeganHaskell.com
Facebook & Instagram: @MeganHaskellAuthor
TikTok: @AuthorMeganHaskell

*****

⭐️ SUPPORT THE SHOW ⭐️
If you're enjoying The Author Wheel Podcast, please consider supporting the show by clicking the link below! Your contribution helps us cover the ongoing expenses—like hosting and editing—that are critical to the creation of this podcast. Plus, you'll get a shout out on air and in the show notes!

Support the show

FREE Mini Email Course

Have you ever struggled to explain to others exactly what you write? Or wondered which of the many fiction ideas running through your brain you should tackle? If so, The Author Wheel’s new mini-course might be your solution.

7 Days to Clarity: Uncover Your Author Purpose will help you uncover your core writing motivations, avoid shiny-thing syndrome, and create clear marketing language.

Each daily email will lead you step by step in defining your author brand, crafting a mission statement, and distilling that statement into a pithy tagline. And, best of all, it’s free.

Click here to learn more!

In this week's quick tips, we're taking a deep dive into the info dump.

What's that, you ask?

An info dump happens with the author writes everything they know about a character, setting, or their worldbuilding into a single stretch of prose. It's really common, especially for newer writers who  feel like they need to explain everything for the reader.

TL:DR - You don't.

But how can you avoid it?

Tip #1: Beware the prologue. Readers don't care about the world until they care about the characters, which is why many will skip the prologue anyway. If you're going to write one, keep it short, sweet, and in the action.

Tip #2: We like the broken glass metaphor. Imagine you write it all down on a single pane of glass, then drop the glass. Pick up the pieces and insert the shards of information only where necessary.

If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider supporting the show. For a few dollars a month, you can help us cover the ongoing expenses—like hosting and editing—that are critical to the creation of this podcast. Plus, supporters will be thanked on each interview episode, so you'll get to hear your name on the air!

Click here to become a paid subscriber and support the show!

Another great way to support the show is to leave a five star review and share it with a writer friend. We don't advertise, so our growth is entirely dependent on word of mouth.

We appreciate your generous help!

Follow Us!

The Author Wheel:
Website: www.AuthorWheel.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWheel

Greta Boris:
Website: www.GretaBoris.com
Facebook: @GretaBorisAuthor
Instagram: @GretaBoris

Megan Haskell:
Website: www.MeganHaskell.com
Facebook & Instagram: @MeganHaskellAuthor
TikTok: @AuthorMeganHaskell

Support the show

FREE Mini Email Course

Have you ever struggled to explain to others exactly what you write? Or wondered which of the many fiction ideas running through your brain you should tackle? If so, The Author Wheel’s new mini-course might be your solution.

7 Days to Clarity: Uncover Your Author Purpose will help you uncover your core writing motivations, avoid shiny-thing syndrome, and create clear marketing language.

Each daily email will lead you step by step in defining your author brand, crafting a mission statement, and distilling that statement into a pithy tagline. And, best of all, it’s free.

Click here to learn more!

Books get claimed by the world...

In this week's episode, we're taking a deep dive into audience building, author platform, and finding your tribe with publisher and agent, David Morris.

David Morris is the publisher of Lake Drive Books and a literary agent at Hyponymous Consulting, two innovative ventures working together to specialize in authors and books that help people heal, grow, and discover. David holds a PhD in psychology and religion from Drew University, and is the author of Lost Faith and Wandering Souls: A Psychology of Disillusionment, Mourning, and the Return of Hope. He lives with his wife in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and they have two daughters.

Follow Us!

David Morris
Website:  https://lakedrivebooks.com
Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads: @lakedrivebooks

The Author Wheel:
Website: www.AuthorWheel.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWheel

Greta Boris:
Website: www.GretaBoris.com
Facebook: @GretaBorisAuthor
Instagram: @GretaBoris

Megan Haskell:
Website: www.MeganHaskell.com
Facebook & Instagram: @MeganHaskellAuthor
TikTok: @AuthorMeganHaskell

*****

⭐️ SUPPORT THE SHOW ⭐️
If you're enjoying The Author Wheel Podcast, please consider supporting the show by clicking the link below! Your contribution helps us cover the ongoing expenses—like hosting and editing—that are critical to the creation of this podcast. Plus, you'll get a shout out on air and in the show notes!

Support the show

FREE Mini Email Course

Have you ever struggled to explain to others exactly what you write? Or wondered which of the many fiction ideas running through your brain you should tackle? If so, The Author Wheel’s new mini-course might be your solution.

7 Days to Clarity: Uncover Your Author Purpose will help you uncover your core writing motivations, avoid shiny-thing syndrome, and create clear marketing language.

Each daily email will lead you step by step in defining your author brand, crafting a mission statement, and distilling that statement into a pithy tagline. And, best of all, it’s free.

Click here to learn more!

Ever struggled to write dialogue that sounds natural and captures the essence of your characters?

This week's quick tips will help you overcome that challenge.

Tip #1: Listen to people talk in real life. Hang out in different locations with people from different walks of life. They don't speak the same!

Tip #2: Don't overdo dialect. While you want your characters to be unique, you don't want them to sound like a stereotype, and you don't want to tire out your reader.

Bonus Tip #3: Avoid fillers. You don't need to write "well", "um", or other conversational fillers. Get straight to the point.

If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider supporting the show. For a few dollars a month, you can help us cover the ongoing expenses—like hosting and editing—that are critical to the creation of this podcast. Plus, supporters will be thanked on each interview episode, so you'll get to hear your name on the air!

Click here to become a paid subscriber and support the show!

Another great way to support the show is to leave a five star review and share it with a writer friend. We don't advertise, so our growth is entirely dependent on word of mouth.

We appreciate your generous help!

Follow Us!

The Author Wheel:
Website: www.AuthorWheel.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWheel

Greta Boris:
Website: www.GretaBoris.com
Facebook: @GretaBorisAuthor
Instagram: @GretaBoris

Megan Haskell:
Website: www.MeganHaskell.com
Facebook & Instagram: @MeganHaskellAuthor
TikTok: @AuthorMeganHaskell

Support the show

FREE Mini Email Course

Have you ever struggled to explain to others exactly what you write? Or wondered which of the many fiction ideas running through your brain you should tackle? If so, The Author Wheel’s new mini-course might be your solution.

7 Days to Clarity: Uncover Your Author Purpose will help you uncover your core writing motivations, avoid shiny-thing syndrome, and create clear marketing language.

Each daily email will lead you step by step in defining your author brand, crafting a mission statement, and distilling that statement into a pithy tagline. And, best of all, it’s free.

Click here to learn more!

We're entering a new era for the indie author...

In the last few years we've once more seen seismic shifts in the self-publishing industry. 
No one understands that better than author consultant Joe Solari, who recently took the reins of what was once the 20Books to 50k conference. Rebranding under the Author Nation banner, Joe has been on the front lines, helping authors marry their artistic dreams with concrete business goals. 

In this interview, we dive deep into the history of 20Books, the changes that are coming with Author Nation, and how Joe hopes to grow regional support around the largest author conference in the country. 

Joe Solari is a consultant for authors and publishers, known for his experience in business ownership, private equity, and fundraising. He holds a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Since 2016, he has been helping authors navigate the complexities of the publishing market and has written guides for this purpose. He the Managing Director of the Author Nation Conference and Co-founder of Cybercraft Studios.

Joe Solari
Website:  https://www.authornation.live/2024tickets
Twitter: https://twitter.com/author_nation
Instagram: @author.nation
Facebook: @authornationevents
TikTok: @author.nation

The Author Wheel:
Website: www.AuthorWheel.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWheel

Greta Boris:
Website: www.GretaBoris.com
Facebook: @GretaBorisAuthor
Instagram: @GretaBoris

Megan Haskell:
Website: www.MeganHaskell.com
Facebook & Instagram: @MeganHaskellAuthor
TikTok: @AuthorMeganHaskell

*****

Thank you to our Sponsor
Many thanks go out to this week's sponsor, Stanley B. Trice. Check out his novel High School Rocket Science for Extraterrestrial Use Only on his website at https://stanleybtrice.com/.

⭐️ SUPPORT THE SHOW ⭐️
If you're enjoying The Author Wheel Podcast, please consider supporting the show by clicking the link below! Your contribution helps us cover the ongoing expenses—like hosting and editing—that are critical to the creation of this podcast. Plus, you'll get a shout out on air and in the show notes!

Support the show

FREE Mini Email Course

Have you ever struggled to explain to others exactly what you write? Or wondered which of the many fiction ideas running through your brain you should tackle? If so, The Author Wheel’s new mini-course might be your solution.

7 Days to Clarity: Uncover Your Author Purpose will help you uncover your core writing motivations, avoid shiny-thing syndrome, and create clear marketing language.

Each daily email will lead you step by step in defining your author brand, crafting a mission statement, and distilling that statement into a pithy tagline. And, best of all, it’s free.

Click here to learn more!