The Daily Writer

I'm honored to have my good friend, Jim Woods, on the show today to help us develop our storytelling chops. Jim is a novelist, story coach, and editor. He has worked with many authors over the years, including some whose books have been on the New York Times bestseller list.

Jim is the host of the Finish Your Book Podcast. He is also the founder of Storycrafting, a coaching service that helps you craft your story.

Storytelling is one of my favorite topics, so we had a lot of fun in this interview geeking out over stories. Jim walks us through several questions such as these:

• What's the simplest way to create a story?
• What separates a great story from a pretty good story? 
• How can you fix your story? 
• How can you build a solid writing habit?

You can find Jim at his Storycrafting site, his personal website, or on Facebook. Make sure to also check out his Write Your Book Podcast.

***

If you enjoyed this episode, we would be grateful if you leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more people discover the show, and the more people listen, the more we can invest into it and improve the show.

Sign up for the Daily Writer email: DailyWriterLife.com

Follow Kent Sanders:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders 

What do powerful words look like? 

When you think of powerful words, you probably imagine Abraham Lincoln delivering the Gettysburg Address, or JFK giving a speech about America’s mission to go to the moon. Or maybe imagine an author like Maya Angelou talking about how she overcame a difficult childhood.

But powerful words aren’t just reserved for classic speeches or world-renowned books. You have powerful words, too. In fact, there is one single two-letter word that has more power than anything else in your vocabulary.

On today's episode, Kent encourages you to focus on doing the work that matters, rather than trying to make everybody else happy.

***

If you enjoyed this episode, we would be grateful if you leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more people discover the show, and the more people listen, the more we can invest into it and improve the show.

Follow Kent Sanders:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders 

One of the most popular episodes of the original Twilight Zone series is “Time Enough at Last.” Burgess Meredith plays Henry Bemis, a bank teller with thick glasses who is obsessed with reading.

One day during his lunch break, he goes to the bank vault to read.  Suddenly there is a violent explosion, which knocks him out. He later wakes up to find that an atomic bomb has destroyed the world. He was protected from the blast by the bank vault, and now he is the only person left on earth.

Henry wanders the ruined city in despair and comes to the town library, where he finds all the books still intact. He suddenly realizes that he has all the time in the world to read and no one to bother him. In one of the greatest plot twists in television history, he reaches down for a book and drops his glasses, shattering the lenses. 

Henry Bemis had all the time in the world but lost the one tool he needed to make use of it.

On today's episode, Kent encourages you to try a piece of productivity advice from the creator of the Twilight Zone, Rod Serling.

***

If you enjoyed this episode, we would be grateful if you leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more people discover the show, and the more people listen, the more we can invest into it and improve the show.

Follow Kent Sanders:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders 

Every period in history seems like the worst for people going through it. 2020 has certainly been a challenging year on many levels. We’ve still in the middle of a global pandemic, we had a bitter election in the United States, the economy has been in upheaval, many people have lost jobs, and the list goes on and on …

One look at your social media feed or any news channel will tell you that people are upset and hurting. There is a sense of frustration and anger that we have never seen in our lifetimes. 

In this kind of situation, it’s natural to feel angry or frustrated. And why not? That’s what everyone else is doing. It’s also easy to let yourself slip into a cynical attitude about life. 

On today's episode, Kent reminds us that hope wins, every time.

***

If you enjoyed this episode, we would be grateful if you leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more people discover the show, and the more people listen, the more we can invest into it and improve the show.

Follow Kent Sanders:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders 

Anyone who grew up in the second half of the 20th century was familiar with two icons of pop culture: The Wizard of Oz and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.

On the surface, these two couldn’t be more different. The Wizard of Oz was a 1939 movie about a young girl, Dorothy, who is swept away by a tornado and battles the Wicked Witch of the West in the land of Oz. Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, on the other hand, was a PBS show that taught kids how to cope with life and use their imaginations. 

These two worlds converged one day in 1975 when Margaret Hamilton made a guest appearance on Mister Rogers. As the Wicked Witch, she had scared generations of kids. But she was also a fan of Mister Rogers and enjoyed watching it with her grandchildren.

She appeared on an episode where Fred Rogers was teaching children not to be afraid of things that seem scary. They had Margaret Hamilton dress up a costume similar to the Wicked Witch to show kids that it was all make-believe. 

On today's episode, Kent challenges you to remember that when you're feeling afraid, it's just your mind playing tricks on you.

***

If you enjoyed this episode, we would be grateful if you leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more people discover the show, and the more people listen, the more we can invest into it and improve the show.

Follow Kent Sanders:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders 

In the world of computers, WYSIWYG stands for “what you see is what you get.” It refers to an editing system or interface where the content you see on screen shows exactly how it will look when it’s printed or displayed elsewhere.

But WYSIWYG can also refer to the writing life as a whole. What you see is truly what you get.

On today's episode, Kent encourages you to put in the work and take advantage of the amazing opportunities we have today.

***

If you enjoyed this episode, we would be grateful if you leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more people discover the show, and the more people listen, the more we can invest into it and improve the show.

Follow Kent Sanders:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders 

On this month's Listener Q&A, we tackle a number of great questions:

• How do you transition from writing as a hobby, to writing as a profession?
• Do you have to travel in order to be an author?
• How do I start making money as a freelance writer?
• How do I choose which book to work on next?
• Do you have any tips for marketing or how to build a platform?
• How do I start to market my writing and build an author platform?

Thanks to all of our listeners who submitted questions!

***

If you enjoyed this episode, we would be grateful if you leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more people discover the show, and the more people listen, the more we can invest into it and improve the show.

Follow Kent Sanders:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders 

When we consider the impact of our writing, there are many elements we pay attention to. We spend a lot of time thinking about our audience, our content, our strategy for reaching readers, our habits, our tools and technology, and so forth.

But one important element of our writing that often gets overlooked is our "voice." According to my guest today, your voice is a vital element in your communication. In fact, she defines it as "the fingerprint of your communication style."

Her name is Tricia Brouk and she is an award-winning director who has worked in theater, film, and television for three decades. Her work includes the writing of two musicals, both produced in New York City, a one-woman show, and four documentaries, two eligible for Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominations.

Tricia had an extensive career as a dancer performing all over the world. In addition to her work in the entertainment industry, she applies her expertise to the art of public speaking. Tricia founded The Big Talk Academy, where she certifies speakers in the art of public speaking. She has shepherded more than fifty speakers onto more than fifteen TEDx stages in under three years.

Tricia is also the host of the award-winning podcast The Big Talk, which is where I first got to know her. I was part of her podcast production team for several years, and I was always impressed by Tricia's discipline and professionalism.

When it comes to the art of public speaking, using your voice, or showing up in the world as your authentic self, there is no one I trust more than Tricia Brouk.

In our conversation, we focus on some themes from Tricia's new book, The Influential Voice: Saying What You Mean for Lasting Legacy. We talk about the importance of using your unique voice, how to deal with fear, her unique process for writing this book, and much more.

Be sure to visit https://www.theinfluentialvoicebook.com/ to pre-order the book by Dec. 18 to get some amazing bonuses. You can also check out Tricia's website or connect with her on Instagram to learn more about her and her work.

***

If you enjoyed this episode, we would be grateful if you leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more people discover the show, and the more people listen, the more we can invest into it and improve the show.

Sign up for the Daily Writer email: DailyWriterLife.com

Follow Kent Sanders:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders 

If you spend any time among a group of novelists, you will pretty quickly hear two terms: pantsers and plotters.

Pantsers are the ones who prefer to write by the “seat of their pants.” They love to develop a great opening, then discover the story as they write. Pantsers get bored if they know where the whole story is going ahead of time.

Plotters are the ones who have to carefully outline the whole plot of a novel before they begin writing. They need to know where the story is going or they can’t start.

Lots of writers have taken either approach and created great novels, short stories, and other works of art. Plotting can work just as well as pantsing when it comes to writing a fiction story. But it doesn’t work so well when it comes to your real-life story—the story of your writing career and your journey as a writer.

On today's episode, Kent reminds us not to worry about trying to figure out the whole journey ahead ... but to embrace the myster.

***

If you enjoyed this episode, we would be grateful if you leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more people discover the show, and the more people listen, the more we can invest into it and improve the show.

Follow Kent Sanders:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders 

Most young people only have a vague idea of who Johnny Carson is if they have even heard of him at all. But for anyone 40 and older, you probably remember him as the host of The Tonight Show.

From 1962-1992, Johnny Carson ruled the airwaves as the King of Late Night. If you were a stand-up comedian in the late 70’s through the early 90’s, you got invited over to the couch to talk to Johnny after your 5-minute set, you were now Hollywood royalty. 

Every comedian on the planet wanted to be like Johnny Carson. In 1992, when Johnny Carson retired, everyone thought that David Letterman would be a shoe-in as the new host. And why not? Letterman’s own late-night show had been following Johnny Carson for the last ten years, and it was no secret that he idolized Carson. And in turn, Johnny personally liked David Letterman more than Jay Leno. 

The TV world was scandalized when the tonight show hosting spot went to Leno instead. As a result, Letterman moved to CBS to start his own show opposite Jay Leno.

On today's episode, Kent shares the importance of giving the world the most valuable gift you can possibly offer: yourself.

***

If you enjoyed this episode, we would be grateful if you leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more people discover the show, and the more people listen, the more we can invest into it and improve the show.

Follow Kent Sanders:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders