The Daily Writer

If you’re of “a certain age,” you probably remember watching Bob Ross on his TV show “The Joy of Painting,” which he hosted on PBS from 1983-1994. If you’re a little younger, you’ve probably discovered him on the internet, where he has developed an even bigger following.

Each week on his show, Bob painted a mesmerizing landscape in just a half an hour. He was known for his soft-spoken style, his signature permed hair, and his uncanny ability to make you believe that just like him, you could paint a masterpiece.

Most of Bob’s viewers didn’t know that he meticulously planned out his paintings in advance. He would create the original, memorize every brushtroke, then paint the scene a second time during the taping of the show. 

Every once in a while Bob would make a tiny mistake and then repeat his signature phrase, “We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.” Then he would either paint over the mistake or find a way to blend it into the scene.

On today's episode, Kent encourages us to reach for excellence while also accepting our humanity--happy accidents and all.

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Have you ever felt jealous of another writer’s success? We’re going for honesty here, so let’s assume the answer is “yes.”

The world of writers can be a funny place. We love to support one another, read each other’s books, and collaborate in ways that few other industries do.

On the other hand, because our work is creative by nature, it is often intertwined with our sense of self-esteem and security. We are acutely aware at all times of the success our writer friends are enjoying.

When a writer friend has a book launch, gets media attention, or get reaches a big goal, it’s easy to feel like it’s a commentary on our own success. And in our moments of weakness, we get consumed with jealousy, also called by a peculiar name, the “green-eyed monster.” 

This term comes from Shakespeare’s Othello when the villain Iago says, “Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.”

On today's episode, Kent shares three lies jealousy loves to whisper in your ear, and how to combat each one.

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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.

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Citizen Kane is universally recognized as one of the greatest films of all time. Orson Welles and his collaborators created a masterpiece that was well ahead of its time in storytelling, cinematography, and special effects. Yet for all its achievements, it's one of the saddest movies ever made.

The film tells the story of Charles Foster Kane, a wealthy businessman who began his career with good intentions. But over time, he tries to control everyone around him. In the end he dies alone with a mansion full of treasures and a heart full of bitterness and regret.

In a powerful scene late in the movie, Kane’s former friend and employee Jed Leeland tells a reporter, “That's all he ever wanted out of life, was love. That's the tragedy of Charles Foster Kane. You see, he just didn't have any to give.”

On today's episode, Kent encourages us to develop our love of writing and the people we serve.

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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.

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One of the staples of the modern music world is the “Greatest Hits” album. When an artist has been around for a while, and they’ve had at least a few hits, it’s customary for their record company to release a new album that re-packages all those hit songs. 

Have you ever thought about the work required to actually create enough songs for a Greatest Hits album? If you look at the albums of any popular artist, you’ll see that they generally only have a couple of truly “hit” songs from each one.

Occasionally, you’ll have an artist with four or five massive songs from one album such as Richard Marx’s 1987 album “Repeat Offender,” which had at least four massive hits. Or you’ll have a true superstar like country legend Garth Brooks, who was on such a hot streak in the 1990’s that almost every song was a huge hit.

And let’s not forget the Beatles, who were so far above everyone else that almost everything they touched turned to gold.

But the exceptions prove the rule. Most of the time, a band or solo artist making traditional albums only has a couple of hit songs for every ten they put on an album. What’s more, they often don’t know which 20% of songs will be a hit as they’re making the record. They’re just doing the work.

On today's episode, Kent uses illustrations from the world of music and baseball to remind us that the daily work, not the occasional hit, is most important.

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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:

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If you've been listening to this podcast for any length of time, you know that I place a big emphasis on habits, mindset, creativity, and related topics.

Those are all inputs into our writing. I emphasize those things because those are essential for any type of writing success.

Today I want to shift gears a bit and talk about a very practical topic related to writing, and that is making money. I fundamentally believe that if you are a writer, you should be getting compensated for your work in some way.

If you can learn to persuade, tell stories, and transmit ideas through the power of your words, that is a very powerful skill. If you can also add other potential services, even better!

On this episode, we walk through 15 ways to earn money from your writing, and skills you will develop as part of your writing platform. (Just to keep things transparent, I have earned money from each of these.)

CONTENT CREATION

1. Book sales
2. Ghostwriting
3. Writing articles for publications
4. Copywriting
5. Speaking
6. Courses
7. Editing
8. Podcast show notes

TECHNICAL SERVICES

1. Building websites
2. SaaS tools
3. Podcast / audiobook production
4. Graphic design services

OTHER

1. Coaching
2. Memberships
3. Affiliate income

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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:

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders 

As I talk to writers, one of the most common themes I hear is, "I've always wanted to write a novel." It seems like almost everybody has a story they would love to tell.

But how do you get it done? What is the process for writing a novel? And how do you work through all the inevitable struggle of the messy middle -- the part where the excitement wears off and you're still a long way from finishing?

I'm thankful that I have an amazing guest today who is here to give us some answers. Her name is Bethany Lee, and she has published her first novel, which is an amazing young adult book titled Called Upon. Bethany describes herself as an “outside girl” who loves biking, hiking, and basically any activity that can be done in yoga pants. She is a communications graduate who has a soft spot for young adults and all of the cringy moments they experience every day.

Bethany has been a creative writer since early childhood, and she uses humor, honesty, and whimsy to pull the reader in and invite them to laugh, relate, and introspect. Bethany lives in Lehi, Utah with her husband and three children.

In our conversation, Bethany talks about the power of fiction, how she came up with the story, her writing process for getting it done, and much more. If you have ever thought about writing a novel, I'll know you'll be inspired by her journey and determination to get a book out into the world.

You can connect with Bethany via her website or on Instagram. When you buy her book Called Upon via her website, make sure to use the coupon code "Writers40" to get 40% off your total purchase, including shipping and handling.

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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:

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Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders 

Has this ever happened to you? You block out time on your calendar, you get your pen or pencil—or computer—ready, and you sit down at your desk, ready to write. You’ve been looking forward to this time and can’t wait to get your creative juices flowing.

So you sit there, patiently waiting for the Muse to arrive and deliver the creativity straight to your brain. You’re ready for action.

And . . . nothing.

If you’ve had this experience, you’re not alone. Writers all over the world, from the beginning of time, have felt the creative well run dry. There are few things in life more frustrating than being a writer who is waiting for the words that just won’t come.

On today's episode, Kent shares a story of one of the world's most prolific writers, Louis L'Amour, and a simple strategy he used to keep the words flowing.

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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:

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What does it mean to be great?

It’s such a simple question on the surface. But when you dig a little deeper, it gets to the heart of an inner conflict we feel as writers.

On the one hand, we want to help people. We care about others and their welfare. We know that our writing, our creative work, is a way to do that.

On the other hand, we also feel a powerful impulse to be admired by other people. We see this impulse on reality TV shows every day. Those programs are filled with people who just want their 15 minutes of fame. They are in love with the camera, the lights, and the knowledge that maybe just for a moment, they can feel like a celebrity. 

But are we so different? Is there anything that separates us from those reality TV stars who crave a moment in the spotlight? The answer is no. We are all prone to this addiction we call fame. 

On this episode, Kent shares how to turn away from our pursuit of fame and focus on the only path to true greatness.

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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:

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One of the most popular TV sitcoms in recent years was The Big Bang Theory. Chances are pretty high that you have either seen it or know about it. But just in case you haven’t, The Big Bang Theory focuses on a group of friends, several of whom are physicists and engineers. 

Many of the show’s storylines, and much of its humor, came from Sheldon Cooper, who spent a lot of time and energy trying to prove how smart he was.

But it’s not just sitcom characters who want to appear smart. Each one of us wants to be respected and admired for our skills and knowledge. If we’re not careful in our writing and communication, we can wind up like Sheldon, constantly trying to prove that we are just a little bit superior to everyone else.

We would do well to follow the timeless wisdom of Mr. Rogers, who said, “Deep and simple is far more essential than shallow and complex.”

On this episode, Kent challenges us to follow Mr. Rogers' advice with three practical suggestions.

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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:

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders 

As creatives, we seem hardwired to remember every single time we failed in our younger days.

Remember the time you forgot your lines in the school play? Or the time you drew a picture for the teacher and she hated it? Or that time you hit the wrong note in your music solo and everyone laughed?

We carry this same hyper-sensitivity to failure into adulthood, especially with our writing. If we don’t have a certain number of blog subscribers, if we don’t exceed our expectations for book sales, or if we don’t live up to someone’s expectations, we view ourselves as a failure.

But what if our ideas about failure all wrong? What if there was only one single way to fail, and it was entirely preventable? What if success was 100% within your control?

On this episode, Kent shares a quote from legendary book coach Honoree Corder, who will give you a new view of success and failure.

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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:

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders