As a reader, how do you react when a random character comes to the rescue during the climax?

Odds are, you probably feel cheated.

In this episode, we break down this literary sin and how to avoid committing it.

Click here to find out if our Coaching & Critique Group is the right fit for you!

Send us a text

What to do next…

• Take the Writing Persona Quiz!
• Sign up for The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge
• Join The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge Facebook Group
• Follow the 60-Day Challenge on Instagram
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Halie & Colleen are both authors! Find their books below:

• Secrets of the Tally, by Halie Fewkes Damewood
• The Chronicles of Talahm, by Colleen Mitchell

Struggling with being a productive writer?

We all fall into distraction traps and periods of low productivity.

All productivity tips are like tools in a toolbox, and having multiple is a great way to break out of writer's block.

This episode covers the last 5 of 10 productivity tips for writers to keep in mind as we start 2025!

Click here to find out if our Coaching & Critique Group is the right fit for you!

Send us a text

What to do next…

• Take the Writing Persona Quiz!
• Sign up for The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge
• Join The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge Facebook Group
• Follow the 60-Day Challenge on Instagram
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Halie & Colleen are both authors! Find their books below:

• Secrets of the Tally, by Halie Fewkes Damewood
• The Chronicles of Talahm, by Colleen Mitchell

Struggling with being a productive writer? 

We all fall into distraction traps and periods of low productivity. 

All productivity tips are like tools in a toolbox, and having multiple is a great way to break out of writer's block.

This episode covers the first 5 of 10 productivity tips for writers to keep in mind as we start 2025!

Send us a text

What to do next…

• Take the Writing Persona Quiz!
• Sign up for The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge
• Join The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge Facebook Group
• Follow the 60-Day Challenge on Instagram
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Halie & Colleen are both authors! Find their books below:

• Secrets of the Tally, by Halie Fewkes Damewood
• The Chronicles of Talahm, by Colleen Mitchell

Are you ready to hit 2025 running toward your writing goals?

If not, do not fear! 

This episode covers 5 essential tactics for planning a successful writing year, no matter what your goals are.

2025 is right around the corner, and before you know it you'll be striving toward your next writing achievement.

Send us a text

What to do next…

• Take the Writing Persona Quiz!
• Sign up for The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge
• Join The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge Facebook Group
• Follow the 60-Day Challenge on Instagram
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Halie & Colleen are both authors! Find their books below:

• Secrets of the Tally, by Halie Fewkes Damewood
• The Chronicles of Talahm, by Colleen Mitchell

The blurb is one of the hardest and most hated parts of an author's life... at least that's what it seems like!

In this episode, we break down why writing the blurb early is actually the smartest thing to do.

Blurbs don't need to be perfect or finalized immediately, but they should exist for the reasons discussed here.

Need help with your blurb? Check out our Coaching & Critique Group, where we hold Blurb Workshops and provide personalized feedback on your blurb drafts!

Send us a text

What to do next…

• Take the Writing Persona Quiz!
• Sign up for The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge
• Join The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge Facebook Group
• Follow the 60-Day Challenge on Instagram
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Halie & Colleen are both authors! Find their books below:

• Secrets of the Tally, by Halie Fewkes Damewood
• The Chronicles of Talahm, by Colleen Mitchell

Where do you start when it comes to books on writing craft?

A simple search on Amazon for "writing craft books" brings up over 70,000 results.

This episode covers the books that I recommend over and over for writers inside the Challenge or our Coaching & Critique group.

From story structure and theme to tropes, genres, and beyond, use this episode as a starting point for building your writing craft library.

Visit tallyink.com for links to all of the books mentioned in this episode.

Send us a text

What to do next…

• Take the Writing Persona Quiz!
• Sign up for The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge
• Join The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge Facebook Group
• Follow the 60-Day Challenge on Instagram
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Halie & Colleen are both authors! Find their books below:

• Secrets of the Tally, by Halie Fewkes Damewood
• The Chronicles of Talahm, by Colleen Mitchell

Have you committed this literary sin?

Having too large of a cast, or introducing too many characters at the same time, can lose readers and make them forget important details.

This, our second installment of the Literary Sins Series, addresses the problems of a large cast and offers solutions for how to fix them.

Check out the 5-Day Character Development Challenge at tallyink.com.

Send us a text

What to do next…

• Take the Writing Persona Quiz!
• Sign up for The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge
• Join The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge Facebook Group
• Follow the 60-Day Challenge on Instagram
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Halie & Colleen are both authors! Find their books below:

• Secrets of the Tally, by Halie Fewkes Damewood
• The Chronicles of Talahm, by Colleen Mitchell

Are you curious about Author Nation and whether you should go next year?

This episode covers who Author Nation is for, what kinds of sessions were offered, my overall takeaways, and some favorite sessions.

I also talk about what I would do differently next time.

Send us a text

What to do next…

• Take the Writing Persona Quiz!
• Sign up for The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge
• Join The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge Facebook Group
• Follow the 60-Day Challenge on Instagram
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Halie & Colleen are both authors! Find their books below:

• Secrets of the Tally, by Halie Fewkes Damewood
• The Chronicles of Talahm, by Colleen Mitchell

Do you get stressed and overwhelmed whenever you look at everything it takes to publish a book, whether you're pursuing self publishing or traditional?

You're not alone. I see this in a lot of authors, especially the ones working on the first or second draft.

This episode presents a different way to filter your perspective so you can stop freaking out and get back to work on your book.

Send us a text

What to do next…

• Take the Writing Persona Quiz!
• Sign up for The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge
• Join The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge Facebook Group
• Follow the 60-Day Challenge on Instagram
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Halie & Colleen are both authors! Find their books below:

• Secrets of the Tally, by Halie Fewkes Damewood
• The Chronicles of Talahm, by Colleen Mitchell

How do you know when it's time to switch from the writing mode to the editing mode?

What even is the difference between them? 

In this episode I share a different way to think about this that allows us the freedom to move from one to the other with ease.

Send us a text

What to do next…

• Take the Writing Persona Quiz!
• Sign up for The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge
• Join The 60-Day Novel Writing Challenge Facebook Group
• Follow the 60-Day Challenge on Instagram
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Halie & Colleen are both authors! Find their books below:

• Secrets of the Tally, by Halie Fewkes Damewood
• The Chronicles of Talahm, by Colleen Mitchell