The Writing Coach

Welcome to The Writing Coach. On this podcast, I speak with the instructors, editors, coaches, and mentors who help writers and authors create their art, build their audience, and sell their work.

In episode #94 of The Writing Coach podcast, I speak with author Fred Waitzkin.

Fred was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1943. When he was a teenager he wavered between wanting to spend his life as a fisherman, Afro Cuban drummer, or novelist. He went to Kenyon College and did graduate study at New York University.

His work has appeared in Esquire, New York magazine, the New York Times Sunday Magazine, the New York Times Book Review, Outside, Sports Illustrated, Forbes, the Huffington Post, and the Daily Beast, among other publications. His memoir, Searching for Bobby Fischer, was made into a major motion picture released in 1993. His other books are Mortal Games, The Last Marlin, The Dream Merchant, and Deep Water Blues. Recently, he has completed an original screenplay, The Rave.

Waitzkin lives in Manhattan with his wife, Bonnie, and has two children, Josh and Katya, and two grandsons, Jack and Charlie. He spends as much time as possible on the bridge of his old boat, The Ebb Tide, trolling baits off distant islands with his family.

During our discussion, Fred describes:

Where he finds the ideas for his storiesHow he views the unique relationship between fiction and non-fiction What his daily writing process looks likeHow having his memoir adapted into a hit Hollywood film impacted his life and his writingHis approach to mentoring writersHow a coaching experience led to a breakthrough in the writing of his latest book, Deep Water BluesAnd much more!

Click below to listen now:

The Writing Coach Episode #94 Show Notes

Visit Fred’s website: https://fredwaitzkin.com/

Get your copy of Fred's latest book, Deep Water Blues:

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In episode #93 of The Writing Coach podcast, I speak with graphic recorder, Kit Irwin.

Welcome to The Writing Coach. On this podcast, I speak with the instructors, editors, coaches, and mentors who help writers and authors create their art, build their audience, and sell their work.

In episode #92 of The Writing Coach podcast, I discuss why sometimes the most creative periods in our lives look and sound like silence to outside observers.

Along the way, I discuss James Bond, Bob Dylan, The Basement Tapes, Big Pink, and social media.

Click below to listen now:

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Welcome to The Writing Coach. On this podcast, I speak with the instructors, editors, coaches, and mentors who help writers and authors create their art, build their audience, and sell their work.

In episode #91 of The Writing Coach podcast, I speak with Jennifer Louden.

Jennifer Louden is a personal growth pioneer who helped launch the concept of self-care with her first best-selling book The Woman’s Comfort Book. Since then, she’s written six additional books on well-being and whole living, with a million copies of her books in print in nine languages.

Jennifer has spoken around the U.S., Canada, and Europe, and has written a national magazine column for Martha Stewart magazine. Plus, she’s been profiled or quoted in dozens of major magazines, two of Brené Brown’s books Daring Greatly and Dare to Lead, appeared on hundreds of TV, radio shows and podcasts, and even on Oprah.

Jennifer has been teaching women’s writing and self-care retreats and creative writing workshops since 1992 and creating vibrant online communities and innovative learning experiences since 2000.

During our conversation, Jennifer describes:

How a time of great desperation, unhappiness, and depression ultimately launched her career as a successful authorThe danger of wrapping up your entire self-worth in your writingThe importance of self-care and why she rejects the notion that artists must be tortured soulsWhat aspects of writing she struggles with and how she overcomes challenges in her writingThree things you need to know before you start writingWhat differentiates successful writers from those who fizzle outWhy she thinks being a writer is the coolest calling in the worldAnd much more!

Click below to listen now:

The Writing Coach #91 Show Notes

Get in conntact with Jennifer:

Website | www.jenniferlouden.com

Skype | jen.louden

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/jenlouden.writer/

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/user/jenniferlouden

Twitter | @jenlouden

Click here to get your copy of Jennifer's free guide: Your 2019 Guide for Following Through on Your Creative Desires, Getting Your Scary Sh*t Done and Showing Up for Your Life.

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Enjoy this podcast? If so, you'll love my book Novel Advice: Motivation, Inspiration, and Creative Writing Tips for Aspiring Authors. Grab a FREE copy by clicking the image below:

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Welcome to The Writing Coach. On this podcast, I speak with the instructors, editors, coaches, and mentors who help writers and authors create their art, build their audience, and sell their work.

In episode #90 of The Writing Coach podcast, I speak with Chad Allen.

Chad Allen is a writer, speaker, editor, and writing coach. A 20-year publishing professional, he has worked with many bestselling authors and is creator of Book Proposal Academy, an online course, and BookCamp, a mentoring and community hub for writers. His passion is helping writers get their books into the world, and he blogs at http://www.chadrallen.com/.

During our conversation, Chad describes:

How his passion for the writing of C.S. Lewis led to a career in publishingWhy he feels called to help writersHow his blog served as the launching pad for his coaching businessThe origins of his Book Proposal AcademyWhy coaching is the thing he was born to doAnd much more!

Click below to listen now:

The Writing Coach #90 Show Notes

Visit Chad's website: chadrallen.com

Text "PUBLISH" to 444-999 to get a free copy of Chad's Publishing Success Trail Map.

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Enjoy this podcast? If so, you'll love my book Novel Advice: Motivation, Inspiration, and Creative Writing Tips for Aspiring Authors. Grab a FREE copy by clicking the image below:

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Welcome to The Writing Coach. On this podcast, I speak with the instructors, editors, coaches, and mentors who help writers and authors create their art, build their audience, and sell their work.

In episode #89 of The Writing Coach podcast, I speak with Gabriela Pereira.

Gabriela Pereira is an author, speaker, and entrepreneur who wants to challenge the status quo of higher education. As the founder and instigator of DIYMFA.com, her mission is to empower writers, artists and other creatives to take an entrepreneurial approach to their education and professional growth.

Gabriela earned her MFA in writing from The New School and speaks at college campuses and national conferences. She is also the host of DIY MFA Radio, a popular podcast where she interviews bestselling authors and book industry professionals and author of the book DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build Your Community.

During our conversation, Gabriela describes:

Why New York ruins people for other placesThe hurdles she had to overcome as a young writerHow a blog challenge she set for herself ultimately led to the development of the massively successful DIY MFA programThe crazy story behind how she landed her book deal by attending a writing conference while nine months pregnantHow hosting hundreds of podcast episodes has helped her explore and solidify her writer's craft concepts and theoriesAnd much more!

Click below to listen now:

The Writing Coach #89 Show Notes

Join the DIY MFA Book Club here.

Get your copy of Gabriela's book:

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Enjoy this podcast? If so, you'll love my book Novel Advice: Motivation, Inspiration, and Creative Writing Tips for Aspiring Authors. Grab a FREE copy by clicking the image below:

Download the podcast here:

Welcome to The Writing Coach. On this podcast, I speak with the instructors, editors, coaches, and mentors who help writers and authors create their art, build their audience, and sell their work.

In episode #88 of The Writing Coach podcast, I speak with Barbara Kyle.

Barbara is the author of the acclaimed Thornleigh Saga, a seven-book series of historical novels set in Tudor England (“Riveting Tudor drama” – USA Today) and of contemporary thrillers, three under pen-name Stephen Kyle, including Beyond Recall, a Literary Guild Selection. Her latest novel is The Traitor's Daughter. Over half a million copies of her books have been sold in seven countries.

Barbara has taught writers at the University of Toronto and is a popular guest presenter at international writers' conferences. Before becoming an author Barbara enjoyed a 20-year acting career in television, film, and stage productions in Canada and the U.S.

Through her master classes, online programs, and manuscript evaluations, Barbara’s mentoring has launched many writers to published success, including bestselling mystery author Robert Rotenberg, award-winning historical novelists Cryssa Bazos and Bruce Gardner, debut novelist Christine Higdon, urban fantasy writer T.K. Thorne, and Steven T. Wax for his award-winning memoir. During our conversation, Barbara describes:

Why her career as an actress on stage, television, and film was fantastic training for her career as a novelistThe importance of knowing your protagonist's objectiveHow winning a short story competition from the local library association gave her the confidence to pursue novel writingWhy she chose to set her series in Tudor era EnglandThe important role mentors have played in her life and what she learned from themTo what she attributes her half a million books soldAnd much more!

Click below to listen now:

The Writing Coach #88 Show Notes

Visit Barbara's website: https://www.barbarakyle.com/

Check out Barbara's  video series Your Path to a Pager-Turner

Barbara's online program My Writing Mentor starts January 29, 2019.

Get Barbara's book on writer's craft:

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Enjoy this podcast? If so, you'll love my book Novel Advice: Motivation, Inspiration, and Creative Writing Tips for Aspiring Authors. Grab a FREE copy by clicking the image below:

Download the podcast here:

Welcome to The Writing Coach. On this podcast, I speak with the instructors, editors, coaches, and mentors who help writers and authors create their art, build their audience, and sell their work.

In episode #87 of The Writing Coach podcast, host Kevin T. Johns revisits the Christmas episode of his old podcast, Write Along Radio.

Kevin and co-host Catherine Brunelle discuss The Night Before Christmas, Merry Christmas Charlie Brown, as well as Christmas episodes from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The X-Files.

What is the true meaning of Christmas for a writer? Find out in this episode!

Click below to listen now:

The Writing Coach #87 Show Notes

Download Kevin's Christmas short story, "Christmas in Maplewright" here: http://www.kevintjohns.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Christmas-in-Maplewright.pdf

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Enjoy this podcast? If so, you'll love my book Novel Advice: Motivation, Inspiration, and Creative Writing Tips for Aspiring Authors. Grab a FREE copy by clicking the image below:

Download the podcast here:

Welcome to The Writing Coach. On this podcast, I speak with the instructors, editors, coaches, and mentors who help writers and authors create their art, build their audience, and sell their work.

In episode #86 of The Writing Coach podcast, I speak with Sally McGraw

Sally McGraw is a savvy and versatile ghostwriter, editor, and copywriter with more than 15 years of professional experience. She's written for newspapers, blogs, magazines, newsletters, and websites, slowly building a resume that she hopes will impress the pants off of you. She's written three non-fiction books under her own name, and ghostwritten a dozen more. Her articles have been featured on the Huffington Post and About.com, her blog has been highlighted by Marie Claire and Glamour, she's a contributing editor at Adios Barbie, and her marketing and entrepreneurial advice has appeared on the GoDaddy blog. She firmly believes she has the best job in the known universe, and loves helping her clients craft expressive artist statements, laugh-out-loud posts, in-depth articles, and heart-rending books.

During our conversation, Sally describes:

How she built a massively successful blog about fashion and body imageWhy she transitioned from the fashion world into ghostwriting and editingHer candid thoughts on people wearing cargo shorts to the OperaWhy she finds ghostwriting memoirs particularly challengingThe reason a client once described her as "a personal decoder ring"Why she is passionate about empowering women in businessHer experience teaching a CreativeLive course that was viewed by over 7,000 writersAnd much more!

Click below to listen now:

The Writing Coach #86 Show Notes

Visit Sally's website: http://sallymcgraw.com/

Check out Sally CreativeLive course How to Write a Killer Book Proposal. 

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Enjoy this podcast? If so, you'll love my book Novel Advice: Motivation, Inspiration, and Creative Writing Tips for Aspiring Authors. Grab a FREE copy by clicking the image below:

Download the podcast here:

Welcome to The Writing Coach. On this podcast, I speak with the instructors, editors, coaches, and mentors who help writers and authors create their art, build their audience, and sell their work.

In episode #85 of The Writing Coach podcast, I speak with Rachel Sentes of Gal Friday Publicity.Rachel is a publicist and literary agent who specializes in working with authors and publishers from across Canada and in the United States. She prides herself on finding the right angle and the right media for projects in an easygoing, fun, but forthright manner, so that her clients get the goods on how the publicity business works, and how to make your next book launch campaign successful.During our discussion, Rachel describes:

How books were the first and most important gifts she received as a childThe important role journaling has played in her life for the last 40 years (and why her journals must be burned upon her death!)How she ended up marrying a literary agent after a terrible first dateWhat exactly a publicist does for a writer, and who shouldn't work with a publicistHow her work as a publicist led to her becoming a literary agentHer passion for animal advocacyAnd much more!

Click below to listen now:

The Writing Coach #85 Show Notes

Visit the Gal Friday Publicity website: http://www.gal-fridaypublicity.com/

Follow Rachel on Twitter: https://twitter.com/msgalfriday

Pre-order your copy of Saving Mano: What a Baby Chimp Taught Me About Making the World a Better Place.

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Enjoy this podcast? If so, you'll love my book Novel Advice: Motivation, Inspiration, and Creative Writing Tips for Aspiring Authors. Grab a FREE copy by clicking the image below:

Download the podcast here: