Creating interesting and believable characters is the foundation of good fiction writing. But as anyone who's ever tried to do that knows, it isn't easy. On this week's show, author Harriet Smart explains what makes characters compelling and how character can drive a story forward.

Harriet Smart is creative director of Anthemion Software. She has written four historical novels and one contemporary novel, all published by Headline. She recently completed an MA in TV screenwriting.

In this fascinating interview, Harriet discusses:

* How to create fascinating characters

* How rich characterization can move a story forward

* What makes us care about characters

* Why back story is so important

* How to hone your characterization skills

* How the software she and her husband designed can help writers keep track of story threads.

In episode 4 of "How Not to Run an Online Bookstore," Paula reveals how they sold their first books "in the the most expensive and difficult way possible" and details the sad truths about the one and only trade show they did, including:

* How much they paid for their booth, furniture, and all the little things you never think of unless you've already done trade shows

* What sorts of equipment you need to sell merchandise from your booth

* What kind of insurance they got

* How they decided which titles to bring

* How they got all their stuff to the show

* Why gathering leads at the show was a complete waste

* What to look out for when selecting a booth

* How much money they lost on the trade show

Join Paula for this multi-part series that will be aired a little at a time. And for heaven’s sake, don’t do what she did!

Self-publishing is not only coming out of the closet. It's also becoming a viable alternative to traditional publishing for authors who don't mind a lot of work. This week, we visit with author Matthew Wayne Selznick, who takes us through his own positive self-publishing experience step by step.

Naming names and quoting figures, Matt reveals:

* Why he self-published

* How much it has cost to publish his novel

* What he gets from his self-publishing company

* Which free software he used

* How he created his own cover using free art

* How much money he gets from each sale (and how much his publishing company gets)

* How he's marketing and selling his book

Susan Jeffers, Ph.D. is considered one of the top self-help authors in the world. In 2004, the Times of the U.K. named her "The Queen of Self-Help." Susan's books have been published in over 100 countries and translated into at least 30 different languages.

What is it like to offer advice for a living? Join Susan and host Paula B. for our special Valentine's Day show as Susan discusses her latest book, The Feel the Fear Guide to Lasting Love, and reveals her writing secrets, including:

* How she gets her ideas

* How she feels about trying to help people change

* How she comes up with her advice

* How she and the people she writes about feel about her divulging very personal information

* How she handles the many requests for help she gets from readers

* What it's like to start a publishing company, which she and her husband have done recently.

The life of a writer includes many challenges. In this fascinating interview, Deborah Straw explains what it was like to research and write her book about cancer in animals and offers her view of the difficulties confronting even the most experienced writers.

Join Deborah and host Paula B. as they discuss:

* What it was like for a lay person to interview veterinarians

* How to present sometimes conflicting medical information

* Whether issues of liability are involved in writing about medicine

* What's happening to the relationship between editors and writers

* How to balance writing with a day job

* How changes in the publishing industry are affecting writers

What happens when two literary ex-pats living in Ireland get together for a few beers? Find out in this free-ranging discussion between guest host Mick Halpin and author Kevin Stevens as they compare notes on literature, publishing, writing, and leaving home.

Join us as Kevin describes:

* What it's like to emigrate from the U.S. to Ireland

* Why it took 25 years for him to publish a novel

* Who's hot in Irish literature today

* How American, English, and Irish literature compare

* How he came to write a novel about the Cold War

* Why he likes to work with proactive editors

* How publishing in Ireland and the U.S. differ

In episode 3 of "How Not to Run an Online Bookstore," Paula explains sadly how they financed their ill-fated store and reveals:

* Why it's so hard for startups to get bank loans

* Why it's so hard for retail businesses to get angel or venture funding

* Why she didn't go for a small business loan from the U.S. government

* Why she couldn't depend on sales revenue to finance her business

* How she ended up financing her store

Join Paula for this multi-part series that will be aired a little at a time. And for heaven's sake, don't do what she did!

Authors need all the marketing help they can get. So when popular podcasters Evo Terra, Tee Morris, and Chris Miller came up with the idea of releasing works as free audiobooks in serial form, we wanted to know more about this great method for hooking readers.

Join us as Evo explains:

* Why podiobooks are so appealing

* How the podiobooks idea was born

* Which types of nonfiction work best in podiobook form

* How podiobooks can benefit authors

* How to make a podiobook

* How Podiobooks.com smooths the way for authors

* Why authors need to check their contracts before recording audio versions of their books

* Why it doesn't matter if you're a lousy voice actor

* How long it takes to make a podiobook

When Web logs first got going, they resembled personal diaries more than anything else. Now that blogs have morphed into high art and commerce, we decided to seek out Nick Wilson, co-owner of the professional bloggers’ home Performancing.com, to explain the dos and don’ts of this exciting world.

Join us as Nick discusses:

* What types of blogs populate the Web

* Whether you have to be a good writer to produce an effective blog

* What makes a blog compelling

* Why most blogs fail at community building and why community is so important

* How monetizing a blog led to fascinating discussions within his community

* How paid advertising has worked for him as a means of attracting readers

* How blogging may evolve

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit, has been awhirl in controversy recently. This interview with the project's colorful leader, Jimmy Wales, was recorded on December 5, 2005, after the John Seigenthaler incident and before Wales' December 20th announcement that there will eventually be a "stable" version of the work.

Join us for this Wales-eye view of the Web's most visible work as Paula B. tries to hit a moving target and Jimmy discusses:

* What Wikipedia's mission and scope are

* How Wikipedia works

* What the encyclopedia's editorial guidelines are and how they're enforced

* What Wikipedia's contributors are like

* Why people contribute to Wikipedia

* What the biggest misconception about Wikipedia is

* What Wikipedia is doing to address its problems