Write Now with Broadleaf Writers

Author Christopher Swann, 2022 Georgia Author of the Year, and the author of five novels, joins Zach for a discussion on how to build a narrative arc and handle character journeys through both a standalone and a series of books.

Visit Christopher at https://christopherswann.com/.

On this spotlight, Broadleaf Board Member and Director of Social media visits with author Vanessa Howren Reid for a discussion on her writing journey, her inspirations, her recent short story publication, and why being involved with writing organizations and a writing community is so important.

If you’re interested in joining Broadleaf to have your time your time in the spotlight, you can do so at https://broadleafwriters.com/become-a-member/.

Andy Davidson, the Bram Stoker nominated author of In the Valley of

the Sun, The Boatman’s Daughter, and the Hollow Kind, joins Zach

for a discussion on how to create characters the reader won’t forget.

On this special episode, we turn the spotlight on one the members of our writing community, Kristine Rudolph. Kristine is interviewed by Broadleaf Board member, Jessica Bowers. The duo discuss Kristine's writing journey, how she met her agent, Moe Ferrera of BookEnd Literary, at the 2019 Broadleaf Writers Conference, and dig into why Kristine writes for kids.

If you're interested in joining Broadleaf to have your time in the spotlight, you can do so at https://broadleafwriters.com/become-a-member/. To learn more about Kristine, or to view the entire podcast, visit https://broadleafwriters.com/member-spotlight/ and click on her name from the drop down menu.

On this episode of Write Now, Zach is joined southern literary icon, Ron Rash, bestselling and award-winning author of Serena, The Caretaker, The World Made Straight, and many, many more. Ron discusses his Southern roots, storytelling, why he chooses not to outline, his approach to editing, and how he uses time & place as a character in his novels.

Once you've signed with a literary agent, what can you expect from that working relationship? We're joined by literary agent Eric Smith of P.S. Literary and Adam Sass, author of Surrender Your Sons and The 99 Boyfriends of Michah Summers. At the time of the recording, Adam was represented by Eric, which gave us a great opportunity to talk about the author/agent dynamic.

We welcome literary agents Elizabeth Copps and Maeve Maclysaght of Copps Literary Services for a discussion on what you should, or should not, have in your first page. With the aid of three anonymous submissions, Elizabeth and Maeve also breakdown how the pages caught their attention, or where the writer might need some additional work.

The first page is vital to your submissions to agents and editors, so take this opportunity to learn how to get it right!

On this this throwback episode, literary agent and founder of LCS Literary Services, Latoya Smith, discusses what happens after an agent signs a writer, the dark side of advances, and the advantages of retaining an agent for deals with small and mid-level publishers!

Be sure to check out LCS Literary Services at lcsliterary.com.

Editing guru and author of Get a Grip on Your Grammar, Kris Spisak, joins author and Broadleaf Writers founder, Zachary Steele, for an in-depth conversation on the process of editing, why it's so important to get it right, and how to get the most out of your manuscript.

Literary agent Lauren Spieller joins us for a breakdown of what does, and does not, work in a query letter, offers some examples of query letters that led to signing clients and publishing deals, and discusses how the proper tone in a query can make all the difference.