Writing Break

Looking for the perfect gift for the writer in your life? Forget notebooks and pens—this episode reveals five priceless gifts that every writer truly needs. Best of all, they’re completely free! Whether you’re a writer yourself or supporting one, these gifts can make all the difference. Tune in for a fun and insightful holiday episode that celebrates writers and their craft.

• More Writing Tips
• 5 Last-Minute Gifts for Writers - Medium article
• The ForestGirls, With the World Always - Featured Author
• Bookends & Beginnings, Evanston, Illinois - Featured Bookstore
• Who will sell the books | SHuSH
• Paramount CEO Says Simon & Schuster Will Be Divested
• Markus Dohle Steps Down as Penguin Random House CEO
• Free Style Sheet Templates

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Warm Honey (Holiday Version)" by Jon Presstone

"Santa's New Suit" by Humans Win

"Forest Ambient" by jabameister

"Time to Swing" by Neil Cross

This episode includes the latest publishing news, the etymology of soccer, and a full breakdown of the biggest mistake writers make and how to fix it for free.

• More Writing Tips
• Why Do Some People Call It Soccer? - HISTORY
• Amazon's Kindle Scribe Bet That Handwriting Is the Future of E-Readers - CNET
• Bob Dylan Apologizes Over Autopen Controversy: ‘An Error in Judgement’ – Rolling Stone
• Paramount Terminates PRH Bid for S&S
• Free Style Sheet Templates

"Cozy By The Fireside (Christmas Version)" by Jon Presstone

"Big and Uncool" by Humans Win

"London Winter" by Daniel Willett

Get tips on how to break into the book market, and learn how to neutralize your writing obstacles with one little word.

• More Writing Tips
• Hobart Book Village on the Today show - VIDEO
• Hobart Book Village, Hobart, New York - Featured Bookstore
• National Book Awards 2022 - National Book Foundation
• HarperCollins Union Workers Bring Strike to the National Book Awards
• Is there a Crisis of Confidence in Scientific Research?
• K-lytics Romance Report
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

“Jazzy Retro Swing Groove” by MoodMode

“Little Noir Mystery” by Humans Win

“gatherings by the fireplace” by Boomer

“Santa in Red” by Loops Lab

Ten weeks' worth of writing tips in one episode.

• More Writing Tips
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Today we’re finding out how many pages your manuscript will be in print form, and we’re working on a fun writing exercise together. Plus, we discuss the latest publishing news.

• More Writing Tips
• 2022 Royal Palm Literary Awards Finalists | Florida Writers Association - Featured Author
• The Book Lady Bookstore, Savannah, Georgia - Featured Bookstore
• Kensington Buys Erewhon Books
• Turner Buys West Margin Press
• RBmedia Buys German Audio Publisher
• HarperCollins Buys Cider Mill Press
• Rowman & Littlefield Buys Tilbury House's Adult Titles
• Scholastic Buys Learning Ovations
• Kwame Mbalia on Rick Riordan Presents Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, the Graphic Novel: Middle Grade Fiction - Miami Book Fair
• Kwame Mbalia to Head New Imprint for Disney
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Puzzles" by Human Win

This episode provides writing tips for better dialogue, an update on the Penguin Random House–Simon & Schuster merger, thoughts about gatekeeping in publishing, and more.

• More Writing Tips
• Sarge | Beloved dog brings comfort and joy to veterans at Norman center - Featured Author
• Full Circle Bookstore – Oklahoma City, OK - Featured Bookstore
• The History of Storytelling — Words Alive - Chauvet cave, earliest representation of storytelling
• Penguin Random House Simon & Schuster merger | New York Times
• Antitrust-Trial Recap — From Stephen King to Markus Dohle
• Penguin Seeks Simon & Schuster’s Support to Fight for Imperiled Book Merger - WSJ
• Court Blocks Penguin Random House, S&S Merger
• Sri Lankan Author Shehan Karunatilaka Named 2022 Booker Prize Winner
• Harlequin Rebrands as Canary Street Press
• Dee Alvis, Tattoo VO - Voice Talent
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Into The Night" by Enzo Orefice

"Cold Mornings, Slow Motion" by Humans Win

"Blow Off Some Steam" by Ben Bostick

"Stay Right There" by Humans Win

"Cozy By The Fireside" by Jon Presstone

Learn what it really means to win NaNoWriMo. Plus, we discuss 7 tips for creating your novel's setting.

• More Writing Tips
• In conversation: May-lee Chai & Belinda Huijuan Tang (Zoom event)
• A Map for the Missing: 9780593300664 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books - Featured Author, Belinda Huijuan Tang
• Tomorrow in Shanghai — Blair - Featured Author, May-lee Chai
• Indigo Bridge, Lincoln, Nebraska - Featured Bookstore
• Study App | Sharpen by McGraw Hill
• Frankfurt Book Fair 2022: 'Romantasy' and Revelry on the Fair Floor
• Demand Soars for kids' books addressing violence, trauma
• Audible changes returns policy
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"We Were Meant To Be" by Humans Win

"Sunshine"   by Simon Jomphe Lepine

"A Triumphant Return" by Jon Presstone

"Storm On The Plains" by Humans Win

This Halloween episode breaks down the components of the scene and sequel structure to ensure that every scene you write is essential and moves the story and plot along at the right pace.

• More Writing Tips
• The Ghost of Normandy Road by John Hennessey
• Home - Grey Lady Ghost
• Willard Public Library - the oldest public library in Evansville, Indiana
• Frankfurt Book Fair 2022: International Fiction Book Sales, So Far
• Frankfurt Book Fair 2022: Al Pacino Memoir Makes the Rounds
• Authors Must Document Russian Terror, Zelensky Tells Frankfurt Fair - Kyiv Post - Ukraine's Global Voice
• Ingram Says Shipping Error Was Unintentional
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

“Mystery of a Haunted Memory” by Jon Presstone

“Trick or Treat” by MoodMode

“Halloween Haunted House” by MoodMode

“Halloween Stalker” by Jayson Wayne Brown

Authors often wonder how to end a novel. We'll review the 8 most common ways to end a story.

• More Writing Tips
• Bullet journals for writers - Bright Bird Press
• Belinda Kroll | Cozy Victorian fantasy & fiction - Featured Author
• The Book Loft of German Village, Columbus, Ohio - Featured Bookstore
• A History of Buying Books Onto the Bestseller List
• Axios's 'Smart Brevity' and Questionable Book-Selling Tactics - The Atlantic
• Amazon & KDP Issues - Special Update
• Artist receives first known US copyright registration for latent diffusion AI art | Ars Technica
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

“Gazing Out of a Cafe Window on a Rainy Day” by Tencher Music

“Autumn Leaves” by Simon Sharp

“The Wonder Years” by Humans Win

“Fancy and Friendly” by Jon Presstone

“Beautiful Way to End” by Neil Cross

In this episode, we talk about writing your novel's climax, becoming an award-winning podcast three times over, and the latest publishing news.

• More Writing Tips
• Dee Alvis, Tattoo VO - Voice Talent
• June Meyer's Authentic Hungarian Heirloom Recipes - Featured Author
• June Meyer's Authentic Hungarian Heirloom Recipe Index Page - Featured Author - Recipes
• Massolit Books & Cafe, Budapest, Hungary - Featured Bookstore
• It's Never Too Late: Seven Authors on Making Their YA Debuts After Age 50
• The 2022 Publishers Weekly Holiday Gift Guide
• 2022 National Book Award Finalists Announced - National Book Foundation
• Little Golden Books Plans 100th-Anniversary Disney Set
• Publisher Wiley reinstates ebooks
• TikTok’s Penguin Random House Collab Has BookTok Creators Worried – Rolling Stone
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

“Vibes Just Right” by Jon Presstone

“I Only Have a Little Bit Left to Give” by Jon Presstone

“Give Me Food” by Bobby Cole

“The Hero Within” by Bobby Cole