John Helps You Write Better

In today's Writer Chat I talk about growth curves, meet-cutes, meet-sads, revision, and how editors make deadlines. It was great to be back to Chat.

Hey look, it's a new year. Let's talk about writing.

Here we are at the end of 2023. How are your sleeves?

In today's episode, we need to talk about your expectations.

In today's episode, I want to talk to you about your voice.

In today's episode, I tell you what to expect.

In today's episode, I want to tell you about how a discovery I made is changing about 99% of what I planned for 2024.

In today's episode, I want to talk to you about threats and challenges but talking to you about a chicken.

In today's Chat, the last of the year, I answer some great questions about popular books, writing dialogue, making RPGs, word count, and being better than not-good-enough.This is the final Writers Chat of 2023, the Chat will be back in 2024.

How do we run marathons? One step at a time.

At the end of every year, writers congregate for two performative exercises. Here's why you shouldn't do either of them.

Hey, if you're a writer dealing with traditional publishing and you're having a hard time, this one is for you. And when you want some help (FOR FREE) come check out johnhelpsyouwritebetter.com

And now, a few words for the "it's taking too long to do this" crowd.

Let's take a few minutes today to talk about how you're setting yourself up to succeed or fail.

In today's Chat I talked about being in your own way, how to build cyberpunk, how to revise, and why Emily Mortimer is kind of a trope.

In today's episode, I want to bring up the idea of you being more than your goals.

Hey, have you thought about the big giant publisher everyone insists on using?

Hi. Can we talk for a second about those people how always seem to have an opinion about you and what you're doing?

In today's episode, I want to tell about two of the ways editors think about whatever a writer is writing. These aren't the only ways, they're just two common ones.

Okay so this is version 1 (there are 3 versions recorded now) of the Writers Chat for 12.5. If this version sounds terrible, let me know, and I'll put up a different version. So many technical errors plagued today's stream. Hopefully this works.

In today's episode I want to again point out some reasons why AI is the worst idea possible for your creative effort.

In today's episode I want to talk a little about one-star reviews, the dipsticks who leave them, and what they mean to you as a writer.

In today's episode, let's continue our conversation about what happens when everyone accepts a lower bar than they should.

In today's episode I want to talk a little bit about the cycle of production and the tolerance for poor effort.

Oh boy was this audio a pain to get out. Technical issues abound, but here's some audio for you. I hope you like it.

In today's episode I need to talk to you about goal setting and your effort in reaching those goals.

In today's episode, I want to talk about the garbage that is a third-act handwave. Thanks to Doctor Who for trashing its ending so I had something to talk about.

Due to a weird technical thing I haven't fixed yet, there's no music bed with this week's Chat, which is weird, I know. I'll fix it. But for now, today, let's talk about amateurs, professionals, cursing, NaNo, failure, expectations, and forewords.

Give yourself 5 stars.

I love Andor. I think it's time we talk about how it can help you write better.

I tried watching some TV, then this podcast happened

Today I wrap up the 2-parter on superfans.

Do you know what a superfan is?

And in today's Chat, I talk a lot about: believing yourself, the difference between a pimp and a gatekeeper, knowing when you're done, and why you should eat all your burger and fries.

This one time I went to the circus and years later I do this for a living.

Today seems like a fine day to check in with your expectations.

Have you ever looked at your schedule?

In today's episode, I have some thoughts about shaking up how you approach what you're doing.

In this week's thrilling Writers Chat, I talk about: NaNoWriMo, publishing costs, breaking down stories, editing, and writer nostalgia.

Let me tell you about the time I was interested in some puppets.

In today's episode I have a few things to say about all the different divides we have about how to write a story. This one goes to some places. Strap in.

Here today for you I have a question that didn't make this week's Chat - how do you handle characters moving so frequently from place to place? (Hint: it's not as complicated as some people make it)

In today's episode I have a few things to say about how we get better as writers.

In this week's Chat, I talk about publishing via blogpost, trusting yourself creatively, writing while depressed, how much of an asshole I used to be, and a few horror movies to help you write better

Hey, can we talk about how you describe stuff?

NOTE: this one is a little on the long side (1 hr, 40ish minutes), but I think this is going to help you if you're the sort of writer who has plenty of reasons to tell the world why you're having trouble why you're not good enough. Here's how to get better.

In today's episode I talk a lot about what it means to be good enough, why I don't want to be an agent, how to market things, why no one should care about speed, and whether or not there's a muse. This is a good episode. You'll like it.

In today's episode, I want to talk to you about time. This episode is particularly good for people who often think they're not writing fast enough or doing enough or that they need to be doing more in less time in order to be "good enough."

In today's episode, I talk about resistance, fear, and how you're good enough to do more than exhaust yourself.

In today's episode I talk about the action economy and how it's just not for big climaxes.