John Helps You Write Better
300 episodes — Page 6 of 6
S14 Ep 23What does "good" mean?
EIn today's episode, I want to talk about how you define what's "good" from wasn't.
S14 Ep 24Let's talk about 5 MS-stakes (get it?) you're possibly making in your writing.
EHere are 5 things you might be doing in your work and what to do about them.
S14 Ep 24A very writer-facing Writers Chat for 10.17
EIn today's chat, I talk about believing in yourself, starting over, being in first person, bokeh, beta readers, ARC readers, throwing a hissy fit on social media, and being very busy.
S14 Ep 22Focus, focus, focus
EIn today's episode, let's talk about focus.
S14 Ep 21Can we say a few words to and about our fears?
ELet's put words to our fears and see what that does for our creativity.
S14 Ep 20Art and Audience, part 5: how to engage
EWe wrap up our series on art and audience by looking at how exactly we build this audience we wanted.
S14 Ep 19Art and Audience, part 4: The Terms Of Service
ETime to talk about part 4 of our series, where we set up our own terms of service.
S14 Ep 18Art, Audience, and the Relationship: Speaking Up
EHere's part 3 in our on-going series about art and the audience.
S14 Ep 21A riotous and personally fulfilling Writers Chat for 10.10
EThis week on the Chat I talk about protests, publishing faults, beating Amazon, believing in yourself, fighting overthinking, and the fact that the 1980s are historical fiction.
S14 Ep 17Art and relationships, part 2: Common Ground
EContinuing our series on developing relationships with the reader through our art, here's part 2 where I'm talking about the importance of common ground.
S14 Ep 16Art and relationship, part 1
EIt's time to dive into art a little deeper than before.
S14 Ep 15Is your work 100 pounds?
EIn today's episode, let me ask you what your work weighs.
S14 Ep 14Give yourself permission to market your work
EI promise that you're wrong about being bad at marketing.
S14 Ep 13Why no one should care about your spaceship
EAnother day, another pointless binary debate in the Writing space...
S14 Ep 15A technically challenged Writers Chat for 10.3
EIn today's Chat - the Stream Deck crashes, I talk about agents, foreshadowing, and writers who don't finish their work.
S14 Ep 12Feed your artist, don't starve them
EToday I want to talk about the myth of the starving artist.
S14 Ep 114 kinds of Newsletters You Need To know
ESo, you want to know a few things about newsletters?
S14 Ep 10Just be a person who writes, not a "Writer"
ETwo things about this episode:It's a surprise interruption to the regular content scheduleI'm not sure anyone reads the show notes.
S14 Ep 9Find the limits of your fears
EYou know all those things you're afraid of? Have you thought about talking through them?POWERED BY DESCRIPT. (For podcast creating as easy as making a text document, use Descript)
S14 Ep 8Bad doesn't mean not good enough
EToday, let's tackle the idea that we're bad at something ... especially when we're not really bad at it. POWERED BY DESCRIPT. (For the best podcast recording and editing experience - as easily as editing a text file, use Descript)
S14 Ep 10A bold new one question Writers Chat for 9.26
ESo ... how about we just answer 1 question? It's a big one. I think you're going to like it. POWERED BY DESCRIPT - For all your podcast needs from production to editing and recording, try Descript. As easy as editing text, you can create a podcast.
S14 Ep 7And now, a word about a thing I do...
EIf you're looking for even more writing advice and help putting your stories out into the world, can I interest you in a little Patreon goodness? http://patreon.com/johnhelpsyouwritebetter
S14 Ep 6Writing is hard, don't give up
EI had a conversation last week about writing being hard. Here's why that's okay. And here's my challenge to you - keep doing it.
S14 Ep 5let's talk about writing rituals
EIn today's podcast, I want to talk about writing rituals. Do you have one? Is it helping?
S14 Ep 4No your reader isn't stupid
EYour reader continues to be smart. And you don't need to try so hard to impress them. POWERED BY DESCRIPT
S14 Ep 3It's not clickbait, but here are 3 words you can cut from your MS.
EIn today's episode, I've got a few words that don't need to be in your manuscript. POWERED BY DESCRIPT - Use the best software in the world to make recording and editing your podcast as easy as writing a note on your phone.
S14 Ep 5A very marketing oriented Writers Chat for 9.19
EIn this week's audio-only Writers Chat, there are questions about marketing engagement, audience shock, name changes, SFF publishing, and Substack Terms of Service.This one got more business-y than expected.
S14 Ep 2Why do you get stuck on your failures?
EHow do you think about failure? POWERED BY DESCRIPT (Descript is the software I use to record and edit my podcast as easily as writing and editing a Word or Google doc. Try Descript at the link and see how your recordings can be as easy as typing)
S14 Ep 1How do you measure success?
EIn today's episode, I want to talk about success.PATREON - http://patreon.com/johnhelpsyouwritebetterPOWERED BY DESCRIPT. (Descript is the software I use to not only record podcasts, but edit them as as easily as a Word or Google doc, and create transcripts of every stream!)
S13 Ep 105Oh heavens no, don't be unrealistic (gasp!)
EOkay, can we stop trying so hard to be realistic please?
S13 Ep 104Saying more about "writing what you know"
EPOWERED BY DESCRIPT Today let's go back to talking about writing what you know and why it's maybe not the best maxim to write by.
S13 Ep 103Your voice is your greatest tool for your work
EMore than your software or your coffee or your genre or your outline, no single tool is going to help you be the writer you want to be (or the writer you're capable of being) like your voice will.
S13 Ep 102It's so important that you're curious
EPOWERED BY DESCRIPT. You've got to bring curiosity to your work. Here's why.
S13 Ep 101Marketing Day 5: How To Market Effectively
EThe last day of marketing week, so let's give you one thing to think about going forward
S13 Ep 100Marketing Day 4: A Marketing Strategy For You
EMore Marketing than you can shake a stick at. Here's a strategy to employ.
S13 Ep 102A congested Writers Chat for the week of 9-6
EWelcome to my kitchen, let's have a Writers Chat.
S13 Ep 99Marketing Day 3: marketing as an opportunity
EMarketing week marches on. Is Marketing an opportunity?
S13 Ep 98Marketing Day 2: Marketing isn't sleazy
EMore marketing week goodness. Let's answer the question -- "Is marketing sleazy?"
S13 Ep 97Marketing Day 1: Marketing is a Conversation
EIt's Marketing week! So let's start with what marketing is and what it isn't.
S13 Ep 96So you want to build a world for your story...
EIn this workshop, it's all about worldbuilding. How do you make a world more than just some object descriptions? How do you tie your world to your characters and plot? Find all that and more in a little over one hour.POWERED BY DESCRIPT
S13 Ep 95A contemplative and honest Writers Chat for 8/29
EPOWERED BY DESCRIPT, the best way to produce any podcast EVER. In this week's Writers Chat I talk about discipline, switching genres, publishing speed, believing in yourself, book pricing, and writing communities. TIP THE PODCAST - https://johnhelpsyouwritebetter.captivate.fm/support
S13 Ep 94Let's dive back into Fantasy
EPOWERED BY DESCRIPT. Ages ago I talked about the narrative construction for fantasy. How about we dive deeper and talk about spots to pay attention to as well as red flags?
S13 Ep 93The power hour-ish Writers Chat of 8.22
EPowered by Descript, the best way to record a podcast, ever! In today's Chat I talk about Batman, Dave Matthews Band, genres, innovation, fear, bad habits, and passive voice.
S13 Ep 92It's important that you say something.
EPOWERED BY DESCRIPT.You're writing whatever you're writing, creating whatever you're creating - but are you saying anything? Here's why that's so important.
S13 Ep 91How are you taking care of yourself?
EPOWERED BY DESCRIPT. Self-care is more than sleeping in and moisturizing.
S13 Ep 90A question about titles and originality
EPOWERED BY DESCRIPT Today I answer a question about titles, ethics, and originality.
S13 Ep 89Why are you in a hurry?
EHave you ever thought about why you're going so quickly? Or wanting to? You got somewhere to be? b2Y54UuGtYKF4uRI4mgr
S13 Ep 90The Writers Chat of 8.15: A Chat of business and design
EPOWERED BY DESCRIPTDon't look now, but this Writers Chat covers things like agents, newsletters, social media engagement, syllables, and large battles. b2Y54UuGtYKF4uRI4mgr
S13 Ep 88The power of a feedback loop
EToday I want to talk about how you talking to and about yourself.
S13 Ep 90So let's talk about customers real quick....
EPOWERED BY DESCRIPT - Tonight we talk customers. This is the audio from the "6 Customers You Need To Know" workshop.