StoryADay presents: I, WRITER - A Writing Podcast about Building a Successful Writing Practice

This mini episode contains a writing prompt that challenges you to write a story in the form of letters, tweets, log entries, or other 'found documents'. Read more: https://stada.me/letters

This mini episode contains a writing prompt that challenges you to write a story in the form of a list. Here's a link to more information about Jennifer Egan's story, "To Do List": http://stada.me/egan

This month I'm focusing on short story form. Watch out for a few mini-episodes coming your way, with more details on some short story forms. Also in this episode, I recommend Jane Friedman's new book, The Business of Being A Writer [http://amzn.to/2DyhhYL].

Flash fiction is more than just a collection of fewer than 1000 words. Flash fiction must...FLASH! In this episode I talk about, how to surprise your readers, how to craft openings and endings to keep your story in your readers' hearts, how to use titles as the sizzle that sell your story to a reader I also remind listeners that it's almost time for the March SWAGr post, where we make our commitments for the coming month.

February is the shortest month, so we're focusing on the shortest of fiction: flash! (And, yes, I know there are shorter forms, but this is the particular short-short form I picked, ok?) This week I talk about what flash is and why you might want to be writing it. Includes bonus trivia about Impressionism. LINKS Last week's flash fiction writing prompt: http://storyaday.org/wow-make-it-flash/ The latest Reading Room review featuring flash fiction: http://storyaday.org/rr-meteor-mccolough/ This month's Accountability Group post: http://storyaday.org/swagr-feb-2017/ Follow StoryADay on Twitter: @storyadaymay

As we settle into a new year of writing, it's worth taking a look at our habits and forming an 'if/then' contingency plan to keep us working when our plans go awry. Also in this episode, this week's writing prompt!

Happy New Year! If you haven't quite settled into your new routine (or your old routine) yet, and want to get creative, this is the episode for you. Also, I'm inviting feedback on the questions of -What you do to get yourself to your desk -What routines/practices you use to start work Call and leave me a message, and I might air your question/comment on the podcast: 484 393 2233 Please leave a name, and a brief message, or just email me at julie at storyaday dot org

This week I talk about ways to make your life easier by embracing the idea of decision-making, both in your writing and in your writing practice. You can read a (slightly altered) version of this, here: http://storyaday.org/choices/

For all you NaNo novelists out there, deep in the belly of a fast-written novel, I have a suggestion for a way to revitalize your writing and your excitement about your project. For everyone (else?) I talk about regrouping: it's November: There's still time to rescue some of your writing goals for this year, and set yourself up for a successful writing year in 2018. LINKS: The StoryADay Serious Writers' Accountability Group (SWAGr) - http://bit.ly/2zPC6l1 Austin Kleon - a sample newsletter - http://bit.ly/2meYazT Ryan Holiday on how & why to keep a 'commonplace book' (AKA Interinsting Things Log) - http://bit.ly/2mfjGEp

Writing the first line of your story is tough. Opening lines must: Set up the main question the reader is going to be asking all the way through Establish the voice of the protagonist/narrator Set the tone Ground the reader in a time or place So, how do you make your first line reflect all these things? Let's look at some examples. Read more and sign up to get the extra case studies: Mastering The Magic of Opening Lines [http://storyaday.org/opening-lines]

In This Week's Podcast Writing Prompts [1:44] http://storyaday.org/stadasep17-04/ What To Do If It's Getting Harder To Write [4:08] Book Review: Windy Lynn Harris's Writing and Selling Short Stories and Personal Essays [6:08] How's Your SWAGr? [12:18] Come and leave a comment or question at the blog: http://storyaday.org/stadasep17-04/ And listen next week for more information about an upcoming critique opportunity.

This week I give you five story starter prompts and an excitable sermon on not quitting. Enjoy! The Prompts [0:52] Progress Report [1:46] Don't Quit (with bonus Cassini shout out) [3:36] Checklist and Feedback info [12:38] You can find the prompts online here: http://storyaday.org/stadasep17-03/ You can find the checklist for StoryADay Sep17 here: http://bitly.com/2fkPe5M You can take the survey (with last week's checklist clutched in your hot little hand) here: goo.gl/forms/O8fHSMfWAlDbrtBw2 And you can always make your public commitment to your writing at the first of the month at http://storyaday.org

It's Week 2 of StoryADay September 2017 and I'm back with five prompts for you. IN THIS EPISODE The Prompts [1:16] Connecting With Other Writers [6:46] The Checklist and a Survey [12:44] Warm Wishes for your Writing [15:33] LINKS The Survey: goo.gl/forms/O8fHSMfWAlDbrtBw2 Print a new checklist Comment at the blog

StoryADay September has begun In This Episode The Prompts [5:03] The Checklist [6:23] The Importance of Reading [12:19]

This month's theme at StoryADay is "Refilling The Well", in which I encourage you to find many ways of rebooting your creativity...largely by taking a break from your writing. Links: Bookriot's Best Books of 2017, So Far The Nature Fix by Florence Williams (af)

Now that StoryADay May is in the rear view mirror, it's time to dig out some of your stories and see what you can do to spruce them up. Now, before you panic, I have a whole episode for you on learning to love revision. Give it a listen. Your stories are worth it!

in today's prompt, you get a chance to write about a writer. This is not something I suggest often, but I think you've earned it. Also: news about StoryFest 2017 (http://storyaday.org/storyfest-2017) Find more about this prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170531-writer/

Today I wrap up the Story Structure series with a Hansel & Gretel, a story that starts with the Life Changing Moment. The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170530-hansel

Today's #writingprompt is the second in a series talking about structure. Today the life-changing moment comes in the center of the story. The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170529-duckling/

Today's #writingprompt is the first of three looking at story structure. Today: a Cinderella story. The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170528-cinderella

Today I encourage you to write a non-traditional love story for the 27th day of StoryADay May 2017 The prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170527/

Today's #writingprompt is one of my faves: write a story in letter form. The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170526-letters

Today's #writingprompt for StoryADay May is to write a prose sonnet: 14 sentences long. The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170525-sonnet

Today I'm prompting you to write a story within a story. To find out how, check out the blog post below The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170524-hidden-message/

Today we're back to writing short story forms, after our week of working on support for the novelists among us. The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170523-list/

Today we tell a story focusing on the setting (and your five senses) The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170522-setting

Today we look at less tangible aspects of the world you're building, and what makes them the way they are. The prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170521-society

Continuing our week of short story writing, for novelists, today we look at what aspects of your world might need better examined. The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170520-concrete

Today we step back into the past, to when your protagonist met an important supporting character The prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170519-secondary

Today we ask: what if the protagonist simply isn't up to the job... The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170518-no

Today we continue diving deeply into your protagonist's past with a story that takes place just before the story you really want to tell; or with a series of journal entries from the same time period. The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170517-journal

Today kicks off a week of prompts that are aimed at helping novelists spend part of this month deepening their understanding of a work in progress or a work-to-be. Of course, the prompts can all be used by short story writers too! Today's prompt encourages you to delve into the past of a protagonist in one of your stories (or novels) and unearth what makes them the way they are... The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170516-turning-point

Today's writing prompt encourages you to take a second look at an earlier story. The prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170515-second-look/

In today's prompt, writer Tony Conaway invites you to write about a misapprehension. The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170513-tony More about Tony: http://wayneaconaway.blogspot.com/

Today's prompt is all about poetry. Or theft. Or possibly both... The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170512-elise/ More about Elise: 2 Elizabeths

In today's prompt Bea from The Busy Muse encourages us to take a second look at our first idea. The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170516-bea/ Bea's site: The Busy Muse

Today's writing prompt involves a chance encounter. The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170510-sarah/ Sarah's Books: http://amzn.to/2pir5nN

Today's prompt from Charlotte Rains Dixon is very, very silly. And sometimes that is exactly what we need... The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170509-charlotte Charlotte's page: http://www.wordstrumpet.com/

Today Marta Pelrine-Bacon encourages us to get a bit surprising in our writing. The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170508-marta Marta's novel: http://amzn.to/2pM1Xm7

A reflective prompt for Sunday, from writer and developmental editor Stuart Horwitz. The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170507-stuart Stuart's books: http://amzn.to/2q55Llr

In this prompt, Angela Ackerman invites us to explore our characters' pasts, to find out what made them the people they are today. The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170506-angela/ Angela's books: http://amzn.to/2p60wgn

Today's prompt comes from paranormal mystery author Phil Giunta, which reminds me that suspense and intrigue are essential components of any story. The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170505-phil Phil's Books: http://amzn.to/2qJTOxN

LJ Cohen gives us a writing prompt that proves to us that limits are awesome when it comes to productivity The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170504-LJ LJ's Books: http://amzn.to/2q62a3l

We're back today with another fantastic writing prompt from writer Kylie Quillinan, along with another heartfelt pep talk from me. Are you still writing? Gold star, for you! The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170503-kylie/ Kylie's books: http://amzn.to/2oJIL6m

You're back for Day 2. Good for you! Today we celebrate that fact and bring you a writing prompt from mega-best-selling author Jerry B. Jenkins (of the Left Behind series) The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170502-jerry/ Jerry's free stuff: www.jerryjenkins.com/how-to-write-a-book

StoryADay May 2017 is here! Get your pep talks and writing prompts all month long. Today we start with a writing prompt from writer Gregory Frost, and a pep talk from me, Julie Duffy. The Prompt: http://storyaday.org/20170501-frost/ Social Media Graphics (tell everyone you're writing this month!): http://storyaday.org/category/resources/graphics/

This week I talk about the different cycles we go through in a creative life: fertile and fallow, frenzied and fatigued...and how you can make the most of them. Also in this show: concrete steps for preparing for StoryADay May, including a description of Story Sparks and a reminder to make your own rules (you don't actually have to write a story every day. I don't!) Lastly, here's the link for the Online Flash Fiction Workshop on April 22, 2017. Get your tickets now, before they sell out!

This month is all about publishing; how, why, and why not. I don't talk much about publishing at StoryADay because the focus has always been on creativity. However, seven years in, I think we could stand to talk a little about what might be your 'what next'. (Please excuse the slightly tremulous voice this week. Throat surgery last week has left me a little wobbly, but I'll be back to full strength soon!)

Sometimes it's hard to write, or hard to get started, or hard to remember why we put ourselves through this! That's when you need to assemble your cheerleaders...In this episode I talk about what my cheerleaders have done for me lately and how you might get some of your own.

This episode is a companion piece to this blog post: http://storyaday.org/stay-excited. Be sure to check it out for more details and to find all the exercises I talk about in the podcast.