The Writing at the Red House Podcast

Do you have challenges when it comes to social media? In this episode, Kathi Lipp shares her wisdom regarding what to post on social media using The PIERCE System. These ideas will help you pierce through the noise, overcome your challenges, and accomplish your goals. The first three steps are: Occasionally PROMOTE your work. INSTRUCT your readers. Write an ESSAY on a subject of importance to you. Come back next week to learn the remaining three steps to piercing through on your social media. Sign up here to be notified when episodes are released. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7-Day Platform Plan for free.

Do you find it challenging to grow your newsletter subscribers list? If so, then this is the episode for you. Today, Kathi is joined by newsletter extraordinaire, Kelly Wilbanks, to discuss the strategies for how to organically get more subscribers. Here are a few tips: Use social media to make it known you have a newsletter. Guest post and collaborate with other writers. Have QR code. Sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released. Michele Cushatt’s newest book, A Faith That Will Not Fail, is available now. Click the link and buy your own copy today! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7-Day Platform Plan for free.

Are you worried about writing your first newsletter? If so, then this episode is for you. Today, Kathi is back with newsletter creator extraordinaire, Kelly Wilbanks, to continue their discussion about crafting captivating newsletters. Listen in and learn: The importance of knowing your audience. Kelly’s best tips for content creation. How to call your followers to action. Come back next week to learn how to grow your subscriber list and reach new people. Click here to listen to Part 1 of this series and sign up here to be notified when Part 3 is released. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Have you ever wondered if you should start a newsletter? If so, then this is the episode for you. Today, Kathi is joined by the head of her newsletter team, Kelly Wilbanks, to discuss the importance of having and maintaining a newsletter. Listen in and learn: Why writers need to have a newsletter. Kathi’s theory about why writers dread newsletters. The benefits of having a newsletter. Come back next week to learn about crafting captivating newsletters, as well as some tips for getting you going with your next newsletter. Sign up here to be notified when Part 2 of this series is released. BetterHelp, mentioned in this episode, is a sponsor of Kathi’s Clutter Free Academy podcast. As a Writing at the Red House listener, you can also save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp – Get Started & Sign-Up Today (code clutterfree will automatically be applied). Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Do you have a desire to launch a course, program, or workshop? If so, this is the episode for you. Today, Kathi is back with Cheri Gregory, who is an author, speaker, course creator, and podcaster, to finish up this series with Part 3 about how to create that course, program, or workshop you believe you’re called to write. Listen in and learn how to: Embed evaluation in the program. Not rely on announcements but invite people personally. Be open to feedback. Sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released. Michele Cushatt’s newest book, A Faith That Will Not Fail, is available now. Click the link and buy your own copy today! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Do you have a desire to launch a course, program, or workshop? If so, this is the episode for you. Today, Kathi is back with Cheri Gregory, who is an author, speaker, course creator, and podcaster, to discuss more tips to create that course, program, or workshop you believe you’re called to write. Listen in and learn how to: Give your audience what they need, not what you think they need. Price pilot programs based on topic and need. Repel most and attract only the ones who are a good fit for you. Sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released. Michele Cushatt’s newest book, A Faith That Will Not Fail, is available now. Click the link and buy your own copy today! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Are you challenged by launching a course, program or workshop? If so, this is the episode for you. Today, Kathi is talking with Cheri Gregory, who is an author, speaker, course creator, and podcaster, to discuss simple tactics to create that course, program or workshop you are envisioning. Listen in and learn: How to turn your messages into pilot workshops. How piloting allows you to get past the messy middle. How piloting creates an opportunity for co-creation. Sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released. Michele Cushatt’s newest book, A Faith That Will Not Fail, is available now. Click the link and buy your own copy today! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Have you felt overwhelmed at the idea of building your brand? Today, Kathi is back with Joy Groblebe, the Content Marketing Director for Dayspring, to tackle this exact topic. Now that we know what a brand is and why we need one, it’s time to delve into the actual process of building your brand. Listen in and learn: Why you can’t start with the looks. Where to find information about your consumer. How to show your brand to your readers. Click here to listen to Part 1 of this series, and sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released. Michele Cushatt’s newest book, A Faith That Will Not Fail, is available now. Click the link and buy your own copy today! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Have you ever struggled to build your author brand? If so, this is the episode for you. Today, Kathi is talking with Joy Groblebe, who is the Content Marketing Director for Dayspring. Beyond simply defining a brand, Joy shares some of her insight into how we, as authors, can begin to conceptualize our own unique brand. Listen in and learn: The importance of knowing your primary audience. Why a pre-published author needs a brand. How to involve Jesus in your brand. Sign up here to be notified when Part 2 of this series is released next week. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Do you know the importance of being real in your writing? In this episode Kathi and Debbie Alsdorf discuss ways to be authentic with your audience. Kathi and Debbie get real and vulnerable as they share their wisdom and hearts. Here a three keys to being real and authentic: Be real about real things. Honor those in your story. Don’t fall into the perfection trap. Listen in to hear more keys that will enrich you as a writer and inspire you to be you in your writings. Sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Now that we know the big picture of turning a personal story into a published book, it’s time to focus on the smaller details. Kathi is back with literary agent Kathleen Kerr to continue their discussion by exploring structure, themes, and titles. Listen in and learn the importance of: Using the message mapping strategy. Knowing when not to write about a topic. Choosing a title and subtitle. Click here to listen to Part 1 of this series, and sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Do you have a personal story that you want to turn into a book? Today, Kathi and literary agent Kathleen Kerr are exploring this question. Some stories are hard to share, and it’s important to know how and when to share them. Listen in and learn the importance of: Incorporating your story into nonfiction books. Waiting until the story is finished. Understanding what your reader needs. Sign up here to be notified when Part 2 of this series is released. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Are you ready to approach book writing in a new way? Today, Kathi and her guest, Crystal Paine, are discussing ways to write your book while living the book. Listen in and learn the importance of: Thinking through if your story can help one person. Waiting until the story is finished. Understanding what your reader needs. Every writer is going to experience highs, lows, and writers' block. So, it’s important to know steps to take in order to not get overwhelmed and write that book that's in you. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

In the third and final episode in this series, Kathi is back with literary agent Kathleen Kerr and the art director for Harper Collins Christian Publishing, Meg Schmidt. Together, they wrap things up by exploring not only some more book covers but also what authors can do to make their team want to work with them again. Listen in and learn: What book covers Kathi likes. The importance of communication in the publishing industry. What makes Meg want to work with an author. If you missed the other episodes in this series, listen to Part 1 and Part 2 now. Sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

In this episode, Kathi is back with literary agent Kathleen Kerr and the art director for Harper Collins Christian Publishing, Meg Schmidt. Together, they discuss how authors, agents, editors, and art directors interact, as well as the different things that affect book cover designs. Listen in and learn: What book covers Meg and Kathi like. How cover designs are impacted by supply chain issues. What things make an agent or art director want to work with an author. If you missed Part 1 of this series, click here to listen, and sign up here to be notified when Part 3 is released. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

In this episode, Kathi welcomes agent and editor Kathleen Kerr and her sister Meg Schmidt, art director at Harper Collins Christian Publishing. Together, they share ideas to help create the best book cover. In Part 1, Kathi, Kathleen, and Meg share their best tips and advice on how to create your book cover with a publisher. Here are some of their answers: Give them keywords and let them do their job. Think about a visual thesis and then have a conversation. The author’s personal preference isn’t always the audience’s preference. Want to hear more lifechanging episodes from Kathi, Kathleen Kerr, and Meg Schmidt? Come back next week to listen to Part 2 as Kathi, Kathleen, and Meg continue their conversation about creating your best book cover. Sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Are you struggling to market your book? This is the question that Kathi and her former Communicator Academy co-host, Michele Cushatt, tackle in Part 2 of their series about how to bake marketing into your book. Once you’ve figured out your proposal, it’s time to write and edit. Michele shares three key steps in this process: Intentionally inject catchy quotes as you edit to add a punch. Use stories that are both ordinary and extraordinary. Add elements for application. Marketing is an important part of publishing, and with these three steps, you can start yourself off on the right path. Click here to listen to Part 1 of this series, and sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free. Preorder your own copy of Michele Cushatt’s new book, A Faith That Will Not Fail, today. Life can be hard. Although there are moments of beauty and goodness, more often than not, life is marked by fear, struggle, disappointment, and loss. And we don’t know what to do with it. We’ve tried to find hope and security in various people and places–but each has proved unworthy of our trust. We need more. Something–or Someone–who won’t fail us when our world falls apart. In this book, beloved author and Bible teacher Michele Cushatt presents a better way. By exploring powerful personal, historical, and biblical stories of people of extraordinary faith, she curates and shares ten practices to help you deepen your confidence and certainty in the God who can be trusted with your worry, questions, confusion, and grief. As a woman who has been through immeasurable suffering, she writes with both deep compassion and practical insight as she guides you to: Practice lament and process grief without guilt or shame. Understand what keeps you from trusting God and how to navigate doubt with truth. Learn simple ways to foster shalom and gratitude on a daily basis. Develop a fresh, eternal perspective that delivers both peace for today and hope for tomorrow. Savor daily “faith-builder” practices to strengthen your confidence in God’s love and purposes for you, no matter what happens. There is hope in your hardship and a God who is both with you and for you. These ten practices point the way to the only One you can truly trust, and ultimately, to a faith in him that will not fail.

Are you overwhelmed or feeling lost when it comes to marketing your book? Then this episode is for you. Kathi sits down with Michele Cushatt to discuss the first steps of how to bake marketing into your book. These steps include: • Determining what has worked in the past. • Assess what readers’ needs are and what they are looking for. • Pay attention to their language. These simple tips will have a huge impact. If you enjoyed today's podcast, you won’t want to miss out next week as Kathi and Michele discuss Part 2. Sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free. Preorder your own copy of Michele Cushatt’s new book, A Faith That Will Not Fail, today. Life can be hard. Although there are moments of beauty and goodness, more often than not, life is marked by fear, struggle, disappointment, and loss. And we don’t know what to do with it. We’ve tried to find hope and security in various people and places–but each has proved unworthy of our trust. We need more. Something–or Someone–who won’t fail us when our world falls apart. In this book, beloved author and Bible teacher Michele Cushatt presents a better way. By exploring powerful personal, historical, and biblical stories of people of extraordinary faith, she curates and shares ten practices to help you deepen your confidence and certainty in the God who can be trusted with your worry, questions, confusion, and grief. As a woman who has been through immeasurable suffering, she writes with both deep compassion and practical insight as she guides you to: • Practice lament and process grief without guilt or shame • Understand what keeps you from trusting God and how to navigate doubt with truth • Learn simple ways to foster shalom and gratitude on a daily basis • Develop a fresh, eternal perspective that delivers both peace for today and hope for tomorrow • Savor daily “faith-builder” practices to strengthen your confidence in God’s love and purposes for you, no matter what happens There is hope in your hardship and a God who is both with you and for you. These ten practices point the way to the only One you can truly trust, and ultimately, to a faith in him that will not fail.

In the last episode, Kathi sat down with Michele Cushatt to discuss the first step of how to take a break from your platform. Now, in Part 2, they are continuing their conversation to reveal the next four steps that Michele learned during her own platform break. These steps include: Establishing a timeline that makes sense for your why. Doing a brain dump of all your tasks and projects. Prioritizing what you can let go of and what you can keep. Communicating to those who need to know, including yourself. Taking a break from your platform can feel overwhelming and scary, but with a little preparation, kindness, and your why, you can do it. Click here to listen to Part 1 of this series, and sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free. Preorder your own copy of Michele Cushatt’s new book, A Faith That Will Not Fail, today. Life can be hard. Although there are moments of beauty and goodness, more often than not, life is marked by fear, struggle, disappointment, and loss. And we don’t know what to do with it. We’ve tried to find hope and security in various people and places–but each has proved unworthy of our trust. We need more. Something–or Someone–who won’t fail us when our world falls apart. In this book, beloved author and Bible teacher Michele Cushatt presents a better way. By exploring powerful personal, historical, and biblical stories of people of extraordinary faith, she curates and shares ten practices to help you deepen your confidence and certainty in the God who can be trusted with your worry, questions, confusion, and grief. As a woman who has been through immeasurable suffering, she writes with both deep compassion and practical insight as she guides you to: Practice lament and process grief without guilt or shame Understand what keeps you from trusting God and how to navigate doubt with truth Learn simple ways to foster shalom and gratitude on a daily basis Develop a fresh, eternal perspective that delivers both peace for today and hope for tomorrow Savor daily “faith-builder” practices to strengthen your confidence in God’s love and purposes for you, no matter what happens There is hope in your hardship and a God who is both with you and for you. These ten practices point the way to the only One you can truly trust, and ultimately, to a faith in him that will not fail.

Life can throw us curve balls, and if we are not careful, our platform can take over our life. In this episode, Kathi is sitting down with her friend and fellow author Michele Cushatt to discuss when taking a platform break is needed and steps to take that break. Michele shares her first book launch experience, which occurred while she was battling cancer. She was led to write more books following Undone. Michele became overwhelmed and knew it was time for her own platform break. Listen in as she shares intimate parts of her story and the first step to taking your platform break. Why you need to take a platform break. Write it down and be clear. Come back next week for Part 2 as Kathi and Michele discuss the next steps to taking a platform break. Sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free. Preorder your own copy of Michele Cushatt’s new book, A Faith That Will Not Fail, today. Life can be hard. Although there are moments of beauty and goodness, more often than not, life is marked by fear, struggle, disappointment, and loss. And we don’t know what to do with it. We’ve tried to find hope and security in various people and places–but each has proved unworthy of our trust. We need more. Something–or Someone–who won’t fail us when our world falls apart. In this book, beloved author and Bible teacher Michele Cushatt presents a better way. By exploring powerful personal, historical, and biblical stories of people of extraordinary faith, she curates and shares ten practices to help you deepen your confidence and certainty in the God who can be trusted with your worry, questions, confusion, and grief. As a woman who has been through immeasurable suffering, she writes with both deep compassion and practical insight as she guides you to: Practice lament and process grief without guilt or shame. Understand what keeps you from trusting God and how to navigate doubt with truth. Learn simple ways to foster shalom and gratitude on a daily basis. Develop a fresh, eternal perspective that delivers both peace for today and hope for tomorrow. Savor daily “faith-builder” practices to strengthen your confidence in God’s love and purposes for you, no matter what happens. There is hope in your hardship and a God who is both with you and for you. These ten practices point the way to the only One you can truly trust, and ultimately, to a faith in him that will not fail.

Have you been experiencing a crisis of confidence? If so, then this is the episode for you. Kathi is sitting down with her friend and fellow author Michele Cushatt to discuss how to regain your confidence after hitting a low point with your writing. Listen in and learn three ways to get your confidence back: Acknowledge and normalize what is happening. Take stock of how you speak and how you think. Focus on small wins. Every writer is going to experience highs and lows. So, it’s important to know how to handle them so you can keep moving forward in the right direction. Sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Speaking events may be down, but there is a way to get bookings. Are you looking to connect with event planners this year? Then this episode is for you! Join Kathi as she talks to speaker Amberly Neese about different types of speaking events you can be part of or make happen. Listen in and learn the four types of events that could get you noticed: • One Offs • Retreats • Tours • Self-Produced Events As Amberly Neese says, you must serve well to get noticed well. Are you ready to take the next steps to get noticed and get those bookings in 2023? Want to hear more tips for speakers? Be sure to check out Amberly Neese. Sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Kathi is back with agent and editor Kathleen Kerr to continue their conversation about how to take your writing to the next level in 2023. In the last episode, Kathleen shared her first two tips for preparing to work with an agent, editor, or publisher, which included starting conversations as well as clarifying your hook and message. Now, she is sharing her last two tips and explaining why they are important: Distill your book into an outline. Monetize your account. Want to hear more life changing episodes from Kathleen Kerr and Kathi? Go back and listen to their series on “The Author’s Guide to Outlining Your Book in a Day” here: Part 1 and Part 2. Click here to listen to Part 1, and sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

In this episode, Kathi welcomes agent and editor Kathleen Kerr as the first of several rotating co-hosts on the Writing at the Red House podcast! Together, they share ideas to help you take your writing to the next level in 2023. Kathi wants to know what agents and editors are looking for and how authors can move toward those goals. Here are some of Kathleen’s answers: Focus on social media engagement, making it a consistent conversation with your audience Reach out to other communicators and supporting one another Clarify your message and be the expert in your niche Want to hear more lifechanging episodes from Kathleen Kerr and Kathi? Go back and listen to their series on “The Author’s Guide to Outlining Your Book in a Day” here: Part 1 and Part 2. Come join Kathi, Kathleen, and the other coaches in The Red House Writers Collective in 2023. If you join The Red House Writers Collective by January 6, 2023, you can get 50% off using the coupon code CHECKIN. All you have to do is go to our website, click on the enroll button, and use the coupon code before the offer expires! Sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Are you looking to build your writing business in 2023? Today Kathi is discussing this question with her friend, author and agent Debbie Alsdorf. They share not only a little bit about the business side of the publishing industry but also their tips for making yourself more marketable and ready for an agent. Listen in and learn their four tips, which include: Test your mission and your message. Connect with others. Write every day. The advice Debbie gives to all her clients. Come join Kathi, Debbie, and the other coaches in The Red House Writers Collective in 2023. If you join The Red House Writers Collective by January 6, 2023, you can get 50% off using the coupon code CHECKIN. All you have to do is go to our website, click on the enroll button, and use the coupon code before the offer expires! Sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Kathi is back with Amberly Neese to continue their discussion about the four important points to keep in mind when starting or refreshing your speaking career. Last week, they covered the first two points: Getting clear on your topic and your audience’s needs. Now, it’s time to learn the final two points, which focus not only on your audience but also on your event organizer. Listen in and learn how to: Get clear on your deliverables. Get clear on the benefit to the event organizer. If you join The Red House Writers Collective by January 6, 2023, you can get 50% off using the coupon code CHECKIN. All you have to do is go to our website, click on the enroll button, and use the coupon code before the offer expires! Sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Are you looking to start or refresh your speaking career? Then this episode is for you! Join Kathi as she talks to Amberly Neese about some important points that can help you stay focused and avoid unnecessary heartache. Listen in and learn the first two points: Get clear on your topic. Get clear on your audience’s needs. If you join The Red House Writers Collective by January 6, 2023, you can get 50% off using the coupon code CHECKIN. All you have to do is go to our website, click on the enroll button, and use the coupon code before the offer expires! Sign up here to be notified when Part 2 is released! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free. Connect with Kathi's guest, Amberly Neese, here: https://www.amberlyneese.com/

Kathi is back to share the second half of a workshop from her Leverage speakers’ conference. In this episode, she is joined by Kristie Christie to focus on the fourth and final communication style: motivating. Listen in and learn: Why motivation is a good way to end a talk. What you should remember about motivating people. Some final tips for discovering your communication style. Want to write down your thoughts while you listen to this extra special episode? Download these workshop notes as a reminder of the four communication styles. Listen to Part 1 of this workshop and sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

As speakers, many of us start out by imitating others. Then we wonder, “Why doesn’t this work for me?” Today Kathi shares the first half of a workshop from her Leverage speaker conference. She is joined by her husband, Roger, and author Michele Cushatt. They discuss the first three of four communication styles: Entertaining: Driving a point home in a memorable way using humor. Educating: Bringing a new concept to change the way an audience thinks. Inspiring: Persuading listeners to feel differently and encouraging those who feel depleted. Want to write down your thoughts while you listen to this extra special episode? Download these workshop notes as a reminder of the four communication styles. And be sure to listen in next week for Part 2. Sign up here to be notified when new episodes are released! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Have you ever struggled with ADHD and creativity? Join Kathi as she discusses how ADHD can impact both characters and creatives with her fellow author Suzanne Woods Fisher. Listen in and learn: How ADHD can present itself in characters and creatives. Some simple tips for limiting distractions. Why it’s so important to say no sometimes. Living with ADHD can be challenging. However, as Suzanne says, it can also be a gift. So, take a moment to consider how you can slow down, take back control, and stop adding unnecessary things to your life. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free. About Anything But Plain: It’s not easy being the bishop’s daughter, especially for Lydie Stoltzfus. She’s not like other Amish girls, as much as she wishes she were. The only thing she does well is disappoint others. Leaving her family and church seems unbearable, but staying might be worse. Knowing Lydie is “between” jobs, the local doctor asks her to fill in at the front desk for a few months. To Lydie, this is a boon. It gives her time to figure out how she’s going to say goodbye to her neighbor, Nathan Yoder–the main reason she needs to leave Stoney Ridge. Nathan claims he’s in love with her, but she knows she’s not good enough for him. If in doubt, Nathan’s father reminds her frequently. As Dok spends time with Lydie, she recognizes symptoms of a disorder rare among the Amish. She offers treatment for Lydie. But will it be enough to make her stay? Or has help come too late? Bestselling and award-winning author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites you back to Stoney Ridge, a small town that feels like an old friend.

Have you ever panicked about meeting a writing deadline? Today Kathi chats with author and recovering “panicker” Mary Carver about how to cope with a looming deadline. Listen in as Kathi and Mary answer our cries for help with these great ideas: Understand where your pride may be tripping you up. Make your writing more collaborative. Break large projects into small, manageable goals. Get rid of distractions. Have you fallen into the trap of trying to reach your writing dreams by yourself? Come and find community with other writers in the Writing at the Red House Facebook group. There you will find encouragement and help along your writing journey. Want to hear more from Mary Carver? Be sure to check out her podcast, The Couch, or pick up her new book, Prayers from the Parking Lot: 50 Short Reflections for Moms on the Go on Amazon! Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Do you have a hard story that you feel led to write? Join Kathi as she talks with Becky Keife, the community and editorial manager for (in)courage, about how to write those hard and tender stories. Listen in and learn: The different types of hard stories. How to approach each type of hard story. Why it’s so important to be both honest and respectful while writing hard stories. Hard stories can be difficult to write, but they are needed in our world, and this episode is all about how to help you get started. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tip Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free. About Come Sit with Me: Being human is hard. Being in relationships with other humans is even harder. People are complex and relationships are messy, but loving one another well is possible. Whether navigating political or religious differences, or dealing with toxic people or our own unforgiveness, this book tackles the struggles no one really wants to talk about. But there is hope! We can actually grow closer to God and others through the circumstances we’d rather run from. In Come Sit with Me, twenty-six (in)courage writers help you navigate tough relational tensions by revealing their own hard-fought, grace-filled learning moments. They show you how to… Delight in your differences. Honor and value others even when you disagree. Connect before you correct. Trust that God is working even when people disappoint you. Live and love like Jesus by serving others. Whether you’re in the middle of a conflict without resolution or wondering how to enter into a friend’s pain, this book will serve as a gentle guide. Discover how God can work through your disagreements, differences, and discomfort in ways you might never expect.

Do you want to make sure that your audience remembers you and your message long after the event is over? Today, speaker coach Mary Snyder joins Kathi for the second part of their discussion on how to motivate your audience to move. These two successful speakers can help you improve your effectiveness with these tips: Know the specific problem you want to solve. What to do if you feel like your personal story is not very motivating. How to give enough to be helpful without giving everything away. Want to learn more about how to grow as a speaker? Be sure to check out Mary Snyder’s podcast, Take the Stage. Sign up for the Writing at the Red House email list here to be notified when a new episode is posted. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Do you want to learn how to move your people to action? In this episode Kathi is chatting with speaker coach Mary Snyder about how to motivate your audience. That may mean encouraging people to join a movement, take part in a project, make a donation to a worthy cause, or buy a book. Mary shares tips that will help you craft a powerful message, including: How to avoid guilt, fear, and shame as motivators in your message. Discover who your audience is and think through what you want to achieve. The most effective way you can grab your audience’s attention. The three parts of your story to focus on. Be sure to listen in next week as Kathi and Mary continue with Part Two of this conversation! Sign up for the Writing at the Red House email list here to be notified when a new episode is posted. Want to hear more tips for speakers? Be sure to check out Mary Snyder’s podcast, Take the Stage. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Do you ever worry about whether your website is full of mistakes? Today, Kathi is back with her web designer, Angela Sue Garvey, to reveal the final five mistakes that too many people are making on their websites. Angela discusses each of the following pitfalls and advises us how to avoid them: Poor navigation and lack of search engine optimization. The dreaded broken links. Dates on blog posts. Not checking if your website is mobile-friendly. Slow page speed. Listen to part 1 of this series, and sign up here to be notified when future episodes are released. You can learn more about Angela at www.angelasue.com or send her a message at [email protected] Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tip Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Kathi says the rules of making a website have changed a lot since she created her first website many years ago. Today she talks with author and web designer Angela Sue Garvey about ways authors and communicators can improve their website. Angela advises us to avoid these five common mistakes: Poor use of the website landing page. Filling your page with lots of writing. Omitting a picture of yourself. Making the page all about you, instead of making it about your audience. Social media links that take the viewer away from your website. Next week Angela will be back to share the final five of the ten most common mistakes people make when designing a website. Be sure to sign up here to be notified when future episodes of the Writing at the Red House podcast are released. You can learn more about Angela at www.angelasue.com or send her a message at [email protected] Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Have you ever wondered if people are born funny or if some people can never be funny? In this “Best Of…” episode, Kathi talks with Jason Earls, a professional comedian, about how to bring the funny when we are communicating our message. Listen in and learn how to discover the authentic funny within you by understanding: The triangle theory How to show you are relatable What a bloodhound has to do with comedy This episode is the first in a series. So, be sure to check out the other episodes: Finding Your Comedy Voice, Material that Matters, and How to Talk About the Hard Stuff with Humor. Sign up here to be notified when future episodes are released. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Kathi continues her conversation with event planner and speaker coach Mary Snyder about what to include in your speaker one sheet. Listen in and learn from their hard-won wisdom (and avoid the mistakes they each made). Kathi and Mary will walk you through: Creating a blurb about your topic that catches the reader’s attention. How to get endorsements that will get you future bookings. The key items you must include on your one sheet! After your one sheet is finished, what will you do with it? Mary gives you the words to say to get your message out into the world. You can do it! Want to hear more tips for speakers? Be sure to check out Mary Snyder’s podcast, Take the Stage. Sign up here to be notified when future episodes of the Writing at the Red House podcast are released. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Have you heard of a speaker one sheet but have no idea how to make one? Even if you have no idea what a speaker one sheet is, this episode is for you. Today, Kathi Lipp is joined by fellow podcaster and speaker, Mary Snyder, to help you create your very own speaker one sheet. Listen in and learn: What a speaker one sheet is. The purpose of a speaker one sheet. What you do and don’t want on your speaker one sheet. Stay tuned for Part 2 coming next week. Sign up here to be notified when future episodes are released. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

In Writing at the Red House, we talk about social media and platform building in terms of service. How do you serve your audience? Is content creation a chore for you, or are you passionate about your topic and your people? Today Kathi and Red House director Lori Young help us think through creating the habit of serving our audience. They also discuss the arrival of Jack Jack the Rooster to the Red House. As you seek to serve your audience, these are some questions to consider: Why are you passionate about your message? What exactly is your message? Where and what does your audience need to hear from you? Do you need a place to discuss these questions? Figure out your why, find your passion, and learn how to share it with the world in the Red House Writers Collective. The Red House Writers Collective is the place that helps take writing challenges and turn them into celebrated successes. The Collective is a program with daily accountability, expert coaching from some of the best authors and agents in the Christian writing industry, and an encouraging community of like-minded writers cheering each other on. From September 1-15, you can subscribe to The Red House Writers Collective for 50% off, including the amazing bonus of the “Your Path to Published” one-day conference in January 2023 (a $199 value). Normally $760 for the year, join between September 1-15 for only $379. When you join, you can look forward to a year of expert input for your writing career from coaches such as author and agent Debbie Alsdorf, social media guru Tonya Kubo, and New York Times bestselling author Susy Flory. It’s like sitting around the campfire at a Red House Writers Retreat every day for a year! Come ring the bell and celebrate your writing in 2023 with The Red House Writers Collective cheering you on. Sign up here to be notified when future episodes are released. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Have you ever struggled to make writing a habit? Today, Kathi Lipp is talking with Lori Young, the director of Writing at the Red House, to unpack how they write and what they’ve learned over their individual writing journeys. Listen in and learn: The three crucial steps in Kathi’s writing process. How you can make space for a writing habit. Why joining The Collective will benefit your creativity. The Red House Writers Collective is the place that helps take writing challenges and turn them into celebrated successes. The Collective is a program with daily accountability, expert coaching from some of the best authors and agents in the Christian writing industry, and an encouraging community of like-minded writers cheering each other on. From September 1-15, you can subscribe to The Red House Writers Collective for 50% off, including the amazing bonus of the “Your Path to Published” one-day conference on January 10, 2023 (a $199 value). Normally $760 for the year, join between September 1-15 for only $379. When you join, you can look forward to a year of expert input for your writing and creativity from coaches such as editor Kathleen Kerr and author Rachel Marie Kang. You’ll also get access to the quarterly 30Day10K, where you’ll have daily accountability as you write 10,000 words in one month! So, come ring the bell and celebrate your writing in 2023 with The Red House Writers Collective cheering you on. Sign up here to be notified when future episodes are released. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tips Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Do you have a lot of stress about building a business around your writing? When you think about building your business, what does that look like to you? Today Kathi is talking with Enneagram coach and Writing at the Red House leader, Lori Young, about building a writing habit. Listen in and learn: • The difference between taking the “writer route” and the “expert route” as a communicator. • Thinking through wise uses of your time and money. • Pursuing writing as a passion or as a career or both. Lori also shares that she has grown her coaching and writing business over the last few years as part of the Red House Writers Collective. The Collective has provided her with energy and accountability, motivating and inspiring her to accomplish more every day. Does that sound like something you need as well? The Red House Writers Collective is the place that helps take writing challenges and turn them into celebrated successes. The Collective is a program with daily accountability, expert coaching from some of the best authors and agents in the Christian writing industry, and an encouraging community of like-minded writers cheering each other on. From September 1-15, you can subscribe to The Red House Writers Collective for 50% off, including the amazing bonus of the “Write to Publish” one-day conference in January 2023 (a $199 value). Normally $760 for the year, join between September 1-15 for only $379. When you join, you can look forward to a year of expert input for your writing career from coaches such as author and agent Debbie Alsdorf, social media guru Tonya Kubo, and New York Times bestselling author Susy Flory. It’s like sitting around the campfire at a Red House Writers Retreat every day for a year! Come ring the bell and celebrate your writing in 2023 with the Red House Writers Collective cheering you on. Next week, Kathi will be back on the podcast sharing more about the expert coaches that will be part of the Collective in the coming year. Sign up here to be notified when future episodes are released. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tip Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Looking for people who can help you with your business while on a budget? Look no further because this episode is for you. Kathi Lipp is joined by her friend and podcast producer, Tiffany Jo Baker, to discuss the ins and outs of Fiverr, a digital marketplace for services and talents. Listen in and learn: • What Fiverr is and how you can use it. • How to tell if the people on Fiverr are trustworthy. • Kathi’s and Tiffany’s best tips for Fiverr newcomers. With Fiverr, you can build your team on a budget and form new, meaningful relationships. To get started, check out Tiffany’s Fiverr Tip Sheet. Sign up here to be notified when future episodes are released. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tip Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

In this episode, Kathi admits to being resistant to making Instagram reels. Perhaps you feel the same way. Tiffany Jo Baker, podcast producer and reel maker extraordinaire, is here to challenge Kathi and all her listeners to keep it simple and start making some reels! Reels are short video clips which are perfect for promoting your message on Instagram and Facebook. Kathi and Tiffany Jo have made a pact to do one reel per week. Want to join them? Here are some step-by-step instructions to get started making your own reel: Record a video of yourself saying or reading something vertically on your phone (5-90 seconds). While on Instagram, click + (top right) and select Reel. Click + (bottom left) to find your video from your phone media gallery. Click ADD (top right). Click PREVIEW (bottom right) to see your video as a reel. Click GIF (smiley face) on top of the screen. Click CAPTIONS and DONE. (You can then move and size the captions/words with your fingers like you do on a touchscreen.) Click the down arrow at the top of the screen to save your video to your gallery in case IG glitches and you lose what you’ve done. Click NEXT (bottom right). Select cover (could be a still shot from your video OR click where it says ADD from your gallery if you have designed a graphic). Add caption (words about the reel) with a CTA (call to action, example: share with a friend or put praise hands or Amen in the comments if you agree) and 10-30 hashtags. (What hashtags are your people following?) It’s also great to include the CTA in your actual video for maximum effectiveness. Engagement lets IG know it is great content and they will show it and share it more. Slide the little bar to be able to share to your feed. You can add a location and crop profile image here too. Share to post. Also share your reel to your stories from your feed. And remember: speak to your niche, keep it simple, and shorter is best. If you try it, be sure to let us know and put a link in the comments! Want to hear Tiffany Jo’s advice on “How to Be an Awesome Podcast Guest”? Here are links to those recordings: Part 1 – Getting the Booking Part 2 – What to do Before Your Interview Part 3 – What to do During Your Interview Part 4 – What to do After Your Interview Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tip Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Does the idea of creating content stress you out? Join Kathi Lipp and her husband, Roger, as they discuss how to produce more content, especially when you don’t feel like creating content. Listen in and learn: How church has impacted Roger’s content creation. Why deadlines are so important for motivation. How recording information will help you in the long run. Producing content can be overwhelming, but as Kathi says, it doesn’t have to be. So, come learn some of the foundational principles that help Kathi and Roger create content when they need to finish a project. Sign up here to be notified when future episodes are released. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tip Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Today, Kathi Lipp is joined by the director of Writing at the Red House, Cassie Rajewich, to discuss the upcoming One Day Challenge: Outlining an Article in 15 Minutes with Lyneta Smith. In this short episode, listen in and learn: • Everything you need to know about the upcoming challenge • Why it’s so important to have an outline • What Kathi and Cassie are hoping to get out of this challenge Join Kathi and Cassie on Wednesday, August 3, at 10:30 am PST / 1:30 pm EST as they go live in Writing at the Red House to learn from Lyneta Smith how to outline an article in only 15 minutes. Sign up here to be notified when future episodes are released. Inside Scoop: Sign up for the Writing Tip Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

In Part 2 of this “Best Of…” episode, Kathi continues the conversation with Roger, her partner in marriage and all things, about Building a Team Without Breaking the Bank. In the first episode (found here), Kathi and Roger reflected on how this speaking and writing ministry began and the unique way in which it has grown. In this episode, they talk about their growing internship program and the passion they have for making sure their interns walk away having received as much as they have given to the ministry. Listen in to find out: • Is an internship program right for your business or ministry? • What does it take to lead an internship program? • What should you look for in an intern? To finish our awesome original series, go to episodes 231 and 232 here: 231 Building a Team 3 How to Create an Intern Program 232 Building a Team 4 How to Run an Intern Program Inside Scoop: For more information about the internship with Kathi Lipp LLC, please email [email protected]​. Also, make sure you sign up for the Writing Tip Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.

Kathi Lipp is joined today by her husband, Roger, to look back and see both how their ministry began and the unique way they have built their team over the years. By combining their individual strengths and tapping into what Kathi calls, “Resources vs. Resourcefulness,” the Red House ministry has grown from one outside contractor into a team of diversely talented interns and contractors. Listen in to learn Kathi and Roger’s tips for how to launch your business using methods such as: • Trading work with contractors whose skills you need • Using free templates or inexpensive web services • Putting aside the desire to launch perfectly for the reality of launching well Inside Scoop: For more information about the internship with Kathi Lipp LLC, please email [email protected]​. Also, make sure you sign up for the Writing Tip Newsletter at Writing at the Red House to get Kathi’s 7 Day Platform Plan for free.