You may find yourself wanting to write a book based on your life experiences, but where and how do you start? And once you've written it, how do you then get that book published? My guest in this episode is Amanda Cosgrove. After putting her son through drama school, she felt compelled to share her story with other parents who are about to embark on the same journey. Amanda runs a dance and drama school in Wales, so she already had a fair bit of background knowledge in this area, and yet, like m...
Mar 25, 2021•26 min
How many times have you been in the full flow of writing or editing, only to be distracted by the doorbell or a phone notification or 101 other things? And how long does it take you to then get back into that flow? My guest on this episode is psychologist and author Phil Dobson. He's an expert in teaching people how to tap into their creativity, manage their distractions, and build resilience. Phil also explains how we can work smarter, not harder, and the importance of having a solid early morn...
Mar 17, 2021•34 min
My guest in this episode is experienced freelance writer Zulie Rane. She is not only a popular freelance writer on Medium, but she also writes for B2B and B2C clients and is also a ghostwriter, all of which provide her with multiple income streams. An excellent place to start your freelance writing career is by posting articles on Medium, and this is something that I discuss in more detail with Adrien Drew in a previous episode. I wanted to know what advice Zulie had for freelance writers who ar...
Mar 10, 2021•34 min
Have you ever considered entering a writing award? I used to enter writing competitions to deal with procrastination and writer's block. And although I didn't win anything, it forced me to finish off pieces of writing, and I also benefitted from the feedback I got from the judges. My guest on this episode knows all about writing awards. Paula Sheridan is an award-winning historical fiction novelist and founder of the Page Turner Awards. The awards are now in their second year and include categor...
Mar 03, 2021•32 min
In the episode, I have an interesting catch up with Christina Kaye of Write Your Best Book. I was a guest on Christina's podcast last year, so it was good to switch roles and ask her the questions. Christina has self-published and traditionally published a number of books, most of which fall into the suspense genre. She also coaches new authors about how to overcome some common mistakes that new authors and writers make so that they can publish their best book. In this episode we discuss: How an...
Feb 03, 2021•36 min
Brett Godfrey is a multitalented author of the thriller Black Sunrise. He's worked as a lawyer, an engineer, and a pilot, which has given him some hair raising experiences. In this episode, we discuss those experiences and how Brett draws on them to help write his thriller books. He also talks about his writing process and how he spent many years developing the premise for Black Sunrise until he was happy to publish it, and he also touches upon his approach to self-censorship. In this episode we...
Jan 19, 2021•30 min
Goodbye, 2020. Like many, I felt a sense of relief saying those words on New Year's Day. I put off recording this review for a week or two. The days of 2020 bled into each other, with nothing notable to punctuate the weeks and months, beyond grim news about the virus or elections. But here we are, with a vaccine in sight. When we’ll get it and if life will return to normality in 2021, is a bigger question. So in this annual review, I'll cover what did and didn't go well during 2020 and what's in...
Jan 07, 2021•23 min
Almost all writers need to jump-start their writing occasionally and using prompts on a daily basis can really help with that. Personally, I think that daily writing prompts are so useful I wrote a book full of them. If you'd like to try using prompts, and like the idea of them popping up on your phone, there is a fantastic prompt app available called Daily Prompt, and I recently had the chance to catch up with its co-creator Ryan Lindsey. I wanted to understand how he came up with idea for crea...
Dec 14, 2020•29 min
This episode is a little bit different in that I'm not interviewing anybody. Instead, I'm going to give you some insights which will help you with your creative writing projects. Experience shows that it's important to write. But why? It's a question that I answer in this week's podcast episode and, I'm not going to give you just one reason, I'm giving you seven. Resources: The Savvy Writer's Guide to Productivity Support the show If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple . And if y...
Nov 30, 2020•13 min
Medium is the number one platform for non-fiction writers who want to find readers, share their message and earn a little for doing it. Members of the partner program regularly earn four and five figures a month. But what if you’re just starting out and don’t have and subscribers, much less a portfolio? Is it too late to start writing on Medium? Adrian Drew is the editor and owner of one of Medium’s top publications Mind Cafe . His publication focuses on personal development and receives over 20...
Nov 16, 2020•35 min
Earlier this year, I came across a strategy that dramatically changed how I research and write articles and books. It’s called the Zettelkasten or Slipbox. This form of research and note-taking was popularised, at least in Germany, by sociologist and author Niklas Lumen. (Fun fact: Lumen used the Slipbox or Zettelkasten method of research to write and publish over 70 books). Basically, it involves writing a web of thought around your ideas, research, and readings. I write five to ten entries a d...
Nov 02, 2020•28 min
You may already know that there are dozens of different writing apps which you can choose for your writing projects, but which one is the best? That's a question I answer in this week's podcast episode where I discuss 10 of the best writing apps that I use, and take a look at the pros and cons of each. This should help you find the right one for your freelance writing projects, stories, or book. In this episode I talk about: The 10 writing apps that I like to use The pros and cons of each The be...
Oct 19, 2020•15 min
Around eight or nine years ago that I first came across the Pomodora Technique and it changed the way that I write. Francesco Cirillo developed the technique help businesses and individuals improve and increase their productivity in a simple, fast and gentle way. Before you listen to the podcast, take some time to think about how you structure your day. In this episode we talk about: The difference between the Pomodoro core process and the Pomodoro technique Seeing time as a predator and using i...
Oct 05, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 102
Productivity is something that's fascinated me over the years in fact, it's how I started Become a Writer Today. It also led me to stay in touch with my guest Arthur Worsley, who I first met at a mastermind a couple of years ago. He's an expert when it comes to productivity. His blog, Faster to Master (now called The Art of Living ), was created to show people how easy it is to stop working harder and accomplish more. One of the big arguments against productivity is, you never get to the bottom ...
Sep 28, 2020•37 min
You may have heard the cliché about the penniless starving artist. That is true to some degree however, it's easier than ever before to earn a living as a writer or creative, thanks to the tools and software currently available. But where and how do you turn your passion for writing into profit? Michelle Vandepas is the co-owner and co-founder of GracePoint publishing, and not only is she an expert in self-publishing, but she also helps many authors turn their books into published works. In this...
Sep 21, 2020•27 min
Have you got a burning desire to become a freelance writer? Or are you already are a freelance writer and you want to take your career to the next level? Whichever it is, this podcast is for you. Jessica Lawlor is the editor of The Write Life, and on Monday 14th September they launched their writers bundle. It's a package of courses designed to accelerate your freelance career. From how much to charge, how to find clients and so much more. If you want to take advantage of it, it's available for ...
Sep 13, 2020•29 min
Would you like to write narrative non-fiction? It's a challenging genre that fascinates me. Jeremy Dronfield is the author of the Sunday Times best-seller The Boy Who Followed His Father Into Auschwitz. In this interview, he explains: What looking at the past teaches us about today The process of writing narrative non-fiction and how to find your subject How to write a great pitch letter that publishers notice His research process Dealing with dark subject matter And lots more! Attention writers...
Sep 07, 2020•40 min
Personal development is a huge topic online today, particularly on platforms like Medium. Although it’s a topic most people have an opinion about, it’s quite hard to stand out. Unless your name is Darius Foroux . Living in the Netherlands, he’s one of Medium’s top writers covering topics like wealth, buildings, habits and decision-making. He’s also an author and instructor, selling popular online courses about writing, careers and more via his website. In this interview, Darius explains: How he ...
Jul 30, 2020•42 min
Living Writer is a new writing app for authors and novelists. It contains a number of templates and other tools that will help you plot and write a book faster. I'm currently testing it for a new book of nonfiction I'm working on. It's also free to try for a month. I recently caught up with the founders Dominic Chase and Casey Kerbs and asked them how it can help writers become authors. Resources The Best Writing Apps of 2020 Like the show? Leave a short review or rating wherever you're listenin...
Jul 23, 2020•22 min
Welcome to Hell World is one of the most popular newsletters on Substack today. It's run by journalist, author and poet Luke O'Neil. His newsletter combines a commentary a US current affairs with poetry and insights from Luke's life. Luke's writings aren't for everyone and he's not afraid to say it. A blurb on his new book reads: "The Left’s new low." —Tucker Carlson Check out this week's interview. Resources Welcome to Hell World Like the show? Leave a short review or rating wherever you're lis...
Jul 16, 2020•29 min
Writing words that sell. That's your primary job as a copywriter. But, there's a bit more to it than that. Jack Stafford set up his copywriting agency The Copywriter Collective back in 2002. His copywriting agency employs copywriters and works with clients around the world. In this week's interview, he explains what a copywriter does, how to find a job as a copywriter and how to get paid. Like the show? Leave a short review or rating wherever you're listening to it. Attention Writers! What's the...
Jul 09, 2020•25 min
When I started my new newsletter 100% Unfinished , I studied how the experts do it. One person who knows a lot about profitable newsletters is Terry Godier In this episode, we cover: Why every nonfiction writer should start a newsletter How can writers earn a live from a newsletter What newsletters are so popular this year What makes a good newsletter What newsletter promotion strategies he recommends Terry previously ran two paid newsletters. Since recording this interview, he has migrated his ...
Jul 02, 2020•34 min
Writing a book isn't often enough to earn a full-time living. Many successful non-fiction authors earn a living through public speaking and coaching. A book acts as a calling or business card. Christopher Connors is the author of Emotional Intelligence for the Modern Leader. He earns an income through writing and also coaching and public speaking. In this interview, he explains: What it means to be emotionally intelligent What to do when your motivation flags His ideal early morning writing rout...
Jun 24, 2020•23 min
A few weeks ago, my editor from Forbes rang me. "Bryan," he said. "We reviewed your contract and, well, we're ending your column at the end of the month." Now, I've spent the past two years writing for Forbes about topics like careers, leadership, creativity and more. Some would say losing a big writing gig like Forbes is a disaster. But, I say otherwise. Resources Freelance writing jobs - My 2020 guide Getting paid to write - a round up of my best posts My newsletter Support the show If you enj...
Jun 18, 2020•11 min
John Vorhaus is the author of one of the best books on comedy writing: The Comic Toolbox. He's also a scriptwriter, artist and writing instructor. In this week's interview, he explains: How to write comedy if you're not funny What comedy is a little like drama How to balance your art with business What he did after facing a bout of writer's block And lots more Resources The Comic Toolbox A White Belt in Art Doctor's Without Borders Like the show? Leave a short review or rating wherever you're li...
Jun 18, 2020•32 min
Would you spend a career writing leadership books? And if so what would that look like? Glenn Parker has written and published over a dozen books in this genre. He's also co-author of Positive Influence: The Leader Who Helps People Become Their Best Self with his son Michael. This book demonstrates the various ways leaders have positively influenced the lives and careers of many successful people. In this interview, Glenn explains: The four primary types of leaders... and how to identify your pr...
Jun 11, 2020•38 min
Would you like to get into sports writing? Canadian sports journalist Alex Hutchinson is the author of New York Times best-selling Endure: Mind, Body and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance But he wasn't always a writer. In his early twenties, Hutchinson competed with the Canadian Athletics Team while training as a physicist. As his running career came to an end around 2006, he transitioned into sports journalism. The book blends Hutchinson's passion for running with his scientific...
Jun 04, 2020•28 min
I've collected lots of terrible writing advice over the years, from talks, seminars, courses, and books. It's easy to find good writing advice for self-publishing, writing a book, or earning more money as a freelance or non-fiction writer. But what about terrible writing advice? What type of advice should you avoid if you want to become a successful author or profitable writer? This guide to terrible writing advice also includes some practical tips from one of my favourite writers: Ernest Heming...
May 27, 2020•22 min
Evernote is a tool for capturing and arranging your information and ideas. It serves as a digital file cabinet, personal notebook and project management tool. Bethany Stephens is the founder of Soapbox Influence, a marketing agency based in Bentonville Arkansaw. Her company employs 15 people and works with Fortune 500 brands, including NBC Universal. Stephens is also a writer and blogger who considers Evernote a key part of her creative workflow. In this interview, Beth explains: How she uses Ev...
May 14, 2020•28 min
Could you start a creative business in two hours a day? That's how I launched Become a Writer Today. I got up early in the mornings to write, create courses and figure out what readers wanted. I'm hardly unique. Dane Maxwell believes anyone can do it. He is the author of Start From Zero: Build Your Own Business and Experience True Freedom and the founder of several software-as-a-service businesses. In this interview, Dane explains: How to build your creative business in two hours a day What to o...
May 08, 2020•30 min
