In this episode we take a close look at taglines. From big business to blockbusters to books we discuss how these brief blurbs of exposition just might be the most valuable marketing tool ever devised and share key tips to on how to craft an effective tagline for your novel. Episode highlights: 02:08 What is a tagline? 04:25 Novel examples 08:55 The key to writing a tagline for a book 12:40 Character is King: Tagline Edition 17:16 Tagline Tag 21:05 Early morning aliens...
Jul 02, 2025•26 min•Ep. 31
In this episode we roll out Volume 5 of our Lyrically Speaking series and celebrate the musical. Join us as we explore the lyrics of classic showtunes from Broadway and beyond in this fun retrospective. Episode highlights: 02:56 What makes a musical? 07:22 Character is King: The Musical Edition 14:52 Brown paper packages 19:05 The greatest negotiation 23:38 Sit down! 30:49 Minutes turn to hours 35:35 Tell me more 41:20 Three meals a day...
Apr 30, 2025•47 min•Ep. 30
In this episode we examine the MacGuffin, its history, popularization, and use in modern storytelling. We also share our Top 5 list of all-time great MacGuffins. Episode highlights: 01:29 What is a MacGuffin? 08:27 Character is King: MacGuffin Edition 13:15 The Top 5 list of all-time great cinema MacGuffins 14:39 I know something you don’t 18:09 It’s all in the plans 21:00 To infinity… 23:50 The stuff that dreams are made of 26:00 Like an addiction...
Apr 09, 2025•31 min•Ep. 29
In this episode YA fantasy author Carrie Anne Noble joins us to discuss folklore, fairy tales, and how she finds new stories to tell. Carrie reveals behind-the-book details about her new novel THE SPRINGBORN, and shares the impact that her debut novel, THE MERMAID’s SISTER, had on her life. And for a little bonus content, Keira and I discuss the path she took to get her novel KEEPER OF THE LIGHT from publisher signing to pub date. Episode highlights: 02:33 Keira’s fairy tale: Publishing KEEPER O...
Mar 05, 2025•36 min•Ep. 28
In this episode Christian author Taylor S Newport joins us to discuss her debut into the thriller genre, the perfect balance of action and integrity, and the potential to be prolific. Episode highlights: 02:56 Astounding accomplishments of youth 04:25 Character is King: Exceptional Youth Edition 10:45 Welcome Taylor S Newport 12:53 Thrills and integrity 17:13 Writing fast and crafting a cliffhanger 20:11 A writing editor or an editing writer? 26:20 Being somewhat prolific...
Feb 05, 2025•29 min•Ep. 27
In this episode we ring in the New Year with a Top 5 list of resolutions for writers to engage and improve their craft in 2025. Episode highlights: 02:41 Who originated the idea of New Year’s Resolutions? 05:58 Character is King: Great Resolve Edition 12:25 The Top 5 list of resolutions for writers 13:10 Correspondence course 15:30 Own it! 18:05 Life gets in the way 22:12 Immersive days 23:49 The REAL reward of writing...
Jan 15, 2025•27 min•Ep. 26
In this episode we bask in the glow of the holiday season with a collection of classic Christmas songs and the untold stories behind the music. Episode highlights: 02:00 How many Christmas songs are there? 05:27 Character is King: Special Christmas Edition 11:06 A merry little song 16:02 Keira’s intro to Christmas 20:37 The hymn once banned by the Catholic Church 26:33 Christmas wrapped up in a bow 31:20 A stolen song and A Very Special Christmas 36:41 A Broadway Christmas tune 42:17 Merry Chris...
Dec 04, 2024•43 min•Ep. 25
In this episode Amazon Bestselling author Diana Rubino joins us to discuss how a love for history has inspired her to write nearly 20 historical romance and biographical novels. Episode highlights: 01:17 Past is more than prologue 04:41 Character is King: Historic Edition 14:00 Welcome Diana Rubino 19:22 Finding comfort in biographies 23:22 Who killed President Kennedy? 28:55 Love conquers all 35:54 Feeling the weight of history 40:50 Around the World in 80 Meals 45:02 Josephine Earp: Sassy Lady...
Nov 06, 2024•48 min•Ep. 24
In this special episode Keira shares big news about her writing career. Episode highlights: 01:19 Keira’s big news 02:51 A Smyth’s Quill – The story that landed a contract 04:24 Oliver-Heber Books: The Terms 07:05 Writing under a deadline 08:30 The best part of OHB (so far)
Oct 16, 2024•11 min•Ep. 23
In this episode author and graphic artist Dineen Miller joins us to discuss creating the perfect book cover and shares the allure of writing romantic comedies. Episode highlights: 01:10 Judging a book by the cover 05:57 Character is King: Artistic World Edition 11:29 Welcome Dineen Miller 13:40 The evolution of graphic art technology 17:14 Cover market awareness is vital 20:48 Weighing in on AI 26:30 What is the job of your book cover? 33:39 The allure of writing romantic comedies 39:06 Moments ...
Oct 02, 2024•53 min•Ep. 22
In this episode we examine the most controversial story-ending trope ever devised. It was all a dream…or was it? We look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of employing this trope and play a game of “Neat” or “Cheat” with some famous dreamy endings. Episode highlights: 01:35 Nailing the end of a story 02:40 It was all a dream…or was it? - The controversial trope 09:46 Character is King: Dreamy Edition (or is it?) 13:26 Neat or Cheat 13:58 A dream-sharing masterpiece 18:18 Was Dickens deceptive? ...
Sep 11, 2024•36 min•Ep. 21
In this episode we celebrate Summerween with a creepy collection of songs and the stories that made them scary. From the Stones to the X-files. From a gypsy to a howling crooner, we cover some spooky, cooky, ground. Episode highlights: 01:25 Keira Returns! 01:55 What is Summerween? 06:00 Character is King: Summerween Edition 10:55 From a certain perspective 14:18 A gypsy, a potion, and a cop 16:33 A wonderful song with a creep X-factor 21:15 A paranoid song 25:00 A happy song made creepy 30:07 S...
Aug 14, 2024•36 min•Ep. 20
In this episode we welcome author and poet Kara Quinn to discuss the long and winding path she took to find a literary agent. Kara also shares the challenges she faced when she took on the all-consuming task of writing a psychological thriller. Highlights: 01:35 Kara’s Poem 03:02 Character is King: Poetic Edition (abbreviated) 04:55 Welcome Kara Quinn 05:57 The long path to find an agent 11:00 Query tools and tips 13:15 Good rejections 17:10 St. Augustine & the chemical structure of Serotoni...
Aug 07, 2024•52 min•Ep. 19
In this episode we examine the long-lost art of writing advertising jingles and recognize the copywriters and creative directors who crafted the most memorable songs from commercial advertising’s golden era. Along the way, we revisit classic commercial tunes. Episode highlights: 01:20 From song to sonic tagline 03:38 A jingle that went to Billboard’s No. 2 06:14 Nutty 07:13 Broadway Branding 08:11 It does it all in 30 seconds 09:17 Insidious tune 10:19 The unity of sweet effervescence...
Jul 03, 2024•14 min•Ep. 18
In this episode J Ryan and Keira discuss the importance of creating an engaging premise when crafting a story and share their Top-3 list of story examples having an awesome premise. Episode highlights: 01:25 What if? 02:53 The components of a great premise 04:50 Character is King: Clever Premise Edition 10:35 Amazing amber idea 12:59 Rewarding heroics 16:08 Strange 19:40 Boarding 22:13 A bunch of firsts 24:39 Again and again 27:10 Fun fact...
May 08, 2024•30 min•Ep. 17
This episode is a horse of a different color as J Ryan and Keira take a deep dive into idioms. Join their exploration of how these beloved expressions of speech have permeated our culture and day to day lives and learn the amazing history and origin of some of their favorites. Episode highlights: 01:55 What is an idiom? 03:50 Our verbal culture (Tribal Knowledge) 05:35 Character is King: Idiom Edition 12:50 Let it whip 16:25 The “All” of something 18:35 Siriusly? 21:10 Couldn’t be more different...
Apr 10, 2024•28 min•Ep. 16
In this episode, J Ryan and Keira welcome romance & fantasy author Kara Douglas to discuss the tropes of love, unraveling fate, and making magic. Kara also shares her key to social media book promotion and how she gets advanced copies of her books into readers hands. Episode highlights: 01:20 Blending Genres 03:45 Character is King: Mixed Genre Edition 09:59 Welcome Kara Douglas 10:47 Lunaria’s theme 13:35 Fitting in the fantasy 17:05 Inspiration in Ireland 21:50 Pantser vs Plotter 26:15 Why...
Mar 06, 2024•42 min•Ep. 15
In this episode, J Ryan and Keira welcome USA Today bestselling thriller and suspense author Luana Ehrlich to discuss the secret of being a prolific writer, the challenge of juggling multiple series characters, and the art of intertwining faith with thrills and chills. Episode highlights: 01:15 What makes a prolific author? 05:45 Character is King: Long Running Series Edition 11:17 The lost era of appointment TV 13:43 Welcome Luana Ehrlich 17:45 It blew their minds 20:01 The origin of Titus Ray ...
Feb 07, 2024•59 min•Ep. 14
In this second installment of the Lyrically Speaking series, J Ryan and Keira shine a festive light on classic Christmas songs and explore the lyrics that make the holidays bright. Along the way, they share not-so-well-known stories behind these beloved tunes and reveal a 400-year-old mystery surrounding one cherished Christmas carol. Episode highlights: 02:14 Holiday inspiration and irony 03:24 Character is King: Christmas Edition 09:20 A picture postcard of Christmas—with morbid edges? 13:20 W...
Dec 06, 2023•39 min•Ep. 13
In this episode, J Ryan and Keira take a deep dive into Pixar Studio's 22 Rules of Storytelling, examining each rule and sharing examples of how they are executed in popular films and in their own writing projects. They also unveil Pixar's unique corporate creative process, "The Pixar Braintrust," and discuss how it came to be. Episode highlights: 03:33 George Lucas, Steve Jobs, ILM & the birth of Pixar 05:59 The Pixar Braintrust 08:06 Character is King: Pixar Edition 14:53 Diving into the 2...
Nov 01, 2023•52 min•Ep. 12
In this episode, J Ryan and Keira welcome author Dony Jay to discuss writing action-packed spy thrillers from a Chistian perspective. Dony also shares his insights into police procedurals, and how his 20-year career as a police investigator has prepared him to write his new crime thriller series. Episode highlights: 01:52 How much of ourselves do we put in our fiction? 07:20 FRAK! 09:40 Character is King: Law Enforcement Edition 16:37 Welcome Dony Jay 17:56 Fiction with Conviction 21:18 Breaking...
Oct 04, 2023•57 min•Ep. 11
In this episode, J Ryan and Keira welcome thriller author Jack Arbor to discuss his action & espionage series The Russian Assassin , the weight of Cold War history, and the challenge of crafting a lovable anti-hero. The conversation also delves into the business side of independent publication and the benefits of cultivating an extensive Beta Reader network. Episode highlights: 02:58 Growing up during the Cold War – A brief history 07:48 Did you feel the doom? - Anxieties of a new generation...
Sep 06, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 10
In this episode, hosts J Ryan and Keira dive into the world of music to discuss how the structure and conventions of the modern pop song provides fertile ground for excellent writing, and they share their favorite examples of stellar lyrics from songs over the past 70 years. Episode highlights: 02:41 Structure, constraints, and good writing 05:36 Character is King: Music Edition 12:55 A masterclass of concise writing 17:30 Wait, the song is about that ? 21:29 A band transforms 24:40 Correcting t...
Aug 05, 2023•38 min•Ep. 9
In this episode contemporary romance novelist Kristy Lynae Moore joins J Ryan and Keira to talk about travel adventures, life on a ranch, and a fascination for a particular Kingsman. Kristy also discusses how she discovered and fell in love with the art of typography, and shares her biggest challenge with independent publishing. Episode highlights: 01:25 Do you like to travel? 02:57 Overselling the Mona Lisa 05:11 Character is King: Travel Edition 09:31 Welcome Kristy Lynae Moore 11:27 What to l...
Jul 05, 2023•42 min•Ep. 8
In this episode YA novelist Nicole Adair joins J Ryan and Keira to talk about the twists and turns of teenage angst, the work of writing, and the unifying power of Taylor Swift. Nicole also discusses the purpose and importance of her social media posts, and the awesome yet terrifying world of independent publishing. Episode highlights: 01:20 What makes a YA novel “YA”? 05:57 Anatomy of a rivalry 07:20 Character is King: Rivals Edition 15:25 Welcome Nicole Adair 18:38 Discovering character develo...
Jun 07, 2023•58 min•Ep. 7
Hosts J Ryan and Keira discuss the importance of building confidence in your writing, and how to go about doing it. Confidence is nurtured through hard work and experience, but it can come from other surprising places as well. Episode highlights: 01:45 Character is King 06:20 Are you confident in your writing? 08:35 On a scale of 1 to 10 12:15 What is “knowing”? 14:15 Honesty is the best policy 17:20 What makes a good Beta? 21:22 Acknowledgments 23:00 Learning how not to make a light bulb 26:35 ...
May 03, 2023•33 min•Ep. 6
In this episode hosts J Ryan and Keira take you inside the Writing Workshop of San Francisco. Having participated in this year’s event, Keira provides a debrief and exploration of the 2-day workshop, including session offerings, an overview of the literary professionals in attendance, and a detailed look at the book pitch process. Along the way she shares an exciting bit of news as well. Episode highlights: 01:05 Our embedded correspondent 02:10 What is the Writing Workshop of San Francisco? 04:...
Apr 26, 2023•25 min•Ep. 5
In this episode romance novelist Bitsy Yates joins J Ryan and Keira to talk about how the Massachusetts landscape and a mandated quarantine inspired her to write her debut novel Unapologetically Yours. Along the way, they discuss the power of social media, writing while being a mom, hybrid publishing, and the challenges and opportunities of writing a romance story in the midst of a global pandemic. Episode highlights: 01:14 Podcast Shout-Out of the Month 02:07 Character is King 10:51 Welcome Bit...
Apr 05, 2023•47 min•Ep. 4
Hosts J Ryan and Keira have a fun discussion about lines from movies that are so well written and executed they become ingrained in popular consciousness, regardless of if you've seen the movie or not. And they explore how these lines provide a lesson to authors in how to write dialogue for their own characters. Episode highlights: 01:17 Shout-out: Parents Who Write / Writing Momentum 03:10 Character is King 08:50 What do these bits of dialogue have in common? 12:00 You may not have seen it, but...
Mar 01, 2023•30 min•Ep. 3
Write Note hosts J Ryan Fenzel and Keira F Jacobs introduce themselves, give a little bit of their background stories, and discuss why they decided to start a writing podcast focused on independent authors. Episode highlights: 00:39 Why we’re doing a podcast 03:55 You are my daughter 05:48 What is your origin story? 13:26 The world in a trunk 14:52 Arsenic and inspiration 17:34 Bendigo’s elevator pitch ..........................
Feb 22, 2023•22 min•Ep. 1
