Episode 008: Deane Barker Hi friends! Welcome to your monthly Coffee Break episode of the Write Now podcast. Today I want to share with you the delightful and fun conversation I had with Deane Barker, who has been an authority in the web content management space since the mid-'90s and is wrapping up his first book on the subject. So! Even if you're not in to nonfiction (or especially if you are), Deane's insights about finding time to write, getting "friend-zoned" by your dream, dealing with wri...
Jan 27, 2016•57 min
One thing I always want to stress in the Write Now podcast is the fact that you are not alone. Despite what you might feel, despite what you might what (or think you want), you're not alone. This is important. And it's the focus of Episode 035 of the Write Now podcast. Before we begin, a quick note that I've made it easier than ever before to support the work I do with the Write Now podcast with my new Tip Jar! :D OK. Enough of that. Let's begin... Starting a great writers' group -- or making yo...
Jan 22, 2016•46 min
Oh, my friends. It's time for episode 034 of the Write Now podcast. And I am so glad about that. :) Before we begin, a quick note that I've made it easier than ever before to support the work I do with the Write Now podcast with my new Tip Jar! :D All right, enough of that. Let's begin. "Who gave you permission to be a writer?" I know that often, on this very podcast, I've encouraged you to stand up (or stay seated, whatever) and proudly proclaim, "I am a writer." But sometimes (or maybe a lot o...
Jan 14, 2016•29 min
Welcome to episode 033 of the Write Now podcast! Today I am answering the question, "As a writer, do I need a website?" I am also answering the inevitable follow-up questions of "Why?" and "How?" Stay tuned! Though as you listen, please note: I am not a lawyer! So please take what I say in this episode as my own thoughts & opinions and not official legal counsel. :) As a writer, do I need a website? Short answer: Yes. Long answer: Yessssssssssssssss. Seriously, a website is a great tool for ...
Jan 04, 2016•28 min
It's the most wonderful time of the year! Let's take a look at New Year's resolutions specifically for writers in episode 032 of the Write Now podcast. Make & keep your New Year's resolution. Let's be honest -- we are not part of the 8% of the populace that actually sticks to a New Year's resolution. For most of us, a New Year's resolution is lucky to last through the third week of January. And many of us, I'm sure, see New Year's resolutions as dumb, hypocritical, or useless. But maybe this...
Dec 28, 2015•29 min
Episode 007: Vanessa Blakeslee Hi friends! Welcome to your weekly Coffee Break. Today I'm talking to Vanessa Blakeslee, the acclaimed short-story writer (and, I can add, distinguished and delightful personage) who has published her first novel, Juventud. Juventud (or "Youth") is a beautifully and vividly written coming-of-age novel set in Santiago de Cali, Colombia, and follows the story of Mercedes Martinez, a young woman who is in love and determined to make her own choices in life -- until tr...
Dec 22, 2015•32 min
Talking about creation and destruction go hand-in-hand. And I think that writers play a special part in not only conveying the destruction of the present, but creating the future. Makers gonna make, yo. Let's do this together in episode 031 of the Write Now podcast. Creation, destruction, & writing. Destruction is hard to talk about -- it's so deeply tied with loss and grief and pain. But it's a reality that we as writers have to deal with, whether it's the latest in a string of mass shootin...
Dec 14, 2015•27 min
Episode 006: Kate Dyer-Seeley My friends, I have to admit: this episode of Coffee Break almost turned me into a hypocrite. Earlier this week, I released an episode of Write Now titled Letting Go, especially re: perfectionism. I proclaimed, several times, that "done is better than perfect!" This episode of Coffee Break really challenged that belief. The audio quality is not very good, thanks to a shoddy Skype/internet connection and echo-chamber-like setting, and my interview questions were total...
Dec 04, 2015•27 min
Letting go is one of the hardest things a writer (let alone a human being) has to do. It speaks of loss -- whether willful or not -- and grief and all manner of unpleasant things. But as a writer, you have to do it. And it would benefit you to learn to do it well, and with grace. Today, in Episode 030 of the Write Now podcast, we'll talk about the different types of letting go you may face in your daily writing, work, and life overall. And I'll try not to get that Disney song stuck in your head....
Nov 30, 2015•45 min
I'm back from my mission trip to Jamaica, my friends. And I have several stories and writing insights to share with you. It's all here in episode 029 of the Write Now podcast. Is travel a "must" for writers? Travel is a great way for writers to learn, grow, and gain an entirely new perspective. The only downside is that it's not feasible or accessible for everyone. Travel can be expensive, and not everyone can take an extended leave of absence from work, family, or other duties. This is why I'm ...
Nov 23, 2015•32 min
Episode 005: Abraham Allende It's time to sit back, relax, and enjoy another episode of Coffee Break. I love talking with people who have interesting stories to tell. And Abraham Allende -- former Cleveland sportscaster and current bishop of the Northeastern Ohio Synod of the ELCA -- has many. Language has been a central part of Bishop Allende's career, from teaching high-school French to broadcasting Cleveland Indians games under the name Allen Davis. And he continues to speak, teach, and write...
Nov 19, 2015•27 min
Welcome to Episode 028 of Write Now. I've returned from my annual writing retreat and we've got some catching up to do. Should I take a writing retreat? I've spoken with a lot of writers over the years about the merits of a writers' retreat. And the question of Should I? isn't really fair to ask, since the answer has been a resounding Yes! from all surveyed. Perhaps a better question to ask is: How do I keep the good effects of a short-term writing retreat going throughout the year? Takin' it to...
Nov 16, 2015•24 min
Help support this podcast on Patreon! >> It's November--and you know what that means! Or maybe you don't, in which case I'll tell you: it's NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH! And the way I see it, November is a time to celebrate all writers, not just novelists. That includes you. Get ready for the writing frenzy with episode 027 of Write Now. What is NaNoWriMo, and is it right for me? NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month (because who wants to say that over and over?), and over the ...
Oct 26, 2015•31 min
Episode 004: Dave Booda It's time to sit back, relax, and enjoy another episode of Coffee Break. Dave Booda (that's him, with the magnificent man-bun) of the Darken the Page podcast got in touch with me a while ago about recording a podcast episode together, and I thought it sounded like a great idea. SO THAT IS WHAT WE DID. Enjoy our banter about the creative process and all the STUFF that comes with it. :D Please note: This episode originally aired as Episode 43 of the Darken the Page podcast,...
Oct 22, 2015•51 min
Help support this podcast! >> Episode 026 of the Write Now podcast is once again sponsored by my good friend Dave Booda at the Darken the Page podcast. Check it out! Life isn't always as amazing as we'd like it to be. ...To put it lightly. Sometimes the Powers That Be decide that juggling the usual work/life/writing balance just isn't hard enough, and sends us fun new things to deal with on top of it all. Things like illness, depression, toxic people, and bad situations at work. So what's ...
Oct 19, 2015•43 min
Episode 003: Matt Paulson Hey friends. It's time for another Coffee Break! Today, I'm speaking to my good friend Matt Paulson, the author of two books and finance blogger-turned-entrepreneur. Matt is a smart dude who did something really interesting. He built a software program to gather financial data and generate blog posts about it. So today he's talking to us as the writer who literally built his own robot replacement. It's like science fiction, but it's REAL LIFE! And Matt has seen an incre...
Oct 03, 2015•26 min
Help support this podcast! >> Episode 025 of the Write Now podcast is sponsored by my good friend Dave Booda at the Darken the Page podcast for creatives of all kinds. He's a smart and funny dude. Check it out! LET'S TALK ABOUT BOOKS AGAIN! Today's podcast is a follow-up to last week's episode about 5 of my 10 favorite books. In this episode, you'll learn about the remaining five, as well as the reasons why they're so important to me: My remaining 5 favorite books! All the Pretty Horses by...
Sep 28, 2015•28 min
Episode 002: Mad Like Alyce Welcome to another episode of Coffee Break! This week, I'm talking to lifestyle blogger Mad Like Alyce, who offers a special focus on living a healthier life with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and chronic pain. This is a great podcast episode for any writer who has a blog or is thinking about starting a blog! In our conversation, Alyce & I talk about the importance of selecting a niche for your blog without letting it confine or label you, how to draw insp...
Sep 25, 2015•49 min
Help support this podcast! >> DID YOU KNOW THAT I LOVE BOOKS? This is a good thing, because episode 024 of the Write Now podcast is all about books. Hooray! This week's episode is sponsored by my good friend Dave Booda at the Darken the Page podcast. Dave is passionate about exploring the creative process, and his interview-style podcast lends some great perspective. Check it out! What are your favorite books? As writers, we tend to love books. Many books, various books, perhaps even all b...
Sep 24, 2015•41 min
A truly delightful conversation with the author of the Thornleigh Saga about crafting a real page-turner. Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/sarahrheawerner
Sep 17, 2015•28 min•Ep. 1
Help support this podcast! >> Oh man. Episode 023 of the Write Now podcast is about SUCCESS. Get ready for some kind of MONTAGE or MOTIVATIONAL POSTER, probably! ...Or, you know, a nice earnest discussion on what it means to find success as a writer. What does success look like for you as a writer? It's something that we all daydream about but rarely give any serious thought: What would it look like if we were successful? I think that a lot of writers interpret success as a "luck of the dr...
Sep 09, 2015•34 min
Help support this podcast! >> Hey friends. Have you ever questioned your writer-ly destiny? Then Episode 022 of the Write Now podcast is for you. What if I simply wasn't meant to be a writer? I received a letter from a very bright, very talented young writer named Amanda who was wondering whether she was actually meant to be a writer. Her letter affected me so much that I decided to dedicate this episode to exploring the topic. Amanda writes, I'm not sure if I'm meant to be writing... I li...
Aug 31, 2015•28 min
Help support this podcast! >> My friends. Episode 021 of the Write Now podcast is about writer's block and how to defeat it. GET READY. Have you ever struggled with writers' block? Writers' block can seize any writer at any point during the writing process. But that doesn't mean you can't fight back! In today's podcast episode, I talk about what to do when: You can't come up with an idea You have too many ideas and you can't commit to just one You don't know what to write next You've stray...
Aug 24, 2015•39 min
Help support this podcast! >> I never intended to go into marketing. In fact, I just kind of fell into it -- and realized I was fairly decent at it. In marketing, I've learned a lot about truth (and how people respond to truth) that I'll share with you today in Episode 020 of the Write Now podcast. Truth! Beauty! Right? There's an adage that says, "Writers are professional liars." I can understand the cynicism and humor that lie beneath that statement, but I don't agree with it. Not a bit....
Aug 10, 2015•26 min
Help support this podcast! >> Do you have a writing mentor? Find out why it's super-important to have one in Episode 019 of the Write Now podcast! Every writer needs a mentor. What are the benefits of having a writing mentor? How do you go about finding one? Is it possible you have one already? And how can you tell a good mentor from a bad one? SO MANY QUESTIONS! Good thing I have so many answers. You are not alone. I think that, in general, writing as seen as a fundamentally solitary, iso...
Jul 29, 2015•33 min
Help support this podcast! >> Hey there, friends. In episode 018 of the Write Now podcast, I'm going to give you some advice that I'll bet you don't hear all that often: Fail a lot. As writers, why are we such perfectionists? Why do we expect perfection from ourselves? Shouldn't we understand better than anyone else that the human creature is inherently and beautifully flawed? I know, I know. I'm guilty of this, too. But let's do something we writers tend to be not-super-great at and dive ...
Jul 20, 2015•31 min
Help support this podcast! >> Welcome to Episode 017 of the Write Now podcast, my lovelies. I am so glad you're here. Today we're going to talk about your work/life/writing balance. Where are you putting your energy? If you go out to iTunes and check out the Write Now podcast "about" info, you'll see it says: "A weekly podcast for aspiring writers looking to find a healthy work/life/writing balance." Sometimes, I feel like three separate selves trying to work together, instead of one self ...
Jul 13, 2015•31 min
Help support this podcast! >> This is the sweet 16th episode of the Write Now podcast with yours truly. Sometimes we lose that spark. Remember when writing used to be fun? Or better yet, satisfying? You can find that feeling again. It might just be a matter of letting go of some other stuff that matters less. It's about understanding what it is you love about writing. Here are some simple questions you can ask yourself that will guide your mind back into a happy writing place. Ask yourself...
Jul 06, 2015•27 min
Help support this podcast! >> Welcome to Episode 015 of the Write Now podcast. We're going to be talking about something I've wanted to talk about for a while. SO I HOPE YOU HAVE BEEN WANTING TO HEAR IT! (Hint: the topic is BOOKS, you guys!) Why do writers need to read? "Reading is essential if you're going to be a writer." You've heard it from teachers and fellow writers and books on writing. Heck, you've even heard it from me. (And from Stephen King.) But why? Why is it so essential for ...
Jun 12, 2015•36 min
Help support this podcast! >> YOU GUYS it has been a while. But I am back, and the foam on my delicious cappuccino is as fluffy and delightful as the suds in an angel's bathtub. (Is that weird? Maybe that's weird. But it's TRUE.) Anyway, I'm glad you're here. Where do you write? It surprises me sometimes -- where I am able and where I am unable to write. Can you write anywhere? Or do you have certain objects, snacks, or environmental enhancements (whatever that means) that you need to be a...
Jun 06, 2015•32 min
