Write Now with Sarah Werner

Coffee Break 025: Fauzia Burke

Fauzia and I talk about the NY book publishing bubble, the joys of self-publishing, social media marketing, taking risks, and more!

Coffee Break 024: Ginny Carter

Ginny "The Authormaker" Carter and I have a lovely conversation for you about the nonfiction book-writing process, different modes of publication, and Ginny's favorite aspect of being a writing coach.

30 Tips for 30 Days of NaNoWriMo - WNP 048

From turning off your phone to staving off fear and/or hunger, this episode of the Write Now podcast is here to help you write through NaNoWriMo.

Coffee Break 023: Kevin T. Johns

Fellow writer, podcaster, ghostwriter, and writing coach Kevin T. Johns and I have a great (and honest) conversation about making the most of our time as busy writers.

Coffee Break 022: Honoree Corder

Honorée is a speaker, business coach, writing coach, and Writer with a capital W. She is also a smart, successful entrepreneur who has published 20 books and knows what it takes to sell them.

What They Didn't Teach You In School - WN 047

We learned a lot of great things in school. But our educational system isn't perfect, and there are some things we should have learned about writing (and life) that we didn't. All of those (and more!) in this week's episode!

Coffee Break 021: Jenny Bravo

Author Jenny Bravo & I talk about writing sprints, handwriting with pen & paper, keeping a scene list, our mutual love of Twitter, and tons more!

Crafting Your Mission Statement - WN 046

A mission statement is a valuable tool for a writer -- it can help you understand your own story, remind you of your purpose, and guide you toward your goals. Today's episode of Write Now podcast will help you create one!

Coffee Break 020: Andrew Coons

Poet & filmmaker Andrew Coons and I have a great conversation about career writing, anxiety, depression, self-worth, and getting back into the things you love after putting them on hold.

Careers for Writers - WN 045

Stuck in a soul-sucking, toxic day job while you dream of being a paid writer? Today's episode covers 10 different career paths for writers just like you.

Coffee Break 019: Hend Hegazi

Today's show is an interview with Arab-American author Hend Hegazi, who has just published her second novel about gratefulness, forgiveness, and the universal yet hidden struggles we all deal with. I hope you enjoy it.

Coffee Break 018: Mark Messick

Meet Mark Messick, the 16-year-old bestselling author of more than eleven books. Today we're talking about possibility, positivity, and living the life you want to live. Join us!

How Do I Find My Muse? - WN 044

Chances are, you've heard of the concept of a muse, whether you've read your fair share of Shakespeare or simply seen Disney's "Hercules". But can a muse possibly have an effect on us here in the modern world?

Coffee Break 017: Andrew Chapman

How Important Is Networking For Writers? - WN 043

I know, I know. You hate networking. I hate networking. It feels so corporate and shallow and sell-out-y. But it's important for writers nonetheless. That's why this episode is here to help you navigate the turbulent waters of this essential skill.

Coffee Break 016: Melissa Johnson

Enjoy a great conversation about how to fit creative writing into a busy schedule with entrepreneur, author, and my own personal mentor, Melissa Johnson.

Are There Any Original Ideas Left? - WN 042

Is it true that there's "nothing new under the sun", that we just keep retelling the same 3 stories over and over, and that Hollywood is out of ideas? Find out in the latest episode of Write Now!

Coffee Break 015: Karan Bajaj

I absolutely loved interviewing bestselling Indian author (& striving yogi!) Karan Bajaj, whose new book, The Yoga of Max's Discontent, hit bookstores earier this month. Join us as we talk about the burden and freedom of a creative habit, the power of a journey, and so much more.

Should Writers Be Paid? - WN 041

We hear it all the time: "We can't afford to pay our writers," or, "Your payment will be exposure and experience!" But is that true? Should we take that unpaid internship? Find out in Episode 041 of Write Now.

Coffee Break 014: David Faux

David is a church-custodian-turned-tow-truck-driver who is querying his first sci-fi novel. We're talking worldbuilding, NaNoWriMo, & hope in today's show.

How To Deal With Rejection - WN 040

Rejection happens to every writer. This week's episode explores different types of rejection and how some of them can actually help us to become better writers.

Coffee Break 013: Diane Vallere

Diane & I talk about finding the courage to do what you love and love what you're doing, the ups and downs of self-publishing, and what it's like to be a "pantser".

The Worst Writing Advice - WN 039

The internet is brimming with writing advice -- both good and bad. Episode 039 of Write Now talks about how to determine which advice is worth following, and gives you a rundown of what I think are the worst offenders. Bad advice is bad. I think we've all received bad general advice at one time or another, such as: "Gun it! You can totally make it through that yellow light." "Aw, come on. You can totally handle one more drink." "You don't really need to study for the bar exam." "Your kids would ...

Coffee Break 012: JoAnna Ver Meer

Episode 012: JoAnna Ver Meer Oh my friends, I am so very excited about today's Coffee Break episode (a.k.a. Tea Break, just for today). That's because I'm talking with my good friend & poet JoAnna Ver Meer, and I think that, by the end of this episode, you'll adore her as much as I do. "I don't think I would be a happy person if I couldn't write every day." Today's episode is a celebration of JoAnna's newest book of poetry, Syllables and Other Poems (published under her maiden name of JoAnna...

Coffee Break 011: Matt Paulson, Take 2

Episode 011: Matt Paulson You might remember Matt Paulson from one of my very first Coffee Break episodes, where we talked about his digital publishing company, automating the writing process, and blogging, as well as a book he had recently written. Five months later, Matt is publishing another book. It's called The Ten-Year Turnaround and it's about achieving financial freedom within a ten-year time period. "All writers are entrepreneurs, whether they realize it or not." Want to feel even more ...

Give Yourself Some Grace - WN 038

I ended the last episode of the Write Now podcast (#037) with the concept of giving yourself some grace. I ended up thinking about that concept for a long time after that, so decided to give grace its own episode. I hope you enjoy it here in Episode 038. My deep, dark secret. No, I'm not Batman. Let's just get that out of the way. My deep, dark secret is that often I don't like myself very much. Maybe you feel like this sometimes, too. Or a lot of the time. You see, I never feel like I'm quite e...

Coffee Break 010: Kaitlyn Mirison

Episode 010: Kaitlyn Mirison Kaitlyn Mirison was one of the first people to get in touch with me when I first launched the Coffee Break offshoot of the Write Now podcast. And I am so grateful that she did. Kaitlyn is the author of An Artist's Pillars, and host of the Potential & Possibility Podcast, both of which encourage creative folks like you & me to believe in ourselves and deepen our experience of living. "It felt like I was standing on the sidelines of my life." For years, Katilyn...

De-Clutter Your Life So You Can Write - WN 037

I've been thinking a lot about work/life/writing balance ever since I committed to writing a book this year. And so Episode 037 of the Write Now podcast is about just that -- balance, clutter, distraction, scheduling, and so much more. Just keep spinning... This is what I feel like a lot of the time: It's not incredibly fun (though maybe it looks cool from the outside). Being busy is fine if you can balance it well. But how many of us can actually claim that we balance it well? What's really imp...

The Pressure To Be Great - WN 036

We're under tons of pressure all the time -- as writers, family members, employees, and just as human beings in general. That stuff can really get to you -- and that's what we're talking about in Episode 036 of the Write Now podcast. Under pressure. Pressure surrounds us all the time -- and I'm not just talking about the type that keeps our heads from exploding. I'm talking about the type that keeps us in line socially, that often dictates our behavior without us even realizing it. Pressure isn'...

Coffee Break 009: reShoUNn Foster

Episode 009: reShoUNn's Story Welcome to another Coffee Break episode of the Write Now podcast. I'm so glad you're here. Today I'm talking with beautiful poet, corporate writer, anthroponymist, jazz den owner, community builder, & kindred spirit reShoUNn Foster, who is working to invigorate Detroit with the art of words through her Out My Write Mind and Hip n Zen in the Northend projects. "Facebook saved my life." In today's episode, reShoUNn shares her story of what she went through during ...