The Misfit's Guide to Writing Indie Romance: Recent Episodes
Adrienne Bell
Your weekly romp through the baffling and ever changing business of being both an artist and entrepreneur in the world's most popular genre. With your hosts Eliza Peake and Adrienne Bell.
The Misfit's Guide to Writing Indie Romance is a part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at frolic.media/podcasts!
Oh, the dreaded search bar...How do you pick the keywords and metadata that will lead the right readers to your book page.
What do you write before you write Chapter One? Eliza and Adrienne discuss their discovery writing process...and also a dessert brothel for some reason.
What does it really take to write a romance? In this ongoing monthly series, Adrienne and Eliza go over the steps, from brainstorming an idea to designing your marketing plan.
Everyone gets them, so why not celebrate them? This week Adrienne and Eliza take a trip down Bad Review Lane.
Sometimes what you need is a fresh start. But how do you know when it's time to pivot or what changes to make? This week, Adrienne and Eliza talk about career reinvention.
The folks over at Amazon have a brand new story platform and this week we have bestselling author Audrey Carlan to tell us all about it!
You'd think it's be easy, after all romance is the name of the genre, but creating genuine emotional connection on the page is harder than you might think.
This week, Adrienne and Eliza chat with author BB Easton about indie publishing and Netflix deals. Oh...and her reaction to that Episode 3 scene in Sex/Life
Writing isn't just a solitary business; it's a sedentary one too. This week Adrienne and Eliza talk about staying healthy when you live behind a desk.
Everyone needs a helping hand from time to time...especially in this business. This week Adrienne and Eliza talk mentorship.
This week Adrienne and Eliza dive into hooking readers attention on three levels--chapter, book, and series.
It's time for basking in the sun and plowing through that tbr pile. This week Adrienne and Eliza shard what's on tap for their summer reading.
Amy Z. Chan and Kilby Blades step into guest host as we wrap up Mental Health Awareness Month with a candid discussion of things marginalized authors talk about when white authors aren't in the room
Maintaining Mental Health isn't just about dealing with difficult emotions. This week Adrienne and Eliza discuss keeping yourself balanced and celebrating success!
Mental Health Awareness Month continues! This week Adrienne and Eliza tackle the challenges of writing while coping with chronic conditions. This week's episode is sponsored by An Earl, the Girl, and a Toddler by Vanessa Riley. Find out more at Kensingtonbooks.com
Continuing with Mental Health Awareness Month, this week Eliza and Adrienne discuss how to cope with getting knocked down and how to get back up again. This week's episode is sponsored by Lone Wolf by Diana Palmer, Rebecca Zanetti, and Kate Pearce. Find out more at Kensingtonbooks.com
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This week Adrienne and Eliza share their experiences and tips for maintaining mental health while writing.
Adrienne and Eliza introduce themselves to a brand new audience as the podcast starts a brand new chapter.
You need to get the word out about your books, sure, but not every marketing opportunity needs to break the bank. Just remember, sometimes you get what you pay for.
Oh, the much maligned comfort zone--should you stick with what feeds your confidence or stretch your neck out into the unknown? Adrienne and Eliza have experience with both...and the scars to prove it.
So much more than dialogue tags, scene blocking, or fight choreography, action is the energy that makes your story come alive. This week Adrienne and Eliza discuss how every move your character makes is action.
What's in a name? Well, depends on which name you mean. Is it the book title? The subtitle? The series title? This week Adrienne and Eliza take on the complicated task of naming your work.
How a character sounds goes beyond the dialogue they speak. From deep POV to their unique expressions, a character's voice is what makes them come alive.
They used to be hard to come by, but now there are more romance adaptations than ever on tv. This week Adrienne and Eliza talk about the good, the bad, and everything in between when it comes to taking the page to the screen.
You've finally finished your book. The hard part is over, right? Not so fast. Turns out those first 100k words were a cake walk compared to the next 100 words you need to write. It's time for the most dreaded moment of all--time to write the blurb.
"The End" might be the end of the story, but it's not the end of the book. There's so much that goes into an indie novel after the final scene. This week Eliza and Adrienne talk backmatter.
Every race needs a finish line. Whether you choose the date yourself or it's chosen for you, there comes a time to call a story done. This time around, Adrienne and Eliza talk deadlines.
Well, 2020 was a bust...so it's time for Eliza and Adrienne to move on to their 2021 goals
This has been one strange year. This week Adrienne and Eliza recap their highs and lows through 2020.
Out of these two misfits, Eliza's always been the organized one. So this week she's sharing her tips for keeping her writing life running smooth.
Exclusive or wide? E-books, paperbacks and audio. You're done writing your book, and now you need to figure out how best to get it into your readers hands. This week Eliza and Adrienne discuss distribution strategies.
It's November...again (how can a year go by so fast and so slow at the same time?) Which means it's time to talk about NaNoWriMo!
It's hard to hear, but not everyone can be a main character. Some of us...well, we have to content ourselves with living in the shadows of the greats. This week, Adrienne and Eliza talk about the role of secondary characters.
After a long (and unplanned) hiatus, Adrienne and Eliza are back to talk about success. What does it mean to you? How will you know when you've achieved it? And what the heck do you do next?
Eliza and Adrienne need a break, so no book talk this week, just woo-woo astrological fun.
Misteaks happen. Hopefully, someone catches them before you hit publish, but sometimes they slip through the cracks. This week Eliza and Adrienne talk about what happens when you're best just isn't good enough. (yes, they're intentional)
Everyone is afraid of something, and writers are no different. Whether it's failure, or success, or being an imposter, these fears hold us back in subtle--and sometimes not so subtle--ways. This week, Adrienne and Eliza talk how to break through fear.
Do you write your scenes in order or out? And does it really matter how you do it as long as the book gets done? This week, Eliza and Adrienne tackle linear writing.
Who can you trust to give you honest and useful feedback about your unpublished manuscript? How do you find reviewers who can give the same honest opinions about your new releases? This week Adrienne and Eliza tackle the ins and outs of Beta Readers and Street Teams.
How do you come up with ideas for your books? And how do you organize those ideas? And how in the world do you decide which ones invest the time into writing and which to shelve? This week Adrienne and Eliza wade into the turbulent waters of inspiration.
It should be simple...it's a story within a story. But when do you know when you need one, or--even harder to figure out--when should you cut one out. This week Adrienne and Eliza talk subplots.
Nothing can ruin a good story like time. Not time management. Actual time. Keeping timelines straight can be hard, from the simple (yesterday was Tuesday, but today is Saturday) to the baffling (how is it the sequel takes place two years later and the supporting character is still pregnant?)
Oh, rabbit holes. Sure, social media and binge tv can derail a good writing day, but nothing is better at feeling like work without actually being work like research. This week Eliza and Adrienne give their tips and tricks to avoid getting stuck.
Is there anything more nerve-wracking than getting ready to launch a new book. Well...probably. But Eliza and Adrienne can't think of anything, so this week they talk about their strategies and plans for putting new books out into the world.
This week Adrienne and Eliza give an update on how their Year to Write Hella Words is going. spoiler alert It's not well.
When setting up a series you've got to bait the hook if you want to reel in the readers for later books. (oh, fishing metaphors, is there anything you can't do?) This week, Eliza and Adrienne talk about setting up sequel bait.
What do you do when what used to work no longer does? This week, Adrienne and Eliza discuss how shifting times have led to shifts in their process as well.
Cutting a story into chunks is a lot like gift wrapping a present. Or is it? Adrienne and Eliza don't know, but on this episode they talk about both.
Not every idea makes it from the spark of inspiration to The End. Some get tossed along the way. This week, Adrienne and Eliza talk about what story ideas they've had to toss, how to know when it's time to shelve a project, and how to move on after.
How do you tell readers who you are as a writer and what kind of experience they can expect from you time and time again? This week Eliza and Adrienne weather the storm (no really, there's an actual storm with thunder and everything) of branding.
What you say--and how you say it--says a lot about you. This week Adrienne and Eliza talk about how they make language choices for both their characters and their narrators.
Usually May is the month where we all start dusting off our suitcases, order our swag, and get ready for conference season...but not this year. So, what are your options for learning and networking in this new stay at home world?
The book market has always had its ups and downs, but the past few months have been enough to make you want to pull your hair out. This week, Adrienne and Eliza talk about how things are going and how to weather the storm.
Eliza and Adrienne check in with their highs and lows while staying at home during the pandemic.
What makes a great heroine? What do heroines tell us about the times we live in? This week Eliza Adrienne discuss what makes heroines far more than just the "female version of" anything, and how critical feminine heroism is to good storytelling.
The world could use a good hero right about now. So that's what Adrienne and Eliza are talking about--their favorite hero archetypes to both write and read
The marvelous Mel Jolly joins Eliza and Adrienne this week to help them with their newsletter woes, and she brought freebies for the whole class!
You don't need us to tell you things aren't good, so this week Adrienne and Eliza check in and discuss how they are adapting to the new normal.
Last week it was all about Eliza. Now, it's Adrienne's turn to answer questions about her revision process.
This week we're taking an in depth look at Eliza's revision process. From the big picture to the nitty gritty, she dives into how she polishes a pile of first draft words into a clean and shiny manuscript.
Not every project works out the way we planned. Not every story idea is a winner. So how do you know when it's finally time to throw in the towel on that WIP?
Adrienne had to take some time off this week--thank you flu!--so enjoy this replay of Episode #57 Time Off and enjoy the break.
Good or bad. Take it or leave it. The dreaded "I told you so". We all get advice whether we want it or now. This week Adrienne and Eliza talk about how to tell if "tried and true" advice is right for you.
Making a living by writing alone--or writing one genre only--can be difficult, if not impossible. This week Adrienne and Eliza discuss the different side projects they take on to make ends meet.
Eliza prefers spreadsheets and organizers. Adrienne is a creature of chaos. This week the misfits discuss how they organize (or don't) everything from books to business.
Reviews are a part of writing life, from getting over the bad ones to basking in the glow of the good ones to just plain trying to get more of any of them. This week Eliza and Adrienne talk about their review strategies.
So many of us were raised to view ambition as a dirty word, but it's hard to achieve what you can't name. This week Adrienne and Eliza get real (and real uncomfortable) about their own ambitions.
Good copy editors are super heroes. That's one thing Adrienne and Eliza can agree on. From overused words, to misplaced body parts, to accidental streakers, this week they discuss all the times editors have saved their butts.
It's January! That means Write Hella Words is up and running. This week, Eliza and Adrienne check in and talk about their progress.
It's time to make plans for the new year. Eliza and Adrienne, having learned absolutely nothing from last year, talk about their resolutions. From action plans to mindset changes, it looks like 2020 is going to be a wild ride.
Let's travel back to a simpler time. All the way back to Jan 1st 2019, and listen to the goals Eliza and Adrienne had for the year. Did they achieve their goals? Do they even remember them a year later? Find out next week when the Misfits return with the Goals 2020 edition.
Beginnings are exciting, and endings are climactic, but middles...oh, those poor middles can sag. This week Adrienne and Eliza talk about what to do when you realize the middle of your story lags and drags.
This week Eliza and Adrienne welcome Jolie Moore to the show, and talk about making lemonade out of life's nasty lemons. Jolie shares the ways she's flourished in difficult circumstances thanks to a mixture of creativity, imagination, and humor.
How do you keep writing when the blahs hit hard? This week Eliza and Adrienne share some of their favorite short and long-term motivation solutions.
NaNo is over, and that means it's time to check in on how things are going with Eliza's second novel. Did she reach her production schedule goals? What were successes and failures? And what major lessons did she learn along the way?
Fashions change in books too. What's in now, might be out tomorrow, so this week Adrienne and Eliza talk about their favorite current trends.
Money--some people think it has no place in the arts. Those people obviously don't have to worry about paying the electric bill. But money can also be a difficult and uncomfortable subject, as Adrienne finds out as she tries (unsuccessfully) to face her money issues.
Writing styles change. So why do we act like some writing rules are set in stone? This week Adrienne and Eliza give their hot takes on a few of the always-and-never-dos of the genre fiction world.
Keeping track of every little detail in an ongoing series can drive a writer crazy. This week Eliza and Adrienne discuss how they keep their series bibles organized, current, and easy to use.
Adrienne has a plan to write hella words in 2020...and she wants you to join her. But first she has to convince Eliza that she should come along for the ride.
This week Adrienne and Eliza share their favorite digital productivity tools for everything from getting the words out to researching the marketplace.
It's what holds most of us back. This week Adrienne and Eliza get real about their deepest writing and publishing fears and how they deal with them.
It's time to celebrate Eliza's debut launch! This week she tells us how she prepared, how the launch went, and what her plans are going forward.
So much more than where your story takes place, setting can show how your characters see their their world and their place in it. Unfortunately, it's also Adrienne's weakest skill, so it's Eliza's turn to work her magic.
No one can do it all...especially not Eliza and Adrienne. This week we talk about getting the help you need from the ones you love.
Perfectionism. Shiny new project syndrome. Procrastination. There are so many reasons (and excuses) that can keep you from finishing your book. This week the ladies dive into Eliza's production schedule to see what's holding her back, and get her to the point where she can finish the freaking thing!
Time has a way of getting away from all of us. This week Adrienne talks about the time management project she's focusing on this fall, and how she decided to reorganize her daily priorities.
Bad weather on the East Coast means Eliza's off this week. So, Adrienne welcomes bestselling author Sophie Littlefield to talk about the world of traditional publishing--who it's right for, as well as the overlooked opportunities and major misconceptions.
Every hero needs a villain. Or do they? This week Adrienne and Eliza talk about all the antagonistic forces that get our character's way.
If you've never failed, you've never tried. Well, if that's true then Adrienne and Eliza have tried a lot. This week they break down their top three greatest misses.
This week the show is on the road! Adrienne's on a writing retreat but she's brought her microphone, put Eliza on speaker, and roped Sophie Littlefield into talking about the joys and difficulties that come with writing in multiple genres.
Getting into multiple character's heads can be daunting. This week Eliza and Adrienne discuss their tips and tricks for diving deep into your characters' POVs
There's no story without conflict. So why can be so hard to write? This week Adrienne and Eliza talk about getting the balance right.
Eliza is back! and she's finished the first draft of her new novel. That means it's time for Adrienne to grill her on what she's learned, how her productivity schedule is going, and what she'll do differently next time.
REPLAY from 7/17/2018 -- A look back at how Eliza and Adrienne tackled first drafts a year ago before we dive into Eliza's experience finishing up her latest work in progress.
Some writers have theirs down to a science. Others...not so much. This week Adrienne and Eliza talk about writing routines--how they help, how they can hurt, and why they're so dang hard to keep.
Adrienne and Eliza took a week off, and now they're ready to talk about the benefits and drawbacks of getting away from the keyboard.
Whether you write fast page-turners or atmospheric slow reads, keeping your story's pace steady can be a difficult skill to hone. This week Adrienne and Eliza tell their tips and tricks to keep your story flowing.