The Writers' Block Party Podcast: Recent Episodes
Meredith Bond and Pru Warren
Oh, how the world of fiction publishing has changed! What used to be Mom’s tea party (with agents and traditional book contracts and demure, knees-together seating) has become a wild house-party of bold self-publishing, mystical Amazon algorithms, seat-of-the-pants marketing and promotions. Experienced romance novelist and book coach Meredith Bond walks Pru Warren, her wide-eyed and unpublished co-host, through the real life of an author from the craft of writing and editing, through publishing and marketing, and finally into building a GLOBAL PUBLISHING EMPIRE! Grab a drink, pull up a chair, and get ready to start your weekend with the Writer's Block Party Podcast. Tune in every Friday.
Pru and Merry look back at what they’ve learned and how their positions have sort of equalized over the last two years—and we talk about Merry setting up a “You Decide” story for reader engagement. Which is a MOST excellent idea. You should do it, too!
Proving once again that fools rush in where angels fear to tread, Pru blurts all over Merry as she talks about her plan to launch her next trilogy with a detour into the Kickstarter universe. Listening is clearly taking advice from a novice, so be warned…but maybe this is a good place for you to start thinking about the Kickstarter opportunity!
Here's the great book by Russell Nohelty on using Kickstarter for books.
How do you get the support you need as well as the kick in the pants that gets you going? Podcast guest Audrey Hughey is that brilliant combination of Mom and Army Guy you’ve been looking for! Merry and Pru explore all the goodness in Audrey’s Author Transformational Alliance and look at the many ways she’s providing usable author planners.
Interested in the Author Transformational Alliance? Check it out at https://www.thewriteservices.com/
For Audrey's printed planners on Lulu.com for the eternal version.
For the dated version, this link will get you to 2022--but if you want a later year, search for 20XX Author's Planner.
To find the planner as a PDF so you can download ad print the parts that interest you, find it on Etsy."
When it comes to marketing your book, how do you know if you’re surfing a very short wave, or rising on the strength of a true marketing movement? Promotions expert Heather Roberts (of Elle Woods Promotions) and wise author Mindy Klasky join Pru and Merry to discuss what’s working, what might be a trend, and just how much you need to commit to a long-lasting strategy to reach your goals. Also: The Kickstarter myth!
Romantic suspense novelist JT Bock pushes all of Pru’s buttons by talking about her favorite movies in a discussion of Chekov’s Gun—a tool every writer should know about to lay the groundwork (and provide the glorious resolution) that turns indifferent readers into rabid fans. Where JT goes (Pru says), I will certainly follow!
Jennie Nash wants to change the industry! She wants to improve how authors nurture themselves, how they approach the business, and how we (and the world) value our work. Go, Jennie, go! All this from the woman who founded a book-coaching training program. And she’s got a yenta on staff who will find YOU the right book coach, too!
Need some links? Here you go!
For authors: get to Author Accelerator here: https://www.authoraccelerator.com/
For would-be book coaches, here you go: https://www.bookcoaches.com/
For would-be book coaches, here you go: https://www.bookcoaches.com/
Here are Jennie's books: Blueprint For A Book
Blueprint for a Nonfiction Book
Read Books All Day And Get Paid For It: The Business of Book Coaching
And the book Jennie mentions in the podcast that she's reading is Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
What kind of an editor do you need? How much will it cost? Does it take a long time? Are you going to tell me my baby is ugly?? Don’t tell me my baby is ugly! Merry and Pru talk with Matrice Hussey, exceptionally kind and clever romance editor, about all aspects of authors working with editors. It’s okay; you can do this!
To get in touch with Matrice:
https://www.goodstorieswelltold.com/
or email her at Matrice@goodstorieswelltold.com
Author Michael LeRonn is the antidote to the energy drain and toxicity that is wearing you down. Have a listen; in just about half an hour, you’ll feel better about yourself and more eager to get some writing done. Plus you’ll have a better answer to a few key questions—like “How do you connect to the “why” of why you write?” And “What does a picture of “good” look like to you today?” Ooh, I feel better!
To check out Michael LeRonn's YouTube channel and more, check out https://authorlevelup.com/
For more on the Alliance of Independent Authors, the link is https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org/
What if you were annoyed by something that didn’t work as well as it should and instead of just grumbling about it, you RE-PLOWED THE WORLD to make it right?! Dave Chesson of Kindlepreneur and Publisher Rocket stops by the podcast to explain to Merry and Pru how he’s calmly revolutionizing how authors write, collaborate, and publish with his new godsend, Atticus. Damn, Dave—would you please run the world??
Dave (we call him Dave now; we're like THIS) mentioned where you could find out more about future plans for Atticus; that website is https://www.notion.so/Atticus-Roadmap
Just so that you can get all those links right:
Find out everything Dave is doing, read his blog, and sign up for his newsletter at Kindlepreneur.
Learn more about Publisher Rocket here.
Get Atticus here.
The brilliant Kathleen Gilles Seidel read a book each by Merry and Pru and gave us the benefit of her expensive education and vast experience to share praise and opportunity with us…and then we made a left turn into a pretty great discussion of talent, too. Kathy Seidel is our Returning Champion, and this podcast proves why!
As authors, we tend to be so grateful that someone bought our book that we don’t ask too many questions…but maybe we should. Hybrid author Mindy Klasky (with traditional and indie publishing cred) returns to the podcast to discuss the history and current state of what authors have been trusting is true in their publishing journey. Warning: Might make you a little angry!
Ever wondered what it would take to sell your book in other languages? Noted author Jodi Vaughn has; she says it’s a leap of faith—but it looks to Pru more like a voyage into madness! Man, oh man—there’s a LOT that goes into just selling your romance in the profitable German market. Jodi makes it work, though—and here’s how!
To find Jodi's paranormal and contemporary romances, try http://jodivaughn.com
For the women's fiction and small town romances of Jodi Allen Brice, the website is http://jodiallenbrice.com
With the ease of uploading corrected or edited copies of your novel to the ebook platforms, when should you correct your text and when should you create a new edition? We wander far afield—should “Huck Finn” be rewritten to reflect the cultural awareness of today? Can we imply any more strongly that our romance novels should be considered alongside Huck Finn?? Is the entire topic a snake eating its tail? Ack! No conclusions are drawn, but interesting questions are raised!
The diversity (or lack thereof) in your book is worrying you; how do you make sure you’re not perpetuating your own unsuspected biases? Sensitivity reader Natasha Lane fields a million basic questions from Pru and has intelligent discussions with Merry to advise and inform you on matters from the thoughtfully highbrow to the immensely practical. Thanks, Natasha!
Natasha's website is http://www.natashadlanewrites.com/
To find a sensitivity reader, Natasha recommends https://www.saltandsagebooks.com/sensitivity-expert-consultants/ That website has a LOT of opportunities for you!
Settle in for an informative chat with author Alix Rickloff, who has not only mastered a leap between genres but who has attracted the praise of readers AND PUBLISHERS alike. Imagine—if publishers wanted you multiple times! Pru has a little fan-girl moment over that one...
You can learn more about Alix at https://alixrickloff.com/
Merry and Pru do a little literary name-dropping on this discussion of points of view to use in your book. Can you borrow the techniques of George R.R. Martin? How about William Styron or F. Scott Fitzgerald? Too “guy” for you? Okay—how about Georgette Heyer or Jane Austen? They all used the points of view of their characters to draw you in and hold you…and you can do that, too!
Merry and Pru get to talk with the chattiest of academics, the brilliant romance author Kathleen Gilles Seidel, about how publishing has changed—and how READERS have changed. We learn that while much has changed since Kathy’s first book in the 80s, a few very annoying habits have continued to plague authors!
Did you notice the bee in the filmed version of Bridgerton? Merry did—and she uses it as a superb example of how to skillfully weave a repeated motif into your story. Wide-eyed, Pru discovered repeated motifs all around her. Hey--can I do that, too?? More importantly, listener—can you?!
Listener, strap in: We range far afield, from how not to tick off your reader to how to use the ending to sell your next book. Epilogues are heavily discussed! Merry shares five ways to avoid the dreaded Bad Ending, and Pru asks all the simplistic, novice questions you were too embarrassed to ask. As usual!
Meredith quotes from an article entitled "Story Endings Your Readers Will Hate."
Next week, Pru and Merry will be discussing repeating motifs. We'll use "The Beach House" by Mary Alice Monroe as our starting point. Here's the Amazon link to that book if you want to play along at home.
Was it really the best of times, the worst of times? How has writing a gripping lead to your story changed over time—and how has it remained the same? Merry and Pru consider lots of examples and come up with a few rules of thumb that will help to make the beginning of your book so slippery that readers won’t realize they’ve fallen in deep until it’s too late to set you aside; they’re hooked!
Pru and Merry happen to know a file guru—someone who can show us how to set up the good habits that will avoid disaster (like, O GOD MY COMPUTER CRASHED and O GOD I DELETED THE WRONG SCENE and O GOD IT WAS BETTER FOUR EDITING ROUNDS AGO). Heather Maddix knows the simple tricks that will save you gallons of adrenaline, tears, and despair. Go, Heather, go!!
Staring into your coffee mug each morning—deep breathing—the fragrance of bergamot or lavender—a simple neck roll. Author Christi Barth not only tells Merry and Pru HOW to break up writer’s block…she also explains WHY her solutions have such power. Dang, girl—that list is amazing!
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert.
For essential oils, Christi recommends Eden's Garden
Christi and Merry both listen to Brain.FM when they're writing.
Burnout to Breakthrough by Eileen McDargh
Meditation Made Easy by Lorin Roche
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Did you loathe the concept of “theme” in high school English class? Oh, gaw—me, too! (said Pru.) Fortunately, Merry knows what she’s talking about, and she teases out the concept of theme so it actually makes sense and becomes a valuable tool for an author. Plus—bonus!—an aside on the concept of diversity and why you CAN write with diverse voices, as long as you follow a few key steps. Yay!
We go from the wildly ethereal (the mystical power of three throughout the known universe) to the hugely practical (why you want to write a trilogy and not a quartet—pay attention, now, this affects the bottom line!). Merry tells us about the sophisticated experienced author’s planning philosophy, and Pru blurts out what the novice does instead. Then we insist that both methods are just FINE.
Is it all just metaphors and similes? Was your English teacher right? Do you have what it takes to create a rich description that tells you as much about the describer as about the object described? Where did I leave my red gloves?! So many questions. At least some of them are answered in this example-rich half hour!
For your edification: https://ansible.uk/misc/striking.html. A useful list of similes!
If you think world-building is only for sci-fi, listen up! The subtlety of world-building may be why your book feels flat or overly factual. If you want a slippery book that people just fall into, then consider the concept of world-building (in the wine world, it’s called “terroir”—the flavor of the earth). Merry and Pru wander through this topic, from JRR Tolkien to yesterday’s blog post. There’s a lot to consider here!
The author of “The Heroine’s Journey”—noted author Gail Carriger—recently spoke to the Washington Romance Writers, and Merry and Pru are eager to discuss this fascinating theory. Don’t worry; it’s not all philosophy. We talk about The Lion King, Harry Potter, The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars…all the juicy stuff that makes philosophy so much more fun!
Want to get the scoop straight from the horse's mouth? Of course you do! Here are the links to all three remarkable books:
The Heroine's Journey: For Writers, Readers, and Fans of Pop Culture by Gail Carriger
The Hero With A Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell
The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers by Christopher Vogler
You thought you were safe. You’re an author—why do you need to care about all that Skynet internet security stuff? Oh, honey. Listen to a fascinating chat with cyber-security expert (and urban legend) Chuck Hall about the steps you really DO need to take to avoid some kind of embarrassing cyber-disaster. And we thought it was only going to be an explanation of Apple’s MMP (Mail Privacy Protection)!
Here's the PDF of Chuck's Powerpoint.
Meredith recommends the "website concierge" service provided by Nate Hoffelder. His website is https://natehoffelder.com/
Merry and Pru visit with a new romance author to hear her take on writing (pantsing or plotting? Meg’s answer is so cool!), publishing (and the annoyances of multiple platforms), and marketing (oy! What an endless rabbit hole to fall into!). There’s so much to learn—and all we want to do is write!
The “frustrated writer” is all too common a type—but be in the now, man. Work with who you ARE, not who you want to be! Meredith shares all kinds of writing tools and jaw-dropping tips with Pru in this podcast to help the four major personality types find the motivation and success they crave as authors. Accountability—turn it into your greatest strength!
It’s been about a year since novice author Pru Warren published her first novel—and a bit more than a year since our podcast episode #13, where we defined several different definitions of success. How has a year in indie publishing changed Merry and Pru’s definitions? Turns out, the answers are pretty surprising!
Sure—it starts out airy-fairy. Goals, hopes, dreams, oh my…but the discussion rapidly dials down to how to set definable, measurable goals and then gives you the tools you need to attain your year’s ambition. That was fast; gravity asserted itself and all the pie-in-the-sky writer dreams became marketing, publication, engagement…and words written! A must-listen for any writer or would-be author!
To download the excel spreadsheet and the goals notebook pages Merry talks about in the show, please go to our website, HTTP://thewritersblockpartypodcast.com. (The link takes you directly to the correct page if you click on it).
Chock-full of fascinating ideas and basic, raw information on what you NEED and COULD/SHOULD have in your book’s front and back matter—so much information that we ran over our self-imposed time. This isn’t a chore, dear author—it’s a rich and delicious opportunity, and you, too, can come to love the extras you add onto your brilliant story!
Merry walks Pru through a remarkably adept method for understanding the motivations that make writing either a chore or a burden, as defined by famed sociologist Gretchen Rubin. Each of the four tendencies suggests great writing tools to assist you on your journey. And Pru sings a little at the end. Bonus!
To take the quiz yourself: https://quiz.gretchenrubin.com/
To buy a copy of Ms. Rubin's great book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Four-Tendencies-Indispensable-Personality-Profiles-ebook/dp/B01MU23P0N/
Expert Keri-Rae Barnum shares her wisdom on the whiny question of “How do I get Amazon to like me?” Keywords, comps, optimizing, training the bots, revising your book description and title and series title and subtitle, and OMIGAWD Amazon ads—Keri knows her stuff and shares freely! She’s a goddess at New Shelves.
How do you perceive yourself? What role does writing play in your life? Is it time to move from “writer” to “author?” Merry starts asking some Big Thinking questions while Pru is staring stupidly into the Zoom screen. As usual, Merry gets Pru thinking and gabbing. Art, identity, or profession? The answer is YES!
With thanks for the topic from the original blog post by Barbara Lynn Probst in the "Writer Uboxed" blog at https://writerunboxed.com/2021/08/18/writing-art-identity-or-profession/
Also mentioned in the podcast--"The Write Life" from the Insecure Writers Support Group, found at https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/2021/10/the-write-life.html
Especially for indie publishers, the goal is to create “superfans” or brand ambassadors who will not only buy your books but will also tell their friends, write reviews, and otherwise make noise. How do you engage with your readers? How do you help them to feel that their relationship with you is one of friendship and not just buyer/seller? Merry has some awesome ideas, and Pru offers a modestly proud concept of her own!
Indie author JT Bock joins the podcast to discuss the current state of indie publishing (and what the hell is going on in traditional publishing!). Much hilarity and forehead palming when Merry compliments Pru on an Amazon sponsored ad that Pru didn’t know she was running. Plus—can an introvert survive an in-person book signing event? With JT on hand, you bet!
Some show notes:
The class JT recommended was Mark Dawson's "Ads for Authors."
Merry sent Pru a link to the Amazon ads portal; that link is https://advertising.amazon.com/
What happens after you type “The End” and before your indie book is published? Pru says the in-between stages take 140 days; Merry can shorten that to 110. Here’s the run-down of what to do when and why, before you publish your indie book. And it’s complicated…but definitely possible!
Pru begins the discussion in quite a belligerent mood because the always-annoying advice “Remember, dear: Show, don’t tell!” makes so little sense—-but Merry talks her down. Pru discovers that there are times when you should TELL, NOT SHOW (“HAH!” cries Pru in victory) and also learns the valuable link between “show” and both deep and shallow POV. Dang—that’s useful!
Regency Romance legend Mary Jo Putney joins Merry and Pru to consider the publishing industry—where it’s been, where it is, and how authors (published and otherwise) should plan for the future. Need some advice? Some direction? A reminder of why you love to write? Spend half an hour with a remarkable author!
Despite some familial difficulties, we got some fantastic information from author Victoria Pinder on how to set up Facebook Ads.
Meredith Bond (who needs more than all her fingers and all her toes to count the Regencies she’s written) explains why the Regency romance is such a popular genre. Her reasons astonish her rom-com co-host, Pru Warren, who (as usual) “never thought of it that way!” (Pru writes the podcast descriptions; can you tell??)
In your outline, you can’t just say “Hero and heroine play chess; witty banter.” Experienced author Meredith Bond explains to her novice acolyte, Pru Warren, how to make your story tight and strong: The hidden skeleton beneath the witty banter. Every scene has a purpose. Yes, EVERY scene! If you don’t know yours, then this is your podcast!
Publishing three books in three months is the kind of thing only a novice author would do, since once you do it, you’re no novice anymore! Pru Warren has been throwing money at the problem, with curious results. Here’s a talk on Facebook ads, BookBub, social media, promo stacking, and the massive Amazon overlord. Got to get in good with the boss!
Merry mentioned a Kindlepreneur article on keywords that don't work; here's the link to that article: https://kindlepreneur.com/broad-vs-niche-keywords/
With Apple’s iOS15 update, how do authors handle the loss of one of the best ways to know if your newsletter is annoying your subscribers… or how do you make sure the mystical “mailer daemons” still think highly of you? No actual answers yet, but good information and a plan for the future come from the discussion.
Every writer knows the feeling: That blank screen, that white page is MOCKING YOU. What can you do to get those words flowing again? Expert author and book coach Meredith Bond has got you covered. Here’s a list of great ideas to open you up again. Novice author Pru Warren learns a thing or two about quieting that inner critic!
Merry uses http://brain.fm when she writes.
Among Merry's "interview your character" questions:
Tell me about your childhood. Did you get along with your parents? Who was your best friend?
What has hurt you in the past? What is your wound? How did that wound color your world?
Tell me about your past relationships. What was good about them, what was bad?
Explain your goal. Why do you need to accomplish it?
Novice writer Pru Warren discovers the occult mysteries of selecting Amazon categories and bowls experienced author Meredith Bond over in her rush to share what she learned. Merry smiles indulgently, like a fond mother watching her toddler learn to walk. (Obviously, Pru writes the show descriptions.) BISAC, ASIN, ISBN, Publisher Rocket, Book Link—it’s all demystified here so you can increase your book sales!
Some links that will help you:
The program Pru uses to explore categories is Publisher Rocket. It will cost you $99 to access their info (updated three times a day), and I recommend the $25 training course they'll try to sell you. I mean--wow. Here's the link to that: https://publisherrocket.com/
To update your categories, go to https://Author.Amazon.com/contact
To explore the categories of books by ASIN via BookLink, go to https://www.bklnk.com/categories5.php
God speed, little starling!
On the first anniversary of our podcast, Pru Warren and Meredith Bond take the time to admire ourselves very much. We look back on what we’ve learned (which is a staggering amount, in Pru’s case). Like a Greatest Hits album, we focus on the very best of The Writer’s Block Party Podcast. Yay, us!
What makes a book a rom-com, and why isn’t Amazon policing this better?! Ah…THAT’S why. Damn. Pru shakes off her novice status to lead a conversation with Merry on romantic comedy. From arch wit to zany slapstick—what makes something a rom-com? (And is rom-com hyphenated or not? Where’s a proofreader when you need one?!)
Promotions guru Heather Roberts of Elle Woods Promotions joins us to explain to novice Pru Warren that “branding” is not just about a logo…and while she’s chatting with us, she helps experienced author Meredith Bond consider an entirely new approach for Merry’s fantasy catalog. Dang—that’s a half-hour (and more) well spent!
Merry thinks it comes down to three simple questions, but as usual when it comes to pricing, it turns out to be a lot more complicated than that! Pru learns about indie versus traditional pricing, pricing if you’re part of KU, paperback pricing, and the absolute printing swamp for independent bookstores and libraries. If pricing your book makes you confused, you are not alone!
You can (and probably should) join the Alliance of Independent Authors. Here's their website: https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org/
Merry is full of brilliant suggestions for how authors can pad their budgets by freelancing. Pru thinks that she’s too much of a novice to take advantage of any of the opportunities…until: SHAZAAM! Shoot—I could totally do that. And I’d be good at it, too! Quitting the day job might have just eased a little closer to reality!
Given that Amazon is the 600-pound gorilla in the room, should you release your book exclusively on Kindle Unlimited? Or would you be better off putting it on multiple platforms? Like everything else having to do with The Smile That Ate The World, the answer is complicated. Fortunately, Merry walks Pru through the maze!
Merry and noted author Mindy Klasky discuss the challenges (and solutions) of “buy my book” links when Amazon and Apple are the Hatfields and McCoys of the publishing world. Mindy walks us through her thoughtful creative process, and Pru decides that maybe plotting isn’t such an impossible chore after all!
Two places to consider when thinking about evergreen links:
https://geniuslink.com/
https://books2read.com/links/ubl/create/
If your website is on WordPress, watch for the option to add a "re-direct" application.
A great book for plotters: Gwen Hayes' Romancing the Beats. https://www.amazon.com/Romancing-Beat-Structure-Romance-Kissing/dp/1530838614/
Special guest and wise interpreter of occult marketing mysteries JENNY KATE and Merry walk Pru gently through identifying the right audience. Pru discovers it’s NOT about guessing, or throwing a dart at a demographics map (neither of which was working very well). Instead, Jenny and Merry show Pru how science and reason can take the guesswork out of marketing. Oooh—I get it now!
Links that will help you:
Ads for Authors by Jenny Kate https://www.amazon.com/Ads-Authors-Advertising-Basics-Writers-ebook/dp/B087T54BRD/
Social Media for Authors by Jenny Kate https://www.amazon.com/Social-Media-Authors-Marketing-Writers-ebook/dp/B07X99T2G4/
To explore Jenny's fascinating website and contact her to hire her to divine YOUR marketing mysteries: http://www.thewriternation.com
For more about the Pikes Peak Writer's Conference: https://pikespeakwriters.com/
And to buy swag branded with the Writer's Block Party Podcast logo, go to:
https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/81633214
https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/81632470
You gotta do a “flamethrower” round of edits before your novel is ready for someone else to see, and it can be a surprising one! How many times do you use “that” unnecessarily? What about actually, really, finally, or suddenly? Here’s a whole list of ways to make your writing stronger, more effective, and more tasty. Write ‘em down—keep a list!
Pru and Merry agree that the following phrases must be exterminated with prejudice where possible:
That Just Very A little A bit A lot Actually Really Finally Suddenly
You can do it, too—really! Merry shows Pru the ten simple (most of them!) parts of an effective, useful business plan. And only one of them (the financial part!) will make you hyperventilate. The others are ALL ABOUT YOU…and what’s more fascinating than that??
Some useful resources:
Joanna Penn: Your Author Business Plan
Jamie Gold blog post
Jane Friedman blog post from 2013
“The types of changes that can completely alter a character don’t have to be THAT big,” says author BC Deeks, which blows Pru’s mind. BC walks us through how understanding a few simple principles of sentence structure and word sequence can significantly affect the written word. Outstanding!
Go to The Writers' Block Party Podcast website for all of Brenda's fascinating notes.
Meredith Bond, author of multiple series, walks Pru through the planning of an entire series—what you need to know up front as well as what you can leave until later. We talk about the kinds of series, stupid mistakes that can be avoided, and how to create an effective plot that can last over several books.
If you want to see Merry's pictures from Kyiv, pop over to HTTP://thewritersblockpartypodcast.com
Finding herself in a peculiarly belligerent mood, amateur author Pru speaks out strongly for the value of every author’s voice; acting as the wise soother of rough waters, Merry talks Pru off the ledge by reading her excerpts of books with undeniable “voice.” Pru gets caught up in the Voice Quest and finds a few examples of her own. Harmony is restored.
Generous audiobook narrator, actress, director Naomi Rose-Mock walks book novice Pru through the process of creating an audiobook…because that’s what she’s doing for Meredith Bond’s “A Hand for the Duke.” All kinds of questions are answered, including how much it costs, how long it takes, how the platform works. Naomi’s cool!
What’s it like to write purely organic fiction? Author Allison K. Garcia walks us through her process as she creates queer Christian contemporary fiction. Her method is infused with a faith in the eventual outcome that makes Pru jealous. Waaahh—how do I trust that everything will come out right in the end?! A remarkable discussion!
A surprise dual topic: Merry and Pru discuss the concept of Patreons and paying to subscribe to podcasts (Pru is suspicious). And then Merry lays out not one but two mesmerizing systems of archetypes—one by Carl Jung (founder of analytical psychology) and one by Tami Cowden (charming author of romances and mysteries). May this startling pair live together forever, enshrined in a mythical archetype paradise!
Here are the lists (in PDF form) of archetypes Merry read out during the podcast -- just in case you couldn't write as fast as she talked:
Tami Cowden Archetypes
Jungian Archetypes
Here's Tami Cowden's book on Heroes and Heroines: https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Writers-Guide-Heroes-Heroines-ebook/dp/B00HD176J2/
And here are two quizzes you can take to find out which archetype you are (or your character is): https://callingcardbooks.com/archetypes-for-writers-12-jungian-archetypes/
https://www.psychologistworld.com/tests/jung-archetype-quiz
Every author on the planet secretly thinks they’ve failed at marketing their book(s). Merry and Pru (at very different stages of their writing careers) are both astonished and delighted with the toolkit of information provided by our guest, author, and brilliant marketer Jenny Kate. At last—an actual plan!!
Listbuilding class recommended by Jenny: Amy Porterfield
Services to buy list-building names: Ryan Zee. Also, Novel Publicity
Jenny's website: https://thewriternation.com/
Pru and Merry (both plotters) welcome the “ne plus ultra” of the pantsing world—glorious author Grace Burrowes—who offers brilliantly practical ways to nurture the creative process, provides “I want to be that when I grow up” wisdom on career paths and self-confidence, and leaves us with a welcome reminder that this is supposed to be fun. “If my hands are on the keyboard, a part of me is happy.”
Grace recommends that Pru reads "Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products" by Nir Eyal and Ryan Hoover. Here's a link to the audiobook: https://www.amazon.com/Hooked-How-Build-Habit-Forming-Products/dp/B00HZY1N0K/
Among other things, Amazon has re-defined how the savvy author writes a book blurb…and Meredith knows all about it! She walks Pru through the modern book blurb, and Pru discovers a remarkable connection between the back-of-the-book copy and podcasts #28 and 29: Hooks! Ahh...it's all coming clear now!
What’s the difference between the dreaded “info dump” and a skilled description that draws the reader further into the story? Merry not only knows the answer but provides examples. In turn, Pru has “Eureka!” moments that, in retrospect, are a lot like saying “My, water is wet, isn’t it?” My role as the newbie author sure is coming to a middle…
Merry read from
The Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe
The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
The Merry Marquis by Meredith Bond
Dagnabbit, Meredith is just so SMART. Pru admits that she thought pacing was about the sequence of events. Meredith points out NOT that Pru is an idiot (because she’s kind) but that the very rhythm of the language is a tool that any author can use to propel the story forward. William Goldman’s “The Princess Bride” provides a highly useful example.
Some useful show notes:
Great book on writing: SCENE AND STRUCTURE, by Jack Bickham
Great writing coach other than Merry: Alicia Rasley. There are lots of useful articles about the writing craft on her website at http://www.aliciarasley.com/
The quote that Meredith reads is by Gary Provost, as quoted in WRITING TOOLS: 50 ESSENTIAL STRATEGIES FOR EVERY WRITER by Roy Peter Clark, which seems to have been updated to 55 strategies and can be found at Amazon.
This is the quote:
This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It's like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety.
Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And sometimes when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals--sounds that say listen to this, it is important.
So write with a combination of short, medium, and long sentences. Create a sound that pleases the reader's ear. Don't just write words. Write music.
By reading excerpts and having heated discussions, Merry and Pru decide several things: A love scene doesn’t necessarily mean a sex scene; it doesn’t even have to involve both protagonists (if you’re as skillful as Merry). If you write a sex scene, then it must advance the plot. And if you’re writing sex scenes without emotion, then that’s just anatomy. You do you, boo-boo—-but that ain’t a romance.
If you want Pru's beautiful love scenes in Cyn and the Peanut Butter Cup, you can find it here.
If you want to read An Exotic Heir, from which Merry read a romantic scene, you can find that here.
Do you fear the line “Well, it’s not ALL crap” when you get your critiques? Merry and Pru can both relate! Merry provides some very sage advice about giving AND RECEIVING critiques—and we read the opening page of a brave listener’s novel. (Not actually so brave; it turns out to be excellent. Well done, Rich!)
Merry and Pru continue their journey into the world of hooks. Now that we've grabbed our reader's eyeballs, we need to keep them glued to the pages of our book. This is how to get our readers turning those pages and staying up way later than their bedtime.
Subtitled "Merry and Pru become hookers." Why do some books draw you in, chapters deep before you even realize you’re invested, while others are so sadly put-downable? What makes the lead of a book into a sharp, silvery hook that draws the reader on? Pru gets entirely overstimulated while Merry explains. Many, many great books are used as examples.
After some arguing and head-scratching, Pru and Merry decide there are eight overarching genres in romance, with a LOT of sub-strata below that. And we come up with a fistful of questions to ask about genre on the new Writer’s Block Party Podcast Discord server. Y’all come, now—hear??
Want to join us on the Discord server and answer some of these endless questions?? We'll be happy to send you the link. Email Merry at merry@meredithbond.com or Pru at pru@pruwarren.com
Pru assumes this will be a useful discussion about pantsing vs. plotting and is IMMEDIATELY hit upside the head with a revelation from Meredith about the critical first step in the writing process. Dang, man! After Pru picks herself up off the floor, Meredith calmly returns to pantsing and plotting and more.
Link to Meredith's "Writing Journal," available on Amazon as a paperback and Lulu in spiral bound.
Today's podcast features a special guest star: Meredith's editor, Chris Hall (of theeditinghall.com), who stands up magnificently under the onslaught of Pru's questions. Once a teacher, always a teacher--the warmth and spirit of partnership that Chris brings to her work sets the standard for the author-editor relationship!
Chris Hall: http://theeditinghall.com
Chris writes as author Aubrey Wynne.
Merry and Pru discuss a recipe for character development: a teaspoon of Goal, a quarter teaspoon of Motivation, and a half a cup of Conflict. Mix vigorously with a trope, then bake at 350 for the length of your story.
“Merry,” said Pru, “give me the straight skinny on dialogue in a romance, wilya?” “As it happens,” Merry replied, “I can tell you the seven things that dialogue brings to your story.” “Seven? Shut the front door!” Pru goggled in astonishment. “That’s an action tag, by the way,” said Merry. “I know. I paid attention!” Pru beamed with pride.
Far from being “cheats” or ways to ride the coattails of other writers, the trope (and especially the romance trope) is the skeleton on which you build your glorious story. Merry walks Pru through tropes and smiles when Pru has the “EUREKA!” moment of realizing that the trope is also a hugely-valuable marketing tool. Ignorance is banished today!
Show notes:
For Meredith's writer's blog: http://Meredithbond.com
For Mindy Klasky's amazing list of romance tropes: http://MindyKlasky.com
For a Wiki-based trope resource: https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Main_Page
For a Regency-centric blog (search for tropes): https://riskyregencies.com/blogger/
What actually takes place once a self-published author’s book goes live? Three days after the launch of “Cyn & the Peanut Butter Cup,” Pru throws a word salad of launch news at Merry who laughs and reassures Pru that the launch is going well. Pru attempts to contain her panic and confusion. Onward—onward!
This is the Holy Trinity of the romance-writing world; if you don’t have your “GMC,” you don’t have a readable book. Meredith walks Pru through the fundamentals using (so entertaining!) “The Wizard of Oz” as an example. Then we answer Merry’s CRITICAL FIVE QUESTIONS for “The Princess Bride.” Two GREAT storytelling examples!
Meredith explains to Pru how to get reviews of a book onto Amazon and other book-buying sites. Spoiler alert: It’s not just begging your mom! Smart, practical information that any author can use. Phew!
Pru describes the confusion, excitement, and error messages involved in uploading her novel to Amazon…and IngramSpark…and Kobo…and Draft2Digital…and Apple. Well, not really Apple, since Apple now needs two full weeks to verify her taxpayer ID number, which, are you freaking KIDDING ME??
Classic, timeless, unbelievably consistent across cultures, the hero’s journey is all about transformation. After hearing Meredith describe the sequence, Pru figures she’s on about step two of her hero’s journey, and is grateful for the Merry who gives her the gift of wisdom. Maybe by step twelve, she’ll be worthy of the gift!
Having been studying about author websites, Pru volunteers to lead this podcast, trusting (correctly!) that any novice ignorance will be corrected by the wise Meredith. And then—o! Marvelous!—Pru actually tells Merry one tiny detail that Merry didn’t know! What are the odds?!
What makes a character pop off the page? Can you just have a nice guy who treats people well and had a happy childhood? MUST there be trauma there somewhere?? The answers make Pru unhappy, but Merry is DETERMINED! Get your characters up that tree and THROW ROCKS AT THEM! Make them miserable!
How many ways can you measure your success (or failure)? At what point do you know if you’re doing well…and does that answer change over time? Does a novice author value the same things as an experienced author? Lots of questions from Pru (as usual!) along with calming wisdom from Merry.
How do you find beta readers? What do you say to them? Why would they help you? And how do you find reviewers? Pru gasps at her lack of knowledge and Merry soothes the wrinkled brow. All the answers are right here. Phew!
In which things start simply with actual dollar signs and concrete goals and then spiral wildly out of control, leaving Pru slack-jawed (as usual). Book Bub, Amazon and Facebook ads, boosting posts, web hosting and email service providers--Merry walks Pru through it all. Knowledge is power, after all!
In which Pru and Merry find common accord on the subject of the Oxford comma but nearly come to blows over the concept of “theme,” which is (so far) WAY above Pru’s pay grade. Also: at last! A reason to justify the purchase of all these delicious highlighters!
In which Pru discovers that Merry has been paying WAY more attention to first drafts than Pru has…and thereby turning Meredith Bond romances into tight, pithy, emotional jewels. “I want that, too!” declares Pru, and then grips her head at the emotional toll it’s going to take to get BETTER!
In which Merry teases apart the many onion-like layers in the word “editing,” from the developmental edit to the copy edit, from line edits to the Do No Skip This Step of proofreading. Plus, where to find these team members and how much to expect to pay. Pru remains wide-eyed and astonished, as usual.
In which Pru learns so much about tag lines that she forces a temporary stop in the recording so she can go apply what she learned. The results give Merry the giggles, which is either a very good or a very bad sign.
In which Merry whispers the secret of getting THREE EXTRA KEYWORDS on your Amazon book description, taking you from seven to TEN! Hotcha, Mama, that’s good listenin’!
Book Coaching—in which Pru learns that there are people (including Merry) who will act as a book tutor. More personal than classes, more targeted than how-to books; a coach costs money…but it’s an investment, like a college education. Pru decides she’s ready to hire Merry as her tutor. (Obviously. I’m inexperienced, but I’m not an idiot.)
Book Covers—in which Merry guides Pru through a theoretical conversation with a book designer. What to expect, what to prepare for, how much to pay, why not to hyperventilate with the stress of it all. At this last part, Merry is only marginally successful, but some people will just NOT calm down.
Newsletters—in which an author with THIRTY-ONE newsletter subscribers learns from an author with MANY THOUSANDS of subscribers all kinds of useful things like how often to mail, what to include, and how to gain more subscribers without even publishing anything. Jeesh—that’s clever!
Episode #2: Deep POV (Point of View)—in which Merry finally breaks through Pru’s confusion on using sensory and emotional details to advance the story without filling up pages of vague ramblings like cholesterol in an artery.
In The Beginning… in which Meredith and Pru giggle unprofessionally as they outline the scope of the podcast, a mournful train whistle blows romantically in the background, and Pru begs Merry to make her wise. “We’re going to need a bigger boat."