The WritersWeekly Podcast

Brian Whiddon
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From the creators of WritersWeekly.com, the WritersWeekly Podcast delves into everything involving professional writing. WritersWeekly.com has been helping and informing writers and authors for over 25 years. We cover book publishing, article writing, getting writing gigs, paying markets, writing technology, etc. 

  1. 16 APR

    From 14-Year-Old Runaway, to Cop, to the Managing Editor of WritersWeekly.com. GRAPHIC WARNING AT 1 HOUR, 3 MINUTES! (1:03)

    In Episode 10 of the WritersWeekly Podcast (one of our most popular ones!), you heard the story of how Angela Hoy started WritersWeekly.com as a young, single mother, with MANY challenges along the way. Those included skipping meals early on to ensure her children were well-fed (her ex wasn’t paying court-ordered child support), and later suing Amazon.com for federal anti-trust violations, and winning! She turned a fledgling hobby website into an internationally known publishing powerhouse and, 28 years later, it’s still going strong! Now we present Brian Whiddon’s story. Brian is the Managing Editor at WritersWeekly.com, and the Operations Manager at BookLocker.com, a full-service book publishing company. He is also the author of Blue Lives Matter: The Heart Behind the Badge.  Brian grew up rough (to put it mildly!), had run away three times by the age of 14, and then moved back home with the help of a friendly police officer. That gentleman was Brian’s inspiration to later serve vulnerable members of the population himself. Listen to this episode to find out what happened to the amazing police officer who literally changed Brian’s life.  Brian was kicked out of his home by his parents at 17 but was determined to finish high school, because a diploma was required to become a police officer. He then served in the United States Army for five years, which included a combat deployment in Somalia. (Wait until you hear the camel dust story, and about the time Brian and his two soldier buddies mooned a Colonel!) After leaving the Army, Brian finally got to live his dream career as a police officer. In this episode, you’ll hear first-hand Brian’s story of how he and another officer got repeatedly burned while pulling a man from a burning airplane. He shares other stressful, exciting, and even hilarious stories as well.  Tragically, after 15 years, the career he had dreamed about since the age of 13 was tragically stolen away from him, simply because he did the right thing. After witnessing police misconduct, and reporting it, Brian prevented an innocent young man from going to prison…and got fired for doing so.  How does a former law enforcement officer later become the Managing Editor for one of the first writing websites on the Internet, and the Operations Manager for one of the most well-known book publishing companies?  This episode is packed with emotion, humor, inspiration, and lots of human interest! (Did you know “beef sticks” in Korea are actually dog meat? No, Brian didn’t eat those!).  If you have ever wondered about the man behind the voice here on the WritersWeekly Podcast, you DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS ONE!  Repeat: GRAPHIC WARNING AT 1 HOUR, 3 MINUTES! (1:03) Text us directly and tell us what you think of this episode! Learn more at https://www.WritersWeekly.com

    1hr 55min

  2. 2 APR

    Episode 39 - Authors Who Had to Pay THOUSANDS After Being Sued

    In this episode, Angela and Brian share real stories about lawsuits that were filed against authors, and how those proceedings affected them financially…and otherwise. So many authors feel that, even if they get sued, they might win…so, no problem, right? WRONG! In the U.S., unless a case is declared frivolous by a judge, you might never get back all the money you spent defending yourself.  Another problem is the tremendous amount of stress authors must endure throughout the legal process, which can take months, or even years.  Listen to this episode, which is filled with examples of lawsuits filed against authors (and why), so you can hopefully avoid the legal pitfalls that could land you in court and can potentially lead to bankruptcy. Text us directly and tell us what you think of this episode! Learn more at https://www.WritersWeekly.com

    1hr 7min

  3. 26 MAR

    We Scambaited a Nigerian Scammer and HILARITY ENSUED!!!

    If you hate scammers, you're gonna LOVE this episode! Angela actually convinced this scammer to write an ARTICLE telling all about how he fools people into thinking he is a book marketer/freelance writer based in the USA, and convinces them to pay him for his "services." What's best is that he have all the messages and emails between Angela and this scammer, in which he reveals his deceptive techniques. Even after Angela revealed that she was a journalist who exposes scammers, he STILL tried to scam her! We even tried to pay him the $60 we offer for article submissions to WritersWeekly via PayPal. However, he insisted on being paid through a BANK TRANSFER!! We have a ton of laughs and education in store for you in this episode as we reveal this fool's brazen attempts to convince Angela that he was a legitimate writer and book marketer, all the while trying to get money from her. And the excuses he gives for what he's doing will FLOOR YOU.  Don't miss a second of this episode. You'll laugh yourself silly. Text us directly and tell us what you think of this episode! Learn more at https://www.WritersWeekly.com

    1hr 10min

  4. 21 MAR

    Episode 37: BEWARE! Fake "Services" Offered to Authors by Scammers

    In this episode, Angela and Brian go over the latest “services” that international scammers have dreamed up to suck authors’ bank accounts dry. They will even tell you that not buying some of these services could land you in jail! Don’t be taken in by these fraudsters! No longer is it simply offering “full publishing services” for rock-bottom, unbelievable prices (the “publisher” then disappears with your money).  No, they’ve taken their criminal activities to a whole new level! Now, once they reel you in as a “client,” you will then be offered things like an “international publishing license” or  “author insurance” (they’ll tell you it’s illegal to publish a book without those!), fake book-to-movie deals, a “global copyright” (there’s no such thing), premium editing services (by AI or someone who doesn’t speak English), and more completely fake “services” that will never get performed anyway.   They will even tell you that they have royalties waiting for you, but that YOU have to pay a processing fee up front to get them! (Of course, the royalty numbers are fake and the author never gets paid.) They’ll also give you a fake purchase order from a large bookstore (on that store’s stolen letterhead), saying YOU need to pay THOUSANDS to print the books up front…but you’ll get paid back later. That’s not how it works, folks, and no copies will get printed anyway!!!  We discuss many other creative FAKE services as well. Don’t miss this episode! Please share it with your friends and writing groups. It could save you or someone you care about THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS! Be sure to contact us if you suspect you might be the victim of a publishing scam! https://WritersWeekly.com/podcast https://Publishing.BookLocker.com Text us directly and tell us what you think of this episode! Learn more at https://www.WritersWeekly.com

    1hr 18min

  5. 20 FEB

    Episode 36 - "Why is Getting My Book Published So Scary?" Don't go it alone!!

    Traditional publishing? Self-publishing? Hybrid publishing? What's best for YOUR book? Is your manuscript even ready for publication? Who can help you determine that, ensuring a polished manuscript, and the best possible chance for future sales? The good news is, there is no need to walk the publishing path alone! In this episode, Angela and Brian explore the benefits of hiring an Author Coach to guide you through the publishing process. They go by a number of names: Publishing Coaches, Author Coaches, Book Coaches, Publishing Consultants, Author Representatives, and more. These are people who are well-versed in the book writing/publishing business, and can help you navigate through the publishing process, removing stress, and potentially saving you a LOT of time AND money. But, you need to make sure you hire a REAL coach,one who is a professional editor, a book marketing expert, and someone who can easily guide you to the finish line.  For many authors (new authors and senior citizens who may not be tech savvy), signing up with a publisher can be the beginning of an anxiety-riddled journey, filled with new terms, details, and processes they never imagined existed...much less understand. And, how do they know that the publisher they're considering using is fully working in their best interests?  That's where an Author Coach comes in. A good coach has already been through the publishing process numerous times, and knows what to expect, and what needs to be done. They can break down the process, which can seem overwhelming, into manageable parts. When you're not sure what the publisher is doing, or why, they can fill you in on the details so you'll be more at ease with the journey. And, they'll get you from A to Z much faster than if you were going it alone.  Would a publishing coach be a good investment for your book project? Tune in to this episode and find out. Text us directly and tell us what you think of this episode! Learn more at https://www.WritersWeekly.com

    46 min

  6. 5 FEB

    Episode 35: Prolific Author of 18 Books, Rickey Pittman, Shares His Secrets about Writing AND Book Selling!

    In this episode, we are joined by BookLocker.com author, Rickey Pittman, The Bard of the South!    Rickey is an author, musician, storyteller, historian, and college professor. His major focus is on Southern America. He unearths and creatively covers old stories that tell of the South’s rich history, struggles, and unique identity. And, his fiction is AMAZING, too! (Read more about that under Episode 35 at https://writersweekly.com/podcast.)    Rickey performs all around the Southern states as “The Bard of the South,” with a style that mixes old southern ballads with even older Celtic folk music. He is just as comfortable playing for a Highland Days event as he is playing for a Civil War re-enactment. Some of his songs seem reminiscent of something one may have heard while sitting around a fire with Davie Crockett and the boys. You can find many of his songs on YouTube.     Rickey's writing interests span from biographies of little-known local celebrities (like the sea captain who became a mayor of New Orleans) to dark fiction that brings you into the mysterious underground occult world of the Big Easy. (That one is part autobiographical, by the way!).     Did you know that Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederate States, actually adopted a young black boy to rescue him from abusive parents, only to have the child snatched away when the South lost the war? Rickey’s book, Jim Limber Davis: A Black Orphan in the Confederate White House, tells the sad story.     Rickey has published twelve books with BookLocker.com, and has published 18 books in all over the years.     Rickey also puts a lot of miles on his car, AND on his guitar. He travels all over the south, performing and marketing his books.   Here, on Episode #35 of the WritersWeekly Podcast, Rickey discusses where he gets the ideas for what books to write, his writing style and schedule, and, most importantly, his marketing strategy.     Join us for a fun-filled hour with a man who can be described as an “encyclopedia” of the South. You might just find yourself craving some cornbread and crawdads! Text us directly and tell us what you think of this episode! Learn more at https://www.WritersWeekly.com

    1hr 3min

  7. 30 JAN

    EPISODE 34: When Fake 1-Star “Book Reviews” Are Actually Character Assassinations of Authors

    Have YOU, too, received a bad book review that was all about you and not about your book at all? JOIN THE CLUB! In this episode, we share several real examples sent to us by authors who have been the victims of this type of vendetta online. We also share how you can respond to these personal attacks with maturity and class. And, by doing so, you can save your book sales!  =======================================================  You’ve finally gotten your book published! With pride similar to a new parent, you keep checking the various sales platforms, and watch the reviews start coming in.   Suddenly, a 1-STAR review comes in. Is someone is trashing your book? You read through the review to figure out what the person disliked about it. But, it doesn’t mention anything specific about your book at all. They didn’t even read it!  What's worse than someone trashing your book without reading it? When a so-called “book reviewer” attacks you, personally, as an author. Instead of writing anything about the book, they criticize you, attack your character, and worse! It’s happening ALL OVER!!! In many instances, the authors knows exactly who posted the fake 1-star review!   But, Amazon still won’t remove those fake 1-star reviews!  Welcome to the Wild West World of online book reviews in the current age! People have left the manners and morals at the door!!  In this episode, we explore the issues that accompany this feature of online mega-bookstores. We share real stories from authors who have had their books maligned by family members, ex-lovers, rival authors (yes, really!), disgruntled employees, neighbors, and, in some cases, online bots! Did you know there are businesses people can PAY to bombard someone else’s book listings with bad reviews?   It’s the Internet, folks – and almost anything goes. You need to listen to this episode to prepare yourself for what is out there, learn how to counter those fake 1-star reviews, and prevent your book sales from tanking.  Text us directly and tell us what you think of this episode! Learn more at https://www.WritersWeekly.com

    1hr 4min

  8. 17 JAN

    Episode 33 - Tough 91-Year-Old Author of 5 Books Refuses to Bow to Scammer's Extortion Attempts!

    In this week's episode, Brian and Angela welcome friendly and feisty Bob Wahl to the podcast! Bob is 91 years young, and is the author of five books. He contacted a company called Authors Hike / AuthorsHike.com to help promote his books. After paying them $4,000, he was shown a web page that had a graphic of more than 1400 (fake!) "orders" for his book. Author's Hike then tried to scam Mr. Wahl into paying to have those books printed.  He reached out to WritersWeekly, which, of course, exposed Author's Hike's scam to the world.  When Author's Hike realized they'd been exposed, that's when the threats and attempted extortion began... You don't want to miss this one!!! Text us directly and tell us what you think of this episode! Learn more at https://www.WritersWeekly.com

    1hr 10min
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About

From the creators of WritersWeekly.com, the WritersWeekly Podcast delves into everything involving professional writing. WritersWeekly.com has been helping and informing writers and authors for over 25 years. We cover book publishing, article writing, getting writing gigs, paying markets, writing technology, etc. 

Information

  • Creator
    Brian Whiddon
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    40
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The WritersWeekly Podcast
  • Show Website
    The WritersWeekly Podcast
  • Provider

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