Writer Craft Podcast

Valerie Ihsan
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Books
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to the Writer Craft Podcast, a show about creativity and craft. Remember when you told your sister stories in the night, snuggled under the covers of your waterbed? Or read books from the public library that delighted you? And now you've written your own novel. But will it change someone's life? Is it a good enough book? Does it even work on the story level? On the Writer Craft Podcast, we help authors stay motivated and inspired, finish their books, and show them how to analyze and diagnose areas of challenge in their manuscripts once it's written.

  1. 3d ago

    Balance and Flow with Steven Puri

    Main Topic:  Balance and Flow with Steven Puri     PATREON: Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS EACH MONTH, you can BACK me at $55.55/mo USD). You will NEVER find coaching sessions for less money than this. If you've ever wanted continued support for your writing and accountability for your projects, this is the way to do it.    Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan.    And you can support my friend and colleague and Visiting Co-Host author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre.      Announcements/Author Updates: I've started looking into specific venues for the retreat here in Costa Rica, and I'm working on the sales page. If you are interested in the updates on the retreat, you can subscribe to the waitlist at  https://valerieihsan.com/retreat. And if you are retreat alumni, look for an email coming very soon. UPDATE: Date for Free Mini writing retreat for patron members (paid and unpaid) is Thursday, August 27th at 5:00 p.m. MT. 2 hours long (cozy, candle; oracle card pull to set intention; check-in: 1 struggle, 1 win, what you are working on tonight; guided meditation; writing words; share word count (optional)); The link is in the last post in Patreon. Client work Structure and Spark (writing process and book planning) What are you reading? Just finished:  • Creative Act (Rick Rubin)  Fiction: Cold Comfort Farm (Stella Gibbons)     (Main Topic): Steven Puri is one of the few people on Earth who has been a senior executive at two motion picture studios and also raised over $20MM in venture capital. He's produced the digital effects for Independence Day which won the Oscar for Visual Effects and in addition to his film work, he's founded 3 start-ups - one successful exit and two failures. He lectures now on the lessons in sustainable high-performance he learned working alongside some of the world's more productive people. Flow states can help writers do better work with less friction. Concentrated state, "Flow" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi; Being "In the Zone", muses, river to paddle, but align my boat with the current. How to drop into flow: Charles Limb, look at brains of jazz musicians, prefrontal cortex stops when they drop in to the music. Music, 60-90 beats per minutes, d minor, non vocal, lulling, long melodical passages, (not love or hate it) Film composers binaural beats in headphones stimulates the brain to pay attention in a different way. Rain triggers it too. What kind of sound works for you the best to reach that flow state? Are you going to get that book out of you in this lifetime? Have to have the skills, but not phone it in, challenged, believe it's meaningful.       Find Us:   Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan  Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor Tools: ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)

  2. Jul 22

    The Ten of Swords Business Plan: Pivots and Tweaks After One Year of Full-Time Writing with JP Rindfleisch IX

    Main Topic:  Pockets of Pivots: Pivoting and Tweaking Your Way Through the First Year as a Full-Time Writer with repeat guest JP Rindfleisch IX       PATREON: Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS EACH MONTH, you can BACK me at $55.55/mo USD). You will NEVER find coaching sessions for less money than this. If you've ever wanted continued support for your writing and accountability for your projects, this is the way to do it.    Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan.    And you can support my friend and colleague and Visiting Co-Host author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre.      Announcements/Author Updates: I've started looking into specific venues for the retreat here in Costa Rica, and I'm going to start working on the sales page today. If you are interested in the updates on the retreat, you can subscribe to the waitlist at  https://valerieihsan.com/retreat. And if you are retreat alumni, look for an email coming very soon. UPDATE: Date for Free Mini writing retreat for patron members (paid and unpaid) is Thursday, August 27th at 5:00 p.m. MT. 2 hours long (cozy, candle; oracle card pull to set intention; check-in: 1 struggle, 1 win, what you are working on tonight; guided meditation; writing words; share word count (optional)); The link is in the last post in Patreon. There's a new essay up in Patreon, What are you reading? Just finished:  Mosswood Apothecary (JP Rindfleisch IX) The Reliable Narrator (Grace Sammon) Creative Act (Rick Rubin)  Fiction: Cold Comfort Farm (Stella Gibbons) Do Less by Kate Northrup   (Main Topic):   JP Rindfleisch IX (he/they) writes stories where whimsy meets the weird — cozy queer fantasy and strange fiction about grief, transformation, and unapologetic queer joy. Their first solo novel, Mandrake Manor, won the 2025 IPPY Silver Medal in LGBTQ+ Fiction, the 2024 Reader Ready Award TOP PICK, and a 2023 American Writing Awards Finalist nod. Since then, the catalog has kept growing: Mosswood Apothecary (Tales of Valdaes), (Valdayus) a complete six-book dark paranormal academy series co-written with A.B. Cohen, the paranormal comedy NRDS: National Recently Deceased Services with Jeff Elkins, and more still coming. Away from fiction, JP is a Three Story Method Certified Editor and Dialogue Doctor, the author of the craft guide Story Hypothesis: The Missing Piece of Your Fiction Puzzle, and current co-host of Write Wrong Repeat. They also founded Rockford Area Writers — because someone told them writing was a solitary practice, and they disagreed. The community is now 80+ members strong. JP lives in Rockford, Illinois, with a very chatty African grey parrot and a husky with strong feelings about the walk schedule. When they're not writing, you'll find them cooking something vegan or somewhere on a trail. Represented by Elaine Spencer of The Knight Agency, who has placed five audiobook deals with Tantor Media and Simon Maverick. "The Post Glam of Full-Time Authoring, One year out"     Good progress with ads, and then paid ads started dropping off, so doubled down on having more presence. TikTok Lives, talking events, book fairs, draining but what I enjoy, revenue vs what am I enjoying. Rediscovered joys Values shifted, Tarot reminds you monthly; want to vs have to;  Body doubles help with accountability. Sunday Social Media, schedule it out, ability to play is most important   Wake up, walk dog, desk work all morning with pomodoro 30/5, body double on Zoom or TwitchStreams; what can I get done or what's loudest. Morning is creative time; afternoons are for TikTok lives, pack orders, talk to people about books. Lives are "in-person" events.  TwitchLives are Virtual Book Events.   Input: JP is reading right now: One Last Stop (sapphic romance by Casey McQuiston); Upgrade (Blake Crouch)   Want to get used to local events. Rule: it's still worth my time if there are authors at the book event that I can network with. What are the good events in the area? Go to more and more selective ones. Look at their past attendance; refine your book pitch (say them fast)(TikTok hook); practice with fast form short videos, do multiple times to see what works. (learn to say No if not well attended) Knowing your why. Goal is to sell. But know the area writers, what works in the area. Friendship with bookstores, ways the city can uplift, arts councils.      Slump, persistence to correct the dip, checks and balances: recognize patterns, being more honest about what's working, not working, overworking, making sure the various things I spend time on will move the needle forward.   How can I have more community - Writer's Ink Podcast sometimes, The Dialogue Doctor sometimes, Write, Wrong, Repeat.  Pre-orders: Belladonna Bed and Breakfast, Bone and Ward; new audiobook: Mosswood Apothecary Family time and vacation time.  Schedule in the free time.         Find Us:   Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan  Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor Tools: ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)

  3. Jul 14

    Creating a Writing Wheel: Using the Wheel of Life to Analyze Your Writing Life

    (Main Topic):   Wheel of Life overview: health, friends/family, significant other, personal growth, fun and leisure, home environment, career, money   What is your satisfaction in these areas? Goal: level them out for a smoother ride. It's not to increase all the levels to 10.   Ask instead: What # do you want this section to be at? What needs to happen for you to get that # where you want it to be?   Wheel of Writing Life: Health (Are you fit enough to sit at a desk and write?); Family/friends (found family/tribe) Are they supportive?; Admin/Promotion/Meta Data (awards, contests, book events, pitching podcasts, website updates); Money Flow (basic needs met through a combo of income streams); Author Career (how many books published, platform? What's your definition of success?); Production (includes writing schedule and publishing schedule, goals); Environment (office, coffee shop, quiet work space?); Industry Resources/Development (classes, retreat, conferences) Find Us:   Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan  Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor

  4. Jul 2

    Writing, Traveling, and Trauma Healing: A Last Ditch Effort to Be Heard, with David Deane Haskell

    Main Topic:  Writing, Traveling, and Trauma Healing: A Last Ditch Effort to Be Heard, with David Dean Haskell PATREON: Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS EACH MONTH, you can BACK me at $55.55/mo USD). You will NEVER find coaching sessions for less money than this. If you've ever wanted continued support for your writing and accountability for your projects, this is the way to do it.    Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan.    And you can support my friend and colleague and Visiting Co-Host author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre.      Announcements/Author Updates: I'm getting really happy with my retreat planning. I just finished working on the list of benefits a writer will receive from attending the retreat and they are so good, you guys.  If you are interested in the updates on the retreat, you can subscribe to the waitlist at  https://valerieihsan.com/retreat. UPDATE: Date for Free Mini writing retreat for patron members (paid and unpaid) is Thursday, August 27th at 5:00 p.m. MT. 2 hours long (cozy, candle; oracle card pull to set intention; check-in: 1 struggle, 1 win, what you are working on tonight; guided meditation; writing words; share word count (optional));  There's a new essay up in Patreon, What are you reading? Just finished:  Mosswood Apothecary (JP Rindfleisch IX) Creative Act (Rick Rubin)  The Reliable Narrator (Grace Sammon) Do Less by Kate Northrup   (Main Topic): David Deane Haskell, speculative fiction writer and author of Wounded Angels: A Memoir That Lights the Path to Your Own Inner Child Healing Notes: His work explores that reckoning—through failure, obsession, and the slow reconstruction of the fractured self. Across speculative fiction, memoir-driven essays, and recovery-centered writing, he returns to outsiders, seekers, and wounded people trying to become whole without abandoning the parts of themselves that helped them survive. 0. David, you reached out to me after the publication of The Solarian Deep (a speculative science fiction novel built around an alien ocean). You're mostly a sci/fi writer but you've also written memoir. I write both too, and I've always thought that fiction and truth are often -- if not always -- side by side in both novels and memoir. Can you speak to how a story (whether it is fiction or non) carries emotional truth without turning it into explaining/telling/info-dumping? I am who I am. The inner-child is the past, present day travels essays, future. It's a continuum. What's going on the world in space, or in a novel. Deepens as I write it. There are no rules.  1. David, you wrote sci-fi for several years before writing your memoir (and I feel like I'm doing it in reverse order). What had you turn your attention inward when it's been in other realms for so long? Writing came late (college). Kindle revolution. Went for it. Published first four books, five year writer's block. Got sober, spiritual and emotional healing. Floodgates open 2024. Fiction first, and then chronicled healing 6 weeks for every morning. 2. You've been traveling around Asia for a year, right? What lead you to that decision, and how do you (or did you) think it would affect your writing process? Has it been a distraction or have you settled into a traveling writing routine? (You brought up discipline in your email. What do you want to say about that?)(A lot of times I feel like I don't have any discipline, but there is plenty of evidence that states otherwise.) Two years of traveling. Was supposed to be in the Philippines right now, but wanted to stay in Japan. Vertigo and got a concussion. Not leaving now.   Stay in places for a month or two in order to write. Every location is difference.  Discipline in the business side, but writing is more on and off (in the flow). Using Voice to Text to write.    2.5. How has travel changed your writing?  Deepened the inner child work (healing work), travel gives me new triggers and stressors, deepened sense of self, experiences inform the fiction writing. Thought about fictionalizing The Planner Boy part of him. Fun project. 2.75. You said on a previous interview that "writing is the healing." I know that journaling is a life-saver, and my goal in publishing memoir has mostly been a connection-based intention -- wanting to make a difference in someone's life and feeling that resonance of connecting with like-minded people. What do you think is a more powerful healing tool -- the journaling or the letting go of the work and releasing to whomever needs to find it? Fiction is about sharing, nonfiction writing is the service. The inner work happens in seclusion. Publishing is for inspiring other to heal. Is of service.  3. I heard that you had a follow-up memoir coming this year. I'm also a multiple memoir writer. I thought I'd be writing more during the process of moving and getting settled into Costa Rica, but I'm seeing that both my previous memoirs had years and years of distance from the events to the time of writing, and now I'm worried that I'll have "nothing to write" (isn't that every writer's worst worry?) while I'm waiting for the current memoir to marinate. What is the second memoir about and did your writing process between the two memoirs change? Kept writing after Wounded Angels, got divorced, Inner Child Unleashed's first line, "I got divorced today." Left Japan, started traveling. Book ended without my consent. "Oh. I wrote the last chapter." 4. How does the drumming fit in to it all? What influence has music had on your writing? Professional drummer in DisneyLand for years. In The Blue Devils band. National Indonesian Marching Band.  Music informs the writing. Peer to peer friendships didn't work when a child/teen; but I could get on stage and drum and play piano; able to be heard.  Drumming had fallen away because of the drugs and alcohol.  And that was how I expressed. Writing became last desperate effort to be heard. Find David on Substack and get free fiction on his website.       Find Us:   Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan  Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor

  5. Jun 25

    How Trusting Your Inner Wisdom and Power Helps Your Writing with Tatyana Gosh

    (Main Topic):  Tatyana Gosh is a holistic life and business coach, empowerment mentor, and yoga practitioner born in Bulgaria and based globally. She focuses on helping women overcome personal limitations, heal from trauma, and align their lives through conscious entrepreneurship, relationships, and spirituality.   Notes: Our work is similar. Yours is based on empowering women to understand and trust themselves, connect with their soul journey and reject the conditioning of seeking advice from outward authorities, but instead trusting and honoring their intuition and connecting with their inner divinity. And my work, it's become clear to me, is to teach people (writers) how to FIND that inner authority (soul), how to HEAR our SoulSpeak, and marry the ego and the soul so they dance together, and then write from THAT place, our words more vibrant, alive, and honest. So the reader can see themselves represented on the page. Witnessed. The ultimate connection.   1. Tell us how you got started in this work and why it's meaningful to you. Important to guide person if we've made it through. More educated the better. Constantly striving for promotion. Break up, discovered spiritual side after heartbreak and through yoga. Quit corporate. Eat, Pray, Love for ten years. Studying too much. Makes less confident! But wait. I'm already confident. Self-love. Full presence! Before guiding, self-hypnosis and "prayer" intention. Take time for ourselves.  2. Daily IG Lives for a trust exercise. Channel in the moment (learning how), wasn't able to hold the floor before and now my throat opened. "Impressing" and the channel will close. Performing to impress. Be honest in front of the audience.  30-day challenge. What's coming through in the moment. Pitching is "convincing" but from connection place. Pitching is performing. Connection is planting a seed.  3. What do you think about re-parenting and nurturing the inner child that was hurt and started pulling back from sight? Does it work? How do you go about doing that? Used to see value in it when relying on therapy, now it's about what unlock the power now. Stop carrying the stories and looking bad. Look forward now. Power is in the now, in action. Reject the story that is old instead of holding the little girl, poor me. We are so powerful, we don't have time to be a victim. Sway your dragon tail. Surround with people you are equal with. Humans, not companions. We are all here to learn.  4. I'm still on this journey and find that I need daily reminders of my personal power and magic and that it's safe to seek my inner wisdom. What tips do you have for a person to remind themselves lovingly and often what a divine badass goddess (god) we are? It's a practice. It becomes more simple. The mental process is a struggle. Feminine led business about honest, vulnerable, channel.  FOMO is strong. Selling the "framework" for performance. Remember: this isn't authentic for you. Being in nature, solo walks, be in the room with our same Truth-seeking. Our bodies are attuned to truth. Train your inner knowing every day. Daily listening. Trust.  Jacqueline shaw stop listening to social media if you want to write your own message. Just practice. And block the people that you'd feel "cringe" if you don't want to be fully seen. The work is to share and connect, in whatever medium. Discover our top three values in life. Connection, truth, growth. The content we create, and our decisions in life even are based on our values. Jumping off spot. Emotional energy "should" be free, but Intellectual energy can charge. Give people their power. Coaching 1:1, next month will launch group Empowerment Circle 4 months to start ($166/mo), Iamfireheart.com activate fiery courage.   If people can't see my magic, our throat is closes, energetic protection.  Mission is  And don't forget: Go to valerieihsan.com to schedule a free consultation to see if Aligned Author is right for you.   Find Us:   Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan  Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor Tools: ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)

  6. Jun 15

    Writing a Bridge Between the Physical and Spiritual Worlds with Rondalyn Whitney

    Main Topic: Writing a Bridge Between the Physical and Spiritual Worlds with guest Rondalyn Whitney Rondalyn Whitney is a writer and mental health occupational therapist whose work thrives at the intersection of storytelling and real-life healing. After losing her husband in an automobile accident and becoming a solo parent, Rondalyn has made it her mission to show that mourning is an occupation just as vital as any job or role. She brings that same realness to her writing, exploring how narrative and journal writing can help others process grief, especially widows struggling to find meaning and resilience.   With her background in narrative medicine, mental health, and family-centered care, Rondalyn translates complex ideas into human language, guiding others to see how writing can transform pain into growth. She would bring not only expertise but genuine heart to your audience, sharing personal experience and practical ideas that resonate with writers facing life's hardest moments.   PATREON: Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS EACH MONTH, you can BACK me at $55.55/mo USD). You will NEVER find coaching sessions for less money than this. If you've ever wanted continued support for your writing and accountability for your projects, this is the way to do it.    Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan.    And you can support my friend and colleague and Visiting Co-Host author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre.      Announcements/Author Updates: designing my next writing retreat in Costa Rica. My first international retreat (even though I live here) so there are a lot more moving pieces than I first imagined. Taking a four-month course to get me through all the legalities and best practices. If you are interested in the updates on the retreat, you can go to valerieihsan.com/retreat. request to bring back a regular patron gathering for all members (paid and unpaid) Mini writing retreat (cozy, candle; oracle card pull to set intention; check-in: 1 struggle, 1 win, what you are working on tonight; guided meditation; writing words; share word count (optional)); PLEASE send me a DM or a comment where you heard this podcast, or in the Patreon community. Let me know if this is something you crave. It's not just shared writing space. It's a retreat from regular life (dishes, dogs, kids, day job) and a safe and sacred space to connect and to write. husband's birthday yesterday saying goodbye to Radar Saturday email day isn't working for me -- need to go through it every day lots of input/education, trying to fit in homework around client work What are you reading? Just finished:   Creative Act (Rick Rubin)  Mosswood Apothecary (JP Rindfleisch IX) The Reliable Narrator (Grace Sammon)   (Main Topic):  Rondalyn Whitney is a writer and mental health occupational therapist whose work thrives at the intersection of storytelling and real-life healing. After losing her husband in an automobile accident and becoming a solo parent, Rondalyn has made it her mission to show that mourning is an occupation just as vital as any job or role. She brings that same realness to her writing, exploring how narrative and journal writing can help others process grief, especially widows struggling to find meaning and resilience.   With her background in narrative medicine, mental health, and family-centered care, Rondalyn translates complex ideas into human language, guiding others to see how writing can transform pain into growth. As a Narrative Medicine Practitioner, she takes pride in using her expertise on Stress Reduction through Journal Writing to bridge the gap between the physical and spiritual parts of people's lives, including her own. Her writings explore multi-faceted and complex topics such as grief, loss, motherhood, and the spiritual world with depth and humor.    Notes: handwriting connects a loop in the brain. Journal writing James Pennybaker's work said emotional laden words on the page, healing response, increasing immune system; creates wonderful outcome. (Manifesting, RAS.) Reduce sense of fear, anxiety, loss (stress) creates an opening to what is present. first create nothing (sitting with emptiness and finding comfort with that) afraid of emptiness dev with emptiness in a story. W/o understanding it. Or that you"know the answer" before you even talk to the patient/client/character Ask our character's what's up? What's going on today? (Author) intersubjectivity (artist, art, third piece of the puzzle) (author, character, story) What's happening in that triangle? Take a nap while you write the professional chapter. inner artist child-like playful, curious sees things differently. Make up own language. (Boyaful, deer dog), open to magical moments how would a child describe this? What does this taste/smell/sound/feel like? Is it heavy?  actually is no gap between physical and spiritual world, but writing is physical: muscles, brain, holding a physical object, in a physical space on a physical object. So, what is coming to you?spirit (own or universal source; spirit is always talking to us)  Writing is active listening. the more in tuned (attuned) you are Creating a clear environment, practice sitting in emptiness, "Look! This one is empty over here" creativity/spirit flows the least resistance.  Artists listen to something different. creative/meaningful get better faster. OT - artistic endeavor to apply; "Huh, that counts." (Poetry) Habits of Widows (journaling); Lies in the Afterlife (creative nonfiction, funny book about death); Unpublished: Current Title: Nothing for the Devil. (No man has a voice in the book) McCoys feud with Hatfield. Retelling of feud with female voices; Dating in the Afterlife (Fictionalize it into several women's stories). (Parts of self: Pig Tail Girl; Yesterday Me, Today Me, Tomorrow Me) Three ways to talk about death: short and simple, medium-length version, graphic detail (used only for the purpose of making someone else feel bad when they've been mean to you).  Ways to be invisible by choice: hat, shields up, wonder women bracelet. TRIANGLE: bring self to page, page is waiting, source comes. if spirit is a flow, make space, we are the path of least resistance. how find the voice of a character practice the emptiness Nothing was something, it was an opening for something to come in. linkedin, FB, website, IG/TikTok And don't forget: Go to valerieihsan.com to schedule a free consultation to see if Aligned Author is right for you.   Find Us:   Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan  Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor Tools: ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)

  7. Jun 3

    Growing Your Writing Community

    PATREON: Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS EACH MONTH, you can BACK me at $55.55/mo USD). You will NEVER find coaching sessions for less money than this. If you've ever wanted continued support for your writing and accountability for your projects, this is the way to do it.    Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan.    And you can support my friend and colleague and Visiting Co-Host author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre.      Announcements/Author Updates: designing my next writing retreat in Costa Rica. My first international retreat (even though I live here) so there are a lot more moving pieces than I first imagined. Taking a four-month course to get me through all the legalities and best practices. If you are interested in the updates on the retreat, you can go to valerieihsan.com/retreat. request to bring back a regular patron gathering for all members (paid and unpaid) Mini writing retreat (cozy, candle; oracle card pull to set intention; check-in: 1 struggle, 1 win, what you are working on tonight; guided meditation; writing words; share word count (optional)); PLEASE send me a DM or a comment where you heard this podcast, or in the Patreon community. Let me know if this is something you crave. It's not just shared writing space. It's a retreat from regular life (dishes, dogs, kids, day job) and a safe and sacred space to connect and to write. talking with the architect, nailing down our must-haves, and waiting to approve the latest layout design, then there will be an initial payment and we'll then get a 3D rendering of the house. half to drive north to sign a document (complications with names and lawyers)   What are you reading? Just finished:  Soul Sourced Entrepreneur (Christine Kane) and Rain Delay (Erick Mertz - beta read) Creative Act (Rick Rubin)  Mosswood Apothecary (JP Rindfleisch IX) The Reliable Narrator (Grace Sammon)   (Main Topic):  Notes: Google Search and ChatGPT search for English-speaking writing groups, critique groups, organizations, retreats, workshops, and conferences. CR colleagues in the writing world, ask them how they stay connected and keep writing ask my personal community/neighbors if there are any writers check online to find a good fit (perhaps ones already peripherally a part of), and re-engage accountability buddy (check-in via text/email, meet in person, chat through video calls, write together via video call) paid accountability (Rachael Herron's Write With Me), (micro-writing retreats for my patrons), book coaching online conferences, online summits, online masterclasses and workshops writing organizations often have online components. in this globalized world we live in now, we are never alone.    And don't forget: Go to valerieihsan.com to schedule a free consultation to see if Aligned Author is right for you.   Find Us:   Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan  Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor

  8. May 28

    Truth-Telling in Fiction and Memoir with Grace Sammon

    Main Topic: Truth-Telling in Fiction and Memoir with Grace Sammon But our conversation spans The Difference Between Telling Your Truth and Owning Your Truth; The Ghostwriter as a Literary Device; and Why Fiction Holds What Memoir Sometimes Can't; Who Owns the Truth and what Silence costs us; invisibility, and relevance. (Really interesting conversation.) PATREON: Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS EACH MONTH, you can BACK me at $55.55/mo USD). You will NEVER find coaching sessions for less money than this. If you've ever wanted continued support for your writing and accountability for your projects, this is the way to do it.    Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan.    And you can support my friend and colleague and Visiting Co-Host author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre.      Announcements/Author Updates: designing my next writing retreat in Costa Rica. My first international retreat (even though I live here) so there are a lot more moving pieces than I first imagined. Taking a four-month course to get me through all the legalities and best practices. If you are interested in the updates on the retreat, you can go to valerieihsan.com/retreat. request to bring back a regular patron gathering for all members (paid and unpaid) Mini writing retreat (cozy, candle; oracle card pull to set intention; check-in: 1 struggle, 1 win, what you are working on tonight; guided meditation; writing words; share word count (optional)); PLEASE send me a DM or a comment where you heard this podcast, or in the Patreon community. Let me know if this is something you crave. It's not just shared writing space. It's a retreat from regular life (dishes, dogs, kids, day job) and a safe and sacred space to connect and to write. talking with the architect, nailing down our must-haves half to drive north to sign a document (complications with names and lawyers)   What are you reading? Just finished:   Soul Sourced Entrepreneur (Christine Kane) Mosswood Apothecary (JP Rindfleisch IX) The Reliable Narrator (Grace Sammon) Back-burner Books: (Still on the stack but haven't finished reading them yet...) Creative Act (Rick Rubin)  Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman;  (Main Topic):  Notes: 1. As a novelist, a memoirist, and an author looking into offering ghostwriting services, I was super intrigued by many of your talking points in your media kit. I hope we get to talk about all my favorites. Let's start with Why Fiction Holds What Memoir Sometimes Can't. That's a juicy statement! A place for both; memoir is huge right now; tell our story to ourselves first, and then to others next. Hear a story better as fiction sometimes. Why you are writing the book?   2. I'm a sucker for books about authors, and the last novel that had that hook was also about a ghostwriter, what can you say about using the ghostwriter as a literary device? Fascinated by the job and wanted to dive into that; For instance, what is it like to see your book hit the NYT Bestseller List without your name on it? We see her through the stories she's writing.   3. Difference Between Telling the Truth and Owning Your Truth. Experienced childhood abuse, can you hide behind your own story, what are these effects on me, Invisibility starts when you lose your roles and don't have anything to talk about it. Relevance, meaning, purpose. 4. Who Owns the Truth? And What does silence cost us as women and as authors? (GoShiftKey.com,  Joelle)    And don't forget: Go to valerieihsan.com to schedule a free consultation to see if Aligned Author is right for you.   Find Us:   Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan  Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor Tools: ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)

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5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Writer Craft Podcast, a show about creativity and craft. Remember when you told your sister stories in the night, snuggled under the covers of your waterbed? Or read books from the public library that delighted you? And now you've written your own novel. But will it change someone's life? Is it a good enough book? Does it even work on the story level? On the Writer Craft Podcast, we help authors stay motivated and inspired, finish their books, and show them how to analyze and diagnose areas of challenge in their manuscripts once it's written.

Information

  • Creator
    Valerie Ihsan
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    221
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    Writer Craft Podcast

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