Bright & Ambitious - Writing, Revising, Sharing Your Next Novel

Kailey Bright
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A podcast dedicated to learning, collaborating, and celebrating the art of writing! Join indie author Kailey Bright and guests from across the publishing world for monthly deep dives into all aspects of the writing process.

  1. Why Authors Need Newletters

    JAN 27

    Why Authors Need Newletters

    With so many social media options, authors may be tempted on skipping out on a newsletter. But as it turns out, newsletters are actually one of the most important resources indie authors have. In this episode of Bright & Ambitious, Kailey Bright talks with Rachel A. Greco (author of The Firebird and The Gift of Dragons series) about how to make sure you release newletters consistently, get your audience engaged, and why newletters are one of the most important tools authors can utilize. Links: Read Greco’s Books or sign up for her newsletter Check out The Un Series By Kailey Bright Also available on Kindle Unlimited Sign up for Kailey Bright’s monthly newsletter Music by Stream Cafe

  2. Making Your Sci-Fi World Feel Alive

    12/30/2025

    Making Your Sci-Fi World Feel Alive

    When you’re building a whole new world from scratch, it’s easy to get lost in all of the small details. But when your characters are literally inhuman, how do you make sure they are still relatable to your readers? In this episode of Bright & Ambitious, Kailey Bright talks with Sophia L. Hansen, author of Water’s Break about how she came up with her narrative, developed her aquatic world, and the best tools authors can use to make their stories come to life. Links: Read Water’s Break Read Sophia’s articles and short stories Referenced in the episode: gohavok.com nietz.com Check out The Un Series By Kailey Bright Also available on Kindle Unlimited Music by Stream Cafe

  3. I Interviewed My Favorite Authors at YALLfest

    11/25/2025

    I Interviewed My Favorite Authors at YALLfest

    YALLfest 2025 may be over, but we’re still not over the experience! In this episode of Bright & Ambitious, indie author Kailey Bright shares her experience of the two-day extravaganza, as well as the exclusive mini-interviews she recorded with authors like Marissa Meyer, Victoria Aveyard, Rebecca Ross, and more! Links: Check out the other BookTok pages we interviewed! Tay’s Cafe SBU English Club Mikayla’s Meadow The Un Series Paperbacks Also available on Kindle Unlimited Music by Stream Cafe

  4. How to Write (Actually) Scary Stories

    10/28/2025

    How to Write (Actually) Scary Stories

    Some scary movies use jump scares as a cheap trick to get a startle out of you, but if you’re writing a horror novel, you don’t get the same luxury. How do you make your writing actually scary, and why would you want to in the first place? In this episode of Bright & Ambitious, Kailey Bright talks with horror novelist Gaeli Love Weiss (Stagnant Water) about the role scary stories have played in her life, how she’s developed terrifying monsters, and how they can be used to explore terrors scarier than fiction. Links: Read Stagnant Water by Gaeli Love Weiss Check out The Un Series By Kailey Bright Also available on Kindle Unlimited Music by Stream Cafe Gaeli’s horror suggestions: (WARNING: Some of these books get real graphic!) Sharp Objects - Gillian Flyn The Terror - Dan Simmons The Haunting of Hill House - Shirley Jackson How High We Go in the Dark - Sequoia Nagamatsu The Boatman’s Daughter - Andy Davidson It - Stephen King Rosemary’s Baby - Ira Levins Maeve Fly - CJ Leede

  5. Why Sensitivity Readers Are So Important

    09/30/2025

    Why Sensitivity Readers Are So Important

    We’ve all heard the advice “write what you know,” but what happens when you want to tell a story about a character with different life experience than your own? How do you make a diverse story, and how can you make sure you do so well? In this episode of Bright & Ambitious, Kailey Bright talks with indie author and editor Whitney McGruder (The Throwaway Queen, The Destiney Seeker duology) about how to develop diverse stories, why diversity matters, and how sensitivity readers can be essential to the success of your story. Links: Pre-order The Vindicated Queen or check out Whitney’s other books Referenced in the episode: Aparna Verma (The Burning Queen) Salt and Sage Books (Book Consultants) Check out The Un Series By Kailey Bright Also available on Kindle Unlimited Music by Stream Cafe

  6. Does Your Story REALLY need Beta Readers?

    08/26/2025

    Does Your Story REALLY need Beta Readers?

    After you’ve already completed multiple drafts of your story, it can be tempting to skip out on what can feel like an unnecessary step. But beta reading can be one of the most important steps in the entire publishing process. In this episode of Bright & Ambitious, Kailey Bright talks with E.H. Taylor, author of the upcoming YA romantasy novel “The Heart Box” about how to find the best beta readers for your novel, why the process matters, and how to avoid the pitfalls of “fast fiction.” LINKS: Read E.H. Taylors Previous stories Check out The Un Series By Kailey Bright Also available on Kindle Unlimited Music by Stream Cafe

  7. Book Publishing 101

    07/29/2025

    Book Publishing 101

    View the Presentation Here. Every writer dreams of having their book on store shelves, but it can be intimidating to try to figure out the path to publishing alone. In this episode of Bright & Ambitious, YA author Kailey Bright explains the differences between traditional publishing houses and self publishing, how to get your book published with one of the big 5, and the steps taken to get your book from your head to your readers hands. Links: Check out The Un Series By Kailey Bright Also available on Kindle Unlimited Music by Stream Cafe

  8. Committing to Your Bold Decisions

    06/24/2025

    Committing to Your Bold Decisions

    From choosing a target audience to picking out your book cover, being an author requires a lot of bold, difficult choices. How do you know you’ve made the right decision? In this episode of Bright & Ambitious, Kailey Bright talks to fellow self-published author Rebecca Garner about writing for an overlooked audience, recording her own audiobook, and how she responded after her book was banned from an event. Links: Read The Emma Bishop Series by Rebecca Garner Also available on Kindle Unlimited Music by Stream Cafe

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A podcast dedicated to learning, collaborating, and celebrating the art of writing! Join indie author Kailey Bright and guests from across the publishing world for monthly deep dives into all aspects of the writing process.

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