The Author's Mind

Shilo Creed

The Author’s Mind takes you behind the scenes of bestselling fiction—one author at a time. From plotting secrets to productivity hacks, industry truths to creative breakthroughs, this show gives writers the tools, inspiration, and insider access you can’t find anywhere else. No fluff. No surface-level chatter. Real conversations with real authors doing the work. If you want to write better stories, stay motivated, and understand how successful writers think, you’re in the right place.

  1. Aug 10

    How to Enter Flow State and Beat Writer’s Block (Your Phone Is the Problem) | Tony Tenaglier

    What if writer’s block isn’t a motivation problem at all—but a flow problem? In this episode of The Author’s Mind, Shilo Creed sits down with Tony Tenaglier, host of Work Sucks, But I Like It and a PhD candidate studying Industrial-Organizational Psychology, to break down what actually happens when writers enter flow state—and why modern distractions may be making it harder to get there. Tony explains the three conditions that make flow more likely: a clear goal, immediate feedback, and the right balance between challenge and skill. Then we dig into the four-stage flow cycle—struggle, release, flow, and recovery—and what writers can do to deliberately build those stages into a creative routine. And then we get into the part every writer with a phone needs to hear. Why can five minutes of Reels wreck a writing session? Why does reaching for your phone during writer’s block often make the block worse? What does dopamine have to do with creative focus? And could quiet, boredom, morning routines, and even one familiar song on repeat help your brain get back into the state where the words start moving on their own? Shilo also shares how she once wrote 13,000 words during a single road trip, and how she wrote a 90,000-word novel in three weeks while listening to one song on repeat. In this episode, you’ll learn: What flow state actually feels like for a writerThe 3 conditions that help trigger flowThe 4 stages of the flow cycleWhy writer’s block may actually be part of the processWhy reaching for your phone can destroy creative momentumHow short-form content competes with deep focusWhy low-stimulation breaks can work better than scrollingHow boredom and silence can fuel creativityCONNECT WITH TONY TENAGLIER Website & Work Sucks, But I Like It: https://worksucksbutilikeit.com Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/work-sucks-but-i-like-it/id1826752475 Tony discusses his books The Impression of a Good Life: Finding Your Song and Dance and Don’t Let Life Pass You By: Win the Game of Work and Play, plus his forthcoming In a Rush to Go Nowhere: Finding Shivasana. LISTEN TO THE AUTHOR’S MIND Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1f1JTYxWUIMJZMwHGBxw9z Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-authors-mind/id1868039094 YouTube / YouTube Music: https://www.youtube.com/@theauthorsmind-shilocreed Connect with Shilo Creed: https://shilocreed.com #WritersBlock #FlowState #WritingTips #WritingAdvice #NovelWriting #WritingProductivity #CreativeWriting #AuthorTube #WritingMotivation #DeepWork

    How to Enter Flow State and Beat Writer’s Block (Your Phone Is the Problem) | Tony Tenaglier

  2. Aug 3

    How to Write a Funny, Flawed Middle Grade Narrator Readers Love | Steph Katzovi

    How do you make a kid narrator funny, flawed, and occasionally frustrating—without losing the reader’s heart? Middle grade author Steph Katzovi breaks down the character-voice choices that make young narrators feel believable, lovable, and genuinely funny. We talk about writing for younger readers, choosing the right words and sentence length, planning humor, drawing inspiration from real children, and why switching from third person to first person completely transformed Steph’s Camp Hillside series. Steph also shares an unexpected craft advantage from her former career as a speechwriter: learning to watch when an audience laughs, leans in, loses interest—or wants to clap. In this episode, you’ll learn: • How to write a flawed child character readers still root for • Why “relatable but aspirational” is a powerful middle grade character formula • How sentence length, repeated words, and reading level affect young readers • How to turn real childhood experiences into age-appropriate fiction • When to plan a joke—and when to let humor emerge during the draft • Why first-person narration can make a middle grade character come alive • How short chapters and cliffhangers keep young readers turning pages • What speechwriting can teach fiction authors about dialogue and audience response CHAPTERS 00:00 — The funny, flawed kid narrator problem 05:49 — Writing clearly for middle grade readers 08:17 — Making imperfect characters lovable 14:59 — Turning childhood and setting into story 19:38 — What speechwriting teaches fiction authors 27:22 — First person, pacing, short chapters, and cliffhangers ABOUT STEPH KATZOVI Steph Katzovi is a children’s author and former strategic communications consultant whose Camp Hillside books follow Noodle Newman through the funny, uncomfortable, and courageous realities of tween life. Her work combines humor, warmth, friendship, and the emotional honesty of growing up. CONNECT WITH STEPH Website and books: https://stephkatzovi.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/stephkatzovi Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StephKatzoviLit Steph’s blog: https://stephkatzovi.com/stephs-blog/ Noodle’s blog: https://stephkatzovi.com/noodles-blog/ LISTEN TO THE AUTHOR’S MIND Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1f1JTYxWUIMJZMwHGBxw9z Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-authors-mind/id1868039094 YouTube and YouTube Music: https://www.youtube.com/@theauthorsmind-shilocreed

    How to Write a Funny, Flawed Middle Grade Narrator Readers Love | Steph Katzovi

  3. Jul 20

    What a Publisher Looks For That No One Tells You — Bridget Cook-Burch

    You wrote the book. Now what? Most writers think the hardest part is finishing the manuscript. It's not. The hardest part is getting a publisher to say yes — and most never understand what publishers are actually looking for. In this episode, I sit down with Bridget Cook-Burch — bestselling author, writing mentor, and founder of Inspired Legacy Publishing — to pull back the curtain on what publishers see that you don't. What you'll learn: ⏱️ 0:00 — Why "truth over plot" is the first thing publishers look for ⏱️ 4:41 — The self-awareness trap that kills your manuscript before page one ⏱️ 6:38 — How high emotional stakes separate a manuscript that sells from one that sits ⏱️ 8:47 — Why every hero needs a fatal flaw (and every villain needs something redeemable) ⏱️ 12:47 — The one non-negotiable habit of every author who gets published ⏱️ 28:21 — "If you aim at everybody, you'll hit nobody" — defining your reader before you submit ⏱️ 42:14 — Why 97% of manuscripts never become books — and how to be in the 3% Bridget shares the moment she knew she had to become a publisher, what Taylor Swift taught her about handling creative criticism, and why most writers are sitting on a publishable story right now — they just don't know how to frame it. If you're serious about getting published, this is the conversation you need to hear. 🔗 Learn more about Inspired Legacy Publishing: https://www.yourinspiredstory.com/publishing 📚 My novel PLUNGED — a Christian thriller for fans of Ted Dekker & Frank Peretti: https://www.amazon.com/Plunged-Three-Worlds-Book-1-ebook/dp/B0DFV5F7PJ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1 #PublishingAdvice #HowToGetPublished #AuthorInterview #ManuscriptTips #WritingCommunity #BestsellingAuthor #FictionWriting #LiteraryAgent

    What a Publisher Looks For That No One Tells You — Bridget Cook-Burch

  4. Jul 13

    500 Raving Fans Will Outsell 500K Followers — The Book Shepherd Explains

    What if your book isn't selling because you're reaching the wrong people — not because you wrote the wrong book? Dr. Judith Briles has published over 40 books, sold more than 1 million copies, and spent 25+ years as "The Book Shepherd" helping authors navigate publishing. In this episode, she breaks down the exact author marketing strategy that turns 500 loyal readers into a sales force that works harder than any social media algorithm. You'll learn: ✅ Why book marketing for authors has nothing to do with follower count ✅ The one thing most authors resist — and why it kills their sales ✅ How to build an author platform that actually converts readers into buyers ✅ Judith's in-person book signing system for capturing direct reader contact ✅ Amazon keyword strategies to get your book in front of real readers ✅ The "90% marketing" rule every published author needs to hear ✅ How to market your book without perfectionism keeping you stuck Whether you're launching your first novel or your fortieth, this conversation will permanently change how you think about growing your readership. 🎙️ Guest: Dr. Judith Briles — The Book Shepherd 🌐 Judith's Website: thebookshepherd.com 📚 Shilo Creed's Books: shilocreed.com Subscribe for weekly conversations with professional authors → @TheAuthorsMind

    500 Raving Fans Will Outsell 500K Followers — The Book Shepherd Explains

  5. Jul 6

    How to Write a Thriller That Readers Can't Put Down | Adele Royce

    Adele Royce, author of the Neon Diaries and a Kirkus Star recipient for Summer's Blood, reveals how she transitioned from romantic comedies to writing thrillers that grip readers from page one. Hosted by Shilo Creed (42 novels, 1.4M copies sold). In this episode: • The prologue trick Adele uses to hook readers before chapter one • Why your thriller's opening 250 words determine whether someone buys the book • How to plant twists in plain sight (Chekhov's gun done right) • What changes when you switch genres — pacing, tension, and reader expectations • Why Adele writes her prologue LAST — and how it changes everything • The Kirkus Star: what it means, how it happened, and why awards don't always translate to sales • When characters become so real they start writing themselves Adele Royce is the author of the Neon Diaries thriller series, including Summer's Blood and Slipper Girl. 🎙️ New episodes every week. Subscribe for direct access to how today's professional authors think, write, and craft fiction — no theory, just real experience. Connect with Adele: adeleroyce.com Get chapter one of Plunged for free: https://shilocreed.com/412-2/ #ThrillerWriting #WritingCraft #AuthorInterview

    How to Write a Thriller That Readers Can't Put Down | Adele Royce

  6. Jun 29

    He Worked on Braveheart & Independence Day — Now He Engineers Flow State for Writers

    What if the difference between a bestseller and a book that stays buried isn't talent — it's flow state? LISTEN TO EVERY MINUTE OF THIS POD! Steven Puri spent his career at the crossroads of Hollywood and technology. Visual effects for Braveheart, Independence Day, True Lies, and Seven. Senior executive at multiple motion picture studios. $20M in venture capital raised. And now — tools used by creative professionals worldwide to do their best work without burning out. In this episode of The Author's Mind, Shilo Creed and Steven Puri break down the exact system behind entering deep creative flow — and why most writers are unknowingly working against their own brains. What you'll learn: ✅ What flow state actually is — and why the classic definition changes how you write ✅ How your chronotype determines when to write vs. when to edit ✅ The exact music parameters (60–90 BPM, non-vocal, long melodic passages) that trigger deep focus ✅ Why "Himalayan Dream Rain" is the #1 focus sound for writers — and the neuroscience behind it ✅ Why hard distraction blockers fail — and what actually works instead ✅ How community accelerates output even for solitary writers ✅ The "One Big Thing" method for protecting your most important creative hour ✅ Why multitasking is a myth — and how context switching burns your creative energy ✅ What AI really threatens for writers — and what it can never replace ✅ The "Other Thing" principle that unlocks your best creative breakthroughs "Reels break your brain. Short form videos break your ability to concentrate. Full stop." — Shilo Creed "If you align your boat with the current, it carries you, it magnifies your efforts." — Steven Puri About the Guest: Steven Puri is the founder of the Sukha Company. He's done visual effects for major Hollywood blockbusters, served as a senior executive at multiple motion picture studios, and raised over $20 million in venture capital. He now helps creative professionals enter deep, timeless flow state — and finish their best work faster, without burnout. About the Host: Shilo Creed is the author of 42 novels with 1.4 million copies sold. He is the host of The Author's Mind and Studio Magic. #FlowState #WritingAdvice #HowToWriteANovel #FictionWriting #WritersBlock #DeepWork #AuthorLife #WritingCommunity #StudioMagic #TheAuthorsMind

    He Worked on Braveheart & Independence Day — Now He Engineers Flow State for Writers

  7. Jun 22

    A Dark Fantasy Author Who Becomes His Characters | J. Vaelorin Interview

    Most authors write their characters. J. Vaelorin becomes them — and it costs him. In this episode of The Author's Mind, Shilo Creed sits down with dark fantasy author Justin Anderson (J. Valorian), creator of the Valorianverse, to explore what it really means to write grief, trauma, and mental health into fiction — not as a message, but as the invisible architecture underneath every word. Justin reveals how his method of embodiment writing — channeling his characters so deeply it can trigger his own depression — produces the kind of emotional realism that makes readers feel seen. You'll discover: The subtle character "ticks" that reveal trauma without ever naming itHow grief manifests as a physical force in his world (the Hollow-Born)Why dark fantasy needs humor to survive — and how to balance bothHis mother's 30-year career in mental health and how it shaped his writingWhy his website is built as a shelter, not a storefrontIf you're writing dark fiction and want to know how emotion becomes an engine — not exhaust — this episode is for you. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations with working authors on craft, process, and the thinking behind the story. 📖 Learn more about J. Valorian's world: valorianverse.com Connect with Shilo: shilo@shilocreed.com

    A Dark Fantasy Author Who Becomes His Characters | J. Vaelorin Interview

  8. Jun 8

    How to Write a Novel Readers Can't Put Down | Villains, Dialogue & Suspense

    Want to write a novel readers can't put down? In this episode of The Author's Mind, Shilo Creed talks with romantic fantasy author P.K. Stuart about the fiction craft tools that make stories feel alive: believable villains, realistic dialogue, suspense, fight scenes, character development, and the mindset it takes to actually finish a book. P.K. shares how she approaches writing as a pantser, why deep character work can become its own kind of outline, and how she once wrote a 40,000-word biography just to understand one antagonist. We also talk about why villains must believe they are right, how to make dialogue sound natural, why every scene needs goal, motivation, and conflict, and what writers should know before committing to a series. In this conversation, you'll learn: • How to write villains readers actually fear • How to make dialogue sound real instead of forced • Why suspense depends on real consequences • How to write fight scenes with emotional conflict • Why character development matters before drafting • How goal, motivation, and conflict can strengthen every scene • What finishing a novel teaches you that planning never can • What P.K. Stuart learned from writing a five-book series If you are writing a novel, drafting a fantasy series, struggling with dialogue, building a villain, or trying to finish your first book, this episode is full of practical fiction writing advice. Guest: P.K. Stuart Series: Time's End First book: Inside the Tree Line Website: pkstuart.com Subscribe to The Author's Mind for more conversations on writing craft, fiction, publishing, author mindset, storytelling, and the creative life. #authortube #writingadvice #novelwriting #fictionwriting #howtowriteanovel #writingtips #writingvillains #writingdialogue #fantasywriting #authorinterview

    How to Write a Novel Readers Can't Put Down | Villains, Dialogue & Suspense
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Author’s Mind takes you behind the scenes of bestselling fiction—one author at a time. From plotting secrets to productivity hacks, industry truths to creative breakthroughs, this show gives writers the tools, inspiration, and insider access you can’t find anywhere else. No fluff. No surface-level chatter. Real conversations with real authors doing the work. If you want to write better stories, stay motivated, and understand how successful writers think, you’re in the right place.

Information

  • Creator
    Shilo Creed
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Shilo Creed