Writing Break

America's Editor
  • 5.0 (6)
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Whether you’re polishing your first draft or chasing down a book deal, the award-winning Writing Break will keep you informed, inspired, and ready to write.

  1. 19h ago ·  Bonus

    New Literary Agent Rules to Know Before You Query

    Season 10 is on hold because the rules for literary agents just changed, and not necessarily in the author's favor. This episode tells you exactly what questions to ask before you sign (or pay for) anything. 🛋️ Overthinking Couch Topics:The New Literary Agent Ethics RulesWhat the Association of American Literary Agents changed and why.Which paid services literary agents may now offer.Why editorial work for represented clients must still remain free.The safeguards built into the revised ethics code.Potential conflicts of interest writers should understand.Practical questions to ask before paying for editorial, marketing, or publicity services.Why due diligence matters more than ever when querying agents. Publishing NewsBloomsbury reveals how much it expects to receive from the Anthropic settlement.ISBNdb sources physical books for AI companies, raising new questions about copyright, preservation, and transparency.Hachette launches its Reading Is Golden public service campaign to encourage daily family reading. AI firms are buying old books for slop-free training dataAI firms are buying old books for slop-free training data Raising Readers | Reading Is GoldenJudge Gives Final Approval of $1.5 Billion Anthropic SettlementMajor AALA Ethics Update Allows Agents to Offer Paid Editorial, Publicity ServicesHachette’s Raising Readers Initiative Releases PSAAI Companies Are Buying Tons of Old Books Because They're Free of AI SlopHome : America's Editor - Let's work together.More Writing Tips Host: Rosemi Mederos, America's Editor Production: Allon Media Website: writingbreak.com | Contact: podcast@writingbreak.com Music licensed from Storyblocks.

  2. Jul 23

    Goodbye to Genres: Parting Words for Writers (Clip Show #17)

    We're closing the book on genre, two seasons, dozens of subgenres, and a lot of overthinking later. This week we revisit some highlights: novel architecture and the dreaded middle-of-the-book slump, why cross-genre mashups can backfire if you get too ambitious, the tension between writing what you love and writing what sells, adaptation lessons from film and video games, and how genres evolve to match whatever readers are actually afraid of right now. Did I miss a genre you wanted covered? Let me know. Next up: Season 10 is all about voice, including what it actually is and how to find yours. F Subscribe because you deserve a Writing Break.Home : America's Editor - Let's work together.More Writing Tips Music licensed from Storyblocks.

  3. Jul 16

    How Genres Change Over Time: From Castle Walls to Femgore

    Genres and subgenres are ever-evolving. This week, we trace one horror lineage from a crumbling 1764 castle all the way to today's femgore boom, dig into a detective fiction metamorphosis that spans three centuries and two continents, and sit with a publishing story that should unsettle every working writer, one where AI hijacked a fired journalist's own byline to keep publishing under his name. Plus: this week's overthinking prompt, built to work whether you write genre fiction or literary fiction. An AI-generated review of Resident Evil Requiem written by a fake 'iGaming and sports betting analyst' briefly hit Metacritic | PC GamerFired Journalist Finds AI Publishing Under His NameWhat Is Femgore? | Book RiotHome : America's Editor - Let's work together.More Writing Tips Subscribe because you deserve a Writing Break. Music licensed from Storyblocks.

  4. Jul 9

    The Two-Minute Wait: Time Management and Storytelling Around the World

    How much can you really accomplish in two minutes? This week on Writing Break, I share a simple exercise I call The Two-Minute Wait, which can help you better understand your relationship with time and improve the way you manage it. We also discuss this year's International Booker Prize news before exploring storytelling traditions from around the world, including Nordic noir, magical realism, Gothic horror fiction, wuxia, Japanese literary fiction, West African oral storytelling, and the art of translation. Whether you're looking to become more productive or broaden your understanding of storytelling, this episode offers practical ideas you can apply immediately. ✨ Support Writing Break Rate, review, and share with a fellow writer. Every kind word helps keep the show going. International Booker Prize Doubles Purse, Changes NameInternational Booker Prize winnerHome : America's Editor - Let's work together.More Writing Tips Music licensed from Storyblocks

  5. Jul 2

    The Kitchen Table Test: What Writers Can Learn from Film, Theatre, and Video Games

    Everyone in your life thinks your book would make a great movie, play, or video game. But adaptation isn't a copy-paste job because every medium solves storytelling problems differently. This week, we put one scene through four different mediums to see what each one reveals about craft, whether or not you ever plan on adapting anything. 🛋️Overthinking Couch Topics: Why "the book was better" misses the point of what adaptation actually doesThe kitchen table scene: one moment, told four waysWhat novels can do that film, TV, and stage cannotThe screenwriting habit every novelist should stealWhat television teaches about sustaining relationship dynamics across a seriesWhy playwrights understand subtext better than novelists What video games can teach you about giving your characters real choicesEnvironmental storytelling, and why your hostage scene needs more than a metal chairThis week's overthinking prompt: running one scene through four lenses Home : America's Editor - Let's work together.More Writing Tips Connect Have a question you want overthought on a future episode? Email podcast@writingbreak.com or find us on Instagram at @writingbreakpodcast. Music licensed from Storyblocks.

  6. Jun 25

    Who Owns the Story? AI, Copyright, and Authors

    AI continues reshaping publishing, and writers cannot afford to ignore what's happening. In this week's news episode, we explore the growing legal, ethical, and professional questions surrounding AI, authorship, copyright, and creative ownership. 🛋️Overthinking Couch Topics: Publishing CEOs warning against an AI "witch hunt"The increasingly complicated question of what counts as authorshipCopyright lawsuits against Meta over the training of its AI modelsThe latest legal actions involving pirate libraries, including Anna's Archive and WeLibAI accessibility tools, speech-to-text software, and the debate over disclosureThe possibility of future human-authorship certification systemsWhy proving you wrote your own work may become part of an author's professional life We also take an in-depth look at a disturbing case involving author John Koenig and his project The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, examining how AI-generated content, search optimization, and unauthorized websites can affect an author's reputation, visibility, and relationship with readers. Court Rules Against Anna’s Archive in Copyright LawsuitPublishers Sue Pirate Site WeLib for Copyright InfringementEminem Publisher Sues MetaFive major publishers are suing Meta over LlamaPublishers and Authors Sue MetaGranta stops publishing short story award winners over AI controversy | Granta | The GuardianHome : America's Editor - Let's work together.More Writing Tips Music licensed from Storyblocks.

  7. Jun 18

    Writing What You Want vs. Writing What Sells

    Should you write what you love or write what sells? Is it possible to do both? In this episode of Writing Break, we explore how writers can stop chasing trends and, instead, find the overlap between personal passion and commercial viability. 🛋️Overthinking Couch Topics: The Biggest Mistake Writers Make - Writing BreakIdentifying Your Ideal Reader - Writing BreakHome : America's Editor - Let's work together.More Writing Tips Music licensed from Storyblocks.

  8. Jun 11

    Cross-Genre Mashups: Blending Genres and Gaining Readers

    Cross-genre fiction is thriving, but blending genres successfully requires more than adding a dragon to a murder mystery (sad, but true). If you're writing a cross-genre novel, planning to write one, or wondering whether your manuscript accidentally became one, this episode will help you blend genres without confusing your readers. 🛋️Overthinking Couch Topics: Combining genres intentionallyWhat readers expect from different genresWhy understanding those expectations matters.Popular genre mashups Next time on Writing Break: Writing What You Want vs. Writing What Sells. What happens when those two things aren't the same? The Authors GuildHome : America's Editor - Let's work together.More Writing Tips Music licensed from Storyblocks.

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Whether you’re polishing your first draft or chasing down a book deal, the award-winning Writing Break will keep you informed, inspired, and ready to write.

Information

  • Creator
    America's Editor
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    172
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 America's Editor
  • Show Website
    Writing Break