Why Bother Writing in Dark Times?

 Rachelle and Anne discuss the importance of creativity and writing during challenging times. They explore how writing can help individuals personally by enhancing self-esteem, resilience, and mental health, and collectively by fostering empathy and connection. Writing different types of narratives—be it fun stories or political essays—remains significant, even when the world feels tumultuous. Every form of storytelling, whether a memo, a romantic novel, or an essay, can be a powerful tool for personal expression and societal impact.00:00 Introduction: Writing in Dark Times00:14 The Importance of Creativity Now00:33 Struggles and Doubts of Writers01:27 The Value of Art and Writing02:10 Personal Growth Through Writing03:46 Connecting with Others Through Stories04:11 The Impact of Fiction10:38 Writing as a Form of Activism13:24 The Power of Memoirs14:00 Conclusion and Farewell

Demolish Your Comfort Zone: Why Comfort Kills More Dreams Than FailureEpisode Description:Why does success elude you even when you're putting in the time and effort? The brutal truth: You're choosing short-term comfort over long-term results. In this game-changing episode, Sue Campbell interviews Art Turock, the "Comfort Zone Demolition Expert," about why stepping outside your comfort zone isn't enough—you need to demolish it entirely.What You'll Learn:The crucial difference between holding people accountable vs. inviting accountability Why "interest" will sabotage your writing dreams (and how commitment changes everything)The "colossal deception" that keeps writers stuck in self-limiting patternsArt's proven system for overcoming fear of rejection (that landed him 125+ Fortune 500 speaking gigs)How to identify the hidden "short-term payoffs" that derail your long-term goalsThe identity shift that transforms aspiring writers into published authorsKey Quotes:"Comfort kills more dreams than failure ever will.""Discomfort is the price of freedom.""There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstances permit. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, just results."Perfect for writers who:Feel stuck despite "trying hard"Struggle with procrastination and self-sabotageWant to finish their book but keep choosing other prioritiesNeed accountability strategies that actually workAre tired of staying in their comfort zoneGuest Bio:Art Turock is a longtime executive coach for Fortune 500 companies and author of the new book Demolish Your Comfort Zones: Six Unconventional Practices to Crush Your Hidden Limitations. At age 55, he took up sprinting and won silver and bronze medals at the USA Track and Field Masters Championship. His quote about commitment vs. interest appeared on Starbucks cups nationwide.Resources Mentioned:Art's book: Demolish Your Comfort Zones Art's website: artturock.comWrite Anyway newsletter: pagesandplatforms.com/subscribeContent Warning: Brief discussion of food and dieting from approximately 19:00-22:00.

Book Marketing Secrets from Alex Hormozi's $100M Launch with Tim GrahlIn this episode, marketing expert Tim Grahl breaks down the strategies behind Alex Hormozi's record-breaking $100 million book launch and shares actionable takeaways for authors at any level. Learn about:The innovative "donation" model that drove massive salesHow Hormozi demonstrated his book's principles through the launch itselfPractical ways authors can scale these strategies to their own levelThe power of customer-financed acquisition for growing your reachWhy building genuine relationships is crucial for book marketing successSpecific tactics for both fiction and non-fiction authorsTim's "Books & Beer" networking strategy that any author can implementTim also shares insights from his 17+ years helping authors market their books and discusses his work with Story Grid, where he applies deliberate practice principles to help writers improve their craft.Featured Guest: Tim GrahlFounder of Story GridAuthor of Your First 1000 Copies and The ShitheadBook marketing consultant who has helped authors hit the NYT bestseller listResources Mentioned:storygrid.comStory Grid YouTube ChannelTim's latest novel: The ShitheadSubscribe to the Write Anyway Newsletter at pagesandplatforms.com/subscribe

Are you paralyzed by the fear of negative reviews? In this episode of Write Anyway, hosts Anne Hawley and Rachelle Ramirez share a powerful exercise to help writers overcome their fear of criticism. Learn how writing your own worst one-star review—and its positive counterpart—can actually free you to write with more confidence and clarity.Key takeaways:• How to use the "worst review" exercise to identify and face your writing fears• Why negative reviews can help you better understand your ideal reader• Real examples of one-star/five-star review pairs from both hosts• Why not every book is for everyone (and why that's okay!)Whether you're writing fiction or non-fiction, this practical exercise will help you push past perfectionism and write for the readers who truly matter. Join Anne and Rachelle as they demonstrate how embracing potential criticism can actually strengthen your writing practice.Subscribe to our newsletter at pagesandplatforms.com/subscribe for weekly writing insights and tips.

Do you ever feel tempted to throw in the towel on your creative projects just to feel the sweet relief of freedom from responsibility? In this solo episode of The Write Anyway Podcast, mindset coach Sue Campbell dives into why that feeling of relief might be a trap—and how it can sabotage your creative goals and personal growth.Sue breaks down:The two types of relief: circumstantial relief and engineered relief, and why they feel so good (but aren’t always good for you).How your inner saboteur can mislead you into giving up on valuable projects in exchange for short-term emotional comfort.The long-term cost of avoiding discomfort in your creative journey—and how it leads to abandoning your creative potential.Why tolerating discomfort is essential not just for writing, but for becoming the person and artist you want to be.Learn how to reframe discomfort as a necessary step toward growth and discover what might be waiting for you on the other side of creative resistance.Subscribe to the Write Anyway Newsletter for mindset and marketing tips at pagesandplatforms.com/subscribe.

Struggling with your manuscript despite reading every writing craft book? Developmental editor Lori Puma reveals what 70+ writing books left out. Learn about Story Foundation, the Invisible Story, antagonist networks, and scene sequencing. Perfect for first-time novelists facing common problems like lack of conflict, repetitive plots, or manuscripts that won't come together despite multiple revisions. Includes tips on creating dynamic antagonists, building cause-and-effect chains, and troubleshooting story problems. Get Lori's free ebook "What Craft Books Left Out" at loripuma.com. Keywords: writing craft, developmental editing, story structure, novel writing, antagonist development, scene structure, first novel, writing advice, manuscript revision, plot development.00:00 - Introduction: Why traditional writing books might not be enough01:00 - Meet Lori Puma: From editor to craft book detective02:00 - Story Foundation: The missing piece for first-time novelists03:00 - Symptoms of story foundation problems05:00 - The Invisible Story: What happens off the page07:00 - Common antagonist mistakes and how to fix them09:00 - The Princess Bride example: Antagonists vs. antagonists11:00 - Shaping sequences: Creating cause-and-effect chains12:00 - How to get Lori's free ebook and connect

Do you ever feel like your creative life is disconnected from the rest of your existence? Author, editor, and writing coach Bill Kenower introduces the concept of "The All-Day Artist" —not about writing all day, but about bringing the spirit of creativity into every aspect of life.In this illuminating conversation, Bill shares:Why limiting creativity to just writing time holds us backHow to apply the skills we learn as writers to navigate life's uncertaintiesA practical approach to overcoming boredom by using creative listeningThe importance of following what feels effortless and interestingWhy caring about how you feel is essential to both writing and livingStrategies for developing trust in your creative instinctsThe critical difference between writing for yourself versus writing for othersBill Kenower is the author of "Fearless Writing" and hosts two podcasts: "Fearless Writing" and "Author to Author." His weekly essays can be found at Author Magazine (authormagazine.org).Whether you're struggling to integrate your creative practice with daily life or looking to bring more authenticity to your writing, this episode offers valuable insights for writers at any stage of their journey.Find Bill online at williamkenower.com for coaching services, podcast links, and more.Subscribe to the Write Anyway Newsletter at pagesandplatforms.com/subscribe for weekly writing insights and marketing tips.

Sue Campbell shares insights from her recent webinar on boosting productivity for writers. Drawing from her experiences as a mindset and book marketing coach, Sue covers key productivity philosophies, identifies different productivity tendencies, and presents two foundational productivity systems: the Autofocus System and Monday Hour One. The episode also highlights tools, both analog and digital, to support these systems and emphasizes the importance of mindset in achieving writing goals. Additionally, Sue introduces her Goal Getter School, a program aimed at helping writers accomplish significant milestones through custom project planning and consistent coaching. Listeners are encouraged to identify their biggest productivity challenges and are offered actionable advice to overcome them.00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:25 Meet Sue Campbell: Your Productivity Coach02:09 Setting the Stage for Productivity10:53 Understanding Productivity Tendencies17:36 Exploring the Autofocus System22:05 Time Blocking with Monday Hour One27:33 The Concept of Blissipline28:02 Pros and Cons of Time Blocking28:45 Analog Tools for Time Blocking30:40 Digital Tools for Time Blocking33:27 Introduction to Goal Getter School36:08 Goal Getter School Structure and Benefits42:54 Q&A Session54:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Developmental editors Anne Hawley and Rachelle Ramirez break down what your first page must promise—and how to deliver it for your ideal reader. From raising the right questions to dodging common traps (info dumps, action-for-action’s-sake), you’ll get practical ways to craft an opening that compels page turns and signals the book you actually wrote.What you’ll learnWhy your first page is a promise—and how to make the right oneHow to define and hook your ideal reader (not “everyone”)When to open with action vs. narration, and why “start in action” is often misappliedRaising mystery and intrigue without confusing the readerThe truth about “show, don’t tell” on page oneWhere the inciting incident belongs (and when it doesn’t)Avoiding info dumps while still orienting the readerWhen to stop polishing page one—and when to return to itSimple exercises to sharpen your opening (including hand-copying a favorite first page)How to tailor your opening for agents and genre expectationsTimestamps00:00 — The problem: “My first page isn’t hooky enough”01:00 — Who’s your ideal reader? Hint: probably you04:00 — The first page as a promise of the reading experience05:00 — Do you really need to open in action?06:00 — Orientation vs. info dump (especially for SFF)07:30 — Must the inciting incident be on page one?08:30 — Mystery vs. confusion: walking the line10:00 — Intrigue through specific, telling details11:00 — Do protagonists need to be likable?12:00 — “Show, don’t tell”: what the rule actually means14:00 — The trap of overworking your opening15:00 — Write the draft first; promise precisely later17:00 — The power of your first ~300 words18:00 — Discovery writing and changing stories19:00 — Craft exercise: hand-copy your favorite first page20:00 — Making your promise clear—and pitching the right agentsTry thisPull three novels you love. Hand-copy their first pages. Mark where they raise questions, slip in exposition, and introduce desire or problem.Rewrite your first 300 words to:Gut-check: Does your first page promise the book you actually wrote?MentionedUrsula K. Le Guin (on word choice and deliberate narration)Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl (compelling “unlikable” protagonist)“It was a dark and stormy night” (Bulwer-Lytton) as an example of permissible tellingQuote“Your job as a fiction writer is to raise questions. Why I turn the page is because there’s a question in my mind.”LinksSubscribe to the Write Anyway newsletter: [email protected] & Platforms and the Happily Ever Author ClubIf this episode helped you rethink your opening, share it with a writer friend and leave a rating—it helps more writers find the show.

Sue Campbell, a mindset coach for writers, reveals the hidden inner narratives that quietly sabotage creative progress — and shows how to rewrite them so you actually sit down and finish your work. This episode is full of practical, moment-by-moment strategies: how to surface limiting beliefs, neutralize them, and replace them with believable, emotionally motivating alternatives. If you’ve ever told yourself “I’ll write tomorrow,” or “I hate social media,” this episode gives you the tools to change the story and get writing — even if it’s just one sentence.Who this episode is for: Writers who feel stuck, procrastinate, avoid revision, dread marketing, or want concrete mindset tools to finish a book and grow an author platform.Why listen:Learn why the story you tell yourself matters as much as the story you’re writing.Get a simple, repeatable method to expose and loosen limiting beliefs.Walk away with tactical moves you can use immediately: journaling prompts, a “one sentence” rule, and mindset reframes for tech and marketing resistance.Key takeaways:Two stories: the book you’re crafting and the story you tell yourself about your ability to write it. The latter often undermines the former.Writing your thoughts down reveals hidden beliefs; reading them aloud turns vague resistance into actionable insight.Don’t rely on hollow affirmations. Create rewrites that feel believable and carry emotional weight — even if the first step is neutral (“maybe this could help”).Use low-friction actions (e.g., one sentence) to defeat procrastination and build identity as someone who shows up.With technology and marketing fears, aim for “just enough” competency to move forward rather than perfection.Memorable quotes:“The story that you tell yourself as a writer is just as important as the story you’re writing.”“Your inner saboteur is laying out a binary that you can’t possibly do both at the same time.”“One sentence today can become a stepping stone to a much bigger writing session.”Resources mentioned:Sue Campbell / Happily Ever Author Club: storypath.me/heaWrite Anyway Newsletter: pagesandplatforms.com/subscribeIf this episode moved you, try the one-sentence rule for the next three days and notice how it changes your momentum. Subscribe, leave a review, and share with a writer who needs to rewrite their inner story.