Become a Writer Today
Bryan Collins
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Top 10 Become a Writer Today Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Become a Writer Today episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Become a Writer Today for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Become a Writer Today episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Evolve Your Creative Writing Process Through Meditation with Albert Flynn DeSilver
Become a Writer Today
08/08/22 • 33 min
Meditation, mindfulness, and creativity, how do they work hand in hand?
I like to meditate twice a day. It's a practice that took 8 or 9 years to develop. I first learned meditation using the app Headspace and took guided meditation courses. Then, I started taking some in-person meditation courses. I even went away on a meditative retreat.
Because I spend so much time working alone, I find meditation helpful for mental health and learning how to focus and gain a bit of perspective.
These days, I also use the meditation app Waking Up, which Sam Harris created. Sam interviews guests and experts about the topic of meditation and the different types of meditative practices that are out there. It's a good way of understanding how you can fit meditative and mindfulness practice into your writing, creativity, and overall life.
This week, I caught up with Albert Flynn DeSilver, an award-winning, internationally published writer, speaker, and workshop leader. He's also a former Poet Laureate and has written several books, including a memoir and a book about writing, creativity, and meditation called Writing as a Path to Awakening.
Albert hosts workshops whereby he teaches attendees how to develop a meditative practice and build a writing habit.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How Albert got into writing
- His fascinating writing journey to date
- Becoming Marin County's first poet laureate
- How meditation can help a writer
- How he brings meditation and writing together in workshop
Albert would love to offer listeners to the episode a 30-minute FREE writing and coaching session on any aspect of writing, editing, or publishing. Please book a call at https://calendly.com/albertflynndesilver/30min or contact him via www.albertflynndesilver.com.
Resources:
Website: www.albertflynndesilver.com
If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins
Thanks for listening!
What Makes a Great Spirituality Book with Allen Klein
Become a Writer Today
11/08/21 • 30 min
My guest on this episode of the podcast is Allen Klein. He's spent his career writing spirituality and personal development books.
To date, he's written over 31 books, including The Healing Power of Humor, and his most recent title is The Awe Factor which spiritualityandpractice.com dubbed one of the best spiritual books of 2020.
I wanted to understand what goes into a good spirituality book and how authors can take a simple idea like awe and turn it into a book. Allen explains how he draws on stories from his personal life, stories that people tell him, and those he comes across online.
Allen talks about spending over a week in a library using microfiche film to extract an article from the New York Times, whereas, today, it's just a Google search away, or you can download an app.
He also talks about how he promotes his books using a service called Help a Reporter Out (HARO). If you write any non-fiction, I recommend checking it out.
In this episode we discuss.
- Why Allen describes himself as a jolly-ologist
- Where Allen got the inspiration for his awe stories
- How looking for awe in your life is similar to meditation
- How humor helps Allen to deal with life
- When to include stories in self-help books versus science-based research
- Capturing stories ready to write down later
Resources.
- Spriritualityandpractice.com
- HARO
- The Awe Factor
- The Healing Power of Humor
- The Joy of Simplicity
- Secrets Kids Know
- You Can't Ruin My Day
- Embracing Life After Loss
- Allen Klein Amazon Page
- Allen Klein Website
If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins
Thanks for listening!
How To Turn Events From Everyday Life Into Stories With Matthew Dicks
Become a Writer Today
11/28/22 • 33 min
Turning events from everyday life into stories is critical for nonfiction writing. It's also vital if you want to become a columnist, and it's even a practice that can help with your fiction.
Years ago, I had a dream of becoming a columnist. I sent off dozens of job applications. Eventually, I got a response: "Bryan, you could only become a columnist if you're somebody who people know and feel that their writing is worth reading." In other words, I didn't have any name recognition because I was a new writer.
Thankfully, these days, it's much easier to become a columnist. In fact, many traditional newspaper columnists are leaving the conventional print world to build relationships directly with their readers on Substack and other platforms like Ghost.
Nevertheless, you still need anecdotes and stories that you can turn into column entries because a good column is about more than an idea or writing about whatever is on your mind.
And that's the key takeaway from this week's interviewee, Matthew Dicks, a professional storyteller, and columnist for not one but three different publications.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How to turn life events into pieces for fiction or nonfiction
- Matthews's simple storytelling exercise, Homework for Life
- What it takes to maintain a daily writing routine
Resources:
Matthew's book on Amazon
You'll find him on social media here:
If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins
Thanks for listening!
Create Time, Reduce Errors and Scale Your Profits, with With David Jenyns
Become a Writer Today
07/17/23 • 27 min
In this episode of the Become a Writer Today podcast, my guest is an entrepreneur and author, David Jenyns, who specializes in helping business owners, entrepreneurs, and creatives like you scale their businesses through the power of systems.
David introduces his book SYSTEMology, which outlines seven stages of implementing systems and processes in a business, from defining to optimizing.
He emphasizes the importance of mapping out client flows and using automation to improve efficiency.
David also shares his experience in writing and promoting his own book, as well as the benefits of delegating tasks and hiring part-time help or offshoring for solopreneurs with a tight budget.
In this episode, we discuss the following:
- The importance of lead generation and onboarding
- The need for business owners to delegate tasks
- Building a business that doesn't solely rely on the owner's skills
Resources:
If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins
Thanks for listening!
Building a Successful Indie Career With Mark Leslie Lefebvre
Become a Writer Today
10/24/22 • 32 min
What should you do if you want to write across genres? And how can you sustain a rewarding and lasting creative career? Perhaps writing across genres is the way to do it.
I spend a lot of time thinking about what genre to write in. Like many readers, I like to consume lots of different genres. What you read usually informs what you write, so if you find yourself reading multiple genres, that may explain why you want to write across more than one genre. And it can be rewarding to do so because you learn what readers expect from different genres and enjoy different kinds of stories.
Of course, the key challenge with writing across genres is that readers from genre A may not necessarily follow you to genre B.
From a purely pragmatic and business decision, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to try writing across different genres because you could potentially split your audience, and you’ll have to work a little harder to promote your books. But, from a creative process, writing across genres is a lot more rewarding. Plus, it’s fun too.
So, I’m still interested in tackling new genres and approaching various forms of storytelling, and I always love catching up with authors who have successfully done this.
One of those authors is Mark Leslie Lefebvre. He’s an author, professional speaker, and bookseller, and he’s written everything from paranormal romance to horror to thrillers to nonfiction and so on.
He’s got over a quarter of a century of experience in the bookselling industry.
In this episode, we discuss:
- That it’s actually okay to write across genres
- You can still earn a living from writing across genres
- How to be patient and find your readers
- Using email to reach readers and other marketing activities
- Collaborating with both fiction and nonfiction authors
Resources:
If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins
Thanks for listening!
Go Wide With Your Audiobook Says Scott Curry of Findaway Voices
Become a Writer Today
09/05/22 • 36 min
Over the years, I've produced, recorded, and outsourced various audiobooks based on works I've written.
For my first book, I narrated it myself using a microphone at home. Later, I commissioned a narrator, also known as an ACX, and asked them to rework the entire audiobook.
They did a better job than I did.
For subsequent books, I outsourced production by hiring narrators, and I paid between $1,000 and $2,000 for a finished audiobook.
More recently, when I wrote my parenting memoir, I Can't Believe I'm a Dad!, I decided I wanted to narrate this book myself, so I rented a studio nearby.
Each chapter ranged between 1,500 and 2,000 words and took about half an hour to narrate. I'd have to stop and rerecord a sentence for pickups or get the right tone, speed, and pace. The radio producer often asked me to go back and rerecord certain sections.
After several hours of recording, my voice would crack and dry up, which would be it for the day.
The whole process took a lot longer than I thought. But you don't have to go and rent an audio studio for your audiobook; there are multiple services available to help you break down the process. One excellent service to consider is Findaway Voices.
I use Findaway Voices to distribute the audio files I recorded for I Can't Believe I'm a Dad!
It enables authors to go wide with their audiobooks. Even if you don't have an audiobook that you've narrated yourself, you can use their newly launched marketplace to source a narrator who can record your audiobook for you.
This week, I caught up with Scott Curry of Findaway Voices. He's also a self-published author.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Using the platform if you're bringing your own audio
- Using the marketplace to source a narrator
Scott also describes his writing process and how he thinks about audio production today. I think you'll love his tip about auditioning himself for his audiobook and why he didn't get the job!
Resources:
Scott Curry as an Independent Author
If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins
Thanks for listening!
Email Marketing for Writers with Keith Monaghan
Become a Writer Today
07/15/21 • 30 min
In this episode, we focus on email marketing, and my guest is email marketing expert Keith Monaghan.
He knows his stuff as he previously worked as a market researcher and email marketer for companies like Nike, Specialized Bicycles, Trek, and NBC Television.
He's the author of the new book, Easy Email Marketing: 10 Simple Steps for Creating and Sending Marketing E-Mail Your Customers Will Love.
I asked Keith to walk through all the steps needed to create a successful campaign. From setting up an email list through to what to send. He also explains what to look out for and how to engage with readers more frequently.
In this episode, we discuss:
- People are using email more than ever
- The steps to creating a successful email campaign
- Keith's recommended email tools
- How to get the tone of your emails right
- How to write a good subject line
- Do a final check before sending your email
Resources:
- Fat Stacks Offer
- Keith Monaghan
- ConvertKit Review
- Easy E-mail Marketing: 10 Simple Steps for Creating and Sending Marketing E-Mail Your Customers Will Love - Keith Monaghan
- Revue
- MoonMail
- TinyLetter
- ActiveCampaign
- SubStack
- Interview with Daniel Pink
If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins
Thanks for listening!
How to Make the Biggest Impact with a Book That Has an Important Message with Carol and Matthew Newell
Become a Writer Today
06/28/21 • 27 min
Carol and Matthew Newell run the Family Hope Center. It's an organization that has so far supported over 20,000 families dealing with special needs children.
Carol and Matthew took some of the ideas they've refined throughout their careers and turned them into a book.
One of the key challenges they faced is having spent their entire careers as experts in their field, they found it hard to convey the knowledge they take for granted.
I've experienced reading books written by clinicians, and I appreciate that the books could often be challenging to read. I was struck by how accessible their new book, Healing Your Child's Brain, is.
I wanted to understand how they turned their expertise into something that parents can understand. It was interesting to hear how they didn't write the book to generate an income. Instead, they're doing it because of the message they want to share with parents.
In this episode we discuss:
- Their background and how they came to start The Family Hope Centre
- How society forces people to be labeled disabled
- The importance of making information easy for parents to understand.
- What is a neuroparent and how to become one
- The reasons behind them writing the book
- How they are getting the book into the hands of as many parents as possible
Resources
- The Family Hope Centre
- Healing Your Child's Brain
- The Family Hope Centre on Instagram
- The Family Hope Centre on Facebook
If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins
Thanks for listening!
Writing From Home During the COVID-19 Crisis
Become a Writer Today
03/26/20 • 11 min
COVID-19 is an unprecedented and worrying event. The closet comparison is the 1918 Spanish flu.
I'm handling this crisis in a several different ways.
Apart from following advice to wash my hands my frequently and practice social distancing, I've started meditating for twenty minutes twice a day.
It helps me decompress after reading or listening to bleak news updates. It can also help with finding more creative ideas and mastering the art of focus.
If you want to get started, check out...
How to Learn to Meditate Effectively: An Insider’s Guide
I'm lucky enough to work from home full-time anyway, but many new writers could find this transition a little jarring.
I recently wrote these two articles that might help.
About To Work From Home? Here's What To Expect
Want To Work From Home? Master These 3 Skills
This podcast also delves deeper into the topic.
If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins
Thanks for listening!
Amy Yamada Reveals How AI Can Transform Your Writing and Connect Deeply with Audiences
Become a Writer Today
01/22/24 • 26 min
In this episode of the Become a Writer Today podcast, my guest is Amy Yamada, a former marketing director and AI expert.
During the interview, Amy shares her innovative approach to using AI to develop authentic messaging and form deep connections with audiences.
Amy and her use of ChatGPT to help content creators scale their businesses is a one-of-a-kind approach. No one else is teaching what she does. Amy's method allows busy content creators to generate more content while preserving their authentic voice and speaking directly to their audience.
Here are my top 3 takeaways from our discussion:
1. Authenticity is Key: Amy uses an innovative approach called the "heart speech model" to infuse her voice into AI-generated content, ensuring that her communication is not only efficient but also authentic and resonates with her audience.
2. Utilizing AI for Relationship Building: Amy highlights how entrepreneurs, including writers, can leverage AI for various forms of communication, such as marketing emails, social media posts, and even difficult conversations with clients or team members while maintaining their authentic voice.
3. Future of AI in Content Creation: Amy shared insights on the growing role of AI in content creation and how it's important to balance efficiency with maintaining a human touch in the content we generate. We also discussed the potential of AI in serving as a research assistant and helping with content organization.
If you're interested in learning more about Amy's unique approach to using AI in writing, check out the full podcast episode. Don't miss out on these valuable insights!
Resources:
Amy's Website
If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins
Thanks for listening!
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FAQ
How many episodes does Become a Writer Today have?
Become a Writer Today currently has 266 episodes available.
What topics does Become a Writer Today cover?
The podcast is about Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Creativity, Writing, Author, Indie, Productivity, Podcasts, Books, Arts and Blogging.
What is the most popular episode on Become a Writer Today?
The episode title 'Using SEO For Your Writing With Kevin Indig' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Become a Writer Today?
The average episode length on Become a Writer Today is 27 minutes.
How often are episodes of Become a Writer Today released?
Episodes of Become a Writer Today are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Become a Writer Today?
The first episode of Become a Writer Today was released on Mar 13, 2018.
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