Parents Who Write
Erin P.T. Canning
Repeat after me: "I cannot do the dishes until I sit down and write for at least 10 minutes."
Welcome to Parents Who Write, the podcast that helps you pursue your writing dreams.
Join host, Erin P.T. Canning—an indie author, editor, writing coach, and mom of two young boys—as she helps you to regularly make time for your writing, strengthen your voice, and gain confidence and direction, so you can own your identity as a writer and thrive as an author.
You’ll hear from other writers and authors as they share (1) how and why they make time to write, (2) what keeps them inspired, and (3) what they’ve learned throughout their journey, including publishing and marketing tips. Their experiences will inspire you and help you find solutions to the struggles that many writers face.
We’ll also talk about the craft of creative writing, including my personal favorite genres of fantasy and romance, and discuss techniques you can apply to your own manuscripts.
Enjoy the laughs, the writing tips, the occasional parenting stories, and the relief in knowing you’re not alone. Episodes release every other Tuesday.
All episodes
Best episodes
Top 10 Parents Who Write Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Parents Who Write episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Parents Who Write 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 Parents Who Write episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
41. Book talk: Discovering layers w/ Maria Secoy
Parents Who Write
04/11/23 • 34 min
Can you recall a book that inspired you to become a writer? What about a book that fundamentally changed your view of the world or yourself?
Never underestimate the power of reading books you love—and books you hate.
Joining today’s conversation is Maria Secoy, a romance fiction author, former English teacher, and book coach for those who self-publish literary romance novels.
In this episode, you’ll enjoy a combination of banter and insight into writing techniques as two good friends discuss the books that taught them how to recognize that people (and stories) have layers, what it means to show and not tell, and how people can read the same book but have completely different experiences.
Tune in to enjoy these two good friends bantering while they challenge each other to consider a different point of view.
Whenever Maria and Erin are together, you’re guaranteed to learn something while laughing. A lot.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Books that change the trajectory of our lives
- The book at showed Maria we’re all human
- The book that taught Erin show vs tell
- The trauma of being forced to read the “right” book
- The book that showed Erin the worst in people
- Rosenblatt’s theory of reader response
- The perfect example of satire
About Maria:
Maria Secoy has a BA in English and an MEd in Secondary English. She spent more than a decade in the classroom helping students grow as authentic writers.
She wrote and published her first romance novel in February 2022, which has since reached #4 on the Amazon Best Sellers List.
After hearing stories of editors gone wrong, flopped cover designs, marketing struggles, and anxiety over the entire self-publication process, she launched All Write Well, which has grown to include a team of supportive experts who meet all the self-publishing needs of writers.
Get her books:
- Alongside Lucy: https://www.amazon.com/Alongside-Lucy-Trail-Adventure-Adventures-ebook/dp/B09WKYLVVZ
- Gloria’s Gumption: https://www.amazon.com/Glorias-Gumption-Maria-Secoy/dp/B0BRH2F7WZ/
- Standing by Stephanie: https://www.amazon.com/Standing-Stephanie-Trail-Love-Adventures-ebook/dp/B0BY3SWRW7/
Connect with Maria:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msecoywriter
- Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/awwromance
- All Write Well (self-publishing support services): https://allwritewell.com/
Books discussed during the show:
- Fat Kid Rules the World, by K.L. Going
- Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
- The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sherlock Holmes
- Lord of the Flies
Feeling stuck in your author journey? As an experienced editor, I specialize in helping writers like you, especially parents juggling family and creativity, finish and publish their books.
Take action on your writing dreams! Book a FREE 30-minute discovery call to discuss how I can help you implement these strategies and finally achieve your author goals.
https://calendly.com/parentswhowrite/30min-meeting
Bonus! Book your call and mention this episode for a free publishing check list.
18. Simplifying “show, don’t tell”
Parents Who Write
10/25/22 • 11 min
We’ve always been told to “show, don’t tell.” As such, we’ve become predisposed to want to show more, which is understandable because too much telling can feel dull and one-dimensional. But this predisposition is where writers can get lost.
While showing feels like an intimate experience with the reader, sometimes it can also cause a scene to feel long and drawn out when it has little to do with the overall story. On the other hand, telling can feel too abrupt and possibly be a missed opportunity to expand on the plot or character development.
I know how confusing this can be.
That’s why I—your host, Erin P.T. Canning, a writer, editor, and mom of two—want to show you how to maximize these methods to elevate your writing.
In this episode, you will learn exactly what showing and telling are, when to use them, and how to transition between the two. You will hear concrete yet simple examples of best-use cases, a detailed list of different ways to use telling, and a list of different types of showing.
Making the distinction between showing and telling is the foundation to guiding your reader’s imagination into your world and eliciting the emotions needed for your reader to sink into the story.
So tune in to this quick yet informative episode to learn about these methods and how to use them.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- The difference between showing and telling
- Should you show more than you tell?
- Examples of transitions between telling and showing
- When to use time in telling and showing
- When to show vs. tell in various scenarios with examples
Connect with Erin:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinptcanning
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/erinptcanning
Feeling stuck in your author journey? As an experienced editor, I specialize in helping writers like you, especially parents juggling family and creativity, finish and publish their books.
Take action on your writing dreams! Book a FREE 30-minute discovery call to discuss how I can help you implement these strategies and finally achieve your author goals.
https://calendly.com/parentswhowrite/30min-meeting
Bonus! Book your call and mention this episode for a free publishing check list.
49. Avoiding pitfalls when writing cross-genre w/ Kellie McIntyre
Parents Who Write
08/01/23 • 33 min
Do you have a story idea that doesn’t fit neatly into one genre?
If you’ve ever considered writing cross-genre, then stick around and learn how one author managed to successfully combine travel writing, memoir, and young adult into a single book.
You’ll also know the key benefits of researching your idea compared to the others who’ve already published, and you’ll learn how to find quality editors who support your goals.
As a bonus, you’ll also hear about Kellie’s and Erin’s travels abroad.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Trying to write during maternity leave
- Traveling the world and blogging with her middle schoolers
- Binging YouTube writing craft videos
- Reading one-star reviews for similar books
- Writing the first draft in three months
- Hiring three different editors when writing cross-genre
- Finding good editors and avoiding bad experiences
- Telling her family she’s writing a memoir about them
- Don’t fret not having a formal writing degree
- Favorite books
- BONUS: Entering middle school curriculums
- BONUS: Percentages of drafted and published books
About Kellie:
Kellie McIntyre is a Southern girl with a passion for cultural and adventure travel. She has explored 50 countries across six continents and will finally make it to Antarctica in November 2023.
In 2013, Kellie, her husband, and their two daughters traded middle school for a global adventure. That experience led to a first-class education from economy seats. And that education has turned into her new book. It is a “Dork Diaries meets The Amazing Race” family travel memoir with a unique twist—it’s written from her 14- and 12-year-old daughters’ perspectives.
Kellie also shares tips for planning and surviving global family (mis)adventures on her travel blog, 4 Worn Passports.
Kellie’s daughters are now young adults, and Kellie and her husband are empty-nesters in Alabama. They work in real estate.
Get her book:
- The Passport Project: Two Sisters Ditch Middle School for a Life-Changing Journey Around the World: https://www.amazon.com/Passport-Project-Sisters-Life-Changing-Journey/dp/1737743817
Connect w/ Kellie:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/4WornPassports/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4WornPassports
- Travel blog: https://4wornpassports.com/
Books discussed during the show:
- The Girl with Seven Names, by Hyeonseo Lee
- Escaping from Camp 14, by Blaine Harden
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, by Ishmael Beah
- First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers, by Loung Ung
- From the Land of Green Ghosts, by Pascal Khoo Thwe
Feeling stuck in your author journey? As an experienced editor, I specialize in helping writers like you, especially parents juggling family and creativity, finish and publish their books.
Take action on your writing dreams! Book a FREE 30-minute discovery call to discuss how I can help you implement these strategies and finally achieve your author goals.
https://calendly.com/parentswhowrite/30min-meeting
Bonus! Book your call and mention this episode for a free publishing check list.
35. What is a chapter?
Parents Who Write
02/21/23 • 7 min
Do you keep toying with an idea for a novel, but you’re not even sure what constitutes a chapter?
In today’s episode, you’ll learn not only why we use chapters but also what to include in them, their average length, and different ways to end chapters.
So tune in to find out how to identify the purpose or goal of your chapter and thus what to write next.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Defining chapter
- Including internal and external conflict
- The average length
- Different ways to end chapters
- Identifying your chapter’s purpose or goal
- A challenge for your chapters
- Know at least this when starting a new chapter
About Erin:
For 15 years, Erin has worked as a magazine and book editor, encouraging each writer’s individual voice and strengthening their writing goals. When she became a parent, she set aside her own writing aspirations to focus on her family. As the years passed, she grew increasingly anxious, depressed, and angry until she realized that she had forgotten who she was beyond being a parent.
Despite fearing her skills had atrophied, Erin started writing again. She first created her blog, Life Beyond Parenting, and then created the Parents Who Write podcast. Erin’s current role as a podcaster and writing coach enables her to help parents pursue their writing dreams.
She earned her MA in Writing from Johns Hopkins University, and she has finished the first draft of a fantasy-romance novel. She lives with her husband and their two young boys in Maryland.
Connect with Erin:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinptcanning
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/erinptcanning
- Facebook group: https://facebook.com/groups/parentswhowrite
- Book a free 30-minute consultation call: https://calendly.com/parentswhowrite/30min-meeting
Feeling stuck in your author journey? As an experienced editor, I specialize in helping writers like you, especially parents juggling family and creativity, finish and publish their books.
Take action on your writing dreams! Book a FREE 30-minute discovery call to discuss how I can help you implement these strategies and finally achieve your author goals.
https://calendly.com/parentswhowrite/30min-meeting
Bonus! Book your call and mention this episode for a free publishing check list.
07/01/22 • 31 min
A soul-crushing breakup led her to start writing about her healing process with the hope of helping others.
Angel Norvell, a U.S. soldier and author of Hey Girl, Fix Your Crown, is on the show today.
In this episode, she walks us through how writing gave her the tools to take ownership over the breakup and move forward. She also discussed what experiences served as a catalyst for turning her healing process into a self-help book.
She also shares tips for making time to write while working and parenting full time, and she introduces us to her work in progress regarding a young-adult fantasy series about Greek gods.
Connect with Angel:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AJNorvelloffical
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajnorvell_/
- Website: https://authorajnorvell.com/
Books mentioned during the show:
- The Instant Millionaire, by Mark Fisher
- One Thousand and One Nights, also known as The Arabian Nights
- Author Barbra Kingsolver
- Author C.S. Lewis
- Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling
- Percy Jackson series, by Rick Riordan
- Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
- Legendborn, by Tracy Deonn
- The Lost Gate, by Orson Scott Card
Feeling stuck in your author journey? As an experienced editor, I specialize in helping writers like you, especially parents juggling family and creativity, finish and publish their books.
Take action on your writing dreams! Book a FREE 30-minute discovery call to discuss how I can help you implement these strategies and finally achieve your author goals.
https://calendly.com/parentswhowrite/30min-meeting
Bonus! Book your call and mention this episode for a free publishing check list.
01. Becoming a parent who writes
Parents Who Write
07/01/22 • 19 min
Becoming a parent changes us in ways we could never imagine. We experience an inexplicably unique kind of love through our children. However, the 24/7 nature of parenthood can also challenge us physically, mentally, and emotionally, leaving us with little time to remember who we are beyond being a parent.
This is exactly what happened to the host of the Parents Who Write podcast, Erin P.T. Canning. After she set aside her creativity, she found herself slowly struggling more and more with feeling anxious, angry, overwhelmed, and unworthy, especially in her parenting.
No one should feel alone in their struggles. That’s why Erin created the Parents Who Write community, so she could share her own story and support others in owning and changing theirs too.
For writers like Erin, whose self-expression through writing is at the core of who they are, losing the time and confidence to write is equivalent to losing a part of themselves. In starting this podcast, Erin hopes to inspire others to start dreaming again and putting pen to paper.
Tune in to hear Erin’s emotional journey, from a 6-year period of anxiety and depression to rediscovering herself and her passion for writing!
Connect with Erin:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinptcanning
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/erinptcanning
Feeling stuck in your author journey? As an experienced editor, I specialize in helping writers like you, especially parents juggling family and creativity, finish and publish their books.
Take action on your writing dreams! Book a FREE 30-minute discovery call to discuss how I can help you implement these strategies and finally achieve your author goals.
https://calendly.com/parentswhowrite/30min-meeting
Bonus! Book your call and mention this episode for a free publishing check list.
64. Cracking the Code: How to Attract Readers on Social Media
Parents Who Write
02/27/24 • 17 min
Do you want to spend months, maybe even years, toiling away at the keyboard, birthing characters, perfecting your story, and publishing your writing—only for no one to read it?
No, of course not. We want our words to find our ideal readers because we love writing—most days.
But in order for our words to find those ideal readers, you have to learn the marketing side of this business too, regardless of whether you self-published or signed a contract with a traditional publishing house.
In today’s episode, you’ll learn how to leverage your social media platforms.
More specifically, you’ll discover how to find your ideal readers online, how to stop them from scrolling past your posts, how to encourage readers to engage with your content—maybe even share your posts too.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Every author’s marketing responsibility
- Don’t try to be on every social media platform
- Choosing your platform
- Befriending your readers, not other writers
- Posting content that reflects your author brand
- Five primary types of content to engage your idea readers
- Promoting your books effectively
- Planning and scheduling your weekly content
Connect with Parents Who Write:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parentswhowrite
- Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/parentswhowrite
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/parentswhowrite
- Book a free 30-minute strategy call to learn about my editing services: https://calendly.com/parentswhowrite/30min-meeting
Resources mentioned:
- Cara Dion: https://www.instagram.com/caradion.author/
- Ginny Moore: https://www.facebook.com/GinnyMooreAuthor
Feeling stuck in your author journey? As an experienced editor, I specialize in helping writers like you, especially parents juggling family and creativity, finish and publish their books.
Take action on your writing dreams! Book a FREE 30-minute discovery call to discuss how I can help you implement these strategies and finally achieve your author goals.
https://calendly.com/parentswhowrite/30min-meeting
Bonus! Book your call and mention this episode for a free publishing check list.
63. Unraveling the 3 Main Types of Editors: How They Support Writers
Parents Who Write
02/14/24 • 21 min
Have you ever started writing a story, and the words rush onto the page. But then you start worrying that your writing or your ideas aren’t good enough.
You start rewriting chapters over and over again. You can’t shake that voice in the back of your head that says you’re doing this wrong. Something isn’t right, but you can’t pinpoint what that is.
Or worse—you scrap the whole project and give up.
In today’s episode, Erin shares how finding the right editor can help you avoid or blow through all of that confusion and doubt. You’ll also learn the major differences between development editors, inline editors, and proofreaders.
Erin also shares when beta readers fall into the picture and what type of feedback to watch out for. You’ll also get the answers to what these editors do, when’s the right time to use their services, how much they cost, and what you should look for in order to find a quality editor.
So stay tuned to find out which editor you might need right now and how you can find your right editor.
Editing w/ Parents Who Write:
Ready to stop circling around your manuscript? As an experienced professional editor, I can help you finish your book with confidence and direction. Learn more by visiting ParentsWhoWrite.com/editing, and book a free 30-minute call with me to discuss what’s right for you.
Connect with Parents Who Write:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parentswhowrite
- Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/parentswhowrite
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/parentswhowrite
- Book a free 30-minute consultation call to learn about my editing services: https://calendly.com/parentswhowrite/30min-meeting
Resources discussed during the show:
- Reedsy.com
Feeling stuck in your author journey? As an experienced editor, I specialize in helping writers like you, especially parents juggling family and creativity, finish and publish their books.
Take action on your writing dreams! Book a FREE 30-minute discovery call to discuss how I can help you implement these strategies and finally achieve your author goals.
https://calendly.com/parentswhowrite/30min-meeting
Bonus! Book your call and mention this episode for a free publishing check list.
52. Turning a blog post into a book w/ Hilary Kinney
Parents Who Write
09/12/23 • 24 min
Have you ever wondered if a seed of an idea could become a whole book? What would that process look like? How would you even go about verifying if you have enough content?
In today’s episode, you’ll find out how Hilary Kinney figured out the answers to those very questions and successfully published her first book.
Hilary is a blogger, nonfiction author of Project Management for Parents, and a mom to one pre-teen.
So stay tuned to discover how you can turn a blog post into a book.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- When a non-writer gets an idea
- Taking action and actually writing
- Blog post triggering a book idea
- Moving past the TOC
- Writing while the kid is home
- Compiling a marketing plan
- Tip: Know your audience
- Time and organization hacks for parents
- Favorite books
- BONUS: Books that influence our writing
About Hilary:
Hilary Kinney is an award-winning blogger and author of the non-fiction book Project Management for Parents. She wrote this guide to teamwork and organization during the pandemic, to help families reduce stress and streamline life at home.
Her day job is as a corporate executive where she has spearheaded global projects across The Ritz-Carlton and Marriott hotels. She is also the proud mother of an elementary school student. Her recent parenting accomplishments include teaching him to plan his day independently, make dinner, and get his chores done without complaining—most of the time.
Hilary earned a BS from Cornell University and holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification from the Project Management Institute. She lives with her family in the Washington, D.C. area.
Get her book:
- Project Management for Parents: https://www.projectmanagementforparents.com/book
- Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Project-Management-Parents-Teamwork-Together/dp/1631956337
Connect with Hilary:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParentsProjects
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pmforparents/
- Website: https://www.projectmanagementforparents.com/
Books discussed during the show:
- Ruins and Redemption by Erin P.T. Canning, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CHDFWHBC/
- Song Yet Sung by James McBride
Feeling stuck in your author journey? As an experienced editor, I specialize in helping writers like you, especially parents juggling family and creativity, finish and publish their books.
Take action on your writing dreams! Book a FREE 30-minute discovery call to discuss how I can help you implement these strategies and finally achieve your author goals.
https://calendly.com/parentswhowrite/30min-meeting
Bonus! Book your call and mention this episode for a free publishing check list.
07/26/22 • 64 min
She uses poetry to immortalize precious moments with her children and the myriad of emotions they contain. Dominique Snedeker, a poet, U.S. Air Force veteran, and at-home parent of three young boys, is on the show today.
In this episode, she shares how motherhood has reshaped her identity and how she used poetry to process that change. She also talks about how our memories have evolved because of technology and how poetry resembles sticky notes.
We discuss how poetry and writing enable us to move through experiences so we can reach different, new conclusions. And toward the end, we allow ourselves to open up and share the struggles we’ve faced with the hope of helping others to process and release similar challenges.
Dominique also treats us to three of her poems. They explore how becoming a parent can include a loss of identity, how our kids in fact shape and mold us, and how we moms are a treasure.
Get her books:
- Motherhood: The Crucible of Love:
https://www.amazon.com/Motherhood-Crucible-Love-Dominique-Snedeker/dp/B09VWKJS55 - Cold (forthcoming)
Connect with Dominique:
- Blog: https://www.dmsnedeker.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dmsnedeker/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dmsnedeker/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmsnedeker/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dmsnedeker
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dmsnedeker
Books discussed during the show:
- “There’s a Certain Slant of Light,” by Emily Dickinson
- On the Night You Were Born, by Nancy Tillman
- Wherever You Are My Love Will Find You, by Nancy Tillman
- Maybe: A Story About the Endless Potential in All of Us, by Kobi Yamada
- “The Bells,” by Edgar Allen Poe
- Like Butter on Pancakes, by Jonathan London
Feeling stuck in your author journey? As an experienced editor, I specialize in helping writers like you, especially parents juggling family and creativity, finish and publish their books.
Take action on your writing dreams! Book a FREE 30-minute discovery call to discuss how I can help you implement these strategies and finally achieve your author goals.
https://calendly.com/parentswhowrite/30min-meeting
Bonus! Book your call and mention this episode for a free publishing check list.
Show more best episodes
Show more best episodes
FAQ
How many episodes does Parents Who Write have?
Parents Who Write currently has 74 episodes available.
What topics does Parents Who Write cover?
The podcast is about Podcasts and Arts.
What is the most popular episode on Parents Who Write?
The episode title '65. Scenes, Characters, Series, Oh My! Taming the Chaos of Multi-Project Writing w/ Edward Green' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Parents Who Write?
The average episode length on Parents Who Write is 29 minutes.
How often are episodes of Parents Who Write released?
Episodes of Parents Who Write are typically released every 7 days, 7 hours.
When was the first episode of Parents Who Write?
The first episode of Parents Who Write was released on Jul 1, 2022.
Show more FAQ
Show more FAQ