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.
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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.
11. Gain confidence with your writing w/ Angela & Rachel Trusty
Parents Who Write
09/06/22 • 37 min
Both of these ladies didn’t realize that confidence was the key to get them writing.
Angel Trusty, a mom of four, writing coach, and editor, AND her daughter, Rachel Trusty, author of four novels, are on the show today.
In this episode, Angela shares how writing lessons through homeschooling helped her to parent better, how she's tackling imposter syndrome, and what she absolutely loves about the editing process.
Rachel discusses why she initially hated writing and how she turned that dislike into a passion. She also talks about what she finds fascinating about character development and the various genres she experiments with. And Rachel shares what surprised her most about self-publishing and what mindset she adopted that’s helped her to absolutely love the revision process.
And all three of us shared some major discoveries that became game changers for us in terms of the writing process.
Get their books:
- Homeschool Connection Journal:
https://www.amazon.com/Homeschool-Connection-Journal-Angela-Trusty/dp/B097SPGP7P/ - Rachel's Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Trusty/e/B073Q6W6TM
Connect with Angela:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homeschoolparadigm/
- Podcast (coming soon): https://homeschoolparadigm.com/coming-soon/
- Website, Homeschool Paradigm: https://homeschoolparadigm.com
- Website, Editing: https://mywritingcheck.com
- Schedule a coaching call: https://calendly.com/angela-trusty-hw/60min
Connect with Rachel:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ByRachelTrusty/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/byracheltrusty/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHLjn84eIPlihPqxva4__2w
Books discussed during the show:
- Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield
- Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
- The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
- Georgana's Secret by Arlem Hawks
- Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
- Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
- The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
- Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham
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.
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 • 50 min
Who doesn’t enjoy a good love story?
Gina Colgrove, an at-home mom of two girls, former healthcare worker, and author of Until There Was You, is on the show today.
In this episode, we discuss the history and legitimacy of serial romance novel apps and the ways in which these platforms help writers. Gina also shares what she’s learned by looking back at her first book, what her writing habits and daily goals look like, and what experiences she had with self-publishing and what portion of that surprised her.
We also talk about the ways in which our writing has inspired our kids and laughed about our 80s and 90s boy band obsessions.
Get her books:
- Until There Was You:
- https://www.amazon.com/Until-there-was-you-Colgrove-ebook/dp/B09R8Q6R73/
- Love Me Later:
https://www.amazon.com/Love-Me-Later-G-Colgrove-ebook/dp/B0B468T31W/
Find Gina’s books on the Dreame app:
- Teacher’s Pet
- The Millionaire’s Obsession
- The Millionaire’s Weakness
- The Alpha’s Redemption
- The Hellhound’s Crusade
Connect with Gina:
- Website: https://www.gcolgroveauthor.com/
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/watch/GColgroveAuthor/
- Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/653443792428877
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/g_colgrove_author/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@g_colgrove_author
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/gcolgroveauthor
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkTUISVejBHU7AOW2mqgOYA
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60230795-until-there-was-you
Books mentioned during the show:
- Twilight series, by Stephanie Meyer
- Midnight Sun, by Stephanie Meyer
- Jewels of the Sun, by Nora Roberts
- House of Night series, by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
- Fallen series, by Lauren Kate
- Miss Peregrine’s School for Peculiar Children series, by Random Riggs
- Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, by Rick Riordan
- Chronicles of Narnia series, by C.S. Lewis
- Shadows by the Lighthouse, by Melissa Puritis
- The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate DiCamillo
- Inkheart (and the Inkworld series), by Cornelia Funke
- The Thief Lord, by Cornelia Funke
Free your creativ
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.
03. Taking self-publishing into her own hands w/ Melissa Puritis
Parents Who Write
07/01/22 • 52 min
Done with waiting, she took herself off the shelf by writing and publishing her mystery book in less than a year.
Melissa Puritis, a single mom, middle school English teacher, and author of Shadows by the Lighthouse, is on the show today.
In this episode, she discusses the large gap between young kids’ books and young adult novels, as well as the lack of time for student creative writing. Melissa also shares how she manages to sit down and write and why writing makes her a better parent.
We also talk about why it's important for parents take themselves off the shelf and pursue their own dreams. Melissa shares what she experienced while pursing the typical publishing route, why she chose to self-publish, and how she made that happen. And we discuss many of our and our kids’ favorite books.
Get Melissa’s books:
- Shadows by the Lighthouse:
https://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Lighthouse-Melissa-Puritis/dp/057834503X - A Team Betrayed (A Summerset Island Mystery):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BFGBM7NR/
Connect with Melissa:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Summerset-Mystery-Series-107130935242604
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa.reads.it.all
- Website: https://melissapuritis.weebly.com/
Books mentioned during the show:
- The Hardy Boys series, by Frank and Joe Hardy
- Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling
- A Court of Thorns and Roses series, by Sarah J. Maas
- The Awakening, by Kate Chopin
- Less Than Zero, by Bret Easton Ellis
- Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak
- Pirate Boy, by Eve Bunting
- I Love You Forever, by Robert Munsch
- The Bad Guys series, by Aaron Blabey
- Captain Underpants, by Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man, by Dav Pilkey
- I Survived audio books, by Lauren Tarshis
- Paddington audio books, by Michael Bond
- Magic Tree House series, by Mary Pope Osborne
- Dragon Masters series, by Tracey West
- Appleblossom the Possum, by Holly Goldberg Sloan
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.
25. Navigating your Google and Word docs easily
Parents Who Write
12/13/22 • 20 min
Did you know that you don’t have to sit down and write a story from beginning to end? You can start with an idea for a specific storyline or scene, skip the exposition, and get right to the good stuff.
Writing like this will fuel your creativity. But how do you avoid a jumbled mess?
In today’s episode, you’ll learn the advantages of using Google Docs to craft your story whenever you get inspired to write.
With specific examples, Erin highlights the built-in features in Google Docs and Word that will help you organize your ideas and make it easy to jump from chapter to chapter or scene to scene.
You’ll also get easy instructions for formatting Word documents, which will make prepping for submission a painless process. Tune in to get started!
Watch the full video tutorial via YouTube: https://youtu.be/qjbMeZBrrOA
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Discovering the benefits of writing with Google Docs
- Naming your documents for easy filing and version control
- Styling your text to create an automatic outline
- Navigating to specific chapters and scenes
- Using key words to identify the focus of your chapters at glance
- Incorporating unwritten scenes as placeholders
- Changing the default fonts for styles
- Formatting documents in Word
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.
01/16/24 • 16 min
Are you struggling to figure out where to focus next in your writing journey?
From navigating various publishing paths to juggling writing workshops, marketing courses, and more, the confusion is real.
In this episode, host Erin P.T. Canning reflects on the challenges she faced in previous years with balancing parenthood, editing, and writing. Despite releasing her first fantasy romance novel in 2023, she felt overwhelmed trying to balance her priorities.
Find out how Erin found focus for 2024 and how that focus will help her to combat overwhelm as she grows her author business and navigates the indie author publishing industry.
You’ll also discover how Erin’s goals for 2024 will directly benefit the Parents Who Write community and its listeners.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Looking backward, not forward
- Choosing my big 2024 goal
- Two main ways to achieve my goal
- Goal one: Publishing more books
- Goal two: Learning about the indie author industry
- Sharing my findings and journey with my listeners
- Your challenge
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
Books discussed during the show:
- Ruins and Redemption: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CG84P1N8
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.
01/02/24 • 17 min
It’s that time of year again when we ponder what we want to achieve in the new year. For parents who write, our lives are exceptionally busy, so planning our writing goals is crucial to our success. However, we also need to intentionally set writing goals that we can realistically achieve.
So if you haven’t already sat down to plan out your writing goals for the new year, use this template that is tried, tested, and true. Help set yourself up for success and ensure that whatever story is living inside of you does, in fact, come to life.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Digging deep into why you write
- Setting realistic goals
- Tracking your progress
- Planning ahead
- Identifying potential obstacles and solutions
- Finding the right accountability community
- Conquering self-doubt
- Telling your inner judge to wait their turn
- Identifying your audience
- Connecting with one person
- Redefining what it means to be a writer
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
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.
54. Giving yourself permission to write now w/ Megan Clancy
Parents Who Write
10/10/23 • 41 min
For many parents, moms in particular, society perpetuates the idea that we should sacrifice everything for our children. So how do we push that aside and give ourselves permission to write now and pursue our creative dreams?
In this episode, you’ll hear how Megan Clancy did that—not only for herself but also the writers she coaches. Megan is a writer of upmarket women's fiction and queer contemporary romance, a book coach, a former high school English teacher, and a mother of two young children.
Needless to say, she has a lot to say on this topic.
So stay tuned to learn how she’s overcome these obstacles. And bonus: Find out how to own your identity as a writer today.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Losing yourself and writing in parenthood
- Fighting against societal norms
- Changing your mindset
- Setting boundaries with the family
- Owning your identity as a writer now
- Addressing the impossibility of writing dreams as mothers
- Getting past mom guilt
- Finding your confidence
- Sapphic women’s fiction
- Favorite books
About Megan:
Megan Clancy is a writer of upmarket women's fiction and queer contemporary romance. She has a BA in English/Creative Writing from Colorado College, an MFA from the University of Melbourne, and worked as a high school English teacher before becoming a full-time writer and book coach. She loves to travel, which frequently inspires her writing, and has lived and worked in Australia, Nepal, and the United States. She currently lives in California with her husband and two young children.
Get her book:
- The Burden of a Daughter: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937818993/
Connect with Megan
- Website: http://www.meganaclancy.com/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mclancyauthor
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mclancyauthor/
Books discussed during the show:
- The No-Show, by Beth O’Leary
- Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus
- Delilah Green Doesn’t Care, by Ashley Herring Blake
- The Magic Treehouse, by Mary Pope Osborne
- Dragon Masters, by Tracey West
- I Built a House, by Chris Van Dunsen
- Maybe, by Kobi Yamada
- The Remember Balloons, by Jessie Oliveros
- Robin and Her Misfits, by Kelly Ann Jacobson
- Tinkerbell and Wendy, by Kelly Ann Jacobson
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.
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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.
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