Explore our podcast episodes

On this episode, we discuss the three different types of publishing for those ready to enter the world with their printed book. All three of our contestants are dashingly handsome, but, do you really know them? We go over all three publishing world options for you so you know the good, the bad, and the ugly before you commit to dating one type of publishing. All three are great and difficult in their own ways, but ultimately, you need to decide which is the right one for you!

On this episode of Royalty Free, oh how the tables have turned! It is Kait and Melissa this week (as Ellie is sick) and so the two of us have conspired to discuss a topic she loathes: How to Plot - or more accurately, the many ways in which a writer can plot and the resources we have gathered through our journey in learning what kind of plotters we are. We discuss different philosophies of plotting, archetypes, books you should check out, as well as the instinctual side of being a plotter that you pick up with time and media. Join us for a deep-dive into the many layers of being an architect type of plotter, as well as how to garden your way into the perfect amount of plot so you don't get bored.

On this episode we will be discussing Spicy Books. Modern books are now featuring a lot of spice in books, whether it is closed door, open door, fade to black, or explicit content warnings, we talk about how modern spicy romances and books containing spice have changed over the years opinions on where spice is expected, our personal opinions on when spice is appropriate and beneficial, what it brings to a story or how it can take away. This episode is another opinion piece on how the Spicy Book market has become the norm and our opinions on what writers need to consider if they are planning to include spice.

On this episode we discuss the sheer domination and takeover of the latest genre, Romantasy! This genre has taken the book world by storm with millions of lovers. Ellie and Melissa share their opinions on Romantasy (in a not so great light, as well as in a late addition glowing review), and they discuss how Romantasy has affected other genres and taken it over like a Mean Girl demanding Dark Fantasy "get in the car, loser."

On this episode, Kaitlyn is off on an important mission, and it's just Ellie and Melissa today talking Dark Fantasy.

On this week's episode, we take a stroll down memory lane as we reflect on our first projects - and remember just how bad they were. We discuss how we got better at writing, we discuss why its okay for you to cringe at your first projects, and we talk about what we learned from those first projects.

On this week's episode, we talk how to write Character Motivation through Action. A character doesn't simply speak the truth (rarely does anyone), but a character does show who they are through their actions. We discuss different techniques, use examples of when motivation was shown brilliantly, and dig into why showing the character's internal motivations through actions is preferable to making statements in dialogue or internal monologues.

On this week's episode of Royalty Free, we deep dive into a concept Ellie learned called Writers Mythos. Every writer draws upon personal experience, themes, and subconscious childhood informative years as to what, and how, we write. She asks the hard questions and we have to identify what is deep inside us as to what has informed our writing over the years, and we learn a few things about ourselves along the way. Join us as we discuss how the writer's mythos can be used to better your writing, and how it can be abused if it isn't reined in.

In this week's episode, we will be discussing character deaths. We talk about why you would want to kill a character, how to do it right, and also, how not to kill a character that will leave your readers angry, confused, or betrayed by your work. Meaningful deaths vs. meaningless deaths, and how to use both because both are useful techniques, you just need to know when to use them.

In this week's episode, we are recording at Authorpalooza in front of a live audience! So exciting. Authorpalooza is an event our public library hosts with local authors giving readers and local writers a chance to interact and talk with each other. Today we will be discussing how identify your unique writing ability and harness it to create, then we take questions from the audience and cover everything from marketing, audience expectations, and branding. We had a blast at Authorpalooza, and our live audience was a dream to speak in front of. Thank you to everyone at the event, and remember, keep writing!

The dreaded writers block. According to Wikipedia it is a nonmedical condition, primarily associated with writing. But it can be so much more than that. The three of us decide to tackle all our top tips and tricks in overcoming writers block, as well as having emotional epiphanies regarding why writers block can be a chronic problem as well.

On this week's episode, we discuss how each of us create characters. We explain what kind of writers we are and how that translates to the different ways each of us create compelling characters. Do we stay 100% on topic? Eh, debatable. But, we do delve into how our unique needs as Discovery, Architect, and Gardener writers who each have varying needs craft characters from scratch and through hard rewrites, instinct, and fine-tuning, and not all in the same order. Take a peek into how you too can write characters you resonate with and will bring readers back for more. Does one type of writer resonate with you? Let us know!