Today's chapter of The Word Weaver Podcast is all about the querying process: how to write a query letter and a book proposal (for non-fiction writers). A query letter (which really should be called a query e-mail since everything is electronic these days) has one very important purpose: to hook a literary agent into requesting your full manuscript (and eventually an offer of representation). Literary agents are the gatekeepers to the publishers so you want (and need) them to love your book as much as you do.
Read MoreOn today's chapter of The Word Weaver Podcast I had the pleasure of interviewing Bestselling Author, Writing Coach, YouTuber, and Creative Entrepreneur Kristen Martin on how she built her successful literary empire.
Read MoreIn this chapter of The Word Weaver Podcast, I'll walk you through my self-editing process, define what it means to kill your darlings, discuss beta readers and critique partners, as well as developmental vs. mechanical content and copy edits. The key to great writing is great editing!
Read MoreIn today's chapter, Shannon shares useful insights about her self-publishing journey with Amazon's CreateSpace publishing platform, including how she picked her book cover design using 99designs, what it felt like to win an award for her first novel, the financial challenges of being a self-published author, the writing routine that allowed her to complete a full manuscript, and her future writing goals.
If you've ever thought about self-publishing a book through Amazon's CreateSpace platform, this is the Word Weaver chapter for you!
Read MoreIn this chapter of the Word Weaver Podcast, I share my top five tips for how to write a strong opening chapter. The first sentence, paragraph, and pages set the tone for the rest of your book. The opening chapter is the first thing that literary agents, publishers, and readers will see once they pick up your book. You have to hook them early and leave them wanting more so they can't put it down.
Along with my top tips, this chapter explains the difference between a preface, prologue, and foreward. We will also dissect the opening sentences of the first two Harry Potter books.
For those keen listeners, I exclusively share the opening sentences for the Preface and First Chapter of my forthcoming non-fiction book.
Read MoreEryl McCaffrey is a certified yoga + meditation instructor, mental health advocate, public speaker, and writer.
A former TV news anchor with a background in journalism and broadcasting, Eryl took a left-turn in her career to focus on her true calling: helping others navigate the muddy waters of mental health and providing strategies for self-care.
"Holistic health is about taking care of your mental health the same way that you do your physical health."
Eryl brings her lived and learned experiences with anxiety and depression to schools, companies, and communities with her talks on mental health and mindfulness workshops where she provides tangible tools for dealing with life's stressors.
In today's chapter of the Word Weaver Podcast, we talk about how to create mindful habits, the grounding effects of nature, the importance of taking breaks to move energy through your body, and setting boundaries to guard your writing time.
Be sure to stay tuned until the end as Eryl walks us through a wellness for writers guided meditation and breathing exercise. I almost fell asleep in the interview...in a good way! It gave me shivers and will definitely be one that I return to when I'm in need of a calming voice to soothe my writer's block, insomnia, or feelings of overwhelm.
Read MoreThere are many ways to write a book which means that there are many ways to outline one. It took me a lot of practice to find the right method that worked for me!
In this chapter of the Word Weaver Podcast, first start by understanding your unique writing style. Are you a plotter, a pantser, or a combination of both?
I will walk you through the various methods that authors and writers have used to outline fiction and non-fiction books, including the popular snowflake method, skeletal method, visual maps, contextual preparation, and free writing.
Read MoreAlex McGill is a senior publicist at Penguin Random House Canada and the co-founder of gf, a PR collective that focuses on a highly personal, collaborative approach to public relations.
A graduate of Concordia University's creative writing program, Alex writes poetry and short stories. Her current favourite genres to read are autofiction, personal essay, and experimental prose.
In this chapter of the Word Weaver Podcast we chat about all things books: how words have influenced her from a young age, the catharsis of poetry, and a behind the scenes look at what goes on in the PR department at a major publishing house.
Read MoreThis chapter of the Word Weaver Podcast discusses the pros and cons of traditional publishing and self-publishing. There is also a fast-growing industry of independent publishers and hybrid publishers entering the space.
Read MoreOn our two year anniversary, my boyfriend Geoff allowed me to interview him on the differences and difficulties that come with dating someone in a non-traditional job, specifically, a writer.
Read MoreThis chapter of The Word Weaver Podcast discusses the psychological phenomenon known as impostor syndrome as it relates to writers and other high achievers. What is impostor syndrome and how do we overcome it?
Read MoreJulia Cronin is the founder and designer of Svea Swim, a new Canadian swimwear brand based in Toronto, manufactured in Montreal. Julia and I chat about her desire to create a brand that makes women of all shapes and sizes feel confident and empowered in their own skin.
We also discuss her background as a costumer in the film and TV industry (most recently The Handmaid's Tale), what inspired her to enter the seemingly saturated swimsuit market, where the name came from, and why life is too short not to do all the things that you want to do.
Read MoreIn this first ever Word Weaver Podcast episode (or "chapter" as I like to call them) you'll get an introduction into the kind of content to expect moving forward and you'll learn more about my story of becoming a full-time writer.
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