I'm starting the new year with a conversation about mental health. We are living in COVID times, which means stress is at an all-time high and mental health is at an all-time low. We should talk about mental health more often. I wish you all the best in 2022, but for those struggling, I hope this discussion helps.
Happy 2022: (00:00) Writing & mental health: (00:33) Why discuss mental health?: (01:30) We don't always need to be "on": (03:21) The importance of rest: (04:16) Resources for help: (05:23) Closing thoughts: (06:35)
Writing and Mental Health | Authortube | Mental HealthRunning2Write2022-01-04 | Writing and Mental Health | Authortube
I'm starting the new year with a conversation about mental health. We are living in COVID times, which means stress is at an all-time high and mental health is at an all-time low. We should talk about mental health more often. I wish you all the best in 2022, but for those struggling, I hope this discussion helps.
Happy 2022: (00:00) Writing & mental health: (00:33) Why discuss mental health?: (01:30) We don't always need to be "on": (03:21) The importance of rest: (04:16) Resources for help: (05:23) Closing thoughts: (06:35)Productivity and Writing Sprints | Authortube | Accountability Stream 6PM-7:30PM ETRunning2Write2024-10-17 | Tonight's sprints are a week late, but that gave us more time to prepare. As spooky season settles in and nights get longer, please join me as we write our stories. Let's be productive together.
#writingtips #accountabilitystream #writingsprintsComparing Reedsy To Other Formatting Tools | AuthorTube | EditingRunning2Write2024-10-15 | I am a big fan of editing my manuscripts using Reedsy. I find that it is easy to use, if limited. But, how does Reedsy compare to other tools, such as Atticus or D2D Formatting. I collaborated with Andy from Self Pub With Andy to compare the strengths and weaknesses of the various tools to edit our manuscripts. How well does Reedsy hold up? Join in to find out.
#formattingmanuscript #formattingtools #ReedsyBook Marketing Tips: How To Use BookBub | AuthorTubeRunning2Write2024-10-07 | Congratulations! You've written a novel. What now? Self-published books, or really any book, can easily be lost among the many published every year. BookBub is one tool which we can use to connect our novel with readers. However, mine is a cautionary tale. I setup a BookBub month-long promotion. How did it go and what did I learn from the experience? Did this tool help push my novels to the best seller list? In this episode, I explain how things went for me when I used BookBub. I'll show all the metrics and include a guide on how to design your own marketing promotion.
An intro on BookBub: (00:00) My BookBub Experience: (01:30) BookBub Interface and My Metrics: (03:01) Ideas to Improve Results: (09:22) How To Create YOUR Ad: (10:30) Outro: (15:32)5 Tips To Writing Opening Sentences | AuthorTube | WritingAdviceRunning2Write2024-10-01 | Where do we begin our stories? If you are like me, you agonized over every word in that first sentence. I know I've rewritten my first sentences, a reader's introduction to my writing style, hundreds if not thousands of times. In this episode, I will be detailing what makes a great opening sentence. I'll be sharing tips of what to do, along with strategies to not do to catch and keep reader attention.
#writingopeningsentences #writingtechniques #ampublished5 Tips To Writing Genius CharactersRunning2Write2024-09-24 | Geniuses are all over modern media in the worst ways. They are the deus ex machinas of terrible writing and storytelling. I'll share some examples where the genius's flawless plan should never have worked, and their presence made the stories worse. In this episode, I will be giving my thoughts on how to write believable, interesting, and compelling geniuses.
#writinggenius #writingtechniques #ampublishedFixing My Manuscript: Revising Draft 0 Into Draft 1 | AuthorTubeRunning2Write2024-09-17 | Manuscripts are rough. As much effort as I put into writing my novels, I do not consider the first completed manuscript to be ready for anyone else to read. That is my draft 0. What do I do to get it from "No one should ever read this" to "I like this story". That is the version I send out to beta readers, who then help me improve my story and get it up to the level that I believe is ready to be published, many drafts later. Tonight's episode is all about the initial steps to improving our manuscript.
#revisingmanuscript #writingtechniques #ampublishedProductivity and Writing Sprints | Authortube | Accountability Stream 6PM-7:30PM ETRunning2Write2024-09-10 | It's time for my monthly writing sprints. We can all work on our works in progress together. Fall may be approaching, so that's more reason to use that hour we gain. We all have chapters to write or errands to run or houses to clean. Something is always in need of fixing :(. Let's be productive together.
#writingtips #accountabilitystream #writingsprintsWhat The Olympics Taught Me About Writing A Novel | AuthortubeRunning2Write2024-09-03 | The Olympics are over. The display of the pinnacles of human fitness and endurance is incredible to watch. Also, this year's memes were on point. While we were laughing at questionable antics or praising records being set, I was also thinking about my novel and my writing career. Though I am nowhere near the top of my hobby, I was inspired by these top athletes and I'm going to share my thoughts to hopefully inspire others.
#2024olympics #writingtechniques #ampublishedCould This Be Written Today? The Chronicles of PrydainRunning2Write2024-08-27 | The Chronicles of Prydain was the first epic fantasy story I read. It is one of the main series which created my love of reading. Is this a timeless classic or has it aged badly. Could this still be used to bring new readers into the genre? Tonight, I'll take a critical look at the writing style and stories.
#couldthisbewrittentoday #TheChroniclesofPrydain #epicfantasyEven More Tips To Formatting Manuscripts With Reedsy | AuthorTubeRunning2Write2024-08-19 | I've used Reedsy to format three of my novels, which were then bundled and published using downstream services. Tonight, I go into specific mistakes I made while using Reedsy. I'll show how to explicitly set the formats for our manuscripts and why we need to review everything carefully...
Reedsy, an intro: (00:00) Copyright page fixes: (02:10) ISBNs: (03:42) Double check settings: (05:01) Be judicious with time: (06:32) Adding QR codes?: (07:35) Closing thoughts: (09:18)Productivity and Writing Sprints | Authortube | Accountability Stream 6PM-7:30PM ETRunning2Write2024-08-13 | It's time for my monthly writing sprints. Let's be productive together. We can all work on our works in progress together. I start an hour earlier to get in extra time to be productive.
#writingtips #accountabilitystream #writingsprintsIndie Author Showcase: Summer 2024 | Authortube | BooktubeRunning2Write2024-08-07 | I've read a lot of books this year, so I'm going to review the indie books. These are some of the books I've picked up at recent conferences and written by mostly local (to me) authors. Enjoy.
#ampublished #indieshowcase #indiebooksLearning From The Worst: Critiques On Bad WritingRunning2Write2024-07-30 | After multiple weeks of praising my favorite instances of modern storytelling, I am switching to the worst examples. These stories were so mind-numbingly bad that they tore down the good will and legacy built up by their predecessors. While I can go back and enjoy the roots of the stories, the modern iterations serve to diminish both the past, present, and future of the characters and worlds built.
I am going to describe what I've learned from these stories and how I ensure to not make the same mistakes while writing my own stories.
#ampublished #destroyingalegacy #learningfromtheworstLearning From The Best: Unbreakable TophRunning2Write2024-07-23 | Tonight, I will be discussing how to write a character who is like the solid foundation for the Avatar story: Toph. She is one of the most grounded characters across the series and wins fan popularity polls by landslides (probably). I will break down what makes her character so great and how we can write unforgettable characters in our stories.
#ampublished #assemblingateam #learningfromthebestLearning From The Best: Assembling A TeamRunning2Write2024-07-16 | My stories are character and team focus. I like writing the interpersonal drama taking place while the heroes are trying to save the world. Avatar the Last Airbender assembled arguably a perfect team. With Team Avatar as a model, these are my tips to writing teams that make readers keep turning the pages of our stories.
#ampublished #assemblingateam #learningfromthebestProductivity and Writing Sprints | Authortube | Accountability Stream 6PM-7:30PM ETRunning2Write2024-07-09 | After last week's emotional of life colliding with art, I am ready to start writing the next chapter. Come write with me as I continue my work in progress.
#writingtips #accountabilitystream #writingsprintsDangers Of Getting Too Close To Our WritingRunning2Write2024-07-01 | Life happened today. I had a more lighthearted script for tonight. This will be unplanned and unrehearsed.
I'm going to talk about why the current chapter I am writing will be so difficult to finish. I didn't know when I started what a gut-punch was in store in the real world and how that would mirror the struggle my characters faced.
Tonight will be rough. Thanks for listening.Learning From The Best: Redemption ArcsRunning2Write2024-06-25 | I don't know about you, but I root for a villain to be turned to the hero's side through redemption. This path should not be easy and may not be possible depending on the villains actions. However, when these moments do happen, they create dramatic and thrilling stories. These are my tips to write a satisfying redemption arc based on the progression of Zuko from Avatar the Last Airbender.
#ampublished #redemptionarcs #learningfromthebestLearning From the Best: How To Write VillainsRunning2Write2024-06-17 | One of my favorite stories is the anime: Yu Yu Hakusho. Not only does this have arguably the best tournament arc, but it has one of the best villains in fiction. This is the first in my series of Learning From the Best, where I take a thorough look at what went write in my favorites. For tonight's episode, I am discussing the younger Toguro brother and why he stands the test of time as a perfect counter to the protagonist.
For more information on how amazing the Yusuke vs Toguro fight is, here are a few more videos praising its art, themes, and how well it hits the story beats: Zephfire: youtube.com/watch?v=2mHGlZ_W-7g
For a fantastic villain breakdown which mirrors this video and my opinions: Aleczandxr: Toguro: A Wounded Heart, A Broken Dream (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Villainsplaining: (00:00) Toguro is a top tier villain: (02:12) Make it personal: (04:19) Relatable goals: (06:00) Give them depth: (07:36) Turn it upside down: (09:22) Closing thoughts: (10:32)Productivity and Writing Sprints | Authortube | AccountabilityRunning2Write2024-06-11 | Tonight is my monthly writing sprints episode. Let's be productive together. I'll be writing my 4th novel, but feel free to do anything, from writing to cooking dinner to relaxing with some video games. Any kind of productivity is good I'll be starting an hour earlier to get in all the extra productiveness out of my live stream. This will be a chance for us all to start our week off right by getting tasks checked off from our list.
#writingtips #accountabilitystream #writingsprintsMy Top Publishing Tip Bonus Episode | AuthorTube | CollaborationRunning2Write2024-06-07 | This week we have a bonus video about my best publishing tip. This collaboration video was brought together by the AuthorTube group I am a part of. If you like this, I host regular weekly videos Monday nights at 7pm.
#ampublished #publishingtips #writingtip5 Tips to Selling Books at a Conference | AuthortubeRunning2Write2024-06-04 | My latest conference has come and gone. What have I learned at my second time at Balticon? Was I able to put a year of selling my book at conferences to good use or did I fail in all aspects? I'll spill some tea on tonight's episode.
#writingtips #sellingbooks #ampublishedThis Is My Book Tag | Authortube | CollaborationRunning2Write2024-05-27 | It's time for a collaboration tag, namely the This Is My Book tag. If you want the deep dark secrets about what went into my first book, Falling Through, then you have come to the right place. Or if you just like what I do here every week, that's fine too.
1: What's the title of your book?
2: What genre is it?
3: What inspired you to write it?
4: Is your book self or trad published?
5: What do you love about your book?
6: What other books does yours resemble?
7: What is the scene or thing you were most excited for readers to read?
8: What is one thing readers may have missed or not picked up on when reading your book?
9: How much, if any, research went into your book/series?
10: Was your story set in or inspired by a place(s) you love/visited?
11: What in your book comes from ‘writing what you know’?
12: What did you learn from other authors that you were able to incorporate into your own book?
I'll try to do more collaborations because this was a fun video to make. Enjoy.
Track: Patrick Patrikios - Just Dance Music provided by NCALIB. Watch: youtube.com/watch?v=w9RdrA3t95o5 Tips To Write When We Cant Think Of Ideas | AuthortubeRunning2Write2024-05-21 | At the moment, I am struggling to work on my 4th book. These are the tips I used in the past when facing similar obstacles. Spoiler alert, my biggest obstacle is time. Once my schedule falls back to normal, I will use these to get my ideas onto the page.
#writingtips #writersblock #ampublishedProductivity and Writing Sprints | Authortube | Accountability Stream 6PM-7:30PM ETRunning2Write2024-05-14 | Season 7 of Running2Write is here! In a shocking turn of events, I have fallen behind on my writing schedule. My outline is incomplete and I have yet to truly start on writing my next book. Together, I promise to do better. With that in mind, I am hosting a productivity/writing/accountability stream to force me to get those words on the page. I'll be starting an hour earlier to get in all the extra productiveness out of my live stream. Join in. Fold laundry, write, complain about it being a Monday night. This will be a chance for us all to start our week off right by getting tasks checked off from our list.
#writingtips #accountabilitystream #writingsprints5 Tips To End A Novel | AuthortubeRunning2Write2024-05-07 | How do we KNOW when a book is done? How many endings are too many endings? I've read books and watched shows which took all the good will of a tightly paced story and thrown it out the window in favor of introducing new plot elements. These are my tips to not make those mistakes and to end a story with readers craving more while also being satisfied with what is on the page.
#writingtips #ampublished #writingendingsHow To Outline A Novel: The Snowflake MethodRunning2Write2024-04-30 | I am a thorough plotter and outliner. When I write my novels, I have a robust plan for exactly what will happen and when. Instead of merely covering my basement floor with notecards to switch around everywhere, I have been using the Snowflake method to outline my latest novel. Tonight, I'm going through the steps, what worked for me, and the parts I skipped.
I also describe how I both did and didn't use the Snowflake method in my previous novels.
#writingtips #ampublished #outliningmethod5 Tips to Sparking CreativityRunning2Write2024-04-24 | Our daily lives leave us in a creative desert. Between work, responsibilities, and chores, I struggle to want to write, let alone come up with original ideas. These are 5 of the tips I use to overcome the stifling challenges life throws in my way so that I can be creative and write.
#writingtips #ampublished #sparkingcreativityBuilding Worldbuilding Depth: Using Small DetailsRunning2Write2024-04-16 | Tiny details within a story can be used to convey massive amounts of research. These can also represent a lush world with minimal effort. These are my tips to including those small details without being overbearing, along with examples where they did not do enough research to the detriment of the story.
#writingtips #ampublished #detailsmatterWhats Next? 5 Steps To Do After PublishingRunning2Write2024-04-09 | I published a novel! The most common followup question everyone asks is "What's next?" These are my steps to take to remain sane and plan to write my next novel.
#writingtips #ampublished #nextnovelBook Launch Party: Saving the LostRunning2Write2024-03-31 | Saving the Lost is finally here!!! Join me for a book launch day filled with games and prizes!!!
What's in store for the latest in my Into the Void series?
In traveling to new times and dimensions, the void has taken victims. Nicole will stop at nothing to reclaim her lost friend. Her, Tracy, Derek, and the rest will venture through the void and discover the past and future are more connected than anyone realized. What will they need to sacrifice to bring everyone home?
#ampublished #booklaunch #newbook5 Tips to Add Romance into Other Genres | AuthortubeRunning2Write2024-03-25 | Uh oh... There's peanut butter in my chocolate. Sometimes we end up with a delicious Reese's. Sometimes we end up with an imbalanced melted mess. It's the same difficulty in adding romance moments within fantasy, science fiction, and other genres. These are my tips to make the most of these character building opportunities so they don't feel like an after thought or a way to pad for word count in a winding story.
Bad romances, paraphrasing last week's points: (00:00) Remove the romance: (02:28) More than plot: (03:18) Don't be inevitable: (04:05) Do something different: (06:04) Relationships mirror the theme: (06:53) Throw out the rules: (07:41) Closing thoughts: (08:03)5 Tips to BREAK the 4th WallRunning2Write2024-03-19 | Dropping all pretenses of a story can irrevocably ruin a reader's immersion in a story. I'll be sharing 5 tips on how to break the fourth wall so we can write the next Deadpool or Harley Quinn into our novels.
#writingtips #ampublished #4thwallHow Awesome Was Awesome Con? My Vendor ExperienceRunning2Write2024-03-12 | This past weekend, I was a self-published vendor in Author's Lane at Awesome Con! How did it go? Was it a success? Of the thousands of people in foot traffic, how many conversations did I start? What did I learn? What will I never do again?
The answers to all this and more coming up in this week's episode of Running2Write.
#writingtips #vendortips #ampublished #AwesomeConTaxes: The Boring Todo Of Self-PublishingRunning2Write2024-03-05 | Love them, or most likely, hate them, selling our books has tax implications. In becoming a vendor at this year's Awesome Con in Washington DC, I needed to register with the DC Office of Tax and Revenue.
If you're looking to be a vendor at a future conference, this is the process I went through. While I likely did things wrong, I think I fixed my initial mistakes. Hopefully, my lessons learned can help you.
#writingtips #publishingtips #ampublishedMy Indie Publishing ChecklistRunning2Write2024-02-27 | My next book comes out next month and I am using a new process to publish. Specifically, I've moved from IngramSpark and Draft2Digital to entirely using Amazon KDP.
What do I do right? What do I do wrong? Why did I change the tools I use? Let's find out together.
#writingtips #publishingtips #ampublishedBook 3 Cover Reveal & VlogRunning2Write2024-02-20 | Book 3 is set to be published next month!!! It's time for a cover reveal and for me to share all the insider details about the book and how my writing is going.
Spoiler alert, I'll have just finished working for 12 days in a row, with a few 10+ hour days mixed in, so not well.
Come have fun as I revitalize on camera and drudge up all the juicy secrets about this upcoming novel.
#writingtips #coverreveal #newbook2023 Authortube Secret Santa UnboxingRunning2Write2024-02-16 | Tonight is a bonus episode. I'm unboxing the gift I received as a part of this year's Authortube Secret Santa.
For my full thoughts on Crazy Rich Asians, as discussed on Nia the Vixen of Fiction's video series, Scripting the Book check out this video: youtube.com/watch?v=RhmSjEAhmdE
Talking about romance: (00:00) Believable?: (01:21) Good enough: (03:56) Healthy relationships: (04:50) Better together: (5:55) Shouldn't work... but does: (07:04) Closing thoughts: (07:58)5 Tips to Writing Ordinary MomentsRunning2Write2024-02-06 | Stories can't be nonstop swordfights, car chases, and high stakes emotions. Tonight, I'll be going over my tips to write the quieter moments, usually at the start of a novel.
#writingtips #writingordinary #writingmundaneTop 5 Vacations in NovelsRunning2Write2024-01-30 | Of all the countless settings and places in all the stories I've read, only a handful would make great vacation spots. These are my top 5. What are your favorite imaginary locations?
#writingtips #ampublished #writingtimepassingHow to Depict Time PassingRunning2Write2024-01-23 | The events of our stories don't happen simultaneously. Time progresses from the page 1 to the end. These are my 5 tips to show how time has passed, whether it is a few seconds or years.
#writingtips #ampublished #writingtimepassingEstablishing Better Character Wants and NeedsRunning2Write2024-01-16 | Characters with wants and needs are more interesting than those without. Even if the villain's want is only to spread chaos and destruction or a hero's want is to make the world better, they are easier to understand when we the reader know their goals.
When a character's wants and needs clash, that creates the best of storytelling. When a character acts against their own desires solely to plot can happen, that's the worst of storytelling.
How can we design conflict by setting a character's wants and needs to oppose? Here are my tips to creating realistic characters through their wants and needs.
My running wants vs needs: (00:00) Defining wants and needs for writing: (01:39) Take a character's pulse: (2:08) Wants oppose needs: (03:48) Strengthen antagonists: (05:08) Expand the definition of "need": (06:31) Concentric circles: (07:49) Closing thoughts: (08:52)Author Tools: The Character Alignment ChartRunning2Write2024-01-09 | Characters and the decisions they make can be broken down into fundamental levels based on the alignment chart between Good vs Evil and Lawful vs Chaotic.
Tonight, I will be sharing my 5 tips to using this chart to help us write characters. This can help in creating the characters, in knowing how they will react to difficult scenarios, and in tracking their growth as people.
#writingtips #characteralignment #ampublished2023 Wrap Up and Productivity SprintsRunning2Write2024-01-01 | Want to start the new year off by achieving those writing resolutions? Join me for a day of relaxing as I recap the past year's progress and then springboard into writing sprints to get those words on pages.
I'll start with a recap of my Writing to the Senses series and give you the my best tips to include taste, smell, touch, hearing, and sight into our stories. Then, I'll share my successes and failures of 2023 and share where Running to Write will go in the new year. Spoiler alert: the answer is not space.
Come join in the fun as we start writing all those words and being productive. Or join in to distract us and catch up with thrilling tales from New Years Eve debauchery.
There may even be a teaser for those who stay to the end.
#writingfivesenses #writingin2024 #ampublishedHow to Write the Five Senses: SightRunning2Write2023-12-26 | Sight is the most basic of our senses. It is the one often described first and most in novels. These are my tips to making this sense more than a list. Here are 5 tips to not only not write boring descriptions, but captivate readers.
#writingfivesenses #writingaboutsight #ampublishedRunning2Write Live StreamRunning2Write2023-12-20 | ...How to Write the Five Senses: HearingRunning2Write2023-12-19 | Sound warns us of our surroundings, be it a car or ferocious animal. How can we write what our character hears to surround them in the environments without defining every noise for readers. Tonight, I'm giving my 5 tips to adding auditory cues to our on the page stories, without the aid of audiobooks.
Here is a helpful list of ways to describe sounds:
https://www.writerswrite.co.za/106-ways-to-describe-sounds/
#writingfivesenses #writingabouttouch #ampublishedHow to Write the Five Senses: TouchRunning2Write2023-12-12 | Touch defines how our characters move through the worlds we create. How do we best convey danger of touching fire differently from resting our head on a soft pillow? These are my 5 tips to bringing physical contact from our written words.
#writingfivesenses #writingabouttouch #ampublishedHow to Write the Five Senses: ScentRunning2Write2023-12-05 | Smell is arguably the most underutilized sense to include in our stories. It enhances all taste, conveys a scene, and rekindles long-lost memories.
these are my 5 tips to adding smells to our stories in a way to entice readers.
Here is a useful resource when looking for vivid descriptions of odors:
https://www.writerswrite.co.za/75-words-that-describe-smells/