Episodes

  • You Deserve a Place That Feels Like Home: Literary Matchmaking with Deidra Riggs

    You Deserve a Place That Feels Like Home: Literary Matchmaking with Deidra Riggs
    Mar 21 2025

    Find your publishing home without losing your voice: Literary agent Deidra Riggs reveals insider secrets on breaking into publishing while staying true to yourself—especially for women of color and writers with unconventional perspectives.

    In this interview (episode 278), you'll discover...

    • Insider secrets: Deidra reveals what draws her to a manuscript
    • Authors' authentic voices: Deidra supports clients, helping them navigating publishing without compromising their unique perspectives and voices
    • Publishing reality check: Social media followers...do they matter as much as we think?
    • Deidra's wishlist: Learn what genres Deidra's looking for (and how the main interest surprises her)
    • Direct access: Deidra invites you to contact her directly with your work (a rare agent invitation!)
    I don't want authors to feel like they've had to make themselves smaller, change their message, change their voice or the essence of who they are just to get a book published." —Deidra RiggsAbout This Episode

    Ever wondered what literary agents really look for in submissions? Or how to maintain your authentic voice in an industry that often demands conformity? Literary agent Deidra Riggs shares some of publishing's hidden realities while sharing her journey from writer to agent at Embolden Media Group.

    This isn't just another "how to get published" conversation, however. Deidra reveals her process for deciding to work with an author, why this is a "risky time" for diverse voices in publishing, how she creates and searches for a nurturing "home" for authors (particularly women of color), and what makes her champion certain manuscripts in an increasingly challenging market.

    Guest Spotlight: Literary Agent Deidra Riggs

    Deidra is an author, speaker, coach, and consultant. Her extensive background includes writing, editing, and marketing for faith-based, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations. She is adept at shepherding a group or individual to the successful conclusion of a project, offering clear and accessible tools and guidance. Deidra is drawn to well-told stories with fresh viewpoints.

    Whether fiction or nonfiction, she gravitates toward engaging, thoughtful, and creative first-rate narrative and out-of-the box perspectives that help us laugh, dream, heal, and grow (and go) forward. A Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), Deidra lives in Connecticut.

    The first thing I look at is when I read this first paragraph, Do I wanna read more? And if I wanna read more, then I wanna know, well, Who's writing this? And that's when I'll go and look. And if it says you have 57 followers, I will write you back and say, "This is great. I'm concerned about your platform." —Deidra RiggsTimestamps for Quick Reference

    0:00 Introduction to the publishing industry challenges

    0:58 Welcoming Deidra Riggs, a literary agent who cares

    2:07 Deidra's journey from writer to literary agent

    3:04 The influence of blogging on Deidra's path

    7:23 Deidra's transition to publishing books

    10:17 Joining Embolden Media Group as a literary agent

    12:22 Building relationships with authors and editors

    14:58 Creating a sense of "home" in the publishing process

    16:50 Handling rejections and providing feedback

    19:03 Assessing submissions and deciding to proceed

    22:17 Platform requirements and starting a conversation

    24:49 Discovering new writers and using social media

    28:17 Encouragement for finding a publishing "home"

    29:44 Exploring other publishing options

    31:09 Balancing social media and new content for books

    33:15 Deidra's current interests (it surprises her)

    35:10 Contacting Deidra and final thoughts

    The women that I represent write as women of color, so they're not trying to make anyone like them. They're trying to be who they are and put out a message they feel called and led to put out into the world, and that's a risky thing right now. —Deidra RiggsResources:
    • Full Episode Information & Transcript
    • Embolden Media Group
    • Contact Deidra Riggs
    • Related: Interview with literary agent Lucinda Halpern
    • Craft Your Best Book Proposal
    Show More Show Less
    37 mins
  • 10 Years of Podcasting for Writers: From Fearful Beginnings to Global Impact

    10 Years of Podcasting for Writers: From Fearful Beginnings to Global Impact
    Jan 16 2025
    On a chilly December afternoon in 2014, I closed the door to my bedroom, swallowed back nerves—even trembled a little as I held a tiny earpiece as a microphone. Then I cleared my throat and recorded my first podcast episode that lasted all of two minutes. At that point a seasoned author, I forgot what it felt like to send something into the world for the first time. I’d done it for decades with my voice on the page or the screen. With a podcast, I was sending my actual voice into the world for the first time. How would people react? Would these episodes find their way into writers’ ears? I was a beginner again. First Facing Fears I fretted over editing, even though my initial vision for using audio was to give myself a simpler way to share ideas. I thought I could wing it. I thought it would be simple. But I realized a more focused, tight delivery would serve listeners better, so I started by outlining and writing a script. This added more time and tasks, but it gave people another way to enjoy the ideas without wasting any of their time with rambling and repetition. Next Facing Discouragement Only a few people listened to those first episodes. My friend Charity listened. My mentors. A few friends. I probably forced my husband to help with audio editing questions, but that may have been it. Publishing episode after episode proved daunting when I looked at the stats and saw only a few people tuning in. I kept going, though, because I enjoyed it. Truly. I loved sending off ideas as a podcast episode, in that medium. When I first told people about it, they told me they couldn’t find it on their podcast player. They searched and searched, but…nothing. I phoned the good people at Blubrry, my podcast host, to help diagnose several technological mishaps on my part, which resulted in a name change from The Writing Life with Ann Kroeker to the Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach podcast. With those few changes, people could finally find the podcast. From Humble Beginnings to Global Reach In time, more listeners downloaded the show. A friend with a huge following shared it one afternoon and that introduced me to her readers. My listening stats showed a bump because of that and the numbers continued to rise: and every number, an individual writer I hoped to encourage. Ten years later, looking back at those humble beginnings in late 2014, I can see how the determination to start—even when I didn’t know what I was doing, even when I was scared—led to a decade of growth and connection. I grew as a coach, writer, speaker, and podcaster, and writers have told me the ideas I’ve shared have helped them grow in their courage, craft, and confidence. If that’s you, thank you. Thank you for being part of this journey. While I don’t obsess over data, I’m floored to realize how it’s grown into a platform that reaches writers worldwide. I thought you might enjoy seeing the top 10 countries where writers are listening to the “Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach” podcast. You might even be in one of them! Top 10 Countries Here are the top 10 countries based on listener downloads: United StatesCanadaUnited KingdomAustraliaGermanyIndiaJapanNetherlandsSouth AfricaFrance Top 10 Downloaded Episodes of All Time (as of this recording in January 2025) The most downloaded episodes must reflect what resonates most. Enjoy browsing the top 10 downloaded episodes of all time (as of January 2025), in case one of them resonates with you: 10 Ways to Start the Writing Process When You’re Staring at a Blank PagePrepare for Publishing with Insights from Literary Agent Lucinda HalpernWhat’s a Writing Coach (and what kind do I need)?Find Your Book Midwife, Say “Yes” Before You’re Ready, Pitch to Build Platform, and Authentically Engage with Readers (interview with author Clarissa Moll)How Simple Systems Can Unlock Your Writing Productivity, with Kari RobertsValidate Your Idea to Produce Your Best Project (Back to Basics)Embrace These 4 Key Roles for a Flourishing Writing LifeHow to Make Time to Write and Develop a System to Take Notes, with Bryan CollinsImprove Your Writing by Getting Back to BasicsHow to Hook and Hold Your Readers First 3 Interviews: For the first four years of podcasting for writers, I produced only short solo episodes. In 2018, I began to incorporate interviews and since then, I’ve introduced you to 16 writing and publishing professionals, inviting them to share their wisdom and insights. My first three interviews were with: Shawn SmuckerPatrice GopoAlison Hodgson Top 2 Series Two cornerstone series emerged over the years that continue to guide writers: Your Writing Platform, and What Do I Write Next. Your Writing Platform Series: For the Your Writing Platform series, I helped writers understand that platform-building isn’t about being a wandering troubadour, but about finding your focus and connecting authentically with readers who resonate with your message. Your Writing Platform Needs a Home Base: An ...
    Show More Show Less
    9 mins
  • 4 Mistakes I See Nonfiction Authors Make (and How to Fix Them)

    4 Mistakes I See Nonfiction Authors Make (and How to Fix Them)
    Nov 22 2024
    A few years ago, a client came to me with an idea for a nonfiction book. She was ready to write a draft and send it to a publishing house. What she didn’t realize was that she was working a few steps ahead. Thankfully, we met early enough in the process that I was able to fill her in on the steps she’d need to take to pursue traditional publishing—allowing her to sidestep a lot of mistakes that would have slowed her down. Even though she didn’t need to write the entire manuscript before taking her next steps, her instinct to do so was to be commended. After all, how was she supposed to know about the ins and outs of publishing without any prior experience? Is it possible you’re also making one (or more) of the biggest mistakes nonfiction writers make—simply because you don’t know what you don’t know? Let’s explore—and learn how to avoid—the common mistakes writers make as they develop and complete their first nonfiction book. https://youtu.be/oD0-8Nu_CBY?si=2cGnPeYaCfYunUso Mistake #1: Writing Without a Plan A common mistake nonfiction authors make is attempting to write their book without a clear roadmap or structure. Often, within the first chapter or so, they realize the magnitude of the project ahead and overwhelm settles in—derailing their initial excitement. Without a defined plan or structure in place, ideas tend to sprawl and lack cohesion. The missing element? A book proposal—a necessary business document used in traditional publishing. For you and me, it serves as a plan to make your nonfiction book a reality. In a book proposal, writers define a clear thesis statement and outline the central argument that will be supported throughout the book. Writers outline the book chapter by chapter, creating a framework that ensures they’re crafting a message they want to share with their ideal reader. A book proposal also includes key elements that force you to think through details, such as the book’s purpose, its special features, and its ideal reader, which add to the plan and guide your research and writing. Writing without a plan is the first big mistake…and creating a plan is how to solve it. Mistake #2: Writing Before Deciding on a Publishing Path Another mistake writers make is writing before determining the publishing path they want to take. Before developing your manuscript, be sure to pause and consider if you plan to pursue traditional publishing or plan to self-publish. If you know you want to go the traditional path, then you need a book proposal, and that proposal will include sample chapters—typically about three for a first-time author. These chapters will serve as prototypes, guiding the direction and flow of content for the entire book. While not all of the subsequent chapters need to mirror the initial ones you turn in with your book proposal, they still set the foundation for the rest of the manuscript. If self-publishing is your goal, then you will need to fully complete the manuscript. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider creating a book proposal. Self-published authors often find it useful to work through parts of the book proposal, such as categories your book will fall into, which you’ll need for the back cover and in your Amazon or online listing. For memoir, specifically, you’ll also need a completed manuscript and a complete book proposal to submit to publishers with your own unique storyline and viewpoint. So, what publishing path do you hope to pursue? Be sure to consider the right path for your book before diving too deep into the process of writing. Mistake #3: Overthinking the Book & Not Writing Anything Overthinking a book to the point of paralysis is another common problem I see with writers. Some fear that they’re not going to be able to fit everything they want to say in their book. Other writers fear that their work has already been said by somebody else and there’s no reason to write their book. Either situation can shut a writer down before they even begin. If you find yourself here, go back to the first “mistake” and start crafting a plan. Create a framework for your book that addresses your reader’s felt needs and offers them the transformation they seek. Once you’ve done the hard work of creating a book proposal—determining your book’s purpose and how it will serve your readers—the actual writing of the book won’t feel all that complicated. Mapping out a book is like outlining and sets you up for success when you sit down to write chapters. The next hurdle is deciding how each chapter will flow. You could start each chapter with a compelling story or offer an anecdote as an effective way to engage readers. Stories are a powerful way to connect with your reader. In the paragraphs and pages that follow, you’ll support your claim or main purpose of the chapter through sub-ideas or topics. These supporting ideas and examples all are meant to help the reader understand ...
    Show More Show Less
    8 mins
  • When did you stop writing?

    When did you stop writing?
    Sep 25 2024
    Somewhere along the way, you stopped writing. Life got in the way. You lost your confidence. You ran out of time. You ran out of ideas. You hit a huge block you can’t get past. Maybe you thought writing belonged to younger-you, when the stakes were lower and you took more risks. For one reason or another, the words stopped flowing. You set aside your pen. You stopped calling yourself a writer. You scribble in a journal now and then, but nothing beyond that. This happens. One day, you’re an unstoppable force—a creativity marvel, spinning out stories like a professional word-weaver. The next, you’re staring at a blank page, feeling the weight of fear, doubt, and a lack of motivation. You face external hurdles. It doesn’t help that the world seems to conspire against you. Every interruption, every demand on your time, feels like you’re yanked away from your true calling. You wonder if that original spark is gone for good, snuffed out. I’ve been there. When my dad needed loads of caregiving attention, my mind didn’t have space to think creative thoughts, and I had almost no time to sit down and write. I was sitting down for “care meetings,” driving him to urologist appointments, tracking down fax machines to send documents to insurance companies, and dealing with the emotional strain of his increasing dementia and its unpredictable fury. Overwhelmed by the responsibilities and stress, I put all but essential tasks on pause during that era. The few words I eked out felt forced. The spark was gone. Guess what? You’re in good company. Every writer hits this wall at some point. Some swear they don’t, but I would bet my favorite pen that every writer faces moments—sometimes long stretches—when the words just don’t come. If that’s happening to you, don’t see it as a sign that you’re not cut out for this, or that you’ve lost your gift. It proves you’re in good company—it’s a sign you’re human. Indeed, you’re a real writer. Because you’re a writer, let’s figure out how to get those words in motion again. Write a few minutes a day. Even during the intense caregiving days, I could squeeze in tiny pockets for my work—windows of opportunity between appointments or before bed. It wasn’t much, but it was something. You can write, too. Even a few minutes in a notebook or your phone’s Notes app is a start. Get going by getting something down. Get Your 5-Minute Writer Freebie Grab this fillable workbook for ideas to make the most of every writing opportunity. You’ll get: Lists of tiny tasks you can tackle when five minutes opens up so you make progress in your writing (for both fiction and nonfiction writers!)Ideas for where to contain your research, ideas, and draftsReal-life proof from your writing coach that your writing life can expand in tiny openings Write anything. You may have a deadline staring you down or a deep desire to write your memoir. But if your writing’s at a standstill, let yourself write anything—your thoughts, a memory, a description of your surroundings. You need to invite your mind back to the page, so don’t add pressure by forcing it to perform an Act of Great Writing. Write a card to a friend or a simple update on social media. Write sloppy. Let go of the need for your writing to be perfect. Produce something purposefully imperfect if you need to, even sloppy. It’s more important to reignite the habit than to stress out trying to write typo-free text without a single sentence fragment. Sneak past your internal Grammar Guard who threatens to bludgeon you with the Chicago Manual of Style. Heck, write sentence fragments on purpose. Slip one in to free you up. You’ll feel like a rebel, which might produce the energy you need to fuel your creative fire. Remind yourself WHY. Reconnect with why you started writing in the first place. What drew you to this craft? What did it give you that nothing else could? Tap into that original passion, and let it guide you back to the page. Try “writing” with another tool. If your circumstances don’t allow time or space for you to sit down at a keyboard and type, speak your ideas into a voice recording app. Have the audio file transcribed and voila! You’ve got a draft. It’s a way to get your ideas out, even within logistical limitations. Be kind to yourself. Stop beating yourself up. When we’re kind to ourselves, we acknowledge our humanity, and open ourselves up to return to embrace the writer we’ve been smacking down. Sarah Severson writing for ​Rewired Dynamics​ explains: “Self-compassion encourages us to explore without the fear of failure. This freedom to experiment fosters creativity, leading to innovative problem-solving and increased productivity.”1 In other words, with self-compassion and kindness instead of self-loathing and criticism, we’re far more likely to emerge creative and productive. The Ebb & Flow of Your Writing Story Write what you can and know ...
    Show More Show Less
    Less than 1 minute
  • Is Substack the Best Platform for Writers? Jane Friedman’s Expert Opinion

    Is Substack the Best Platform for Writers? Jane Friedman’s Expert Opinion
    Sep 11 2024
    Is Substack the best platform for writers? Is it right for you? In this interview, publishing expert Jane Friedman explores Substack’s social media-like features, blogging-like functionality, podcast-host possibilities…and its implications for writers. From using Substack “Notes” to community cross-promotion, it’s an ecosystem worth understanding. Substack is more than just newsletters—it’s a blog, social media, podcast host, and email marketing tool all-in-one platform. Perfect for beginners, but should we trust it with all of our content? Learn the pros and cons of Substack on our latest episode of the “Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach” podcast after skimming the show notes and summary below. But first… Meet Jane Friedman: Jane Friedman has 25 years of experience in book publishing, with expertise in business strategy for authors and publishers. She’s the co-founder and editor of The Hot Sheet, a paid newsletter about the book publishing industry with over 2,500 subscribers, and has previously worked for Writer’s Digest and the Virginia Quarterly Review. In 2023, Jane was awarded Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World. Jane’s website, janefriedman.com, offers a wealth of resources for authors. She writes many of the articles herself and also features guest writers who are experts in various aspects of writing and publishing. You may have followed some of the many links I’ve shared in my own newsletter, as Jane’s content and curation of expert input consistently provides top-notch education and encouragement for writers across genres. Jane’s most recent book is The Business of Being a Writer (sponsored post/affiliate link to Amazon) (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal. And a new edition is to be released in Spring 2025. Jane is everywhere. She’s been in The New York Times, The Atlantic, CNN, Wired, BBC, The Guardian, CBC, The Washington Post, Fox News, USA Today, and NPR. And now she’s here on the “Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach” podcast, discussing Substack for writers. https://youtu.be/JP2EuDDDGRI Mentioned in the show (it’s a lot!): Read Jane’s thorough and thoughtful analysis of Substack from March 2024: https://janefriedman.com/substack-is-both-great-and-terrible-for-authors/Sign up for Jane’s free newsletter, Electric Speed, or see if The Hot Sheet, her paid newsletter for publishing professionals, is right for you.Leigh Stein (switched from offering a free MailChimp newsletter to offering a paid Substack): the website signup page: https://www.leighstein.com/newsletter | direct link to “Attention Economy” substack: https://leighstein.substack.com/ Ann mentions paying for George Saunders’ “Story Club” substack: https://georgesaunders.substack.com/ And paying for Jeannette Ouellette’s “Writing in the Dark” substack: https://writinginthedark.substack.com/ Article in The Verge about the Substack controversy about Nazis using the platform: https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/8/24030756/substack-nazi-newsletter-content-moderationAlternatives to Substack include Beehiiv https://www.beehiiv.com/ and Ghost. https://ghost.org/ All the Substack newsletters Jane subscribes to here: https://substack.com/@janefriedman/reads Courtney Maum’s “Before and After the Book Deal” https://courtneymaum.substack.com/ Elle Griffin’s “Elysian Press” (Jane warned that her decision to unsubscribe from all substacks and only use the app means she’s encouraging others to do the same and will lose all of her own subscribers): https://www.elysian.press/ Dr. Jen Gunter’s “The Vajenda”: https://vajenda.substack.com/ Peter Schoppert’s “AI and Copyright” substack: https://aicopyright.substack.com/ Benedict Evans’ tech analysis newsletter on his own solution (possibly MailChimp with Memberful, a WordPress plugin to manage the subscription version): https://www.ben-evans.com/newsletter Helen Lewis’s The Bluestocking as patron model substack: https://helenlewis.substack.com/ John Warner’s patronage model: https://substack.com/@biblioracle The Tangle news source, by Isaac Saul, mentioned by Jane as an example of subscription model with free and paid that is not using Substack: https://www.readtangle.com/ Peter Attia – no way would he be on Substack, having built an empire on his own websiteAnn’s Substack, “Story Hatchery”: https://annkroeker.substack.com Jane Friedman Substack Interview Transcript: Ann Kroeker [00:00:00]:I’m Ann Kroeker, writing coach. If you’re tuning in for the first time, welcome. If you’re a regular, welcome back. Today, you’ve joined hundreds of established and emerging writers who are discovering ways to reach their writing goals and have fun by being more curious, creative, and productive. And this is the Ann Kroeker Writing Coach Podcast. Today, I have publishing expert Jane Friedman on the show. If you don’t know Jane yet, you ...
    Show More Show Less
    Less than 1 minute
  • Use what’s happened to you, to shape your writing

    Use what’s happened to you, to shape your writing
    Aug 16 2024
    “A writer — and, I believe, generally all persons — must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource,” writer Jorge Luis Borges said in an interview, when asked about his blindness. “All things have been given to us for a purpose,” he continued, “and an artist must feel this more intensely. All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art.”1 You may be familiar with Kate Bowler’s book Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved, and you might think it would push back against the wording of this sentiment. Everything That Happens Can Shape Your Writing But I take the quote’s overall message to mean we can work with whatever happens, good or bad. In fact, that’s kind of what Kate Bowler has done. Her misfortunes shaped her art. This summer brought our family celebrations, gatherings, challenges, and losses. And they came so fast, I couldn’t find time to document them all. For now, they’re jumbled in my mind and heart. Reflecting on Highs and Lows The Borges quote encourages me to revisit the summer’s ups and downs when life starts to slow…to take my time as I capture the details (and emotions) of the chaos that whizzed past. Will you join me? As you reflect on the past few months—the moments you couldn’t control, the raw material of your life—consider how you can work with all that transpired. Were there adventures? Celebrations? Humiliations? Misfortunes? Embarrassments? From these “resources,” we, as writers, shape: stories that resonateideas that stickopinions that stir discussionsadvice that steers decisionsrevelations that open others to new perspectives We, as word artists, can transform all that happens to us into art. Transform Experience into Creative Expression As you reflect on the past few months—the moments you couldn’t control, the raw material of your life—consider how you can work with it. Explore your journal notes, expand on fleeting thoughts, and, with your creative flair, discover the meaning and purpose within those experiences. Whether they become part of a poem, essay, book, or blog post, see their purpose. “Remember,” writes Anne Lamott in Bird by Bird. “that you own what happened to you.“2 Every event, episode, and experience contributes to your becoming who you are as a creative human. Every hardship, misfortune, humiliation, joy, success, and celebration is a resource waiting to be shaped into art. A Prompt to Capture Life’s “Raw Material” Use this prompt to tap into the raw material of your life: Something significant that happened to me is ______________________. This is what happened: ________________________. Use vivid language and specific details as you recall the facts. What did you see, hear, or notice? Here’s how it shaped and changed me: _____________________. How did this experience shift your perspective, behavior, or beliefs? What did you learn about yourself or the world? This is how I connect it with how it made me feel, deep down: _________________. What emotions did it stir? Did those feelings evolve over time? Here’s how I can use the experience in my creative life: __________________________. Could it inspire a story, poem, or essay? What universal themes does it touch on? Your Creative Prerogative The details may stay in your personal journal while the experience finds its way into your body of work in more subtle ways. Your experience and insights may simply inform your work, your style, your ideas without being your work. Or you may write it “slant,” relying on metaphor to hint at its impact. It’s your creative prerogative to shape it as you wish. Because the experience shapes you, but you shape it, as well. ____________ Join us in Your Platform Matters (YPM) YPM is a warm and welcoming membership community committed to creative, meaningful ways we can grow our platform and reach readers—check us out! Resources What Lies Beneath the Surface of Your Life?Ep 173: [Interview] Patrice Gopo on Meaning Making on the Page and Studying the CraftWriting Quote: writers write…to relive life (Donald Murray)Write to Discover – Start with Yourself Footnotes: Borges, Jorge Luis, and Roberto Alifano. Twenty-Four Conversations with Borges: Including a Selection of Poems: Interviews, 1981-1983. Lascaux Publishers ; Distributed by Grove Press, 1984. (15) (quote first spotted in James Clear’s newsletter: “3-2-1: On Growth, All-Or-Nothing Mindsets, and How Great Art Evolves with Us.” James Clear, 17 Oct. 2022, jamesclear.com/3-2-1/june-3-2021?rh_ref=294c7014. Accessed 15 Aug. 2024.)Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird Some Instructions on Writing and Life. Anchor Books, 1995.‌ (6)
    Show More Show Less
    6 mins
  • Let Life Inspire Your Next Great Piece

    Let Life Inspire Your Next Great Piece
    Jul 5 2024

    “The best advice I can give you to help you grow as a writer is to experience life.”

    We came to hear about queries and proposals. We wanted to learn how this speaker organized submissions and kept track of contact information.

    But at this breakout session at this writers’ conference, she insisted:

    “I know you think your writing career is all about composing articles and books, but you have to be able to say something. Both fiction and nonfiction writers need material, so get out there and live life—take risks!”

    The Power of Risks

    To illustrate, she shared her own story about trying to waterski for the first time as an adult. Despite feeling intimidated, she took the plunge. The experience provided her with vivid sensations and emotions to write about, enriching her work with concrete details.

    Her story prompted me to recall my own adventure. Earlier that same summer, I’d been invited to waterski, as well. Although I ended up with a spectacular wipeout, the memory of that risky experience stayed with me. I could see from my own life that she was right—I took the risk and lived to tell the tale, and it became material for my writing.

    Embrace New Experiences

    Creatives need to say yes to new experiences, even when they feel risky. Whether it’s traveling to a new locale, picking up a new hobby, or simply walking in the woods, these experiences fuel our creativity.

    Julia Cameron encourages creatives to step out of their usual environments to gather fresh inspiration from museums, yarn shops, antique emporiums, and international grocery stores. These “Artist Dates,” as she calls them, are foundational to living a creative life.

    Everyday Surprises

    To boost creativity, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi suggests we “try to be surprised by something every day” (347, Creativity). This can be as simple as noticing an unusual car (for example, I spotted a Tesla Cybertruck today) or trying a new dish (pupusas are delicious).

    These small, everyday surprises add up, providing fresh material for our writing.

    Combine Input with Your Unique Voice

    Our writing deepens as we combine new experiences with our unique perspectives. The more we explore, the more we bring to our projects.

    Each risk, each new experience, and each surprise enriches our voice and adds depth to our work. We produce original material, surprising the reader as well as ourselves.

    Let Life Inspire Your Writing

    By embracing the world around us, we not only enhance our writing but also grow as individuals.

    Step out, explore, take risks, and let life inspire your next great piece. Next time you sit down to write, your work will take on your fresh voice and new life—you’ll have new things to say and new ways to say them.

    ______________________________

    Want to learn quick fixes to improve your writing style?

    Sign up for the FREE course, Make Your Sentences Sing: 7 Sentence Openers to Add Music to Your Prose.

    CLICK to sign up (free!) Resources
    • Original version of waterski story
    • Ep 211: Be More Creative to Enjoy Your Best Writing Life: Pillar Two
    • Ep 210: Cultivate Curiosity for Your Best Writing Life, Pillar One
    • Ep 180: Write to Discover – Start with Yourself
    Show More Show Less
    4 mins
  • Metaphor Magic: Wield Your Pen Like a Wand

    Metaphor Magic: Wield Your Pen Like a Wand
    Jun 20 2024
    When I was a child just beginning to speak, my parents drove late into the evening to the rural property they bought. As they drove up the gravel driveway, the sky spread out above us with stars glittering like a million diamonds spread out on a jeweler’s vast black velvet display. Across the fields, a million lightning bugs hovered in the tall grass, their gleaming bodies flickering on and off. I pointed at the sky. “’Tars!” Then I pointed at the field. “Baby ’tars!” Perhaps I was destined to become a poet from early on, but my confidence in landing on that perfect metaphor virtually disappeared over the years. As a young adult, when I was writing books and blog posts, I rarely integrated metaphors into my writing, and it showed. My work was straightforward. Plainspoken. While there’s nothing wrong with clear writing—in fact, that’s the foundation of nonfiction according to Ayn Rand (clarity first, then jazziness, she says1)—it lacked punch and pizzazz. My writing didn’t lift off the page and sink into the imagination or heart of the reader. It lacked that magical moment where an idea or image clicks and sticks with the reader. Mastering Metaphors to Produce Great Writing And I knew mastering metaphors was essential to great writing. I did write poetry in college, admiring lines like Emily Dickinson’s: “Hope” is the thing with feathers – That perches in the soul –2 Shakespeare’s: All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players;3 And Wordsworth’s: “I wandered lonely as a cloud.”4 Robert Frost said, in an interview in The Atlantic, “If you remember only one thing I’ve said, remember that an idea is a feat of association, and the height of it is a good metaphor. If you have never made a good metaphor, then you don’t know what it’s all about.”5 Practicing Metaphor: Create Clunky Metaphors to Land on Magical Metaphors I resolved to make a good metaphor. I practiced. My early efforts were hardly as magical as the child connecting stars to lightning bugs. Instead, they were more like a child pointing to a horse and awkwardly pronouncing, “Dog!” My metaphor practice felt clunkily childish instead of enchantingly childlike, but I had to make clunky comparisons to train my brain to find the oddly ideal ones that would surprise readers. In a Paris Review interview, William Gass said: I love metaphor the way some people love junk food. I think metaphorically, feel metaphorically, see metaphorically. And if anything in writing comes easily, comes unbidded, often unwanted, it is metaphor. Like follows as as night the day. Now most of these metaphors are bad and have to be thrown away. Who saves used Kleenex?6 The process of making metaphors and practicing at it will result in some stinkers. The bad ones, like used Kleenex, need not find their way into your work. Toss ’em. That’s what I’ve done. Most of my comparisons fall flat, but I’ve found it’s worth experimenting with mediocre metaphors in hopes of landing on ideal metaphors because when we nail it—when we find the language that connects—the reader remembers, relates, reads on, and possibly repeats what we say. I kept writing dumb metaphors until I found better, more creative, comparisons. Poets, like Gass said, “think metaphorically, feel metaphorically, see metaphorically.” We don’t have to be poets to play with metaphor, but we can follow their lead, studying their technique, admiring the rhythm of how they see and put it into words, like they’re fly fishing, casting their line, the rod in motion, repeating the flow until the rod bends, line taut. Our first time casting, we may end up with our lines tangled in the weeds lining the stream, but we’re out there, learning the process, finding the flow. It’ll come, in time, with practice. Collecting Magical Metaphors A smarter idea than bumbling around on our own would be to collect samples of metaphors that stick. I should have started earlier, to learn from mentor texts, from authors who know how to wield their pen like a wand to create metaphor magic. In the first chapter of The Writing Life, Annie Dillard tries on a stream of writing-related metaphors: “When you write,” she says, “you lay out a line of words. The line of words is…” a miner’s picka woodcarver’s gougea surgeon’s probe7a hammer8a fiber optic, flexible as wire…you probe with it, delicate as a worm9 Was she laying out her lines of words searching for the right comparison? Or is our line of words any one of those—or all of those—at any given moment? She looked at the line of words from so many angles, creating so many ways to think about our writing. Metaphor Is a Bridge Defined, a metaphor is a figure of speech where a word or phrase is applied to an object or action that it doesn’t literally denote, suggesting a comparison. Ideally, the comparison conveys deeper meaning and creates vivid imagery. Similes are ...
    Show More Show Less
    13 mins