Welcome to The Writing Forge, where we discuss tips and tricks for honing your writing craft. Each episode, a guest will join hosts Miranda and Bonnie to hammer out the skills a writer needs to succeed in the writing world. We cover a variety of topics—from the idea phase through publication and beyond—to help you no matter where you are on your writing journey. We believe every writer has something to share to help us all learn and grow!

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Lawyer, author, and publisher Thea Rademacher, of <a href="https://www.flinthillspublishing.com/" rel="nofollow">Flint Hills Publishing</a>, joins Bonnie and Miranda to talk about common copyright misconceptions writers have as well as ways to protect and strengthen your copyright.Tips and Tricks:<ul><li>As soon as you’ve written something original, you own the copyright to it. Copyright law, under the umbrella of intellectual property law, protects the intangible asset of your writing.</li><li>Make sure to provide for your writing in your will. Can your heirs publish your unpublished works? Who gets the royalties for published books? Etc.</li><li>Three best practices for strengthening your copyright:</li><li>Register it with the <a href="https://www.copyright.gov/registration/" rel="nofollow">US Copyright Office</a>—perhaps not on your very first rough draft, but once you have a respectable draft that you’re ready to pitch to agents and publishers if you’re traditional publishing.</li><li>For self-publishing, <a href="https://www.bowker.com/isbn-us" rel="nofollow">buy your own ISBN</a> instead of using Amazon’s free one.</li><li>Apply for a <a href="https://www.loc.gov/publish/pcn/" rel="nofollow">Library of Congress control number</a></li><li>Tech solutions to help protect your copyright</li><li><a href="https://www.myidentifiers.com/identify-protect-your-book/copyright/copyrightslock" rel="nofollow">Bowker’s CopyrightsLock</a> service (though it might be overkill for most authors)</li><li>The <a href="https://www.copyright.gov/about/small-claims/" rel="nofollow">Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act (CASE Act)</a> of 2020 provides new options for authors</li><li>Check out Thea’s book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089GHP98N" rel="nofollow">Authors Beware: Arm Yourself With Knowledge to Avoid Legal Pitfalls!</a> for a ton more information about common legal issues writers run into.</li><li>Always consult an actual lawyer before making legal decisions!</li></ul> Follow us on social media:Facebook: @northerncoloradowritersInstagram: @ncw_writersTwitter: @northcolowriter Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

18: Copyright Misconceptions

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<a href="https://amandaheadlee.com/" rel="nofollow">Amanda Headlee</a> joins Miranda and Bonnie to discuss subgenres and tropes—their similarities, differences, and how you can utilize either to strengthen your writing.Tips and Tricks:<ul><li>Properly identifying your subgenre can be important for marketing and successful sales.</li><li>Sometimes a trope becomes popular and used enough to set up a whole subgenre.</li><li>Depending on how much your story relies on a certain idea can determine whether it’s a trope or a subgenre.</li><li>Subgenres and tropes are useful for setting reader expectations. If you’re heavily emphasizing certain tropes or aspects of your genre at the beginning of your book, then swap at the end you will probably confuse and disappoint your readers.</li><li>Some tropes help move a story forward, but be wary of overusing common tropes and slipping into stereotypes and cliches.</li><li>Genres go in cycles, with some subgenres becoming more popular then fading from popularity. What you see being traditionally published.</li></ul> Follow us on social media:Facebook: @northerncoloradowritersInstagram: @ncw_writersTwitter: @northcolowriter Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

17: Subgenres vs. Tropes

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In this twofold Halloween episode Miranda and Bonnie talk with <a href="https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B09WKDR3S4" rel="nofollow">Steve Anderson</a> about how to write for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/" rel="nofollow">Kindle Vella</a> as well as how to write spooky stories.This week’s question: Have you tried out Kindle Vella? Let us know of any stories you’ve liked and link them at our socials!Tips and Tricks:<ul><li>Kindle Vella is a new(ish) platform on Amazon that specializes in serialized content and is separate from Kindle Unlimited and Kindle Direct Publishing.</li><li>As it is a serialized platform, the sweet spot for views and reads seems to be for the author to post about 2 -3 short “episodes” per week. About 1,000 to 2,000 words per episode, with lower 1,000s being preferable.</li><li>When writing for Kindle Vella, it’s helpful to think of the episode as a cable TV show with commercial breaks built in. Where there would be a commercial break, that’s usually a good place to stop the episode.</li><li>Episodes cost tokens and readers spend tokens to unlock the next episode. Different episodes cost different amounts.</li><li>Horror, spooky, and suspenseful stories all share common traits.</li><li>For tension, you want to feed your readers enough information to get them anticipating the next step in the story. From there you can twist the story if you’d like. You want to aim for “<a href="https://writingexcuses.com/tag/surprising-yet-inevitable/" rel="nofollow">surprising yet inevitable</a>.”</li><li>Managing to generate a sense of unease or that something is “off” is a great way to build up the spooky factor of a story.</li><li>Vella seems to be a rather ideal platform for ratcheting tension in a story, especially for stories along the lines of mystery and horror.</li></ul> Links:Steve’s paranormal mystery serial, If These Walls Could Talk: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B09WKDR3S4" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B09WKDR3S4</a>Rise: An Anthology of Change, containing Miranda’s spooky short story: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Anthology-Change-Bonnie-McKnight/dp/0578577593/" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Anthology-Change-Bonnie-McKnight/dp/0578577593/</a>Supernatural (TV show): <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460681/" rel="nofollow">https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460681/</a>Castle (TV show): <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1219024/" rel="nofollow">https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1219024/</a>Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/40346-the-dresden-files" rel="nofollow">https://www.goodreads.com/series/40346-the-dresden-files</a>The Others (movie): <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0230600/" rel="nofollow">https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0230600/</a>More on “surprising yet inevitable”: <a href="https://writingexcuses.com/tag/surprising-yet-inevitable/" rel="nofollow">https://writingexcuses.com/tag/surprising-yet-inevitable/</a> Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

16: Spooky, Scary Serials

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Today Miranda and Bonnie are talking with Stina Branson about National Novel Writing Month(NaNoWriMo for short). This week’s question: Have you participated in NaNoWriMo before? If you have, or are signing up this year, drop your username in our socials—we’d love to be NaNo buddies with you!Tips and Tricks:● NaNoWriMo takes place in November with the goal of writing 50,000 words in 30 days, which roughly comes out to 1,667 words to write per day.● A traditional NaNoWriMo project is to start a brand new fiction novel, however people have come to use the program for things like their dissertation, code programming, a collection of short stories, cover creation, editing, or a host of other projects.● NaNoWriMo is ultimately a tool to help you get work done that you wouldn’t have otherwise.● A traditional “win” for NaNoWriMo is reaching the 50k mark by November 30th, but generally we consider any new words a win, even if the website doesn’t.○ We recommend coming up with your own definition of success.● Some strategies to help get through NaNoWriMo: treat it like a race to see how fast you can reach your word goal; turn it into a competition, break off into teams and see which team gets the most words; make challenges: roll a die multiply the number by 100 and try to reach that number within a certain timeframe; find what really incentivizes you.● Pantser–someone writing by the seat of their pants, also known as a discovery writer.● Plotter–someone who plots their novel ahead of time.● Plantser–someone who knows what direction their story is headed, but not the specifics of how to get there.● Prepping for NaNoWriMo: You can make an outline, do research on your subject so you don’t have to stop during November, cook a lot of meals ahead of time and freeze them so you don’t have to spend as much time cooking during the month.● If you’re looking for a NaNoWriMo community, definitely check out the website to see if there is a chapter in your geographical area. If there isn’t, search the internet for forums and groups. Also, don’t be afraid to strike out on your own and create your own.Links:NaNoWriMo website: https://nanowrimo.org/NaNoWriMo Handles:Miranda: mmirandaBonnie: IdrianaSisters in Crime: https://www.sistersincrime.org/ The Writing Forge is a podcast brought to you by Northern Colorado Writers. You can find us atwww.northerncoloradowriters.com/writingforge Follow us on social media:Facebook: @northerncoloradowritersInstagram: @ncw_writersTwitter: @northcolowriter Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

15: National Novel Writing Month

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Miranda and Bonnie talk with Gary Raham about how science fiction can generate interest and learning when it comes to the sciences.Question for the week: What piece of fiction inspired your interest in a topic that you might not have otherwise had?Tips and Tricks:<ul><li>Children hold a natural wonder for the world and this matches well with the inherent wonder and curiosity that’s pervasive in science fiction. This can create great foundations for future learning.</li><li>With science fiction (and all other forms of fiction), children can learn how to navigate society, culture, dangers, and a number of different things, all through the lens of a fun story that will stick with them.</li><li>It’s important to get facts in science fiction correct. Readers of the genre will notice those kind of mistakes and, for many people, that story might be their only exposure to that kind of science.</li><li>Most science fiction allows for one big “lie”—or rather, one big inaccuracy. Typically you can ask a reader to suspend their belief for one fantastical element, but because of that, everything else around it must be as accurate as possible so as not to put too much strain on that suspension. </li><li>We learn more about the world as time goes on. So older science fiction is full of inaccuracies but was correct with the knowledge available at the time. This can be used to help compare and contrast the kind of science we know now. </li><li>“Science fiction is the precursor to science fact.” Much of what we see in science fiction—technology, social structures, exploration—can give us something to strive for as people and as a society. </li></ul> Links: The Writing Forge is a podcast brought to you by Northern Colorado Writers. You can find us at <a href="http://www.northerncoloradowriters.com/writingforge" rel="nofollow">www.northerncoloradowriters.com/writingforge</a>Follow us on social media:Facebook: @northerncoloradowritersInstagram: @ncw_writersTwitter: @northcolowriter Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

14: Envision the Future: How Sci-Fi Can Inspire

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Chrysta Bairre joins Miranda and Bonnie to talk about Imposter Syndrome in this week’s episode of The Writing Forge. We referenced NCW’s annual writing retreat a lot. This year’s is coming up in October, and registration is still open. Come join us in the Rockies for three days of quiet writing time! <a href="https://northerncoloradowriters.com/retreat" rel="nofollow">https://northerncoloradowriters.com/retreat</a>This week’s question: Do you also suffer from Imposter Syndrome? If you do, what are some ways you counteract it? Let us know at the social links below.Tips and Tricks:<ul><li>Imposter syndrome is defined as the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills.</li><li>Sometimes imposter syndrome is sneaky, not necessarily feeling like a “fraud.&#34; For instance, the inability to accept compliments while immediately internalizing anything negative said about your work.</li><li>You can experience imposter syndrome even if you&#39;ve published multiple books or done the work of a profession—nothing will feel like it “counts.”</li><li>A few practical tips to dealing with imposter syndrome:</li><li>Practice receiving positive feedback differently</li><li>Get more practiced at talking about your contributions and accomplishments and how you’re proud of yourself</li><li>Resist the urge to talk about and point out all the imperfections in your work</li><li>Imposter syndrome can stop you in unconscious ways, such as missing out on opportunities or not even considering options because you don’t think you’re “worthy” or you “belong.”</li><li>Try having an accountability partner to talk about your weekly wins: how you showed up, what you accomplished, progress you’ve made</li><li>Also try a “Win Jar” (can be physical or digital): every time someone pays you a compliment or you get good feedback, put it in the jar. When you&#39;re feeling low, you can return to the jar and go through the things there.</li><li>Appreciate the people in your life. Help reflect on their wins and accomplishments; yours will start to sink in for yourself as well.</li><li>Join or create communities to help empower your skills and your belief in them.</li></ul>Links:For more about Chrysta, visit <a href="https://liveandlovework.com/" rel="nofollow">https://liveandlovework.com/</a>Beautiful Badass: <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Beautiful-Badass-Believe-Yourself-Against/dp/1734584106/" rel="nofollow">https://smile.amazon.com/Beautiful-Badass-Believe-Yourself-Against/dp/1734584106/</a>Chrysta’s blog post on compliment dodgeball: <a href="https://liveandlovework.com/2018/03/29/the-1-reason-you-are-underpaid/" rel="nofollow">https://liveandlovework.com/2018/03/29/the-1-reason-you-are-underpaid/</a>Original 1978 study on “The Imposter Phenomenon:” <a href="https://www.paulineroseclance.com/pdf/ip_high_achieving_women.pdf" rel="nofollow">https://www.paulineroseclance.com/pdf/ip_high_achieving_women.pdf</a> The Writing Forge is a podcast brought to you by Northern Colorado Writers. You can find us at <a href="http://www.northerncoloradowriters.com/writingforge" rel="nofollow">www.northerncoloradowriters.com/writingforge</a>Follow us on social media:Facebook: @northerncoloradowritersInstagram: @ncw_writersTwitter: @northcolowriter Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

13: “I’m Not a Writer:” Battling Imposter Syndrome

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The Writing Forge Episode 12: A Talk with Shawn AmosIn this week’s episode Bonnie and Miranda talk with blues-musician-turned-author Shawn Amos about living different creative lives, transferring skills from one creative pursuit to another, and capitalizing on the power of music in writing.Links:Find out more about Shawn at <a href="https://www.shawnamos.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.shawnamos.com/</a> Cookies &amp; Milk: <a href="https://www.smile.amazon.com/dp/B09FL821JR/" rel="nofollow">https://www.smile.amazon.com/dp/B09FL821JR/</a> The Writing Forge is a podcast brought to you by Northern Colorado Writers. You can find us at <a href="http://www.northerncoloradowriters.com/writingforge" rel="nofollow">www.northerncoloradowriters.com/writingforge</a>Follow us on social media:Facebook: @northerncoloradowritersInstagram: @ncw_writersTwitter: @northcolowriter Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

12: A Talk with Shawn Amos

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Bonnie and Miranda talk about common misconceptions perpetuated in the writing community.This week’s question: What other common misconceptions do you see in the writing community? Do you have a writing rule that someone has told you and you want to know if it’s legit? Let us know on our socials.Tips and Tricks:● Passive language and passive voice are different. Both are frequently edited out, but sometimes there’s a time and a place for them.● People are always talking about kicking up the intensity in a novel, but sometimes that’s to the detriment of the story and to the reader. It’s okay to give you’re characters breaks once in awhile and settle into slower scenes.● “Never use adverbs” is another piece of advice that should be taken with a grain of salt.Adverbs, when used correctly, can help with pacing and help clarification. Usage is all based on context.● Thesauruses aren’t always your friend. Using strong language is typically recommended, but if this advice is taken too far you run the risk of scaling your scene’s tension too quickly or taking words out of context because they aren’t “fancy&#34;. The Writing Forge is a podcast brought to you by Northern Colorado Writers. You can find us atwww.northerncoloradowriters.com/writingforgeFollow us on social media:Facebook: @northerncoloradowritersInstagram: @ncw_writersTwitter: @northcolowriter Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

11: Just… Don’t Take It Too Far

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Mike Pickard joins Miranda and Bonnie today to talk about the ever-dreaded writer’s block, whether or not it exists, and how to combat it.This week’s questions: Do you believe writer’s block exists? How do you deal with writer’s block? Have you ever experienced it? How long has it lasted? What finally got you out of it? Let us know on our socials.Tips and tricks:<ul><li>Generally, “writer’s block” is a term used to describe a problem you have that is preventing you from writing. The best way to cure writer’s block is to diagnose what the problem actually is. Fear? Indecision? Mischaracterization? Not having a viable idea to begin with?</li><li>Depending on what the problem is, your solution will be born out of that.</li><li>Having something on the page is generally better than having nothing at all. Don’t be afraid to write poorly or take the wrong direction; you can always go back and edit it later.</li><li>Stories can run into problems with mischaracterization. A plot point may be necessary to the story but is not something the character would do and this can lead to a stall in writing.</li><li>Not knowing what kind of writer you are can also lead to writer’s block. If you find discovery writing isn’t working, try plotting, or vice versa—you might find that another method actually works better for you.</li><li>When finishing a writing session, try stopping at a point when you know what the next half of the page is going to be. This can help kickstart the next writing session.</li><li>Sometimes writer’s block can actually be depression. If that&#39;s the case, it&#39;s better to take a step back and work on healing yourself than trying to force your creativity.</li></ul>Links:Mike’s books: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Michael-Pickard/e/B000APFNIO" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/Michael-Pickard/e/B000APFNIO</a>Shut Up and Write: <a href="https://shutupwrite.com/" rel="nofollow">https://shutupwrite.com/</a> <a href="https://www.meetup.com/shutupandwriteonlineevents/" rel="nofollow">https://www.meetup.com/shutupandwriteonlineevents/</a>“Sometimes Writer’s Block is Really Depression,” Mary Robinette Kowal: <a href="https://maryrobinettekowal.com/journal/sometimes-writers-block-is-really-depression/" rel="nofollow">https://maryrobinettekowal.com/journal/sometimes-writers-block-is-really-depression/</a>’The Writing Forge is a podcast brought to you by Northern Colorado Writers. You can find us at <a href="http://www.northerncoloradowriters.com/writingforge" rel="nofollow">www.northerncoloradowriters.com/writingforge</a>Follow us on social media:Facebook: @northerncoloradowritersInstagram: @ncw_writersTwitter: @northcolowriter Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

10: Does Writer’s Block Exist?

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Bonnie and Miranda talk with Ronda Simmons about writing under stress. This week’s question: What do you do to relieve your stress? And what do you do to keep writing and doing creative things while you’re stressed? Come chat with us on our socials.Tips and tricks:● If you’re trying to create under stress, it sometimes helps to change things up. Create in a different space, put on different music, engage your senses differently: these can all help put you in a different mindset.● Practice self-care like meditation or taking walks to free up your mind for more stressful projects.● Creating a habit before difficulties come up can help carry you through stressful times.● Create a “trigger” to send a signal to your brain that it’s time to start writing. It can be burning a scent, positioning and settling in your desk chair, etc. Make it unique and specific to your writing time.● Some people find changing up fonts can help give themselves permission to write poorly, which can help them get over blocks.● Changing genres or switching between fiction and nonfiction can tap into different parts of your creativity, giving part of you a break.● Find a community and/or support system. A writing community can help bring you back to a creative headspace with constructive ideas and brainstorming. A support system can help you release the stress to the point where you have room for creativity again.● Helping other helps yourself. Helping another writer can help your mood, plus a lot of times you’ll be working on your own problem as you&#39;re working on theirs.● Sometimes the simple act of writing when surrounded by a group of people who are also writing can be enough to help you get in a writing headspace.● Having supportive people to hold you accountable can keep the creativity flowing.Links:Ronda Simmons: <a href="https://rondasimmons.com/" rel="nofollow">https://rondasimmons.com/</a>The Potato Primer: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Potato-Primer-Only-Cookbook-Will/dp/B09KN7ZRWP" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/Potato-Primer-Only-Cookbook-Will/dp/B09KN7ZRWP</a><a href="https://www.ambient-mixer.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.ambient-mixer.com/</a>Atomic Habits: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299</a>Maggie Walker, cover artist: <a href="http://www.magpieartdesign.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.magpieartdesign.com/</a>Join Northern Colorado Writers at <a href="https://northerncoloradowriters.com/join-ncw" rel="nofollow">https://northerncoloradowriters.com/join-ncw</a>Shut Up and Write: <a href="https://shutupwrite.com/" rel="nofollow">https://shutupwrite.com/</a> <a href="https://www.meetup.com/shutupandwriteonlineevents/" rel="nofollow">https://www.meetup.com/shutupandwriteonlineevents/</a> The Writing Forge is a podcast brought to you by Northern Colorado Writers. You can find us atwww.northerncoloradowriters.com/writingforgeFollow us on social media:Facebook: @northerncoloradowritersInstagram: @ncw_writersTwitter: @northcolowriter Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

09: Atlas’s Pen: Writing Under Stress

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Amy Rivers joins Bonnie and Miranda on this episode of The Writing Forge to discuss trauma in fiction. This week’s question: Assuming you&#39;re writing fiction, think about your main character. What trauma have they experienced? If you don’t have an answer to that question, what trauma could you introduce into their lives to help them grow?<ul><li>When writing trauma, the key is to find a balance between the emotional impact of the trauma without being too gratuitous or graphic in the descriptions.</li><li>Think about what kind of triggers you’re going to be covering and how people who have been traumatized in that way may respond.</li><li>The main goals of books, whether reading or writing, is to gain empathy for people. </li><li>Try to be as true to the situation as possible without forcing people to live it. People experience trauma differently, and sometimes fading to black is more helpful than spelling it out, because it allows people to process in their own way.</li><li>Think about what kind of writer you are and what kind of message you’re trying to convey. You can be faithful to real life healing and its rises and falls, or you can resolve trauma by the end of the book. Neither is more right than the other; it’s about how you handle the journey.</li><li>Writing trauma authentically usually requires a bit of plotting and a little extra reworking in the editing process.</li><li>Use of sensitivity readers can be very helpful to find what lines you may be inadvertently crossing.</li><li>Memoirs, textbooks, firsthand accounts, and online groups are great sources that can help you learn about trauma and how it can affect everyone differently.</li><li>Make sure to take care of yourself when reading or writing about trauma. Take breaks when you need them and practice good self-care. Walks, talking with friends or professionals, and meditation, are just some examples. Research and experimentation will help you find what works best for you. </li></ul> The Writing Forge is a podcast brought to you by Northern Colorado Writers. You can find us at <a href="http://www.northerncoloradowriters.com/writingforge" rel="nofollow">www.northerncoloradowriters.com/writingforge</a>Follow us on social media:Facebook: @northerncoloradowritersInstagram: @ncw_writersTwitter: @northcolowriterLinks: Find out more about Amy and her books at <a href="https://www.amyrivers.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.amyrivers.com/</a> Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

08: Writing Trauma in Fiction

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Miranda and Bonnie talk with Richard Bender about reading widely in today’s episode of the writing forge.This week’s question: What genres do you normally read? What genres are you unfamiliar with? Let us know and let’s give each other recommendations.Tips and Tricks:<ul><li>It’s important to read widely in order to familiarize yourself with different writing styles.</li><li>Each genre has its strength. See what it does well and apply that to your own writing where you can.</li><li>Conversely, if there is a particular skill you want to cultivate within your own genre, look for a genre where that is the main skill. E.g., if you want better humor in your fantasy, read some humor books to see how they’re constructed.</li><li>It’s also important to read in the genre that you write in to understand what’s going to appeal to people in that genre and to see what other authors in that genre are doing.</li><li>When reading for fun, try to take stock when a book does something well. You can pause and analyze what the author did right then, or revisit later.</li></ul> The Writing Forge is a podcast brought to you by Northern Colorado Writers. You can find us at <a href="http://www.northerncoloradowriters.com/writingforge" rel="nofollow">www.northerncoloradowriters.com/writingforge</a>Follow us on social media:Facebook: @northerncoloradowritersInstagram: @ncw_writersTwitter: @northcolowriterLinks:Richard Bender’s Wild Winemaking: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XPBD4XQ/" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XPBD4XQ/</a> Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

07: The Importance of Reading Widely

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On today’s episode we discuss comic books and graphic novels with author <a href="http://rodmartinez.us" rel="nofollow">Rod Martinez</a>.This Week’s Question: What is your favorite graphic novel? One that was most influential, one that caught your interest, or just one that you&#39;ve been following? Let us know! Tips and Tricks:<ul><li>When writing a graphic novel, don’t think like a novelist, instead try to think like a director in a play or a screenplay.</li><li>Storyboard your panels, keeping in mind that you’ll be working with an artist and you need to be clear on the vision you’re aiming for.</li><li> Seriously, clarity cannot be underscored enough.</li><li>When writing a graphic novel, lean into your strength, whether dialogue or exposition; both will help.</li><li>Querying a graphic novel or comic book is similar to querying a children’s picture book: some publishers just want the script only; some want the script and the art. Be sure to research.</li><li>Be. Patient.</li><li>The publishing timeline on comic books is variable.</li></ul>  The Writing Forge is a podcast brought to you by Northern Colorado Writers. You can find us at <a href="http://www.northerncoloradowriters.com/writingforge" rel="nofollow">www.northerncoloradowriters.com/writingforge</a>Follow us on social media:Facebook: @northerncoloradowritersInstagram: @ncw_writersTwitter: @northcolowriter Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

06: So You Want to Write a Graphic Novel?

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On today’s episode we discuss Bookstagram with author and Bookstagrammer Nina Little.This Week’s Question: Do you participate in Bookstagram? If you do, who&#39;s your favorite Bookstagrammer? Tag and share on social media; you can find our links in the description. Tips and Tricks:<ul><li>Instagram is a visually based—take lots of pictures of your book, things in the book, or topics related to your book</li><li>Becoming a Bookstagrammer first and published author second can help writers build a following and more easily generate frequent</li><li>If possible, try to set up your author Instagram before you sell your book. That way you’re able to promote the book leading up to the launch. (It’s alright if you’ve already published without an account. It’s a better-late-than-never kind of situation.)</li><li>Don’t make the majority of your posts self-promotion. As always, social media works best when you focus on building a community rather than selling things. Make sure to vary your posts and actually participate (comment, follow, chime in on others’ posts, etc.)</li><li>Instagram book tours cost a couple hundred dollars, but some people have found them to be a good return on investment.</li><li>Themes are huge on Instagram. Look for Bookstagram hashtags by searching through other Bookstagram accounts and checking out their posts. It helps to organize the tags by month, week, day, and theme.</li><li>Bookstagram charities can not only help you gain followers but support good causes and help readers learn more about you and what you stand for. </li><li>Avoid drama online and always try to be polite. </li></ul>The Writing Forge is a podcast brought to you by Northern Colorado Writers. You can find us here:<a href="http://www.northerncoloradowriters.com/podcast" rel="nofollow">www.northerncoloradowriters.com/podcast</a>Follow us on social media:Facebook: @northerncoloradowritersInstagram: @ncw_writersTwitter: @northcolowriter Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

05: #Bookstagram

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On today’s episode, Heather Hein joins Bonnie and Miranda at The Writing Forge to discuss plotting and planning your novel. [Correction: Orson Scott Card coined the term MICE Quotient. Mary Robinette Kowal popularized it.]Tips and Tricks:<ul><li>Outlines can be used two ways: (1) as a map to guide your story as you write it or (2) as a diagnostic tool if you are stuck in your writing or there’s something off about the manuscript.</li><li>There are dozens and dozens of plot structures out there. Find one that fits your genre and your style.</li><li>Some plot structures are: The Hero’s Journey, Save the Cat, the Three Act Structure, Four Act Structure, Seven Point Structure, and the Snowflake Method.</li><li>If you create an outline, you can send it to your editor to save them time and work, as well as to help identify anything that might be wrong with your story structure</li><li>Different genres have different story structures; be sure to do research on your genre expectations—especially if you want to publish commercially.</li><li>Don’t be afraid to let your outline be fluid. If the story is taking a different direction than you expected, don’t be afraid to follow it and change the outline after the fact.</li></ul>This week’s question: What are you struggling with in plotting your stories? Let us know on our social media platforms. Maybe we can hit each other up and brainstorm some solutions.The Writing Forge is a podcast brought to you by Northern Colorado Writers you can find us here:<a href="http://www.northerncoloradowriters.com/podcast" rel="nofollow">www.northerncoloradowriters.com/podcast</a>Follow us on social media:Facebook: @northerncoloradowritersInstagram: @ncw_writersTwitter: @northcolowriterLinks mentioned:Margret Mizushima<a href="https://margaretmizushima.com/" rel="nofollow">https://margaretmizushima.com/</a>MICE Quotient<a href="https://www.driverlesscrocodile.com/tools-and-techniques/resource-structuring-stories-with-mary-robinette-kowal-1-the-mice-quotient/" rel="nofollow">https://www.driverlesscrocodile.com/tools-and-techniques/resource-structuring-stories-with-mary-robinette-kowal-1-the-mice-quotient/</a> Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody<a href="https://www.jessicabrody.com/books/non-fiction/save-cat-writes-novel/about/" rel="nofollow">https://www.jessicabrody.com/books/non-fiction/save-cat-writes-novel/about/</a> Support the show with a donation at the link below:https://app.redcircle.com/shows/df18007c-c086-4fa2-b2be-0b026bb17385/donations Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

04: Plotting

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Today, Bonnie and Miranda talk with JC Lynne about doing research for your fiction manuscript and how to incorporate research into your writing on this episode of The Writing Forge.Tips and Tricks:<ul><li>Start your research with these questions: What are you writing? (What is the topic that needs researching?) Who are you writing it for? Who are your characters and what would they know?</li><li>[Specifically for sci-fi] Find your science track, whether concrete or theoretical, and read up on it to give yourself a basic understanding of the subject.</li><li>Be aware of your audience and the level of research they may be expecting. Experts as compared to non-specialized readers will pick up on different things in a manuscript.</li><li>Having interviews and conversations with experts is a great way to get a more in-depth analysis of a topic or to receive insight into a subject that isn’t covered by papers. Make sure to have a basic understanding of your chosen topic before speaking with the expert.</li><li>It’s very easy to go down research rabbit holes. This can be a good thing if you have the time. Research rabbit holes can help discover topics and information that you might not have previously considered for your novel. </li><li>If there’s no time to get drawn into research rabbit holes, try making a list of specific information you’re looking for, get basic answers to those questions, then get back to writing the manuscript.</li><li>Don’t try to put all of your research into your book. Don’t throw your research away, but understand that you’re going to do a lot more research than is going to make it into the novel.</li><li>Prioritize your writing first and foremost</li></ul> This week’s question: Where do you get your research? Or, alternatively: Wikipedia, yea or nay? Drop a line and let us know!The Writing Forge is a podcast brought to you by Northern Colorado Writers you can find us here:<a href="http://www.northerncoloradowriters.com/podcast" rel="nofollow">www.northerncoloradowriters.com/podcast</a>Follow us on social media:Facebook: @northerncoloradowritersInstagram: @ncw_writersTwitter: @northcolowriterLinks mentioned:Seveneves by Neal Stephenson<a href="https://www.nealstephenson.com/seveneves.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.nealstephenson.com/seveneves.html</a> The F*cking Yoga CO.<a href="https://theeffingyogablog.com/" rel="nofollow">https://theeffingyogablog.com/</a>  Support the show with a donation at the link below:https://app.redcircle.com/shows/df18007c-c086-4fa2-b2be-0b026bb17385/donations Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

03: Research and Novels

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On today’s episode of The Writing Forge, Bonnie and Miranda discuss the submission process, particularly for anthologies and literary magazines, with guest Cristina Trapani-Scott. Tips and Tricks:<ul><li>To find places to submit your work there are a number of resources to research:</li><li>The Writers Market</li><li>Writing Organization Newsletters</li><li><a href="https://www.newpages.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.newpages.com/</a></li><li><a href="https://www.pw.org/" rel="nofollow">https://www.pw.org/</a></li><li><a href="https://www.thereviewreview.net/" rel="nofollow">https://www.thereviewreview.net/</a> </li><li>Facebook groups ex: Call for Submissions</li><li>Google (or search engine of your choice) search for genre specific magazines or anthologies</li><li>There are two approaches to submissions: writing the piece first then finding a place to submit, or finding a place to submit and writing to their specifications.</li><li>Pay close attention to style and submission requirements. Many places will automatically reject pieces that did not follow instructions.</li><li>It helps to read pieces from the place you are submitting to in order to get a feel for what they’re looking for.</li><li>Don’t be afraid to tweak or adapt a story </li><li>Track where you submit. (Spreadsheets are a good way to do this.) You don’t want to submit a rejected piece to the same place twice. Also, simultaneous submission clauses can affect the timing of a piece or if/when you can submit a piece somewhere else, so keeping track of dates is important</li><li>Having a submission buddy can help with accountability and support during your submission process.</li></ul>This week’s question: What is your best way to deal with rejection? Let us know on our social platforms.The Writing Forge is a podcast brought to you by Northern Colorado Writers you can find us here:<a href="http://www.northerncoloradowriters.com/podcast" rel="nofollow">www.northerncoloradowriters.com/podcast</a>Follow us on social media:Facebook: @northerncoloradowritersInstagram: @ncw_writersTwitter: @northcolowriterLinks mentioned:Chiaroscuro: An Anthology of Virtue and Vice<a href="https://bookshop.org/books/chiaroscuro-an-anthology-of-virtue-vice/9780578976617" rel="nofollow">https://bookshop.org/books/chiaroscuro-an-anthology-of-virtue-vice/9780578976617</a>Elixir: Stories of Hope and Healing<a href="https://www.hansenhousebooks.com/product/elixir-stories-of-hope-and-healing/" rel="nofollow">https://www.hansenhousebooks.com/product/elixir-stories-of-hope-and-healing/</a>  Support the show with a donation at the link below:https://app.redcircle.com/shows/df18007c-c086-4fa2-b2be-0b026bb17385/donations Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

02: Submissions

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Today we introduce and learn a little about the show hosts, Bonnie and Miranda, then dive into talking about balancing dialogue and description in your writing.Tips and Tricks<ul><li>Plan for multiple drafts of scenes, chapters, and full manuscripts.</li><li>Don’t be afraid to lean into your strength first. If you’re good at dialogue, “sketch” out the dialogue. If you’re good at exposition, then first write the exposition. Afterwards return to the piece and fill in the gaps.</li><li>There are times where it is okay to be heavy on description (exposition, scene setting, mood setting) or be heavy on dialogue (arguments, quick witty exchanges, situations where characters really are just sitting down and talking). Heavy sections are tolerated differently across different genres.</li><li>If you’re struggling with either dialogue or description, find ways to make them do double duty. Have exposition bring tension to an otherwise boring exchange. Have dialogue give insight to a character’s mindset or feelings.</li><li>Once you have a draft, grab two different-colored highlighters and highlight exposition in one color and dialogue in another. You’ll be able to visually see the balance of a scene and adjust as needed.</li></ul> This week’s question:What are some books that balance dialogue and description well? What are some books that maybe fell a little short? Let us know on our socials. The Writing Forge is a podcast brought to you by Northern Colorado Writers you can find us here:<a href="http://www.northerncoloradowriters.com/podcast" rel="nofollow">www.northerncoloradowriters.com/podcast</a>Follow us on social media:Facebook: @northerncoloradowritersInstagram: @ncw_writersTwitter: @northcolowriterLinks mentioned:National Novel Writing Month:<a href="https://nanowrimo.org/about-nano" rel="nofollow">https://nanowrimo.org/about-nano</a> Writing Excuses:<a href="https://writingexcuses.com/" rel="nofollow">https://writingexcuses.com/</a>  Support the show with a donation at the link below:https://app.redcircle.com/shows/df18007c-c086-4fa2-b2be-0b026bb17385/donations Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations'>https://redcircle.com/the-writing-forge/donations</a>

01: Balancing Dialogue and Description

Welcome to The Writing Forge, where we discuss tips and tricks for honing your writing craft. Each episode, a guest will join hosts Miranda and Bonnie to hammer out the skills a writer needs to succeed in the writing world. We cover a variety of topics—from the idea phase through publication and beyond—to help you no matter where you are on your writing journey. We believe every writer has something to share to help us all learn and grow!