The Writer's Journey

Building your personal author platform is an important step in your journey. For many authors, that means jumping on social media. But with conflict broiling, your data being tracked, privacy evaporating, and plain-old social media burnout, you might be looking for a new way to connect with your fan-base–something fun and reliable, and something you […]

What makes a manuscript sing from the first page, and what sour notes turn the readers away? With more and more readers judging books based on the Look Inside sample, your first page is key to making sales. DAW Editor Sheila Gilbert joins us to respond to six first pages submitted by Keystroke authors. We’ll […]

How was your 2020? Whether it was a slog or a success, hey, we can learn from it. Today, we’re chatting about three authors who had very different years. We’ll talk about break-out successes after years of hard work, writing through difficult times, experimenting, and taking risks. Ever wanted to pack up your family and […]

What do Patrick Rothfuss, Tad Williams, Mercedes Lackey, Tracy Hickman, and Margaret Weis all have in common? Besides being A-List fantasy wordcrafters, all were published by DAW Books. Tonight we meet the woman behind one of science fiction and fantasy’s most beloved publishing houses, DAW Books’ President, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief, Betsy Wollheim. Betsy’s here to […]

It’s a special episode tonight–number 100! The Writer’s Journey is celebrating with an A-List author’s brain to pick. Steven Savile has woven tales in some of the most memorable universes, including Warhammer, Doctor Who, Stargate, and Jurassic Park. He’s here tonight to delve deep on genre fiction, writing in established worlds, and satisfying reader expectations […]

Thinking about getting paid to write? Curious about ghostwriting–how to set up your bizz, find clients, meet deadlines, and make bank? Or, are you an author looking for a collaborator? How do you find the right match? Ghostwriter Kim is here to share her experience writing from home and making writing work for her. We’re […]

Slip into your suits, because in this episode, we’re taking a deep dive into world-building. Epic fantasy tomes, alternate history tales, weird westerns, superhero adventures, even a little romance (we hear)–Rhett and Steve have written it all. Tonight they’ll share ideas for how to organize your world, work with a collaborator, satisfy reader expectations, and […]

Christopher Paolini, wordsmith and dragon-tamer, is back with his science fiction debut, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars. He’s kindly agreed to return from his imaginative worlds to answer all of your questions, dear viewer. So make ’em good!

New York Times best-selling fantasy author R.A. Salvatore joins us to answer all of your burning questions. We cover his tips on writing tense action scenes, beloved long-series characters, and interacting with the fans. Get comfy, because we’ve got questions and he’s got stories to tell. Check out R.A. Salvatore’s latest title, RELENTLESS: https://amzn.to/34wiXBV Many […]

The publishing world. There are more options available out there than you think. What’s the best way for you? Fantasy author Michael J. Sullivan joins us to discuss his experiences working with traditional publishers and as a self-publishing author. Catch all his best tips in tonight’s episode…