Find Your Voice: How to Write When You're Not a Writer

It’s been more than two years since I last posted an episode to this show. Here’s a little update about where I’ve been and what I’m doing now.

Have you ever asked, "When is my big break?" Thad has been a musician for years, and he was about to move on in his life when he got a call from Jimmy Fallon. This episode Thad shares how he, an artist who was about to stop making music, got onto Jimmy Fallon, the Today Show, and spoke to millions with his music. Art transforms us, and it transforms others. It is worth your effort, even when you think no one is listening. Thad's story on Rolling Stone Website: thisisthad.com Music YouT...

Everyone has that one person (or people) in their lives: the people who have made life difficult. They might be loved, hated, or just inconveniently around, and you might find it hard to write about them honestly. How do you write about the people who have hurt you? In this episode, author and writing coach Allison Fallon covers: The narrative role of "villains" in your lifeLegal ramifications of writing about real-life peopleWhat gets in the way as we're writing about true storiesThre...

One of the top questions we get here at Find Your Voice is: "How do I find a literary agent?" On this episode, we talk with literary agent Alexander Fields about everything publishing related! Listen to learn: What a literary agent is and what they doWhat to do before reaching out to an agentHow to reach out to an agentWebsite: thebinderyagency.com Podcast: On Publishing Links from the episode: Writer's Digest article: The Editor Behind the Curtainpublishersweekly.comwritersdigest.compublis...

Not sure if you should self-publish or go for a traditional contract? Author and expert writing coach Allison Fallon debunks the myth that self-publishing is a B-level option. In this episode, she covers the major differences between the two most common publishing paths, highlights the strengths and drawbacks of each approach, and gives you the question which will help you choose a path forward. booklaunchers.com

We're all about summer beach reads—but we also know that not everyone is looking for light poolside distraction. For those of you wanting a book with more substance this summer, our FYV Director of Operations, Ashley Scoby, has five recommendations. Ashley's background in is journalism and sportswriting. She’s written about Olympic athletes, covered a Final Four, and traveled to France to write about the 2019 Women’s World Cup. But on this episode of FYV staff picks, the con...

So many people write to support their business and bolster their credibility. Sometimes, that book is a group project. Writing a book with another person: does it lighten the workload or create "too many cooks in the kitchen"? Shari Medini and Karissa Tunis are co-authors and co-owners of AdoreThemParenting.com. Between both mothers, they have six kids and plenty of work-from-home experience, which made the current shifts toward working from home something they could speak to parents about ...

If you have a dream of writing a personal story, but worry that your story isn't interesting, this episode is for you. Author, podcaster, and public speaker Mary Marantz covers two insecurities that keep writers from getting started, how to write about complicated people in our stories, and how to make a personal story appeal to others. Keep listening until the end to hear Mary's publishing path: she gets specific about her journey finding an agent and putting together her book proposa...

What books should I read as a writer? As writers, we owe a lot to other writers: they are the people who inspired us in the first place, and they are the ones who keep us writing. Author and writing coach Allison Fallon shares seven books she returns to when she's stuck, needs perspective, or is looking for encouragement. If you're a writer (or want to be), your bookshelf might need these: 1. Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters. John Steinbeck writing about his writing to his agent...

If so many of us feel lonely, what keeps us from reaching out to other people? Laura Tremaine is host of the podcast 10 Things to Tell You and author of the book Share Your Stuff, I'll Go First.* With Allison Fallon, she discusses loneliness, moving to LA and the early days of blogging, and, most importantly, practical ways to connect with others. This episode will make you a better friend and communicator and leave you feeling a little less alone. @laura.tremaine @10thingstotellyou 10thi...

You may have heard the term “ghostwriter.” And you might have some questions. (So did the author write the book or not?) Not every author comes up with every sentence of their book. Many times, there’s a behind-the-scenes person (or team) involved. And it’s not as scandalous as it sounds. In this episode, writer (and ghostwriter) Allison Fallon interviews another ghostwriter and author, Ashley Abercrombie. Both Allison and Ashley have both published under their own name and have written...

Artist, poet, musician and author Morgan Harper Nichols' work has already touched so many people's lives—including ours! This episode, she shares about how she still gets nervous sharing new work with an audience (and how that's a good thing), the playlist she uses when she writes, and what is special to her about her latest book. She reflects on how words connect—or don't—with people, how art might only connect with one person—and that person might be you (and how worth it that is). She ...

So many of us are so focused on getting our stories out there that we forget that becoming "known" has consequences. When you decide to publish (or share your story in any public way), what was once personal and private becomes open for discussion. People will have opinions on your story—and you might not like all of those opinions. When Sara Lewis shared her story on a podcast, she didn't think of herself as "brave." But when her story went viral, she quickly learned what it meant to...