The Novel Writing Podcast
Writing a novel doesn't have to take decades. Author and Tally Ink coach Colleen Mitchell provides authors with bite-sized mindset tips, encouragement, inspiration, and tips for the writing process. So grab a cup, cozy up, and let's get to writing! The Novel Writing Podcast is a production of Tally Ink.
Episodes
154 episodes
The College Analogy for Avoiding Overwhelm
Do you get stressed and overwhelmed whenever you look at everything it takes to publish a book, whether you're pursuing self publishing or traditional?You're not alone. I see this in a lot of authors, especially the ones working on the ...
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Episode 154
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4:05
Switching from Writing to Editing
How do you know when it's time to switch from the writing mode to the editing mode?What even is the difference between them? In this episode I share a different way to think about this that allows us the freedom to move fro...
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Episode 153
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4:10
If You are a Creative Powerhouse
Writer's Block Bonus Category - Creative Powerhouse!Halie calls this result a TRIPLE THREAT! AKA, nothing really slows you down.Or does it?Creative Powerhouses aren't immune to bumps in the road, and this episode covers ...
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Episode 152
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2:35
When You Have More Than One Story Idea
What do you do when you have more than one story idea floating around in your head?Do you work on just one? Write multiple at once?Something in between?Like most writing questions, the answer is "it depends"...
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Episode 151
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7:30
If You Have Difficulty Prioritizing
Writer's Block Category #3 - Difficulty PrioritizingWhen your to-do list is miles long and keeps growing every second, it can feel irresponsible and indulgent to write.But the truth is that your writing is important, and creativ...
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Episode 150
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6:33
This or That: Outliner or Discovery Writer
Are you a Discovery Writer or an Outliner?Which one is better than the other? Which one SHOULD you write in?If these terms give you strong feelings one way or the other, make sure you listen through the end of this episode!
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Episode 149
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4:28
If Distractions Abound for You
Writer's Block Category #2 - DistractionsThe shinies, the doomscrolling, the accidental 5-hour YouTube rabbit trails... all distractions.When you pay attention to something that's NOT the thing you're supposed to be paying atten...
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Episode 148
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4:37
Literary Sins 1: Head-Hopping
Have you committed this literary sin? Head hopping, or jumping from one POV to another in the same paragraph, scene, or chapter, can throw readers off as to who's really telling the story. This can pull a reader out of...
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Episode 147
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6:16
If You Have Limiting Beliefs
Writer's Block Category #1 - Limiting BeliefsAKA, the things we believe about ourselves that do nothing but keep us from our full potential.And spoiler alert, nobody is forcing us to believe these things. So what counts ...
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Episode 146
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5:36
The Writer’s Block Quiz
Ever wonder what kind of writer's block you're most susceptible to?Or what to do about it when you can't get yourself to write?While we will all experience some form of writer's block at some point, there are different types and...
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Episode 145
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2:16
This or That: 3rd Person or 1st Person
Should you write your book in first person or third person? What even are those POVs and what does it mean to write in one or the other?If POV confuses you or you're just not sure which one you should use in your novel, thi...
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Episode 144
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7:13
If You Are an Inspired Introvert…
Are you an INSPIRED INTROVERT? This episode is for those writers who tend toward solitude and writing on their own, but could really benefit from sharing their work... if only they could conquer the fear of feedback.Not sure wha...
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Episode 143
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4:06
Pareto’s Principle (80/20 Rule for Writing)
Pareto's Principle is the idea that 80% of outcomes come from 20% of causes.We can use this principle to improve our writing lives, especially with the first draft.Listen in to find out how you can apply Pareto's Principle to yo...
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Episode 142
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5:00
If You Are a Chaotic Creative…
Are you a CHAOTIC CREATIVE? This episode is for those writers who have brain explosions of ideas all the time, jump from story to story, navigate uncharted creative territory, but have trouble finishing a project.Not sure what y...
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Episode 141
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3:14
To Prologue or Not to Prologue
Quick, what do you think about prologues? If you're thinking as a writer, your answer might be "YES, I LOVE THEM!"But as a reader, maybe not.Prologues are the other oft-maligned pseudo-chapters along with epilogues,...
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Episode 140
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5:51
If You Are a Community Creator…
Are you a COMMUNITY CREATOR? This episode is for those writers who thrive with a writing group or critique partner, having accountability, but also a place (or person) with whom to share writing wins and struggles.Not sure what ...
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Episode 139
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2:55
To Epilogue or Not to Epilogue
Are epilogues necessary? If you want to include an epilogue, what's the best way to go about it?What is the point of an epilogue, anyway?In this episode I share my thoughts on epilogues, and some best practices abou...
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Episode 138
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4:54
If You Are a Skeptical Scribe…
Are you a SKEPTICAL SCRIBE? This episode is for those writers who question everything, who go on deep research quests for exactly the right reference... but get paralyzed if something is "off" or imperfect.Not sure what your wri...
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Episode 137
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3:25
Writing as Healing, with Caitlin Shetterly
Caitlin Shetterly, author of Pete and Alice in Maine, shares her return path to writing fiction after years in nonfiction. A major medical event in the winter of 2020 to 2021 aligned so perfectly such that she experienced the s...
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Episode 136
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35:36
If You Are a Diligent Drafter…
Are you a DILIGENT DRAFTER? This episode is for those writers who are self-disciplined, super organized, know exactly where the story is going... and still have trouble sitting down to write.Not sure what your writing persona is...
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Episode 135
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3:43
The Writing Persona Quiz
Ever wonder what kind of writing persona you have? Or what motivates you to write? Or even what the hidden pitfalls of those are? (Because they exist!) Announcing the Writing Persona Quiz! This brand new quiz from Tally ...
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Episode 134
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1:54
How to Handle Negative Reviews
When authors get negative reviews, the first instinct is to feel bad because someone didn't like what we wrote.However, not all negative reviews are alike, and we can't approach them all the same way.The troll reviews are very d...
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Episode 133
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5:37
The Parkinson’s Law Paradox
Have you ever heard of Parkinson's Law?If not, it's the law that work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion. AKA, if you give yourself a whole day to do something, it will take you all day to do it.
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Episode 132
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3:39
Release the Pressure
Not all pressure is good.Whether you're facing deadlines, word counts, or critter feedback, too much of the wrong kind of pressure can mess with your writing mindset. This episode covers why working under pressure is not al...
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Episode 131
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4:37
Author Entrepreneurship with Dave Moreno
Business coach and entrepreneur Dave Moreno joins me on the podcast to talk about how and why authors should approach writing (and the results of writing) like a real business.We discuss business mindset for authors, core messages and v...
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Episode 130
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24:10