The Novel Writing Podcast
Writing a novel doesn't have to take decades. Author and book 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 Colleen Mitchell Writes, LLC.
Episodes
222 episodes
Caitlin Shetterly on Writing with Chronic Illness
Caitlin Shetterly, who first was a guest in episode 136, is back to share her experience writing a character with breast cancer... only for Caitlin herself to develop the exact same type of cancer in the exact same breast. Her journ...
Don’t Publish Your First Book
Have you ever heard the advice to not publish your first book? Did it ruffle your feathers? It doesn't mean what you think it means. In this episode we break down this advice to understand the motivation behind it.SERIES NOW COMP...
3rd Person POVs: Omniscient, Deep, or Head Hopping?
Have you ever read a book that feels like it was supposed to be written in 3rd person omniscient (like many regency romances or books in the style of Jane Austen), but you couldn't keep track of who was actually telling the story?The au...
Cathryn deVries on the Writer Identity
Cathryn deVries "accidentally" became a writer through chronicling her family's Dungeons & Dragons campaign.The process helped her work through old emotional wounds, but then she had to deal with imposter syndrome over whether the s...
The Value of Short-Cycle Feedback
Getting critiques on our writing is a core part of improving, but what if you didn't have to wait until you finish the first draft?Enter short-cycle feedback. This episode is all about why writers ought to share their work befor...
What I Learned from Dictating 70,000 Words
Dictating is one of many tools writers can slot into their writing toolbelts, but many who try dictation don't stick with it long enough to see real results.I took Seth Ring's challenge to commit at least 20 hours to learning how to dic...
Publisher Rocket Deep Dive with Dave Chesson
Publisher Rocket creator Dave Chesson walks through how to use features like keyword search, competition analyzer, category search, and reverse ASIN lookup. For Publisher Rocket and other self-publishing tools by Kindlepreneur, vis...
Do I Need to Write Every Day?
A common piece of writing advice from prolific, full-time authors is that we need to write every day.*insert squinty-eyed Thor Ragnarok meme*But do we, really?If your life circumstances by nature prevent you from putting...
Publishing Myth #4: You HAVE to Be On Social Media
We've all heard the claim... you NEED to be on social media if you want to make it as an author.Or, do you?Let's bust this pervasive myth that success requires a social media presence, even if you would rather eat nails than mak...
Becca Syme on Strengths and Skill Chains
Strengths coach Becca Syme shares why the worst possible phrase is "just do it" and how there's no universal truth for writers... except one.Becca has worked with over 6,000 individual clients and is a wealth of wisdom in helping creati...
What “Show Don’t Tell” Really Means
Are you tired of hearing the "show, don't tell" advice thrown around with reckless abandon? Me too. Showing and telling both have their place in fiction, but it's important not to fall into the extreme of showing everything... just...
How to Avoid the Research Rabbit Holes
Have you ever tabbed over to quickly research that one little detail you're stuck on, only to surface hours later from a YouTube video that has nothing to do with what you started out searching for?Welcome to the research rabbit hole.
Publishing Industry Changes, with Greg Keogh
The publishing industry goes through constant changes. Greg Keogh, co-founder of direct sales platform Curios, shares his thoughts on what's happening in the publishing industry (both indie and trad) and where he sees the trends go...
How to Write a Killer Blurb
Have you ever tried to write your book's blurb and felt like throwing up instead?Blurbs don't have to be hard, but authors make them hard without meaning to. They're a different skillset from writing a book, and they're never going to l...
What’s New With Curios, with Greg Keogh
Greg Keogh, co-founder of the direct sales platform Curios, comes back to share what's new in the platform and what's coming. Curios has undergone some serious improvements since episode 186. Listen in to hear more about the Curios ...
Seth Ring on Author Business Practices, Part 2
Here's part 2 of my conversation with Seth Ring on author business practices. What is the most important thing for a new author to focus on? When should authors diversify, whether it's income streams or genre? Seth has som...
Dave Chesson on Kindlepreneur's Tools for Authors
Dave Chesson, author and founder of Kindlepreneur, brings a high-level overview of the different tools in the Kindlepreneur suite.From the bestseller rank calculator to their formatting tool (Atticus), Kindlepreneur is a one-stop-shop f...
What Does a Proofreader Do?
What are proofreaders, and what do they do for indie authors? What should you expect if you hire these professionals?This episode covers what proofreaders do, don't do, and whether you should hire one for your novel.
Seth Ring on Author Business Practices, Part 1
Seth Ring is back in a new two-parter to drop some truth bombs about why it's so important for authors, whether you're indie or trad, to think about the business side of writing. Are you a personal brand or a product brand? What's the m...
What Does a Copyeditor Do?
What are copyeditors or line editors, and what do they do for indie authors? What should you expect if you hire these professionals?This episode covers what copy/line editors do, don't do, and whether you should hire one for...
What Does a Developmental Editor Do?
Do you really need a developmental editor? If you hire one, what should you expect from them? There are some cases where you can get away with not hiring dev editors, but they don't apply to every writer.For a spicy take on the ...
Author Nation 2025 Takeaways
Author Nation 2025 was my 3rd time at an author conference, and this year I went looking for audio narration solutions (among other things). This episode covers my thoughts on the conference, favorite sessions, and whether it's wort...
Let’s Rock 2026: An Update from Last Year
I'm back! Listen in for an update on:- Why you haven't heard a new episode for a bit- What I've been doing for the last 3 months- My goals for 2026- What to expect going forwardThis year is full of goals and ambition...
Seth Ring on Dictating Your Books
Seth Ring, a prolific fantasy and litRPG author, shares his process for dictating 10-12 books a year. Since backlist is key for the successful indie author, the faster you can build your backlist, the sooner your career will take off.
Killer Organic Marketing, with Z.S. Diamanti
Indie author ZS Diamanti (Zac) shares his journey with organic marketing through social media, his newsletter, and using the momentum from his readers to run successful Kickstarters.Whether you're an old hat author or a brand new writer...