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
173 episodes
Do You Need a Pen Name?
Are you thinking about using a pen name for your books?Not every author will choose to use one, but a nom de plume can be an attractive choice depending on your circumstances.In this episode, we talk about the top 5 reasons auth...
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Episode 173
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9:18
How to Know Your Book’s Age Group
Do you know what age group your book falls into? Figuring out the difference between children's books, chapter books, middle grade, young adult, new adult, and adult can be difficult to navigate.While knowing your age group...
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Episode 172
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5:49
How to Write Fight Scenes, with Carla Hoch
Do you struggle with writing realistic fight scenes?Never fear, Carla Hoch is here! Carla, author of the Fight Write books, joins us to talk about common mistakes new authors (and experienced authors, TBH) make when writing...
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Episode 171
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58:31
3 Ways to Strengthen Your Plot
Are you struggling with a saggy middle? Figuring out to fix it can feel daunting if you don't have a place to start.Try these 3 ways to strengthen your plot!
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Episode 170
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3:52
Publishing Myth #2: Indie = Success
If you don't go traditional, you're probably an indie author. While indie has become 1000% more accessible than it was even just 10 years ago, it's not without its downsides.The fact that it's easy to hit publish on Amazon ...
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Episode 169
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3:56
How Many Books Should Be in Your Series?
How do you decide how many books should be in your series?It's not as simple as picking a number out of the air. In this episode we cover what a series is versus what it isn't, how to understand how much story you have, cut...
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Episode 168
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9:42
What Makes Characters Memorable?
What makes a character memorable?It's more than just what they look like, who they are, or what they say.Check out these six techniques for crafting memorable characters, which you can do before you even start writing the first ...
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Episode 167
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5:43
How to Actually Finish Your First Draft
Many writers, both newbies and veterans alike, struggle to finish first drafts.So what's the magic formula for actually writing "The End"? Spoiler: There is no magic formula, but The 60 Day Novel Writing Challenge is pretty darn...
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Episode 166
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5:43
Publishing Myth #1: Traditional = Success
Many authors want to be traditionally published because of the percieved prestige that comes with the name of a Big Publishing House.Unfortunately, the publishing industry has changed A LOT in the last 20 years, and it's no longer a gua...
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Episode 165
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5:58
Literary Sins: Infodumping in the Published Book
Don't publish the infodump!It's easy to infodump even when you don't mean to, which is why editors and critique partners are so important before publishing.While infodumping is part of the normal drafting process, authors should...
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Episode 164
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4:43
What is an Unreliable Narrator?
What is an unreliable narrator? Writers and readers alike use this moniker often without understanding what it really means.In this episode, we break down what an unreliable narrator is, the best genres that make use of the...
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Episode 163
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4:54
Literary Sins: Random Character to the Rescue
As a reader, how do you react when a random character comes to the rescue during the climax?Odds are, you probably feel cheated.In this episode, we break down this literary sin and how to avoid committing it.
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Episode 162
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3:36
10 Productivity Tips for Writers, PART 2
Struggling with being a productive writer? We all fall into distraction traps and periods of low productivity. All productivity tips are like tools in a toolbox, and having multiple is a great way to break out of writer's block....
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Episode 161
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6:37
10 Productivity Tips for Writers, PART 1
Struggling with being a productive writer? We all fall into distraction traps and periods of low productivity. All productivity tips are like tools in a toolbox, and having multiple is a great way to break out of write...
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Episode 160
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5:11
How to Achieve Your Writing Goals in 2025
Are you ready to hit 2025 running toward your writing goals?If not, do not fear! This episode covers 5 essential tactics for planning a successful writing year, no matter what your goals are.2025 is right around the...
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Episode 159
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11:39
Reasons to Write the Blurb Early
The blurb is one of the hardest and most hated parts of an author's life... at least that's what it seems like!In this episode, we break down why writing the blurb early is actually the smartest thing to do.Blurbs don't need to ...
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Episode 158
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4:26
Recommended Writing Craft Books
Where do you start when it comes to books on writing craft? A simple search on Amazon for "writing craft books" brings up over 70,000 results. This episode covers the books that I recommend over and over for writers inside the C...
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Episode 157
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4:42
Literary Sins: Too Many Characters
Have you committed this literary sin? Having too large of a cast, or introducing too many characters at the same time, can lose readers and make them forget important details.This, our second installment of the Literary Sins Ser...
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Episode 156
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7:14
Thoughts from Author Nation
Are you curious about Author Nation and whether you should go next year?This episode covers who Author Nation is for, what kinds of sessions were offered, my overall takeaways, and some favorite sessions.I also talk about what I...
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Episode 155
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7:05
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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4:08
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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4:13
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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2:39
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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7:33