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
215 episodes
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...
Case Study: Age of Scorpius, by Audra Winter
TikTok sensation Age of Scorpius by Audra Winter absolutely tanked upon release despite accumulating 7,000 pre-orders.So what happened?Today's episode is a case study on what Audra did right, what she did wrong, and what lessons...
Protecting Your Copyright, with Samantha Bradshaw
AI is the hot-button topic for authors nowadays. Lawyer Samantha Bradshaw discusses how authors can protect their work in the age of AI, especially now that large language models (LLMs) have been given the legal go-ahead to train o...
What the Heck are Tropes?
What are tropes? Do we need them, and if so, how do we use them?Tropes are popular in marketing books right now, but the reality is we all use tropes in our writing whether we realize it or not.Listen in for an overview of trope...
Amy Lynn McConahy on Clean Fiction Magazine
Ever thought of submitting your novel to a review magazine? Clean Fiction Magazine reviews both Christian and secular novels for free!Check out this interview with Amy Lynn McConahy, author and publisher of Clean Fiction Ma...
Common Mistakes When Naming Characters
Are you falling into any of these common mistakes with naming characters?From too many names starting with the same letter, to your MC "Bob Smith" accidentally becoming an NPC, this episode will help you identify whether you need to cha...