Hello and welcome to one of my occasional episodes of the Creative Writers Toolbelt, this is episode 181, and I want to ask you a question - Do you know your dead salmon from your downpipe?If you know what these phrases mean, well done! But wh

Getting the marketing basics right with Written Word Media's Clayton Noblit

Aug 31st, 2022 56m 21s

This episode is a conversation with Written Word Media's Senior Marketing Manager, Clayton Noblit. In this episode we talk about what basics an author needs to focus on, using our own email lists, Facebook pages, and social media, and web pages

Episode 179: Escaping the submissions treadmill: could a service like Submitit be the way forward?

Jul 20th, 2022 59m 25s

Erik Harper Klass is the founder of Submitit, a company that directly addresses the stress and uncertainty of the submissions treadmill. Submitting your work, again and again, can be time-consuming and exhaustive, especially if you get more tha

Episode 178: Trust the process that gives you joy! With Jessie Kwak

Jul 1st, 2022 48m 37s

My guest for this episode is the non-fiction and science fiction writer Jessie Kwak. In this episode, we talk about the different writing processes that people use, how to choose the right one, and why some writers have found the pandemic such

Episode 177: The mind of the warrior. A conversation with Nick Narbutovskih of the US Air Force Special Operations Command

Jun 3rd, 2022 46m 15s

Nick Narbutovskih grew up knowing that he wanted to be a pilot in the military, now Assistant Operations Officer Narbutovskih with Air Force Special Operations Command, and he now trains others who are going to be pilots in the US Air Force.On

Episode 176: Making peace with the internet. Practical advice for your digital presence, with Jason Smith of Social Shapes

May 13th, 2022 31m 5s

In this episode, my guest is the Digital Marketing expert Jason Smith. In this conversation, we talk about the essentials of setting up a web and managing social media accounts for your brand as a writer. We talk about the best platform to use

Episode 175: A guest at the reader's table, with veteran publisher and literary agent Tony Collins

Apr 21st, 2022 36m 36s

My guest for this episode is someone who has spent nearly 50 years in publishing. Tony Collins has worked for a number of publishing houses, owned three magazines, published an astonishing 1,400 books, and is now a literary agent. In this conve

Episode 174: Writing your novel is part of your heart - with Lynn Hightower

Apr 3rd, 2022 55m 28s

Welcome to Ep 174, my guest for this episode is the writer and writing coach Lynn Hightower. Lynn writers thriller with a darkly paranormal twist.In this conversation, we discuss why we do need to tell as well as show, especially in terms of

Episode 173: Make your reader feel smart, with Jessica Brody

Mar 26th, 2022 48m 15s

Suppose you discovered that nearly all of the great stories written conform to a particular structure, a structure that would help to guide you in your writing and that, subconsciously at least, your readers are expecting to see in your work.T

Episode 172: Immersed in the sensorium: how we can enjoy, and learn from poetry, with Aaron Poochigian.

Mar 11th, 2022 51m 58s

I have always believed that there are important lessons for prose writers to learn from poetry, and I also think we can always gain something from the joy and discipline of listening to good poetry. To test and prove this belief, in this episod

Episode 171: The layers of character with H. Claire Taylor

Feb 18th, 2022 52m 39s

Welcome to episode 171 of the Creative Writers Toolbelt.My guest today is the author, writing consultant, and presenter Claire Taylor. Claire will be known to many of you as one-half of the team at the Sell More Books Show with her co-presente

Episode 170: Be the hero of your own story, with Donna Lichaw

Jan 31st, 2022 42m 16s

Those of you who have read the book that accompanies this podcast will know that, in my opinion, one of the best explanations and representations of the way story works comes from the executive coach, speaker, and author Donna Lichaw.Donna is

Episode 169: Creating stories that work: content and structure

Jan 13th, 2022 23m 37s

Welcome to episode 169 of the Creative Writer’s Toolbelt. In the next few episodes, I am going to be exploring the fundamentals of story structure. We’re going to look at different perspectives on story and story structure with the help of a nu

Episode 168. Passion Focus and Discipline with Dave Chesson

Dec 23rd, 2021 44m 29s

Welcome to Ep 168 of the Creative Writer’s Toolbelt podcast. My guest for this episode is Dave Chesson. Dave is an author, entrepreneur and something of a famous name in the self-publishing scene.For many years he has been creating free course

Episode 167. Building your authority as a writer, with Bryan Collins

Dec 16th, 2021 28m 30s

Welcome to episode 167 of the Creative Writer’s Toolbelt podcast. My guest for this episode is the writer, journalist and blogger Bryan Collins. Bryan has written for Forbes, the Huffington Post, and Fast Company. He has published 16 books on c

Episode 166 From Aristotle to Hollywood with Susan Isaacs

Oct 30th, 2021 46m 21s

Welcome to episode 166 of the creative writer’s toolbelt podcast. My guest for this episode is the actor and writer and Lutheran Susan Isaacs. Susan has worked in TV, and got a Masters degree in screen writing. She moved to New York, and wor

Episode 165. Flightpath to publication with James Blatch

Oct 17th, 2021 1h 1m

Welcome to episode 165 of the Creative Writer’s ToolbeltMy guest for this episode is the author, James Blatch. Some of you will know James as one half of the team who present the hugely popular Self Publishing Show with Mark Dawson. James is

Episode 164. A citizen of two worlds. Juggling writing and life with Sam Mills and Michael J. Harvey

Oct 1st, 2021 41m 2s

The American writers Joyce Carol Oates famously said: “The biggest obstacle for writers is distraction from other people."And it’s substantially true. But those who say we should exclude these distracting people are offering a solution that

Episode 163. Getting in touch with our own inner champion - with Cami Ostman

Sep 17th, 2021 56m 29s

So much of how we engage with our writing is bound up with the disciplines, good and bad, we apply to ourselves, and how we feel about ourselves as writers. In this episode I tackle these issues, together with the thorny subject of dealing with

Episode 162. Keep the faith! With Sarah Moorhead

Sep 3rd, 2021 55m 53s

Yes! The Creative Writer’s Toolbelt is back after a hiatus of about 18 months and it’s a delight to talking to you again. If you haven't subscribed you can do so at:https://the-creative-writers-toolbelt.castos.com/My guest for this first epis

Announcement: The Creative Writer's Toolbelt will return on Friday 3rd September 2021

Aug 6th, 2021 6m 31s

Hi and welcome to this brief message about the Creative Writer’s Toolbelt podcast. I have news! The Creative Writer’s Toolbelt is relaunching on Friday 3rd September. To catch all the new episodes you can subscribe to the podcast here:https://

Episode 161 Writing your memoir

Apr 22nd, 2020 47m 38s

Has the Covid-19 virus forced you into being at home with time on your hands? Could now be the time to start that memoir project you've been meaning to get around to for so long? If so, this is the episode for you. My guest for this episode is

Episode 160 Lockdown for writers

Apr 2nd, 2020 1h 3m

Yes I'm back! I want to do two or three more episodes before I finish, to address the extraordinary times we are living in, and in this episode I am talking to two writer / entrepreneurs, Wendy H Jones and Abidemi Sanusi about how writers can s

Episode 159 Thank you for listening, and goodbye

Mar 14th, 2020 5m 31s

Sadly, this is the last episode of the podcast, at least for now. From the end of March I am putting The Creative Writer's Toolbelt on hiatus. Listen to this episode for my explanation of why I am finishing (nothing sinister!) and news about a

Episode 158 Take the advice that works for you. A conversation with freelance editor Ellen Brock

Mar 4th, 2020 59m 6s

This episode features one of my favourite guests, an editor who manages to combine a formidable expertise with a friendly and accessible manner, you’ll most likely know her from her YouTube channel, but she also featured in a two part episode o