Episode 29: Dan and Heather talk about writing books. Heather talks about her strengths and weaknesses in writing, and shares how she built a Fiction Writing Dream Team to help her produce great fiction. Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Fo

Tips for Writing Transitions

Aug 29th, 2019 11m 13s

Episode 28: In some sense, all writing IS transition. We move the reader from one idea to another, hopefully without them seeing the wheels and strings that move them. Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Follow on Facebook: @TotallyComposedPo

What to Do When People HATE Your Writing

Jul 8th, 2019 13m 19s

Episode 27: Even the BEST writers ever had their critics. In this episode Dan explores how a writer might respond to someone who hates their writing. In particular, how might we respond in a way that will improve our writing and our reach? Fo

How to Describe Incredible Things—Four Tips for Success

Jun 21st, 2019 11m 28s

Episode 26: Some writers, when faced with describing something incredible, amazing, or awesome, will commit the horrendous writing sin of proclaiming "It's beyond description," or "There are no words." In this episode, Dan argues that there are

More Thoughts on Clarity versus Simplicity

May 31st, 2019 4m 44s

Episode 25: Simplicity might make your book more readable to more people, but it also turns off those who are most likely to buy books. Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Follow on Facebook: @TotallyComposedPodcast Follow Dan on Twitter: @t

Clarity versus Simplicity

May 30th, 2019 7m 22s

Episode 24: Don't dumb yourself down, clear yourself up! Good writing fixes bad writing. Dumbing your writing down simply dumbs down your audience. Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Follow on Facebook: @TotallyComposedPodcast Follow Dan on

Finding the Right Kinds of Readers for Your Drafts

Apr 15th, 2019 10m 37s

Episode 23: You should have different types of readers read your drafts. Here. Dan offers a strategy for finding the right types. Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Follow on Facebook: @TotallyComposedPodcast Follow Dan on Twitter: @thatdan

Make Your Writing Slap by Placing Subject and Verb in the Reader's Face

Mar 26th, 2019 8m 6s

Episode 22: Where you place your subject and verb tickles your reader's brain in different ways. Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Follow on Facebook: @TotallyComposedPodcast Follow Dan on Twitter: @thatdankent Follow Dan on Facebook: @auth

Editing Checklist Part Three: Removing the Mundane

Mar 8th, 2019 8m 26s

Episode 21: To-be verbs like "is" will bore your readers to sleep. Dan talks about removing them. Interview about Confident Humility: HERE Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Follow on Facebook: @TotallyComposedPodcast Follow Dan on Twitter:

Editing Checklist Part Two: Activating Your Voice

Mar 7th, 2019 11m 36s

Episode 20: The passive voice will bog down your readers. Dan talks about charging up your writing by converting the passive voice to active. Interview about Confident Humility: HERE Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Follow on Facebook: @Tot

Editing Checklist Part One: Removing Arrogance and Affect

Mar 6th, 2019 13m 3s

Episode 19: Using checklists and search-and-replace to accelerate your editing. Interview about Confident Humility: HERE Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Follow on Facebook: @TotallyComposedPodcast Follow Dan on Twitter: @thatdankent Follo

The Value of a Good Editor

Nov 27th, 2018 14m

How do you find the writing flaws in your writing that you've gone blind to? A good editor will uncover your camouflage flaws and show you your actual size as a writer. Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Follow on Facebook: @TotallyComposedP

Feed Your Darlings

Apr 24th, 2018 4m 41s

Episode 18: Sometimes you don't have to kill your darlings. Sometimes you may need to simply FEED your darlings. Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Follow on Facebook: @TotallyComposedPodcast Follow Dan on Twitter: @thatdankent Follow Dan o

Should We Write Like We Talk?

Apr 20th, 2018 13m 20s

Dan chats with Brianna Millett about the dangers of writing the way you talk. Is it possible that writing the way you talk is a way of transferring your social insecurities to your writing? Is it possible that you are sabotaging your own author

Writing Music with Another Musician

Apr 20th, 2018 14m 27s

Dan chats with Julie Thoreen, lead singer of Har Di Har. Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Follow on Facebook: @TotallyComposedPodcast Follow Dan on Twitter: @thatdankent Follow Dan on Facebook: @authorDanielKent One way you can suppor

Worldviews (part 1): The Omni-Context of You and Your Writing

Mar 14th, 2018 16m 48s

Dan talks more about concision. Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Follow on Facebook: @TotallyComposedPodcast Follow Dan on Twitter: @thatdankent Follow Dan on Facebook: @authorDanielKent One way you can support my show is by buying on

What You Need Before Your Writing Can Be Concise

Mar 9th, 2018 6m 58s

They Say 'Kill Your Darlings' BUT What If I'm a Pacifist?

Mar 7th, 2018 4m 41s

Dan looks at a BETTER way to kill your darlings—Resurrect Your Darlings! Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Follow on Facebook: @TotallyComposedPodcast Follow Dan on Twitter: @thatdankent Follow Dan on Facebook: @authorDanielKent One way

3 Elements of Good Writing

Mar 5th, 2018 13m 2s

Dan talks about how to get ideas and images and stories from your head into the readers'. Here is a Venn diagram: Writing that comes close to accomplishing all three: (1) Was Jesus Crazy? (2) Why I Created Fruitless Verses (3) Learning is NO

Writing With Salt and Light

Feb 26th, 2018 8m

Dan looks at a principle for effective writing pulled out of the gospels from the mouth of Jesus himself. Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Follow on Facebook: @TotallyComposedPodcast Follow Dan on Twitter: @thatdankent Follow Dan on Fa

Writing Totems

Feb 22nd, 2018 3m

Dan explains the picture of him with a cigarette in his mouth and expounds upon his dysfunctional, though productive, oral fixation. Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Follow on Facebook: @TotallyComposedPodcast Follow Dan on Twitter: @t

The Bracket Method Can Help You Get MORE Writing Done

Feb 20th, 2018 4m 37s

There are a thousand obstacles that can distract us from writing output. In this episode Dan shares a tactic for getting around the obstacle of 'finding the perfect word.' He calls it the Bracket Method. Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed

Should I Care About My Audience?

Feb 19th, 2018 15m 14s

Dan considers the roles of writer and audience, and how the self relates to the whole. The Road Trip that Changed the World Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Follow on Facebook: @TotallyComposedPodcast Follow Dan on Twitter: @thatda

5 Tips for Writing Great Descriptions

Feb 14th, 2018 6m 39s

Dan provides his first listical in this eye-opening episode on description. Follow on Twitter: @TotallyComposed Follow on Facebook: @TotallyComposedPodcast Follow Dan on Twitter: @thatdankent Follow Dan on Facebook: @authorDanielKent On

To Be an Effective Writer, Lose the 'Crazy Genius' Myth

Feb 7th, 2018 6m 35s

Some people who have a mental illness are very creative. But not all mentally ill people are. Furthermore, in my considerable experience, a person is far more creative when their mental illness symptoms are under control that when they are high