The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

Sarah Kaufman, a Pulitzer Prize–winning critic and writing teacher, shows how stronger verbs turn flat prose into vivid, action-driven writing. She explains why verbs are underrated, how physical and metaphorical verbs show emotion, when passive voice is useful, and practical ways to swap explanation for movement to enliven scenes.

Nadim Sadek, serial entrepreneur, founder/CEO of Shimmr AI and bestselling author, brings energetic optimism about AI and creativity. He discusses using AI as a research partner and editor. He breaks down Shimmr’s three-engine marketing system and explores publishers shifting into tech providers. He imagines multimodal discoverability, agentic purchasing, and a future Panthropic of shared human thought.

Skye MacKinnon, an award-winning USA Today bestselling author of 70+ books and author of Self-Publishing in German, explains translating, publishing, and marketing for German-language readers. She highlights why the German market matters, how to find and vet translators, AI-plus-human workflows, legal and distribution quirks like Tolino and Impressum, and targeted German marketing tactics.

Adam Leipzig, veteran film producer and former studio exec known for Dead Poets Society and March of the Penguins, and author of Fearless Persistence. He talks about embracing the messy long middle, why persistence beats fear, the power of distribution, four ways to monetise creative work, and what film editing teaches writers about cutting and shaping their stories.

Oriana Leckert, Head of Publishing at Kickstarter, advises creators on crowdfunding for books. She explains what makes Kickstarter different and why it suits special editions. Topics include rewards beyond merch, realistic timelines and fulfilment, shipping pitfalls, marketing and pre-launch strategies, and matching project ambition to audience size.

Sara Rosett, USA Today bestselling author of 30+ mysteries and co-host of Wish I'd Known Then, talks about quiet, sustainable book promotion. She explores special editions, physical letters and library pitching. Listen for tips on direct sales, seasonal podcasting, and low-effort marketing that keeps readers coming back.

Practical nuts-and-bolts on improving self-editing and when to stop tinkering. Clear comparisons of developmental, line, copyedit and proofreading stages. Tips for finding, assessing and working with professional editors and different reader types. Advice on editing timelines, budgets, contracts and protecting your manuscript.

Matt Cardin, author and academic who studies horror, religion, and creativity, shares how creativity can feel like a collaboration with a muse or daimon. He explores treating silence and inertia as gifts. Short practical practices and Jungian ideas about intuition, synchronicity, and living into the dark are discussed.

Anne Lamott, bestselling memoirist and warm writing teacher, and Neal Allen, spiritual coach and former journalist, discuss craft and courage. They debate strong verbs, complementary writing styles, trusting a single voice across genres, daily routines to tame the inner critic, and how to keep writing through dark times. Quick, candid, and practical.

Practical techniques for making characters feel real, from finding hyper-specific diagnostic details to using sensory anchors. Tips on shaping voice and rhythm, assigning metaphor families for distinct speech, and linking character flaws to plot tests. Advice on writing diverse, nonstereotyped people and turning side characters into series-worthy fixtures.