Writers, Ink: Your backstage pass to the world's most prolific authors

Writing icon Kevin J Anderson creates his stories through a unique medium: dictation. By drafting through dictation instead of typing, he both produces ideas naturally without the stress of grammatically picking apart each sentence and easily comes up with casual, believable dialogue. Anderson has been in the writing industry for over thirty years and has written with all kinds of artistic legends, from Brian Herbert to Rush’s Neil Peart. To order Dune: The Lady of Caladan, his latest release, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: I have written more than 165 books, including 56 national or international bestsellers. I have over 23 million books in print worldwide in thirty languages. I've been nominated for the Nebula Award, Hugo Award, Bram Stoker Award, Shamus Award, and Silver Falchion Award, and I've won the SFX Readers' Choice Award, Golden Duck Award, Scribe Award, and New York Times Notable Book; in 2012 at San Diego Comic Con I received the Faust Grand Master Award for Lifetime Achievement. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. In this episode, you’ll discover: How Kevin befriended Neil Peart Why to dictate your dialogue How to outline your dictation Why “stealing” ideas can be helpful The importance of a writing community Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Kevin J Anderson - https://www.wordfire.com/ Dune: The Lady of Caladan - https://mybook.to/Caladan The Relaxed Author (Books For Writers Book 13) Kindle Edition by Joanna Penn (Author), Mark Leslie Lefebvre - https://books2read.com/u/4jo7Xv J.’s NFT Experiment - https://theauthorlife.com/sharing-royalties-with-readers-everyone-wins/ Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this monthly q & a session, the guys answer listener questions. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. Join us on Patreon and ask your question LIVE on the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/writersinkpodcast Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Father-and-son team Jon and Jesse Kellerman know a few things about the collaborative writing process. By discussing story ideas months in advance, creating long, detailed outlines, and regularly scheduling time to meet in-person or on Zoom, the two are able to work together to masterfully craft stories. The Kellermans are both bestselling authors who have been in the industry for many years. Jon is well-known for writing novels like Double Homicide and Capital Crimes with his wife, bestseller Faye Kellerman, and Jesse is well-known for working with his father on the Clay Edison series. To order The Burning, their latest release, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: Jonathan Kellerman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than three dozen bestselling crime novels, including the Alex Delaware series, The Butcher’s Theater, Billy Straight, The Conspiracy Club, Twisted, True Detectives, and The Murderer’s Daughter. With his wife, bestselling novelist Faye Kellerman, he co-authored Double Homicide and Capital Crimes. With his son, bestselling novelist Jesse Kellerman, he co-authored The Golem of Hollywood and The Golem of Paris. He is also the author of two children’s books and numerous nonfiction works, including Savage Spawn: Reflections on Violent Children and With Strings Attached: The Art and Beauty of Vintage Guitars. He has won the Goldwyn, Edgar, and Anthony awards and has been nominated for a Shamus Award. Jonathan and Faye Kellerman live in California, New Mexico, and New York. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. In this episode, you’ll discover: What Jon and Jesse talk about at Thanksgiving When to put your characters in dire situations How to circumvent writer’s block The importance of writing every day How physical, non-verbal creative pursuits affect your writing Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Jon Kellerman - https://jonathankellerman.com Jesse Kellerman - https://www.jessekellerman.com/ The Burning - https://mybook.to/TheBurning Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Join returning guest Hugh Howey as he talks about the complex, multifaceted process of having his bestselling sci-fi novel, Wool, adapted for TV and addresses the concerns and realizations he’s had along the way. Hugh is a NYT bestselling author who has published his work in over 40 countries and has won critical acclaim for his three serialized works: Wool, Silo, and Sand. For news on the Wool show, visit Hugh’s website using the link below. From Amazon.com: Hugh Howey is the author of the award-winning Molly Fyde saga and the New York Times and USA Today bestselling WOOL series. The WOOL OMNIBUS won Kindle Book Review's 2012 Indie Book of the Year Award — it has been as high as #1 on Amazon — and 40 countries have picked up the work for translation. Ridley Scott and Steve Zaillian are adapting the work for 20th Century Fox. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. In this episode, you’ll discover: How to manage expectations for adaptations The importance of humbling yourself as an author Why we reward pessimistic thinking How to deal with imposter syndrome Why creativity can be mechanical Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Hugh Howey - https://hughhowey.com/ Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Legendary writer Joyce Carol Oates is a master of blending the lines of genre. In her most recent anthology, Night Neon, she employs eerily multidimensional characters, elements of hallucination and memory loss, and a unique blend of literary and genre fiction to develop gripping, unsuspecting horror stories. Oates, a staple in the writing industry, released her first short story, Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been? in 1966 and has since published over 70 books and received multiple Pulitzer nominations. To order Night Neon and Breathe, her latest release, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: Joyce Carol Oates is the author of more than 70 books, including novels, short story collections, poetry volumes, plays, essays, and criticism, including the national bestsellers We Were the Mulvaneys and Blonde. Among her many honors are the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in Short Fiction and the National Book Award. Oates is the Roger S. Berlind Distinguished Professor of the Humanities at Princeton University, and has been a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters since 1978. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. In this episode, you’ll discover: How to create multidimensional characters The difference between literary fiction and genre fiction What makes a ghost How physical activity influences creativity The benefits of outlining on paper Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Joyce Carol Oates - https://twitter.com/JoyceCarolOates?s=20 Night Neon - https://mybook.to/NightNeon Breathe - https://mybook.to/BreatheNovel Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this monthly q & a session, the guys answer listener questions. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. Join us on Patreon and ask your question LIVE on the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/writersinkpodcast Questions asked: Will malevolent construction workers who infiltrate homes and never leave be incorporated into JD's next horror novel? JD... have you considered approaching HGTV about your own show? How do you protect your work legally? Where can you find beta readers? J, re: your short story experiment, do you stockpile concepts or write whatever strikes you when you sit down to write that week's story? Zach... if someone only has a half day of extra time when they attend the Career Author Summit in September, what are a few Nashville must-do's? What do you think improves the chance of a novel being film optioned? Ignore author name, sales and marketing. Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Adapted from Stephen King’s “Jerusalem’s Lot”, Chapelwaite is a true gothic horror tale. Throughout the television series, the Filardi brothers use elements of slow-burning suspense, specific dialogue choices, and world-changing decisions to bring Captain Charles Boone and the strange town of Preacher’s Corners, Maine to life. Peter and Jason Filardi are both accomplished screenwriters who’ve worked on the likes of Bringing Down the House, 17 Again, The Craft, and more. To catch season one of Chapelwaite, follow the link below. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. In this episode, you’ll discover: How to adapt stories for different mediums How to co-write remotely Why not to be too precious with an idea How to raise suspense past the limit The behind-the-scenes of screenwriting Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Peter Filardi - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0276823/ Jason Filardi - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0276821/ Chapelwaite - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11525188/ Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A thrilling blend of fiction, true crime, and memoir-- in his latest novel, Chasing the Boogeyman, NYT bestseller Richard Chizmar utilizes real childhood memories, urban legends, and cleverly constructed add-ons and external media to craft a story so intense and believable it has readers thinking the crimes legitimately took place. Richard has been published in over fifteen languages and is well known for cowriting Gwendy’s Button Box with Stephen King and for his iconic magazine, Cemetery Dance. To preorder Chasing the Boogeyman, which releases tomorrow, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: Richard Chizmar is the author of Gwendy's Button Box (with Stephen King) and A Long December, which was nominated for numerous awards. His fiction has appeared in dozens of publications, including Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and multiple editions of The Year’s 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories. He has won two World Fantasy awards, four International Horror Guild awards, and the HWA's Board of Trustee's award. His third short story collection, A Long December, was recently published to starred reviews in both Kirkus and Booklist, and was featured in Entertainment Weekly. Chizmar’s work has been translated into many languages throughout the world, and he has appeared at numerous conferences as a writing instructor, guest speaker, panelist, and guest of honor. Please visit the author’s website at RichardChizmar.com. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why Rich chose to blend fiction with reality How much of Chasing the Boogeyman is actually true His approach to writing a uniquely structured novel Why he chose to include photographs and other media Why modern childhoods are “less crazy” Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ J.’s Vella project - https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/product/B0994PXSP1 Richard Chizmar - https://richardchizmar.com/ Chasing the Boogeyman - https://mybook.to/Boogeyman Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com The Career Author Summit 2021 - https://thecareerauthor.com/summit2021/ Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Whether he’s releasing a new book or a new blog post, bestseller Chuck Wendig pushes himself to “just do it.” By drafting each story using a different, unorthodox outlining process or resisting the urge to drop a current project to pursue a new one, he seeks to deviate away from what is most comfortable in favor of producing his best work. Chuck has been in the industry for over two decades and is well known for his blog "Terribleminds" and for massively popular releases like Wanderers. His latest publication, The Book of Accidents, is available now. From Amazon.com: Chuck Wendig is the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Aftermath, as well as the Miriam Black thrillers, the Atlanta Burns books, and the Heartland YA series, alongside other works across comics, games, film, and more. A finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer and the cowriter of the Emmy-nominated digital narrative Collapsus, he is also known for his popular blog, terribleminds.com, and his books about writing. He lives in Pennsylvania with his family. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why Chuck killed Paul Tremblay How to generate framing aspects The importance of finishing what you start Why self publishing is a lot of work The power struggle between publishers and Amazon Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ LAST DAY FOR TICKETS IS AUGUST 15! The Career Author Summit 2021 - https://thecareerauthor.com/summit2021/ Chuck Wendig - https://terribleminds.com/ramble/ The Book of Accidents - https://mybook.to/BookOfAccidents Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A tale of two sisters rediscovering a troubled past-- in her latest novel, False Witness, international bestseller Karin Slaughter uses the real complexities of childhood trauma to develop rounder, more interesting characters while paying special attention to the accurate representation of traumatized individuals so that the story feels realistic and relatable. A bestseller of over 35 million copies in 120 countries, Slaughter is one of the best writers in the thriller genre and is known for captivating tales like Pretty Girls and The Good Daughter. To order False Witness, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: Karin Slaughter is one of the world's most popular and acclaimed storytellers. Published in 120 countries with more than 35 million copies sold across the globe, her 21 novels include the Grant County and Will Trent books, as well as the Edgar-nominated COP TOWN and the instant NYT bestselling stand-alone novels PRETTY GIRLS, THE GOOD DAUGHTER, and PIECES OF HER. Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project--a nonprofit organization established to support libraries and library programming. A native of Georgia, she lives in Atlanta. Her stand-alone novel PIECES OF HER is in development with Netflix, starring Toni Collette, and the Grant County and Will Trent series are in development for television. Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. In this episode, you’ll discover: Karin’s Save the Libraries Project How to humanize “troubled” characters When to write authentically but mindfully How to fit writing into a work schedule The role of hardship in art Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ J.’s Vella project - https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/product/B0994PXSP1 Karin Slaughter - https://www.karinslaughter.com/ Save the Libraries - http://www.savethelibraries.com/ False Witness - https://mybook.to/FalseWitness Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com The Career Author Summit 2021 - https://thecareerauthor.com/summit2021/ Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.