Write Now With Sarah Werner | For Writers, On Writing

Help support this podcast! >> Dumpster diving. Mall walking. A 19th-century transcendentalist. These are only a FEW of the things that you have to look forward to in the sixth episode of the "Write Now" podcast. Walk it off. It was my dad's advice to me as a child, and it's my advice to you now as a writer. There's an interesting relationship between writing and moving -- between kinetic and creative energy. I hope you've had a chance to discover this for yourself. But if not, there's no time like the present to try it out. Going for walks helps me deal with writers' block and find new (or rediscover old) inspiration. It is a great way to refresh your perspective, get the blood/oxygen pumping into your brain, and simply reconnect with the world around you. And if walking isn't your thing, or if you face physical challenges or medical difficulties, that is completely fine! I've noticed that I get very similar benefits from riding in a car and gazing out the window, or otherwise having my physical body transpor

Help support this podcast! >> It's the fifth episode of "Write Now"! Hooray! I hope that this podcast is helping you to find the time, energy, and courage you need to pursue your passion and write every day. Regain your lost confidence in 5 steps. Say it's been a long time since you've written. Say you've been rejected, you've been told (or told yourself) you're not good enough, you've lost a job, or you've simply been intimidated by the sheer number of books at the bookstore. Fear not! Seriously. I'm here to tell you that you're awesome, and that you can regain the confidence you need to start writing again. Here's how: 1. Free yourself of the pressure. 2. Remember that you are a writer, and nothing can change that. 3. Be proactive -- don't let despair win. 4. Form a habit of writing every day -- for while practice won't make you perfect, it will make you better. 5. Find a writing coach, mentor, or someone you trust to read your work. I mention a couple of previous podcasts in this episode, which you can fin

Help support this podcast! >> Welcome to the fourth episode of "Write Now", the podcast that helps aspiring writers to find the time, energy, and courage you need to pursue your passion and write every day. I'm so glad you're here. Go on -- surprise yourself. My own ability to surprise myself is my all-time favorite thing about writing. I've never been able to fully articulate how it works, or where the magic comes from. But I take a stab at it in today's podcast episode. I also talk about what it means to be "in the zone" when you're writing. Get very excited. AND SO! Today you'll get the answers to questions such as: 1. What is the value of surprise for both the writer and the reader? 2. How do I get to that place where I'm surprising myself in my own writing? 3. How do I get into the "writing zone"? 4. Is writing an inherently selfish or narcissistic act? 5. Am I insane? Since I'm not a particularly humble person, I'd like to tell you that I think this is my favorite episode I've recorded yet. But I'll let

Help support this podcast! >> You guys, I am super stoked about this week's podcast topic. BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT: Writing as self care. The idea of using writing as a way to attain and maintain both physical and mental health isn't new. From amateur journaling to more official psychoanalysis efforts, writing is often used for external processing, personal introspection, and the sheer (and necessary) act of creation. Today's podcast explores: 1. Writing as healing. 2. Writing as maintenance. 3. Writing as social healing. My question to you is: how do we make the act of writing -- and its inherent benefits -- part of our daily routine? Book of the week! This week's book is the sparse and starkly beautiful The Cold Dish, the first of the Walt Longmire mystery series by Craig Johnson. Ever wonder what would happen if Cormac McCarthy were to write a mystery novel set in rural Wyoming? Wonder no more. Keep up-to-date with all of my reading exploits on Goodreads! Submit a question. I'll do my best to answer it. Ju

Help support this podcast! >> Woo! I've officially made it to the second episode of "Write Now", the podcast that helps aspiring writers to find the time, energy, and courage you need to pursue your passion and write every day. I've also been told by several listeners that my voice is "soothing" and "mellow", which I'm counting as a win. 5 Steps for making your writing goals a reality. You probably already know that goals are extremely important to writers of all kinds. But how do we set goals -- and stick to them? This episode explores five steps for setting realistic goals and following through on them: 1. Begin to set your goal by defining something tangible you want to accomplish. 2. Establish your own realistic expectations. 3. Translate those realistic expectations into realistic goals. 4. Stick to those goals. 5. Move beyond your goals by internalizing them. I also take a look at some of the goals and habits of famous American writers, including Ernest Hemingway, Flannery O'Connor, and others. You can