Brew & Ink Podcast

There's a great book or movie, and they decide to make a sequel ... and it stinks. What makes a good sequel? The Brew & Ink crew talk about sequels, good and bad, and then Steven reads his flash fiction exploring the character of Henri Custeau further in The House Always Wins. Vote for the title of the next flash fiction at www.brewandink.com!

What music does a writer listen to while creating? Or do they? Listen to the discussion on music and writing and creating with our Brew & Ink crew before author Britt Mooney shares the exciting conclusion of our murder mystery? Who was it? Who dunnit? Listen and then vote on the the title for the next round of flash fiction entries at www.brewandink.com.  

Why is it important for a writer to be on social media? What should a writer share? The Brew & Ink crew continue the discussion on social media and authors. Then Bill Hawkins shares Blake Sheldon's interview with Dr. Wolfe. Check it out for more clues to the murder! Then vote on who you think the murderer is!! Listen and vote at www.brewandink.com!  

The worst thing for a writer is to have a revolutionary idea to just lose it or forget it later. How do authors take notes and keep track of ideas and research? Join the Brew & Ink crew for the discussion and then catch EV sharing her episode with Abigail's interview with Dr. Wolfe. Listen today for more clues to the murder!

How important is social media to the modern author? Agents and publishers talk about platform and play a numbers game with engagement and other terms. Listen as the Brew & Ink team give their thoughts on social media and the different options. Then hear Katie read her part of the murder mystery. Listen and vote at www.brewandink.com!

Every author has to learn how to market themselves and engage an audience. Most authors with small to mid level publishers, and especially self-publishers, have to know about marketing. But none of us want to spend all that time making graphics and posting on social media. The owners of Book Brush have developed a platform to make professional looking graphics in a short amount of time. Listen to this great interview with Corey and learn more.

How do writers create conflict with their characters? We love stories with dire, important conflict, something we can connect with. How do we as writers create that? Join our crew as we discuss that topic and then listen to Steven write Henri Custeau's story, the bartender and first suspect in the MURDER. Listen and go to our FB page or brewandink.com and vote!

Welcome back to the Brew & Ink Podcast! This next season will be a MURDER MYSTERY called MIDNIGHT SHOWING - a man has been poisoned and murdered at a midnight comedy show. Dr. Jack Wolfe, our investigator, begins the account of the murder and narrowing the suspects. Our crew gives a quick recap of 2018 and their goals for 2019 before getting into Dr. Wolfe written by Britt Mooney. Listen and vote at www.brewandink.com or our FB page for who should be interviewed first!

Writers might dread the process, but editing is a necessary part of producing a great book. Listen to the interview with Catherine Jones Payne - author and expert editor - as we explore the need for editing and the importance of the professional extra set of eyes. 

What are your favorite Christmas stories? Merry Christmas! As we get into the holiday season, the Brew & Ink crew discuss their favorite Christmas stories and movies, old and new. Then Katie and Evie share their flash fiction versions of Will You Ever Shut Up? Katie wrote fan fiction and Evie wrote urban fantasy. Both were great stories! Listen and vote!

Stepping out and stepping up! Enjoy clips and interviews from the GALA to raise money for the local county library here in Gwinnett, GA. Bill, Steven, and Britt attended the event, comment, and discuss the importance of the library to the community and our personal experiences.

Controversy ahead! What are some of the popular stories that you actually hate? The Brew & Ink crew discuss some famous books and franchises that we don't like and why. Then Sarah and Katie each read their versions of The Ventriloquist's Daughter - Sarah with a myth and Katie with humor. Listen and go to our website www.brewandink.com to vote! The winner goes to the finals!

What does an author, or any artist or small business owner, need to know about art direction and marketing? Cody Morehead caught the bug of graphic design a few years ago, and after learning about marketing and design from some big companies, he started his own business helping writers, non-profits, and companies define their brand. Check out this great conversation with Cody and get some great wisdom about art design and marketing.

To get anywhere in writing, and life, we deal with rejection and failure. The Brew & Ink crew discuss how we deal with rejection of something so personal like our stories and why it can be a good thing. Then Evie and Steven read their versions of Three Tree Cemetery. Listen and vote www.brewandink.com !

How can people live generously in an industry sometimes known for being super competitive and cutthroat? Not just generous but over generous? Authors Michelle Medlock Adams and Bethany Jett talk about their careers in writing and how they have grown and expanded into other avenues like Serious Writer Academy by forming partnerships and being over generous with people. 

With Halloween coming next week, what are the stories that scare you the most? The Brew & Ink crew discuss their favorite horror stories before the Wild Card competition with the title 3 Quarters and a Dime. Sarah drew Western, Bill a Mystery, and Britt drew Mythopoeia. Listen and vote!

What the heck is Wattpad? With over 15k followers (and counting) on Wattpad, author and YouTuber Elizabeth Newsom gives her experience, expertise, and tips on how the platform can help writers. Then she talks about her novels and how difficult it is to write allegory.

"There are no small roles, only small actors." Minor characters give context, flavor, or even serve the story in a major way. Some of our favorite characters are considered "minor" in the story. The Brew & Ink crew discuss "minor" characters and how to write them well. Then Sarah and Steven face off for the next round of competition with the title I Never Slip on Banana Peels. Steven reads a caper, and Sarah reads her realistic fiction. Listen and vote for your favorite!

Does rejection make you quit? As writers and authors, we choose a life of rejection, especially when trying to get an agent or published. Listen to this great interview with successful author Bryan Davis who was rejected over 200 times over 8 years before getting his first published book. He also gives some great tools and resources for the craft of writing. 

How does a writer get inspired for a new project? Listen as our Brew & Ink crew delve into the different ways and struggles for a writer to begin a new project. Then the Flash Fiction Competition continues with Bill and EV going head to head on The Heist of Song. Bill drew Historical Fiction and EV drew horror. Check out their stories and vote on the website or on FB!