So you've probably read the title of this episode and thought, what do cliffhangers have to do with outlining? I'm so glad you asked. Let me explain. If you're the kind of writer who needs to outline every scene, then you need to be aware of the types of cliffhangers and how to effectively use them to create a page-turning effect and not turn readers away. In fact, there is more than one type of cliffhanger—there are four. So, in this episode, I'll unpack the four types of cliffhangers in fiction so that you can avoid the common pitfalls and end your scenes with cliffhangers in a way that keep ..read more

I'm back again. And yes, it's been sixteen weeks since I released an episode of the podcast. Between now and November, I took December and January off because it's a busy time of year and I tend to travel during these periods. When I got back from vacation at the end of January, I had caught the flu from a family function. Guess who didn't get the flu vaccine? But I was out of action for three weeks, and I wanted to wait until I got my voice back before I continued podcasting. In this episode, I look back on 2023 and discuss the highs and lows.  On top of this, I share the products and co ..read more

I'm back again. And yes, it's been sixteen weeks since I released an episode of the podcast. Between now and November, I took December and January off because it's a busy time of year and I tend to travel during these periods. When I got back from vacation at the end of January, I had caught the flu from a family function. Guess who didn't get the flu vaccine? But I was out of action for three weeks, and I wanted to wait until I got my voice back before I continued podcasting. In this episode, I look back on 2023 and discuss the highs and lows.  On top of this, I share the products and co ..read more

So, how do you write a great scene? But not just a great scene but a scene that keeps a reader engaged and turning the pages, no matter what genre you're writing. The answer is in the details. In order to write great scenes, you need to pay attention to the anatomy of the scene. So, what do I mean by anatomy? I'm referring to the elements of a scene, which include the goal, tension, conflict and stakes of a scene. In this episode, I'm going to break down these individual elements and share tips on how you can incorporate this into your writing. Course, Podcasts, Books, and Tools Mentioned Che ..read more

I'm back. And yes, it's been sixteen weeks since I released an episode of the podcast. Originally, I took the summer off because I needed to take a holiday from podcasting and writing. However, I did a bit of blogging during my break, where I discussed whether you should use AI-generated images in book covers. Also, I wrote a blog post on how to work with a book cover designer. This article was originally written to help potential clients and browsers for Le Villain Book Covers, but I shared the full article on authorpreneur podcast dot com because I believed it would be useful to you as well ..read more

Since 2014, I've written two novellas, one short story, and two full-length novels, three of which I have self-published. One novel is being rewritten because I wanted to change a story device and plot thread. For me, this second storyline was unrealistic and painted the character in an unprofessional light, thus creating a sense of trust with the reader. I needed the character to be seen as trustworthy for the reader. The second full-length novel is waiting for its turn to be published. After I wrote that novel, I realised the story occurred further on in the series. Between 2011 and 2014, I ..read more

At the start of season two, I started off with the best of intentions. Just like this episode, I set the expectations for the season. And that's when everything went pear-shaped. In fact, things aren't back to normal for me either. I don't need to remind you because, technically, we're still at this place. Now that I’ve said this, I’m going to immediately follow through with this and devote this short episode to what you can expect from season three. And I'll share a few changes to the podcast that you can expect from season three. In this episode, I will discuss: What you can expect from se ..read more

In the last two weeks of August, I started revising a murder mystery novella. Also, during this period, I created a book marketing plan for the Candidate. As I was revising my murder mystery novella, I began to feel scared to self-publish. To be honest, I've been feeling this way for a while. This month, I purchased a few courses, and I share what prompted me to make these purchases. So stay tuned for all of this and much more. Podcasts, Books, and Tools MentionedCheck Out the Show Notes The Previous Episode  Fiverr * Scrivener * BookSprout Book Doggy Bargain Booksy WMG Publishing Lect ..read more

During the first two weeks of August, I focused my time on preparing a murder mystery novel for beta readers; then, as I waited for feedback, I focused on the second book in my other series. And this is what juggling multiple projects at once is like. You spend much of your time jumping between projects, and it does get overwhelming at times. In light of that, I share a tip on dealing with overwhelm when jumping between manuscripts. So stay tuned for all of this and much more. Podcasts, Books, and Tools MentionedCheck Out the Show Notes The Previous Episode Scrivener * Fiverr* Grammarly Pro ..read more

If you listened to the previous episodes of this podcast, you'd know that I've been struggling to finish my next novel. By now, you're probably wondering what drama got in the way of me achieving my writing and publishing goals. In this show, I'll share a momentous writing update. On top of this, I discuss my fears and a surprising update on my Fussy Librarian book promotion. And, I discovered a great tool for self-published authors at a great price. Podcasts, Books, and Tools MentionedCheck Out the Show Notes The Previous Episode Fussy Librarian BetaReader.io HeyBeta BetaBooks Try The Format ..read more