By Richie Billing Writing a novel is perhaps one of the hardest things a person could do. It requires knowledge, insight, commitment and lots of dedication. While the same could be said for lots of pursuits, like running a marathon or learning how to bake, writing comes with its own set of unique challenges. So in this guide, we take a look at some of the best creative writing tips and ideas to help you reach the finish line. These pointers are ones you may not have come across before, and they’re all geared toward helping you achieve your writing goals. Let’s dive in. Creative Writing Tips A ..read more

Who can you trust when a cold war heats up and conflict seems inevitable? After collaborating to thwart nuclear war in The Able Archers, Kevin Cattani and his Soviet counterpart, Ivan Levchenko, developed a deep mutual respect-but in The Righteous Arrows they are working against each other. Cattani, despite serious misgivings, conducts a perilous covert mission inside a Soviet bunker and barely escapes with his life, putting himself on a collision course with Levchenko. Their ultimate confrontation comes on a battlefield during the brutal Soviet war in Afghanistan, where Levchenko issues th ..read more

You can make money podcasting, just like you can make money from publishing books. The key is to treat it like a business: “Podcasting needs to get professional” by Fast Company “Surrounded by Big Tech, Small Podcast Shops Swim With Sharks” on New York Times “Making podcasts pay #RDE22” on Radioinfo “How four publishers are using podcasts to enhance their brands” on Media Voices You won’t make a ton of money overnight, and in many cases it may always be your side hustle (see “The Hit Podcast Hosts Still Cleaning Houses or Waiting Tables” on WSJ). But there are a number of different ways to ..read more

When 15-year-old Jonas Shore’s father unexpectedly dies of a heart attack, he tries to support himself and his mother by selling weed and tranquilizers at parties. After a short, successful run, he’s busted and sent to a boarding school for fatherless boys. At Lafayette Academy, Jonas and his four roommates vow to have each others’ backs for life, but that promise is broken the weekend before graduation when they’re drawn into a violent encounter that results in a man’s death. Twenty years later, when one of his old roommates shows up unannounced, Jonas is forced to confront his complicated ..read more

There are lots of opportunities to create podcasts for kids (though they do come with their own challenges to watch out for). However, they are a great way to entertain and educate, and many parents like podcasts because you can listen instead of watch a screen. “The Opportunities for Kids’ Podcasts in 2023” on Medium Kids podcasts in the age of screens The Kids Podcast Listener Report “Podcasts are a huge part of family media: UTA study reveals children’s growing engagement” on Podnews “Over 100 New York City Public Schools to Replace Bells with Educational Podcasts” on Podnews Apple Podcas ..read more

There are many aspects to podcasting, but it all starts with recording and editing your show. Here are a few tools and resources to help you out. Recording “How to sound like a one-take wonder on your podcast” on Rachel Corbett “Do you hear that hum?” on Pacific Content (protect your ears!) Diane Hope Wondercraft Podcastle CleanFeed “Zencastr alternatives: Free podcast recording software” on Podcastle Crystal Sound Editing Podcast Fasttrack Podcasting Pro Spectral Descript Forecast® podcast MP3 encoder with chapters Transistor vendors More Tools and Resources “22 Great Tools for Podcaste ..read more

Over the last nine years of podcasting, we’ve tried a lot of tactics to grow our show. We’ve found that for us, the best way is to work with other podcasters, specifically in the form of: collaborations, promo swaps, and guesting. That said, there are a myriad of ways to market your show (below is a very long list). I recommend trying out only one or two at a time, and seeing what works best for you. Collaborations “Podcast collaborations and content integrations” on Pacific Content “Cross-Media Promotions for Your Podcast with Anna Van Valin of Every Day is a Food Day” on Podcast Besties Po ..read more

Recently, Step by Step Business interviewed my co-host and husband about our dinosaur podcast. We’ve been podcasting for nine years now, and have learned a lot. If you’re thinking of starting your own show, then take a look at the article. It goes over: audience engagement content research and development guest selection and interviews balancing education and entertainment technical aspects of podcasting marketing and promotion monetization and funding challenges and problem solving consistency and growth community building future plans and goals advice for aspiring podcasters Some of the h ..read more

Getting an award for your podcast can be great for your show. It’s by no means necessary, but there are a few reasons why you might want one, such as for recognition for networking, and more. There are a few things to consider when entering your show for an award. The Podcast Host goes through them in depth, and has a list of awards to consider. The gist is: Make sure you are eligible for the award. Sometimes your location matters, sometimes your topic matters, and sometimes it matters whether your show is new or not. Read the rules before deciding to enter. Take into account fees. A handful ..read more

If you’re a podcaster, you’ve probably heard about how YouTube is getting more into podcasting, starting with a dedicated page for podcasts. Because YouTube is a search engine, it’s a great way for your podcast to get discovered. Castos broke down podcast search terms on YouTube, and found some intriguing results, like how many search terms are to find particular shows. There are many different ways to share your podcast on YouTube. Pacific Content talks about a few: Podcasts that show the hosts (live filming) / use cameras v. podcasts that don’t use cameras (animation) Podcasts that share t ..read more