This week Vicky and Joe get extremely confused about what day it is, it being that weird time between Christmas and New Year, and wonder if you’d prefer a podcast about their cottage renovations. Write in! Then they get to the good stuff: Vicky’s top 5 favourite creative writing thingies. They’re fun, they’re useful, and they’ll make you a more joyful writer. Happy new year!
Key Takeaways:
[1:00] Vicky and Joe share their predictions for 2022, including when this episode will come out.
[02:24] Between Christmas and New Year, Vicky will mostly be in her pajamas reading books. What’s on her reading list?
[03:35] Vicky and Joe share updates on Project Dingle. Shout out to Ken for their new door frame!
[04:30] Joe calls Vicky out for choosing the most expensive tiles in the world. Vicky explains herself.
[06:30] Vicky and Joe ask, should they start a Project Dingle podcast?
[06:55] Vicky shares her 5 favorite creative writing exercises!
[07:25] Creative vs technical vs academic. Which kind of writing is boring?
[09:00] There is a lot to be had from noticing the tiny details. Vicky shares how to look closely and some examples on how to incorporate it into writing.
[12:30] Pick an animal or object and write a biography about it. Vicky shares an unusual tip with this one.
[12:50] Vicky also mentions the podcast, Everything is Alive and how interesting interviewing objects can be.
[14:35] Vicky shares an exercise she did for her MA where she wrote an A-G (on the way to Z) of her life digressions and how it helped broaden her thinking.
[16:30] Writers are really great at noticing stuff. Find out how this relates to Vicky’s 4th exercise.
[18:20] Not all writing is actual writing. Vicky shares what you can do to expound on your thinking and exploring to spark an idea.
[20:45] Vicky recommends another book called, The Art of Noticing by Rob Walker, for more ways to spark creativity and discover joy.
[21:17] Vicky’s last exercise focuses on being really specific. She shares what this actually means and some examples.
[24:25] We can’t connect with vagueness, details make people more interested.
[25:30] Vicky is relaunching her 3 month book writing program by the end of January! Find out more through the links below.
[28:00] What’s in store for the next episode? Find out if Joe and Vicky figure out the day of the week for you to tune in to that.
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser & Audiobook
Join Vicky's Weird and Wonderful Writing Society
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Come Join Vicky’s Writing Challenge
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky about 1:1 coaching at: vicky@moxiebooks.co.uk
Download Vicky’s Advent Calendar
Annals of the Western Shore, by Ursula K. Le Guin
The First Woman: Winner of the Jhalak Prize, by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
The Art of Gathering, by Priya Parker
The Art of Noticing, by Rob Walker
Join Vicky and Joe as they talk for 9 whole minutes about pickles, swear at UK politicians, then move onto a brief anecdote about Idi Amin. If you can sit through all that, you'll get a well-organised, valuable, and helpful podcast about how to figure out if your book idea is any good. And we wish you a very merry Christmas, so there's that, too.
Key Takeaways:
[5:55] Hey! Merry Christmas everybody!
[7:00] Vicky and Joe love pickled things during Christmas.
[9:45] Why do people gather? And how do you design a good gathering?
[14:20] How do you know if you have a good book idea?
[16:10] Don’t write 50k words only to realize you have a terrible idea!
[19:15] Vicky offers some questions to ask yourself to help you validate your idea.
[21:00] If there’s lots of information on the topic you’re writing about, that’s a good thing!
[25:00] Do some digging in Amazon. What are people also buying when they’re interested in your topic?
[27:10] Making your whole book a big sales pitch is rude!
[29:15] Have an email newsletter? Which emails get the most replies?
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser & Audiobook
Join Vicky's Weird and Wonderful Writing Society
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Come Join Vicky’s Writing Challenge!
1000 Authors Podcast Episode 228: Research Like A Nerd
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky about 1:1 coaching at: vicky@moxiebooks.co.uk
Download Vicky’s Advent Calendar
Annals of the Western Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin
The First Woman: Winner of the Jhalak Prize by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker
Vicky and Joe talk about all the water in their house and get far more excited than you probably are about their new loft space. It's so middle-aged it's painful. And then—you'll get a rundown of how long it might take you to write your nonfiction book! No BS, no false promises, no conveniently leaving out details that take bloody ages... just a realistic timeline to aim for. Enjoy!
Key Takeaways:
[4:35] Joe fell through the ceiling at the Dingle! Ouch!
[9:00] How long will it take to write a nonfiction book?
[11:10] If you write everyday…well Vicky did some math calculations for you!
[15:25] Where do you start when it comes to writing your book?
[17:10] If you want to write the best possible book in the world, you need to be able to know what the opposition’s points are.
[20:00] Sometimes writing involves just starting out at a window.
[21:50] Your book is now ready for editing! In an ideal world, it’ll take about four months to get to this point.
[24:15] Remember to grab yourself a set of beta readers to help you refine your book!
[26:05] Vicky estimates it’ll take about 29 weeks to get yourself your very own book!
[27:25] Grab Vicky’s free advent calendar! Link in the show notes.
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser & Audiobook
Join Vicky's Weird and Wonderful Writing Society
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Come Join Vicky’s Writing Challenge!
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky about 1:1 coaching at: vicky@moxiebooks.co.uk
Download Vicky’s Advent Calendar
Thud! Novel by Terry Pratchett
The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker
Annals of the Western Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin
This week, in homage to all the intrepid writers embarking on a big project right now, we're revisiting research. It's a crucial activity—but it's also a handy procrastination tool. So this week, tune in and travel back in time to August 2020 when your intrepid hosts got their nerd on and talked about how to research efficiently, effectively, and without disappearing down an internet wormhole of fascinating but ultimately useless information. Join us to find out how to cut your research (and writing) time dramatically without doing a half-arsed job of it.
Key Takeaways:
[2:50] How do you avoid going down a research blackhole?
[3:55] Get your big idea down on paper first.
[5:45] Make a note to yourself on things you need to research further.
[7:25] Use your books before you use Google.
[10:05] Joe offers Google tips and tricks to help you find what you want!
[13:55] Use your browser in offline mode!
[14:45] Give yourself a time limit for your research.
[17:35] Please leave a review and Vicky and Joe would love to read it outloud on the show!
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser & Audiobook
Join Vicky's Weird and Wonderful Writing Society
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Come Join Vicky’s Writing Challenge!
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky about 1:1 coaching at: vicky@moxiebooks.co.uk
Download Vicky’s Advent Calendar
Vicky and Joe talk about Storm Arwen, being cold, and Joe’s absolute refusal to indulge Vicky’s Wispa Gold habit. Which leads into this week’s topic: writing habits! What is a habit? How do they work? Why do we have them? And how can we develop good habits that enable us to write a book? Tune in, chill out, enjoy.
Key Takeaways:
[2:10] Vicky has new hair! Woohoo!
[5:30] Joe has a secret power - he can write haikus. Who knew!
[7:25] Vicky introduces the topic of bad habits and why it’s important.
[8:15] What are habits?
[9:40] Why do people get addicted to smoking and drugs? What does that have to do with habits?
[10:55] Can you form a habit of doing something you don’t find to be fun?
[11:10] Vicky shares how she got into the habit of running.
[12:30] Vicky shares her references from two books: The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg and Atomic Habits by James Clear and what she has learned from them.
[13:35] People have natural gifts but habits make the difference.
[14:20] Habit stacking: what is that and why is it important?
[19:35] Vicky has made something fun for the listeners and it’s for free! Find out towards the end of this episode.
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser & Audiobook
Join Vicky's Weird and Wonderful Writing Society
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Come Join Vicky’s Writing Challenge!
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky about 1:1 coaching at: vicky@moxiebooks.co.uk
Join Vicky and Joe as they talk about The Wheel of Time on Netflix, and argue about the way in which Vicky watches films and stuff. Then they get into the details of how writers read to become better writers—there's good stuff in here, so tune in, sit back, and enjoy. We promise we won't ruin reading for you.
Key Takeaways:
[1:30] Joe talks about robots!
[3:20] The Wheel of Time is on Netflix! Joe read all the books, and he both hated and loved it at the same time.
[9:10] Vicky hates meetings. Most meetings are a waste of time.
[9:35] Vicky and Joe have ceilings at the Dingle! Yay!
[13:55] You’re a writer now, what should you read?
[18:30] Keep a journal of interesting/funny things that have happened to you that day. You can use this in your writing!
[22:10] You can copy other people’s work by writing down passages that you love! Vicky explains how to do this correctly.
[25:35] Books written for audio are constructed slightly differently than books written for reading.
[28:25] Vicky has a writing community for you to join! Link in the show notes!
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser & Audiobook
Join Vicky's Weird and Wonderful Writing Society
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Come Join Vicky’s Writing Challenge!
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky about 1-2-1 coaching at: vicky@moxiebooks.co.uk
Shield of Thunder by David Gemmell
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker
Join Vicky and Joe as they talk about their 12th wedding anniversary, treehouses, and noggins—and rave about the power of creativity in community. Yep, this week you'll hear about how C.S. Lewis and JRR Tolkein wrote such amazing books and stories, and why Vicky is so enthusiastic about putting a group of smart creative people in a room together.
Key Takeaways:
[0:55] It’s Vicky and Joe’s anniversary!
[6:25] Storytelling is how we learn, and books aren’t the only medium to convey a good story.
[7:25] Project dingle update! Vicky and Joe are going to put in a nice ceiling soon.
[10:35] Are all writers tortured and alone?
[12:40] How do you go about writing in community?
[16:45] Vicky loves Sunday evenings because it gives her the opportunity to connect with her friends.
[22:10] Vicky has a writing power hour within her community and it’s been amazing on how much work you actually get done during that 60 minute session.
[22:55] Find yourself a writing buddy to help keep you accountable!
[26:00] the quickest way to get to your writing goal is by having a group of writers you can work with and that will cheer you on.
[28:35] Vicky shares some of her writers’ successes after joining the Moxie Power Hour group calls.
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser & Audiobook
Join Vicky’s Weird and wonderful writing society
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Come Join Vicky’s Writing Challenge!
Meat + Hair Daily Creative Writing Tips
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky about 1-2-1 coaching at: vicky@moxiebooks.co.uk
Lord of the Silver Bow, by David Gemmell
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Cslewis.com/c-s-lewis-j-r-r-tolkien-and-the-inklings
Ever read something about being a writer and thought, "huh, that's not me. What if I'm not a real writer?" Well, friend, listen into this episode, which is a rerun—and find out: what kind of writer are you? Because, like most things in life, there's no one right way to do or be anything. Listen, enjoy, then get in touch and let us know which kind of writer YOU are...
Key Takeaways:
[6:15] Casa Dingle update!
[7:25] Vicky just got her first COVID vaccine. Yay!
[8:55] What kind of writer are you?
[11:45] After listening to the internet about what you ‘should be’ doing, Vicky realized it never really worked for her.
[13:45] Are you the type of writer that needs to plan everything first before you can get started?
[16:15] Not a planner? Don’t worry. You can still make it work.
[17:00] Are you a bit of a rambler when it comes to your writing?
[19:30] It can be easy to lose focus on what your book is about.
[22:55] What is Vicky’s writing and editing process?
[26:00] Do you have more of a collaborative personality?
[29:55] Do you like to work on more than one book at a time?
[31:45] What kind of writer personality do you have? Do you fall into more than one category?
[33:10] Vicky successfully hosted another write night event! It was a lot of fun. Come join her for the next one.
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Come Join Vicky’s Writing Challenge!
Meat + Hair Daily Creative Writing Tips
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky about 1-2-1 coaching at: vicky@moxiebooks.co.uk
A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles
Rules of Civility, by Amor Towles
Conjure Women, by Afia Atakora
Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language, by Amanda Montell
Do you need kicking into action? So do we, friends. So do we. So when Vicky saw Seth Godin's email titled "Initiative takes effort" last summer, she filed it away as the spark of a podcast episode idea. Here is that episode! In it, Joe and Vicky have a chat about why we struggle to get started, and what can help. Plus Vicky shares another creative nonfiction writing tip with you. And Joe describes "shrimping". Enjoy!
Key Takeaways:
[2:50] Storytellers are never ever going to be unwanted.
[7:10] Vicky reads an excerpt of a book and explains why she loves this passage.
[9:30] Were there any big events that happened in your lifetime? Draw up a timeline of your life.
[11:05] Want to learn how to write better? This is a great activity for you to do!
[14:00] Why is play so important in our adult lives?
[18:25] Vicky needs accountability. When you have a partner to do things with, you’re much more likely to do those things.
[22:30] Joe explains what shrimping means in MMA.
[24:25] You can absolutely sit down and write a book on your own, but most people don’t.
[27:00] Want to write a book? Don’t do it alone.
[27:35] Want to learn something? Find someone to help you.
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Come Join Vicky’s Writing Challenge!
Meat + Hair Daily Creative Writing Tips
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky about 1-2-1 coaching at: vicky@moxiebooks.co.uk
Lord of the Silver Bow, by David Gemmell
Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul by Stuart Brown
Vicky and Joe are BAAAAAACK baby, and as is standard they’ve made a half-arsed effort for Halloween. Sorry about that. But there is a brand new feature: Vicky is doing a masters degree in creative writing, so stand by for regular creative nonfiction writing tips. In the main feature, though, the intrepid duo revisit email marketing—specifically for authors. Tune in to find out why you need an email list, plus a bunch of useful stuff like how often do you email? What do you write about? Who even cares?
Key Takeaways:
[4:00] Casa dingle and chicken update!
[5:15] Vicky is going back to school and she’s specializing in creative nonfiction.
[6:30] How do you get started in nonfiction?
[10:35] Play with the pronouns in your writing work. See how it feels. Does it still make sense?
[10:55] Vicky answers a listener's question! What are Vicky’s tips on email marketing?
[13:20] Don’t base all of your marketing on a platform you don’t control.
[15:50] What should you write about in your emails?
[18:00] Vicky has a freebie out right now! Join her 29 day writing challenge.
[19:40] Have a question? Email Vicky! She loves hearing form you!
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Come Join Vicky’s Writing Challenge!
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky: Vicky@vickyfraser.com
Lord of the Silver Bow Book by David Gemmell
Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls Book by David Sedaris
Ever wondered why you can't just sit down and write? There are many many reasons but here are the 5 most common ones. Tune in to find out why you're not alone, why you're NOT just making excuses (despite what some of the shamey messages on the internet might tell you) and what you can do to get started and keep writing. Also a joyful plug for the 4th Moxie Books FWrite Night—come and play!
Key Takeaways:
[1:15] Vicky is solo this podcast episode! What’s she reading right now?
[4:40] Why do writers don’t write? The biggest excuse is they don’t have time!
[6:40] Everyone is busy but there is a deeper excuse underneath that.
[7:30] Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t know where to start?
[9:15] Action causes motivation which causes inspiration and that causes more action and the cycle repeats in a good way!
[11:40] Just start by writing 200 crappy words a day! Anyone can do that!
[12:25] Vicky can’t wait to run a writing retreat...in person!
[13:15] The world needs to be open and honest. The world needs to talk more about politics, religion, and money without having the family throw food at each other!
[15:15] The ‘angry black woman’ stereotype is horrible and disgusting.
[17:25] Why are Russians so blunt?
[21:25] Have you used any of those excuses before? Well, maybe it’s time to start writing your book. Vicky gives you permission!
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Come Join Vicky’s Write Night!
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky: Vicky@vickyfraser.com
His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie
Remember why you're doing this—that's the message from today's podcast episode with Dr Karl Walker-Finch, dentist and writer extraordinaire! This week, Vicky sits down with Karl to talk about teeth, the people who own them, and figuring out your WHY. Tune in and find out all about why Karl decided to write his book, what it's been like to create, and how it's helped him grow as a dentist and a human.
Key Takeaways:
[1:15] A little bit about Dr. Karl an how he became a dentist!
[4:45] Dr. Karl didn’t always love being a dentist. He had to find a new approach to enjoying his career.
[7:05] The demand for the perfect smile has greatly increased on social media.
[8:55] Why did Dr. Karl decide to write a book?
[9:50] Dentists are taught to fix teeth, but everything outside of that is a bit ‘unknown’. There’s more to teeth than fixing teeth and Dr. Karl wanted to help educate others on this.
[12:30] Finding your way to being a dentist is a fundamental part of the process.
[17:55] Don’t get too caught in the weeds. Just write! Don’t edit! That part comes later.
[18:10] A trick that helped Dr. Karl was dictating the words.
[24:10] You can write your book 20 minutes at a time. You don’t need massive blocks of time to finish your book.
[25:00] Vicky does a series of rapid fire questions!
[31:50] Want to know more and read Dr. Karl’s book? Link to his website in the show notes!
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky: Vicky@vickyfraser.com
Vicky handbrake turns into a surprise impromptu interview with Brain Coach Jocelyn Brady—because she has play on her mind! Tune in for insights into dopamine, creativity, and why we all need to be more bloody childish. Oh and also you need to sign up for her Creativity at Play workshop which I am booked onto and very excited about. Hurrah! Bonus bears: this podcast also features live renditions of the Toad Song and the Bear Song. You’re so lucky!
Key Takeaways:
[3:00] When the world went into lockdown, we just did more of the extreme, which was to overwork.
[4:35] This is an exhausting time for everybody, even for people who are used to working from home.
[8:50] Adults need to play! However, there’s a stigma around it. What’s so wrong about having fun?
[12:40] What can you do right now that’s ‘silly’?
[13:10] It’s time to unlock some joy and new ideas into your life!
[15:30] Feeling stuck and uncreative? Jocelyn has a fun zoom class you can attend!
[18:30] Vicky does a quick rapid fire session!
[21:20] What does Jocelyn do and who does she help?
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky: Vicky@vickyfraser.com
The Molecule of More by Daniel Z. Lieberman and Michael E. Long
Vicky and Misty were ranting about misplaced generosity a couple of weeks ago. But ranting privately isn't very helpful, so they decided to get on the air and yell about money to you instead. In this episode, Misty talks about how to ask for money on the phone, why it's crucial to charge for what we do, and how to make sales less icky. There's bonus Grey's Anatomy and dog anatomy, too.
Key Takeaways:
[2:15] Let’s talk about money.
[3:05] It’s great to be generous. Misty doesn’t want to kill that spirit, but there is such a thing as too nice.
[4:30] Money is a form of energy. You’re trading your energy for money.
[5:25] Why is it so hard to ask for money?
[7:25] It’s difficult for people to appear money-centric. People get shamed for it.
[12:10] How do you ask for money on the phone?
[17:05] If you don’t ask anyone for money, then don’t be surprised if you’re not making any money.
[23:00] Make sure you do all the necessary ‘signings and closings’ while on the phone with the client. It’s easier when you’re talking to them directly.
[26:00] What are the best ways to overcome objections?
[31:00] Stop taking projects that are not 100% in line with what you do. It will only distract you.
[35:45] Vicky asks Misty some rapid fire questions.
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky: Vicky@vickyfraser.com
Writing a book is not a linear journey—and although it's amazing, it's also haaaaaard! Vicky interviews John Holcroft about the book he's writing—and he shares the most awesome advice and insights about how to talk to people (or really how to listen) and how to make people want to talk to you, instead of climbing out of bathroom windows to escape. Enjoy!
Key Takeaways:
[2:15] A little bit about John and how he got into this line of work!
[2:55] Want to know if your product will work? Talk to your clients!
[3:10] People are afraid to talk to their ideal clients about their product. However, launching a product no one wants is even worse!
[7:10] How do you talk to your ideal client? John shares how he got over the anxiety of interviewing his ideal client.
[8:55] Hard pitching people doesn’t work!
[14:20] We’re not taught to have the hard conversations. Practicing this skill takes time.
[15:05] Most people are just waiting for their turn to talk.
[17:45] John shares a client story where things went horribly wrong.
[20:15] When John launched his beta course, it was scary. He didn’t know if it would work, but he knew he had to collect feedback.
[22:00] When you talk to people who want your service, you’re able to cut the fat really quickly and condense your product offering down to something people REALLY want.
[22:20] When is John’s new book coming out?
[24:50] The biggest step to writing your book (sounds dumb, but) is writing. You have to take that first step.
[27:00] John had to overcome his perfectionist tendencies when writing. It was a real challenge.
[29:10] The first draft is for your eyes only. Don’t try to perfect it just yet. Write for you in the beginning.
[30:35] Vicky has some rapid fire questions for John.
[31:45] How do you make your product special? By making it useful!
[37:10] Want to grab a hold of John’s book? He’s got a secret ‘beta readers only’ copy out now. Connect with him through his website!
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky: Vicky@vickyfraser.com
It's extremely hot at Moxie Towers, so lower your expectations for podcast energy levels and excuse the grumpy rant at the start. Then settle back for some gold advice as Vicky and Joe talk about the second edit: what it's for, and how to do it. Enjoy!
Key Takeaways:
[3:25] Vicky and Joe are enjoying a nice bat infestation at the Dingle.
[5:30] Vicky is also sick of her own homegrown cucumbers. There’s just too many!
[6:10] So you have your second draft - now what? It’s time to do some line editing!
[9:20] What is your signature style? Put some of your personality into your writing so that it’s not so dry!
[10:20] It’s okay to have writing ticks, but be careful not to overuse it in your book.
[13:15] Look at the structure of your paragraphs. Are they varied and interesting?
[14:35] Vicky shares the difference between showing vs. telling.
[16:55] What’s the takeaway? Don’t worry too much about spelling, grammar and typos during this stage.
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky: Vicky@vickyfraser.com
Slouching Towards Bethlehem, by Joan Didion
Vicky is extremely excited this week because she invited Joanna Penn onto her podcast—and Joanna said yes! Come and join us as we wend our way through theology degrees, travelling, career-changing decisions, the joys of indie-publishing, and how writing fiction is different from non-fiction. Bonus ribbons: I asked Joanna about how to get started writing fiction and her generous and full answer knocked my socks off. Enjoy!
Key Takeaways:
[3:35] A little bit about Joanna and the work that she does!
[9:55] How did Joanna transition from the corporate world to being her own boss?
[14:25] Technology is great! It’s removed barriers to creating and publishing your own art out there.
[16:45] When the Kindle came out, the whole world changed!
[17:50] Passionate about the future, Joanna shares what she’s looking forward to in the next couple of years.
[19:45] How will traditional publishing change over time?
[21:25] What inspired Joanna to write fiction?
[27:35] Joanna shares what kind of mindframe you need to be in to write fiction.
[32:50] If you’re an expert in a particular writing style, you just have to let that go and learn something new when writing fiction.
[34:50] Joanna shares a little bit about the traveling memoir she’s writing.
[37:45] Want to write in a genre? Spend some time studying the greats!
[40:35] Don’t write things you think you ‘should’ write.
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky: Vicky@vickyfraser.com
Girl One by Sara Flannery Murphy
The Anthropology of Turquoise by Ellen Meloy
James Patterson on Masterclass
When's the last time you played? When were you last really silly? This week, Vicky and Joe are back and they're talking about nerding out with their mates: find out what they get up to every Sunday afternoon and why it's keeping them in tip top condition and ready for action. Plus get a bunch of ideas for how to incorporate play into your days (and nights).
Key Takeaways:
[1:00] Joe has the flu. Oh no!
[8:00] Vicky is really enjoying the book The Elements of Eloquence right now!
[8:45] Today’s topic is about playing games! When was the last time you played a game?
[11:00] How do you play Dungeons and Dragons (D&D)?
[13:15] We’re taught that once we get older we have to get ‘serious’ about life. Boo! That’s not true.
[15:30] You can’t bore people into learning something new. It needs to be fun!
[19:00] Vicky has created some templates so you can write your book easily, and she’s included some fun games in these templates!
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Grab Vicky’s Book Template Bundle
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky: Vicky@vickyfraser.com
Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris
His Only Wife, by Peace Adzo Medie
The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood
The Elements of Eloquence, by Mark Forsyth
The Practice: Shipping Creative Work, by Seth Godin
Vicky sits down with Mike Garner, who is WRITING HIS FIRST BOOK YAY! They wander around Paris for a while, fall into a romantic tale, and then circle back to what’s the most fun and the most difficult thing about writing. Funnily enough, for Mike, they’re the same thing. Tune in and get a writer’s perspective on writing and a couple of book recommendations!
Key Takeaways:
[3:00] A little bit about Mike!
[6:20[ Mike shares a romantic story of how he met his second wife.
[7:20] Mike has always wanted to write a book. He’s been a writer ‘in his head’ for a long time.
[10:30] Mike has seen a lot of people pass away in his life. He didn't want to live life unfulfilled.
[12:35] One of Mike’s friend’s inspired him to start writing. He was inspired to write 5,000 words a week.
[14:05] It’s never been easier today to tell your story.
[16:55] It’s okay to be nervous. It’s okay to have self-doubts. The key is to just keep moving forward and ask yourself, ‘Am I having fun?’
[17:50] If we’re not having fun, what’s the point?
[20:50] What is Mike’s writing process?
[24:45] Mike’s big writing tip? Just write. Don’t worry about perfection.
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky: Vicky@vickyfraser.com
What do you do when you’ve emptied your brain onto paper and you’re wading around in 50,000 words and you have to make them GOOD words? Walk away, that’s what. Then come back and get to work. BUT WHERE DO YOU START? In this episode, Joe and I talk about developmental or structural editing: what it is, why we do it, and how to get started. This is your tiny crash course in taking your weird word mush and making it magnificent.
Key Takeaways:
[5:15] Project Dingle update!
[7:50] Never written a book before? Here’s how a professional can help.
[11:15] What is developmental editing?
[18:45] A proof reader is different from a developmental editor.
[20:25] Want to work with Vicky? She has an opening in September and October!
[20:50] Let’s talk about why beta readers are so important.
[24:25] Tip: Revisit your outline and see how it’s changed.
[26:55] Got any questions? Let Vicky know!
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky: Vicky@vickyfraser.com
A Wizard of Earthsea Novel by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton
The Elements of Eloquence by Mark Forsyth
This week, Vicky and Joe abandon the planned podcast and talk about something else instead: the stories we tell ourselves. Why we think and believe what we do, why we make snap judgements that we’re not proud of, how to stay up to date with what’s going on in the world, and how we try to be better people than we were yesterday. There’s a little bit of talk-therapy going on, and a special appearance by Whiskey the little grey cat. Enjoy!
Key Takeaways:
[3:00] Vicky and Joe talk about their impression of Nassim Necolas Taleb, the author of the book Antifragile.
[5:15] Vicky sees her parents getting older and having difficulty moving, which makes her strive to get a healthy body.
[7:00] Small businesses individually are fragile, because most of them fail. However, the whole small business community is very antifragile because they learn from each other's mistakes.
[9:15] Joe talks about her parents being left behind by technology and wonders how difficult it would be for him and his wife Vicky after 40 years.
[13:00] Vicky shares the reason why she didn’t have a scale in her house.
[14:15] We need to examine how we react to things and the judgments we make.
[15:00] Why is diversity training not useful in many cases?
[16:00] Vicky is frustrated with how people do not seem to be kind enough to others.
[17:30] Misunderstanding feminism prevents us from showing what we really feel. It’s hurting not just one person, but everybody.
[19:00] Vicky’s perception of how much a person should weigh is due to how she was raised by her mother.
[21:15] It is so hard for people to change their minds in terms of religion or vaccination, because they don’t base it on facts but on beliefs.
[23:50] You’ll never achieve your goal by putting limits on yourself to do things subconsciously, and not do the things that need you to get there.
[27:40] Always try to be a better human being and be kind.
Mentioned in This Episode:
That's What She Said: Tales of Business Success from Women Just like You by Vicky Fraser
Banish the Blank Page of Doom Fast
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky: vicky@vickyfraser.com
Warm Bodies A Novel by Isaac Marion
Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Vicky sits down with coach Christine Meyer and talks about how writing books is a MESSY process. Tune in and listen up as they natter about book covers, breaking rules, embracing emotions, and why our stories matter.
Key Takeaways:
[3:15] A little bit about Christine and what she does.
[5:35] It’s so important to embrace and use your emotions as a tool.
[7:20] So many people ‘don’t’ do something or don’t feel something. We are told we should only embrace the positive emotions, but that’s denying a large portion of life.
[9:55] Why did Christine decide to write her book?
[14:15] What was Christine’s book writing process?
[16:10] Once Christine got all the elements needed together, writing the book became easy!
[16:25] What were some of the challenges Christine faced when writing her book?
[19:00] Don’t write your book on your own! It’s way more fun when you bring in outside help.
[20:55] What’s Christine’s book about, and how did she come up with the title?
[23:45] Christine is so glad she’s written a book, she’s been able to help people and that experience has been really rewarding.
[27:15] Christine didn’t want to put extra pressure on herself to write everyday on her book, even if she wasn’t feeling it. She wanted her book to be fun and enjoyable, so she wrote when she was inspired to write.
[27:55] Christine shares her top tip for writing your next book! Set yourself up to be inspired.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky: vicky@vickyfraser.com
An Audience of One: Reclaiming Creativity for Its Own Sake, by Srinivas Rao and Robin Dellabough
Keep It Simple, Smartypants!, by Christine Meyer
In this week’s episode, Vicky and Joe ruin stories for you forever. Just kidding. But they do utterly spoil The Martian, so if you haven’t read or seen it yet, go and do that now, and then come back. Okay. Are you back? GREAT. Now listen in and find out what’s the difference between a story and an anecdote, why boring stories are boring, and how you can make all the stories you tell great. Oh, and why you don’t have to be a great writer to be a great storyteller. There’s gold in this one. GOLD.
Key Takeaways:
[0:45] Vicky made a cake! It was so good!
[4:55] Lots of fun updates about what’s happening at the Dingle!
[7:00] What makes a good story?
[8:15] How the story is written doesn’t matter as much as the structure does!
[11:40] Story is also not the same as the plot.
[13:50] Vicky shares what a good story structure looks like.
[15:15] Let’s deconstruct the book ‘The Martian’ and how the story is structured.
[21:00] Vicky is always working on her storytelling skills!
Mentioned in This Episode:
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky: vicky@vickyfraser.com
This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage, by Ann Patchett
Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Okay everyone—huge treat for you this week because Vicky is talking to her beautiful assistant Harriet! And it’s about time too. Tune in to hear them go on a podcast safari from why VAs are awesome, through to creativity, support and loneliness, burlesque and boobs, smashing the patriarchy, and finishing on body image. There’s something for everyone here. Enjoy!
Key Takeaways:
[1:55] A little bit about Harriet!
[5:40] Vicky couldn’t do what she does without Harriet. She is the backbone of everything!
[7:20] What was it like getting started as a VA?
[10:30] Vicky and Harriet knew each other as friends first before working together!
[12:45] It can be really lonely running a business and it’s just nice to get a second brain.
[14:45] Do you need a Facebook ad done? Get in touch with Harriet!
[16:35] Harriet decided to open a burlesque school...and then the world ended.
[22:20] Women want to dance as a form of expression!
[27:00] Harriet loves watching a variety of different women be able to do the same dance move! It’s challenging but so rewarding!
[31:00] Let’s talk about unattainable bodies.
[35:20] Should you have two Instagrams?
[38:20] You wanna get fit, dance, and be sexy? Harriet’s got some moves to show you.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky: vicky@vickyfraser.com
Glitter Girls - Barcelona Burlesque Academy
Email Harriet: Harriet.l.Randall@gmail.com
Vicky sits down with Kathy Scott and talks about massage, being quietly rebellious, and writing an award-winning book. Tune in and hear us chat about chipping away at the patriarchy, just getting it done, and what matters to all of us.
Key Takeaways:
[1:35] A little bit about Kathy and what she does!
[3:55] Why did Kathy decide to write a book?
[6:35] You don’t need a rags to riches story to get people interested.
[7:35] Sick of it all, Kathy left her career and took on a dead-end job.
[12:10] What was Kathy’s writing process like?
[15:15] What challenges did Kathy run into as a first time book-writer?
[18:25] What’s Kathy’s book all about?
[21:55] Kathy published her book in December last year!
[24:45] What advice does Kathy have for someone writing a book?
[28:25] Want to know more? Connect with Kathy! Links in the show notes!
[29:40] Remember: No matter what, your story matters!
Mentioned in This Episode:
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky: vicky@vickyfraser.com
Rubbingshoulderswiththebest.co.uk
Moxiebooks.co.uk/29-day-writing-challenge