This week, we’re flashing back to when Vicky and Joe had a conversation about doing Hard Things, and why it’s valuable. They rambled their way around writing books, running businesses, winning competitions, and how getting to the top of your tree can often be boring and unpleasant—so we need to suck it up and do it—but also make it as much fun as possible. Do a hard thing today!
Key Takeaways:
[2:40] Why should you write a book?
[6:00] What types of hard things has Joe had to face recently?
[7:45] Vicky explains what Trad Rock Climbing is. You will probably die.
[11:45] Vicky made it to the top of the mountain and cried.
[13:15] You should write a book because it’s hard and it will make you realize you are completely capable!
[16:10] The important things in life are difficult. Renovating The Dingle is really hard work, but so rewarding.
[20:00] If it was easy, everyone would be doing it!
[21:50] Want to write a book? Join Vicky’s Write Night!
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
This week Vicky and fellow book coach Emma Dhesi talk novels, time, and our reluctance to put ourselves first when it comes to writing our books. Tune in and hear Emma’s strategy for making time to write—and her proven framework for creating scenes that work. Emma is a fiction coach but even if you’re non-fiction only, you’ll enjoy this episode!
Key Takeaways:
[2:00] A little bit about Emma and the kind of coaching work she does with authors.
[5:00] Emma always wanted to be a writer, but life kept getting in the way.
[7:40] How does Emma and her clients find the time to write a book?
[12:50] Emma offers tips on how to set boundaries with your little children at home.
[15:35] 100% of your book is not just about writing it. There are other parts to consider like research and character development.
[19:00] How do you set a scene in a fictional story?
[23:25] Be open to completely taking out a scene you’ve written if it’s not working.
[25:00] Interested in hiring Emma for your fiction book? Reach out!
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
Emma’s summit recordings: Emmadhesi.teachable.com/p/be-a-bestseller-structure-your-story-for-success1
This week we’re giving you the second half of Vicky’s Weird + Wonderful Author Showcase, in which you’ll hear Melanie Osborne talking about her love for trees and nature, and Hillary Weiss reading from her manuscript about BIGNESS. Seriously, if you’re exhausted, Mel’s excerpt will be a balm for your soul. And if anyone’s ever made you feel like you’re too much, you need Hillary’s book. Listen, enjoy, and remember: you can do this too! You can write your book.
Key Takeaways:
[2:05] Vicky welcomes Melanie to the podcast! What’s her book all about?
[5:25] Melaine reads an excerpt from her book.
[13:25] You don’t have to be a writer to tap into your passion and share it with others!
[14:35] Vicky introduces Hillary and tells the audience a little bit about her book.
[18:05] Hillary reads a little bit from her upcoming book!
[24:50] So many of Vicky’s students are writing on a wide variety of topics. She hopes it inspires you, too, that you can write that ‘odd’ book!
[26:40] Not everyone who came into this writing group were self-proclaimed writers.
[28:55] Are you interested in writing your book? Vicky’s got a write night event happening on Feb 24!
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
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Email Vicky about 1:1 coaching at: vicky@moxiebooks.co.uk
Hillary Weiss Presswood on Instagram
Something a little different this week as Vicky brings you the first half of her Weird + Wonderful Author Showcase! Join Jocelyn Brady, Kenda Macdonald, and Sarah McGuire as they read excerpts from their manuscripts—and knock Vicky’s socks off with their performances. Tune in and find out what’s possible for you to achieve—even if you worry you’re “not a writer”.
Key Takeaways:
[2:00] Everyone’s story is crucial and Vicky is excited to highlight some of these stories for you today!
[4:40] A quick introduction to Jocelyn and what her upcoming book is all about.
[13:10] When does Jocelyn plan to release her book?
[14:45] A quick introduction to Kenda and she offers a teaser by reading an excerpt from her second book.
[27:40] A quick introduction to Sarah and her book.
[37:00] Sarah’s book about writing your will is not going to be your everyday estate planner kind of book!
[37:25] Stay tuned for part 2 next week!
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 ludicrously expensive oak doors, poo disasters, and why shoes in the house are UNACCEPTABLE. Then marvel at the smooth link to this week’s topic—the power of What If? What if you tried this thing? What if... you wrote your book? Tune in and get the pep talk you’ve been waiting for.
Key Takeaways:
[6:10] Casa Dingle update! Lots of poo happening.
[9:10] What if you made your own door? What if you just….did?
[11:35] It can be so easy to compare yourself to what you can’t yet do, but look at the progress you’ve made thus far.
[17:20] Give yourself permission to do something badly!
[19:10] When was the last time you wrote without a purpose? Just for the fun of it?
[22:10] New year, new me. There’s a better way to go about it.
[22:20] What if you wrote your book…this year? What if?
[25:35] Don’t compare your insides to other people’s outsides.
[27:30] Need a community? Vicky’s got another writer’s round opening up for you!
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
Mistborn: The Final Empire, by Brandon Sanderson
Please Don't Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes: Essays by Phoebe Robinson
Through the Language Glass by Guy Deutscher
Join Vicky and Joe as they talk about worldviews, tiny stories, and the enormous cost of bathrooms. If you’ve ever thought “who am I to write a book, I have nothing interesting to say” this episode is for YOU friend! Our hosts talk about why a 1,000 year old diary is still relevant today, why we’re addicted to soap operas, and how we can change the world step by tiny beetle step with the stories of our lives. Enjoy!
Key Takeaways:
[4:40] Vicky got her booster shot and was so ill from it!
[8:45] Why does the world need your story?
[11:00] Vicky wants you to pay attention to headlines. How do news articles write things to get a reaction out of you?
[13:35] Do our stories need to have big grand gestures?
[16:35] Diversity is important. The world is a big place and everyone needs to be out of their bubble.
[18:20] People are walking up to these ‘common facts of life’ and are questioning why we do what we do, and if it still makes sense to do it.
[20:40] We don’t change the world from the top down.
[23:45] Your story can transcend time. Vicky talks about The Diary of Lady Murasaki.
[26:45] How do you get started writing your own story?
[28:20] Start publishing your own stuff, even if it’s just on Instagram!
[29:20] Join Vicky’s writing program! 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
Throne of the Crescent Moon, by Saladin Ahmed
The Diary of Lady Murasaki by Shikibu Murasaki
The Art of Gathering, by Priya Parker
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