With 2023 at its end, it’s time to set your writing goals for the New Year.

In this episode of The Writing Coach Podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns outlines the mistakes writers often make when setting their project goals and timelines, describes why small achievable goals are essential, and breaks down half a dozen key performance indicators writers should be tracking in order to monitor their progress.

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As the year draws to a close, writing coach Kevin T. Johns looks back on the fiction, nonfiction, business, and writer’s craft books he read in 2023.

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In episode 182 of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns explains, three, four, and five-act story structures, as well as circular structures, and more. Listen now!

In this episode of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns delves into the nuanced interplay between storytelling and genre, recognizing genre not merely as a classification but as a dynamic force shaping the very essence of a narrative.

He explores the profound impact of genre on storytelling concepts, controlling ideas, thematic values, story length and physical form.

Then, through the lens of seasoned insights from writers like Robert McKee and Chuck Palahniuk, he explains how a nuanced understanding of genre not only enhances storytelling but also dictates practical elements of the publishing landscape, shaping the reader’s experience from the story’s inception to its physical creation.

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Navigating the ups and downs of creativity can be challenging.

Let’s face it: we don’t always feel 100%, and on those low-energy days, it can feel difficult to get started on our writing.

All the same, maintaining consistency in your writing schedule is crucial for habit formation and momentum, even when motivation is lacking.

In today’s episode of The Writing Coach podcast, you’ll discover eight writing activities designed to kickstart your creativity and help you make significant strides in your book, even when the energy tank feels low.

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The principle of the conservation of momentum is important in physics because it is a key quantity that helps describe and predict the motion of objects. That said, it is also a hugely important principle in the world of imagination, creative output, and productive writing.

We previously discussed the power of momentum in episode 150; now, thirty episodes later, we return to this ever-important topic.

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What is a writing coach? How do they help writers and what unique powers do they bring to the writing process? Writing coach Kevin T. Johns answers these questions in more in the latest episode of The Writing Coach podcast. Listen now!

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is an annual event where writers attempt to draft a 50,000-word manuscript in the month of November.

The event has helped tens of thousands of writers with their writing.

That said, NaNoWriMo is not without its problems.

In this episode of The Writing Coach podcast, host Kevin T. Johns outlines what you need to know before committing to participating in NaNoWriMo.

Listen to the episode or read the transcript now!

In this episode of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns speaks with his client, award-winning romance author Anne Kane.

Anne lives in the beautiful Okanagan Valley. She’s always been fascinated by science fiction and fantasy, so she lets her imagination take over when she writes. The one thing the reader can always count on is that the main characters will live happily ever after, even if they have to defeat a few nasty aliens first.

During the conversation, Anne discusses

• How winning a contest launched her career as a professional
  author
• Why she is drawn to romance and science fiction
• Her experiences with both traditional and self-publishing
• Why she joined Kevin’s Story Plan and First Draft coaching programs despite having nearly 40 publications under her belt already
• And much more!

Listen to the episode or read the transcript now!

In this episode of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns responds to a challenge issued by author Daniel Pease.

Pease challenged Kevin to watch a drum performance by El Estepario Siberiano and develop training advice for writers based on what he sees.

So that’s exactly what he did!

Kevin identifies 8 key things writers can learn from watching Siberiano’s video.

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In this episode of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns continues his examination of the Scene Alchemy Essentials Checklist tool and discusses the importance of:

• The four internal and four external literary elements
• Avoiding infodumps
• Ensuring your protagonist struggles to achieve their goals
• And why, even when your character achieves their scene goal, something else should go wrong

Listen to the episode or read the transcript now!

In this episode of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns continues his review of the Scene Alchemy Essentials Checklist tool and discusses the importance of:

• Dialogue
• Sense Descriptions
• Theme
• Pushing drama, emotion, and tension to the max
• Coming into scenes late and leaving them early

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In this episode of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns continues his review of the Scene Alchemy Essentials Checklist tool and discusses the importance of:

• Scene Goals
• Proper Tense
• Scene Structure
• Decision Points
• Polarity Shifts
• Progressive Complications
• Openings and Closings
• Pacing

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In this episode of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns introduces his new scene Alchemy Essentials Checklist tool and discusses the importance of:

• Scene length
• Point of View
• Stakes
• Intern and External Conflict
• Causality
• Setting

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In this episode of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns shares three experiences that changed the way he thought about the invisible art of teaching.

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In this episode of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns explains the excitement art can provide and the joy literature can bring to a reader's life.

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In this episode of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns discusses the habit writers have of wanting to jump to a new project and provides advice about when is the right time to do it. 

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In this episode of The Writing Coach Podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns shares his thoughts on four quotes related to writing from futurist, author, and founder of Wired magazine, Kevin Kelly.

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In this episode of The Writing Coach Podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns outlines half-a-dozen common mistakes he sees in the manuscripts of aspiring authors.

The mistakes are so common, in fact, that he made every single one of them himself while drafting his first novel.

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In this episode of The Writing Coach Podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns discusses the "literary elements" he considers the building blocks of any scene. He covers the four external literary elements and the four internal literary elements, and then asks whether a ninth should be included.

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In this episode of The Writing Coach Podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns explains why no writer gets it right on the first try and how writing is always iterative. He also explores the joys and benefits of the revision process.

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In this episode of The Writing Coach Podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns discusses Star Wars, punk rock, and how writers should consider desperation as a preferable alternative to perfection.

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In this episode of The Writing Coach Podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns says goodbye to The Story Grid Podcast, which published its final episode last week. Kevin discusses the importance of the podcast, and his admiration for its hosts Shawn Coyne and Tim Grahl, and explains how their podcast was a profound act of generosity for both writing coaches and students of writer's craft.

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Writing coach Kevin T. Johns explains how To Do lists, checklists, standard operating procedures, and calendars can help writers and artists get organized, stay motivated, track progress, prioritize, and achieve a flow state easier. 

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In episode 159 of The Writing Coach podcast, I explore Aristotle's "Doctrine of the Mean," and how it can help us understand why both living a virtuous life and writing a fantastic book are so difficult to achieve. Listen now!

In episode 158 of The Writing Coach podcast, I explore the powerful role that change plays in storytelling. Change impacts the characters and the world of your story but also the reader themselves. You'll learn about the transformative nature of storytelling and the undeniably powerful writer's craft tool that change can be for an author.

Listen to the episode or read the transcript now!

Writing a book is a long-term project with lots of ups and downs along the way.

While almost every writer begins work on their book brimming with enthusiasm for the project, the initial excitement inevitably fades over time.

In episode 157 of The Writing Coach podcast, I explore what to do at that critical moment in the creative process when your initial enthusiasm for a project begins to fade.

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One of my favourite bands, Rancid, recently announced their forthcoming album will be titled Tomorrow Never Comes.

The title and the song it shares its name with got me thinking about time.

In episode 156 of The Writing Coach podcast, I explore time -- how we use it, how to reclaim it, and when the "right" time is to take on a project like writing a book.

On Monday, April 24, 2023, I'm hosting a webinar called First Draft Secrets: How to Write a Fun and Focused First Draft, and it got me thinking about my first book and the role protocols played in helping me get it finished and published.

Writing and publishing a book sure isn't easy, which is why learning from those who have already achieved what we want to accomplish is so important.

In episode 155 of The Writing Coach podcast, I dig deep into the concept of protocols and how they can help you write your book.

Listen to the episode or read the transcript below:

In episode 154 of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns tackles a hot topic in the world of writing these days: artificial intelligence (AI). Will AI writing soon replace human writing, and should writers be fearful for the future of their livelihood? Find out in this episode.

In episode 153 of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns discusses how in creating their art, writers can often stir up memories, traumas, and deep emotions not just within the reader but also within themselves.

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In episode 152 of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns shares four simple tips writers can implement to help set themselves up for long-term success.

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In episode 151 of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns covers three techniques writers can use to create and benefit from momentum with their writing.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why writing a book is like recovering from surgery
• What writers can learn from Jerry Seinfeld
• The power of visual representations of success
• Why not every scene needs to be a smash hit
• And much more!

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the 150th episode of The Writing Coach podcast, writing coach Kevin T. Johns addresses the much-asked question, "Can great writing be taught?"

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why comparing yourself to"great writers" is pointless
• The role that natural talent and genius play in achieving success
• What skills beat out talent almost every time
• Why you don't have to be able to play guitar like Eddie Van Halen to be a musician
• The role persistence, interest, and curiosity play in learning to write
• The importance of "strapping on your skates" and "hitting the ice"
• And much more!

Listen to the episode now!