All About Writing
Join award-winning, bestselling hosts Bennett R Coles and Sara Dahmen with All About Writing, the podcast that covers everything about the world of writing from the inside out. With their combined decades tackling novels, non-fiction, publishing, editing, ghostwriting and even screenwriting, Ben and Sara dive into every detail of the writing industry, along with their guests, and offer experienced advice, opinions, and more.
Episodes
63 episodes
Writing Life 10: The Critique Partner
What is a critique partner? If it sounds interesting – or it sounds scary – then you should listen to this episode. Join Ben & Sara as they welcome special guests Jill Evans and Lauren McGuire to dive deep into this valuable tool for writer...
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Season 2
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Episode 63
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37:34
Business of Writing Part 10: Writer Conferences
If you're considering attending a writing conference, you might want to learn a bit about what to expect, the costs and who you'll meet. More importantly, what is the point of attending at all? Join Ben and Sara as they discuss their experience...
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Season 2
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Episode 62
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14:47
Marketing Part 10: Is Die Hard a Christmas Movie?
Ben and Sara tackle the ageless question on this Christmas Day episode: Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Or...not? Wading into the weeds on this, they discuss how marketing can make or break a book's success when released, which, while not as muc...
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Season 2
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Episode 61
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23:37
Writing Craft Part 11: What is Romantasy?
Romantasy is one of the most persistently popular book genres in recent years. But what is it? What’s the big deal? And why are millions of readers devouring it? Join Ben & Sara as they dive deep into this fascinating genre of writing.<...
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Season 2
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Episode 60
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13:21
Getting Started Part 10: Intro to Audiobooks
Ben and Sara bring in voice actor Sandra Murphy (yup, she's so good, she's SAG!) to talk about the basics of audiobooks - what to expect, how to go about getting one started, what to consider, and the whole overarching introduction to audiobook...
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Season 2
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Episode 59
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40:50
Marketing Part 9: Author Newsletters
Author newsletters are a big part of getting the word out about your book. But what do you say in them? How often should you create one? Join Ben & Sara as they unpack the intricacies of this essential marketing tool.To watch this ep...
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Season 2
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Episode 58
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14:08
Screenwriting 8: Writing Movies
Writing movies is different than writing television episodes, and screenwriting for a feature film doesn't have a writer's room. But there's still a ton of collaboration that goes into it, and structure that may be familiar for those who write ...
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Season 2
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Episode 57
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22:21
Writing Life Part 9: Why Do You Write?
Sometimes it's important to stop and ask ourselves...why do we write? We ask "why is this character acting like this" but we often forget to look inward, too. Self-reflection is important for writers - it helps us set goals and keep things in p...
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Season 2
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Episode 56
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14:56
Business of Writing Part 9: The Truth About Sales Numbers
How much to writers actually get paid in the traditional publishing industry? What about self-publishing? And how many books can an author realistically expect to sell? Ben puts on his publisher hat and answers Sara’s questions about the realit...
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Season 2
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Episode 55
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26:28
Marketing Part 7: Clothes as Author Branding
Join Ben & Sara as they welcome Rebekah Bryan, who is not only an author but also a fashion consultant specifically for authors to aid them on creating persona and branding. Together, the three of them discuss how one article of clothing or...
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Season 2
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Episode 54
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21:07
Writing Craft Part 10: What is a Chapter?
Join Ben & Sara as they dive into what constitutes a chapter - are there any loose rules, page counts, and requirements? They talk about the ways to break apart plots and pacing, what kind of chapters suit certain genres, and what kind of t...
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Season 2
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Episode 53
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21:00
Getting Starting Part 9: Researching
Ben and Sara talk researching - and the surprising genres that actually require it. From what consitutes a proper source, and what doesn't, and the unique places a writer can find inspiration and tactile experiences to perform research beyond b...
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Season 2
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Episode 52
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22:57
Writing Life Part 8: Collaborative Projects
Join Ben & Sara as they discuss the pros and cons of collaborating with another writer. This is not ghost-writing - this is sharing a byline with someone else. They discuss in brief the legalities, but also the most important tips to workin...
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Season 2
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Episode 51
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20:38
Life Top 5: Horror Movies
Join Ben and Sara as they drink all the wine and discuss a bit about themselves - mostly, horror movies they find the scariest and have scarred them the most. Granted, neither watch much horror. So these are also sort of like the only horror fi...
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Season 1
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Episode 50
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43:06
Writing Craft Part 9: The Series Mega-Plot
Join Ben & Sara as they discuss the mega-plot. This is mostly for those writing a series - and ideally something you decide before you even write book 1. Learn: what is a "mega-plot" or "story engine" for a series?To watch this episo...
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Season 1
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Episode 49
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20:00
Writing Life 7: Business Writing
Join Ben & Sara as they talk about how to make a living as a writer in ways other than writing books. If you have an interest in getting paid to write, there’s plenty of opportunities out there.To watch this episode on Youtube, click...
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Season 1
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Episode 48
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14:52
Screenwriting 7: Special Guest Spade Robinson Chats All About Screenwriting
Ben & Sara are joined by special Spade Robinson, a professor and industry expert on all things screenwriting. Join us in a wide-ranging discussion about the ins and outs of writing screenplays for the contemporary film industry.To wa...
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Season 1
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Episode 47
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47:06
Getting Started 8: An Intro to Worldbuilding
Join Ben & Sara as they talk about worldbuilding. Every story, no matter the genre, needs some aspect of worldbuilding, but how much effort should you put into it?To watch this episode on Youtube, click on the following link:&...
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Season 1
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Episode 46
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21:10
Screenwriting 104: Working with Hollywood
Ben & Sara bring back screenwriter, director, and film producer Timothy Boissey to discuss what working with Hollywood looks like, what to expect, and insider realities when it comes to building a career in the film industry.To watch...
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Season 1
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Episode 45
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29:14
Marketing Part 6: Author Websites
Valerie Biel returns to talk to Ben & Sara about marketing for authors, and deep dives into author websites: what they are, the best way to utilize them, and what to include online for readers to find and learn about you – the author!
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Season 1
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Episode 44
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21:11
Business of Writing Part 8: Subtitles
Join Ben & Sara as they talk about subtitles, how they can help sell your book and when it’s a good idea to use them. And also, when it’s not such a good idea to use them.To watch this episode on Youtube, click on the following link:...
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Season 1
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Episode 43
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18:04
Writing Craft Part 8: Past vs Present Tense
Ben and Sara discuss the differences between using past tense and present tense in writing fiction and non-fiction, general publishing expectations around certain genres, when and how to use, mix and match, and when you generally don't want to ...
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Season 1
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Episode 42
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17:02
Writing Life Part 6: What is ghostwriting?
Sara interviews Ben, an experienced ghostwriter. He offers the basics and nitty gritty of what it is, what it takes, and the pros and cons of working as a ghostwriter.To watch this episode on Youtube, click on the following link: https:/...
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Season 1
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Episode 41
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28:05
Getting Started Part 7: Don't Expect Perfection
Listen to Ben and Sara talk about expectations of yourself, your writing, and why it's important to give yourself permission to not be perfect as your work on your craft.To watch this episode on Youtube, click on the following link: http...
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Season 1
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Episode 40
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14:58