The Merry Writer Podcast
Two chatty authors asking all the ’write’ questions. Hosted by Ari Meghlen and Rachel Poli, The Merry Writer Podcast is a fun, friendly show about all things writing and bookish.
Episodes
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
This week, Wilmar Luna is back on the show with Ari and Rachel to discuss building a horror universe.
In this episode, we cover:
- How much world-building needs to go into a horror universe?
- What are the main aspects to consider when writing horror stories?
- How do you build an atmosphere for your horror universe?
As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts on this topic in the comments...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
It's not always easy to end you novel. Sometimes we have an idea of how they'll end and sometimes we don't. But did you know there are many different types of endings?
In this episode, we cover:
- The resolved ending
- The unresolved ending
- Ambiguous ending
- Expanded ending
- Unexpected ending
- Tied ending
As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.
WANT T...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
Info dumping can really slow down the pace of your story, can annoy many readers and even have them skipping over chunks of your work. So what can you do to stop info dumping? Today, Ari and Rachel tackle this issue with some suggestions.
In this episode, we cover:
- What is Info Dumping
- While drafting
- Deal with it in the editing phase not the drafting phase
- Learn your temptations
- Areas where info dumping usu...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
It's no secret that authors need a website, but where do you start? You can hire someone to help you or you can DIY it.
This week, Pauline Wiles joins Ari and Rachel to discuss creating a professional author website.
In this episode, we cover:
- Finding your goal and strategy for your author website
- Important elements that should go into your website
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Average cost of creating and keeping...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
Want to get your books written faster? Increasing your writing or typing speed can definitely help. This week, Ari and Rachel discuss a few simple tips for helping to make things a little quicker.
In this episode, we cover:
- Touch typing
- The right pen
- Shortcuts
- Take the type test!
Resource: Try your typing speed with this online test. https://www.typing.com/student/tests
As always, thanks for listening,...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
Have you been planning a novel series? Or maybe you're ready to share it with the world but you don't know where to start? Start here!
This week, Helen Scheuerer joins Ari and Rachel to discuss launching a successful series.
In this episode, we cover:
- How launching a series is different than launching a standalone
- How to plan in advance and budget
- Difficulties you can encounter
- How to streamline the process
- M...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
For some, story ideas can be hard to come by. For others, story ideas are everywhere. For everyone, imposter syndrome sneaks in. But do you really need unique story ideas for readers to love your book? This week, Ari and Rachel cover just that.
In this episode, we cover:
- Tropes and themes in stories
- Story archetypes
- Character archetypes
- How similar ideas can be used for marketing
- The "retelling" genre
A...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
When it comes to writing, practice makes perfect. Everyone has a story to tell and the way you tell your stories are unique. But it can take some time to find your writer voice. This week, Ari and Rachel discuss how to find your writer's voice.
In this episode, we cover:
- What a writer's voice is
- How to find your writer's voice
- When and how your voice may change over time
As always, thanks for listening,...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
Do you write with multiple characters? Worried you might be slipping into the wrong character's head in the middle of a scene? Don't worry, you're not alone. That's what Ari and Rachel discuss in this week's episode.
In this episode, we cover:
- What head hopping is
- Why it's bad
- What you can do to catch it
As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts on this topic in the comments below...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
This week, Ari is joined by author AJ Alexander who discusses the health issues that writers can face and ways to prevent some of them. This week, we cover:- Conditions writers can develop
-
Character vs Character
-
Character vs Nature
-
Character vs Themselves
-
Character vs Technology
-
Character vs Supernatural
-
Character vs Society
As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts on this topic in the comments below. WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW? We...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
We all know that writing isn't an easy task. A great way to be consistent with it is to have a dedicated writing environment. But how can you turn a room into a creative space?
In this episode, we cover:
- How to choose a room for your writing space
- How to minimize distractions
- Ways to decorate your writing space
- What supplies and materials to have easy access to
- Keeping yourself healthy during these writing se...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
It's time to talk about formatting. It's not always fun but is it an important part of your book and what do you need to consider when it comes to formatting? That's what Ari and Rachel discuss in this week's episode.
In this episode, we cover:
- How important formatting is
- The standard of formatting
- What you need to consider
- And randomly throughout - things you probably shouldn't do!
As always, thanks f...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
Do you sometimes struggle with your ADHD and motivation when you're writing? Are you having trouble finding a writing routine and sticking with it? Don't worry; Jeremy Russell joins Ari and Rachel this week with tips and tricks for us all.
In this episode, we cover:
- An example of what the ADHD thought process may look like
- Struggles writers with ADHD might have
- How to stay motivated
- Techniques to stay focused ...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
Are you considering how to outline your novel? Whether you used to be a pantser or you have always been a plotter, today's episode is discussing one of the methods for outlining.
The 7 point plot system is the method Ari uses so she's going through the different steps.
In this episode, we cover:
- The 7 points in this outlining method
- Discussions about when the inciting incident should occur
- A tangent about mo...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
Middle grade novels are the link between early readers and kids continuing their reading journey to YA and beyond. But what makes middle grade so unique from other age groups? This week, Ari and Rachel discuss the many traits that go into a middle grade novel.
In this episode, we cover:
- What middle grade novels are
- Themes in middle grade novels
- Word counts of middle grade novels
As always, thanks for li...
**QUICK NOTE** Apologies for some of the sound quality, I had some issues with my microphone
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
Do you want to write creepy stories? Have an interest in scaring your readers? Then check out today's podcast where author A. S. McDermott joins Ari to discuss writing horror stories.
This week, we cover:
- Characterisations of a horror story
- Biggest hurdles horror writers have
- How important locations are
- Book-length
- ...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
It's so easy to get wrapped up in the numbers rather than the quality of your work. This week, Ari and Rachel discuss when word counts matter and when they don't.
In this episode, we cover:
- Word count updates during a writing session
- Word count updates on social media
- Word counts in various genres and age groups
As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts on this topic in the comments...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
In today's episode, Ari and Rachel are joined by author Kyle Robertson to discuss the importance of perseverance in writers.
This week, we cover:
- Why writers need perseverance
- What can affect a writer's perseverance
- How to avoid burn out
As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.
ABOUT KYLE ROBERTSON
Kyle Robertson is a resident of Philadelphia...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
Have you ever seen people writing or drawing inside the books they read? They're annotating their books to help understand the context better or just to make it look pretty.
In this episode, we cover:
- What annotating books means
- Whether or not we annotate our books
- Different ways to annotate your books
As always, thanks for listening, and let us know your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.
WA...
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