August 18, 2025 • 32 mins
Bestselling authors William and Lara Bernhardt discuss the latest news from the book world, offer writing tips, and interview Sydney Pruett, a therapist who helps authors make their characters (fiction and nonfiction) psychologically compelling and consistent.
00:00 Opening Thoughts
WriterCon is almost here! Come join the best writers conference in the Southwest. Over 60 speakers, over 100 breakout sessions covering every aspect of the writing life, craft, agents, publishers, marketing, and more. Pitching, consults, manuscript reviews, and much more. It is NOT too late to register. For more info, visit: www.writercon.com
03:41 News
1) Audiobook Walking Clubs Gain Popularity
2) Fan Fiction Leads to Controversial Online Chatter
13:07 Craft Corner
Jon Meyers talks about the vaue of writers conferences—and his upcoming MasterClass on memoir.
18:18 Interview with Sydney Pruett
30:25 Parting Words
Have I said this already? Come join us at WriterCon! www.writercon.com
00:00 Opening Thoughts
WriterCon is almost here! Come join the best writers conference in the Southwest. Over 60 speakers, over 100 breakout sessions covering every aspect of the writing life, craft, agents, publishers, marketing, and more. Pitching, consults, manuscript reviews, and much more. It is NOT too late to register. For more info, visit: www.writercon.com
03:41 News
1) Audiobook Walking Clubs Gain Popularity
2) Fan Fiction Leads to Controversial Online Chatter
13:07 Craft Corner
Jon Meyers talks about the vaue of writers conferences—and his upcoming MasterClass on memoir.
18:18 Interview with Sydney Pruett
30:25 Parting Words
Have I said this already? Come join us at WriterCon! www.writercon.com
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This week on the writer Con podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I think for me it would be having consistency and community,
which are two of the hardest things I think for
me as a writer as well. But the more consistent
you can be in, the more of a writer community
you have to help keep you consistent. That about our YouTube.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Welcome to writer Con, a gathering place for writers to
share their knowledge about writing and the writing world. Your
hosts are William Bernhardt, best selling novelist and author of
the Red Sneaker books on writing, and Laura Bernhardt, Award
winning author of the Want lnd Files book series.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Thank you, Jesse Ulrich. Hey, they're writers. Thanks for joining
us today. So here we are. You know, I'm going
to talk about writer Con again. Only a few short
weeks away. That's the annual writers conference we host at
the Scurvin Hilton in Oklahoma City Labor Day weekend. That's
(00:56):
August twenty nine through September one. Over sixty speakers, over
one hundred sessions and pitching and contests, manuscript reviews, private consultations.
What have I left out? Jesse?
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Just now been socializing, networking, and we make Jeopardy.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
That's right. We have fun as well. People are posting
photos and scheduling parties and meetups on the conference app already.
I know, Laura, did you tell me that people are
This was a subject on the last podcast that we
have a karaoke night and you and I always do
(01:36):
a duet. So people are like doing a poll on
that now or something.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Yes, people are trying to guess what we will do
it this year. So there's a whole there's a whole
post any good dedicated just to that.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Wow, what's in the lead? Do you remember?
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Yeah? Well, I'm not gonna I'm not going to share
anybody's guesses. I want people to have to think of
their own.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Ideas, be creative. But it's it's great.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
The app gives everybody the opportunity to plan ahead. You
can see what the schedule looks like, but you can
also start to see what people Okay.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
I post your ideas in the show comments everyone, Jesse,
have you been on the app yet? Have you taken
a look?
Speaker 1 (02:22):
I have not. Writer con comes after a couple other
things I have, so I'm waiting for those things to happen.
I know, listen, people, listen. I just talked to people
about audiobooks and podcasts. And just have a good time
and hopefully this year run around less between rooms.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yeah I have. I told you that we're having six
sessions on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Listen. As long as you put me in touch with
the people controlling the rooms, we should be fine.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
So good. If you want more information about writer Con,
it's writer con dot com. Our interview today is with
Sydney Pruitt. Now this is a change of pace for
us because you know, it's normally a writer, but Sydney
is a therapist who works with authors to help them
develop their characters so that they're more psychologically believable and interesting.
(03:11):
She helps with writing about mental health or disability accurately
and consistently, providing lots of information for nonfiction books, or
making sure that fictional characters are responding to situations in
ways that fit with that human psychology. Okay, it's fascinating
(03:33):
and we will talk to her about this work. But
first the news news story number one audiobook walking clubs. Yes,
(04:00):
that's the thing they take reading outside. So audiobook listeners
who like to walk need not walk alone. With encouragement
from books to gram you know what that is. That's
book clovers on Instagram like book talk for TikTok, but
(04:20):
this is obviously Instagram anyway. The books to Gram entrepreneurs
joined with independent bookstores and leadbroad dot FM. That's an
app for audio books, and now they're creating audiobook walking clubs.
So typically on one of these listeners meet at some
(04:41):
predetermined location with an audio book queued up that they've gotten,
you know, they bought or they got it on libby
the library app, and participants listen to the book of
their choice and or talk about it while they take
a not too demanding walk a conversational pace. They wrap
(05:02):
up someplace some and have a casual gathering where they
can make or hear book recommendations. So people are coming
month after month. They say. Word of mouth has been
very positive and organic. This started with some influencers in DC,
but now apparently they're thinking about expanding. Jesse, do I
(05:24):
remember that you said you listened to audiobooks sometimes.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
No, I'm actually a very rare audiobook listener. I can't
concentrate the way I would like to when someone's telling
it to me. I know, it's very weird. It's say
the work I do.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
So does this sound at all appealing to you?
Speaker 1 (05:40):
So Okay, let me get this straight. So people show up,
they have an audiobook they're listening to. It's a different
audiobook than what the rest of people are.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Like, I guess, so, I mean it would be too
regimented if everyone were listening to the thing.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
And then they walk for a I guess a predetermined
time listening to their audiobook with other people.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Listen.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
If it gets you out of the house and gets
you walk.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
In, great, It's like a walking club, except for people
who don't want to make conversations.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Yeah, which, you know, listen. I understand there are people
who don't want to make conversation. I do love the
idea of collective book listening, but like reading for me
is very like it's an intensive, one on one activity.
I don't need to also be around people because I'm
go'n feel weird and not having conversation with them. That
(06:30):
might just be me, but but I mean it's a
cool idea. This sounds very up the the same alley
of another story I heard recently of people just doing
collective scream outs. If you heard about this one start
in Chicago. People just all show up at the same time.
They go onto a bridge and they all just scream
into the void together for like thirty seconds and then dissipate,
(06:51):
and I'm like, that sounds great.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
So well, Lara, for a different take, I'm guessing I
don't know how how much you listen to audio books,
but I know you love to walk. Does this sound fun?
Are you going to start one?
Speaker 4 (07:07):
I'm usually distracted with my bird identifying app when I'm walking,
and I am a visual learner, and interestingly, like Jesse,
I do find it a little bit difficult to stay
focused on a a story when I'm just listening to it. However,
not everything is for every person, and I absolutely support
(07:32):
anyone who enjoys this gets them out, gets the moving
they're enjoying a book I have. I have no problem
with someone enjoying that. Spending time with people the way
that is comfortable for them sounds good to me.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
News story number two, fan fic court controversy. I knew
I couldn't say that without that's an US. Was that
close enough? Do you want to do it?
Speaker 5 (07:58):
No?
Speaker 2 (07:58):
You fanfic court.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Yeah that's a pre court controversy.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
It's a good uh mic test. Fan fic court controversy.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Yeah, yeah, three times fast.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Anyway, panfit, court controversy, fanfic, court cut, convercy, co conversy.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
I did not anticipate the direction this was going to
take anyway. The news story is indeed about fan fiction.
It's a book called Rose in Chain Chains, Rose in Chains,
which is part of this increasingly popular form of book
profitable too. It's fan fiction that's been previous for, written,
(08:38):
previously written for something like what pads someplace people post
and they can read it, and then they change it
a little bit to avoid being sued by whoever it
was originally about, or what it was based on, and
then they publish it. And you know, everybody listening probably
(08:58):
knows that fifty Shades of Grace started as Twilight fan fiction,
and now we have those books after ever After, Happily
ever After. That was originally Harry Styles fan fiction. Right,
So now we've got Rose in Chains in Controversy. It's
actually Harry Potter fan fiction. In this story Draco and Hermione. No, yeah, yeah, yeah,
(09:26):
it's about Draco and Hermione finding love in a world
where Voldemort wins. So it's but now it's changed. So
it's an original fantasy romance between characters Toven and Briany,
which is completely different. Okay, here's the problem, not that
(09:47):
this really sounds too close for comfort, but because it's
obviously Harry Potter fan fiction, people are attacking it, associating
it with JK. Rowling and so the that she has
made about trans people, and and so the argument they've
advanced is that this book is keeping Rowling's work relevant,
(10:14):
even though the author has never said anything controversial. She
got online criticism because her book was once formerly related
to Harry Potter. You see what I'm talking about. So
she was scheduled for this convention, and then because they
didn't want to court controversy, she dropped out, and then
(10:37):
others dropped out in support, and pretty soon half of
the authors so we're planning to attend have decided not to,
which has been a nightmare for Romance. Colm Laura, you
are the podcasts official Harry Potter news correspondence.
Speaker 6 (10:55):
Does this new title yes?
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Does this trouble seem fair to the woman Julie Soto
who wrote Rose and Chains?
Speaker 4 (11:07):
In my opinion, no, no, it isn't. I don't think
the work that she did should be torn down. There
are a lot of people who still enjoy those books
and have a lot of happy memories of those books,
(11:27):
and I suspect for this author, that's what this story
stemmed from. And it's unfortunate that it's being ruined in
some way. And don't get me wrong, I don't love
any of this stuff that's going off on the side,
but for me, it is off on the side.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
I don't It doesn't take away the joy that.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
I had with my kids in those.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
Books, right right exactly, Jesse, what do you think is
there any realistic way to separate the books from the author?
Speaker 1 (12:05):
I mean, first of all, yeah, it's fan fiction. It's
literally not written by her, literally, and they've changed the
characters and obviously didn't spend that much time on the
names change changing the characters. But that's nothing yet Miami, Yeah,
Jaco and h Jermione. No, like here, this is the thing,
(12:27):
Like people have anger and they want to express their
anger and something they express it in the wrong direction,
and this is this is wrong, this is not This
doesn't in any way hurt jk Rowling or stop people
from spending money on Harry Potter things. So if you
want to get mad someone, get mad jk Rowling, or
get mad at Warner Brothers for remaking the movies into
(12:47):
a TV show and then casting these people for ten
year contracts, of which I doubt the show will actually
make it that long. But you know who knows you
be mad where you should.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Be mad, nicely said, well done.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
All right, let's move on to Kraft Corner.
Speaker 7 (13:07):
Craft Corner. Everybody, it's John Myers from right Better together.
And look who I'm here with. I'm here with my
TC mile.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
Hello.
Speaker 6 (13:14):
Hello, I heard we're both going to be a writer
con this year.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
Oh yeah, it's going to be fun. I'm prepared. I'm
ready looking forward to meeting some of the most phenomenal
writers in the region.
Speaker 7 (13:28):
It's wonderful, it is. And one of the things that's
wonderful is that William Bernhard Bill likes to keep it
always positive and so even like critique sessions, he wants
there to be a positive slant. So every session has
a positive slant, because sometimes you go to writers' conferences
and it's like ten bad things.
Speaker 6 (13:50):
That you don't get that around.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
No, you can do that.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
It is a positive space. Absolutely, I agree.
Speaker 6 (13:55):
What are you going to be doing?
Speaker 2 (13:56):
So?
Speaker 5 (13:56):
I tell you, I'm so excited about the ask the
Agent Anything panel, and so that's an opportunity for writers
to come out and just basically as literary agents anything.
So I'm excited about that. I'm also excited about this year.
(14:18):
I have an opportunity to facilitate a workshop. It's pitch,
post and promote, and so in that it's really to
help I'm going to pour in all of my PR
exec and all of my college tools that I teach
(14:39):
at the university from a PR perspective, marketing perspective as
it relates to you know, how to use your content,
how to use your book as a tool as a
strategy to really elevate and build engagement through your shared
and your owned media. I mean, you're going to walk
(14:59):
a way with a strategy to help you do that,
to be able to do exactly what the title says, pitch,
post and promote. I'm excited about it.
Speaker 6 (15:08):
That's gonna be so great.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
I'm excited. It's gonna be fun. So I'm looking forward
to this year at writer Corn. What are you going
to be doing?
Speaker 7 (15:17):
First of all, I'm gonna switch this out. I'm gonna
put Bill's book up here, Okay, Bill, So I have
a couple sessions and then a masterclass. Let me tell
you about the sessions first, and then I want you
to go ooh.
Speaker 5 (15:33):
And okay, we got that.
Speaker 7 (15:35):
So the first one is called relatable versus relational, using
relationship theory to make your story more compelling. Oh and
I did if you guys watched a writer con podcast,
I did a craft corner about that one to give
you like a little sneak, a little three minute sneak.
Speaker 5 (15:53):
That's gonna be a good one.
Speaker 6 (15:54):
Yeah, thank you, You're gonna be good too.
Speaker 7 (15:57):
And then the other one is comfort content, the psychology
behind your audience's cravings and how to give them what
they want.
Speaker 5 (16:04):
Oh.
Speaker 7 (16:05):
Absolutely, and I'm also I'm I'm on a green Player
round table for writing.
Speaker 5 (16:13):
Yeah, for screenwriters, gonna be taking pitches.
Speaker 7 (16:16):
I'm gonna carey, I'm taking I'm gonna take pitches on
a memoir pieces and like a little short memoir like, uh,
well that ties into uh uh this uh masterclass. So
the master class is cherry picking twenty small moments from
your life, because a memoir isn't your life story stories
(16:38):
from your life, and you don't have to wait till
it's not an end of life of you can write
a memoir when you're twenty five. So you have twenty
stories that are compelling, and I'm gonna teach you how
how to get the get to the core of these
stories out of your life, and then how to arrange
(16:58):
them in a compelling way, how to then arrange them
in the book. And then I'm even going to tell
you how to market the book. And yeah, and in
the same way, because I'm gonna write a memoir next
year the same way that I'm going to market mine.
Speaker 6 (17:12):
And so you'll leave with a marketing plan.
Speaker 5 (17:14):
I love that. That's huge. That's very huge.
Speaker 7 (17:18):
And then the people in the masterclass, they'll get to
be in a cohort. My TC and I have talked
about the power of a cohort in a different episode,
And they'll be in a cohort in a private discord
group that we already run it right better together, and
they'll be able to trade their writings and get notes
from each other, and they can make what they want
(17:39):
of it.
Speaker 5 (17:41):
I love that, the power of cohorts.
Speaker 7 (17:44):
Yeah, so they take the master classes, they can be
in there for the rest of their life.
Speaker 5 (17:47):
Oh wow, that's phenomena all by itself.
Speaker 7 (17:51):
Once they register for the masterclass then all that other
extra stuff. They can stay in the cohort for the
rest of their life.
Speaker 5 (17:58):
Oh wow, so this is a life time access. I
love that. Just by coming and registering for Writer Colm
and being a part I think people should really get
excited and if they haven't already, go ahead and register
for Writer Come. I'm looking forward to seeing you there
and also the writers cool.
Speaker 6 (18:18):
All right, you means I get to see you on
b Yes.
Speaker 5 (18:21):
Absolutely absolutely, see you soon. All right, see you soon.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Now let's talk to Sidney Pruitt. Sidney Pruet, welcome to
the podcast.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Thanks for having me.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
It's a pleasure to have you here. Okay, usual first question,
if you could offer writers one piece of advice.
Speaker 6 (18:53):
What would it be.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
I think for me it would be having consistency and community,
which are two of the hardest things I think for
me as a writer as well. But the more consistent
you can be, and the more of a writer community
you have to help keep you consistent, the better you do.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
Okay, since you've practically set me up by mentioning groups
and whatnot, you're coming to writer Con, aren't you.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
I am, Yes, looking forward to it.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Yeah, we're looking forward to having you tell everyone what
you're going to be doing, or at least.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Some of it. So I will be leading a Yeah,
I'll be leading a breakout group at the conference called
Character Psychology one oh one. I am a licensed therapist
and I live with a lot of physical disabilities as well,
and so one of my pet peeves in writing is
when people write about mental illness or disabilities consistently or
(19:49):
inconsistently or incorrectly. So what I would like to do
is just go over the basic psychology behind why humans
act the way we do, how we respond in difficult situations,
how trauma or a culture can impact those things, and
then how to write about people who are from different
backgrounds cultures consistently and accurately. And so obviously it'll be
(20:11):
sort of an overview with him on a time that
we have at writers On, but I'm looking forward to
sharing that with everybody.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
H fantastic sounds great. Well, I would say that now
I'm going to totally mess up the schedule, and Laura
will just keep up because she's brilliant that way. But
you and I have worked together. The people who listen
to the podcast regularly know about my Superman book, The
Superman Wars, and at one point I was looking for
some more professional insight than I could provide on my
(20:43):
main historical character. You know, what's driving this guy, why
does he do this and that? And you were nice
enough to chip in. I sent you some pages and
some documents, and that was really terrific, very helpful.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Okay, I'm glad I was helpful for you. I enjoyed
reading through the pages that you sent and I'm looking
forward to reading the full project. That's a newer service
that I'm offering as a therapist is being a consultant
for authors. And so I've gotten to your book you
on that project. And then I worked with another fiction
author writing about of mental illness, so about to provide
(21:19):
some information for that. And then it helps still work
with an author on fiction book. I got to write, oh,
it's for her as well.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Great tell us. How did you get involved in therapy
in the first place.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
I'm one of the kind of weird people who just
has somewhat always known that's what I wanted to do.
I decided when I was about fourteen or fifteen that
I wanted to be a therapist. There was always the
friend that people would go to for advice, and I
liked being that person, but I wanted to make sure
that I was giving good advice, and so went straight
(21:54):
through college knowing that psychology was going to be my major,
and after getting into it for a while, I had
thought that I originally wanted to work with kids, and
did for sometimes several years, but during the pandemic, when
everything was virtual, I decided that working with kids was
not productive for any of us at that time since
(22:14):
we were all on the screens, and so I ended up
working with college agent and really loved it. So that's
what I primary now was college age or younger adults,
and I'm working with people who have OCD, which is
something I'm diagnosed with as well, but also people who
have experienced various forms of trauma.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
I think it's brilliant that you just knew exactly what
you wanted to do from such an early age. I
don't think that happens very often.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
It really doesn't. I don't know many people who have
that story with people shop around a little bit before deciding.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
Or just like too many things and don't know how
to focus. Yeah, you've written a lot of non fiction articles.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
Yes, some freelance writing, and have also written some personal
stories with my health issues. I had to have it
distract me when I was twenty six, and so I
have a story that's published about that experience. I have
an upcoming one for Suicide Awareness Month in September that
will be published. But I love sharing mental health and
(23:19):
disability stories and my own piction writing as well.
Speaker 4 (23:24):
And tell us how that can help writers.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
I'm sorry I lost you guys for a second.
Speaker 6 (23:29):
What was the question?
Speaker 4 (23:31):
Tell us how this can help other writers.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
So with your own experiences, I think it's important just
to be able to share the things you know we
always hear right way, you know, as an author, and
I think that incorporating that with my background as far
as the past gosit writer from it helps writers to
know how to incorporate the real life things. Why do
(23:57):
we act the way we do? Knowing that psychology, I
think helps to create deeper characters because a lot of
times writers do the right things when they're writing and
they don't know why, so the character actions will make sense,
but they don't necessarily know the science behind it. And
it's those little moments where things are inconsistent with psychology
that we don't necessarily know why as readers, but it
(24:19):
feels so if the writer can understand the background behind that,
it will help them to be able to not have
those little moments where the reader feels like something's just
not quite right.
Speaker 6 (24:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
No, that sounds like I would really tighten up the story.
That sounds very useful. I'm fascinated. I think I'm coming
to your session.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
I thought this was unique and interesting. That's why I
invited you to writer Con in the first place. I
was glad that you were able to come. So you're
also I'm sorry.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
Go ahead, sorry, I've I'm still I'm still enjoying talking
about the therapy.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
But you're a practitioner. VMDR Yes, EMDR and ERP are
my two main modalities that I use. So EMDR is
one of the leading forms of trauma therapy, and it's
unique in that it's not all talking back and forth
like we do with most other forms in therapy. It
uses a tapping method or sometimes you'll do eye movements
(25:15):
back and forth, and it stimulates both sides of your
brain so that it gets your logic and reasoning going,
but also the emotions, the past memories. But it keeps
you grounded in the present, and it helps your brain
to process the things that you've been through and file
away the things that are useful, but it sort of
deletes some of that unnecessary information that's keeping you for
feeling it and keeping you stuck in that situation. You
(25:38):
ever seen somebody who is sleeping and their eyes dart
back and forth. It's the same type of thing when
that happens, you're dreaming and your brain is processing. But
with EMDR, we get to choose what we're processing and
do that same type of work. And then the ERP
is for people who have OCD, it's exposure and response prevention,
(25:58):
and it helps expose them to some of the things
that are triggering or intrusive for them and prevent the
responses of the compulsion.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
Now, speaking of things you can do for writers, you
also handle sensitivity reads. Right, I think everybody on this
podcast knows what I'm talking about. Having your manuscript read
it in advance to ensure that you're not inadvertently possibly
offending someone.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
And I think the benefit of having a therapist do
the sensitivity read is as a therapist, we are required
to have a certain amount of continuing education each year,
and so every year I'm learning about. I primarily try
to focus mine around trauma for cultural awareness and sensitivity,
(26:49):
s aying someone who has more education every single year
about what terms are accurate, what terminology is appropriate at
this time, different things to look out for when writing
out disabilities or cultural differences or even different religions. Lots
of knowledge in that area, so I can help you
know what to look out for that a lot of
(27:10):
people might not think about.
Speaker 4 (27:14):
M On a completely unrelated note, but something that I
thoroughly enjoy talking about. You have three rescue dogs.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
You do, so I am didn't know that was coming. Huh.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
I surprised shirt right now. I don't know if you
guys can even see me, but copy dogs and mental health.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Ah, and there's Baxter barking. He approves totally. That's our
rescue dog anyway, Going love.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
That, Yeah, I had to. Going into my relationship, I'm
getting married next month, and I have Lilian Padson and
Lily is a Collei mix. Padfit is some sort of
like fake German shepherd mixed. He's very small, but he's
he looks like a German shepherd. And then we have Olive,
(28:02):
who is a blind, elderly toy poodle. So that was
my coming into the relationship.
Speaker 4 (28:09):
Nice. Yes, we have a rescue dog and then two
rescue cats.
Speaker 5 (28:13):
So really I.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
Would love a cat, but my dogs would not. You
would be surprised. You would be surprised. And we welcomed
our first cat in. We had concerns and doubts, and well,
thirty minutes forty five minutes, one of them was just like, cool,
there's a cat now, and the other one was just
following him around and just fascinated. It's surprising how they adapt. Yeah,
(28:39):
maybe I'll have to try it then.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
Okay, before this started, you got to hear Jesse and
I talked Star Trek. But you're a Disney Parks fan.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
I hear, yes, yeah, so Disney and Star Wars are
kind of my main fandoms that I have my fans. Actually,
I had had me cosplay on a dating app and
that was the picture that he liked. Very fun.
Speaker 4 (29:09):
Have you ever worked with any like Disney Park performers
or anything like that or do you just go and
play not in a working capacity.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Yeah, I just like to go and be there. My
sisters both worked for the parks, but they weren't formers.
They did attractions and hotel work and foods. Yeahs like that.
But they did the Disney College program. So Disney College.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
Yes, one of our daughters did the Disney College program,
so we're familiar.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Love that. Yeah, it's such a cool program. I wish
I had known about it when I was in college.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
Okay, Sydney, one last question. What are you working on now?
I hear a rumor that there is a novel somewhere
in the mix.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Yeah, So, like I said, I have an upcoming story
that will be an Okay see Pets magazine for next month.
So that's my little nonfiction project. I have a poetry
manuscript that I'm shopping around right now, and then I
am working on my first novel, so it'll be a
wrong com it's called conflict of interest, so I guess
(30:09):
keep your eyes close air Field for that. But it's
going to be a minute before that one's done.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
Sydney, thank you so much for being on the podcast.
Really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
Yes, thank you for having me. I'm looking forward to
Writer Con.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Yeah, to see you there. Find out Just one last reminder,
Writer Con August twenty one to September one in Oklahoma
(30:44):
City at the Scurven Hilton. You want to be there.
Laura and I are going to be there, and Jesse
will be there, and Sydney's going to be there, and
like sixty or seventy other writers, agents, publishers and other
people connected to the publishing industry will be there. You
don't want to miss miss this. Take the chance to
(31:06):
do your writing career favor. Our website is writercon dot com.
Let me also remind you that writer Con has its
own newsletter and it's totally free, so why would you
want to miss that? Where at substack? Just go there
and search for writer Con and sign up doesn't cost
(31:27):
you penny. You can join the writer Con Facebook group,
I mean, why haven't you do it now? And enjoin
this really wonderful community of writers posting almost every day.
It's a great group of people. All right, until next time,
keep writing and remember you cannot fail if you refuse
(31:49):
to quit. See you next time, be at a
This week on the writer Con podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I think for me it would be having consistency and community,
which are two of the hardest things I think for
me as a writer as well. But the more consistent
you can be in, the more of a writer community
you have to help keep you consistent. That about our YouTube.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Welcome to writer Con, a gathering place for writers to
share their knowledge about writing and the writing world. Your
hosts are William Bernhardt, best selling novelist and author of
the Red Sneaker books on writing, and Laura Bernhardt, Award
winning author of the Want lnd Files book series.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Thank you, Jesse Ulrich. Hey, they're writers. Thanks for joining
us today. So here we are. You know, I'm going
to talk about writer Con again. Only a few short
weeks away. That's the annual writers conference we host at
the Scurvin Hilton in Oklahoma City Labor Day weekend. That's
(00:56):
August twenty nine through September one. Over sixty speakers, over
one hundred sessions and pitching and contests, manuscript reviews, private consultations.
What have I left out? Jesse?
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Just now been socializing, networking, and we make Jeopardy.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
That's right. We have fun as well. People are posting
photos and scheduling parties and meetups on the conference app already.
I know, Laura, did you tell me that people are
This was a subject on the last podcast that we
have a karaoke night and you and I always do
(01:36):
a duet. So people are like doing a poll on
that now or something.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Yes, people are trying to guess what we will do
it this year. So there's a whole there's a whole
post any good dedicated just to that.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Wow, what's in the lead? Do you remember?
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Yeah? Well, I'm not gonna I'm not going to share
anybody's guesses. I want people to have to think of
their own.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Ideas, be creative. But it's it's great.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
The app gives everybody the opportunity to plan ahead. You
can see what the schedule looks like, but you can
also start to see what people Okay.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
I post your ideas in the show comments everyone, Jesse,
have you been on the app yet? Have you taken
a look?
Speaker 1 (02:22):
I have not. Writer con comes after a couple other
things I have, so I'm waiting for those things to happen.
I know, listen, people, listen. I just talked to people
about audiobooks and podcasts. And just have a good time
and hopefully this year run around less between rooms.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yeah I have. I told you that we're having six
sessions on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Listen. As long as you put me in touch with
the people controlling the rooms, we should be fine.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
So good. If you want more information about writer Con,
it's writer con dot com. Our interview today is with
Sydney Pruitt. Now this is a change of pace for
us because you know, it's normally a writer, but Sydney
is a therapist who works with authors to help them
develop their characters so that they're more psychologically believable and interesting.
(03:11):
She helps with writing about mental health or disability accurately
and consistently, providing lots of information for nonfiction books, or
making sure that fictional characters are responding to situations in
ways that fit with that human psychology. Okay, it's fascinating
(03:33):
and we will talk to her about this work. But
first the news news story number one audiobook walking clubs. Yes,
(04:00):
that's the thing they take reading outside. So audiobook listeners
who like to walk need not walk alone. With encouragement
from books to gram you know what that is. That's
book clovers on Instagram like book talk for TikTok, but
(04:20):
this is obviously Instagram anyway. The books to Gram entrepreneurs
joined with independent bookstores and leadbroad dot FM. That's an
app for audio books, and now they're creating audiobook walking clubs.
So typically on one of these listeners meet at some
(04:41):
predetermined location with an audio book queued up that they've gotten,
you know, they bought or they got it on libby
the library app, and participants listen to the book of
their choice and or talk about it while they take
a not too demanding walk a conversational pace. They wrap
(05:02):
up someplace some and have a casual gathering where they
can make or hear book recommendations. So people are coming
month after month. They say. Word of mouth has been
very positive and organic. This started with some influencers in DC,
but now apparently they're thinking about expanding. Jesse, do I
(05:24):
remember that you said you listened to audiobooks sometimes.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
No, I'm actually a very rare audiobook listener. I can't
concentrate the way I would like to when someone's telling
it to me. I know, it's very weird. It's say
the work I do.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
So does this sound at all appealing to you?
Speaker 1 (05:40):
So Okay, let me get this straight. So people show up,
they have an audiobook they're listening to. It's a different
audiobook than what the rest of people are.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Like, I guess, so, I mean it would be too
regimented if everyone were listening to the thing.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
And then they walk for a I guess a predetermined
time listening to their audiobook with other people.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Listen.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
If it gets you out of the house and gets
you walk.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
In, great, It's like a walking club, except for people
who don't want to make conversations.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Yeah, which, you know, listen. I understand there are people
who don't want to make conversation. I do love the
idea of collective book listening, but like reading for me
is very like it's an intensive, one on one activity.
I don't need to also be around people because I'm
go'n feel weird and not having conversation with them. That
(06:30):
might just be me, but but I mean it's a
cool idea. This sounds very up the the same alley
of another story I heard recently of people just doing
collective scream outs. If you heard about this one start
in Chicago. People just all show up at the same time.
They go onto a bridge and they all just scream
into the void together for like thirty seconds and then dissipate,
(06:51):
and I'm like, that sounds great.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
So well, Lara, for a different take, I'm guessing I
don't know how how much you listen to audio books,
but I know you love to walk. Does this sound fun?
Are you going to start one?
Speaker 4 (07:07):
I'm usually distracted with my bird identifying app when I'm walking,
and I am a visual learner, and interestingly, like Jesse,
I do find it a little bit difficult to stay
focused on a a story when I'm just listening to it. However,
not everything is for every person, and I absolutely support
(07:32):
anyone who enjoys this gets them out, gets the moving
they're enjoying a book I have. I have no problem
with someone enjoying that. Spending time with people the way
that is comfortable for them sounds good to me.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
News story number two, fan fic court controversy. I knew
I couldn't say that without that's an US. Was that
close enough? Do you want to do it?
Speaker 5 (07:58):
No?
Speaker 2 (07:58):
You fanfic court.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Yeah that's a pre court controversy.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
It's a good uh mic test. Fan fic court controversy.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Yeah, yeah, three times fast.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Anyway, panfit, court controversy, fanfic, court cut, convercy, co conversy.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
I did not anticipate the direction this was going to
take anyway. The news story is indeed about fan fiction.
It's a book called Rose in Chain Chains, Rose in Chains,
which is part of this increasingly popular form of book
profitable too. It's fan fiction that's been previous for, written,
(08:38):
previously written for something like what pads someplace people post
and they can read it, and then they change it
a little bit to avoid being sued by whoever it
was originally about, or what it was based on, and
then they publish it. And you know, everybody listening probably
(08:58):
knows that fifty Shades of Grace started as Twilight fan fiction,
and now we have those books after ever After, Happily
ever After. That was originally Harry Styles fan fiction. Right,
So now we've got Rose in Chains in Controversy. It's
actually Harry Potter fan fiction. In this story Draco and Hermione. No, yeah, yeah, yeah,
(09:26):
it's about Draco and Hermione finding love in a world
where Voldemort wins. So it's but now it's changed. So
it's an original fantasy romance between characters Toven and Briany,
which is completely different. Okay, here's the problem, not that
(09:47):
this really sounds too close for comfort, but because it's
obviously Harry Potter fan fiction, people are attacking it, associating
it with JK. Rowling and so the that she has
made about trans people, and and so the argument they've
advanced is that this book is keeping Rowling's work relevant,
(10:14):
even though the author has never said anything controversial. She
got online criticism because her book was once formerly related
to Harry Potter. You see what I'm talking about. So
she was scheduled for this convention, and then because they
didn't want to court controversy, she dropped out, and then
(10:37):
others dropped out in support, and pretty soon half of
the authors so we're planning to attend have decided not to,
which has been a nightmare for Romance. Colm Laura, you
are the podcasts official Harry Potter news correspondence.
Speaker 6 (10:55):
Does this new title yes?
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Does this trouble seem fair to the woman Julie Soto
who wrote Rose and Chains?
Speaker 4 (11:07):
In my opinion, no, no, it isn't. I don't think
the work that she did should be torn down. There
are a lot of people who still enjoy those books
and have a lot of happy memories of those books,
(11:27):
and I suspect for this author, that's what this story
stemmed from. And it's unfortunate that it's being ruined in
some way. And don't get me wrong, I don't love
any of this stuff that's going off on the side,
but for me, it is off on the side.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
I don't It doesn't take away the joy that.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
I had with my kids in those.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
Books, right right exactly, Jesse, what do you think is
there any realistic way to separate the books from the author?
Speaker 1 (12:05):
I mean, first of all, yeah, it's fan fiction. It's
literally not written by her, literally, and they've changed the
characters and obviously didn't spend that much time on the
names change changing the characters. But that's nothing yet Miami, Yeah,
Jaco and h Jermione. No, like here, this is the thing,
(12:27):
Like people have anger and they want to express their
anger and something they express it in the wrong direction,
and this is this is wrong, this is not This
doesn't in any way hurt jk Rowling or stop people
from spending money on Harry Potter things. So if you
want to get mad someone, get mad jk Rowling, or
get mad at Warner Brothers for remaking the movies into
(12:47):
a TV show and then casting these people for ten
year contracts, of which I doubt the show will actually
make it that long. But you know who knows you
be mad where you should.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Be mad, nicely said, well done.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
All right, let's move on to Kraft Corner.
Speaker 7 (13:07):
Craft Corner. Everybody, it's John Myers from right Better together.
And look who I'm here with. I'm here with my
TC mile.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
Hello.
Speaker 6 (13:14):
Hello, I heard we're both going to be a writer
con this year.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
Oh yeah, it's going to be fun. I'm prepared. I'm
ready looking forward to meeting some of the most phenomenal
writers in the region.
Speaker 7 (13:28):
It's wonderful, it is. And one of the things that's
wonderful is that William Bernhard Bill likes to keep it
always positive and so even like critique sessions, he wants
there to be a positive slant. So every session has
a positive slant, because sometimes you go to writers' conferences
and it's like ten bad things.
Speaker 6 (13:50):
That you don't get that around.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
No, you can do that.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
It is a positive space. Absolutely, I agree.
Speaker 6 (13:55):
What are you going to be doing?
Speaker 2 (13:56):
So?
Speaker 5 (13:56):
I tell you, I'm so excited about the ask the
Agent Anything panel, and so that's an opportunity for writers
to come out and just basically as literary agents anything.
So I'm excited about that. I'm also excited about this year.
(14:18):
I have an opportunity to facilitate a workshop. It's pitch,
post and promote, and so in that it's really to
help I'm going to pour in all of my PR
exec and all of my college tools that I teach
(14:39):
at the university from a PR perspective, marketing perspective as
it relates to you know, how to use your content,
how to use your book as a tool as a
strategy to really elevate and build engagement through your shared
and your owned media. I mean, you're going to walk
(14:59):
a way with a strategy to help you do that,
to be able to do exactly what the title says, pitch,
post and promote. I'm excited about it.
Speaker 6 (15:08):
That's gonna be so great.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
I'm excited. It's gonna be fun. So I'm looking forward
to this year at writer Corn. What are you going
to be doing?
Speaker 7 (15:17):
First of all, I'm gonna switch this out. I'm gonna
put Bill's book up here, Okay, Bill, So I have
a couple sessions and then a masterclass. Let me tell
you about the sessions first, and then I want you
to go ooh.
Speaker 5 (15:33):
And okay, we got that.
Speaker 7 (15:35):
So the first one is called relatable versus relational, using
relationship theory to make your story more compelling. Oh and
I did if you guys watched a writer con podcast,
I did a craft corner about that one to give
you like a little sneak, a little three minute sneak.
Speaker 5 (15:53):
That's gonna be a good one.
Speaker 6 (15:54):
Yeah, thank you, You're gonna be good too.
Speaker 7 (15:57):
And then the other one is comfort content, the psychology
behind your audience's cravings and how to give them what
they want.
Speaker 5 (16:04):
Oh.
Speaker 7 (16:05):
Absolutely, and I'm also I'm I'm on a green Player
round table for writing.
Speaker 5 (16:13):
Yeah, for screenwriters, gonna be taking pitches.
Speaker 7 (16:16):
I'm gonna carey, I'm taking I'm gonna take pitches on
a memoir pieces and like a little short memoir like, uh,
well that ties into uh uh this uh masterclass. So
the master class is cherry picking twenty small moments from
your life, because a memoir isn't your life story stories
(16:38):
from your life, and you don't have to wait till
it's not an end of life of you can write
a memoir when you're twenty five. So you have twenty
stories that are compelling, and I'm gonna teach you how
how to get the get to the core of these
stories out of your life, and then how to arrange
(16:58):
them in a compelling way, how to then arrange them
in the book. And then I'm even going to tell
you how to market the book. And yeah, and in
the same way, because I'm gonna write a memoir next
year the same way that I'm going to market mine.
Speaker 6 (17:12):
And so you'll leave with a marketing plan.
Speaker 5 (17:14):
I love that. That's huge. That's very huge.
Speaker 7 (17:18):
And then the people in the masterclass, they'll get to
be in a cohort. My TC and I have talked
about the power of a cohort in a different episode,
And they'll be in a cohort in a private discord
group that we already run it right better together, and
they'll be able to trade their writings and get notes
from each other, and they can make what they want
(17:39):
of it.
Speaker 5 (17:41):
I love that, the power of cohorts.
Speaker 7 (17:44):
Yeah, so they take the master classes, they can be
in there for the rest of their life.
Speaker 5 (17:47):
Oh wow, that's phenomena all by itself.
Speaker 7 (17:51):
Once they register for the masterclass then all that other
extra stuff. They can stay in the cohort for the
rest of their life.
Speaker 5 (17:58):
Oh wow, so this is a life time access. I
love that. Just by coming and registering for Writer Colm
and being a part I think people should really get
excited and if they haven't already, go ahead and register
for Writer Come. I'm looking forward to seeing you there
and also the writers cool.
Speaker 6 (18:18):
All right, you means I get to see you on
b Yes.
Speaker 5 (18:21):
Absolutely absolutely, see you soon. All right, see you soon.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Now let's talk to Sidney Pruitt. Sidney Pruet, welcome to
the podcast.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Thanks for having me.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
It's a pleasure to have you here. Okay, usual first question,
if you could offer writers one piece of advice.
Speaker 6 (18:53):
What would it be.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
I think for me it would be having consistency and community,
which are two of the hardest things I think for
me as a writer as well. But the more consistent
you can be, and the more of a writer community
you have to help keep you consistent, the better you do.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
Okay, since you've practically set me up by mentioning groups
and whatnot, you're coming to writer Con, aren't you.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
I am, Yes, looking forward to it.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Yeah, we're looking forward to having you tell everyone what
you're going to be doing, or at least.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Some of it. So I will be leading a Yeah,
I'll be leading a breakout group at the conference called
Character Psychology one oh one. I am a licensed therapist
and I live with a lot of physical disabilities as well,
and so one of my pet peeves in writing is
when people write about mental illness or disabilities consistently or
(19:49):
inconsistently or incorrectly. So what I would like to do
is just go over the basic psychology behind why humans
act the way we do, how we respond in difficult situations,
how trauma or a culture can impact those things, and
then how to write about people who are from different
backgrounds cultures consistently and accurately. And so obviously it'll be
(20:11):
sort of an overview with him on a time that
we have at writers On, but I'm looking forward to
sharing that with everybody.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
H fantastic sounds great. Well, I would say that now
I'm going to totally mess up the schedule, and Laura
will just keep up because she's brilliant that way. But
you and I have worked together. The people who listen
to the podcast regularly know about my Superman book, The
Superman Wars, and at one point I was looking for
some more professional insight than I could provide on my
(20:43):
main historical character. You know, what's driving this guy, why
does he do this and that? And you were nice
enough to chip in. I sent you some pages and
some documents, and that was really terrific, very helpful.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Okay, I'm glad I was helpful for you. I enjoyed
reading through the pages that you sent and I'm looking
forward to reading the full project. That's a newer service
that I'm offering as a therapist is being a consultant
for authors. And so I've gotten to your book you
on that project. And then I worked with another fiction
author writing about of mental illness, so about to provide
(21:19):
some information for that. And then it helps still work
with an author on fiction book. I got to write, oh,
it's for her as well.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Great tell us. How did you get involved in therapy
in the first place.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
I'm one of the kind of weird people who just
has somewhat always known that's what I wanted to do.
I decided when I was about fourteen or fifteen that
I wanted to be a therapist. There was always the
friend that people would go to for advice, and I
liked being that person, but I wanted to make sure
that I was giving good advice, and so went straight
(21:54):
through college knowing that psychology was going to be my major,
and after getting into it for a while, I had
thought that I originally wanted to work with kids, and
did for sometimes several years, but during the pandemic, when
everything was virtual, I decided that working with kids was
not productive for any of us at that time since
(22:14):
we were all on the screens, and so I ended up
working with college agent and really loved it. So that's
what I primary now was college age or younger adults,
and I'm working with people who have OCD, which is
something I'm diagnosed with as well, but also people who
have experienced various forms of trauma.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
I think it's brilliant that you just knew exactly what
you wanted to do from such an early age. I
don't think that happens very often.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
It really doesn't. I don't know many people who have
that story with people shop around a little bit before deciding.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
Or just like too many things and don't know how
to focus. Yeah, you've written a lot of non fiction articles.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
Yes, some freelance writing, and have also written some personal
stories with my health issues. I had to have it
distract me when I was twenty six, and so I
have a story that's published about that experience. I have
an upcoming one for Suicide Awareness Month in September that
will be published. But I love sharing mental health and
(23:19):
disability stories and my own piction writing as well.
Speaker 4 (23:24):
And tell us how that can help writers.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
I'm sorry I lost you guys for a second.
Speaker 6 (23:29):
What was the question?
Speaker 4 (23:31):
Tell us how this can help other writers.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
So with your own experiences, I think it's important just
to be able to share the things you know we
always hear right way, you know, as an author, and
I think that incorporating that with my background as far
as the past gosit writer from it helps writers to
know how to incorporate the real life things. Why do
(23:57):
we act the way we do? Knowing that psychology, I
think helps to create deeper characters because a lot of
times writers do the right things when they're writing and
they don't know why, so the character actions will make sense,
but they don't necessarily know the science behind it. And
it's those little moments where things are inconsistent with psychology
that we don't necessarily know why as readers, but it
(24:19):
feels so if the writer can understand the background behind that,
it will help them to be able to not have
those little moments where the reader feels like something's just
not quite right.
Speaker 6 (24:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
No, that sounds like I would really tighten up the story.
That sounds very useful. I'm fascinated. I think I'm coming
to your session.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
I thought this was unique and interesting. That's why I
invited you to writer Con in the first place. I
was glad that you were able to come. So you're
also I'm sorry.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
Go ahead, sorry, I've I'm still I'm still enjoying talking
about the therapy.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
But you're a practitioner. VMDR Yes, EMDR and ERP are
my two main modalities that I use. So EMDR is
one of the leading forms of trauma therapy, and it's
unique in that it's not all talking back and forth
like we do with most other forms in therapy. It
uses a tapping method or sometimes you'll do eye movements
(25:15):
back and forth, and it stimulates both sides of your
brain so that it gets your logic and reasoning going,
but also the emotions, the past memories. But it keeps
you grounded in the present, and it helps your brain
to process the things that you've been through and file
away the things that are useful, but it sort of
deletes some of that unnecessary information that's keeping you for
feeling it and keeping you stuck in that situation. You
(25:38):
ever seen somebody who is sleeping and their eyes dart
back and forth. It's the same type of thing when
that happens, you're dreaming and your brain is processing. But
with EMDR, we get to choose what we're processing and
do that same type of work. And then the ERP
is for people who have OCD, it's exposure and response prevention,
(25:58):
and it helps expose them to some of the things
that are triggering or intrusive for them and prevent the
responses of the compulsion.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
Now, speaking of things you can do for writers, you
also handle sensitivity reads. Right, I think everybody on this
podcast knows what I'm talking about. Having your manuscript read
it in advance to ensure that you're not inadvertently possibly
offending someone.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
And I think the benefit of having a therapist do
the sensitivity read is as a therapist, we are required
to have a certain amount of continuing education each year,
and so every year I'm learning about. I primarily try
to focus mine around trauma for cultural awareness and sensitivity,
(26:49):
s aying someone who has more education every single year
about what terms are accurate, what terminology is appropriate at
this time, different things to look out for when writing
out disabilities or cultural differences or even different religions. Lots
of knowledge in that area, so I can help you
know what to look out for that a lot of
(27:10):
people might not think about.
Speaker 4 (27:14):
M On a completely unrelated note, but something that I
thoroughly enjoy talking about. You have three rescue dogs.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
You do, so I am didn't know that was coming. Huh.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
I surprised shirt right now. I don't know if you
guys can even see me, but copy dogs and mental health.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Ah, and there's Baxter barking. He approves totally. That's our
rescue dog anyway, Going love.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
That, Yeah, I had to. Going into my relationship, I'm
getting married next month, and I have Lilian Padson and
Lily is a Collei mix. Padfit is some sort of
like fake German shepherd mixed. He's very small, but he's
he looks like a German shepherd. And then we have Olive,
(28:02):
who is a blind, elderly toy poodle. So that was
my coming into the relationship.
Speaker 4 (28:09):
Nice. Yes, we have a rescue dog and then two
rescue cats.
Speaker 5 (28:13):
So really I.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
Would love a cat, but my dogs would not. You
would be surprised. You would be surprised. And we welcomed
our first cat in. We had concerns and doubts, and well,
thirty minutes forty five minutes, one of them was just like, cool,
there's a cat now, and the other one was just
following him around and just fascinated. It's surprising how they adapt. Yeah,
(28:39):
maybe I'll have to try it then.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
Okay, before this started, you got to hear Jesse and
I talked Star Trek. But you're a Disney Parks fan.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
I hear, yes, yeah, so Disney and Star Wars are
kind of my main fandoms that I have my fans. Actually,
I had had me cosplay on a dating app and
that was the picture that he liked. Very fun.
Speaker 4 (29:09):
Have you ever worked with any like Disney Park performers
or anything like that or do you just go and
play not in a working capacity.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Yeah, I just like to go and be there. My
sisters both worked for the parks, but they weren't formers.
They did attractions and hotel work and foods. Yeahs like that.
But they did the Disney College program. So Disney College.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
Yes, one of our daughters did the Disney College program,
so we're familiar.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Love that. Yeah, it's such a cool program. I wish
I had known about it when I was in college.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
Okay, Sydney, one last question. What are you working on now?
I hear a rumor that there is a novel somewhere
in the mix.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Yeah, So, like I said, I have an upcoming story
that will be an Okay see Pets magazine for next month.
So that's my little nonfiction project. I have a poetry
manuscript that I'm shopping around right now, and then I
am working on my first novel, so it'll be a
wrong com it's called conflict of interest, so I guess
(30:09):
keep your eyes close air Field for that. But it's
going to be a minute before that one's done.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
Sydney, thank you so much for being on the podcast.
Really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
Yes, thank you for having me. I'm looking forward to
Writer Con.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Yeah, to see you there. Find out Just one last reminder,
Writer Con August twenty one to September one in Oklahoma
(30:44):
City at the Scurven Hilton. You want to be there.
Laura and I are going to be there, and Jesse
will be there, and Sydney's going to be there, and
like sixty or seventy other writers, agents, publishers and other
people connected to the publishing industry will be there. You
don't want to miss miss this. Take the chance to
(31:06):
do your writing career favor. Our website is writercon dot com.
Let me also remind you that writer Con has its
own newsletter and it's totally free, so why would you
want to miss that? Where at substack? Just go there
and search for writer Con and sign up doesn't cost
(31:27):
you penny. You can join the writer Con Facebook group,
I mean, why haven't you do it now? And enjoin
this really wonderful community of writers posting almost every day.
It's a great group of people. All right, until next time,
keep writing and remember you cannot fail if you refuse
(31:49):
to quit. See you next time, be at a
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