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Amy Collins is asked: If you could give aspiring writers one piece of advice, what would it be? How to put yourself on the path to becoming a successful author. What should I do every day if I want to be a better writer? What are the top three things that should be on my writing checklist?   Amy Collins is the President of New Shelves Books, one of the best-known book sales and marketing agencies in the US. In the last 20 years Amy and her team have sold over 40 million books into the bookstore, library, and chain store market for small and mid-sized publishers.

Annalisa speaks with Cat Zappa, Publisher and Executive Vice President of Film & Television at Dreamscape Media about: How to publish your manuscript not only as a book, but across multiple media. In this episode, you’re going to learn: How to publish your manuscript not only as a book, but across multiple media How to pitch your book so it will be made into a movie How an agent with the right connections can help negotiate multiple rights--including film deals for you  You’ll want to be sure to download the free resource guide, Expand Your Influence with Cat Zappa, to learn the strategy it takes to get your book published in print, audio, film--and more!, so take a minute and download the free resource guide at www.writing-gym.com/expand. Don’t forget the dash!  Cat Zappa is the Publisher & Executive Vice President of Film and Television at Dreamscape Media. She has nearly 20 years of publishing and entertainment experience. Prior to her current role, Cat was the Director of Sales at HarperCollins Christian Publishing for close to a decade.

If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring authors, with author Vivian Jamieson. What is good feedback? How to get the right feedback? How do I get the feedback that pushes you forward as a writer?

Annalisa speaks with Sonee Singh, writer of commercial women’s fiction and member of the Writing Gym about gaining clarity on writing projects, investing in your writing, and more! In this episode, you’re going to learn: How to apply concepts you learn at conferences and workshops to your writing How to get clarity with your writing project  How to get over the hesitation to make an investment in yourself as a writer You’ll want to be sure to download the free resource guide, Get Clarity with Sonee Singh for this episode that will walk you through how to gain the clarity you need to publish time and time again, so take a minute and download the free resource guide at www.writing-gym.com/clarity. Don’t forget the dash!  Sonee Singh is an upcoming author and member of the Writing Gym. She is currently writing a commercial women’s fiction novel and poetry. 

What is the difference between hybrid and traditional publishing? What publishing route should I take? What is the difference between a hybrid publisher and vanity press? How do I recognize a vanity press?

How do I know my audience? How do I write a children's book? Children's book author Mike Bender is asked to give one piece of advice to aspiring writers.

From our favorite writing coach to you, please join Annalisa in celebrating the holiday season. A special reading of 'A Visit by St. Nicholas' by Clement Clarke Moore Happy Holidays everyone.  See you in the new year.

How do I become a better writer? How do I improve my writing skills? NYT best selling author, Brandon Webb is asked to give one piece of advice to aspiring writers.

Annalisa speaks with Jenny Baumgartner, Senior Acquisitions Editor at Nelson Books at HarperCollins Christian Publishing about her role as an acquisitions editor, the amount of editing needed to get your book to be a New York Times Bestseller, and more!   In this episode, you’re going to learn: How to move forward after an offer is made on your book at the publishing house   How to work with multiple editors to get your book to New York Times-Bestseller status     How to do your research on successful books in the market in your genre     You’ll want to be sure to download the free resource guide, Behind the Scenes at a Publishing House, for this episode that will walk you through how to prepare yourself for the publishing process, so take a minute and download our free resource guide at www.writing-gym.com/hurdles. Don’t forget the dash!  Jenny Baumgartner is the Senior Acquisitions Editor at Nelson Books, a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. She’s been in Christian publishing since 1998 and has edited both nonfiction and fiction, partnering with many award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors, including the #1 New York Times bestseller, Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis and the newly released A Serial Killer’s Daughter by Kerri Rawson.

-How much exposition is enough? -How do I know if I have too much exposition? -How do I find balance in my novel? In this week's Tuesday Writing Tip Annalisa answers the question, How do know if I have the right amount of exposition? 

Annalisa speaks with Aaron Finegold, Writing Gym member and novelist about drafting query letters, convincing agents to ask for a full manuscript, and more!  In this episode, you’re going to learn:   How to write an attention-grabbing query letter How to do your manuscript justice with a high quality publication package      The exact step-by-step strategy we use to walk authors through the synopsis-writing process    You’ll want to be sure to download the free worksheet, Writing the Perfect Query Letter, for this episode that will walk you through how to implement these concepts in your own writing life, so take a minute and download it at www.writing-gym.com/full . Don’t forget the dash! Aaron Finegold is an author and member of the Writing Gym. He has written a 90,000 word debut novel, Another Form. He has been published in McKinsey Quarterly. 

-How do I get my characters to behave? -How come my characters will not stick to my outline? -How do I figure out what kind of writer I am? In this week's Tuesday Writing Tip Annalisa answers the question, How do you find your Best Writer?  

Annalisa speaks with Carey Nelson Burch, owner and consultant of My Own Shingle, about how to find the right agent to maximize your publication and media rights, how to advocate for your manuscript in the publishing industry, and how to find the right professional partners for your creative work. In this episode, you’re going to learn: How to Expand your writing dream and your creative reach How to advocate for your manuscript in the publishing industry  How to find the right professional partners for your creative work You’ll want to be sure to download the free resource guide, How to Publish your Novel Across Multiple Media, for this episode that will walk you through the multiple media your manuscript can take in addition to a published book. Take a minute and download our free resource guide at www.writing-gym.com/EXPAND. Don’t forget the dash!  Carey Nelson Burch is the Owner of My Own Shingle where she consults for several companies while managing a handful of screenwriters, authors and influencers. Previously she was a packaging agent at William Morris Endeavor for over twelve years and an Executive at NBC in Los Angeles. Carey currently serves on the boards of the Nashville Film Festival, Belmont’s Film & TV Advisory Committee, and Film Com.

-How do I create plot? -How do I create character sketches? -How do I deal with fears of writing? -How do I deal with my inner critic? In this week's Tuesday Writing Tip Annalisa answers the question, How do you find your Best Writer?  

Annalisa speaks with Stephen Oliver, Writing Gym member and prolific science fiction and fantasy novelist about turning publication dreams into reality, the Writing Gym’s approach to editing manuscripts, and more!   In this episode, you’re going to learn:   How writers turn their publication dreams into reality That rejections aren’t necessarily a bad thing About the Writing Gym’s unique approach to editing your manuscript     You’ll want to be sure to download the free resource guide, How To Get a Publishing Deal, for this episode that will walk you through the magic of dreaming big, and why there’s no better time than the present to pursue your writing goals, so take a minute and download resource guide at www.writing-gym.com/dreambig. Don’t forget the dash!  Stephen Oliver is a member of the Writing Gym and a science fiction and fantasy novelist. He was previously a software engineer, but he always knew he was destined to become an author. Join us in celebrating Stephen!

How do I write believable characters? What if character outlines aren't working for me? How can I finally finish writing this book well? In this week's Audio Writing Tip, Annalisa answers the question, "What is the best way to develop characters?"  

Annalisa speaks with Sara Wigal, Director of Publishing at Belmont University about the timeline of a book getting published and what publicity and marketing for your books looks like, and more!   In this episode, you’re going to learn: What happens behind the scenes from the moment your manuscript is accepted to the time your book is published.  How a publishing house really supports and markets your book. What’s really expected of you, the author, in terms of marketing your book You’ll want to be sure to download the free worksheet, The End is Only the Beginning, for this episode that will walk you through how to implement these concepts in your own writing life, so take a minute and download it at www.writing-gym/dive. Don’t forget the dash!  Sara Wigal is an Assistant Professor of Media Studies and Director of Publishing at Belmont University. She is also the Fundraising Chair for the Next Chapter Society which supports the programming made possible by the Nashville Public Library Foundation. Wigal has been published by The Tennessean, Publishers Weekly, and Writer's Digest.

Are you a 'Pantser' or a 'Plotter'?  Do you explore through action or do you write a character sketch?  Maybe there is a deeper question at hand, how do you find your best writer? In this week's Tuesday Writing Tip Annalisa answers the question, What is the best way to develop character?  

Annalisa speaks with Barbara Pattee, Writing Gym member and author about the importance of encouraging feedback, her growth as a writer since joining the Writing Gym, and more! In this episode, you’re going to learn:   the importance of encouraging feedback that perseverance is key to your writing     That a positive relationship with your writing can influence all parts of your life   You’ll want to be sure to download the free worksheet, Never Give Up On Your Writing, for this episode that will walk you through how to implement these concepts in your own writing life, so take a minute and download it at www.writing-gym/nevergiveup. Don’t forget the dash!  Barbara Pattee is a Writing Gym member and author. She has previously published poetry, short stories, and memoir pieces.  It’s Worth the Struggle: Inspiration for Contemporary Writers  “On the Shores of Detroit”  Writer’s Digest Conference See Barbara demonstrate the book the she’s reading (youtube)

Writers are often looking for resources to improve their writing or improve success with query submission. But how do you know what resources to use? How valuable is something that is provided for free? More often than not, what you put in is what you get out. If your writing career is truly important to you, you don't want to shortchange it.  In this week's Tuesday Writing Tip, Annalisa answers the question, "How do I find reliable resources to move towards publication?"