Writing and Editing

289. Ethical Storytelling with Dante Terese

14 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor Dante Terese talks about what ethical storytelling means, the uses of "good versus evil" in narratives, and the differe...

288. Environmental Themes in Literature with Kate Brandes

10 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and geologist Kate Brandes discusses creative writing from a scientist's perspective, the current trend of environmental lit...

287. How to Be an Authortunist with Angela Yuriko Smith

03 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAward-winning poet, author, and publisher Angela Yuriko Smith discusses how to find unique opportunities writers might not have realized...

286. Writing Short Stories to a Theme with Patrick Barb

26 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and editor Patrick Barb tells listeners what goes into making a collection or anthology around a theme, how to assemble short sto...

285. Myths, Fairy Tales, and Memoir with Elisabeth Sharp McKetta

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and professor Elisabeth Sharp McKetta discusses how to create memoir using fairy tale, why you should do it, and how to give your...

284. How to Start Your Novel with Donna Levin

19 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and teacher Donna Levin talks about advice for beginning your book, what it means to "just write," and gives tips for g...

283. Is ​Formal ​Writing ​Training ​Necessary ​for ​Writing ​Success? With Paul Brooks

12 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and Page Turnerz host Paul Brooks talks about whether formal training for writers is necessary and how you can kickstart your wri...

282. Editing for EFL Writers with Mekiya Outini

05 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAward-winning author and editor Mekiya Outini discusses the differences in editing for EFL writers, why editing should be a collaborativ...

281. Reasons to Join a Writing Group with Tiffany Aurora

29 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor Tiffany Aurora discusses the differences between a writing group and a critique group, the benefits of a writing group, and what ...

280. Creating Characters Who Inspire with DiAnn Mills

22 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor DiAnn Mills explains the importance of fleshed-out characters and character flaws, and how to create a compelling narrative journ...

279. Writing Middle Grade Fiction with Polly Holyoke

15 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and teacher Polly Holyoke talks about what middle grade fiction is, how to successfully develop a middle grade story, and why it ...

278. What is Flash Fiction? With Veronica Klash

08 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and editor Veronica Klash talks about what is flash fiction, its importance, and how flash fiction can improve your writing skill...

277. The Importance of Vulnerability in Memoir with Christopher Morris

01 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor Christopher Morris discusses his memoir We Are All Made of Scars, and the benefits and challenges of writing memoir.▬Check out ...

276. How to Turn Your Book into a Movement with Jennifer Jane Young

25 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and life coach Jennifer Jane Young discusses how she created a movement, what a movement is, and how you can make your book into ...

275. What to Know About RARE with Frankie Diane Mallis

18 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor Frankie Diane Mallis discusses the worldwide reader event RARE, what you can expect from these events, and some unexpected discov...

274. Keeping Up the Pace with Ryan Steck

11 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and Book Spy Ryan Steck discusses pacing, how it has evolved, and gives tips on how to set the best pace for your book.▬Check o...

273. Writing Dystopian Fiction with Liz Shipton

04 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and pirate Liz Shipton discusses writing dystopian fiction, the tropes embedded within the genre, and why readers still enjoy it....

272. How to Bring Your Setting to Life with Cheryl Grey Bostrom

27 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and photographer Cheryl Grey Bostrom discusses how to write setting without cliches and the effects of characters on setting.▬V...

271. How to Strive for Excellence in Your Storytelling with Steven James

20 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textBestselling author Steven James discusses his insights on storytelling, structure, and the craft of writing.▬Visit Steven's websi...

270. Working with a Small Press with Ari Rosenschein

13 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and musician Ari Rosenschein discusses the pros, cons, and fun facts about working with a small press that can help your writing ...

269. How to Write About a Music Scene with Jean Burgess

06 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor Jean Burgess discusses how to incorporate music into your book, what research goes into it, and reveals a few secrets about her b...

268. Writing With Inclusion with Tonya Todd

30 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor, actress, and activist Tonya Todd talks about how to write with inclusivity, include it in your work, and how it can affect the r...

267. How to Write About an Iconic Historical Figure with Phil Gramlich

23 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textPodcaster, travel agent, and author Phil Gramlich discusses his book Walt & His Park, and tips on how he wrote about the famed figur...

266. The Specificity of Language with Eli Burnstein

16 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor Eli Burnstein discusses the nuances of language and how he dives into the details in his new book Dictionary of Fine Distinctions...

265. Event Review: AwesomeCon with Kenton Kilgore and Taylor

09 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor Kenton Kilgore, Jennia, and her PA Taylor review the highs and lows of D.C.'s AwesomeCon from both a vendor and attendee per...

264. Research Tips for Nonfiction Writers with Susan Day

02 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and mindful arts therapist Susan Day tells her tips and tricks for researching when it comes to nonfiction and why it's impo...

263. Folklore and Fairy Tales with Vanessa Rogers

25 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWriter and podcaster Vanessa Rogers discusses the common misconceptions of fairy tales, folk tales, and folklore and how they are still ...

262. What is Urban Fantasy? With Carina Steinbakk

18 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and project engineer Carina Steinbakk discusses the nuances of urban fantasy, how it compares to other fantasy subgenres, and her...

261. What is Fantasy? With Richie Billing

15 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and podcaster Richie Billing talks all things fantasy--how it's defined, the sub genres, and what you should take into consi...

260. Working with a Co Author, with Lillah Lawson and Lauren Emily Whalen

11 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor Lillah Lawson and Lauren Emily Whalen discuss the keys to successful co-authoring and their first co-author venture with their bo...

259. How Minimalism is Linked to the Creative Process with Bastien Siebman

04 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a text Author, web developer, and Asana Pro Bastien Siebman discusses how minimalism can generate creativity and reframe productivity. ▬Che...

258. Editing Essentials #10: What is a Book Coach?

01 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textDayna Reidenouer is back talking about book coaching, what it is, what they do, and if you should hire one.▬Dayna's sitehttps://w...

257. How Sharing Your Story Can Boost Your Personal and Professional Goals with Keith McNally

28 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textContent warning: Mentions of suicideDoctor of education and professor Keith McNally discusses the impact of sharing your story on person...

256. How to Create Animal Characters For an Older Audience with Kenton Kilgore

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor Kenton Kilgore talks about writing animal characters for older audiences and how to make them believable.In a Writing and Editing...

255. Self-Care for Writers with Finnian Burnett

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and educator Finnian Burnett talks about why self-care matters and how writers can practice it.▬Visit Finnian's website:ht...

254. Writing About Grief from Losing a Beloved Animal with Maribeth Decker

14 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a text*Content Warning: Topics of pet death and griefAuthor Maribeth Decker talks about her book Peace in Passing, discusses her work as an an...

253. Demystifying the Publishing Process with Deborah Kevin

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textEditor and Chief Inspiration Officer Deborah Kevin discusses the publishing process and pulls the cover off the differences between trad...

252. Using Letters To Enrich Your Family History with Kevin O'Connor

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and speaker Kevin O'Connor discusses using family letters dated all the way back to the 1930s in his book Two Floors Above G...

251. Comics 101 with Carl Shinyama

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textComics author and editor Carl Shinyama discusses the process of editing comics, how it differs from novel editing, and a special upcomin...

250. Editing Essentials 9: Style Sheets and Sample Edits

15 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textEditor Dayna Reidenouer is back to discuss the purpose of style sheets and sample edits and explains how they can impact the publishing ...

249. All About the Neurodivergent Publishing Conference with Ellis Prybylski

08 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and editor Ellis Prybylski talks about their accessible Neurodivergent Publishing Conference that welcomes writers, editors, and ...

248. What is Ooligan Press? With Jackie Krantz

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textEditor and Ooligan Press alum Jackie Krantz discusses the Portland State University book publishing program that has a trade publishing ...

247. Why Is Imposter Syndrome So Common? With Veronica Kirin

01 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor and cofounder of Anodyne Magazine Veronica Kirin discusses imposter syndrome in the literary world and gives tips on what to expe...

246. Get Signed with Lucinda Halpern

25 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textLiterary agent and author Lucinda Halpern discusses her book Get Signed and the do's and don'ts when searching for an agent.▬...

245. The Rest is History with Harrison Stockeland

18 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor Harrison Stockeland talks about how he adds historical elements and uses the most of his resources to create his page-turning sto...

244. I Dread Hearing From You with Zilla Novikov

11 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAuthor Zilla Novikov discusses her novel Query and its reflections on the querying process while trying to break into the publishing ind...

243. Editing Essentials 8: How to Find an Editor and What to Look For

08 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textJennia talks with fellow editor and good friend Dayna Reidenouer about the process of finding an editor, including where to search, the ...

242. How to Support the Author in Your Life with Jeffrey Stevens

06 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textIn the first episode of 2024, Jeffrey Stevens, husband of author Lara Buckheit, talks about how to support the authors in our lives.▬L...

241. Plotting, Plotting, and More Plotting with KJ Warawa

21 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textIn the last episode of 2023, author KJ Warawa discusses plotting and writing processes. Happy holidays!▬KJ's Site:https://www.kjw...

240. From Screenwriter to Novelist with Jennifer Manocherian

15 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textScreenwriter and novelist Jennifer Manocherian chats about the trajectory of her career and the transition of her writing genres.▬Jenn...

239. Magic Realism and Fabulism

07 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWayne's guest for this episode is Lâle Davidson, and the topic is just as it says on the tin: magic realism and fabulism.▬Lâle&...

238. Irony, Art, and the Art of Irony

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWayne is solo today and he talks about a concept that he and his co-host Jennia D’Lima were discussing recently—important in approac...

237. Standardizing Profit and Loss Statements in American Publishing

22 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textJennia D’Lima talks to Jackie Krantz, who discusses the paper she wrote at Portland State University as part of her publishing degree....

236. Writing and Teaching and Learning about the World

20 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest on today’s episode is Leigh Shulman, who writes and who teaches writing. She’s also led an interesting life, part of it ins...

235. The Professor, the Curious Podcaster, and the Best Novel Ever Written

16 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest on today’s episode is Professor Stephen Blackwell, who teaches at the University of Tennessee Knoxville in the US. His schola...

234. You Can Start It, Write It, and Finish It If ...

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textOn today’s episode Jennia D’Lima interviews Tim Vandehey about the book he’s co-written, Swipe: The Science Behind Why We Don’t ...

233. Digitizing a 250-Year-Old Dictionary of English

09 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textBeth Young is an associate professor in the English department at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, United States. ...

232. Wayne Chats with the Narrator of His Audiobook

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWayne published My Sam Johnson: A Biography for General Readers on October 24, 2023 (in paperback and ebook). The audiobook version, nar...

231. Editing Essentials 7: The Human Side of Editing

03 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textJennia and Wayne talk about the importance of paying attention not only to the structure and style and punctuation, but also to the pers...

230. A Frightful Festivity

30 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textJennia D'Lima is the host today, and her guest is Harry Carpenter, founder of Fright Reads.___Fright Reads Book Festivalhttps://www...

229. To Speculate or Not to Speculate

26 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textJennia's guests are Lillah Lawson and Tim Coman, both writers of speculative fiction.▬Lillah's Websitehttps://lillahlawson.w...

228. Reporting the Facts as You See Them and the Elusive Truth

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWayne talks to journalist Sean Carberry about writing and reporting for all sorts of media, and about the media ethos today in general.▬...

227. Editing Essentials 6: Developmental Editing

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textJennia and I talk about one of her specialities today.

226. You Have to Write It and Edit It Before You Can Perform It

16 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Alfie Noakes, who’s a standup comedy MC and coach based in London.►We Are Funny Projecthttps://www.wearefunnyproje...

225. A Literary Magazine, a Woke Editor, and the Indigenous Issue

12 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWayne is solo today, talking about some important writing issues that are reflected in the title.

224. Teaching and Writing Virtually and in the Classroom

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textBefore I get started with the interview with my guest today, I have a happy announcement to make … Jennia D’Lima, whom you’ve hear...

223. So, I’ve Published a Book: How Do I Launch and Promote It?

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Lauren Erickson. She’s an author who’s written a memoir, her (as the subtitle has it) “Summertime Chronicles of ...

222. Editing Essentials 5: Editing Agreements between the Editor and the Author

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy co-host for the series on Editing Essentials, the great Jennia D’Lima, is back for another episode. Our topic is contracts, that is...

221. The Path of a Mystery Writer and Teacher

28 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Liz Mugavero. Her writing career, and finding her creative niche, have been interesting. She wrote from an early age, ...

220. Podcasting Requires a Lot of Writing

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Alex Sanfilippo. Alex is an entrepreneur and the CEO and founder of PodPros, a software company focused on the podcast...

219. Editing Essentials 4: Editing and the Author’s Voice

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy co-host for the series on Editing Essentials, the great Jennia D’Lima, is back for another episode. Our topic is the author’s voi...

218. Getting Under Your Skin: A Conversation about Horror

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Miles Tritle. He is the writer and narrator of The Warning Woods, a podcast of horror stories. He’s also published t...

217. Drawing Conclusions and Not Just Writing Summaries

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Ashton Rodenhiser. Ashton sometimes describes herself as a professional doodler, and she has published a book called T...

216. Simple Creative Copy, Creative Writing, and Life in General

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Stephanie Cansian. She runs a small copywriting agency called Say It Simply, but along the line she had an epiphany th...

215. Your Website, Front and Back

07 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Charles Johnston, who is a writer and blogger with an interest in anything tech. He’s also got years of experience w...

214. How to Copy Edit Fiction the Chicago Way

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Amy J. Schneider. Amy is a copy editor and proofreader, and most recently an author as well: her book is The Chicago G...

213. In Fiction, Crime Can Pay and Be Funny, Too

31 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a texthi, I’m Wayne Jones. Welcome to Writing & Editing, the podcast about books and language, for people who write, edit, read, or list...

212. Writing Across Genres in Fiction and Non

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Natasha Tynes. She is a Jordanian-American author and communications professional based in Washington, DC, and also ho...

211. Editing Essentials 3: I’m Sorry, I’ll Need to See Some Proofs First

24 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWelcome to Writing & Editing, the podcast about words and language, for people who write, edit, read, or listen. This is the third e...

210. Getting Certified as a Book Coach

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Kathy Otten. Kathy has published fiction in many forms and genres, and has won awards for her writing. She teaches wri...

209. Learning to Talk about the Words on the Page

17 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Susan Murphy. Susan has worked in broadcasting for over 40 years. A radio news director. A TV news reporter. And, as s...

208. I’m Sure I Can Finish This without Cleaning the House First, Right?

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Cathy Perez. Among many other accomplishments and abilities, Cathy is a Worldwide Certified KonMari Organizing Consult...

207. The Craft of Writing Children’s Books

10 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Tonya Ellis. She’s a children’s author who has independently sold over 150,000 books in her Sophie Washington chap...

206. Editing Essentials 2: Why You Need an Editor

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textThis is the second episode of the series called “Editing Essentials” that I am doing with my co-host, Jennia D’Lima. Jennia is a f...

205. How to Be Better at Freelancing

03 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Rai Cornell. She has worked in  copywriting, content creation, and web development for 15 years, and now runs a succe...

204. On a Mission to Help Struggling and Reluctant Readers

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Danny Brassell. He’s a former inner-city school teacher in the US, and now does many things as a writer, coach, and ...

203. Editing Essentials 1: Copy Editing and Line/Stylistic Editing

27 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textI’m thrilled to say that this is the premiere of a series of episodes called “Editing Essentials” that I will be doing with my co-...

202. Creativity, Self-editing, and the Practical Aspects of Just Writing

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Michael Stangeland. He published a sci-fi novel earlier this year called Junkworld: The Ballad of Leroy Brown. We talk...

201. “Writing It Down in Pen or Pencil First”: Making and Editing Funny

20 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Haji Outlaw, who is a former touring standup comedian, and now is a comedy writer, and has written a series of books c...

200. Vive la Différence: Teaching and Coaching English Speakers in French

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Angel Pretot. He’s a teacher and coach for people who want to learn French. He’s written two novels in French, but...

199. Reading and Improving Myself

13 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is David McBee. David is a podcast host, children’s book author, and public speaker. He’s read a lot of self-improvem...

198. Making Complicated Things Easy to Understand

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Cleoniki Kesidis. Cleoniki is a freelance copywriter who writes marketing materials for various clients. As she puts i...

197. Is It the Story or the Words That Really Count?

06 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Fernanda Barajas. She’s a copywriter who does work for several different companies. She also hosts a podcast, and wr...

196. After Snorting Crank for Three Days

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Mary Beth O’Connor. She’s a retired judge now, but in January she published a personal memoir that was far from le...

195. My Bonds and Mutual Funds Are Doing Great, but My Stonks Are Way Down

29 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textI’m solo today and the topic is the English language, specifically one of its very recent words: stonk. It’s a nice case study of on...

194. Prompting You to Keep a Journal

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textBefore I start the show and the conversation with my guest, I want to let you know that I’m changing the frequency of the podcast from...

193. Foster Parent, Lawyer, and Writer

22 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Debbie Ausburn, who says that she makes a living as a lawyer but what she does with her life is, as she puts is, “ta...

192. Not Just a Lesson, but Fun and Funny Too

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Steph Katzovi. She has a law degree, but she has spent most of her career as a speechwriter and strategic communicatio...

191. Being in Politics and Writing about Politics

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Robin Schepper. For more than thirty years, she served at the highest levels of American politics and government, incl...

190. What Was COVID Anyway?

10 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textMy guest today is Michael Wallach. He’s a screenwriter, but he’s also now produced a timely documentary about COVID-19, calling it a...