Writing Roots

S34E9 – Two Publishing Paths: Pros and Cons

The path to publishing a book is never the same for different authors. It varies widely depending on the author, their genre, the book itself, and often the connections the author has to the publishing world. The two main options are self-publishing (also known as indie publishing) and traditional publishing. Neither is better than the other, especially in today’s world where easy access has broken down the barriers that kept many from seeing their words in print even just one decade ago.
Our hosts revisit the topic of traditional and self-publishing to discuss what they’ve learned since they first covered the topic, and the major advantages and disadvantages to each.
First aired August 29, 2022.
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S34 Bonus – Elements of a Villain

No story is complete without an antagonist. They don’t need to be the classic, mustache-twirling villain, but there needs to be some point of conflict for the main characters. The best way to do that is through setting up a character to be their antithesis.
A good villain comes with a few key characteristics. They need to have a reason for their villainy, a reasonable backstory, and some kind of tie to the hero that pits them against each other. But a good villain has more than that. In this episode, we take a look at how to build a villain that will best help your story.
First aired August 27, 2022.
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S34E8 – How to Know When to Stop

Writing is a difficult journey. Not every story will come easily and quickly. Sometimes it’s a fight to get the words onto the page. This is why it’s important for writers to know when to stop.
There will be times when putting aside a story is actually the best thing to do. You may return to it, or you may not. Either is fine. But there is no benefit to pushing through a story you aren’t enjoying. You won’t learn the lessons you need to learn because you simply won’t care enough.
In this episode, we revisit the topic of stopping, and break down when and how to put a pause on a manuscript so you can stay on the right track.
First aired August 25, 2022.
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S34E7 – Imposter Syndrome and Your Writing Skills

Are you a good writer? This is a topic we wanted to revisit because it’s a question that revisits every writer through their career. There is always doubt and question about skill level, whether the writing is good or interesting, and the constant habit of comparing to best-selling novels. It is unfortunate that often the better we are, the worse we feel about our skill.
In this episode, our hosts talk about their struggles with imposter syndrome, the times they feel their writing wasn’t good enough, and how they overcome the constant doubts.
First aired August 22, 2022.
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S34E6 – Writing Humor and Comedy

Comedy is an essential part of most writing. Even if you aren’t focusing on it as a genre, some humor can go a long way in helping readers enjoy your book even more.
We decided to take a second look at this topic (well, technically third, since there were two previous episodes about it). In this new episode, we take a deeper look at what humor is, and the ingredient to help craft the perfect moments in your story.
First aired August 18, 2022.
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S34E5 – The Rule of Three in Writing

Humans like the number three. Political, religious, societal, and even superstitious structures are often divided into threes. It’s the smallest number needed to establish a pattern that can be broken. You want to keep three in mind while writing. Not only can it be fundamental to your story structure, but even to your sentence structures.
In this episode, Ley and Leigh take another look at the rule of three in regards to how it can be used in writing. From a single sentence to make a point, to the structure as a whole, authors should be considering their story in threes.
First aired August 15, 2022.
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S34E4 – What’s in a (Book’s) Name?

Book titles are vital for sales. A title that’s too generic won’t catch a reader’s attention. A title that’s too far from the genre trends will mislead and draw in the wrong readers. A boring title won’t draw in any readers.
Continuing our redo series, we’re taking a closer look at how to name a book. Our hosts look at what works, what to keep in mind, and the best practices for finding a title that fits your book.
First aired August 11, 2022.
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S34E3 – What’s in a (Pen)Name?

Pennames are a hot topic in the writing world. There are a lot of reasons to have one, but just as many to use your own name. The name you publish under is your brand. It’s important to remember that if you want to build a following that will read your content across multiple books.
Stephen King, using a penname (Richard Bachman) was proving he could be successful without relying on his public image. For other authors, it’s a way to conceal their gender in a preferential market. For yet others, it’s about picking a name that will be memorable for the readers.
In this episode, our hosts dive back into the topic of names. We look at the reasons for pennames, and how to pick one (if you need to) that will stand out in the market.
First aired August 8, 2022.
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S34E2 – Plotting vs. Pantsing, Take Two

Plotting or pantsing? It’s a question of how you decide to take on your writing project. Are you more of an architect who builds out a story before you write it, or are you a gardener who cultivates the story as it grows? Knowing which style best suits you can help you maximize your writing adventures.
When we started this podcast, Leigh was a pantser, while Ley was a plotter. In the last few years, both have grown and adapted elements of the other styles. That has helped Leigh publish two books, while Ley has embraced the knowledge that sometimes the story needs to change.
In this episode redux, we take a look at what plotting and pantsing means, how our stances have changed, and give a bit of advice on how to discover the right balance for you.
First aired August 4, 2022.
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S34E1 – The Lessons We’ve Learned

Writing is a never-ending learning process. In the three years since we started this podcast, we at Writing Roots have grown in our individual writing journeys. That also means that we know a lot more now than we did when we started. To celebrate our anniversary and starting our fourth year, we decided to take a look at some of those old episodes and see what we could improve with our new knowledge.
These years of podcasting have been a journey. Both of our hosts have made major accomplishments and even changed some of their processes to improve their writing. Leigh, who started this podcast as an editor, has joined the ranks of published authors. Ley has continued to publish, but is learning to change how she approaches the later drafts of her works.
In this episode, the hosts talk about the podcast, how their perspectives have changed, and some of the lessons they have learned as they’ve grown in the writing careers.
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