More Than Words: Avoid Clichés
Craft, Writing, Novel Draft, Novel Editing, Picture Book Draft, Picture Book Editing, Nonfiction Draft, Nonfiction Editing, ER/CB Draft, ER/CB Editing, Freelance Draft, Freelance Editing, Memoir Draft, Memoir Editing Kristen Overman Craft, Writing, Novel Draft, Novel Editing, Picture Book Draft, Picture Book Editing, Nonfiction Draft, Nonfiction Editing, ER/CB Draft, ER/CB Editing, Freelance Draft, Freelance Editing, Memoir Draft, Memoir Editing Kristen Overman

More Than Words: Avoid Clichés

As writers, we know we should try to avoid clichés and stereotypes. But you might not think of unique imagery as you’re writing your first draft, so you drop in a cliché as a placeholder. When revisiting a manuscript to self-edit, though, many writers often overlook the cliché that’s right in front of them: the clichéd image.

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Episode 2: Ryan Van Cleave, Nonfiction Writer and Writing Teacher
Marketing, Market, Audience, Memoir Publishing, Nonfiction Publishing, Memoir Draft, Nonfiction Draft, Nonfiction Outline, Memoir Outline Mary Kole Marketing, Market, Audience, Memoir Publishing, Nonfiction Publishing, Memoir Draft, Nonfiction Draft, Nonfiction Outline, Memoir Outline Mary Kole

Episode 2: Ryan Van Cleave, Nonfiction Writer and Writing Teacher

A podcast all about nonfiction book proposals, nonfiction article pitching, and strategically growing your writing career, including a ton of tips for that ever-intimidating concept of marketing yourself and your writing.

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The Core of a Story with Roz Morris
Writing, Character, Audience, Craft, Novel Idea, Novel Draft, Novel Publishing, Novel Outline, Novel Editing, Memoir Draft, Memoir Editing, Memoir Publishing, Memoir Idea, Freelance Draft, Freelance Idea, Freelance Publishing, Nonfiction Idea, Picture Book Idea, Short Story Idea, Memoir Outline Mary Kole Writing, Character, Audience, Craft, Novel Idea, Novel Draft, Novel Publishing, Novel Outline, Novel Editing, Memoir Draft, Memoir Editing, Memoir Publishing, Memoir Idea, Freelance Draft, Freelance Idea, Freelance Publishing, Nonfiction Idea, Picture Book Idea, Short Story Idea, Memoir Outline Mary Kole

The Core of a Story with Roz Morris

Writer, writing teacher, ghost writer, and general literary icon Roz Morris joins Mary Kole for an interview on the Good Story Speaker Series. They dive into the mechanics of storytelling and discuss how to connect with your audience—whether you're writing someone else's story or your telling your own.

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Episode 8: Jeff Lyons, Writing Teacher
Marketing, Market, Audience, Novel Publishing, ER/CB Publishing, Nonfiction Publishing, Novel Draft, ER/CB Draft, Nonfiction Draft, Freelance Draft, Memoir Draft, Picture Book Draft, Short Story Draft, Freelance Publishing, Picture Book Publishing, Memoir Publishing, Short Story Publishing Mary Kole Marketing, Market, Audience, Novel Publishing, ER/CB Publishing, Nonfiction Publishing, Novel Draft, ER/CB Draft, Nonfiction Draft, Freelance Draft, Memoir Draft, Picture Book Draft, Short Story Draft, Freelance Publishing, Picture Book Publishing, Memoir Publishing, Short Story Publishing Mary Kole

Episode 8: Jeff Lyons, Writing Teacher

Writing teachers Jeff Lyons and Mary Kole in conversation about craft, from the big picture to the nitty gritty.

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Episode 1: Chris Baty, Founder of NaNoWriMo
Marketing, Market, Audience, Novel Publishing, Picture Book Publishing, Memoir Publishing, ER/CB Publishing, Nonfiction Publishing, Freelance Publishing, Freelance Idea, ER/CB Draft, Freelance Draft, Memoir Draft, Novel Draft, Nonfiction Draft, Short Story Draft, Picture Book Draft, ER/CB Outline, Freelance Outline, Nonfiction Outline, Memoir Outline, Picture Book Outline, Novel Outline Mary Kole Marketing, Market, Audience, Novel Publishing, Picture Book Publishing, Memoir Publishing, ER/CB Publishing, Nonfiction Publishing, Freelance Publishing, Freelance Idea, ER/CB Draft, Freelance Draft, Memoir Draft, Novel Draft, Nonfiction Draft, Short Story Draft, Picture Book Draft, ER/CB Outline, Freelance Outline, Nonfiction Outline, Memoir Outline, Picture Book Outline, Novel Outline Mary Kole

Episode 1: Chris Baty, Founder of NaNoWriMo

An interview with NaNoWriMo founder and writing teacher Chris Baty, where we discuss plot, pantsing, not nipping good ideas in the bud, celebrating a hot pile of garbage, and the cult of busyness.

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Writing An Authentic Memoir with Kelly Madrone
Memoir Draft, Memoir Editing, Memoir Idea, Memoir Publishing, Memoir Revision, Memoir Submission, Memoir Outline, Nonfiction Draft, Nonfiction Editing, Nonfiction Idea, Nonfiction Outline, Nonfiction Publishing, Nonfiction Submission Mary Kole Memoir Draft, Memoir Editing, Memoir Idea, Memoir Publishing, Memoir Revision, Memoir Submission, Memoir Outline, Nonfiction Draft, Nonfiction Editing, Nonfiction Idea, Nonfiction Outline, Nonfiction Publishing, Nonfiction Submission Mary Kole

Writing An Authentic Memoir with Kelly Madrone

Award-winning writer and ghostwriter Kelly Madrone joins us to talk about writing as someone else, modulating a professional potty mouth, and how to create a nuanced story arc in memoir.

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Breaking Writing Rules
Writing, Craft, Market, Audience, Nonfiction Draft, Novel Draft, ER/CB Draft, Freelance Draft, Memoir Draft, Picture Book Draft, Short Story Draft Mary Kole Writing, Craft, Market, Audience, Nonfiction Draft, Novel Draft, ER/CB Draft, Freelance Draft, Memoir Draft, Picture Book Draft, Short Story Draft Mary Kole

Breaking Writing Rules

Breaking writing rules might seem like a bold artistic statement, but it could also backfire. Here are some considerations for writers who are inclined to take their projects in a more experimental direction.

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How Long is a Chapter?
Craft, Writing, ER/CB Draft, Novel Draft, Nonfiction Draft, Memoir Draft, ER/CB Outline, Freelance Outline, Memoir Outline, Novel Outline, Nonfiction Outline Mary Kole Craft, Writing, ER/CB Draft, Novel Draft, Nonfiction Draft, Memoir Draft, ER/CB Outline, Freelance Outline, Memoir Outline, Novel Outline, Nonfiction Outline Mary Kole

How Long is a Chapter?

How long is a chapter? This is a question I get all the time from writers. In this video, I'll ask you some leading questions that will allow you to figure out that ideal chapter count or chapter-length for yourself in your particular project.

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Episode 6: Gail Carson Levine, Historical and Fantasy Author
Craft, Novel Draft, Novel Idea, Novel Editing, Novel Outline, Novel Publishing, ER/CB Draft, ER/CB Editing, ER/CB Idea, ER/CB Outline, ER/CB Publishing, ER/CB Submission, Nonfiction Draft, Nonfiction Editing, Nonfiction Outline, Nonfiction Publishing, Nonfiction Submission, Nonfiction Idea, Memoir Draft, Memoir Idea, Memoir Editing, Memoir Outline, Memoir Publishing, Memoir Submission Mary Kole Craft, Novel Draft, Novel Idea, Novel Editing, Novel Outline, Novel Publishing, ER/CB Draft, ER/CB Editing, ER/CB Idea, ER/CB Outline, ER/CB Publishing, ER/CB Submission, Nonfiction Draft, Nonfiction Editing, Nonfiction Outline, Nonfiction Publishing, Nonfiction Submission, Nonfiction Idea, Memoir Draft, Memoir Idea, Memoir Editing, Memoir Outline, Memoir Publishing, Memoir Submission Mary Kole

Episode 6: Gail Carson Levine, Historical and Fantasy Author

Historical and fantasy author Gail Carson Levine interviews with Mary Kole. She shares thoughts on the writing process, world-building, and her latest book, A Ceiling Made of Eggshells.

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Episode 4: Laura Elliott, Ghostwriter
Marketing, Market, Audience, Memoir Publishing, Nonfiction Publishing, Memoir Draft, Nonfiction Draft, Nonfiction Outline, Memoir Outline, Memoir Idea, Nonfiction Idea Mary Kole Marketing, Market, Audience, Memoir Publishing, Nonfiction Publishing, Memoir Draft, Nonfiction Draft, Nonfiction Outline, Memoir Outline, Memoir Idea, Nonfiction Idea Mary Kole

Episode 4: Laura Elliott, Ghostwriter

A podcast interview with ghostwriter Laura Elliott, all about deep research, finding inspiration from various sources, and telling stories … even other people’s.

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Episode 26: Tami Charles, Children’s Book Author
Picture Book Draft, Nonfiction Draft, Novel Draft, ER/CB Publishing, Novel Publishing, Picture Book Publishing, Nonfiction Publishing, ER/CB Draft, Memoir Draft, Memoir Outline, Memoir Publishing Mary Kole Picture Book Draft, Nonfiction Draft, Novel Draft, ER/CB Publishing, Novel Publishing, Picture Book Publishing, Nonfiction Publishing, ER/CB Draft, Memoir Draft, Memoir Outline, Memoir Publishing Mary Kole

Episode 26: Tami Charles, Children’s Book Author

New York Times Bestselling children's book author Tami Charles joins the Good Story Podcast to talk about experimenting with verse, amplifying the stories of girls of color, and writing what you feel.

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In Favor of Present Tense Writing
Craft, Revision + Editing, Writing, ER/CB Editing, Novel Editing, Memoir Editing, Nonfiction Editing, Freelance Editing, ER/CB Draft, Novel Draft, Memoir Draft, Freelance Draft, Nonfiction Draft Rhiannon Richardson Craft, Revision + Editing, Writing, ER/CB Editing, Novel Editing, Memoir Editing, Nonfiction Editing, Freelance Editing, ER/CB Draft, Novel Draft, Memoir Draft, Freelance Draft, Nonfiction Draft Rhiannon Richardson

In Favor of Present Tense Writing

One of the first decisions we have to make before writing is what tense to use. Present tense writing is often overlooked in favor of past tense—but when is present tense the better choice?

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Put Your Words Down, Flip Them, and Reverse Them: Writing Your Memoir in Reverse Chronology
Audience, Craft, Writing, Memoir Draft, Memoir Editing, Memoir Outline Joiya Morrison-Efemini Audience, Craft, Writing, Memoir Draft, Memoir Editing, Memoir Outline Joiya Morrison-Efemini

Put Your Words Down, Flip Them, and Reverse Them: Writing Your Memoir in Reverse Chronology

If you’re writing a memoir, you have to write your life events exactly the way they happened—but you don’t have to write them in order! Give your readers a backwards walk through your remarkable life with reverse chronology.

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Ways to Hook a Reader
ER/CB Draft, Freelance Draft, Memoir Draft, Nonfiction Draft, Novel Draft, Picture Book Draft, Short Story Draft Mary Kole ER/CB Draft, Freelance Draft, Memoir Draft, Nonfiction Draft, Novel Draft, Picture Book Draft, Short Story Draft Mary Kole

Ways to Hook a Reader

You do need to clear a pretty high bar to impress an agent, a publisher, or a reader once you get published. The opening pages are a really, really important part of this. Adding some character relatability and a little bit of conflict goes a long way in hooking a reader.

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How to Overcome Writer’s Block: Memoir Edition
Writing, Freelance Draft, Memoir Draft, Nonfiction Draft, Memoir Outline, Memoir Idea Amy Wilson Writing, Freelance Draft, Memoir Draft, Nonfiction Draft, Memoir Outline, Memoir Idea Amy Wilson

How to Overcome Writer’s Block: Memoir Edition

Many writers run into some form of writer’s block, but nonfiction and memoir writers have certain challenges to overcome writer’s block that fiction writers don’t face. Someone writing a novel can simply … make up what happens next. But memoir writers can feel constrained by wanting to be true to reality.

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Unconventional Writing
Picture Book Idea, Picture Book Draft, Picture Book Publishing, Novel Draft, Novel Idea, Novel Publishing, Memoir Draft, Memoir Idea, Memoir Publishing, Freelance Draft, Freelance Idea, Freelance Publishing, ER/CB Draft, ER/CB Idea, ER/CB Publishing, Nonfiction Publishing, Nonfiction Draft, Nonfiction Idea, Short Story Draft, Short Story Idea, Short Story Publishing Mary Kole Picture Book Idea, Picture Book Draft, Picture Book Publishing, Novel Draft, Novel Idea, Novel Publishing, Memoir Draft, Memoir Idea, Memoir Publishing, Freelance Draft, Freelance Idea, Freelance Publishing, ER/CB Draft, ER/CB Idea, ER/CB Publishing, Nonfiction Publishing, Nonfiction Draft, Nonfiction Idea, Short Story Draft, Short Story Idea, Short Story Publishing Mary Kole

Unconventional Writing

Publishing loves its buckets. In children's books, there are several buckets that you need to fit into, with word count guidelines and all of that. There are buckets and tropes in adult publishing as well. Books that don't lend themselves easily to categorization can be a really difficult sell.

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