writing life

Show Notes

• Sign up for the Inspired Writing Newsletter HERE
• Submit Your Page for our Show don’t Tell Coaching Episodes
• Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts (Thank you!)
• Intro and Outro Music is Daisy by Zight and used under a CC by 4.0 DEED Attribution 4.0 International license. For more music by Zight visit https://www.youtube.com/zight

“And so the biggest thing that an agent is going to be looking for, or a reader, anybody, to catch them, to hook them right on that first page, which is really important, is why should I care about your character and what is it that they want?  If you can answer those things really fast and just incorporate the worldbuilding into it.

We don’t want to stop the story and give three pages of worldbuilding. If you’ve got that right now, rip it out and find ways to dole it in.”

On September 27th and 28th, 2024 Suzy hosted an Online Writing Retreat. In this recording of the Live Q&A session, Suzy answers pressing questions from participants covering a wide range of topics on everything from finding the perfect editor to worldbuilding from page one to keeping pacing steady in your novel. This is Part 1 in this Q&A series. 

Show Notes

• Sign up for the Inspired Writing Newsletter HERE
• Submit Your Page for our Show don’t Tell Coaching Episodes
• Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts (Thank you!)
• Intro and Outro Music is Daisy by Zight and used under a CC by 4.0 DEED Attribution 4.0 International license. For more music by Zight visit https://www.youtube.com/zight

“And so your opening page is really a contract with your reader, right? And so you want to give them a taste of what it is that they’re going to read.”- Suzy

In this episode of Show Don’t Tell Writing, Suzy Vadori provides live coaching and feedback on the opening page of Bobbi Jo Beaver’s women’s fiction novel. Bobbi Jo, a professional photographer from Omaha, Nebraska, shares her writing journey and the inspiration behind her novel. Suzy offers guidance on improving the first page, focusing on character development, setting, and hooking readers early on. They discuss the importance of grounding readers in the protagonist’s perspective and ensuring that the opening scene clearly conveys the character’s age, motivation, and context. 

Show Notes

• Sign up for the Inspired Writing Newsletter HERE
• Submit Your Page for our Show don’t Tell Coaching Episodes
• Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts (Thank you!)
• Intro and Outro Music is Daisy by Zight and used under a CC by 4.0 DEED Attribution 4.0 International license. For more music by Zight visit https://www.youtube.com/zight

In this episode of Show Don’t Tell Writing, Suzy sits down with Tanasha Martin, a talented writer working on her first young adult fantasy novel. Tanasha shares her journey from writing poetry and short stories to embarking on a complex multi-POV fantasy series. She talks about overcoming challenges, staying disciplined, and how a strong writing community helped her stay motivated. Suzy and Tanasha also dive into the importance of character development, outlining, and Tanasha’s unique writing methods for creating a vast, immersive world. 

Show Notes

• Sign up for the Inspired Writing Newsletter HERE
• Submit Your Page for our Show don’t Tell Coaching Episodes
• Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts (Thank you!)
• Intro and Outro Music is Daisy by Zight and used under a CC by 4.0 DEED Attribution 4.0 International license. For more music by Zight visit https://www.youtube.com/zight

In this episode of Show Don’t Tell Writing, Suzy interviews Felicity George, author of the Gentlemen of London series. Felicity shares her journey from writing her first practice novel to landing a five-book deal with Hachette’s Orion imprint. They discuss the intricacies of Regency Romance, the importance of genre expectations, and the process of traditional publishing. Felicity also provides valuable insights into writing fast, leveraging writer communities, and how writing to market has shaped her opportunities thus far.

Felicity George is a teacher and novelist from Toronto, Canada. A devotee of romance and historical fiction, Felicity adores a happily-ever-after. She is the author of A Lady’s Risk, A Courtesan’s Worth, and A Debutante’s Desire, which together form the Regency romance series ‘Gentlemen of London’ published by Orion Fiction, Hachette UK. Her fourth novel, In Pursuit of a Duchess, a Regency romance murder mystery also published by Orion, will be available in April 2025.

Connect with Felicity:
Instagram / Threads: @felicitygeorge_romance
Felicity’s Books

Show Notes

• Sign up for the Inspired Writing Newsletter HERE
• Submit Your Page for our Show don’t Tell Coaching Episodes
• Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts (Thank you!)
• Intro and Outro Music is Daisy by Zight and used under a CC by 4.0 DEED Attribution 4.0 International license. For more music by Zight visit https://www.youtube.com/zight

“Every story has already been written. It’s just never been written by you. And the way that you do it is going to be different.” – Suzy

In this episode, originally recorded during the Day of Inspiration Summit in July, Suzy fields questions from writers at all stages of the writing process, giving insights based on her own publishing journey, writing knowledge, and years of working with clients on their own manuscripts.

Some of the Listener Questions Answered:

Show Notes

• Sign up for the Inspired Writing Newsletter HERE
• Submit Your Page for our Show don’t Tell Coaching Episodes
• Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts (Thank you!)
• Intro and Outro Music is Daisy by Zight and used under a CC by 4.0 DEED Attribution 4.0 International license. For more music by Zight visit https://www.youtube.com/zight

In this week’s episode of Show, don’t Tell Writing, host Suzy Vadori sits down with author Sheri T. Joseph to delve into the intricacies of hybrid publishing. Sheri shares her unique journey in the publishing world, discussing why she chose a hybrid model for her books and how this decision has shaped her career as an author.

Key Topics explored include, What is Hybrid Publishing? Why Choose Hybrid? Navigating the Hybrid World, and Sheri’s Advice for Aspiring Authors.

About the Guest:

Sheri T. Joseph grew up in a New York beach town until her family relocated to San Francisco. She went to UC Berkeley, received a JD from UC Law San Francisco, and studied economics, geography, and creative writing. She is passionate about the need for housing, and serves as executive director of a nonprofit corporation that supports creation of affordable housing for families, veterans, refugees, and vulnerable populations. She’s also a trustee for Homeward Bound, a provider of homeless services and housing. Sheri and her husband have three adventurous children, a one-eyed lab named Bailey, and live in Marin, California. Edge of the Known World is her debut novel. Author website: https://www.authorsheritjoseph.com/

Find Sheri’s book, Edge of the Known World in Bookstores, or Order Online HERE.

Show Notes

• Sign up for the Inspired Writing Newsletter HERE
• Submit Your Page for our Show don’t Tell Coaching Episodes
• Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts (Thank you!)
• Intro and Outro Music is Daisy by Zight and used under a CC by 4.0 DEED Attribution 4.0 International license. For more music by Zight visit https://www.youtube.com/zight

 “The skills are table stakes… but what differentiates a good book from a great book is that something of you comes out in that story.” — Jennie Nash

In this episode of Show Don’t Tell Writing, recorded during the Day of Inspiration Writer’s Summit, Suzy sits down with Jennie Nash, an accomplished author and founder of Author Accelerator, to discuss the intricacies of writing, the challenges authors face, and the growing field of book coaching. Jennie shares her journey, from the realization that writing a book is more complex than most people think, to establishing a business that helps writers succeed through professional book coaching. 

Jennie Nash is the founder and CEO of Author Accelerator, a company on a mission to lead the emerging book coaching industry, and the author of 12 books in 3 genres, including the Blueprint for a Book series, which teaches a framework for laying a strong foundation for a novel, memoir, or nonfiction book. Author Accelerator has trained over 250 book coaches through their book Coach Certification Program. Jennie’s own book coaching clients have landed top agents, six-figure book deals, and spots on the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. For a free video series on becoming a book coach, go to her website HERE 

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

Book Coaching Video Series  (affiliate link)

Suzy’s Beta Reader Question List

Show Notes

• Sign up for the Inspired Writing Newsletter HERE
• Submit Your Page for our Show don’t Tell Coaching Episodes
• Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts (Thank you!)
• Intro and Outro Music is Daisy by Zight and used under a CC by 4.0 DEED Attribution 4.0 International license. For more music by Zight visit https://www.youtube.com/zight

“What I like to do with writers is when you’ve got like a ton of suggestions on a revision pass, just deal with them one at a time. That’s all you can do”

In this Q&A episode, Suzy dives into more writing questions from the Day of Inspiration Writing Summit, covering topics from revision strategies to understanding when and how to move or cut scenes, handling word count expectations, and finding a good writing group.

Show Notes

• Sign up for the Inspired Writing Newsletter HERE
• Submit Your Page for our Show don’t Tell Coaching Episodes
• Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts (Thank you!)
• Intro and Outro Music is Daisy by Zight and used under a CC by 4.0 DEED Attribution 4.0 International license. For more music by Zight visit https://www.youtube.com/zight

 “If there’s one thing I always want to share with writers, it’s that all the work has to get done. No beta reader, editor, or publisher is going to do it for you. You’ve got to do it. This is your book.”

In this episode of Show, don’t Tell Writing, Suzy dives into the challenges and techniques for writing your second book faster than the first. Suzy shares personal anecdotes, discusses common pitfalls, and offers practical advice to help writers speed up their writing process without sacrificing quality. She emphasizes the importance of understanding that every writer’s journey is unique and highlights the significance of perseverance and consistent effort. 

Resources: 
Click HERE to request Suzy’s Next Steps Worksheet mentioned in the episode

Show Notes

• Sign up for the Inspired Writing Newsletter HERE
• Submit Your Page for our Show don’t Tell Coaching Episodes
• Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts (Thank you!)
• Intro and Outro Music is Daisy by Zight and used under a CC by 4.0 DEED Attribution 4.0 International license. For more music by Zight visit https://www.youtube.com/zight

In this engaging Q&A session, recorded live during the Day of Inspiration Summit, Suzy Vadori addresses a range of questions from aspiring writers. Suzy dives into the intricacies of writing backstory, the benefits of coaching at different stages of your manuscript, and how to effectively build a platform as a nonfiction writer. This episode is packed with practical advice for writers at all stages of their journey.

Main Topics:

Managing and balancing multiple characters in epic fantasy.

The role and handling of backstory in fiction writing.

The timing and benefits of working with a writing coach.

Effective strategies for building a writer’s platform.

Tips for writing collaboratively with a writing partner.