All Things Writing
144 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 months ago -Love writers and writing? How about reading and finding out more about your next favorite author you just simply can't get enough of? Then All Things Writing is for you. Join me and a wonderful bunch of guests as we take a journey through the world of books and creativity. We will share our life stories with you, as well as advice, tips and tricks, insight, funny stories, and interviews with people from all walks of life.
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Episodes
Talking Copyright: Its History and Today. Do you need it, do you want it, do you have it already?
January 24, 2021 20:00 - 25 minutes - 17.7 MBI know copyright doesn't sound like and interesting topic for a podcast. But there is more than meets the eye in terms of history where copyright is concerned. Plus you get to hear me do my best British accent. For more info about copyright and its implications, check out these resources. Wikipedia has, at least as of this recording, a pretty good page on the issue. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_copyright The U.S. Copyright office has an excellent page dedicated to the histo...
Book dissection: "The World of the Orb" by Michael Thompson
January 09, 2021 13:00 - 19 minutes - 13.6 MBI want to give a big shout out to the listeners in San Jose California who are listening the heck out of the show. I greatly appreciate it, you guys are the best. As a reminder, if you like anything you here please remember to hit that like button. But enough of that, now onto her show. At the beginning I read a quote and that quote comes from a book written by a good friend of the show, Michael Thompson. World of the orb fits into what could rightly be considered the midgrade and young ad...
A Re-Introduction and Planning Out Your Writing Year
January 02, 2021 14:00 - 21 minutes - 14.6 MBWelcome to 2021! My plan this year is to do 35 shows in 2021. This first show really is a kind of reintroduction to me. However, that doesn't take very long so I am going to spend more time discussing how to plan out your writing year. Well, if you are new to the show, I would encourage you to go back and listen to the shows I did last year. There are some amazing shows, with some great interviews. But, in the meantime, let me re-introduce myself. I am Bryan Nowak. I am the author of the ...
Merry Christmas! A reading and a few fun facts about "Twas The Night Before Christmas".
December 25, 2020 14:00 - 10 minutes - 7.18 MBWelcome and Merry Christmas! As you undoubtedly know by now, this is my favorite time of the year. I love the decorations, the lights, I love the stories. I know I mentioned my love of A Christmas story, but what you may not know is that I have a favorite Christmas poem. I love it so much in fact that this week I am dedicating a whole show to it. Not only is it an amazing poem, but it is also one of the oldest and most popular Christmas poems ever written. The poem, originally titled, “A V...
Merry Christmas! A reading and a few fun facts about "Twas The Night Before Christmas".
December 25, 2020 14:00 - 10 minutes - 7.18 MBWelcome and Merry Christmas! As you undoubtedly know by now, this is my favorite time of the year. I love the decorations, the lights, I love the stories. I know I mentioned my love of A Christmas story, but what you may not know is that I have a favorite Christmas poem. I love it so much in fact that this week I am dedicating a whole show to it. Not only is it an amazing poem, but it is also one of the oldest and most popular Christmas poems ever written. The poem, originally titled, “A V...
Merry Christmas! A reading and a few fun facts about "T'was The Night Before Christmas".
December 25, 2020 14:00 - 10 minutes - 7.18 MBWelcome and Merry Christmas! As you undoubtedly know by now, this is my favorite time of the year. I love the decorations, the lights, I love the stories. I know I mentioned my love of A Christmas story, but what you may not know is that I have a favorite Christmas poem. I love it so much in fact that this week I am dedicating a whole show to it. Not only is it an amazing poem, but it is also one of the oldest and most popular Christmas poems ever written. The poem, originally titled, “A V...
An interview with Author Sammi Parish
December 19, 2020 14:00 - 30 minutes - 21.1 MBWelcome to another special holiday edition of All Things Writing. This week I have another special guest with me to spread the joy of the season. I have invited Samantha Parish, the author of Inglorious Ink to join me to talk about the book and anything else she is working on. We are going to talk about: How she got into the tattoo theme of her work? Going to, of course, ask her to tell us about her book? How does she describe her writing style? What is her process like? What is she wor...
My favorite holiday stories and why I love them!
December 05, 2020 14:00 - 17 minutes - 12.1 MBWhat would be the holidays without our favorite holiday movies? These movies hold a special place in my heart, and they still pretty much make up a cornerstone of my Christmas traditions, and some of the traditions that I’ve imparted to my children. It’s a Wonderful Life came on television seemingly on every station at least once a day. At any given moment, you could easily find a station that was running that movie. To me it still represents one of the great holiday movies of all time. Th...
A Special Holiday Edition with Children's Author Erin Mackey
November 28, 2020 14:00 - 35 minutes - 24.4 MBI am super excited about this time of year. I have to tell you that the holidays are easily my favorite time of the year. Ever since I was a kid I loved all of it. The smells, the sights, my grandparents spoiling us kids to death. It was a great time. I know what you are going to say and you would be right, 2020 is not that kind of year, but I say bully to you and am going to try and get back some of that holiday spirit with holiday themed shows until the end of the year because … well I ca...
Writing to Different Generations
November 20, 2020 21:00 - 21 minutes - 14.9 MBThe show this week has to do with an experience I had recently which, while not intending to be writing focused, has profound implications for me and my fellow writers. So, sit back and enjoy the show. This one is going to be deep. Never before have we faced a situation where four generations simultaneously have access to social media networks that allow them to reach across the world instantaneously. While this sounds like it would be a good thing, it poses some very interesting problems f...
Michael Thompson and I Talk Writing!
November 14, 2020 14:00 - 40 minutes - 27.7 MBMichael Thompson and I have been friends for a few years now. He is a multi talented author whose work I instantly took a liking to. So, this week, on All Things Writing, I sit down with him and we talk about tons of things! There may even be a couple of exclusive revelations in this weeks show. So, sit back and enjoy as we talk about, 1) What got you started in writing? 2) You are a huge fan of the whimsical. What pushed you toward that? 3) What you think is the next great adventure for...
Happy Halloween from Bryan the Writer and Edgar Allen Poe
October 31, 2020 13:00 - 25 minutes - 17.8 MBWelcome to this week’s show and welcome to Halloween in a year that has been definitely one of the annals of human history. This year I thought maybe it might be kind of fun to inject a little Poe back into everyone’s life. So instead of doing something about writing, I thought it could be fun to recite a couple of my favorite works by Edgar Allen Poe. Edgar Allen Poe, or Poe as we call him, was born on January 18th 1809 in Boston. In 1811, the family moved to Richmond, Virginia and fore...
The Attraction of Horror! What I Love About the Genre and A Few Examples
October 18, 2020 19:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MBWhy do we like horror? One of my earliest memories I had was watching King Kong on the big screen at a local theater. I remember being scared. This is probably the first time I remember being scared while watching something fictional. I was very young, but later on it would lead me to wonder why it was that something that didn’t really exist could scare me. Consider fear. It’s a natural reaction which hinges on self-preservation. But when you’re watching a movie, it should be clear to you...
The Etiquette of Being A Writer and A Review of Stoker and Barker's "Dracul"
October 12, 2020 14:00 - 19 minutes - 13.4 MBWelcome to the podcast. I am Bryan Nowak, the author of The Dramatic Dead mystery series, the horror novels, Riapoke and Crimson Tassels. I also wrote the book The Bagorian Chronicles, a wonderful little SciFi novel, and I wrote the Dean Cordaine novellas. Thank you so much for joining me. If you like the podcast, please remember to hit the subscribe button so when new ones come out you can get them delivered. Also, it is not required, but please consider giving me a thumbs up and making a ...
Interview with Author, C.J. Ellisson
October 03, 2020 13:00 - 52 minutes - 35.9 MBOne of the best parts about this program is being able to hang out with friends in the writing world. Today, I have the greatest honor of welcoming New York Times, and USA Today best selling author C.J. Ellisson. On this episode we are going to talk about all kinds of things including; What was her path and what started her down that road. What attracted her to the genre she finally settled on. What her process is for planning out her next book. What drives authors to rewrite books. ...
Finding time and Space to Sit Down and Write
September 26, 2020 12:00 - 17 minutes - 12 MBSome of you are at home right now, listening to his podcast, making spaghetti sauce, trying to keep your three year old from terrorizing the dog, while trying to keep the dog from stealing the ingredients you have gathered to make the sauce. So, when are you going find time and space to write? Remember that creativity, to an artist, is as essential as air or water. Find a spot in your house where you can focus. For me it’s essential that it’s not anywhere near a television. Currently, I a...
An Interview with Author Liam Bradley
September 19, 2020 13:00 - 43 minutes - 29.9 MBWelcome to Podcast #26! On this weeks podcast, we are going to be talking about a bunch of different topics ranging from the attraction of anthologies, the attraction, essence, and nature of horror. Join me and my friend Liam Bradley where we delve into these and lots of other topics on this week's episode of "All Things Writing". I want you to take a moment and check him out on Amazon. You will also find a link to the book, Bizarre, which we worked on together along with tons of other am...
Podcast #25: The Essence of Storytelling
September 12, 2020 13:00 - 22 minutes - 15.3 MBStart with a strong character. The true essence of a good story line is a strong central character. That character begins in your mind. Before you ever put pen to paper, you really need to think about how it is that that character is going to live in whatever world you’re going to create. What I mean is that who is that character as a person? For reference you may want to check out my podcast dealing with character sheets. Remember that it has to be believable. There’s a little bit of confu...
Talking Marketing with Author and Marketing Guru, Steve Brown of ROI.com
September 05, 2020 13:00 - 47 minutes - 32.3 MBPodcast #24 There is no easier way to clear a room of writers than telling them you want to sit down and dissect their marketing programs. Truth be told, most of us do not have a program, but that is something that needs to change. And I gotta be honest, for me, it is a very hard thing to do. But I have some great news. Last week I told you how freaking excited I was to have the author of the book, “The Golden Toilet” on my show and finally that wait is over! In this week's episode Steve ...
Let's all go to the CON, author show, etc. And a review of a Golden Toilet.
August 29, 2020 13:00 - 25 minutes - 17.7 MBSo you’ve written the greatest book, the cover looks great, the editing is top-notch, and you’ve posted it to Amazon, drafted 2 digital, or wherever. Now what? Rest on your laurels and let that sweet, sweet, author cash flow in, right? Well, no. The convention circuit is something that you can do which puts you into direct contact with your readers. I would highly encourage every author who is looking for a way to meet individual readers in the real world to consider this route. https://ww...
Writing Your Character Descriptions
August 22, 2020 11:00 - 32 minutes - 22.6 MBIn this week's show I mention how to develop your own character sheets. Although I borrow much from other writers, I am taking the discussion farther by walking you through one of mine. I admit up front that my sheet structure was borrowed from Jenna Moreci. If you want to take a look at her videos (and I highly suggest you do), look her up at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQcQ-As2BU0. The attributes I use are as follows. Character Name: Category 1: Basic Stats Sex (Physical) Gender ...
How to Write a Simple Book Review and, More Importantly, Why You Should
August 15, 2020 14:00 - 26 minutes - 18.3 MBI want to talk about writing a quick and easy review of a book. But more importantly, I want to tell you why you should. Reviews should be simple and easy and not take much time. A while ago, I did a youtube video about it. You can find it here. But the bigger question is why should you? Fair question. It doesn’t matter how many books I’ve written, or how much money I spent in advertising, ultimately the algorithms rely very heavily on the information provided by the purchasers themselve...
How to Write a Simple Book Review and, More Importantly, Why You Should
August 15, 2020 14:00 - 26 minutes - 18.3 MBI want to talk about writing a quick and easy review of a book. But more importantly, I want to tell you why you should. Reviews should be simple and easy and not take much time. A while ago, I did a youtube video about it. You can find it here. But the bigger question is why should you? Fair question. It doesn’t matter how many books I’ve written, or how much money I spent in advertising, ultimately the algorithms rely very heavily on the information provided by the purchasers themselve...
My Wife and I Discuss Life as a Writer's Spouse, Books, and Other Writing Related Silliness
August 08, 2020 13:00 - 29 minutes - 20.2 MBOn August 3rd, 2020, my wife and I celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary. So I thought it might be fun if, this week, I bring her on the show to talk about being the spouse of a writer. We talked about what she likes to read, things that surprised her about my writing, and what she enjoys about being the souse of a writer. I asked her to talk a little bit about how important patience is when you are the spouse of a writer. Turns out, you need a healthy dose of patience when dealing with...
How My Past Jobs and Experiences Influence My Writing
August 01, 2020 19:00 - 28 minutes - 19.5 MBI think we often underestimate how our silly little jobs impact us. I tell my kids, well not really kids anymore, to value the first jobs they had since those jobs are the ones which will set the tone and flavor of what they will do the rest of their lives. Jobs Bryan the Writer has Had: Paper delivery boy Golf Caddy Burger King Old Country Buffet Excelo Bakery Lightly Epicurean Deli and Catering Pizzahut Delivery Driver Famous Footwear as a shoe salesman Sheriff’s Department Unif...
Reference Material I Can't Live Without as a Writer
July 25, 2020 14:00 - 20 minutes - 14 MBIn this week's episode I try to convince you that having several good dictionaries, thesaurus, and other reference material by your side is critical to your success as a writer. Yes, looking up things on Google has its advantages, but you miss out on a ton of things like related words which have similar roots. Take some time and explore your dictionary and thesaurus. If you don't have a good set, hit up you used book store and poke through their reference materials. Don't be afraid of older...
My interview with Eric Lahti where we talk about fighting scenes and our influences
July 18, 2020 13:00 - 31 minutes - 21.7 MBWelcome to Bryan the Writer's podcast on All Things Writing. Today, I have a treat for you. Today's episode is an interview I did with one of my favorite authors in the world, Mr. Eric Lahti. In this episode we talk about When he got started in martial arts When did he start tying in martial arts to his writing What makes for good tactical fighting scenes What makes for bad fighting scenes The role of humor in writing and what is the perfect balance between realism and fictional accou...
Podcast 16! Time Management and tips on Sub-Ops
July 11, 2020 20:00 - 17 minutes - 11.9 MBWe writers are not immune to the trouble time can cause. It used to be that years ago we spent a ton of time writing things down on calendars or writing things down in day planners, but those fell victim to the ascension of the smart phone and laptops. Ask yourself this critical question. What time of day do you best write? I know it seems like it wouldn’t matter. I had the same feeling myself. I mean, really why would it matter when I am putting pen to paper? Well, it does. I work best ...
Happy July 4th Weekend, A reading of The Embersville Demon
July 04, 2020 13:00 - 23 minutes - 16.5 MBWelcome to the 4th of July! This weekend, most of you will be out and about enjoying the warm weather here in the United States. So, I am going to keep things simple. A reading of The Embersville Demon. That short story was published in an anthology entitled Bizarre: 14 Horror Stories. If you like the story, why not pick up a copy for yourself? Just follow this link. https://www.amazon.com/Bizarre-Stories-Dane-T-Hatchell-ebook/dp/B07ZG7NSM3 Thinking about starting your own podcast? Hit ...
Take Small Breaks, What Irritates Me in a Book, Book Review: Where the Crawdads Sing
June 27, 2020 14:00 - 22 minutes - 15.8 MBThank you for joining me on this hot and sticky June day. I think our temps are supposed to be into the 90s. Offda, as my ancestors might say. I want to send a quick shout out to my listeners out there. For those of you who have hit follow and look forward to my show it is greatly appreciated. You guys are making this show an actual thing and I really appreciate it. If you like this show and want to see me continue on what I call my epic journey, please consider a small donation to show you...
Read Far and Wide, Not Just Your Genre
June 20, 2020 17:00 - 17 minutes - 11.9 MBWelcome to the show. This week we are going to talk about why you should not restrict yourself to just one genre. #1 You should never stop learning new ways to say the same thing. Our alphabet is made up of just twenty-six different characters. However, those characters build an army of words that can say just about anything. Here’s the thing. You can rewrite many a sentence a gazillion different ways and say the same thing. Authors will do this, and you need to pay attention. Think abo...
Read Far and Wide, Not Just Your Genre
June 20, 2020 17:00 - 17 minutes - 11.9 MBWelcome to the show. This week we are going to talk about why you should not restrict yourself to just one genre. #1 You should never stop learning new ways to say the same thing. Our alphabet is made up of just twenty-six different characters. However, those characters build an army of words that can say just about anything. Here’s the thing. You can rewrite many a sentence a gazillion different ways and say the same thing. Authors will do this, and you need to pay attention. Think abo...
My reaction to racism, a book review, plus how to avoid writing all bad or all good characters
June 13, 2020 11:00 - 17 minutes - 11.9 MBStatement on Racism and Rioting I am 100% against racism in any form. It is a cancer which belittles us all and hurts us as a society. Racism in all its forms needs to be called out from the darkness and pointed at until we banish this disease from our landscape. I am also 100% against rioting. Anger should never find an outlet by burning and looting businesses. Who does that harm? A minimum wage worker who is struggling to make ends meet and now has no job since it has been reduced to ashes...
Cross Genre Writing With My Special Guest, Award Winning Author Patrick Hodges
June 06, 2020 13:00 - 34 minutes - 23.6 MBQuestions feature on this week’s podcast. Q1: I know that you are a cross genre writer, like me, so I think one great place to start this conversation would be maybe talking a little bit about why you decided to augment your writing style. What made you decide, you know, I think I want to try something else for a while? Q2: What was the hardest part you found about writing something other than young adult? Q3: Okay, you know the companion question was coming. What was the easiest part abo...
Quieting the Negative Voices in Your Head
May 30, 2020 13:00 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MBImpostor Syndrome: Defined by the oxford dictionary as the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own efforts or skills. There is always a small person in the back of your mind who does everything in their power to talk you out of your own success. As a writer you will reason it away. You will blame play the success on your editor, your graphic artist, the insanity of people who came to see you. Procrastination:...
Special Podcast: Instilling Creativity in Our Children
May 23, 2020 13:00 - 33 minutes - 22.9 MBDo you have a creative child? Do you work with creative children? Join me and my special guest, educator Peter Kroneman, while we discuss creativity and what it takes to foster it in children. Or, just as importantly, how not to be a barrier to it. In this issue we will discuss the following questions (and tons more): As an educator, what would you say you see as signs of creativity in your kids? How do you foster that creativity or, in the interest of ensuring progress in your class, ho...
Who are my current favorite authors and why?
May 16, 2020 13:00 - 22 minutes - 15.3 MBShow Notes for Episode 8: This week, I thought it might be fun to talk a little about books I love. However, as I started working out the script for this week, I realized I was really telling you more about the writers I enjoy reading. So, here, for your listening pleasure are five authors which I totally love and am pretty sure you will love too. Eric Lahti: Well, I am a huge fan of those awesome stories which are really just a roller coaster ride. I am not kidding when I say I couldn’t p...
The personal journey of Bryan the Writer
May 09, 2020 13:00 - 21 minutes - 14.5 MBIn this episode I am going to talk a little about the big influences in my writing life and how I got to where I am now. Good Afternoon good people of the podcast world, I am your host, Bryan and before I get too far into this, I want to make sure and send a shout out to all of the mother’s out there. This is Mother’s day weekend so remember to call your mother, mother type equivalents, and mother analogues. If you can’t be with them, send them a virtual CORONA hug. In this podcast we are...
Uploading your book, thoughts on traditional vs. indie. Also some thoughts on COVID-19
May 02, 2020 23:00 - 17 minutes - 12.2 MBMake a decision: Are you going to be a traditional author or go indie? Both have their advantages and disadvantages. If you have specific questions, send them to me at [email protected]. Beware of these sites that tell you they are publishers and will make you a New York Times best seller in six weeks. They can’t and they won’t. These predators pray on new writers and are chiefly responsible for people getting out of writing before they have had a chance to really do any real wo...
What to do after you hit THE END, plus a short story reading!
April 28, 2020 15:00 - 24 minutes - 16.9 MBPodcast #5 Shownotes! Greetings intrepid listener. So, you’ve finished writing and wonder what to do next. Well, here you go. I will lead you though my editing process up to the point you shove it out to your editor (and yes, you need one). Now, truth in advertising, this isn’t an all exhaustive list and I am sure I am missing things, but the advice is still sound. Best free writing programs? I am going to direct you to go to a Tech Republic article at https://www.techrepublic.com/artic...
Let's talk about where inspiration comes from!
April 19, 2020 19:00 - 51 minutes - 35.6 MBIn this episode of Bryan the Writer's Podcast on All Things Writing, I am responding to a friend's request for me to talk a little about where my creative ideas come from. I walk you thought each of my books and explain where the ideas came from. In the last part of the episode I talk about my "sound booth" and where the idea for it came from. I'll also explain how you don't have to spend a ton of money to build a sound booth for your recording needs. If you like this episode, please foll...
Talk about Antagonists and Protagonists Plus a Surprise
April 11, 2020 14:00 - 32 minutes - 22.5 MBHey everyone! In this episode I am going to talk a little about how I see a protagonist and antagonist in the story line. In addition, I will introduce you to my favorite brewery in the Northern Virginia area. To round things out, I have a special surprise for everyone in store that you just have to listen to believe. If you like what you hear, please hit the subscribe button to find out when more of my podcasts are posted. For more information about this or how to buy any of my books that...
Some positive about COVID-19, Mind Mapping, and the Measure of Success
April 04, 2020 13:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MBThere is a silver lining to COVID-19, if we choose to see it. We are social people and maybe we can choose to look at this as an opportunity to get closer to the ones we love, the people who we have relied or or the people who rely on us. Also, what the heck is mind mapping and how do we use it? Lastly, at what point do we examine what is the measure of our literary success? Thinking about starting your own podcast? Hit up the following link to find the best way to get your show up and runn...
The Introduction!
March 28, 2020 21:00 - 9 minutes - 6.47 MBWelcome to the show, All Things Writing. Your captain on this journey is Bryan Nowak. No matter what the driving force is, welcome to the show and I am so happy you are here. What is All Things Writing? Looking for any help at all seemed like a difficult task. So, I thought I might start to chronicle my journey into writing for other people to listen to. Sure, not all of my advice is going to be helpful, but lots of it will be. We are also lining up some amazing authors to talk with abou...