Author, lawyer, and entrepreneur Lisa M. Lilly knows what it’s like to have ambitions of becoming a writer, setting that aside for a time, and coming back to fiction writing as a second career. In Episode 30, we talk with Lilly about practical measures that busy professionals can take to pursue writing as a second career. 

For a deeper dive into the topic, pick up Lisa M. Lilly’s newest non-fiction book, Fiction Writing as Your Second Career. J. W. Judge’s own book, Write Your Novel One Day at a Time, explores a similar topic and includes a separate interview with Lilly.

The Write Approach, Episode 30: Writing Fiction as a Second Career with Lisa M. Lilly

Listen to the episode here on the website.

Find The Write Approach on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

You can also watch it on our YouTube channel.

Lisa M. Lilly’s website: https://lisalilly.com/ (including the podcast, Buffy and the Art of Story)

Lilly’s Writing As a Second Career website: https://www.writingasasecondcareer.com/

Barbara Hinske’s website: https://barbarahinske.com/

J. W. Judge’s author website: https://jwjudge.com/

As a certified Story Grid editor and the co-host of the Story Nerd Podcast, Valerie Francis knows so much more about the art of story than we could have ever hoped to discuss in one episode. So in Episode 29 of The Write Approach, we keep the interview to a high-level discuss about how authors can study and apply story theory without getting lost or overwhelmed.

For more discussion about writing craft, check out Episode 17 with Jennifer Hilt about using tropes to your advantage and Episode 13 with Matty Dalrymple about creating a story framework.

The Write Approach, Episode 29: Applying Story Theory Can Improve Your Fiction Writing with Valerie Francis

Listen to the podcast here on the website.

Find The Write Approach on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

You can also watch it on YouTube.

Valerie Francis’ website: https://valeriefrancis.ca/
Barbara Hinske’s website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge’s author website: https://jwjudge.com/

An author’s decision about whether to pursue traditional or indie publishing, or a hybrid model that incorporates both, is a deeply personal one. It should be an educated decision that is made on the basis of (among other things) what business model the author is most comfortable with. In Episode 28 of The Write Approach we aim to help inform that decision. We discuss why we’ve each chosen traditional or indie publishing at various times, any why one of us is opening up our options.

The Write Approach, Episode 28: Deciding Whether to Pursue Traditional or Indie Publishing

Listen here on the website.

Find The Write Approach on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

You can also watch it on our YouTube channel.

Barbara Hinske’s website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge’s author website: https://jwjudge.com/

In Episode 27, we talk with best-selling legal thriller author Robert Bailey about his rise through the ranks of the genre. His early novel-writing career hit a snag when his publisher closed shop, but fortune shined on him when he caught the attention of Thomas & Mercer, who he’s been working with ever since. We discuss how Bailey used writing to contend with turmoil and tragedy in his life, and how he launched his writing career while practicing law full time.

Bailey is also friends and neighbors with past podcast guest, Georgina Cross (Episode 14).

The Write Approach, Episode 27: Rising to the Top of the Legal Thriller Genre with Robert Bailey

Listen to the episode here on the website:

Find The Write Approach on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

You can also watch it on YouTube.

Robert Bailey’s author website: https://robertbaileybooks.com/
Barbara Hinske’s website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge’s author website: https://jwjudge.com/
The Write Approach’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thewriteapproach/

In Episode 26, we talk with Michael La Ronn about what authors need to do to protect the legacy of the intellectual property they create, even after they’ve shuffled off their mortal coils. Creating an author estate is an essential act of empathy and kindness that you can do now that will benefit your heirs for years after you’re gone.

We highly recommend Michael La Ronn’s books, The Author Estate Handbook and The Author Heir Handbook.

Toward the end of this episode, we mention our interview with Dave Chesson, so if you haven’t listened to it yet, be sure to check it out for a conversation about piracy, concerning Amazon trends, and copyright issues.

The Write Approach, Episode 26: Mind Your Business through an Author Estate with Michael La Ronn

Listen to the episode here on the website:

Find The Write Approach on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

You can also watch it on YouTube.

Michael La Ronn’s author website: https://authorlevelup.com/
Michael La Ronn’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AuthorLevelUp
Barbara Hinske’s website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge’s author website: https://jwjudge.com/
The Write Approach’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thewriteapproach/

In Episode 25 of The Write Approach, Dave Chesson of Kindlepreneur talks with us about current trends on Amazon, scams that are prevalent on the Amazon platform and in the author community, problems with pirates, and dealing with copyright issues.

The Write Approach, Episode 25: Pirates, Scams, and Copyright Issues with Dave Chesson

Listen to the audio:

Find The Write Approach on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

You can also watch it on YouTube.

Dave Chesson’s website — https://kindlepreneur.com/

Barbara Hinske’s  author website — https://barbarahinske.com/

J. W. Judge’s author website — https://jwjudge.com/

In Episode 24 of The Write Approach, Laurie Fagen talks about writing novels with strong female leads, how to avoid harmful stereotypes, using news headlines to generate story ideas, and the role her career in journalism played in helping her find her voice as a novelist.

The Write Approach, Episode 24: Developing Strong Female Characters with Laurie Fagen

Listen to the audio:

Find The Write Approach on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

You can also watch it on YouTube.

Laurie Fagen’s website — http://www.readlauriefagen.com/

Barbara Hinske’s  author website — https://barbarahinske.com/

J. W. Judge’s author website — https://jwjudge.com/

Karen Odden returns to talk about how we can make our secondary and side characters memorable to readers. Secondary characters help give our stories shape and our often the characters who readers fall in love with. Think Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter. Han Solo from Star Wars. They add depth and color. And if writers don’t keep their side characters in check, they can try to take over.

Karen first came on the show in Episode 15, when we discussed the research and effort she put into finding the right literary agent for her Victorian-era historical novels; the benefits of writing to a niche market; and the significant role the research plays in her writing.

The Write Approach, Episode 23: How to Make Your Side Characters Sizzle with Karen Odden

Listen to the audio:

Find The Write Approach on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

You can also watch it on YouTube.

Karen Odden’s website — https://karenodden.com/

Barbara Hinske’s  author website — https://barbarahinske.com/

J. W. Judge’s author website — https://jwjudge.com/

J. W. Judge’s writing blog — https://expectantwriter.com/

In Episode 22, we focus on how we decide which characters get points of view in the novels we’re writing. We discuss in detail how J. W. Judge’s work-in-progress has evolved from his expectation of having multiple viewpoint characters to deciding on only one. Barbara Hinske sheds light on how we can use viewpoint characters as accent pieces to make a story lighter or darker. We also talk about choosing between first-person and third-person narratives.

The Write Approach, Episode 22: Deciding Which Characters Get a Point of View

Listen to the audio:

Find The Write Approach on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

You can also watch it on YouTube.

Barbara Hinske’s  author website — https://barbarahinske.com/

J. W. Judge’s author website — https://jwjudge.com/

J. W. Judge’s writing blog — https://expectantwriter.com/

In our interview with Claire Parsons, we talk about how mindfulness and self-compassion combine forces to make her a badass lawyer. Claire discusses how, through establishing a regular writing practice, she overcame doubts about whether she had enough to say to write a book. We also discuss dealing with fear.

Be sure to check out Claire Parsons’ book, How to be a Badass Lawyer, as well as her website.

The Write Approach, Episode 21: Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, and Being a Badass with Claire Parsons

Listen to the audio:

Find The Write Approach on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

You can also watch it on YouTube.

Claire Parson’s website — https://brilliantlegalmind.com/
How to be a Badass Lawyer by Claire Parsons
Barbara Hinske’s  author website — https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge’s author website — https://jwjudge.com/
J. W. Judge’s writing blog — https://expectantwriter.com/