Episodes

Send us a Text Message. In this episode, we welcome Joshua Pruett, a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author, and Emmy Award winner. Pruett has written for both Mystery Science Theater 3000 and Doctor Who . He is curre...

Send us a Text Message. This episode features co-host Lisa Schmid discussing her upcoming middle-grade novel "Hart & Souls." The focus is on the challenges of writing a second novel, known as the sophomore slump, and the uniq...

In our season finale, Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid take a stroll down memory lane, sharing laughs, insights, and valuable lessons from the year 2023. Join us for a quick journey through our favorite episodes, guest highlight...

NYT Bestselling Author Jason June joins us to talk about an early career pivot that led to great success, how to successfully think about and write across different genres, and what he wishes he'd known when he started out. A...

With episode 57, we kick off "The Big Picture," a new segment where we walk you through the process of preparing and submitting a picture book for publication. Today we talk about receiving, digesting, and implementing feedba...

Get ready to dive into the enchanting world of children's literature with Heather Macht and Lynne Marie, the creative minds behind the hit platform, ' Seasons of Kidlit '. Discover how their shared passion for festive holiday...

Can you use AI to augment and amplify your creative endeavors? Can you use it to do stuff you don’t want to? Yes!! Tune in to hear about an experiment in creating a mini-marketing effort around holiday sales of Mrs. Smith’s S...

Erika Lewis has written novels, comics and graphic novels. She has deep experience collaborating with other creators. What we talked about: how her childhood riding dirt bikes and roller skates shape the adventurous world of...

Welcome to another Top Five Deep Dive episode! Today, we dive deep into creating a strong opening for your novel. Key takeaways: Start with Action or Intrigue Introduce a Relatable Character Pose Questions or Create Conflict ...

Have you ever dreamed of writing a book with a friend or an author you admire? How do you make it work? What are the most important elements of the relationship? Today we peek inside a successful collaborative writing partner...

Ready to unlock the full potential of Substack? We're here to answer WHAT, WHY and HOW of this platform, where independent publishing meets community building. Discover the features offered, including content creation and pr...

Ever wondered how an idea evolves into a complete picture book? Tune into our conversation with the New York Times bestselling author Ame Dyckman as she pulls back the curtain on the magical world of picture book writing. Am...

Welcome to another Top Five Deep Dive episode! (who doesn't love a top five list?!?!) Today, we delve deep into the captivating world of writing voice . Key takeaways will help you refine your writing voice and elevate your s...

Do the words 'book marketing' make you cry? Yeah, we get that. On today's episode, we start to navigate that terrifying world, but we're doing it together and it's going to be fun! Once a month, we'll go deep into a marketing...

Prepare to be enchanted as we chat with Eric Geron , a masterful storyteller and New York Times bestselling author. In this candid conversation, Eric takes you on his journey of becoming an author, while shedding light on t...

Want to hear the secret sauce for writing compelling dialogue? We've got the recipe! This episode is your golden ticket to mastering the art of authentic and engaging dialogue that rings true for your characters. We delve in...

Are you wondering how to navigate the tricky waters of querying agents with your fabulous new manuscript? Imagine the insight you could gain from picking the brain of a senior agent from a top literary agency. That's exactly ...

Books on Botox is back! This week we take a look at Yours Truly, a contemporary romance by Abby Jimenez as an example of how to succeed with dual Points Of View. And why Jake Burt' s novel The Tornado is a dazzling example of...

Are you stuck trying to figure out whether your work in progress is middle grade or young adult fiction? Are you stressed out that you don't know where your book fits on the shelf? This episode with industry-savvy editor Sang...

Writing a series is no joke! It's hard enough to write one novel, but 2 or 4 or 8? You're going to want to listen to this list of tips critical to creating a sustainable series. 1. Pick your genre carefully 2. Conside...

Are book covers important for an author? How about platform building? Are school visits a viable author side hustle? How do you make that a success? On Episode 40, we dig into these questions, and so many more, with award win...

This week on Writers With Wrinkles Books on Botox we look at the critical ingredient to making a series succeed. And how humor in the first person can keep a reader turning pages. Don't miss it! Books discussed: The Bullet Th...

Have you been wondering why horror is so popular right now? Do you want to know what is selling in YA and why? How about ways to make your story stand out to acquiring editors in a crowded field? Or maybe you want insight int...

Join us as we test drive a new format! Our NEW Top Five Deep Dive is a list of writing tips you will want to keep handy as you journey through your manuscript (believe us, it IS a journey!) This week, we talk about spooky mid...