How to be an Author
Want to write a book? How to be an Author is your secret weapon. Let professional writing coach Karena Akhavein inspire and motivate you as she teaches you the principles of good storytelling, using examples from her writing coaching practice and from the careers of bestselling authors. If you've been dreaming of finally writing, finishing, or publishing that book or screenplay for a long time now, you'll be inspired to write better, beat writer's block, and finally become an author with weekly writing tips, publishing advice, and mindset resets.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 32 minutes
- Episodes
- 102
- Years Active
- 2022 - 2024
Authors: here's how to start up or start over as a writer, to hit your writing goals
If you're just starting your writing career, there are several steps you can and should take to get started, on the most solid foundation possible. Writing coach Karena Akhavein speaks with many writ…
Authors, transform your writing career and your novel with these two hacks
As a writing coach focusing on a holistic approach, Karena Akhavein, PhD, has spent years talking to writers in various stages of their careers about the things that help them, and the things that hu…
Writing books in the era of cancel culture
Throughout history, certain writers have faced public backlash, some of it well deserved. Today, easy access to social media means that anyone can broadcast their criticism of any public figure, and …
using a Pen Name How to be an Author Season 2 Ep 2
Authors often feel that using a pen name, also known as a pseudonym or a nom de plume, has some advantages.
While it’s true that using a pen name can offer a writer added privacy and distance from t…
How to start writing again after a break
For any professional, especially creative professionals, especially writers, taking a break can be crucial. Taking a break from your writing, from your book, or from your author platform tasks can fe…
How to write a book in 6 months- From idea to published
Many newer writers have dreamed of writing a novel for a long time, but they find that they really struggle with not only starting with writing a book, but also following through until publication an…
How to be an Author Ep 36 Fighting overwhelm and making time for writing
Being an author can be overwhelming. Writing is a huge job. It’s not just about jotting down a few words. It’s about writing book after book, editing your written work, promoting your novel, creating…
First impressions matter: choosing a great book title
The title of your book really does matter.
Books are often sold by word of mouth so the title is literally the first thing that gives a potential reader an opinion of your book. When someone sees y…
How to write suspense into your book- even if it's not a thriller
Suspense is not just for mystery and thriller novels. Suspense can add a layer of urgency to reading- it is one of those things that make your book unputdownable. There is an art and a science to cre…
Inciting incident: the engine that moves your novel's plot
What was it that made you finally go from dreaming of being a writer, to actually being a writer? Can you remember?
In fiction, too, inciting incidents are so important. They are the thing that laun…
Finding your author voice and writing style
You know how you look forward to reading each new book by your favorite author? How you can sometimes read a few lines and know immediately which author composed them? How there can be ten books on a…
Storytelling essentials you NEED to know as an author
It's not so much about "writing a book." It's about telling a great story to your reader. Too many authors get tripped up when writing any kind of book, from novel to nonfiction, because they get ove…
Writing a great antagonist for ANY book
Many writers start off focusing on their story and on their protagonist, but without an antagonist, there is no story. Believe it or not, this is not just the case for novels- it even applies if you'…
How to write a bestseller
Come on, admit it- you dream of writing a bestseller. At the very least, you hope to touch as many people as possible with your book. Either way, authors who want to sell more books need to make a pl…
Critique or criticism? Don't get destroyed by beta reader feedback
As a writing coach, Karena Akhavein says that the majority of her clients come to her because they were devastated by negative feedback from editors or beta readers. This is why this week's How to be…
Writer life skills: overcoming and learning from RESISTANCE
Steven Pressfield may have been the first to give a name to the thing we have all felt in our creative lives: resistance.
Resistance is often the explanation for our motivation failing us even though…
How to make money as an author
How do writers make money? For authors wanting to quit their job and become full-time writers, this question is important. However, the ways in which many writers make money are often not truly repre…
The toxic mindsets authors hold that impact writing success
Being a writer requires mental strength, powering through rejection, working long hours in solitude, exposing your innermost thoughts to the world, self promotion, hard work, and yes, talent and even…
Why setting is so crucial in your novel
Can you imagine how Harry Potter would be without Hogwarts? Setting is a key element in any novel. It is the thing that grounds the story, permits the reader to create a detailed "movie" in their hea…
The characters and character archetypes your novel needs.
Fiction books are essentially about characters doing things. Most novels have 2-5 main characters. Lots of authors I work with as a writing coach have many more than that. In some genres, this may be…