John Helps You Write Better
John Helps You Write Better is your all-in-one better-than-college help and advice in writing and publishing your books. It's all about giving you the career as a successful author you've always dreamed of.
- Update frequency
- every 2 days
- Average duration
- 25 minutes
- Episodes
- 300
- Years Active
- 2023 - 2025
How to deal with continuity and big messes of story
In today's episode, I want to talk to you about how you find your footing in big complicated series and amid all the many moving interwoven parts.
I have a few thoughts about X-Men 97
In today's episode, can we talk about some teens?
Everything You Might Want To Know About Writing A Scene
In this week's stream, let's talk scenes. Here's how to build them, what goes into them, what they need, and several kinds of them.
Rejection is what you make of it.
In today's episode, I want to talk to you about rejection and what it means for you (and how that doesn't mean quitting)
Doubt happens, here's what you can do about it.
In today's episode, I want to talk to you about self-doubt.
A quick note about TikTok
In today's episode, I want to ask you a question about what's next.
Give your characters some goals to help the reader feel like things matter
In today's episode, I want to talk to you about why your characters need goals and what that looks like for your story.
Listen to this if you want help describing things in writing
In this week's Writers Chat, we should talk about description. How to write it, what the point is, how to make it work.
Don't change your art to "what sells"
In today's episode, I want to remind you why you shouldn't keep changing your art to be whatever's selling well at the moment.
There are two boxes you can fill with your attention.
In today's episode, I want to tell you about the choice you face every minute of every day about what you can and what you can't control.
Join you character in the moment to help your show/tell problems.
In today's episode, I want to talk to you about how feelings hit the page.
The value in being yourself when you market your work
In today's episode, I want to talk to you about your marketing. And your you-ness.
Gambits for your narrative
In today's episode I want to talk to you about how you can draw the reader in only to reveal Bruce Willis is dead the whole time.
Plot, plot, plot, plot
In this week's stream (on a Monday?!) I want to talk to you about building, developing, and fixing your plot.
Your narrative and your feet
In today's episode I want to talk you about how stories are like dancing.
The episode with the mud puddle story
In today's episode, I want to tell you about some people and a mud puddle.
Does that (fill-in-the-blank) really help me?
In today's episode, I want to talk to you about my inbox and what it can teach us both about how we approach our creative lives.
5 Elements Of A Scene
In this week's Chat, I want to talk to you about 5 components of what you're writing. WARNING: this one is information dense. You'll want to take some notes.
Are you paying attention, part 2
In today's episode I ask you a follow-up question about what else you might be paying attention to.
Are you paying attention?
In today's episode I ask you a simple question - are you paying attention?