The Pages & Platforms Podcast
By Sue Campbell
Pages and Platforms podcast helps you write the best possible book and find exactly the right audience.
The Pages & Platforms PodcastDec 06, 2022
Lessons from Goal Getter School with Neroli Lacey
This week on the podcast, we're talking setting—and getting—goals with novelist Neroli Lacey. Get some gems about reaching your own goals by listening to Neroli's share her biggest takeaways from the program.
Applications for Goal Getter School are now open. Learn more at: https://www.pagesandplatforms.com/goalgetter
Neroli writies delicious fiction for clever women. Trained as a journalist, she wrote for all the great British newspapers: The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Evening Standard and for Vogue, Tatler, and New Statesman.
She's also been an investment banker and commodity futures trader. She's traveled all through Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. She's the proud mother of two wildly spirited daughters and an adventurous stepson. She divides her time between New York and a medieval village in the South of France.
On a perfect day, she writes until 2.00 p.m and hikes up, or skis down a mountain in the afternoon.
Lessons from Goal Getter School with Kristina Bak
This week on the podcast, we're talking setting—and getting—goals with novelist Kristina Bak. Get some gems about reaching your own goals by listening to Kristina share her biggest takeaways from the program, including how she went from barely know what a podcast was to landing four guest spots on podcasts with just five pitches!
Applications for Goal Getter School are now open. Learn more at: https://www.pagesandplatforms.com/goalgetter
Visit Kristina's website kristinabak.com for a free e-edition of Nowever, Book 1 in her YA series starring Stevie, a teen girl who discovers she can heal pain with a touch of her hand.Kristina lives in an Oregon mountain town where she is currently writing the third novel in her series described as Near-future, Non-dystopian Realism with supernatural elements. Though nominally YA, this series is intended to inspire, entertain, and empower readers from age 12 to 120.Her latest adult novel, From Here to Argentina: A Tango Love Story, and books 1 and 2 in her YA series, Nowever and Cold Mirage, are available through independent bookstores, as well as Amazon and other usual online sources. Check your library for digital copies.
Lessons from Goal Getter School with Laurel Standley
This week on the podcast, we're talking setting—and getting—goals with author Dr. Laurel Standley, an environmental chemist and author of self-help books on reducing exposure to toxic chemicals, as well as fiction focused on eco-fiction and cozy mysteries, the latter under the pen name June Lucas. She's working on three separate projects and Goal Getter School helped her make headway and set a proper pace for the work.
Get some gems about reaching your own goals by listening to Laurel share her biggest takeaways from the program, including how she learned to take small steps forward and take beach days when needed!
Applications for Goal Getter School are now open. Learn more at: https://www.pagesandplatforms.com/goalgetter
Lessons from Goal Getter School with Gretchen Cherington
Lots of writers have goals but many writers don't have the healthiest relationship with their goals. Goal Getter School is a place where I teach writers to meet their goals without being an asshole to themselves and without burning out.
Listen to students share their key takeaways from the program and get some gems for yourself.
Visit pagesandplatforms.com/goalgetter. To learn more about Goal Getter School and apply. Today's guest is author Gretchen Cherington (gretchencherington.com).
Her first memoir, Poetic License, won multiple awards. Her second memoir, The Butcher, The Embezzler and The Fall Guy, was published in June. Her essays have appeared in the Huffington Post, Culture Club, The Millions, Crack the Spine, Bloodroot Literary magazine and more. Her essay "Maine Roustabout" was nominated for a 2012 pushcart prize.
Now let's hear Gretchen share some of her goal getting advice for writers.
Lessons from Goal Getter School with Lori Howard
The new year is coming and I want you to be well prepared to set goals in a new and more effective way, so I’m bringing you interviews with students from my Goal Getter School for Writers.
In this episode, we look at how one writer met her goal to finish her first (aka zero) draft.
Lori Howard is a fantasy writer currently working on her first full-length novel. A bookkeeper by trade, she also teaches Scottish Country Dancing. She lives with her husband, daughter and cat in the San Francisco Bay Area.
In Goal Getter School, you will set a big goal for your writing career and learn a framework to manage your mind to achieve it.
The goal of the program is to teach you to manage your mind so you can better realize your creative potential for the rest of your life.
If you’re interested in learning more about Goal Getter School and maybe even applying for the January 2023 cohort, visit http://pagesandplatforms.com/goalgetter
Lessons from Goal Getter School with Drema Drudge
The new year is coming and I want you to be well prepared to set goals in a new and more effective way, so I’m bringing you interviews with students from my Goal Getter School for Writers.
In this episode, we look at how one writer met her goals to create and execute a launch plan for her second novel.
Drēma Drudge is the award-winning author of the novels Victorine (March 2020) and Southern-Fried Woolf (January 2023). A graduate of the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing, she and her husband, musician and writer Barry Drudge, have two grown children, a new granddog, and live in a picturesque town in Indiana. They also host the podcast MFA Payday.
Learn more about Drēma and get a free art fiction short story at: www.dremadrudge.com.
In Goal Getter School, you will set a big goal for your writing career and learn a framework to manage your mind to achieve it.
The goal of the program is to teach you to manage your mind so you can better realize your creative potential for the rest of your life.
If you’re interested in learning more about Goal Getter School and maybe even applying for the January 2023 cohort, visit http://pagesandplatforms.com/goalgetter
Lessons from Goal Getter School with Kathryn Brown Ramsperger
The new year is coming and I want you to be well prepared to set goals in a new and more effective way, so I’m bringing you interviews with students from my Goal Getter School for Writers.
In this episode, we look at how one writer met her goals to create and execute a launch plan for her novel while pivoting on her memoir.
Sue Campbell interviews Kathryn Brown Ramsperger, a lifelong journalist and novelist. She's written for Nat Geo and Kiplinger publications, the MacGuffin and Thought Catalog, and many more, She's the author of three award-winning novels, the most recent (to launch in 2023) is titled A Thousand Flying Things. Kathryn worked for the International Red Cross for 25 years, and she brings that humanitarian eyewitness viewpoint to her writing. She's also a coach who founded Ground One, LLC who helps creatives and families with differences get unstuck.
You can find more about her writing at https://kathrynbrownramsperger.com. Connect with her on social media @kathyramsperger.
In Goal Getter School, you will set a big goal for your writing career and learn a framework to manage your mind to achieve it.
The goal of the program is to teach you to manage your mind so you can better realize your creative potential for the rest of your life.
If you’re interested in learning more about Goal Getter School and maybe even applying for the January 2023 cohort, visit http://pagesandplatforms.com/goalgetter
Lessons from Goal Getter School With Joy Overstreet
The new year is coming and I want you to be well prepared to set goals in a new and more effective way, so I’m bringing you interviews with students from my Goal Getter School for Writers.
In this episode, I’m talking with the author Joy Imboden Overstreet (https://www.joyoverstreet.com/). Joy created the original Thin Within workshops in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1975. She was one of the very first health educators to ditch diets in favor of mindful eating. She’s published a book called The Cherry Pie Paradox and came to Goal Getter School to work on finishing the accompanying workbook and audiobook and the marketing around them.
Learn how she used Goal Getter School to complete her audiobook and workbook, book podcasts to promote them, and start on her next memoir project.
In Goal Getter School, you will set a big goal for your writing career and learn a framework to manage your mind to achieve it.
The goal of the program is to teach you to manage your mind so you can better realize your creative potential for the rest of your life.
If you’re interested in learning more about Goal Getter School and maybe even applying for the January 2023 cohort, visit http://pagesandplatforms.com/goalgetter
Lessons from Goal Getter School with Sarah McKee
The new year is coming and I want you to be well prepared to set goals in a new and more effective way, so I’m bringing you interviews with students from my Goal Getter School for Writers.
In this episode, I’m talking with the writer Sarah McKee. Sarah is a mother and wife who loves writing and being outdoors. She used to believe that being sensitive was a disgrace but has learned how to use this gift to the fullest by writing better characters and has recently learned how to set real goals and get them achieved!
Learn how she finally completed her first draft in three months after years of working on it.
You can find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s.e.mckee/
In Goal Getter School, you will set a big goal for your writing career and learn a framework to manage your mind to achieve it.
The goal of the program is to teach you to manage your mind so you can better realize your creative potential for the rest of your life.
If you’re interested in learning more about Goal Getter School and maybe even applying for the January 2023 cohort, visit http://pagesandplatforms.com/goalgetter
Coping with Uncertainty
2020 has dealt us uncertainty like never before. I have some experience with uncertainty--and I daresay an unfair advantage--so I'm sharing with you some things I've found helpful in hopes that it helps reduce your suffering a bit too.
When is the BEST time to write?
In this episode, Sue discusses that age-old question: When is the best time to write?
As we've mentioned, we'll be opening the doors to our Story Path course soon, which is designed to help you use the power of Story Types to write a great book. Please join us on Friday, August 28 at 12 PM PT for a free webinar: "Get Your Story Unstuck" where we'll give you an overview of the 7 essential Story Types. We promise you'll walk away with something useful to apply to your story. Visit pagesandforms.com/eb-registration to register.
Emotion in Your Story
In this episode, we offer a tiny little slice of what's inside our Story Path course: a discussion of between Rachelle Ramirez and me about the importance of audience emotion and what you can do to help create specific feelings in your audience.
Learn more about story types and how they help you solve your pesky story problems at by watching our free, on-demand "Get Your Story Unstuck" webinar: https://www.storypath.me/masterclass-registration
Real Writer, Real Stories: Let's Talk Premise
We have a special treat for you this week. We're getting ready to reopen the doors on our Story Path course, so we've got a little audio sample for you of something from Module 5 on the importance of premise in your story.
When it comes to what your story is about, the answer you give to others and the answer you need yourself to write the book can be completely different. One helps others find your book, the other helps you find your story. Rachelle Ramirez and Anne Hawley dive into how and why to distill your premise down to its essence.
If you want to hear more about our Story Path course, visit http://storypath.me where you can download our seven page guide to the essential story types and you'll get on a mailing list to be notified when the Story Path course opens for enrollment later in August 2020.
How Story Type Can Save You
If you’re writing a novel or piece of narrative nonfiction and you can’t seem to get anywhere with it, I’ll bet you dollars to dark chocolate you can’t satisfactorily answer the following question:
What type of story are you telling?
If the question itself confuses you, if your answer takes twenty minutes, or if you said “It’s a fantasy,” or “It’s young adult,” I have good news. By the end of this article, you’ll have a much clearer idea of why you’ve wandered off the path, and how to get back on.
Download a free guide to all 7 Story Types at http://storypath.me.
Six Reasons to Start Building Your Author Platform Right Now
Many writers know they'll have to do their marketing eventually, they just want to put it off as long as possible. In this episode, we'll look at 6 reasons to start now. And if your author website is one of the places you're stuck, Pages and Platforms is offering a free webinar on Friday, July 10, 2020. Sue will show you exactly what you do and don’t for your author website. Register at https://www.pagesandplatforms.com/author-website-registration.
Dealing with Fear as a Writer
Our brain sends us fear messages all the time. How do we know when to heed them and when to plow ahead, even when we are afraid? This episode will give you one powerful question to ask to help you decide.
Book Marketing in Troubled Times
Sue talks with author Helen Zuman, author of the memoir Mating in Captivity, about her successful outreach push during the pandemic with the help of the Pages & Platforms Outreach Intensive. A new session of the Outreach Intensive begins June 8, 2020. Visit http://pagesandplatform.com/outreach-intensive.
Decision vs. Indecision
Writers face a ridiculous amount of choices. But we've got to get good and making them and moving on or we'll never get anywhere.
What's an Author Website Really For?
Sue takes a look at what an author website is actually for (and it's probably not what you think). And she shares some essential dos and don'ts for author websites so you can give yours a tweak.
How to Make a Goal Sandwich
Settings goals is crucial for your success as an author. But there are some pitfalls to goal-setting. The biggest one is getting graspy and desperate to reach our goals. In this episode, I'm introducing the "goal sandwich" as a way to get yourself mentally prepared to set goals from a place of already feeling worthy.
Inciting Incidents
We're gearing up to present the Pages & Platforms Scene Workshop later this month, so we're kicking things off by taking a look at the first essential element of a good scene: The inciting incident.
I'm passing the mic to Story Grid certified editor Anne Hawley to take us through some of the finer details of inciting incidents: what they are, why you need one, and their various flavors.
To learn more about the upcoming Scene Workshop, visit: http://pagesandplatforms.com/sceneworkshop.
What's behind every obstacle to getting your writing and marketing done
I'm helping run a productivity mastermind right now and I asked all the incoming writers to tell me their biggest obstacles to reaching their writing goals. Of the 18 or so writers polled, 3-4 main obstacles surfaced: not enough time, fear of failure, perfectionism, and procrastination. But there's ONE thing that sits behind of all of these obstacles that writers often don't see.
Overcoming the Urge to Procrastinate Doing Your Writing
Times being what they are, it can be tough to get your writing done. The first question to ask, whether you're writing or you're not is this: Do I like my reasons? If you're not writing, and you don't like your reasons, I offer a tip for overcoming the urge to procrastinate your writing.