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Hey, Time-Strapped Author! Wanna write great fiction? BUT writing is hard because you… - Have NO TIME because you work a full-time job or go to school full-time - Doubt your writing ability - Have no idea how to write the kind of captivating stories you love to read. Then welcome to The Adventurous Author, the podcast with short and entertaining episodes for adventurous authors in high school, college, and beyond. Through these episodes, you will… - Gain confidence in your author identity. - Master the process and structure needed to write captivating stories EVEN WITH limited writing time. - Learn to use AI effectively and ethically to constantly improve your writing skills and story quality. I’m your host D.K. Drake (or am I? 😉), author of the Dragon Stalker Bloodlines Saga. **Spoiler Alert:** D.K. Drake isn’t my real name! Wanna know the mystery behind it? Check out the very first episode! As fantasy author D.K. Drake, I write action-packed, wholesome adventures without the snooze-worthy fluff. But as your personal writing coach, I’m here to unlock YOUR narrative prowess, guide you in crafting spellbinding tales, and navigate the wild world of writing with AI. Adventure awaits, so ignite your imagination, latch on to that dragon swooping overhead, and let the storytelling quest begin. It’s time to play in our own fabulous fantasy worlds.
Episodes
Thursday Jun 22, 2023
Thursday Jun 22, 2023
Today we’re continuing the Write a Novella in 18 Weeks series. Here in week 5, the challenge is to write a full outline in 15 steps.
In the past, I would write this step outline by jotting down the action steps in scene one, then the action steps in scene two, then the action steps in scene three. I thus ended up with a lot of steps after this outline.
But I’ve recently finished reading Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. In it, she shares the Save the Cat! Beat Sheet, which she also refers to as your structure cheat sheet. I like structure. I like experimenting with ways to improve my storytelling skills. And I like that it’s divided into the standard three acts, and subdivided into 15 sub-steps from there.
So I gave it a go and outlined my story according to her beat sheet. I enjoyed the process, and it took me less than three hours to complete. I also found that thinking through my outline in this way enriched my story, so thank you Jessica Brody for writing this book. If you haven’t read this book, I recommend it. I don’t know Jessica and am not getting any kind of kickback for promoting her book. I just think you’d benefit from reading it.
In the meantime, I want to share her outlining process so you can make sure your story has the structure it needs to keep your readers turning pages. Let’s get to it!
Your friend,
DK
Connect: dk@authordkdrake.com
Check out the related blog post.
Next Steps:
Snag your freebie:
Super Simple Overview of the Publishing Process for Self-Published Authors
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
“I love DK and Published Before College.” If that sounds like something you’d say, please rate and review my show. Your rating and review helps the show get found by other authors with big writing dreams. It’ll take a quick 30 seconds to scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then share what you enjoyed most about this episode.
And if you haven’t already done so, follow the podcast. That way you’ll never miss an episode and will be better prepared to write and publish your novel. Follow now!
Friday Jun 16, 2023
Friday Jun 16, 2023
The summer writing season is officially upon us! If your writing plans include busting out a novella this summer, then this episode is for you. I’m picking up where we left on in the write a novella series, and we are on week four.
If you missed the action steps for weeks 1-3, check out episodes 43, 45 and 47.
Those episodes focused on getting the foundation of your story in place regarding your market research, premise statements, setting, and character development. Today we’ll start building your story framework with phase one of the outlining process. Let’s get to it!
Your friend,
DK
Next Steps:
Snag your freebie:
Super Simple Overview of the Publishing Process for Self-Published Authors
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
“I love DK and Published Before College.” If that sounds like something you’d say, please rate and review my show. Your rating and review helps the show get found by other authors with big writing dreams. It’ll take a quick 30 seconds to scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then share what you enjoyed most about this episode.
And if you haven’t already done so, follow the podcast. That way you’ll never miss an episode and will be better prepared to write and publish your novel. Follow now!
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
These two things I’m about to share with you don’t cost a dime but have the power to change the way you feel and how fast you write.
Ready for today’s fun episode to learn two weird things you can do to speed up your writing success? Let’s get to it!
Your friend,
DK
Next Steps:
Snag your freebie:
Super Simple Overview of the Publication Process
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
“I love DK and Published Before College.”
If that sounds like something you’d say, please rate and review my show. Your rating and review helps the show get found by other authors with big writing dreams. It’ll take a quick 30 seconds to rate with five stars and select “Write a Review.” Then share what you enjoyed most about this episode.
And if you haven’t already done so, follow the podcast. That way you’ll never miss an episode and will be better prepared to write and publish your novel. Follow now!
Wednesday May 31, 2023
Wednesday May 31, 2023
I've got a super short episode today to highlight the super simple overview of the publishing process.
If you've ever wondered what it takes to get your book published, you can secure your super simple overview of the publishing process here.
Connect with me: dk@authordkdrake.com.
Wednesday May 24, 2023
Wednesday May 24, 2023
To succeed as an author, you do need to build the character muscles of diligence and discipline so that you sit and write at specific, consistent times each week. How do you do that? What do you work on during these weekly writing practices? Who will keep you accountable?
You start by following a five step process that we’ll explore in today’s episode. You break each step of that process into actionable tasks. And you ask a friend or family member to keep you accountable.
If you want me to keep you accountable and on track toward your writing goals, you can join the League of Adventurous Authors. It’s open at an exclusive price to founding members right now. We’ll meet weekly to set actions for the week, track our progress and celebrate wins. You’ll also get training to build your writing skills and have access to Q&A sessions with me. This round of membership is only open until next Friday. When it reopens in August, the price will be higher. So get in now while the price is the lowest it will ever be. The link is in the show notes for you.
So what is this five step process you need to go through to get from idea to published? Let’s explore that right now.
Interested in joining the League of Adventurous Authors? Shoot me an email, and I'll respond with details! Email me at dk@authordkdrake.com.
Wednesday May 17, 2023
Wednesday May 17, 2023
From one author to another, I have a theory. That theory is this: setting aside 30 minutes on Monday to debrief the week before and dream about the week ahead will help us reach our writing goals faster.
But what do we review during the debrief? How do we set achievable targets with actionable tasks for the week ahead? How do we make sure what we work on each day and week takes us closer to our writing goals?
Finding the answers to these questions is at the heart of the super secret project I’ve been working on, and that is what I want to share with you today.
Email me: dk@authordkdrake.com
Wednesday May 10, 2023
Wednesday May 10, 2023
Today I have three quick tips to help you write stellar stories.
I didn’t learn these tips from a book or a course or a podcast or some random social media post. I learned them while backpacking in South America.
What does backpacking have to do with writing? Tune in to find out!
Friday May 05, 2023
Friday May 05, 2023
Today I am bringing you some entertainment in the form of an interview. This is the third and final piece of the chat between me and my friend Becky on night seven of our eight day hike. We interviewed each other about the trek while in our tent on that cold night, and now I’m sharing it with you. You can also watch it here.
Listen in to find out how this trip will influence my next novel and discover the cool thing your creative brain will thank you for.
And if you want the inside scoop regarding the super secret project I'm working on for you before I announce it here on the podcast, you can get yourself on the email list.
Now lets go back in time one more time to hear the end of the interview between me and Becky while we were shivering in our tent on March 29, 2023. Let’s go to Chile!