Blog & Pod
Here’s what’s on our mind, for better or worse! Enjoy the pontification mixed in with some great resources for writers.
How Do You Keep Your Head in the Writing Game?
In this episode of the Writing Momentum Podcast, hosts Gena and Christopher Maselli discuss the importance of staying engaged in the ‘writing world’ for both emerging and experienced writers. They explore what constitutes the writing world, including the processes of writing, publishing, and marketing. The Maselli’s emphasize the ease of distraction in today’s world and the necessity of keeping writing goals top of mind. They suggest various methods for staying focused, such as listening to podcasts, reading or listening to books on writing, and participating in writing groups or conferences. The hosts also share personal challenges with maintaining momentum and offer solutions like setting appointments to write and seeking encouragement and advice from fellow writers. Furthermore, they discuss the benefits of attending writers’ conferences to stay abreast of the latest industry trends and technologies. The episode concludes by inviting listeners to join their online writing group and encourages writers to form connections with others in the writing community to share successes, challenges, and to learn from each other.
Kickstart Your Writing Career: Emerging Writers’ Guide
Gena and Christopher Maselli host the Writing Momentum Podcast, targeting emerging writers aspiring to write a book. They emphasize that the writing journey is not competitive and there’s space for everyone. The podcast provides practical tips, including choosing a genre, understanding genre specifics, and the importance of knowing the rules before breaking them. They recommend reading extensively within one’s genre, outlining other works, and learning about story structures with resources like Ronald Tobias’s ’20 Master Plots’. The hosts also stress the importance of joining the writing community for support and growth, encouraging listeners to engage with groups, conferences, and online platforms like Writing Momentum. They urge listeners to write daily, read in their genre, and join writing courses or communities. The podcast underscores that identifying as a writer is crucial, encouraging a mindset shift to embrace the writer’s identity confidently.
Just Finish Your First Draft
In this episode of the Writing Momentum podcast, hosts Christopher and Gena Maselli discuss strategies for finishing first drafts, acknowledging it as a significant challenge for many writers. They emphasize the importance of completing a draft regardless of its initial quality and suggest focusing on editing afterward to improve it. The hosts share personal experiences, tips for maintaining momentum, including setting writing goals and knowing the direction of your story, whether you’re more of a plotter or a pantser. Additionally, they introduce their Wednesday Writing Moments, an online group writing session for accountability and progress. The discussion aims to encourage writers to keep working towards completing their first drafts by providing practical advice and shared experiences.
proverbs for writers: be a writer
This is another in my periodic series on proverbs for writers. The inspiration comes from the book of Proverbs and how a particular verse strikes me. I don’t go looking for them. And I’m not looking to preach. I’m seeking to share a word from
Habits That will TANK Your Writing – Part 3
In this episode of the Writing Momentum podcast, hosts Gena and Christopher Maselli explore the final habit in their series that can significantly hinder a writer’s productivity: excessive, mindless screen time. They discuss how spending too much time on devices like televisions, computers, mobile phones, and video game screens without purpose can detract from valuable writing time. The Masellis share personal experiences and strategies to reduce mindless screen time, emphasizing the importance of being intentional with how one spends their screen time. They encourage listeners to engage in activities that contribute to their writing goals and suggest ways to reduce mindless screen time to improve focus, creativity, and ultimately, writing output.
Habits That Will TANK Your Writing – Part 2
In this episode of the Writing Momentum Podcast, hosts Gena and Christopher Maselli discuss everyday habits that can negatively impact your writing progress. They address the dangers of comparison and disengagement from the writing community, emphasizing the importance of staying connected and involved. The conversation highlights how distractions and perfectionism can halt a writer’s momentum, offering practical solutions like using focus modes on devices and understanding the creative versus technical aspects of writing and editing. Additionally, they talk about the fallacy of the solitary writing venture and advocate for collaboration and networking within the writing community, including the benefits of joining writing groups and attending conferences. The Masellis stress the importance of making small, manageable changes to overcome these detrimental habits and invite listeners to subscribe for more insights.
Habits That will TANK Your Writing – Part 1
In this episode of the Writing Momentum podcast, Chris and Gena discuss common habits that can impede a writer’s progress or productivity. They share insights about the traps of comparison and the need to stay engaged with the writing community. The episode encourages writers to embrace their unique voice, style and journey, and stresses the importance of continuous reading and learning within the genre they are writing. The hosts also talk about maintaining a strong presence and active participation in the ‘writing world,’ including online forums, writer’s conferences and book clubs, to keep the creative juices flowing and to stay on top of market trends.
Millstones or milestones
Birthdays can be millstones or milestones. It depends on our perspective and on where and how we see ourselves in this life. My seventy-fifth birthday passed recently. OK, it’s more like it flew by—a blur of the calendar pages spinning. More and more, birthdays are
Maintaining Motivation in Writing: Practical Tips
In this episode of the Writing Momentum podcast, hosts Gena and Christopher Maselli explore different ways to stay motivated in writing. They discuss tracking your writing successes, identifying your ‘why’, immersing oneself in the writing world through books, podcasts, and conferences, and the benefits of co-writing and surrounding yourself with writing friends. Chris also describes the benefits of maintaining a ‘to done’ list. The hosts invite audiences to join their writing group, Writing Moments, to further promote a supportive writing community. The episode is designed to help writers find the motivation they need to stay committed to their craft.