Sutter Communications

We’re wild about words!

4 inspiring podcasts for writers

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I’m hooked on podcasts as a great way to inspire me to write, write and write until the prose is perfect.

elfI’ve discovered that there are some wonderful podcasts that feature a wide variety of authors. So when I’m toiling at the gym — lifting weights, struggling on a Nautilus machine, or huffing and puffing on those revolving steps — I take my mind off the pain by listening to some inspiration.

It’s fascinating to hear about how other writers approach their craft and talk specifically about books or songs or articles they’ve written.

Here are my go-to podcasts to hear a variety of authors:

Fresh Air with host Terry Gross:

Terry and her fill-in hosts often develop a great rapport with the authors they interview (and this podcast also features media stars, newsmakers, etc.) One of my favorite podcasts is a compilation of interviews with Pat Conroy (author of Prince of Tides, The Great Santini, etc.). Fresh Air produced it after Conroy died in March. You can listen to that one here.

Longform:

I learned about this podcast from WXXI journalist Veronica Volk one day when we were chatting. The hosts are Aaron Lammer, Max Linsky and Evan Ratliff. I love how they take a casual and enthusiastic (almost gee-whiz) approach to their subjects — all non-fiction writers (like me) — whom they often interview in their homes or offices. A couple that were especially insightful are with Cheryl Strayed (Wild) and Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray Love).

The Commonwealth Club:

The Commonwealth Club offers interviews and speeches from a variety of “thought leaders” before a live audience in San Francisco. I’m a fan of New York Times columnist David Brooks, so I recommend this podcast where Brooks talks about his book The Road to Character.

On Being With Krista Tippet: 

Krista Tippett’s weekly podcast offers a cornucopia of fascinating people, from Catholic monks to Jewish leaders to scientists to activists and on and on. Not too long ago, she interviewed Adam Gopnik, whom I know best as a New Yorker writer. Let’s not forget songwriters and composers are sources of writing inspiration either. This podcast with Bobby McFerrin is really special. And I became a fan of Roseanne Cash after hearing her talk about her childhood and relationship with her father, Johnny Cash.

What are your favorite podcasts? Do tell. 

5 reasons to write a mission statement for your blog

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I'll be teaching "Blogging 101" at Writers and Books on July 18. I love the old phone booth on the property!
I’ll be teaching “Blogging 101” at Writers and Books on July 18. I love the old phone booth on the property!

Do you blog or aspire to but have a hard time coming up with ideas to write about? Then I suggest you write a “mission statement” for your blog.

Here’s what having a mission statement will help you to do for your blog:

1. Determine the goal. Why do you want to blog? Bloggers have opinions or information or experiences that they want to share. They invite a two-way conversation with their readers. 

2. Determine the audience. Who is going to read your blog? Family, friends, people with similar interests or goals? Writing for a specific audience will help you focus on the content. 

3. Determine the type of content. Having a written goal and knowing your audience will make it much easier to come up with topics for your blog, and prevent you from writing about topics that the audience won’t care about.

4. Determine frequency. Blogging on a regular basis is by far the hardest part of being a blogger. So putting a time frame in your mission statement can hold you accountable. I recommend blogging a minimum of once a week. With the launch of my new blog here, I’m publicly stating that I’m determined to post once a week, and I may occasionally post more often. (And you readers can hold me accountable, please!)

5. Stay motivated. We have all abandoned various goals and New Year’s resolutions, right? Let your mission statement for your blog stand as a written commitment. Print it out, display it next to your computer, and read it out loud every day. 

Here’s my mission statement.

The Sutter Communications blog will share essential information to empower its readers when it comes to the written word including writing and editing, book writing and publishing, blogging, public relations, social media, and media trends. The blog will primarily act as a “Sherpa” to guide readers and occasionally act as a “Sage” to share expertise. The blog also will celebrate the written word and the joy of writing and reading, in keeping with the Sutter Communications mantra of “We’re Wild About Words.” The blog will be updated at least weekly.

I’ve been blogging since 2009 and I’ve found it to be great fun, so much so that when I “rewired” after working as an editor and blogger for the Democrat and Chronicle in Rochester, N.Y., I wanted to continue blogging. As a result, in 2015, I started a blog to promote my book Sutter’s Sodas Satisfy: A Memoir of 90 Years of Sutter Drug Co. I write to celebrate not only my family’s history in Burlington, Iowa but also the remarkable past (and sometimes the present) of that Mississippi River town.

Now with the launch of my business Sutter Communications, I’m going to share my love of words here. So what’s your mission statement? Please share it with us.

And if you’d like to learn more about blogging, check out my upcoming Blogging 101 class on July 18 at Writers and Books in Rochester. I’d love to see you there!

 

 

5 tips to make your book-writing dream come true!

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I asked the Tipping Point staffers to write a short summary of their book's plot. So at the end of the session, they had a start to their book.
I asked the Tipping Point Communications staffers to write a short summary of their book’s plot. So at the end of the session, they had a start to their book.

After I wrote my book Sutter’s Sodas Satisfy:  A Memoir of 90 Years of Sutter Drug Co., I was amazed  that so many friends and acquaintances wanted to know how I did it. Turns out, they have a book inside them that’s crying to get out.

Michelle Ashby, CEO at Tipping Point Communications, invited me to talk to her and a few co-workers about how to make their book writing dream come true. It’s not easy, especially if you have a job, family, and a million other responsibilities. But of course, you can do it with discipline and determination. Here are five tips I shared with them:

  1. Spend 15 minutes a day doing something related to your book: Do a Google search, jot down notes, etc. Do this instead of watching TV or reading Facebook. Make notes while you eat lunch, instead of checking your email. Think about your book every day in the shower, then as soon as you dry off, write down ideas on a notepad you keep in your bathroom.
  1. Put your butt in the seat and write. Even if it’s no good, write something. Don’t keep going back and revising – that’s another form of procrastination. Keep moving forward.
  1. Find a friend/spouse/writing partner who will give you honest critiques. Share chapters with them as appropriate to get feedback. Form a writing group to share your writings and get opinions. You don’t have to make changes if you don’t agree with what they tell you, of course.
  1. Set up deadlines to keep you motivated. Keep track on an Excel spreadsheet or other organizational device. You can use the same spreadsheet as a “to do” list for things such as listing research you need to do, etc.
  1. Take a class at Writers and Books. Attend readings and talks by authors, which can both inspire you and give you helpful ideas. Sign up for e-blasts from writers and people who work with writers. WritersDigest.com is a great resource. I like BuildBookBuzz.com and ReachMoreReaders.com for marketing tips.

Michelle and the group seemed to find beneficial that hour we spent together. Here’s an endorsement she wrote:

“In a recent employee survey, many on our team listed writing a book as a personal goal. When we later asked how many would actually get around to writing the book, no one thought they could find the time. Jane held a Lunch & Learn for Tipping Point staff and gave us simple, actionable tips for getting started, organizing our thoughts and  21st Century approaches to being published. Jane is a pleasant, warm and inclusive presenter who inspired many of us to give it a try.”