The Write Approach
J. W. Judge, Barbara Hinske
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The Write Approach is a podcast for writers about the craft of writing. It is hosted by USA Today bestselling author Barbara Hinske and J. W. Judge. Hinske has written twenty romance and mystery novels, including The Christmas Club which became a Hallmark movie. Judge has authored a dark fantasy trilogy, The Zauberi Chronicles. You can find out more about us and the podcast at writeapproachpod.com.
Available episodes
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3 days ago
Applying Story Theory to Improve Your Fiction Writing with Valerie Francis
As a certified Story Grid editor and the co-host of the Story Nerd Podcast, Valerie Francis knows so much more about the art of story than we could have ever hoped to discuss in one episode. So in Episode 29 of The Write Approach, we keep the interview to a high-level discuss about how authors can study and apply story theory without getting lost or overwhelmed.
Valerie Francis' website: https://valeriefrancis.ca/
Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com/
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Mar 21, 2023
Deciding Whether to Pursue Traditional or Indie Publishing
An author's decision about whether to pursue traditional or indie publishing, or a hybrid model that incorporates both, is a deeply personal one. It should be an educated decision that is made on the basis of (among other things) what business model the author is most comfortable with. In Episode 28 of The Write Approach we aim to help inform that decision. We discuss why we've each chosen traditional or indie publishing at various times, any why one of us is opening up our options.
Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com/
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Mar 14, 2023
Rising to the Top of the Legal Thriller Genre with Robert Bailey
In Episode 27, we talk with best-selling legal thriller author Robert Bailey about his rise through the ranks of the genre. His early novel-writing career hit a snag when his publisher closed shop, but fortune shined on him when he caught the attention of Thomas & Mercer, who he's been working with ever since. We discuss how Bailey used writing to contend with turmoil and tragedy in his life, and how he launched his writing career while practicing law full time.
Bailey is also friends and neighbors with past podcast guest, Georgina Cross (Episode 14).
Robert Bailey's author website: https://robertbaileybooks.com/
Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com/
The Write Approach's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thewriteapproach/
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Mar 7, 2023
Mind Your Business through an Author Estate with Michael La Ronn
In Episode 26, we talk with Michael La Ronn about what authors need to do to protect the legacy of the intellectual property they create, even after they've shuffled off their mortal coils. Creating an author estate is an essential act of empathy and kindness that you can do now that will benefit your heirs for years after you're gone.
We highly recommend Michael La Ronn's books, The Author Estate Handbook and The Author Heir Handbook.
Michael La Ronn's author website: https://authorlevelup.com/
Michael La Ronn's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AuthorLevelUp
Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website: https://jwjudge.com/
The Write Approach's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thewriteapproach/
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Feb 28, 2023
Pirates, Scams, and Copyright Issues with Dave Chesson
In Episode 25 of The Write Approach, Dave Chesson of Kindlepreneur talks with us about current trends on Amazon, scams that are prevalent on the Amazon platform and in the author community, problems with pirates, and dealing with copyright issues.
Dave Chesson's website -- https://kindlepreneur.com/
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
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Feb 21, 2023
Developing Strong Female Characters with Laurie Fagen
In Episode 24 of The Write Approach, Laurie Fagen talks about writing novels with strong female leads, how to avoid harmful stereotypes, using news headlines to generate story ideas, and the role her career in journalism played in helping her find her voice as a novelist.
Laurie Fagen's website -- http://www.readlauriefagen.com/
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
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Feb 14, 2023
How to Make Your Side Characters Sizzle with Karen Odden
Karen Odden returns to talk about how we can make our secondary and side characters memorable to readers. Secondary characters help give our stories shape and our often the characters who readers fall in love with. Think Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter. Han Solo from Star Wars. They add depth and color. And if writers don't keep their side characters in check, they can try to take over.
Karen Odden's website -- https://karenodden.com/
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahnske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
J. W. Judge's writing blog -- https://expectantwriter.com/
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Feb 7, 2023
Deciding Which Characters Get a Point of View
In Episode 22, we focus on how we decide which characters get points of view in the novels we're writing. We discuss in detail how J. W. Judge's work-in-progress has evolved from his expectation of having multiple viewpoint characters to deciding on only one. Barbara Hinske sheds light on how we can use viewpoint characters as accent pieces to make a story lighter or darker. We also talk about choosing between first-person and third-person narratives.
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Jan 31, 2023
Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, and Being a Badass with Claire Parsons
In our interview with Claire Parsons, we talk about how mindfulness and self-compassion combine forces to make her a badass lawyer. Claire discusses how, through establishing a regular writing practice, she overcame doubts about whether she had enough to say to write a book. Now, she's written two and is on her way to a third. We also discuss dealing with fear.
Claire Parson's website -- https://brilliantlegalmind.com/
How to be a Badass Lawyer by Claire Parsons
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
J. W. Judge's writing blog -- https://expectantwriter.com/
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Jan 24, 2023
What To Do after You Finish the First Draft of Your Novel
We frequently see writers on social media and other forums ask, "I've finished my novel. Now what do I do?" In Episode 20, Barbara Hinske and J. W. Judge discuss how they approach editing and editing and editing again the drafts of their completed manuscripts. We even give you takeaway spoilers: while there is no one-size-fits-all approach for what to do after you finish the first draft of your novel, you have to find what works for you, implement and hone it with consistency, and don't be afraid to evolve.
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Jan 17, 2023
Move Your Writing Career Forward with Goal Setting
Barbara Hinske and J. W. Judge have been using goal setting for years to motivate themselves and drive their work forward. In this episode, they look back at the goals they set for 2022, and discuss their business and writing goals for 2023.
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Jan 10, 2023
Writing and Selling Novels in New Genres with Robert Dugoni
When you're already a bestselling author known for your legal thrillers and police procedurals, how do your agent and publisher respond when you tell them you tell them your new book is in a new genre. Your mileage may vary, but for Robert Dugoni, his team couldn't have been more supportive. We also talk with Dugoni about his journey to getting published, the myth of the overnights success, and the writing process that enables him to publish two books a year.
For more from Robert Dugoni, check out J. W. Judge's non-fiction book Write Your Novel One Day at a Time, which contains interviews with Robert Dugoni and other best-selling novelists.
Robert Dugoni's website -- https://www.robertdugonibooks.com/
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
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Jan 3, 2023
Once Upon a Trope with Jennifer Hilt
In Episode 17 of The Write Approach, we talk with Jennifer Hilt about the importance of genre tropes and how they color the works that we read, write, and watch. Jennifer is the author of The Trope Thesaurus and a paranormal mystery series about an undead detective.
Jennifer Hilt's website -- https://www.jenniferhilt.com/
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
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Dec 20, 2022
Writing and Podcasting about the Holidays with Brian Earl
Christmas is nearly upon us, but for Brian Earl, Christmas is a year-round endeavor. In Episode 16 of The Write Approach, we talk with Brian Earl about Christmas Past, the title for both his popular podcast and his book about the traditions and stories that make Christmas such a central occasion to so many people's lives. Brian talks about how he started his podcast because it's the kind of thing he wanted to listen to, and he couldn't find it in the market. He tells us about its growth and evolution, and the encouraging feedback he receives from listeners (and now readers).
For more about writing to niche markets, make sure to check out our prior episode with Karen Odden.
Brian Earl's website -- https://christmaspastpodcast.com/
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
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Dec 13, 2022
Getting Creative to Land an Agent with Karen Odden
Landing an agent to advocate for your work is no mean feat. In Episode 15 of The Write Approach, Karen Odden tells us the research and effort she put into finding the right literary agent for her Victorian-era historical novels. We talk about the benefits of writing to a niche market and the significant role the research plays in her writing (and the joy she derives from that research). Finally, we talk about how about Karen's academic career has dovetailed with the novels she writes.
Karen Odden's website -- https://karenodden.com/
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
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Dec 6, 2022
Writing While Working Full Time with Georgina Cross
While working with rocket scientists as a defense contractor, Georgina Cross jumped into the world of writing suspense and thriller novels. She is now writing full time and has no intent to go back to her day job. In Episode 14 of The Write Approach, we talk with Georgina Cross about the grind of writing one novel while waiting from the previously written novel to sell to a publisher. We discuss the benefits of using locations local to you as the setting for your story and the benefits doing so can provide for your marketing efforts. We also talk about Georgina's use of book clubs and local bookstores to drive more sales.
Georgina Cross' website -- http://www.georgina-cross-author.com/
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
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Nov 29, 2022
Using a Framework to Write Your Novel with Matty Dalrymple
In Episode 13 of The Write Approach we talk with author and podcaster Matty Dalrymple about using a frame to aid you in writing your novel. We distinguish a framework from a conventional outline and talk about how it can benefit both plotters and discovery writers. Matty gives personal illustrations of what prompted the need for developing a frame for her own writing and how it has benefited her.
Matty Dalrymple's website -- https://www.theindyauthor.com/ (her article, Creating a Story Frame)
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
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Nov 22, 2022
Figuring Out What Kind of Editing Your Story Needs with Linden Gross
In our second episode with Linden Gross, we discuss the different kinds of editing that are available (and usually necessary) for writers. We shed light on how to distinguish between what you need (developmental editing, copy editing, line editing, and proofreading) and at what point in the process you need it. We also get personal and practical in this episode by having Barbara Hinske talk about a scene she wrote that wasn't as emotionally effective as it needed to be, how Gross identified the problem, and what they did to resolve it.
If you missed the first episode with Linden Gross, go back and check out Episode 11: How to Work with a Writing Coach.
Linden Gross' website -- https://lindengross.com/
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
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Nov 15, 2022
How to Work with a Writing Coach with Linden Gross
In the first of two episodes with Linden Gross, we talk about what it's like to work with a writing coach. Barbara Hinske and Linden Gross have worked together on twenty books, so we delve into how that relationship works and how they've refined their book development process over time. Gross talks about how, as a writing coach, she has to be flexible to meet the needs of her clients. Finally, we discuss the benefits that writers can obtain from working with a writing coach.
Linden Gross' website -- https://lindengross.com/
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
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Nov 8, 2022
How Your Worldview Affects Your Writing with Dan Wells
Having listened to Dan Wells for years on Writing Excuses and Intentionally Blank, J. W. Judge and Barbara Hinske had about 4 hours worth of questions that we crammed into 40 minutes. Primary among the topics that we discussed with Dan was how his religious beliefs and worldview affect write he will (and won't) write about and how he approaches those topics. We also talk about how our early life experiences can color how comfortable we are writing about darker themes.
On the business side of authorship, Dan Wells talks about the benefits of attending fan conferences, how writing in the horror genre changed his author trajectory, and how he has developed and maintained a significant readership in Latin America.
Dan Wells' author website -- https://www.thedanwells.com/
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
J. W. Judge's writing blog -- https://expectantwriter.com/
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Nov 1, 2022
Providing Description through Dialogue and Character Actions
Most readers no longer want large blocks of text that describe settings in intimate detail. If you are writing those kinds of paragraphs and were able to poll your readers about them, you'd likely find that those parts of the book are being skimmed or skipped. So the question becomes how to include those important descriptions details about settings and characters without beating the reader over the head with them. In Episode 9 of The Write Approach, Barbara Hinske and J. W. Judge give some ideas for effective means of doing this.
Also on this date, J. W. Judge's new book Write Your Novel One Day at a Time releases in bookstores everywhere (link).
And later in the week, the third book in Barbara Hinske's Guiding Emily series comes out (link).
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Oct 25, 2022
Properly Motivating Your Antagonists
Most everyone focuses their attention on having compelling protagonists. But are you giving your antagonists the attention they deserve? Whether you're writing romance, mysteries, or fantasy novels, your bad guys need to be well-rounded to be interesting. Two ways to do this are through sharing their back story and identifying the motivations for their actions.
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
J. W. Judge's writing blog -- https://expectantwriter.com/
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Oct 18, 2022
Deciding What to Write Next
When you finish one writing project and are mentally (and let's face it -- emotionally) ready to take on a new one, it can be a daunting task to decide what to write next. If you're like us, you have no shortage of ideas. So how you decide what to write next? Barbara Hinske and J. W. Judge have had very different approaches to responding to this question. Because Barbara has multiple series going, her creative choices are colored by business necessities. J. W. has been a bit more willy-nilly about it to date, but sees changes on the horizon.
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Oct 11, 2022
Dovetailing Creative Ideas and Smart Business Decisions with Kevin Tumlinson
We had a different episode slotted for this date, but when Kevin Tumlinson told us his birthday is October 12, we couldn't help but give him an early birthday present. We cover a bunch of ground in this interview, and two parts of the conversation really stand out. Kevin talks about writing novels quickly, but also about that costs that can accompany doing that. We also discuss how his crossover stories have origins in being creative endeavors but have the effect of introducing multiple intellectual properties to new audiences.
There is also a discussion about how Kevin researches for his archeological thrillers, which ties in well with Episode 4, Research's Role in Writing Fiction.
One of the books we talk about specifically in the interview is Evergreen, so we wanted to make sure to link it, along with the newest story from Kevin Tumlinson, The Templar Tunnel.
Kevin Tumlinson's website -- https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com…
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Oct 4, 2022
Look Closer at Keeping Your Readers' Interest with David Ellis
In Episode 5 of The Write Approach, NYT #1 bestselling author David Ellis talks about the tenacity and intentionality required to juggle writing and legal careers simultaneously, how collaborating with James Patterson has improved his writing, and why a writer must prioritize maintaining their readers' interest in every chapter.
We also discuss David Ellis' newest book Look Closer and why he enjoys starting a new novel with a character in mind before he starts developing the plot.
David Ellis -- https://davidellis.com/
Barbara Hinske -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge -- https://jwjudge.com/
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Sep 27, 2022
Research's Role in Writing Fiction
Barbara Hinske and J. W. Judge start with personal updates about their author journey's, including Barb recounting how she responded to losing two hours worth of writing. In the day's topic, they discuss different methods of researching and the integral role that research has played in writing their novels. In the conversation, they discuss how research can be anything from going through historical archives to traveling to sites pertinent to a story to interviewing people who have the physical limitations or condition you're writing about.
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
J. W. Judge's writing blog -- https://expectantwriter.com/
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Sep 20, 2022
Pioneering the Legal Thriller with Scott Turow
The Write Approach's first guest is #1 New York Times bestselling author Scott Turow. We talk about how marketing new books has evolved, the drive that kept him practicing law for more than 20 years after he was a well-established bestseller, and how he approaches new writing projects.
Scott Turow's newest book, Suspect, releases on September 20, 2022, and Barbara Hinske couldn't find enough good things to say about its characters during the interview.
Also on September 20, J. W. Judge's third book in his dark fantasy series, The Zauberi Chronicles, hits bookshelves wherever books are sold online. Go pick up your copy of Forging Bonds.
Scott Turow's website -- https://www.scottturow.com/
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
J. W. Judge's writing blog -- https://expectantwriter.com/
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Sep 13, 2022
Should You Write Under a Pen Name?
There are many business decisions to make as an author. Primary among them is which name to write your works under. Co-hosts Barbara Hinske and J. W. Judge have both opted to write their fiction under pen names. In Episode 2 of The Write Approach, they discuss their personal reasons for using pen names, the benefits of using a pseudonym, and some of the difficulties that accompany it.
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
J. W. Judge's writing blog -- https://expectantwriter.com/
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Sep 6, 2022
Where Do Story Ideas Come From?
In Episode 1 of The Write Approach, Barbara Hinske and J. W. Judge introduce themselves to listeners and discuss: (1) where the ideas for their stories and series have come from, and (2) what they do with those ideas once they have them.
Barbara Hinske's author website -- https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's author website -- https://jwjudge.com/
J. W. Judge's writing blog -- https://expectantwriter.com/
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