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Ink in Your Veins
Ep. 397: All Ink, No Drink - with Barbara O’Neal
DON'T MISS THIS EPISODE! Internationally bestselling author Barbara O'Neal talks with Rachael about what quitting drinking has done for not only her writing but her life. It's rare to pull back these kinds of curtains as artists. Pull up a chair and your drink of choice (we won't judge, ever). And if you're looking for resources on quitting drinking, there's an AA meeting near you: https://www.aa.org/aa-around-the-world or check out The Luckiest Club here: https://www.theluckiestclub.com/
Barbara O’Neal is the author of more than a dozen award-winning, bestselling novels, including the runaway bestseller, When We Believed in Mermaids, which has been published in 21 countries and spent many months on both the most sold and most read Amazon Charts, as well as the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Washington Post bestseller lists. Barbara is an avid traveler and passionate cook, and discovered the Oregon coast on a pandemic-era trip with her husband. She now lives on that rocky, moody coast in a quirky beach house and writes her books from a room overlooking the sea. She lives with her British husband, who has promised to never lose his accent, and their cats and dogs.
How Do You Write Podcast: Explore the processes of How Do You Write Podcast: Explore the processes of working writers with bestselling author Rachael Herron. Want tips on how to write the book you long to finish? Here you'll gain insight from other writers on how to get in the chair, tricks to stay in it, and inspiration to get your own words flowing.
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The Black Herron 33
35:53|In which Sacha makes a truly shocking announcement! Don’t miss this one! Also mentioned: https://heidimcintyre.com/coach/🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage🎉 Unstuck is now available here: https://rachaelherronbooks.com/Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.✏️ Can I email you some writing help? http://rachaelherron.com/write📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publishEXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS: ➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook505. How to Sell Your Book Without an Agent, with Savannah Carlisle
34:06||Ep. 505In which Savannah and Rachael talk about selling a book without an agent, and moving from non-fiction to fiction and using podcasts as research for jobs you haven’t had (so smart!) Savannah Carlisle writes heartwarming romance novels with idyllic beach settings. Her stories transport readers to fun and quirky small towns where friends feel like family. Savannah jokes that she's living her own Hallmark movie because she's a former big city corporate attorney who now lives in a small beach town writing romance novels. Her debut novel, The Library of Second Chances, released in May 2024. Her latest release, The Summer of Starting Over, was published April 1, 2025. When she isn't busy at her laptop writing her next romance book, Savannah is a sports business reporter and freelance writer who writes under her legal name, Kristi Dosh. She’s been a contributor to Forbes for more than a decade, and previously served as ESPN’s sports business reporter. Her freelance writing portfolio includes Glamour, Men’s Health, Woman’s Day, The Washington Post, AARP, POPSUGAR and more. Her latest nonfiction book, The Athlete's NIL Playbook: The Complete Guide to Owning and Profiting from Your Name, Image, and Likeness, is out July 2, 2025.🏠 INK VILLAGE! Click here for the details! 🎉 Unstuck is now available HERE!Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.✏️ Can I email you some writing help? 📙 Publish Your Book!EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS: ➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book504. Using Insomnia as a Super Power, with Elisabeth Dini
37:25||Ep. 504Insomnia, helpful? Elisabeth and Rachael chat about how insomnia can be something good, instead of something dreaded, as well as how overwriting can give you exactly what you need to work with! Elisabeth Dini is a lawyer and former prosecutor of war crimes and crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court. Born in Nevada, Elisabeth currently lives in The Netherlands with her husband and a bevy of mostly well-adjusted houseplants. Her debut novel, BEARER OF BAD NEWS, is out now from Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster). You can find her on Instagram @elisabethdiniauthor or at www.elisabethdini.com.🏠 INK VILLAGE! Click here for the details! 🎉 Unstuck is now available HERE!Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.✏️ Can I email you some writing help? 📙 Publish Your Book!EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS: ➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book503. There Are No Rules with Rachel May and Emily Golden
47:18||Ep. 503Emily Golden and Rachel May are the founders of Golden May: https://goldenmayediting.com/ Their joint love of amazing stories and mutual fascination with writing craft evolved into a book coaching business devoted to helping tenacious writers develop the unique writing craft, process, and mindset that works for them—because every writer is different. If you’re ready to stop fighting what your writing life ‘should’ look like and start dreaming about what’s possible for you, they're the coaches for you!Here’s the workshop! https://www.tenaciouswriting.com/characterarcs 🏠 INK VILLAGE! Click here for the details! 🎉 Unstuck is now available HERE!Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.✏️ Can I email you some writing help? 📙 Publish Your Book!EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS: ➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book501. How to Reframe What Writing Success Is (and When to Do It) with Nicole Graev Lipson
45:29||Ep. 501Nicole and Rachael talk about what success might look like on any given (changing) day, as well as how to find trust in ourselves as writers, accessing solitude, and how taking ourselves seriously is a deep kindness. NICOLE GRAEV LIPSON is the author of the memoir-in-essays Mothers and Other Fictional Characters. Her writing has been awarded a Pushcart Prize, selected for The Best American Essays anthology, and shortlisted for a National Magazine Award. Her work has appeared in The Sun, Virginia Quarterly Review, The Gettysburg Review, Creative Nonfiction, Fourth Genre, River Teeth, Alaska Quarterly Review, LA Review of Books, The Millions, Nylon, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe, among other publications. Nicole holds a BA from Cornell University and an MFA from Emerson College. Originally from New York City, she lives outside of Boston with her family.Books mentioned: John Kenny - I See You've Called in DeadBrenda Ueland - If You Want to Write 🏠 INK VILLAGE! Click here for the details! 🎉 Unstuck is now available HERE!Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.✏️ Can I email you some writing help? 📙 Publish Your Book!EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS: ➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book501. 501 | The Black Herron 32
55:59||Ep. 501In which Sacha is in a MUCH better place than she was last time (Kickstarter success! but it’s more than that) and Rachael talks us through a thought ladder exercise, manifesting for people who don’t love that word (which Sacha does). 🏠 INK VILLAGE! Click here for the details! 🎉 Unstuck is now available HERE!Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.✏️ Can I email you some writing help? 📙 Publish Your Book!EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS: ➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book500. How to Do Magic with Your Writing, with Iris Beaglehole
51:37||Ep. 500Celebrating 500 episodes! What’s my favorite thing about podcasting? Listen in! And then you’ll love this gorgeous chat on magic, listening for the yes, and tuning into what YOU need as a writer. Iris Beaglehole is the enchanting author of the spellbinding Myrtlewood Mysteries series. As a self-identified druid, witch, and aspiring astrologer, Iris weaves magic into her stories and takes readers on a thrilling journey to the mystical town of Myrtlewood. When she’s not crafting her fantastical stories, Iris can be found sipping tea with her feline companions and tending to her herb garden in Aotearoa New Zealand. 🏠 INK VILLAGE! Click here for the details! 🎉 Unstuck is now available HERE!Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.✏️ Can I email you some writing help? 📙 Publish Your Book!EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS: ➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book499. Make Room for Writing, with Aimee Phan
33:01||Ep. 499Today we're talking about writing as refuge, a place that's always waiting for you. We also talk about how writing and revision is layering, and about how to believe our characters are real people - don't miss this! Aimee Phan was born and raised in Orange County, California. She received her BA in English from UCLA and her MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. She is the author of two books for adults, We Should Never Meet: Stories and the novel The Reeducation of Cherry Truong. She has received fellowships and residencies from the NEA, MacDowell Colony, the Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Center, Djerassi and Hedgebrook. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Time, USA Today and CNN.com among other publications. Aimee teaches as an associate professor in writing and literature at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco and resides in Berkeley, California with her family. The Lost Queen is her most recent novel. 🏠 INK VILLAGE! Click here for the details! 🎉 Unstuck is now available HERE!Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.✏️ Can I email you some writing help? 📙 Publish Your Book!EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS: ➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book498. Telling Your Story with TedX, with Catriona Turner
42:58||Ep. 498How do you talk about your writer-self on TedX and make a difference to listeners? Catriona spills the tea everything, as well making the very good case to let potential readers make up their own minds about our books! Catriona Turner is a Scottish writer and editor. Before living abroad, she worked as an English teacher in Scottish schools. She has since spent fourteen years globally mobile with her family, living in France (three times), Uganda, Congo, and Denmark. Her first book, Nest: a memoir of home on the move, was published in June 2023, and she is now working on a follow-up memoir of returning to Scotland. Her writing has also appeared in anthologies, and she had a regular column in Danish magazine The International. The TEDx talk she delivered in November 2024, titled ‘Find Your Main Character Energy’, is available to watch on YouTube. She now lives in Aberdeen with her husband, sons (a teen and a tween), and a brand new puppy. Links mentioned: Catriona’s TedX talkThe Word BothyFree proofreading checklistCatriona's WebsiteCatriona's InstagramMonna McDiarmid’s Fairy Godmothering Class🏠 INK VILLAGE! Click here for the details! 🎉 Unstuck is now available HERE!Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.✏️ Can I email you some writing help? 📙 Publish Your Book!EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS: ➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book