The Taylor Stevens Show

In this week’s episode, we talk about Taylor’s life, otherwise known as dealing with deadline pressure, and how that pressure can lead to questioning yourself in ways that are not healthy.  Taylor shares the last several months of her life, and how some major life changes Thanks so much for joining us again this week! […] The post TSS166: Dealing with Deadline Pressure appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

In this week’s show, we discuss Taylor’s new book, Liars’ Paradox.  We chat about the story behind the story, the process of selling the book to her publisher, and the process of working through multiple versions of the book. You can pre-order your copy of the book wherever fine books are sold.  This link will take […] The post TSS165: Everything (Almost) You Need to Know About Liars Paradox appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

In this week’s show, Taylor explains why challenging your assumptions can help you keep clichés out of your writing and increase the entertainment value of your stories with readers. Thanks so much for joining us again this week! If you have questions or suggestions for future shows, we’d love to hear from you. You can […] The post TSS164: Techniques For Keeping Clichés Out of Your Writing – Part Two appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

In this week’s show, Taylor shares her thoughts on clichés in writing and specifically in thrillers. She shares her own experience with clichés,  how she fights to keep them out of her own work, and how we can join her in trying to eliminate clichés and ill-conceived tropes from our own writing. Thanks so much for joining us […] The post TSS163: Techniques For Keeping Clichés Out of Your Writing appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

This is part two of a two-part episode to show how your line editing can strengthen your clarity and prose.  Steve sent a scene to Taylor with some specific questions regarding the action beats, and Taylor pulled on her Hack The Craft™ hat and went to work on the material. The podcast is split into […] The post TSS162: Line Editing to Strengthen Clarity and Prose (Part Two) appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

This is part one of a two-part episode to show how your line editing can strengthen your clarity and prose.  Steve sent a scene to Taylor with some specific questions regarding the action beats, and Taylor pulled on her Hack The Craft™ hat and went to work on the material. The podcast is split into […] The post TSS161: Line Editing to Strengthen Clarity and Prose appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

Taylor shares her thoughts on the value of beautifully written prose and the way what she calls ‘her OCD’ makes the decision on the speed versus prose question in her writing. Thanks so much for joining us again this week! If you have questions or suggestions for future shows, we’d love to hear from you. You […] The post TSS160: Why Your Writing Goals Should Guide Your Beautiful Prose Versus Speed Decisions appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

In this week’s pre-Bouchercon episode, Taylor responds to listener questions on Author Voice, her ideal writing schedule, and when an author should expecting the writing part of the job to get easier. Thanks so much for joining us again this week! If you have questions or suggestions for future shows, we’d love to hear from […] The post TSS159: Taylor Responds To User Questions This Week appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

In this week’s show, we get into the importance of character motivation, and when (and why) to share it with readers.  It’s always important for the author to understand her character’s motivation, but knowing when and how to share that motivation with readers can be equally important. Thanks so much for joining us again this week! […] The post TSS158: How to Avoid Having ‘Moving Prop’ Characters In Your Stories appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

In this week’s episode, Taylor shares her strategy for using blocks to simplify the process of writing complex scenes and chapters.  She also explains why she uses blocks and how they help her to press on with her writing without allowing the complexity of the scenes to slow her down. Thanks so much for joining us […] The post TSS157: Using ‘Blocks’ to Write Complex Chapters appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

In this week’s episode, Taylor explains publishing sell-through and how it relates to authors by using hypothetical examples. Near the end, we also get into audio as a method of distribution and if there are specific plans for Liars’ Paradox in audio. Thanks so much for joining us again this week! If you have questions or […] The post TSS156: What is Sell Through and Why is it Important to Traditionally Published Authors? appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

This week’s show comes from a listener question regarding the timing in which libraries get books from publishers, and whether or not publishers might delay sales to libraries to increase sales of new releases.  Taylor briefly responds to the user question and then goes into much more detail into the process by which physical wind […] The post TSS155: Understanding the Distribution Process for Books appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

In this week’s show, we discuss the importance of your author platform, with some specific advice on getting the most from an author platform without adding too much stress to your life. We also mention the advice and books by Steve’s friend Chris Syme, and her book, Sell More Books with Less Social Media. Thanks […] The post TSS154: Quick Tips On Building Your Author Platform appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

We open this weeks episode with Taylor’s thoughts on her time at ThrillerFest, then respond to a couple of interesting listener questions on finding the right editor for your situation and book.  Thanks to Chris for sending in the great questions! Thanks so much for joining us again this week! If you have questions or […] The post TSS153: ThrillerFest and Finding the RIGHT Editor for Your Book appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

In this week’s episode, Steve expresses a concern that the antagonist in his book is not bad enough and asks Taylor’s advice for handling the situation.  We also discuss Taylor’s upcoming trips to Thrillerfest (New York) and Bouchercon (Tampa). Thanks so much for joining us again this week! If you have questions or suggestions for […] The post TSS152: Dealing with a Likable Antagonist appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

In this episode, Taylor responds to a listener question on narrative distance.  The author wants to shift from wide to narrow and back again throughout a story and wants Taylor’s thoughts on how best to accomplish the changes. Thanks so much for joining us again this week! If you have questions or suggestions for future […] The post TSS151: Shifting Narrative Distance in a Story appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

In this episode, Taylor and Steve consider a listener question about releasing an “audio only” version of a book, then get into the growth of audiobooks, the changing nature of books, and Steve’s new podcast, Earcrush. Thanks so much for joining us again this week! If you have questions or suggestions for future shows, we’d […] The post TSS150: Should the Growth in Audiobook Sales Change Your Publishing Plans? appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

In this week’s episode, Taylor shares a problem she had last week while writing a chapter of her new book and the quick online research she did that allowed her to finish the scene.  Because of the way Taylor provides readers with description through character movement, she needed more current detail than what her memory […] The post TSS149: Research, Character Movement, and Dog Crap appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

In this week’s episode, Taylor replies to listener questions, the first of which was a request for advice on pumping up a weak character that neither the author nor early readers liked. The second question addresses the issue of dialogue as the opening sentence in a novel. Thanks so much for joining us again this week! If you […] The post TSS148: Taylor Responds to Listener Questions appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.

Today’s show comes as a result of a listener question to Taylor about the fear of letting others read your work. But the question goes well beyond fear, as does Taylor’s response.  She discusses the way a fear can become a phobia and how she’s dealt her own phobia level fear. Thanks so much for […] The post TSS147: When Fear Goes Beyond Fear appeared first on The Taylor Stevens Show.