If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a blank page, you’re in the right place. In this episode, we provide brainstorming techniques you can use today to help spark ideas and methods to begin to flesh them out. From character-driven sparks to high-concept “what if” questions, we’ll show you how to move past creative paralysis and into momentum. Whether you’re starting your first novel, searching for your next project, or feeling stuck midway through a draft, this episode will help you unlock creativity with purpose — and walk away with ideas you’re excited to write.

SHOW NOTES:

Idea Generators (lots of them)

Methods of Brainstorming

SOURCES & LINKS

https://www.well-storied.com/blog/three-powerful-ways-to-brainstorm-new-story-ideas

DO NOW: Choose an idea generator and combine it with a method. Repeat until you have have a strong premise for your next story.

Full Show Notes are available on our website as well as free downloads mentioned in the episode.

Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com

Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/

Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com

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Sue William Silverman is the award-winning author of five books of creative nonfiction, including her latest, Selected Misdemeanors which has been longlisted for the 2026 PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay, two craft books on writing, and three poetry collections. Her memoir Love Sick: One Woman's Journey through Sexual Addiction was also made into a Lifetime TV Original Movie. As a professional speaker and writer, Sue has appeared on many nationally syndicated radio and TV programs including The View and Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN; She's the co-chair of the MFA in Writing Program at Vermont College of Fine Arts.

SHOW NOTES:

Selected Misdemeanors

The Butterfly Effect

Writing Process

Teaching writing (craft books & MFA Program, Vermont College of Fine Arts)

Writing poetry

Advice for Writers

Next Steps

Rapid Fire Questions

Sue’s Book Recommendations:

anything by novelist Jean Rhys & The Love by Marguerite Duras

SOURCES & LINKS

https://www.suewilliamsilverman.com

https://www.instagram.com/suewilliamsilverman/ https://www.facebook.com/SueWilliamSilverman https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19942.Sue_William_Silverman

Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com

Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/

Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com

If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you

This episode explores genre not just as a marketing label, but as a powerful storytelling framework that shapes reader expectations, craft choices, and publishing opportunities. We’ll begin by defining what genre really means, then break down how different genres function, what readers of each genre expect, and how those expectations influence plot, pacing, character, and tone. By the end of the episode, you will have a clearer understanding of how to position your stories, communicate your genre, and use it as a creative tool instead of a restriction.

SHOW NOTES:

Why Genre Matters More than you Think

Understanding Genre as a Framework

Positioning Your Story in the Marketplace

Communicating Genre to Agents and Readers

Genre as a Creative Tool

Common Pitfalls

SOURCES & LINKS:

“How Important is Genre When Pitching and Promoting a Book?” Sangeeta Mehta, Jane Friedman, FEB 2025

“Understanding Genre: How to Writer Better Stories,” Savannah Gilbo, 2026

“In Defense of Labels: On Genre as a Literary Conversation," Lit Hub, Lincoln Michel, 2021

DO NOW (with samples):

Identify your primary genre. Study 5 successful books w/in that genre. Fill out the FREE DOWNLOAD to help get you started writing a genre positioning statement.

Next, write a pitch using genre-specific language:

[Genre] + Protagonist + Goal + Obstacle + Stakes

EX: Romance

A contemporary romance about a burned-out wedding planner who’s forced to work with the cynical journalist who once broke her heart—only to discover that saving her career might mean risking it all for love again.

EX: Thriller

A domestic thriller about a woman who begins to suspect her perfect husband is connected to a string of disappearances—and must uncover the truth before she becomes the next victim.

Full Show Notes are available on our website as well as free downloads mentioned in the episode.

Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com

Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/

Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com

If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you