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The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

Joanna Penn 300 Episodes Sep 16, 2026

The Creative Penn Podcast for Writers, hosted by Joanna Penn, covers writing craft and the creative business of publishing. It offers insights on writing techniques, self-publishing, and marketing for authors. The show aims to help writers build successful careers in the digital age.

Episodes

Reclaiming Your Mind: How To Teach Yourself Anything With J. Daniel Sawyer
Reclaiming Your Mind: How To Teach Yourself Anything With J. Daniel Sawyer Sep 16, 2026 1:06:59 How can you teach yourself anything, even when it challenges the way you see the world? And how can you organise what you learn so it turns into books your readers will find? J. Daniel Sawyer shares his self-education toolkit after decades as a largely self-taught author. In the intro, Spotify for Authors has expanded AI-assisted creation of audiobooks [Spotify]; Who is Narrating the Future? [P
What Machines Can’t Replace: Why AI Makes Us More Human With Anna McPhee
What Machines Can’t Replace: Why AI Makes Us More Human With Anna McPhee Sep 9, 2026 45:51 How can you use AI to research, edit and handle admin and marketing tasks while still writing every single word yourself? How can you double down on being human and reach readers on a personal level? Anna McPhee shares her perspective as a software engineer, author and creative technologist. In the intro, How to Write, Publish, and Market Short Stories out now. This show is supported by
How To Redesign Your Author Business For The Environment That Actually Exists, With Tracy Cooper-Posey
How To Redesign Your Author Business For The Environment That Actually Exists, With Tracy Cooper-Posey Sep 2, 2026 1:01:52 How can you redesign your author business for the publishing environment that actually exists, rather than the one you wish you had? And how do you decide which marketing efforts will still bring readers to your books in ten years' time? Tracy Cooper-Posey shares her solar sail theory after more than 25 years as an author. In the intro, reviving your backlist [The Indy Author]; AI as a medium [
From Page One To Done: Fast Drafting Your Novel With Jessica Brody
From Page One To Done: Fast Drafting Your Novel With Jessica Brody Aug 26, 2026 1:03:02 How can the Fast Drafting method help you finally finish your novel? And how do you make progress when you only have 30 minutes a day to write? Jessica Brody shares her tips for finishing first drafts after 20 years as an author. In the intro, Clive Barker's Kickstarter, The Amazon Tax [Seth Godin]; Trad publisher announces “human-originated, AI-facilitated” book, The Everything Co
Book Marketing, AI Book Discoverability, And Resilience, With Ricardo Fayet
Book Marketing, AI Book Discoverability, And Resilience, With Ricardo Fayet Aug 19, 2026 1:07:55 How can you get your books surfaced when readers ask an AI what to read next? What are the hallmarks of authors and businesses that last more than a decade in the indie author industry? Ricardo Fayet gives his marketing tips after more than a decade at Reedsy. In the intro, Expanding Your Book’s IP through Merchandising [Wish I'd Known Then]; Guide to writers conferences [Kindlepreneur]; Rick R
Going Indie, Publishing Innovation, And The Challenges Of Book Marketing With John Bond
Going Indie, Publishing Innovation, And The Challenges Of Book Marketing With John Bond Aug 12, 2026 1:07:51 How can you tell where the real innovation in publishing is happening right now, and why is it emerging from the indie side first? How do you market your own book when you've spent 35 years marketing everyone else's? John Bond talks about Going Indie and what he's learned about authors who last. In the intro, my thoughts on writing with AI, Charles Dickens and encouragement for the 3-year-old d
From Blog To Community To Book: A Non-Fiction Author’s Journey With Suzanne Smith
From Blog To Community To Book: A Non-Fiction Author’s Journey With Suzanne Smith Aug 5, 2026 1:13:09 How can content marketing in a tight niche build the audience that launches your book? And how do you decide whether to hand your self-published bestseller to a traditional publisher. Suzanne Smith shares what she learned in four years of going from blog to book deal. In the intro, how to stand out as a writer in the age of AI [Nathan Barry Show; Interview with Nathan Barry]; thoughts on asset
How To Prove The Demand For Your Stories And Get The Attention Of Hollywood With Brooks Elms
How To Prove The Demand For Your Stories And Get The Attention Of Hollywood With Brooks Elms Jul 29, 2026 1:05:46 How can building an audience in advance help your stories reach the people who make movies? And how can you prove there's demand for your book or screenplay before you've written it? Brooks Elms shares his advice after more than 20 years as a WGA screenwriter. In the intro, what doesn't work for book marketing and what does [Amy Chan SubStack; Unsingle; Rephonic]; Goodreads giveaway for Bones o
Organic Writing And The Power Of The Pivot In Fiction With Steven James
Organic Writing And The Power Of The Pivot In Fiction With Steven James Jul 22, 2026 1:07:38 How can organic writing and leaning into the pivot help your stories stand out? And how can you pitch a story as a discovery writer if you genuinely don't know what's going to happen next. Steven James gives his writing tips after more than 20 years as an author. In the intro, Better Than Free in an Age of AI [Kevin Kelly on Tim Ferriss; Kevin Kelly on The Creative Penn]; Future Vision XPrize;
Why The Podcast Is Moving To Wednesdays, And 7 Tips for Sustainable Creativity
Why The Podcast Is Moving To Wednesdays, And 7 Tips for Sustainable Creativity Jul 15, 2026 38:42 After more than a decade of releasing this show on Mondays, I’m moving it to Wednesdays, and this is the first episode of the new time slot.  On the one hand, this might sound like nothing at all, but it’s also a big deal, for you and for me, and in this episode, I explain why I'm making the change, and past guests give some tips on sustainable creativity for the long term. Joanna Penn i
Bundles, Box Sets and Anthologies With Jamie Ferguson
Bundles, Box Sets and Anthologies With Jamie Ferguson Jul 13, 2026 59:42 What's the difference between a bundle, a box set, an anthology, and a collection? How can being part of an anthology be creatively interesting and useful for marketing? With Jamie Ferguson The post Bundles, Box Sets and Anthologies With Jamie Ferguson first appeared on The Creative Penn.
Author Voice Mastery, And Rebooting an Author Business With J. Daniel Sawyer
Author Voice Mastery, And Rebooting an Author Business With J. Daniel Sawyer Jul 6, 2026 50:21 What happens to your creativity when you’re in pain or sick, and can you ever get it back? How can you find and sharpen your author voice? J. Daniel Sawyer talks about voice mastery, writing with chronic pain, and building an eclectic author business. In the intro, leaning into your Strengths and deciding what you […] The post Author Voice Mastery, And Rebooting an Author Business With J. Daniel S

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