The scene is story’s basic building block. Every novelist, memoirist, screenwriter and playwright needs to understand it. Even nonfiction writers can use this fundamental knowledge to build a compelling narrative.

In this episode, Sue Campbell chats with novelist Neroli Lacey about how she built an amazing writer’s life for herself.

In this episode, Sue Campbell speaks with author Kristina Bak about her biggest takeaways from Goal Getter, including how she went from barely knowing what a podcast was to landing four guest spots on podcasts with just five pitches!

In this episode, Sue Campbell speaks with Laurel Standley about her biggest takeaways from the program, including how she learned to take small steps forward and take beach days when needed!

In this episode, Sue Campbell speaks with Gretchen Cherington about meeting her marketing goals for her new book The Butcher, the Embezzler, and the Fall Guy.

Whether I'm doing webinars, live events, or talking to writers in the Happily Ever Author Club, one of the questions I get asked most often is some version of: "Does it make sense for me to be pitching myself to go on podcasts and such when I don't yet have a published book?"

Sure, your story’s very first line matters. But have you thought about the first line of every new scene after that? Learn the three ways to launch a scene that will keep readers engaged and turning the pages.

Have you heard about ChatGPT? It’s been all over the news these days, threatening to devour the craft of writing itself. I've been freaked out by it, and so have most of the writers I work with.

Without a turning point complication, your scene won’t work. No matter how interesting your overall plot is, how beautifully crafted your line-by-line writing is, or how clever your story idea is, a turning point complication is necessary. 

In this episode, Sue Campbell speaks with Lori Howard about how she met her goal to finish her first (aka zero) draft.

In this episode, Sue Campbell speaks with Drema Drudge about how she met her goals to create and execute a launch plan for her second novel.

In this episode, we look at how one writer met her goals to create and execute a launch plan for her novel while pivoting on her memoir. Sue Campbell interviews Kathryn Brown Ramsperger, a lifelong journalist and novelist.

In this episode, I’m talking with the author Joy Imboden Overstreet. Joy created the original Thin Within workshops in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1975.

This podcast mini-series interviews with students from my Goal Getter School for Writers. In this episode, I’m talking with the writer Sarah McKee.

One of the most important things that you can do to sell more books is to always be working on your mindset.

When you set a big goal, like writing a book or selling a certain number of copies, lots of things will try to get between you and your goal.

I’m sure you’ve noticed that plenty of adults have questionable coping skills. We tend to turn to things that will make us feel better in the moment even if it will make us weaker in the long run.

Resisting reality doesn't get you any closer to a calm peace of mind that you need to get through something. We have to accept where we are and what’s happening. And as soon as we do that, a whole layer of suffering drops away.

We are in the midst of yet another rough news cycle. I’m hearing from many writers that it’s hard to focus on their work and their marketing and they don’t even really see the point. There is so much uncertainty out there.

The question of content and trigger warnings comes up in the Happily Ever Author Club and among my editing clients all the time: Do I have to include warnings on my work? Should I? And if so, what’s the best way to do that?