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Working Writers

Pete Aldin & Bryan Chaffin

Practical conversations about writing, publishing, and building a career as a working writer.

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  • 5 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 37 min
  • English

Episodes 5

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  • #4
    Tuesday · 48 min

    Scrivener vs. Word: Debating the Merits

    Pete Aldin and Bryan Chaffin present the writing Battle Royale: Scrivener vs. Word. They break down the relative merits of both apps, from drafting and organizing a novel to editing, collaboration, and publishing. Which tool does what better—and which one belongs in your writing workflow? Chapters: 00:00:00 Introductions 00:00:14 Why Bryan Writes in Scrivener 00:10:24 Why Pete Switched to Word 00:15:07 Editing and Working with Feedback 00:17:32 Formatting and Publishing with Scrivener 00:29:54 Collaboration, Snapshots, and Workflow 00:37:34 Publishing and Final Thoughts 00:47:50 Outro Links from This Episode: Scrivener, by Literature & Latte Word, by Microsoft Follow Working Writers Working Margins Newsletter Threads Bluesky Instagram YouTube Pete’s Socials PeteAldin.com Threads Bluesky Instagram Facebook Author’s Page Bryan’s Socials GeekTells.com Threads Bluesky Instagram Facebook Author’s Page

    • Transcript
    • Chapters
  • #3
    September 8 · 48 min

    Why Every Author Needs a Writing Group

    Working Writers is a podcast about the craft, tools, publishing, and business of writing, hosted by Pete Aldin and Bryan Chaffin. Pete Aldin and Bryan Chaffin dig into writing and critique groups: why they matter, what writers can learn from critiquing other people’s work, and how the right group can make you a better writer. They also talk about online versus in-person groups, finding writers who share your level of commitment, recognizing when a group isn’t right for you, and more. Chapters: 00:00 Introductions 00:56 Why Writers Need Writing Groups 06:28 Learning by Critiquing Other Writers 11:58 What Different Writers Bring to a Group 15:32 The Online Writing Workshop 17:50 Online vs. In-Person Writing Groups 23:06 Writing Groups Might Come with Networking Opportunities 36:30 Writing Group Etiquette and Group Dynamics 44:53 How to Find Your Writing People 47:48 Outro Links from This Episode: Critique.org Online Writing Workshop Follow Working Writers Working Margins Newsletter Threads Bluesky Instagram YouTube Pete’s Socials PeteAldin.com Threads Bluesky Instagram Facebook Author’s Page Bryan’s Socials GeekTells.com Threads Bluesky Instagram Facebook Author’s Page

    • Chapters
  • #2
    September 1 · 42 min

    The Art of Not Explaining

    Pete Aldin and Bryan Chaffin talk about trusting your readers, revealing worldbuilding through your characters, and resisting the urge to explain everything you’ve created. They look at examples from science fiction and fantasy, discuss when backstory actually belongs on the page, and explain why it’s perfectly fine—even desirable—for readers not to understand everything right away.

    • Transcript
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  • #1
    August 25 · 48 min

    Every Author Needs a Newsletter

    In their inaugural episode, Pete Aldin and Bryan Chaffin talk about how important it is for every author to have their own newsletter and corresponding email list. They also talk about some of the resources available for managing your email list, how often to publish your newsletter, and ways to keep the content fresh and authentically in your voice.

    • Transcript
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  • August 23 · 1 min

    Working Writers: The Trailer

    Pete Aldin and Bryan Chaffin introduce Working Writers, a podcast about the craft, tools, publishing, and business of writing.

    • Transcript
Showing 1–5 of 5 episodes