Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Why Writers Need Reinvention: Lessons From Starting Over (Again and Again)

From Edie: Discover why reinvention is essential for every writer. Explore how God uses detours, new beginnings, and courageous leaps of faith to shape your writing life and calling.


Why Writers Need Reinvention: Lessons From Starting Over (Again and Again)
by Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes @KHutch0767

I’ve reinvented myself more times than I can count. At this point, if reinvention were an Olympic sport, I’d probably have a medal. A bronze one—but still a medal. And if you’re wondering whether it’s ever too late to try something new, let me save you the suspense: absolutely not.

My first major reinvention happened in college. I was a premed student with color-coded binders, flashcards for my flashcards, and a well-practiced speech about becoming a doctor. Then one day, I woke up, looked at my organic chemistry notes, and realized I was deeply, passionately miserable. So, in what felt like an act of rebellion (or temporary insanity), I walked away from premed and declared a major in journalism.

Monday, November 17, 2025

Substack vs. Traditional Email Platforms: What Writers Need to Know Before Making the Switch

From Edie: Discover the key differences between Substack and traditional email platforms. Learn what writers need to know before switching, and how to protect your author platform, reader relationships, and long-term marketing strategy.


Substack vs. Traditional Email Platforms: What Writers Need to Know Before Making the Switch
by Kate Huff @KateOliviaHuff

With recent changes to traditional email platforms, like MailerLite's new 500-subscriber threshold and Kit's pricing overhaul, many authors have been asking me if Substack might be a better option. I get it. The appeal of "free and simple" is strong, especially when you're watching platform costs climb.

But here's what you should understand before you make the switch: Substack looks like an email platform, but it behaves more like social media. And that difference matters more than you might think.

Sunday, November 16, 2025

Thankful to Be a Writer: 12 Reasons to Celebrate the Writing Life This Thanksgiving

From Edie: Celebrate the writing life this Thanksgiving with 12 reasons to be grateful for the gift of words, creativity, and community. A joyful reminder for every writer!


Thankful to Be a Writer: 12 Reasons to Celebrate the Writing Life This Thanksgiving
by Tammy Karasek @TickledPinkTam

Hard to believe, but here we are a week before Thanksgiving—well, here in America that is. November 2025 also marks the seventh year of writing with the team here at The Write Conversation. For that, I am extremely thankful. 

I decided I would have a little fun with today’s blog post. As you read along, see if a different thought and word comes to mind for the list below. Then do share in the comments below—let’s see how many items we can point out as reasons we celebrate our writing journey during Thanksgiving week and beyond. 

Let’s have fun:

T – Thankful for the gift and calling to be a writer.

H – Happy to be in a business where we help each other as we cheer when another publishes a book or weeps when another receives a rejection.

A – Always learning through conferences, webinars, and writing craft books. 

N – Not knowing when (or if!) your royalty check will arrive—but knowing it eventually will.

K – Kindred spirits in your writing life circle that know all about the highs and lows of the writer’s life. 

S – So many great books to read, and you may know many of those authors personally. (Nothing wrong with a little fangirl/fanboy happening!)

G – Grateful for computers to aid in faster writing, well . . . faster than pen and paper. 

I – Internet – and the ability to reach people all over the globe easily with your message. 

V – Very good teachers and mentors within the Christian writing industry. 

I – Imagine that—those voices in your head telling you a story aren’t a bad thing after all . . . now, go write that book!

N – Never a dull moment trying to figure out Amazon’s algorithm! Am I right?

G – Glad to be celebrating my seventh year as a writing team member here on The Write Conversation.

What would you add to this list? There truly are many more reasons to be thankful to be called to write and to use your words to point people to God. In the comments below, share some that came to you for any of the letters in THANKSGIVING. 

For all who will celebrate next week, have a blessed Thanksgiving. 

TWEETABLE

Tammy Karasek uses humor and wit to bring joy and hope to every aspect in life. Her past, filled with bullying and criticism from family, drives her passion to encourage and inspire others and give them The Reason to smile. She’s gone from down and defeated to living a “Tickled Pink” life as she believes there’s always a giggle wanting to come out! A writer of Romance—with a splash of sass. She’s also The Launch Team Geek helping authors launch their books and also a Virtual Assistant for several best-selling authors. Don't miss her recent book, LAUNCH THAT BOOK, just released in November. 

Her work was also published in a Divine Moments Compilation Book—Cool-inary Moments. She’s also the Social Media Manager for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, Founding President and current Vice-President of ACFW Upstate SC, and Founding President of Word Weavers Upstate SC. She’s a writing team member for The Write Conversation Blog, Novel Academy, MBT Monday Devotions, The Write Editing and more. Connect with Tammy at HTTPS://WWW.TAMMYKARASEK.COM.

Saturday, November 15, 2025

YouTube for Writers Part 3: Best Practices for Filming Videos That Engage

From Edie: Learn YouTube best practices for writers—how to film engaging videos with strong lighting, sound, backgrounds, and hooks that attract and keep viewers watching.


YouTube for Writers Part 3: Best Practices for Filming Videos That Engage
by Samantha Evans Tschritter @LoveSamEvans

From background to pacing to content, learn how to record videos viewers want to watch

Friday, November 14, 2025

How Writers Can Stay Focused (and Joyful) During the Holiday Season

From Edie: Discover four simple ways to stay focused, productive, and joyful as a writer during the busy holiday season. Learn how to plan, prioritize, and protect your creative time while still enjoying the celebrations.


How Writers Can Stay Focused (and Joyful) During the Holiday Season
by Lilka Raphael @Lilka_Raphael

To many people holidays are not voyages of discovery, but a ritual of reassurance." ~ Phillip Adams

There are two camps that emerge when autumn days morph into the holidays. People either love this most wonderful time of the year or they loathe it. I am solidly in the love it category even as I acknowledge the time constraints, obligations, and stress that stand ready to hijack the holiday season. As writers, we are often short on time as it is. Our stress may be magnified when we realize that our writing time must yield to other demands. To stay sane (and merry), here are four tips to stay on task during the holidays.

Thursday, November 13, 2025

The Roller Coaster Writing Life: How to Stay Encouraged When the Highs and Lows Hit

From Edie: Discover how to navigate the highs and lows of the writing journey with resilience, gratitude, and perspective. Encouragement for writers in every season.


The Roller Coaster Writing Life: How to Stay Encouraged When the Highs and Lows Hit
by Julie Lavender @JLavenderWrites

Do you ever feel like your writing journey is a roller coaster? I certainly do. 

Recently, my husband and I flew from South Georgia to Colorado Springs for an interview about our newest book release. We packed for Colorado weather. 

Well, we thought we did. But, boy did we overpack! 

When we mentioned the unusually warm weather to a native Coloradan (it was two degrees warmer in the mountains of Colorado Springs at that moment than it was in our hometown in Georgia), he laughed and said, “Well, what we say in The Springs is, ‘If you don’t like the weather at this moment—wait fifteen minutes. It’s bound to change.’” 

Wednesday, November 12, 2025

How to Get Your Blog Posts Found in AI Search (Not Just Google)

From Edie: Learn how to write blog titles and posts that get discovered in AI search—not just on Google. This practical guide shows writers how to optimize for human readers and AI recommendation systems so your content reaches more of the audience you want to serve.


How to Get Your Blog Posts Found in AI Search (Not Just Google):
A practical guide to writing blog titles and posts that AI can recommend and readers want to click.

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson 

I’ve been blogging for a long time—since 2008—and I’ve seen a lot of changes. Some of the changes have made life more difficult for blogging, and others have actually helped us. I love blogging and the community God has given me through The Write Conversation has brought blessings, friendship, encouragement, and growth in ways I could have never imagined. 

Now isn’t the time to give up blogging, it’s the right time to pivot and learn how to help your words be found in new and different ways. Today I’m going to break it all down and hopefully it will give you some insight and encouragement!