As someone who discovered the writing community during quarantine, I am not a prolific author or writer however, I like to have dependable outlets to keep me motivated. Writing is an isolating and individual experience that can make you forget there are other people sharing similar experiences who you can connect with. Here is my go to podcasts that have been both encouraging and provided invaluable info to me as a writer and author over the years. I hope you find this list helpful for you on your writing path.

On The Page with Pilar Alessandra is a long running podcast that focuses on screenwriting. With almost a thousand episodes, I can’t think of a topic this catalogue doesn’t cover. The conversations are useful because Pilar is a screenwriting consultant herself, who has guests on from different areas of the filmmaking industry. She talks about dialogue writing, playwriting, memoir screenwriting, writing room culture, and which contests and festivals are industry trusted for amateur writers. With her guests, she breaks down screenwriting in an easy and digestible way.

The Creative Penn is a long running podcast that Joanna Penn host on a weekly basis, providing a wealth of knowledge about the business of publishing and the creative side of writing. Joanna Penn is a self-published author of nonfiction, writing craft books and mystery novels. She host prominent guests, such as: James Scott Bell, Sacha Black, and Becca Syme and keeps listeners updated on trends like AI, what’s new in marketing, and ebook retailers algorithms, etc. Your author career can survive without this podcast in your library, but barely.

The Self Publishing Show was on hiatus but has recently returned with James Blatch and his new cohost, romance author Cecilia “Cissy” Mecca. The podcast has over 400 episodes, with guests Lucy Score, Nick Thacker from Draft to Digital, and Bestselling author Mark Dawson, who is the former cohost of the podcast. Because this podcast is dedicated to self-publishing, they focus on interviewing self-published authors and professionals in field. If there is a new trend in marketing or a new tool to help writers and authors, James Blatch is one of the first people to introduce it. They also have courses, live shows, and events for authors and industry people to network and learn more about the business of being a self-published author.

Kobo Writing Life Podcast is one of those podcasts you can listen to with your favorite glass of wine. Hosts, Tara Cremin and Rachel Wharton have conversations with their guests that make you think they are part of your best friend circle. They talk about best practices for getting accepted for ebook deals, what trends readers are interested in (kobo store), and author marketing tips. Not that it’s all fun and games, you do walk away from every episode a savvier author and publisher. Through their weekly chats and interviews they help authors sustain a long career, whether in self-publishing, trad publishing, or if they choose a hybrid career.

The Business of Writing Podcast is an educational podcast with hosts Rachel Mazza and Laura Gale that ended in 2021 with their 100th episode. You still can listen to and gain knowledge from their tips and conversations from the past. They talk about author mindset, writer confidence, and the financial side of being an author and publisher. What’s interesting is how their advice from yesteryear about the business of writing is still relevant today. So, it goes to show you, some things never change.

Grammar Girl has been on for years giving those of us who are grammatically challenged tips for how not to get confused by punctuation and other writing rules. Yes, we should have mastered this by ninth grade however, if you haven’t or need a refresher, Mignon Fogarty is here to save the day. It is a subscriber only podcast now, although it does offer a free trial, with episodes ranging from 15 to 30 minutes long.

On the Author Update podcast, hosts Thomas Umstattd Jr. and Jonathan Shuerger talk about a plethora of hot topics that are on the minds of everyone in the writing, publishing, and even reading communities. They comment on topics like AI, publishing influencers and sometimes do Q&A’s to answer viewer questions. All are welcome to this podcast, and the hosts have unpretentious attitudes that make you want to stick around for the entire episode.

I have been listening to the Self-Publishing Authors Podcast with the Spa Girls for years. I learned self-publishing tips in a way that didn’t feel overwhelming. The ladies are positive, knowledgeable, and successful self-published authors themselves. Hosts Cheryl Phipps, Shar Barratt, Trudi Jaye, and Wendi Vella have varying levels of success in the romance and fantasy genres. Their episodes tend to focus on the romance genre and those authors. Whether you are a romance writer or writing in a different genre, you can attain knowledge from listening to their interviews with fellow authors who share relatable experiences and give invaluable advice.

The Author Hangout currently has 100 episodes, all about marketing and how to grow your author business. They talk about failures and successes of ebook ads and even interviewed Dave Chesson from Kindlepreneur. They do “Author Answers” episodes where they answer questions that authors specifically ask. They also give “best practices” advice on self-promo such as subscriber lists building tips, book launches, and starting a podcast; there’s an interview with podcast expert Ben Kreuger that I strongly encourage you to listen to before considering this self-promo option.

Book Writing Made Simple With Donna Sherrie has a wealth of knowledge in its over 100 episodes catalogue. Host Donna Sherrie is a book writing coach herself and author with a positive outlook to motivate writers and authors. She offers advice on how to start and finish writing your story in easy, attainable steps. Some of her guests include author Tianna Sutton, and founder and CEO of Breakthrough LLC Rita Carter. Donna Sherrie does focus on Christian faith and memoir writing, which there are not a lot of coaches in those concentrations in the podcast market. If this sounds like something that would benefit you, I would definitely add this podcast to your listening routine.

These are just a few of the ones I listen to on a regular basis over the years. If you are starting out or have been writing and publishing for years but are looking for a boost or revival, these podcasts should give you great ideas for ways to further your career and stay motivated to carry on.