Author Diary Entries
Books & Literature
About
The Author Diary Entries podcast (formerly known as Indie Author Weekly) is hosted by Sagan Morrow, a Kamloops-based writer with 15+ years of experience as a small business owner. She is also a hobbyist burlesque dancer and performs on stage as Babe Maverick. In this podcast, you'll learn more about the books Sagan writes, her insights and stories of being an author and a multipassionate creative, and a peek behind the curtain of the writer's life. Sagan also shares diary-style personal stories of life as an indie author and her behind-the-scenes journey of writing and self-publishing novellas. Sagan started out as a blogger and freelance writer (and editor) around 2008. In 2016, she began teaching other solopreneurs how to improve productivity and time management, using anti-hustle methods. Nowadays — when she's not writing novellas — she works as an internationally board-certified Life Coach who specializes in personal fulfillment for self-aware
Episodes
- 192: Chick lit book club discussion prompts (Kiss Me — Book 8 in the Polyamorous Passions series)
Gather together your romance reader friends and book club besties… In this episode of the Author Diary Entries podcast, you’ll get chick lit book club discussion prompts for Kiss Me (Book 8 in the Polyamorous Passions series)! Use these di…
- 191: Book launch day for Kiss Me (plus a reading from this chick lit novel!)
In celebration of book launch day for Kiss Me (Book 8 in the Polyamorous Passions “why choose” chick lit series), author Sagan Morrow shares 5 of her favourite things about this novel… plus reads a scene from the story! Kiss Me is a heartw…
- 190: 3 things that came up during the experience of writing & editing Kiss Me (Book 8 in the Polyamorous Passions contemporary romance series)
Following up on Episode 189… In this episode, “why choose” chick lit author Sagan Morrow shares more about her experience with writing and editing her upcoming release, Kiss Me (Book 8 in the Polyamorous Passions series) — plus why it’s ta…
- 189: ANNOUNCING Kiss Me — why choose chick lit novel (Book 8 in the Polyamorous Passions series)
In this episode, “why choose” chick lit author Sagan Morrow announces her upcoming release Kiss Me (Book 8 in the Polyamorous Passions series) — and shares with you the back-of-book blurb, plus what to expect when you read this novel! Kiss…
- 188: Subversion & politics of creativity (polyamorous romcom novels, burlesque dancing, personal joy)
“As the world changes, what place do my polyamorous romantic comedy novels have in our society? If the world now understands and somewhat accepts open relationships, is there even a need for my novels? These novels are for pre-pandemic tim…
- 187: You are hurting YOURSELF when you use AI to "write" your books
Using generative AI to quote-unquote “write” a book is harmful not only to the artists those people are plagiarizing from, but it’s also harmful to the plagiarizer and to CREATIVITY, itself. Let’s talk about that! In this episode, your Aut…
- 186: The art of creative weirdness (and an ode to Z Nation, burlesque dancing, and My Lady Jane)
What is the art of creative weirdness? What are some great examples of creative weirdness, and how can YOU tap into your own creative weirdness when you are creating art (of any kind)? What is the ONE situation in which creative weirdness…
- 185: "Reader mindset" method for rewrites (book writing update!)
In this episode, your host and indie author Sagan Morrow shares her experience with reviewing her current work-in-progress (Book 8 in the Polyamorous Passions series) using a "reader mindset" prior to doing rewrites! She shares her process…
- 184: Creative cross training as a tool to navigate creative blocks
What is creative cross training, and how can it help you navigate (and overcome) creative blocks? In this episode, Sagan shares examples of creative cross training and the importance of creative cross training (and how it’s prevented her f…
- 183: Can you write about polyamory if you aren’t actively polyamorous?
In this episode, we explore the difference between polyamorous IDENTITY vs the PRACTICE of that identity , and answer these questions: Can you write about polyamory if you aren’t ACTIVELY polyamorous? Do you ever think being polyamorous is…
- 182: Let people ENJOY things! (In defence of Twilight Instagrammers)
Find out why Sagan got outraged at a random person’s Instagram comment when they were dismissive of a 30-something Twilight Instagrammer reading Young Adult novels, the POWER of the YA genre, why you should read what makes you happy, her o…
- 181: Queerness in my romance novels
“Do you write queer characters?” → Well… Yes and no! In this episode, I explain why this question is a tricky one, what makes a novel “queer enough” (an even more loaded question!), the nuance behind all of this, and the importance of usin…
- 180: Labels and gatekeeping in romance novels
Is it rude to refer to a romance novel “smut”? Not to me ;) You can call my books whatever you want! …BUT, there’s a lot of nuance to this (and context matters) — so in this episode, we’re exploring important questions we need to ask aroun…
- 179: Author update (one year later)
In this episode, your host (and indie author) Sagan Morrow shares an author update about what she's been working on since our previous episode over a year ago, plus why we've rebranded the podcast from "Indie Author Weekly" to "Author Diar…
- 178: On being a beginner vs intermediate at your practice (and why being a beginner can be a lot easier!)
In this episode, we explore the dynamic of being a beginner vs being intermediate at your practice... and why being a beginner can, in some ways, be a lot easier! Tune in now to find out about the pressure I put on myself in my 2nd solo bu…
- 177: Ideation, content creation, and writing process for my Solopreneur Diary Entries weekly newsletter
In our previous episode, Episode 176, we talked about what it means to be a creative and an indie author — and how it can be so much more comprehensive than book writing! That's why, in today’s episode, I want to build on that and share wi…
- 176: What does it mean to be a creative and an indie author?
In our most recent couple of episodes here on the Indie Author Weekly podcast, we’ve been exploring the importance of trust in the creative process — including self trust and trusting others. I want to take it a step back today and ask thi…
- 175: Creative process as a solo artist (trusting OTHERS)
In this episode, we explore the delicate balance of the creative process when you are a solo artist — Because it’s hard to maintain distance and objectivity when you are working on creative pursuits in a silo! Is it good enough? Is it good…
- 174: Self trust thought exercise when you experience self doubt as a creative
In this episode, I talk about the balance between trusting yourself AND not believing that negative voice in your head which might be filled with self doubt. As long-time listeners of the podcast will already know, I’m a Personal Fulfillme…
- 173: 5 observations while reviewing my current work-in-progress
Last week, I went through the entirety of my current work in progress — Book 8 in the Polyamorous Passions series. So today I want to share with you what happened when I read through it… It had been a few months since I last worked on it,…
- 172: Improving one's relationship with the creative process
This episode is a follow-up to the previous episode, and shares recommendations and thoughts about how to improve your relationship with the creative process (what to do BEFORE you even sit down at the computer and start writing, plus a be…
- 171: Applying my 2024 Word of the Year to creative writing
In this episode, find out how my 2024 Word of the Year — ELEVATE — connects back and translates into my work as a writer... elevating my approach to my work! PLUS, tune in to find out what I am NOT doing this year as an indie author (this…
- 170: 3 steps to make time for creative pursuits when "life is life-ing"
How can you prioritize writing (or any creative pursuit, or a solopreneur business, or a passion project, or a hobby, etc) when life “gets in the way”? In this episode, learn my 3-step strategy for how to DO this — plus a personal example…
- 169: How a new dance class is affecting my book writing plans
I began a new solo development dance class last month in preparation for my first-ever solo burlesque show... and that's given me a few ideas for incorporating burlesque choreography and culture into my upcoming romcom novel (Book 8 in the…
- 168: Writing alternative relationships, Q&A Part 3
This episode provides Q&A inspired by the Weeknight Writers "Writing Alternative Relationships" panel discussion I spoke at this past summer — it's a follow up to our previous two episodes where I answered the first 5 questions: Q6: In rom…
- 167: Writing alternative relationships, Q&A Part 2
This episode provides Q&A inspired by the Weeknight Writers "Writing Alternative Relationships" panel discussion I spoke at this past summer — it's a follow up to our previous episode where I answered the first 3 questions: Q4: What level…
- 166: Writing alternative relationships, Q&A Part 1
This episode provides Q&A inspired by the Weeknight Writers "Writing Alternative Relationships" panel discussion I spoke at this past summer... About the type of alternative relationships I write in my novels. Q1: Do you believe it’s inher…
- 165: Writing childfree women
In this episode, we discuss... Why I write childfree women in my Polyamorous Passions novel and Small Town Stilettos (quick examples of my characters). My personal reasons for being childfree. What it means to be "selfish" (wanting to have…
- 164: Book launch recap for Small Town Stilettos (part 2 — marketing expenses, book sales and dollars earned, and mindset struggles)
In this episode of the Indie Author Weekly podcast, we are doing PART TWO of the book launch recap for Small Town Stilettos: a modern marriage of convenience! We discuss: Breakdown of book marketing expenses and total monetary investment.…
- 163: Book launch recap for Small Town Stilettos (part 1 — marketing strategies, mistakes made, and what I'd do differently next time)
In this episode of the Indie Author Weekly podcast, we are doing PART ONE of the book launch recap for Small Town Stilettos: a modern marriage of convenience! We discuss: 5 marketing strategies I used for the book launch. 6 mistakes I made…
- 162: How my polyamorous romcoms all fit together
In this episode, we explore how the stand-alone novel Small Town Stilettos fits into the Polyamorous Passions series, and the interconnectedness of the “world” of these polyamorous romantic comedy novels. Learn more about the world of Poly…
- 161: Frivolity, worthiness, and internalized misogyny (from Taylor Swift to romcoms)
In this episode, we explore... What makes something "frivolous,” vs worthy or deserving of your attention and enjoyment? Internalized misogyny that can come to play with how we perceive Taylor Swift, romantic comedies, and more. The percei…
- 160: The responsibility, risk, privilege, and choices involved in writing polyamorous romantic comedies
“What made you decide to write polyamorous romcoms?” Today we’re answering THIS question! In this episode, we address the luxury and privilege of talking about “controversial” topics such as polyamory and burlesque, the responsibility vs r…
- 159: Book club discussion prompts for Small Town Stilettos
"Small Town Stilettos: a modern marriage of convenience" deals with a variety of different themes (including grief, loss, and personal identity) and it’s the perfect novel to discuss at your book club! This episode features 10 book club di…
- 158: On writing "selfish" women
In this episode, I’m addressing a particular complaint that some readers have had in their reviews about my latest romance novel, Small Town Stilettos — some of the reviews dislike the main character, Margaret, because she is perceived as…
- 157: Book release day for Small Town Stilettos: a modern marriage of convenience (what readers are saying about this romance novel!)
Happy book release day to Small Town Stilettos: a modern marriage of convenience! In this episode, I share with you what advance readers are already saying about this romance novel, so you can determine whether it's something you might be…
- 156: A(nother!) reading from Small Town Stilettos
In this episode, I'm doing a reading from the first chapter of Small Town Stilettos — this is the scene where Margaret first hears about how she's being forced into a modern marriage of convenience in order to access her inheritance... Sma…
- 155: Some of the inspiration for Small Town Stilettos: a modern marriage of convenience
In this episode, you'll get an overview about the plot of Small Town Stilettos, plus background about the real-life inspiration for this story and how some of the ideas in this novel came about. Small Town Stilettos on Goodreads: https://w…
- 154: 7 ways to help with an indie author’s book launch
Find out 7 ways you can support an indie author with their book launch — this is a wonderful opportunity to support the creatives in your life (and some of these are simple, easy ideas you can do in just a few minutes!) I share why it matt…
- 153: Book launch marketing plans and goals for Small Town Stilettos (7 strategies I'm using)
This episode shares the top 7 things I’m doing as part of the “Small Town Stilettos: a modern marriage of convenience” book launch! We discuss… The specific marketing strategies and platforms I’m using, and why I’m doing these particular t…
- 152: A reading from Small Town Stilettos (sneak peek excerpt)
Get a sneak peek of Small Town Stilettos: a modern marriage of convenience! This episode features a reading from Chapter 1. Resources & links mentioned in this episode: Pre-order Small Town Stilettos: https://www.amazon.com/Small-Town-Stil…
- 151: Small Town Stilettos cover reveal day!
Today is a special day, because it is COVER REVEAL DAY for my upcoming romance novel, Small Town Stilettos: a modern marriage of convenience! In this episode I want to share more about that novel! Here’s the working blurb… Aunt Eleanor ful…
- 150: Backstory about the delays (and an update!) to my book cover design... plus how I used it as an excuse to procrastinate
I was originally going to publish Small Town Stilettos: a modern marriage of convenience a couple years ago… so, why has it taken so long to actually publish it?? In this episode, I’m sharing a few of the obstacles that have gotten in my w…
- 149: Writing 1 chapter/day for a week — results from attempt #2 (daily breakdown)
In this episode, I want to follow up on recent episodes where I shared about my writing experiment of doing 4,000 words/day for a full week. You can learn about the background of this experiment in Episode 145, and the results from my firs…
- 148: How I mapped out parallel plot lines for my current romcom WIP
Curious about how an author organizes themes, plots, scene ideas, chapter outlines, etc? We’re covering all of that in this behind-the-scenes look at my current work-in-progress, Book 8 of the Polyamorous Passions series! This episode incl…
- 147: Results from my first attempt at the 4,000 words/day writing experiment
This episode gives you an update on the book writing experiment I recently tested! We discuss: UPDATE on my book writing experiment that I told you about in Episode 145 of my Indie Author Weekly podcast (writing 4,000 words/day for a full…
- 146: The importance of being earnest as a writer
Let’s talk about the importance of being earnest as a writer and getting comfortable with potentially embarrassing yourself! In this episode, we cover… The self-consciousness → self-compassion spectrum that many of us experience as writers…
- 145: Writing experiment of 4,000 words/day for a full week
All about a new writing experiment I’m testing out to make a lot better progress with my novels! We discuss… Why I’m doing this new experiment, what my schedule will look like, how I plan to make it happen, and my expected results with wri…
- 144: "How do you write your books?"
“How do you write your books? By hand, by typewriter?” In this episode, we’re answering THAT question! Get ready for a full recap of the logistics and practical side for how I write my books… 0:00 Intro 0:20 Answering a question from a fri…
- 143: Dealing with imposter syndrome and procrastination as an author
A year ago, I experienced an EXTREME case of imposter syndrome in my author career… which led to a TON of procrastination! In this episode, I’m sharing all about that experience and how I navigated it. In this episode, we discuss… How my i…