Since I began writing, I’ve found podcasts/videocasts on the topics of writing, reading, and publishing a source of both entertainment and information. From those filled with practical information about the craft of writing to those focusing on the business of publishing, to those that interview authors about their books – most have something to offer. Here’s a list of 34 Inspiring Writing Podcasts to Subscribe to Right Now. I’ve been fortunate enough to be interviewed on a couple, including Annie Cathryn’s Soulful Series (also on Spotify) and John Valeri’s Central Booking.  John is Connecticut-based, and we have several others here too. They include The Book Cougars, which is more about reading than writing per se, and Elsa Kurt’s The Writer’s Tribe Talk Show. Check them out!

And one of our members, V.P. Morris, author of Shadowcast and Dead Ringer, created an original podcast to publish her mystery/thriller audio drama focusing on the lives of five women who, over the course of history, receive mysterious letters that warn of death and destruction if they don’t do exactly as the sender says. You can check out the twelve episodes here.

The 2022 Gotham Writers Conference will be happening on Zoom, October 14-16. Although virtual, the organizers promise that the two-part conference will genuinely connect writers with agents and give a close-up look at how to get a book published. Days 1 and 2 – Panels and Presentations.  This is for people who are ready for publication or just gearing up to enter the publishing process. Plus, a free online social event, giving you a chance to mingle a bit with fellow attendees. $160. Day 3 – Pitching Roundtables. Each “table” will have two agents and a group of pre-selected writers with book projects. You’ll spend four and a half hours with your “table”—pitching, reading pages, and discussing your work. There will be “tables” specializing in mainstream/literary

novels, middle-grade/young adult novels, mystery/thriller/horror novels, picture books, science fiction/fantasy novels, nonfiction books, and graphic novels/graphic memoirs. $426. Save $60 if you register for both. Anyone can attend Days 1 & 2, but you must apply and be selected to participate in Day 3. Enrollment is now open!

And if you’re a nonfiction writer, member Kumar Singla suggests checking out this list of Best Nonfiction Writers Conferences from the Nonfiction Writers Association (which may be worth joining if that’s your genre).

Doug Weller’s Six-Word Wonder contest is open for entries until November. Free entry. Stories must be exactly 6 words in length. $100 top prize. Winners will be published in an anthology.

My friends at Authors Publish are offering free copies of several of their books, including  The Authors Publish Introduction to Marketing Your Book, in PDF format. They have others on how to get published with poetry, memoir, and children’s books.
And among their recent articles is one on how to find publishers who accept reprints of previous articles. And another listing of 51 Traditional Children’s Book Publishers looking for submissions without requiring an agent. All of the publishers on this list publish children’s books. Some just publish picture books, some publish only middle-grade fiction, and some publish a wide variety of genres aimed at adults as well. Some are looking for educational work, others are open to anything. A number of these publishers are large and established. Others are small and just starting out.

Bridgeport is hosting its first-ever Bridgeport Book Bash on October 29, with an author networking event on Friday evening, October 28. It will be held at the Trumbull Marriot, and authors can buy table space to showcase their books. Members of the public can get their books signed, char with the authors, attend an author Q&A and (for an additional fee) attend an after-party with the authors. General admission: $20. VIP admission is $75 and includes early access to the event (11-Noon, a VIP swag bag, lunch with the authors, and a VIP costumed Halloween Afterparty including dinner.

If you’re looking for an agent, and are having trouble wading through the various sources for finding one, check out the Directory of Literary Agencies. They have more than one, segmented by type, including fiction, nonfiction, children’s (by age group), Christian, and Black. Good luck!

Thanks for checking in this month, and as always, keep writing!