The Write Focus

Every successful story, short or long, has two key elements. These two keys recur throughout the story.

One takes a new form at every instance, teasing the reader into reading more. The other also teases the reader, but this time the key remains the same, merely doubling and re-doubling, increasing and intensifying.

What are these key elements?

You’ll have to listen to discover that answer. ;)

TIMINGS

• 00:41 Introduction
• 01:15 Two Key Elements for Successful Stories
• 04:16 Closing

Total Run Time = 5:17

 

LINK

Website https://thewritefocus.blogspot.com/2026/06/2-keys-to-successful-stories-quick-tips.html

 

Licensed Music with the Quick Tips content is “Simple Acoustic Guitar” from the creator applehillstudios on Audio Jungle. The music is licensed for podcast and YouTube. Music for the opening and closing segments are in the narration, also licensed from Audio Jungle for the purpose of podcast and YouTube.

All short videos with the video are from Pexels.com, a site that offers free short videos, some with sound (turned off for this posting).

In our second episode on antagonists, we discuss the additional evil actors that drive a plot, as much a part as our main character, our Protagonists.

We offer three Quick Tips, first about our major antagonist and then two more about minor antagonists.

A key element whips by pretty rapidly, in that each minor antagonist teaches the protagonist a skill or a way to defeat the major antagonist. We don’t want you to miss that. ;)

Quick Tips for Writers continues next week with 2 Requirements for Every Story.

TIMINGS

• 00:41 Introduction
• 01:15 Antagonists, part 2
• 03:31 Closing

Total Run Time = 4:31

LINK

Website https://thewritefocus.blogspot.com/2026/03/antagonists-part-2-quick-tips-for.html

Licensed Music with the Quick Tips content is “Simple Acoustic Guitar” from the creator applehillstudios on Audio Jungle. The music is licensed for podcast and YouTube.

Music for the opening and closing segments are in the narration, also licensed from Audio Jungle for the purpose of podcast and YouTube.

All short videos with the video are from Pexels.com, a site that offers free short videos, some with sound (turned off for this posting).

Thanks for listening to The Write Focus.

We focus on productivity, process, craft, and tools.

As a Blast from the Past, our current focus is a series entitled Quick Tips for Writers. Here is a link to the playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXi3M_aM-d7JoFvT3aJEZPpneLjOH1Ur_&si=j8n2yOeaJz05H4bY

Select the most recent episode through the URL after the TIMINGS.

Support the podcast with a cup of coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/winkbooksr

• You can find workbooks and templates at Buy Me a Coffee. Available is the Enter the Writing Business Workbook and templates from the Discovering Characters series.

• Also available: worksheet templates and a video trailer script for Discovering Your Author Brand.

For more links and resources, visit www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com .

Write to us at winkbooks@aol.com.

If you find value in this podcast, please share with your writing friends or write a review. (We’re small beans. We don’t have the advertising budget of the big peeps. You can make a difference.)

Pentecost concludes the Easter Season.

Fifty days after the Resurrection, ten days after Ascension, it completes the jubilation that starts before sunrise on Easter Day with the Son’s rise.

“He is risen” does not complete everything. Pentecost is the completion.

Let’s ground ourselves in the reasons.

 

TIMINGS

• 00:40 Introduction
• 00:50 Pentecost
• 08:55 Closing

Total Run Time = 9:54

 

LINK

Website https://thewritefocus.blogspot.com/2026/05/pentecost-concludes-easter-season.html

 

Licensed Music with the Easter segment is entitled “Soft Beautiful Hope Piano” from the creator Nehliudoff on Audio Jungle while that with the Writing segment, with the same title, is from the creator Little Victory, also on Audio Jungle. Music for the opening and closing segments are in the narration.

All short videos with the video are from Pexels.com, a site that offers free short videos, some with sound.

In the Quick Tips series, episodes 6 and 7 are linked, for both are about antagonists, twisty and surprising antagonists.

A truth of conflict is that a weak antagonist creates a weak Protagonist. Since we writers want our main characters to be strong, then the conflict-creator of the story needs to be equally strong.

The first way to do this is to twist our readers’ expectations of the antagonist.

TIMINGS

• 00:40 Introduction
• 0:1:12 Learn to Twist / Antagonists
• 06:18 Closing

Total Run Time = 3:36

 

LINK

Website https://thewritefocus.blogspot.com/2026/03/quick-tip-6-learn-to-twist-721.html

 

Licensed Music with the Quick Tips content is “Simple Acoustic Guitar” from the creator applehillstudios on Audio Jungle. The music is licensed for podcast and YouTube. Music for the opening and closing segments are in the narration, also licensed from Audio Jungle for the purpose of podcast and YouTube.

All short videos with the video are from Pexels.com, a site that offers free short videos, some with sound (turned off for this posting).

 

Thanks for listening to The Write Focus. We focus on productivity, process, craft, and tools.

As a Blast from the Past, our current focus is a series entitled Quick Tips for Writers. Here is a link to the playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXi3M_aM-d7JoFvT3aJEZPpneLjOH1Ur_&si=j8n2yOeaJz05H4bY Select the most recent episode through the URL after the TIMINGS.

Support the podcast with a cup of coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/winkbooksr

• You can find workbooks and templates at Buy Me a Coffee. Available is the Enter the Writing Business Workbook and templates from the Discovering Characters
• Also available: worksheet templates and a video trailer script for Discovering Your Author Brand.

For more links and resources, visit www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com  .

Write to us at winkbooks@aol.com.

If you find value in this podcast, please share with your writing friends or write a review. (We’re small beans. We don’t have the advertising budget of the big peeps. You can make a difference.)

40.

Forty days after Easter, the Resurrection of Christ Jesus, we have another important date to commemorate, a date that’s been part of the Christian Church since the early days. The first documented festival occurred in 68 A.D.

Along with Easter Day, the regular observance of Sunday, and Pentecost, we have Ascension Day, the day when Christ ascended to Heaven, back to His Father.

The later additions of Christmas and Epiphany were added to these four foundational dates, and all became the beating heart of the Church year.

Let’s examine that 40-day span, a unit of God-time, and set our own plan for this time of transition.

TIMINGS

• 00:40 Introduction
• 00:50 Ascension
• 06:10 Closing

Total Run Time = 7:10

 

LINK

Website https://thewritefocus.blogspot.com/2026/05/ascension-more-easter-season-725.html

 

Licensed Music with the Easter segment is entitled “Soft Beautiful Hope Piano” from the creator Nehliudoff on Audio Jungle while that with the Writing segment, with the same title, is from the creator Little Victory, also on Audio Jungle. Music for the opening and closing segments are in the narration.

All short videos with the video are from Pexels.com, a site that offers free short videos, some with sound.

As writers we control many things about our writing, but times do come when we lose control.

And that is not a bad thing. It’s actually a blessing.

That’s our topic: Be willing to lose control.

The Write Focus offers the Quick Tips for Writers series from Spring into Summer. We hope these bite-sized takes on writing inspire your words this week.

TIMINGS

• 00:40 Introduction
• 01:10 Be Willing to Lose Control
• 03:00 Closing

Total Run Time = 3:59

 

LINKS

Website https://thewritefocus.blogspot.com/2026/05/be-willing-to-lose-control-quick-tips.html

 

Licensed Music with the Quick Tips content is “Simple Acoustic Guitar” from the creator applehillstudios on Audio Jungle. The music is licensed for podcast and YouTube. Music for the opening and closing segments are in the narration, also licensed from Audio Jungle for the purpose of podcast and YouTube.

Thanks for listening to The Write Focus. We focus on productivity, process, craft, and tools.

As a Blast from the Past, our current focus is a series entitled Quick Tips for Writers. Here is a link to the playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXi3M_aM-d7JoFvT3aJEZPpneLjOH1Ur_&si=j8n2yOeaJz05H4bY Select the most recent episode through the URL after the TIMINGS.

Support the podcast with a cup of coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/winkbooksr

• You can find workbooks and templates at Buy Me a Coffee. Available is the Enter the Writing Business Workbook and templates from the Discovering Characters
• Also available: worksheet templates and a video trailer script for Discovering Your Author Brand.

For more links and resources, visit www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com  .

Write to us at winkbooks@aol.com.

If you find value in this podcast, please share with your writing friends or write a review. (We’re small beans. We don’t have the advertising budget of the big peeps. You can make a difference.)

Our topic this time is a little tricky, but we have a fairly simple solution—if we will use that solution.

Here’s the question: How do I make my writing form a coherent story?

Because if the story confuses us when we finish it, in what state will our readers be?

Quick Tips for Writers is a Blast from the Past, extricated from much longer episodes a year ago. TWF hopes you enjoy these quick takes.

TIMINGS

• 00:40 Introduction
• 01:08 QT 4 Write a Coherent Story
• 03:38 Closing

Total Run Time = 4:38

 

LINKS

Website https://thewritefocus.blogspot.com/2026/05/write-coherent-story-quick-tips-for.html

 

Licensed Music with the Quick Tips content is “Simple Acoustic Guitar” from the creator applehillstudios on Audio Jungle. The music is licensed for podcast and YouTube. Music for the opening and closing segments are in the narration, also licensed from Audio Jungle for the purpose of podcast and YouTube.

All short videos with the video are from Pexels.com, a site that offers free short videos, some with sound (turned off for this posting).

 

Thanks for listening to The Write Focus. We focus on productivity, process, craft, and tools.

As a Blast from the Past, our current focus is a series entitled Quick Tips for Writers. Here is a link to the playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXi3M_aM-d7JoFvT3aJEZPpneLjOH1Ur_&si=j8n2yOeaJz05H4bY Select the most recent episode through the URL after the TIMINGS.

Support the podcast with a cup of coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/winkbooksr

• You can find workbooks and templates at Buy Me a Coffee. Available is the Enter the Writing Business Workbook and templates from the Discovering Characters
• Also available: worksheet templates and a video trailer script for Discovering Your Author Brand.

For more links and resources, visit www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com  .

Write to us at winkbooks@aol.com.

If you find value in this podcast, please share with your writing friends or write a review. (We’re small beans. We don’t have the advertising budget of the big peeps. You can make a difference.)

We’re onto our third episode in the Quick Tips for Writers series. What are the three cornerstones of every story we write, no matter the length or genre or purpose?

TIMINGS

• 00:40 Introduction
• 01:10 QT 3: Three Cornerstones of Every Story
• 03:17 Closing

Total Run Time = 4:17

 

LINK

Website https://thewritefocus.blogspot.com/2026/04/three-cornerstones-of-story-quick-tips.html

 

Licensed Music with the Quick Tips content is “Simple Acoustic Guitar” from the creator applehillstudios on Audio Jungle. The music is licensed for podcast and YouTube. Music for the opening and closing segments are in the narration, also licensed from Audio Jungle for the purpose of podcast and YouTube.

All short videos with the video are from Pexels.com, a site that offers free short videos, some with sound (turned off for this posting).

 

Thanks for listening to The Write Focus. We focus on productivity, process, craft, and tools.

Support the podcast with a cup of coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/winkbooksr

• You can find workbooks and templates at Buy Me a Coffee. Available is the Enter the Writing Business Workbook and templates from the Discovering Characters
• Also available: worksheet templates and a video trailer script for Discovering Your Author Brand.

For more links and resources, visit www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com  .

Write to us at winkbooks@aol.com.

If you find value in this podcast, please share with your writing friends or write a review. (We’re small beans. We don’t have the advertising budget of the big peeps. You can make a difference.)

In this second episode of the Quick Tips for Writers series, we look at another topic which trips writers up. Whether a total newbie or a seasoned writer, we all ask the same question. It’s the same questions every time we start a new story. How much do I need before I start writing?

TIMINGS

• 00:40 Welcome
• 01:10 How much do I need before I start writing?
• 04:33 Closing

Total Run Time = 5:33

 

LINK

Website https://thewritefocus.blogspot.com/2026/04/quick-tips-for-writers-2-717.html

 

Licensed Music with the Quick Tips content is “Simple Acoustic Guitar” from the creator applehillstudios on Audio Jungle. The music is licensed for podcast and YouTube. Music for the opening and closing segments are in the narration, also licensed from Audio Jungle for the purpose of podcast and YouTube.

All short videos with the video are from Pexels.com, a site that offers free short videos, some with sound (turned off for this posting).

 

Thanks for listening to The Write Focus. We focus on productivity, process, craft, and tools.

Support the podcast with a cup of coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/winkbooksr

• You can find workbooks and templates at Buy Me a Coffee. Available is the Enter the Writing Business Workbook and templates from the Discovering Characters
• Also available: worksheet templates and a video trailer script for Discovering Your Author Brand.

For more links and resources, visit www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com  .

Write to us at winkbooks@aol.com.

If you find value in this podcast, please share with your writing friends or write a review. (We’re small beans. We don’t have the advertising budget of the big peeps. You can make a difference.)

 

Content copyright is 2020 to 2026, Writers Ink Books.

The Write Focus brings in a Blast from the Past, from Summer 2025. Thirteen—count `em, 13—posts that distill over 30 years of writing knowledge and 10 years of publishing writing.

Host M.A. Lee has 60-plus novel-length titles under three pen names that guide this information. We hope you find a spot of wisdom in each of these Quick Tips for Writers.

In our first episode of the series, we answer every writer’s burning question: “What do I need to start writing?”

TIMINGS

• 00:40 Introduction
• 01:10 Quick Tip 1
• 4:14 Closing

Total Run Time = 5:14

 

LINK

Website https://thewritefocus.blogspot.com/2026/04/quick-tips-for-writers-1-716.html

 

Licensed Music with the Quick Tips content is “Simple Acoustic Guitar” from the creator applehillstudios on Audio Jungle. The music is licensed for podcast and YouTube. Music for the opening and closing segments are in the narration, also licensed from Audio Jungle for the purpose of podcast and YouTube.

All short videos with the video are from Pexels.com, a site that offers free short videos, some with sound (turned off for this posting).

 

Thanks for listening to The Write Focus. We focus on productivity, process, craft, and tools.

As a Blast from the Past, our current focus is a series entitled Quick Tips for Writers. Here is a link to the playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXi3M_aM-d7JoFvT3aJEZPpneLjOH1Ur_&si=j8n2yOeaJz05H4bY Select the most recent episode through the URL after the TIMINGS.

Support the podcast with a cup of coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/winkbooksr

• You can find workbooks and templates at Buy Me a Coffee. Available is the Enter the Writing Business Workbook and templates from the Discovering Characters
• Also available: worksheet templates and a video trailer script for Discovering Your Author Brand.

For more links and resources, visit www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com  .

Write to us at winkbooks@aol.com.

If you find value in this podcast, please share with your writing friends or write a review. (We’re small beans. We don’t have the advertising budget of the big peeps. You can make a difference.)

Listen on your favorite podcast site: from Apple to YouTube, Spotify and Podbean (my favs), Google Play, Amazon Music and Audible, Samsung and Player FM, Deezer and Podcaster, the rivals iHeart and Tune-in, and too many to list.

Here are the easiest. Make us a favorite, and follow along easy-peasy, once a week, while you fix a quick dinner, drive a short commute, or take a brisk walk.

My favorite podcast is Podbean. https://eden5695.podbean.com/

YouTube direct link to the Current Playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXi3M_aM-d7IZWMlW9kLwMNEkuLMySGnq

Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-write-focus/id1546738740%20

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4fMwknmfJhkJxQvaaLQ3Gm?si=ffeb71ed17c3409d

Amazon/Audible https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/062ecc60-d61c-432a-ad99-8234c1044ef1

ListenNotes https://lnns.co/y_Jg5rpaMNo

Google https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2VkZW41Njk1L2ZlZWQueG1s

Tune-In https://tunein.com/podcasts/p1608565/

IHeart Radio  https://iheart.com/podcast/90647163   

 

Content copyright is 2020 to 2026, Writers Ink Books.