

StoryADay presents: I, WRITER - A Writing Podcast about Building a Successful Writing Practice
Julie Duffy
Welcome to StoryADay Presents: I, WRITER – A Writing Podcast about building a fulfilling writing life.
Hosted by author and StoryADay founder Julie Duffy, this show helps writers of all kinds—novelists, short-story authors, poets, or anyone building a creative habit—turn writing into a sustainable, joyful practice.
Each episode blends practical writing tips with mindset reframes drawn from the I, WRITER Framework (Imagine, Write, Refine, Improve, Triumph, Engage, Repeat), to help you avoid overwhelm and make more progress, faster.
Whether you’re drafting your first novel, exploring short fiction, or fighting writer’s block, you’ll find strategies here to strengthen your writing routine, spark creativity, and keep going.
With insights from the popular StoryADay Challenge and years of guiding writers worldwide, Julie shows you how to create momentum, finish projects, and share your work with confidence.
Music credit: Alan McPike (http://standardstrax.com)
Hosted by author and StoryADay founder Julie Duffy, this show helps writers of all kinds—novelists, short-story authors, poets, or anyone building a creative habit—turn writing into a sustainable, joyful practice.
Each episode blends practical writing tips with mindset reframes drawn from the I, WRITER Framework (Imagine, Write, Refine, Improve, Triumph, Engage, Repeat), to help you avoid overwhelm and make more progress, faster.
Whether you’re drafting your first novel, exploring short fiction, or fighting writer’s block, you’ll find strategies here to strengthen your writing routine, spark creativity, and keep going.
With insights from the popular StoryADay Challenge and years of guiding writers worldwide, Julie shows you how to create momentum, finish projects, and share your work with confidence.
Music credit: Alan McPike (http://standardstrax.com)
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 23, 2023 • 31min
Lurk Your Way To Success in Publishing
Are you looking to find success in the publishing world? Join me on The StoryADay Podcast as I discuss the importance of engagement in writing and publishing. In this episode titled "Lurk Your Way to Success in Publishing", I share strategies and insights that can help you achieve your goals as a writer. Here are 3 key takeaways from the episode: 1️⃣ Don't rush into building an author platform: While it's tempting to focus on social media presence and building a following, it's crucial to prioritize the writing itself. Spend time honing your craft and creating compelling content before diving into the world of author branding. 2️⃣ Engage with the publishing world: Stay updated by following authors on social media, reading industry publications, and educating yourself about the realities of being a writer. Become part of the conversation, learn from experienced authors, and stay informed about industry trends. 3️⃣ Define your own success: Don't let societal expectations or external pressure define your writing journey. Take the time to reflect on what success means to you personally and set realistic goals that align with your values. Remember, writing is a journey of personal growth and creativity, and your definition of success should reflect that. 🎧 Listen now! Timestamps [00:02:03] Engaging With The Publishing World [00:03:42] Should You Even Pay Attention? [00:06:54] Have a Strong Definition of Success For Yourself [00:09:18] If You Want To Publish [00:10:25] First Steps In Pursuing Publication - Lurk (aka 'research') [00:11:53] Agents [00:14:44] Queries and Book Proposals [00:15:45] Why Submission Guidelines Matter [00:18:33] Ways to Lurk [00:19:35] Publishing Shorter Pieces [00:21:56] Get Off My Lawn [00:23:22] Be Human, Make Friends, Be Successful [00:25:37] Where To Find Writers and Publishing Folks, Online in 2023 [00:29:04] Wrap Up Links: Kameron Hurley Interview Kate McKean's Agents & Books Substack Newsletter The Sh*t No One Tells You About Writing Want to go deeper? Take the 3-Day Challenge Want to go for longer? Let me send you a** StoryAWeek writing lesson & prompt**

Sep 9, 2023 • 22min
Engaging Readers: Making Your Stories Pop and Connecting with Your Audience
Welcome to another episode of The StoryADay Podcast! I'm your host, Julie Duffy, from Storyaday.org, and today we're diving into a topic that every writer grapples with: engaging the reader. As we explore the importance of captivating our audience, we'll also discuss the challenges that come with balancing our own creative process and the desire for validation from readers. \ Join me as we uncover strategies to make our stories irresistible and learn how to effectively engage with our readers. So, grab your pen and notebook, and let's get started on this storytelling adventure! 00:01:27 Permission to create freely, fear of judgment. 00:03:58 Engaging stories and readers: tips and importance. 00:11:17 Structure, pacing, and character engagement in writing. 00:14:17 Direct contact without social media or ads. 00:19:58 Don't overthink, write and engage with readers. 00:21:17 Writing challenge: 3 days to complete stories

Sep 2, 2023 • 20min
How To Be A Writer
As we kick off StoryADay September 2023 I talk about how there is more than one way to engage with your writing...and your identity as a writer. 00:00 StADa295EngageWithYourWritingPractice 00:00 Intro 00:15 How To Engage with Your Writing Practice 15:16 Strategies for StoryADay Join the challenge and find out more at https://storyaday.org

Aug 12, 2023 • 17min
AI, Amazon & Author's Rights
This week author Jane Friedman noticed that someone had used her name on a bunch of junk, AI-generated books about writing. Lest you get discouraged I have some thoughts on what authors can about this. Also in this episode: the Importance of Celebrations, and some tips for how to do that. LINKS: LINKS: The Importance of Celebrations Workbook: http://stada.me/wb-celebrations This episode: https://storyaday.org/episode294 Some Author Advocacy Groups: The Alliance of Independent Authors: https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org/ The Author's Guild: https://authorsguild.org/ Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America: https://www.sfwa.org/ PEN/America: https://pen.org/

Jul 29, 2023 • 2min
Vacation Update
The StoryADay Podcast took a sneaky wee vacation this month, but will be back in August with our monthly theme of Triumph! Keep writing, Julie

Jul 8, 2023 • 22min
How to improve as a writer
This week we take the idea of improving your writing and your writing practice. But how, exactly do you DO that?!

Jul 1, 2023 • 23min
Record-Keeping For Writers
Do you struggle to keep records of what you read or write? Do you beat yourself up over it, because you're sure it'd make your life easier? Maybe yes, maybe no. Let's dig in to record-keeping for creative people: why it works, why it doesn't, and what to do about it! Sign up for the StoryADay Anytime Challenge: https://storyaday.org

Jun 24, 2023 • 18min
7 Things I Learned Writing A StoryADay in 2023 - Part 2
The final -- and most important -- two things I learned (again) while writing a StoryADay in May 2023. If you'd like to be more productive, creative and fulfilled in your writing, listen in! Links: Take the 3-Day Challenge: storyaday.org/3dc

Jun 17, 2023 • 20min
7 Things I Learned Writing A StoryADay in 2023
I've been writing a StoryADay in May since 2010. I've learned some things about writing, productivity, creativity, and success. I share some of them here. Links: This episode: https://storyaday.org/episode289 The 3 Day Challenge: https://storyaday.org/3dc

May 20, 2023 • 12min
Week 3 of StoryADay May 2023
In which i talk about what to do if you miss a day (like I did) and creative courage. Liniks: Get the prompts: https://storyaday.org/signup Take the 3-Day Challenge: https://storyaday.org/3dc Prompts throughout the year: https://storyaday.org/storyaweek