

The Adventurous Author | How to Write a Book, Character Development, Write with Consistency, Creative Writing,Story Structure
Bonnie Jean Schaefer | Author & Coach, Founder of the League of Adventurous Authors
Hey, Time-Strapped Author!
Wanna write great fiction?
BUT writing is hard because you…
- Have NO TIME because you work a full-time job or go to school full-time
- Doubt your writing ability
- Are unsure how to write the kind of captivating stories you love to read.
Then welcome to The Adventurous Author, the podcast for underdog authors on a mission to achieve legendary feats in the publishing world but have to overcome impossible obstacles, limited time, and paralyzing inner skepticism along the way.
Through these episodes, you will…
- Gain confidence in your author identity.
- Master the process and structure needed to write captivating stories EVEN WITH limited writing time.
- Learn to use AI effectively and ethically to constantly improve your writing skills and story quality.
I’m your host Bonnie Jean Schaefer.
Under my pen name of fantasy author D.K. Drake, I write action-packed, wholesome adventures without the snooze-worthy fluff.
But as your personal writing coach, I’m here to unlock YOUR narrative prowess, guide you in crafting spellbinding tales, and navigate the wild world of writing with AI.
Adventure awaits, so ignite your imagination, latch on to that dragon swooping overhead, and let the storytelling quest begin. It’s time to play in our own fabulous fantasy worlds.
Wanna write great fiction?
BUT writing is hard because you…
- Have NO TIME because you work a full-time job or go to school full-time
- Doubt your writing ability
- Are unsure how to write the kind of captivating stories you love to read.
Then welcome to The Adventurous Author, the podcast for underdog authors on a mission to achieve legendary feats in the publishing world but have to overcome impossible obstacles, limited time, and paralyzing inner skepticism along the way.
Through these episodes, you will…
- Gain confidence in your author identity.
- Master the process and structure needed to write captivating stories EVEN WITH limited writing time.
- Learn to use AI effectively and ethically to constantly improve your writing skills and story quality.
I’m your host Bonnie Jean Schaefer.
Under my pen name of fantasy author D.K. Drake, I write action-packed, wholesome adventures without the snooze-worthy fluff.
But as your personal writing coach, I’m here to unlock YOUR narrative prowess, guide you in crafting spellbinding tales, and navigate the wild world of writing with AI.
Adventure awaits, so ignite your imagination, latch on to that dragon swooping overhead, and let the storytelling quest begin. It’s time to play in our own fabulous fantasy worlds.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 18, 2025 • 6min
Train Your Brain to Find Patterns (And Write Better Stories) | 171
🧩 Feel like your writing life is a jumbled mess of scattered ideas?
Good. That means you’re standing at the edge of a superpower most writers never develop—meta-pattern recognition.
In today’s episode of The Adventurous Author Podcast, we dive into:
✔️ Why daily writing trains your brain to detect hidden structure
✔️ How science links creative genius to associative fluency
✔️ What Jesus’ parables reveal about the writer’s role in society
✔️ A brain-expanding writing challenge that builds narrative clarity and cognitive insight
This episode will show you how to turn chaos into clarity, randomness into revelation, and scattered stories into powerful, pattern-driven insight.
🎧 Listen now.
Keep the words rolling and the adventures unfolding,
Bonnie Jean
Next Steps:
🔥 Adventurous Enough for a 101-Day Mega Challenge?
START TODAY at LeagueOfAdventurousAuthors.com. No cost. Except relentless commitment.
Because the difference between ‘wanting to write’ and ‘being a writer’ is simple… you write.
Escape into the Land of Zandador (the books I write under my pen name of Author D.K. Drake): Purchase one or all of the Dragon Stalker Bloodline Saga books on Amazon.
📢 Subscribe & Review:
If this episode gave you a wake-up call, share it with a fellow writer and drop a review! Your feedback keeps this show alive and thriving.

May 17, 2025 • 6min
Why Daily Writing Turns You Into a Story-Detecting Machine | 170
Ever write something in fiction—only to watch it show up in real life?
That’s not coincidence. It’s confirmation that your brain is tuning in to narrative patterns hiding in plain sight.
In today’s episode of The Adventurous Author, we explore:
✔️ Why daily fiction writing sharpens your pattern recognition
✔️ How storytelling trains your brain to notice divine threads in real life
✔️ The science behind your “story radar” and how to use it
✔️ A writing challenge to help you track meaning through fictional patterns
🎧 Listen now.
Keep the words rolling and the adventures unfolding,
Bonnie Jean
Next Steps:
🔥 Adventurous Enough for a 101-Day Mega Challenge?
START TODAY at LeagueOfAdventurousAuthors.com. No cost. Except relentless commitment.
Because the difference between ‘wanting to write’ and ‘being a writer’ is simple… you write.
Escape into the Land of Zandador (the books I write under my pen name of Author D.K. Drake): Purchase one or all of the Dragon Stalker Bloodline Saga books on Amazon.
📢 Subscribe & Review:
If this episode gave you a wake-up call, share it with a fellow writer and drop a review! Your feedback keeps this show alive and thriving.

May 16, 2025 • 6min
Daily Fiction Writing: Plot Twists Begin With the Right Questions | 169
Think great stories come from having all the answers? Think again.
In today’s episode of The Adventurous Author, we explore why the best fiction writers aren’t just storytellers—they’re master question-askers. The more you write, the sharper your creative questions become—and those questions unlock the kind of plots, characters, and insights that transform both you and your reader.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
✔️ Why questions—not answers—drive unforgettable stories
✔️ The neuroscience of how daily writing strengthens your question-asking brain
✔️ How Jesus used questions to stir transformation (and how you can too)
✔️ A fiction challenge that forces you to write with tension, curiosity, and depth
🎧 Listen now.
Keep the words rolling and the adventures unfolding,
Bonnie Jean
Next Steps:
🔥 Adventurous Enough for a 101-Day Mega Challenge?
START TODAY at LeagueOfAdventurousAuthors.com. No cost. Except relentless commitment.
Because the difference between ‘wanting to write’ and ‘being a writer’ is simple… you write.
Escape into the Land of Zandador (the books I write under my pen name of Author D.K. Drake): Purchase one or all of the Dragon Stalker Bloodline Saga books on Amazon.
📢 Subscribe & Review:
If this episode gave you a wake-up call, share it with a fellow writer and drop a review! Your feedback keeps this show alive and thriving.

5 snips
May 15, 2025 • 6min
How Daily Fiction Writing Extracts Wisdom From Your Soul | 168
Dive into the transformative power of daily fiction writing. Discover how characters can become insightful mirrors and mentors, revealing truths you never knew existed. Explore the neuroscience behind story-driven learning that taps into your deeper intuition. This engaging discussion encourages writers to embrace unexpected lessons from their own characters, making storytelling a journey of personal growth and wisdom.

May 14, 2025 • 6min
Write Daily to Stay Present | 167
Feeling distracted, scattered, or stuck in your head?
Daily writing is more than a creative routine—it’s a powerful attention anchor that pulls you back into the present moment.
In this episode of The Adventurous Author, we explore:
✔️ Why writing grounds you in the now (and what brain science says about it)
✔️ The sensory boost that comes from daily creative practice
✔️ How writing becomes a spiritual discipline of stillness and awareness
✔️ A practical challenge to help you slow down, look around, and write what’s real
🎧 Listen now.
Keep the words rolling and the adventures unfolding,
Bonnie Jean
Next Steps:
🔥 Adventurous Enough for a 101-Day Mega Challenge?
START TODAY at LeagueOfAdventurousAuthors.com. No cost. Except relentless commitment.
Because the difference between ‘wanting to write’ and ‘being a writer’ is simple… you write.
Escape into the Land of Zandador (the books I write under my pen name of Author D.K. Drake): Purchase one or all of the Dragon Stalker Bloodline Saga books on Amazon.
📢 Subscribe & Review:
If this episode gave you a wake-up call, share it with a fellow writer and drop a review! Your feedback keeps this show alive and thriving.

7 snips
May 13, 2025 • 6min
Consistency for Time-Strapped Fiction Writers: The Identity Solution | 166
Consistency in writing isn't about productivity; it's about embracing your identity as an author. By connecting your creative actions to who you are, you unlock deeper clarity and strength. Insights drawn from daily practices emphasize sustainable creativity over sheer willpower. Personal stories highlight the transformative power of fully embodying your role as a storyteller. A fun writing challenge invites you to align your character's actions with your own journey of becoming, not just performing. Tune in for inspiration!

7 snips
May 12, 2025 • 8min
How Daily Writing Uncovers Irony (And Sharpens Your Truth Radar) | 165
Discover how daily writing transforms your perception of irony and sharpens your truth radar. Dive into the brain science behind creativity and learn why irony is a powerful tool for clarity in storytelling. Explore a unique writing challenge designed to enhance both your narrative skills and your ability to notice life's contradictions. Unleash your writer's brain and turn everyday observations into compelling stories!

May 11, 2025 • 6min
How Writing Unfamiliar Characters Rewires Your Brain (And Makes You a Better Writer) | 164
🔥 Ever struggle to write characters who are nothing like you?
What if that struggle is the key to unlocking your next level—not just as a writer, but as a human?
In today’s episode, I share:
✔️ How my own characters—Javan, Micah, Taliya, and Krystyn—have deeply challenged me
✔️ The neuroscience behind why writing diverse characters expands your empathy
✔️ Why writing unfamiliar characters is soul training, not just storytelling
✔️ A writing challenge that will stretch your range and deepen your stories
🎧 Listen now.
Keep the words rolling and the adventures unfolding,
Bonnie Jean
Next Steps:
🔥 Adventurous Enough for a 101-Day Mega Challenge?
START TODAY at LeagueOfAdventurousAuthors.com. No cost. Except relentless commitment.
Because the difference between ‘wanting to write’ and ‘being a writer’ is simple… you write.
Escape into the Land of Zandador (the books I write under my pen name of Author D.K. Drake): Purchase one or all of the Dragon Stalker Bloodline Saga books on Amazon.
📢 Subscribe & Review:
If this episode gave you a wake-up call, share it with a fellow writer and drop a review! Your feedback keeps this show alive and thriving.

May 10, 2025 • 5min
Writing Daily Strengthens This One Skill Every Writer Needs | 163
Want to retain the most meaningful moments of your life? Write them into your stories.
In today’s episode of The Adventurous Author, we explore how daily fiction writing strengthens your memory by encoding real-life experiences into scenes, characters, and emotional truth.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
✔️ Why your brain retains story-based memory better than raw data
✔️ How daily fiction writing helps you process, preserve, and repurpose emotional insight
✔️ What Scripture says about treasuring life’s moments and converting them into wisdom
This is how you remember what matters—and give others access to it too.
🎧 Listen now.
Keep the words rolling and the adventures unfolding,
Bonnie Jean
Next Steps:
🔥 Adventurous Enough for a 101-Day Mega Challenge?
START TODAY at LeagueOfAdventurousAuthors.com. No cost. Except relentless commitment.
Because the difference between ‘wanting to write’ and ‘being a writer’ is simple… you write.
Escape into the Land of Zandador (the books I write under my pen name of Author D.K. Drake): Purchase one or all of the Dragon Stalker Bloodline Saga books on Amazon.
📢 Subscribe & Review:
If this episode gave you a wake-up call, share it with a fellow writer and drop a review! Your feedback keeps this show alive and thriving.

May 9, 2025 • 6min
Upgrade Your Story Radar: Why Daily Writers See More | 162
Most people miss what matters. But writers? We’re trained to see what others don’t.
In today’s episode of The Adventurous Author, you’ll discover how daily writing sharpens your internal lens to detect truth, theme, and meaning—even in the most mundane moments.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
✔️ Why your brain is wired for pattern recognition—and how writing trains it to find emotional and spiritual signals in everyday life
✔️ What Scripture says about drawing eternity out of the ordinary
✔️ A simple, powerful challenge to turn chaos, boredom, or frustration into revelation
Write it like it matters—because it does.
🎧 Listen now.
Keep the words rolling and the adventures unfolding,
Bonnie Jean
Next Steps:
🔥 Adventurous Enough for a 101-Day Mega Challenge?
START TODAY at LeagueOfAdventurousAuthors.com. No cost. Except relentless commitment.
Because the difference between ‘wanting to write’ and ‘being a writer’ is simple… you write.
Escape into the Land of Zandador (the books I write under my pen name of Author D.K. Drake): Purchase one or all of the Dragon Stalker Bloodline Saga books on Amazon.
📢 Subscribe & Review:
If this episode gave you a wake-up call, share it with a fellow writer and drop a review! Your feedback keeps this show alive and thriving.