How to Write for a Living
How to Write for a Living
308: How to keep the magic alive in your writing (with Walter Rhein)
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308: How to keep the magic alive in your writing (with Walter Rhein)

Lessons on fantasy, imagination, and storytelling that remind us why we started writing in the first place.

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Season 3, episode 8 is here!

In this episode,

and I dive deep into the world of fantasy writing - where stories begin, how they evolve, and why imagination still matters in an increasingly practical world.

Worldbuilding, villains, the power of silliness - this conversation explores what makes great fantasy resonate and how writers can keep the spark of creativity alive as they grow older.

What we covered:

  • The real connection between nature, folklore, and the fantasy worlds we create

  • How mythology from different cultures shapes modern fantasy storytelling

  • Why dialogue and shorter stories are powerful tools for testing your ideas and growing faster as a writer

  • The difference between good and lazy worldbuilding, and why overplanning kills creativity

  • What makes a truly great villain, and why the best ones make you question yourself

  • How writing with (and for) children can reignite your sense of wonder and play

  • Practical advice for new writers on starting a fantasy novel, finding momentum, and making writing fun again

Make sure to subscribe to Walter’s publication before you go!


What’s next?

I’m ready and waiting to support you in the next stages of your creator journey. Here’s a reminder of how I can help:

  1. Start Your Podcast on Substack: A complete course guiding you from concept to launch, based on everything I’ve learned so far during my own podcasting journey. Learn to plan, brand, record, edit, publish, and promote your podcast while building an audience. Perfect for creators eager to share their voice with the world.

  2. The 1K Daily Writing Challenge: Build a consistent habit by writing 1,000 words daily for 30 days. Along the way, you'll get encouraging video prompts, accountability support, and plenty of inspiration to ignite your creative spark. Nail your rhythm. Find your flow. Transform your writing journey forever.

  3. Substack Basics: A video guide showing you exactly how to: set up your first publications; create polished posts from scratch; share, structure, and schedule effectively; and master Notes, CTAs, and growth levers (bonus section: Going Live on Substack).

  4. Sustainable Scalable Social Strategy: This 6-part, online, self-driven course will guide you through the same process I used to develop a strategy for my social media management. When you finish, you’ll have a sustainable social strategy in place that will help you scale your business properly.


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