Best Kate Winn Podcasts (2026)

1
#20 Does Word Count Matter in Your Middle-Grade Novel? 10:37

Play Pause

13d ago10:37

10:37

Word count may seem like the least of your concerns when you're thinking about writing a middle-grade novel. You've got story type, plot, theme, character development, pacing, and who knows what else to consider, right? But here's the thing: knowing industry-standard guidelines for the length of a middle-grade novel, and having a target word count …

1
#19 Middle-Grade Mindset: Why You’re Stuck and What To Do About It 11:21

22d ago11:21

11:21

You may have taken all the writing classes and read all the craft books on writing, and you may theoretically know everything you need to know to write your middle-grade novel, but if you have only managed the theory of writing without managing your mindset, you are going to encounter fear at some point. And that fear will stop you from writing. So…

1
#18 3 Ways to Find Your Middle-Grade Novel's Theme 14:01

1M ago14:01

14:01

Books help kids make sense of the world through story, but they can only do that if the books they read have an underlying meaning to them. That's where theme comes in. In this episode, we're going to look at how theme can help you write your novel, and create a story that will send kids on a journey in which they can fall in love with characters t…

1
#17 The #1 Reason Agents Reject Your Middle-Grade Novel 8:56

2M ago8:56

8:56

What's more important for your novel: great language or great story? If you answered 'great story', you've got it right! While great language is important too, it won't carry your story idea through a full-length middle-grade novel and, by itself, it's not a story. If you submit a novel to an agent without solid story structure, it will be rejected…

1
#16 Use Story Type to Unlock Your Middle-Grade Novel 15:20

2M ago15:20

15:20

You have a great story idea but you don't know how to turn it into a fully developed middle-grade novel that publishers want to buy and readers will love. What to do? This episode on the ten universal story types will help you: identify your novel's story type find a way into your story get past your story's murky middle craft an effective characte…

1
Bonus: Get to Know Your Ideal Reader with Kate DiCamillo's Because of Winn-Dixie 11:28

2M ago11:28

11:28

In this bonus episode, I will take the eight key questions we looked at in the last episode on how to get to know the ideal middle-grade reader for your novel, and apply them to Kate DiCamillo's middle-grade novel Because of Winn-Dixie. This episode will show you what the process of fleshing out your ideal middle-grade reader looks like in action, …

1
#15 Getting to Know Your Ideal Middle-Grade Reader 12:26

3M ago12:26

12:26

If you want to be the type of middle-grade writer who creates books with characters who feel like real people, and transports kids out of their own world into the imaginary one you have created in such a way that they lose themselves and actually feel some sort of grief when the book ends… … then you need to start with understanding who middle-grad…

1
#14 Writing Middle Grade: How Do I Start? 10:05

3M ago10:05

10:05

So, you want to write a middle-grade novel. Maybe you have an idea that just won't let you be. Or maybe you've spent years writing picture books, and you'd like to try something different? But when you sit down in front of your computer… well, you don't quite know how to start. That's why, in this episode, we're taking a deep dive into how reading …

1
#13 How to Nail Middle-Grade Voice 13:47

3M ago13:47

13:47

Strong voice is important in all fiction, but it's vital in middle grade. Why? Because kids between 8 and 12, who are almost ready to leave early childhood behind and embark on big adventures, need a safe way to do so. How do they do it? Through the characters in middle-grade novels who are living the life they want to live. If your characters have…

1
#12 What is Middle Grade Anyway? 7:18

4M ago7:18

7:18

If you want to write middle-grade novels, you need to know what they are before you can put pen to paper. Knowing the guidelines will help you plot your story and write your book, and it will also increase your chances of being published. In this episode of Middle Grade Made Easy(er), we take a look at: What makes a chapter book What makes a young …

1
Japan - The Dancing Tea Kettle with Kaoru Watanabe and Bill Gordh 33:57

8M ago33:57

33:57

Send us a text The story follows an old man living in the mountains who discovers his leaking tea kettle has magical properties: When he tries to boil water, the kettle transforms into a tanuki (raccoon dog) who makes a mess of the old man’s house! Once the tanuki returns to being a kettle, the old man boxes it up and gifts it to his handyman frien…

1
India - A Flowering Tree with Saraswathi Ranganathan and Bill Gordh 36:53

1y ago36:53

36:53

Send us a text In a tiny village, sisters Gitika and Lalitika are on a mission to save their struggling mom by selling blossoms from Gitika, who can magically transform into a flowering tree and back to herself again - but only with very careful preparations. The blooms catch the eye of Neela, the king’s daughter, who wants to keep them all for her…

1
#11 How Can I Grow My Author Newsletter? 8:48

1+ y ago8:48

8:48

You've worked hard at creating an author newsletter, and you have some subscribers, but now the time has come to grow that list. How do you do that? How do you let more people know what you have to offer? This episode takes a look at ten simple, but effective, tips you can use to grow your list of subscribers and share your newsletter with more peo…

1
#10 Should I Offer a Freebie with My Author Newsletter? 9:30

1+ y ago9:30

9:30

In simple terms, a freebie is a bonus that subscribers get from you when they sign up to your author newsletter. Should you offer one or doesn't it matter? In this episode, we'll look at: three reasons why it’s a good idea to offer a freebie the types of freebies you can create top tips for freebies For show notes, transcripts and links mentioned i…

1
#9 Creating an Opt-In for Your Author Newsletter 10:48

1+ y ago10:48

10:48

The world is a busy place in which we're constantly bombarded by text messages, voice messages, phone calls, social media notifications and emails. There's only so much stimulation a nervous system can take! Many people are filtering their sensory experiences to keep the noise out by toning down their time spent on social media or online. When you …

1
#8 How Often Should I Send My Author Newsletter? 10:33

1+ y ago10:33

10:33

"When should I send out my author newsletter?" That's one of the most frequently asked questions my children's authors ask. How do you know how often is too often and how much is not enough? In this episode, we'll answer those questions by looking at: your subscribers your content your goal in writing a newsletter your statistics Bonus: When should…

1
West Africa - Why Sun and Moon Are Up in the Sky with Yacouba Sissoko and Bill Gordh 31:28

1+ y ago31:28

31:28

Send us a text For this FolkTale episode, Bill plays banjo and is joined by Malian kora master, singer, and fellow storyteller Yacouba Sissoko. Yacouba was born to a well-known Djeli family in Kita, Mali. For centuries, Djelis have been the musical storytellers and keepers of the history and fables of their culture. The kora, a 21-stringed plucked …

1
#7 Voice and Tone in Your Author Newsletter 9:47

1+ y ago9:47

9:47

Your voice is particular to you. It's a natural part of who you are. But a lot of authors find it difficult to access their voice and to decide on tone when writing their newsletter. In this episode, we'll be taking a peek at: the difference between voice and tone why voice and tone are important how to find your voice if it's gone missing how to c…

1
#6 What Do I Talk About in My Author Newsletter? 7:48

2y ago7:48

7:48

If you're not sure what you're meant to be talking about in your children's author newsletter, you're not alone! This is the most common problem all newsletter writers struggle with when they're starting out. In this episode, we break your newsletter up into three parts to make the process easier: A featured topic Something you want to promote News…

1
#5 Nurturing Your Author Newsletter Mindset 9:09

2y ago9:09

9:09

The most important investment you can make in your career as a children's author is to spend time nurturing your author newsletter mindset. If you’re thinking of a newsletter as something gimmicky or sales-y, this episode will help you shift your mindset so you can bridge the gap between where you are today and creating an author newsletter. We loo…

1
#4 Starting an Author Newsletter 10:36

2y ago10:36

10:36

As a children's or young adult author, you need a newsletter. While you may feel that you don't have time to write a newsletter or even enjoying reading them, a newsletter will help you create deeper connections with readers which has a greater possibility of leading to sales at some point down the line. In fact, newsletters have a greater possibil…

1
#3 How Marketing Kidlit Is Different 9:52

2y ago9:52

9:52

As a children's or young adult author, you need to connect with both your ideal customer and your ideal reader who are not the same people. This is how marketing for children and young adults is different to authors of other genres. In this episode, we'll be looking at: why you should connect with your ideal readers even if they're not the ones buy…

1
#1 What is Marketing Anyway? 9:41

2y ago9:41

9:41

Most authors and creatives love the work they do and they want to be left alone to do it. What they don't want is to have to market themselves or their work. Marketing feels like something shameful that shady authors do, and they don't want to be confused with pushy salespeople and the hard sell. The good news is that marketing has nothing to do wi…

1
#2 How Do I Start with Book Marketing? 10:46

2y ago10:46

10:46

In this episode, we take a look at the foundation of your children's or young adult book marketing strategy which consists of three elements: defining your target audience choosing your social media platform setting your goal In children's and young adult literature, who is your target audience? Is it children or the people buying books for them? K…

1
Official Trailer: Middle Grade Made Easy(er) with Lou Piccolo 1:00

2y ago1:00

1:00

How do you: create an outline for your middle-grade novel? know which story structure to use? know what your theme is? create engaging characters? create authentic dialogue? revise your novel? stay motivated to finish your novel? These are just some of the big questions that we'll be digging into on the Middle Grade Made Easy(er) podcast. Each epis…

1
Ukraine - A Garment for the Moon with Lisa Gutkin and Bill Gordh 28:49

2y ago28:49

28:49

Send us a text Grammy Award-winning fiddler and vocalist Lisa Gutkin (The Klezmatics) and Bill Gordh tell the Jewish-Ukrainian tale A Garment for the Moon. The moon loves being up in the night sky but sometimes she gets cold. The tailors of the town try to weave a garment to keep her warm but she keeps changing shape! One tailor remembers a tale fr…

1
Persia - Parinaz and the Golden Lamp with Mehrnam Rastegari and Bill Gordh 29:04

2y ago29:04

29:04

Send us a text Mehrnam Rastegari and storyteller Bill Gordh improvise this Persian folk tale which tells the story of a young woman named Parinaz who escapes being married off to a rich man she does not love by hiding in a golden lamp stand, where she is discovered by a prince who falls in love with her voice. Mehrnam is an Iranian composer, vocali…

1
China - The Dragon's Eye with Zhou Yi and Bill Gordh 31:19

2+ y ago31:19

31:19

Send us a text Storyteller Bill Gordh and pipa master Zhou Yi improvise the Chinese folktale The Dragon's Eye which tells the story of a tinker who meets and befriends an orphaned dragon whom he raises in his home. Zhou Yi is a pipa (a four-string Chinese lute) soloist, educator, and the Artistic Director of the Ba Ban Chinese Music Society of NY. …

1
Morocco - The Sultan's Horse with Samir LanGus and Bill Gordh 28:50

2+ y ago28:50

28:50

Send us a text Storyteller Bill Gordh and gnawa artist Samir LanGus improvise the Moroccan tale of The Sultan's Horse, in which the Sultan must choose one of his three sons to be his successor, and tasks them with traveling and returning with a report of what they have seen and done. While the elder sons choose the fastest horses, the youngest son …

1
Finland - The Enchanted Kantele with Kardemimmit and Bill Gordh 26:04

2+ y ago26:04

26:04

Send us a text Storyteller Bill Gordh and Finnish ensemble Kardemimmit improvise the folktale "The Enchanted Kantele". In this magical story, a hunter saves a squirrel who transforms into a beautiful woman named Karina. They marry, but the King desires Karina and plots to eliminate the hunter by challenging him to a series of seemingly impossible t…

1
Tibet - The Gathering Tree with Techung and Bill Gordh 35:52

3y ago35:52

35:52

Send us a text Storyteller Bill Gordh and Tibetan artist Techung improvise the folktale "The Gathering Tree", which delves into the adventures of Paulden, a lone traveler who uncovers life-saving tips by paying heed to conversations among the animals at the Gathering Tree. As he shares his newfound knowledge with the village, they shower him with g…

1
South America - The Two Girls with Harpist Edmar Castaneda and Bill Gordh 28:19

3+ y ago28:19

28:19

Send us a text Storyteller Bill Gordh and Colombian harpist Edmar Castaneda improvise the South American folktale "The Two Girls" - a cautionary tale of two girls: one from a humble home, whose compassion earns her a well-deserved reward for helping an elderly woman in their village. The other girl who is spoiled and cruel, tries to take advantage …

1
Brazil - Night Comes to the Rainforest with Cyro Baptista and Bill Gordh 25:18

4y ago25:18

25:18

Send us a text Storyteller Bill Gordh and percussionist Cyro Baptista improvise the Brazilian folktale "Night Comes to the Rainforest". The story follows a farmer's wife, the daughter of the mighty Snake King, who tells her husband about night, which he has never experienced. They decide to send three friends on a mission to fetch darkness from the…

1
Ireland - Red Rory and the Fairies with Seamus Egan and Bill Gordh 25:44

4y ago25:44

25:44

Send us a text Storyteller Bill Gordh and multi-instrumentalist Seamus Egan improvise the Irish folktale "Red Rory and the Fairies". Red Rory likes showing off and telling stories - especially about the fairies. When he takes his fibbing a step too far, the fairies strike back with their playful wrath, throwing a wrench in his plans to head home fo…

1
India - Grandmother Rabbit and the Elephant King with Saraswathi Ranganathan and Bill Gordh 28:39

4y ago28:39

28:39

Send us a text Storyteller Bill Gordh and veena player Saraswathi Ranganathan improvise the Indian folktale "Grandmother Rabbit and The Elephant King", an enchanting story that dives into the drama between two ponds, one ruled by rabbits and the other by elephants. When the elephant's watering hole dries up, they barge into the bunny's pond, causin…

1
Ep 58: Jennifer Singh, CEO of She’s Newsworthy Media 32:52

5y ago32:52

32:52

My special guest this week is Jennifer Singh: former TV reporter, current CEO of She’s Newsworthy Media where she offers PR strategy and media coaching. We talk about her career pivot, the impact of COVID-19, working from home, how women can step up and use their voices (in business or otherwise), allyship and inclusive marketing…and more! You can …

1
Ep 57: The Juggling Mother Author Amanda D. Watson 43:04

5y ago43:04

43:04

Amanda D. Watson, author of The Juggling Mother: Coming Undone in the Age of Anxiety, is here to discuss her area of expertise! We talk about media representations of juggling mothers (in TV, movies, commercials) and who’s left out of them, plus I ask Amanda about her own little ones, her thoughts on all of the “mommy needs a drink” memes, the role…

1
Ep 56: Carolyn MacKenzie of Global’s The Morning Show 42:49

5y ago42:49

42:49

This week I’m chatting with Carolyn MacKenzie, cohost of Global’s The Morning Show – who is usually the one asking me the questions! We talk about pivoting to do the show from home during COVID, her recent rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis, how her kids are doing back in school, what insider info she can give us about her cohost Jeff McArthur, how she…

1
Ep 55: Dr. Liza Egbogah, Celebrity Body & Posture Expert 38:59

5+ y ago38:59

38:59

It’s impossible to share all of Dr. Liza Egbogah’s titles in the same breath: chiropractor and manual osteopath, designer of Dr. Liza shoes and bags (both comfortable and gorgeous), clinical director of the[fix] in Toronto (her “Face Fix” treatment is on my wish list)…oh, and she’s a mom too. In this interview we talk about some of her celebrity cl…

1
Ep 54: Erin Flynn of Cladwell 57:56

5+ y ago57:56

57:56

This week I’m chatting with Cladwell cofounder and CEO Erin Flynn – I have the Cladwell personal styling app and use it all the time! We discuss purging closets (she took hers from 450 items to 75!), shopping intentionally (and how “planned obsolescence” and “perceived obsolescence” keep us shopping), the impact of COVID-19 on business, how to make…

1
Ep 53: Melissa Grelo of The Social and marQ Designs 49:35

5+ y ago49:35

49:35

This week on the podcast Melissa Grelo, cohost of The Social and cofounder of marQ Designs, is here talking about filming the show from home, the post-COVID future of TV, her experience as a woman of colour, anti-racism allyship (genuine vs performative), why she left her teaching career for television,what’s coming next for her gender-neutral kids…

1
Ep 52: Finance Expert Pattie Lovett-Reid 46:18

5+ y ago46:18

46:18

We’re back from our COVID-19/summer hiatus and starting out strong with a conversation with the very kind and gracious Pattie Lovett-Reid, Chief Financial Commentator for CTV News. In this chat we cover a huge range of topics: COVID real estate, investments, setbacks and supports; choosing charities, talking to kids about money, her role with CTV a…

1
Ep 51: Traci Costa of PK Beans on Kids and the Importance of Play 36:48

5+ y ago36:48

36:48

PK Beans founder Traci Costa is here today talking about her kids’ clothing business, their fun and educational new subscription box and working at home with her husband and daughters during COVID-19, plus we have a big conversation about kids and the importance of play. What does free play really mean? What is the role of parents, and are they too…

1
Ep 50: Mabel’s Labels Maven and Mom of Six Julie Cole 47:09

5+ y ago47:09

47:09

It’s episode 50 and Mabel’s Labels maven and mom of six Julie Cole is here! We cover a lot of ground in this conversation: the celebrity customers that her multimillion dollar business has attracted, parenting (before and during COVID-19, including how she mobilizes the older kids to help the younger ones learn at home); organizing schedules, paper…

1
Ep 49: Psychotherapist Kelly Bos helps us through COVID-19 Stressors 43:05

5+ y ago43:05

43:05

Psychotherapist Kelly Bos is here with help for our COVID-19 stressors: working from home, physical distancing, parenting/schooling, health-related anxieties. and more. Also two book recommendations, and on the lighter side of things, how celebrities are handling the “learning at home concept” – HELLO! Canada magazine even asked me for my expert in…

1
Ep 48: Lindsay Sealey on Teen Girls, plus more book recos and a home workout app 55:44

6y ago55:44

55:44

Lindsay Sealey, author of Rooted, Resilient, and Ready: Empowering Teen Girls as They Grow is here talking about the big issues: appearance, mental health, phones and social media, friendships, peer pressure...we cover it all!Also in this episode:This Mom Loves x Hidden Gems By Raquel for every bracelet purchased between now and April 24 we will be…

1
Ep 47: Marcy D’Alessandro with Fundraising Tips and Tricks 39:21

6y ago39:21

39:21

Marcy D'Alessandro, Chair of the PRHC Mombassadors, is here sharing fundraising ups and downs, tips and tricks and a pile of ideas that might help you raise money for your cause! We're also talking about a couple of fun upcoming events for the Mombasadors, including their Girls Night Out: A Night in Nashville (...in Peterborough!)Marcy is also the …

1
Ep 46: Raquel Paulo on the Small Business Side Hustle 36:58

6y ago36:58

36:58

Raquel Paulo of Hidden Gems By Raquel is sharing all her tips and tricks for running a successful business while working a day job and raising kids! We talk about her highs and lows and everything in between, and of course also discuss our brand new bracelet collaboration, This Mom Loves x Hidden Gems by Raquel!Also in this episode:Followers: A Nov…

1
Ep 45: Special Needs Parenting with Kate Wells and Jane Fitzgerald 46:40

6y ago46:40

46:40

Kate Wells and Jane Fitzgerald, each the mom of a child with special needs, are here sharing everything they want other moms to know, and answering a pile of listener questions: how to interact with a child with special needs, how to include them in activities like birthday parties, how all kids can benefit from inclusion and how to answer when you…

1
Ep 44: Jessica Lahey on Kids and The Gift of Failure 1:06:06

6y ago1:06:06

1:06:06

Jessica Lahey, teacher, mom and bestselling author of The Gift of Failure, is here with tons of advice to help our kids become independent and thrive! We cover homework, bullying, rewards, parent/teacher relationships, the importance of free play and her surprise endorsement from Kristen Bell! Jessica also gives us a sneak peek at the fascinating s…