Author Diary Entries
Author Diary Entries (formerly known as the Indie Author Weekly podcast) features your host, Sagan Morrow, as she shares diary-style personal stories of life as an indie author and her behind-the-scenes journey of writing and publishing books as an authorpreneur.
You’ll learn more about the books Sagan writes, her insights and stories of being an author and a multipassionate creative, and a peek behind the curtain of a writer's life.
The Author Diary Entries podcast is hosted by Sagan Morrow, a Kamloops-based writer with 15+ years of experience as a small business owner. She is also a hobbyist burlesque dancer and performs on stage as Babe Maverick.
Sagan started out as a blogger and freelance writer (and editor) around 2008. In 2016, she began teaching other freelancers how to improve productivity and time management through her online courses. She is an internationally board-certified Success & Life Coach who specializes in personal fulfillment, solopreneurship, and anti-hustle productivity.
Sagan writes the Polyamorous Passions romantic comedy series, and has published several business books in addition to her work as a romance novelist. She published her first work of fiction in 2018.
RECOMMENDED STARTING POINT: "Ep 179: Author Update (one year later)" AND "Ep 140: Welcome back to the podcast!" AND "Ep 50: What made me start writing the Polyamorous Passions series" AND "Ep 53: Top 5 episodes from the first year of podcasting on Indie Author Weekly (and why I started this podcast)".
The first 12 episodes of this podcast were originally published on a “secret” platform only for email subscribers, but you can tune into all of those original episodes right here. This podcast was rebranded from "Indie Author Weekly" to "Author Diary Entries" in April 2025.
Learn more about Sagan’s published works and upcoming novels at https://saganmorrow.com/books/. Connect with Sagan on Instagram & Threads: @Saganlives
Episodes
192 episodes
191: Book launch day for Kiss Me (plus a reading from this chick lit novel!)
In celebration of book launch day for Kiss Me (Book 8 in the Polyamorous Passions “why choose” chick lit series), author Sagan Morrow shares 5 of her favourite things about this novel… plus reads a scene from the story!
190: 3 things that came up during the experience of writing & editing Kiss Me (Book 8 in the Polyamorous Passions contemporary romance series)
Following up on Episode 189… In this episode, “why choose” chick lit author Sagan Morrow shares more about her experience with writing and editing her upcoming release, Kiss Me (Book 8 in the Polyamorous Passions series) — plus why it’...
189: ANNOUNCING Kiss Me — why choose chick lit novel (Book 8 in the Polyamorous Passions series)
In this episode, “why choose” chick lit author Sagan Morrow announces her upcoming release Kiss Me (Book 8 in the Polyamorous Passions series) — and shares with you the back-of-book blurb, plus what to expect when you read this novel!&...
188: Subversion & politics of creativity (polyamorous romcom novels, burlesque dancing, personal joy)
“As the world changes, what place do my polyamorous romantic comedy novels have in our society? If the world now understands and somewhat accepts open relationships, is there even a need for my novels? These novels are for pre-pandemic times, B...
187: You are hurting YOURSELF when you use AI to "write" your books
Using generative AI to quote-unquote “write” a book is harmful not only to the artists those people are plagiarizing from, but it’s also harmful to the plagiarizer and to CREATIVITY, itself. Let’s talk about that! In this episode, y...
186: The art of creative weirdness (and an ode to Z Nation, burlesque dancing, and My Lady Jane)
What is the art of creative weirdness? What are some great examples of creative weirdness, and how can YOU tap into your own creative weirdness when you are creating art (of any kind)? What is the ONE situation in which creative weirdness is NO...
185: "Reader mindset" method for rewrites (book writing update!)
In this episode, your host and indie author Sagan Morrow shares her experience with reviewing her current work-in-progress (Book 8 in the Polyamorous Passions series) using a "reader mindset" prior to doing rewrites! She shares her ...
184: Creative cross training as a tool to navigate creative blocks
What is creative cross training, and how can it help you navigate (and overcome) creative blocks? In this episode, Sagan shares examples of creative cross training and the importance of creative cross training (and how it’s prevented her from h...
183: Can you write about polyamory if you aren’t actively polyamorous?
In this episode, we explore the difference between polyamorous IDENTITY vs the PRACTICE of that identity, and answer these questions: Can you write about polyamory if you aren’t ACTIVELY polyamorous? Do you ever ...
182: Let people ENJOY things! (In defence of Twilight Instagrammers)
Find out why Sagan got outraged at a random person’s Instagram comment when they were dismissive of a 30-something Twilight Instagrammer reading Young Adult novels, the POWER of the YA genre, why you should read what makes you happy, her opinio...
181: Queerness in my romance novels
“Do you write queer characters?” → Well… Yes and no! In this episode, I explain why this question is a tricky one, what makes a novel “queer enough” (an even more loaded question!), the nuance behind all of this, and the importance of using the...
180: Labels and gatekeeping in romance novels
Is it rude to refer to a romance novel “smut”? Not to me ;) You can call my books whatever you want! …BUT, there’s a lot of nuance to this (and context matters) — so in this episode, we’re exploring important questions we need to ask around the...
179: Author update (one year later)
In this episode, your host (and indie author) Sagan Morrow shares an author update about what she's been working on since our previous episode over a year ago, plus why we've rebranded the podcast from "Indie Author Weekly" to "Author Diary Ent...
178: On being a beginner vs intermediate at your practice (and why being a beginner can be a lot easier!)
In this episode, we explore the dynamic of being a beginner vs being intermediate at your practice... and why being a beginner can, in some ways, be a lot easier! Tune in now to find out about the pressure I put on myself in my 2nd solo burlesq...
177: Ideation, content creation, and writing process for my Solopreneur Diary Entries weekly newsletter
In our previous episode, Episode 176, we talked about what it means to be a creative and an indie author — and how it can be so much more comprehensive than book writing! That's why, in today’s episode, I want to build on that and share with yo...
176: What does it mean to be a creative and an indie author?
In our most recent couple of episodes here on the Indie Author Weekly podcast, we’ve been exploring the importance of trust in the creative process — including self trust and trusting others. I want to take it a step back today and ask this que...
175: Creative process as a solo artist (trusting OTHERS)
In this episode, we explore the delicate balance of the creative process when you are a solo artist — Because it’s hard to maintain distance and objectivity when you are working on creative pursuits in a silo! Is it good enough? Is it good at a...
174: Self trust thought exercise when you experience self doubt as a creative
In this episode, I talk about the balance between trusting yourself AND not believing that negative voice in your head which might be filled with self doubt.As long-time listeners of the podcast will already know, I’m a Personal Fulfillm...
173: 5 observations while reviewing my current work-in-progress
Last week, I went through the entirety of my current work in progress — Book 8 in the Polyamorous Passions series. So today I want to share with you what happened when I read through it… It had been a few months since I last worked on it, so it...
172: Improving one's relationship with the creative process
This episode is a follow-up to the previous episode, and shares recommendations and thoughts about how to improve your relationship with the creative process (what to do BEFORE you even sit down at the computer and start writing, plus a beautif...
171: Applying my 2024 Word of the Year to creative writing
In this episode, find out how my 2024 Word of the Year — ELEVATE — connects back and translates into my work as a writer... elevating my approach to my work! PLUS, tune in to find out what I am NOT doing this year as an indie author (this decis...
170: 3 steps to make time for creative pursuits when "life is life-ing"
How can you prioritize writing (or any creative pursuit, or a solopreneur business, or a passion project, or a hobby, etc) when life “gets in the way”?In this episode, learn my 3-step strategy for how to DO this — plus a personal example...
169: How a new dance class is affecting my book writing plans
I began a new solo development dance class last month in preparation for my first-ever solo burlesque show... and that's given me a few ideas for incorporating burlesque choreography and culture into my upcoming romcom novel (Book 8 in the Poly...
168: Writing alternative relationships, Q&A Part 3
This episode provides Q&A inspired by the Weeknight Writers "Writing Alternative Relationships" panel discussion I spoke at this past summer — it's a follow up to our previous two episodes where I answered the first 5 questions:
