May 22, 2026
Mark interviews Jeff Elkins, The Dialogue Doctor, about writing emotion and a new in person gathering he's organizing in Baltimore in late 2026.
Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episode, a personal update, and a word from this episode's sponsor.
This episode is sponsored by Author Nation, being held in Las Vegas Nov 13 through 14, 2026
Learn more about Author Nation and register at AuthorNation.live.
During their conversation, Mark and Jeff talk about:
- Jeff's latest book in the Dialogue Doctor series on writing emotions
- How Jeff has never really done any marketing for his books
- Struggling with intense self doubt
- Co-authoring with JP Rindfleisch IX
- The concept of thinking about how a scene makes the reader feel instead of how the character feels
- How in a world of AI you should be the most human you can be and how it leads to the question: "What does it look like, what does it mean to write like a human?"
- Seven different ways you can manipulate the reader's emotional journey and how they've come from the coaching Jeff does with authors
- Recentering our story around the question of what our character's growth is
- The book THE ANTI-RACISM WORKSHOP
- The concept of the reader's ally character to either increase or relieve the pressure, or tension in a moment
- Jeff's in person gathering happening in Baltimore later this year
- And more...
After the interview, Mark reflects on four different things from the conversation, and includes an additional personal update that comes with a reflection.
Links of Interest:
- The Dialogue Doctor
- The Fiction Makers Conference (Aug 22, 23, 2026)
- Jeff's Previous Appearances
- Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%)
- Buy Mark a Coffee
- Patreon for Stark Reflections
- Mark's YouTube channel
- ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link)
- Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)
- An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries
- The Relaxed Author
- Publishing Pitfalls for Authors
- An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores
- Wide for the Win
- Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books
- The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles
- Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard
- Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
- I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises
Jeff Elkins is the founder of the Dialogue Doctor where he and two other passionate coaches help authors and provides free resources and a supportive community. He's the author of 13 novels, 5 books on the craft of writing, and over 100 short stories. He has worked with hundreds of authors over the years and helped thousands more via his many resources, his public speaking, and the Dialogue Doctor podcast.
The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0