For AAPI Month, do yourself a favor and ask:

Are your Asian parents right and you should have been an accountant, not a writer? FREE Decision Tree: https://www.sophiachang.com/freebie

Happy Asian American Month!

We’re 12 days in because THIS Asian was taken out by an immunosuppressed spoonie’s worst nightmare: the common cold.

Stop coughing with your mouth open, people.

But I’m here! Wearing lucky red, and I have three pieces of Asian media that hit me so hard I had to drag myself to the mic. One preaches hatred as the answer (trust me, you’ll laugh). One is 49 episodes of your Japan bucket list. And one made me want to write plays again after months of creative burnout.

Also: boba of the week. Obviously. And! A surprise BIG RED guest.

Best Quotes:

"Autoimmune diseases hate Asians and the Asian it hates the most is me. Happy Asian American month, everybody."

"Comedians are the hardest audience. Once you do some standup, nothing else will phase you."

"I wrote plays because there weren't any parts for Asians. You had to create your own. Things aren’t different now."

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Hasan Hates Ronny, Ronny Hates Hasan: who’s most Asian?! The rivalry show that proves Asians will save America

• Why female comedians can only say certain things privately (both sides would come for me)

• 49 episodes of Terrace House and why I need to visit a hockey player's dad's soba shop in Japan

• Love is Blind France is high-key a Vietnamese show and beating America in diversity

• Kim's Convenience the PLAY (before Simu Liu, there was a stage)

• The 24-hour play-a-thon that became a peak life moment and made me mic-drop out of LA

• Boba of the week: the older I get, the more Asian my stomach gets

Timestamps:

00:00 12 Days Late for AAPI Month Because Autoimmune Disease Hates Asians

00:50 Comedy Show #1 Hasan Hates Ronny, Ronny Hates Hasan: Hatred is the Answer

03:33 TV Show #2 49 Episodes of Terrace House

07:10 Stage #3 Before Simu, Kim's Convenience Was a Play

09:19 Surprise Guest Appearance (Red Pandas Anyone?)

09:43 Boba of the Week: My Perfume Drink Obsession

10:28 Subscribe So We Can Be AZN Friends!

For AAPI Month, do yourself a favor and ask: are you actually ready for traditional publishing or are your Asian parents right and you should have been an accountant? Find out with my FREE flowchart — plus get access to Ask Sophia Q&A where you can submit a question for me to answer on the podcast. https://www.sophiachang.com/freebie

Sophia Chang is a Reese's Book Club LitUp fellow, disabled dancer, and extroverted writer. She hosts The Sophia Chang Show podcast where her honest traditional publishing stories will make you scream in your sleep. Subscribe to find out why deadlifts will save your writing life. http://sophiachang.com/

TOPICS: AAPI Heritage Month, Asian American media, Asian American author, Hasan Minhaj, Ronny Chieng, Terrace House, Kim's Convenience, Turning Red, Asian representation, comedy, Asian American culture, traditional publishing, writing community, boba tea, podcast for writers

FREE 3 Hollywood Secrets to Author Voice workbook: https://www.sophiachang.com/hollywood

Part 2 where I answer your questions from my 3 Hollywood Secrets to Unforgettable Author Voice presentation including:

• "Is my voice boring?" — the two questions to ask yourself before you panic
• What if you sound like AI? (Plot twist: your "proper" voice might be your superpower)
• How to turn your worst writing tics into your most memorable character voice
• Which to use for query letters: author voice, narrator voice, or character voice?
• Writing under a pseudonym: does your voice change or just put on a different outfit?
• Can you say no to your editor? (Even when the editor is you!)
• The time I over-edited my seventh novel and had to resurrect a previous draft
• Why people unsubscribing feels like guests leaving your party mid-canape
• My surprising take on short story collections as a marketing power move
• Does anyone want to hear about my ridiculous life? (The survey results are in and I'm wounded)

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Question 1: Is My Writing Voice Boring?

00:47 What If I Sound Like AI?

02:08 Question 2: What If I Naturally Use Minimizing Words?

03:35 Question 3: Which Voice to Use in a Query Letter?

06:45 Question 4: Same Voice, Different Pseudonym?

07:53 Question 5: Can I Say No to My Editor?

09:57 Unsubscribes and Rejection: You Can't Control People Leaving Your Party

12:28 Question 6: Short Story Collections—Art or Marketing?

14:24 Question 7-ish: Do You Really Want Behind the Scenes?

Sign up for my newsletter Books. Biceps. No BS. to get the FREE Are You Ready for Traditional Publishing Flowchart and access to Ask Sophia Q&A, plus more writing craft tips and publishing advice! https://thesophiachang.substack.com/

No social media! Newsletter is the ONLY way to stay connected.

Sophia Chang is a Reese's Book Club LitUp fellow, disabled dancer, and extroverted writer. She hosts The Sophia Chang Show podcast, teaches Character First writing with Daniel David Wallace, and believes deadlifts can change your life. She will make out with your dog. Learn more at: www.sophiachang.com

TOPICS: author voice, writing voice, query letter tips, writing Q&A, author branding, pseudonym writing, self-editing tips, writing craft, Asian American author, traditional publishing, writing community, podcast for writers, finding your voice, digital minimalism

Author voice, character voice, narrator voice…what even is the difference?! And do I really need to know all three?

This was the question blowing up the chat during my presentation 3 Hollywood Secrets to Unforgettable Author Voice at last month’s Perfect Your Process Summit. There were so many good questions and not enough time, that I am now answering them in a Substack LIVE.

This is your no-stress guide to the three different types of voice in novel writing, why you're accidentally leaking into your characters, and my deranged pantser method of using voice to draft my fiction books before I even have a character (or any story structure at all!)

Quotes:

“You want to be very careful about imparting your voice into your characters because that's how all your characters tend to sound the same."

"I could have the hookiest of hooks. But if I don't have a voice in my head, I can't get started. I don't even know how to get started."

In this episode:

• Differentiating author, narrator, and character voice and where they work in your writing process
• Why your first draft isn’t the time to perfect voice—catch it in revision!
• Can your characters be you when you're writing in first person a character who shares your demographics? (fanfiction self-inserts exempt...)
• "Do I even have an author voice?" Yes. You do.
• And this is just Part 1!

I answer the summit's biggest voice fears—boring voice, AI voice, query letter voice, and saying no to your editor—in Part 2. Subscribe to this show to catch the rest!

FREE Are You Ready for Traditional Publishing decision tree: https://bit.ly/freeflowchart

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Author Voice

00:49 Question #1: How do you impart your voice into your characters while still making them distinct?

01:34 When should I worry about these 3 voices?

02:32 Question #2: Should you make yourself the character?

04:22 Question #3: Do I have an author voice if my writing is character-driven?

05:22 Definitions: What is character, narrator and author voice?

06:55 Get it in revision!

07:28 Beginning a story on voice alone?!

08:57 In Part 2: Voice examples, application + short story question

Sophia Chang is a Reese's Book Club LitUp fellow, disabled dancer, and extroverted writer. She hosts The Sophia Chang Show podcast, teaches Character First writing with Daniel David Wallace, and believes deadlifts can change your life. She will make out with your dog. Learn more at: ⁠www.sophiachang.com⁠

TOPICS: author voice, character voice, narrator voice, writing voice tips, how to find your writing voice, pantser writing process, writing craft, first person writing, Asian American author, traditional publishing, writing community, podcast for writers, books and fitness podcast

What is author voice—and why is it the #1 thing agents and editors look for?

In my first Substack live video, I share why I'm presenting at the Perfect Your Process Summit 2026, how my Hollywood acting career taught me what makes a writer's voice unforgettable, and how you can join me for free.

3 or 4 years ago I fell down the online writing summit rabbit hole. As a disabled writer, it was my only way to connect with other authors. I discovered some British guy named Daniel David Wallace and followed everything he did.

Now in 2026, I'm certified in his Character-First teaching method, I work with him, I've hired him to coach my own novels—and I'm finally presenting at one of these summits I used to watch from the sidelines.

My 2018 phone couldn’t handle the 97 degree heat so some of the sync is off in the recording.

IN THIS VIDEO:

• How I booked my second audition ever—and what casting directors taught me about snap judgments

• What got me full manuscript requests on every novel I queried

• Why Hollywood was easier than traditional publishing (!!)

• What happened when I built an AI bot to replicate my voice

• Why author voice is the one thing that AI-proofs your writing

• What you get with the free summit pass vs. the All Access Pass

🎟️ The summit is FREE to watch live (March 21–24, 2026). Talks lock after 24 hours. The All Access Pass ($87) gives you lifetime replays, transcripts, a private podcast feed, and speaker bonuses. Price goes up after March 21!

👉 Grab the All Access Pass through my link: https://summit.yourwritingprocess.com/?sc=aXR7SFnR&ac=Ad77WPKY

It costs you nothing extra and supports my work. And I will love you forever.

👉 My talk goes live: Tuesday, March 24 at 2 PM Pacific

📓 Get my FREE writer's voice workbook: https://www.sophiachang.com/hollywood

0:00 Why I'm doing this live in 97-degree heat

0:30 How I fell down the online summit rabbit hole

1:07 Discovering Daniel David Wallace

1:46 The All Access Pass — what you get and why it's worth it

3:09 My talk: 3 Hollywood Secrets to Unforgettable Author Voice

3:16 Why I'm really good at pitching (and what that has to do with acting)

4:02 Booking my second audition ever — and what casting taught me

5:05 Why Hollywood was actually easier than traditional publishing

6:06 Why AI can never replicate your voice

7:56 Summit link

Topics: author voice, writing craft, writing tips, find your voice, writing summit, Perfect Your Process, Daniel David Wallace, novel writing, writing process, query tips, how to write a novel, Reese's Book Club, writing advice, AI-proof your writing, author voice exercises

I started a podcast because I'm a loser.

This episode is the origin story I've never told: going blind, ending up in a wheelchair, and the freedom that comes with nothing left to lose. (Any Janis Joplin fans here?)

It's about the almost-but-not-quite Hollywood successes, my dad's mountain range philosophy, and why Navy SEALs know something about drowning the rest of us need to hear.

But really, it’s about this:

The more I owned my loser status, the more people related to me. And I hope it gives you courage to own your failures too.

Best Quotes:

"Everyone is performing success all the time, even when we're drowning. Especially when we're drowning."

"I was the silent Asian. To this day, we still play this game. We watch TV and we see an Asian, we're like, oh, silent Asian. That Asian never gets to speak."

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Elijah Wood was my dream prom date
• How to be on TV and still feel like a failure
• The $1 million conversation that set me free
• Why my life is one long Navy SEAL drown-proofing drill
• What my dad would say about Beck's "Loser" hitting #10 on Billboard 100

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why I Started My Podcast

00:34 Blind and Paralyzed

00:57 Beck & My Hollywood Dreams

03:37 Failure & the Asian Dad

04:30 The $1 Million Story

05:24 The Bottom Bounce: Navy SEALs Know How to Sink

06:54 Owning Failure Publicly

09:21 The Loser's Anthem

10:36 Join Us at the Bottom

FREE Are You Ready for Traditional Publishing decision tree: https://bit.ly/freeflowchart

Sign up for my newsletter to get more unfiltered truths. https://thesophiachang.substack.com/

No social media! Newsletter is the ONLY way to stay connected

Sophia Chang is a Reese's Book Club LitUp fellow, disabled dancer, and the world’s first iPod silhouette model. She hosts The Sophia Chang Show, coaches new podcasters, and believes deadlifts can change your life. She will make out with your dog. Learn more at: www.sophiachang.com

Podcast content is for entertainment purposes only. Don't jump into a pool with your hands tied, obvs.

TOPICS: bottom comeback, podcast origin story, failure in publishing, Asian American author, minorities in Hollywood, traditional publishing struggles, writing community, imposter syndrome writers, creative career failure, disability and creativity, honest publishing podcast

Happy New Year!

Still looking for a resolution you’ll break in the third week of January? I've got one that actually helped me when I was too depressed to get out of bed.

This episode is a moment-by-moment peek behind the curtain into my morning as a digital minimalist.

No phones, lots of protein, and how I'm a Cullen vampire.

Best Quotes:

"This is not medical advice. Don't listen to something you hear from a podcaster who decided she would spend her life being an actor, a dancer, and a writer."

"I'm a Twilight vampire, I'm a Cullen. You know, where I'm a vegetarian. I only eat animals. No, I would probably eat human too if I was a vampire."

"I'm not a completely insane dictator who's leading the world. I don't need to be on my phone. I'm not that important. Nobody really cares."

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Why my phone sleeps outside my bedroom (how the night before sets up your morning)

• Pushing my face into the screen to stare at the sun: Huberman Labs taught me this?

• The electrolyte + creatine combo that changed everything

• That time an acupuncturist put me on a 25-hour cauliflower diet

• Why I eat animal protein 6-7 times a day (vampire life chose me)

• The vegetable hack that keeps me full for hours! (I wish this were clickbait but I actually do this)

• Breakfast outside like I'm Simon Cowell on a yacht

• How this routine pulled me out of depression and off the doom scroll

• Why women need to eat within 30 minutes of waking up (cortisol spikes are real)

Timestamps:

00:00 Move Over Huberman, Chang Labs is Here

00:46 No Phones in the Bedroom

01:14 Is Sunlight Hurting My Eyes?

02:55 Electrolytes + Creatine

04:39 Cauliflower, Rice, Fried Fish Diet??

05:45 Vampire levels of meat

07:33 Breakfast outside like I'm Simon Cowell

08:53 A Year Ago I Was Too Depressed to Get Out of Bed

09:57 AM Cortisol spikes in women

10:06 Share your morning routine with me on Substack or comment below

Resources Mentioned:

• Seeking Health Optimal Electrolytes (with creatine) https://amzn.to/49lfMy6

• Seeking Health Vitamin D drops https://amzn.to/49lmwMm

Affiliate links may credit me much-appreciated 5 cents

Got your own digital minimalist morning tips? Drop them in the comments on YouTube or share them with me on Substack! Let's help each other optimize our mornings.

Sign up for my newsletter Books. Biceps. No BS. https://thesophiachang.substack.com/

You'll get a FREE flowchart: Are You Ready for Traditional Publishing? and access to Ask Sophia Q&A!

Sophia Chang is a Reese’s Book Club LitUp fellow, disabled dancer, and extroverted writer. She hosts The Sophia Chang Show podcast, teaches Character First writing with Daniel David Wallace, and believes deadlifts can change your life. She will make out with your dog. Learn more at: www.sophiachang.com

Podcast content is for entertainmentpurposes only and does not constitute medical, health, or fitness advice.

Topics

digital minimalism, morning routine, wellness, self-care, lifestyle changes, mental health, productivity, health tips, mindfulness, personal growth

FREE Are You Ready for Traditional Publishing decision tree: https://bit.ly/freeflowchart

My Spotify Wrapped for Creators just exposed ALL of you.

Taylor Swift lovers, K-pop Demon Hunters fans, Drake apologists (boo!) and apparently... a Minnesota Vikings superfan who also loves books and biceps. We need to talk.

This is my 2025 podcast year in review: 12 episodes, 6 incredible guests, hilarious Spotify Wrapped data that makes no sense. What I learned from restarting this show after a multi-year hiatus and why the real treasure was the friends we made along the way.

Best Quotes:

"I'm Joe Rogan stuck inside a tiny Asian body. One day a publicist is going to ask why I said that sentence."

"This year, my show's growth outpaced 80% of other shows. That's kind of amazing considering I only pumped out three month’s worth of podcast episodes."

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Why I may be the next Joe Rogan
• You all listen to too much Tay Tay
• Why a sportsball-hating writer from NYC now reps the Dodgers
• The most meaningful part of restarting this podcast: reconnecting with a writing community
• Are You Ready for Traditional Publishing? FREE decision tree for new subscribers
• A chance to appear on The Sophia Chang Show

Sign up for my newsletter: to see all the hilarious Spotify Wrapped screenshots from this episode. Plus you'll get a FREE flowchart: Are You Ready for Traditional Publishing? and access to Ask Sophia Q&A!

https://thesophiachang.substack.com/

No social media! Newsletter is the ONLY way to stay connected

Sophia Chang is a Reese’s Book Club LitUp fellow, disabled dancer, and extroverted writer. She hosts The Sophia Chang Show podcast, teaches Character First writing with Daniel David Wallace, and believes deadlifts can change your life. She will make out with your dog. Learn more at: www.sophiachang.com

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 The Most Wonderful and Heinous Time of the Year

01:51 I See You Swifties

03:28 Who is My Minnesota Vikings Fan?

05:27 Proud to be your 2025 Joe Rogan

07:53 2025 Spotify Awards

08:57 Unexpected Best Part of Restarting my Podcast

KEYWORDS: Spotify Wrapped 2025, podcast year in review, Spotify podcast recap, podcast growth tips, Asian American author, traditional publishing, writing community, podcast behind the scenes, year end podcast episode, books and fitness podcast