Writer Unleashed: Recent Episodes
Nanci Panuccio
Writer Unleashed is a weekly podcast for fiction and memoir writers. It's a deep dive into story techniques, writing craft, and the mindsets that help you write with unstoppable momentum and create stories readers can't put down.
Your story has several characters, multiple storylines, and probably some childhood flashbacks that keep sneaking in. And you can't quite answer the question every writer eventually has to face: what is your story about?
If you've ever struggled to answer that in one sentence, this episode is for you. I'm walking through why ambitious first drafts get overcrowded, how to find the single core desire your story should orbit around, and what to do with everything else. You'll walk away with a clear way to tell a rich story instead of a crowded one, and the confidence to cut what's creating noise instead of clarity.
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Ever thought about quitting your draft and starting something new? You're not alone - lots of writers do. But before you abandon your story, listen to this episode first.
Most of the time, the urge to start over isn't really about the story at all. It's one of three specific things, and each one has a way forward that doesn't involve throwing out everything you've built. In this episode, I walk through all three, along with examples, so you can figure out exactly what's going on with your draft, and what to do next.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen
The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand
Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Whether you're staring at a blank page or halfway through a draft, overthinking can bring your novel to a standstill. Different symptoms, same root cause: both writers are trying to solve problems they're not ready to solve yet, overthinking to the point of paralysis. In this episode, I share a four-part framework to help you stop chasing certainty and start getting more clarity and direction for your story.
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
One Day by David Nicholls
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
For years I measured my work ethic by how many hours I put in at my desk. I'd arrive, coffee in hand at 7am, break around Noon for lunch, back at my desk till 6 or 7pm, sometimes later. I thought putting in the time was the thing that would move the needle. It was actually the thing keeping me from doing my best work.
In this episode, I share two small, counterintuitive shifts I made to change not only the volume of creative work I get done, but the quality — and in half the time it used to take me.
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
How much exposition is too much? Should you begin your story with exposition? And how do you write exposition in a way that isn’t excessive, awkward, or dull?
In this encore episode, we'll talk about how to write exposition in a way that doesn’t sound like exposition.
We'll cover:
- What exposition is, and why it's essential;
- When to begin your story with exposition and when not to
- Two different types of exposition; and
- How to slip exposition into the action so the reader isn't aware it's even there.
Episode Website
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Most writers know when their dialogue isn't working. What they don't know is why. In this episode, I'm breaking down the three mistakes that make dialogue read false, and what to do to turn it around. So your reader feels like they're eavesdropping on a private conversation.
[00:00:00] Why dialogue feels so hard to write when conversation comes so naturally to us in real life.
[00:01:04] The eavesdropping illusion -- why the moment your characters start performing for the reader, the dialogue falls flat.
[00:02:21] Mistake #1: Your characters are explaining things they both already know -- and why this rings false even when the reader can't name why.
[00:04:57] Mistake #2: Your characters are saying exactly what they mean -- and why directness kills tension and deflates the scene.
[00:07:11] Mistake #3: The dialogue isn't doing anything -- why every line needs a job and how to know when a line isn't earning its place.
[00:11:04] All three mistakes come from the same place -- and what to do instead.
[00:12:24] Your final dialogue checklist -- three questions to ask every time a scene feels off.
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to write, revise, and finish their books. Thanks for tuning in!
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
If you've been writing your novel or memoir for months, maybe even years, and you still can't seem to cross the finish line, this episode is for you. Because the writers who finish their books don't have more talent, time, or a better story concept. They're separated by how they think about the work while they're inside it.
In this episode, I'm breaking down the five mindset shifts that make the difference. And the good news is that how you think is something you can always change.
What You'll Learn:
[00:01:00] Why the writers who finish aren't more talented than the writers who don't, and what actually separates them.
[00:01:45] Mindset #1: Why trying to write perfectly and finish at the same time is guaranteed to stall you, and what writers who finish do instead.
[00:04:00] Mindset #2: How to stop treating difficulty as a sign that something's wrong with you or your story, and what it actually means when the writing gets hard.
[00:06:00] Mindset #3: The identity shift that lets writers cut what isn't working, even scenes they spent weeks writing.
[00:09:00] Mindset #4: Why gripping your original concept too tightly keeps you from writing the book your story is actually trying to become.
[00:11:00] Mindset #5: The one practical strategy that keeps the weight of the whole book from flattening you every time you sit down to write.
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to write, revise, and finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to Writer Unleashed! See you next week!
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Every character in your story is living a full, invisible life - not just your protagonist. In this episode, I'm breaking down the three levels of character, why secondary characters so often fade into the background, and what you need to know about every person in your protagonist's orbit before you write them into a scene.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
You think in chapters. You write in chapters. And that might be exactly why revision feels impossible. In this episode, I tackle one of the most universal misconceptions I see in first-time novelists — confusing chapters with scenes. I'll explain why scenes are the real building blocks of your story, what a scene actually does, and how understanding this distinction will help you write a tighter, more unified story.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Most writers know their opening matters. But knowing it and nailing it are two different things. In this episode, I'm breaking down four real book openings to show you exactly what's working beneath the surface, why it hooks readers, and what you can take from each one into your own story.
Episode Web Page
What do you do when writing starts feeling heavy and overwhelming? When it stops being fun?
In this encore episode we'll look at what causes these feelings and how to make your writing joyful again.
We'll cover:
- The number one thought process that's holding you back - and how it shows up in your writing
- How to reconnect with your personal purpose for writing your story
- Staying present in your writing
- The importance of practice and play, and why your writing can only improve with this approach
Episode Web Page
Your story feels stuck. You've reread the chapters, moved scenes around, added more conflict. But something still isn't working and you can't name what it is.
There's a layer underneath every stuck story that most writers never think to examine. It's not your plot. It's not your structure. It's something that has to be true about your protagonist before any of that can work. And when it's off, no amount of rewriting will fix it.
In this episode, I'm breaking down what that missing layer is, why it's harder to identify than it looks, and how it shifts and deepens across all three acts of your story. By the end, you'll know exactly what to look for in your own manuscript — and what to do about it.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
When an antagonist feels like just another plot device, readers sense it - and disengage. In this episode, I'm sharing three must-have traits that change everything, and why getting this right might be the most important craft decision you make about your story.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
How do mothers balance writing with parenthood? Whether you're a mom of young children, or a single parent holding down a full time job and a full brood, carving out space to write can feel challenging, if not impossible.
This encore episode is a love note to mothers. I share my story, along with what I've learned along the way about how to honor the urge to create while being totally present for our kids.
We'll cover how to make time, set the conditions to make your writing happen, and how to ask for support.
Episode Website
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Not sure how to structure your story? Start Here. This free 3-Act Worksheet gives you a clear framework so you know exactly what your beginning, middle, and end need to do — so you can stop guessing and start writing. Grab it free here.
Have a story you're burning to tell but can't figure out where to begin? Think other writers have it easier? You're not stuck because you're not a real writer. You're stuck because you're waiting to feel ready. And that's exactly what's keeping you from starting.
In this episode learn 3 practical exercises you can do before you outline, before you structure, before you feel ready. Because clarity doesn't come before the writing. It comes from the writing itself.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
You started your book on fire. Now you sit down to write and feel blank. Or worse, you've started to feel disenchanted by your own story. If you've hit the mid-draft slump and started wondering whether your story is good enough, or whether you are, this episode is for you.
In this episode, I break down why writers lose faith in their books mid-draft, and why the problem is almost never the story itself. You'll learn the three shifts that will get you back in the room with your work.
This isn't a pep talk. It's a reorientation — one that puts you back in control of the one thing that was always yours: your experience of writing this book.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
If your first draft feels like it's wandering — like you're generating pages but not quite writing a story — this episode is for you.
After coaching and editing hundreds of first-time novelists and memoir writers, I keep seeing the same three mistakes show up in draft after draft. Not because these writers aren't talented. But because first drafts are hard, and most of us don't know what we don't know until someone points it out.
The frustrating thing about these mistakes? They're invisible from the inside. The draft looks like it's working. Pages are accumulating. But something feels off, and you can't put your finger on it.
In this episode, I'm naming all three — and telling you exactly what to do instead.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Every writer hits a wall mid-project. The draft isn't working, the rejections are stacking up, and quitting starts to feel like the logical choice. But quitting isn't protecting you from failure. It's guaranteeing it. In this episode, I break down down three truths about setbacks that every writer needs to hear, and why the writers who finish are the ones who learn to use failure as fuel.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Every writer knows the feeling. Your story is on fire, you're excited about what's on the page. Then somewhere in the middle, something dies. The excitement fades. The scenes stop feeling alive. And no matter how many times you reread or rework your outline, the flatness doesn't go away.
Most writers think something is wrong with them when this happens. It isn't. There's one specific thing missing from your story - and once you find it, everything changes.
In this episode I reveal the one thing missing from most stories that keeps your draft moving, your characters compelling, and your readers invested all the way to the end.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
If you've ever hit a rough patch in your draft and found yourself reaching for another craft book, another podcast, another writing group, this episode is for you. Finishing your book gets harder when outside voices drown out your own instincts. In this episode, I break down what's actually keeping you stuck, how to recognize your own signal, and three concrete strategies for quieting the noise long enough to hear it.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Most writers assume the struggle is just part of the deal. That if it feels hard, they must be doing something wrong, or not working hard enough, or not talented enough. What if none of that is true? This episode will change the way you think about every writing session from here on out.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Backstory creates a dilemma: you need to give readers context about the past, but the moment you stop your forward-moving plot to explain it, you lose them. This episode shows you how to integrate backstory in ways that deepen your story instead of stopping it cold.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
What makes dialogue believable? It's not what you think. In this episode, I'm breaking down three techniques that bring conversations to life on the page. You'll learn what creates the illusion of authentic speech and how to layer these techniques into your own scenes.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Every writer faces this moment: staring at a bloated manuscript, knowing something has to go, but terrified of making the wrong call. The usual advice—"kill your darlings," "cut ruthlessly"—doesn't help. You need a way to see what's actually weighing your story down. This episode gives you a diagnostic framework that takes the guesswork out of what to leave in, what to leave out.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Many writers think romantic tension comes from obstacles keeping compatible people apart. A jealous ex. A misunderstanding. A job in another city. But that's not what makes readers ache for two people to get together.
The love stories that work are doing something completely different.
In this episode, I'm breaking down the three ways successful love stories create tension that feels genuine instead of manufactured. This isn't about formulas or rules - it's about understanding why some romantic tension makes readers invested and other tension just makes them impatient.
If you're writing romance, romantasy, or literary fiction with romantic elements, this reframe will change how you approach your love story.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Not sure how to structure your story? Start Here. This free 3-Act Worksheet gives you a clear framework so you know exactly what your beginning, middle, and end need to do — so you can stop guessing and start writing. Grab it free here.
The first encounter between your would-be lovers is not about instant chemistry or love at first sight. It’s where the emotional logic of your entire love story gets set.
In this episode, we explore why admiration from afar creates fantasy but not connection, and why real engagement, even brief, awkward, or tense, is what makes two characters matter to each other.
You’ll learn the three essential elements every strong first meeting needs and four practical approaches to writing first encounters that create tension, contrast, and forward pull.
If your lovers’ first meeting feels flat, generic, or overly dependent on physical attraction, this episode will help you build a moment that feels charged, meaningful, and inevitable, without relying on tired romance shortcuts.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Not sure how to structure your story? Start Here. This free 3-Act Worksheet gives you a clear framework so you know exactly what your beginning, middle, and end need to do — so you can stop guessing and start writing. Grab it free here.
Writers face blocks that feel insurmountable but aren't. Discover the 5 story barriers keeping you stuck - outlining traps, getting lost in the middle, perfectionism, comparison, and rejection - and how to cross to the other side. Confidence doesn't come before you cross the barrier. It comes from crossing it.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Not sure how to structure your story? Start Here. This free 3-Act Worksheet gives you a clear framework so you know exactly what your beginning, middle, and end need to do — so you can stop guessing and start writing. Grab it free here.
Can't finish your first draft? Perfecting your outline for months? Staring at a blank page afraid you'll write something bad? These look like different problems, but they're all the same issue: you're focused on outcomes instead of process. This episode reveals why you're stuck, shows you how to convert paralyzing questions into productive ones, and gives you a concrete action plan to get unstuck. You don't need more courage or discipline. You need to ask different questions.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
You have material - notes, scenes, a rough draft. But you can't quite see the story yet. In this episode, I'll show you four simple questions to help you find the story that's already trying to emerge from your scattered material. No outlining, no complicated organizational systems - just an intuitive way to see what your story is trying to become.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
You've revised your opening five times. Cut hundreds of words. Tightened every sentence. But readers still lose interest before they finish Chapter One. The problem isn't your writing—it's pacing. Discover the 3 biggest pacing mistakes that kill your opening and what to do instead.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
When life ramps up, writing is usually the first thing to slip through the cracks. Deadlines, family demands, celebrations, travel, and the general December swirl can leave you wondering if you should push harder, press pause, or feel guilty either way.
In this episode, we look at what it really means to stay connected to your story when time is scarce, and why your writing practice doesn’t have to fall apart just because your schedule does.
You’ll learn 3 simple shifts that keeps your creative mind alive, even when you’re nowhere near your desk, and a few small practices that make it easier to return to your manuscript with more clarity instead of less. If you’ve ever worried about losing momentum during busy seasons, this one will steady you.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Not sure how to structure your story? Start Here. This free 3-Act Worksheet gives you a clear framework so you know exactly what your beginning, middle, and end need to do — so you can stop guessing and start writing. Grab it free here.
Feeling like your work-in-progress is spiraling out of control? You're not alone. This episode tackles that overwhelming moment when your story feels too big, too messy, and too complicated to wrangle. Learn why overwhelm hits at predictable points (spoiler: it's not about your talent), and get four practical strategies to regain your footing without abandoning your draft. The solution isn't seeing the whole path—it's finding your next foothold.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Your first read-through of a first draft can feel like stepping into unknown territory. You’re excited to see what you made, but you’re also bracing for the messy parts you know are coming. In this episode, I walk you through exactly how to handle that first pass without falling into editing mode or judging every page.
You’ll learn what actually matters at this stage, what to ignore for now, how to take clear notes without derailing your momentum, and how to figure out the story you truly wrote. By the end, you’ll have a simple plan that makes this first read-through honest, grounded, and a lot less overwhelming.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
If your novel or memoir juggles multiple storylines—different timelines, narrators, or settings—you might wonder how to keep it all cohesive. In this episode, I share three craft techniques to make your separate narratives feel like parts of the same living story. You’ll learn how to connect your threads through a shared core question, create cause and effect across timelines, and use theme to tie everything together.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
What's the difference between a character-driven story and a plot-driven story? And how do you know which one you're writing? In this episode, I explain what these terms actually mean, how to identify where your manuscript falls on the spectrum, and—most importantly—how to strengthen whichever element needs more support. You'll learn the two most common problems writers face and get one simple exercise to help you revise with intention. There's no "right" answer here—just intentional choices.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Got a story idea but don't know where to begin? You're not alone. Many writers either freeze at "Chapter One" or spend months planning without ever drafting. In this episode, I walk you through the essential things you need to know before you write your first scene. So you can stop overthinking and start writing today.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Suspense isn't just for thrillers—it's what makes readers unable to put down any story, from memoir to fantasy to romance. In this episode, you'll learn three proven techniques to create page-turning tension in any genre. No car chases or explosions required.
Episode Web Page
Not sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple steps. You’ll walk away with a one-sentence premise you can build your entire book on, and the clarity and confidence to keep going.
Download Your Quick Guide Here
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Writing a story with multiple POVs? In this episode, we’ll unpack how to keep your narrative focused, decide which characters need full arcs, and make sure every point-of-view earns its place in your story.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Memoir is true, fiction is made up - but how does that change your actual storytelling? In this episode, I break down the key differences between memoir and fiction: what you can and can't do in memoir, how much creative license you have, and when to choose one form over the other. Plus: the surprising ways memoir and fiction use the exact same narrative techniques.
Episode Web Page
Not sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple steps. You’ll walk away with a one-sentence premise you can build your entire book on, and the clarity and confidence to keep going.
Download Your Quick Guide Here
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
If you’ve been wrestling with story structure, this episode will help you see it differently. Learn what’s really keeping you stuck and how to finally bring your draft to the finish line.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
If you’ve ever hit that point in your draft where the words feel heavy, the story starts to wander, and your momentum disappears—you’ve landed in the messy middle.
Every writer faces it. The difference is, some know how to push through.
In today’s episode, I’m breaking down why the middle of a draft feels so hard—and how to revive your story so you can actually finish it.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
If your novel or memoir keeps stalling out, it’s not about talent or discipline. Chances are, something else is getting in your way. This episode uncovers what it is—and how to move past it.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Your protagonist’s first appearance can make or break your story. That opening impression tells your reader whether they should lean in, or move on.
Too often, writers get stuck in backstory, mundane routines, or quirky details that don’t really matter yet. The result? A flat introduction that fails to spark curiosity or connection.
In this episode, we’ll cover:
- Why your protagonist’s introduction carries so much weight.
- The 4 most common mistakes writers make in opening scenes.
- 3 strategies to ensure your main character’s first appearance is memorable, relatable, and compelling.
By the end, you’ll know how to craft an introduction that makes readers care, and keeps them turning pages.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Every writer hits that moment mid-draft where the story feels too big, too messy, too unclear. But getting lost in the middle of a draft doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re deep in the work.
And the good news? There’s a way through.
In this episode, I’ll help you zoom out, find the heart of your story again, and get back on track. So you can turn that overwhelming pile of pages into a novel or memoir that actually works.
If you’re overwhelmed by the volume of your story material and tempted to give up, this conversation will help you find clarity, focus, and the confidence to keep going.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Most writers dream of quitting their jobs to write full-time. But here’s the twist: many of the greatest authors did their best work while juggling day jobs.
In this episode, we’ll dive into the stories of famous writers who turned paychecks into pages, and how you can, too.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Most story ideas that excite you at 2 AM seem paper-thin by Thursday afternoon. Here's the truth: your idea probably isn't too small, you just haven't learned how to dig deeper. While other writers chase the next shiny concept, successful authors know how to mine the gold that's already there.
In this episode, discover the specific questions that reveal whether your story has legs, plus the proven techniques for expanding any concept into a full narrative that writes itself. Stop second-guessing your ideas and start building stories with real staying power.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Do you have a folder full of half-finished drafts? You’re not alone. Almost every writer has started a story with excitement, only to abandon it when the magic fades.
In this episode, I’ll share why this happens, the mindset shifts that help you stay the course, and four practical strategies to keep you moving forward even when the middle gets messy.
You’ll learn how to stop chasing new ideas, stay connected to the story you’ve already begun, and use writing not just to finish, but to deepen your process.
If you’ve been stuck in the cycle of starting and abandoning stories, this episode will give you the clarity and encouragement you need to finally reach “The End.”
Episode Web Page
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Every writer wrestles with doubt from time to time. But if you don’t know how to handle it, that doubt can stall your story for months or even years. In this episode, I’m dismantling three of the most common myths that keep writers stuck and replacing them with truths you can lean on. So you can keep showing up for your story with a sense of wonder and unshakeable confidence.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Backstory often gets blamed for slowing a story down. Writers are told to cut it, sprinkle it lightly, or avoid it altogether.
But here’s the truth: the wrong backstory, delivered the wrong way, at the wrong time is the problem.
Used with intention, backstory can reveal the wounds and desires that drive your character, raise the stakes, and transform an ordinary scene into one that lingers with readers.
In this episode, I’ll share:
- 3 powerful ways to use backstory so it deepens, rather than derails, your story
- How to spot when your backstory is drowning out the narrative
- A simple technique to keep time jumps clear and seamless for your reader
Whether your draft is overloaded with flashbacks or you’re struggling to weave in your character’s past, this episode will help you use backstory as the tool it’s meant to be.
Episode Web Page
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Your opening line is your reader’s first invitation into your story, so it has to do more than just start the book. It has to hook. In this episode, I'm sharing 3 powerful strategies to craft a first sentence that grabs your readers' attention and keeps them wanting more.
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We don’t just read stories to find out what happens. We read to witness who a character becomes.
So how do you show that change? Not by stating it outright, or having another character comment on it, but through behavior, inner voice, and choices that reveal an internal shift.
In this episode, we’re breaking down what character transformation looks like on the page, and 4 powerful ways to show it.
Whether your character evolves in subtle or seismic ways, this episode will help you track and shape their arc so that the change feels earned and resonates deeply.
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When dialogue works, it feels alive. It's charged with tension. It reveals character, drives the plot, and leaves space for the reader to lean in and feel what’s left unsaid. But when it doesn’t? It falls flat, feels forced, or gets skimmed over entirely.
In this episode, I’m breaking down three essential tips to help you write dialogue that feels authentic, but curated. Natural, but emotionally charged. We’ll look at what to cut, how to shape each exchange, and how to infuse even simple moments with meaning and momentum.
Whether you're deep into your draft or revising a scene that feels off, these tips will help you make your dialogue tighter, tenser, and more dynamic.
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You’ve finally shared your pages with someone. Maybe it was a critique partner, a writing group, an editor, or beta reader. You were nervous, but hopeful, maybe even excited, and then the feedback came. And now you’re spiraling.
Maybe they pointed out something you thought you’d nailed, or they didn’t understand your main character, or they told you something that deep down you already feared might be true. And now the voice in your head is getting louder. Am I even a good writer? Do I have what it takes? Should I just stop now? What made me think I could even write this story?
Today, we’re talking about what to do when feedback, no matter how well intentioned, shakes your confidence. How you respond to it is what makes all the difference.
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There’s a lot of writing advice out there, but not all of it serves you. In this episode, we’re unpacking 3 common writing myths that might be slowing you down or making you second-guess your story. If you’ve been feeling stuck, this is your permission to let go of the “rules” and reconnect with the story you need to tell.
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Writing your first novel can feel like dumping 1000 puzzle pieces onto the floor without the picture on the box to guide you. You've got characters, scenes, maybe even a few moments you love, but you have no clear sense of what it all adds up to.
If you're staring at your messy draft thinking, What even is this? - don't worry. You're not alone, and you're not even as lost as you think.
In today's episode, we'll explore how to step back, sift through what you've already written, and begin shaping it into something coherent, intentional and powerful.
So if you're feeling overwhelmed, discouraged or stuck in the fog of your draft, take a breath. Let's bring some clarity to the chaos.
Episode Web Page
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Struggling to get past chapter one, even with a solid outline and a great idea? In this episode, we unpack why starting your novel feels so hard, what’s really behind the block, and how to take the first imperfect steps forward.
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In this episode, we’re zeroing in on one of the most important (and most rewritten) parts of your novel: the first chapter.
A strong first chapter doesn’t need to be long or dramatic, but it does need to hook the reader, ground them in the world of the story, and raise a question they’re eager to follow.
If you’ve ever found yourself stuck on your opening pages, rewriting again and again, wondering if it’s working, this episode will help you identify and avoid commonproblems, and more important, revise your first chapter so that it hooks and holds your reader.
In this episode, we'll break down:
- 5 of the most common first chapter fails, and what to do instead
- Key questions to ask when revising your opening
- How to avoid overwhelming the reader and keep them engaged page after page
- Ideal first-chapter length ranges for different genres, and what matters more than word count
Episode Web Page
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You’ve written pages. Maybe even chapters. But your scenes still aren’t landing the way you imagined. The pacing drags. The tension fizzles. And you’re not sure why.
In this episode, we’re diving into the 3 essential elements that make a scene work. So your story doesn’t just move forward, but pulls the reader in and keeps them hooked moment by moment.
If your scenes feel a little off, or you’re not sure they’re doing enough, this is your go-to guide. You’ll also get a practical checklist to pressure-test your scenes as you write and revise.
Episode Web Page
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Writing a book isn’t just a creative act—it’s a mental marathon. And if you’ve ever found yourself stuck in self-doubt, overwhelmed by the blank page, or spiraling after a tough writing day, you’re not alone.
In this episode, we’re diving into what it really means to build mental fitness as a writer. You’ll learn why talent isn’t enough—and how developing emotional resilience, self-trust, focus, and flexibility can keep you moving forward, even when the work feels hard.
I’ll share practical ways to strengthen your mindset, protect your creative energy, and build the kind of inner stamina that helps you not only finish your book—but enjoy the process.
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You've got an exciting plot. Compelling characters. And the action is moving along at a crisp pace. But something still feels flat. Chances are, your character’s inner world isn’t fully making it onto the page.
In this episode, we’re talking about the layer that gives your story emotional weight and resonance—character interiority.
You’ll learn:
✔️ What interiority is (and what it’s not)
✔️ Why readers crave it
✔️ And 5 powerful techniques to reveal your character’s inner life without slowing your story down
If you’ve ever been told to “go deeper” into your character, or wondered how to make your scenes more emotionally engaging, this episode's for you.
Episode Web Page
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Stuck in a writing slump? You’re not alone.
In this episode, we’re talking about those hard, heavy moments when the words won’t come, your story feels stalled, and self-doubt creeps in. Slumps are a normal part of the creative cycle, but they can feel lonely and defeating when you’re deep in one.
Today, I’m sharing gentle, practical ways to find your way back without forcing it or beating yourself up.
You’ll learn:
→ Why slumps happen (even to seasoned authors)
→ Small, doable steps to ease back in
→ Why changing your environment can release stuck thinking and ignite fresh ideas
→ Ways to reconnect with your original spark and fall in love with your story again
If writing feels hard right now, this episode is your permission slip to stop shaming yourself, and start moving forward with curiosity, compassion, and small, steady steps.
Episode Web Page
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You’ve built your character's world and raised the stakes. But how do you end your story in a way that feels true and unforgettable?
In this episode, I’m breaking down the 4 biggest mistakes writers make with endings, plus 5 different ways to close your story.
You’ll also get practical tips for revising an ending that’s falling flat, and learn how the right ending can transform your entire story.
If you’re stuck or second-guessing how to close your story, this episode's for you.
Episode Web Page
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Among the most important (and intimidating) decisions you'll make as a writer is how to begin your story. That opening moment sets the tone, establishes the world, and signals to your readers what kind of story they're stepping into.
There isn't one right way to open your story. It's all play and experimentation. The key to a powerful ending is choosing one that's aligned with the story you're telling and the emotional experience you want your reader to have.
In this episode, I'm walking you through 3 powerful ways you can open your story, with examples to show how each one works.
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Writing dialog can feel deceptively simple. After all, it's just people talking, right? But in far too many stories, characters are recapping the plot or revealing too much of what they're thinking or feeling. The dialogue is pure exposition, doing too much of the story's heavy lifting.
Great dialogue works on multiple levels, often saying more in what's unsaid than what is said.
So in this episode, we're going to look at common pitfalls. And I'll show you how to write conversations that carry emotional weight, deepen your characters and spark new turns in your story. So you can write believable, compelling dialogue.
Episode Web Page
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Writing your story setting requires more than just pretty language, and does so much more than provide the physical setting. It anchors the reader in time and place while immersing them in a tactile sensory experience in every scene.
In this episode, I'm going to give you 4 essential techniques for writing your story setting.
You'll learn how to craft your settings selectively and with intention.
Episode Web Page
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Revising a first draft can feel overwhelming.
Where do you start? What do you cut? How do you keep your original vision alive How do you take all the moving parts and refine it into a more coherent, effective whole?
In this episode, I’ll guide you through the three key phases of revision—and give you practical tips to help you shape your messy draft into a strong, finished story.
Episode Website
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Retrospective narrators have the power to tell your story with both raw immediacy and hard earned wisdom. This narrator doesn’t just recall the past – he or she reinterprets it.
What makes it tricky is that you’re not just telling the story of what happened. You’re telling it through two lenses:
The younger self who lived it. And the older self who looks back with reflection, wisdom, and maybe even regret.
So in today’s episode, we’ll explore how to unlock the full potential of a retrospective narrator. You’ll learn to craft a voice that harnesses both the younger self and the wiser self.
Episode Website
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There’s something captivating about seeing a story unfold through a child’s perspective. Child narrators strip away the layers of adult logic, cynicism and pretense, revealing raw wonder, confusion or even unexpected wisdom.
But writing from a child’s perspective is deceptively difficult. Writers often fall into traps, making the child sound too innocent, too passive, or one dimensional.
So in today’s episode, I’ll help you navigate 3 common challenges so you can create a believable, compelling child narrator.
Episode Website
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The unreliable narrator is one of the most powerful storytelling techniques. Whether you're writing in first-person or third, an unreliable narrator compels readers to interpret what's happening, looking for clues that reveal the truth beyond the narrator's perspective.
And this keeps readers hooked into your story until the very last page.
In this episode, I'm going to share 4 different types of unreliable narrators, and 4 tips for mastering your unreliable narrator.
Episode Website
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First person narration puts readers directly into a character's head, creating an intimate and immediate experience. This perspective allows for deep emotional connection and personal stakes. But it also comes with unique challenges.
In this episode, I'm going to share 4 common pitfalls when writing in first person and how to avoid them.
Episode Website
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Your opening scenes are valuable real estate. You don't want to squander them on anything mundane or extraneous.
Many writers start way too early in the story, often giving the everyday details of their character's life. Or they spend too much time introducing the character's world and not launching him or her into the action soon enough. And then the reader is left wondering where the story is going, and when it's going to pick up momentum.
In this episode, I'm sharing 3 tips for writing hook-worthy opening scenes that pull readers in and don't let them go.
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Ever wish you could expand time and give more energy to your writing? In this episode, you'll learn about two types of time - one that restricts time and one that expands time. We'll also talk about how to manage common distractions, and what it really takes to stay motivated for the long game.
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When is it a good idea to write from multiple points of view, rather than one point of view? And how do you do it? In this episode, I'll cover 4 reasons to use multiple points of view, how to write them, and common pitfalls to avoid.
Episode Website
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What do you do when you're stuck in a scene, or you know the scene isn't working, and you just don't know why or how to move the scene forward? In this episode, we'll go over three reasons your scenes are stalling and what to do instead.
Episode Website
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Now that we're in a brand new year, it's a good time to reflect on what worked in the past year, what didn't work, and most importantly, what we can do differently to move the needle forward in 2025.
Time is a precious resource, so we don't want to squander it spinning in the wrong direction again and again only to keep getting stuck.
So in this episode, I'm going to share 3 ways to write with more freedom, curiosity, and joy this year and beyond.
Episode Website
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You’ve lost motivation and may even have stopped writing altogether. So how do you get your mojo back so you can bring your work in progress to the finish line?
In this throwback episode, we'll explore 5 reasons our motivation fizzles out and how to turn it around.
We'll talk about:
- the power of having a safe, judgement-free community
- what social scientists have discovered about what really motivates us. (this may surprise you.)
- the real reason we hit road blocks, plus what we need to break through
- what flow is and how to get more of it, and...
- how to stay motivated day by day
Also Listen To
Episode 20: Four Ways Your Writing Group Is Holding You Back (and what to look for in your next writing tribe)
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Getting results in our writing is great. But a result-oriented mindset can hinder creativity and authenticity.
In this throwback episode, you'll learn how to evaluate your work based on 2 important qualities: presence and truth.
This is all about your emotional connection and belief in your story. It's a more transformational approach that values the ongoing journey, and the evolving relationship with your work.
Episode Website
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The most common struggle writers have when writing a novel is structure. Both plotters and pantsers get overwhelmed with the sheer volume of material and ideas they have about their story. Invariably, the story becomes unwieldy and falls apart. When a story breaks down, it's because the underlying foundation isn't strong enough to hold the story up.
So in this episode, I'm going to give you 3 character foundations to help structure your story. You'll learn the symbiotic relationship between plot and character.
Episode Website
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Why do we read stories? And why do we write them? We'll uncover the irresistible pull stories have on us, and why your story matters to those who read it. But in order for your story to matter to readers, it must matter to you first. So in this episode, you'll learn that whyyou write is far more important than what you write.
Episode Website
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Keeping your story grounded in time balances the pace of your story and helps readers navigate your character’s journey. But how do you show the passage of time in your novel without jarring, or worse, boring your reader?
In this episode, you’ll get clear on the passage of time in your story so you can seamlessly guide the reader as your characters move through time and space.
Episode Website
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Well, it's officially gift giving season, and your family and friends might be asking, “What do you want for Christmas?”
Maybe you have a writer in your life and you want to get something special, and you’re wondering, What would support her? What would help her develop her craft?Maybe you want to buy a gift for yourself.
In this episode, I’m sharing 5 great gift ideas for writers. I have 5 categories with my personal recommendations for each.
You'll find links to all these gifts by clicking here and scrolling down to Links Mentioned In This Episode.
Episode Website
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Cause and effect is one of the major tenets of a cohesive plot so everything is knit together to shape your story.
Every cause leads to an effect.
It's often described as a chain reaction. One event leads to another, and another and another.
But when we think of cause and effect solely in what happens, we're missing a big piece of the story. When taken at face value, cause and effect can lead to relatively shallow stories where things just happen to the characters. The characters feel more like pawns to move the plot forward.
So what do we mean by cause, and what do we mean by effect? What's the cause? What's the effect?
In today's episode, we'll go deeper so that you can use cause and effect more effectively.
Episode Website
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How do you build character into the structure of your story? What's the story beneath the plot?
Structure alone won't create the energy and momentum a story thrives on. There's the story underneath driving the plot, and that's all about character.
In this episode, I'll reveal 3 secrets about your character that will help you build momentum right into the structure of your story.
Episode Website
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Predictability may keep us feeling certain and safe in real life.
But it's fatal in story.
You never want the reader to see what's coming next. Once the reader can predict how the plot will unfold - when there's nothing to wonder about, worry about, guess, or infer - there's no reason to read any further.
So you want to stay one step ahead of your reader, and in most cases, one step ahead of your characters. You know what's going to happen to your characters. You know what the outcome of the story will be. But your characters don't, and neither should your readers.
So in this episode, you'll learn 4 ways to create and sustain uncertainty in your story and keep readers guessing.
Episode Website
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How do you write beyond the stock, archetypical villain? ? How do you make him or her believable and intriguing?
How do you surprise us?
In this episode, I'm sharing 3 ways to make your villain multi-dimensional and complex, even if he or she's downright evil. You'll learn how to write a villain who fascinates.
Episode Website
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If I were to ask you what is your story’s central idea, could you sum it up in a few sentences?
A big challenge many writers face is keeping their story focused on one single driving point, let alone articulate it.
When there’s no central focal point, readers get lost, confused, frustrated and bored. They stop reading.
In today’s episode, I’ll give you 5 quick questions to help you get clear and focused on the central idea driving your story. The focal point from which all your story's events revolve.
Episode Website
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First-person often feels like the natural choice when writing a story. But first-person comes with its own set of challenges and limitations.
Sometimes first-person characters merely report the action without interesting contrasts between that character's version of the story's events, and what might also be true.
In this episode, I'm sharing 3 tips for writing in first-person. You'll learn how to write a character whose perspective creates gaps the reader is eager to fill, and how that character's arc plays out in the story.
Episode Website
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When reading fiction or a memoir, a reader's brain actively simulates the experience of the characters. The reader becomes so absorbed in the story, they experience it as though it's true. They believe in it.
But before a reader can believe in your story, you have to believe in it first.
In this episode, I'm sharing 3 pathways to building belief in your story. So readers believe in it too.
Episode Website
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What is an anti-hero and why do they fascinate us? How do they keep us invested in their plight scene after scene, even as they do immoral, criminal, or deplorable things?
In this episode, we'll talk about different anti-heroes from film and fiction, and I'll share 4 ways to write an anti-hero with complexity, magnetism, and unforgettable appeal.
Episode Website
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Getting results in our writing is great. But a result-oriented mindset can hinder creativity and authenticity.
In this episode, you'll learn how to evaluate your work based on 2 important qualities: presence and truth.
This is all about your emotional connection and belief in your story. It's a more transformational approach that values the ongoing journey, and the evolving relationship with your work.
Episode Website
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
How much backstory do you really need? How much is too much?
Most first-time authors tend to overuse backstory, which can detract from the main story. In this episode, I'll share 3 common mistakes writers make, and I'll give you 3 new ways to think about backstory, so that it doesn't dominate your story, but enhances and deepens it.
Episode Website
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One of the biggest impediments to our writing is time, and we all have unfinished drafts to prove it.
It always takes much longer than we think, and this can be dispiriting, not to mention stressful. Writing a book is a huge undertaking, and when time is sparse, it can leave us believing we don’t have what it takes.
In this episode, I'll challenge you to think differently about time, so you can get more writing done, and with more focus.
I’ll give you 3 tips to make more use of the time do you have, even if that time is sparse.
Episode Website
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We all hit a block at some point in the writing process, even the best of us. Accomplished writers know how to navigate that impasse, to notice when and why they're getting blocked so they can quickly move through it. But so many writers get stuck there and can't move forward.
In this reprise episode from the 2022 vault, I'll give you a pep talk. We'll explore five reasons you may be blocked. I'll share my own struggles with writer's block, along with my strategies to break through it.
Episode Website
Links mentioned in this episode:
Episode 20: Four Ways Your Writing Group is Holding You Back (and What to Look For in Your Next Writing Tribe
Download Your FREE 9 Story Starters Here
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How do you show, don't tell? What's the difference? Are you telling when you think you're showing? Or showing the wrong things? Is there ever a good time to tell?
Show, don't tell is one of the trickiest things to understand, let alone master.
You need both showing and telling. It's just a matter of when and how.
So in this episode, I'll show you the difference between showing and telling, and how to blend both. You'll learn to tell so skillfully, it will feel like showing.
Episode Website
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Writers often feel overwhelmed when it comes to editing. But there's a lot of editing you can do quickly, regardless of where in the process you are.
In this episode, you'll get 5 quick and easy edits you can do on your own to make your story tighter, stronger, and more engaging to readers. As and added boon, it will make the story less overwhelming when it's time for you to revise.
This is all about cutting the excess, then fine-tuning your story right on the sentence level.
Episode Website
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What do you do when writing starts feeling heavy and overwhelming? When it stops being fun?
In this episode, we'll unwrap what causes these feelings, and 3 ways to make it joyful again.
We'll cover:
- The number one thought process that's holding you back, and how it shows up in your writing
- How to reconnect with your personal purpose for writing your story
- Staying present in your writing
- The importance of practice and play, and why your writing can only improve with this approach
Episode Web Page
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How do you flesh out your characters? How do you go deeper?
Just as we can't know a person in one glance, we can't know the people in our stories fully in our early drafts. We come to know our characters more and more deeply as we continue to write and revise.
In this episode, we'll explore 4 overlooked ways to deepen your characters - common elements most writers miss.
Episode Web Page
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Writing a book is not a solo endeavor. Writers rely on beta readers to help them fine-tune their manuscript and ensure its success with agents, editors, and ultimately, their ideal audience.
But where do you find beta readers? At what stage of the process do you bring them in? What do you look for? And how do you work with them?
In this episode, we'll cover:
- What beta readers are, and why aspiring writers don't make the best test audience
- At what stage of the writing process to enlist beta readers
- How to research and define your ideal reader
- Where to find beta readers and entice them to work with you
- How to get the right feedback to ensure the best outcome for your manuscript
Episode Web Page
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Plot twists are one of the most effective and exciting ways to bring intrigue and suspense to your story, and make it unforgettable.
But when not executed or timed right, a plot twist can backfire.
In this episode, learn 3 techniques for writing a great plot twist, plus common pitfalls to avoid.
You'll learn:
- What a plot twist is, along with examples to illustrate
- 3 techniques that all great plot twists share
- How to avoid plot twist clichés
- The crucial difference between a plot point and a plot twist
Episode Web Page
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Often what gets in the way of an otherwise great scene is a lack of compelling character goals. Without a goal in each scene, a story lacks two vital things: tension and momentum.
In this episode, we’ll explore why you need a goal in every scene, and 3 types of goals that urge characters through the plot.
Episode Web Page
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What do you do when you want to write, but don't think you have anything to say? Or you do have something to say, but don't know how to say it?
In this episode from the 2023 vault, you'll learn 3 powerful writing exercises to help you find your way into your story.
These exercises will help unearth material you can open up and use in your fiction or memoir.
Use them to start a story, warm up, or get unstuck.
Episode Web Page
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Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.
Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Send me a Text Message.
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Scenes set up the structural pace of your story.
Some scenes are more action driven, so they move at a faster clip. Other scenes are more reflective, and move slower. Some scenes have more intensity, some have less.
Which is why you need different types of scenes.
In this episode, we’ll explore 5 must-have scenes to include in your story.
Episode Web Page
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Do you write your first scene over and over, trying to get it just right? But you never feel like you're nailing it?
Many writers spend way too much time on their opening scene without considering its role in the main character's entire arc of change.
There's a relationship between your first scenes and last scenes.
To take the reader on the journey along with your character, you want to craft your opening and ending scenes with each other in mind.
In this episode, we'll look at the relationship between your first scenes and final scenes, and how to write them.
Episode Web Page
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Ever receive feedback on your writing that crushed you to the core?
In this episode, learn 5 ways to make sure you not only survive, but get the most constructive feedback on your story, with more generative results.
You'll learn how to take a more active role in the feedback process, so you can leave with a more energized, excited vision for your story.
Episode Web Page
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How do you create tension in your story that makes it impossible for readers to put it down?
By placing your characters in some kind of danger, even if it's subtle. Danger can be as harrowing as a plane crash, or as nuanced as unrequited love.
In this episode, we'll explore two types of danger to raise tension, and make your story unputdownable.
Episode Web Page
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How much backstory does your story need? And how much backstory does your reader need?
In this reprise episode from the deep in the vault, learn what backstory is important for you to know as the author, and what backstory belongs on the page.
In this episode, we'll cover:
- The two things you need to get clear on when it comes to backstory
- The importance of crafting backstory that adapts to your story
- The actor's technique to developing character through backstory
- How to decide what backstory is significant to your storyline and to your readers
Episode Web Page
Explore Your Character's Backstory with Your FREE Character Questionnaire Here
Also Listen To:
Episode 12: Four Ways to Write Effective Flashbacks
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Often writers create antagonists who do bad, immoral, sometimes evil things. They might be abusive or neglectful parents. An enemy. Or an otherworldly foe.
But when you're writing about your most trouble-rousing characters, you don't want to portray the givens. You want to surprise us. You want to create an antagonist who's unforgettable.
The stock villain gives the reader a stock reaction. And that's exactly what we want to avoid.
That's why in this episode, I'm sharing 5 ways to create a more captivating antagonist.
So you can bring more nuance and complexity to your antagonist - and to your story.
Episode Web Page with Show Notes
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How do you make writing a priority when other commitments compete? When you have a full time career and family?
We all know writing a book is a colossal commitment. And it's so easy to get off track, especially when so much is competing for our time and attention.
In this episode, I’ll walk you through strategies to maximize your time, energy, and focus. So you can write without stress and overwhelm.
You'll learn to:
- Re-frame your relationship to time and find a lot more of it
- Create a writing environment that inspires you
- Bring more vitality to your writing sessions
- Plan and focus on the right next steps
Episode Web Page with Show Notes
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Struggling with confidence when it comes to writing your story? Maybe you swing from excitement to self-doubt. Or you worry that no one will care to read it.
Maybe you lack enough confidence to even start.
In this episode, learn 3 ways to boost your confidence. This is all about shifting your relationship to your work.
We'll cover:
- How to stay focused on the process, not just the end result
- Why writing what you think readers want is the wrong approach, and what to do instead
- Setting manageable goals to keep you showing up consistently
- How to use your own excitement as a guide to moving your story forward
Episode Web Page with Show Notes
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What do you do when your novel or memoir doesn’t follow the typical plot structure?
What if there’s no crime to be solved, tsunami to survive, or evil wizard to slay?
What if your character’s only story problem is an internal one?
In this episode we’ll explore 4 thresholds your character will walk through at key points throughout your 3 acts. So you can plot your character-driven story, and keep readers invested every step of the way.
Episode Web Page With Show Notes
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We can all agree that your opening scenes are your only chance to capture your reader's attention. It's what hooks them into the story.
Your first scene and several scenes that follow are your story's setup.
The setup is essential to master. You have to be concise, deliberate, and selective with what you reveal and withhold. You don't want to give too much away too soon.
Your beginning scenes must accomplish several things simultaneously. And in this episode, I'm boiling it down to 4 essentials.
Episode Web Page with Show Notes
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Our stories can become so overrun with ideas, they run away from us.
Each idea leads to another and another until you’re lost in the vortex. There are stories within stories. Endless possibilities. So many directions the story can go.
And then writing your story feels like an insurmountable task.
In this episode, I’m giving you 5 questions to explore, so you can rein your ideas in with more clarity, focus, and control.Episode Web Page with Show Notes
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
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Most writers know how their characters need to change. They know what happens on the plot level. They know their character's struggles.
Often, though, the main character doesn't seem to change, even though the external events change dramatically. Other stories stay mainly in their character's interior without jumping into the fray of action.
Either way, the story can be static. The best stories blend both the inner and outer journey.
In this episode, we'll explore 3 approaches to help you integrate what happens on the plot level with your character's internal journey.
Episode Web Page
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
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There’s no shortage of writing advice. Especially in the online space. Google is not the best gatekeeper. And some FB groups are doling out conflicting advice, canned advice, bad advice. Writers hear the same advice so often, a lot of them have come to regard them as the only way to craft a story.
But these are often half baked ideas that are keeping you from moving forward. They’re taking you totally in the wrong direction. They’re myths.
Myths about plot and structure. Myths about how to create drama. And what it means to write beautiful sentences.
Myths that are taking you way off course. It’s either the wrong approach, or it just doesn’t go deep enough.
In this throwback episode from Season 3, I’m debunking 4 common myths about story writing, and I’ll give you different approaches to apply to your pages.
Episode Website
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Why do readers read? Is it just for entertainment? To escape everyday life? Or is there a deeper need?
What is it about story that keeps us captivated from beginning to end?
It helps to understand why stories are so impactful and precisely what readers are hungry for when they turn to a book.
In this throwback episode from Season 3, we're going into the mind of your reader, and what they want when they turn to your story.
We'll explore what the reader is actually responding to when he forgets about the real world and gets entranced by the world on the page.
So you can use this intel to craft your story.
Episode Website
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Your first chapter matters.
It's what binds readers to your story. It makes them care. And when they care, they can't help but keep reading.
There's a lot riding on your first chapter. So you want to get this right.
Bore them with too much exposition, long forays into backstory, too many characters and superfluous details, and your reader will grow bored, overwhelmed, and will stop reading.
In this episode, I'm sharing 5 ways to nail your first chapter.
We'll cover how to:
- Resist the urge to tell readers too much too soon
- Write exposition that doesn't read like exposition
- Choose which characters to introduce, who to omit, and who to save for later
- How and when to use backstory and where to place it
- Shape your first chapter
- Embed conflict and narrative tension right from the start
Episode Website
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
When a story moves us, it’s not because of beautiful writing, or a strong voice – it’s not because of a great plot. All these things are important, but those things on their own don’t move us.
What makes a story unputdownable and unforgettable is that the reader goes on an emotional journey of his or her own.
They don’t just feel for your characters, they feel with your characters.
In this episode, I’m sharing 3 techniques to master emotions in your story. So you can move readers in a way that stays with them long after they finish your pages. A story they can’t stop thinking and talking about.
Episode Website
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Show, don't tell.
How many times have you heard this advice? You may understand the concept, but it's still not sinking in.
So, what's the difference between showing and telling? Should show don't tell be applied to every line and paragraph of a story? Are there times when it's better to tell?
When do you show? When do you tell? And how do you write it?
In this episode, I'm going to tease apart the difference between telling and showing, using examples that integrate both.
Episode Website
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
You want your characters' dialogue to sound natural, like real people talking. But what do you do when the dialogue just sounds mundane, forced, and dull?
Writing dialogue requires practice. And there are some ways to think about dialogue to help you write it better.
In this episode, learn 5 do's and don'ts of writing stronger, more absorbing dialogue.
Episode Website
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If I had to pick one thing that makes readers stop reading, it's the overcomplicated plot.
Both novice and experienced writers fall into this trap. They include too many characters, too many events, storylines, and extraneous details that don’t feel connected or integrated.
This makes it confusing and frustrating for you as you write and revise. And a slog for your readers to get through.
When you overcomplicate your plot, your story lacks internal consistency or logic. It lacks the unified effect that pulls the story together, and keeps readers engaged all the way through.
In this episode, I'm sharing some simple ways to uncomplicate your plot. So you can move through revision faster, and with more focus. And ultimately, create a deeper, more engaging story for your readers.
Episode Website
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
You want to bring more depth and complexity to your characters so that readers are interested and invested in what happens to them.
But how do you do that?In this episode, I’m sharing 3 ways to create deeper, more fascinating characters.
These are often things I see lacking in student manuscripts, especially those more focused on plot. Plot and character really can’t be separated. But before you plot, you need to know who your story is about, and what makes him or her tick.
Episode Website
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
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There's a lot of confusion about the difference between who's telling the story (first or third person), and point of view.
I'll see stories with no point of view, a watered down point of view, or a confused and unfocused point of view.
Who's narrating your story is not the point of view.
They're related. But they're separate elements that serve different purposes.
So in this episode, I'm going to tease apart narration from point of view. And then I'll share 3 key points to craft a strong point of view.
Episode Website
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
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What are plot points? And why do you need them?
In this episode, we’ll talk about 3 major plot points, the purpose of each, and where in your story to place them.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- What a plot point is
- The foundational elements you need before charting your plot points
- Your 3 Acts and what percentage of your story each act comprises
- Where each plot point happens in each of your three acts and how they move your story forward
Episode Website
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
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Ever wonder how to write your First Act?
In this episode, learn 3 core elements to structure - and nail- Act One of your story.
From your set-up, to your inciting incident, to your first plot point, you'll learn how these elements impact the rest of your story, and where to place each.
We'll cover:
- How long your first act should be
- How to set up your story so we know who and what your story's about
- What an inciting incident is, what a plot point is, and their purpose in story
- The difference between your inciting incident and first plot point, and where to place both
- How your first plot point establishes your character's dramatic need that will sustain the rest of your story
Episode Website
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
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How do you write an opening scene that hooks your reader? An opening so captivating, it compels readers to keep turning the page.
A great opening does multiple things to lure readers in.
In this episode, we'll focus on crafting an opening hook that keeps them reading.
We'll cover:
- A surefire technique for launching your story
- Provoking questions readers crave the answer to, and when to reveal the answers
- How to make an instant emotional connection between character and reader
- Using contradiction to create mystery and surprise
Episode Web Page
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
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New Year. Fresh start.
Maybe you’ve resolved that 2024 is going to be the year you’re going to finish your novel or memoir once and for all.
But what so often happens is 50 pages or 200 pages in, the writing gets hard and overwhelming.
Writers look at their pages and think it's rubbish. So they abandon the whole project. Or start a new story. Only to start the cycle all over again.
So, in this episode, I’m going to give you 4 tips to keep yourself invested in your story for the long game.Episode Web Page Also listen to: Episode 158: A Different Approach To Writing First Drafts
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
In this episode, we're going back to a beloved episode from 2022.
Writing is solitary. And if you’re anything like me, you like to dip into some inspiration from time to time for a creative boost or deeper insight into the craft.
So much of our progress depends on how we feel about the work.
So in this episode, I’m pulling from some of my favorite quotes and unwrapping them for the wisdom and creative fuel they offer on writing technique and the writing life.
Episode Web Page
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
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In one of the most downloaded episodes of 2023, we're tackling the one thing stopping writers from bringing their story to the finish line.
Fear.
Maybe you fear visibility, and the expectations and judgements you’ll open yourself up to.
Then there's fear of rejection. Even if you’re nowhere near ready to submit your story, it prevents you from finishing.
Maybe you're afraid of putting your book out there. You just keep wanting to do one read-through after another. It's never good enough.
Maybe your greatest fear is that you'll let yourself down.
In this episode, we're breaking down 4 common fears that may be keeping you stuck. Then we'll replace those fears with mindset shifts to get you unstuck. So you can shift your writing from dream to reality.
Also Listen To:Episode 108: 3 Things Published Authors Do Differently
Episode Website
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
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What is scene? What is summary?
In this episode, learn the crucial difference between them.
We'll explore the common ways writers get scene and summary wrong. And you'll get guidelines on how to balance both to enhance the pace of your story.
Episode Web Page
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts.
Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
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Looking for original gift ideas for writers? Want to add some to your own holiday wish list?
In this episode, I’m sharing 10 gifts ideas perfect for writers.Whether you want to find one or two of these under your Christmas tree, or want to gift your favorite writing buddy, you’re sure to find something special in this episode.
You'll find all 10 gifts, along with links to purchase by clicking here on the episode's show notes.
Episode Web Page
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Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
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Overthinking your plot with beats and pinch points? Plot doesn't need to be complex or over-thought to capture your reader. In fact, when your plot is too complicated, it's likely to confuse and disengage your reader.
In this episode, learn how to simplify your plot using 4 core elements.
You'll learn:
- What plot is, and how it differs from structure
- 5 common ways plots go off the rails
- How to translate character desire into a tangible goal
- What meaningful conflict is and how to let it escalate
- The link between character goals and consequences
Episode Web Page
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts.
Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
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How do you turn good writing into great writing?
With stories that engage, thrill, and surprise your reader.
That create drama right on the sentence level.
How do you keep readers hooked moment by moment?
In this episode, I’m giving 3 little known techniques toturn good writing into great writing.
These are techniques I learned from my graduate writing teachers - techniques you likely haven't heard of...
Until now.
This episode will transform the way you write, and will give your story an edge.
Episode Web Page
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts.
Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
What do you do when you want to write, but don't think you have anything to say? Or you do have something to say, but don't know how to say it.
In this episode, I'll give you 3 powerful writing exercises to help you find your way into your story.
These exercises will help unearth material you can open up and use in your fiction or memoir.
Use them to start a story, warm up, or get unstuck.
Episode Web Page
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts.
Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
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How do you keep writing when you don’t have the motivation to keep going?
How do you recapture the excitement you had when you first started?In this episode, **you'll get my 3 top strategies for getting your writing back on track with renewed motivation.
You'll learn:**
- The natural cycle of creativity
- Why the struggle is necessary
- How to take a rest from the work without taking a rest from your commitment to your work
- What to do when you're paralyzed by self doubt
Episode Web Page
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts.
Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
It’s November, also known as National Novel Writing Month.
NaNoWriMo can be a great jumpstart to a writing project, or to make progress on an existing project. It can help instill a regular writing routine, along with community and support.
But too often writers will start something in NaNoWriMo and never finish. Because after the initial inspiration fades, they lose momentum and drive.
In this episode, I’ll give you some guidelines to get the most out of your work in progress. And if you’re participating in NaNoWriMo, I’ll tell you how to get the most progress in the next 24 days and beyond.
Episode Web Page
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts.
Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
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Having a large cast of characters can overwhelm your readers, especially if the characters are introduced all at once, too many characters crowd a scene, their roles are too similar or just not clear.
Readers will struggle to keep track of who’s who, and who they should be paying attention to. This can hinder their engagement with your story.
So you want to carefully consider the necessity of each character.Not every character needs the same amount of depth and range. But you want to make sure that every character, no matter how minor, contributes to the overall narrative in a meaningful way.
In this episode, I’m breaking down three types of characters you’ll likely have in your story: major characters, minor characters, and functional characters. You'll learn how to give each of these characters a clear story purpose.
Episode Web Page
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Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
How do you write stronger, more structured scenes that excite you and captivate your reader?
Each scene is a microcosm of the whole story. It creates an emotional connection to your reader.
But when scenes lack structure and focus, readers don't know what to pay attention to. And they're not much fun for you to write.
It's all comes down to framing each scene.
In this episode, learn 5 ways to craft stronger, more structured scenes that guide readers seamlessly through your story.
These will make your scenes easier and more fun to write, and exciting to read.
Episode Web Page
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts.
Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
How do you balance character development with the advancement of your plot? How can you develop characters to even execute your plot, unless you first start out with a plot?
The answer is, both character and plot are developed in tandem.
Every story, whether it's a thriller, a fantasy, realistic, literary, mystery, or science fiction, is in some way about the private inner life of characters. So there's going to be some central, evolving concern, or problem that your character must deal with. And the story is about is the actions, the suffering, the pain, the missteps, and the victories of the characters.
In other words, character and plot are bound together. You can't really work on them separately.
So in this episode, I'll give you 5 checkpoints to help you develop both character and plot.
Episode Show Notes
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Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
When we write about what happened, we’re tempted to be bound by what actually occurred. But our memories are not recordings that can be verified. Memory is a construct of the imagination. It’s not reliable.
Memory is altered by the life we’ve lived since. By the life your character has lived since.
What a character tells from memory is altered by the present.
In this episode, you’ll get a guide to writing retrospective narrators. We’ll talk about the two voices to bring to your retrospective story, and 4 questions to help you shape your character’s depth of view.
Episode Web Page
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts.
Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
The interpersonal dynamics between characters are an essential part of character and plot development.
Drama involves people who interact with and influence others, and who ultimately change as a result.
In this episode, I’m going to give you 4 ways to think about your characters' relationships so they’re captivating and memorable.
You'll also learn how to introduce multiple characters and make minor characters more relevant.
Episode Web Page
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Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Dialogue is one of the trickiest elements to master.
It’s not a complete rendering of the way humans really speak.
It’s shaped, concise, sharp, and concentrated. It’s an approximation of real life conversation. We want it to sound real. But without all the boring, tedious, insignificant parts.
In this episode, learn 5 writing exercises to help you master dialogue.
Download your free worksheet with all 5 dialogue exercises by clicking here.
Episode Web Page
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Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
How do you write first drafts? Do you outline first and then write the story following that outline? What if outlining just isn't your jam?
In this episode, you'll learn a different approach to writing first drafts. And it doesn't require starting with an outline.
We'll generate material first. Outline second. This method isn't just for first drafts. It works at any stage of the drafting process.
Episode Web Page
Not sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
There are many ways these days to earn money writing. And if you enjoy tinkering with words, these 5 will help you earn cash while giving you the time freedom to devote to your novel, memoir, or story collection. All while sharpening your skills as a wordsmith.
In this episode we'll cover:
- Copywriting
- Feature Writing
- Email Marketing
- Social Media
- Writing Contests
Episode Webpage
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We want our readers to feel our character’s pain, their joy, and everything in between. But one of the quickest ways to sever the reader’s emotional connection is to be overly direct about how our character feels. In this encore episode of Writer Unleashed, we’ll break down 4 ways to evoke an emotional response in readers.
We'll explore
- The biology of emotion.
- How to blast through the reader’s intellect to his most primitive emotions.
- How to avoid emotional cliches.
- The power of juxtaposition.
- The Think Large, Write Small approach to writing for emotional impact.
- How to recreate your character’s experience to transfer emotion directly to your reader.
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Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.
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In this encore episode, we talk about common plot problems that plague first-time novelists, and how to solve them.
Common problems include:
- Too much action, or not enough;
- An overly complicated plot;
- No logical cause and effect; and
- An ending that doesn’t culminate in a way that feels simultaneously surprising and inevitable.
You’ll learn techniques to help you fix or avoid these problems completely.
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts.
Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
An image paints a picture for readers, giving them a sensory experience.
Some images are just meant to be descriptive. They're not insignificant. Nothing in story is. But they don't carry any particular figurative meaning. Not every image needs to be symbolic.
But some images carry more emotional weight. They represent the meaning of your story. They're woven into the fabric of your story, and remind your reader what your story's about.
In this episode, we'll talk about how to locate a central image and create a pattern with it throughout your story, allowing it to gather meaning and emotional weight with each repetition.
This can amplify your story's theme and meaning. And even help you organize and shape your material.
Episode Website
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You've just received your 10th agent rejection. Or the story that's so vivid in you mind just isn't translating onto the page. Maybe you're stuck in the murky middle and can't see your way out of it.
How do you push through?
In this episode, you'll reframe your relationship to failure, glean the lessons from setbacks, and ultimately, write a better story.
Episode Website
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Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Should you self publish? Or traditionally publish?
In this episode, we'll weigh the pros and cons of both. So you can make an informed decision on which publishing path is right for you.
We'll cover:
- What steps to expect as a traditional author
- How much time it takes to bring a self-published book vs. a traditionally published book to market
- Upfront costs self publishers shouldn't ignore
- Royalties (and why marketing and distribution are key to sales)
- A side by side comparison of income potential for traditional and self published authors
So, whether you're on the fence between self publishing and traditional publishing, or you've already decided which path to take and want some tips and pointers, you won't want to miss this episode.
Episode Website
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts.
Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
The mark of a great story is specificity. And to make your writing pop, you want to bring concrete details into the scene.
In last week's episode, we talked about setting a scene in a particular place. And each particular place - whether it's a room, a yard, or an alley - will have objects.
In this episode, we're going to talk about objects to give your story more muscularity and vividness.
We'll explore 3 different types of objects and the various purposes each play in a scene, and in the story as a whole. And I'll give you examples of each.
Episode Website
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In story, setting is an essential yet often under-used element.
Setting allows for the interaction between characters and their environment, weaving together a vivid world.
In this episode, I’ll share 4 ways to bring vivid, multi-dimensional settings to your scenes.
We’ll explore how setting influences character development and gives the reader an immersive experience. So that the setting doesn’t serve as mere backdrop, but transports readers into the world of your story.
Episode Website
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What undermines an otherwise compelling story? Poorly written scenes.
So, how can you write more captivating, impactful and structured scenes?
In this episode, you'll learn 5 essential elements that make a scene, along with an example to illustrate.
We'll cover:
- What a scene is (and what it's not)
- The difference between scenes and chapters, and why I recommend writing in scenes first
- Different types of action that give a scene immediacy
- How setting each scene's intention will create tension and raise the stakes
- The withhold and reveal technique to keeping your reader anticipating each and every scene
Episode Website
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How do you write dialogue that doesn’t feel artificial, cliche or dull?
How do you use dialogue to create character depth, subtlety and originality? Conversation that’s not over the top dramatic or overly direct, and yet absolutely riveting.
In today’s episode, we’ll go over 3 questions to guide you in writing dialogue that has readers hanging on every word.
We'll cover:
- Why using dialogue to advance your plot is the wrong approach
- Why what'snot being said is just as important as what is being said
- The secret to creating tension and suspense through dialogue
- How to find the story in each piece of dialogue
Episode Website
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Paralyzed by uncertainty during the writing process? In this episode, learn why uncertainty is every great writer's secret weapon. You'll learn why uncertainty is vital to the creative process, and how to court, even intensify uncertainty to write your most riveting work.
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
How do you give your characters a distinct, unmistakable voice?
What people say and how they say it is a big part of character development. And each character has a unique way of speaking, thinking, and interacting.
In this episode, we'll go over 5 ways to bring your characters' voices to life. To make them distinct, magnetic, believable, and memorable.
These elements help bring authenticity and depth to your characters by reflecting their cultural backgrounds, age, experiences, and the places in which they live.
Episode Website
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In this episode, you're going to go beneath the surface of your characters. We'll go 4 levels deep, starting on the surface, and moving a level deeper until we get to your character's truest self. The self he's trying so hard to hide, suppress, and protect.
This will bring multi-dimension, complexity, and believability to your characters. Even if your reader doesn't relate to your character's external situation, or their particular plot problems, they will connect in every way to their human dilemma.
This is especially valuable for your protagonist. But it's equally valuable for your antagonist, and other main characters.
These are emotional layers your characters are constantly negotiating as they move through your plot.
And you, as author, need to know your characters more than they know themselves.
Episode Website
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What exactly is writer's voice?
How do you access yours, and how do you express it on the page?
In this episode, I'll give you 4 ways to give your voice more presence and purpose in your stories.
We'll talk about:
- What we mean by writer's voice
- The difference between character voice and writer's voice
- Common ways writers struggle with and silence their voice, and
- 4 tips and exercises to help your voice emerge and deepen
Episode Website
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You’ve just finished the first draft of your novel, memoir or short story, and now you're seeking beta readers.
A beta reader is a test reader or a group of test readers of your unpublished work. Ideally, your beta reader gives feedback from the point of view of an average reader.
But how do you go about finding them? What should you look for? What should you avoid? And what are some tips to get the most valuable feedback from your test audience?
In this episode, I'm answering all your questions about beta readers.
And I'll help you get specific feedback from your beta readers with a free, brand new checklist: Is It Done? A Must-Have Revision Checklist.
Episode Website
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Now that summer's officially here, and with Writer Unleashed reaching it's 3rd year of being on the airwaves, I've done a retrospective of past episodes.
And I've curated 7 of the most popular episodes from the past year - everything from how to express character emotion, to how to avoid common plot problems, to story structure, to how to approach your craft like a published author.
Think of this as your summer writing playlist.
Episode 100: 5 Common Plot Problems You Can Avoid
Episode 107: How To Write A Short Story In 3 Easy Steps
Episode 108: 3 Things Published Authors Do Differently
Episode 110: 3 Powerful Ways To Show Character Emotion
Episode 118: Before You Outline: 3 Core Foundations To Build First
Episode124: How To Hook Readers In Your Opening Paragraph
Episode 128: 3 Mindset Shifts To Make Your Writing Dream A Reality
Episode Website
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Description can enrich your story with layers of atmosphere and authenticity that drops the reader inside the world of your story.
But sometimes writers assume that in order to create a world for the reader to inhabit, they must pile on loads of details.
You may be writing fantasy, or historical fiction, where the setting is unfamiliar or foreign to the reader. So, description is necessary. But how much description is the right amount?
When does it become overwhelming to the reader?
Too much description, especially when it's wasteful, can bog readers down and make them confused about what what they should pay attention to, and what's mere ornamentation.
If you don't select what goes into your description, it will strike the reader as arbitrary or gratuitous.
So, the question is...
What goes into your descriptions? And what stays out?
What's the criteria?In this episode, I'm going to give you four criteria to help you write dazzling descriptions that create vivid, lasting impressions on readers.
Episode Website
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Writers often think they're writing in scene when they're actually writing in summary. So, what is summary? What is scene? And when do you write in one vs. the other?
In this episode, I'll break down the crucial difference between scene and summary, and when to write in one or the other.
Learn what moments to reserve for scene and how to blend in summary to enhance your story.
Episode Website
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How do mothers balance writing with parenthood? Whether you're a mom of young children, or a single parent holding down a full time job and a full brood, carving out space to write can feel challenging, if not impossible.
This episode is a love note to mothers. I'll share my story, along with what I've learned along the way about how to honor the urge to create while being totally present for our kids.
We'll cover how to make time, set the conditions to make your writing happen, and how to ask for support.
Episode Website
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Whatever stage of the writing process you're in, whether you have a finished first draft, or a work in progress... you may be thinking of hiring an editor.
But what does an editor actually do?
And at what stage do you hire one?
In today's episode, I'm breaking down 3 different types of editors to help you decide what's best for you at whatever stage of development you're at.
Episode Website
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What's an inciting incident, and why does your story need one?
In this episode, learn what an inciting incident is, and two types that set your story in motion.
We’ll also talk about where in your story to place it, and how to craft your inciting incident to hook your reader.
Episode Website
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Present tense or past tense? How do you decide?
What are the advantages of present tense, and when is past tense a better option?
In this episode, I’m going to explore the pros and cons of present tense. We'll explore techniques that are much easier to achieve with past tense.
And if the present is your tense of choice, I'll outline 4 limitations to be aware of, so you can overcome them.
Episode Website
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One of the most important decisions you’re going to make about your story is its point of view.
Point of view is also one of the more complex story structures to master. How do you show what's in other characters' minds when writing in first person, or limited 3rd?
And what about omniscience?
In this episode, I'm going to give you a different understanding of point of view that you probably haven't heard before. You'll learn to control it more, and take advantage of the range available to you whether you're writing in first person, third person limited, or third person omniscient.
You'll learn:
- the primary purpose of point of view;
- why focusing on which person you write in is limiting your story's point of view, and what to focus on instead;
- what we mean by omniscience (and why it's not the sole province of third person narrators) and;
- how to bring a third person narrator more deeply into the mind of your characters
Episode Website
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A common challenge many writers face is gaining clarity on the story they’re writing and conveying it to readers in a way that compels them to keep reading.
Often, there are too many competing story-lines that don't feel integrated. Too many characters whose relevance isn't clear. And then there are random events that don't have a clear story connection.
The story meanders without a point.
This makes the story hard for a reader to follow.
So, the challenge is to nail down who your story's about, what problem your character is trying to solve, what incident catapults him or her into action, and how he or she goes about solving their story problem.
It's a pretty straightforward framework. And there are 5 parts to it, which we'll break down in today's episode.
So, if you're having trouble finishing your story, if you're getting stalled in the middle, or overwhelmed and lost in your own material, this episode is for you.
Episode Website
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Does your story need a prologue? Will it hurt your story? Should you remove or rewrite the one you’ve already written?
And how do you write a riveting prologue that gives just enough information so we can absorb the rest of your story?
Some writers resist writing prologues. They think it's an industry no no.
Other writers think it's a requirement.
But a common mistake with prologues is writing one which has no substantial relationship to the global story.
Which is why publishers dismiss the manuscript without turning the page. That's what makes a prologue a no no. Not the prologue, but the execution of it.
Hate them or love them, prologues are sometimes necessary to help readers navigate and enjoy your novel.
This episode will help you decide if your story could benefit from a prologue. You'll learn 4 types of prologues and what makes them work. And then you'll get tips for writing a winning prologue.
Episode Website
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How do you write flashback without overwhelming or interrupting your forward moving story?
Can you have too many flashbacks?
Is it bad to write a flashback in the first chapter?
How do you switch between flashback and present time?
In this episode, I'm answering these questions and more.
We'll talk about the difference between flashback and backstory. Then we'll talk about some do's and don'ts when writing effective, resonanting flashback.
Episode Website
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How do you make your story’s dialogue more realistic without writing too much dialogue? Or extraneous pass the meat and potatoes dialogue?
How do you avoid having the dialogue sound stiff or cliche? How do you write dialogue that sounds natural and riveting?
Dialogue is one of the trickiest things to master. And it does take practice.
So in today’s episode, I'm flagging 3 common missteps writers make with dialogue, with easy fixes for each.
Episode Website
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There's an implicit, central dramatic question driving every compelling story.
Will Santiago catch a fish? (The Old Man and The Sea)
Will Clarice Starling catch Buffalo Bill? (Silence of the Lambs)
Did Kya kill Chase? (Where The Crawdads Sing)
The trick is drilling down to the essential question your story asks. Because that's what's urging your reader through to the end.
In this episode, you'll answer 3 questions to help your drill down to your story's central dramatic question. So grab a pen and paper, and let's do this together.
Episode Website
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What should your first chapter do? What does it need to accomplish? And what are common ways writers get their first chapter wrong?
In this episode, we'll talk about the primary aims of your first chapter, 5 common mistakes you may be making, and what to do instead.
We'll cover:
- What to do with all that back fill;
- Surprising ways to bring more action into your first chapter while building intensity;
- How to avoid overloading your first chapter with insignificant details;
- How to establish a strong, identifiable point of view, and;
- Why giving away too much of your plot is deflating the readers' urge to know more, and how to keep them curious.
Episode Website
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What's the one thing stopping writers from bringing their story to the finish line?
Fear.
Maybe you fear visibility and the expectations and judgements you’ll open yourself up to.
Then there's the fear of rejection. Even if you’re nowhere near ready to submit your story, it weighs on your mind and prevents you from finishing.
The idea that after doing all that work, you might face rejection, is stifling. How do you get past that?
Maybe you're afraid of putting your book out there. You just keep wanting to do one read-through after another. It's never good enough.
Maybe your greatest fear is that you'll let yourself down.
In today's episode, we're breaking down 4 common fears that may be keeping you stuck. Then we'll replace those fears with mindset shifts to get you unstuck. So you can shift your writing from dream to reality.
Also Listen To:Episode 108: 3 Things Published Authors Do Differently
Episode Website
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In this episode, I'm sharing takeaway ideas on the writing craft from 6 Writer Unleashed episodes.
I'll share:
- how to inject conflict and surprise in your opening sentence;
- the difference between plot and story, and how to integrate both;
- why desire is the engine of your plot;
- show vs. tell, and what to show;
- what backstory you need to know vs. what your reader needs to know, and;
- how to connect emotionally with your main character.
Quick Links to Episodes:
Episode 73: Beyond The First Draft: 5 Storytelling Techniques For Better Structure
Episode 87: Four Writing Myths Holding You Back
Episode 90: Four Ways to Master Show, Don’t Tell
Episode 50: How Much Backstory Does Your Reader Really Need To Know?
Episode 89: What Plotters and Pansters Both Get Wrong About Story
Episode 109: Your Top 5 Character Questions Answered
Episode Website
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When it comes to writing memoir, or even autobiographical fiction, writers often stay awake at night worrying about the possibility of being sued.
Writing about facts and events of our own lives will inevitably require writing about the private lives of others who were part of our journey. These are often stories about addiction, abuse, homelessness, or just plain dysfunction. And real people are intertwined with that story. But writers often feel restricted in writing the truth about their story when it involves other people because, what if they sue?
In this episode, we'll go over 2 main legal issues to be aware of, and 5 things you can do to avoid litigation.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Every story since the beginning of time has involved conflict.
Somebody wants something, goes out to get it, and has trouble getting it. That’s what story is in a nutshell.
Conflict is essential because it creates narrative tension that keeps your readers invested.
But conflict is not just on the plot level.
Every scene is a reconstruction of the main conflict. Each scene will contain some adversarial relationship as your character goes after the thing he or she wants.
So, to keep readers engaged, you'll want to bring some element of conflict to each scene.
But it doesn't have to be epic or high drama. Conflict is not always a fight or a battle.
Even an ordinary exchange can contain conflict. It can be subtle, complex, big or small.
In this episode, learn how to bring conflict to every scene in your story.
We'll cover:
- What we mean by conflict and why high drama does not equal dramatic;
- 3 common mistakes writers make with conflict;
- 5 different types of antagonists, and;
- How to mine story conflict, both big and small, from your everyday life.
Also listen to:Episode 112: 3 Tips For Writing Dynamic Dialogue
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
How do you write a great introduction for your story? An opening that draws a reader in, establishes the voice of your main character, and whets your reader’s appetite for more?
Whether it’s an agent, publisher, or the person browsing Barnes and Noble, readers will likely make the decision to keep reading based on your opening paragraph.
So, you want to make that initial introduction as enticing as possible.Something the reader hooks into that refuses to let him or her go.
In this episode, learn 4 types of story openings that capture readers' attention and have them wanting more.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
How do you take an idea from its nebulous beginnings and turn it into a story?
You may have a feeling about what you want to write, but you don't know where to start. Or, you've already started writing something, but you can't keep it going. Maybe you have an outline, but you're having a hard time getting the words initially on the page.
In this episode, learn a 2-step process for generating and developing writing that's meaningful to you. We'll talk about how to take your raw material, and start to find the focus and structure within it. So you can eventually see the shape of your story, and produce a finished, powerful piece of writing.
This method is ideal for writers who want to write, but don't know how or where to begin. It's for writers who have a constant flow of ideas, but who have trouble harnessing those ideas into a focused, finished story. It's also for writers who want to breathe fresh life into their outline or work-in-progress.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
It's a new year. Fresh start. Clean slate.
So, let's talk about promises we make to ourselves.
Write more consistently.
Finish the book.
Publish the book.
Sell x amount of copies.Maybe you just want to start writing the story that's been in your head for the longest time.
But how do we keep the fire burning so we achieve those goals, or even surpass them?
In this episode, we'll talk about why most resolutions fizzle out within a couple of months, what's missing from most goals, and a three-pronged approach to making goals stick.
We'll also cover:
- Why focusing on the outcome may be holding you back, and what to focus on instead;
- Underlying fears that can sabotage writers and how to move past them, and;
- How to make both internal and external changes that keep your writing moving forward for the long term.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
First-person is a highly versatile point of view. And there's always an implied audience. In today's episode, we'll explore 3 varieties of first-person narration, with a focus on **who the first-person character is addressing.
We'll cover:**
- Interior Monologue;
- Dramatic Monologue, and;
- Subjective First-Person
We’ll also cover what makes a first-person narrator more unreliable than third-person, and why unreliable narrators are irresistible to readers.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
For many writers, first-person narration comes naturally. And for memoir writers, it's the only choice.
First-person has some advantages over third person.
But it comes with unique challenges.
In this episode, we'll cover the pros of first-person, 5 common challenges, and how to overcome them. So you can capture the full range available to you with first-person.
We'll cover how to:
- Create a strong, distinct character voice that sustains your story;
- Avoid the overuse of I; I saw, I heard, I smelled, I tasted, etc.
- Go beyond the limitations of your first-person perspective;
- Describe your first-person's appearance or home without being awkward, and;
- Get out of your character's head and into the world of the real.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
In last week’s episode, we talked about 3 foundational elements to explore before you outline.
And in this episode, we’re going to start building that outline. I’m going to walk you through six steps I learned from Philip Gerard.
This method leaves plenty of room for invention and surprise.
Think of it as a living outline, one you can adjust as you write and revise. And a great touch point whenever you're stuck.
If you haven’t listened to last week’s episode, 118: Before You Outline: 3 Core Foundations To Build First, go have a listen. Then come back here and go through the six steps I’m about to walk you through.
An outline is ultimately a tool to help guide you through the murky and overwhelming process of storytelling.
It’s a way of thinking your way through your story. It helps you stay on track, but it’s flexible.
This outline will help you do some careful thought about your story so you arrive at something that holds surprise, mystery, and beauty.
An outline that grows with you and your story.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
When it comes to structuring your story, there's no one-size-fits-all. Some writers wing it all the way, others craft meticulous outlines before they write. Both can produce stunning results.
But what's often missing in the I'll just wing it approach, and even in the most detailed outlines, are essential foundations that make a story work.
In this episode, we'll explore 3 foundational elements to explore before you outline.
If you're a panster, you'll love the exploratory nature of these foundations. And if you're a plotter, you'll build a deeper, richer, stronger outline.
In this episode, you'll;
- Focus and expand your story idea
- Land your setting, and;
- Get to know your main cast of characters' desires, beliefs, and fears.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
How do we take our characters from their sketchy beginnings and make them come alive?
How do we make them convincing?
All writers struggle to make characters believable.
But much of what readers come to know about a character isn’t stated explicitly. It's submerged in the way a character speaks, moves, thinks, and behaves.
It's beneath the surface.
The challenge is conveying all that's beneath the surface to your readers.
In this episode, learn 3 ways to write convincing characters.
We'll cover:
- How to tap into your emotions to create believable characters;
- Why you don't have to experience what your characters are experiencing in order to write about it;
- How characters are revealed in relation to one another, and why creating situations that bring characters together is a more organic way to think about plot, and;
- Why revision is essential to creating characters readers believe in.
Episode Web Page
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Great stories often start with a trigger. One persistent image, a childhood memory, a family story, or a phone conversation you overhear on the train ride to work.
In this episode, we’ll explore story triggers: what they are, where they come, how to tap into your own triggers, and select which ones are worthy of expanding into a story.
You'll learn about the triggers that gave rise to stories and novels by Hemingway, John Fowles, Joan Didion, and Joyce Carol Oates.
And you'll get exercises to help you spark your own powerful stories.
Episode Website
Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
How do you bring a textured, multi-dimensional sense of place to your story?
And why is it important?
Well, just as plot isn't separate from character, neither is place.
Place defines, reveals, and in many ways creates who we are. It's an extension of your characters, and can reflect your story's central conflict and theme.
In this episode, we'll explore 5 questions to bring depth, texture, and a more vivid place for your readers to inhabit. And a powerful way to depict character.
Grab a pen!
Episode Website
Stop getting stuck in the middle of your draft. Download this FREE 3-Act Worksheet.
Among all the POVs, 3rd person is arguably the most confusing.
Let's say you're writing in limited third from your main character's POV, and there are points in the story where other characters do things your MC doesn't yet know, but need to be explained for the reader to understand what's happening. How do you do that in limited 3rd?
Are you allowed to change POV in the same chapter? Is this 3rd person omniscient? Or is it head hopping? What's the difference between head hopping and 3rd person omniscient?
In this episode, I'm answering these questions and more.
You'll learn:
- The primary purpose of POV;
- The difference between person and POV;
- The 3 main categories of 3rd person and how to use them;
- Common misconceptions about Omniscience, plus 4 tips to write it better; and
- A simpler way to craft POV, whether writing in omniscient, limited, or objective 3rd person.
By the end of this episode, you'll know how to take fuller advantage of the range, depth, and angles of perception available to you in 3rd person .
Episode Website
Stop getting stuck in the middle of your draft. Download this FREE 3-Act Worksheet.
How much exposition is too much? Should you begin your story with exposition? And how do you write exposition in a way that isn’t excessive, awkward, or dull?
In today’s episode, we'll talk about how to write exposition in a way that doesn’t sound like exposition.
We'll cover:
- What exposition is, and why it's essential;
- Why it's not necessary to begin your story with exposition;
- Two different types of exposition; and
- How to slip exposition into the action so the reader isn't aware it's even there.
Episode Website
Stop getting stuck in the middle of your draft. Download this FREE 3-Act Worksheet.
Dialogue between characters is one of those things writers struggle mightily with.
You want the dialogue to sound like real life, but when you try to make it sound like a real conversation, it just sounds boring and fake.
Maybe it's the back and forth, the quotation marks, or that it just doesn't sound right..... but dialogue can be exhausting and futile to write.
Is there an easy way to do it?
The answer is Yes.
In this episode I have 3 techniques to make your dialogue more realistic, dynamic, and compelling to read.
Episode Website
Stop getting stuck in the middle of your draft. Download this FREE 3-Act Worksheet.
Each scene is your story in miniature, a story unto itself.
And each follows the same 3 - Act structure.
So, in this episode, you'll learn the story arc of a scene.
We'll explore:
⇒ What information to get into your scene 's Act 1 set up, and how previous scenes prepare the reader for what will unfold.
⇒ How to bring direct conflict and crisis into your scene's Act 2; and
⇒ How to land your scene with a resolution in Act 3.
Episode Website
Stop getting stuck in the middle of your draft. Download this FREE 3-Act Worksheet.
In story, you should always be building emotions.
But it’s challenging to get big emotions like grief, love, fear, and anger on the page. Many writers exaggerate character emotion, turn to cliches, or don't convey enough emotion.
The trick is not to tell us how your character feels, but to evoke emotion in your reader.
We want readers to feel with our characters.
But how do you do that?
In this episode, learn 3 powerful ways to show character emotion in a way that transmits directly to your reader. Because that's the whole point.
Episode Website
Stop getting stuck in the middle of your draft. Download this FREE 3-Act Worksheet.
You asked, I answered.
In this episode, I’m answering 5 questions I hear over and over about character development.
Questions like:
- What makes a strong, memorable character?
- How do I give my character more depth?
- How can I make readers care for my characters?
- How do you decide whether or not to eliminate a character from a story?
- What is the proper way to write my character's thoughts?
These are smart questions. Because character is the heartbeat of your story. It’s what drives your plot, and gives meaning to everything that’s happening. When you know your character inside and out, it makes all your other story decisions so much easier.
So, grab your pen and paper. And download this episode so you can easily access it.
Episode Web Page
What separates published authors from aspiring authors? Do they have more talent? More time?
Nope.
They just approach writing with a different mental construct.
**In this episode, you'll learn 3 things published authors do differently.
We'll cover:**
- Why talent isn't enough, and what you need to cultivate instead;
- 3 mistakes aspiring writers make that eventually stop them in their tracks;
- Why seeking qualified feedback is essential, and two ways to ensure you get the best feedback;
- How to choose which feedback is relevant. Remember, it's your story, so you're the best arbiter of you're own work; and
- How to set clear, achievable goals to bring your manuscript to the finish line.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
What makes short stories different from novels? Aside from the obvious difference in length?
And what can novelists learn from short stories?
In this episode, I'm breaking down 3 structural elements of short stories, along with an example of how it's done.
If you're writing short stories, you'll learn how to organize and shape your material.
And if you're writing a novel or memoir, you're going to get tons of value from this, too.
Because we'll be talking about how to articulate and build conflict as an organizing structure.
This will help you shape chapters and scenes. Most important, this episode will help you learn the economy of language. So you can write any story with more elegance, shape, and potency.
Whether you aspire to write short stories or novels, you'll learn how to use repetition and variation to amplify your story’s conflict and theme.
Episode Web Page
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Now that summer's officially over and we're on the cusp of Fall, what better time to rekindle or start a consistent writing practice?
Call it a habit, routine, or ritual, but it's all about creating an ongoing and thriving relationship with your writing. The value of consistent practice is cumulative. You create space in your life to deepen your craft, expand your skills, and navigate challenges.
In this episode, you'll learn how to:
- Harness your peak times to create and schedule focused time to write;
- Start seeing opportunities instead of obstacles;
- Manage expectations and honor the progress you're making; and
- Find meaning and purpose in your writing practice so you can go the distance, even if you don't write every day.
Episode Webpage
There comes a time when the story we're writing just isn't coming together as we envisioned. Writing's become too overwhelming and complicated. So, we're tempted to quit. Quit the story. Or quit writing altogether.
But just because you're coming up against obstacles and setbacks, even if they feel insurmountable, that's no reason to quit.
In fact, that's the worst time to quit.
In this episode, we'll talk about what to do when you hit what Seth Godin calls, the dip.
I'll give you 4 questions to ask yourself before you abandon ship. And I'll help you decide what you should quit so you can go on to write an exceptional story.
Episode WebPage
As summer begins its exit, and Fall approaches, I curated 5 episodes to refresh your writing.
These are some of the most downloaded episodes. You'll get everything from plot and character development, show vs. tell, how to select story details, and how to stay motivated.
Think of this as your end of summer playlist.
Episode Web Page
What's the difference between biography, autobiography, memoir, the immersion story, and personal essay?
In this episode, you'll learn about the possibilities available to you in the creative non-fiction genre. You'll get clear on what makes these forms alike and different, and what elements you need to be aware of when writing one or the other.
You'll learn:
- The similarities between creative non-fiction and fiction;
- The difference between autobiography and memoir;
- What literary journalism is, and how the author is the protagonist in the story;
- The two voices essential to memoir; and
- The distinction between memoir and personal essay.
Episode Web Page
Rate, Review, and Follow on Apple Podcasts.
“I love Writer Unleashed!” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show. This helps me support more writers — just like you —to bring the story burning in their imagination onto the page. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
How do you write the bad guy?
The villain. The antagonist. The one who makes life difficult for your protagonist?
How do you make this person believable and fascinating? Not just a stock cartoon character nobody believes in or cares about?
One of the biggest pitfalls when writing villains -- aka, antagonists -- is over simplifying them.
But your most troublesome character is just as important to develop as your protagonist. So you've got to get to know him or her as intimately as you know your main character.
That means, you know your antagonist's deepest desires, fears, worldview, and motives.
You want to explore who this person is as a human being.
In this episode, we're exploring 5 secrets about your antagonist you should know.
So that you can bring more texture, complexity and humanity to him or her. And make even the most evil villain fascinating to your reader.
Episode WebPage
Free Resource mentioned in this episode:
13 Questions to Deepen Your Character: Create Multi-Dimensional Characters Who Breathe On The Page and Defy Stereotype
Want to bring your manuscript closer to published, but don't want to drop thousands to hire an editor?
In this episode, you'll learn to edit your story yourself.
You'll get answers to common questions like:
*Do I edit as I go? Or do I edit after the manuscript is done?
How do I edit for coherence and continuity?*
Where do I begin?
In this episode, I’m going to give you a 4-step strategy for self-editing your story.
We’re going step by step.
From the big picture all the way down to the sentence level.
This 4-step strategy works at every stage of the drafting process.
You can use it with a finished manuscript. Or a work in progress.
Because this process will keep your story focused and on track.
You'll learn to evaluate:
- Story events as major actions, each with its own resolution;
- Chapters as self-contained, complete narrative units;
- Individual scenes and how they all fit in your overall story structure; and
- How to look at paragraphs and sentences for power and progression.
Episode Web Page
Also Listen To:
Episode 99: How to Nail Down Your Story In 3 Simple Sentences
Episode 98: Should You Hire An Editor?
Episode 68: How to Use Subplots to Amplify Your Novel
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Ever feel like no matter how much time you spend on your plot, your story’s just not coming together?
Maybe you're generally happy with your structure, but when you go to break down those story beats, all you find are a lot of plot holes.
And now you’re overthinking everything, wondering how your characters and scenes work within your plot.
In this episode I’m sharing 5 common plot problems and what you can do to fix them, or avoid them completely. This will help you know what’s relevant in your story, what you can cut, and what you can develop more deeply.
We’ll explore:
- How to define your central story problem from which every other event will spin;
- How to build and intensify your plot;
- The internal change your character is forced to make, and why she/him resists it;
- The missing causal factor that moves your plot forward, and;
- How to up the ante so that your ending feels simultaneously surprising and inevitable.
Episode Website
Also Listen To:
Episode 69: How to Create Plot Continuity With Character Thought
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
If I asked you what your story was about, could you sum it up in a few sentences and tell me all I need to know to want more?
Maybe you have too many ideas swimming around your head, and your story is running away from you.
Either way, you have a hazy, rambling idea about what your story is all about.
That's every story in its early stages.
So, in this episode, I want to invite you to do a little exercise in nailing down your story idea in 3 sentences.
You'll zero in on:
- Who your story's about, and what happens to set this person down a path she/he never saw coming;
- The trouble and complications that follow; and
- The payoff or promise the reader can expect by the end
Bottom line?
If you can drill your story down to a few clear, focused sentences, you can write a clear, focused story.
This 3-sentence framework will help you avoid bogging your story down with unnecessary digressions and clutter. You'll know what to keep in. And what to keep out.
This will make your first drafts easier to write. Your works in progress easier to revise. So you can build a story that's a great read.
Episode Website
Link mentioned in this episode:
Free 3-Act Worksheet
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
What does an editor do precisely? How do you choose an editor you can trust with your manuscript? How much do editors charge? And is hiring one worth the investment?
In this episode, I'm answering the most frequently asked questions I get about editors.
I'll demystify the editing process. So you can make an informed, prudent decision on whether to invest in an editor or not.
And you'll get an inside view on how to edit your own work.
We'll cover:
- The 3 phases of editing every book goes through.
- How much editors charge at each stage of the process.
- How to choose the best editor for you.
- How to offset editorial costs.
- When to hire an editor, and when to hold off.
Episode Webpage
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Episode 20: Four Ways Your Writing Group Is Holding You Back (and What To Look For In Your Next Writing Tribe)
- Fiverr
- Upwork
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
How do you tell the difference between genuinely bad writing and writing that's actually good... but you think it's bad because you're being over critical?
How do you manage not liking what you write because you know you can do better? And so you end up not writing anything.
What about when you want abandon your dreams of becoming an author because you re-read your work and you hate it all. And now you believe you're not good enough.
Well, that's the story you're telling yourself. And it ends today.
In this episode, I'm sharing how to evaluate your work with more objectivity and appreciation.
So you can get on with it.
You'll learn:
- Why we’re the worst judges of our own work
- Why perfection is the lowest standard there is
- The necessary gap between your vision and where your story is now
- The ship and learn approach to elevating your story
Episode Website
Link mentioned in this episode:
Episode 20: Four Ways Your Writing Group is Holding You Back (and What to Look For in Your Next Writing Tribe)
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Why do readers read? Is it just for entertainment? To escape everyday life? Or is there a deeper need?
What is it about story that keeps us captivated from beginning to end?
It helps to understand why stories are so impactful and precisely what readers are hungry for when they turn to a book.
In this episode we’re going to explore what your reader is actually responding to when he forgets about the real world and gets entranced by the world on the page. So you can use this intel to craft your story.
Writers are often instructed to hook readers in their opening paragraphs by planting questions in the reader's mind.
But how do you actually do that?
The best story beginnings hint, tease, and foreshadow what might happen by the final paragraph.
Why are these beginnings so effective?
**Because they give readers two things they crave:
Curiosity and Suspense.**
You can't craft an effective beginning without knowing where your story lands.
In this episode, we're breaking down 3 story openings to help you craft your opening with the end in mind.
Not sure sure how your story ends? No worries. I've got you covered there, too.
Episode Website
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Lots of writers believe you can't deeply develop character until you know what happens on the plot level.
But this is backwards.
Ultimately, what moves your story forward is your protagonist's reactions, choices, and actions.
Not the external events that activate those reactions.
Your plot doesn't just need structural coherence.
It needs emotional and psychological coherence.
Simply put, before you develop your plot, before you write your opening scene, you need to know who it affects and why.
In today's episode, we're breaking down 3 simple steps to deeper character development.
You'll learn:
- Two things driving your plot. Hint: It's not what happens.
- How to drill down your protagonist's desire to the specific and concrete.
- And how to unlock the unconscious drives that both fuel and thwart your protagonist.
Once you do these 3 steps, everything you include on the plot level will have meaning.
And your readers will know why it all matters.
Episode Website
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Call it your hero. Or your MC.
But all stories need one main protagonist. When we don’t know who your main character is, we have no one to root for.
Why is picking one character to focus on a good idea?
We need to know who we’re experiencing your story through. Your protagonist is the portal. It's how we hook into your story from the first page to the last.
In this episode, you'll learn why focusing on one character creates a richer experience for the reader, and an easier writing experience for you.
You'll learn what to do when you have multiple character viewpoints, co-protagonists, and other characters who have a stake in the action.
And I'll give you 3 questions to help you nail the main star of your story.
So grab a pencil and let's do this together.
Episode Website
Link mentioned in this episode:
Episode 89: What Plotters and Pantsers Both Get Wrong About Story
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Writer Unleashed is coming up on its 2-Year Anniversary!
So in the spirit of celebration, I'm giving you a 5-episode playlist to help you wherever you are in your writing process right now.
Narrowing down the list to just five was not easy breezy. I sifted through nearly 100 episodes, andI poured everything I've got into creating each and every one of them for you. But I drilled down to the ones that tackle some of the most common challenges throwing writers off their game, and I'm excited to share them with you.
If you’ve already listened to these in the past, go listen again. Because as you know, practicing your craft over and over is how you truly master writing. There are so many valuable tips and techniques that will help you dial in on everything from integrating character with plot, to crafting believable dialogue, to handling backstory, to crafting a stellar opening scene.
So, if you missed any of these, listen to them now.
Or listen again.
Episode 55: Is Your Story Plot Driven or Character Driven?
Episode 78: Five Elements of a Riveting First Scene
Episode 50: How Much Backstory Does Your Reader Really Need to Know?
Episode 52: The Number One Mistake Writers Make With Dialogue
Episode 26:Writing About Someone You Know - Is Your Story Worth It?
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
What does it take to make major breakthroughs in your writing consistently?
How do you put yourself into an optimal state of creativity every time you sit down to write?
When it comes to mastering your story, you need to be in a flow state. When you’re in flow, your creativity, your output, the quality of your writing is turbo-charged. You make more progress in half the time.
But flow isn't just something you just flow in and out of. You need to create the conditions for flow to happen.
Drawing on the latest research from Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal, you'll learn the 4 triggers that drive flow, and how to maximize them to get more quality writing done, time after time.
Episode Website
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Still not grasping the art of show, don't tell? That's because it's never fully explained. So writers show too little, or too soon, or they show poorly. Often, they don't show at all. In this episode, you'll ll get clear on what showing is, what telling is, and 4 effective ways to show like a pro.
Episode Website
Links mentioned in this episode:
Episode 69: How to Create Plot Continuity With Character Thought
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Plotters plot and pantsers wander. One approach isn't better than the other. They're just different impulses. But both are equally futile.
Pantsers can wander aimlessly ad infinitum, and plotters often focus only on plot at the outset. Which is why they still get stuck in the messy middle.
What both plotters and pantsers get wrong is how to bring story elements together to focus their material.
In today's episode, we'll break down 3 story elements that work together in concert to create a story: Desire, Theme, and Plot.
Episode Website
Links mentioned in this episode:
Episode 46: What Theme Is and Why It Matters
FREE 3-Act Worksheet
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
Many writers have fixed ideas about the best ways to write and finish a story. But they don’t work for every writer. And in many instances, they don’t even work for the writers who swear by them. So in this episode, I'm going to challenge 3 common rules I hear over and over, and give you a different perspective to try on.
Episode Website
Links mentioned in this episode:
Episode 11: How to Make Time to Write When You Have No Time
Splendid Spoon - Plant-based, feel-good food ready-to-eat meals
Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.
There’s no shortage of writing advice. Especially in the online space. Google is not the best gatekeeper. And some FB groups are doling out conflicting advice, canned advice, bad advice. Writers hear the same advice so often, a lot of them have come to regard them as the only way to craft a story.
But these are often half baked ideas that are keeping you from moving forward. They’re taking you totally in the wrong direction. They’re myths. Myths about plot and structure. Myths about how to create drama. And what it means to write beautiful sentences.
Myths that are taking you way off course. It’s either the wrong approach, or it just doesn’t go deep enough.
In this episode I’m debunking 4 common myths about story writing, and I’ll give you different approaches to apply to your pages.
Episode Website
Links mentioned in this episode:
Episode 1: Why Write What You Know is Bad Advice
FREE 3 Act Worksheet
We all hit a block at some point in the writing process, even the best of us. Accomplished writers know how to navigate that impasse, to notice when and why they're getting blocked, so that they can move through it. But so many writers get stuck there, and they can't move forward. In this episode, we'll explore five reasons you may be experiencing writer's block. And you'll learn some strategies to blast through it.
Episode Website
Links mentioned in this episode:
Episode 20: Four Ways Your Writing Group is Holding You Back (and What to Look For in Your Next Writing Tribe
Download Your FREE 9 Story Starters Here
Between careers, kids, and everything else life throws our way, sometimes we have to step back from our writing. Sometimes for months. Sometimes for years.
So, how do you get back to your writing after a long hiatus? In today’s episode, I'm sharing strategies I’ve used to get back into the writing zone after an extended break. You'll also learn the secret to staying motivated, plus how to create an environment that supports your writing.
Episode Website
Link Mentioned:
Download Your FREE 9 Story Starters Guide Here
Rejection never feels good. And it can throw our entire identity as a writer into doubt.
The question is…
How do you get your confidence back? So that you can get back to work?
In this episode, you'll learn 4 strategies to get back on track. So you can stop identifying with the rejection and become a more resilient and skilled writer.
We'll also cover why even good books are rejected by publishers, and why you, as an unknown debut author, has an advantage.
Episode Website
Your story opening is your only chance to hook your reader. So you want to start strong. It doesn’t matter if the middle of your story is brilliant. Or your second chapter is fantastic. It doesn't matter if your story starts picking up speed 7 pages in.
Readers won’t wait for that.
In today’s episode, I’m going to break down 4 story openings to spark some ideas. So you can craft a story opening that keeps readers longing to read more.
Episode Website
What makes a piece of writing feel false? What makes it feel true? Why does it move us? Or fail to? How do we drop readers directly into a character’s experience so that they become the character and go on the journey with them? In this episode, you'll borrow 3 acting techniques for writing stories that feel more real, more believable, and more true.
Episode Website
Download your FREE Character Questionnaire
Also Listen to:
Episode 81: Story Details: What to Leave In, What to Leave Out
Details are the lifeblood of your story. And writing is all about the selection of those details. But how do you decide which details matter?
When we sit down to write, we’re often bombarded with too many details. We’re in this constant and brutal battle with the facts of our experience, the details of the world, and the needs of our story.
The question we must continually ask is, What do I leave in? What do I leave out?
But selecting the right story details is easier than you think. Because you already know how to do this. You select what's worthy of your attention moment by moment, whether you're conscious of it or not.
In this episode, we’ll explore what you already know about selecting details, and how to bring that instinct directly to your fiction or memoir.
Episode Website
What makes your story a page turner? What makes it so irresistible that readers devour every page? In today’s episode, we’re breaking down 4 tips to writing a page turner. Techniques that go beneath and beyond common structures like the Hero’s Journey, Save the Cat, and the traditional 3-Act. So you can make your story stand out from the pile. And keep readers hooked scene by scene.
Episode Website
FREE 3-Act Worksheet
Scenes are the building blocks of your story. But how do you craft scenes that draw us in every single time? That keep us turning the page? In this episode you'll learn how to craft spellbinding scenes from beginning to end.
In today's episode, we'll cover:
- The difference between scene and summary.
- Four essential things each scene should give your protagonist.
- How to set each scene's intentions.
- What it means to "advance your plot" and how to do it.
- and how to structure your scenes from start to finish.
Episode Website
Also Listen To:
Episode 78: Five Elements of a Riveting First Scene
Your first scene is crucial. It’s what sets your story in motion. It's where you keep your reader or lose em'. So you want to craft this scene with intention. In this episode, you'll learn 3 essential things your first scene must accomplish. And we'll explore 5 core elements that go into every successful first scene, with examples from Neil Gaiman's novel, American Gods, and Lucy Grealy's memoir, Autobiography of a Face.
Also Listen To:
Episode 69: How to Create Plot Continuity With Character Thought
Structure your novel or short story with more focus, freedom, and control with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. This worksheet is designed to help you go beyond the plot and develop your protagonist’s internal story, along with the external story.
You’ll get clear on:
- what your protagonist wants and why
- what external and internal obstacles are thwarting him or her from reaching their goal
- and how to bring it all together using the 3-Act Structure
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There’s no one size fits all way to write. Still, there’s no shortage of advice on how to do it. But some advice can derail you for months, maybe years. Advice like reaching a certain word count per day. Or crafting your story with an ideal reader in mind. Or outlining before you’ve felt your way into your story. So, today I’m going to counter some of the most common advice I hear over and over and give you another perspective.
Writing is solitary. And if you’re anything like me, you like to dip into some inspiration from time to time for a creative boost or deeper insight into the craft. So much of our progress depends on how we feel about the work. So in this episode, I’m going to pull some of my favorite quotes and unwrap them for the wisdom and creative fuel they offer on writing technique and the writing life.
Have you ever thought, Writing should be easier for me than this? I sure did. I didn't know there was a craft to writing a novel. I thought talent and sheer passion would see me through. And then I became a professional competitive dancer and learned that desire and talent were just starter fuel. The truth is, writing is no easier than mastering any other art form. Talent is not enough. Technique on it's own is not enough. So, what does it take to master the art of writing? In this episode, I share what I learned as a dancer about bringing heart and technique together, how to practice deliberately to bring your work closer to a publishable caliber, and why perfectionism is restricting you.
Episode Website
How do you keep a consistent writing routine when you're life is hectic as all hell? How do you find time to write and fulfill life's never-ending hamster wheel of responsibilities? And where do you find the energy? In this episode, you'll hear the strategies I've been using for years to let writing co-exist with a crazy busy, but beautiful life as a single working mom. You'll learn a more abundant way to think about time, how to ride the momentum when you're at your best, and how to protect your creative time fiercely.
Books mentioned:
168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think
7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Also Read:
What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast
Also Listen To:
15 How to Find Your Creative Flow
How can you be more efficient with structuring your story? How do you balance structure while keeping the story fresh and surprising? In this episode we're going to talk about 5 essential storytelling techniques that will help you structure your story into a riveting experience for your readers. You'll also learn how to hook your reader in your opening sentences instantly using one simple word.
Also Listen to:
Episode 71: Captivating Characters
Episode 72: 3 Ways to Craft a Compelling Point of View
Do you ever feel like you're tying yourself up in knots with all the different points of view your story has? POV is one of the most misunderstood and often poorly taught story elements. It's also one of the most important story decisions you make. But there's so much confusion about POV. In today's episode, we'll untangle some of the confusion. You'll learn what point of view is (and what it's not) and the 3 main constructs that create point of view. And a writing exercise to drive it all home, so grab something to write on and write with.
Also listen to:
Episode 71: Beyond the First Draft: Captivating Characters
You have your first draft. Or maybe you're stalled in your current work in progress. Now what? How do you finish what you started? Today, you'll learn how to move forward with your work in progress, or revise the draft you already have. This is part 1 of a 3 part mini series, Beyond the First Draft. This episode focuses on character development. You'll get clear on who your story is about, what your main character wants, how to build complexity into your characters, and how to reveal their nuances.
Grab your FREE Character Questionnaire and Email Series here.
Episode Show Notes
There's a lot of writing advice floating around. But most of it shackles writers more than it helps, and sometimes leads to paint-by-number stories. In this episode, learn common traps when it comes to plot, action, backstory, show, don't tell, and point of view. You'll turn around misconceptions and learn what to do instead.
Episode Website
What does character thought have to do with plot? It's the connective tissue that brings continuity to your story, scene by scene. It helps fill in all those plot holes. And it keep your reader grounded in what's happening as your story advances.
Character thought is part of the action. It's the connective tissue that accomplishes 3 things:
- reminds your reader what happened earlier,
- establishes desire and motive in the present, and
- creates suspense about what might happen next.
In this episode, you'll learn 3 ways to have characters think their way through your scenes to give your plot continuity.
https://nancipanuccio.com/69
Also Listen To:
Episode 66: Two Simple Ways to Amp Up Suspense
How do you harness the depth and complexity of your story material? And orchestrate all those story threads so that they intensify your plot? By creating subplots. Learn two ways subplots work, plus three places your subplots may already be hiding out in your WIP waiting to be developed.
NanciPanuccio.com/68
Links mentioned:
FREE Character Questionnaire
nancipanuccio.com/character/
What’s the most overlooked way to show how a character feels?
The vowel scale - the poet's secret weapon. Just like musical notes, vowel sounds have frequencies that create vibrations in the reader's body, making them feel with your character. In today's episode, you'll learn how to use the frequencies of these vowel sounds to reinforce the emotion, tone, images, and meaning of your story.
Also Listen To:
Episode 13: How to Write For Emotional Impact
How do you create the kind of suspense that keeps readers riveted to your pages, hanging on every sentence?
Suspense doesn't happen in the broad strokes - trouble, cliffhangers, sympathetic characters, etc. It's built sentence by sentence. And there are two simple techniques you can apply right now. In today's episode, you'll learn how to orchestrate details that bring tension and suspense right on the sentence level, creating insatiable readers.
Go to the show notes at nancipanuccio/com/66
Readers crave novelty and surprise. They don't want the same cliched description of a sunset. Or the expected character response to betrayal. But coming up with original ideas, especially for ordinary things like sunsets, requires us to tap into our own creative reservoir.
In today's episode, we'll explore 4 ways to keep your creative channels open. So you can access your original take on the world, and write stories that surprise and delight.
Dismantle 6 faulty mindsets coming between you and your best work, and unlock your voice with this FREE 6-Day Audio Course. Go Here to access Lesson 1.
How do you keep writing when you're paralyzed by self doubt?
By reprogramming faulty thought patterns.
In today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll re-frame common misconceptions about writing, and even misconceptions about your own abilities that are sabotaging you.
We'll explore:
- What's really at the core of writer's block
- 3 Common thoughts that derail writers
- The truth about talent
- And why there's no such thing as failure
Want to dismantle more faulty thought patterns and unleash your voice? Take my FREE 6-Day audio class. Click here to sign up.
Style can be the downfall of an otherwise stunning story.
That's because the writing calls too much attention to itself and upstages the characters. It fights against your story and keeps your reader from getting fully engrossed.
Worse, it keeps you from getting deeply involved with your own story.
In today's episode, we'll talk about the elements that make up your writing style, and how to make sure your style integrates with your story. You want style to complement your story, not fight against it.
We'll explore:
- Core elements that make up style
- The reader's experience when style is amiss
- Common style errors
- 4 solutions to using style to amplify your story
Want FREE writing resources and workbooks? Grab them now at NanciPanuccio.com
What's one of the quickest way to get your manuscript in the reject pile?
Too many adjectives and adverbs.
Writers often think adjectives and adverbs describe vividly. But nothing could be farther from the truth. Instead, they bloat your story with empty filler. And bore your reader.
In today's episode, you'll learn how to eliminate or minimize adjectives and adverbs and replace them with more vivid language that activates the reader's imagination.
Have your manuscript handy to start editing.
You'll learn how to:
- Choose adjectives that surprise
- Replace adjectives with images
- Rid your dialogue of unnecessary adverbs, and use dialogue, gestures, and body language to carry the emotion instead
- Boost your nouns and verbs so you're not relying on adjectives and adverbs.
Also Listen To:
3 Quick Editing Tips to Craft Riveting Sentences
Want FREE writing resources and workbooks? Grab them now at NanciPanuccio.com
Don't think or write chronologically? No worries. Stories bend to their own laws of time.
In today's episode, we'll look at 4 ways to manipulate time in your story. These will give you more range as the author, and more tension and suspense for your reader.
We'll explore:
- Using flashbacks to frame your story
- Using the figure 8 structure around an image or event
- Creating suspense through flash forwards
- Reverse Chronological Order
Also Listen to:
3 Common Flashback Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
For more free resources, visit Nancipanuccio.com
Join our Free private Facebook Group by clicking here
Flashbacks need to be handled with craft and intention. Just like any other interruption from the present story, a flashback can kick your reader out of the story. And that's precisely what we want to avoid.
In today's episode, I'm sharing 3 common missteps writers make with flashback, and how to avoid them.
We'll explore how to:
- Reign in overused flashbacks
- Place flashbacks where they matter
- Use repetition and variation to give your story a memory
- Keep your reader grounded in time shifts
Also listen to:
Episode 12: Four Ways to Write Effective Flashback
Bonnie Lykes Bigler is a writer and spoken word performer and host of The Writers' Voice on WIOX 91.3 FM. In this radio re-broadcast, we talk all things writing - why we write, what stops us in our tracks and how to keep writing in the face of rejection, loss of motivation, and writer's fatigue. We talk about the importance of learning how to read like a writer, and the ship and learn approach I learned from one of my coaches, and more.
Show, don’t tell has got to be the most canned advice bandied about.
Yes, you should show. But that doesn’t mean you never tell. Telling does have its place.
So the question becomes, when is it better to show rather than tell?
In today’s episode, I’ll share the three main ways writers tell when it’s better to show, and how to convert telling into showing. There's also a quick writing exercise at the end, so have your pen and paper handy.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- Why showing helps your story become your reader's story, and why this is a major gain
- The difference between scene and summary and when to write scene vs summary
- How to use action, language, and metaphor to reveal character
- How to recreate setting so the reader drops right into the world of your story
Also Listen To:
Episode 13: How to Write For Emotional Impact
POV is the thing that flummoxes writers the most.
A big part of the confusion is a misguided focus on which person you write from. But this has virtually nothing to do with POV and confuses writers more than it helps.
So in this episode I’m going to simplify POV for you and distill it into the 3 main things you need to focus on, so you can develop a strong point of view that gives your story unity, rhythm and resonance.
We'll cover:
- What POV is and how to construct it
- How character desire and significant history shape POV
- How language reflects POV
Also listen to: Episode 50: How Much Backstory Does Your Reader Really Need to Know
You can engineer a stellar plot line, dream up characters with compelling conflicts — all the broad strokes – but it’s the accumulation of small word choices that keep readers spellbound.
In today's episode, I'm giving you 3 quick editing tips you can apply right now to instantly transform your story. Just by tweaking your verbs.
So grab your WIP and let's do this together.
The question isn't whether your story is character driven or plot driven. Or even how to write one or the other.
The question is..
How do you integrate character with plot?
Because both are inseparable.
If one or the other dominates, your story falls apart.
On today's episode, I'll share 3 ways to integrate character with plot.
We'll cover:
- The purpose of plot
- How to keep the plot threat alive for your character's own good
- Building emotions
- How to avoid a one-note character
Where are you getting most stuck in your work in progress? The beginning? The end? Or are you getting stalled in the middle?
In this episode, I'm giving you a 3-Act framework to help guide you through the writing process. So that you’re not drowning in your own material, and can finish your story faster and better.
If you’re an exploratory writer who finds outlines a buzz kill, this framework will give you just enough structure to give you direction and focus.
And if you’re a plotter who thrives with a plan, this will help you decide which event sequences belong where, and how to orchestrate scenes and chapters.
We'll cover:
- Story basics
- What the 3 Act Framework is
- What you need to accomplish in your first Act.
- The inner journey of your character in Act 2
- and how to bring it all together in Act 3
Download your FREE 3-Act Worksheet here.
Story dialogue is not the same as real-life dialogue. It's shaped with intention, word by word.
Even so, we should pay attention to the nuances and the rhythm of real-life conversations.
We want to be looking for the ways people don’t listen to one another. The ways we dance around hard truths.
In today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore how to bring tension into your dialogue by focusing on the thing your characters don't want to say or hear.
We'll explore:
- Our natural urge to evade difficult conversations
- An example of dialogue with no tension
- An example of dialogue with tension
and a writing exercise to drive it all home
Also listen to:
Episode 52: The Number One Mistake Writers Make With Dialogue
What's the number one mistake writers make with dialogue?
Writing way too much of it.
In today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore 3 ways to shape compelling dialogue that rings true to your reader.
We'll cover:
- How to avoid dialogue that tells too much
- The primary audience you should be writing dialogue for
- The single most important thing you need to know about your characters before they speak
- How to use compression and beats to have readers leaning in word by word
For deeper insight into what's underneath what your characters say, Grab your FREE Character Questionnaire here.
How do you keep writing when you're totally blocked? When you feel like you have utterly nothing to say?
In today's episode of Writer Unleashed, I'll give you a 3-step strategy for breaking through.
In today's episode, we'll explore:
- What writer's block is
- What causes it
- 3 Strategies to unblock yourself
How much backstory does your story need? And how much backstory does your reader need?
Learn what backstory is important for you to know as the author, and what backstory belongs on the page.
In today's episode, we'll cover:
- The two things you need to get clear on when it comes to backstory
- The importance of crafting backstory that adapts to your story
- The actor's technique to developing character through backstory
- How to decide what backstory is significant to your storyline and to your readers
Explore Your Character's Backstory with Your FREE Character Questionnaire Here
Also Listen To:
Episode 12: Four Ways to Write Effective Flashbacks
The way to engage your readers and keep them absorbed sentence by sentence is to draw them into the tactile world of your story and evoke their sensations.
Not the fact that it's raining, as E.L. Doctorow said. But the feeling of being rained upon.
So, how do we evoke our readers' sensations?
That's what we'll dive into in today's episode.
On today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore:
- Why readers respond to sensory detail.
- How to select the right details for your scenes.
- How to evoke sights, sounds, tastes, textures, and smells.
Want to write more, write better, and fast-track your path to publication? Check out the Emerging Writers Academy.
Does your story need an antagonist?
The short answer is yes.
But to avoid the formulaic good vs. bad story, there are deeper questions to unwrap.
In today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore:
- Why the standard definition of antagonist may be limiting your story
- The 2 most important questions to ask when developing antagonists
- What we mean by conflict
- A more nuanced and compelling approach to creating antagonists.
Want to go deeper into the soul of your character and defy stereotype? Grab your FREE Character Questionnaire here.
And if you want to connect with more like-minded writers and with me, join us on our private Facebook Group where I answer your most burning writing questions. It's totally free to join.
Every character you include, no matter how minor, or however brief their appearance, must serve the story you're telling. Nobody should be in a scene for mere decoration or as a prop.
There are no minor characters.
Every character in your story needs to be made use of or let go of.
In today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll talk about how to craft minor characters who have a major impact. And I’ll give you some examples to drive it all home.
While you're here, do you have your FREE Character Questionnaire? Grab it here.
And if you want to connect with more like-minded writers and with me, join us on our private Facebook Group where I answer your most burning writing questions. It's totally free to join.
What is theme? And why does it matter to your story?
In today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, we’ll talk about what theme is, what it isn’t, and how to arrive at yours.
We'll explore:
- The common definition of theme that's keeping your story on the surface
- How to avoid off-the-rack themes that have no impact on readers
- How to create a useful thematic statement that focuses and unifies your story
- The best way to arrive at your story's theme
To help you explore your themes, download your FREE 9 Story Starters PDF right here.
Want to connect with more like-minded writers and with me? Join us on our private Facebook Group where I answer your most burning writing questions. It's totally free to join.
If your first sentence is a dud, chances are readers won't give you a second chance.
In today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore 5 elements that will hook your readers from the get-go and keep them wanting more. We'll peek under the hood of some great hook sentences from the masters, and unpack what makes each one irresistible.
We'll explore how to:
- Withhold to create suspense
- Raise expectations and curiosity
- Juxtapose details to create tension
- Set your story in motion
And to help your practice crafting hook sentences, download your FREE Guide, 9 Story Starters right here.
Want to connect with more like-minded writers and with me? Join us on our private Facebook Group where I answer your most burning writing questions. It's totally free to join.
Is your plot broken?
First, what is a broken plot?
It's when you start out with one conflict but lose confidence in your ability to move that conflict forward through a series of actions. So you shift to another conflict or even a third.
And pretty soon, readers are disoriented because they don't know where to focus. That's because there's more than one story happening.
In today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore:
- The 3 things you need to get clear on to fix or avoid a broken plot
- The essence of plot
- What conflict is and what it isn't
- The relationship between plot and conflict
- And 5 questions to help you stay anchored in your story's main throughline
Want to connect with more like-minded writers and with me? Join us on our private Facebook Group where I answer your most burning writing questions. It's totally free to join.
Just because you're basing characters on real people doesn't make them believable or interesting. It's far more important for your story to work than it is for it to be true.
And even when people are portrayed realistically, they still might read as stereotypes.
In today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll go over 5 techniques to transform real people into fascinating characters who stay with the reader long after the story ends.
We'll explore:
- How to imagine your way into what you don't know about a person
- Why focusing on what you find most intriguing about a person can be the main ingredient, and even help shape your story
- The composite technique to character creation
- How to find the right details to firmly embed this person in the mind of your reader
- The actor's technique to getting into the soul of your character
Grab your FREE 13 Questions to Deepen Character here.
Also listen to:
Episode 26: Writing About Someone You Know - Is Your Story Worth It?
Want to connect with more like-minded writers and with me? Join us on our private Facebook Group where I answer your most burning writing questions. It's totally free to join.
Are you a memoir writer? Or a fiction writer? A novelist? Or short story writer?
Lots of people have a story to tell. But some are still flying blind after years, even decades of trying to nail down their story and elevate it to a publishable caliber.
If that sounds like you, you may be focusing on the content of your story rather than its form.
And form drives content.
On today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore:
- The difference between writing a novel, memoir, or short story
- The similarities between the forms
- What makes each form distinct, and
- How to find the ideal form for your story
Want to connect with more like-minded writers and with me? Join us on our private Facebook Group where I answer your most burning writing questions. It's totally free to join.
In the theater of our mind, our story is a multi-dimensional, techno-color, high-def world teeming with life. But inevitably, in our early attempts to transfer that vision onto the page, that world disintegrates.
It’s where a lot of writers get lost.
Or stop writing altogether.
In today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore how writers like Ann Patchett and Ta-Nehisi Coates get past this very struggle.
We'll explore:
- Why there's no such thing as failure (unless you stop writing)
- The 3 stages of artistic development
- The Mozart myth
- What mastery is and how to move steadily towards it
Take my FREE 6-day audio class on how to break through the most common writing mindset barriers
Want to connect with more like-minded writers and with me? Join us on our private Facebook Group where I answer your most burning writing questions. It's totally free to join.
It’s a scientific fact: body language speaks volumes about what’s truly in our hearts and minds. And the same is true of your characters.
Facial expressions, mannerisms, gestures, eye movements — non-visual cues, no matter how subtle, divulge what a person may be feeling in any given moment.
It’s one of the best ways to show, don’t tell.
In today’s episode of Writer unleashed, we’ll explore:
- How we decode non-verbal cues of people we encounter every day
- How to avoid labeling character emotion and reveal what they’re really feeling
- What gestures, eye and body movements, micro expressions reveal about characters in ways that even they’re not aware of, but the reader intuits
- How to bring subtlety to the dynamics between characters
- A fun, 2-part exercise to drive it all home
Want to connect with more like-minded writers? Join us on our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group where I answer your most burning writing questions. Joining is FREE.
Grab more FREE writing resources here.
We're all tired of being introduced to characters like the young man in his twenties with jet black hair, emerald green eyes, and a chiseled jaw.
Even if a character looks like that, there are ways to make him more surprising and unforgettable.
In today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll break down 3 techniques to write descriptions that bring characters to life.
Want to connect with more like-minded writers? Join us on our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. Joining is free.
How do you create characters readers care about? So that the reader can't help but keep reading?
In today's episode of Writer Unleashed, I'll explore 5 common character mistakes and how to avoid them to create characters readers care about.
We'll explore how to:
- Avoid the stock character
- Choose one compelling protagonist
- Complicate your character's desire
- Raise the stakes
- Create interesting change
Also listen to:
Episode 37: Three Questions to Ask Before You Plot Your Story
Want to connect with more like-minded writers? Join us on our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. Joining is free.
What questions should you ask before you plot your story? Whether you outline every chapter, or write from the hip, on today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, I’ll break down 3 questions you should explore before you outline your plot.
We'll explore:
- What story is
- Horizontal plots and vertical plots and how they intersect
- Character Viewpoint - who your story is about
- Desire and Resistance and how this impacts your plot
Also listen to:
Episode 31: What Most Writers Get Wrong About Point of View
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Whether you're a football fan, or not, the Superbowl ads are often storytelling works of art.
On today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll unwrap 3 storytelling techniques you can swipe from your favorite Superbowl ads and apply to your story right away.
We'll explore:
- The reverse engineering approach to story structure.
- How to dramatize conflict early on.
- How to use a shot summary to refine and shape your story.
Want to connect with more like-minded writers? Join us on our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. Joining is free.
What does it take to become a successful writer?
On today's episode of Writer Unleashed, author and media consultant Simona David and I unpack the journey and the process.
We explore:
- My exploratory approach to early drafts
- What it means to write what you know
- What revision can tell us about what our story’s trying to become
- How to work with and through uncertainty
- How to draw readers in emotionally
- The actor’s technique to character development
- How to write believable dialogue
- My take on what it means to be a successful writer
...and much, much more.
Simona David, a journalist who freelances for various publications, including Chronogram and Upstater magazines, is the author of *Self-Publishing and Book Marketing, A Research Guide.
Visit Simona here: https://simonadavid.com/*Want the Free Character Questionnaire mentioned in this episode? Head on over to nancipanuccio.com to grab yours now. Want to connect with more like-minded writers? Join us on our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. Joining is free.
How much backstory is too much?
Backstory is one of the trickiest things to get effectively onto the page. Too much of it and your reader loses track, forgets, or even stops caring about what’s happening in your story's present.
In today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore the 3 most common missteps writers make about backstory, plus 3 tips to help you write backstory without putting your story on snooze.
We'll explore:
- What backstory is and why it's useful
- 3 common mistakes new writers make when writing backstory
- Why less backstory is always more
- How to strategically weave backstory into your story's key moments
- How to use backstory to reveal and foreshadow
Want to connect with more like-minded writers? Join us on our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. Joining is free.
There's a delicate balance between bringing a scene to the dramatic brim, and spilling over the top into melodrama.
On today's episode of Writer Unleashed, I'll share 3 techniques for avoiding melodrama, plus a writing exercise to bring it all home.
We'll explore:
- The power of restraint
- The near-death experience approach to tragedy in story
- How to use objects to carry character emotion.
If you want to connect with more like-minded writers, and with me, join us on our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. Joining is free.
How do you avoid writing the stock villain? How do you move beyond the cliche to create a bad guy that surprises us? That goes against the status quo?
On today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, we’ll explore 5 ways to create a villain that defies stereotype.
We'll discuss:
- What readers really want from your villain
- How to explore what's underneath your character's bad acts
- Better questions to get under your villain's skin
- How to tap into your own impulses to write more nuanced and believable villains
Grab your free Character Questionnaire on this free resource page.
And if you want to connect with more like-minded writers, and with me, join us on our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. Joining is free.
Of all the things I see tripping writers up, point of view is the most common and persistent.
It's one of the most misunderstood elements of writing.
It's also one of the most essential things to get right.
On today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, we’ll explore:
- 3 common missteps writers make about point of view
- What point of view is…and what it isn’t.
- Why first, second, and third-person has virtually nothing to do with point of view.
- When to use multiple points of view. And when not to.
- And 4 simple techniques to crafting your story’s most riveting and compelling point of view.
Want to connect with more like-minded writers? Join us on our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. Joining is free.
97% of writers never finish their book. And out of that 3% who do finish their books, only 1 to 2 percent of them ever publish.
On today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll break down some of the most common barriers to bringing your story to the finish line, and how to use brain science to become part of that 3% who finishes the book. 2021, here we come.
We'll explore:
- Why talent isn't enough and the mindset you must cultivate instead
- The power of community to inspire and keep you accountable
- What you need more of than time
- The brain science behind why we procrastinate, how to stop stalling and start writing now.
Also listen to
Episode 11: How to Make Time to Write When You Have No Time
Join the private Writer Unleashed private Community on Facebook. It's FREE. You'll find support, inspiration, and the tools to move your writing forward in 2021.
Some days you're on fire. Other days, you feel like a dried up spec of dust. With no soul.
You’ve lost motivation and may even have stopped writing altogether. So how do you get your mojo back so you can bring your work in progress to the finish line?
On today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore 5 reasons our motivation fizzles out and how to turn it around.
We'll talk about:
- the power of having a safe, judgement-free community
- what social scientists have discovered about what really motivates us. (this may surprise you.)
- the real reason we hit road blocks, plus what we need to break through
- what flow is and how to get more of it, and...
- how to stay motivated day by day
Also Listen To
Episode 20: Four Ways Your Writing Group Is Holding You Back (and what to look for in your next writing tribe)
Join the Writer Unleashed private Community on Facebook. It's FREE. You'll find support, inspiration, and the tools to move your writing forward in 2021.
How do we create atmosphere in story in a way that evokes mood, and simultaneously reveals the inner life of your character? Well, you already know how to do this.
On today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, we’ll talk about what you instinctively know about creating mood and atmosphere, and how to use your instincts to create it on the page.
And we’re going to do a writing exercise at the end of the episode, so have your pen and paper handy.
You’ve spent months, maybe years writing your story. So you finally get the courage to send it out into the world - to an agent, a literary magazine, a publisher, or your writer’s group. And then you get a form rejection letter (the worst kind), or feedback from your peers that makes you want to give up the writing life altogether.
How do you bounce back?
On today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, I’ll share 3 tips on re-framing rejection so that you can get back in the saddle and write stronger and better than ever.
We'll explore:
- Why stories are rejected
- A few masterpieces that faced years of rejection (this may surprise you)
- The Ship and Learn approach
- When you should be spending more time revising than submitting
- My take on why failure gets a bad wrap
Also, Listen To:
Episode 20. Four Ways Your Writing Group Is Holding You Back (and What To Look For In Your Next Writing Tribe)
You can change a character's hair color, geography, age, or gender, but often what inhibits our voice is a concern that we'll offend someone we know. A parent. A sibling. A school mate.
So, what do we do? We whitewash the truth. Or we avoid writing our story altogether.
On today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore:
- 3 reasons you need to tell your story
- Why secrets need to be unloaded
- The power of compassion for yourself and yes, even for your oppressors
- How to own your side of the truth
Also, Listen To
Episode 25: Why Your Voice Matters
Worthy Reads
The Kiss: A Memoir by Kathryn Harrison
Fierce Attachments: A Memoir by Vivian Gornick
Liberate your voice with my FREE 6-Day Audio Course
Your voice is your most fundamental creative asset. But how do you access it? How do you let it flourish on the page?
On today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, we’ll explore why your voice matters to you --and to your readers. I’ll also give you a writing prompt to invite your voice to come out and play... so have your pen and paper ready.
On today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore:
- Why craft is useless without voice
- How to avoid a dull, mid-level voice
- Why your resistance is a good indication that you're on the right track
- A writing exercise to coax your voice onto the page
Also listen to:
Episode 1: Why Write What You Know Is Bad Advice
Episode 10: What is Writer's Voice?
Want to kick writer's block to the curb? Sign up for my FREE 6-day audio class, Liberate Your Voice.
You have captivating characters, a page-turning plot, gorgeous imagery. But as soon as your characters start speaking, does your story falls flat?
Here's the thing. You already know how to write crisp, compelling dialogue.
On today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore 5 things to pay attention to in the conversations around you. This is all instruction for your story dialogue.
We'll cover:
- Common mistakes writers make when writing dialogue
- Subtext
- Misdirection
- Cross purposes
- Non-verbal dialogue
We'll end with a 2-part eavesdropping exercise.
Want to create multi-dimensional characters who defy stereotype? Grab your free character questionnaire here.
What's the number 1 mindset that separates great writers from the novice?
A willingness to embrace uncertainty. And to not only embrace it but to create, cultivate and dance with it.
On today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore:
- How avoiding uncertainty is straitjacketing your writing
- Why beneath chaos lies order and harmony
- The difference between convergent and divergent thinking
- How to use contradiction to hook readers
- How to collaborate with your uncertainty to produce your most powerful, surprising work.
Related Episodes
19. Should I Outline Before I Write?
21. How to Craft Your Ideal Story Ending
For more free writing resources, visit me at NanciPanuccio.com
How do we create characters readers believe in? How do we write beyond stereotype?
On today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, we’ll explore 3 ways to create multi-dimensional characters.
We'll explore:
- Plot-driven versus character-driven stories.
- The difference between empathy and sympathy.
- What really drives a reader's connection to your character.
- How to tap into your own impulses to create characters who breathe on the page.
Want to create multi-dimensional characters who defy stereotype?
Grab your Free Character Questionnaire here.
How do we craft an ending that lands with the reader? How do we avoid what author David Jauss calls "the literary equivalent of a faked orgasm?"
On today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore 5 ways to avoid an ending that's too tidy, predictable, or lame.
We'll talk about:
- Interesting character change over time
- Why a change in your reader is more important than character change
- The relationship between your story's beginning and ending
- Why the strongest endings are not invented but discovered
**Related episode
Episode 3 - Three Story Opening Techniques to Hook Your Reader**
Is your writing group holding you back? Inhibiting for you? Confusing you? Making you doubt yourself? Or is it supporting you to grow?
On today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore 4 ways your writing group may be grid-locking you, and the 5 most important things to look for in a writing tribe.
Or should I just wing it, flying blind?
I get this question a LOT. And while there 's no one-size-fits all approach to the creative process, the outline first approach can stifle most writers and gridlock their stories.
So why the urge to outline?
An outline is safe. Knowable. Certain.
Having that road map should produce our best stories, then, right?
Well, not exactly.
On today's episode of Writer Unleashed, learn why not knowing where your story's going can produce your strongest, most surprising work.
On today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore:
- Our urge to know where our story is going at the outset.
- How too much certainty shuts down our creative process.
- Why uncertainty opens up space for our most surprising and riveting work.
Inspiration is a mysterious, mercurial force.
Sometimes it shows up, sometimes it doesn’t.
But what if we could summon inspiration at will? If each time we sat down to write, we could reach that magic zone where the words flowed freely onto the page?
What if there were some particular rituals, or triggers to that special consciousness that guaranteed an unstoppable, no-holds-barred writing session?
On today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, we’ll explore:
- How to summon your inner muse.
- Why relaxing into your own creative process is essential.
- How to break through your resistance.
- How to keep inspiration flowing.
How do you nudge your way into a story? How do you generate ideas?
Do you start with a childhood memory? A vintage photograph? An overheard conversation?
We all have our own way in. And our creative processes are as singular as fingerprints.
On today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, we’ll explore 4 steps so you can generate story ideas on tap.
You'll learn:
- The art of scratching for a small idea first.
- How to capture stray ideas.
- How to recycle and transform your ideas.
- Why the early stages of idea generation feel a lot like goofing off and why it's more productive than you think.
- How to stay open and receptive, and most importantly, trust your instincts.
For more free writing resources, visit NanciPanuccio.com
I used to live for the rush of that first draft. And dread revision. The more I tried to revise the more lost in the mess of my draft I'd become.
That's because I didn't understand what revision was, or how to do it.
Fast forward to today. I not only have control over my revision process, it's hands down my favorite part of writing.
So, what changed?
My misconceptions about the writing process and some slow, steady insights about how to approach rewriting.
On today's episode, we'll debunk common misconceptions about the writing process, explore what revision is, and how you can not only manage revision but dive into it with control, ease, and joy.
For more writing resources, visit me over at nancipanuccio.com
In order to nail down a solid, productive writing practice, to reach the level of mastery that ultimately leads to publication, you need to be in a state of flow. But how do we find flow in our writing when we’re not in the mood to write?
And how do we stay in a state of flow?
On today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, we’ll talk about:
How to anchor yourself in your work so that you can reach and stay in a state of flow easily.
How you can make vast improvements in your writing with small, focused, incremental changes.
And I'll give you a writing prompt so have your pen and paper ready.
NanciPanuccio.com
Happiness may be great in real life. But it’s fatal in story.
Few things numb readers more than characters surrounded by birdsong and puppies who aren’t risking something deeply important.
There’s no payoff when everything works out all hunky-dory. Or when the outcome is as simple as a character getting what he wants. Or not.
Readers are hungry for danger.
We’re just hardwired that way.
We want drama.
On today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore:
- What we mean by drama.
- How to get your character into trouble for their own good.
- Why conflict is an overblown concept and what to focus on instead.
- How to raise the stakes to keep readers glued to the page.
- 5 questions to help you create the dramatic tension readers crave.
Notable Book
Selected Stories by Andre Dubus
https://nancipanuccio.com
We want to move our readers emotionally. We want them to feel our character’s joy, pain, and everything in between.
But one of the surest ways to sever the reader’s emotional connection is to be overly direct about how a character feels.
In today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, we’re going to break down 4 techniques to get the greatest emotional payoff from your scenes.
We'll explore:
- The biology of emotion.
- How to blast through the reader's intellect to his most primitive emotions.
- How to avoid emotional cliches.
- The power of juxtaposition.
- How to avoid melodrama.
- The Think Large, Write Small approach.
- How to recreate your character's emotional experience.
Excerpt from Elizabeth McCracken's Niagra Falls All Over Again.
For more writing resources, visit NanciPanuccio.com.
A flashback moves readers back in time. It interrupts the flow of the story to catch up on what happened before page 1.
But when writers overuse flashbacks, readers grow impatient. They lose interest in, or even forget, what’s happening in the “now” of the story. Yes, we should explore our story’s past. But at some point in revision, we need to reign the past in. We need to select and shape only those flashback episodes that are crucial to understanding the story’s present.
It all boils down to 2 things:
Relevance and resonance.
On today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, we’ll explore how to use flashbacks to:
- Deepen our understanding of your character’s desires and motivations.
- Lend later scenes more dramatic power.
- Add nuance and texture to your story.
- Imbue the story’s central conflict.
- Bear the story’s core meaning.
Notable Book
Revolutionary Road
For more writing resources, visit me at NanciPanuccio.com
Time is finite. It’s not a renewable resource. We have so much crammed into our day - our jobs, our kids, our spouses, our homes. And even if we do find pockets of time to write, we’re flat out stonkered by the time we get to our keyboard.
Because, here’s the thing. Writing requires clean focus. We need to be firing on all cylinders. It’s not just about finding the hours to write, it’s the quality of mind we bring to those hours.
But we all have more time than we think. And we have more control over our time than most of us would like to admit.
On today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore:
- Why we don't all have the same 24-hours in a day.
- The 168 hours in a week paradigm.
- Why tracking your time for 7 days will help you find the time you need to write.
- How to create your writing ritual.
- What it means to write like a pro.
Notable books:
Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Laura Vanderkam's 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think
For more writing resources, visit me at NanciPanuccio.com
You hear it all the time - Find your voice!
Publishers say they're looking for "fresh new voices."
But what does writer's voice mean, exactly?
In today's episode, we'll explore:
- What writer's voice is
- How you can encourage your voice to come out and play.
- Excerpts from stories by Meghan Daum and Ernest Hemingway to get a fix on what makes their voices distinct from any other.
- And I'll give you an exercise straight from Twyla Tharp's book, The Creative Habit, to help you access your own voice.
Notable Books:
Meghan Daum's Life Would Be Perfect If I Lived in That House
Ernest Hemingway's The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories
Twyla Tharp's The Creative Habit
For more writing resources, visit me at NanciPanuccio.com
Why is it so damn hard to keep a writing routine? In today’s episode, of Writer Unleashed, I’ll give you 3 strategies backed by science to break through your barriers so you can start and keep a consistent, thriving writing practice.
A plot outline provides a blueprint. It’s safe, known territory. It would seem then that knowing where our story is going before we write should produce our best stories.
But this is far from the truth.
Today, we’re going to talk about why too much focus on plot can make your story dead on arrival. We’ll also talk about the difference between story and plot. Nope, they’re not the same thing. But you cannot have one without the other.
"Show, don't tell" is a common writing mantra. And while it's solid advice, it gives telling the short shrift. Sometimes it's better to show and sometimes it's better to tell. You can't do one or the other arbitrarily.
In this episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore when to show and when to tell, and how to blend both showing and telling to their best-combined effect.
If you’re like me, there comes that moment when you loathe what you’ve written.
You read what poured out on the page in a meteor shower of inspiration. And then everything that felt glittering and brilliant just yesterday now feels trite. Flat. Messy. Implausible.
We read our favorite books and think, Jeez, I’ll never write like that. My work’s no good. I’m no good.
This is our inner spoiler talking. And it’s inherent in any act of creation.
In today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, I’m going to give you 5 strategies to put your spoiler in its place and get out of the funk.
What’s your story about?
In other words, what's your plot? What happens?
If you’re anything like me, you trip over this question. You find it hard to sum up your story in an elevator pitch. That’s because it's the wrong question to ask.
In today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, I’ll give you 3 questions to help you get clear on, not only what your story is about, but why your story matters.
You only have a matter of seconds to hook your reader into your story. Start too soon or too late, give away too much or too little, and your reader moves onto another book or hops on Netflix.
So, how do you craft a story opening that pulls readers in and keeps them wanting more?
In today's episode, we'll explore 3 story opening techniques that captivate.
How do you keep writing after your work's been criticized? In today's podcast, I'm going to share 5 mindset shifts to help you not only survive harsh feedback, but come back writing stronger than ever.
You've heard it before - "Write what you know."
Sounds simple. But writing what you know is deceptively complex.
And when you take it at face value, it can restrict your story.
In this episode, we're going to challenge this advice. We'll explore what it reallymeans to write what you know. And I'll give you 3 ways to transform details of your life into powerful fiction and memoir.
If you want to create stories that pull readers in, if you want to deepen your craft, get unblocked, and write with unstoppable momentum, Writer Unleashed is for you.
Each week, we'll explore techniques, mindsets, and inspiration for creating stories that readers can't resist.
I'm Nanci Panuccio, a writer, editor, writing coach, and creator of the online course and this podcast, Writer Unleashed.
Subscribe and come on board!
Connect with me here:
nancipanuccio.com
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