Bonus: Plotting for Pantsers: How 3 Writers Found Freedom in Story Structure

Telling a story through multiple viewpoints can be a great way to create a more expansive (and objective) look at your characters, world, plot, and/or theme. But with each additional viewpoint character you add to your story, the more room there is for mistakes. In this episode, I'm sharing the 5 most common multi POV mistakes writers make and how to avoid them in your draft. Here’s a preview of what’s included: [2:10] Mistake #1: Including too many POV characters without an intentional rea...

23 Huhti 202420min

“Writing is a creative project. It's not an earthquake, but the thoughts and the worries can feel similar. If I can have a positive association or feel prepared for an earthquake, surely I can do that for writing.” - Rhonda Douglas Ever found yourself staring at the blank page, trying to write but unable to find the right words? You’re not alone! Tune in to hear Rhonda Douglas share strategies for managing creative anxiety and writer’s block. Here’s a preview of what’s included [01:29...

16 Huhti 202440min

“Focus your pre-writing and drafting and revising efforts on the present moment of your story.” - Daniel David Wallace I asked five of my peers to share one of their favorite writing tips, and boy, did they deliver! Tune in to hear 5 editors and coaches talk about their favorite tip and why it’s so helpful. Here’s a preview of what’s included: [01:40] Tip #1: Fully embrace scene structure in your storytelling process because the narrative will flow seamlessly from beginning to end. [06:12]...

9 Huhti 202432min

“Usually stakes start personal and they become public. That's a way of raising stakes, regardless of the genre.” - Savannah Gilbo We’re diving deep into Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins to see how and why it works. Join me and Abigail K. Perry as we break down this first chapter to see how it hooks our interest and pulls us into the story! Here's a preview of what's included: [05:22] Chapter summary: This chapter focuses on Katniss, who is navigating life after winning the Hunger Gam...

2 Huhti 20241h 1min

“You, the writer, have a bigger sphere of knowledge. You know more things than the narrator necessarily knows.” - Gabriela Pereira In today’s episode, I ask Gabriela Pereira of DIY MFA for her thoughts on some of the most commonly asked questions I get about point of view and voice—and she shares some of her favorite tips and strategies for mastering POV and voice in your writing. Here’s a preview of what’s included: [1:51] What's Gabriela’s advice for writers trying to choose the "ri...

26 Maalis 202441min

“It's really important to focus on the big picture story first and not worry about granular details that you can figure out later.” - Savannah Gilbo Get more done in less time, overcome procrastination, and become a master at time management with these 5 super simple productivity tips that I’ve been using daily for the last 10 years. Read the blog post here! Here’s a preview of what’s included: [01:07] What is productivity and why does it matter? [04:44] How to time block your days in a...

19 Maalis 202428min

“Sometimes it's easy to take feedback to mean that your story's broken when it's not.” - Savannah Gilbo I’m taking you behind the scenes with me throughout my entire work week! You’ll see how I plan my days, what projects I work on, what I learn from the writers I work with, and so much more! Read the blog post here! Here’s a preview of what’s included: [01:48] Sunday Update - This week will be a mixed bag. I’m taking a 2-day online course from Laura Belgray, who’s sharing a behind-the-s...

12 Maalis 202434min

“In stories that feel society dominant, is survival even worth it if you don't have freedom?” - Abigail K. Perry We’re taking a deep dive into The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins to see how and why it works. Join me and Abigail K. Perry as we break down this first chapter to see how it hooks our interest and pulls us into the story! Read the blog post here! Here's a preview of what's included: [04:39] Chapter summary: In the opening chapter, the author employs a tight focus on Katn...

5 Maalis 20241h 6min