#210: Beneath the Plot: 3 Character Secrets Driving Your Story
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 ...
12 Nov 202414min
#209: Unpredictable: 4 Ways To Keep Readers Guessing
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...
5 Nov 202419min
#208: Beyond Archetype: How To Write A Fascinating Villain
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...
29 Okt 202417min
#207: 5 Questions To Nail Down Your Central Story Idea
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 ...
22 Okt 202419min
#206: 3 Tips For Writing In First-Person
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 acti...
15 Okt 202419min
#205: 3 Ways To Build Belief In Your Story
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 believ...
8 Okt 202419min
#204: In Praise of Anti-Heroes: 4 Ways To Make Yours Unforgettable
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...
1 Okt 202417min
#203: The 2 Most Important Qualities To Evaluate in Your Story
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:...
24 Sep 202418min
