#194: Scene Goals: Why You Need Them, How To Write Them
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 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 wa...
9 Juli 202419min
Reprise: 3 Powerful Writing Exercises When You Don't Know What To Write
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 Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts.  ...
2 Juli 202419min
193: 5 Must-Have Scenes To Include In Your Story
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 Not sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the hea...
25 Juni 202433min
#192: How To Write Your First And Final Scenes
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 t...
18 Juni 202427min
#191: Getting Feedback On Your Writing: A Survival Guide
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 Not sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help yo...
11 Juni 202422min
#190: How To Create Page-Turning Tension
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 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 ...
4 Juni 202430min
Rewind: How Much Backstory Does Your Reader Really Need to Know?
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 backstoryThe importance of crafting backstory that adapts to your story The actor's technique to developing character through backstoryHow to decide what backs...
28 Maj 202414min
#189: 5 Ways To Create A More Captivating Antagonist
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 shari...
21 Maj 202420min
