#52: 5 Takeaways From Coaching Writers in 2021
In today’s episode, I'm sharing some of the lessons I learned from coaching writers this year. My hope is that these lessons will help you to keep moving forward with your work in the most efficient way possible. Here's a quick preview: [01:15] Lesson #1: Most writers have trouble with the emotional layers of their stories. We need to properly learn how to convey our character's emotional reactions in order to successfully evoke emotions in readers. [05:00] Lesson #2: It's not always going t...
14 Dec 202117min
#51: 3 Tips for Writing Unforgettable Secondary Characters
In today's episode, I'll walk you through three tips for crafting unforgettable supporting characters. Here's a preview of what's included: [01:15] Supporting characters are any characters that are not your protagonist or your antagonist. In general, each supporting character in your story will either support or thwart your protagonist as they try to achieve their goal. [03:10] Tip #1: Develop your supporting cast of characters just as fully as you would your protagonist and your anta...
7 Dec 202113min
#50: Save the Cat! The Ending Beats
In today's episode, I'm going to walk you through the beats that make up the end of a story, or the final section of Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! (STC!) beat sheet so that you can efficiently outline (or write) your novel. Here's a preview of what's included: [01:45] A recap of the last three episodes (episodes #47, #48, and #49)/ [03:15] The average novel is about 80k words, and this section (the end) is about 20k of them. If you write 1,500-word scenes, you're looking at about 14 scenes h...
8 Sep 202121min
#49: Save the Cat! The Middle Beats (Part 2)
In today's episode, I'm going to walk you through the beats that make up the second half of the middle section of Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! (STC!) beat sheet so that you can efficiently outline (or write) your novel. Here's a preview of what's included: [01:55] A recap of last week's episode that focused on the first half of the middle beats in the STC! method. Click here to listen to episode #48 first! [03:05] The average novel is about 80k words, and this section (the middle, part two) ...
24 Aug 202125min
#48: Save the Cat! The Middle Beats (Part 1)
In today's episode, I'm going to walk you through the beats that make up the first half of the middle section of Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! (STC!) beat sheet so that you can efficiently outline (or write) your novel. Here's a preview of what's included: [01:55] A recap of last week's episode that focused on the beginning beats in the STC! method. Click here to listen to episode #47 first! [02:30] Act two is all about your character changing. In act one, the protagonist starts out one way,...
13 Juli 202128min
#47: Save the Cat! The Beginning Beats
In today's episode, I'm going to walk you through the beginning beats of Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! (STC!) beat sheet so that you can efficiently outline (or write) your novel. Here's a preview of what's included: [01:05] The STC! method highlights 15 “beats” or plot points that each has a specific purpose and serves a particular function within your global story. [02:25] The average novel is about 80k words, and this section is about 20k of them. If you write 1,500-word scenes, you're l...
22 Juni 202125min
#46: The 6 Scenes Every Worldview Novel Needs
In today's episode, we're going to talk about the key scenes that every worldview story needs to have in order to work and to satisfy fans of the genre. Here's a preview of what's included: [01:20] Worldview stories focus on a period of the main character’s life where he or she is transitioning from one significant state to another. These stories show how the external events of the plot affect a character in such a way that he or she must grow, change, and awaken to a new understanding of th...
1 Juni 202115min
#45: How to Deal With Imposter Syndrome
In today's episode, I'm sharing three strategies that will help you overcome imposter syndrome. Here's a preview of what's included: [01:50] A quick story about what my two dogs, Forrest and Luna, taught me about overcoming imposter syndrome (and how you can, too). [04:35] An example of how a client I worked with suffered from imposter syndrome for twelve years before every querying agents with her story. Spoiler alert: she's now a published author whose book is with one of the b...
25 Maj 202118min
