#244: 4 Strategies to Finally Finish the Story You Start

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...

18 Okt 202223min

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 Not sure if your idea has wha...

11 Okt 202220min

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 ...

4 Okt 202225min

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...

27 Sep 202226min

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 ge...

20 Sep 202221min

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...

13 Sep 202225min

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 foc...

6 Sep 202227min

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. ...

30 Aug 202218min