#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 - when there's nothing to wonder about, worry about, guess, or infer - there's no reason to read any further. So you want to stay one step ahead of your reader, and in most cases, one step ahead of your characters. You know what's going to happen to your characters. You know what th...
5 Nov 202420min
#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-dimensional and complex, even if he or she's downright evil. You'll learn how to write a villain who fascinates. Episode Website 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. Yo...
29 Okt 202418min
#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 articulate it. When there’s no central focal point, readers get lost, confused, frustrated and bored. They stop reading. In today’s episode, I’ll give you 5 quick questions to help you get clear and focused on the central idea driving your story. The focal point from which all your story's events...
22 Okt 202420min
#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 action without interesting contrasts between that character's version of the story's events, and what might also be true. In this episode, I'm sharing 3 tips for writing in first-person. You'll learn how to write a character whose perspective creates gaps the reader is eager to fill, and how that c...
15 Okt 202420min
#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 believe in it. But before a reader can believe in your story, you have to believe in it first. In this episode, I'm sharing 3 pathways to building belief in your story. So readers believe in it too. Episode Website Not sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick...
8 Okt 202420min
#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 about different anti-heroes from film and fiction, and I'll share 4 ways to write an anti-hero with complexity, magnetism, and unforgettable appeal. Episode Website 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 ...
1 Okt 202418min
#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: presence and truth. This is all about your emotional connection and belief in your story. It's a more transformational approach that values the ongoing journey, and the evolving relationship with your work. Episode Website Not sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? T...
24 Sep 202419min
#202: 3 Secrets to Writing Effective Backstory
How much backstory do you really need? How much is too much? Most first-time authors tend to overuse backstory, which can detract from the main story. In this episode, I'll share 3 common mistakes writers make, and I'll give you 3 new ways to think about backstory, so that it doesn't dominate your story, but enhances and deepens it. Episode Website 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 ...
17 Sep 202424min
