274. 3 Mistakes I See In Almost Every First Draft
If your first draft feels like it's wandering — like you're generating pages but not quite writing a story — this episode is for you. After coaching and editing hundreds of first-time novelists and me...
14 Apr 16min
273. Why Writers Quit (And Why You Shouldn't)
Every writer hits a wall mid-project. The draft isn't working, the rejections are stacking up, and quitting starts to feel like the logical choice. But quitting isn't protecting you from failure. It's...
31 Mars 14min
#272: Why Your Story Dies in the Middle (And the One Thing That Brings It Back to Life)
Every writer knows the feeling. Your story is on fire, you're excited about what's on the page. Then somewhere in the middle, something dies. The excitement fades. The scenes stop feeling alive. And n...
24 Mars 19min
#271: The Thing That's Quietly Keeping You From Finishing Your Book
If you've ever hit a rough patch in your draft and found yourself reaching for another craft book, another podcast, another writing group, this episode is for you. Finishing your book gets harder when...
17 Mars 14min
#270: Why Writing Feels Harder Than It Has To
Most writers assume the struggle is just part of the deal. That if it feels hard, they must be doing something wrong, or not working hard enough, or not talented enough. What if none of that is true? ...
10 Mars 14min
#269: How to Write Backstory Without Killing Momentum
Backstory creates a dilemma: you need to give readers context about the past, but the moment you stop your forward-moving plot to explain it, you lose them. This episode shows you how to integrate bac...
3 Mars 18min
#268: How to Write Riveting, Believable Dialogue: 3 Essential Techniques
What makes dialogue believable? It's not what you think. In this episode, I'm breaking down three techniques that bring conversations to life on the page. You'll learn what creates the illusion of aut...
24 Feb 15min
#267: What to Cut From Your Novel and What to Keep: 3 Questions to Help You Decide
Every writer faces this moment: staring at a bloated manuscript, knowing something has to go, but terrified of making the wrong call. The usual advice—"kill your darlings," "cut ruthlessly"—doesn't he...
17 Feb 17min
