S27E7 – How Do I Know Where My Story Begins?
Great stories begin somewhere important. Somewhere catching. You want to draw the reader in within the first chapter. Better yet, within the first page or even sentence. Knowing exactly where that is,...
23 Dec 202111min
S27E6 – Can I Use Swear Words in My Novel?
You probably know that word choices are important in writing. Different words have nuances that can change their meaning. Consider how “angry” is different from “frustrated” or “irritated.” The same p...
20 Dec 202111min
S27E5 – How Do I Write Morally Gray Characters?
Morally gray characters are quickly becoming some of the most popular kinds of characters in fiction. Part of that is because they’re actually relatable. No one is as perfect as a hero appears, nor us...
16 Dec 202111min
S27E4 – How Do I Write a Fight Scene? How Accurate Should It Be?
Whether you’re writing contemporary action, swords and sorcery fantasy, or science fiction, most authors will come across a fight scene or twenty during their books. Most of us, though, don’t have any...
14 Dec 202111min
S27E3 – How Important is Being Unique?
One worry that consistently nags at writers is the belief that their story is not unique. We often compare our ideas to those of writers and storytellers before us and think they may be too similar to...
9 Dec 202111min
S7E2 – How Do I Describe Characters Without Boring the Reader?
Today’s FAQ is all about descriptions, especially character descriptions. It’s difficult to find the balance between enough description to actually give readers a mental image of what’s happening, and...
7 Dec 202111min
S27E1 – How Do I Write a Good Short Story?
Short stories are a wonderful way to practice all kinds of writing techniques. Writers can use short stories to explore ideas, work on weaknesses, and try new techniques. You’ll also find that most aw...
2 Dec 202111min
S26E9 – How to Avoid Crippling Your Language
There is no faster way to convey a sense of uncertainty than including hedging and crippling language in your writing. Words have power, meaning, and convey more than just the definitions. Choosing to...
29 Nov 202111min
