Amie Kaufman On Writing

We’ll be back in a couple of months with the second half of Season 4, and in the meantime, I have a couple of fantastic bonus episodes for you. When I got a question about how to turn a character ide…

We’ll be back in a couple of months with the second half of Season 4, and in the meantime, I have a couple of fantastic bonus episodes for you. First up, we're going to hear from James Sutter. James …

Creating a magic system that really works takes effort. Every time you think you’ve got it working, someone points out some what-if hypothetical, and you’re back to the drawing board, trying to plug …

I started writing an episode to answer a question about worldbuilding and research—and then I realised that I already have the perfect resource for you. All of you know by now that my lovely producer…

The way a character narrating a book—or even just a character whose point of view we share—is going to describe someone they see every day is going to be really different to the way they describe a n…

I LOVE maps: I think they really add something to a world—when done well, everything from the style in which the map is drawn, to what’s included can contribute to the story. Today I'm going to give …

All my books are romances. I love them: the yearning, the will-they-won’t-they, and sometimes just the how-on-earth-can-they of it. Whether it’s a tortured, star-crossed love affair or a cosy romance…

When I got a question about writing apocalyptic worlds, I knew that London should be the one to answer it. She has so much wisdom on this subject to share.

Find out more about London at her website. …

When I recieved a question on how to create a compelling cast of characters, I knew M.K. England was the person to answer it. M.K. is a pro at building a dynamic ensemble cast, and this episode is ja…

I get a lot of questions about co-authoring, and so I'm dedicating the last three episodes of the season to answering them. This week’s question is by far the most frequently asked question I get abo…

The most frequent questions I get are about how co-authoring works. So I’m going to devote the last three episodes of this season to co-authoring, answering one question each week. This episode kicks…

My books are famously huge, so I am very intimate with this issue! A long word count isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if it feels like your book is long because the story has gotten away from you, …

When you come to a story, you might have a very basic idea of who a character will be. But how do you go about building those characters, making them feel real and engaging, so the reader cares what …

Let's talk about point of view. What's the difference between first and third person, and how does a novel change depending on which you choose? 

A transcript of this episode is available on my websi…

This week, I am giving you a quick tour through the basics of the three act structure: what it is, why it matters, and why you might want to keep it in mind when crafting your story.

A transcript of …

If you want, or even need, to write, but you're having trouble finding the time, this one's for you. This is a guide for busy people that I hope will help you carve out that time while encouraging yo…

You might find you’re immediately inclined to lay out your story before you begin, or you might be showing up to give it a try because your writing stalled out. Either way, there are lots of good opt…

Welcome to Season 3! To kick us off we have a question about plotters and pantsers. We often say that writers fall on a continuum from plotter at one end, all the way to pantser at the other. What do…