Writer Unleashed

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 - …

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-d…

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 …

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 actio…

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 belie…

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 …

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: …

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 wr…

One of the biggest impediments to our writing is time, and we all have unfinished drafts to prove it.

It always takes much longer than we think, and this can be dispiriting, not to mention stressful. …

We all hit a block at some point in the writing process, even the best of us. Accomplished writers know how to navigate that impasse, to notice when and why they're getting blocked so they can quickl…

How do you show, don't tell? What's the difference? Are you telling when you think you're showing? Or showing the wrong things? Is there ever a good time to tell? 

Show, don't tell is one of the trick…

Writers often feel overwhelmed when it comes to editing. But there's a lot of editing you can do quickly, regardless of where in the process you are.

In this episode, you'll get 5 quick and easy edit…

What do you do when writing starts feeling heavy and overwhelming?  When it stops being fun?

In this episode, we'll unwrap what causes these feelings, and 3 ways to make it joyful again.

We'll cover: 

• …

How do you flesh out your characters? How do you go deeper?

Just as we can't know a person in one glance, we can't know the people in our stories fully in our early drafts. We come to know our charact…

Writing a book is not a solo endeavor. Writers rely on beta readers to help them fine-tune their manuscript and ensure its success with agents, editors, and ultimately, their ideal audience.

But where…

Plot twists are one of the most effective and exciting ways to bring intrigue and suspense to your story, and make it unforgettable. 

But when not executed or timed right, a plot twist can backfire.

In…

Often what gets in the way of an otherwise great scene is a lack of compelling character goals. Without a goal in each scene, a story lacks two vital things: tension and momentum.

In this episode, we’…

What do you do when you want to write, but don't think you have anything to say?  Or you do have something to say, but don't know how to say it?
 
In this episode from the 2023 vault, you'll learn 3 po…

Scenes set up the structural pace of your story.

Some scenes are more action driven, so they move at a faster clip. Other scenes are more reflective, and move slower. Some scenes have more intensity, …

Do you write your first scene over and over, trying to get it just right? But you never feel like you're nailing it?

Many writers spend way too much time on their opening scene without considering its…