Writer Unleashed

Ever receive feedback on your writing that crushed you to the core? 

In this episode, learn 5 ways to make sure you not only survive, but get the most constructive feedback on your story, with more ge…

How do you create tension in your story that makes it impossible for readers to put it down?

By placing your characters in some kind of danger, even if it's subtle. Danger can be as harrowing as a pla…

How much backstory does your story need? And how much backstory does your reader need?

In this reprise episode from the deep in the vault, learn what backstory is important for you to know as the auth…

Often writers create antagonists who do bad, immoral, sometimes evil things.  They might be abusive or neglectful parents. An enemy. Or an otherworldly foe.

But when you're writing about your most tr…

How do you make writing a priority when other commitments compete?  When you have a full time career and family? 

We all know writing a book is a colossal commitment. And it's so easy to get off track…

Struggling with confidence when it comes to writing your story? Maybe you swing from excitement to self-doubt. Or you worry that no one will care to read it.

Maybe you lack enough confidence to even s…

What do you do when your novel or memoir doesn’t follow the typical plot structure?

What if there’s no crime to be solved, tsunami to survive, or evil wizard to slay?

What if your character’s only st…

We can all agree that your opening scenes are your only chance to capture your reader's attention. It's what hooks them into the story. 

Your first scene and several scenes that follow are your story'…

Our stories can become so overrun with ideas, they run away from us.

Each idea leads to another and another until you’re lost in the vortex. There are stories within stories. Endless possibilities. So…

Most writers know how their characters need to change.  They know what happens on the plot level. They know their character's struggles.

 Often, though, the main character doesn't seem to change, eve…

There’s no shortage of writing advice.  Especially in the online space. Google is not the best gatekeeper. And some FB groups  are doling out conflicting advice, canned advice,  bad advice. Writers h…

Why do readers read?  Is it just for entertainment? To escape everyday life? Or is there a deeper need?

What is it about story that keeps us captivated from beginning to end?

It helps to understand why…

Your first chapter matters.

It's what binds readers to your story. It makes them care. And when they care, they can't help but keep reading.

There's a lot riding on your first chapter.  So you want t…

When a story moves us, it’s not because of beautiful writing, or a strong voice – it’s not because of a great plot. All these things are important, but those things on their own don’t move us.

What m…

Show, don't tell.

How many times have you heard this advice? You may understand the concept, but it's still not sinking in.

So, what's the difference between showing and telling? Should show don't tel…

You want your characters' dialogue to sound natural, like real people talking.  But what do you do when the dialogue just sounds mundane, forced, and dull? 

Writing dialogue requires practice. And the…

If I had to pick one thing that makes readers stop reading, it's the overcomplicated plot. 

Both  novice and experienced writers fall into this trap. They include too many characters, too many events,…

You want to bring more depth and complexity to your characters so that readers are interested and invested in what happens to them.

But how do you do that?

In this episode, I’m sharing 3 ways to create…

There's a lot of confusion about the difference between who's telling the story  (first or third person), and point of view.

I'll see stories with no point of view,  a watered down point of view, or …

What are plot points? And why do you need them?

In this episode, we’ll talk about 3 major plot points, the purpose of each, and where in your story to place them.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What a p…