Latest Fiction writing Podcast Episodes
#185: Your Opening Scenes: What To Reveal, What to Withhold
Writer Unleashed - April 23, 2024 06:00 - 25 minutesWe 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's setup. The setup is essential to master. You have to be concise, deliberate, and selective ...
#184: 5 Questions To Help Focus Your Story Idea
Writer Unleashed - April 16, 2024 06:00 - 17 minutesOur 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 many directions the story can go. And then writing your story feels like an insurmountable ta...
#183: How To Link Your Character's Interior Story To The Plot
Writer Unleashed - April 09, 2024 06:00 - 14 minutesMost 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, even though the external events change dramatically. Other stories stay mainly in their character...
Reprise: 4 Writing Myths Holding You Back
Writer Unleashed - April 02, 2024 06:00 - 22 minutesThere’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 hear the same advice so often, a lot of them have come to regard them as the only way to craft a s...
Reprise: What Readers Really Want From Your Story
Writer Unleashed - March 26, 2024 06:00 - 16 minutesWhy 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 stories are so impactful and precisely what readers are hungry for when they turn to a book....
#182: 5 Ways To Nail Your First Chapter
Writer Unleashed - March 19, 2024 06:00 - 32 minutesYour 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 to get this right. Bore them with too much exposition, long forays into backstory, too many c...
181: Writing Emotions: 3 Ways To Move Readers
Writer Unleashed - March 12, 2024 06:00 - 21 minutesWhen 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 makes a story unputdownable and unforgettable is that the reader goes on an emotional journey of...
#180: Show, Don't Tell: Your Top Questions Answered
Writer Unleashed - March 05, 2024 07:00 - 22 minutesShow, 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 tell be applied to every line and paragraph of a story? Are there times when it's better to tell...
#179: Writing Dialogue: 5 Do's and Don'ts
Writer Unleashed - February 27, 2024 07:00 - 19 minutesYou 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 there are some ways to think about dialogue to help you write it better. In this episode, learn ...
#178: How To Uncomplicate Your Plot
Writer Unleashed - February 20, 2024 07:00 - 14 minutesIf 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, storylines, and extraneous details that don’t feel connected or integrated. This makes it c...
#177: 3 Ways To Deeper, More Fascinating Characters
Writer Unleashed - February 13, 2024 07:00 - 17 minutesYou 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 deeper, more fascinating characters. These are often things I see lacking in student manus...
#176: Beyond First and Third Person: 3 Tips For Writing Point Of View
Writer Unleashed - February 06, 2024 07:00 - 20 minutesThere'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 a confused and unfocused point of view. Who's narrating your story is not the point of view. ...
#175: Charting Your Story's Major Plot Points
Writer Unleashed - January 30, 2024 07:00 - 18 minutesWhat 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 plot point is The foundational elements you need before charting your plot points Your 3 A...
#174: 3 Essential Elements For Structuring Act One
Writer Unleashed - January 23, 2024 07:00 - 19 minutesEver wonder how to write your First Act? In this episode, learn 3 core elements to structure - and nail- Act One of your story. From your set-up, to your inciting incident, to your first plot point, you'll learn how these elements impact the rest of your story, and where to place each. We...
#173: How To Write A Captivating Opening Hook
Writer Unleashed - January 16, 2024 07:00 - 23 minutesHow do you write an opening scene that hooks your reader? An opening so captivating, it compels readers to keep turning the page. A great opening does multiple things to lure readers in. In this episode, we'll focus on crafting an opening hook that keeps them reading. We'll cover: A surefi...
#172: How To Stick To Your Writing This Year
Writer Unleashed - January 09, 2024 07:00 - 18 minutesNew Year. Fresh start. Maybe you’ve resolved that 2024 is going to be the year you’re going to finish your novel or memoir once and for all. But what so often happens is 50 pages or 200 pages in, the writing gets hard and overwhelming. Writers look at their pages and think it's rubbish. So...
Rewind: Writing Inspiration From The Masters
Writer Unleashed - January 02, 2024 07:00 - 18 minutesIn this episode, we're going back to a beloved episode from 2022. Writing is solitary. And if you’re anything like me, you like to dip into some inspiration from time to time for a creative boost or deeper insight into the craft. So much of our progress depends on how we feel about the work...
Rewind: 3 Mindset Shifts To Make Your Writing Dream A Reality
Writer Unleashed - December 26, 2023 07:00 - 20 minutesIn one of the most downloaded episodes of 2023, we're tackling the one thing stopping writers from bringing their story to the finish line. Fear. Maybe you fear visibility, and the expectations and judgements you’ll open yourself up to. Then there's fear of rejection. Even if you’re nowhere...
#171: Scene and Summary: A Guide To Writing Both
Writer Unleashed - December 19, 2023 07:00 - 20 minutesWhat is scene? What is summary? In this episode, learn the crucial difference between them. We'll explore the common ways writers get scene and summary wrong. And you'll get guidelines on how to balance both to enhance the pace of your story. Episode Web Page Rate, Review, & Follow on A...
Post NaNoWriMo Tip: Note to Your Future Self
How To Win NaNo: A Writing Podcast - December 13, 2023 16:00 - 21 minutes ★★★★★ - 70 ratingsDo you want to make your future self the happiest writer in the world? Then leave yourself a note at the end of NaNoWriMo! Because listen, we get it. November is over and you've earned a break. But now is the best time to set your future self up for success. In this final episode of the season...
#170: 10 Great Gifts For Writers
Writer Unleashed - December 12, 2023 07:00 - 16 minutesLooking for original gift ideas for writers? Want to add some to your own holiday wish list? In this episode, I’m sharing 10 gifts ideas perfect for writers. Whether you want to find one or two of these under your Christmas tree, or want to gift your favorite writing buddy, you’re sure to fi...
#169: Plot Simplified Into 4 Core Elements
Writer Unleashed - December 05, 2023 07:00 - 23 minutesOverthinking your plot with beats and pinch points? Plot doesn't need to be complex or over-thought to capture your reader. In fact, when your plot is too complicated, it's likely to confuse and disengage your reader. In this episode, learn how to simplify your plot using 4 core elements. Y...
The Best NaNoWriMo Merch & Winner Goodies
How To Win NaNo: A Writing Podcast - November 30, 2023 16:00 - 20 minutes ★★★★★ - 70 ratingsIt's the LAST DAY of NaNoWriMo, which means... well, either you're already celebrating your win or you're still still furiously writing. Either way, we all know the best part of succeeding at NaNoWriMo (aside from the feeling of a job well done) is the WINNER GOODIES! In today's episode, your h...
#168: 3 Simple Techniques To Turn Good Writing Into Great
Writer Unleashed - November 28, 2023 07:00 - 19 minutesHow do you turn good writing into great writing? With stories that engage, thrill, and surprise your reader. That create drama right on the sentence level. How do you keep readers hooked moment by moment? In this episode, I’m giving 3 little known techniques to turn good writing into great w...
How Do I END My Story?!
How To Win NaNo: A Writing Podcast - November 27, 2023 04:00 - 23 minutes ★★★★★ - 70 ratingsThe end November approaches... and for some, that could mean getting to the end of your novel! But... what does that mean? How do you finish such a huge project? In today's episode, your hosts Kristina and Liz discuss some tips and strategies for ending strong, from resolution to twists to clif...
#167: 3 Powerful Writing Exercises When You Don't Know What To Write
Writer Unleashed - November 21, 2023 07:00 - 19 minutesWhat 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, I'll give you 3 powerful writing exercises to help you find your way into your story. These exercises will help unearth material yo...
Introduction to: The White Room (a tool for writers)
How To Win NaNo: A Writing Podcast - November 15, 2023 22:00 - 20 minutes ★★★★★ - 70 ratingsHave you ever been totally stuck on your writing project and had no idea what to do next? Maybe you need a trip to the white room! And just what is this mythical 'white room' you ask? In today's episode, hosts Liz and Kristina interview guest speaker Katrina Hamilton on what the white room is, ...
#166: How To Recharge Your Motivation To Write
Writer Unleashed - November 14, 2023 07:00 - 17 minutesHow do you keep writing when you don’t have the motivation to keep going? How do you recapture the excitement you had when you first started? In this episode, you'll get my 3 top strategies for getting your writing back on track with renewed motivation. You'll learn: The natural cycle of...
How to Develop Your Writing Voice
How To Win NaNo: A Writing Podcast - November 10, 2023 17:00 - 23 minutes ★★★★★ - 70 ratingsWhat is "voice" when it comes to writing and how do you develop your own? Can it change over time, and do you need one at all? In this week's episode, hosts Kristina and Liz discuss why voice is important, define the difference between character voice and author voice, and share some of their f...
#165: How To Get The Most Out Of NaNoWriMo (Or Any New Writing Project)
Writer Unleashed - November 07, 2023 07:00 - 18 minutesIt’s November, also known as National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo can be a great jumpstart to a writing project, or to make progress on an existing project. It can help instill a regular writing routine, along with community and support. But too often writers will start something in NaNo...
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