by Nanci | Mar 2, 2026 | Craft, Podcast
You need backstory to help readers understand your character’s motivations and choices. But the moment you pause your story to explain what happened years ago, readers start skimming. In this episode, you’ll learn three specific strategies for writing...
by Nanci | Feb 16, 2026 | Craft, Podcast
You’ve been told your pacing drags. That the story feels unfocused. That it’s too long. But when you look at your manuscript, everything seems important. Every scene had a purpose when you wrote it. How do you know what to cut and what to keep? Most...
by Nanci | Feb 9, 2026 | Craft, Podcast
Many writers think romantic tension comes from obstacles keeping compatible people apart. A jealous ex. A misunderstanding. A job in another city. But that’s not what makes readers ache for two people to get together. The love stories that work are doing...
by Nanci | Feb 2, 2026 | Podcast
The first encounter between your would-be lovers is not about instant chemistry or love at first sight. It’s where the emotional logic of your entire love story gets set. In this episode, we explore why admiration from afar creates fantasy but not connection, and why...
by Nanci | Jan 26, 2026 | Mindset, Podcast
You’re stuck in the middle of your manuscript and don’t know what happens next. Or you’ve been outlining for months but haven’t drafted. Or you got rejected by two agents and accepted that means you should give up. These writing blocks feel...
