by Nanci | Aug 11, 2025 | Inspiration, Mindset, Podcast
Why do most writers quit? It’s not a lack of time, a lack of talent, or even a lack of technique. Writers quit because they believe they’re not good enough. And there are thoughts that sneak in quietly to hijack your confidence as a writer and paralyze...
by Nanci | Aug 4, 2025 | Craft, Podcast
Backstory often gets blamed for slowing a novel down. Writers are told to cut it, sprinkle it lightly, or avoid it altogether. But here’s the truth: the wrong backstory, delivered the wrong way, at the wrong time is the problem. Used with intention, backstory can...
by Nanci | Jul 28, 2025 | Craft, Podcast
Your opening line is your reader’s first invitation into your story, so it has to do more than just start the book. It has to hook. In this episode of Writer Unleashed, I’m sharing 3 powerful strategies to craft an opening sentence that grabs attention and keeps...
by Nanci | Jul 21, 2025 | Character, Craft, Podcast
We don’t just read stories to find out what happens. We read to witness who a character becomes. So how do you show that change? Not by stating it outright, or having another character comment on it, but through behavior, inner voice, and choices that reveal an...
by Nanci | Jul 14, 2025 | Craft, Dialogue, Podcast
When dialogue works, it feels alive. It’s charged with tension. It reveals character, drives the plot, and leaves space for the reader to lean in and feel what’s left unsaid. But when it doesn’t? It falls flat, feels forced, or gets skimmed over entirely. In...
by Nanci | Jul 7, 2025 | Inspiration, Podcast
You’ve finally shared your pages with someone. Maybe it was a critique partner, a writing group, an editor, a beta reader. You were nervous, but hopeful, maybe even excited. And then the feedback came. And now you’re spiraling. Maybe they pointed out...
