by Nanci | Apr 13, 2026 | Craft, Podcast
If your first draft feels like it’s wandering — like you’re generating pages but not quite writing a story — this episode is for you. After coaching and editing hundreds of first-time novelists and memoir writers, I keep seeing the same three mistakes show...
by Nanci | Mar 23, 2026 | Character, Craft, Podcast
Every writer knows the feeling. Your story is on fire, you’re excited about what’s on the page, then boom — your story dies in the middle. The excitement fades, the scenes stop feeling alive, and no matter how many times you reread or rework your outline,...
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...
