by Nanci | Jun 1, 2026 | Craft, Podcast, Structure
You know your opening matters. You’ve probably rewritten it more than once. You’ve tried starting earlier, starting later, cutting the backstory, adding more tension. But something still isn’t landing and you can’t quite name why. The best...
by Nanci | May 18, 2026 | Character, Craft, Podcast, Structure
Your story feels stuck. You’ve reread the chapters, moved scenes around, added more conflict. But something still isn’t working and you can’t name what it is. There’s a layer underneath every stuck story that most writers never think to...
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...
