by Nanci | Dec 5, 2022 | Craft, Podcast
Outlining is one of those requirements we either love or hate. But the best outlines aren’t rigid, or even painstaking. The most effective outlines are breathable. They’re a guide to help you track your story, your cast of characters, and what happens. An...
by Nanci | Nov 28, 2022 | Craft, Podcast
When it comes to structuring your story, there’s no one-size-fits-all. Some writers wing it all the way, others craft meticulous outlines before they write. Both can produce stunning results. But what’s often missing in the I’ll just wing it...
by Nanci | Nov 21, 2022 | Craft, Podcast
How do we take our characters from their sketchy beginnings and make them come alive? How do we make them convincing? All writers struggle to make characters believable. The paradox we face is how to create characters who behave consistently without being predictable....
by Nanci | Nov 14, 2022 | Craft, Podcast
Great stories often start with a trigger. One persistent image, a childhood memory, a family story, or a phone conversation you overhear on the train ride to work. In this episode, we’ll explore story triggers: where they come from, how to tap into your own triggers,...
by Nanci | Nov 7, 2022 | Craft, Podcast
Developing a vivid sense of place is essential to engaging your readers. But it serves multiple purposes. It builds a wider, deeper world around your characters, and can embody your story’s central conflict and theme. It’s a great way to create and...
by Nanci | Oct 31, 2022 | Craft, Podcast
So, you want to use 3rd person to tell your story. But it’s confusing as all heck. Let’s say you’re writing in 3rd person limited in your main character’s POV and you want to get across some trouble other characters are cooking up for him....