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 | Jan 12, 2026 | Craft, Podcast
Have a pile of notes and can’t quite see the story? Or maybe you’ve written 200 pages of a rough draft that’s sprawling out of control. You know there’s something there, you just can’t get your arms around it. In this episode, I’ll...
by Nanci | Jan 5, 2026 | Craft, Podcast
You’ve revised your opening five times. Cut hundreds of words. Tightened every sentence. But readers still lose interest before they finish Chapter One. The problem isn’t your writing—it’s pacing. Discover the 3 biggest pacing mistakes that kill your...
