by Nanci | Nov 4, 2024 | Craft, Podcast
Predictability may keep us feeling safe and certain in real life. But it’s fatal in story. You never want the reader to see what’s coming next. You want to keep readers guessing. A great story is unpredictable. Once the reader can predict how the plot will...
by Nanci | Oct 28, 2024 | Character, Podcast
How do you write beyond the stock, archetypical villain? How do you make him or her more intriguing and believable? How do you write a fascinating villain? How do you surprise us? In this episode, I’m sharing 3 ways to make your villain complex and...
by Nanci | Oct 22, 2024 | Podcast
If I were to ask you, what is your story’s point, what would you say? Could you sum up your central story idea in a few sentences? A big challenge many writers face is keeping their story focused on one single driving point,. Without a central unifying point,...
by Nanci | Oct 14, 2024 | Character, Podcast
First-person is one of the trickiest character perspectives to master. In many ways, it’s more challenging than third-person narration. Third-person has its challenges too, but writing in first- person comes with a unique set of challenges and limitations. In...
by Nanci | Oct 7, 2024 | Character, Podcast
When reading a story, the reader’s brain actively simulates the experience of the characters. The reader becomes so absorbed in the story, they experience it as though it’s true. They believe in it. But before a reader can have that experience, you have to...
by Nanci | Sep 30, 2024 | Character, Podcast
What is an anti-hero and why do they fascinate us? How do they keep us invested in their plight scene by scene? Even as they do immoral, criminal, or deplorable things? I’m a big fan of antiheroes because we can’t have a neutral reaction to them. So in...
