Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchEpisode 87 - How to write a fabulous first sentence.
The first sentence of our story should suggest to the reader, "Come on in and listen." A good first sentence propels the reader into the story, and …
2 years, 10 months ago
Episode 86 - The importance of a tie-up later list. Also: sequels.
Why should we keep a tie-up later list? How to create one and their importance are mentioned. And Angelou, King, and Tolstoy. Also: should we pl…
2 years, 10 months ago
Episode 85 - Dialogue's three most important techniques.
Listening to characters speak is a great pleasure for readers. It's as if the reader is a character in the scene, listening in, eavesdropping. Here…
2 years, 11 months ago
Episode 84 - Why we should create a funny character, and how to do so.
Humorous characters are fun to read about and fun to write about. Here are some thoughts on why funny characters are important in our stories, and s…
2 years, 11 months ago
Episode 83 - How to show our character's thoughts to avoid interior monologue.
Here are ways to show with action and dialogue what our character is thinking so we can avoid visiting the character's mind for interior monologue, u…
2 years, 11 months ago
Episode 82 - Finding the courage to write, and describing our first-person hero.
Do we need courage to write our first novel? If so, where do we find it? Also, writing the physical description of our hero in a first-person novel…
2 years, 11 months ago
Episode 81 - The top ten fiction writing techniques.
Here's a list of the most important techniques we should think about when plotting and writing our novel or short story. Also, more on making our se…
2 years, 11 months ago
Episode 80 - Maybe we are writing magic, and strong versus weak words.
Did soon-to-be famous writers know as they drafted their novels that they were creating magic for readers? Maybe. Maybe not. And how can we cho…
3 years ago
Episode 79 - Tips for writing YA fiction. Also: adding detail to our scenes.
Young adult fiction is a vast market, and many wonderful writers create YA novels. Here are some thoughts on YA, some techniques we might keep in mi…
3 years ago
Episode 78 - Developing a distinctive voice, and flashbacks.
A distinctive voice can add a charming or compelling aspect to a story. What is voice? And do we need a distinctive voice? Maybe not, maybe so. H…
3 years ago