Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchEpisode 173 - The magic of dialogue.
Dialogue is fun to write and fun to read. Our story should have lots of it. Here's a powerful thing dialogue can do: it can reveal (that is, to show rather than tell) what a character is thinking. …
Published on 2 months, 1 week ago
Episode 172 - Our first fifteen pages.
The first pages of our novel should contain certain elements and avoid certain elements. Here's a list of things to include and exclude in those first pages. Plus, ways to write forceful, clear, a…
Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Episode 171 - Top ten list of bad advice for writers.
In these episodes I try to set out good writing advice but a lot of bad advice is out there, so here is a list of bad advice, and the list may help us avoid writing blunders. Here are also ten dialo…
Published on 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Episode 170 - Writing the crowd scene. And guilt and pride.
Here are techniques for keeping focus in a scene where there is a crowd, with an example from Harper Lee. And how Margaret Mitchell worked. Plus: how can we show rather than tell about a character'…
Published on 2 months, 4 weeks ago
Episode 169 - How to find a surefire plot.
Stephen King says there is no idea dump we can visit to find a good plot. We have to create our own plots. How can we do so? Here's a discussion on creating plots. Also, if Meriwether Lewis of th…
Published on 3 months ago
Episode 168 - Making our first sentence sparkle.
Does our story's first sentence cause the reader to ask, "What's next?" Or does the reader say, "So what?" Here are thoughts on creating a tense, sparkling first sentence. Also, how the masters us…
Published on 3 months, 1 week ago
Episode 167 - Revealing our character by the setting.
Our setting descriptions should do more than describe a place. They can also show the reader much about our character. Here's how to do so. Also: what's the main thing our plot needs: trouble. He…
Published on 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Episode 166- Showing our character's thoughts.
Two mistakes can ruin our presentation of what our character is thinking: telling rather than showing, and interior monologue. Here are ways to present thoughts in a way that grabs the reader. Also…
Published on 3 months, 3 weeks ago
Episode 165 - The rule of exceptions.
Sometimes the strongest writing technique isn't the strongest in our story. Every writing rule has exceptions, and here's a discussion on when to make exceptions. Also, how to create a strong title…
Published on 4 months ago
Episode 164 - Design our cover? And the masters on setting details.
We are learning fiction techniques, and we are or soon will be skilled fiction writers. Does this mean we should design our own book covers? Also, Michael Chabon's terrific sense of smell. And the…
Published on 4 months, 1 week ago