Helping Writers Become Authors

Ep. 253: Most Common Writing Mistakes, Pt. 40: Unnecessary Scenes 03.05.2015 12:33 ↓

Discover four types of unnecessary scenes that may be sinking your book - and three ways to find them and kill them.

Ep. 252: Find Out if Your Prologue Is Destroying Your Story's Subtext 26.04.2015 15:34 ↓

Take a look at how poor prologues sap stories, how no prologue can strengthen stories, and how to determine if your story is one of the exceptions.

Ep. 251: My Writing Process, Pt. 2 of 2: How I Use Scrivener to Write My First Drafts 19.04.2015 10:58 ↓

Here's what my daily writing process looks like when using Scrivener for my first drafts.

Ep. 250: My Writing Process, Pt. 1 of 2: How I Use Scrivener to Outline My Novels 12.04.2015 12:33 ↓

Today, I'm offering a sneak peek under the hood of my writing process when using Scrivener - and how you can use Scrivener to up your writing game.

Want Readers to Adore Your Book? Learn How to Ace Your Climactic Moment 05.04.2015 13:50 ↓

The Climactic Moment is the reason your story is even being told in the first place. Needless to say, it's pretty important you get it right. Find out how!

Ep. 248: What Are Pinch Points? And How Can They Make Your Book Easier to Write? 29.03.2015 12:23 ↓

What are pinch points? Of all the important moments in your story, they are most likely to be neglected. But they're crucial to your story structure.

Ep. 247: Your Book's Inciting Event: It's Not What You Think It Is 22.03.2015 16:09 ↓

The trouble with identifying the Inciting Event is that the term is applied rather wildly to half a dozen different moments in the story. Which is right?

Ep. 246: Want to Know More About the Structure of Your Favorite Books and Movies? Announcing the Story Structure Database! 15.03.2015 8:41 ↓

Today, I'm excited to put an end to the guessing about the "Big Secret" and unveil a new resource for authors. The official Story Structure Database.

Ep. 245: For Writers on the Verge of Writing Spectacularly Complex Characters 08.03.2015 8:52 ↓

The ironic thing about about complex characters in fiction is that the essence of what makes them so wonderfully complicated is actually incredibly simple.

Ep. 244: Most Common Writing Mistakes, Pt. 39: Referencing Characters by Title Rather Than Name 01.03.2015 9:55 ↓

In the time it takes to write two words, you might distance readers from your narrative. Luckily, this one of our common writing mistakes is an easy fix.

Ep. 243: Do You Know the 6 Must-Have Elements of a "Wow" Story Premise? 22.02.2015 9:25 ↓

Discover how a good story premise can help you eliminate structural weaknesses and create a valuable tool for outlining and pitching your novel.

Ep. 242: The Crucial Way to Figure Out How Much Time Your Story Should Cover 15.02.2015 10:27 ↓

The length of the timeline is an important factor in any story. Take a moment to consider just how much time your story should cover.

Ep. 241: The 5 Secrets of Choosing the Right Setting for Your Story's Climax 08.02.2015 10:34 ↓

What makes a great climactic setting? Consider five important techniques for making the most of the setting in your story's climax.

Ep. 240: Most Common Writing Mistakes, Pt. 38: Irrelevant Book Endings 01.02.2015 8:27 ↓

One of the easiest writing mistakes to fall into in your book endings is actually one that has much to do with book beginnings--and, indeed, the entirety of your book.

Ep. 239: The Lazy Author's Way to Identify and Overcome Writing Weaknesses 25.01.2015 11:11 ↓

Go beyond the vague sense that's something wrong with your story and use these five tips to figure out what your writing weaknesses are.

Ep. 238: Get Rid of On-the-Nose Dialogue Once and For All 18.01.2015 11:30 ↓

If you can identify on-the-nose dialogue and learn how to replace it with rich undercurrents of subtext, you're on your way to becoming a master author.

Ep. 273: Most Common Writing Mistakes, Pt. 37: Unnecessary Filler 04.01.2015 7:46 ↓

As we continue to discuss the most common writing mistakes, we'd be remiss to leave out the all-too-prevalent faux pas of unnecessary filler or padding.

Ep. 275: How to Pitch Your Novel: What's the Difference Between Your Story's Hook and Your Story's Heart? 28.12.2014 12:07 ↓

When figuring out how to pitch your novel, you may realize your story's hook and its heart might not be compatible within such a short description.