Marie Mullany & Maxwell Alexander Drake

Releasing Your Inner Dragon

Welcome to the world of creative writing and story mastery with Maxwell Alexander Drake and Marie Mullany, your guides to Releasing Your Inner Dragon. This author podcast is a treasure trove of writing tips and advice, sparking inspiration and ah-ha moments for every stage of an author’s career.  Drake, an award-winning novelist and creative writing teacher, brings his experience from the gaming world and beyond, while Mullany, author of the Sangwheel Chronicles and YouTuber, shares her expertise in fantasy world-building. Together, they delve into the intricacies of crafting compelling narrat...

Author

Marie Mullany & Maxwell Alexander Drake

Category

Education

Latest episode

Jul 5, 2026

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Episodes

Does Your Inciting Incident Work? How to Write a Phenomenal Call to Adventure! 06.03.2024

Send a text Join Drake and Marie to discuss the inciting incident of your story! Writer's room (50% off for lifetime membership): https://writersroom.mn.co/plans/338439?bundle_token=196fd3965307a65eee0d1bf2bc6fa5a6&utm_source=manualMembership for Just In Time Worlds: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/joinGive us feedback at releasingyourinnerdragon(at)gmail(dot)comMagicfall:...

Writing dialogue: How to engage the reader when characters are talking 29.02.2024

Send a text Join Drake and Marie in another dialogue on dialogue! This time they discuss how to write good dialogue, how to keep the reader engaged and the purpose dialogue serves in your story. Writer's room (50% off for lifetime membership): https://writersroom.mn.co/plans/338439?bundle_token=196fd3965307a65eee0d1bf2bc6fa5a6&utm_source=manualMembership for Just In Time Worlds: https://www.youtub...

Writing dialogue: The mistakes every writer makes at least once! 21.02.2024

Send a text Join Drake and Marie in a dialogue... on dialogue! They discuss the mistakes writers make and how to fix  them. Writer's room (50% off for lifetime membership): https://writersroom.mn.co/plans/338439?bundle_token=196fd3965307a65eee0d1bf2bc6fa5a6&utm_source=manualMembership for Just In Time Worlds: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/joinGive us feedback at releasin...

Common mistakes writers make with their opening chapters 14.02.2024

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss opening chapters and why they put a book down or continue reading. Writer's room (50% off for lifetime membership): https://writersroom.mn.co/plans/338439?bundle_token=196fd3965307a65eee0d1bf2bc6fa5a6&utm_source=manualMembership for Just In Time Worlds: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/joinGive us feedback at releasingyourinn...

Live Edit: Focus on your story, cut pointless actions 07.02.2024

Send a text Join Drake and Marie in a live critique where they tear apart a willing victim's work.  Writer's Room: https://writersroom.mn.co/Membership for Just In Time Worlds: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/joinGive us feedback at releasingyourinnerdragon(at)gmail(dot)comMagicfall: http://magicfallnovel.com/Drake's Contact Details:Starving Writer Studio: https://www.star...

The secret to applying plot devices well: PART 2! 31.01.2024

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss the plot devices, their use in fiction writing and how to make even a stale trope seem fresh again. Writer's Room: https://writersroom.mn.co/Membership for Just In Time Worlds: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/joinGive us feedback at releasingyourinnerdragon(at)gmail(dot)comMagicfall: http://magicfallnovel.com/Drake's Contact...

You're Using Plot Devices WRONG - Here's How to Do Better 24.01.2024

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss the plot devices, their use in fiction writing and how to make even a stale trope seem fresh again. Writer's Room: https://writersroom.mn.co/Membership for Just In Time Worlds: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/joinGive us feedback at releasingyourinnerdragon(at)gmail(dot)comMagicfall: http://magicfallnovel.com/Drake's Contact...

How to Write Fight Scenes: Avoid Common Writing Mistakes 17.01.2024

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss the ten mistakes you make in writing combat scenes! Writer's Room: https://writersroom.mn.co/Membership for Just In Time Worlds: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/joinGive us feedback at releasingyourinnerdragon(at)gmail(dot)comMagicfall: http://magicfallnovel.com/Drake's Contact Details:Starving Writer Studio: https://www.sta...

Writing with dreams and flashbacks and telling? 27.12.2023

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss dreams, flashbacks and when showing might become too much and maybe you should try telling... Or not. Writer's Room: https://writersroom.mn.co/Membership for Just In Time Worlds: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/joinGive us feedback at releasingyourinnerdragon(at)gmail(dot)comMagicfall: http://magicfallnovel.com/Drake's Conta...

Writing with allegories, when does it work and what makes it fail. 20.12.2023

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss writing fantasy stories that contain allegories. They'll talk about when it works well, when it doesn't work at all and what happens when you leave the allegory half done. Writer's Room: https://writersroom.mn.co/Membership for Just In Time Worlds: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/joinGive us feedback at releasingyourinnerdra...

Making believable fantasy worlds & characters 13.12.2023

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss multiple point of view characters, when to use them, which characters to pick and how to tell a story that needs multiple perspectives. Also, what mistakes writers make and how to avoid them. Writer's Room: https://writersroom.mn.co/Membership for Just In Time Worlds: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/joinGive us feedback at r...

Plotting a Novel: How to end your story 06.12.2023

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss plotting the second book in the Skies of Destiny series. In this episode, they work through the final act and decide how the novel should end. The plot is now complete... Let the writing begin! Check out how they do it and learn by example. Just In Time Worlds: https://www.youtube.com/c/JustInTimeWorlds?sub_confirmation=1Writer's Room: https://write...

Plotting a novel - Think like the Villain 29.11.2023

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss plotting the second book in the Skies of Destiny series. In this episode, they turn their thoughts to a villain and design the plot from his perspective, allowing them to strengthen his arc and the main plot! Check out how they do it and learn by example. Writer's Room: https://writersroom.mn.co/Give us feedback at releasingyourinnerdragon(at)gmail(...

Mistakes writers make in creating tension and how to fix them 22.11.2023

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss the different kinds of tension you can use in a story, in a scene or in a chapter. They cover the common mistakes both plotters and pantsers make and how to fix them. Writer's Room: https://writersroom.mn.co/Give us feedback at releasingyourinnerdragon(at)gmail(dot)comMagicfall: http://magicfallnovel.com/Drake's Contact Details:Starving Writer Studi...

Unresolved themes are a problem 15.11.2023

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss the problem with accidentally introducing very heavy themes into your world and then just not addressing them. Writer's Room: https://writersroom.mn.co/Give us feedback at releasingyourinnerdragon(at)gmail(dot)comMagicfall: http://magicfallnovel.com/Drake's Contact Details:Starving Writer Studio: https://www.starvingwriterstudio.com/Drake-U: https:/...

Plotting a novel - Sometimes the better ending requires major changes 08.11.2023

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss plotting the second book in the Skies of Destiny series. In this episode, they hit their heads against a wall of disagreement multiple times... Until suddenly....magic happens :D Check out how they do it and learn by example. Writer's Room: https://writersroom.mn.co/Give us feedback at releasingyourinnerdragon(at)gmail(dot)comMagicfall: http://magic...

The problem with inflicting nothing but misery on your characters 01.11.2023

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss why they've stopped reading some of the grimdark authors out there and why readers lose faith with authors who just hurt their characters and never pay it off. Learn how to pay it off when you do terrible, terrible things to your character and leave the reader satisfied with how the book turned out. Writer's Room: https://writersroom.mn.co/Give us f...

Plotting a Book - Make Sure you like your tropes! 25.10.2023

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss plotting the second book in the Skies of Destiny series. In this episode, they explore various potential overcomes and endings. They talk about the tropes that would result in and if that is the tropes they want to use. Check out how they do it and learn by example. Writer's Room: https://writersroom.mn.co/Give us feedback at releasingyourinnerdrago...

Making believable fantasy worlds & characters 18.10.2023

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss what believability in fantasy and sci-fi.  Follow along as they plunge into rabbit holes about building characters and how to keep the reader's trust. Marie's IndieGoGo Campaign: https://igg.me/at/the-lion-vessel/x/27732935#/Give us feedback at releasingyourinnerdragon(at)gmail(dot)comMagicfall: http://magicfallnovel.com/Drake's Contact Details:Star...

Plotting a Book - Transitioning from Act 1 to Act 2 11.10.2023

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss plotting the second book in the Skies of Destiny series. In this episode, they focus on what you need to make Act 2 work and the importance of thinking about the type of characters you want to include. Check out how they do it and learn by example. Also includes a discussion on how awesome Ted Lasso is :DWriter's Room: https://writersroom.mn.co/ Giv...

Writer's Craft - Chapters, Scenes and Dialogue 04.10.2023

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss what makes a scene, what makes a chapter and how to punctuate dialogue. Give us feedback at releasingyourinnerdragon(at)gmail(dot)comMagicfall: http://magicfallnovel.com/Drake's Contact Details:Starving Writer Studio: https://www.starvingwriterstudio.com/Drake-U: https://class.drakeu.com/  - Use RYID25 for 25% off! Writer's Room: https://writersroom...

One hundred hours spent on the craft of writing 27.09.2023

Send a text Edit: Had a snafu with the upload (because of course), if you're hearing the previous episode repeated, try to get the episode again. Join Drake and Marie on the 100th episode of Releasing Your Inner Dragon where they discuss the journey of the podcast, the technical production of the podcast and what they've learned from the last two years. Give us feedback at releasingyourinnerdragon...

Writer's Craft - Punctuation for Prose (because it is important) 20.09.2023

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as the discuss punctuation including commas, semi-colons, em-dashes, sentence structure, paragraph structure and capitalization! Give us feedback at releasingyourinnerdragon(at)gmail(dot)comMagicfall: http://magicfallnovel.com/Drake's Contact Details:Starving Writer Studio: https://www.starvingwriterstudio.com/Drake-U: https://class.drakeu.com/  - Use RYID25 for 25...

Plotting a Book - Character Motivation and Story Threads 13.09.2023

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as they discuss plotting the second book in the Skies of Destiny series. In this episode, they focus on the call to adventure, building story threads into the world for future use and most importantly, character motivation. Even the motivation of secondary characters are important to make your plot robust! Check out how they do it and learn by example. Give us feed...

Writing a story: But why do I have to do that? 06.09.2023

Send a text Join Drake and Marie as the discuss the orphan trope, how to write dialogue and when to summarize. They don't just list the rules, but plunge into the reasons why those rules exist in the publishing industry and when to break them. Give us feedback at releasingyourinnerdragon(at)gmail(dot)comMagicfall: http://magicfallnovel.com/Drake's Contact Details:Starving Writer Studio: https://ww...

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