Story Magic

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about letting your characters make mistakes. What you’ll learn from this episode: Why it’s important for characters to make mistakes The difference between static arcs and boring characters Why this is one of the most important (and common) story challenges How to build a realistic, human cast of characters How to let your character make mistakes but remain likeable...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about finding comp titles. What you’ll learn from this episode: What are comp titles?  How to encapsulate the vibes of your book Common pitfalls when choosing comp titles Where to start looking to find comp titles Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email cour...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about narrative drive. What you’ll learn from this episode: What is narrative drive Why is it SO important for reader engagement How to identify if you have a narrative drive problem What to do to add more narrative drive into your story Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Charac...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about revising while integrating feedback with Sam Cameron! The audio from this episode came from Emily's interview on The Truant Pen Substack. Check it out and subscribe here: https://truantpen.substack.com/ Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email cour...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about scene transitions. What you’ll learn from this episode: grounding readers with context making time and space clear to the reader don't overthink this TRANSITIONS BLOG: https://goldenmayediting.com/how-to-set-a-scene/ Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs f...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about writing believable romance. What you’ll learn from this episode: What makes characters romantically compatible How tropes play into compatibility How conflict feeds a believable romance Pitfalls to avoid while writing couples Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Ar...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about writing flow! What you’ll learn from this episode: What is flow state How to find flow state Experimenting with your unique brain and body Letting go of shame surrounding focus and discipline STOLEN FOCUS by Johann Hari: https://stolenfocusbook.com/ Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab T...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about organization! What you’ll learn from this episode:  Emily and Rachel's personal processes Deciding on what your priorities are first Not using "organization" as a procrastination tool Leaning into your brain and body's natural tendencies Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about magic as a metaphor for mental health with guest Ruth McKell. What you’ll learn from this episode: using writing as catharsis incorporating mental health themes into your magic including mental health representation intentionally practical tips for developing magic through real-world observation Read HONEY IN HER VEINS by Ruth McKell: https://www.goodreads.com/...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about how marginalized writers build worlds for their own communities with guest Tiffany Grimes. What you’ll learn from this episode: What it means to "reclaim the lens"  Why so many marginalized writers hesitate to go fully into their own cultures, identities, or lived experiences on the page How can writers tell when they’re unconsciously writing for the...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about digital minimalism with guest Gauri Yardi! What you’ll learn from this episode: What is digital minimalism?  Emily's and Gauri's experience  How to incorporate digital minimalism into your creative life The challenges of limiting tech when marketing is a big piece of the writing journey GAURI YARDI'S WEBSITE: https://www.gauriyardi.com/ GAURI&apo...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about commissioning artists for book covers and artwork. What you’ll learn from this episode: when and why you might work with an artist where and how to find artists what the process is like how to work with an artist Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about writing what you want vs writing to market. What you’ll learn from this episode: staying true to writing what you love considering market as a business tool not letting this question mess with your mindset Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about love triangles! What you’ll learn from this episode:  our personal preferences tying love triangles back to character avoiding common pitfalls Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: https://www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagic Join Tenacious Wri...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about romantasy! What you’ll learn from this episode: expectations of the genre navigating the vibes discussing the genre's critique reading within the genre Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: https://www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagic Join...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about knowing when your draft/book is done. What you’ll learn from this episode: Being confident in your choice At what point should you get outside feedback Different paths have different questions to consider Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course:...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about prologues! What you’ll learn from this episode: Subjectivity is part of this process and industry  What makes prologues not work What makes prologues work How trends change over time Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: https://www.goldenmay...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about ending chapters! What you’ll learn from this episode: Scene vs chapter Scene structure Ending in the middle? SCENE STRUCTURE BLOG: https://goldenmayediting.com/scene-structure Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: https://www.goldenmayediting...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about writing in different POVs. What you’ll learn from this episode: Knowing your character well enough to see from their perspective 1st person vs 3rd person perspectives  Tips and tricks for differentiating between your different POVs Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Charac...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about the brain science behind resistance with special guest Monica Hay! What you’ll learn from this episode: What causes our brains to freeze up when we try to write Retraining your amygdala  Building neurons that support a writing habit  MONICA HAY's WEBSITE: https://monicahay.com/ MONICA's INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/monicahayauthor/?hl=en MONIC...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about descriptions! What you’ll learn from this episode: What makes a good description?  How character perspective impacts what they see and describe How character emotions colors and influences description Tips and tricks Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free e...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about their 2025 years, and what they hope for 2026! Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: https://www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagic Join Tenacious Writing! With the perfect combo of craft, mindset, and community resources, you will build a writin...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about unlikeable characters. What you’ll learn from this episode [insert bullet points] What does  ‘unlikable’ mean, and who decides? How to make unlikeable characters more likeable The importance of ideal reader when building complex / morally grey characters How to create unlikable characters intentionally by giving them purpose An impromptu A Game of Thrones debat...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about jumping into new projects. What you’ll learn from this episode: Moving onto new projects - like a totally new set of characters, new series, etc. It's scary!! What it’s like to start a totally new project  Embrace rewriting and making decisions Play, have fun, and follow curiosity  Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop bitin...

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about revising and/or rewriting messy scenes. What you’ll learn from this episode: How to know if you should rewrite or revise messy scenes What ‘rewriting’ can look like, depending on your process How Emily & Rachel approach rewriting differently (and similarly!)  Mindset around ‘throwing things out’ Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can...