You’ll want to join me in this year’s 7th annual Women in Publishing Summit. It’s he biggest 4-day, online conference...
SWRT 290 | Real Life to Fiction with D. Liebhart
Dive into an extraordinary conversation on the Story Works Round Table as D. Liebhart, an ICU nurse turned award-winning author, reveals the intricate process of transforming real-life experiences into captivating fiction. In this episode, we explore the ethical and moral complexities of her debut novel, House on Fire, and delve into the delicate balance between truth and storytelling. Join us as we uncover the layers of memory, emotion, and craft that shape a writer’s journey from personal history to the pages of a novel.
SWRT 103 | Revising with Theme with Mike Stop Continues
You have a draft, now how should you approach revising to your theme? Mike breaks down a way to approach your draft across multiple facets of your novel, and we talk about how it all works together. How do you transform description, action, and dialogue into a thematic powerhouse? By keeping your theme front and center! Now, go write it on a post-it note and stick it to your monitor!
SWRT 102 | Prewriting Theme with Mike Stop Continues
This week, Alida, Kathryn welcome Mike Stop Continues back to the show to discuss prewriting theme. We cover: why you should find your theme before you write, why themes that are too timely are no good, being human, the role of the character arc in theme, how does...
SWRT 101 | Using Reveals to Advance Your Story
What is the reveal? And how do you craft one? How do you introduce intrigue artfully? And when should you follow that intrigue with the reveal? Remember your reveal must be worth the emotional investment of the reader!
SWRT 100! | Bringing the Past to the Present-Flashbacks
When should you use a flashback? Does it add to or detract from a readers experience? What are the ways you can reveal backstory, and when should you choose flashback over other options?
SWRT 099 | How to Prioritize Projects & When to Walk Away
This week, Alida, Robert, and Kathryn discuss the problem of multiple projects. Our listener Deanna wanted to know how should we prioritize what to work on when we have multiple projects and no specific deadline? The question raised the issues of carrying multiple projects, productivity and making progress, how to set up priorities, and the role of passion in your writing life. Then we addressed Kathryn’s question: when do you walk away? Is walking away always a bad thing? Should you be a “completer?” We touch on taking lessons learned with you and the evolution of ideas.
SWRT 098 | Capturing Your Character’s Shadow Side
What is the shadow side? And how should we use it in our stories? How do we develop a shadow side? And how does it humanize our characters? Remember that you must get into your characters head, show their motivations, and make a change throughout your story! So use that shadow side to help you craft a character readers want to live vicariously through.
SWRT 097 | Writing with Humor
How do we encounter humor in fiction? Does it inspire or frustrate us as writers? How do you craft humor? What kinds of humor are there? And isn’t humor more of an audible medium? How do you learn to write humor? We dive into the benefits of studying improv, and offer some resources to learn more!
SWRT 096 | Should Your Story Be Told in Parts?
How are parts used in novel structure? How do parts function? And when do you want to use them? We discuss how different genre’s use parts and how to ensure you don’t use them in the wrong ways!
SWRT 095 | Subplots
What exactly is a subplot? When do you need them? Who should they revolve around? And can they really alleviate the soggy middle syndrome? And please don’t forget your characters have lives too! Don’t make them live entirely in the main plot line.