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 075 | Story Structure
What is story structure? And do you need to know everything about it before you write? How should you story fit and where is there wiggle room? What is the difference between an opening hook and an inciting incident? And how important is that midpoint? Remember that you can always innovate your story, but the basics of structure will be there.
SWRT 074 | Nicey Nice
What is nicey-nice? How can you use character flaws and irrational reactions to combat it? As a writer we need to remember to push boundaries, silence that inner critic, and steer clear of writing our own reactions into our character. So how do you fix a section that is too nice? And how can you use character reactions to build tension into your story? Make your characters reactions messy and their relationships imperfect and you’ll be on your way to writing characters that keep the reader engaged!
SWRT 073 | Stakes & Agency
What are stakes? And how does your characters agency interact with them? How do you make your stakes personal and individual for your character? And how can you use your stakes to evaluate your plot structure? How should the stakes change through the story? And how do the stakes affect your characters actions? Remember, your characters agency must be the thing that drives your story forward!
SWRT 072 | Killing Your Characters
Why is killing characters important? How should we approach killing characters? And what are the reasons for doing it? How can it affect your story and your protagonist’s journey? What genres rely on killing characters? And how should you approach killing “extras” in your book? Even nameless characters can have a huge impact – so use your tools wisely!
SWRT 071 | Pacing
What is pacing? How do you decide the best pace for your story? And how do you achieve that pace? What kind of effect can pacing have for your readers? And why is pacing so different between books and movies? Check out the things we’ve mentioned section to check out those books we talked about – those we loved and even those we didn’t.
SWRT 070 | Writing Emotions
How should you use layers of emotion? And at what point in the writing process should you focus on getting them on the page? How should your character express their emotions and when can you tell if you are throttling them? Remember that not everything has to be big to be powerful and that each emotional moment for your character will have an emotional tail.
SWRT 069 | How to End your Story
What is the purpose of your ending? How do you create space for the reader to really feel the emotional impact of your story? And when should you plan how you are going to tie up those plot points and emotional questions you opened at the beginning of your story? How...
SWRT 068 | Evoking Emotion
Why do you want to evoke emotions in your reader? And what are some nuts and bolts ways to make that happen? Remember to stick to the basics, to structure your emotional payoffs, and that even emotions deserve an arc. We talk about how to handle this with tension and release, your character’s arc, and offsetting it from your physical climaxes. Don’t stray into melodrama, and keep that emotional pull all the way to the end of your novel!
SWRT 067 | Character Descriptions
How should you introduce your characters? We each bring an example showing how to use action or narrative exposition to introduce your character to your reader. Remember just like everything in writing your description should do more than just describe your character.