This week, Alida and Kathryn talk about ending chapters so that readers can’t wait to “jump the gap” and get on with the next one. What kind of end-hooks work and how? Do we instinctively know where to place our chapter breaks? Is there a formula to follow? Or maybe the story guides us? How to handle end-hooks when you change POV characters at the chapter break? When not to use an epigraph before your chapters, and more!
We’ll be spending extra time with our families this month, but will be back with all new podcast episodes in January...
Want to know what it takes to write a good opening? How do you hook your reader and get them invested in your story? How do you create character empathy and what are the action steps that you need to take in order to write a great opening?
Can an author do their own cover? What is it like to work with a professional cover designer? And how should you start the process? We explore market and genre conventions, as well as some tricky pitfalls of wanting a person on your cover. We even talk about how hard it was to find the houses for Alida’s covers! Stay tuned for an amazing side by side cover comparison, as well as a very generous offer. Make sure you check Daria out!
Do we write ourselves into our novels? Is everything we write autobiographical? And what if you don’t have the experiences your characters do?
What are the benefits and pitfalls of writing groups? What kind of criticism is good criticism? And how can I be a better critic?
Have you ever struggled with your antagonist or supporting characters motivation? Or wonder what kind of work you need to put in before you start writing? We even get into what we do for character sketches and how our journals will lead to posthumous fame!