Inside Creative Writing

— a podcast episode —

How do you keep readers engaged in a novel without constant action or plot twists?One of the most effective ways to keep readers engaged is by incorporating “little mysteries,” unanswered questions or withheld information that prompt curiosity. These can be as simple as a character avoiding a topic, a strange behavior with no explanation, or a subtle line of foreshadowing. When done well, they create narrative tension and encourage readers to keep turning the pages to uncover the truth.

Helping writers craft authentic, immersive stories.Find out more about us here.

Inside Creative Writing

1. Formatted and Edited Transcript

• What Are Little Mysteries?

Why do some stories feel impossible to put down? It’s not always explosions, plot twists, or dramatic scenes. Sometimes, it’s something quieter and more powerful: little mysteries. In this episode of the Inside Creative Writing Podcast, we dive deep into how subtle, unanswered questions can create narrative tension that keeps readers engaged through every chapter. Whether you’re writing a thriller, romance, memoir, or sci-fi epic, understanding how to plant and resolve these small mysteries can transform your pacing and reader connection.

You’ll learn:

• Why mystery doesn’t have to mean murder

Want more insight on crafting page-turning stories? Check out the How to Write a Novel guide or listen to Episode 42: Plot Your Novel with Index Cards for practical structuring tools.

Episode 45. What is it that keeps you turning pages in a book, makes you stay up all night until you finish it? Today we’re talking about little mysteries.

Let’s dive in.

Welcome back fellow writers. I hope your writing is going well this week. Today’s episode is about something that quietly powers almost every great story, regardless of genre. It’s not dialogue, it’s not description. It’s what we’re going to call little mysteries. Now we’ve hinted at this before in other episodes, but I really wanted to take a full episode and dive into it deeply because it’s so important and powerful.

So, little mysteries. I’m not talking about detective stories and dead bodies and who done it, although those are certainly fun too. I mea...

— a podcast episode —

What if I’m not the kind of writer I thought I’d be?Many writers start with a fixed idea of the kind of stories they’re supposed to write, but creative growth often reveals a different voice or genre that feels more authentic. Embracing this shift isn’t failure; it’s part of discovering your true identity as a writer.

Helping writers craft authentic, immersive stories.Find out more about us here.

Inside Creative Writing

What if the writer you thought you’d be isn’t the writer you actually are? This episode dives into one of the most important (but rarely discussed) challenges writers face: discovering that their creative voice may not match the genre, tone, or style they originally envisioned. Whether you’re feeling creatively stuck or wondering if a pivot is necessary, this conversation will help you listen to what your writing is trying to tell you.

Key takeaways from this episode:

You don’t have to be the writer you set out to be. In fact, discovering who you really are on the page might be the most exciting part of the journey. Ready to go deeper? Explore the How to Write a Novel page or try the Story Rescue Checklist to see if your current project needs a fresh look.

When you started writing, you probably had a clear idea of the kind of writer you were going to be. But what if you were wrong? And what if that’s actually a good thing? Let’s dive in.

Welcome back to the Inside Creative Writing podcast. This is Brad Reed. I’m thrilled to be here with you again today.

I want to talk about something that almost every writer struggles with at some point, but we don’t often say it out loud. We don’t often talk about it. And that thing is the question, what if I’m not the kind of writer I thought I was going to be?

When most of us start writing, we have this clear idea in our heads, right? We picture ourselves maybe w...

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Why do some characters take control of your story?Some characters seem to “take over” your story because they may represent parts of your own mind. According to Internal Family Systems (IFS) theory, the human psyche is made up of different internal parts—each with its own voice, perspective, and motivation. When writing, these parts can emerge as characters, expressing thoughts or emotions you might not consciously recognize. Letting characters lead can reveal deeper truths and add emotional depth to your story.

Helping writers craft authentic, immersive stories.Find out more about us here.

Inside Creative Writing

Why do our characters sometimes refuse to do what we planned? In this episode of Inside Creative Writing, Brad dives deep into the phenomenon of characters “talking back,” saying things we didn’t expect, steering the story in new directions, or developing voices of their own. It turns out, there might be a psychological explanation.

Drawing from Internal Family Systems (IFS), a therapeutic model that sees the mind as a system of parts, Brad explores what might be happening when characters come alive on the page. Are they just echoes of other stories? Or could they be voices from within ourselves, trying to speak through our fiction?

Whether you’re a skeptic, a believer, or somewhere in between, this episode offers practical techniques and surprising insights to help you tap into character voice, deepen emotional authenticity, and maybe even understand yourself a little better.

Includes:

Episode 43. Today we get weird.

What exactly is happening when our characters seem to start taking control of the story we’re writing? Doing and saying things we didn’t expect?

Let’s dive in.

Almost every writer has had the experience of a character who keeps doing things you didn’t plan for. Or maybe they say something that makes you kind of blink and ask, wait, where did that come from?

It’s a strange moment, for sure, but what exactly is happening?

You’re not alone in this. Today we’re talking about what might be happening when those characters start surprising us, and what that might have to do with a therapeutic model of the mind called Internal Family Systems.

So we’re really living up to the name Inside Creative Writing today, because we’re going deep inside the creative writing mind. The episode might get a little weird, but in the best way.

So we’ve all heard the stories, right? If they haven’t happened to us ourselves. An author says their characters “took over” the story. Or they didn’t intend for a plot twist, but a character insisted that it happened. Maybe you’re writing along and suddenly a side character starts just dominating the story. Or your protagonist refuses to follow your outline.

What is going on here?

Now, I’ve been curious about this for years. And for years I chalked it up to cliché, like maybe the words come easy because we’ve just heard them before, not because they’re especially meaningful.

But lately I’ve been exploring somethin...

— a podcast episode —

How can I use index cards to plot a novel?The index card method helps novelists visualize and organize their story by dividing it into key turning points across a four-row layout, one row per story act. Each card represents a single scene, allowing writers to pace their novel, identify structural weaknesses, and rearrange plot points easily before drafting.

Helping writers craft authentic, immersive stories.Find out more about us here.

Inside Creative Writing

When writing a novel, it’s easy to get lost in the fog of ideas and endless possibilities. That’s where index card plotting comes in. In this episode, we explore a screenwriting method that translates perfectly to fiction: using index cards to build out your novel’s structure.

This hands-on, visual approach helps writers of all styles, plotters and pantsers alike, get a clear view of their story’s pacing, major turning points, and emotional beats. Whether you’re stuck in the messy middle or just getting started, index card plotting offers clarity and momentum.

Key takeaways include:

— a podcast episode —

Why is boredom important for writers?Boredom gives the brain space to reflect, wander, and make creative connections. Without constant distractions, writers can tap into deeper ideas and story insights that often remain buried beneath the noise of modern life.

Helping writers craft authentic, immersive stories.Find out more about us here.

Inside Creative Writing

Sometimes the best thing you can do for your writing has nothing to do with your keyboard. In this thought-provoking episode, Brad explores how boredom can actually be your secret weapon when writing a novel. By leaning into stillness, cutting distractions, and giving your mind space to wander, you unlock deeper insights, clearer ideas, and stronger connections to your story.

In a world constantly filled with noise, this episode makes the case for building boredom into your writing life, not avoiding it. Through personal stories, classroom experiences, and scientific insights, you’ll learn how to reframe boredom not as a productivity killer, but as a vital part of the creative process.

Key takeaways include:

Whether you’re stuck in your novel’s early stages or trying to rediscover your writing spark, this episode will help you reconnect with your own imagination.

If you want even more clarity on where your novel is headed, be sure to grab the free Story Rescue Checklist or explore the How to Write a Novel page for more essential tools.

Did you know that you have a writing superpower that you’re probably not using? On today’s podcast, we’re talking about the awesome power of boredom. Let’s get started.

OK. Before we jump in, I want to warn you that I may sound like an old man at times during this podcast. There are going to be some good old fashioned “back in my day” stories, so be prepared for that.

With that in mind, I want to start with an experience I had going back to college to become a teacher. This was probably about 2014. I took a class on the psychology of adolescence. One of the textbooks we used was old, like pre-Internet old. One of the chapters was all about how important boredom was for the formation of the adolescent mind and how essential it was for the exploration and disc

— a podcast episode —

Why do writer’s write?Writers write to explore, express, and make sense of their inner and outer worlds—whether to connect, create, remember, or simply because they have to.

Helping writers craft authentic, immersive stories.Find out more about us here.

Inside Creative Writing

Why do you write? It’s a deceptively simple question that can unravel or resurrect your creative life. In this deeply personal episode, Brad Reed invites listeners into an honest exploration of the emotional and practical reasons that drive us to tell stories. From past failures turning passion into obligation to reclaiming joy in the writing process, this episode offers a powerful reframing of the writer’s journey.

Brad reflects on how writing can lose its spark when overshadowed by dreams of publishing and visibility, and how the truest stories are often the ones we write for no one but ourselves. He introduces the idea of “craft-based writing,” a mindset that prioritizes voice, honesty, and emotional resonance over formula and trends.

Key takeaways include:

This episode is a must-listen for any writer feeling stuck, burned out, or unsure why they’re writing at all. If you’re ready to re...

— a podcast episode —

What is reading like a writer?To read like a writer means looking past the story to study how it was built. After the first read for pleasure, you revisit the text to examine structure, pacing, dialogue, and emotional beats. It’s about learning how great writing works so you can use those tools in your own.

Helping writers craft authentic, immersive stories.Find out more about us here.

Inside Creative Writing

Great writing feels like magic—but it’s not. In this engaging and practical episode, Brad Reed breaks down exactly how to read like a writer so you can start uncovering the techniques hidden beneath the surface of great stories. Whether you’re working on your first draft or stuck in revision, learning to read like a writer can transform how you approach your work.

Key takeaways include:

You’ll also hear about Brad’s favorite books for studying craft and how he uses them to solve real writing problems. Whether you’re looking to deepen your prose or get unstuck in your current project, this episode is a practical guide to improving your writing through intentional, curious reading.

Check out the full episode, and if you’re ready to go deeper, visit the How to Write a Novel page for more resources and writing challenges.

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Can a Scene Generator AI Help Me Write Better Scenes?Yes, but not by replacing your creativity. Instead, it serves as a powerful tool to show you what’s been done before by thousands of other writers. Use it as a way to avoid clichés, overdone tropes, and overly familiar writing that your readers have seen before.

I’ve recently been exploring the role AI could play in creative writing, particularly in scene description, and decided to put a scene generation AI to the test. We go deeper in the video above, so I recommend you watch it.

This video is a companion resource to the a podcast episode called Should I Use AI to Write My Novel? that goes into the topic even deeper.

Can a scene generator AI produce quality, original prose? Or is its output just an average of what’s already out there?

To find out, I set a simple challenge: I asked AI to write a description of a post office from the perspective of a character standing in line. The goal wasn’t just to accept whatever the AI delivered but to critically examine it, find what’s worth using, and identify what isn’t.

Here’s what the AI came up with:

“The post office smells like paper dust and the faintest hint of stale coffee, like someone spilled a cup years ago and the scent never quite left. The line moves at a pace that suggests time itself slows down here, each person ahead shuffling forward in reluctant inches. A fluorescent light flickers overhead, buzzing like an annoyed insect. A woman near the front argues with the clerk about the price of a flat rate box, while a man two spots ahead shifts from foot to foot, sighing dramatically. The walls are lined with notices—one warning against mail fraud, another boasting about the efficiency of Priority Mail, though the bored-looking employees behind the counter seem to suggest otherwise. Somewhere behind me, a toddler whines. A woman taps her nails against her package in a steady, impatient rhythm. The person directly in front of me smells strongly of peppermint and wool, their coat shedding little gray fibers onto the tiled floor. I check my watch. Five minutes have passed; it feels like fifty.”

At first glance, the description looks solid. Impressive, even. It engages multiple senses and provides specific details. But upon closer inspection, it reveals a major flaw:

It’s completely average.

Everything described is exactly what you’d expect from any generic post office. There’s nothing unique or surprising here, nothing that truly makes the scene come alive. This highlights a fundamental weakness of AI-generated prose: it’s excellent at delivering what’s typical but struggles to deliver something original or memorable.

So, instead of simply using this description, I decided to use it as a starting point, illustrating how writers can harness AI-generated text to pinpoint precisely what not to do and brainstorm original ideas that stand out.

Great writing uses “defamiliarization,” a technique that makes familiar things appear fresh and engaging. AI, by its nature, does the opposite. It aggregates and averages previous descriptions, giving us exactly what’s familiar, safe, and expected.

To write memorable scenes, we need to push beyond this. Let’s try it with the opening line from the AI:

“The post office smells like paper dust and the faintest hint of stale coffee.”

This is predictable. But what if we reverse this expectation? Instead, perhaps the post office today smells like a bakery. Maybe the employees are having a potluck, and the aroma of freshly baked cookies wafts through the air. Immediately, this reversal offers potential for character insight. Does our protagonist find the unexpected scent delightful or irritating?

Another AI-generated sentence:

“The line moves at a pace that suggests time itself slows down here.”

What if, instead of being painfully slow, the line moves unusually fast due to an incredibly efficient, drill-sergeant-like clerk barking orders at customers? This unexpected detail can deepen our understanding of the character: Do they appreciate efficiency, or does this brusqueness make them uncomfortable?

AI often falls into clichés, such as:

“A fluorescent light flickers overhead, buzzing like an annoyed insect.”

While this is vivid, it’s also unoriginal. A better option is to seek a new metaphor or simile that surprises readers or to omit it entirely if it doesn’t add meaning.

AI’s descriptive details, such as bored employees or sighing customers, are universally familiar and thus unnecessary unless they’re deeply relevant to your story or character. Instead, pick one unique detail. (perhaps the postal worker sings joyfully behind the counter?) and leverage it to provide insight about the character (do they love it or loathe it?).

Curious to see if AI could improve, I asked it:

“Make this original in a way that nobody else has ever heard or written before.”

The AI responded with a description filled with poetic attempts and dramatic language. But here’s the catch: AI can’t create original content; it can only remix existing writing. While it might sound fresh at first glance, it’s still just a composite of what’s already been done. It’ll tell you that it’s new and creative and original, but all it can do is rehash others’ ideas, even if you ask it to do more.

While AI isn’t going to replace your creative judgment, it can still serve as a useful partner to get you started, but not in the way most people are using it. It provides examples of what not to do, which can lead you to some interesting and creative places. Use AI to generate ideas quickly, then challenge yourself to reverse, modify, and defamiliarize those ideas to produce something original.

Ultimately, great writing happens when we push beyond what’s typical and expected. AI can give you a start, but only your creative judgment and intuition can deliver truly memorable scenes.

(Note: I used OpenAI’s ChatGPT 4o as the AI generator in this exercise.)

Have you experimented with using AI in your writing process? I’d love to hear about your experience!

If you’re looking for more writing tools for writing your novel, don’t miss our Creative Writing Tools resource and the recommended links below!

We’d love to hear from you! If you have a question, a comment, a suggestion, or just want to tell us about your work-in-progress, give us a shout![email protected]

— a podcast episode —

Can AI help you write a novel?AI can assist with structuring ideas, tracking details, and refining prose, but it lacks true creativity, emotional depth, and narrative instincts. Writers should use AI as a tool for support rather than a replacement for human storytelling.

Helping writers craft authentic, immersive stories.Find out more about us here.

Inside Creative Writing

1. Formatted and Edited Transcript

• AI in Writing: Helpful or Creativity Killer?

AI is transforming many industries, but should it play a role in writing fiction? In this episode, we explore whether AI can truly help novelists or if it’s just an overhyped tool that dilutes creativity. AI for writers is marketed as a game-changer, but does it generate original ideas, structure compelling narratives, or simply remix what already exists? Is it the new answer for how to write a novel, or a distraction from the real work?

Join us as we break down:

• How AI actually works in generating text and why it’s more like “autocomplete on steroids” than true intelligence.

Don’t miss the companion video to this podcast, a Real-Time Revision Video where we walk through an actual AI-written scene and learn how to use it to inspire something with human intelligence.

While AI can be a useful tool, the real magic of storytelling comes from human insight, intuition, and emotional depth—things no algorithm can replicate. Listen to the full episode to learn how to make AI work for you without letting it take over your story.

Want to go deeper? Check out our free resource, The Story Rescue Checklist, to make sure your novel is on the right track.

What does Michael Scott from The Office and artificial intelligence have in common? It’s likely a lot more than you think. If you’ve been wondering if AI can help you write a better novel, today’s show is for you.

So, AI in writing—is it a helpful tool, or is it a killer...

— a podcast episode —

Helping writers craft authentic, immersive stories.Find out more about us here.

Inside Creative Writing

1. Why Writing Resistance Happens (And How to Break Through It)

• By the End of This Episode, You Will…

• The Hidden Struggle of Writing Resistance

Struggling to write? You’re not alone. Resistance is one of the biggest obstacles writers face, keeping them from making progress on their stories. In this episode of Inside Creative Writing, we break down what resistance looks like, why it happens, and—most importantly—how to push through it and get words on the page.

• Understand what writing resistance is and why it happens.

Listen to the full episode or skim the edited transcript with relevant links below. At Inside Creative Writing, we don’t just teach theory—we focus on practical, hands-on storytelling techniques that help you get real words on the page.

Resistance to writing is something every writer faces, but it often doesn’t show up in obvious ways. Instead, it disguises itself as productivity—outlining endlessly, researching, or tweaking sentences without making real progress. We convince ourselves that these activities are necessary when, in reality, they are just sophisticated ways of avoiding the hard work of getting words on the page.

Writing resistance is particularly insidious because it tricks us into feeling like we are accomplishing something. Have you ever spent hours reorganizing your workspace, color-coding your notes, or refining your story idea without actually writing? That’s resistance at work. It’s a powerful force that finds ways to derail our writing, often under the guise of making our work better.

One of the most common forms of writing resistance is the belief that we need the perfect conditions to write. We tell ourselves that we need a quiet space, a long stretch of uninterrupted time, or the perfect inspiration. But if we wait for those ideal conditions, we may never write at all.

Another sneaky form of resistance is what I call “preparation overload.” This happens when we convince ourselves that we need just a little more research, just one more book on craft, or just the right software before we can start. While preparation is important, it can quickly become an excuse for not actually writing.

Have you ever spent an entire writing session agonizing over a single paragraph, tweaking and revising until it’s just right? That might feel like writing, but often it’s resistance in disguise. First drafts are meant to be messy. The more we tinker too early in the process, the more we let resistance slow us down.

Another way writing resistance appears is through “busy work.” We convince ourselves that redesigning our writing website, updating our social media, or reading another book on writing is just as valuable as writing itself. While these tasks may have their place, they should never replace actual writing time.