Lore&Love

What is the most important tool in a writer's toolkit? It might just be courage. In this passionate and deeply personal episode of Lore & Love, Alexandria explores the author's voice and the courage required to trust your unique vision—especially when it feels too big, too epic, or too wild.

Listen as Alexandria shares her own fears and triumphs when writing a climactic scene from her manuscript, Storm Kin, involving a powerful enchantress, a colossal dragon, and a legendary staff of power. Learn how she used the tools of craft not to shrink from the story's demands, but to rise to the occasion and make the impossible feel real. This episode is a powerful call to action for every writer who has ever felt doubt, encouraging you to take the big, beautiful swing, to trust your story, and to find the strength to see your journey through to the end.

Ready to have some fun? This week on Lore & Love, we're diving into one of the most enjoyable parts of writing: dialogue! It's the moment your characters truly come alive, and great dialogue does more than just move the plot forward—it reveals character, builds relationships, and creates sparkling subtext.

Join Alexandria as she explores how to give each of your characters a unique and recognizable voice. Using hilarious and heartfelt examples from her manuscript, Storm Kin, she'll break down how a dwarf's hearty boom, a warrior's weary wit, and a scholar's earnestness can all exist on the same page. Discover the secret power of banter and how a funny story about an elf being turned into a wild boar can say more about a friendship than pages of exposition.

Plus, take "The 'Said' Bookism Challenge"—a practical and powerful exercise to test if your characters' voices are truly shining through.

Step beyond the role of a storyteller and become a composer. In this artistic and inspiring episode of Lore & Love, Alexandria explores the music of prose—the powerful, often-unseen rhythm that dictates the emotional experience of your reader. Learn how to consciously craft your sentence structure, length, and word choice to control the pacing of your story, turning a simple scene into a symphony.

Through a close reading of two contrasting scenes from her manuscript, Storm Kin, Alexandria demonstrates how short, staccato sentences can create a breathless, heart-pounding action sequence, while long, lyrical sentences can invite the reader into a moment of quiet reflection and intimacy. Discover how to listen to the cadence of your own work and use the flow of language to literally control your reader's heartbeat. This episode will change the way you hear the words on your page and empower you to become the true composer of your story.

It's the most common piece of writing advice, but what does "Show, Don't Tell" truly mean? This week on Lore & Love, Alexandria demystifies the age-old rule, reframing it as a powerful tool for creating deep reader immersion. Learn the difference between summarizing emotion and action versus grounding your reader in a scene they can see, hear, and feel.

Using scenes of intense action and quiet regret from her own manuscript, Storm Kin, Alexandria provides a clear, practical breakdown of how to translate abstract concepts into concrete, sensory details. Discover how a character’s internal state can be powerfully conveyed through their physical sensations, their unique perception of the world, and the small, unconscious actions that reveal everything. This episode provides an actionable guide to help you turn flat statements into living, breathing moments that will resonate with your readers long after they've closed the book.

Welcome back to a new season of Lore & Love! In "The Artisan's Touch," we move from building our story to mastering the craft of prose. And what better place to start than the most important page of your novel: the very first one.

Join host Alexandria as she discusses how to craft an opening that makes an immediate promise to your reader—establishing tone, immersing them in your world through sensory detail, and introducing a compelling character before they even speak a word.

In a vulnerable and insightful new format, Alexandria puts her own work under the microscope, sharing an exclusive reading from the "author's cut" of her manuscript, STORM KIN, and breaking down exactly how the opening paragraph works to hook the reader. Learn the three essential questions you must ask of your own first page to ensure your story starts with a firm, intriguing handshake that your readers won't be able to resist.

In the concluding episode of this foundational series, Alexandria tackles the essential and often intimidating step of sharing your work. "The Brave Leap" is a practical guide to finding and utilizing your first readers, or beta readers. Learn who makes an ideal reader (and who doesn't), how to professionally ask for feedback with specific, targeted questions, and why you must give yourself 24 hours before reacting to criticism. This episode provides the tools to navigate the feedback process, helping you identify actionable patterns while maintaining your authorial vision, and transforming your polished draft into a truly great story.

 This episode of Lore & Love dives into the heart of your story: its theme. Alexandria demystifies the concept, moving it from an intimidating academic exercise to a core question your narrative explores. Discover how theme is often found during the revision process by examining your main character's emotional journey and the central conflict between your hero and antagonist. Learn practical techniques to sharpen your story's thematic resonance by weaving in motifs, symbols, and mirrored subplots, making your narrative more powerful and cohesive. 

 Welcome back to Lore & Love! If you've just typed "The End" on your first draft, it's time to celebrate—and then, it's time for the real magic to begin. In this episode, Alexandria demystifies the revision process, transforming it from a daunting task into an exciting journey of discovery. Learn why stepping away from your manuscript is the essential first step, and how to differentiate the "telescope" work of revision from the "microscope" work of editing. Alexandria offers practical tips like changing your manuscript's format, reading it aloud to catch awkward phrasing, and the importance of being brave enough to "kill your darlings" for the sake of the story. Prepare to find the stronger, better second story waiting within your work. 

We’ve built our world, created our characters, and outlined our plot. Now for the final, crucial step: bringing it all to life on the page. In the final episode of this foundational series, we dive into the craft of prose itself, focusing on the two workhorses of fiction: dialogue and description.

Learn how to write description that does more than paint a picture by filtering it through your character's unique point of view. Discover the power of engaging all the senses to create a truly immersive world. Then, we'll explore the magic trick of great dialogue—how to make every line pull double duty by both revealing character and advancing the plot. Using specific, practical examples from the Storm Kin Saga, we'll break down how to make your words sing and your scenes feel dynamic and real.

A hero is only as compelling as the challenges they must overcome. This week on Lore & Love, we dive into one of the most exciting aspects of storytelling: crafting a truly worthy foe. We move beyond the idea of a one-dimensional, mustache-twirling villain and explore how to build an antagonist who is the hero of their own story.

Using the complex figure of Sa'tar from the Storm Kin Saga as a case study, we break down the three essential elements of a memorable antagonist: a relatable motivation, a personal connection to the hero, and the ability to challenge the hero’s most fundamental beliefs. Learn why the most terrifying villains have goals we can almost understand and how their clash with the hero can create a conflict that is not just epic, but deeply personal and philosophical.