Today, Emily & Rachel talk about descriptive characterization.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• how to intentionally characterize your characters
• adding meaning and relevance to descriptions
• how less is often more

Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagic

If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!

Follow us on social media!

Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/

Emily: https://www.instagram.com/emilygoldencoach/

Today we have a recording of an Instagram live discussion between Emily and actor / creative coach Corrie Legge where they discussed when art is worth doing in a world that feels like it's on fire.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• why art is important
• how to reconcile creating in the midst of global unrest and climate crisis
• all about Emily's teenage and college years! (Corrie is one of her oldest BFFs)

You can learn more from Corrie and her coaching programs and services at https://www.creatingwithcorrie.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/creatingwithcorrie/.

Want to watch the original Live video? You can find it here!

Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagic

If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!

Follow us on social media!

Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/

Emily: https://www.instagram.com/emilygoldenedits/

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about staying true to your humanity.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• How we bring our whole selves to the writing process
• No one can ask you to diminish your true self
• You do not need to change yourself to fit someone else's preferences

Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagic

If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!

Follow us on social media!

Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/

Emily: https://www.instagram.com/emilygoldenedits/

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about our favorite plotting tool: pivot point plans!

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• Character plans
• Linking story goals to pivot plans to scene goals
• Using plans to establish arcs
• How to implement on the plotter vs pantser spectrum

Pivot Point Plan graphic with extra example from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagic

If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!

Follow us on social media!

Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/

Emily: https://www.instagram.com/emilygoldenedits/

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about how writing is work.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• How writing is takes energy, even if it feels fulfilling
• We need to take breaks to recharge and refill the well
• Not filling every single day with writing
• Resting without guilt

Special links: 

Gauri Yardi - https://www.gauriyardi.com/

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski

Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagic

If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!

Follow us on social media!

Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/

Emily: https://www.instagram.com/emilygoldenedits/

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about slow writing!

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• why you feel the need to write fast
• how slow writing can actually result in better stories
• Addressing why you might be writing slowly
• Tools for addressing the things holding your writing process back

Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagic

If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!

Follow us on social media!

Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/

Emily: https://www.instagram.com/emilygoldenedits/

Today, Emily & Rachel talk with guest Kristen Kieffer about creating in sequence.

What you’ll learn from this episode

• What does it mean to create in sequence?
• What happens when you create outside of sequence
• The creative fulfillment pyramid
• Finding fulfillment in your writing practice

Check out more of Kristen's work! 

Wildmaking

KristenKieffer.co

Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagic

If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!

Follow us on social media!

Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/

Emily: https://www.instagram.com/emilygoldenedits/

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about whether writers discover or create their stories.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• discovering vs creating your story
• are there right or wrong choices as you're writing?
• gaining agency over your writing choices
• how to make the best decisions
• letting go of shame and judgement as you make changes to your story.

Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagic

If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!

Follow us on social media!

Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/

Emily: https://www.instagram.com/emilygoldenedits/

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about how to create dialogue that feels natural.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• how to create intentional and relevant dialogue
• using dialogue to show subtext
• how to show a character's true desires in the dissonance between what they say and do
• weaving conflict and action throughout a conversation
• the impact of reading your dialogue out loud

Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagic

If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!

Follow us on social media!

Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/

Emily: https://www.instagram.com/emilygoldenedits/

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about toxic positivity in your writing life.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• what toxic positivity is
• why it's NOT part of a healthy writing mindset
• what you can do to acknowledge and embrace your difficult emotions 

Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation?  Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagic

If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!

Follow us on social media!

Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/

Emily: https://www.instagram.com/emilygoldenedits/