This week's Story Works Writing Tip is all about supporting characters' relationships. Use them to give a boost to your protagonist's arc!

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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? When not to use an epigraph before your chapters, and more!

Creative writing workshops at www.StoryWorksFiction.com. 

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We have a special gift for you this holiday season!

We’ll be spending extra time with our families this holiday season, but will be back with all new podcast episodes in January 2023. Please subscribe so you don’t miss a single one.

Listen to this short message for your special gift.

Happy Holidays and happy writing from Story Works Round Table!

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This episode previously aired as 061.

This week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert character motivation. It’s crucial to every element of your story and you’ll do yourself a favor by having a handle on it in the prewriting stages. We talk about the protagonist, the reader, and you, the writer. Also, how motivation relates to flaws and conflicts, and how a series differs from a standalone.

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This week on the Story Works Round Table: conversations about craft, Kathryn and Alida discuss writing backstory. It’s been coming up for both of us lately, including in Alida's fiction coaching group. What is the one critical element to getting it right? How do you successfully transition your narrative into and out of backstory? Want a great example of a great author deftly handling backstory? We got one!

Show notes and links at www.storyworkspodcast.com Writing Workshops at www.storyworksfiction.com

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This week on the Story Works Writing Tip, Alida talks twists. Plot twists aren't all about the plot, they're really about...

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This week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida & Kathryn discuss what to do with your villain in act II. As we know, they aren't usually black-hat-evil-doers, but we still need an escalation of stakes for our protagonist. How do we keep act II moving along at a good pace, whether our villain is a bad person or a force or situation in our character's lifethat causes challenges? We look at multiple scenarios for our heroes and what to do to keep them and the villain rising toward the climax.

This episode will be linked in the show notes to all related episodes in the library.

Show notes, links, & more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com.

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In this week's Story Works Writing Tip, Alida defines agency and describes active and passive protagonists. Agency is about character as much as plot.

If you enjoyed this craft tip, please give it a thumbs up, share, and say hello. I love hearing from you!

Creative writing workshops at www.StoryWorksFiction.com. 

Show notes, links, & more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com.

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If Halloween inspired you get your Boo! on, this episode of the Story Works Round Table is for you. Alida and Kathryn talk the craft of scaring the pants off your readers. But this isn’t just a skill for horror writers. We all need to write scenes from time to time full of dramatic suspense, an eerie mood, or dark twists. Loaded with examples and how-to, you’re sure to be ready to write scary!

Let us know what you learned from this episode, what you liked, what you have questions on. Suggest a topic for future episodes. And if you think you’d be a good co-host, let us know!

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This week on the Story Works Writing Tip, Alida talks about writing natural sounding dialogue without falling into the trap of writing like we speak.

Show notes, links, & more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com.

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