Author Brenda Marie Smith joins the show to discuss the interplay between developing character and building drama.

Ryan Decaria returns to the Writescast Network to explore what archetypes and tropes are, why they sometimes get a bad rap, and how we can use them effectively in our work.

In an episode oddly chockfull of Care Bears and Smurfs, r.r. and Sione tackle the dark side of storytelling. What distinguishes a villain from an antagonist? How can we avoid creating caricatures of evil? Will r.r. ever remember the names of the actors in his favorite shows?

What is WattPad? What does it have to offer readers and writers alike? Is it a good option for your fiction? This episode's guest, a WattPad pro, breaks it all down for us.

Once we've drawn readers to our work, it's important we maintain their attention. But how? This week's guest, editor Lori Puma, explains.

National Novel Writing Month is almost here! How can you ensure you get the most out of one of the year's most popular annual events? Sione and r.r. explore with help from #WritescastChat participants.

Have you ever considered turning a novel into a podcast serial? A short story into a play? A poem into a screenplay? In this episode, Jess Witkins discusses the why and the how of content adaptation---and the magic we can capture in exploring the process ourselves.

Former fire captain Gregory Lee Renz describes how his experiences fighting fires translated to writing a novel about the same. Along the way, he offers advice for other writers who aspire to write from experiences of their own. Content warning: episode includes mentions of suicide and PTSD

What is exposition? Why do we need it? How can we use it judiciously? In an episode that hails the importance of being concise, r.r. and Sione are anything but. With help from #WritescastChat participants, however, there's much wisdom to be gleaned despite the occasional rambling!

Professional-hockey-player-turned-author Luke Murphy addresses expecting the unexpected, transitioning from one passion to another, and finding ways to balance it all. Writers who feel pulled in a number of directions, this one's for you.