You’ve just finished the first draft of your novel, memoir or short story, and now you're seeking beta readers.

A beta reader is a test reader or a group of test readers of your unpublished work. Ideally, your beta reader gives feedback from the point of view of an average reader. 

But how do you go about finding them? What should you look for? What should you avoid?  And what are some tips to get the most valuable feedback from your test audience?

In this episode, I'm answering all your questions about beta readers.

And I'll help you get specific feedback from your beta readers with a free, brand new checklist: Is It Done? A Must-Have Revision Checklist. 

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Not sure how to structure your story? Start Here. This free 3-Act Worksheet gives you a clear framework so you know exactly what your beginning, middle, and end need to do — so you can stop guessing and start writing. Grab it free here.

Now that summer's officially here, and with Writer Unleashed reaching it's 3rd year of being on the airwaves, I've done a retrospective of past episodes.

And I've curated 7 of the most popular episodes from the past year - everything from how to express character emotion,  to how to avoid common plot problems, to story structure, to how to approach your craft like a published author.

Think of this as your summer writing playlist.

Episode 100: 5 Common Plot Problems You Can Avoid

Episode 107: How To Write A Short Story In 3 Easy Steps

Episode 108: 3 Things Published Authors Do Differently

Episode 110: 3 Powerful Ways To Show Character Emotion

Episode 118: Before You Outline: 3 Core Foundations To Build First

Episode124:  How To Hook Readers In Your Opening Paragraph

Episode 128: 3 Mindset Shifts To Make Your Writing Dream A Reality

 
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Description can enrich your story with layers of atmosphere and authenticity that drops the reader inside the world of your story.

But sometimes writers assume that in order to create a world for the reader to inhabit, they must pile on loads of details. 

You may be writing fantasy, or historical fiction, where the setting is unfamiliar or foreign to the reader.  So, description is necessary. But how much description is the right amount? 

When does it become overwhelming to the reader?

Too much description, especially when it's wasteful, can bog readers down and make them confused about what what they should pay attention to, and what's mere ornamentation.

If you don't select what goes into your description, it will strike the reader as arbitrary or gratuitous.

So, the question is...

What goes into your descriptions? And what stays out?

What's the criteria?

In this episode, I'm going to give you four criteria to help you write dazzling descriptions that create vivid, lasting impressions on readers.

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Writers often think they're writing in scene when they're actually writing in summary. So, what is summary? What is scene? And when do you write in one vs. the other? 

In this episode, I'll break down the crucial difference between scene and summary.  

You'll learn what moments to reserve for scene and how to blend in summary to enhance your story. 

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How do mothers balance writing with parenthood? Whether you're a mom of young children, or a single parent holding down a full time job and a full brood, carving out space to write can feel challenging, if not impossible.

This episode is a love note to mothers.  I'll share my story, along with what I've learned along the way about how to honor the urge to create while being totally present for our kids.

We'll cover how to make time, set the conditions to make your writing happen, and how to ask for support.

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Not sure how to structure your story? Start Here. This free 3-Act Worksheet gives you a clear framework so you know exactly what your beginning, middle, and end need to do — so you can stop guessing and start writing. Grab it free here.

Whatever stage of the writing process you're in, whether you have a finished first draft, or a work in progress... you may be thinking of hiring an editor.

But what does an editor actually do?

And at what stage do you hire one?

In today's episode, I'm breaking down 3 different types of editors to help you decide what's best for you at whatever stage of development you're at.

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What's an inciting incident, and why does your story need one?

In this episode, learn what an inciting incident is, and two types that set your story in motion.

We’ll also talk about where in your story to place it, and how to craft your inciting incident to hook your reader.

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Present tense or past tense? How do you decide?

What are the advantages of present tense, and when is past tense a better option?

In this episode, I’m going to explore the pros and cons of present tense. We'll explore techniques that are much easier to achieve  with past tense.

And if the present is your tense of choice, I'll outline 4 limitations to be aware of, so you can overcome them.

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Not sure how to structure your story? Start Here. This free 3-Act Worksheet gives you a clear framework so you know exactly what your beginning, middle, and end need to do — so you can stop guessing and start writing. Grab it free here.

One of the most important decisions you’re going to make about your story is its point of view.

Point of view is also one of the more complex story structures to master.  How do you show what's in other characters' minds when writing in first person, or limited 3rd?

And what about omniscience? 

In this episode,  I'm going to give you a different understanding of point of view that you probably haven't heard before. You'll learn to control it more, and take advantage of the range available to you whether you're writing in first person, third person limited, or third person omniscient.

You'll learn:

• the primary purpose of point of view;
• why focusing on which person you write in is limiting your story's point of view, and what to focus on instead;
• what we mean by omniscience (and why it's not the sole province of third person narrators) and;
• how to bring a third person narrator more deeply into the mind of your characters

Episode Website

Not sure how to structure your story? Start Here. This free 3-Act Worksheet gives you a clear framework so you know exactly what your beginning, middle, and end need to do — so you can stop guessing and start writing. Grab it free here.