Writer Unleashed

Ever feel like no matter how much time you spend on your plot, your story’s just not coming together?

Maybe you're generally happy with your structure, but when you go to break down those story beats, all you find are a lot of plot holes.

And now you’re overthinking everything, wondering how your characters and scenes work within your plot.

In this episode I’m sharing  5 common plot problems and what you can do to fix them, or avoid them completely.  This will help you know what’s relevant in your story,  what you can cut, and what you can develop more deeply. 

We’ll explore:

• How to define your central story problem from which every other event will spin;
• How to build and intensify your plot;
• The internal change your character is forced to make, and why she/him resists it;
• The missing causal factor that moves your plot forward, and;
• How to up the ante so that your ending feels simultaneously surprising and inevitable. 

Episode Website

Also Listen To:

Episode 69: How to Create Plot Continuity With Character Thought

If I asked you what your story was about, could you sum it up in a few sentences and tell me all I need to know to want more?

Maybe you have too many ideas swimming around your head, and your story is running away from you.

Either way, you have a hazy, rambling idea about what your story is all about.

That's every story in its early stages.

So, in this episode, I want to invite you to do a little exercise in nailing down your story idea in 3 sentences.

You'll zero in on:

• Who your story's about, and what happens to set this person down a path she/he never saw coming;
• The trouble and complications that follow; and
• The payoff or promise the reader can expect by the end

Bottom line?

If you can drill your story down to a few clear, focused sentences, you can write a clear, focused story.

This 3-sentence framework  will help you avoid bogging your story down with unnecessary digressions and clutter. You'll know what to keep in. And what to keep out.

This will make your first drafts easier to write. Your works in progress easier to revise.  So you can build a story that's a great read.

Episode Website

Link mentioned in this episode:
Free 3-Act Worksheet

What does an editor do precisely? How do you choose an editor you can trust with your manuscript?   How much do editors charge?  And is hiring one worth the investment? 

In this episode, I'm answering the most frequently asked questions I get about editors. 

I'll demystify the editing process. So you can make an informed, prudent decision on whether to invest in an editor or not.

And you'll get an inside view on how to edit your own work.

We'll cover:  

• The 3 phases of editing every book goes through.
• How much editors charge at each stage of the process.
• How to choose the best editor for you.
• How to offset editorial costs. 
• When to hire an editor, and when to hold off.

Episode Webpage

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Episode 20: Four Ways Your Writing Group Is Holding You Back (and What To Look For In Your Next Writing Tribe)
• Fiverr
• Upwork

How do you tell the difference between genuinely bad writing and writing that's actually good... but you think it's bad because you're being over critical?

How do you manage not liking what you write because you know you can do better? And so you end up not writing anything.

What about when you want abandon your dreams of becoming an author because you re-read your work and you hate it all. And now you believe you're not good enough.

Well, that's the story you're telling yourself. And it ends today.

In this episode, I'm sharing how to evaluate your work with more objectivity and appreciation.

So you can get on with it.

You'll learn:

• Why we’re the worst judges of our own work
• Why perfection is the lowest standard there is
• The necessary gap between your vision and where your story is now 
• The ship and learn approach to elevating your story 

Episode Website

Link mentioned in this episode:
Episode 20: Four Ways Your Writing Group is Holding You Back (and What to Look For in Your Next Writing Tribe)

Why do readers read?  Is it just for entertainment? To escape everyday life? Or is there a deeper need?

What is it about story that keeps us captivated from beginning to end?

It helps to understand why stories are so impactful and precisely what readers are hungry for when they turn to a book.

In this episode we’re going to explore what your reader is actually responding to when he forgets about the real world and gets entranced by the world on the page.

 So you can use this intel to craft your story. 

Episode Website

Link mentioned in this episode:

Episode 35: Three Storytelling Techniques to Steal From Superbowl Ads

We're often instructed to hook readers in our opening paragraphs by enticing them with story questions. 

All good. 

But you can't really plant questions in the beginning without knowing how your story will ultimately end. 

There's a link between your story's beginning and its end. 

So the best way to hook your reader is to start with the end in mind. 

This creates two things readers crave: 

Curiosity and Suspense.

But there's an art to it. A great opening both reveals and withholds. 

So, in today's episode, I'm breaking down 3 story openings crafted with the end in mind. 

You'll see how the opening and ending are linked. Plus 3 techniques you can use to open your story. 

Not sure sure how your story ends? No worries. I've got you covered there, too.

Episode Website

Lots of writers believe you can't deeply develop character until you know what happens on the plot level. 

But this is backwards. 

Ultimately, what moves your story forward is your protagonist's reactions, choices, and actions. 

Not the external events that activate those reactions. 

Your plot doesn't just need structural coherence. 

It needs emotional and psychological coherence.

Simply put, before you develop your plot, before you write your opening scene, you need to know who it affects and why. 

In today's episode, we're breaking down 3 simple steps to deeper character development. 

You'll learn:

• Two things driving your plot. Hint: It's not what happens. 
• How to drill down your protagonist's desire to the specific and concrete. 
• And how to unlock the unconscious drives that both fuel and thwart your protagonist. 

Once you do these 3 steps, everything you include on the plot level will have meaning. 

And your readers will know why it  all matters. 

Episode Website

Call it your hero.  Or your MC. 

But all stories need one main protagonist.  When we don’t know who your main character is, we have no one to root for. 

Why is picking one character to focus on a good idea?

We need to know who we’re experiencing your story through. Your protagonist is the portal.  It's how we hook into your story from the first page to the last.

In this episode, you'll learn why focusing on one character creates a richer experience for the reader, and an easier writing experience for you.

You'll learn what to do when you have multiple character viewpoints, co-protagonists, and other characters who have a stake in the action. 

And I'll give you 3 questions to help you nail the main star of your story.

So grab a pencil and let's do this together.

Episode Website

Link mentioned in this episode:

Episode 89: What Plotters and Pantsers Both Get Wrong About Story

Writer Unleashed is coming up on its 2-Year Anniversary!

So in the spirit of celebration,  I'm giving you a 5-episode playlist to help you wherever you are in your writing process right now. 

Narrowing down the list to just five was not easy breezy. I sifted through nearly 100 episodes, and I poured everything I've got into creating each and every one of them for you. But I drilled down to the ones that tackle some of the most common challenges throwing writers off their game, and I'm excited to share them with you.

If you’ve already listened to these in the past, go listen again. Because as you know, practicing your craft over and over is how you truly master writing. There are so many valuable tips and techniques that will help you dial in on everything from integrating character with plot, to crafting believable dialogue, to handling backstory, to crafting a stellar opening scene. 

So, if you missed any of these, listen to them now.
Or listen again. 


Episode 55: Is Your Story Plot Driven or Character Driven?

 Episode 78: Five Elements of a Riveting First Scene

Episode 50: How Much Backstory Does Your Reader Really Need to Know?

Episode 52: The Number One Mistake Writers Make With Dialogue

Episode 26:Writing About Someone You Know - Is Your Story Worth It?

What does it take to make major breakthroughs in your writing consistently? 

How do you put yourself into an optimal state of creativity every time you sit down to write?

When it comes to mastering your story, you need to be in a flow state. When you’re in flow, your creativity,  your output, the quality of your writing is turbo-charged.  You make more progress in half the time. 

But flow isn't just something you just flow in and out of.  You need to create the conditions for flow to happen.

Drawing on the latest research from Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal,  you'll learn the 4 triggers that drive flow, and how to maximize them to get more quality writing done, time after time.

Episode Website