Writer Unleashed

Still not grasping the art of show, don't tell? That's because it's never fully explained.  So writers show too little, or too soon, or they show poorly. Often, they don't show at all. In this episode, you'll ll get clear on what showing is, what telling is, and 4 effective ways to show like a pro. 

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Episode 69: How to Create Plot Continuity With Character Thought

Plotters plot and pantsers wander.  One approach isn't better than the other. They're just different impulses. But both are equally futile.

Pantsers  can wander aimlessly ad infinitum, and plotters often focus only on plot at the outset. Which is why they still get stuck in the messy middle.

What both plotters and pantsers get wrong  is how to bring story elements together to focus their material.

In today's episode, we'll break down 3 story elements that work together in concert to create a story: Desire, Theme, and Plot.

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Episode 46: What Theme Is and Why It Matters

FREE 3-Act Worksheet

Many writers have fixed ideas about the best ways to write and finish a story. But they don’t work for every writer.  And in many instances, they don’t even work for the writers who swear by them.  So in this episode, I'm going to challenge 3 common rules I hear over and over, and give you a different perspective to try on.

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Episode 11: How to Make Time to Write When You Have No Time

Splendid Spoon - Plant-based, feel-good food ready-to-eat meals

There’s no shortage of writing advice. Especially in the online space. Google is not the best gatekeeper. And some FB groups  are doling out conflicting advice, canned advice,  bad advice. Writers hear the same advice so often, a lot of them have come to regard them as the only way to craft a story. 

But these are often half baked ideas that are keeping you from moving forward. They’re taking you totally in the wrong direction. They’re myths. 

Myths about plot and structure. Myths about how to create drama. And what it means to write beautiful sentences. 

Myths that are taking you way off course. It’s either the wrong approach, or it just doesn’t go deep enough. 

In this episode I’m debunking 4 common myths about story writing, and I’ll give you different approaches to apply to your pages.   

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Episode 1: Why Write What You Know is Bad Advice
FREE 3 Act Worksheet

We all hit a block at some point in the writing process, even the best of us. Accomplished writers know how to navigate that impasse, to notice when and why they're getting blocked, so that they can move through it. But so many writers get stuck there, and they can't move forward. In this episode, we'll explore five reasons you may be experiencing writer's block. And you'll learn some strategies to blast through it.

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

Download Your FREE 9 Story Starters Here

Between careers, kids, and everything else life throws our way, sometimes we have to step back from our writing. Sometimes for months. Sometimes for years.
So, how do you get back to your writing after a long hiatus? In today’s episode, I'm sharing  strategies I’ve used to get back into the writing zone after an extended break. You'll also learn the secret to staying motivated, plus how to create an environment that supports your writing. 

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Download Your FREE 9 Story Starters Guide Here

Rejection never feels good. And it can throw our entire identity as a writer into doubt. 

The question is…

How do you get your confidence back? So that you can get back to work?

In this episode, you'll learn 4 strategies to get back on track. So you can stop identifying with the rejection and become a more resilient and skilled writer.

We'll also cover why even good books are rejected by publishers, and why you, as an unknown debut author, has an advantage.

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Your story opening is your only chance to hook your reader.  So you want to start strong. It doesn’t matter if the middle of your story is brilliant. Or your second chapter is fantastic. It doesn't matter if your story starts picking up speed 7 pages in. 

Readers won’t wait for that. 

In today’s episode, I’m going to break down 4 story openings to spark some ideas. So you can craft a story opening that keeps readers longing to read more.

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What makes a piece of writing feel false? What makes it feel true?  Why does it move us? Or fail to? How do we drop readers directly into a character’s experience so that they become the character and go on the journey with them? In this episode, you'll borrow 3 acting techniques for writing stories  that feel more real, more believable, and more true.

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Download your FREE Character Questionnaire

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Episode 81: Story Details: What to Leave In, What to Leave Out

Details are the lifeblood of your story.  And writing is all about the selection of those details. But how do you decide which details matter? 

When we sit down to write, we’re often bombarded with too many details. We’re in this constant and brutal battle with the facts of our experience, the details of the world, and the needs of our story.

The question we must continually ask is, What do I leave in? What do I leave out?

But selecting the right story details is easier than you think. Because you already know how to do this. You select what's worthy of your attention moment by moment, whether you're conscious of it or not.

In this episode, we’ll explore what you already know about selecting details, and how to bring that instinct directly to your fiction or memoir.

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