Writer Unleashed

Flashbacks need to be handled with craft and intention. Just like any other interruption from the present story, a flashback can kick your reader out of the story.  And that's precisely what we want to avoid.

In today's episode, I'm sharing 3 common missteps writers make with flashback, and how to avoid them.

We'll explore how to:

• Reign in overused flashbacks
• Place flashbacks where they matter
• Use repetition and variation to give your story a memory
• Keep your reader grounded in time shifts

Also listen to:
Episode 12: Four Ways to Write Effective Flashback

Bonnie Lykes Bigler is a writer and spoken word performer and host of The Writers' Voice on WIOX 91.3 FM.  In this radio re-broadcast,  we talk all things writing - why we write, what stops us in our tracks  and how to keep writing in the face of rejection, loss of motivation, and writer's  fatigue. We talk about the importance of learning how to read like a writer, and the ship and learn approach I learned from one of my coaches, and more. 

Show, don’t tell has got to be the most canned advice bandied about.

Yes, you should show. But that doesn’t mean you never tell. Telling does have its place.

So the question becomes, when is it better to show rather than tell?

In today’s episode, I’ll share the three main ways writers tell when it’s better to show, and how to convert telling into showing.  There's also a quick writing exercise at the end, so  have your pen and paper handy.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Why showing helps your story become your reader's story, and why this is a major gain
• The difference between scene and summary and when to write scene vs summary
• How to use action, language, and metaphor to reveal character
• How to recreate setting so the reader drops right into the world of your story

Also Listen To:
Episode 13: How to Write For Emotional Impact

 POV is the thing that flummoxes writers the most. 

A big part of the confusion is a misguided focus on which person you write from.  But this has virtually nothing to do with POV and  confuses writers more than it helps.

So in this episode I’m going to simplify POV for you and distill it into the 3  main things you need to  focus on, so you can develop a strong point of view that gives your story unity, rhythm and resonance.

We'll cover:

• What POV is and how to construct it
• How character desire and significant history shape POV
• How language reflects POV

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

You  can engineer a stellar plot line, dream up characters with compelling conflicts — all the broad strokes – but it’s the accumulation of small word choices that keep readers spellbound. 

In today's episode, I'm giving you 3 quick editing tips you can apply right now to instantly transform your story. Just by tweaking your verbs. 

So grab your WIP and let's  do this together. 

The question isn't whether your story is character driven or plot driven. Or even how to write one or the other.

The question is..

How do you integrate character with plot?

Because both are inseparable.

If one or the other dominates, your story falls apart.

On today's episode, I'll share 3 ways to integrate character with plot.

We'll cover:

• The purpose of plot
• How to keep the plot threat alive for your character's own good
• Building emotions 
• How to avoid a one-note character

 Where are you getting most stuck in your work in progress? The beginning? The end?  Or are you getting stalled in the middle?

In this episode, I'm giving you a 3-Act framework to help guide you through the writing process. So that you’re not drowning in your own material, and can finish your story faster and better.

If you’re an exploratory writer who finds outlines a buzz kill, this framework will give you just enough structure to give you direction and focus.

And if you’re a plotter who thrives with a plan, this will help you decide which event sequences belong where, and how to orchestrate scenes and chapters.

We'll cover:

• Story basics
• What the 3 Act Framework is
• What you need to accomplish in your first Act.
• The inner journey of your character in Act 2
• and how to bring it all together in Act 3

Download your FREE 3-Act Worksheet here.

Story dialogue is not the same as real-life dialogue. It's shaped with intention, word by word. 

Even so, we should pay attention to the nuances and the rhythm of real-life conversations.

We want to be looking for the ways people don’t listen to one another. The ways we dance around hard truths.

In today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore how to bring tension into your dialogue by focusing on the thing your characters don't want to say or hear.

We'll explore:

• Our natural urge to evade difficult conversations 
• An example of dialogue with no tension
• An example of dialogue with tension

and a writing exercise to drive it all home

Also listen to:
Episode 52: The Number One Mistake Writers Make With Dialogue

What's the number one mistake writers make with dialogue? 

Writing way too much of it.

In today's episode of Writer Unleashed, we'll explore 3 ways to shape compelling dialogue that rings true to your reader.

We'll cover:

• How to avoid dialogue that tells too much 
• The primary audience you should be writing dialogue for 
• The single most important thing you need to know about your characters before they speak
• How to use compression and beats to have readers leaning in word by word

For deeper insight into what's underneath what your characters say,  Grab your FREE Character Questionnaire here.

How do you keep writing when you're totally blocked? When you feel like you have utterly nothing to say?

In today's episode of  Writer Unleashed, I'll give you a 3-step strategy for breaking through.

In today's episode, we'll explore:

• What writer's block  is
• What causes it
• 3 Strategies to unblock yourself