Every writer wrestles with doubt from time to time. But if you don’t know how to handle it, that doubt can stall your story for months or even years. In this episode, I’m dismantling three of the most common myths that keep writers stuck and replacing them with truths you can lean on. So you can keep showing up for your story with a sense of wonder and unshakeable confidence. 

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Backstory often gets blamed for slowing a story down. Writers are told to cut it, sprinkle it lightly, or avoid it altogether.

But here’s the truth: the wrong backstory, delivered the wrong way, at the wrong time is the problem.

Used with intention, backstory can reveal the wounds and desires that drive your character, raise the stakes, and transform an ordinary scene into one that lingers with readers.

In this episode, I’ll share:

• 3 powerful ways to use backstory so it deepens, rather than derails, your story
• How to spot when your backstory is drowning out the narrative
• A simple technique to keep time jumps clear and seamless for your reader

Whether your draft is overloaded with flashbacks or you’re struggling to weave in your character’s past, this episode will help you use backstory as the tool it’s meant to be.

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Your opening line is your reader’s first invitation into your story, so it has to do more than just start the book. It has to hook.  In this episode, I'm sharing 3 powerful strategies to craft a first sentence that grabs your readers' attention and keeps them wanting more.  

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We don’t just read stories to find out what happens. We read to witness who a character becomes.

So how do you show that change? Not by stating it outright, or having another character comment on it, but through behavior, inner voice, and choices that reveal an internal shift.

In this episode, we’re breaking down what character transformation looks like on the page, and 4 powerful ways to show it.

Whether your character evolves in subtle or seismic ways, this episode will help you track and shape their arc so that the change feels earned and resonates deeply.

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When dialogue works, it feels alive. It's charged with tension. It reveals character, drives the plot, and leaves space for the reader to lean in and feel what’s left unsaid. But when it doesn’t? It falls flat, feels forced, or gets skimmed over entirely.

In this episode, I’m breaking down three essential tips to help you write dialogue that feels authentic, but curated. Natural, but emotionally charged. We’ll look at what to cut, how to shape each exchange, and how to infuse even simple moments with meaning and momentum.

Whether you're deep into your draft or revising a scene that feels off, these tips will help you make your dialogue tighter, tenser, and more dynamic.

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You’ve finally shared your pages with someone. Maybe it was a critique partner, a writing group, an editor, or beta reader. You were nervous, but hopeful, maybe even excited, and then the feedback came. And now you’re spiraling.

Maybe they pointed out something you thought you’d nailed, or they didn’t understand your main character, or they told you something that deep down you already feared might be true.  And now the voice in your head is getting louder. Am I even a good writer? Do I have what it takes? Should I just stop now? What made me think I could even write this story?

Today, we’re talking about what to do when feedback, no matter how well intentioned, shakes your confidence. How you respond to it is what makes all the difference.

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There’s a lot of writing advice out there, but not all of it serves you. In this episode, we’re unpacking 3 common writing myths that might be slowing you down or making you second-guess your story. If you’ve been feeling stuck, this is your permission to let go of the “rules” and reconnect with the story you need to tell.

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Writing your first novel can feel like dumping 1000 puzzle pieces onto the floor without the picture on the box to guide you. You've got characters, scenes, maybe even a few moments you love, but you have no clear sense of what it all adds up to.

If you're staring at your messy draft thinking, What even is this? - don't worry.  You're not alone, and you're not even as lost as you think.

In today's episode, we'll explore how to step back, sift through what you've already written, and begin shaping it into something coherent, intentional and powerful.

So if you're feeling overwhelmed, discouraged or stuck in the fog of your draft, take a breath. Let's bring some clarity to the chaos.

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Struggling to get past chapter one, even with a solid outline and a great idea? In this episode, we unpack why starting your novel feels so hard, what’s really behind the block, and how to take the first imperfect steps forward. 

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In this episode, we’re zeroing in on one of the most important (and most rewritten) parts of your novel: the first chapter.

A strong first chapter doesn’t need to be long or dramatic, but it does need to hook the reader, ground them in the world of the story, and raise a question they’re eager to follow.

If you’ve ever found yourself stuck on your opening pages, rewriting again and again, wondering if it’s working, this episode will help you identify and avoid common problems, and more important, revise your first chapter so that it hooks and holds your reader. 

In this episode, we'll break down:

• 5 of the most common first chapter fails, and what to do instead
• Key questions to ask when revising your opening
• How to avoid overwhelming the reader and keep them engaged page after page
• Ideal first-chapter length ranges for different genres, and what matters more than word count

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