Writing on Caffeine

In this episode we discuss what makes up a good antagonist. We also dive into some of our favorite (and least favorite) antagonists and why we love or hate them.

In this episode, Jonathan and Ragan (and Avery) attempt to plot a new novel live. We dive into world-building, character-building, motivations, magic-systems, and merpeople genocide. We thought it would be a fun exercise so that our listeners could experience the goofy things we talk about and also see what it's like to develop ideas for your stories.

In this episode, Jonathan and Ragan discuss music and writing. First, we have to clear up exactly what that means, and then we embark on all the aspects: listening to music while writing or reading and writing music into your novel.

In this episode, Jonathan and Ragan discuss magic systems. We talk (again) about Brandon Sanderson's laws of magic, and then we apply those laws to the magic found in various books, including The Hobbit, The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, Mistborn, and more.

In this episode, Jonathan and Ragan discuss book formats (i.e., hard cover, paperback, audio, ebook, etc.). They discuss the pros and cons of the various formats as well as what are their favorite formats. Finally, they talk about publishing prospects and things to think about in publishing their own novels.

In this episode, Jonathan and Ragan discuss the impact of worldview on writing fiction. Is it possible to write without a worldview? Should we leverage our worldview to create more compelling stories?

In this episode, Jonathan and Ragan discuss point of view in writing fiction. There are generally four points of view: first person, second person, third person (limited), and third person (omniscient). We also read excerpts from some books demonstrating these various viewpoints.

A storytelling trope is a common plot device, theme, or character type that is used in a work of fiction. Trope comes from the Greek word "tropos," which means "a turn" or "a change." In storytelling, a trope is a recurring pattern or an established convention that has become a recognizable element of storytelling.

In this episode, we discuss our favorite and least favorite story tropes. Which story tropes are useful and compelling for a story? Which tropes drive us crazy and even cause Ragan to stop reading a book?

On this episode, Jonathan and Ragan interview author Austin C. Brown. Austin lives in Pensacola, FL with his wife and three children. He has written a memoir about the adventures of a postal worker, several theological works, and literary fiction. We discuss how to get writing done, what are good sources of inspiration, and the differences between writing fiction and non-fiction. Ragan even blows Austin’s mind with her aphantasia.