Writing Roots

Welcome to the Extended Archives episodes! Writing Roots is on a temporary hiatus until July. Until then, we’ll be releasing extended versions of episodes from our archives, previously released only on Patreon.

Finding the right target audience is a major piece to the process of marketing, especially if you’re self-publishing. It changes how you market on social media, ad targeting techniques, and more. But you can’t do any of that until you know your target audience. This episode breaks down the process of finding your audience.

Original version first aired June 2, 2020

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Villains can make or break a story. Their purpose is intertwined with the hero of the story. But what are their motives? Are they truly evil or are they simply a normal person who believes they’re doing right? Part of the answer depends on what role you need the villain to play, along with the genre of the story.

It could be the villain is a contrast to the protagonist and you need the extremes. It could also be that you need a sympathetic villain for your plot. Ley and Leigh debate which is better in this episode.

First aired April 29, 2021.

The post S21E9 – Villainy: Should Villains Be Evil? appeared first on Writing Roots.

Any story can be very different depending on whose point of view is taken during the narrative. The question, then, is whose story do you follow as you write? Do you only follow one character, or use several to help paint the story progression? Both styles present their own unique challenges and carry their own benefits.

Ley and Leigh debate the use of narrative point of view in this episode, discussing genre standards and how the choice can made a difference in the information relayed to the readers.

First aired April 26, 2021.

The post S21E8 – Point of View: Single or Multiple? appeared first on Writing Roots.

New authors often wonder what they should focus on more when building a story. Should they focus on the plot itself, or the characters? What should be built first when first deciding to tackle a story? There are benefits to either way, though each also come with their own pitfalls.

Leigh and Ley debate the different aspects of designing a story primarily by the plot or by the characters in this episode, breaking down their own process in order to help you find what works best for your stories.

First aired April 24, 2021.

The post S21 Bonus – Story Building: Plot First or Character First? appeared first on Writing Roots.

The idea of story is nebulous. Humans have been telling stories from the dawn of time, even before there was written language. Even still, ideas are constantly being compiled into something new. That leads us to the question of whether there is a finite number of stories.

It depends on your perspective. Leigh and Ley discuss the idea of story and what it means for those who wish to create, even if you feel your story is too much like someone else’s.

First aired April 22, 2021.

The post S21E7 – Stories: How Many Different Stories Exist? appeared first on Writing Roots.

There is no real wrong answer to whether you should choose first or third person when deciding on the narrative perspective. However, there are some things you should consider as you decide, such as the genre, how much information you need revealed, the main character(s), and the connection you want developed with the reader.

In this episode, Leigh and Ley debate the uses and problems with both main perspective styles to help you make the decision on your own.

First aired April 19, 2021.

The post S21E6 – Point of View: Third- or First-Person? appeared first on Writing Roots.

It can seem sometimes that every story has some kind of love interest, even if the story isn’t a romance. After all, it’s a great way to build connections between the characters and the readers. However, some authors argue that romance isn’t necessary unless you intend to write a romance novel.

Leigh and Ley debate the virtues and pitfalls of including a romantic subplot in other kinds of stories, from the connection it builds to only being there for extra drama.

First aired April 15, 2021.

The post S21E5 – Romantic Subplots: Are They Necessary? appeared first on Writing Roots.

How many words should be in one novel? There are standard answers for all genres, especially for authors starting out (we’ve discussed as much in prior episodes). Yet there still seems to be an ongoing debate about how rigidly those standards should be followed. Some like to push the limits, writing thousands more words than is recommended. Others barely skirt in on the low end of the scale.

Is there a right answer? Ley and Leigh discuss word counts and the benefits or pitfalls to shooting high or low on the word count suggestions.

First aired April 12, 2021.

The post S21E4 – Word Count: Push the Limits or Stay Reserved? appeared first on Writing Roots.

Finding the right word for the moment can be a difficult task that slows down any author’s writing process. But how do we know which word is the right one? Is there anything we can do ahead of time to arm ourselves? Or are we better off keeping it simple?

The answer isn’t as clear as you might hope. Ley and Leigh debate the pros and cons of using complex words to help you find the best option in your own writing.

First aired April 8, 2021.

The post S21E3 – Word Choice: To Use Big Words or Not to Use Big Words appeared first on Writing Roots.

Writing comes in all forms, from short poems to epic tales that span hundreds of thousands of words. One form of writing, though, is often looked at as not really writing. Despite that, fanfiction is wildly popular especially among new writers. Fanfiction consists of taking worlds or characters from the author’s favorite fictions and creating something new with them.

In this episode, Leigh and Ley debate the usefulness of fanfiction, whether it can be considered writing, and whether it helps those who want to publish their own unique works.

First aired April 5, 2021.

The post S21E2 – Fanfiction: Is it Really Writing? appeared first on Writing Roots.