Writing Roots

There are all kinds of four-letter words people consider to be bad. In writing, those four-letter words aren’t the traditional ones most people think about when they hear the phrase. The four-letter words of writing are the difficult topics to consider, write about, or simply just to do. None of the words are bad, but can be frightening for new authors or authors unfamiliar with certain topics. They are all something that needs to be addressed, at least, and decisions made on how to use them to the author’s advantage. Through June, this podcast will be breaking down those difficult words, such as edit, time, LGBT, and best.

It’s one of the most common themes in stories going back to ancient days. Nearly all stories have some kind of romance whether or not it’s the main focus. Part of that is because love and affection are near universal emotions. Everyone at some point has felt it, longed for it, or felt the heartbreak of losing it. Readers can easily connect with the characters if they can understand some of their emotions. But it doesn’t have a place in every story. This episode helps break down when and how to properly use a romantic subplot in all fiction genres.

First aired June 8, 2020.

The post S11E3 – Kiss: Why and How to Include Romantic Subplots appeared first on Writing Roots.

There are all kinds of four-letter words people consider to be bad. In writing, those four-letter words aren’t the traditional ones most people think about when they hear the phrase. The four-letter words of writing are the difficult topics to consider, write about, or simply just to do. None of the words are bad, but can be frightening for new authors or authors unfamiliar with certain topics. They are all something that needs to be addressed, at least, and decisions made on how to use them to the author’s advantage. Through June, this podcast will be breaking down those difficult words, such as edit, time, LGBT, and best.

Writers are constantly told to show and not tell, but it can be difficult for new authors to identify the difference. While there are times telling can be useful, it is most often boring. Readers don’t get to discover the intricacies on their own when the story tells them everything. This episode explains how to find and fix cases where showing would be best.

First aired June 4. 2020.

The post S11E2 – Tell: How to Identify and Correct Cases of Telling appeared first on Writing Roots.

There are all kinds of four-letter words people consider to be bad. In writing, those four-letter words aren’t the traditional ones most people think about when they hear the phrase. The four-letter words of writing are the difficult topics to consider, write about, or simply just to do. None of the words are bad, but can be frightening for new authors or authors unfamiliar with certain topics. They are all something that needs to be addressed, at least, and decisions made on how to use them to the author’s advantage. Through June, this podcast will be breaking down those difficult words, such as edit, time, LGBT, and best.

Most writers fall in one of two categories: the hobbyist and the “I want to make money” writer. Some are hobbyists that eventually come to the decision to market a book. That decision, however, is not one to be made lightly. It comes with new burdens and expenses. This episode discusses the four-letter word “sell.” It’s now about how to sell, but how to make the decision to market a hobby.

First aired June 1, 2020.

The post S11E1 – Sell: How to Decide to Market Your Writing appeared first on Writing Roots.

Characters are the base of any story. Without well-developed characters, the plot will always fall flat. This series is dedicated to creating realistic, believable, and deep characters. It means getting to know them on a personal level. It takes developing more than their powers or strengths, but their flaws. It’s not easy but it is possible, even for those pantsers.

It’s time to put the hosts to the test. How well do they know their own characters? Character interviews are useful tools for authors to create, learn about, and refine their original characters. Even if all of the details aren’t included in the text of the story, the knowledge can inform the actions and attitudes of the characters. In this month’s bonus episode, Ley and Leigh quizzed each other about one of their original characters then had to guess which one the other was representing.

First aired May 30, 2020.

Below are some of the questions asked in this podcast. Questions are separated by category based on the podcast episodes from the rest of the month.

• What are your character’s stats? (age, height, weight, etc.)

• What is their strongest D&D attribute? What is their weakest?

• Do they have any family still alive?

• What do they have a knack for?

• What is their cornerstone memory?

• What would they change about themselves?

• What do they hope people appreciate about them?

• Are they a natural leader, or do they tend to follow?

The post S10 Bonus – Character Interviews appeared first on Writing Roots.

Characters are the base of any story. Without well-developed characters, the plot will always fall flat. This series is dedicated to creating realistic, believable, and deep characters. It means getting to know them on a personal level. It takes developing more than their powers or strengths, but their flaws. It’s not easy but it is possible, even for those pantsers.

Many characters fall into definable categories. The hero, the magician, the jester, the hermit. These are archetypes any author can use as they create and develop their own characters. It’s no longer a time for Greek epics where the heroes seem to be cookie-cutter versions of the same person, but that doesn’t mean similar basics can’t be used to start. Readers can connect more quickly to characters when there’s an archetype they’ve seen before. This episode explains some archetypes and how to correctly use them in a story.

First aired May 28, 2020.

Twelve Common Archetypes – Writers Write

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