Writing Roots

Every writer has heard the adage “write what you know” at least a dozen times. What does it even mean? As writers, especially of fiction, we constantly write what we don’t know. This month, we explore how to navigate the balance between imagination and reality.

What is the difference between superpowers and magic? Ley Esses and Leigh Hull discuss what superpowers mean in a story and how those powers can influence your characters.

First aired October 21, 2019.

The post S3E6 – Superpowers appeared first on Writing Roots.

Every writer has heard the adage “write what you know” at least a dozen times. What does it even mean? As writers, especially of fiction, we constantly write what we don’t know. This month, we explore how to navigate the balance between imagination and reality.

In this extended version of our last episode, Ley Esses and Leigh Hull dive deeper into how to write death via a range of weaponry, and what happens to a body as it dies.

First aired October 19, 2019.

The post S3E5.5 – Murder 102: Director’s Cut appeared first on Writing Roots.

Every writer has heard the adage “write what you know” at least a dozen times. What does it even mean? As writers, especially of fiction, we constantly write what we don’t know. This month, we explore how to navigate the balance between imagination and reality.

Almost every story (sans children’s books) contains at least one death. Not all writers, though, understand what is actually happening when someone dies. Ley Esses and Leigh Hull discuss death via a range of weaponry, and what happens to a body during death.

Special note: We ended up speaking much longer on this topic than intended. For a more extensive review of death and murder in writing, we will be publishing the Director’s Cut this Saturday, October 19.

First aired October 17, 2019.

The post S3E5 – Murder 101 appeared first on Writing Roots.

Every writer has heard the adage “write what you know” at least a dozen times. What does it even mean? As writers, especially of fiction, we constantly write what we don’t know. This month, we explore how to navigate the balance between imagination and reality.

Some authors struggle to make their world feel real to the reader. That usually goes back to how much effort – or lack thereof – was put into building the weather and architecture of the cultures. Ley Esses and Leigh Hull talk through how to incorporate accurate weather – and how that influences architecture – into your world to help the reader feel immersed.

First aired October 14, 2019.

The post S3E4 – Weather and Architecture appeared first on Writing Roots.

Every writer has heard the adage “write what you know” at least a dozen times. What does it even mean? As writers, especially of fiction, we constantly write what we don’t know. This month, we explore how to navigate the balance between imagination and reality.

While we explored some of the basics of magic in the Worldbuilding, part 2 (aired in August), Leigh and Ley explore deeper into using specific types of magic and what it could do within the bounds of your story.

First aired October 10, 2019.

The post S3E3 – Building Magic Systems appeared first on Writing Roots.