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.

Magic and technology are often seen as opposing forces within fiction. A common trope is one cannot work around the other. Leigh Hull and Ley Esses talk about using both in a story and why they don’t always have to be opposites.

First aired October 7, 2019.

The post S3E2 – Magic and Technology 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.

The first episode focuses on the broader spectrum of writing outside what you know. From research to simple creativity, Ley Esses and Leigh Hull explore ways to make it seem like you know what you’re writing about.

First aired October 3, 2019.

The post S3E1 – Writing Outside Your Expertise appeared first on Writing Roots.

What happens after reaching “The End” in a manuscript can be a very difficult and daunting time. In series two of Writing Roots, hosts Leigh Hull and Ley Esses dig into the steps between finishing the manuscript and getting it into the hands of the readers.

It’s time to celebrate! If you’ve reached the time to release your book, you need to congratulate yourself. In this episode, we talk about the celebration process, and then how to follow through to get your book out into the world.

First aired September 30, 2019.

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In this bonus episode of Writing Roots, we’re taking a step away from the Final Draft to discuss emotions.

Most everyone feels emotions, but none of their experiences are exactly the same. Leigh Hull and Ley Esses use this bonus episode to explore emotions using four main categories: mad, glad, sad, and scared. We discuss how to write realistic emotion and how to make your reader feel what your characters feel.

First aired September 28, 2019.

The post S2 Bonus – Writing Emotion: Mad, Glad, Sad, and Scared appeared first on Writing Roots.

What happens after reaching “The End” in a manuscript can be a very difficult and daunting time. In series two of Writing Roots, hosts Leigh Hull and Ley Esses dig into the steps between finishing the manuscript and getting it into the hands of the readers.

Metadata is the necessary evil to self-publishing. Ley walks us through all the different steps of gathering the metadata in order to publish your manuscript, from an ISBN to writing a blurb.

First aired September 26, 2019.

The post S2E8 – Preparing the Metadata appeared first on Writing Roots.