The group comes to you from their annual autumn retreat and swaps out Jessica with another member of the critique group. This time they’re twisting a little more into the idea of worldbuilding through the use of your character.

They discuss the learning curve of the POV character (newbie versus seasoned), visual aids, when and why to describe the world, and thinking about the soundtrack of the setting. Tracey and Anne chitchat about making conflict particular to your world, while their guest Troy puts up with an impromptu jingle.

QUOTE: “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you’ll never ever have enough.” – Oprah Winfrey

LINKS:

Scrivener

Inkarnate

CREDITS: This episode of Your Writing Does Not Suck was recorded by its separate participants and edited by Anne M Belen.

From the climax of your story to those final words, what’s an author to do? The group talks about wrapping up plot lines and reminds folks about keeping your promise to the reader.

Tracey points out how to end a novel within a series versus a stand-alone, Jess cautions against letting subplots fizzle out, and Anne laments the curse of Episode Fourteen.

QUOTE: “The beautiful part of writing is that you don’t have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon.” – Robert Cormier

CREDITS: This episode of Your Writing Does Not Suck was recorded by its separate participants and edited by Anne M Belen.

Theme. For many people -- like, say, Anne – they cringe at the word and have flashbacks of English 101 in-class comas and literary snobbery.

Others – like, say, Jess – have always relished the ideas of sussing out a good theme and having drawn-out discussions of the author’s intention.

Others – like, well, only Tracey – have theme flow through them without a single thought. We do not talk to those people unless we have to.

But cultivating a theme doesn’t have to be painful, and often, you’re playing one out whether or not you realize you’ve written it into your book. The group talks about themes within their own work and the best method of introducing and maintaining one. 

QUOTE: “The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” – Sylvia Plath

LINKS:

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

Franny Billingsly

CREDIT: This episode of Your Writing Does Not Suck was recorded by its separate participants and edited by Anne M Belen

This time around, the ladies dive into what makes a scene successful. From the nuances of beginning, middle, and ending (just like a mini-story of its own), to the storytelling foundations of plot, theme, character. Then they dig into story obstacles and revelations.

Anne talks about filler scenes, Tracey emphasizes the importance of setting the right tone, and Jess unveils a “not-template” employed before starting scenes that she is (shock!) pantsing.

QUOTE: “Books don’t change people; paragraphs do. Sometimes even sentences.” – John Piper

LINKS:

The Scene Book by Sandra Scofield

CREDITS: This episode of Your Writing Does Not Suck was recorded by its separate participants and edited by Anne M Belen.

This episode focuses on Tracey’s road to self-publishing, but also discusses small-press contracts and the wonky roads that authors may face on their journey.

Anne interrogates her about such things as ISBN numbers, editing, and the decision to form an LLC, then gives her own cautionary tale about cover art.

QUOTE: “Life is like making tea. Boil your ego, evaporate your worries, dilute your sorrows,  filter your mistakes, and get a taste of happiness.” – currently Anonymous

LINKS:

- Bowker

- Independent Book Publishers Association

- eBook Launch

- Ingram Spark

CREDITS: This episode of Your Writing Does Not Suck was recorded by its separate participants and edited by Anne M Belen.

From shattered expectations to joyous surprise, the group discusses things they wish they had known starting out.

Tracey discusses the importance of remembering it’s a business, Jess stresses the need to cultivate reasons for writing other than fame and glory, and Anne notes that just because you know some people in the industry doesn’t mean you’re gold.   

QUOTE: “Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.” – Roy T. Bennett

CREDIT: This episode of Your Writing Does Not Suck was recorded by its separate participants and edited by Anne M Belen.

The middle of your story is the biggest chunk and, for many, the most challenging. The group discusses ways to tackle this section through different approaches that ultimately come down to the same principles.

Anne talks about chopping it up into two sections, Tracey discusses the importance of getting the story all down to see where you can tweak structure, and Jess invents yet another word/definition for them to torment her with.

QUOTE: “Worrying won’t stop bad things from happening. It just keeps you from enjoying the good.” – currently Unknown

LINKS:

- The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

- Mabel Opal Pear by Amanda Hosch

- Save the Cat by Blake Snyder

CREDITS: This episode of Your Writing Does Not Suck was recorded by its separate participants and edited by Anne M Belen.

In the second half of this discussion, the group talks about word-count issues, when to employ or disregard Show vs. Tell, and what to do when you’re sick of looking at your manuscript.

Anne and Tracey discuss methods of shrinking or expanding the manuscript to fit your genre, and Jess discusses strategies for chapter breaks versus scene breaks.

QUOTE: “If you feel like you’re losing everything, remember that trees lose their leaves every year, and still they stand tall and wait for better days to come.” – Currently unknown

CREDITS: This episode of Your Writing Does Not Suck was recorded by its separate participants and edited by Anne M Belen.

The group tackles some general editing questions, fully aware that it will take more than one episode. They stress the importance of finishing your draft to know what you’re working with, as well as discovering your theme and intentions as you write (no matter what those intentions were when you began).

Anne mentions seeing it as an opportunity to write new, improved fan fic of your own stuff, and Tracey and Jess discuss ways to ensure continuity throughout your story.  

QUOTE: “Be silly, be fun, be different, be crazy, be you. Because life is too short to be anything but happy.” – currently Anonymous

LINKS:

Scrivener

CREDITS: This episode of Your Writing Does Not Suck was recorded by its separate participants and edited by Anne M Belen.

Today the group takes a closer look at different antagonists – from mustache twirlers and teenage-stalking mouth-breathers, to complex bad guys and tortured souls, to antagonistic societal structures and Mother Nature herself.

They talk about subplot and temporary antagonists, and then dish on methods of fleshing out a deeper kind of bad guy.

QUOTE: “What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create.” -- Buddha

CREDITS: This episode of Your Writing Does Not Suck was recorded by its separate participants and edited by Anne M Belen.