Writer Unleashed

There’s no shortage of writing advice. Especially in the online space. Google is not the best gatekeeper. And some FB groups  are doling out conflicting advice, canned advice,  bad advice. Writers hear the same advice so often, a lot of them have come to regard them as the only way to craft a story. But these are often half baked ideas that are keeping you from moving forward. They’re taking you totally in the wrong direction. They’re myths. Myths about plot and structure. Myths about how to create drama. And what it means to write beautiful sentences. Myths that are taking you way off course. It’s either the wrong approach, or it just doesn’t go deep enough. In this episode I’m debunking 4 common myths about story writing, and I’ll give you different approaches to apply to your pages.   Episode WebsiteLinks mentioned in this episode:Episode 1: Why Write What You Know is Bad AdviceFREE 3 Act WorksheetNot sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple steps. You’ll walk away with a one-sentence premise you can build your entire book on, and the clarity and confidence to keep going.Download Your Quick Guide HereWant to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.

We all hit a block at some point in the writing process, even the best of us. Accomplished writers know how to navigate that impasse, to notice when and why they're getting blocked, so that they can move through it. But so many writers get stuck there, and they can't move forward. In this episode, we'll explore five reasons you may be experiencing writer's block. And you'll learn some strategies to blast through it.Episode WebsiteLinks mentioned in this episode:Episode 20: Four Ways Your Writing Group is Holding You Back (and What to Look For in Your Next Writing TribeDownload Your FREE 9 Story Starters HereNot sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple steps. You’ll walk away with a one-sentence premise you can build your entire book on, and the clarity and confidence to keep going.Download Your Quick Guide HereWant to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.

Between careers, kids, and everything else life throws our way, sometimes we have to step back from our writing. Sometimes for months. Sometimes for years. So, how do you get back to your writing after a long hiatus? In today’s episode, I'm sharing  strategies I’ve used to get back into the writing zone after an extended break. You'll also learn the secret to staying motivated, plus how to create an environment that supports your writing.  Episode WebsiteLink Mentioned:Download Your FREE 9 Story Starters Guide HereNot sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple steps. You’ll walk away with a one-sentence premise you can build your entire book on, and the clarity and confidence to keep going.Download Your Quick Guide HereWant to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.

Rejection never feels good. And it can throw our entire identity as a writer into doubt. The question is…How do you get your confidence back? So that you can get back to work?In this episode, you'll learn 4 strategies to get back on track. So you can stop identifying with the rejection and become a more resilient and skilled writer. We'll also cover why even good books are rejected by publishers, and why you, as an unknown debut author, has an advantage. Episode WebsiteNot sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple steps. You’ll walk away with a one-sentence premise you can build your entire book on, and the clarity and confidence to keep going.Download Your Quick Guide HereWant to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.

Your story opening is your only chance to hook your reader.  So you want to start strong. It doesn’t matter if the middle of your story is brilliant. Or your second chapter is fantastic. It doesn't matter if your story starts picking up speed 7 pages in. Readers won’t wait for that. In today’s episode, I’m going to break down 4 story openings to spark some ideas. So you can craft a story opening that keeps readers longing to read more.Episode WebsiteNot sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple steps. You’ll walk away with a one-sentence premise you can build your entire book on, and the clarity and confidence to keep going.Download Your Quick Guide HereWant to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.

What makes a piece of writing feel false? What makes it feel true?  Why does it move us? Or fail to? How do we drop readers directly into a character’s experience so that they become the character and go on the journey with them? In this episode, you'll borrow 3 acting techniques for writing stories  that feel more real, more believable, and more true.Episode WebsiteDownload your FREE Character Questionnaire Also Listen to:Episode 81: Story Details: What to Leave In, What to Leave OutNot sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple steps. You’ll walk away with a one-sentence premise you can build your entire book on, and the clarity and confidence to keep going.Download Your Quick Guide HereWant to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.

Details are the lifeblood of your story.  And writing is all about the selection of those details. But how do you decide which details matter?  When we sit down to write, we’re often bombarded with too many details. We’re in this constant and brutal battle with the facts of our experience, the details of the world, and the needs of our story. The question we must continually ask is, What do I leave in? What do I leave out? But selecting the right story details is easier than you think. Because you already know how to do this. You select what's worthy of your attention moment by moment, whether you're conscious of it or not. In this episode, we’ll explore what you already know about selecting details, and how to bring that instinct directly to your fiction or memoir.Episode WebsiteNot sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple steps. You’ll walk away with a one-sentence premise you can build your entire book on, and the clarity and confidence to keep going.Download Your Quick Guide HereWant to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.

What makes your story a page turner? What makes it so irresistible that readers devour every page? In today’s episode, we’re breaking down 4 tips to writing a page turner. Techniques that go beneath and beyond common structures like the Hero’s Journey, Save the Cat, and the traditional 3-Act.  So you can make your story stand out from the pile.  And keep readers hooked scene by scene. Episode WebsiteFREE 3-Act WorksheetNot sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple steps. You’ll walk away with a one-sentence premise you can build your entire book on, and the clarity and confidence to keep going.Download Your Quick Guide HereWant to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.

Scenes are the building blocks of your story.  But how do you craft scenes that draw us in every single time? That keep us turning the page?  In this episode you'll learn how to craft spellbinding scenes from beginning to end. In today's episode, we'll cover:The difference between scene and summary.Four essential things each scene should give your protagonist.How to set each scene's intentions.What it means to "advance your plot" and how to do it.and how to structure your scenes from start to finish. Episode WebsiteAlso Listen To:Episode 78:  Five Elements of a Riveting First SceneNot sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple steps. You’ll walk away with a one-sentence premise you can build your entire book on, and the clarity and confidence to keep going.Download Your Quick Guide HereWant to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.

Your first scene is crucial. It’s what sets your story in motion. It's where you keep your reader or lose em'.  So you want to craft this scene with intention.  In this episode, you'll learn 3 essential things your first scene must accomplish.  And we'll explore 5  core elements that go into every successful first scene, with examples from Neil Gaiman's  novel, American Gods, and Lucy Grealy's memoir, Autobiography of a Face. Also Listen To:Episode 69: How to Create Plot Continuity With Character ThoughtNot sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple steps. You’ll walk away with a one-sentence premise you can build your entire book on, and the clarity and confidence to keep going.Download Your Quick Guide HereWant to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.