Writer Unleashed

Writer Unleashed is coming up on its 2-Year Anniversary!So in the spirit of celebration,  I'm giving you a 5-episode playlist to help you wherever you are in your writing process right now. Narrowing down the list to just five was not easy breezy. I sifted through nearly 100 episodes, and I poured everything I've got into creating each and every one of them for you. But I drilled down to the ones that tackle some of the most common challenges throwing writers off their game, and I'm excited to share them with you.If you’ve already listened to these in the past, go listen again. Because as you know, practicing your craft over and over is how you truly master writing. There are so many valuable tips and techniques that will help you dial in on everything from integrating character with plot, to crafting believable dialogue, to handling backstory, to crafting a stellar opening scene. So, if you missed any of these, listen to them now. Or listen again.  Episode 55: Is Your Story Plot Driven or Character Driven? Episode 78: Five Elements of a Riveting First SceneEpisode 50: How Much Backstory Does Your Reader Really Need to Know?Episode 52: The Number One Mistake Writers Make With DialogueEpisode 26:Writing About Someone You Know - Is Your Story Worth It?10 Questions First Time Novelists Ask, and Encouraging, Practical Answers to Help You Finish Your BookWant 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 does it take to make major breakthroughs in your writing consistently? How do you put yourself into an optimal state of creativity every time you sit down to write?When it comes to mastering your story, you need to be in a flow state. When you’re in flow, your creativity,  your output, the quality of your writing is turbo-charged.  You make more progress in half the time.  But flow isn't just something you just flow in and out of.  You need to create the conditions for flow to happen. Drawing on the latest research from Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal,  you'll learn the 4 triggers that drive flow, and how to maximize them to get more quality writing done, time after time.Episode Website10 Questions First Time Novelists Ask, and Encouraging, Practical Answers to Help You Finish Your BookWant 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.

Still not grasping the art of show, don't tell? That's because it's never fully explained.  So writers show too little, or too soon, or they show poorly. Often, they don't show at all. In this episode, you'll ll get clear on what showing is, what telling is, and 4 effective ways to show like a pro.  Episode WebsiteLinks mentioned in this episode:Episode 69: How to Create Plot Continuity With Character Thought10 Questions First Time Novelists Ask, and Encouraging, Practical Answers to Help You Finish Your BookWant 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.

Plotters plot and pantsers wander.  One approach isn't better than the other. They're just different impulses. But both are equally futile. Pantsers  can wander aimlessly ad infinitum, and plotters often focus only on plot at the outset. Which is why they still get stuck in the messy middle. What both plotters and pantsers get wrong  is how to bring story elements together to focus their material. In today's episode, we'll break down 3 story elements that work together in concert to create a story: Desire, Theme, and Plot. Episode WebsiteLinks mentioned in this episode:Episode 46: What Theme Is and Why It MattersFREE 3-Act Worksheet10 Questions First Time Novelists Ask, and Encouraging, Practical Answers to Help You Finish Your BookWant 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.

Many writers have fixed ideas about the best ways to write and finish a story. But they don’t work for every writer.  And in many instances, they don’t even work for the writers who swear by them.  So in this episode, I'm going to challenge 3 common rules I hear over and over, and give you a different perspective to try on. Episode WebsiteLinks mentioned in this episode:Episode 11: How to Make Time to Write When You Have No TimeSplendid Spoon - Plant-based, feel-good food ready-to-eat meals10 Questions First Time Novelists Ask, and Encouraging, Practical Answers to Help You Finish Your BookWant 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.

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 Worksheet10 Questions First Time Novelists Ask, and Encouraging, Practical Answers to Help You Finish Your BookWant 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 Here10 Questions First Time Novelists Ask, and Encouraging, Practical Answers to Help You Finish Your BookWant 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 Here10 Questions First Time Novelists Ask, and Encouraging, Practical Answers to Help You Finish Your BookWant 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 Website10 Questions First Time Novelists Ask, and Encouraging, Practical Answers to Help You Finish Your BookWant 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 Website10 Questions First Time Novelists Ask, and Encouraging, Practical Answers to Help You Finish Your BookWant 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.