Writer Unleashed

One of the biggest impediments to our writing is time, and we all have unfinished drafts to prove it.It always takes much longer than we think, and this can be dispiriting, not to mention stressful. Writing a book is a huge undertaking, and when time is sparse, it can leave us believing we don’t have what it takes.In this episode, I'll challenge you to think differently about time, so you can get more writing done, and with more focus.I’ll give you 3 tips to make more use of the time do you have, even if that time is sparse.Episode WebsiteWant 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 they can quickly move through it. But so many writers get stuck there and can't move forward. In this reprise episode from the 2022 vault, I'll give you a pep talk. We'll explore five reasons you may be blocked. I'll share my own struggles with writer's block, along with my strategies to break 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 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.

How do you show, don't tell? What's the difference? Are you telling when you think you're showing? Or showing the wrong things? Is there ever a good time to tell? Show, don't tell is one of the trickiest things to understand, let alone master.You need both showing and telling. It's just a matter of when and how. So in this episode, I'll show you the difference between showing and telling, and how to blend both. You'll learn to tell so skillfully, it will feel like showing. Episode WebsiteWant 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.

Writers often feel overwhelmed when it comes to editing. But there's a lot of editing you can do quickly, regardless of where in the process you are. In this episode, you'll get 5 quick and easy edits you can do on your own to make your story tighter, stronger, and more engaging to readers. As and added boon, it will make the story less overwhelming when it's time for you to revise. This is all about cutting the excess, then fine-tuning your story right on the sentence level. Episode WebsiteWant 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 do you do when writing starts feeling heavy and overwhelming?  When it stops being fun?In this episode, we'll unwrap what causes these feelings, and 3 ways to make it joyful again. We'll cover: The number one thought process that's holding you back, and how it shows up in your writingHow to reconnect with your personal purpose for writing your storyStaying present in your writingThe importance of practice and play, and why your writing can only improve with this approachEpisode Web PageWant 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.

How do you flesh out your characters? How do you go deeper?Just as we can't know a person in one glance, we can't know the people in our stories fully in our early drafts. We come to know our characters more and more deeply as we continue to write and revise.In this episode, we'll explore 4 overlooked ways to deepen your characters - common elements most writers miss.  Episode Web PageWant 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.

Writing a book is not a solo endeavor. Writers rely on beta readers to help them fine-tune their manuscript and ensure its success with agents, editors, and ultimately, their ideal audience.But where do you find beta readers? At what stage of the process do you bring them in? What do you look for? And how do you work with them? In this episode, we'll cover: What beta readers are, and why aspiring writers don't make the best test audienceAt what stage of the writing process to enlist beta readersHow to research and define your ideal readerWhere to find beta readers and entice them to work with youHow to get the right feedback to ensure the best outcome for your manuscriptEpisode Web PageWant 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.

Plot twists are one of the most effective and exciting ways to bring intrigue and suspense to your story, and make it unforgettable. But when not executed or timed right, a plot twist can backfire.In this episode, learn 3 techniques for writing a great plot twist, plus common pitfalls to avoid.You'll learn:What a plot twist is, along with examples to illustrate3 techniques that all great plot twists shareHow to avoid plot twist clichésThe crucial difference between a plot point and a plot twistEpisode Web PageWant 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.

Often what gets in the way of an otherwise great scene is a lack of compelling character goals. Without a goal in each scene, a story lacks two vital things: tension and momentum.In this episode, we’ll explore why you need a goal in every scene, and 3 types of goals that urge characters through the plot.Episode Web PageWant 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 do you do when you want to write, but don't think you have anything to say?  Or you do have something to say, but don't know how to say it? In this episode from the 2023 vault, you'll learn 3 powerful writing exercises to help you find your way into your story.These exercises will help unearth material you can open up and use in your fiction or memoir.Use them to start a story, warm up, or get unstuck.Episode Web PageRate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts.  Love what you're learning from the Writer Unleashed podcast? Pease consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers -- just like you -- to write the story that won't let them go.Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. Want 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.