In this episode, I . . .Talk about one very popular type of story. The retelling. This is when you take the plot structure from a well-known story and use that to tell your own tale, like the movie Clueless did with Jane Austen’s Emma. Or you

1.18 – Ten Tips to Becoming a Better Writer

Jun 11th, 2018 10m 11s

In this episode, I . . .Share ten tips to becoming a better writer.Tip #1– Read, Read, ReadOne of the easiest ways to learn great writing is to read great writing. Pick up books like the kind you want to write and read them. This will help

1.17 – I Ran Out of Ideas

Jun 11th, 2018 8m 26s

In this episode, I . . .I answer the question: “What do I do when I run out of ideas for my story?”When you’re trying to write a novel and get stuck, here are some ideas to help you:1. If you’ve never written a novel, you might try to compl

1.16 – Define Your Reader

Apr 17th, 2018 5m 30s

In this episode, I . . .Talk about how to define your target reader.-When you write a book, you want to write it for a specific reader. The more specific the better.-It helps if you have an actual person you’re writitng for.-Share a story

1.15 – How to Pick a Genre

Feb 26th, 2018 5m 31s

In this episode, I . . .Talk about how to pick a genre for your novel.-Sometimes you just know. My friend Melanie Dickerson writes fairytale romances. John Grisham writes about lawyers in trouble. Both authors are known for their respecti

1.14 – Genres, Subgenres, & Genre Mashing

Feb 12th, 2018 4m 43s

In this episode, I . . .Give you a brief overview of genres, subgenres, and genre mashing.-A genre is a category of fiction. (Adventure, romance, historical, western, women’s fiction, mystery, fantasy, science fiction, horror, picture book

1.13 – Pitching Your Novel 1.13 - Pitching Your Novel

Jan 29th, 2018 4m 33s

In this episode I . . .Talk about how to pitch a story.This has never gone very well for me. Most writers are introverts, and talking about our stories to a stranger is a terrifying ordeal. I usually babble incoherently and embarrass myself.

1.12 – Loglines 1.12 - Loglines

Jan 8th, 2018 4m 28s

In this episode, I . . .Define the term logline.A logline is a one-sentence description of your novel that hooks the reader and tells them what the story is about. You don’t really need a logline until you are ready to sell your book, but ha

1.11 – High Concept Ideas

Dec 11th, 2017 6m 24s

In this episode I . . .Talk about high concept ideas. Having a high concept idea can greatly increase your chance of success. A high concept puts a fresh twist on a universal theme. It appeals to the masses. The moment you hear about it, you

1.10 Ideas Change, Grow, and Combine

Dec 4th, 2017 5m 20s

In this episode, I . . .Talk about how ideas evolve. My first published book, By Darkness Hid, evolved in many ways.-The first nugget of story came from a science fiction-like dream I’d had.-I started brainstorming the storyworld and made

1.9 – How To Come Up With Story Ideas

Nov 27th, 2017 6m 11s

In this episode, I . . .Tackle the first topic in the Brainstorming Stage: how to come up with an idea. We’ll discuss:-Premise, which is the gist of your story, the idea, and how you explain what your story is about.-All the different ways

1.8 – Stage One: Brainstorming 008 Stage One Brainstorming

Nov 20th, 2017 4m 5s

In this episode, I . . .-Give an overview of Stage One: Brainstorming and everything that goes along with it.-These are topics we’re going to discuss in the weeks to come. I’m going to do a video/podcast on each one.-Here is the general bre

1.7 – The 3 Stages of Writing Fiction 1.7 - The 3 Stages of Writing Fiction

Nov 13th, 2017 3m 11s

In this episode, I . . .-Share the three stages of writing fiction: Brainstorming, Writing, and Editing.-Brainstorming has two parts: Idea and Logistics.-Idea is everything from coming up with a story concept to deciding genre and whethe

1.6 – How To Tell a Story 1.6 - How To Tell a Story

Nov 6th, 2017 3m 30s

In this episode I . . .Define story.-A story is: Character(s) + Life + . . .Here we have some characters living life. First, Jack and Jill are going up the hill to fetch a pail of water. That’s life for them. Next, Little Red Riding Hood i

1.5 – Make Your Reader Care 1.5 - Make Your Reader Care

Oct 30th, 2017 3m 49s

In this episode I . . .Talk about how to avoid writing a boring book, including:-Author Shannon Dittemore‘s brilliant reminder.-How to make your character likable.-Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat moment.-A look at the movie The Fugitive.-Giv

1.4 – The Writing Process 1.4 - The Writing Process

Oct 23rd, 2017 5m 51s

In this episode I . . .Explain how different writers create in different ways and talk about:-Seat-of-the-Pants writers compared to Outliners compared to Hybrid writers.-My writing process: I need to outline a little, otherwise—squirrel!—I

1.3 – My Story (Jill’s Journey to Publication) 1.3 - My Story

Oct 16th, 2017 9m 7s

In this episode I . . .Share my own personal journey to publication, including:-I started writing seriously in 2004 and didn’t get published until 2009.-Overconfidence can blind you from learning and improving.-How to find a publishing hou

1.2 – Writing Rules 1.2 - Writing Rules

Oct 9th, 2017 4m

In this episode I . . .Discuss the so-called “writing rules” that people are always talking about and why you should—or should not—care. The highlights are:-If you write for yourself, for fun, to journal, or to entertain friends and family,

1.1 – What Are Storyworld Shorts? 1.1 - What Are Storyworld Shorts?

Jul 12th, 2017 3m 40s

In this episode I . . .Answer the question: What are Storyworld Shorts? And I share why I decided to embark upon this new adventure.I explain all the ways to follow Storyworld Shorts, such as:1. Subscribe to my YouTube channel. Be sure to c

Rate