How our characters react to situations reveals a lot about them. If exposed to a threat, do your characters fight or flee? Are they brave or cowardly? What physiological, physical, emotional, rational and irrational responses occur in the momen

#22 Characterization - Using Dialogue to Write Delighful Characters

Jul 29th, 2020 12m 25s

What we say and how we say it reveals a lot about our characters. The most memorable, engaging characters all have one thing in common – a unique voice that stands out from the crowd. Think of the most amazing lines from literature and popular

#21 Characterization - Using Actions to Write Compelling Characters

Jul 22nd, 2020 11m 30s

Life is filled with action. We are what we do after all. The characters we create are no different. What a character does – their habits, mannerisms, nervous ticks, the way they move tells us a lot about them. This is one of the techniques of i

#20 Characterization - The Direct Method

Jul 15th, 2020 11m 18s

To be one of the best author’s in the game, you must arm yourself with the tools of the trade. An essential tool is the Direct Characterization Method. It is a fairly straightforward technique, but many struggle to pull it off the way they shou

#19 Characterization - An Intro to Writing Character

Jul 12th, 2020 9m 37s

Ever heard the saying Story is about interesting things that happen to interesting characters? No? Well, I made it up, but it is no less true. In everyday life the stories we tell are about something that has happened to us or someone else, and

#18 Top 5 Plot Twists Types & How to Write Them

Jul 1st, 2020 16m 34s

Nothing shows your authorial flex as much as pulling of a shocking, masterful plot twist that blows your readers’ minds. Hindsight is 20/20 and it is easy to see them coming from a mile away once they are revealed, but crafting the buggers is n

#17 Top 5 Plot Gaps To Avoid in Your Writing & How

Jun 24th, 2020 14m 31s

Plot gaps or plot holes can send your readers running for the hills faster than mad axeman on Halloween. As authors, we love our work. It is a sacred part of us that we share with the world, but it is true what they say: love makes us blind. In

#16 How to Write A Killer Subplot

Jun 17th, 2020 18m 48s

Writing highly effective subplots have eluded many authors. If your story's feel flat and something is missing from your plot, it is most likely some great subplots. There are many reasons it improves your writing, and a few sure ways to write

#15 Plotting 101: A Q&A On the Elements of Plot

Jun 10th, 2020 19m 10s

Plotting a novel can get complicated, fast. Plot can be as simple as beginning, middle or end. Alternatively, you can use complicated plot structures that make your literature professor salivate. There a plenty of resources out there to help yo

#14 Plot 101: Lessons From My Favourite Novel

Jun 3rd, 2020 22m 18s

The Wheel of Time is one of the most famous and well-written epic fantasy adventures in history. It is my favourite series and is a treasure trove of knowledge. Barbara Baig, a master creative writing teacher and prodigious writer herself, advi

#13 My Top Ten Fictional Characters & Why They're Unforgettable

May 27th, 2020 26m 20s

We have fallen in love with fictional characters. They have been our family, our friends, our lovers, our fantasies. In some instances, we loathe them, but regardless of how we feel they are etched into our memories for all eternity. Character

#12 Three Spectacular Techniques to Brainstorm New Writing Ideas

May 20th, 2020 19m 23s

Ever have a staring contest with a blank page hoping this time will be different, only to lose for the umpteenth time? Many aspiring authors experience the ill-fated Writer’s Block on their author’s journey. I have had my moments and there a fe

#11 A New Definition of Success For Writers

May 13th, 2020 24m 56s

No one grows up with the aim of being unsuccessful in life. Authors are the same. We all dream of achieving success but how does one know if they are successful or not? This is where things get sticky. The world is full of different definitions

#10 My Author's Journey Part 2

May 6th, 2020 26m 17s

An Interview with Gary Khan Part 2 I have always dreamt of making it so big that I get to be interviewed by someone famous like Oprah or Ellen. In the absence of those dreams, I opted for the next best thing. I sent out a blast on social media

#9 My Author's Journey Part 1

Apr 29th, 2020 26m 40s

An Interview with Gary Khan Part 1I have always dreamt of making it so big that I get to be interviewed by someone famous like Oprah or Ellen. In the absence of those dreams, I opted for the next best thing. I sent out a blast on social media a

#8 What to Expect After Becoming An Author

Apr 22nd, 2020 20m 9s

Your third grade teacher gave you an A on your English essay and said “you write good.” Your friends and family invite you to share stories at social gatherings because you so wildly entertaining. You a hit sensation at office parties. You want

#7 Hunting Easter Eggs

Apr 15th, 2020 20m 29s

Ever sat around the campfire with your best friends and shared your favourite parts about the latest book, movie or television series? Better yet, have you ever stumbled into a boring social gathering where you were not sure how exactly it was

#6 Writing Under The Influence

Apr 8th, 2020 28m 58s

All of us have read something in our lives that has shaped us. There is at least one author/filmmaker/musician that has influenced our art whatever that may be. Where would we be without them. This podcast looks at the idea of finding you autho

#5 Writing With Authentic Voice

Apr 1st, 2020 22m 34s

Every author dreams of making it big but the vast majority fall into obscurity. There are many underrated authors that have produced great works of art throughout history, but most people have never heard of them. Writing is not about chasing f

#4 Writing Through Endless Distractions Like COVID-19

Mar 25th, 2020 29m 52s

You LOVE writing. It serenades your soul in ways nothing else can, but the busyness of life keeps getting in the way. In the endless ocean of distraction everything competes for your attention and your writing suffers. Most of us are not full-t

#3 When The Muses Won't Call You Back

Mar 18th, 2020 35m 29s

Finding the Inspiration to WriteMany aspiring authors struggle to find the inspiration to write. You text, email, call, summon the muses using ancient Mayan rituals but still no answer. On this week’s episode we unpack all the various methods y

#2 How to Start Writing with Jason Devenish

Feb 22nd, 2020 34m 32s

“Write for fun… you need to start with the fun and the hard work will come because if you fall in love with something, you work at it. So the key is, it's time to carve out some space to have fun with your writing.”SummaryEver felt like you wer

#1 Love

Feb 15th, 2020 27m 14s

This episode is all about love. I share my writing origin story and then discuss what inspires me to write. I share the methods I use to craft interesting, authentic love interests. Finally, I talk about four love interests from my life (pseudo

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