In this episode, we talk with Robert Bailey, the author of the incredibly successful McMurtrie and Drake Legal Thrillers, published through Thomas & Mercer. Join us to hear all about Robert's tumultuous path to publishing. Support the show

Episode 9: Writing Nonfiction

May 29th, 2019 1h 9m

Up to this point, all the topics we’ve covered apply to both fiction and nonfiction. In this episode, we’ll talk about how writing fiction diverges from writing nonfiction. There plenty for nonfiction writers to take away from all the episode

8B: Setting and Worldbuilding continued

Apr 23rd, 2019 37m 44s

In this episode, we talk about the 7 Deadly Sins of World Building based on an article by Charlie Jane Anders and we go through the elements of setting. Support the show

Episode 8A: Setting and World Building

Apr 9th, 2019 53m 4s

Does your story begin in a kitchen or on a suburban street? Is it set in a dystopian world you have to create or is it set on a plantation in the pre-Civil War South? Some of these settings require very little detail to conjure an image of pl

Episode 7: Story Arcs and Organizing Devices

Mar 27th, 2019 1h 3m

In this episode, we talk story arcs and other ways to organize you story. And help you discover ways to use arcs and organizing devices to create a better, more coherent narrative.Support the show

Episode 6: Plot and Structure

Mar 15th, 2019 44m 24s

In this episode, we discuss the three types of plot. Mini Plot, which is driven by a character's internal conflict. The Hero’s Journey, which takes your characters on a quest. Anti-Plot, which breaks all the Rules. We’ll discuss how to know

Episode 5: Find the Why of Your Story

Mar 5th, 2019 1h 4m

Whether you are writing literary fiction or historical fiction, police procedurals or YA, before readers will fully invest in reading your story, to get them past those crucial first fifteen pages, you need to show the reader WHY they are readi

Episode 4: Reading to Write

Feb 24th, 2019 55m 27s

In this episode, we talk about why you need to read to be a better writer. We discuss books on craft and how to identify and read the books in your genre to learn from the authors who have come before. Reading for craft is one of the most pow

Episode 3 - Genre and Conventions

Feb 17th, 2019 42m 25s

Every murder mystery has a dead body. Every thriller a villain. Every love story a meet cute. And, every genre has elements that readers expect to find in stories billed as a particular genre. In this episode, we’ll talk about genre — what

Episode 2: Writing 101 - Defining Your Audience

Feb 15th, 2019 41m 36s

In this episode, we talk about audience and why it is important to define your audience and set goals for your book before you begin writing. For detailed show notes, worksheets, mini classes and more, go to our Patreon page at patreon.com/you

Episode 1: Writing 101 - Story Ideas

Feb 15th, 2019 52m 55s

In this episode, we discuss where story ideas come from. We look at where Liane Moriarty got the idea for The Husband’s Secret and talk about how Judd came up with the idea for Powder House. And, we’ll discuss how to know if the idea you have