Today the gang ends their two-year run talking about Rebirth – the moment when characters face the death of old identities and must forge on with new, enlightened versions of themselves. Jess speaks about the successful elements of a character’

But I Don't Want to Do All the Things - Motivation

Jul 26th, 2021 27m 29s

Many things can and will kill your motivation. Not just in writing, but throughout life in general. And when that happens, you might stop doing Your Thing, which leads to guilt which leads to Darkness Brain and less motivation and the vicious c

First Lines and Opening Pt. 2

Jul 12th, 2021 20m 38s

The second half of this discussion uses first lines and openings from different books to demonstrate the myriad ways of entering your story. Tracey proves her love of horror, Anne proves that she is pretty random, and Jess makes a bid to usurp

First Lines and Openings, Pt. 1

Jun 28th, 2021 22m 39s

Hey, look, more rules for us to ignore! In Part One of this topic, the group chats about the “dos” and “do nots” of novel openings and when to pay more attention to them. Tracey talks the importance of getting that character “feel,” Anne explai

What Are You Bringing to the Party? - Branding and Logos

Jun 14th, 2021 28m 4s

Who are you as a writer? What can people expect from you when they pick up your book? Today the group discusses the importance of keeping your branding simple and focused. Jess breaks down some of her many projects, Tracey discusses rebranding

Tell Me What You Know - More Insights from Literary Agent Shannon Orso

May 31st, 2021 19m 42s

**Shannon passed away unexpectedly in September of 2021. But her spirit and mission lives on through the agents still at Victress Literary. Shannon is back again answering more questions about industry and agenting expectations. We hear about s

Industry Interview: Literary Agent Shannon Orso

May 17th, 2021 22m 45s

**Shannon passed away unexpectedly in September of 2021. But her spirit and mission lives on through the agents still at Victress Literary. It’s happening. The day has come for Anne to put her agent in the hot seat to discuss the road to age

It Takes a Village - Beta Readers

May 3rd, 2021 28m 19s

When the time comes and your manuscript needs some hard truths, who you gonna call? This time around Anne and Tracey talk about helpful beta readers and what to ask of them. Anne discusses the necessity of asking readers to get brutally honest,

What Are You Doing? -- Character Goals

Apr 19th, 2021 23m 43s

Tracey’s still out and Anne is a bit under the weather, but we are here for you, talking Character Goals! Anne brings up the “goal underneath the goal” and Jess talks about the importance of changing and conflicting goals. There is also a quest

The Music of Tension and Conflict

Apr 5th, 2021 26m 10s

We need tension and conflict in our stories, but what exactly do these words mean and how do you harness them in your story? Tracey is out for the day, but the remaining duo trudges on. Jess compares these concepts to dissonant musical notes an

It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over - Writing a Series

Mar 22nd, 2021 27m 49s

Planning a series can be daunting. Realizing that you’re writing a series *after* you’ve already written the first book can be an even bigger Oh, Boy. Today the group chats about tips and tricks to organize your game plan so you can give the re

Query Basics Pt. 2

Mar 8th, 2021 17m 52s

The ladies finish off the list of what NOT to include in your query and then dive into a fake query that Anne made up. Included are some obvious and not-so-obvious mistakes to consider. ___________ TERRIBLE FAKE QUERY To Whom It May Concern: I

Query Basics Pt. 1

Feb 22nd, 2021 20m 21s

The gang tackles another large topic with query letters and has to break it into two chunks. In this episode they cover what to include and a taste of what not to include. They home in on the business aspect and the need to show that you’re ser

Lazy Words Pt. 2

Feb 8th, 2021 20m 27s

Part 2 of Lazy Words continues to dissect the smaller moments in our writing that can lead up to big issues. This time the ladies explore harmless little words like “of” and “that.” Then Jessica chips away at the word “said,” Tracey clarifies t

Lazy Words Pt. 1

Jan 25th, 2021 21m 2s

This episode focuses on words and phrases that indicate a potential problem with your prose. The group stresses that this is a late-in-the-game editing concern, but it is helpful to practice recognizing these as you go along. Tracey and Jess co

And Then the Murders Started - Writing Mystery

Jan 11th, 2021 26m 4s

The gang gathers around the cyber fireplace and trade opinions, tips, and considerations about crafting a mystery. Anne talks about Lurkers, twists, and red herrings, Tracey talks mystery subplot and mixing up your professional and amateur sleu

Are You Done Now?

Dec 28th, 2020 27m 23s

Since the beginning they’ve said, “Your writing does not suck. You’re just not done yet.” So, when is it done? Today the group discusses the importance of getting down the core of your story, the dangers of never-ending edits, the pressure to c

Backstory - A Discovery in Real-Time

Dec 14th, 2020 25m 43s

We’re heading into the holiday season and talking a bit more about character backstory! Tracey debates developing backstory before writing -- as opposed to during, Jess talks about creating and holding on to character secrets, and Anne makes th

Character Names - Did you just call him Ishmael?

Nov 30th, 2020 20m 10s

In a shorter episode, Anne and Tracey chat about character names, inspirations, and whoopsies. They discuss considerations for fantasy names, names drawn from different cultures, and the universally-accepted truth that Google is a writer’s best

Presenting Your Work

Nov 16th, 2020 22m 57s

The group discusses the scary idea of reading your work out loud to other humans. Focusing on both raw work and formal presentation, they discuss tips, tricks, and handy reminders to get through the various types of readings you may find yourse

Worldbuilding: What's a Guy Like You Doing in a Place Like This?

Nov 2nd, 2020 26m 38s

The group comes to you from their annual autumn retreat and swaps out Jessica with another member of the critique group. This time they’re twisting a little more into the idea of worldbuilding through the use of your character. They discuss the

The End

Oct 19th, 2020 27m 29s

From the climax of your story to those final words, what’s an author to do? The group talks about wrapping up plot lines and reminds folks about keeping your promise to the reader. Tracey points out how to end a novel within a series versus a s

But I Don't Wanna Write a Theme

Oct 5th, 2020 23m 20s

Theme. For many people -- like, say, Anne – they cringe at the word and have flashbacks of English 101 in-class comas and literary snobbery. Others – like, say, Jess – have always relished the ideas of sussing out a good theme and having drawn-

Anatomy of Scene

Sep 21st, 2020 26m 1s

This time around, the ladies dive into what makes a scene successful. From the nuances of beginning, middle, and ending (just like a mini-story of its own), to the storytelling foundations of plot, theme, character. Then they dig into story obs

Self-Publishing: A Sort-of Interview with Tracey Shearer

Sep 7th, 2020 25m 28s

This episode focuses on Tracey’s road to self-publishing, but also discusses small-press contracts and the wonky roads that authors may face on their journey. Anne interrogates her about such things as ISBN numbers, editing, and the decision to