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SWRT 080 | The Story Premise
What is a premise and how elaborate does it need to be? Does a premise limit your imagination or story? How do you know if you have a full premise, or just a piece of the story? And how long should you work on that premise?
SWRT 079 | Approaches to Revision
We’ve all heard the advice to rest your manuscripts before you revise, but how much is that really necessary? When is it a beneficial tool, and when should you dive right into your revision passes? What are some tools we can use to better look at our manuscripts? And how can you change your perspective in order to uncover more flaws in your writing?
SWRT 078 | Fatal Flaw
What is a fatal flaw? And how can you develop one for your character? How should the fatal flaw be resolved through your book or series? And how can you keep your characters irrational behavior believable to your readers? Remember that a stories endpoint and a flaws true resolution doesn’t have to be the same thing. Now dig deep into your characters past and find that fatal flaw!
SWRT 077 | Story Structure part 2
What is Act 2 and why do writers struggle with it? How should you plot Act 2 and what questions should you ask yourself in each and every scene? How do you use subplots and supporting characters to flesh out Act 2? Remember you are writing from the inciting incident to the beginning of Act 3, not all the way to the climax. And that turning point into your climax should be awesome. Act 2 is not going to look great at the end of your first draft, it’s all about weaving in details, subplots, and revelations. Just make sure it gets the attention that it deserves!
SWRT 076 | Character Agency
What is agency? How does it work in your story? And what does it look like? When is your plot driving your character, rather than your character driving the plot? How can you diagnose agency issues? And how can you maintain that agency all the way through your climax, even with a cast of characters?
SWRT 075 | Story Structure
What is story structure? And do you need to know everything about it before you write? How should you story fit and where is there wiggle room? What is the difference between an opening hook and an inciting incident? And how important is that midpoint? Remember that you can always innovate your story, but the basics of structure will be there.
SWRT 074 | Nicey Nice
What is nicey-nice? How can you use character flaws and irrational reactions to combat it? As a writer we need to remember to push boundaries, silence that inner critic, and steer clear of writing our own reactions into our character. So how do you fix a section that is too nice? And how can you use character reactions to build tension into your story? Make your characters reactions messy and their relationships imperfect and you’ll be on your way to writing characters that keep the reader engaged!
SWRT 073 | Stakes & Agency
What are stakes? And how does your characters agency interact with them? How do you make your stakes personal and individual for your character? And how can you use your stakes to evaluate your plot structure? How should the stakes change through the story? And how do the stakes affect your characters actions? Remember, your characters agency must be the thing that drives your story forward!
SWRT 072 | Killing Your Characters
Why is killing characters important? How should we approach killing characters? And what are the reasons for doing it? How can it affect your story and your protagonist’s journey? What genres rely on killing characters? And how should you approach killing “extras” in your book? Even nameless characters can have a huge impact – so use your tools wisely!
SWRT 071 | Pacing
What is pacing? How do you decide the best pace for your story? And how do you achieve that pace? What kind of effect can pacing have for your readers? And why is pacing so different between books and movies? Check out the things we’ve mentioned section to check out those books we talked about – those we loved and even those we didn’t.
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Do you learn something every week?
Do you feel like you have company on your writing journey?
About the Hosts
Matt is the author of The Auriga Project, a scifi thriller, Scrivener Superpowers, a how-to book for writers, and the forthcoming Tales of the Republic, a serialized novel set in a specualtive future. He also founded the Indie Author Society, an organization that offers community and support for indie authors. When he’s not bending words to his will, Matt likes to climb mountains, throw a frisbee for his Boxer mutt, Elsa, and travel to expand his mind. Learn more about him and his books at www.mgherron.com.
