Among the most important (and intimidating) decisions you'll make as a writer is how to begin your story. That opening moment sets the tone, establishes the world, and signals to your readers what kind of story they're stepping into. There isn't one right way to open your story. It's all play and experimentation. The key to a powerful ending is choosing one that's aligned with the story you're telling and the emotional experience you want your reader to have. In this episode, I'm walking you through 3 powerful ways you can open your story, with examples to show how each one works. Episode Web PageNot sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters. Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
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#227: Say Less, Mean More: The Secret to Writing Great Dialogue
Writing dialog can feel deceptively simple. After all, it's just people talking, right? But in far too many stories, characters are recapping the plot or revealing too much of what they're thinking or feeling. The dialogue is pure exposition, doing too much of the story's heavy lifting. Great dialogue works on multiple levels, often saying more in what's unsaid than what is said. So in this episode, we're going to look at common pitfalls. And I'll show you how to write conversations that carry emotional weight, deepen your characters and spark new turns in your story. So you can write believable, compelling dialogue. Episode Web PageWant to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
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#226: Writing Your Story Setting: 4 Essential Techniques
Writing your story setting requires more than just pretty language, and does so much more than provide the physical setting. It anchors the reader in time and place while immersing them in a tactile sensory experience in every scene. In this episode, I'm going to give you 4 essential techniques for writing your story setting. You'll learn how to craft your settings selectively and with intention. Episode Web PageNot sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters. Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
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#225: From First To Final Draft: 3 Phases Of Revision
Revising a first draft can feel overwhelming. Where do you start? What do you cut? How do you keep your original vision alive How do you take all the moving parts and refine it into a more coherent, effective whole? In this episode, I’ll guide you through the three key phases of revision—and give you practical tips to help you shape your messy draft into a strong, finished story.Episode WebsiteNot sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters. Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
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#224: Then vs. Now: The Key To Writing A Strong Retrospective Voice
Retrospective narrators have the power to tell your story with both raw immediacy and hard earned wisdom. This narrator doesn’t just recall the past – he or she reinterprets it.What makes it tricky is that you’re not just telling the story of what happened. You’re telling it through two lenses:The younger self who lived it. And the older self who looks back with reflection, wisdom, and maybe even regret.So in today’s episode, we’ll explore how to unlock the full potential of a retrospective narrator. You’ll learn to craft a voice that harnesses both the younger self and the wiser self.Episode WebsiteNot sure where to begin writing? Need a way in to your story? Or a way through? Click here to download your FREE 9 Story Starters. Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.
Writer Unleashed is a weekly podcast for fiction and memoir writers. It's a deep dive into story techniques, writing craft, and the mindsets that help you write with unstoppable momentum and create stories readers can't put down.
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