Episode 4: Laura Elliott, Ghostwriter
A podcast interview with ghostwriter Laura Elliott, all about deep research, finding inspiration from various sources, and telling stories … even other people’s.
Episode 26: Tami Charles, Children’s Book Author
New York Times Bestselling children's book author Tami Charles joins the Good Story Podcast to talk about experimenting with verse, amplifying the stories of girls of color, and writing what you feel.
Put Your Words Down, Flip Them, and Reverse Them: Writing Your Memoir in Reverse Chronology
If you’re writing a memoir, you have to write your life events exactly the way they happened—but you don’t have to write them in order! Give your readers a backwards walk through your remarkable life with reverse chronology.
How to Overcome Writer’s Block: Memoir Edition
Many writers run into some form of writer’s block, but nonfiction and memoir writers have certain challenges to overcome writer’s block that fiction writers don’t face. Someone writing a novel can simply … make up what happens next. But memoir writers can feel constrained by wanting to be true to reality.
Pacing in Writing
Pacing is the engine that keeps that story going and keeps your reader's interest level high. One of the most important things that I teach when it comes to pacing with writing is the balance of action and the information. Information is dense. It moves slowly. Action is fast. It moves quickly. It has nothing to do with page count, but everything to do with the balance of what's in those pages.
How To Be More Intentional With Chapter Structure
Chapter structure, like plot structure, is key to achieving a believable and engaging narrative. Here’s how to make sure your chapters are complete and doing as much work for you and your story as possible.
Writing the Inciting Incident
If you're curious about writing the inciting incident, and how this applies to your novel, picture book, or story, check out this class.