Writing Realistic Dialogue
When done right, writing realistic dialogue isn’t simple because people aren’t. Here are some tips and tricks for writing dialogue that sounds natural and fits the character who’s speaking.
Writing The Opening Line
The opening line is your first opportunity to make an impression and entice your readers. You should want the opening line to work for the story and be meaningful, but at the same time you don’t want it to do too much. Here’s how to find that balance.
Moralizing in Books
Think twice before you moralize in your book. Ditch "sharing is caring!" and go for a more nuanced message. Here's how.
Writing Female Characters
Writing female characters can be harder than you expect, as a writer, but it’s important to get right. There are some blind spots that many of us—men and women alike—have when it comes to crafting compelling female characters.
Write What You Know
“Write what you know” is common advice, but it can feel like an attempt to limit creativity. You write to discover new places and understand different points of view. If you only write what you know, how can you write about what you don’t know?
Episode 27: Roz Morris, Ghostwriter and Writing Coach
Roz Morris and Mary dive into the mechanics of storytelling and discuss how to connect with your audience—whether you're writing someone else's story or you're telling your own.
A Million Bad Words
In order to write, you have to WRITE! Spending time learning theory, taking classes, and reading books are beneficial, but ultimately it is practice that will make you a better writer. Learn how a million bad words can turn into a good story.
Finding Time to Write
Finding time to write can sometimes seem impossible. If you have a packed schedule due to school, your day job, or multiple day jobs, you may think it’s impossible to start your novel, let alone finish it. Here are some ways to carve out time in your day to write.
Episode 22: Kelly Madrone, Award-Winning Writer and Ghostwriter
Ghostwriter Kelly Madrone joins us to talk about writing as someone else, modulating a professional potty mouth, and creating a story arc in memoir.
Show Don’t Tell
Show don’t tell is one of the first pieces of advice given to new writers. My first writing professor preached that we all STAY AWAY from exposition. Still, even with SDT etched into our minds, writers slip into exposition and description, missing opportunities to immerse their readers.
Episode 7: Jessica Brody, Author and Writing Teacher
An interview with author and writing teacher Jessica Brody, where we discuss what makes a compelling story, how to apply story structure whether you're a plotter or pantser, and tackling large-scale revisions without ripping your hair out.
Writing Descriptions
Dust motes swirling in the gloom are enchanting, but do you really need to describe them in detail? Let’s look at some guidelines for writing descriptions so you can quench your thirst for gorgeous imagery without sacrificing the pacing of your story.
Help! I’m Stuck in the Muddy Middle!
Most times we can see where our story begins and where it ends, but it’s the muddy middle where we get stuck and face writer’s block. Here are some tips to get you out of the sludge and moving again.
Episode 21: Gabriela Pereira, founder of DIY MFA
Gabriela Pereira discusses her journey to founding DIY MFA, the do-it-yourself alternative to a Masters degree in writing, while living with bipolar disorder. She shares tips about unconventional learning styles, finding a writing community in your backyard, and using storytelling to effectively market your work.
More Than Words: Avoid Clichés
As writers, we know we should try to avoid clichés and stereotypes. But you might not think of unique imagery as you’re writing your first draft, so you drop in a cliché as a placeholder. When revisiting a manuscript to self-edit, though, many writers often overlook the cliché that’s right in front of them: the clichéd image.
Story Mastermind Interview with Erin Entrada Kelly
A discussion with middle grade author and Newbery medalist Erin Entrada Kelly about writing outside your lived experience.
Episode 2: Ryan Van Cleave, Nonfiction Writer and Writing Teacher
A podcast all about nonfiction book proposals, nonfiction article pitching, and strategically growing your writing career, including a ton of tips for that ever-intimidating concept of marketing yourself and your writing.
The Core of a Story with Roz Morris
Writer, writing teacher, ghost writer, and general literary icon Roz Morris joins Mary Kole for an interview on the Good Story Speaker Series. They dive into the mechanics of storytelling and discuss how to connect with your audience—whether you're writing someone else's story or your telling your own.
Episode 8: Jeff Lyons, Writing Teacher
Writing teachers Jeff Lyons and Mary Kole in conversation about craft, from the big picture to the nitty gritty.
Episode 1: Chris Baty, Founder of NaNoWriMo
An interview with NaNoWriMo founder and writing teacher Chris Baty, where we discuss plot, pantsing, not nipping good ideas in the bud, celebrating a hot pile of garbage, and the cult of busyness.