Aug 9, 2021

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’s rebirth, Tracey delves into the key moments of Star Wars and...

Jul 26, 2021

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 cycle is in full swing. So what do you do when you feel stuck? What do you...

Jul 12, 2021

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 hosting powers.

QUOTE: “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not...

Jun 28, 2021

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 explains her dislike of opening dream sequences, and Jessica rounds it...

Jun 14, 2021

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 and pen names, and Anne talks about both of their successes with pulling...