Essential Guide to Writing a Novel

Hosted by James Thayer, the podcast is a practical, step-by-step manual on how to craft a novel. It presents a set of tools for large issues such as story development and scene construction (Kirkus Reviews said Thayer's novels are "superbly crafted') and it also examines techniques that will make your sentence-by-sentence writing shine. The New York Times Book Review has said Thayer's "writing is smooth and clear. it wastes no words, and it has a rhythm only confident stylists achieve.

Episode 138 - How to live a writer's life.

Usually I talk about writing techniques but here are some living techniques for us writers. And some famous writers' favorite writers and novels. Plus: what Ernest Hemingway did when he was stuck. Also: the magic of avoiding dialogue tag modifiers. And Snoopy. Face Your EarsExplore home recording and music creation with Rich and Justin on 'Face Your Ears'!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

11-08
27:44

Episode 137 - Twenty-one rules of writing.

How can an injury be good for us writers? It was for Roald Dahl. And here are Strunk and White's twenty-one rules of writing. Also, Stephen King on descriptions. And several famous setting descriptions, settings so good they are magical. Plus, Toni Morrison reveals how she works.Face Your EarsExplore home recording and music creation with Rich and Justin on 'Face Your Ears'!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

11-01
28:40

Episode 136 - Benefits of a character's otherness.

A strong way to make a character likeable, and to have the reader root for her, is to have the character experience "otherness." She's out of place. She doesn't fit. Here are techniques on how to do so. Also, how F. Scott Fitzgerald worked. And, no whining.Face Your EarsExplore home recording and music creation with Rich and Justin on 'Face Your Ears'!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

10-25
27:46

Episode 135 - Maybe the strongest writing tool - contrast.

Contrast is among the strongest tools we writers can use. It's magic. Here is a discussion of how and where to use contrast. Also, Henry Miller's rules of writing and how John Grisham works.Face Your EarsExplore home recording and music creation with Rich and Justin on 'Face Your Ears'!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

10-18
26:17

Episode 134 - A stong technique for describing a character's personality.

We can show (as opposed to tell) about a character's personality by describing the character's face and body, so that our physical description does double duty. Jonathan Franzen's ten rules of writing. And techniques to add atmosphere to our scenes.Face Your EarsExplore home recording and music creation with Rich and Justin on 'Face Your Ears'!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

10-11
30:31

Episode 133 - In our plot what should we save for a sequel?

In our novel should we leave plot questions unanswered so we have compelling questions for a sequel? Here are thoughts on how we can approach it. Also, Hilary Mantel's ten rules of writing, how Anne Rice worked, and techniques for writing in the active voice.Face Your EarsExplore home recording and music creation with Rich and Justin on 'Face Your Ears'!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

10-04
27:10

Episode 132 - How to avoid the main reason readers stop reading a novel.

Why do readers put down a novel for good before they reach the last page? Here is a reason, maybe the main reason, and how we writers can avoid it. Also, examples of failed showing, as opposed to telling. And Margaret Atwood's rules of writing.Face Your EarsExplore home recording and music creation with Rich and Justin on 'Face Your Ears'!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

09-27
28:14

Episode 131 - A review of the ten strongest writing techniques.

Here is a list of the top ten writing techniques in order of their importance, as best I can figure them out. Also, good comments from a book coach. And Zadie Smith's rules of writing.Face Your EarsExplore home recording and music creation with Rich and Justin on 'Face Your Ears'!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

09-20
24:57

Episode 130 - Kurt Vonnegut's rules of writing, and powerful character descriptioins.

Here are Kurt Vonnegut's eight rules of writing. Also, why reading an Andy Weir novel is such a good writing lesson. And; character descriptions should do double duty. Here is how, with examples from legendary writers.Support the show

09-13
26:39

Episode 129 - A scene with too many mistakes. Can we spot them?

Here is a scene with a strong plot point important to our story. It should be powerful but it isn't because of technical mistakes in the writing. Can we spot the mistakes? Also, George Orwell's six rules of writing. And a review of how and why to avoid filters.Support the show

09-06
26:21

Episode 128 - Should we be afraid our plot has been done before?

What if we get the sense that our story is a trope, that the plot is a cliche, that it's been done before? Here are thoughts on cliched stories. Also, Christopher Vogler's twelve steps for plotting our story.Support the show

08-30
25:23

Episode 127 - Go big or go home plotting.

Classic novelists knew the strong technique regarding plotting and it's a terrific lesson for us: go big or go home. And what if we want to ignore a proven technique? And: thoughts on a character's stream of consciousness thinking. Also, how to avoid overthinking our writing project.Support the show

08-23
28:07

Episode 126 - Should we hire a book coach?

When can a book coach help us and when can a coach not help us? Here are thoughts on book coaches. Also, the master George Orwell on describing a character. Plus, improving our sentence-by-sentence writing by 1) showing, 2) offering details, and 3) avoiding summary words: three big techniques in one.Support the show

08-16
28:19

Episode 125 - When to avoid the proven writing technique.

Sometimes we don't need to use the standard and strong writing technique, and we can deviate from the proven technique. When? We'll talk about it here. And here are some fun writing quotes. Also, an example of how interior monologue deadens a scene, and how to change it to a scene that will engage and entertain the reader. Support the show

08-09
25:51

Episode 124 - Save the cat plotting.

Blake Snyder's famous Save the Cat plotting--where he describes fifteen beats a movie screenplay should have--is useful for us novelists. And wonderful setting descriptions from Willa Cather. Also, what's wrong with this sentence: He scrunched his eyebrows in confusion? And Neil Gaiman's eight rules of writing.Support the show

08-02
25:53

Episode 123 - The beauty of a professional submission.

How can we submit a manuscript that meets the industry's format expectations and so avoids an amateurish look? Here's how to do it. Also, how the best-selling novelist Elin Hilderbrand live and work? And a few comments on pumping up our creativity.Support the show

07-26
24:55

Episode 122 - Getting inside a villain's mind.

We aren't villains, and we likely don't have the background and personality of a villain. How can we get inside the mind of a villain for our story, so the villain engages the reader? Here are techniques to do so. Also, big and small things in a novel should be foreshadowed. I'll mention why and how to use foreshadowing to give clues and red herrings to the reader, focusing on small things we might otherwise forget to tie up. Also, here are my favorite funny titl...

07-19
27:21

Episode 121 - The biggest mistakes new writers make.

Sometimes new writers have a strong plot idea and they begin writing without learning much about fiction writing. Here are the ten most common mistakes new writers make, mistakes that are often prospect killers. Also, how does Kristen Hannah work? And: maybe the best way to learn how to write a novel.Support the show

07-12
24:16

Episode 120 - The most important element in fiction.

We learn many techniques to improve our fiction writing. Is there one big thing we should think about first, the most important element? Yes, and we talk about it here. Also, avoiding mixing up the grammatical person and the point of view. How William Faulkner worked. And; making a direct connection between our hero and the reader by showing kindness.Support the show

07-05
27:41

Episode 119 - Making our sentences instantly stronger.

Here is a technique--it's magical--to make our sentence-by-sentence writing instantly stronger; avoiding qualifiers. And how to use good dialogue tags so the reader hears the dialogue rather than the clunky tags. And important tips regarding back-story.Support the show

06-28
25:14

Frederick Gragg

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08-20 Reply

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