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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.
263 Episodes
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Writing a story with multiple POVs? In this episode, we’ll unpack how to keep your narrative focused, decide which characters need full arcs, and make sure every point-of-view earns its place in your story. Episode Web Page 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.
Memoir is true, fiction is made up - but how does that change your actual storytelling? In this episode, I break down the key differences between memoir and fiction: what you can and can't do in memoir, how much creative license you have, and when to choose one form over the other. Plus: the surprising ways memoir and fiction use the exact same narrative techniques. Episode Web Page Not sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover...
If you’ve been wrestling with story structure, this episode will help you see it differently. Learn what’s really keeping you stuck and how to finally bring your draft to the finish line. Episode Web Page Not sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple steps. You’ll walk away with a one-sentence premise you can build your entire book on, and the clarity and confidence to keep going. Dow...
If you’ve ever hit that point in your draft where the words feel heavy, the story starts to wander, and your momentum disappears—you’ve landed in the messy middle. Every writer faces it. The difference is, some know how to push through. In today’s episode, I’m breaking down why the middle of a draft feels so hard—and how to revive your story so you can actually finish it. Episode Web Page Not sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you u...
If your novel or memoir keeps stalling out, it’s not about talent or discipline. Chances are, something else is getting in your way. This episode uncovers what it is—and how to move past it. Episode Web Page Not sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple steps. You’ll walk away with a one-sentence premise you can build your entire book on, and the clarity and confidence to keep going. ...
Your protagonist’s first appearance can make or break your story. That opening impression tells your reader whether they should lean in, or move on. Too often, writers get stuck in backstory, mundane routines, or quirky details that don’t really matter yet. The result? A flat introduction that fails to spark curiosity or connection. In this episode, we’ll cover: Why your protagonist’s introduction carries so much weight.The 4 most common mistakes writers make in opening scenes.3 strategies to...
Every writer hits that moment mid-draft where the story feels too big, too messy, too unclear. But getting lost in the middle of a draft doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re deep in the work. And the good news? There’s a way through. In this episode, I’ll help you zoom out, find the heart of your story again, and get back on track. So you can turn that overwhelming pile of pages into a novel or memoir that actually works. If you’re overwhelmed by the volume of your story material...
Most writers dream of quitting their jobs to write full-time. But here’s the twist: many of the greatest authors did their best work while juggling day jobs. In this episode, we’ll dive into the stories of famous writers who turned paychecks into pages, and how you can, too. Episode Web Page Not sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple steps. You’ll walk away with a one-sentenc...
Most story ideas that excite you at 2 AM seem paper-thin by Thursday afternoon. Here's the truth: your idea probably isn't too small, you just haven't learned how to dig deeper. While other writers chase the next shiny concept, successful authors know how to mine the gold that's already there. In this episode, discover the specific questions that reveal whether your story has legs, plus the proven techniques for expanding any concept into a full narrative that writes itself. Stop second-guess...
Do you have a folder full of half-finished drafts? You’re not alone. Almost every writer has started a story with excitement, only to abandon it when the magic fades. In this episode, I’ll share why this happens, the mindset shifts that help you stay the course, and four practical strategies to keep you moving forward even when the middle gets messy. You’ll learn how to stop chasing new ideas, stay connected to the story you’ve already begun, and use writing not just to finish, but to deepen ...
Every writer wrestles with doubt from time to time. But if you don’t know how to handle it, that doubt can stall your story for months or even years. In this episode, I’m dismantling three of the most common myths that keep writers stuck and replacing them with truths you can lean on. So you can keep showing up for your story with a sense of wonder and unshakeable confidence. Episode Web Page Not sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will ...
Backstory often gets blamed for slowing a story down. Writers are told to cut it, sprinkle it lightly, or avoid it altogether. But here’s the truth: the wrong backstory, delivered the wrong way, at the wrong time is the problem. Used with intention, backstory can reveal the wounds and desires that drive your character, raise the stakes, and transform an ordinary scene into one that lingers with readers. In this episode, I’ll share: 3 powerful ways to use backstory so it deepens, rather than d...
Your opening line is your reader’s first invitation into your story, so it has to do more than just start the book. It has to hook. In this episode, I'm sharing 3 powerful strategies to craft a first sentence that grabs your readers' attention and keeps them wanting more. Episode Web Page Not sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple steps. You’ll walk away with a one-sen...
We don’t just read stories to find out what happens. We read to witness who a character becomes. So how do you show that change? Not by stating it outright, or having another character comment on it, but through behavior, inner voice, and choices that reveal an internal shift. In this episode, we’re breaking down what character transformation looks like on the page, and 4 powerful ways to show it. Whether your character evolves in subtle or seismic ways, this episode will help you track and s...
When dialogue works, it feels alive. It's charged with tension. It reveals character, drives the plot, and leaves space for the reader to lean in and feel what’s left unsaid. But when it doesn’t? It falls flat, feels forced, or gets skimmed over entirely. In this episode, I’m breaking down three essential tips to help you write dialogue that feels authentic, but curated. Natural, but emotionally charged. We’ll look at what to cut, how to shape each exchange, and how to infuse even simple mome...
You’ve finally shared your pages with someone. Maybe it was a critique partner, a writing group, an editor, or beta reader. You were nervous, but hopeful, maybe even excited, and then the feedback came. And now you’re spiraling. Maybe they pointed out something you thought you’d nailed, or they didn’t understand your main character, or they told you something that deep down you already feared might be true. And now the voice in your head is getting louder. Am I even a good writer? Do I ...
1There’s a lot of writing advice out there, but not all of it serves you. In this episode, we’re unpacking 3 common writing myths that might be slowing you down or making you second-guess your story. If you’ve been feeling stuck, this is your permission to let go of the “rules” and reconnect with the story you need to tell. Episode Web Page Not sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple...
Writing your first novel can feel like dumping 1000 puzzle pieces onto the floor without the picture on the box to guide you. You've got characters, scenes, maybe even a few moments you love, but you have no clear sense of what it all adds up to. If you're staring at your messy draft thinking, What even is this? - don't worry. You're not alone, and you're not even as lost as you think. In today's episode, we'll explore how to step back, sift through what you've already written, and begi...
Struggling to get past chapter one, even with a solid outline and a great idea? In this episode, we unpack why starting your novel feels so hard, what’s really behind the block, and how to take the first imperfect steps forward. Episode Web Page Not sure if your idea has what it takes to become a powerful story? This free quick guide will help you uncover the heart of your idea in just three simple steps. You’ll walk away with a one-sentence premise you can build your entire book on, an...
In this episode, we’re zeroing in on one of the most important (and most rewritten) parts of your novel: the first chapter. A strong first chapter doesn’t need to be long or dramatic, but it does need to hook the reader, ground them in the world of the story, and raise a question they’re eager to follow. If you’ve ever found yourself stuck on your opening pages, rewriting again and again, wondering if it’s working, this episode will help you identify and avoid common problems, and more import...
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love it!
Another excellent episode! Thank you ever so much! I'm very much looking forward to listening to all of your episodes (I'm new to podcasts) as well as to new ones! Keep up the good work!
Excellent! Thank you!
I think an outline needn't mean being trapped in some mold but could just provide some form of preliminary compass that could always change, but that is necessary to overcome the daunting feeling of a blank page...
Thank you for this wonderful episode! I'm new to podcasts and have been listening to podcasts about writing for a week, this is the first one I found of real substance and value! keep up the good work!