How to Create Stakes in Your Fiction Novel That Hook Readers
Want to write a novel readers can’t put down? Learn how to raise the stakes in your story so readers care deeply about your characters and keep turning the page.
Tackling Big Issues with Humor: Lessons from Kid-Lit Author Ali Terese
This week on the Write It Scared podcast, I had the joy of talking with middle-grade and YA author Ali Terese, whose books prove that stories can be both laugh-out-loud funny and deeply empowering.
Her novels tackle big issues like period equity, bodily autonomy, and health equity for kids. And they do it through comedy, friendship, and activism.
Ali calls them stories about “messy girls changing the world,” and I—as a mom to a nine-year old who insists she’s already a tween—couldn’t love that description more.
From False Starts to Finished Novel: How Bruce Buchanan Wrote His Debut Fantasy
What does it take to finally finish a novel after years of false starts? For fantasy author Bruce Buchanan, the answer was persistence, community, and the decision to stop giving up.
Like many of us, Bruce spent years starting and stopping projects, second-guessing himself, and walking away when the doubts got loud.
In our recent conversation, Bruce shared how he broke through that cycle, what kept him moving forward, and the lessons he learned along the way.
How to Figure Out What the Hell Your Character Wants: Goals vs. Desires
If you’ve ever struggled to untangle what your character wants versus what they need—or to sort out all the talk about “external goals” and “internal objects of desire,” well then you’re not alone. It really comes down to goals and desires. In this article, I’m digging into what makes goals and desires different, why both matter, and how to use them to braid plot and character transformation together!
Mining Real Life for Story Gold With Debut Author Christine Ma-Kellams
This week on The Write It Scared Podcast, I had the pleasure of talking with debut author Christine Ma-Kellams—a Harvard-trained cultural psychologist, Pushcart-nominated writer, and now, published novelist with her book The Band.
We dug into a lot of juicy topics: perfectionism, social media, mental health, a fresh spin on what it means to “write what you know,” as well as how to keep going when the voice of doubt gets loud.
Christine's journey is an inspiration to all of us as she’s someone who has figured out how to trust herself in this chaotic writing journey.
How to Give Your Character Agency and Why It Matters
Character agency is one of those things we’re told we need, but all too often I see writers struggle with what it actually means, how to create it, and how to get it on the page. So I’m breaking it down for you this week!
Writing For Yourself First: A Conversation with Graphic Novelist Stan Yan
The first guest episode of season three is up on the podcast and it was a blast! I chatted with graphic novelist Stan Yan about how to write (and draw) horror that holds humor, why representation matters, and how it took nearly a decade—along with a total reimagining of the story—for his debut middle grade graphic novel The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang to come to life.
If you’re a writer, illustrator, or creative of any kind trying to figure out how to allow a vision to evolve and learn to trust it, this interview is a gold mine.
How to Set Creative Intentions That Actually Support You (Not Drain You)
This week I’m giving you the same intention-setting prompts I share inside my group coaching cohorts every September.
This is your grounding check-in. Your permission slip. Your reminder that your writing matters—and that it’s okay to return to it gently.
How to Wield Narrative Drive to Make a Propulsive Story as a Fiction Writer
One of the most common things new writers struggle to harness—which is also the main issue I see with my clients’ developmental edits—is narrative drive. Or rather, the lack of it. It’s what makes readers invest in a character’s plight and keeps them turning the pages to find out what happens next and it’s crucial to a propulsive story. It’s a tough thing to learn to wield, but knowledge and practice are the keys to the kingdom, and I’m breaking it all down for you today.
Why Your Novel Is Taking So Long—And Why That’s Okay
How do you react when someone says, “Wow. You’ve been writing that for such a long time.” If you’re like most authors, you get THE SPIRAL of lack and not-enoughness. But this week I’m sharing a reframe for you and an invitation towards a new, more empowering way of responding to these questions.
How to Write a Fantasy Trilogy That Satisfies—Without Feeling Cliché: Four Ideas For Your Story
There’s a familiar rhythm to a lot of fantasy trilogies, and for good reason. This structure works. It’s satisfying. It echoes the deep emotional arc many of us crave in fiction: self-discovery, self-confrontation, and ultimately, the agency to embrace one’s self completely. But … it can also feel a little tired. So how do you write a trilogy that delivers the emotional payoff your reader expects without sliding into predictability? Try these 4 ideas!
How to Write a Trilogy - Part 2: Building a Solid Plan
Today we’re circling back to talk a bit more in depth about writing a trilogy, specifically a dynamic trilogy–a single overarching story told in three acts (each act is a book).
I didn’t finish the dynamic trilogy I was writing a few years back and I don’t want that for you if you’ve got an idea you want to span three books. So let me share the lessons I’ve learned.
Worldbuilding, Fantasy, and Courageous Writing with Author A.M. Deese
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by worldbuilding, intimidated by your messy draft, or unsure how to keep readers engaged in a long-running series—today’s episode is for you.
I sat down with fantasy author A.M. Deese (also known as Alexis Marrero Deese) to talk about how she builds immersive magical worlds, navigates the challenges of writing multi-POV fantasy series, and faces the fears that come with putting your words into the world.
How to Trust the Process and Stick with Your Story with Author Kristin Offiler
What if the story you’re working on right now is the one, not because it’s perfect, but because you refuse to give up on it?
In this week’s episode of The Write It Scared Podcast, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with debut author Kristin Offiler to talk about the long, winding, messy, beautiful process of writing her psychological suspense novel The Housewarming — a story she started in 2018 and rewrote many times before it finally sold. And thank goodness she did, because it’s SO GOOD.
Author Gloria Huang on Writing Brave Middle Grade Fiction Stories
Writing is never clean or easy, especially when you're trying to get it just right. In my recent conversation with debut middle-grade author Gloria Huang, we discussed the trap of perfectionism, the emotional courage required to tell the truth on the page, and how to write young characters who wrestle with anxiety in a way that feels honest, nuanced, and hopeful.
How to Write a Trilogy - Part 1: Learning the First Steps
I don’t know about you, but when I invest in a character, a cast of characters, or a world, I gobble up everything written about them. And if it’s a trilogy, I’m head over heels gone. Today, let’s talk about the big-picture things you need to consider if you’re planning to write a trilogy so your readers don’t drop off halfway through. It all starts with understanding the kind of trilogy you’re writing.
Lessons in Overcoming Writing Doubt with Author Amy L. Bernstein
If you’ve ever stared at your blinking cursor and wondered if you’re even cut out for this whole writing thing, this one’s for you.
How to Build an Author Platform Without Feeling Overwhelmed
Let's face it—building an author platform can feel intimidating. Just the phrase "author platform" makes some of us want to run and hide. But here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
How Writing Short Stories Can Make You A Stronger Novelist
I've always been a little intimidated by short stories. Something about squeezing an entire meaningful journey into just a few thousand words felt daunting—especially when compared to the spacious freedom of an 80,000-word novel. But after chatting with author and editor Demi Michelle Schwartz, I realized I'd underestimated the incredible benefits that writing short stories can offer us as novelists.
Are You Procrastinating or Percolating? How to Stop Beating Yourself Up for Not Writing
We writers (and writing coaches) talk a lot about procrastination—how it creeps in as resistance, keeping us from doing our work. But sometimes, we mislabel what’s actually happening and then beat ourselves up for not making progress. That dawdling, that staring at the screen without typing, the Wordle break, the social media scroll, or the "just one more level" on Royal Match—what if that’s not procrastination at all?