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Podcast #78: How to Craft Memorable Characters (with Amanda Dykes, Laurie Lucking, and Faith Blum)
Join Christian authors Amanda Dykes, Laurie Lucking, and Faith Blum as they share advice on how to make characters unique from each other, how to write redemption arcs, how to tackle character dialogue, where to put in character descriptions, and more!
Why Realistic Motives Alone Don’t Create Believable Villains
As long as a villain has a reason for his wicked behavior, he’ll seem real. Right? Or will he? Shoppers grow hungry but don’t steal. Bank tellers get angry but don’t beat up customers. Hardships tempt people to commit crimes daily, but they control themselves.
Podcast #77: How to Craft Impactful Themes (with Kerry Nietz, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, and Lori Z. Scott)
Listen to expert advice from Christian authors Kerry Nietz, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, and Lori Z. Scott as they show you how to discover the theme of your story, how to write about God authentically in fiction, how to know when you’re experienced enough to tackle a theme, how to create realistic and subtle character arcs that convey a theme, and much more!
Podcast #76: Building Suspense that Grips Readers (with JJ Fischer, Ann Marie Stewart, and CJ Milacci)
Join award-winning authors J.J. Fischer, Ann Marie Stewart, and C.J. Milacci as they reveal how to build suspense in every chapter of your novel, how to turn sagging middles into tension-pounding scenes, how suspense works differently in romance vs. action stories, and much more!
Podcast #75: How to Cultivate Deep Thinking as a Writer
Great stories require deep thinking. But how can you create space for deep thoughts in a world filled with distractions and other commitments? In today’s episode, Lori, Martin, and Daeus give some key insight into cultivating deep thoughts as a writer. They share the SCAMPER technique, discuss the difference between linear and web thinking, and describe how to “push beyond the wall” inside your mind.
Podcast #74: How to Create 3-Dimensional Characters
How do you craft characters who are dynamic and unpredictable? In today’s episode, Martin, Lori, and Daeus discuss what makes a nuanced, well-rounded character and how to avoid the pitfalls of a boring protagonist. Tune in to discover the ingredients to finding depth in your characters and learn how digging into your own experiences can help the lives of your story’s inhabitants connect to readers.
3 Strategies to Build Sentence Fluency
A few summers ago, I attended a Christian writing retreat. The event gifted attendees a mug with Psalm 48:14 printed on it: “For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end” (NIV). Someone asked the host why he selected this verse. He explained that, when we write, we need to invite God to join us. We can trust Him to be with us through all of the ups and downs, edits, rewrites, and frustrations.