Writing with Friends

We’ll be talking about something that can really elevate your writing: the power of subtext in storytelling. It’s one of those elements that, when done right, adds a whole new layer of meaning to your work! Picks of the Week: BJ: Skyward by Brandon Sanderson H: Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe Mentioned in the Episode: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Breaking Bad (TV Show) Mad M

Welcome to a tool deep dive episode, where we highlight the features and the challenges of a tool we think you’ll find helpful as a writer. And the tool we’ll be talking about today is Tarot! Are you curious about tarot? Using a tarot deck can be a fun way to infuse your writing life with inspiration and encouragement. Picks of the Week: H: A First Time for Everything by Dan

We’ll be gathering around our metaphorical fireplace for a fireside chat. We’ll be talking about writing like an Olympian and accepting that it never gets easy… and that’s okay. It’s all about the endurance and dedication required to keep going, no matter how long you’ve been at it. Picks of the Week: BJ: Signal to Noise by Eric Nylund H: Bring Up The Bodies by Hilary M

We'll be talking about commercial hooks! As writers, we often write for the love of story and for the joy of creative expression. It can be tempting to shy away from the idea of producing anything “commercial”. But for those of us who hope to publish traditionally or build a broad audience, understanding what a commercial hook is and how to write one can be the key to getting o

Welcome to a tool deep dive episode, where we highlight the features and the challenges of a tool we think you’ll find helpful as a writer. And the tool we’ll be talking about today is writing retreats! These structured environments dedicated to focused writing can be used like a tool to offer writers significant benefits, but also unique challenges for authors of all levels. P

Today, we’ll be talking to writer and teacher Luke Burkbauer. She’s an instructor with Duke’s Thompson Writing program with a wealth of knowledge about writing of all kinds. We’ll discuss academic and nonfiction writing in depth in this episode, exploring how to build confidence as an academic writer, how to develop your writerly identity, and how to use artificial intellig

We’ll be talking about how to use time jumps to add an interesting twist to your writing project! A time jump is when you shift the story forward or backwards in time, often with little or no explanation for why this jump has occurred. It can be as simple as skipping from one day to five years later, or jumping back in time to revisit an event that happened earlier on. Time jumps

Welcome to a tool deep dive episode, where we highlight the features and the challenges of a tool we think you’ll find helpful as a writer. And the mindset tool we’ll be talking about today is increasing your luck surface area. Picks of the Week: BJ: Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn H: The Flatshare by Beth O’ Leary Mentioned in the Episode: Chelsea Mae Culle

We’ll be gathering around our metaphorical fireplace for a fireside chat– an honest conversation about how we’re applying a craft topic or tool to our own writing practices, and how you might incorporate this topic or tool into your writing life as well. And the craft topic we’ll be discussing today is how to conquer the dreaded first draft. Picks of the Week: Bad Therapy

We’ll be talking about how to introduce characters effectively and with style! One reason why writing the first draft of a new manuscript can feel so daunting is because you have so many characters to introduce to your reader. How can you communicate to your reader who these characters are and what they care about without derailing the plot or boring them to tears? Our episode to