Tools, not rules. For writers, by writers.
How close is your reader to the story? Should they be closer? Today, our hosts get nerdy about narrative distance: the space between reader, narrator, character, and world. We talk POV, sensory detail, and familiarity—and how each can zoom a reader in or pull them back. From The Lord of the…
A story doesn’t always need the same tools from beginning to end. In this episode, we talk about recognizing when it’s time to shift gears—and how to make those changes feel intentional rather than abrupt. Our hosts look at transitions between action, dialogue, and tone, while exploring ways to signal…
There never seems to be enough time to write—but is time really the problem? Our hosts explore the reality of working within limited hours, changing life circumstances, and competing priorities. We share practical strategies like time blocking, micro writing sessions, and the Pomodoro Technique that do and don’t work for…
Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need by Blake Snyder was published in 2005 and is widely popular because it offers a reliable, repeatable storytelling framework. Today we are joined by guest Margaret Dunlap as we attempt to answer: why Save the Cat is such an influential story structure…
A lot of times people want to know what the “ideal length” is for a chapter. But chapters can range from one sentence, to a single scene, all the way up to Terry Pratchett who doesn’t use chapters at all. Our hosts explore chapters as a pacing tool rather than…
What makes a scene feel like a scene? This week, we unpack one of storytelling’s most basic building blocks. Our hosts explore where scenes begin and end, how they differ from beats, and why framing and narrative purpose matter more than rigid definitions. We also explore practical prompts for troubleshooting scenes…
How do you move readers from one scene to the next without losing momentum? Our hosts dig into different types of transitions—from scene breaks and interruptions to brief “through scenes” that bridge time and space. Along the way, we compare prose techniques to music, film editing, and game design, exploring…
How can exposition be used as a pacing tool, and not just a way to convey information? We attempt to answer this question on today’s episode! Our hosts discuss how exposition naturally slows a story down, creating space for readers to process events, build tension, and deepen their understanding of…
Our hosts explore the many tools writers can use to control pacing. We discuss how cadence, transitions, tone, sentence structure, and white space can all speed up or slow down a reader’s experience. And remember, fast is not inherently better than slow! This conversation highlights the importance of contrast—pairing fast…
In this episode, our hosts explore how writers control their readers’ attention with the metaphor of a bouncing ball. We break down techniques for guiding focus on the page, including POV choice, selective description, rhythm, and where details appear within sentences and paragraphs. The discussion highlights how structure often matters…
