Writing Roots

No story is complete without an antagonist. They don’t need to be the classic, mustache-twirling villain, but there needs to be some point of conflict for the main characters. The best way to do that is through setting up a character to be their antithesis. A good villain comes with a few key characteristics. They need to have a reason for their villainy, a reasonable backstory, and some kind of tie to the hero that pits them against each other. But a good villain has more than that. In this episode, we take a look at how to build a villain that will best help your story. First aired August 27, 2022. The post S34 Bonus – Elements of a Villain appeared first on Writing Roots.

Writing is a difficult journey. Not every story will come easily and quickly. Sometimes it’s a fight to get the words onto the page. This is why it’s important for writers to know when to stop. There will be times when putting aside a story is actually the best thing to do. You may return to it, or you may not. Either is fine. But there is no benefit to pushing through a story you aren’t enjoying. You won’t learn the lessons you need to learn because you simply won’t care enough. In this episode, we revisit the topic of stopping, and break down when and how to put a pause on a manuscript so you can stay on the right track. First aired August 25, 2022. The post S34E8 – How to Know When to Stop appeared first on Writing Roots.

Are you a good writer? This is a topic we wanted to revisit because it’s a question that revisits every writer through their career. There is always doubt and question about skill level, whether the writing is good or interesting, and the constant habit of comparing to best-selling novels. It is unfortunate that often the better we are, the worse we feel about our skill. In this episode, our hosts talk about their struggles with imposter syndrome, the times they feel their writing wasn’t good enough, and how they overcome the constant doubts. First aired August 22, 2022. The post S34E7 – Imposter Syndrome and Your Writing Skills appeared first on Writing Roots.

Comedy is an essential part of most writing. Even if you aren’t focusing on it as a genre, some humor can go a long way in helping readers enjoy your book even more. We decided to take a second look at this topic (well, technically third, since there were two previous episodes about it). In this new episode, we take a deeper look at what humor is, and the ingredient to help craft the perfect moments in your story. First aired August 18, 2022. The post S34E6 – Writing Humor and Comedy appeared first on Writing Roots.

Humans like the number three. Political, religious, societal, and even superstitious structures are often divided into threes. It’s the smallest number needed to establish a pattern that can be broken. You want to keep three in mind while writing. Not only can it be fundamental to your story structure, but even to your sentence structures. In this episode, Ley and Leigh take another look at the rule of three in regards to how it can be used in writing. From a single sentence to make a point, to the structure as a whole, authors should be considering their story in threes. First aired August 15, 2022. The post S34E5 – The Rule of Three in Writing appeared first on Writing Roots.

Book titles are vital for sales. A title that’s too generic won’t catch a reader’s attention. A title that’s too far from the genre trends will mislead and draw in the wrong readers. A boring title won’t draw in any readers. Continuing our redo series, we’re taking a closer look at how to name a book. Our hosts look at what works, what to keep in mind, and the best practices for finding a title that fits your book. First aired August 11, 2022. The post S34E4 – What’s in a (Book’s) Name? appeared first on Writing Roots.

Pennames are a hot topic in the writing world. There are a lot of reasons to have one, but just as many to use your own name. The name you publish under is your brand. It’s important to remember that if you want to build a following that will read your content across multiple books. Stephen King, using a penname (Richard Bachman) was proving he could be successful without relying on his public image. For other authors, it’s a way to conceal their gender in a preferential market. For yet others, it’s about picking a name that will be memorable for the readers. In this episode, our hosts dive back into the topic of names. We look at the reasons for pennames, and how to pick one (if you need to) that will stand out in the market. First aired August 8, 2022. The post S34E3 – What’s in a (Pen)Name? appeared first on Writing Roots.

Plotting or pantsing? It’s a question of how you decide to take on your writing project. Are you more of an architect who builds out a story before you write it, or are you a gardener who cultivates the story as it grows? Knowing which style best suits you can help you maximize your writing adventures. When we started this podcast, Leigh was a pantser, while Ley was a plotter. In the last few years, both have grown and adapted elements of the other styles. That has helped Leigh publish two books, while Ley has embraced the knowledge that sometimes the story needs to change. In this episode redux, we take a look at what plotting and pantsing means, how our stances have changed, and give a bit of advice on how to discover the right balance for you. First aired August 4, 2022. The post S34E2 – Plotting vs. Pantsing, Take Two appeared first on Writing Roots.

Writing is a never-ending learning process. In the three years since we started this podcast, we at Writing Roots have grown in our individual writing journeys. That also means that we know a lot more now than we did when we started. To celebrate our anniversary and starting our fourth year, we decided to take a look at some of those old episodes and see what we could improve with our new knowledge. These years of podcasting have been a journey. Both of our hosts have made major accomplishments and even changed some of their processes to improve their writing. Leigh, who started this podcast as an editor, has joined the ranks of published authors. Ley has continued to publish, but is learning to change how she approaches the later drafts of her works. In this episode, the hosts talk about the podcast, how their perspectives have changed, and some of the lessons they have learned as they’ve grown in the writing careers. The post S34E1 – The Lessons We’ve Learned appeared first on Writing Roots.

You’re nearing the end of the story. You need something to tie all of the threads together which you’ve woven through the pages. What better way to explain why everything happened than to have your villain say it? There are lots of better ways. Trust us. The villain monologue has long been a staple of action novels and spy stories. It’s a neat way to explain the motivation for everything the villain did, while giving an extra convenient opportunity for the hero to escape and save the day. Unfortunately, there’s usually a poor reason for it. Most of the time, it’s because of vanity. The villain just loves to hear themselves talk. Sometimes it’s hubris. They simply can’t be beaten. But it doesn’t work. There are better ways to reveal important information without making your villain go into a monologue worthy of the hero in a Shakespearean tragedy. First aired June 30, 2022. The post S33E9 – Avoiding the Info Dump: The Villain Monologue appeared first on Writing Roots.

Just because you have a character say it doesn’t mean you’re actually avoiding exposition. In some ways, having a character share backstory information through dialogue can be more annoying than helpful. That’s not to say you should avoid it entirely. You should, however, be aware of the main three problems that come with info dumping in dialogue. The first problem is that the person your character is speaking to already knows the information, or they don’t need it in that moment. The second problem is that it’s simply out of character. And the final problem is that your character is going into monologue status and talking entirely too much. In this episode, Ley and Leigh break down ways to find when you’re going into dialogue exposition, and how to fix it so you still get the information across without boring or annoying your reader. First aired June 27, 2022. The post S33E8 – Avoiding the Info Dump: Within Dialogue appeared first on Writing Roots.

There may come a time in your writing where you simply can’t avoid the exposition. Some piece of history may need to be explained, or you need to discuss the magic and what’s possible. The trick is to do it in such a way that makes the reader want it, which then helps them not even realize it’s an info dump. When you need to explain some bit of the story, you should still keep it short. Keep it relevant. And most helpfully, make sure you’ve prompted the reader to question the topic before you ever need to explain it. In this bonus episode, we talk about the best practices for including necessary exposition without making your readers bored or annoyed. First aired June 25, 2022. Don’t forget we have a digital writing retreat coming up in July! Find all the details here. The post S33 Bonus – It’s Okay to Info Dump, If You Do It Right appeared first on Writing Roots.

Backstory is a wonderful thing that will help make your characters feel rich and developed. Authors need to at least know the important events that led a character to where they are when the story begins. Those pieces of history can help readers empathize with the plights of your characters. Too much of a good thing, though, is a terrible thing. When it comes to backstory, introducing it in small doses is best. You don’t want to overwhelm the reader with paragraphs of flashbacks and reminiscence in middle of a story. More than likely, you probably think the reader needs to know more than they actually do in order to understand a character. It’s also helpful to remember that sometimes the slow reveal of a character’s past is more interesting. It builds suspense and a sense of curiosity. We all like a little mystery, after all. Ley and Leigh discuss how best to share backstory without it becoming an information dump. First aired June 23, 2022. The post S33E7 – Avoiding the Info Dump: Backstory appeared first on Writing Roots.

One of the fastest ways to pull a reader out of the narrative flow of your story is to inundate them with descriptions. This is especially the case when you do paragraph descriptions of the point-of-view character. No one wants an info dump of what a character looks like. Not unless it’s attached to emotion in some way. This is where showing becomes incredibly important. If you’re trying to introduce your character, how they look, and how they are, you do so best through actions. You do so best through giving bite-sized pieces at a time. You may like cheesecake, but you don’t eat a whole cheesecake in one sitting. When you introduce the important pieces of your character’s personality, it’s best to do it slowly and consistently. Show us who they are. Don’t tell us. In this episode, Leigh and Ley break down the best techniques for getting people to fall in love with your characters without overwhelming them with needless breakdowns. First aired June 20, 2022. The post S33E6 – Avoiding the Info Dump: Personalities and Descriptions appeared first on Writing Roots.

Every character has skills. Every character learns new skills. The question is, how do we – as authors – show that? The reader needs to know that this character knows other languages, or can fight, or is the fastest crocheter in the west. Do we just give the fact a paragraph and move on? Never. Instead, let it bleed into the character. Their words, their choices, their jokes, their enemies. Every facet of your character’s skills and growth are part of the journey, not something dropped into a paragraph we’ll soon forget. You must avoid the info dump. Listen to this episode for advice and examples of how to best show the complexities and skills within the characters you’ve built. First aired June 16, 2022. The post S33E5 – Avoiding the Info Dump: Character Abilities appeared first on Writing Roots.

When you’ve spent time and effort creating a magic system for your story, you naturally want people to know just how awesome it really is. The magic is, after all, one of the major elements that draws people into their love of the fantasy genre. Even if we’ve spent hours and hours crafting each piece, each spell, each category, the chances that the reader needs to know everything is incredibly low. And the chance they need to know it all at once is simply zero. If your plot requires the use of magic for the solution, you definitely need to explain the magic, how and why it works, and what limitations the characters have while using it. There are ways to go about that in a way that doesn’t overwhelm the reader with a mass of information they’ll inevitably forget. You must avoid the info dump. Listen to this episode for advice and examples of how to best show the wonderful magic system you’ve built. First aired June 13, 2022. The post S33E4 – Avoiding the Info Dump: Magic Systems appeared first on Writing Roots.

It would be impossible to show every aspect of a culture within a story. Whether you’re representing a real culture or creating a fictional one, there are too many facets to fully display. You may be excited about it and want to show it to the world, but that leads you quickly into the trap of exposition and information dumping. There are easy ways to show the beauty of your story’s cultures without boring the reader. It comes down to knowing what’s actually important. Hosts Leigh and Ley discuss the various tips and tricks in this episode. First aired June 9, 2022. The post S33E3 – Avoiding the Info Dump: Your World’s Culture appeared first on Writing Roots.

The history of a world, especially when you’re writing science fiction and fantasy, tends to play a large part in the story overall. It is, after all, the history of the world that put the characters where they are when the story begins. Much like when discussing the political balance in your world, discussing its history is a dangerous path. New authors tend to want to explain it all up front so the reader knows everything. Learning everything in one go, though, means the reader remembers none of it. That’s only one of the many reasons to avoid the information dump of history. Leak it in as pieces become relevant to the plot. In this episode, we discuss tricks to help you avoid giving your readers a barrage of unnecessary information while still keeping track of all of it yourself. First aired June 6, 2022. The post S33E2 – Avoiding the Info Dump: Your World’s History appeared first on Writing Roots.

Exposition – also known as information dumping – can drag a story down more effectively than any other form of bad writing. When you spend too much time explaining a detail to the reader, they are pulled from the story or lost in the mire of unnecessary details. It boils down to telling instead of showing the story. One of the most common things to be explained in an info dump is the political structure of your world (especially if you’ve created your own world and politics tie into the story). It can be difficult to step back from this intricate thing you’ve created and really see what the reader needs to know. You may want them to know everything, but they don’t need all of that in order to understand the story. There are tricks to explaining a political structure without needing to take paragraphs or pages of space to do it. First aired June 2, 2022. The post S33E1 – Avoiding the Info Dump: Your World’s Politics appeared first on Writing Roots.

Misunderstandings happen. Sometimes it’s the reader skimming too fast and missing a detail. Sometimes it’s the author who named two characters too similarly. There’s not much you can do about the first problem, but you can take steps to minimize the opportunity for misunderstandings. In this episode, Ley and Leigh discuss some of the most common times for a reader to get confused in a story and what you can do to mitigate the problem. First aired May 30, 2022. The post S32E9 – Misunderstandings Between the Reader and the Story appeared first on Writing Roots.

Emotions are complicated, difficult things that tie humanity together or break them apart. Emotions are what keep readers invested in stories. Readers will care about the characters and what they experience. Good authors know how to tap into the right emotions to make that happen. It is too easy to accidentally evoke the wrong emotions. That can happen in a variety of ways, from an unsympathetic main character to poor writing. To tap into the right emotions at the right time – anger when you want the reader to hate a character, sorrow when your character’s heart breaks – is a skill that will take your book from good to great. In this bonus episode, we break down the four main emotions: anger, happiness, sadness, and fear. Then we dig into how to convey these emotions in a way which your reader will feel them as they devour your books. First aired May 28, 2022. The post S23 Bonus – Evoking the Right Emotions in the Reader appeared first on Writing Roots.

Content and trigger warnings are becoming increasingly obvious throughout our daily lives. Warnings in the form of ratings have been around for a while on movies, shows, and video games. They’re becoming increasingly popular to include in fanfiction and online writing forums. We even use them on our podcast when we’re going to be discussing more sensitive issues. However, there’s a strong debate in the writing world about whether or not they should be included in published novels. There are uses to trigger warnings. After all, they help people avoid encountering situations which may bring back unwanted emotions. It’s important to remember that your readers live vicariously through your works, and each one has a unique and varied history they bring with them. However, there’s a strong debate that fiction – especially in literary form – is a launching point for confronting the difficult aspects of the world and our lives. There’s also the possibility that some warnings may act instead as spoilers. In the end, it’s up to you. But you’ll want to make an informed decision. We discuss the whys and why nots in this debate episode. First aired May 26, 2022. The post S32E8 – The Debate About Trigger Warnings appeared first on Writing Roots.

Readers are fully aware that they’re reading a book. However, for just a moment, they pretend they’re inside the story, that they are the characters going on this adventure. Breaking that bubble (also known as suspension of disbelief) can be dangerous because it reminds the reader they are not inside the story, but observing it. At other times, authors charge forward and brazenly shatter the fourth wall and the readers love them for it. The fourth wall comes from a theater term. On a stage, there are three walls: Downstage, Stage Right, and Stage Left. The fourth one, Upstage, is where the audience sits. There’s no physical barrier there that separates the audience from the performers. Breaking the fourth wall means to engage with the audience. There are different levels to how much you break the fourth wall. You can go as far as Deadpool being aware that he’s in a comic book, to the narrative simply being written to the audience such as in Odd Thomas. We discuss the uses and problems with the fourth wall in this episode. First aired May 23, 2022. The post S32E7 – The Reader and the Fourth Wall appeared first on Writing Roots.

Readers have come to expect certain things from books, including certain tropes and clichés that help establish pieces of the story within a line or two. We’ve talked before about how you can use cookie-cutter representations of tertiary characters so you don’t spend a lot of time describing someone who never reappears. The same thing can work in small ways with your main characters. You don’t have to spend a lot of time establishing an archetypal character. If you say barmaid and you’ve already established you’re in a medieval tavern setting, most readers will picture the same kind of person. A single line that says a character can crush a skull with one hand gives readers a mental image of a burly warrior type. However, if you are going to use this on your main and secondary characters, it’s best if you also include a twist. We discuss how to do that in this episode. First aired May 19, 2022. The post S32E6 – How Tropes and Clichés Play Into Reader Psychology appeared first on Writing Roots.

Meme culture has given us plenty of names with strong stereotype associations. Karen, Chad, and Kyle, for example. As an author, it’s good to keep in mind that there’s a reason these names grew into memes. It’s because people naturally associate certain ideas and emotions with different names, and even individual sounds. When you are choosing what to name characters, you’ll want to consider the associations a reader may make. If you’re using real names, it becomes a question of the impressions associated with them. If you’re making up names, you need to consider the implications of the sounds – whether you’re using more consonants or vowels. We discuss the common associations in this episode to help you find the best way to name your own characters. First aired May 16, 2022. The post S32E5 – The Psychology of Names and Sounds appeared first on Writing Roots.

There are some things that reader will simply accept as fact because they are reading fiction. We’re not talking about magic or futuristic science. In this episode, we’re discussing actual things that readers will suspend their disbelief even if they know what you wrote is wrong. You’ve probably read a book or watched a show where someone gets knocked unconscious. They always wake up after they’ve conveniently been stowed or stolen. In reality, if someone is knocked out for longer than about six seconds, they’re going to suffer severe brain trauma. They definitely won’t be in any shape to escape or fight their way out. The thing is, though, that no one really cares when they consume fiction. Readers know and accept that it will be that way because the author said so. First aired May 12, 2022. The post S32E4 – Because I Said So: When Readers Accept Fudged Facts appeared first on Writing Roots.

It is impossible to keep opinion out of your writing. It is impossible to keep current events from swaying the flow of a story. Both of these things can be both a benefit and a hindrance to your storytelling in the minds of readers. When deciding how far you want to go in presenting opinions, you need first to consider your audience. Those reading non-fiction about debated topics will gladly welcome in-depth discussions. Those seeking escapism in fantasy realms may be less inclined to dive into deep end. It also depends on you as the author. What kind of brand are you wanting to establish for yourself? There are things, even if you are solidly in the fictional realms, that can help you tell a compelling story influenced by the discussions of the modern world. We discuss them in this episode below. First aired May 9, 2022. The post S32E3 – Impact of Opinions on the Reader appeared first on Writing Roots.

Why do you read? That simple question determines so much about how authors approach their books. Whether they’re writing a cook book or an epic fantasy, the author needs to know why someone may be interested in the book. With fiction, the most common reason people read is to escape. They want to spend some time away from their own battles and spend a little time fantasizing, whether it’s about magic or a passionate relationship. Each genre has its own demands and expectations that go along with how a reader escapes into the world and plot. Hosts Ley and Leigh discuss in this episode why they read, and how you can fulfill your own reader’s escapist desires. First aired May 5, 2022. The post S32E2 – Reading to Escape appeared first on Writing Roots.

Part of becoming a successful author is knowing your target audience. You need to know what they like, the kinds of stories that will interest them, and the types of characters they will align with. Even more important is to know the psychology behind reading. It’s more than simply enjoying a book and reading for fun. There are things that people subconsciously seek while they read. Throughout all of May, we will be exploring the psychology of the reader. We begin by looking at the mechanics of reading. How people read changes depending on where they are in their journey of learning. Children and those learning a new language start by looking at individual letters. Eventually we begin to recognize groupings, until we grow into being able to recognize a word at a simple glance. Some even stop seeing words, but are picturing instead what the words are suggesting. This contributes to there being words invisible to the reader, but which are helpful in writing. Listen to this episode as we talk about the mechanics of reading and how it can help you as a writer. First aired May 2, 2022. The post S32E1 – The Mechanics of Reading appeared first on Writing Roots.

Part of why we’ve taken this whole month to introduce you to the writing skills involved in various kinds of storytelling is because all of those skills can be useful while writing any story. News articles will show up in novels, commercials may be part of the game you’re writing, or you need a stage performance inside your screenplay. It also applies for taking a story written originally for one medium, and translating it to another. The Witcher is a great example of this, going from books to games to a TV series. Hosts Leigh and Ley take a look at why you should know how to use these different mediums in order to determine which one works best for your story in the end, or if maybe you need to use multiple. First aired April 30, 2022. The post S31 Bonus – Using Writing Skills from Multiple Mediums appeared first on Writing Roots.

If you’re not looking for much notoriety, but enjoy writing flash and short fiction, consider getting into the world of actor monologues. These timed pieces are designed to help actors express a range of emotions in order to get hired into roles. They range from comedic to dramatic to everything in between. The important part is writing so the piece can be performed. Monologues have been performed since ancient times. They can be part of larger productions (Shakespeare is known for monologues within his plays), or a individual pieces. It’s an opportunity for you to focus on character development within just a few hundred words. You can even use monologues to help find the voice for characters within your other works. But as mentioned earlier, there’s not a lot of notoriety. And when you’re writing for a single actor, it means writing a single character. There’s no conversation with anyone but the performer. Listen to this episode for more about how and why to write monologues. First aired April 28, 2022. The post S31E8 – The Art of Writing Monologues for Actors appeared first on Writing Roots.

It’s no secret that our hosts are into gaming. We talk about Dungeons & Dragons constantly, especially how to use it to build characters. It’s more than that, though. We understand that through games, you have a chance to tell amazing and intricate stories. This includes all kinds of games, from board games to tabletop to video games. Each one, even Monopoly, tells a story of some kind. If you’re looking for a writing career and enjoy choose-your-adventure style creation, consider venturing into the gaming industry. Companies hire dozens of writers to help on a single project, especially if it’s something as large as an MMO or even a tabletop game universe. You have the chance to explore and build incredible worlds, characters, and possible plots. You get the chance to let your players have a say in how the story unfolds. And you also get a guaranteed massive audience, since games are wildly popular. In this episode, we break down storytelling for games of all kinds, as well as the advantages and disadvantages. First aired April 25, 2022. The post S31E7 – Finding Story Within Gaming appeared first on Writing Roots.

One of the easiest ways to consume a story is through a visual medium, which includes comic books or web comics. All it takes is a bit of artistic skill and the desire to tell a story. The art doesn’t even have to be detailed or complicated. Take xkcd for example, which is make, usually, through simple stick figures and has been an active and popular web comic series for more than a decade. Whether you write and illustrate comic books, manga, or comic strips for newspapers, this medium has no bounds in the kind of story you can tell. It’s also a good way to build a dedicated audience, since there is a deep-seated fan culture surrounding each type of comic-based story. We talk in this episode about how that is an advantage, as well as a disadvantage, when pursuing a career in writing. First aired April 21, 2022. The post S31E6 – Artistic Storytelling Through Comics appeared first on Writing Roots.

If you’re looking to get paid to write, a good place to look is in journalism. Even if you don’t want to stay in the field, it’s a wonderful learning opportunity. Being a journalist is difficult work. You write under strict, hard deadlines. Research often means going out to investigate and interview. Probably worst of all, you’re not writing about the bright and happy news in the world. What you write is about current events. Murders, crime, chaos. However, it is a guaranteed way to have readers. If you work for the right outlet, you get paid well to do it. You will also have a lot of opportunity to hone your writing skills and learn to pay attention to the important details. In this episode, we break down more of the advantages and disadvantages of such a career path. First aired April 18, 2022. The post S31E5 – Journalistic Storytelling appeared first on Writing Roots.

If you’re interested in making money with flash fiction, consider advertising. Honestly. Good commercials and ads tell some kind of story. They present a problem, and then the product provides the solution. And what is storytelling but writing a problem and a solution? You don’t have to look far to find examples of stories within advertisements. One of the first that comes to mind would be the Allstate Mayhem commercials, or even something as simple as this ZipTax commercial. Each tells a story in just a few sentences. There’s a lot that makes writing advertisements unique, which also makes it a challenge. We break it down in this episode. First aired April 14, 2022. The post S31E4 – Stories in Advertising and Commercials appeared first on Writing Roots.

If you decide to write a script for a play, there are certain things you need to know and understand about the world of stage acting. Though some of the formatting may be similar to screenplays, writing for the stage means giving some of the control over to directors and actors. After all, they’re the ones that will be taking your words and giving them life. As Brian Greene once said, “Writing for the stage is different from writing for a book. You want to write in a way that an actor has material to work with… and pulling out the dramatic elements in a bigger way for a stage presentation.” That last part is important. Dramatic elements need to be bigger, need to show up bigger. That way the audience in the nosebleeds can still experience the emotion of the actor. While much of that is the actor’s responsibility, it’s also up to the writer to give them enough room to make it possible. Listen to this episode for more on how to be a playwright, as well as its advantages and disadvantages. First aired April 11, 2022. The post S31E3 – What Makes Playwriting Unique appeared first on Writing Roots.

Probably the second most-desired route to take as an author, besides writing for novels, would be writing screenplays. Choosing to write for movies or television takes an entirely different kind of skillset, as well as a focus on elements unavailable to those who write books. In this episode, we discuss what it means to write screenplays, as well as the advantages and disadvantages to it. First aired April 7, 2022. The post S31E2 – Writing for the Silver Screen appeared first on Writing Roots.

If you’re looking to get into writing but the idea of writing a whole novel is daunting, this series is for you. We’re starting off our series about different mediums for writing by discussing short form mediums written specifically to be shared online. This includes things like blogging, vlogging, and podcasting. What we mean by a short form medium is a piece of self-contained writing which may or may not be part of a larger series, but which can stand on its own regarding the plot. Basically a bunch of short stories, but compiled together in a place easily accessible to anyone. Podcasting is widely popular for this. Not only do you have non-fiction and educational podcasts like ours, but there are fiction podcasts which tell stories in bite-sized segments for entertainment. Though there are plenty of advantages to writing something for a short form medium, there are downsides as well, especially depending on where you choose to publish. Hosts Leigh and Ley break down how to write for something like an online blog in this episode. First aired April 4, 2022. The post S31E1 – Storytelling for the Internet: Blogging, YouTubing, and Podcasting appeared first on Writing Roots.

One of the main staples in any Young Adult fiction is the Coming of Age theme. This is when the main character experiences personal growth and change which relies on their emotional responses and ties to the larger plot around them. It’s when the character discovers something integral about themselves or the world. They’re learning what it is to be. This trope most often accompanies drama and slice of life stories, and it is a common theme in LGBTQ+ stories. Often you’ll find the characters don’t fit in, or at least feel out of place somehow, and the story is tied to them finding a place in the world. Coming of Age stories, especially in the slice of life genre, are not simple progressions of someone’s normal life. There still need to be challenges, a plot, and real struggle. That is, after all, how the character makes the key discovery. No one has an epiphany about their role in life without facing trials. For more on how to write a story using this plot trope, listen below. First aired March 31, 2022. The post S30E9 – Coming of Age Stories appeared first on Writing Roots.

One way to keep the tension – whether comedic, romantic, or dramatic – going within a story is to make two characters at odds with each other throughout. Not in the protagonist vs. antagonist way, but in the way of allies working towards the same goal but not always seeing eye-to-eye. This can easily be achieved by using the Odd Couple trope. The Odd Couple of often seen within comedies and crime dramas. You’ll have the law-abiding, by-the-book character working with the risk-taker with no rules character. They have some reason they’re forced together, when in any other circumstance, they’d likely never have more than a passing conversation. When using this trope, balance is important. Both of the characters in an Odd Couple situation are equally the main characters. In the end, they both make the other a better person in some way. The focused one will help the zany one rise to responsibility, while the zany helps the focused relax. Listen to this episode for more tips and tricks to writing this plot trope. First aired March 28, 2022. The post S30E8 – The Odd Couple appeared first on Writing Roots.

Not every narrator in a story needs to know everything. They don’t have to be omniscient, nor does the knowledge the get and share with the reader need to be accurate. You can, instead, have what is known as an Unreliable Narrator. This is when the narrator – whether intentionally or not – is deceiving the reader in a way that skews how the story is perceived. It’s not until the end that the unreliability is discovered and the real truth comes out. There are exceptions to this rule, of course, such as the example of Odd Thomas we gave in the introduction of this episode. The narrator could be aware of their unreliability and share it with the audience for some reason. In most cases, though, there is something the narrator wishes to hide because it paints the story in a way that favors them. This is true in stories such as Gone Girl. Having an unreliable narrator lends itself well to genres such as mystery, crime, and psychological thrillers. We discuss how to use this trope in this bonus episode. Listen now on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. First aired March 26, 2022. The post S30BE – The Unreliable Narrator appeared first on Writing Roots.

Among popular romance tropes, the Fake Dating scheme can be seen again and again. This is when two characters begin dating out of a mutual need rather than a mutual attraction. Often, this ends with real feelings developing and the characters fall in love. Another term for this trope is Faux-mance. Though it has found a beloved home in romance books, you can use it to boost a relationship plot in any genre. There are just a few things you need to keep in mind to help the fake-to-real romance grow naturally. First is to make sure that it’s a balanced relationship – they both need something from it or they both know it’s fake. There also needs to be a reason for public spectacle. After all, why pretend to date each other if it’s only for the other’s benefit? It’s also helpful to put a timeline on the fake part of the relationship. In this episode, we discuss all of these suggestions, as well as pitfalls to avoid when writing a Fake Dating plot. Listen here, on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. First aired March 24, 2022. The post S30E7 – The Fake Dating Experience appeared first on Writing Roots.

A good heist plot line can fit neatly into nearly every genre of writing. It’s part of what contributes to the trop being such a popular one. There’s something thrilling about seeing a crew of people work together to take part in a crime. When it comes to writing a heist story, there are lots of things to consider. First and foremost is that it is rarely about the thing they are trying to steal. There’s an emotional connection that at least one of the crew (usually the ringleader) has to who they’re targeting. Or there could be some secondary motivation, something else they hope to gain or achieve. Another thing that makes heists so much fun is the chance for a big cast of characters. A word of caution, though. Each member needs to have a distinct purpose to their existence within the story. What are they contributing to the heist? Are they the acrobat who can get into tight places? Are the the mind behind the operations? Are they the explosives expert? No matter what, each one needs to have a role to fill to make the plan work seamlessly. For more about how to write a caper in your story, listen to the full episode below, or on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, or Google Podcasts. First aired March 21, 2022. The post S30E6 – Heist Stories, aka The Caper appeared first on Writing Roots.

Not every character arc is a progression upwards into goodness. We can’t all be the hero who prevails and becomes brighter for it. Sometimes, the main character in a story will fall instead. And keep falling. Until they find themselves to be the villain in the story. Writing a Descent into Villainy/Madness story is not an easy task. It takes careful plans to make sure that each step down has a logical progression – even if the character is no longer acting upon logic. Some examples of this arc include Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Breaking Bad, Wicked by Gregory Maguire, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and Two-Face’s story in The Dark Knight. All of these stories share the common thread of someone good and wholesome becoming corrupted. This kind of plot trope is a wonderful chance to explore the darker side of human psychology. What does it take for someone to break? What would it take for this good character to start making the worst choices? After all, the difference between the villain and the hero is not usually the goal. It is the means by which they want to achieve their goal. Listen to this episode for more on how to write a Descent into Villainy/Madness plot, and what kinds of things to avoid. First aired March 17, 2022. The post S30E5 – A Descent Into Villainy and Madness appeared first on Writing Roots.

While this plot trope is often restricted to certain genres (implied in the title), Portal Fantasies can be versatile and interesting, no matter how many times you’ve seen it. Popular examples of a portal fantasy include The Chronicles of Narnia, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and even Jumanji. They each share something in common: the characters emerging from one world into another, usually going from our mundane world to somewhere magical. This trope also lends itself to being able to play with lots of sub-tropes. You can mix genres, swap the portal so the magical comes into our world, and even do a sci-fi version with technological time travel. There are even opportunities for a tragic love story of characters split by the portal, only able to reunite occasionally. Over all, portal fantasies lend themselves to the creativity of the author. Listen to this episode for more about how to write one, what to avoid, and common pieces you can include if you choose to tackle this plot trope. First aired March 14, 2022. The post S30E4 – The Portal Fantasy appeared first on Writing Roots.

People love a good mystery. It’s the intrigue and the puzzle that draws readers in and keeps them enthralled with the story. One of the best plot tropes for this is the Locked Room Mystery. There are two ways a Locked Room Mystery can be told. The first a closed system, like in Clue, where there are a limited number of suspects because the murder or crime occurred with that set number of people within a locked room/a cruise ship/a mansion in middle of nowhere. The second is when there is an actual locked room where seemingly no one got in or out, leaving only the victim inside. Either way, this kind of trope takes planning (yes, pantsers, that means plotting), and a dedication to crafting a puzzle that seems unsolvable. Listen to this episode for more tricks on how to write a Locked Room Mystery that will keep your readers invested in your book. First aired March 10, 2022. The post S30E3 – The Locked Room Mystery appeared first on Writing Roots.

Rags to Riches has long been a popular trope in fiction. It occasionally falls out of favor (especially during times of widespread poverty), but always makes a comeback. Part of that is because of the intrinsic hope of people to rise to higher stations. Most stories that contain this plot trope, though, also come with a fall to teach the dangers of wealth. Some stories you may be familiar with that have a rags to riches story include Cinderella, My Fair Lady, Great Gatsby, and The Greatest Showman. All are different takes on a story with the same basic structure: character falls into wealth (whether through inheritance, luck, marriage, or hard work) and finds themselves thrown into a new life. For some reason, though, they are pulled back to their old life or suffer a downfall from that wealth and a crumbling of their old life. In this episode, we break down how to use this trope to build your own rags to riches story that will include good characters and realistic arcs. First aired March 7, 2022. The post S30E2 – Rags to Riches appeared first on Writing Roots.

Enemies to Lovers has been around for centuries, but it has recently become an incredibly popular trope. Authors and other writers have used this trope to help build a relationship arc that pulls readers in and keeps them invested in the characters. All through this month, we’ll be talking about tropes which are commonly used to fill entire plots. It doesn’t have to be the plot, but needs to span the story. Some of the tropes we’ll cover later include heists, fake dating, and coming of age stories. All designed to help build the base structure of your story. In romance, enemies to lovers can be the main plot point. In other genres, it simply encompasses the relationship development. It should always, however, be an arc over the entire story. No enemies should become lovers (in other words, in an actual committed relationship) within a chapter or two of the book. There are actually more than two steps, after all, to this popular trope. Even if you’re doing the variants, such as rivals to lovers or friends to lovers. Ley and Leigh discuss enemies to lovers in this episode, from examples to common sub-tropes, to how to use it in your own stories. Listen now below, or by subscribing on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or Apple Podcasts. Don’t forget to review us wherever you listen. First aired March 3, 2022. Writing Retreat Big news! We’re planning to hold another writing retreat this year in Northern California. If you’re interested, follow us on Instagram or Facebook. We’ll be posting more details there as we solidify venues. As of now, tentative dates are July 13th – 17th. The post S30E1 – Enemies to Lovers appeared first on Writing Roots.

Keywords are the vital piece of marketing which people never see, but rely upon in order to find what they want. As an author, you need to use the best keywords for your book in order to get your target audience’s attention and traffic. You can’t just put whatever keywords you want, though. It may be fun for you, but you have to consider if the word is searchable. Is it something people will type into Google or Amazon? You also need to make sure they are accurate for your book. You don’t want people searching for romantic comedy books finding your slasher fiction. Blurbs are another vital part of the searchable part of marketing. Most authors dread this part of the writing process, but it can make or break a sale. In this episode, we talk about how to write an effective blurb and what to do to make the most of your limited keywords. First aired February 28, 2022. The post S29E8 – Making the Most of Keywords and Blurbs appeared first on Writing Roots.

You don’t have to go on the marketing journey alone. There are people out there who specialize in the field – specifically in selling books – that can help guide and assist you in the process. We were able to interview Janine Pangantihon, who has spent several years working with authors to improve their book sales. Through this bonus episode, she talks about why marketing is important, different aspects to focus on to make the most of your efforts, and what it is she and other marketing professionals can offer that you can’t find elsewhere. First aired February 26, 2022. The post S29 Bonus – Marketing Professionals with Janine Pangantihon appeared first on Writing Roots.