Welcome to Ep 174, my guest for this episode is the writer and writing coach Lynn Hightower. Lynn writers thriller with a darkly paranormal twist.
In this conversation, we discuss why we do need to tell as well as show, especially in terms of plot, why we need to hear the character’s voice in our head rather than try to pick and mix their traits and characteristics. We also talk about why clarity in your prose is so important, what do you do to keep the reader hooked, and why every writer needs to try to limit the number of desks they own!
I had a wide-ranging conversation with Lynn, full of humour, insight, and craft advice – I hope you enjoy listening to it.
What are the personal qualities you need, not only keep you writing but to help you improve in your craft? Andrew shares his views on why perseverance, humility, and imagination are the fundamental character traits you need to develop as a writer. ...
Deus Ex Machina or 'god out of the machine' endings have a rich heritage going back to the Ancient Greek Theatre. But they are a terrible model for endings in creative writing. In this episode, we explore what Deus Ex Machina endings are, why they are so bad for creative writers, and how we can create a much better ending that will give credibility to our work and satisfy our readers. ...
Suppose you discovered that nearly all of the great stories written conform to a particular structure, a structure that would help to guide you in your writing and that, subconsciously at least, your readers are expecting to see in your work. This is the contention of my guest today, the writer and creative writing tutor, Jessica Brody. Jessica took the classic screenwriting text “Save the cat” and applied it to the process of writing a novel, producing the appropriately titled “Save the cat writes a novel”. In our conversation, Jessica and I explored the key beats in the 15 beat structure, why pacing is so important, how you create a problem, a want, and a need for your protagonist, and why it’s important to make your reader feel smart. This was a fun and informative conversation I hope you enjoy listening to it, here it is. ...
