How much exposition is too much? Should you begin your story with exposition? And how do you write exposition in a way that isn’t excessive, awkward, or dull?

In this encore episode, we'll talk about how to write exposition in a way that doesn’t sound like exposition.

We'll cover:

• What exposition is, and why it's essential;
• When to begin your story with exposition and when not to
• Two different types of exposition; and
• How to slip exposition into the action so the reader isn't aware it's even there.

Episode Website

Most writers know when their dialogue isn't working. What they don't know is why. In this episode, I'm breaking down the three mistakes that make dialogue read false, and what to do to turn it around. So your reader feels like they're eavesdropping on a private conversation.

[00:00:00] Why dialogue feels so hard to write when conversation comes so naturally to us in real life.

[00:01:04] The eavesdropping illusion -- why the moment your characters start performing for the reader, the dialogue falls flat.

[00:02:21] Mistake #1: Your characters are explaining things they both already know -- and why this rings false even when the reader can't name why.

[00:04:57] Mistake #2: Your characters are saying exactly what they mean -- and why directness kills tension and deflates the scene.

[00:07:11] Mistake #3: The dialogue isn't doing anything -- why every line needs a job and how to know when a line isn't earning its place.

[00:11:04] All three mistakes come from the same place -- and what to do instead.

[00:12:24] Your final dialogue checklist -- three questions to ask every time a scene feels off.

Dialogue Workshop: Say Less, Mean More

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If you've been writing your novel or memoir for months, maybe even years, and you still can't seem to cross the finish line, this episode is for you. Because the writers who finish their books don't have more talent, time, or a better story concept. They're separated by how they think about the work while they're inside it.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the five mindset shifts that make the difference. And the good news is that how you think is something you can always change.

What You'll Learn:

[00:01:00] Why the writers who finish aren't more talented than the writers who don't, and what actually separates them.

[00:01:45] Mindset #1: Why trying to write perfectly and finish at the same time is guaranteed to stall you, and what writers who finish do instead.

[00:04:00] Mindset #2: How to stop treating difficulty as a sign that something's wrong with you or your story, and what it actually means when the writing gets hard.

[00:06:00] Mindset #3: The identity shift that lets writers cut what isn't working, even scenes they spent weeks writing.

[00:09:00] Mindset #4: Why gripping your original concept too tightly keeps you from writing the book your story is actually trying to become.

[00:11:00] Mindset #5: The one practical strategy that keeps the weight of the whole book from flattening you every time you sit down to write.

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to write, revise, and finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to Writer Unleashed! See you next week!

Every character in your story is living a full, invisible life - not just your protagonist. In this episode, I'm breaking down the three levels of character, why secondary characters so often fade into the background, and what you need to know about every person in your protagonist's orbit before you write them into a scene.

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You think in chapters. You write in chapters. And that might be exactly why revision feels impossible. In this episode, I tackle one of the most universal misconceptions I see in first-time novelists — confusing chapters with scenes. I'll explain why scenes are the real building blocks of your story, what a scene actually does, and how understanding this distinction will help you write a tighter, more unified story.

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Most writers know their opening matters. But knowing it and nailing it are two different things. In this episode, I'm breaking down four real book openings to show you exactly what's working beneath the surface, why it hooks readers, and what you can take from each one into your own story.

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What do you do when writing starts feeling heavy and overwhelming? When it stops being fun?

In this encore episode we'll look at what causes these feelings and how to make your writing joyful again.

We'll cover:

• The number one thought process that's holding you back - and how it shows up in your writing
• How to reconnect with your personal purpose for writing your story
• Staying present in your writing
• The importance of practice and play, and why your writing can only improve with this approach

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Your story feels stuck. You've reread the chapters, moved scenes around, added more conflict. But something still isn't working and you can't name what it is.

There's a layer underneath every stuck story that most writers never think to examine. It's not your plot. It's not your structure. It's something that has to be true about your protagonist before any of that can work. And when it's off, no amount of rewriting will fix it.

In this episode, I'm breaking down what that missing layer is, why it's harder to identify than it looks, and how it shifts and deepens across all three acts of your story. By the end, you'll know exactly what to look for in your own manuscript — and what to do about it.

Episode Web Page