Great scenes are the foundation upon which modern novels are built. In Episode 60, we talk with Margaret Lucke about writing compelling scenes and avoiding unnecessary exposition or explanation.

Listen to the episode here on the website. Or tune in to The Write Approach on your favorite podcast app: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

The Write Approach, Episode 60: The Importance of Scenes in Novel Writing with Margaret Lucke

You can watch the episode on our YouTube channel.

Margaret Lucke’s website: https://www.margaretlucke.com/
Barbara Hinske’s website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge’s website: https://jwjudge.com/

We talk a lot on this podcast about maintaining reader interest. One of the keys to doing that is setting the right stakes for your novel. Susanne Dunlap joins us for Episode 59 to discuss how to set and maintain tension in our novels to keep the reader engaged and drive the story forward.

You can read more of Dunlap’s perspective on this topic in her article “How High Stakes Keep Readers (and Viewers) Invested,” which is where we first encountered her work.

Listen to the episode here on the website. Or tune in to The Write Approach on your favorite podcast app: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

The Write Approach, Episode 59: Creating and Holding Tension in Your Novels with Susanne Dunlap

You can watch the episode on our YouTube channel.

Susanne Dunlap’s website: https://www.susanne-dunlap.com/
Barbara Hinske’s website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge’s website: https://jwjudge.com

Writing is hard. Writing humor is even more so. In Episode 58, Joni B. Cole visits to give us tips for writing humor more effectively and with more consistency. It’s important to note that you don’t have to be a “humor writer” to have funny lines, scenes, or characters. Humor is an intrinsic part of the human experience. For writing of any ilk to feel authentic to our humanity, humor is a natural component.

You can also check out Joni B. Cole’s article, “Find the Funny: 8 Tips on Writing Humor“.

Listen to the episode here on the website. Or tune in to The Write Approach on your favorite podcast app: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

The Write Approach, Episode 58: The Intrinsic Connection between Humor and Humanity with Joni B. Cole

You can watch the episode on our YouTube channel.

Joni B. Cole’s website: https://www.jonibcole.com/
Barbara Hinske’s website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge’s website: https://jwjudge.com/

Sometimes podcast episodes choose us. As J. W. Judge was scrolling through Threads, he came across a statement by author Kyra Davis that was simultaneously honest and encouraging and disconcerting:

“I’ve been relatively successful as an author. “Relatively” because I’ve occasionally struck gold but it has frequently been a struggle. I’ve made the NYT list, there have been yrs when my royalties have been 150-350k, & yrs when they’ve been 10-20k. There have been times when my publishers have literally toasted me with champagne & others when they’ve declined to give me a new contract.The lowest advance I’ve ever accepted ended up being for my highest grossing book. The publishing industry is rife with uncertainty, but uncertainty is the price we pay for possibility.So to my fellow authors, struggling, successful or in between the two, hang in there with me. As long as you keep writing your possibilities are boundless.”

This episode of The Write Approach, which touches on humor and hope and hard times was born out of that social media post.

Listen to the episode here on the website. Or tune in to The Write Approach on your favorite podcast app: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

The Write Approach, Episode 57: Coping with the Volatility of an Author Career with Kyra Davis

You can watch the episode on our YouTube channel.

Kyra Davis’ website: https://kyradavis.com/
Barbara Hinske’s website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge’s website: https://jwjudge.com/

The Write Approach returns in 2024 with more practical discussions for authors. We start with interviewing Deborah Williams about making your story relatable to readers. You protagonist is likely going to bring different experiences to the table than your readers have ever experienced. Still, it is imperative that the reader is able to make an emotional connection with the protagonist, which you achieve through relatability. In Episode 56, Deborah Williams gets into the weeds about things authors can do to achieve that. It’s also important to note that being relatable is not the same as being likable.

We first encountered Deborah Williams by reading her article, What It Means to Make Your Story Relatable.

Listen to the episode here on the website. Or tune in to The Write Approach on your favorite podcast app: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

The Write Approach, Episode 56: Making Your Story Relatable with Deborah Williams

You can watch the episode on our YouTube channel.

Deborah Williams’ website: https://mannahattamamma.net/
Barbara Hinske’s website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge’s website: https://jwjudge.com/

In Episode 55, Barbara Hinske and J. W. Judge talk about their works in progress. After waffling between three different ideas, Judge made a business decision for writing his sixth novel. Hinske is taking on the issues discrimination and solitude that affect the visually impaired in her fifth Guiding Emily novel. They also talk about using foreshadowing to delight readers.

Listen to the episode here on the website. Or tune in to The Write Approach on your favorite podcast app: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

The Write Approach, Episode 55: Tackling Insidious Discrimination and Using Foreshadowing

You can watch the episode on our YouTube channel.

Barbara Hinske’s website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge’s website: https://jwjudge.com/

In Episode 54, editor, author, and podcaster Erin P.T. Canning joins us for a practical and implementable topic — strengthening your sentences. Canning shares seven ideas for ensuring that your writing has more dynamic sentences that will better engage readers and drive your story forward with more vivid language.

Listen to the episode here on the website. Or tune in to The Write Approach on your favorite podcast app: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

The Write Approach, Episode 54: Seven Ways to Strengthen Your Sentences with Erin P.T. Canning

You can watch the episode on our YouTube channel.

Erin P.T. Canning’s website: https://erinptcanning.com/
Erin’s podcast, Parents Who Write: https://parentswhowrite.com/
Barbara Hinske’s website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge’s website: https://jwjudge.com/

There’s a lot the opening pages of your novel need to accomplish so readers are completely engaged and to ensure you hit the benchmarks readers are subconsciously expecting. Susan DeFreitas shares some practical advice for making sure you are starting your novel in the right place and what elements of story you need to establish to keep the reader to pages and not putting your book in the DNF pile.

Susan DeFreitas is another in a growing line of Jane Freidman alums (along with Tiffany Yates Martin and Allison K Williams); check out her article, How Can You Tell If You’re Starting Your Story in the Right Place?, which served as the base for our conversation.

Listen to the episode here on the website. Or tune in to The Write Approach on your favorite podcast app: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

The Write Approach, Episode 53: Starting Your Novel in the Right Place with Susan DeFreitas

You can watch the episode on our YouTube channel.

Susan DeFreitas’ website: https://susandefreitas.com/
Barbara Hinske’s website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge’s website: https://jwjudge.com/

In Episode 52, author Angie Elita Newell joins us to talk about her experience as an indigenous person trying to bring her novel All I See Is Violence into the world. We discuss how Newell researched for her novel by interviewing elders who share the oral histories of their people and coupled her lyrical storytelling with the magical realism that is intrinsic to the worldview of many indigenous people.

Listen to the episode here on the website. Or tune in to The Write Approach on your favorite podcast app: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

The Write Approach, Episode 52: Telling the Stories of the First Nations with Angie Elita Newell

You can watch the episode on our YouTube channel.

Angie Elita Newell’s website: https://www.angieelitanewell.com/

Barbara Hinske’s website: https://barbarahinske.com/

J. W. Judge’s website: https://jwjudge.com/

When you’re writing there are plenty of people willing to offer their opinions about your work. Some of them are even qualified to do so. However, among professional editors there will be differing ideas, and the writing may receiving conflicting suggestions about revisions they should make to their work. When this conflict arises, how should the writer decide what to do? We walk about this with author and writing coach, Allison K Williams.

Allison K Williams is a journalist, editor, and writing coach. She is also the author of the book Seven Drafts: Self-Edit Like a Pro From Blank Page to Book.

Listen to the episode here on the website. Or tune in to The Write Approach on your favorite podcast app: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

The Write Approach, Episode 51: How to Handle Conflicting Writing Advice with Allison K Williams

You can watch the episode on our YouTube channel.

Allison K Williams’ website: https://idowords.net/
Allison K Williams’ article, I Received Conflicting Advice on My Query Letter. What Now?
Barbara Hinske’s website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge’s website: https://jwjudge.com/