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Transcript: “Show, don’t tell! Show, don’t tell!” You’ve probably heard it shouted a thousand times in writing advice circles. Maybe even in all caps: “SHOW DON’T TELL!” But here’s the thing: most people who throw that line around don’t actually explain what it means, or when you’re supposed to use it. So instead of nagging…
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Transcript: Past tense is classic. Present tense feels urgent. Which one is right for your story? It’s like the difference between hearing “Once upon a time…” and “This is happening right now.” Both can work, but each gives the reader a completely different experience. And yes, there are wrong ways to use them. I’ve read…
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Transcript: In the age of “it’s not that deep” and anti-intellectualism running rampant on social media, let’s talk about theme in storytelling. And we don’t have to get super philosophical or nitpicky about details to do that. I know, I know—when you hear “theme,” you might flash back to high school English class, where it…
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Transcript: Pop quiz! What is the most important thing a story needs? It’s not strong characters, intriguing settings, or a fantastical concept. It’s conflict, the drama, the stakes, the throwdowns, the heartbreaks. We need to make our characters struggle, even suffer, and we do that through conflict. Here’s the deal: that really cool character you…
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Transcript: Whenever I ask my students what plot is, almost every time, they tell me: “The plot is the story.” Of course, I don’t say that to them, but it does go through my head every time. For many writers, the difference between story and plot might seem obvious. But for people new to the…
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A few weeks ago, I was talking with a group of writers mixed with people who wanted to write. The people who wanted to write were amazed that the writers had managed to take the leap and put pen to paper, and even more so for some of us to have finished an entire manuscript.…
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A couple of weeks ago, I randomly had the idea to start a memoir, which would be crafted through a series of essays. At first, I didn’t know what I wanted it to be about, just that I wanted to write one. But as I started narrowing down my ideas and writing out some scenes…
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Transcript: Over the past couple of years, it has become unmistakably clear to me that there are too many writers out there writing for the main, and perhaps only, goal of getting published. Listen, it’s great if getting published is ONE of your writing goals, but for it to be your only goal? That’s why…
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Transcript: Ah, the query trenches, the deepest darkest pit of despair that a writer will ever face. A time of mental anguish with no foreseeable end, and when that long-awaited end does come, will it change your life and writing career for the better or crush your soul into a fine pile of dust? The…
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Transcript: Now, here me out, what if I told you that resting is part of the writing process? That pausing your novel, your blog, your poetry… doesn’t mean you’re failing as a writer. It means you’re human. Hi, I’m C. Sloan Lewis, your virtual writing coach, and in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, I…
C. Sloan Lewis | Your Virtual Writing Coach 