The Story Craft Cafe Podcast

Wordsmith Workshop: Leveling Up Your Mindset Workshop With Michael La Ronn | SCC 162

Michael La Ronn talks about how you can be the most productive and creative by making adjustments to your mindset, and accomplish more than you thought possible.
 
Guest workshops like Michael La Ronn's Level-Up Your Author Mindset are just one of the great new features we're bringing to Dabble Premium for now extra cost. The Dabble Premium experience isn't just about providing the world's best novel-writing platform, but we're there to help you achieve your author dreams with resources and events like:
Workshops and guest speakers
Live Office Hours
Opportunities for personalized feedback
Deep-dive articles and custom resources for serious authors
If you want to take your writing to the next level, check out all Dabble Premium has to offer: https://www.dabblewriter.com/pricing
 

Craft Q&A Office Hours | SCC 161

Craft Q&A Office Hours are meant to answer your most pressing questions. During our live events, we always get a bunch of questions spanning the entire spectrum of writing and storytelling. So we decided to dedicate some time to answer them.

Full Time Results From A Part Time Author With Michael La Ronn | SCC 160

Michael La Ronn (also known as M.L. Ronn) has published over 80 science fiction & fantasy novels and self-help books for writers. His fiction includes the urban fantasy Good Necromancer series, the dark fantasy Last Dragon Lord series, and the futuristic science fiction Android X series. Currently, he writes primarily urban fantasy. His nonfiction books for writers include the bestselling Be a Writing Machine, which teaches how to beat writer’s block forever, and The Pocket Guide to Pantsing, which explains how to write a novel without an outline (with confidence). Michael also runs the award-winning YouTube channel “Author Level Up,” with over 40,000 subscribers and 2 million views. Writer’s Digest voted the channel one of the “Best Resources for Writers” in 2020. Michael devoted himself to the writing life in 2012 after a near-death experience, writing 10 to 12 books per year despite working a demanding full-time job as an insurance executive, raising a family, and attending law school classes in the evenings. His productivity methods are so effective that his YouTube subscribers have accused him of being a cyborg in disguise (he pleads the fifth). For more information on Michael’s books, visit his fiction website at www.michaellaronn.com and his resources for writers at www.authorlevelup.com.

Mysteries That Defy Genre Traditions With Michael Callahan | SCC 159

Michael Callahan is the author of the critically acclaimed novels Searching for Grace Kelly and The Night She Won Miss America, as well as a coffee-table history of the famed Musso & Frank Grill restaurant in Hollywood. A contributing editor at Vanity Fair, his work has been published in Esquire, Town & Country, and the New York Times, among others. He lives in Los Angeles.
In the summer of 1959, rising Hollywood ingenue Mercy Welles is on the cusp of stardom when she vanishes without a trace. Almost 60 years later, Kit O’Neill, a young television producer in New York, is stunned to discover that her recently deceased grandmother, the woman who raised her, was, in fact, Mercy Welles. As Kit embarks on a journey to uncover the truth about what happened that fateful summer, long-forgotten correspondence offers a window to the past that reveals the shocking secrets that forever changed Mercy’s life—and may also change Kit’s.

Hank and Doug’s Fireside Chats: How To Make Characters Likable, (Even When they Don’t Deserve it) | SCC 158

You want to create a cast of characters that your readers want to root for, but readers don't want a character that is so perfect that they become unrelatable. So, how do you create characters that represent real life while also having a character arc that readers will be drawn to? That's what we'll discuss in this Fireside Chat.

Write, Publish, and Thrive With Sarra Cannon | SCC 157

An Amazon Top 100 Best Selling Author, Sarra Cannon writes magical contemporary fantasy novels with both teen and college aged characters (and lots of twists you'll never see coming). Her novels often stem from her own experiences growing up in the small town of Hawkinsville, Georgia, where she learned that being popular always comes at a price and relationships are rarely as simple as they seem.
With over three quarters of a million books sold, Sarra loves writing witchy books and connecting with fans.
Connect with Sarra online!
Website: SarraCannon.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/sarracannon
Instagram: instagram.com/sarracannon
Twitter: twitter.com/sarramaria
Goodreads: Goodreads.com/Sarra_Cannon
Sarra goes live on YouTube to hang out, answer questions, and read original stories every single week. Join our amazing community there at 4PM est every Friday. youtube.com/sarracannon

Hank and Doug's Fireside Chats: The Biggest Mistakes New Authors Make | SCC 156

On this week's fireside chat, Doug and Hank talk about mistakes they made in their writing and publishing careers, and share some tips they with they'd known about earlier. Come join in!

Building Reader Loyalty With Celeste Barclay | SCC 155

Celeste Barclay, a nom de plume, lives near the Southern California coast with her husband and sons. Growing up in the Midwest, Celeste enjoyed spending as much time in and on the water as she could. Now she lives near the beach. She's an avid swimmer, a hopeful future surfer, and a former rower. Before becoming a full-time author, Celeste was a Social Studies and English teacher. She holds degrees in International Affairs (BA), Secondary Social Science (MAT), and Political Management (MPS). She channels that knowledge into creating rich historical romances that bring the heat.

Maintaining Your Author Career Longterm With Daniel Kenney | SCC 154

In today's episode we check in with Author Daniel Kenney to talk about maintaining your author career longterm. Burnout is a very real thing that authors deal with, and today we try to dissect the cause of burnout and Dan shares some strategies he uses to combat and to keep the dream moving forward.
 

Hank and Doug's Fireside Chats: Plotting Vs. Pantsing | SCC 153

In the writing community we love to divide people into one of two camps: Plotters and Pantsers. Do you write with a solid well laid out plan before the drafting begins, or do you write by the seat of your pants and allow the whims and whimsy of the day carry you and your story to new heights and in new directions? 
Or can it be something in the middle of these two extremes? Hank and Doug will give you their honest thoughts, and probably include a few hot takes along the way.
Plotting:Benefits:
Structure: Plotting allows for a well-defined structure in your novel. You have a roadmap that guides you through the major plot points, helping maintain a logical and coherent storyline.Efficiency: Having a plan can make the writing process more efficient. You know where the story is heading, reducing the chances of getting stuck or experiencing writer's block.Foreshadowing: Plotting allows for effective foreshadowing. You can plant clues and hints earlier in the story that will pay off later, creating a more satisfying reading experience.Editing: Plotting can make the editing process smoother. Since you have a clear outline, it's easier to identify and fix any inconsistencies or structural issues.Drawbacks:
Rigidity: Some writers find plotting too restrictive. Following a predefined structure may stifle creativity and limit spontaneous ideas that could emerge during the writing process.Loss of Surprise: Knowing the major plot points in advance might reduce the element of surprise, both for the writer and potentially for the reader.Stress: Creating a detailed plot requires a significant upfront investment of time and effort. This can be stressful for some writers and may lead to burnout.Pantsing:Benefits:
Creativity: Pantsing allows for a more organic and creative writing process. Writers can explore unexpected ideas and let the story evolve naturally as they write.Surprises: Since the writer doesn't have a rigid outline, there is room for unexpected twists and turns, keeping the writing process exciting and surprising.Character Development: Characters may develop more authentically when the writer discovers their traits and motivations in the moment, rather than adhering strictly to a preconceived plan.Freedom: Pantsing provides a sense of freedom, allowing the writer to explore different narrative paths and experiment with the story's direction.Drawbacks:
Lack of Structure: One of the main drawbacks is the potential lack of structure. Without a clear plan, it's easier to meander or lose focus, resulting in a less cohesive narrative.Editing Challenges: Editing a pantsed manuscript can be challenging, as there may be inconsistencies and plot holes that need to be addressed during the revision process.Writer's Block: Writers who pants their novels may encounter writer's block more frequently, as they may not have a clear direction to overcome obstacles.Ultimately, the choice between plotting and pantsing depends on the writer's personal preference and writing style. Some authors even combine elements of both approaches, using a loose outline while allowing for flexibility during the writing process.