Reading Like a Writer

by | May 11, 2014 | Podcast

Welcome back to Firsts in Fiction, loyal listeners! This week marks the much anticipated return of Heather Luby! For those of you who have waited so patiently to see her on video, now is your chance. Check out the YouTube video below. This week, we look at how to read...

Bonus Cast! Heroes

by | Oct 31, 2013 | Podcast

Surprise! Just in time for All Saints Day, Firsts in Fiction Podcast brings you the flip side of the villains coin. Nathan Bodell and Aaron Gansky talk heroes: what makes them great, what makes them last. Sadly, Steve wasn’t able to join us for this special bonus...

Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing

by | Sep 30, 2013 | Podcast

It’s a pretty popular thing for accomplished writers to compile lists of rules* for writing fiction. This week, Steve and I tackle 10 of these rules as suggested by Elmore Leonard. Elmore Leonard cut his teeth writing westerns, but quickly moved on to crime novels. He...

First Lines

by | Sep 23, 2013 | Podcast

This week, Steve and I look at the importance of first lines in fiction. The information is largely taken and adapted from my book, Firsts in Fiction: First Lines. The first line of your novel is especially important for a few reasons. Firstly, you want to make sure...

Archetypes Without Stereotypes

by | Sep 16, 2013 | Podcast

This week Steve and I look at archetypes, how they can inform our story, and how to use them effectively without falling into stereotypical character and plot structures. To begin, we need to understand what an archetype is. Long story short, we can think of...

A Body of Information

by | Sep 9, 2013 | Podcast

On this week’s Firsts in Fiction, Steve and I discuss the physicality, the biology, of our characters, and how that adds to their depth and history. Imagining your character’s physicality means thinking about more than their physical appearance alone. Yes, the color...