Turning Up the Heat: Stakes and Sympathy Memorable characters are the most important elements in your story. Compelling characters can carry readers through even the most complex (or so-so) plot—readers will keep turning pages just to see what happens to someone they care about. I’ve written before about what your characters’ internal and external motivations…
Part of what makes storytelling so magical is that the brain is a willing and active participant—in both fiction and nonfiction. When you tap into these techniques properly, your book becomes unputdownable. Your Brain on Story Our brains are survival machines. Every second of every day, they’re scanning for information about how to survive and…
Show Notes Why Knowing Your “Why” Is Essential for Writers In Day 1 of her Writer’s Bootcamp, Jennifer Crosswhite encourages writers to begin their book journey by asking one simple but powerful question: What is your why for writing this book? Before discussing schedules, productivity strategies, or publishing plans, Jennifer challenges writers to identify the…
