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PODCAST

The Write Focus

Successful writing requires The Write Focus. Hosted by M.A. Lee with occasional forays from Remi Black and Edie Roones, we focus on productivity / tools / craft / process for fiction and nonfiction, entertainment and academic writing.

fiction how to

All Episodes

21:33

Stages 5 & 6 / Greatest Plot Structure / Discovering...

The Write Focus ·

2023/11/22

For many writers, Openings and Closings aren’t the problem with story. We all have problems with the Messy Middle—or the Saggy Middle—or that long slog between fantastic Opening and stupendous Ending. It’s the Middle that causes the most groans. In the Archetypal Story Pattern, the Greatest Plot Structure in the world—that troublesome Middle is Stages 4 to 8. It’s not Stage 4 that creates the problems. It’s not Stage 8 or Stage 7. Nope, what causes the most angst for writers is our focus in this

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22:53

Stages 3 & 4 / Greatest Plot Structure / 4:48

The Write Focus ·

2023/11/15

This week’s episode continues our deeper and richer analysis of the stages of the Greatest Plot Structure in the World for Writers: the Archetypal Story Pattern. Stage 3 is the Refusal of the Call, which is just as necessary as the destruction that occurs in Stage 2, Call to Adventure. Stage 4 presents one of the most intriguing and labyrinthine characters in the story realm: the Mentor. Got those loins girded? We’re delving ever deeper into ASP. TIMINGS 00:00 Welcome 00:39 Introduction 01:13 Stage

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20:25

Stages 1 & 2 / Greatest Plot Structure / DiscPLOT / 4:47

The Write Focus ·

2023/11/08

In this episode, we begin our in-depth analysis of the individual stages of the Archetypal Story Pattern, the greatest plot structure for writers. Highly adaptable and flexible, the Archetypal Story Pattern, or ASP, allows the creative muse to fly. Our focus is the first two stages: Stage 1 / Ordinary World and Stage 2 / Call to Adventure. With a deeper and richer analysis of each stage, writers will hopefully gain insights that were never before contemplated. TIMINGS 00:00 Welcome 00:39

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14:11

Writers and Archetypes / Discovering Your Plot / 4:46

The Write Focus ·

2023/11/01

Archetypes invaded the world of writing decades ago. Just as an artist has her drawing box and a cook accesses her pantry. new writers—and experienced ones needed a refresher—need the archetypal frameworks in their writing kit. Explorers will find multiple versions of archetypal charts, for plot and for characters. Social media and webinars abound with them. Numerous videos and blogs cover the basic information. The Archetypal Story Pattern—ASP—is genius for the 12 stages of essential story scenes

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17:00

Lead-in to Greatest Ever Plot Structure / Discovering...

The Write Focus ·

2023/10/25

In our previous two episodes, we looked at 4 plot structures that are inadequate ~ Basic Beats and Freytag’s Pyramid, both of which are reductions of Aristotle’s Plot Requirements and Shakespeare’s Dramatic Structure. None of those have enough to help writers with their own stories. In this episode, we’re close, so close, with the Complex Plot Structure … but it’s still not the greatest. We end with a strong hint of the Best and tell you the reason it’s the best … and always will be. TIMINGS 00:00

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20:29

A Common Pyramid and Shakespeare for Plot /...

The Write Focus ·

2023/10/18

In this episode, The Write Focus examines the plot structure taught to everyone. It’s basic. It’s common. It’s great for students. That’s all it is. Not good for writers. Nope. We only bring it up because everyone starts here. It actually is a reduction of Shakespeare’s dramatic structure. Yeah, that old dude. Another old dude. Let’s move beyond, and get started. TIMINGS 00:00 Welcome 00:39 Opening 1:07 Freytag’s Pyramid 6:45 Shakespeare’s Dramatic Structure 18:48 Last Words and Closing Total

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16:18

Basic Beats, Meet Aristotle / Discovering Plot / 4:43

The Write Focus ·

2023/10/11

As long as writers have been trying to tell successful stories, we’ve been sharing that information with other writers ~ for years, centuries, millenia! These classifications have entered “the mainstream”, for some are taught in seminars and in courses as if these are the way to write stories. These are NOT the way to write stories; they are ways to examine the art of story-telling using common terms. One of the famous methods for structuring a plot is the so-called Basic Beats, also known as the

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14:52

Special Approaches to Plot / Discovering Your Plot /...

The Write Focus ·

2023/10/04

Any presentation of a story’s plot can be straightforward, with scenes / sequels moving in progression from beginning to end, “as events occur”. Few plots are simply straightforward. In this episode, we examine foreshadowing and flashback, a non-linear plot structure, the frame story, and the allegory. TIMINGS 00:00 Welcome 00:40 Opening Words 1:07 Foreshadowing & Flashback 3:38 Non-Linear Plot Structure 6:37 Frame Stories 8:32 Allegories 13:07 Last Words and Closing Total Run Time:

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21:45

Essentials / Discovering Your Plot / 4:41

The Write Focus ·

2023/09/27

Every plot has a beginning / middle / end. Tensions and suspense drive each of these sections. Plotting prose? Poetry? That choice doesn’t matter in narrative. Telling a story is the focus, and all stories are formed through a series of scenes and sequels, which bridge between scenes. Two things control the main plot and each subplot. These are the heart and the brain that will drive every scene and its sequel. The heart is the theme which is the key to unlock the brain, our conflict that controls

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19:31

Hate and Love for Genre Tropes / Discovering Plot / 4:40

The Write Focus ·

2023/09/20

Tropes are those genre category-specific details, characters, and events that readers relish and anticipate: a magic sword, the hard-nosed detective who drinks on the job, and the corpse found and lost in a cozy mystery. Some tropes—such as the Golden Child—transcend a single genre and can be found in all major genres. Genre tropes can build a plot, but tropes are not plot. They are tools. Not every screwdriver in your tool box is used every time you need to screw in a screw. If you do use every

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18:06

Genre Expectations / Plot / 4:39

The Write Focus ·

2023/09/13

Genre expectations are reader expectations of the plot they will encounter. With all the books on the electronic and physical shelves, a classification system more than Fiction and NonFiction is necessary. Here comes Genre to save the day, like the famed Mighty Mouse. We have 10 major genres of fiction and countless subgenres within each category—and then we have stories that fuse genres or bend the genre boundaries. As long as we writers interest, amuse, or instruct our readers, that’s all that

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19:01

Plot, Story, and Story Length / Discovering Plot / 4:38

The Write Focus ·

2023/09/06

What do writers want to know about plot? What do writers need to know about plot? The Write Focus takes a comprehensive view of plot in the series Discovering Your Plot. Genre expectations, major story structures, pacing / tension / suspense ~ we cover it all. Today, we look at writers’ wants and needs for plot as well as story basics and story length. TIMINGS 00:00 Welcome 00:39 Opening Words 01:23 Introduction 04:33 What is Story? 08:40 Story Length 14:08 Projecting MS Length 18:00 Closing Total

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14:25

Branding ~ Key Fundamentals for a Trailer / 4:37

The Write Focus ·

2023/08/30

Our last episode on Branding continues a focus on book trailers. For sample trailers, view the Show Notes for the August 23 episode at the website. It’s the Key Fundamentals of the Script for Trailers and Clips along with the skeletal framework that can expand or contract as needed. Beginning in September to the end of this season, The Write Focus launches the next series. Plot is the structure that develops characters in conflict. We’ll discuss different kinds of structures before examining in

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15:18

A Branding Hallmark: Trailers and Clips / 4:36

The Write Focus ·

2023/08/23

We’re talking Branding, and we’re almost through with this series. Promotion is a key element of the writing business, for indies as well as traditional authors. All writers need to learn the basics of self-promotion. That doesn’t mean promoting our selves. It does mean discovering and pursuing the best ways to promote our writing, the books or blogs that are our product. 1st Key Question: What amount are we willing to spend? For new writers, with few products (less than 5 or 7 stories), spending

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16:32

Branding / Attract Readers to your Brand (& Here’s a...

The Write Focus ·

2023/08/16

We’re talking Branding, and we’ve covered Books and Series. Now we take a look at how writers brand their own business. 1st Question: Pen name or not? Different pen names? 2nd Q: What guide helps create our brand? 3rd Q: How do we create an author biography? Finally, picking up from the last episodes, we offer a last look at Blurb Scripts, boiled down to essentials with two examples. TIMINGS 00:00 Welcome 00:39 Intro 01:15 Inquiring Minds of Curious Readers 04:00 Author Branding &

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15:40

Branding / Market Copy Additional ”Between” Episode /...

The Write Focus ·

2023/08/13

It’s our Branding “between” addition for Market Copy, featuring Ellis Peters and Elizabeth Peters. We pick up right where we left off in this stripped-down episode. No powerpoint / mp4 for this previous episode. Visit the previous episode for links and expanded show notes. Timings 00:00 Start 00:39 Intro 01:04 Market Copy in Action / Ellis Peters 07:04 Market Copy in Action / Elizabeth Peters 14:12 Last Word 14:40 Closing Total Run Time 15:40 Thanks for Listening!

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17:23

Branding / Clever Market Copy / 4:33

The Write Focus ·

2023/08/09

We’re talking Branding. Clever Titles was last episode; this one is Clever Market Copy. Market Copy means taglines and book descriptions, also known as Blurbs. We have 3 Rules that govern all Market Copy. Success happens with our understanding of the different roles of taglines and blurbs. Don’t be surprised if you spend hours and hours crafting the perfect market copy. Remember, along with a great cover that blazes with story and an intriguing title, clever market copy will turn that browsing

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18:32

Branding / Clever Titling / 4:32

The Write Focus ·

2023/08/02

We’re talking Branding. Before we launch into this week’s episode, let’s have a reminder. 1st ~ We have nanoseconds to capture a reader’s interest. We can capture that reader with three glances. The 1st glance is a cover that blazes with story. Our cover has to represent our story with 3 little words focusing on 1] the protagonist, 2] the subniche of our story, and 3] on setting. 2nd ~ We select images that tweak what our competition is doing. Those 3 little words, ever so important, guide us, then

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14:49

Branding / Iconography part B / 4:31

The Write Focus ·

2023/07/26

We’re talking Branding. In this episode, we take a second look at Iconography. “Um-what?” you ask. Iconography is a fancy word that simply means “Writing with Images or Pictures”. Our covers catch a reader not with a blazing image but an image that blazes with story. Capturing our story on the cover is key to reaching our readers. We can do this, paying $1000s to artists to paint a pivotal scene from our novel. Few of us can spend $1000s. We don’t need a scene, though. (Save your $$$ and your bank

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17:32

Branding / Iconography part A / 4:30

The Write Focus ·

2023/07/19

We’re talking Branding, the way the writer reaches the reader. In the last episode, we explored the Crucial 1st Impression, built with three glances. 1st, Capture the story in words. 2nd, Match those words with images through iconography. 3rd, Use clever titling and cover copy to close the deal. Finding those three words was our first job, and we have two keys: 1] using contrast or juxtaposition and 2] narrowing to a niche market. In this episode, we focus on the second glance and clever

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184 results

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