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PODCAST

Writing with Friends

Hillary Barnes Martinez and BJ Williams

We’re BJ and Hillary— college friends turned writing pals. This podcast is our quest for the best writing tips and tools for our own projects, and yours too! Let’s get started.

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All Episodes

00:08:31

Crafting Effective Dialogue

Writing with Friends ·

2023/05/01

Today on Season 2 Episode 14, we’ll be talking about how to improve dialogue in our writing to make it both effective and nuanced. Picks of the Week: Cuba: An American History by Ada Ferrer Mort by Terry Pratchett Mentioned in the Episode: Writing With Friends Season 1 Episode 2: How Often to Use Adverbs and the Writing Sprint

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00:07:18

Navigating the Midpoint Beat

Writing with Friends ·

2023/04/24

We’ll be talking about the midpoint beat. So you’ve written the beginning of your story. You have an idea for a mind-blowing finale. But hmm… what’s supposed to happen in the middle again? Fear not! We’re here to help. Picks of the Week Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell Mentioned in the Episode: Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody

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00:08:04

Reading Widely Across Genres

Writing with Friends ·

2023/04/17

Today, we’ll be talking about reading widely across genres. If you’re writing regularly, how important is it that you find time to read, too? We’ll be uncovering why reading can be so helpful for writers, especially intentionally reading books outside of our comfort zones. Picks of the Week: Momo by Michael Ende Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

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00:07:41

Weekly Artist Dates

Writing with Friends ·

2023/04/10

We'll be talking about the artist date: a method for cultivating inspiration in your creative life. Do you sometimes sit down to write and find that your inspiration has mysteriously dried up? Taking yourself on an artist date could help! Picks of the Week: BJ: The Magician King by Lev Grossman H: On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong Mentioned in the Episode: Julia Cameron's Descriptions of Artist Dates NPR's Life Kit Podcast on How to Have Fun

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00:07:38

Tool Deep Dive: Using Online Archives to Research for...

Writing with Friends ·

2023/04/03

Welcome to a tool deep dive episode, where we highlight the features and the challenges of a tool we think you’ll find helpful as a writer. And the tool we’ll be talking about today is online archives– and more specifically, how to use online archives to engage in high quality research for your current novel project! Picks of the Week: How to Do Nothing by Jenny O’Dell Momo by Michael Ende Mentioned in the Episode: JSTOR free articles EBSCO free databases British Museum free

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00:06:56

Writing Vividly by Removing Filtering Words

Writing with Friends ·

2023/03/27

We'll be talking about filtering words. Do you want to create scenes and descriptions that feel vivid to your reader? Removing filtering words can help. Picks of the Week: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevan The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

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00:08:25

Conquering the Middle Build

Writing with Friends ·

2023/03/20

We’ll be talking about conquering the middle build. Sometimes you have those high level ideas for your story, but can’t quite connect it all. Don’t worry, because today we’ll discuss how to keep things moving through the middle of your writing project. Picks of the Week: BJ: The Puzzle Palace by James Bamford H: A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny

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00:07:21

Five Senses Portrait for Character Development

Writing with Friends ·

2023/03/13

We'll be talking about using all five senses to describe and develop your characters. By using a 5 senses character development exercise, you can create a multi-dimensional, nuanced description of your characters’ physical traits in just a few minutes. Picks of the Week: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk (Author), Antonia Lloyd-Jones (Translator) I Am Number Four by James Frey/Pittacus Lore Mentioned in the Episode: Happier Podcast Episode 387- Creating a

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00:07:12

The 15-Minute Daily Writing Practice

Writing with Friends ·

2023/03/06

We’ll be talking about the 15-minute daily writing practice. This writing craft gives you a feeling of satisfaction, accomplishment, and progress while continuing to work on a larger task. Picks of the Week: The High Druid’s Blade by Terry Brooks Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris Mentioned in the Episode: Don’t Break the Chain app

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00:06:22

Tool Deep Dive: Notebooks

Writing with Friends ·

2023/02/27

Welcome to a tool deep dive episode, where we highlight the features and the challenges of a tool we think you’ll find helpful as a writer. And the tool we’ll be talking about today is notebooks! In contrast to our helpful episode on OneNote, a digital notebook, which you can hear more about in Season 1, Episode 8, today’s focus is on the physical notebook. Picks of the Week: Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll The Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas

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00:05:29

Three-Act Structure

Writing with Friends ·

2023/02/13

We’ll be talking about the three-act structure. This classic model for narrative fiction can help you break down your writing into more manageable pieces. It can also help you consider the pacing and progression of your story. Picks of the Week: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins Cuba: An American History by Ada Ferrer Mentioned in the Episode: Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting by Syd Field

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00:07:05

The Strange vs. the Familiar

Writing with Friends ·

2023/02/06

We’ll be talking about the Strange vs. the Familiar, a helpful framework for thinking strategically about whether to take a more traditional or a more innovative approach to your draft. Picks of the Week: Armada by Ernest Cline Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer Mentioned in the Episode: Brandon Sanderson's Lecture on "Blending the Familiar & Strange" The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley Lady Night by Tamora Pierce Cinder by Marissa Meyer Knives Out directed by Rian Johnson

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00:05:55

Writing Fan Fiction

Writing with Friends ·

2023/01/30

We’ll be talking about writing fan fiction. We want to discuss a fun creative writing avenue that might scare some due to copyright laws, but we think taking some of your favorite worlds and putting your own spin on it can be a truly rewarding pursuit. Picks of the Week: Children of Dune by Frank Herbert Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun Mentioned in the Episode: Fanfiction.net Wattpad.com

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00:06:53

Story Grid Genre Breakdowns

Writing with Friends ·

2023/01/23

We’ll be talking about genre grid breakdowns. Have you ever eeked out a first draft of a manuscript and felt like something was missing? If so, story grid genre breakdowns can really shed some light on how to approach your draft! Picks of the Week: The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel Afro Puffs Are the Antennae of the Universe by Zig Zag Claybourne Mentioned in the Episode: The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know by Sean Coyne https://storygrid.com/action-genre/

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00:14:56

Holiday Bonus: Flash Fiction Writing Workshop

Writing with Friends ·

2022/12/19

We’ll be talking about flash fiction and doing a mini-writing workshop live as we read our own flash fiction to each other. Not sure if you’re ready to commit to a story idea? Looking to infuse your writing life with some inspiration in a low-key way? The short, get-in, get-out format of flash fiction might be perfect for you. Picks of the Week: What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson

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00:08:54

Tool Deep Dive: The Revision Spreadsheet

Writing with Friends ·

2022/11/21

We’ll be taking a tool deep dive. We’ll be highlighting the features and the challenges of a tool we think you’ll find helpful as a writer. And the tool we’ll be talking about today is the infamous revision spreadsheet! Picks of the Week: Seconds by Brian Lee O’Malley Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention and How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari Mentioned in the Episode: Revision Spreadsheet Template

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00:09:01

Beta Readers and Zotero

Writing with Friends ·

2022/11/14

We’ll be talking about beta readers. After you’ve finished writing your latest pieces, you might want to consider sharing them with others to get vital feedback from a sample audience. And our tool tip of the week is Zotero. Stay tuned to hear about how painless constructing a research bibliography can actually be. For real. We promise it’s not that bad! Picks of the Week: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke Mentioned in the Episode: Zotero Mendeley Papers

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00:09:44

Printed Drafts and OneNote

Writing with Friends ·

2022/11/07

We’ll be talking about printed drafts. If you consider yourself a pen and paper person – or if you’re seeking a way to look at a picked-over draft with fresh eyes, this craft topic is for you. And our tool tip of the week is OneNote. Stay tuned to hear about this personal notebook in the cloud! Picks of the Week: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins Who? A Celebration of Babies by Robie H. Harris Mentioned in the Episode: OneNote

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00:08:37

Short Stories as Plot and Setting Exploration and...

Writing with Friends ·

2022/10/31

We’ll be talking about short stories as a means of plot and setting exploration. If you have a great idea for a novel but are feeling uncertain of where to dive in, this craft topic may be the perfect way to get started. And our tool tip of the week is writers’ association webinars. Stay tuned to hear about what perks writing associations offer and why joining a non-work-related Zoom might actually be an exciting opportunity. We promise. Picks of the Week: Survive the Night by Riley Sager All We Can

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00:09:06

Morning Pages and the Libby App

Writing with Friends ·

2022/10/24

We’ll be talking about morning pages. If you’re feeling stuck in your current writing project or you think you might even be engaging in a bit of self-sabotage or procrastination in your writing life, this craft idea just might be for you! And our tool tip of the week is the Libby app. Stay tuned to hear about how Hillary and BJ access library books in the digital age. Picks of the Week: The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez Mentioned in the Episode: The Libby

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