Story archetypes are a great starting point for building your narrative. In this episode Russ and Tim discuss the seven core story archetypes that can be found in most fiction, how they can be used to create a engaging novels, Read more
It all comes down to this…Act III. Our heroes have been removed from their normal world, thrust into a chaotic Act II world, been through the ringer, hit the bottom of the barrel, now it’s time for them to shine Read more
Doing their best to avoid strong act II vibes, Russ and Tim continue their deep dive into Save the Cat! Writes A Novel story beats with Act II.
Using Save the Cat! Writes A Novel as a jumping off point, Russ and Tim do a deep dive into the Act I story beats, and reference how this methodology was useful in crafting their own works.
Do your characters have the right motivation? Proper motivation is necessary if you want your characters to make believable decisions that lead toward their goals, even if those decisions are flawed. In this episode, Russ and Tim discuss internal and Read more
The work doesn’t stop once you launch your book. If you want to be read, you need to promote your book to the world. In this episode, Russ and Tim discuss marketing, social media, advertising, and Russ’ plan for promoting Read more
The day has arrived! Russ has launched his debut novel, HOST. Tim asks how Russ feels, what happens next, and what improvements he’ll make as he ramps on book two. Also, go buy HOST so Russ can be a little Read more
Cover art is often your first chance to make an impression on the reader, so you better make it a good one. In this episode, Russ and Tim chat about the cover art process, how Russ approached it for his Read more
Are you original? Do you need to be? In this episode Russ and Tim chat about comps, what they are, why they’re useful, and how not to get derailed when you don’t feel original. Resources: How to Find Compelling Comps Read more