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In consuming a ridiculous amount of romance fiction, I (Kasie) have come across my share of absurd body part descriptions. So I thought we haven’t ever really talked about how to talk about body parts on this show. So let’s do that. Let’s talk: Basic biology versus nuanced inference When, where and how to flex that vocabulary Body parts as vehicles for metaphor (i.e. broken heart) What to leave to imagination and what to make explicit. But first, if you haven’t yet registered for the upcoming Women in Publishing event what are you waiting for? This is your chance to bewith dozens of book publishing professionals, authors, writers, designers, publishers, editors, you name it and they’ll be there. Here’s a link to register. From the website:  The Women in Publishing Summit exists to empower, support, and elevate women and nonbinary individuals across the entire publishing industry—from idea to bookshelf and beyond. We provide education, resources, and a dynamic, inclusive community that fosters equity, access, and success for everyone involved in the creation, production, launch, and marketing of books. Whether you’re a writer, editor, designer, marketer, publisher, or service provider, we’re here to help you thrive and make a greater impact through books—all while collaborating with one another. Okay, so that’s said and I recommend attending. Alexa does a GREAT job with events. Let’s talk body parts. I found some other writers who have written about body parts here are some links: How to write better character physical descriptions from The Writing Cooperative Masterlist of physical descriptions from MasterClass Body Build Cheat Sheet for Writers from Kathy Steinemann Because physical description is the first time we use body parts in our work. We want to give the reader a sense of who this person is. We can default to drivers license stats: eye color, hair color, height and weight.  And some people say start early – like as soon as the character is introduced, give the reader a sense of who they are by describing their appearance. But it shouldn’t be an info dump. A couple of well-selected details can give you a good sense of the space a person occupies. Frankenstein’s monster: A massive figure filled my bedroom doorway. He had to angle his shoulders and stoop his head just to fit through… Black, uneven stitches zigzagged across mottled skin… So should you use similes? Like this and as that? Should you include endearing details like a sprinkle of freckles across the nose and cheeks or a crooked sort of smile that looked mischievous? Here’s 15 great character descriptions by famous authors. The risk of not enough detail is that every character looks the same or the person is just kind of faceless or character-less. But the risk of too much detail is that your reader is trying hard to imagine just the person you had in mind instead of letting the character work out his specifics himself. Read more on the blog

The last time we had a show near Valentine’s Day, it was the day after and we did Episode 299 “Love for Love’s Sake” exploring the trappings of a love story. So we’ll start there. Love stories are universal because they are so versatile. In our previous episode, we went through the types of love per This linkwhich explains it this way: “the comprehensive feeling for the entire cosmos.” From the same link, other types of love: Eros – passionate or romantic love Philia – goodwill or friendship Storge – natural love or familial love, that which you feel for those in your proximity and history Ludos – skittish or unreliable love, maybe a crush? Also playful, or those early stages of the fluttering in your belly, giddiness of love Pragma – duty or reason-supported love, as in an arranged marriage, of course I love my sister’s dogs… Philautia – self-love or love within oneself. Mania (from this link) – obsession If it’s a love story, it might also be a non-romantic love that takes center stage. For example: Mother’s love for her child: 1) nurturing and unconditional, 2) fierce and protective, 3) sacrificial, 4) strained or resentful, 5) absent or abandoned – leaving our character wanting more. Father’s love for his child: 1) supportive and nurturing, 2) wise and guiding, 3) demanding or disciplining, 4) abusive or neglectful, 5) stoic or unapproachable, 6) absent or wanting, and 7) replacement fathers like mentors, coaches, etc. Sibling love: 1) loyalty and protection, 2) competition and rivalry, 3) complex or strained – from the shared experience but different perspectives, think the siblings in The Godfather, 4) supportive or teammate-ish Friendship love: 1) deep companionship – shared experiences, mutually supportive, 2) ulterior motives – what can one gain from the other? 3) platonic affection – mutual respect, shared interests and values. But a romance is not a love story and vice versa. So here’s some compare and contrast so we can differentiate between the two: Both love stories and romance explore emotional intimacy and will likely also include physical intimacy. Both can elicit strong emotional reactions from readers. Love stories can be the primary plot, but are more often subplots.  In contrast, romance stories put the love story at the center. It is the plot. How the characters interact with one another, the obstacles they overcome, and how they meet the challenges to come together are the plot. Romance has genre conventions, expectations that writers must meet not only to satisfy readers, but also to be considered a romance at all. For example, romance novels have a Happily Ever After ending. Always. No exceptions. Read more on the blog

So last week Hollie joined us to talk about motifs which turned into a plot device conversation and we decided we could use of more that. So here it is, Part 2 if you will of Plot Devices to get us started this year. Turns out, we haven’t done plot devices before. We’ve done literary devices (Episode 125) but not plot devices. What do we mean by “plot device”? A plot device is any tool used to advance the story. They can be objects, people, secrets, the weather. Anything that disrupts the story as-is and turns it toward where it needs to be. Common examples include the “MacGuffin” (an object everyone wants), the “Red Herring” (a false clue), a “Deus Ex Machina” (a sudden, contrived resolution), or a “Time Bomb” (a ticking clock scenario). (link) What are some “literary” plot devices? Symbolism Foreshadowing Parallelism Here’s a comprehensive list of 50+ plot devices. I figured we could just work the list.   This link has some good takes on plot devices as does this one. The second one actually gets into how to use them. I like this list: Big dumb object – used mostly in science fiction, something mysterious that must be explored and explained Flashback – deliver exposition with a memory surfacing at exactly the right time Love Triangle – what complicates desire? Unrequited love. Ticking clock – create a sense of urgency with an expiration date that draws ever nearer. Last week we gave you these hints for making the plot device work. So here they are again: (link and link): Serve the Story, Not the Other Way Around: The device should enhance your story’s foundation (characters, world) and feel essential, not like a forced gimmick to fix problems. Make it Organic & Logical: Set up Foreshadowing: Introduce elements early (e.g., a skill, an object) that pay off later. Create Logical Circumstances: Have characters meet or find things in believable situations. Motivate Characters: Ensure characters act in ways that lead to the device due to their established personalities and goals. Focus on Character Reaction: How characters respond to a device (a discovery, a setback) often matters more than the device itself, revealing their nature. Build Suspense & Meaning: Use them to create intrigue (flashbacks, foreshadowing, plot twists) or add depth, making the audience ask “how?” and “why?”. Avoid Contrivance: Don’t use pure coincidence to get characters out of trouble; use it to get them into trouble, with proper setup. Read more on the blog

This morning we’re joined by Hollie, a musician and contributor to the show, who had something to add to our conversation on motifs. The idea came from an article explaining how composers use motifs to advance the plot in musical theater. That got me (Kasie) wondering about other plot-advancement devices in literature that function in similar ways. Thanks, as always, to Gemini AI for curating the internet’s vast resources on this topic. A motif is a recurring element in a story—such as an image, object, sound, word, or situation—that holds symbolic significance and points toward a deeper, central theme. Unlike a one-time symbol, a motif must appear multiple times to create a pattern that unites different parts of the narrative. (link) How motifs advance the plot (link and link): Foreshadowing Events: Recurring motifs can hint at future developments, creating suspense and anticipation. For example, a recurring “accident” or “broken” object might prepare the reader for a character’s downfall. Signaling Turning Points: A motif may appear during key moments, such as in scenes of intense conflict or during climactic events, acting as a visual cue for a shift in the story. Driving Character Action: Because a motif often connects to a character’s inner desires or fears, it can motivate them to act. Unifying Plot Threads: In complex narratives, a motif can connect separate, seemingly unrelated plotlines or scenes, giving the story continuity. Escalating Tension: A motif can gain prominence as the story reaches its climax, increasing the pressure and urgency. Other ways it helps in a story (link): Connects to Themes: Motifs act as tangible clues, making abstract themes like love, loss, or freedom more concrete and understandable as they recur, linking disparate scenes and ideas. Builds Mood & Atmosphere: Repetitive imagery, such as dark rooms or intense heat, creates a specific tone (Gothic, oppressive) that influences how the plot unfolds and how characters feel, as seen with the heat in Lord of the Flies. Foreshadows & Symbolizes: A recurring symbol can hint at future events or deeper meanings; for instance, the green light in The Great Gatsby symbolizes Gatsby’s unattainable dream, foreshadowing his ultimate failure. Develops Characters: A motif can highlight character development or internal struggles; Indiana Jones’s father calling him “Junior” reinforces the growing bond and resolution of their strained relationship. Creates Cohesion: By appearing throughout the narrative, motifs act as narrative breadcrumbs, helping readers trace patterns and understand how different parts of the story relate to one another, unifying the work. Read more on the blog

The appeal of the apocalypse. Seems like everyone takes a stab at writing about the end times. What does it look like in your imagination? Let’s remember that a lot, a LOT of what we have now was once imagined by writers. For example, Fahrenheit 451 predicted headphones, Frankenstein imagined transplants, Isaac Asimov predicted the rise of computers (link). Apple watches, self-driving cars, even video chatting were all predicted by writers who imagined a better way of doing everything. They may not have had the science or engineering to make it happen, but writers certainly started the process by envisioning and then describing the technology that would come to be. Okay, so then if writers are imagining dystopia, does that mean it’s inevitable? And why wouldn’t they spend more time focusing on utopia instead? For the truly literary, there’s this list of Booker Prize dystopian fiction, many of which will have gone without your commercial-fiction sniff.  It does crown Margaret Atwood the reigning monarch of dystopian fiction after The Handmaid’s Tale and its sequel, The Testaments, were made into a TV series.  This Wikipedia list probably better matches the ones that come to mind immediately: Gulliver’s Travels The Time Machine Brave New World (Huxley) Anthem (Rand) 1984 (Orwell) Fahrenheit 451 (Bradbury) Lord of the Flies Minority Report A Clockwork Orange The Stand The Handmaid’s Tale The Giver Cloud Atlas The Road The Hunger Games The Maze Runner Ready Player One Read more on the blog

Do you have any New Year’s Resolutions for your writing life? What’s the purpose of it and why should we do it? There are ancient origins for new year’s resolutions including the Babylonians in 2000 b.c. making promises to the gods at the new year to return borrowed items and pay off debts. How many of those promises do you suppose were kept? In medieval times, knights renewed their oaths of loyalty at the new year. They also promised to uphold virtues and values. These days, new year’s resolutions are usually not religious, or related to your employer. They’re usually about secular stuff like health and fitness, wellness and mental clarity. So what makes a good resolution? And is it different from a goal? Yes, new year’s resolutions are typically a change of behavior: drink less, eat less, workout more, read more. And the goal is a measurable plan for how to succeed in that behavior change. So you might resolve to write more short stories in 2026. The goal would be to write at least 30 short stories. Then you might plan to write every day for at least 30 minutes to achieve the goal. Writing every day, as long as you’re focusing on the short stories, will certainly achieve the behavior change to meet your resolution.    So what kinds of resolutions do writers usually make? It’s almost always about productivity. We did this topic last year with a plan we built for ourselves. We used categories for those goals, like I do with my students every semester: family, professional, personal, financial. How did we do?  We also did it back in 2021, so let’s see how far we’ve come since then. That one used the AFI framework, a tool for business planning, to help writers think of their careers as businesses. I also did this goal setting thing with Alexa Bigwarfe, my publisher, back in 2020. Boy did those goals go awry. Read more on the blog

Kasie and Hollie host an old school flashback episode. Inspired by 90s sitcoms that had end of season flashback episodes, Kasie and Hollie decided to use each segment as a flashback to a previous episode of Write on SC to give a new perspective.

What is an anti-hero? This topic is so old, the show notes still introduce who we are to the audience. Wow. Episode 43 way back in 2019 was the only episode we have dedicated to the Anti-Hero. Notes there are not AI-generated, but these notes totally are: An anti-hero is a central character who lacks conventional heroic qualities like altruism, morality, or idealism, often driven by selfish motives, flaws, or questionable methods, yet the audience still roots for them because their goals might be relatable or they’re simply more compelling than traditional heroes, examples include Walter White (Breaking Bad), Deadpool, Han Solo, and Fleabag. They operate in moral gray areas, using dark or brutal tactics for understandable, sometimes even good, ends, creating compelling tension. (link & link & link) Some types of anti-heroes (link & link): Classic Anti-Hero: Lacks traditional heroic traits like bravery or confidence, often due to self-doubt, fear, or social awkwardness, but still acts heroically. Examples: Holden Caulfield (The Catcher in the Rye), Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit). Knight in Sour Armor: Cynical, sarcastic, and witty but possesses good intentions and a strong moral compass, often with a traumatic past. Examples: Haymitch Abernathy (The Hunger Games), Severus Snape (Harry Potter). Unscrupulous/Pragmatic Anti-Hero: Willing to do questionable or violent things to achieve goals, often driven by personal gain or survival. Examples: Rambo, Jack Sparrow. Hero in Name Only: Actions are very dark or villainous, blurring the line between hero and villain, but they remain the protagonist. Examples: Walter White (Breaking Bad), Dexter Morgan (Dexter). Flawed Hero/Anti-Villain: Good intentions but with extremely questionable or dark methods, sometimes sharing the hero’s goals but being far more ruthless. Examples: John Constantine, some interpretations of Tony Stark (Iron Man). Read more on the blog

It’s been a while since we covered the dozen uses for the Fool (Episode 181) so there are some new notes and updated links for it but the concept remains. Per Gemini AI: the Fool is an archetype, often a jester or simpleton, who uses humor, feigned madness, or childlike simplicity to speak uncomfortable truths, challenge norms, offer wisdom, and provide commentary, acting as a mirror for society and powerful figures, as seen in Shakespeare’s King Lear, where the Fool guides Lear through his downfall by bluntly pointing out his foolishness. They serve as both comedic relief and profound commentators, revealing deeper meanings through their seemingly nonsensical words or actions, and can represent vulnerability, childlike innocence, or a “holy fool” figure who embodies spiritual wisdom. (Link and Link) Key Characteristics: Truth-teller: Given license by their supposed foolishness, they can criticize kings, nobles, and societal conventions without punishment, a role often denied to others. Wise Fool: Appears simple but possesses profound insight, using wit, paradox, and riddles to convey wisdom (e.g., King Lear, Patchface in A Song of Ice and Fire). Vulnerability & Presence: Embodies living in the moment, embracing risk, and showing authentic emotion, contrasting with the controlled, often misguided, actions of the “wise” characters. Catalyst for Change: Their commentary forces others (and the audience) to confront uncomfortable realities, prompting growth or revealing tragic flaws. (Link) Read more on the blog

Heather has been with us before. She visited back on Episode 261: Edit Like a Pro. Here are some details about Heather: Heather Harris-Bergevin is an author whose business, Barrow Editing, is based in Columbia, South Carolina. She, her three children, two cats, and a happy pitbull spend most of their time fighting entropy. Her own poetry books are published with By Common Consent Press, and she has an upcoming children’s picture book with Lucky Rabbit Press, based in Columbia, SC.

What is Retroactive Continuity? Retroactive continuity (often called retcon) is a storytelling device used in fiction when authors or creators deliberately change, add to, or contradict facts that were previously established in a story’s “official past.” In essence, the story’s “history” gets rewritten, sometimes subtly and sometimes quite dramatically. (Wikipedia) According to one definition: “Retroactive continuity is a literary device in which previously established information in a work of fiction is changed, ignored, or contradicted to suit the current story.” (TCK Publishing) The motivations for retconning can vary: To correct continuity errors or inconsistencies that arose in earlier installments. (Wikipedia) To expand or deepen a story by adding new layers—backstories, motivations, relationships—that simply weren’t there before. (Language & Humanities) To reboot or reimagine a story, more in line with new creative direction, audience expectations, or modern sensibilities. (Language & Humanities) To revive characters (e.g., bring back a “dead” character) or reset aspects of the fictional universe to allow new plots. (Wikipedia) In long-running franchises — comics, film series, TV shows — retcons are especially common because over time, multiple writers or creators may contribute, or earlier plot points simply don’t hold up to new storytelling ambitions. (FourWeekMBA) Read more on the blog

Crymsyn Hart is a multi-genre author from Horror, Urban Fantasy, and Romance. Her years of experience at Boston’s oldest psychic salon doing readings and her encounters with the supernatural have inspired many novels. She’s a lover of all things dark and goth. Vampires, grim reapers, and other paranormal creatures tend to end up in her books no matter how hard she tries to keep them away. She currently resides in Charlotte, NC with her hubby and their dog. By day she is conquering the world of Commercial Insurance, but by night she listens to the voices in her head telling her which rabbit hole to go down to find the perfect plot bunny. Visit her website at: http://www.crymsynhart.com

A child of the 80's, SL Harby grew up playing Dungeons & Dragons and classic video games. An only child, he was bitten early by the reading bug, cutting his teeth on the masters of modern fantasy. His days were spent inside the worlds created by Howard and Lieber, Moorcock and Tolkien. A perpetual Jersey boy, SL Harby lives in northwestern New Jersey with his wife and muse, Jessica and their bad ass rescue dog, Tellulah. Visit www.ReadSLHarby.com for fiction, reviews, creator interviews and more!

Nick Roberts is the award-winning author of Anathema, The Exorcist's House series, Mean Spirited, and several others. His works have been translated into multiple languages, becoming international bestsellers and garnering the attention of Hollywood. He’s a member of the Horror Writers Association, a doctoral graduate from Marshall University, and currently resides in South Carolina with his wife and three children.  He talks with Rex about his career.

The last time we did this topic was way back in 2021 here’s the link to Episode 130. We think maybe we’ve learned something since then. Born out of the “be mean to your characters” necessity, “what could be meaner than making your characters make decisions, do something, take responsibility, and live with consequences of their actions?” According to this link by Meg LaTorre at Savvy Authors, “agency” means the character is more proactive than reactive in the story. The character does stuff instead of stuff just happening to him/her.To give characters agency, ensure they drive the plot through active choices and pursuit of clear, motivated goals, rather than passively reacting to events. This involves providing meaningful choices, showing consequences for their actions, creating internal and external conflicts that require decisive action, and allowing for character growth based on their decisions. (thanks, AI and this link)How do you do it? Check out this link (summary below): Active, Not Passive: Your protagonist should be the driver of the plot, making decisions that shape the story, not just having things happen to them.Clear Goals: Give characters specific, achievable goals rooted in their desires and motivations.Strong Motivations: Explain why a character takes action, linking their choices to their values, beliefs, and internal struggles.Meaningful Choices: Present dilemmas where characters must make difficult decisions that reflect their personality.Consequences: Show the tangible positive and negative outcomes of their decisions, reinforcing their impact on the story.Conflict as a Catalyst: Use obstacles and conflicts to force characters to act and make choices.Show, Don't Tell: Reveal agency through actions and dialogue, not just narration of thoughts or feelings.Character Arc: Allow characters to change and develop as a result of their experiences and choices.Avoid Deus Ex Machina: Don't resolve conflicts randomly or through external forces beyond the character's control.Read more on the blog