What Is Creative Nonfiction—And Why You’re Likely Already Writing It
Admittedly, the name doesn’t help. Creative nonfiction sounds like a literary oxymoron, something filled with fake facts or trying to be like fiction with footnotes. But it’s not. It’s truth with flair. Kind of like Buzz Lightyear falling with style, but on paper. You...
What Is the Neuroscience of Story?
You know those books that grab you and won’t let you go? The ones that keep you up turning pages into the wee hours? And those television shows that have you binging episode after episode without a break? The reason that happens lies in your brain…and the way the...
Common Pitfalls When It Comes to Context
Writing without sufficient context doesn’t lead to “bad prose” as much as it leads to reader disorientation and an emotional disconnect. You lose your reader to confusion and a break in causality.
When your reader can’t tell what matters or why, or how one detail leads to another, they lose the ability to track story logic. It calls everything into question. When that happens, the brain defaults to inferring details and context instead of knowing them. This diminishes the story and robs it of emotional impact.
Context Is the Heart of Story
I am not a yes or no girl. When someone presents only two options, my mind immediately leaps to “what if?” scenarios that fall somewhere in between. It’s how I’m wired. This resistance doesn’t come from a rebellious nature (though I’m not ruling that...
When Writing Feels Heavy: How to Tell If You’re Writing the Wrong Thing
You’re staring at your screen. No matter what you try, it remains blank. Then a weight descends on your shoulders, your eyes flutter, and all you want to do is climb back into bed. This is the fatigue of procrastination, and it often shows up at the first sign of a...
Done-With-You Coaching vs Editing: What Kind of Writing Support Do You Actually Need?
How many times have you read a book and thought, “This could have used an editor”? Probably more often that you’d like. That may be why writers often assume they need an editor. And sometimes, they do. But what many writers are actually looking for is something...
Ground Your Stories and Make Your Readers Feel
Have you ever had someone launch into a story that made you throw your hands up and say, “Wait, when and where did this happen?” or “Who was involved?” It’s not because the story itself had no value. It’s because it wasn’t grounded. You were lost in time, space, and...
Narrative Intelligence: The Skill Every Writer Needs
Story isn’t just what we write. It’s how we think. It infuses every type of writing, outside of technical, most academic, government, and instructional writing. But even those benefit from narrative intelligence because it informs how our brains process information....
7 Neuroscience Facts Every Writer (and Business Owner) Should Know
(And How These Tiny Shifts Can Transform Your Engagement) Let me tell you a story…no. Instead, let me tell you why your stories aren’t hitting the way you want them to, and why it’s your audience’s brain that’s the reason. Our brains are complex biological entities...
The Forms May Change. Story Never Does.
What do I mean by that? Writing takes on many forms, from novels to screenplays to marketing copy and everything in between. But at its core, lies story. Okay, not always. The Exceptions Here’s the disclaimer bit that appeases the scholars who argue about rhetoric and...