Why do some books keep readers up all night while others fall flat?

If you've ever wondered whether your novel is gripping enough, you're not alone. One of the biggest challenges writers face is keeping readers hooked to the end.

In this week’s episode, we dive deep into what truly drives great storytelling. Whether you're writing legal thrillers, Amish fiction, or epic fantasy, tension is your secret weapon, and knowing how to dial it up or down can make or break your story.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why reading current bestsellers (without judgment!) is key to leveling up your writing
• How different genres handle tension differently
• What every author needs to understand about their reader’s motive for reading

Listen in or read the blog version to discover the many types of tension and how to weave it into your novel to keep readers reading to the end.

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Did you know the Apostle Paul didn’t write the book of Romans by hand? He dictated it to a someone else who wrote it down, and he’s not the only famous author to do so.

In this week’s episode, we explore how authors from Cicero to Agatha Christie to USA Today bestselling author Misty M. Beller have used dictation to write faster, better, and with more freedom.

In this interview with Misty, you’ll learn:

✅ How to overcome the intimidation of hearing your own voice
✅ Which dictation tools are most accurate and beginner-friendly
✅ How to spur creativity and increase your output without burning out

Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, dictation can save you time and unlock your most natural storytelling voice. Misty shares how she writes up to six books a year using this technique and how you can too.

Write faster. Write smarter. Write like the Apostle Paul. Listen in or read the blog version to learn more.

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Most authors start writing from the beginning. But what if the beginning is the wrong place to start?

In our most recent episode, I talk with bestselling author and writing teacher James Scott Bell about one of his most powerful ideas: the mirror moment.

You’ll learn

✅ Why the midpoint is more than just the halfway mark
✅ How to turn a sagging middle into your novel’s strongest moment
✅ What Casablanca, Goodnight Moon, and The Cat in the Hat have in common
✅ How one scene can help you fix your beginning, your ending, and everything in between

Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser, listen in or read the blog version of this episode. It will change how you approach your next novel.

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