The Dreaded Question: "What is your book about?"

Not every hero dreams of saving the world. Some would much rather stay home, mind their own business, and let literally anyone else deal with the impending disaster. But there's something especially compelling about watching a character who wants nothing to do with the adventure end up right in the middle of it. In this episode, hosts Kristina and Liz dive into one of their favorite storytelling tropes: the reluctant hero. They explore why these characters are so relatable, what makes their j...

Every November brings a familiar dilemma: do you start something brand new, or return to that unfinished novel that's been sitting in your drafts folder since last year (or the year before that)? Starting something new can be exciting, but when you've already got a story you love, it can be surprisingly hard to convince yourself to move on. In this episode, hosts Kristina and Liz talk about the challenge of choosing a NaNoWriMo project, especially when an old idea is still taking up space in ...

After 20 years of NaNoWriMo, Kristina decided her 20th win deserved a slightly bigger celebration. So last November, she brought six friends (including Liz!) on a cruise, where they attempted to balance vacationing, exploring, and, you know, writing an entire novel. In this episode, hosts Kristina and Liz recap the trip and all the ways they improvised their way through doing NaNoWriMo at sea, from unreliable internet to creative methods of tracking their word counts on the ship. They share w...

There’s nothing quite like a twist that makes you want to immediately go back and reread the entire story. But what separates a reveal that makes everything click into place from one that just makes you want to throw the book across the room? In this episode, hosts Kristina and Liz dig into "The Big Twist", including audience expectations, dramatic irony, planting clues without giving the game away, and how to make readers feel fooled without making them feel cheated. Plus, they talk about so...

We’re back for Season 8! Liz and Kristina catch up on what they’ve been up to since last season, share what’s coming to the podcast this year, and begin the annual tradition of confidently speculating about what they might write this November before immediately changing their minds. New projects! Big plans! Questionable decisions! It’s good to be back. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Enjoy the show? Like this episode, give a thumbs up, or better yet - leave a review! Follow us o...