Writer Syndrome

Getting Back Into It

Life has a way of getting in the way. It can take our best intentions, writing or otherwise, and throw them into the void, never to be seen again. It happens to everyone, so how do you get back into it and meet your goals? In this episode, Russ and Tim suggest methods to regain focus so you can get back into writing like you were never away.

Tension & Suspense

What is tension? What is suspense? These key ingredients keep readers turning your pages and wondering what will happen next. In this episode, Russ and Tim discuss tension and suspense and explore how these tools can work together to create a compelling narrative.

Coincidences In Storytelling

Every story will have at least one coincidence to kick off the plot. After that, as a writer, you're asking your audience to continue to suspend disbelief to move the story along at the cost of losing them. In this episode, Russ and Tim talk about coincidences, how many are too many (spoilers: more than one), and get into Deus Ex Machina, and Tim voraciously defends Lord of the Rings.

Get The Ball Rolling

We're getting the ball rolling...on a new year! It's our first episode of 2025, and we're diving into idioms. We'll be "tackling" them throughout the year, exploring their history, usage, and how they could be used in writing.

2024 Year-In-Review

Goodbye 2024! In this episode, Russ and Tim look back at their respective writing goals for the year and grade how they did. Spoilers: everyone got an A+, even if they didn't deserve it. Happy New Year, everyone, and thank you for listening.

Book Swap: The Troop / The Killing Floor

Book swap! In this episode, Russ and Tim trade books from their favorite genres and give a review. Russ read Nick Cutter's The Troop while Tim read Lee Child's The Killing Floor.

What To Leave Out

Is that an adverb? Ditch it. Overly verbose exposition? Delete. Detailed descriptions of everyday objects? Get rid of it! In this episode, Russ and Tim discuss killing their darlings and reflect on what they left in their novels and why.

Epilogues

Epilogues—who needs them? Isn't your story already over? In this episode, Russ and Tim discuss how epilogues are used, why they exist, and whether or not you should use one.

Prologues

To prologue or not to prologue? That is the question. In this episode, Russ and Tim discuss the ins and outs of prologues, what makes a good one, and why people don't like them.

Mistakes & Expectations

Have you ever made a mistake that kept you up at night? Or maybe you set an expectation that you couldn't quite meet? In this episode, Russ and Tim explore their own writing mistakes and expectations, how they recovered from them (if they did), and how they adjusted to maintain writing productivity.