The Author's Journey with Gary Khan

Aug 04 2020 1

The Author's Journey with Gary Khan Podcast artwork

Are you an aspiring author lost on your treacherous journey to becoming the next bestseller? Come hang out with me as I interview adventurers, marketing gurus, publishers and authors, both experienced and new. We journey together in the great unknown and share lessons from our failures and successes – all in the hope that we help you avoid our mistakes and leverage our advice to manifest your destiny. For more information hit me up on my socials at https://instabio.cc/RealGaryKhan Come learn, laugh, and share your authentic author’s journey with us.

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#23 Characterization - Using Reaction to Write Relatable Characters

Aug 04 2020 13 mins

How our characters react to situations reveals a lot about them. If exposed to a threat, do your characters fight or flee? Are they brave or cowardly? What physiological, physical, emotional, rational and irrational responses occur in the moment? All of this helps to build a vivid image of your character in the minds of readers. In this week’s episode, we unpack how reactions cha

#22 Characterization - Using Dialogue to Write Delighful Characters

Jul 28 2020 12 mins

What we say and how we say it reveals a lot about our characters. The most memorable, engaging characters all have one thing in common – a unique voice that stands out from the crowd. Think of the most amazing lines from literature and popular culture. They helped to etch the character into our hearts and minds forever. In this episode we explore the use of dialogue as a tool to

#21 Characterization - Using Actions to Write Compelling Characters

Jul 22 2020 11 mins

Life is filled with action. We are what we do after all. The characters we create are no different. What a character does – their habits, mannerisms, nervous ticks, the way they move tells us a lot about them. This is one of the techniques of indirect characterization. In this episode, we explore the first method of indirect characterization – action, and why it is so effective

#20 Characterization - The Direct Method

Jul 14 2020 11 mins

To be one of the best author’s in the game, you must arm yourself with the tools of the trade. An essential tool is the Direct Characterization Method. It is a fairly straightforward technique, but many struggle to pull it off the way they should. This makes for poor writing. By improving your abilities to use the technique, you can stand out amongst the myriad of mediocre author

#19 Characterization - An Intro to Writing Character

Jul 12 2020 9 mins

Ever heard the saying Story is about interesting things that happen to interesting characters? No? Well, I made it up, but it is no less true. In everyday life the stories we tell are about something that has happened to us or someone else, and our responses to those events. If you want to master storytelling, you must master the art of creating characters – enter characterizatio

#18 Top 5 Plot Twists Types & How to Write Them

Jun 30 2020 16 mins

Nothing shows your authorial flex as much as pulling of a shocking, masterful plot twist that blows your readers’ minds. Hindsight is 20/20 and it is easy to see them coming from a mile away once they are revealed, but crafting the buggers is not that easy.In this episode, we explore the top 5 best plot twist types and detail how you can go about writing them so you can spice up

#17 Top 5 Plot Gaps To Avoid in Your Writing & How

Jun 23 2020 14 mins

Plot gaps or plot holes can send your readers running for the hills faster than mad axeman on Halloween. As authors, we love our work. It is a sacred part of us that we share with the world, but it is true what they say: love makes us blind. In this episode, we explore my five worst plot gap tropes in the literature that have the power to tank your hard work. We explore what a plot

#16 How to Write A Killer Subplot

Jun 16 2020 18 mins

Writing highly effective subplots have eluded many authors. If your story's feel flat and something is missing from your plot, it is most likely some great subplots. There are many reasons it improves your writing, and a few sure ways to write killer subplots. In this episode, we explore what a subplot is, what the six reasons it improves your writing are, and how you can writ

#15 Plotting 101: A Q&A On the Elements of Plot

Jun 09 2020 19 mins

Plotting a novel can get complicated, fast. Plot can be as simple as beginning, middle or end. Alternatively, you can use complicated plot structures that make your literature professor salivate. There a plenty of resources out there to help you improve the way you plot your novel, but rarely do aspiring authors get to ask questions about plot with which we really struggle.This wee

#14 Plot 101: Lessons From My Favourite Novel

Jun 02 2020 22 mins

The Wheel of Time is one of the most famous and well-written epic fantasy adventures in history. It is my favourite series and is a treasure trove of knowledge. Barbara Baig, a master creative writing teacher and prodigious writer herself, advised that we should learn from the best and when it comes to fantasy few can top Robert Jordan. In this episode, we review the elements of pl