Category: Blog

Hello! The Book Bardess is back with her top 10 resources for fantasy writers! (or writers in general). Looking for help on structuring your latest novel? Have you fallen to The Great Enemy Procrastination and can’t seem to knock him away? These blogs, websites, or books might help. Let’s dive in!

K.M. Weiland’s blog: Helping Writers Become Authors

I am a full-on plotter, and I know I’m not the only one. Weiland does an amazing job explaining plot, theme, and character using the 3-Act Structure. I began exploring Weiland’s blog when I was writing Knightfall. The problem with Knightfall was that the middle sagged.

Nothing happened.

The plot was stagnant.

After subscribing to read Weiland’s weekly tips and implementing what she said, I was able to build a plot that didn’t sag in the middle! Key word: implementing!

Author Media

Are you serious about publishing but aren’t sure how to build your platform? Have you published a book but it’s not selling well? Check out Thomas Umstattd Jr.’s website and blog! With posts from how to please your varrious readers to how to build an awesome website, you’ll find lots of advice and experience here.

For Ye Medievalists and Fantasy Writers:

Rebecca Shedd’s Blog Archives

Rebecca Shedd’s blog archives are a huge resource for medieval fantasy or historical writers! Here you’ll learn everything from the different clothing trends in the 12th century to how they sailed ships. I love this place because not only is it an awesome store of research, it’s a great place for the history geeks!

Story Embers

You want to plot or edit your first novel, but the problem is, you don’t have a ton of time to scroll through long posts. Did you know, Story Embers’ downloadable pdfs are super easy to fill out and are an awesome help? Want to go a step further and receive weekly writing tips or grab the opportunity to join webinars and summits with other writers? Subscribe to their email list!

Creating Character Arcs by K.M. Weiland

Get the same structuring advice as with Weiland’s blog without having to spend hours online! It has basically the same things as the blog, just in paper form. 

Getting Into Character by Brandilyn Collins

Brandilyn has some great tips for crafting characters, from subtexting to finding out your character’s core motivation. I have used the second chapter of Getting Into Character so many times that I don’t even have to open it up anymore to remember what to do!

5 Editors Tackle 12 Major Flaws of Fiction by C.S. Laskin

I had just finished a draft of Knightfall. As I sat looking at almost 100 pages of a Google doc, I wondered how I was going to edit it all. This book helped me a ton and it will help you, too. It explains 12 major problems a lot of writers struggle with, gives examples and signs that you might have this problem in your novel, and shows you how to fix it!

For Ye Procrastinators & Writers with Severe Cases of Writer’s Block:

The Most Dangerous Writing App

Have you ever sat down prepared to write and then all of a sudden you couldn’t think of anything to say? The Most Dangerous Writing App motivates and forces you to write something fast. Keep writing or all progress will be lost! Some find this tool stressful, others think it’s the best way to get words on the page. Personally, I’m the latter. 

For Ye Grammar Nerds (Or Those Who Oppose Grammar):

Word Hippo

I am a little but of both. However, especially when doing line edits for Knightfall, I found grammar to be extremely useful. Word Hippo helped me a lot!

A notebook & pen

I know, I know. This isn’t the kind of resource you were looking for. But the truth is, no website, book, or pdf can make you write words on a page. The only way to write a novel is to sit down and actually write. So, what are you waiting for?

Transcript:

Jubilee Anderson:
Hey everyone! Welcome back to The Book Bardess podcast! Today we’re going to be crafting theme with Autumn Crane!

Autumn loves to create things—she is a cake decorator, musician, and of course, an author who has been writing consistently for two years. No matter what genre Autumn is writing in, she strives to mix hope and humor with a truthful depiction of the world. In everything, she wants to glorify God and bring Him joy.

So Autumn, thank you so much for joining me today. I am so excited!

Autumn Crane:
Yes, thank you for having me!

Jubilee Anderson:
So, in your own words, how would you define theme?

Autumn Crane:
I would say theme is the heart of the story. It’s the message the reader takes away at the end. Theme is the universal truth that everyone can carry from it.

Jubilee Anderson:
That’s great. So what themes resonate with you in other authors’ books?

Autumn Crane:
The ones that resonate most are the themes I’ve been struggling with. The things that are hard for me to learn, or that I’m in the process of learning. Getting that boost of encouragement from a story is powerful.

For me, themes like growing up, change, and community really hit home, because those are things I’ve been wrestling with.

Jubilee Anderson:
Yes, that’s definitely true for me as well—things like having a lot of siblings, sibling rivalry, love, and forgiveness. Those are some themes that resonate with me.

How do you use symbolism or imagery to reinforce your theme without being too obvious?

Autumn Crane:
First, don’t worry about it too much, because what’s in your heart will come out whether you’re trying to or not—which can be both scary and really cool.

For me, symbolism is usually something I slip in during the moment. If you’re not setting out with the goal of “teaching a theme,” it usually won’t come across as preachy.

If you find a fun moment where something symbolic fits, add it in. People may notice or they may not, but either way it adds depth.

Jubilee Anderson:
That’s really good. I don’t remember exactly how he said it, but S.D. Smith talks about how when you’re a Christian, your faith naturally comes out in your stories—whether you’re trying to or not.

So here’s a similar question: How do you balance exploring a meaningful theme without becoming too preachy?

Autumn Crane:
It’s really about giving it over to God. I’ll pray, “Lord, I know you’re leading me to put this into my book—help me do it in a way that honors you.” And it works out.

Sometimes, when you hand your draft to someone and ask, “What messages are you getting from this?” you’ll find that God has woven in something even better than what you intended.

If your goal isn’t to teach a lesson, it usually won’t come off as preachy.

Jubilee Anderson:
That’s a really good point. How does theme shape other elements of your story like plot, setting, or tone?

Autumn Crane:
I’d say theme affects characters the most, because it often overlaps with what your character is learning. Once it shapes your character, it naturally spreads into the plot, setting, and tone.

For me, characters drive the story, so their journey—and the theme they’re living out—ends up woven into everything.

Jubilee Anderson:
Yes, they’re all so closely connected. What advice would you give to writers who struggle to identify the theme in their own work?

Autumn Crane:
Look at what’s happening in your life—your theme often reflects that.

If you’re going through change or new relationships, your themes might naturally be about building community or navigating life changes.

Also, have someone else read your work and tell you what messages they see.

Another tip I learned in middle school literature class was to start a sentence with “The author believes that…” and fill in the theme you think the book conveys. Then cross out “The author believes that,” and what’s left is the theme. That exercise has been really helpful, and I can even use this method on myself by reading my own writing and asking, “Is this what I want readers to take away about what I believe?”

Jubilee Anderson:
That’s really interesting. Your English teacher must have been great. So what resources would you recomment for people trying to craft the theme of their next story?

Autumn Crane:
I’m not big on books about writing, but I’ll give a shameless plug for the Young Writers Workshop. The community there is incredible and always willing to help.

Also, just read good books. Study how themes are woven into the ones you love. And look at how God is teaching you lessons in your own life. If you pay attention to how you’re learning, it’ll help you write characters who learn in authentic ways, and that helps your readers learn too.

Jubilee Anderson:
That’s really good. We’re almost wrapped up with our interview today, but I have one more question: Where can listeners find you online?

Autumn Crane:
You can find me on the Young Writers Workshop and through events like Crazy Writing Week, Crazy Editing Week, (Note: the previous two links are not up to date) and Crazy Writing Month. Look up “Autumn Crane” and you’ll find me.

Jubilee Anderson:
Everyone, go check out the Young Writers Workshop!

Thank you so much for joining me today, Autumn. This has been so much fun.

Autumn Crane:
Thank you!

Follow Mj on instagram @mj_falcon_creatives

Transcript:

Jubilee:
Hey everyone, welcome back to The Book Bardess podcast for an interview with MJ. As an 18-year-old Christian author, MJ has always enjoyed creative writing and mainly writes fantasy and contemporary. She started writing poetry at age six but switched to crafting fiction stories when she was nine. Since then, she has finished four books and several short stories. Outside of writing, MJ enjoys drawing, doing theater, and watching movies.

Today we’re going to talk with MJ about writer’s block—why it happens and how to get out of it. So MJ, thanks so much for joining me today. I’m so excited! Let’s dive in. How would you define writer’s block in your own experience?

MJ:
Thanks for having me! Well, generally when people think of writer’s block, they think it’s just not having any idea what to write—but there are so many different versions. There’s the “no ideas” kind, the “no motivation” kind, the “no energy,” or even the “no time” kind. For me, most of my writer’s block comes from a lack of motivation or as a procrastination tactic. I’ll do anything other than write when I’m in a block.

It’s like I have all these ideas in my head, but something inside just won’t let me write for some reason. It’s really annoying.

Jubilee:
That is so me. Procrastination is my biggest writer’s block.

MJ:
Yeah, exactly.

Jubilee:
Can you recall a specific time when you struggled with writer’s block? What do you think triggered it?

MJ:
I actually have two specific times that come to mind. The first was when I was brand new to being a serious writer. I was working on this pirate book, and I thought it was going to be my thing—like, “I’m going to be a pirate author!” I finished it and had people edit it, and it was a total dumpster fire. There was no plot, no structure—looking back now, I’m like, “What was I thinking?”

I was devastated. I’d put all my energy into that one story, thinking it would be my big break, and I didn’t have a backup plan. I went months without writing because I didn’t know what else to work on. Now, I have the opposite problem—too many ideas! But that was the first time I really faced writer’s block.

The second time was with my current project. A friend of mine originally gave me the story idea and shared a bunch of brainstorming snippets with me. I was reading them one day, and they were so beautiful and well-written that I actually started crying. I thought, “Why can’t I write like this? She’s writing my story better than I can.”

It made me feel like I wasn’t good enough to do the story justice. But she encouraged me and reminded me that I’m a good writer too. She told me to write for me, not for anyone else. And that really helped shift my mindset. Everyone has a unique voice, and no one can tell a story the way you can.

Jubilee:
That’s so true. I don’t know if I’ve experienced exactly that, but I’ve always known I wasn’t a great writer, so I expected critique—and that’s exactly what I got.

MJ:
Well, hey, that’s good that you were open to it. I was… not. I thought I had it all figured out!

Jubilee:
That totally makes sense. What are some personal strategies you’ve used to overcome writer’s block?

MJ:
I love this question. I feel like whenever you search for advice online, it’s always the same stuff—make a playlist, do a collage, use writing prompts. That doesn’t work for me.

What does work is consuming media with the same vibe as what I’m trying to write. My current project is set in a circus, so I read circus-themed books and watched The Greatest Showman. That kind of inspiration gets the creative juices flowing.

Also, I recommend reading over just watching. Books show you sentence structure, tone, and how things are worded—it helps you grow as a writer.

Another tip is changing your physical position when writing. Not just location, but how you’re sitting. Sometimes just putting my laptop on my lap and changing the angle unlocks something, and suddenly I’m writing like crazy.

Reading your own old writing helps too. Sometimes you’ll find random gold nuggets in what you thought was cringy. Younger me was randomly deep, and I’ll come across something and think, “Wait, that was actually good.”

Jubilee:
Same! Old writing can be terrible, but sometimes it’s surprisingly good. I’ve also noticed that reading in your genre while writing definitely helps with inspiration. There’s a reason people say to do it.

MJ:
Yes! I was reading like twelve books in my genre a few weeks ago, and it was so helpful. Oh, and another tip—do something boring. Boredom leads to creativity. I can’t tell you how many plot holes I’ve fixed while doing the dishes!

Jubilee:
Yes! My best ideas come when I’m doing something like walking or cleaning—totally unrelated to writing, but something active.

MJ:
Exactly. You step away, and suddenly the ideas just come to you.

Jubilee:
Has writer’s block ever helped you discover something new about your writing process or yourself?

MJ:
Yes. I’ve realized I put way too much pressure on myself to get it right the first time. I have this all-or-nothing mindset—if it’s not going to be perfect, I don’t want to do it at all. But I read something online that helped: If it’s worth doing well, it’s worth doing poorly.

The example they gave was brushing your teeth—maybe you’re supposed to brush for two minutes, but brushing for thirty seconds is better than not brushing at all. Same thing with writing. First drafts don’t have to be perfect. They just help you figure out what works and what doesn’t. So I always say, “Write your garbage. It’s your garbage. You can fix it later. No one has to see it.”

Jubilee:
That’s an awesome mindset for writing in general.

Okay, here’s a question I had some thoughts on, as well—do you think social media or modern technology contributes to writer’s block?

MJ:
Do you want to go first?

Jubilee:
Sure!

I think it does. I’ve noticed that if I check social media first thing in the morning and then try to write, nothing comes to me. Social media is passive—you don’t really have to think. But writing is active. Turning on social media before getting to your latest writing project is like eating candy before an apple.

So for me, starting the day with writing before social media makes a big difference.

MJ:
Wow, that was deep! And I totally agree. Social media is kind of mind-numbing—entertainment just gets poured into your brain and shuts down your creativity. Sometimes it can help, like if you’re looking for prompts, but most of the time it’s just a distraction.

I’ll open my phone to play music while I write, and next thing I know, I’m watching TikToks an hour later. It just eats up time, and I’m like, “What happened?”

Jubilee:
Right? It’s so easy to fall into that.

MJ:
Yeah. Definitely a major distraction for writers.

Jubilee:

What advice would you give to new writers facing serious writer’s block?

MJ:
I’d say, find what works for you. Like with art—when I first started drawing, I did landscapes and was terrible at it. I thought I was just a bad artist. But then I started drawing people and machinery, and I realized, “Oh, I can draw—I just needed to find my thing.”

Same with writing. I started with poetry, then tried mystery—which I could never finish, even though I loved reading mysteries. Eventually, I found my groove with contemporary, sci-fi, and some magical realism.

So even if you want to write a certain story or genre, it might not work for you right now. Build your skills with what you’re good at, and then branch out.

Also, find people to share your writing with. Accountability helps so much. When someone’s waiting on you to send a chapter, it gives you motivation to keep going. And when they give you encouragement, it makes you want to write more. Surround yourself with people who are excited about your stories.

Jubilee:
Absolutely. Encouragement from others can be a huge motivator.

Okay, one last question I just thought of—can you think of any resources you’ve used to overcome writer’s block? You mentioned music earlier.

MJ:
Yeah, I use a lot of playlists—different ones for different vibes. I also like collecting things that remind me of my characters, like trinkets or clothes. I even have a full costume for one of my characters, and it’s just really cool to have that tangible connection.

Jubilee:
That’s awesome. So where can people find you online?

MJ:
I just started an Instagram account! There’s not much on there yet, but I’ll be posting more soon. You can follow me at @mj_falcon_creatives—that’s all lowercase with underscores between the words.

Jubilee:
Perfect. I’ll link that in the description. Thanks so much, MJ, for doing this interview with me—it was super fun.

MJ:
Yeah, it was awesome. Thanks for having me!

Jubilee:
You’re welcome. Alright, bye everyone!

*****

Did you enjoy this interview? Check out my interview on crafting theme here!

Check out Reilly’s writing podcast, The Inked!

Transcript:

Jubilee:
Howdy everyone, welcome back to The Book Bardess podcast for an interview with Riley Smith. Riley is a young writer with a passion for the Lord and a love of animals, chocolate, the outdoors, and of course, books. Currently, she's working on one main project—a young adult fiction series called The Amulets of Averon. Riley has been writing seriously for about five years, ever since she decided to write her own version of Pilgrim's Progress. (P.S.—it didn’t turn out that way.) When she’s not writing, you can find her swinging outside, in a theater production, or working on things for her writing podcast, The Inked.

So, when you first start planning out a book, how do you start building your characters?

Reilly:
When I go about outlining or preparing to write a story, I always start with the character. First, I think about how they look physically. Once you have that, you get a better feel for where the character is going emotionally. For example, I might decide I want my character to have blonde hair, blue eyes, and be a girl—or maybe a guy—and then I ask: what is this character’s main conflict in the story? Those are my two big starting points: physical description and conflict. Then I go into more detail from there.

Jubilee:
I'm working on a new project, and just giving a name to that character and thinking about what they look like—it makes them feel like a whole new person.

Reilly:
For sure. I always have so much fun with physical descriptions—I tend to go a little overboard. I have a character with bright white hair, dark tan skin, and green eyes. She’s so much fun. I asked a friend to do some character art and she said, “This is such a weird character description... but I kind of love it.” She’s drawing her now, and I’m really excited to see the finished product. It just makes the characters feel so much more real.

Jubilee:
That's really cool. White hair sounds awesome.

Reilly:
It’s kind of a tendency of mine. That’s like the third or fourth character I’ve given white hair!

Jubilee:
Wow! I also like white hair—it’s just cool. So once you’ve got their physical appearance down, how do you make your characters relatable to the reader?

Reilly:
There are two ways you can make a character relatable: through their main conflict or through smaller, more personal quirks. The main conflict is usually the driving force—like their greatest fear or deepest desire. That might be relatable to some readers, but not all. That’s where the small conflicts—or what I call quirks—come in.

Quirks are the fun, weird, little things about your character that a lot of people can relate to. Maybe they have ADHD—many of my characters do. Maybe they play with their hair or pick at their nails. I had one character who eats tomatoes like apples—just washes them and bites right in. That was based on one of my best friends. She read that part and said, “Wait a minute, that’s me!” And I was like, “Yep!” Those little things help readers connect with characters in a really personal way.

Jubilee:
I love that! I've done the same thing—based quirks on my friends. Since they're real people, it helps make the characters feel more real, too.

Reilly:
Exactly. I often base parts of my characters on my family or friends. Not every part of them, but definitely certain traits. And it’s always funny when my friends read my stories and go, “This is why you were asking me all those questions!”

Jubilee:
That’s really funny. Do you usually write characters that change a lot through the story, or ones who stay mostly the same?

Reilly:
It depends on the story. Sometimes I have characters with a big overarching arc—they start young and naïve, then go through something difficult and grow into who they’re meant to be. They might experience emotional, physical, or spiritual changes, especially in my more spiritually-themed books.

Other times, I have characters—like side characters—who don’t change as much. But overall, most of my stories center around growth in some way.

Jubilee:
So how do characters change throughout the story?

Reilly:
It usually happens at a turning point, where they make a big decision that could completely change their life. For example, one of my characters had to decide whether to join the army. His parents were against it, but he wanted to go fight with his friends. That decision ended up changing him—it gave him a deep sense of compassion he didn’t know he had.

Most change comes through traumatic or chaotic events. But in genres like rom-coms—which I write just for fun—characters might change from small, meaningful moments, like helping someone or seeing something that shifts their perspective. So it can be either big or small moments that bring about growth.

Jubilee:
Yes! In the Bible, it says suffering produces character, and that’s so true. It can lead to good or bad character depending on the direction of the arc. Speaking of arcs—do you plot out your stories or just write them?

Reilly:
Oh, I’m a total planner. I plan every detail. I have outlines, plot charts, worldbuilding charts, character charts—and if it’s a fantasy story, I’ll make a full encyclopedia. There’s so much lore and backstory. I end up with like 20 pages of planning documents. It’s kind of an issue, honestly!

Jubilee:
That’s amazing! Have you heard of K.M. Weiland’s plotting resources?

Reilly:
I’ve heard of it, but I haven’t used it.

Jubilee:
She really emphasizes how character, theme, and plot are all connected. One thing I learned from her blog is that characters often start off believing a lie. Through the events of the story, they gradually begin to believe the truth. I used to write conversion stories where the character believed a lie for 75% of the book, then suddenly switched at the end. But I realized character change happens gradually over the whole story.

Reilly:
Yes, absolutely. That makes so much sense.

Jubilee:
Have you come across any resources that you’d recommend to writers—whether they’re just starting out or have been building characters for years?

Reilly:
Honestly, I don’t use a ton of resources. My biggest tool is just observing people. My dad and I go on walks along the beach in the summer, and we people-watch. The more you understand real people, the better you can write believable characters.

People are dynamic—they’re always changing, thinking, feeling, evolving. Your characters should be the same. Even if it’s an animal or fantasy creature with human-like thoughts, they should still be dynamic.

Jubilee:
That’s such a great point—watching people really is one of the best tools.

Reilly:
Just… don’t be creepy about it, okay? I’m not saying to go spy on your neighbors with binoculars!

Jubilee:
Haha! I read a writing book once where someone said they eavesdropped on people at stoplights. I was like... okay, I don’t think I’d go that far!

Reilly:
Yeah, that’s a bit extreme!

Jubilee:
Well, this has been awesome. One last question—where can listeners find you online?

Reilly:
You can find me mainly through The Inked Podcast socials. We’re on YouTube, and the podcast is also on Spotify. For more information or to submit questions, check out our website: theinkedworld.com.

Jubilee:
Awesome! Everyone go check that out! Thank you so much for doing this, Reilly!

Reilly:
It was a lot of fun!

*****
Did you enjoy this interview? Check out my interview on defeating writer's block here!