Writing Roots

S14E4 – Biochemistry with Megan Browning

Characters in any genre need to have skills that contribute to their purpose in the story. That could come from their profession or even a hobby. Whether it’s a cop in a mystery or a field medic on a medieval battlefield, there are things authors can learn from modern experts to develop realistic characters. This month, Ley and Leigh sit down with experts in fields from biochemistry to journalism and talk about important aspects of those skills authors should know.
Part of being an author is knowing where to go for advice. If you are writing anything about a real-world profession or area or expertise, it’s best to find someone in that sphere to go to for advice. The guest on this episode is Megan Browning, a Ph.D. candidate in Biochemistry at the University of Utah. She is also the person Leigh turned to when writing a scientist character in her upcoming novel. She and Leigh talk with Megan about what Biochemistry is about, how it can be used in fiction, and why it’s important to get the details correct.
First aired September 14, 2020.
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S14E3 – Journalism with Julia Avery

Characters in any genre need to have skills that contribute to their purpose in the story. That could come from their profession or even a hobby. Whether it’s a cop in a mystery or a field medic on a medieval battlefield, there are things authors can learn from modern experts to develop realistic characters. This month, Ley and Leigh sit down with experts in fields from biochemistry to journalism and talk about important aspects of those skills authors should know.
Especially in the mystery or police procedural genres, journalists are a very common character. The actual job, though, is not all it appears in popular media. We invited Julia Avery, a local journalist, to join us in this episode to talk about her job, what it takes, and how that knowledge can be applied to writing a journalist character.
First aired September 10, 2020.
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S14E2 – Law Enforcement with Patrick O’Donnell

Characters in any genre need to have skills that contribute to their purpose in the story. That could come from their profession or even a hobby. Whether it’s a cop in a mystery or a field medic on a medieval battlefield, there are things authors can learn from modern experts to develop realistic characters. This month, Ley and Leigh sit down with experts in fields from biochemistry to journalism and talk about important aspects of those skills authors should know.
A very common character, especially in the mystery or action genres, is a law enforcement officer. This can range from a rural Sheriff to an FBI agent and beyond. The problem with writing someone in law enforcement is knowing how things really happen. Too many new authors use popular media as their resource for realistic cop tactics. To help combat this, we sat down with a retired police sergeant and author of Cops and Writers, Patrick O’Donnell.
Find Patrick O’Donnell’s book at Amazon, join his group on Facebook, or check out his website.
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S14E1 – Firearms with Nick Mangum

Characters in any genre need to have skills that contribute to their purpose in the story. That could come from their profession or even a hobby. Whether it’s a cop in a mystery or a field medic on a medieval battlefield, there are things authors can learn from modern experts to develop realistic characters. This month, Ley and Leigh sit down with experts in fields from biochemistry to journalism and talk about important aspects of those skills authors should know.
Firearms are very common in stories around the world. You can find them in historical to science fiction, from muzzle-loading single-shots to laser blasters. In our first episode, we speak with Nick Mangum, a firearms instructor and enthusiast, to talk about what authors need to know if they want to write a character familiar with guns. We discuss the lingo and general stereotypes of firearms owners.
First aired September 3, 2020.
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S13E9 – All Characters Feel the Same

Diagnosing problems in writing can be one of the most difficult tasks for any author. The creators are most often blinded to their own shortcomings. Readers may notice when something is awkward or boring while the author thinks it’s one of the more interesting excerpts. The August series is dedicated to diagnosing these problems, from continuity errors to gaps in logic the readers will inevitably question.
There is a strong argument for a character-driven story. Plot is essential, but without relatable and developed characters, a story will always fall flat. That problem is compounded if all characters act or talk in the same way. Leigh and Ley discuss in this episode ways to identify when characters are too similar and various ways to fix it, from combining them to creating more conflict.
First aired August 31, 2020.
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S13BE – Why We Write Selfishly

You hear us say it at least once every episode. Write Selfishly. It’s our motto and goal in writing, but also so much more than that. To celebrate one year of the podcast, we wanted to take a look and really explain what we really mean.
All month, we’ve been talking about ways to fix common mistakes in writing. This is one of the most common of all. If you write selfishly, it may mean you’re writing terribly, but that’s perfectly okay. Listen to this episode to hear Leigh and Ley talk about what the podcast’s motto means to them and how it has helped improve their writing.
First aired August 29, 2020.
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S13E8 – All Sentences Start the Same Way

Diagnosing problems in writing can be one of the most difficult tasks for any author. The creators are most often blinded to their own shortcomings. Readers may notice when something is awkward or boring while the author thinks it’s one of the more interesting excerpts. The August series is dedicated to diagnosing these problems, from continuity errors to gaps in logic the readers will inevitably question.
In school, we’re all taught sentence structure. It’s formulaic, and frankly, quite boring. Rigidly following that structure can lead to sentences always starting the same way, especially when pronouns are involved. This episode shares some ways to break up the boring, and how to find it in the first place.
First aired August 27, 2020.
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S13E7 – When a Story is Fake or Forced

Diagnosing problems in writing can be one of the most difficult tasks for any author. The creators are most often blinded to their own shortcomings. Readers may notice when something is awkward or boring while the author thinks it’s one of the more interesting excerpts. The August series is dedicated to diagnosing these problems, from continuity errors to gaps in logic the readers will inevitably question.
Have you ever found yourself making your characters do or say something only because it needs to happen? This is a sign that a story will feel fake to the reader. This problem is most often seen when a character drops a reference to a backstory that the others in the scene should already know. It also shows when the main character falls into the trope of being a Mary Sue or a Gary Stu. This episode helps walk you through how to identify and fix those parts that are too convenient to be natural story progression.
First aired August 24, 2020.
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S13E6 – When Continuity Breaks

Diagnosing problems in writing can be one of the most difficult tasks for any author. The creators are most often blinded to their own shortcomings. Readers may notice when something is awkward or boring while the author thinks it’s one of the more interesting excerpts. The August series is dedicated to diagnosing these problems, from continuity errors to gaps in logic the readers will inevitably question.
When a reader hits their stride in devouring a book, the last thing any author wants is to break their concentration. One of the most common ways to pull a reader out of a story is by breaking the continuity. This can happen within a scene – such as a character standing twice – or across the whole book. Continuity problems will confuse or even annoy some readers. In this episode of Writing Roots, we discuss how to find and fix continuity breaks.
First aired August 20, 2020.
ANNOUNCEMENT: You have two more days for a chance to win a laptop case and a mug of your choice from the Writing Roots store. Click this link, then like and share the post. The contest is a way to thank all of our listeners for supporting us over the last year. It’s also to congratulate Leigh Hull on finishing the first draft of her novel.
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S13E5 – Red Flag Words

Diagnosing problems in writing can be one of the most difficult tasks for any author. The creators are most often blinded to their own shortcomings. Readers may notice when something is awkward or boring while the author thinks it’s one of the more interesting excerpts. The August series is dedicated to diagnosing these problems, from continuity errors to gaps in logic the readers will inevitably question.
Some words bring clarity and motion to a story. They draw the reader in and paint exquisite details of the world inside the mind. Others are just dead space. Each author has their own set of what we call Red Flag words. These are ones that are used too often, incorrectly, or should simply be avoided by any author. This episode is all about figuring out how to identify these problem words and then how to fix it.
First aired August 17, 2020.
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