Amie Kaufman On Writing
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
How To Get Better At Writing
09 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We're back after a long break with a new episode -- maybe the most useful one yet -- and an update on future plans. If you want to stay in the loop re...
Turning a Character Into a Plot with Lili Wilkinson (Season 4, Bonus Episode 2)
19 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We'll be back in a couple of months with the second half of Season 4, and in the meantime, I have a couple of fantastic bonus episodes for you. When I...
Writing For Tabletop Games with James Sutter (Season 4, Bonus Episode 1)
27 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We'll be back in a couple of months with the second half of Season 4, and in the meantime, I have a couple of fantastic bonus episodes for you. First ...
Creating a Magic System
15 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Creating a magic system that really works takes effort. Every time you think you've got it working, someone points out some what-if hypothetical, and ...
Research for Worldbuilding with Kate J. Armstrong
08 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I started writing an episode to answer a question about worldbuilding and research—and then I realised that I already have the perfect resource for ...
Character Descriptions
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The way a character narrating a book—or even just a character whose point of view we share—is going to describe someone they see every day is goin...
Creating a Map
24 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I LOVE maps: I think they really add something to a world—when done well, everything from the style in which the map is drawn, to what's included c...
Creating Romantic Tension
17 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
All my books are romances. I love them: the yearning, the will-they-won't-they, and sometimes just the how-on-earth-can-they of it. Whether it's a tor...
Writing the End of the World with London Shah (Season 3, Bonus Episode 2)
05 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When I got a question about writing apocalyptic worlds, I knew that London should be the one to answer it. She has so much wisdom on this subject to s...
Writing Ensemble Casts with M.K. England (Season 3, Bonus Episode 1)
24 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When I recieved a question on how to create a compelling cast of characters, I knew M.K. England was the person to answer it. M.K. is a pro at buildi...
Co-Authoring Disagreements (Season 3, Episode 10)
09 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I get a lot of questions about co-authoring, and so I'm dedicating the last three episodes of the season to answering them. This week's question is b...
How Co-Authoring Works (Season 3, Episode 9)
04 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I get a lot of questions about co-authoring, and so I'm dedicating the last three episodes of the season to answering them. If you missed last week's...
Preparing for Co-authoring (Season 3, Episode 8)
26 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The most frequent questions I get are about how co-authoring works. So I'm going to devote the last three episodes of this season to co-authoring, ans...
What To Do With a Giant Word Count (Season 3, Episode 7)
12 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
My books are famously huge, so I am very intimate with this issue! A long word count isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if it feels like your book is ...
Four Ways To Build A Character (Season 3, Episode 6)
04 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When you come to a story, you might have a very basic idea of who a character will be. But how do you go about building those characters, making them...
Choosing First or Third Person POV (Season 3, Episode 5)
28 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Let's talk about point of view. What's the difference between first and third person, and how does a novel change depending on which you choose? A ...
What Is Three Act Structure? (Season 3, Episode 4)
21 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week, I am giving you a quick tour through the basics of the three act structure: what it is, why it matters, and why you might want to keep it i...
Writing When You Have No Time (Season 3, Episode 3)
14 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you want, or even need, to write, but you're having trouble finding the time, this one's for you. This is a guide for busy people that I hope will...
How Outlining Works (Season 3, Episode 2)
07 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You might find you're immediately inclined to lay out your story before you begin, or you might be showing up to give it a try because your writing st...
Plotters and Pantsers (Season 3, Episode 1)
28 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Season 3! To kick us off we have a question about plotters and pantsers. We often say that writers fall on a continuum from plotter at one...
Introducing: Pub Dates
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I am thrilled to announce the new podcast I'm making with my friend, and this show's producer, Kate Armstrong. Come behind the scenes on the making of...
Being Your Own Editor with Abby Ranger (Season 2, Bonus Episode 2)
15 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Abby Ranger is a brilliant editor. Over the years, she's worked at HarperCollins, Disney-Hyperion, and Scholastic, with a who's who of authors. In fac...
Sticking the Landing with Jay Kristoff (Season 2, Bonus Episode 1)
04 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When I asked you all who you'd like a guest episode from in our break between seasons, today's guest was a very popular answer. I think Jay's sense o...
Writing Unreliable Narrators (Season 2, Episode 10)
07 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
You can find a transcript of this episode at my website, where you can also subscribe to my newsletter, get behind-the-scenes peeks at how I write, a...
How To Get That Draft Finished (Season 2, Episode 9)
31 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
You can find a transcript of this episode at my website, where you can also subscribe to my newsletter, get behind-the-scenes peeks at how I write, a...
Falling Out of Love With Your Story (Season 2, Episode 8)
25 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
You can find a transcript of this episode at my website, where you can also subscribe to my newsletter, get behind-the-scenes peeks at how I write, a...
Four Tips on Backstory Without Info Dumps (Season 2, Episode 7)
17 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
You can find a transcript of this episode at my website, where you can also subscribe to my newsletter, get behind-the-scenes peeks at how I write, a...
Crafting Distinctive Character Voices (Season 2, Episode 6)
10 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
You can find a transcript of this episode at my website, where you can also subscribe to my newsletter, get behind-the-scenes peeks at how I write, a...
Writing Genuinely Evil Villains (Season 2, Episode 5)
03 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
You can find a transcript of this episode at my website, where you can also subscribe to my newsletter, get behind-the-scenes peeks at how I write, a...
Animal Companions (Season 2, Episode 4)
26 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
You can find a transcript of this episode at my website, where you can also subscribe to my newsletter, get behind-the-scenes peeks at how I write, a...
Sharing Vulnerability in Your Writing (Season 2, Episode 3)
19 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When I think about writing from the deepest parts of myself – something I've done often – I always think of an incredible spoken word poet called ...
Hanging a Lantern (Season 2, Episode 2)
12 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There's nothing worse than finding yourself slowly growing more confused as you read a book – realizing that you're not sure if you're meant to know...
Three Ways To Fix Your Pacing Problem (Season 2, Episode 1)
05 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I know we all know that feeling when you're reading a story you should be enjoying, but it's taking a while, and your mind is starting to wander, and…...
Researching for Historical Novels with Ryan Graudin (Season 1, Bonus Episode 3)
27 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
While you're waiting for us to bring you Season Two, I wanted to share another bonus episode, with some really inspiring advice about researching for ...
Writing Suspense with Ellie Marney (Season 1, Bonus Episode 2)
23 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ellie Marney is an Aussie crime author with a huge and loyal following – I count myself as one of her fans. She's so smart, and so meticulous with h...
Writing Morally Ambiguous Characters with Marie Lu (Season 1, Bonus Episode 1)
09 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I loved this week's question about writing morally ambiguous characters, and since we're in bonus episode territory I thought we should do something f...
Weaving Setting Into Your Story (Season 1, Episode 10)
12 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week we're going to talk about how you convey it to your reader—because done well, your setting can contribute to the mood of your story, help ...
Four Ways To Visualize Your Setting (Season 1, Episode 9)
05 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Your setting is essentially a character in your story, and has so much to tell us. The location in which your story is set should matter—it should b...
How Do I Avoid Clichés? (Season 1, Episode 8)
28 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The answer definitely isn't to avoid familiar storylines completely—sometimes a path is well-trodden for a reason. So let's get into the difference...
Where Should My Story Start? (Season 1, Episode 7)
21 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There's a lot to say about the start of stories, and we'll get to more of it in future seasons. In this episode, I talk about the tip I use to locate ...
Who Is My Protagonist? (Season 1, Episode 6)
14 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The protagonist—or the main character of your story, the star of the show—is often tricky. I've got two questions I ask myself about my protagoni...
How to Deal with Writer's Block (Season 1, Episode 5)
07 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is something that happens to everyone—I don't buy it when people say they never have writer's block. They might call it by another name, but th...
Where to End a Chapter (Season 1, Episode 4)
31 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I work hard to make my stories unputdownable; there's an art to getting a chapter just right. I've got four tips for you when it comes to keeping read...
How to Show Your Worldbuilding (Season 1, Episode 3)
24 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When we hit those paragraphs that are just the author telling you stuff they want you to know about their world, we call them infodumps. We need to s...
Introduction (Season 1, Episode 1)
16 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Amie Kaufman on Writing, a short podcast that answers one question each week about how writers do what they do. If you're a writer, or you...
Worldbuilding is for Everyone (Season 1, Episode 2)
16 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Building a world for your story or your series is a huge job, and though we all know the one about how the journey of a thousand miles begins with a s...