Ep175: Problem Solving Your Novel

Main Topic: Problem Solving in Your Novel (and your life!)   Get 45% off the Magic Mind bundle with with my link: https://magicmind.com/VALERIEJAN #magicmind #mentalwealth #mentalperformance PATREON: Thank you to our existing patrons for believing in our work offline and here in the podcast.  Become a patron of the arts at Patreon.com/valerieihsan for books, writing instruction, coaching, and planning. Go to Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre.   Segment 1 (Announcements/Author Updates): started thinking about decluttering on a serious level - starting with my office (Valerie) writing, finishing things (multiple manuscripts), balancing work and work. ;-) (Erick) What are you reading? Valerie: Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman; The Year of the Puppy (Alexandra Horowitz) ; Once There Were Wolves Charlotte McConaghy; The Teller of Small Fortunes Julie Leong  The Desire Map (Danielle LaPorte) Start Thinking Rich by Brad Klontz and Adrian Brambila Erick: Hampton Heights by Dan Kois; The Eyre Affair Jasper Fforde; The Boy From the Woods Harlan Coben     Segment 2 (Resources/Tips/Tidbits): Tidbit #1: Otter.io FABULOUS. Transcription software. $60/year. Tidbit #2: Wheel of Life. Rank your categories. Friends and Family, Significant Other, Personal Growth, Fun and Leisure, Home Environment, Career, Money, Health. Understand what areas need improvement, what areas are being neglected, and start to create balance. What can be worked on next? What needs to happen for the number to increase? Tidbit #3: Mental Wealth vs Mental Health. (SAD, anxiety, etc) Almost every book I read now talks about sleep as being the #1 thing for overall health. Wake up every day at same time. (Josh's ADHD/insomnia story). I'm trying it. But changing my time to later. You know I've been taking that Magic Mind performance shot (still am). I was reading a little bit more about their company--they ship internationally so I'll be able to get it in CR.--and they've got these pillars of mental wealth: Sleep. Diet. Exercise. Stress Management. Exogenous Compounds (something created outside of the body): antibiotics, herbal supplements, cigarette smoke, diet, wildfire smoke, etc.I'm doing a lot of work already in most of the pillars .... But sleep. The last thing I work on is listed first.  Magic Mind has a new mental wealth challenge going on their website, and they've packaged up their mental performance shots (which I'm still drinking in the morning with my coffee and happy lite), along with (for the first time) Sleep Shots. And I've got a link for 45% off in the show notes, of course. So yeah. Sleep. That's one of my 2025 resolutions. And my tidbit. Also, I may be weird, but I don't like naps. So I've really got to get my sleep in order. Segment 3 (Mindset-Craft-Biz Check):  Segment 4 (Main Topic):  Problem Solving in Your Novel (and your life!) GROW: Goals, Resources, Obstacles, Way Forward (Use Tarot for this too!) (author and for character) 1. Something is not right here. Skill to develop. "In service of the story." 2. GROW method. 3. Take the character out of the problem spots in the novel. It's me (the author). "Why are we here? Why did I bring us to this scene?" Transitions and staging. (What is happening between the scenes that I want the reader to know that I'm not writing?) 4. Character Motivation. Mini motivations in service to the bigger motivation.  5. Master class in long term story: Breaking Bad.   And don't forget: Get 45% off the Magic Mind bundle with with my link: https://magicmind.com/VALERIEJAN #magicmind #mentalwealth #mentalperformance Find Us: Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor   ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)