The Secret to Making High-Stakes Fantasy Feel Personal [Ep 338 VIDEO]

A young hero is about to make a decision that could change everything. But will the reader feel the weight of that choice? In this coaching session, editor Laura Humm works with author Liz Woodwiss on Chapter 21 of Liz's epic fantasy novel. The scene centers on Terry, a 14-year-old reluctant hero who is being pushed toward a terrifyingly grown-up decision: petitioning the King directly during a Day of King's Grace in order to expose the Queen's manipulation. Laura helps Liz strengthen the chapter by bringing the reader deeper into Terry's point of view. Instead of letting the scene become a room full of adults discussing politics, Laura shows how Terry's fear, hope, confusion, and urgency can guide the reader through the complexity of the moment. You'll learn how to open a scene with emotional stakes, how to keep third person close narration anchored in your protagonist, how to remind readers what matters at the start of a chapter, and how to use teenage reactions, whispers, and shared panic to make political fantasy feel immediate and personal. The session also digs into world-building through character-specific imagery, including how Terry's lace-making background can shape the way he sees danger, pressure, and choice. Watch this session if you're writing YA fantasy, political intrigue, a reluctant hero, or any scene where a young character has to stand in a room full of adults and decide who they are going to become.