21.39: Write What You Feel

On this episode

About this episode

Your life is probably weirder—and more useful to your writing—than you think. This week, our hosts explore how to turn lived experience into fiction, from borrowing sensory details and emotional reactions to reshaping real people and events. We dive into the feelings wheel, specificity, and the layers of belief, feeling, thought, and action that can make characters feel human. Plus, how journaling can become a surprisingly useful bank of material for your future self. Homework: Journal about a significant emotional moment in your life. Write down the physical sensations, specific feelings, thoughts, conclusions, and choices you made. Then rewrite it as a third-person scene, giving your…