This episode of Lore & Love dives into the heart of your story: its theme. Alexandria demystifies the concept, moving it from an intimidating academic exercise to a core question your narrative explores. Discover how theme is often found during the revision process by examining your main character's emotional journey and the central conflict between your hero and antagonist. Learn practical techniques to sharpen your story's thematic resonance by weaving in motifs, symbols, and mirrored subplots, making your narrative more powerful and cohesive.

Welcome back to Lore & Love! If you've just typed "The End" on your first draft, it's time to celebrate—and then, it's time for the real magic to begin. In this episode, Alexandria demystifies the revision process, transforming it from a daunting task into an exciting journey of discovery. Learn why stepping away from your manuscript is the essential first step, and how to differentiate the "telescope" work of revision from the "microscope" work of editing. Alexandria offers practical tips like changing your manuscript's format, reading it aloud to catch awkward phrasing, and the importance of being brave enough to "kill your darlings" for the sake of the story. Prepare to find the stronger, better second story waiting within your work.

We’ve built our world, created our characters, and outlined our plot. Now for the final, crucial step: bringing it all to life on the page. In the final episode of this foundational series, we dive into the craft of prose itself, focusing on the two workhorses of fiction: dialogue and description.

Learn how to write description that does more than paint a picture by filtering it through your character's unique point of view. Discover the power of engaging all the senses to create a truly immersive world. Then, we'll explore the magic trick of great dialogue—how to make every line pull double duty by both revealing character and advancing the plot. Using specific, practical examples from the Storm Kin Saga, we'll break down how to make your words sing and your scenes feel dynamic and real.