Writing Woods with Victoria Griffin

Victoria Griffin
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Welcome, storytellers. Step into the Writing Woods, away from pressures and distractions. Join professional book editor Victoria Griffin for relaxed chats about writing. Let's improve our craft, foster our passion for writing, and plant the seeds to grow together.

  1. 1d ago

    The warm story rule to reconnect with your writing

    The longer you're away from your story, the harder it can feel to come back. Your story has gone cold, and forcing yourself through another writing session can actually make it harder to reconnect. Today I'm sharing recent struggles I've had with my writing process. We'll talk about why losing contact with your story makes writing progressively harder. And then we'll work on building a sustainable writing practice by focusing on connection instead of word count. 🏕️ Become a Founding Camper: ⁠https://writingwoods.com/camp-waitlist ⏱️ TIME STAMPS 00:00 - Why writing has felt harder 01:21 - How I lost contact with my story 03:30 - Why keeping a story warm matters 04:20 - Why re-entering a story is so hard 04:47 - The downward spiral 06:15 - How the spiral works in reverse 06:44 - Address what pulled you away 07:07 - Change the writing goal 08:35 - Reconnect with your story 10:55 - Take the pressure off 12:22 - Keep your story warm 📖 RESOURCES MENTIONED Deep outlining - https://youtu.be/GD9N1RXMZH0 🎧 WRITING WOODS PODCAST YouTube → https://writingwoods.com/youtube Spotify → https://writingwoods.com/spotify Apple → https://writingwoods.com/apple 📚 BOOK EDITING Thoughtful, passionate editing → https://victoriagriffin.com 📌 FOLLOW ME Instagram → https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor Facebook → https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor

  2. Aug 12

    How writers can manufacture curiosity

    Curiosity can make writing feel easier, more energizing, and more enjoyable. But we can’t just force ourselves to feel curious. In this episode, we explore how curiosity works, what shuts it down, and how one intentional choice can create the conditions for curiosity to thrive. We’ll look at the relationship between curiosity and uncertainty. And we'll talk about practical ways to stop pushing yourself toward the work and start creating opportunities for the work to pull you in. 🌳 Join our free Writing Woods community: ⁠https://writingwoods.com ⏱️ TIME STAMPS 00:00 - Curiosity vs. discipline for writers 01:22 - Why curiosity matters 02:49 - What blocks curiosity 05:40 - Exploration vs. exploitation 06:39 - How exploration creates curiosity 08:31 - How to generate curiosity 12:33 - Curiosity vs. efficiency 14:31 - Creating a sustainable writing practice 📖 RESOURCES MENTIONED How Curiosity Enhances Memory by Matthias J Gruber and Charan Ranganath - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6891259/ 🎧 WRITING WOODS PODCAST YouTube → https://writingwoods.com/youtube Spotify → https://writingwoods.com/spotify Apple → https://writingwoods.com/apple 📚 BOOK EDITING Thoughtful, passionate editing → https://victoriagriffin.com 📌 FOLLOW ME Instagram → https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor Facebook → https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor

  3. Aug 5

    Plot isn't what you think it is (it has one job)

    A plot is more than just a series of events. If readers "just can't connect," you're probably missing one specific link between your plot and characters. Today, we'll explore a character-first storytelling framework inspired by Will Storr's concept of the sacred flaw. You'll learn how to build a plot that applies pressure to your protagonist's deepest belief system, creating stories that readers connect with on a much deeper level. 🌳 Join our free Writing Woods community: ⁠https://writingwoods.com ⏱️ TIME STAMPS 00:00 - Let's build a plot 01:02 - Welcome to the Writing Woods 01:30 - Recap: The sacred flaw 02:26 - Character-first storytelling 02:56 - The real job of plot 03:51 - 1. Expose the belief 06:16 - 2. Challenge the belief 07:45 - Contradicting a sacred flaw 09:39 - 3. Escalate the pressure 11:04 - The three jobs of plot 12:57 - Choices and turning points 14:22 - The emotional climax 17:12 - Why this makes stories feel deep 18:37 - Final thoughts 📖 RESOURCES MENTIONED The Science of Storytelling by Will StorrSacred Flaw Part 1 - https://youtu.be/HsbOESOTG54 🎧 WRITING WOODS PODCAST YouTube → https://writingwoods.com/youtube Spotify → https://writingwoods.com/spotify Apple → https://writingwoods.com/apple 📚 BOOK EDITING Thoughtful, passionate editing → https://victoriagriffin.com 📌 FOLLOW ME Instagram → https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor Facebook → https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor

  4. Jul 22

    One belief makes a story great (and it's not yours)

    Most writing advice tells us to create an interesting character… and then make life difficult for them. We're basically launching grenades at our characters, when we should be nocking arrows. 🌳 Join our free Writing Woods community: ⁠https://writingwoods.com If readers keep saying they "just couldn't connect" or "didn't feel satisfied," the problem may not be your dialogue, backstory, or character development. It may be that your plot isn't aiming at the one thing that creates real emotional investment. This is the first episode in a series on building character-driven stories. Next week, we'll look at how to design a plot that puts pressure on one exact point in your protagonist and creates lasting emotional impact. ⏱️ TIME STAMPS 00:00 - Why readers don't connect 00:43 - The grenade problem 02:10 - Every story needs a bullseye 02:39 - The sacred flaw 03:56 - Identity keeps us stuck 05:16 - The flaw they're hiding 08:04 - The emotional core of every story 09:31 - Finding sacred flaws everywhere 10:25 - Part 2: Designing the plot 📖 RESOURCES MENTIONED The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr 🎧 WRITING WOODS PODCAST YouTube → https://writingwoods.com/youtube Spotify → https://writingwoods.com/spotify Apple → https://writingwoods.com/apple 📚 BOOK EDITING Thoughtful, passionate editing → https://victoriagriffin.com 📌 FOLLOW ME Instagram → https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor Facebook → https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor

  5. Jul 16

    Become a consistent writer (don't buckle down)

    Most writers think they need more discipline. But that's often not what's keeping them from writing consistently. Inspiration isn't something you can chase, force, or hunt down. We all know not to wait for inspiration to strike. But the most consistent writers are actually doing something completely different. They're cultivating the conditions where inspiration is most likely to appear. Those conditions have nothing to do with the state of your desk, porch, or pillow fort. They're inside you. Let's talk about the conditions that support inspiration and great writing… and the one habit that can help you become a more consistent writer. 🌳 Join our free Writing Woods community: ⁠https://writingwoods.com ⏱️ TIME STAMPS 00:00 - Consistent writers 01:27 - Welcome to the Writing Woods 01:54 - Storm chasers and inspiration 04:45 - Curiosity 06:39 - Safety 08:58 - Playfulness 09:55 - Wonder 11:46 - Presence 14:05 - The habit that changes everything 14:34 - Stop buckling down 17:55 - The real goal for writers 🎧 WRITING WOODS PODCAST YouTube: https://writingwoods.com/youtube Spotify: https://writingwoods.com/spotify Apple: https://writingwoods.com/apple 📚 BOOK EDITING Thoughtful, passionate editing: https://victoriagriffin.com 📌 FOLLOW ME Instagram → https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor Facebook → https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor

  6. Jul 8

    Write alone (but don't be a writer alone)

    Writing is often a solitary activity, but does being a writer have to be? Let's explore the myth of the isolated writer and why community isn't a distraction from the writing process but an essential part of it. Then we'll talk about how you can build a writing life based on what makes you feel creative and whole instead of based on someone else's idea of what a writer is supposed to be. 🌳 Join our free Writing Woods community: ⁠https://writingwoods.com 🏕️ The Camp waitlist is open: https://writingwoods.com/camp-waitlist ⏱️ TIME STAMPS 00:00 - Welcome to the Writing Woods 00:31 - The myth of the solitary writer 02:25 - When solitude becomes isolation 03:20 - Defining the writing process 04:19 - Why writers need community 05:16 - Designing a writing life 06:44 - Building your writing community 08:05 - Long-term creative relationships 09:04 - You're not meant to do this alone 📖 RESOURCES MENTIONED Deep Work by Cal Newport (excerpt): https://medium.com/hackernoon/excerpted-from-deep-work-by-cal-newport-f58adfb24fd0 🎧 WRITING WOODS PODCAST YouTube → https://writingwoods.com/youtube Spotify → https://writingwoods.com/spotify Apple → https://writingwoods.com/apple 📚 BOOK EDITING Thoughtful, passionate editing → https://victoriagriffin.com 📌 FOLLOW ME Instagram → https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor Facebook → https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor

  7. Jul 1

    Don't "just start" writing

    "Just start." It's common writing advice, but what if starting is actually the hardest part? We're exploring simple, research-backed ways to reduce friction at the beginning of your writing session. Make those first thirty seconds easier so you can get into the writing zone and build a more consistent writing practice. 🌳 Join our free Writing Woods community: ⁠https://writingwoods.com 📖 RESOURCES MENTIONED Deep Work by Cal NewportAtomic Habits by James Clear"Pre-Performance Routines in Sport" by Stewart Cotterill - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233125559_Pre-performance_routines_in_sport_Current_understanding_and_future_directions"Context-Dependent Memory in Two Natural Environments" by D. R. Godden and A. D. Baddeley - https://app.nova.edu/toolbox/instructionalproducts/edd8124/fall11/1975GoddenBaddeley.pdf ⏱️ CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS 00:00 - Why "just start" isn't enough 00:58 - Welcome to the Writing Woods 01:28 - Willpower vs. reducing friction 02:56 - How environment shapes behavior 05:11 - Building a digital writing space 07:47 - Writing warm-up routines 09:06 - Habit stacking for writers 11:02 - Build systems, not willpower 🎧 WRITING WOODS PODCAST YouTube → https://writingwoods.com/youtube Spotify → https://writingwoods.com/spotify Apple → https://writingwoods.com/apple 📚 BOOK EDITING Thoughtful, passionate editing → https://victoriagriffin.com 📌 FOLLOW ME Instagram → https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor Facebook → https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor

  8. Jun 24

    "It's just my voice" (and other lies writers believe)

    Some of the beliefs holding your writing back don't sound like excuses at all. As a writer, I've said them. And in my decade as a professional editor, I've watched plenty of authors limit themselves with these simple phrases. Let's explore three common writing myths that keep writers from improving. A simple mindset shift can help you become a stronger storyteller. 🌳 Join our free Writing Woods community: ⁠https://writingwoods.com 🏕️ The Camp waitlist is open: https://writingwoods.com/camp-waitlist ⏱️ TIME STAMPS 00:00 - Writing lies holding you back 00:27 - Welcome to the Writing Woods 00:55 - "It's just my voice" 01:47 - "The reader didn't get it" 03:11 - "It's just my process" 05:34 - Comfort vs. growth 06:00 - Stay humble and teachable 📖 VIDEOS MENTIONED Deep Outlining - https://youtu.be/QLYma-lYUcE 🎧 WRITING WOODS PODCAST YouTube → https://writingwoods.com/youtube Spotify → https://writingwoods.com/spotify Apple → https://writingwoods.com/apple 📚 BOOK EDITING Thoughtful, passionate editing → https://victoriagriffin.com 📌 FOLLOW ME Instagram → https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor Facebook → https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor

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Welcome, storytellers. Step into the Writing Woods, away from pressures and distractions. Join professional book editor Victoria Griffin for relaxed chats about writing. Let's improve our craft, foster our passion for writing, and plant the seeds to grow together.

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