JEFF ZENTNER: Writing Strong Character Relationships & Being Creative Around The Edges of A Normal Life

I’m so excited to have Jeff Zentner on the show! Jeff is the William C. Morris award-winning author of his debut novel “The Serpent King”. His debut was also selected as a New York Times notable book, and an Amazon Best Book of the year. Both Buzzfeed and Mashable named “The Serpent King” as one of the Best YA books of 2016! Click here to go directly to Jeff's shownotes page that lists all of his awesome recommended resources. His second novel, “Goodbye Days” was recently released to rave reviews. Time magazine selected “Goodbye Days” as one of the five new books that guide young readers through hardships and struggles with lessons in resilience and hope. In today’s episode, we dive right into the inspiration behind “The Serpent King” and “Goodbye Days”. Jeff walks us through his thought process while writing authentic voices for his characters. We dive even further into step-by-step advice on building strong characters and improving character development. Jeff shares tips on approaching difficult scenes that challenge readers, and how to write about grief in fiction. We also discuss how storytelling inspires empathy and why it’s necessary for writers to carve out protected time for their writing. Happy listening! Xo, Yin PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!  PPS. If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page! --- "Write what fascinates you, and write who you love." -Jeff Zentner (Click to tweet) "You can be creative around the edges of a normal life." -Jeff Zentner (Click to tweet) "You’ve got to commit to getting words on the page and you have to commit to finishing what you started." -Jeff Zentner (Click to tweet) --- Click here to grab your Limited Edition & signed 88 Cups of Tea mug! Thank you in advance for your love and support for our show!  --- What you'll learn from Jeff's episode: Why it’s absolutely necessary to create protected and sacred writing time Jeff’s insight into writing authentic voices Step-by-step advice on building strong characters How to improve character development Jeff’s thoughts on the connection between tragedy and comedy How to approach difficult scenes that challenge your readers How storytelling inspires empathy Why it’s crucial to show different cultures coming together in literature How to write about grief in a story Small manageable steps to take to accomplish your writing goals Learn More About Jeff Zentner: Jeff Zentner is the acclaimed author of The Serpent King. In addition to writing, he is a singer-songwriter and guitarist who has recorded with Iggy Pop, Nick Cave, and Debbie Harry.  “Goodbye Days” is his love letter to the city of Nashville and the talented people who populate it. He lives in Nashville with his wife and son.