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Writers (and readers who want a look behind the curtain), you know the feeling.

You’ve outlined the scene. You’ve done the character work. You’re just trying to get them to walk across the room and say the line—and suddenly they’re off, burning down the plot and making morally questionable choices you definitely didn’t sign off on.

What gives?

In this week’s delightfully chaotic episode of Long Story, Short, we dive headfirst into the rebellious minds of characters who refuse to follow the plan. Why they go rogue, what it really means, and how you (yes, you) can turn that mutiny into pure narrative gold.

You’ll get:

Practical tips for wrangling—or working with—unruly charactersInsightful takes on what rebellion actually reveals about your storyEncouragement to embrace the mess and keep writing anyway

So grab your coffee, your cat, or whatever else helps you focus (or procrastinate), and hit play on an episode that I hope is honest, hilarious, and exactly what your writer-brain needs.

Watch now:

Let’s make some story magic out of the mayhem.

The post 📺 New Episode! “Why Your Characters Don’t Listen to You (and Why That’s a Good Thing)” appeared first on Heather Long.