Latest How to write fiction Podcast Episodes
[SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT] My Book Is Available For Pre-Order!
Fiction Writing Made Easy - July 09, 2024 07:00 - 14 minutesEver wish you could understand exactly what makes your favorite stories so lovable? Me too! So much so that I deconstructed every single scene in the first Harry Potter book to see how and why it worked. And today, I’m super excited to share with you that my brand-new book, Harry Potter and th...
#149. 5 Questions To Write Better Antagonists
Fiction Writing Made Easy - July 02, 2024 07:00 - 26 minutesAntagonists can make or break a story—both for the writer and the reader. Writers who don’t spend time developing their antagonists tend to write drafts that fall apart in the middle. Anyone who reads a story with a weak or unconvincing protagonist is unlikely to finish it. So, how do we go ...
#148. How To Use Universal Fantasy To Write Better Books (& Sell More Copies) With Theodora Taylor
Fiction Writing Made Easy - June 25, 2024 07:00 - 44 minutes“Never wonder if readers will love your story again.” This is exactly what Theodora Taylor teaches you how to do in her book 7 FIGURE FICTION: How to Use Universal Fantasy to SELL Your Books to ANYONE. Despite writing fiction in a niche genre (interracial romance), Theodora Taylor has grown a f...
#147. A Week in the Life: 7 Days Behind the Scenes with Savannah (June 2024)
Fiction Writing Made Easy - June 18, 2024 07:00 - 31 minutesWant a peek behind the scenes into my work week? 👀 In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes and sharing what I do as a developmental editor and book coach. I’ll talk through the projects I’m working on, what I’m excited (or not excited) about, what’s coming up in the next few weeks, ...
#146. 6 Ways Mindfulness Can Make You A Happier & More Productive Writer With April Dávila
Fiction Writing Made Easy - June 11, 2024 07:00 - 37 minutesIf you’ve ever felt frustrated with your progress (or lack of progress), it’s probably time to take a step back from your writing and consider your mindset. To help you do just that, I’m sharing a conversation in today’s podcast episode with April Dávila, an award-winning author, speaker, and w...
#145. How To Develop Your Character's Backstory
Fiction Writing Made Easy - June 04, 2024 07:00 - 20 minutesCrafting compelling backstories for your fictional characters is critical to developing a cohesive story, but it’s sometimes easier said than done. There are endless options when it comes to which details you can include in your character’s backstory, and what you do include will influence ever...
#144. Student Spotlight: How She Landed A Book Deal With Her Dream Publisher (With Savannah Carlisle)
Fiction Writing Made Easy - May 28, 2024 07:00 - 43 minutesHave you ever heard someone say that the only difference between a published author and an unpublished author is that the published author never gave up? I wholeheartedly believe this, and my guest today proves it’s true. Savannah Carlisle writes heartwarming romance novels that transport read...
#143. How To Pitch Podcasts With Michelle Glogovac
Fiction Writing Made Easy - May 21, 2024 07:00 - 40 minutes“Human beings want to hear the stories of other human beings. And that's exactly what podcasts do.” - Michelle Glogovac You have a finished book, now what? Learn how to pitch yourself to podcasts (and create your own podcast book tour!) in this episode. Here’s a preview of what’s included: [0...
#142. How To Write A Query Letter That Get Requests
Fiction Writing Made Easy - May 14, 2024 07:00 - 21 minutes“I recommend working on your query letter as soon as you feel good enough about the overall shape of your story.” - Savannah Gilbo Agents and editors must sort through hundreds of query letters to find an outstanding story. So, how do you write a query letter that catches their attention and ma...
#141. How To Create Believable Monsters With Randy Ellefson
Fiction Writing Made Easy - May 07, 2024 07:00 - 52 minutes“The object itself didn't cause the conflict. The person who made the choice with the object caused the conflict.” - Randy Ellefson In today’s episode, we’re going to cover something really fun—how to create believable monsters. And I have a special guest joining me today—someone that knows way...
#140. First Chapter Analysis: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Fiction Writing Made Easy - April 30, 2024 07:00 - 56 minutes“We need to advance the plot and we need to develop the character. When you can marry the two, you have a strong scene.” - Abigail K. Perry We’re taking a deep dive into Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins to see how and why it works. Join me and Abigail K. Perry as we break down this first chapter o...
#139: 5 Multi POV Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them)
Fiction Writing Made Easy - April 23, 2024 07:00 - 20 minutesTelling a story through multiple viewpoints can be a great way to create a more expansive (and objective) look at your characters, world, plot, and/or theme. But with each additional viewpoint character you add to your story, the more room there is for mistakes. In this episode, I'm sharing the ...
#138: How To Manage Your Creative Anxiety With Rhonda Douglas
Fiction Writing Made Easy - April 16, 2024 07:00 - 41 minutes“Writing is a creative project. It's not an earthquake, but the thoughts and the worries can feel similar. If I can have a positive association or feel prepared for an earthquake, surely I can do that for writing.” - Rhonda Douglas Ever found yourself staring at the blank page, trying to write ...
#137: 5 Tips For Writing Better Fiction (Even If You're Just Starting Out)
Fiction Writing Made Easy - April 09, 2024 07:00 - 32 minutes“Focus your pre-writing and drafting and revising efforts on the present moment of your story.” - Daniel David Wallace I asked five of my peers to share one of their favorite writing tips, and boy, did they deliver! Tune in to hear 5 editors and coaches talk about their favorite tip and why it’...
#136: First Chapter Analysis: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Fiction Writing Made Easy - April 02, 2024 07:00 - 1 hour“Usually stakes start personal and they become public. That's a way of raising stakes, regardless of the genre.” - Savannah Gilbo We’re diving deep into Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins to see how and why it works. Join me and Abigail K. Perry as we break down this first chapter to see how it h...
#136. First Chapter Analysis: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Fiction Writing Made Easy - April 02, 2024 07:00 - 1 hour“Usually stakes start personal and they become public. That's a way of raising stakes, regardless of the genre.” - Savannah Gilbo We’re diving deep into Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins to see how and why it works. Join me and Abigail K. Perry as we break down this first chapter to see how it h...
#135: Mastering Point of View and Voice: Expert Tips From Gabriela Pereira Of DIY MFA
Fiction Writing Made Easy - March 26, 2024 07:00 - 42 minutes“You, the writer, have a bigger sphere of knowledge. You know more things than the narrator necessarily knows.” - Gabriela Pereira In today’s episode, I ask Gabriela Pereira of DIY MFA for her thoughts on some of the most commonly asked questions I get about point of view and voice—and she shar...
#134: How To Stop Procrastinating: 5 Productivity Tips For Writers
Fiction Writing Made Easy - March 19, 2024 07:00 - 29 minutes“It's really important to focus on the big picture story first and not worry about granular details that you can figure out later.” - Savannah Gilbo Get more done in less time, overcome procrastination, and become a master at time management with these 5 super simple productivity tips that I’ve...
#133: A Week in the Life: 7 Days Behind the Scenes with Savannah (March 2024)
Fiction Writing Made Easy - March 12, 2024 07:00 - 35 minutes“Sometimes it's easy to take feedback to mean that your story's broken when it's not.” - Savannah Gilbo I’m taking you behind the scenes with me throughout my entire work week! You’ll see how I plan my days, what projects I work on, what I learn from the writers I work with, and so much more! ...
#132: First Chapter Analysis: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Fiction Writing Made Easy - March 05, 2024 08:00 - 1 hour“In stories that feel society dominant, is survival even worth it if you don't have freedom?” - Abigail K. Perry We’re taking a deep dive into The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins to see how and why it works. Join me and Abigail K. Perry as we break down this first chapter to see how it hooks ou...
#131: 5 Steps To Start Planning Your Book Series
Fiction Writing Made Easy - February 27, 2024 08:00 - 35 minutes“The key to making books within a series work is to grow, escalate, and complicate the conflict and stakes from book to book.” - Savannah Gilbo A good book series allows readers to immerse themselves in a world and stay there. But how do you write a series that works? To start, here are 5 steps...
#130: How to Craft Romantic Chemistry & Tension Between Characters
Fiction Writing Made Easy - February 20, 2024 08:00 - 25 minutes“ Flat or boring characters who are underdeveloped are never going to light up a scene, no matter how many tricks you pull.” - Savannah Gilbo If you’re writing romance, the chemistry and tension between your characters can make or break your story. Let’s explore how to create romantic chemistry...
#129: Overcoming The Fear Of Marketing With Alexa Bigwarfe
Fiction Writing Made Easy - February 13, 2024 08:00 - 43 minutes“Work on being a better writer and work on your craft and the other stuff will follow. As long as you have a great book, marketing comes a lot easier.” - Alexa Bigwarfe In today’s brand-new episode, I’m sharing a conversation with Alexa Bigwarfe about how writers can overcome the fear of market...
#128: What Are Obligatory Scenes And Conventions?
Fiction Writing Made Easy - February 06, 2024 08:00 - 19 minutes“When a story doesn't include these key scenes and conventions of its genre, it's just not going to work.” - Savannah Gilbo Want a framework for your entire story? Learn what readers expect from a story like yours, and then use these obligatory scenes and conventions as a framework to craft a s...
#127: First Chapter Analysis: The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom
Fiction Writing Made Easy - January 30, 2024 08:00 - 1 hour“It might seem strange to start a story with an ending, but all endings are also beginnings. We just don't know it at the time.” - Abigail K. Perry In this episode, we’re talking about The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom to see how and why it works. Join Abigail K. Perry and me as...
126. Save The Cat! Troubleshooting Common Plot Problems With Jessica Brody
Fiction Writing Made Easy - January 23, 2024 08:00 - 41 minutes“Every time you write something hard, it changes you as a writer, and it makes you a better writer.” - Jessica Brody Today I'm sharing a conversation with Jessica Brody where we talk about some of the most common mistakes writers make when outlining, writing, and editing their books using the “...
#126: Save The Cat! Troubleshooting Common Plot Problems With Jessica Brody
Fiction Writing Made Easy - January 23, 2024 08:00 - 41 minutes“Every time you write something hard, it changes you as a writer, and it makes you a better writer.” - Jessica Brody Today I'm sharing a conversation with Jessica Brody where we talk about some of the most common mistakes writers make when outlining, writing, and editing their books using the “...
#125: Novel Writing Pitfalls: Don't Make These 5 Mistakes
Fiction Writing Made Easy - January 16, 2024 08:00 - 26 minutes“ The purpose of a first draft is not to come up with something that's perfect. Instead, the purpose is to explore your story and get it out of your head.” - Savannah Gilbo Transform your writing as I reveal 5 all-too-common mistakes that plague writers. Learn the savvy strategies to sidestep t...
#124: Student Spotlight: 5 Lessons Learned from Notes to Novel (Season 3)
Fiction Writing Made Easy - January 09, 2024 08:00 - 29 minutes“That's how much my writing's improved. But not just the writing, it's the ease. It's not a struggle when I sit down in front of the laptop to write. Everything just seems a lot easier.” - Morgan Schrock In today's episode, I reached out to some of my Notes to Novels Season 3 students and asked...
# 123: How To Overcome The 5 Types Of Imposter Syndrome
Fiction Writing Made Easy - January 02, 2024 08:00 - 19 minutes“Try learning new skills and then putting what you learn into practice right away, because, at the end of the day, you can only really learn through doing anyway.” - Savannah Gilbo Is imposter syndrome holding you back from writing a novel? Here are the EXACT action steps you can take right now...
Related How to write fiction Topics
- Writing 2
- Writing tips 2