One of the questions I get asked by a lot of aspiring authors is, “What books should I read to learn how to start writing a novel?” I get asked this question so often that I decided to turn my answer into a podcast episode! Tune in to this episode to hear my take on the 5 best writing books that have had the biggest impact on me and the authors I work with. I’ll share what the books are, why I like them, and what kind of writer they’d be best for. In other words, you’ll hear me talk about: [02:0...
Oct 08, 2024•22 min•Ep. 162
Have you ever Googled things like “ how many words should be in a novel? ” Or “ how many scenes should a novel have? ” If so, you’ve probably gotten answers like “80,000 words.” Or “somewherre between 40 and 60 scenes.” Easy enough, in theory…But if you’re like most of the writers I’ve worked with, you’ve probably also had trouble sticking to these guidelines because there’s just so much stuff that needs to go into a novel, right? Well, in this episode, I’m going to help clear up some of the con...
Oct 01, 2024•19 min•Ep. 161
How do you know if you’re actually getting better at writing? In this episode, my guest, Tim Grahl, the CEO of Story Grid and the author of multiple books, both fiction and non-fiction, shares his answer to this question. Tim believes that his new book, The Shithead , is the best book he’s ever written —and I happen to agree with him! So, how did he get here? What did he do to become a better writer? And more importantly, what can YOU learn from Tim’s story to become a better writer yourself? Tu...
Sep 24, 2024•44 min•Ep. 160
Want 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, what I learn from the writers I work with , and basically anything else that happens during the week! Tune into the episode to hear me talk about things like: [01:55] How I use a paper planner to map out my...
Sep 17, 2024•22 min•Ep. 159
Would you believe me if I said social media could make you a better writer? If you’re shaking your head NO, you’ll want to check out this episode. My guest, Lara Ferrari , is an Instagram marketing specialist who has helped hundreds of writers grow engaged communities of readers online (and have FUN while doing it). In this episode, she’s sharing how you can use social media to increase your creativity and motivation, get reader input and feedback, do market research, and find the accountability...
Sep 10, 2024•41 min•Ep. 158
Earlier this year, I published my first book , The Story Grid Masterwork Analysis Guide to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone —and I learned soooo much about book marketing. Tune into this episode to hear the ten surprising lessons I learned from my first book launch , including things like: [03:10] What I learned about asking for Amazon reviews —and how asking for favors was the most uncomfortable part of the book launch process for me [04:30] A look behind the scenes at my marketing plan , ...
Sep 03, 2024•18 min•Ep. 157
Do you ever wish you could see a behind-the-scenes look at how other people write? In this episode, you’ll get to hear directly from five of my Notes to Novel students as they share how they brainstormed, outlined, and wrote their books inside the Notes to Novel course. I asked each of them to share the biggest thing that helped them get to “The End” of their drafts , and that’s exactly what they’re sharing with you today. In the episode, you’ll hear things like: [01:50] How fast drafting and us...
Aug 27, 2024•26 min•Ep. 156
As someone who’s worked with hundreds of authors, I see people making the same mistakes over and over and over again. Mistakes that are easily avoidable once you know they’re mistakes. In this episode, I’m sharing some of these mistakes. Specifically, the 10 things that will NOT make you a better writer —and oh boy is it a juicy episode! In it, you’ll hear me talk about: [01:27] Why waiting until you feel more “ready” to write is actually one of the worst things you can do (and spoiler alert: yo...
Aug 20, 2024•32 min•Ep. 155
“I think your story has a genre identity crisis . That’s probably why you’re not getting responses from agents.” ← That’s what I told my new friend, Jac Sahlin, about the duology she’s currently querying . Tune into this episode to hear Jac and I talk through her query letter and first five pages —and to hear my thoughts on why she hasn’t received any requests from agents . Although Jac isn’t technically a client of mine, our conversation will give you a peek behind the scenes into what it’s lik...
Aug 13, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 154
“How many scenes are in the Diagon Alley chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone?” Believe it or not, this is one of the most frequently asked questions I get from writers when they hear I’ve written a book breaking apart this mega best seller scene by scene. And it’s a valid question! This chapter was the hardest chapter for us to analyze when putting together The Story Grid Masterwork Analysis Guide to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. But this week, Abigail K. Perry and I have a...
Aug 06, 2024•47 min•Ep. 153
How did Rowling deliver on the life-and-death stakes an action story requires, but in a way appropriate for middle-grade readers? How did she consistently weave together the external plot and Harry’s character arc in such a way that they’re inseparable? Tune into this episode to hear Abigail K. Perry and I talk through the plot structure of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone using the Story Grid’s Five Commandments of Storytelling. Yep, we’ve broken down the beginning, middle, and end of the ...
Aug 01, 2024•38 min•Ep. 152
Rowling is a master at weaving the external plot with Harry’s internal character arc —and using the external plot events to help Harry grow and change. In this episode, you’ll hear Abigail K. Perry and I talk through the big-picture plot structure of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone using the Story Grid’s Five Commandments of Storytelling. We’ll also discuss how this story fits in the Action Genre Framework and how Rowling adapted that framework to suit a middle-grade audience. ⭐ Rate + Rev...
Jul 30, 2024•17 min
J.K. Rowling is the master of layering things within her scenes . She’s also fantastic at raising the stakes from scene to scene, too. But how does she do it Tune into this episode to hear Abigail K. Perry and I talk to Tim Grahl (the CEO of Story Grid) about what it was like to study Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone — what we learned from J.K. Rowling about writing scenes and so much more. ⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts "I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that ...
Jul 25, 2024•27 min
Ever wonder how Rowling created such a fantastic, three-dimensional story world for her Harry Potter series? That’s exactly what you’ll hear in this week’s brand-new podcast episode! Join me, Abigail K. Perry, and Tim Grahl, as we discuss the world-building in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone —and what we learned from our analysis of this mega best seller. You’ll hear us talk about things like: [02:38] How Rowling built a fantastic story world ripe for life and death conflicts (but in a way...
Jul 23, 2024•20 min•Ep. 151
Plot catalysts make it difficult for a character to achieve their goals. If you’re writing an Action story, there are three main plot catalysts you’ll want to include in your book—a speech in praise of the villain, a deadline or ticking clock, and one or more set-piece action sequences. Tune into this episode to hear a sneak peek from my new book , The Story Grid Masterwork Analysis Guide to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone , and hear how Rowling used plot catalysts to keep readers engaged....
Jul 18, 2024•11 min
Ever wonder how Rowling created such a wonderful cast of quirky and relatable characters in the Harry Potter series? If so, tune into this episode to hear Abigail K. Perry, Tim Grahl, and me talk about the characters in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. You’ll hear us talk about things like: [02:32] How to think about the number of characters you include in your story (and what we can learn from the characters Rowling highlighted in book one) [09:17] How to write a dynamic cast of character...
Jul 16, 2024•33 min•Ep. 150
What made Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone a worldwide bestseller ? Why does this story still resonate with readers almost thirty years later? And why did Abigail and I agree to spend so much time dissecting every single scene and page to find out how and why it works?! Tune into this episode to hear Abigail K. Perry and I talk to Tim Grahl (the CEO of Story Grid) about what it was like to study Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone —why we chose this book, what we learned from our analysis...
Jul 11, 2024•26 min
Ever 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 the Sorcerer’s Stone: A Story Grid Masterwork Analysis Guide, is officially available for pre-order right now! Tune into this episode to hear me talk about things like: [03:25] What’s inside the book and how ...
Jul 09, 2024•14 min
Antagonists 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 about making our antagonists just as compelling as our protagonists? How do we write an antagonist with impact? In this episode, I’m sharing five questions that will help you create a compelling, genre-approp...
Jul 02, 2024•26 min•Ep. 149
“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 fanbase of rabid readers and fans through the power of something she calls Universal Fantasy—aka “the ingredients you need to write DELICIOUS stories!” In this episode, Theodora Taylor shares how she discov...
Jun 25, 2024•44 min•Ep. 148
Want 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, what I learn from the writers I work with , and basically anything else that happens during the week! Tune into the episode to hear me talk about things like: [05:07] A behind-the-scenes look at the making ...
Jun 18, 2024•31 min•Ep. 147
If 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 writing coach who specializes in teaching writers to integrate mediation into their writing practice. Tune into this episode to hear us talk about how integrating mindfulness in her writing practice helped...
Jun 11, 2024•37 min•Ep. 146
Crafting 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 everything that happens in your story—from the plot events to your character’s motivations to your own ability to manage the thematic subtext of your story on a scene-by-scene-basis. In this episode, I’m going...
Jun 04, 2024•20 min•Ep. 145
Have 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 readers to fun and quirky small towns where friends feel like family . And her debut novel, The Library of Second Chances, is officially available for purchase as of May 2024. Tune into this episode to hear us...
May 28, 2024•43 min•Ep. 144
“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: [04:47] What is a podcast book tour? And what are the benefits of doing one? [12:20] How to pitch yourself, even if you don’t have a finished book. [31:32] How to repurpose content from your interviews so you ...
May 21, 2024•39 min•Ep. 143
“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 makes them want to read more? Tune into this episode to learn how to write a query letter that works! Here’s a preview of what’s included: [01:31] What are query letters, and why are they important? [03:46] ...
May 14, 2024•20 min•Ep. 142
“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 more about creating monsters than I do. His name is Randy Ellefson, and he is the author of The Art of World Building. Here’s a preview of what’s included: [03:48] Randy gives us his definition of a monst...
May 07, 2024•52 min•Ep. 141
“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 of the third book of The Hunger Games trilogy to see how it hooks our interest and pulls us into the story! Here's a preview of what's included: [04:03] Chapter summary: This opening chapter sets up themes ...
Apr 30, 2024•56 min•Ep. 140
Telling 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 5 most common multi POV mistakes writers make and how to avoid them in your draft. Here’s a preview of what’s included: [2:10] Mistake #1: Including too many POV characters without an intentional reason f...
Apr 23, 2024•20 min•Ep. 139
“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 but unable to find the right words? You’re not alone! Tune in to hear Rhonda Douglas share strategies for managing creative anxiety and writer’s block. Here’s a preview of what’s included [01:29] What is c...
Apr 16, 2024•40 min•Ep. 138
