Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips

Explore 5 reasons why readers stop reading novels, including a lack of meaningful events, difficulty connecting with characters, unclear story type, repetitive content, and apathy towards the plot. Learn how to hook readers in the first 5 pages, craft compelling characters, choose the right genre, and differentiate genre conventions from tropes.

In this episode, I'm sharing three tips for writing a first draft in 90 days. Here's a preview of what you'll hear in the episode:[01:35] How one of my Notes to Novel students, Jennifer, wrote a draft in 90 days (after creating a flexible, yet very fleshed out scene-by-scene outline)[04:35] Tip #1: Block out the time and space on your calendar so that you'll actually have the time and space to write a first draft in 90 days.[05:25] Tip #2: Accept that your first draft will be messy, but don't let that stop you from making forward progress. Use things like "details TK" to keep moving forward.[07:00] Tip #3: Create a scene-by-scene outline for your story so that you have a roadmap to follow each time you sit down to write.[09:25] Final thoughts and episode recapFollow & Review in Apple PodcastsAre you following my podcast? If not, I want to encourage you to do that today so that you don't miss an episode! Especially because I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not following the show, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. So, click here to follow this show in Apple Podcasts!If you're already a follower, and if you enjoy the show, I would be really grateful if you left a review over on Apple Podcasts, too. These reviews help other writers find my podcast and they’re also super fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the show is. Thanks in advance!Links mentioned in this episode:Ep. 34 - How to Plan Your Writing Projects for the New YearFREE Masterclass: 5 Little-Known Mistakes Most Fiction Writers Make (+ What To Do Instead). Click here to save your seat!Support the show👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

In this episode, I'm sharing two of my favorite ways to test out a story idea before you start writing a single word. Here's a preview of what you'll hear in the episode:[01:50] The goal of these two exercises is to find out which foundational pieces of your story still need to be fleshed out. Better to find out now than halfway through a draft![01:10] Exercise #1: Write a 1-2 sentence summary of your story. Try to capture the WHO, the WHAT, and the WHY of your global story.[04:45] If you don't know all the answers, look to your genre for clues! Your story's global genre will give you the framework for these summaries (and so much more).[06:00] If an idea does fall flat in this 1-2 sentence summary, this does NOT mean the story idea isn't good. It just means there's more work to do to flesh out the foundational elements required to write a full-length story.[06:30} Exercise #2: Write a 250-word (or less) summary of your story. Take your short summary and expand the WHO, the WHAT, and the WHY. Add details about your setting, too.[08:00] An example of a summary from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.[11:20] Final thoughts and episode recapFollow & Review in Apple PodcastsAre you following my podcast? If not, I want to encourage you to do that today so that you don't miss an episode! Especially because I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not following the show, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. So, click here to follow this show in Apple Podcasts!If you're already a follower, and if you enjoy the show, I would be really grateful if you left a review over on Apple Podcasts, too. These reviews help other writers find my podcast and they’re also super fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the show is. Thanks in advance!Links mentioned in this episode:Ep. 2 - Understanding Genre: How to Write BetterIMDB.com the Internet Movie Data BaseFREE Masterclass: 5 Little-Known Mistakes Most Fiction Writers Make (+ What To Do Instead). Click here to save your seat!Support the show👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Counting down the best tips from Fiction Writing Made Easy in 2021, the podcast touches on setting clear goals, understanding ideal readers, creating character goals and tough choices, exploring common themes, focusing on scenes over chapters, choosing story ideas to improve writing skills, utilizing character backstories for conflict, and emphasizing genre knowledge for successful storytelling.

Learn about the challenges faced by writers in conveying emotional layers, crafting antagonists, and completing drafts. Discover valuable lessons on improving storytelling skills and navigating the writing process effectively. Get insights on the importance of emotional depth, perseverance, and clear communication in creating compelling narratives.

Crafting unforgettable secondary characters in fiction writing involves developing them fully, letting them represent story aspects, and giving them hooks. Tips and examples are provided to help writers create dynamic supporting characters that enhance the main storyline and contribute to protagonist development.

Discover the essential beats needed for the end of your story, including resolving raised issues and showcasing protagonist growth. From gathering the team to executing the plan, explore the five-part finale structure. Dive into crafting a seamless narrative flow and explore the final image beat depicting the protagonist's change. Get inspired to develop your plotting style and create a fulfilling conclusion for your novel.

Explore the essential beats of Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! method for outlining your novel, including the Bad Guys Close in beat, All is Lost beat, Dark Night of the Soul beat, and Break Into Three beat. Understand the significance of protagonist hitting rock bottom, facing internal obstacles, making pivotal decisions, and transitioning into a new self in act three.

Exploring the protagonist's evolution in act two, focusing on internal obstacles and key relationships. Delving into fun and games beat and midpoint for escalated stakes. Analyzing how escalating stakes drive change and complex relationships in fiction. Highlighting the importance of the midpoint beat in intensifying challenges for the protagonist.

This podcast delves into the Save the Cat! beat sheet method for outlining novels, highlighting key beats like the opening image, theme stated, and setup. It explores the catalyst moment that propels the protagonist into a new world and the subsequent debate about what to do next. The importance of crafting a powerful opening scene and theme in storytelling is emphasized, along with recommended books for novel plotting.