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Fiction Writing Made Easy
Fiction Writing Made Easy is your go-to podcast for practical, no-fluff tips on how to write, edit, and publish a novel—from first draft to finished book. Hosted by developmental editor and book coach Savannah Gilbo, this show breaks down the fiction writing process into clear, actionable steps so you can finally make progress on your manuscript.
Whether you're a first-time author or a seasoned writer looking to sharpen your skills, each episode offers insights on novel writing, story structure, character development, world-building, editing, and publishing. Savannah also shares mindset tips, writing routines, and revision strategies to help you stay motivated and finish your novel with confidence.
If you're asking these questions, you're in the right place:
- How do I write a novel without experience?
- What’s the best way to structure a story that works?
- How do I develop strong characters and build immersive worlds?
- How do I edit or revise my first draft?
- When is my book ready to publish?
- What are my self-publishing and traditional publishing options?
New episodes drop weekly to help you write a novel you're proud of—and get it into readers’ hands.
Fiction Writing Made Easy
#72: The 6 Scenes Every Morality Story Needs
In today's episode, I’m covering the key scenes that every morality story needs. I’ve also included examples of how they show up in the movie Flight. Here’s a preview of what’s included:
[01:45] Morality stories center around a protagonist with a moral compass that’s about to change, for better or for worse. They’re either seeking redemption from past mistakes or they want to silence their inner conscience so they can keep doing selfish things.
[03:00] Readers choose these types of stories because they want to see what another person will do when given the choice to act selfishly or altruistically. Will they make the “right” choice? Or the “wrong” one?
[05:15] Key Scene #1: The protagonist faces an opportunity or challenge to be selfless
[06:05] Key Scene #2: The protagonist commits to doing nothing about the greater need (and may even move in the opposite direction)
[07:30] Key Scene #3: The protagonist learns what the antagonist wants and why, and the greater external need is starting to become uncomfortable
[08:40] Key Scene #4: The protagonist reaches an all-is-lost moment where it seems like their selfish ways will no longer work
[09:35] Key Scene #5: The protagonist either sacrifices something in service of an individual, or they decide once and for all to maintain their selfish way of being
[11:00] Key Scene #6: The protagonist is either rewarded with forgiveness, or they’re punished for sticking to their selfish ways
[12:15] Key points and episode recap.
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Links mentioned in this episode:
- Episode Freebie: Morality Genre Cheat Sheet
- Ep. 2 - How to Choose the Right Genre for Your Story (article)
- What are Obligatory Scenes and Conventions? (article)
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👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
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