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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
#2: How to Choose the Best Genre for Your Story
In this episode, we're going to talk about genre -- specifically how to choose the primary (or global) genre for your story. Here's a quick overview of what we talk about in this episode:
- [01:30] What's the difference between commercial genres and content genres (aka the reader's genre and the writer's genre)? And why you should care about BOTH.
- [05:00] What's the difference between plot-driven stories and character-driven stories? And what are the 12 content genres?
- [07:00] A special note for science fiction and fantasy authors (if you're writing speculative fiction, you don't want to miss this!)
- [08:45] Why you need to choose one primary genre for your story -- and how this can actually make the writing, editing, and publishing process SO MUCH EASIER.
- [09:45] 5 questions to help you choose the main genre for your story.
- [17:30] Once you've identified your story's global genre, what's next? Here's a preview of how your story's genre can help you write a stronger first draft.
- [20:30] Key points and episode recap.
Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts
Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode! Especially because I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. So, click here to subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts!
If you're already a subscriber, and if you enjoy the show, I would be really grateful if you left a review over on Apple Podcasts, too. Those 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--I really appreciate it!
Links mentioned in this episode:
- The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know book by Shawn Coyne
- Episode Freebie: How to Choose the Best Genre for Your Story PDF
Click here to register for my FREE training: 3 Things You Need to Write Your Novel in 2025.
👉 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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