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Fiction Writing Made Easy
How do I write a book? How do I create compelling characters that readers will love? How do I build a believable world for my story? What does it even mean to write a story that works? Do you have any writing tips? These are just some of the big questions that developmental editor and book coach, Savannah Gilbo, digs into on the Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast. Each week, Savannah shares actionable tools, tips, and strategies that will help you write, edit, and publish your book. So, whether you're brand new to writing, or a seasoned author looking to improve your craft, this podcast is for you!
Episodes
172 episodes
#162. Book Recs: 5 Books Every Aspiring Writer Needs To Read
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! ...
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Episode 162
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23:07
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#161. Scene Beats: What They Are & Why They Matter
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 en...
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Episode 161
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19:57
#160. How Tim Grahl Wrote His Best Book Yet In 6 Months
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...
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Episode 160
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44:45
#159. A Week in the Life: 7 Days Behind the Scenes with Savannah (September 2024)
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’...
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Episode 159
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22:18
#158. How To Strengthen Your Writing with the Power of Social Media With Lara Ferrari
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 ...
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Episode 158
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41:54
#157. 10 Surprising Lessons From My First Book Launch
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 s...
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Episode 157
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18:57
#156. Student Spotlight: 5 Lessons Learned from Notes to Novel (Season 4)
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 ...
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Episode 156
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26:10
#155. 10 Things That Will NOT Make You A Better Writer
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...
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Episode 155
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32:45
#154. Coaching Call: Critiquing Jac Sahlin's Query And First Five Pages
“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 epis...
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Episode 154
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1:20:56
#153. Scene Analysis: Chapter 5 "Diagon Alley" From Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
“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 thi...
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Episode 153
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47:56
#152. Three Act Structure Breakdown: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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 th...
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Episode 152
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38:23
Bonus: The Global Story Structure of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
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 ...
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18:09
Bonus: How To Write Scenes Like Rowling (An Interview With Savannah Gilbo & Abigail K. Perry)
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 itTune into this episode to hear Abigail K. Perry and I talk to Tim ...
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27:49
#151. How Rowling Built A World Ripe For Life Or Death Conflicts (An Interview With Savannah Gilbo & Abigail K. Perry)
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...
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Episode 151
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21:07
Bonus: How Rowling Used Plot Catalysts to Keep Readers Engaged (A Sneak Peek From My Book!)
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 ...
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11:24
#150. How Rowling Created A Cast of Compelling Characters (An Interview With Savannah Gilbo & Abigail K. Perry)
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 Ha...
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Episode 150
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33:52
Bonus: What Made Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone A Best Seller? (An Interview With Savannah Gilbo & Abigail K. Perry)
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 ...
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26:32
[SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT] My Book Is Available For Pre-Order!
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 exci...
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14:22
#149. 5 Questions To Write Better Antagonists
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 u...
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Episode 149
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26:26
#148. How To Use Universal Fantasy To Write Better Books (& Sell More Copies) With Theodora Taylor
“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...
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Episode 148
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44:48
#147. A Week in the Life: 7 Days Behind the Scenes with Savannah (June 2024)
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 e...
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Episode 147
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31:38
#146. 6 Ways Mindfulness Can Make You A Happier & More Productive Writer With April Dávila
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 ...
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Episode 146
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37:11
#145. How To Develop Your Character's Backstory
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 ...
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Episode 145
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20:39
#144. Student Spotlight: How She Landed A Book Deal With Her Dream Publisher (With Savannah Carlisle)
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.Sav...
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Episode 144
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43:51