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
169 episodes since 2020
#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? đIn this episode, Iâm taking you behind the scenes and sharing what I do as a developmental editor and book coach. Iâll talk through the projects Iâm working on, what Iâ...
September 17, 2024
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Episode 159
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22:31
#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 youâre shaking your head NO, youâll want to check out this episode.My guest, Lara Ferrari, is an Instagram marketing specialist who has ...
September 10, 2024
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Episode 158
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42:08
#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 Sorcererâs Stoneâand I learned soooo much about book marketing.Tune into this episode to hear the ten s...
September 03, 2024
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Episode 157
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19:11
#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, youâll get to hear directly from five of my Notes to Novel students as they share how they brainstormed, outlined, and wrote ...
August 27, 2024
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Episode 156
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26:24
#155. 10 Things That Will NOT Make You A Better Writer
As someone whoâs 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 theyâre mistakes.In this episode, Iâm...
August 20, 2024
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Episode 155
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32:59
#154. Coaching Call: Critiquing Jac Sahlin's Query And First Five Pages
âI think your story has a genre identity crisis. Thatâs probably why youâre not getting responses from agents.â â Thatâs what I told my new friend, Jac Sahlin, about the duology sheâs currently querying.Tune into this epis...
August 13, 2024
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Episode 154
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1:21:10
#153. Scene Analysis: Chapter 5 "Diagon Alley" From Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
âHow many scenes are in the Diagon Alley chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcererâs Stone?â Believe it or not, this is one of the most frequently asked questions I get from writers when they hear Iâve written a book breaking apart thi...
August 06, 2024
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Episode 153
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48:10
#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 Harryâs character arc in such a way th...
August 01, 2024
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Episode 152
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38:37
Bonus: The Global Story Structure of Harry Potter and the Sorcererâs Stone
Rowling is a master at weaving the external plot with Harryâs internal character arcâand using the external plot events to help Harry grow and change.In this episode, youâll hear Abigail K. Perry and I talk through the ...
July 30, 2024
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18:23
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. Sheâs 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 ...
July 25, 2024
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28:03
#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?Thatâs exactly what youâll hear in this weekâs brand-new podcast episode! Join me, Abigail K. Perry, and Tim Grahl, as we...
July 23, 2024
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Episode 151
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21:20
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 youâre writing an Action story, there are three main plot catalysts youâll want to include in your bookâa speech in praise of the villain, a deadline or ticking ...
July 18, 2024
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11:38
#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...
July 16, 2024
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Episode 150
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34:06
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 Sorcererâs 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 ...
July 11, 2024
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26:45
[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, Iâm super exci...
July 09, 2024
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14:35
#149. 5 Questions To Write Better Antagonists
Antagonists can make or break a storyâboth for the writer and the reader. Writers who donât 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...
July 02, 2024
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Episode 149
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26:40
#148. How To Use Universal Fantasy To Write Better Books (& Sell More Copies) With Theodora Taylor
âNever wonder if readers will love your story again.â 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...
June 25, 2024
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Episode 148
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45:02
#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? đIn this episode, Iâm taking you behind the scenes and sharing what I do as a developmental editor and book coach. Iâll talk through the projects Iâm working on, what Iâm e...
June 18, 2024
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Episode 147
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31:52
#146. 6 Ways Mindfulness Can Make You A Happier & More Productive Writer With April DĂĄvila
If youâve ever felt frustrated with your progress (or lack of progress), itâs probably time to take a step back from your writing and consider your mindset.To help you do just that, Iâm sharing a conversation in todayâs ...
June 11, 2024
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Episode 146
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37:25
#145. How To Develop Your Character's Backstory
Crafting compelling backstories for your fictional characters is critical to developing a cohesive story, but itâs sometimes easier said than done.There are endless options when it comes to which details you can include in your ...
June 04, 2024
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Episode 145
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20:53
#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 itâs true.Sav...
May 28, 2024
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Episode 144
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44:05
#143. How To Pitch Podcasts With Michelle Glogovac
âHuman beings want to hear the stories of other human beings. And that's exactly what podcasts do.â - Michelle GlogovacYou have a finished book, now what? Learn how to pitch yourself to podcasts (and create your own...
May 21, 2024
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Episode 143
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40:13
#142. How To Write A Query Letter That Get Requests
âI recommend working on your query letter as soon as you feel good enough about the overall shape of your story.â - Savannah GilboAgents and editors must sort through hundreds of query letters to find an outstanding story. S...
May 14, 2024
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Episode 142
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21:24
#141. How To Create Believable Monsters With Randy Ellefson
âThe object itself didn't cause the conflict. The person who made the choice with the object caused the conflict.â - Randy EllefsonIn todayâs episode, weâre going to cover something really funâhow to create believab...
May 07, 2024
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Episode 141
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52:54
#140. First Chapter Analysis: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
âWe need to advance the plot and we need to develop the character. When you can marry the two, you have a strong scene.â - Abigail K. PerryWeâre taking a deep dive into Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins to see how and why it wor...
April 30, 2024
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Episode 140
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57:02