#255. Student Spotlight: How Grace Draven Learned to Write Faster (Without Sacrificing Quality)
episode
Fiction Writing Made Easy with Savannah Gilbo | How to Write a Novel & Writing Advice
41 min
2 speakers
6 chapters
transcribed 1 month ago
Transcript
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Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Writing a novel can feel frustrating when you keep getting stuck in the same patterns, whether that's struggling to find time, rewriting the same chapters, or getting overwhelmed by too much advice. To help you out, I created a free guide called Five Writing Roadblocks Keeping You Stuck and How to Break Through. This guide will help you identify what's really slowing you down and find a clearer path forward. You can grab that for free at savannagilbo.com forward. slash roadblocks. One more time that's savanna gilbo.com forward slash roadblocks. We will also put that link for you in the show notes. Now let's get into the episode.
I always viewed outline within that same sort of rigid structure and absolutely followed the philosophy that an outline was a death of creativity, which actually is not the case now. I have been thoroughly convinced otherwise. I still don't use um a very strict outline, but I like the idea that you had mentioned before that it is a living document, that it is meant to change as you go along, but it still provides structure. And structure is very important to teach you how to work smart, not just hard.
Welcome to the Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast. My name is Savannah Gilbo and I'm here to help you write a story that works. I want to prove to you that writing a novel doesn't have to be overwhelming. So each week I'll bring you a brand new episode with simple, actionable, and step-by-step strategies that you can implement in your writing right away. So whether you're brand new to writing or more of a seasoned author looking to improve your craft, this podcast is for you. So pick up a pen and let's get started. In today's episode, I'm taking you behind the scenes into Grace Draven's writing journey to show you that writing fast and writing well aren't opposites. Now, Grace is already a very successful writer.
At the time of recording this, she is a five-time USA Today bestseller, and she's written 20 plus books across novels, novellas, and short stories. You might even remember that I talked about one of Grace's books in an episode where I was Comparing romantic fantasy to fantasy romance. I will put that link in the show notes if you are interested in checking out that episode. So, based on all of that, you might be wondering what was Grace was doing in your Notes to Novel course? Isn't that for people trying to write their first drafts? Well, here's the thing: Grace knows how to write a great book. She has put in the reps and the proof is in her back catalog and all the glowing reviews she has. But what Grace does
didn't have and what she wanted from Notes to Novel is a faster, more efficient way to write a book without sacrificing quality. Now, you might remember I did an episode a few months ago on the truth about writing faster and how a lot of writers think that writing fast means writing poorly. In that episode, it's episode number 224 that I will link to in the show notes. I talk about how that is not true. And Grace's story that you'll hear today. Is proof of that. In fact, she was able to write 62,000 words in just 21 days to complete her first draft. And when she handed that draft over to her editor, her editor said, Grace, this is the most solid first draft you've ever given me. This is a really solid book.
And I mean, come on, that is the dream to hear, right? So in this episode, you're going to hear Grace talk about what made that kind of speed and quality possible. She's also going to share what finally made her embrace the idea of having a flexible outline that worked for her and her process after being a discovery writer for her entire career. And she's going to share two of the biggest things that made a difference in the quality of her finished draft. So without further ado, let's dive right into my conversation with Grace Draven. Hi Grace, welcome to the Fiction Writing Made Easy Z podcast. I'm so excited to have you here today.
Hi, Savannah. I am thrilled to be here.
Can you give listeners a quick overview of who you are, what you do, what you write, and things like that?
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–7:42
2
How did Grace Draven’s shift from chapter‑based to scene‑based thinking transform her writing speed?
7:42–16:39
3
What exact process did Grace use to draft 62,000 words in just 21 days for The Moon Raven?
16:39–22:58
4
How does a flexible story structure act as a safety net for writers dealing with interruptions and a demanding home life?
22:58–31:52
5
Why did Grace start outlining the antagonist before the protagonist and how did that raise the stakes?
31:52–38:55
6
What tools from the Notes to Novel program gave Grace confidence to meet a multi‑book publishing deadline?
38:55–41:21
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from Fiction Writing Made Easy with Savannah Gilbo | How to Write a Novel & Writing Advice
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#260. Student Spotlight: From Stuck at 25k Words to a Finished Draft With Lindsay Sfara
#259. How to Finish a Novel With Kids at Home & Limited Writing Time
#258. 5 Myths Keeping You From Finishing Your First Draft
#257. Stuck in Chapter One or the Messy Middle? What Your Stuck Point Reveals
#256. Why “Just Start Writing” Can Be Terrible Advice for New Writers