Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips

Bonus: The Global Story Structure of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

30 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 cha...

Bonus: How To Write Scenes Like Rowling (An Interview With Savannah Gilbo & Abigail K. Perry)

25 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 s...

#151. How Rowling Built A World Ripe For Life Or Death Conflicts (An Interview With Savannah Gilbo & Abigail K. Perry)

23 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 thi...

Bonus: How Rowling Used Plot Catalysts to Keep Readers Engaged (A Sneak Peek From My Book!)

18 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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’...

#150. How Rowling Created A Cast of Compelling Characters (An Interview With Savannah Gilbo & Abigail K. Perry)

16 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Bonus: What Made Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone A Best Seller? (An Interview With Savannah Gilbo & Abigail K. Perry)

11 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What made Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone a worldwide bestseller? Why does this story still resonate with readers almost thirty years later?An...

[SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT] My Book Is Available For Pre-Order!

09 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

#149. 5 Questions To Write Better Antagonists

02 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

#148. How To Use Universal Fantasy To Write Better Books (& Sell More Copies) With Theodora Taylor

25 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“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...

#147. A Week in the Life: 7 Days Behind the Scenes with Savannah (June 2024)

18 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 edit...

#146. 6 Ways Mindfulness Can Make You A Happier & More Productive Writer With April Dávila

11 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 you...

#145. How To Develop Your Character's Backstory

04 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Crafting compelling backstories for your fictional characters is critical to developing a cohesive story, but it’s sometimes easier said than done.T...

#144. Student Spotlight: How She Landed A Book Deal With Her Dream Publisher (With Savannah Carlisle)

28 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

#143. How To Pitch Podcasts With Michelle Glogovac

21 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“Human beings want to hear the stories of other human beings. And that's exactly what podcasts do.” - Michelle GlogovacYou have a finished bo...

#142. How To Write A Query Letter That Get Requests

14 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“I recommend working on your query letter as soon as you feel good enough about the overall shape of your story.” - Savannah GilboAgents and edito...

#141. How To Create Believable Monsters With Randy Ellefson

07 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“The object itself didn't cause the conflict. The person who made the choice with the object caused the conflict.” - Randy EllefsonIn today’...

#140. First Chapter Analysis: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

30 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“We need to advance the plot and we need to develop the character. When you can marry the two, you have a strong scene.” - Abigail K. PerryWe’re...

#139: 5 Multi POV Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them)

23 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Telling a story through multiple viewpoints can be a great way to create a more expansive (and objective) look at your characters, world, plot, and/or...

#138: How To Manage Your Creative Anxiety With Rhonda Douglas

16 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“Writing is a creative project. It's not an earthquake, but the thoughts and the worries can feel similar. If I can have a positive association...

#137: 5 Tips For Writing Better Fiction (Even If You're Just Starting Out)

09 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“Focus your pre-writing and drafting and revising efforts on the present moment of your story.” - Daniel David WallaceI asked five of my peers to ...

#136: First Chapter Analysis: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

02 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“Usually stakes start personal and they become public. That's a way of raising stakes, regardless of the genre.” - Savannah GilboWe’re divi...

#135: Mastering Point of View and Voice: Expert Tips From Gabriela Pereira Of DIY MFA

26 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“You, the writer, have a bigger sphere of knowledge. You know more things than the narrator necessarily knows.” - Gabriela PereiraIn today’s epi...

#134: How To Stop Procrastinating: 5 Productivity Tips For Writers

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“It's really important to focus on the big picture story first and not worry about granular details that you can figure out later.” - Savanna...

#133: A Week in the Life: 7 Days Behind the Scenes with Savannah (March 2024)

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“Sometimes it's easy to take feedback to mean that your story's broken when it's not.” - Savannah GilboI’m taking you behind the ...

#132: First Chapter Analysis: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“In stories that feel society dominant, is survival even worth it if you don't have freedom?” - Abigail K. PerryWe’re taking a deep dive in...

#131: 5 Steps To Start Planning Your Book Series

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“The key to making books within a series work is to grow, escalate, and complicate the conflict and stakes from book to book.” - Savannah GilboA g...

#130: How to Craft Romantic Chemistry & Tension Between Characters

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“ Flat or boring characters who are underdeveloped are never going to light up a scene, no matter how many tricks you pull.” - Savannah GilboIf yo...

#129: Overcoming The Fear Of Marketing With Alexa Bigwarfe

13 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“Work on being a better writer and work on your craft and the other stuff will follow. As long as you have a great book, marketing comes a lot easie...

#128: What Are Obligatory Scenes And Conventions?

06 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“When a story doesn't include these key scenes and conventions of its genre, it's just not going to work.” - Savannah GilboWant a framew...

#127: First Chapter Analysis: The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom

30 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“It might seem strange to start a story with an ending, but all endings are also beginnings. We just don't know it at the time.” - Abigail K....

#126: Save The Cat! Troubleshooting Common Plot Problems With Jessica Brody

23 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“Every time you write something hard, it changes you as a writer, and it makes you a better writer.” - Jessica BrodyToday I'm sharing a conve...

#125: Novel Writing Pitfalls: Don't Make These 5 Mistakes

16 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“ The purpose of a first draft is not to come up with something that's perfect. Instead, the purpose is to explore your story and get it out of...

#124: Student Spotlight: 5 Lessons Learned from Notes to Novel (Season 3)

09 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“That's how much my writing's improved. But not just the writing, it's the ease. It's not a struggle when I sit down in front of...

#123: How To Overcome The 5 Types Of Imposter Syndrome

02 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“Try learning new skills and then putting what you learn into practice right away, because, at the end of the day, you can only really learn through...

#122: Counting Down The Best Writing Tips From FWME In 2023

26 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“My point is that you have to do the work to make the mistakes and learn.” - Savannah GilboThe past year on Fiction Writing Made Easy has been a t...

#121: 5 Takeaways From Coaching Writers in 2023

19 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“The more work you do up front and the more you get your mindset right, the more likely your chances of success are.” - Savannah GilboIn this epis...

#120: First Chapter Analysis: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

12 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“I think that's really important at the end of every time that you write a scene. Ask yourself, how can I raise the stakes even more?” - Abig...

#119: Student Spotlight: How Fern Bernstein Wrote A Dual Timeline Novel Based On The Edies of Grey Gardens

05 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“It's the inciting incident, the turning point, the crisis moment, the climax, and the resolution, and each scene really needs to have that to ...

#118: How To Find The Major Dramatic Question Of Your Story

28 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“Every story has one main question that it raises in the beginning and answers by the end.” - Savannah GilboIn this latest podcast episode, we&apo...

#117: Exploring the World of Beta and Sensitivity Reading with Julie Taylor from The Spun Yarn

21 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“As I kid I was like, I would love to get paid to read.” - Julie TaylorIn today’s episode, I’m sitting down to chat with Julie Taylor, Chief O...

#116: First Chapter Analysis: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

14 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“In every story, you want to have that internal change because, without internal change, there is no character change.” - Savannah GilboIn today’...

#115: Student Spotlight: How Anne Mortensen Went From Inspiration to Publication (& Indie Published Her Novels)

07 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“I tried to ignore it, but when inspiration strikes, sometimes the inspiration keeps striking, and it just didn't want to go.” - Anne Mortens...

#114: 3 Common Dialogue Mistakes (And How To Fix Them)

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“Dialogue is a form of action. We can utilize what's happening around the dialogue to assist what's being said.” - Savannah GilboToday, ...

#113: First Chapter Analysis: The Magicians by Lev Grossman

24 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“I feel that emotional connection, the emotional struggles here are going to be a big gameplay in how the story is executed.” - Abigail K. PerryMa...

#112: 5 Questions Your Reader Shouldn't Have To Ask

17 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You need to get readers asking questions to hook them into your story, but you don’t want them asking the wrong questions or being so confused that ...

#111: Student Spotlight: From Messy First Draft to Publishing His Debut Novel With Edward J. Cembal

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Edward J. Cembal to talk through what it was like to write, edit, and publish his debut novel, The Monst...

#110: Is A Writing Course Really Worth it For Beginners?

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m sharing my thoughts on writing courses—including 5 things that make a fiction writing course worth your time and money. ...

#109: 5 Common Scene Issues (And How to Fix Them)

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m sharing 5 of the most common “scene level” issues to look for when editing your draft.  Here’s a preview of what’...

#108: Why Your Capacity For Zero is Crucial As A Writer

14 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m sharing one of my favorite mindset tips—and it all has to do with your ability (and willingness) to start from scratch. ...

#107: Email List Building Essentials For Authors

05 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m sharing 3 steps to help you get started with list building. Here’s a preview of what’s included:[1:45] Having an email...

#106: 5 Steps to Building Your Author Platform

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m sharing 5 steps to building an author platform. Here’s a preview of what’s included: [00:59] Your author platform is ...

#105: First Chapter Analysis: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

22 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, Abigail K. Perry and I take a deep dive into the first chapter of Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. Here’s a preview of w...

#104: 10 Tips For Writing Better Dialogue

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m sharing my top 10 tips for writing stronger, more impactful dialogue in your novel. Here’s a preview of what’s include...

#103: Morality Genre Conventions

08 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m covering the conventions of the morality genre using the movie A Man Called Otto as an example. Here’s a preview of what...

#102: 3 Common Interiority Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

01 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m sharing the 3 most common interiority mistakes I see writers make, as well as how to fix them. Here’s a preview of what’...

#101: First Chapter Analysis: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, Abigail K. Perry and I take a deep dive into the first chapter of Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. Here’s a pre...

#100: A Week in the Life: 7 Days Behind the Scenes with Savannah (July 2023)

18 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes with me throughout my entire week, and I’m going to share what I’m working on, what big p...

#99: 5 Mindset Tips to Help You Unlock Your Writing Potential

11 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m sharing a round-up of mindset tips from some of my peers! Here’s a preview of what’s included: [02:00] Rachel May of ...

#98: How to Add Subplots to Your Novel

04 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m sharing how to add subplots to your novel. Here’s a preview of what’s included: [1:50] Subplots are secondary storyli...

#97: First Chapter Analysis: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

27 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, we’re taking a deep dive into the first chapter of A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. Join me and fellow developmenta...

#96: 5 Worldbuilding Tips for Sci-Fi & Fantasy Writers

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I’m sharing my top 5 worldbuilding tips for science fiction and fantasy writers, with examples from popular novels. Here's a p...

#95: How to Start Writing Your Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel

13 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m sharing my top five tips to help you get started with your science fiction or fantasy novel. Here’s a preview of what’...

#94: How to Reveal Your Character’s Inner Life on the Page

08 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about writing interiority—aka how to reveal your character’s inner life on the page. Here’s a previe...

#93: First Chapter Analysis: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

30 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, we’re taking a deep dive into the first chapter of Legendborn by Tracey Deonn. Join me and fellow developmental editor, Abigai...

#92: The 5 Functions of Dialogue in Your Story

23 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, we’re going to look at the five functions of dialogue in your story. Here’s a preview of what’s included: [03:50] Functio...

#91: Student Spotlight: How She Went From First Draft to Landing Her Dream Agent with Jamie Varon

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Jamie Varon to talk through her incredibly inspiring story of how she went from writing the first draft ...

#90: How to Choose the Best Point of View for Your Story

04 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m going to walk you through how to choose the best point of view and tense for your story. Here’s a preview of what’s in...

#89: Student Spotlight: How She Used Short Stories to Hone Her Craft (and Publish Her Debut Novel) with Pauline Yates

21 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, I’m sitting down with Pauline Yates to talk through how she used short stories to hone her craft and publish her debut nove...

#88: Perfectionism vs. Procrastination: What's REALLY Going On?

14 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m talking about how perfectionism is really just another form of procrastination. I also share some words of wisdom to help ...

#87: First Chapter Analysis: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, we’re taking a deep dive into the first chapter of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. Join me and fellow develo...

#86: A Week in the Life: 7 Days Behind the Scenes with Savannah (February 2023)

21 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m taking you behind-the-scenes with me throughout my entire week, and I’m going to share what I’m working on, what big p...

#85: Student Spotlight: How She Overcame Her Fear of the Blank Page (and Indie Published Her Novel) with Jennifer Lauer

14 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, I’m sitting down with Jennifer Lauer to talk through how she overcame her fear of the blank page and indie published her de...

#84: The 6 Scenes Every Status Story Needs

07 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m covering the key scenes that every status story needs. I’ve also included examples of how they show up in the movie The ...

Bonus: Ask Savannah (Listener Q&A)

02 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's extra special bonus episode, I'm going to answer some questions from my listeners! Here's a quick overview of what we talk a...

#83: What Kind Of Editor Do You Need For Your Book?

31 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we’re going to talk through the different types of editors you might need to work with to get your book ready to publish. H...

#82: Show, Don't Tell: What This Advice Really Means

24 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m sharing what the advice to “show, don’t tell” really means (and spoiler alert: it’s probably not what you think!)....

#81: First Chapter Analysis: Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

18 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, we’re taking a deep dive into the first chapter of Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover. Join me and fellow developmental editor, Abiga...

#80: Student Spotlight: 5 Lessons Learned From Writing a First Draft

10 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I asked five of my Notes to Novel students to share their biggest lessons learned while working through their first drafts. Here...

#79: 3 Things to Focus on if You’re a Brand New Writer

03 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m going to share the three things to focus on if you’re a brand new writer—or if I was coaching someone who was brand ne...

#78: Counting Down The Best Writing Tips From FWME In 2022

27 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I'm doing a little countdown of some of the best and most listened-to clips from the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast in 2022. ...

#77: 5 Takeaways from Coaching Writers in 2022

20 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m sharing some of the key takeaways I learned from coaching writers in 2022. Here’s a preview of what’s included: [01:3...

#76: Student Spotlight: The Power of Outlining (and How He Finished a First Draft in 3 Months) With James Beswick

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, I’m sitting down with James Beswick to talk through his incredibly inspiring story of how he finished his first draft in th...

#75: Crime Genre Conventions

06 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, I’m covering the conventions of the crime genre. This includes the character roles, settings, and events that need to be pr...

#74: When Should You Write in Scene vs. Summary?

29 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, I’m covering the difference between writing in scene versus writing in summary. Here’s a preview of what’s included:[01...

#73: The 4 Phases of Editing: How to Revise Your Novel

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we’re going to talk about how to edit your messy first draft without slipping into overwhelm. Here’s a preview of what’...

#72: The 6 Scenes Every Morality Story Needs

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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...

#71: Student Spotlight: How She Wrote a Novel in 6 Months (and Landed an Agent 10 Months Later) with Stefanie Medrek

08 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, I’m sitting down with Stefanie Medrek to talk through her incredibly inspiring story of how she went from having an idea fo...

#70: Status Genre Conventions

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, I'm going to walk you through the conventions of the status genre. I'm also going to show you how these conventions...

#69: First Chapter Analysis: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

26 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we're taking a deep dive into the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling. Join me and fellow deve...

#68: First Chapter Analysis: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we're taking a deep dive into the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling. Join me and fellow de...

#67: The Pros And Cons Of Independent Publishing

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m going to walk you through the pros and cons of indie publishing. Here’s a preview of what you’ll hear in the episode:[...

#66: The Pros And Cons Of Traditional Publishing

04 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, I’m going to walk you through the pros and cons of traditional publishing. Here’s a preview of what you’ll hear in the epi...

#65: First Chapter Analysis: Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix with Abigail Perry

20 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we're taking a deep dive into the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling. Join me and fellow...

#64: First Chapter Analysis: Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire with Abigail Perry

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we're taking a deep dive into the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling. Join me and fellow devel...

#63: Don't Start a Scene Without These 3 Things

23 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I'm sharing the three contextual elements you'll want to include at the beginning of each one of your scenes. We'll al...

#62: The 6 Key Scenes Every Crime Novel Needs

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we're going to talk about the key scenes that every crime story needs to have in order to work and to satisfy fans of th...

#61: First Chapter Analysis: Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban with Abigail Perry

19 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we're taking a deep dive into the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling. Join me and fellow ...

#60: First Chapter Analysis: Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets with Abigail Perry

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we're taking a deep dive into the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling. Join me and fellow d...

#59: First Chapter Analysis: Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone with Abigail Perry

25 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we're taking a deep dive into the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling. Join me and fello...

#58: 10 Querying Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

18 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I'm sharing the 10 most common querying mistakes I see writers make and how to avoid them. Here's a preview of what you&apo...