The Fantasy Writing Show with Jed Herne
Episodes
Good vs Bad Fantasy Plots: The 5 Key Differences
31 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Read my new book, Plotting Your Fantasy Novel. It just released yesterday!After publishing four fantasy novels, and teaching hundreds of writers in my...
The 6-Dimension Framework That Creates Truly Realistic Fantasy Cultures
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever struggled to write about a fantasy culture that feels meaningfully different from your own? Because of the societies we grow up in, we a...
What Pro Fantasy Authors Know That Amateurs Don't
14 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
There are 10 big mindset differences between pro fantasy authors and amateur ones. I’ve noticed these from talking with world-class writers like Joe...
The Secret to a Perfectly-Paced Fantasy Novel
25 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
There are seven levers that control the pacing of your fantasy novel. In today's episode, I discuss how these seven levers work, and how you can use t...
How to Title Your Fantasy Novel (Follow These 5 Principles)
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Your title is usually the first impression readers have of your story. So if your title sucks, readers will forget about your book without a second th...
How to Know If Your Fantasy Story Idea Is Actually Good
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Most authors will tell you, “Ideas don't really matter. Any idea can be turned into a good story if you're skilled enough.” Personally, I think th...
Do This Every Day in 2026 to Improve Your Fantasy Writing
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There's a simple warm up and cool down routine that will help you quickly get into the flow of writing every day — along with helping you maintain l...
4 Tips to Write Deeply Immersive Fantasy Worlds
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After reading hundreds of fantasy novels and publishing several of my own, I’ve found four key writing principles that consistently make a fantasy w...
Good vs Bad Worldbuilding: The 5 Key Differences
16 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to writing a book, there are 5 key differences between good fantasy worldbuilding and bad fantasy worldbuilding. Understanding these dif...
What My Early Days of Writing Were Like, Choosing Your POV, Writing Battle Scenes, & Overcoming Writer’s Block
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, I'm interviewed by Joe Sidery as part of ProWritingAid's Novel November challenge. We discuss my early days as a writer (including...
12 Plot Mistakes New Fantasy Writers Make
09 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There’s 12 big plot mistakes you might be making in your fantasy novel. After teaching over 200 fantasy writers in my programs, I’ve seen these is...
The Correct Way to Write Fantasy Character Flaws
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Flaws are the secret to making your fantasy characters relatable and interesting. Yet most new fantasy writers approach flaws the wrong way. I certain...
10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Writing My 1st Fantasy Book
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After publishing four fantasy novels (along with an interactive fiction novel), and coaching hundreds of writers, I've learned a lot about the craft i...
How to Edit Your Fantasy Novel (The Ultimate Guide)
14 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
So, you’ve finished the first draft of your fantasy novel, and now you’re thinking, “how do I turn this messy pile of words into a story someone...
6 Ridiculously Simple Ways to Improve Your Fantasy Novel
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today I’m going to show you six ridiculously simple ways to improve your fantasy novel. What’s great about these techniques is that they only take...
Joe Abercrombie Shows Me How He Wrote The Devils
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Abercrombie (author of The Blade Itself and many other brilliant stories) joins me to discuss the opening chapters from his new book, The Devils. ...
10 Genius Writing Lessons from the Sun Eater (My Favourite Sci-Fi Series) - With Christopher Ruocchio!
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today I'm joined by Christopher Ruocchio, author of the Sun Eater series! I share my top 5 storytelling lessons from reading this excellent series, wh...
The 7 Levels of Prose Every Fantasy Writer Must Master
09 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this podcast, I explain the Pyramid of Prose -- a concept I wish someone had taught me when I started writing my first novel 13 years ago. Why...
How to Outline Your Fantasy Novel (The Hourglass Method)
12 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In over 12 years of writing fantasy novels, the Hourglass Outlining Method is the single most useful tool I’ve developed.It’s the main reason why ...
9 Side Character Mistakes New Fantasy Writers Make
05 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I share 9 common side character mistakes that I often see new fantasy writers make. Learn how to avoid these, and you'll have a much ...
8 Tips to Write Unforgettable Fantasy Cities
28 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode is a deep dive to help you write more immersive, realistic, and unique fantasy cities. Before I became a full-time author, I was an ar...
How to Make Any Fantasy Scene More Exciting (The SLED Method)
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever found yourself writing a scene in your fantasy novel that just felt a little boring?Well, there’s a simple approach you can use to fix...
10 Dialogue Mistakes Every New Fantasy Writer Makes
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There’s 10 big dialogue mistakes that new fantasy writers tend to make. I know that because I’ve now read through hundreds and hundreds of applica...
These 10 Cheat Codes Make Fantasy Writing Easy
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Writing your fantasy novel can be hard. But after publishing four of my own fantasy novels, and after helping lots of other writers finish their books...
6 Mentor Archetypes All Fantasy Writers Should Know
08 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The fantasy genre is full of brilliant mentor characters who force protagonists to grow, teach us valuable life lessons, and serve as deeply memorable...
I Taught 176 Fantasy Writers. These 10 Lessons Helped Them the Most.
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the last two years, I’ve coached over 170 fantasy writers in my various programs, passing on everything I’ve learned from publishing my own fou...
9 Worldbuilding Mistakes New Fantasy Writers Make
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re writing a fantasy novel, there’s a good chance you’re making one of these nine critical worldbuilding mistakes — and the problem is ...
How to Write Your First Fantasy Novel in 2025 (Full Guide)
01 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I share my full step-by-step process for writing a great fantasy novel. After publishing four fantasy books (and after helping many o...
How to Write Compelling Character Dynamics in Your Fantasy Novel
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I share a 7-step framework for writing interesting character relationships in your fantasy novel. If you would like my personal help ...
How to Write Unforgettable Fantasy Villains
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Jed Herne shares five principles to write better antagonists in your fantasy novel. Want to write better characters? Check out Jed's ...
Answering Your Fantasy Writing Questions (Dialogue Tips, Writing Themes, Character Development, & More)
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate my YouTube channel reaching over 100,000 subscribers, I'm answering 42 of your fantasy writing questions. Enjoy!Join my free 5-day course...
10 Worst Ways to Start Your Fantasy Novel
08 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I surveyed 367 fantasy readers to ask: what's the worst way to start a fantasy novel? In this episode, I share the top 10 most common responses - alon...
7 Signs Fantasy Readers Will Love Your Magic System
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I cover seven principles that will make sure readers love your magic system. This is based on my experience of publishing four fantas...
15 Advanced Worldbuilding Techniques I Learned from Publishing 5 Books
28 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I share 15 advanced worldbuilding techniques I learned from publishing four fantasy books, along with my interactive fantasy novel, S...
How to Expand a Fantasy Novel That's Too Short (3 Steps)
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I'll show you how to lengthen a fantasy novel that's too short, without making it feel boring or slow-paced. Join my free course on w...
6 First Page Mistakes New Fantasy Writers Make
25 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There’s six huge mistakes that will kill your fantasy novel on page one. I know this because I’ve edited fantasy novels for 34 writers over the la...
This 1 Habit Helped Me Write 1 Million Words
09 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Jed Herne explains a simple 1-minute habit that helped him write over 1 million words as a fantasy author. Get my Writing Tracker her...
How to Write Fantasy Character Arcs (The Ultimate Guide)
03 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is a full guide to writing captivating character arcs in your fantasy novel. Apply for my Fantasy Outlining Bootcamp: https://jedherne.com/outlin...
5 Conflict Mistakes New Fantasy Writers Make
02 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you're a new fantasy writer, you're probably making critical conflict mistakes in your novel that are killing the tension and making your story fal...
10 Things Fantasy Readers Love (Writing Advice)
03 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I asked 348 fantasy readers about their favourite story elements. In this episode, I share the top 10 most common responses, and provide my own analys...
10 Things Fantasy Readers Hate (Writing Advice)
14 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I asked 348 fantasy readers about their least favourite story elements. In this episode, I share the top 10 most common responses, and provide my own ...
Every Fantasy Character Needs Four Identities
26 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This simple technique will add tremendous depth, complexity, and realism to your fantasy characters. Get my free writing craft book, '5 Lessons That T...
7 Antagonist Mistakes New Fantasy Writers Make
16 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Avoid these mistakes to write better antagonists in your fantasy novel.Apply for my Fantasy Outlining Bootcamp: https://bit.ly/fantasy-bootcampWatch t...
6 Steps to Structure the Scenes in Your Fantasy Novel
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I explore a simple 6-step process that you can use to easily structure the scenes in your fantasy book.Get my Notion Scene template: ...
20 Sentence Mistakes New Fantasy Writers Make
03 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is a full masterclass on writing better sentences in your fantasy novel, drawing from my experience of editing around 800,000 words over the past...
Why You Can't Finish Your Fantasy Novel (And How to Fix It)
27 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"There are four main reasons why you're struggling to finish your fantasy novel, and here's how to fix them." Today, I'm helping you break through you...
7 Description Mistakes New Fantasy Writers Make
20 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Studies show that smell triggers more emotion than any other sense. This is just one of the keys to writing great descriptions in your novel." In tod...
7 Non-writing Habits That Make You a Better Fantasy Writer
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"To become a great writer, study human psychology." When it comes to writing great fantasy novels, you need to write a lot and read a lot. There's no ...
7 Ways to Create Emotion in Your Fantasy Novel
11 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Small details create big emotions." In today's episode, I share the seven most useful lessons I took from The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Ma...
10 Main Character Mistakes New Fantasy Writers Make
18 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Don't write what you know. Write what you've felt." In today's episode, Jed shares the most common main character mistakes new fantasy writers make, ...
6 Ways to Write Sadder Character Deaths (Writing Advice)
23 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Promise readers a great future...then take it away." Today, Jed shares six tactics for writing more impactful, emotional character deaths in your fan...
Good vs Bad Fantasy Prologues (Writing Advice)
18 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"I used to hate prologues, but I've changed my mind." Today, I explore the unique narrative advantages a prologue can provide when compared to just st...
I Quit My Job to Be a Full-Time Fantasy Author
08 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://youtu.be/ivY-_im3NrU?si=RkZkaHSnhc_yo1GwApply for my 6-week outlining boot...
Strong Female Characters Will Ruin Your Novel (Do This Instead)
22 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQnXGP-So9cGet my free book: '5 Lessons That Trans...
18 Ways to Write Unique Magic Systems in Your Fantasy Novel
09 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvqVj3RAK4UGet my free book: '5 Lessons That Trans...
How to Write Immersive Setting Descriptions in Your Fantasy Novel (Writing Advice)
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVDJpn0oGacGet my free book: '5 Lessons That Trans...
Cheap Dopamine Is Ruining Your Writing - Here's How To Fix It.
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://youtu.be/cGqO-9c-X9AGet my free book: '5 Lessons That Transformed My Writi...
Fantasy Warfare: How to Write Thrilling Battle Scenes (My Secret Formula)
23 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO2vx_0TG34Get my free book: '5 Lessons That Trans...
Worldbuilding - How I Write Fantasy Animals
12 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbsHUrYzLfICheck out my Fantasy Worldbuilder websi...
How to get ahead of 99% of writers (in 6-12 months)
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://youtu.be/4BbY4MukWeAGet my free book: '5 Lessons That Transformed My Writi...
First chapter mistakes new fantasy writers make
27 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://youtu.be/hoFl8PGPnhQGet my free book: '5 Lessons That Transformed My Writi...
2 rules that make writing effortless
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://youtu.be/zX4yGcKUtEMGet my free book: '5 Lessons That Transformed My Writi...
Worldbuilding - how to make names that don't suck
20 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://youtu.be/-5fjlhJSVbEGet my free book: '5 Lessons That Transformed My Writi...
My top 10 fantasy books of all time (2022)
20 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://youtu.be/Cxr-TTdqFHsGet my free book: '5 Lessons That Transformed My Writi...
My top 5 underhyped fantasy books
20 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://youtu.be/Tx4V3g1cMmoGet my free book: '5 Lessons That Transformed My Writi...
I took Neil Gaiman's masterclass - here's what I learned
20 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://youtu.be/8SOHaty7socGet my free book: '5 Lessons That Transformed My Writi...
I took Brandon Sanderson's fantasy writing class - here's what I learned
20 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://youtu.be/mcmQmyu4AokGet my free book: '5 Lessons That Transformed My Writi...
How to achieve your writing goals in 2023
20 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://youtu.be/r8xcEQxXyDMGet my free book: '5 Lessons That Transformed My Writi...
How much money I made as a fantasy author in 2023
20 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://youtu.be/Xjh2I8-gJSoGet my free book: '5 Lessons That Transformed My Writi...
How I edit my fantasy novels (full 2023 guide)
20 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://youtu.be/UtsJAfnBzzcGet my free book: '5 Lessons That Transformed My Writi...
5 incredible writing tips no one talks about
20 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast was originally a YouTube video. Watch that video here: https://youtu.be/4SZX2o8K6VoGet my free book: '5 Lessons That Transformed My ...