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

#231. Student Spotlight: 5 Lessons Learned from Notes to Novel (Season 7) - Part 2

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Jan 22, 2026

Guest

Join Maggie Rose, a high-fantasy writer from Tasmania, Insa Duvas, a women's fiction author, and debut romantic-fantasy writer Emily S. as they share transformative insights from their experience in the Notes to Novel program. Maggie overcame self-doubt to outline a compelling fantasy story. Insa quickly wrote 15,000 words by clarifying her genre and intensifying conflict. Emily conquered her drafting paralysis by sharpening antagonist roles. Their stories illustrate how strategic outlining can ignite creativity and boost confidence for any writer.

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ADVICE

Invest In Process Over Perpetual Research

Invest in a structured process rather than endless free research to finish faster.
Use frameworks and community support to turn ideas into pressure-tested story outlines.

ANECDOTE

From Doubter To Confident Fantasy Writer

Maggie Rose moved from doubting she was a real writer to confidently outlining a rich fantasy with clear antagonist work.
She credits mindset shifts and learning storytelling tools for that change.

ADVICE

Treat Your Outline As Flexible

Treat your outline as a living document that can grow and change as you write.
Use the outline to prevent endless rewrites and save time on revisions.

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Discover how five Notes to Novel students stopped guessing their way through drafts by planning and outlining their stories with a clear structure.

In this Student Spotlight episode, you’ll hear from five Notes to Novel students who entered the program actively writing, but couldn’t see why their drafts weren't working or how to fix them.

Each case study shows what changed once these writers had a clear process to follow—one that helped them turn their ideas into a story that works.

You’ll hear how confusion turned into clear decision-making, how outlines became practical tools for guiding the draft, and how stalled stories started moving forward once these writers understood what their stories actually needed.

Here’s what we cover:

[03:00] How Maggie moved from self-doubt and “am I even a real writer?” thinking to confidently outlining a rich fantasy novel with a clear antagonist and story direction.

[07:00] How John spiced up the middle of his story by strengthening stakes, side characters, and theme, and learned to treat his outline as a flexible, living document.

[12:00] How Insa rebuilt her women’s fiction novel by clarifying genre, layering conflict into every scene, and writing over 15,000 words in just days after finishing Notes To Novel.

[17:45] How Emily broke out of over-learning mode, found the missing middle of her story, and gained clarity on conflict, antagonists, and scene-level momentum.

[23:45] How Samantha uncovered the core misunderstanding holding her romance novels back and finally found a clear path to revising and finishing her draft.

Ready to finish your novel without second-guessing every word, sentence, or scene? Join Maggie, John, Insa, Emily, and Samantha, along with hundreds of other writers who've discovered that drafting doesn't have to feel hard. You just need the right roadmap.

Get on the waitlist for the next open enrollment of my Notes to Novel course and get my complete, step-by-step framework for writing a story that works. Doors open January 22nd until January 28th. Don't miss your chance to turn your ideas into a finished, easy-to-edit first draft you love.

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