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Fiction Writing Made Easy

Latest episodes

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Mar 15, 2022 • 40min

Bonus: Be A Bestseller 3.0 Summit Interview with Emma Dhesi

Author Emma Dhesi discusses genre in writing, focusing on thrillers and The Silence of the Lambs. The podcast explores conventions, key scenes, and crafting tension in thriller storytelling. The discussion highlights the importance of genre choice, protagonist development, and maintaining tension to engage readers.
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Feb 15, 2022 • 20min

#57: Action Genre Conventions

Exploring action genre conventions and themes, the podcast delves into the protagonist's journey of overcoming obstacles and defeating evil. With insights from The Hunger Games, it discusses protagonist talents, moral compass, and the impact of genre conventions on reader engagement. From life and death stakes to heroism, the podcast explores what makes action stories so thrilling and inspirational.
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26 snips
Feb 3, 2022 • 19min

#56: 5 Reasons Why Readers Stop Reading

Explore 5 reasons why readers stop reading novels, including a lack of meaningful events, difficulty connecting with characters, unclear story type, repetitive content, and apathy towards the plot. Learn how to hook readers in the first 5 pages, craft compelling characters, choose the right genre, and differentiate genre conventions from tropes.
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22 snips
Jan 18, 2022 • 12min

#55: 3 Tips for Writing a First Draft in 90 Days

In this episode, I'm sharing three tips for writing a first draft in 90 days. Here's a preview of what you'll hear in the episode:[01:35] How one of my Notes to Novel students, Jennifer, wrote a draft in 90 days (after creating a flexible, yet very fleshed out scene-by-scene outline)[04:35] Tip #1: Block out the time and space on your calendar so that you'll actually have the time and space to write a first draft in 90 days.[05:25] Tip #2: Accept that your first draft will be messy, but don't let that stop you from making forward progress. Use things like "details TK" to keep moving forward.[07:00] Tip #3: Create a scene-by-scene outline for your story so that you have a roadmap to follow each time you sit down to write.[09:25] Final thoughts and episode recapFollow & Review in Apple PodcastsAre you following my podcast? If not, I want to encourage you to do that today so that you don't miss an episode! Especially because I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not following the show, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. So, click here to follow this show in Apple Podcasts!If you're already a follower, and if you enjoy the show, I would be really grateful if you left a review over on Apple Podcasts, too. These reviews help other writers find my podcast and they’re also super fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the show is. Thanks in advance!Links mentioned in this episode:Ep. 34 - How to Plan Your Writing Projects for the New YearFREE Masterclass: 5 Little-Known Mistakes Most Fiction Writers Make (+ What To Do Instead). Click here to save your seat!Support the show👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
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16 snips
Jan 11, 2022 • 14min

#54: How to Test Your Story Idea Before Writing

In this episode, I'm sharing two of my favorite ways to test out a story idea before you start writing a single word. Here's a preview of what you'll hear in the episode:[01:50] The goal of these two exercises is to find out which foundational pieces of your story still need to be fleshed out. Better to find out now than halfway through a draft![01:10] Exercise #1: Write a 1-2 sentence summary of your story. Try to capture the WHO, the WHAT, and the WHY of your global story.[04:45] If you don't know all the answers, look to your genre for clues! Your story's global genre will give you the framework for these summaries (and so much more).[06:00] If an idea does fall flat in this 1-2 sentence summary, this does NOT mean the story idea isn't good. It just means there's more work to do to flesh out the foundational elements required to write a full-length story.[06:30} Exercise #2: Write a 250-word (or less) summary of your story. Take your short summary and expand the WHO, the WHAT, and the WHY. Add details about your setting, too.[08:00] An example of a summary from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.[11:20] Final thoughts and episode recapFollow & Review in Apple PodcastsAre you following my podcast? If not, I want to encourage you to do that today so that you don't miss an episode! Especially because I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not following the show, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. So, click here to follow this show in Apple Podcasts!If you're already a follower, and if you enjoy the show, I would be really grateful if you left a review over on Apple Podcasts, too. These reviews help other writers find my podcast and they’re also super fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the show is. Thanks in advance!Links mentioned in this episode:Ep. 2 - Understanding Genre: How to Write BetterIMDB.com the Internet Movie Data BaseFREE Masterclass: 5 Little-Known Mistakes Most Fiction Writers Make (+ What To Do Instead). Click here to save your seat!Support the show👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
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Dec 21, 2021 • 27min

#53: Counting Down the Best Writing Tips from FWME in 2021

Counting down the best tips from Fiction Writing Made Easy in 2021, the podcast touches on setting clear goals, understanding ideal readers, creating character goals and tough choices, exploring common themes, focusing on scenes over chapters, choosing story ideas to improve writing skills, utilizing character backstories for conflict, and emphasizing genre knowledge for successful storytelling.
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Dec 14, 2021 • 17min

#52: 5 Takeaways From Coaching Writers in 2021

Learn about the challenges faced by writers in conveying emotional layers, crafting antagonists, and completing drafts. Discover valuable lessons on improving storytelling skills and navigating the writing process effectively. Get insights on the importance of emotional depth, perseverance, and clear communication in creating compelling narratives.
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25 snips
Dec 7, 2021 • 13min

#51: 3 Tips for Writing Unforgettable Secondary Characters

Crafting unforgettable secondary characters in fiction writing involves developing them fully, letting them represent story aspects, and giving them hooks. Tips and examples are provided to help writers create dynamic supporting characters that enhance the main storyline and contribute to protagonist development.
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Sep 8, 2021 • 22min

#50: Save the Cat! The Ending Beats

Discover the essential beats needed for the end of your story, including resolving raised issues and showcasing protagonist growth. From gathering the team to executing the plan, explore the five-part finale structure. Dive into crafting a seamless narrative flow and explore the final image beat depicting the protagonist's change. Get inspired to develop your plotting style and create a fulfilling conclusion for your novel.
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Aug 24, 2021 • 25min

#49: Save the Cat! The Middle Beats (Part 2)

Explore the essential beats of Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! method for outlining your novel, including the Bad Guys Close in beat, All is Lost beat, Dark Night of the Soul beat, and Break Into Three beat. Understand the significance of protagonist hitting rock bottom, facing internal obstacles, making pivotal decisions, and transitioning into a new self in act three.

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