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

Join fellow developmental editor Abigail Perry as they analyze the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets using Paula Munier's key questions and The Story Grid's storytelling principles. They discuss character dynamics, suspense, and mystery, highlighting the value shifts and changes in tactics for Harry, while focusing on the build-up of suspense and narrative setup.

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 fellow developmental editor, Abigail Perry, as we nerd out about the first book in the Harry Potter series:[04:30] A very quick summary of the first chapter[07:00] A macro analysis of the first chapter using 7 key questions from Paula Munier's book The Writer’s Guide to Beginnings [38:00] A micro analysis of the two scenes within the chapter using the "5 Commandments of Storytelling" from The Story Grid[60:00] 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:Click here to check out the LitMatch Podcast with Abigail Perry! You can also get in touch with Abigail through her website (www.abigailkperry.com) or you can find her on Instagram @abigailkperry.Ep. 60 - First Chapter Analysis: Harry Potter & the Chamber of SecretsEp. 40 - How to Write a Well-Structured SceneWorkshop: How to Hook Readers in Your First 5 PagesSupport 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.

Learn about the common querying mistakes writers make, such as sending queries too early or to the wrong person. Discover the importance of following submission guidelines, clarifying genre, and crafting a professional query letter. Avoid pitfalls like vague story summaries and inappropriate comp titles to increase your chances of literary success.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.