Take your writing from average to awesome, and learn tools of the trade from bestselling authors, master writing teachers, and publishing industry insiders. This podcast will give you tools and techniques to help you get those words on the page and your stories out into the world. Past guests include: Delia Ephron, John Sandford, Steve Berry, Jojo Moyes, Tana French, Guy Kawasaki, and more.
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How do I write a book? How do I create compelling characters that readers will love? How do I build a believable world for my story? What does it even mean to write a story that works? Do you have any writing tips? These are just some of the big questions that developmental editor and book coach, Savannah Gilbo, digs into on the Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast. Each week, Savannah shares actionable tools, tips, and strategies that will help you write, edit, and publish your book. So, wheth ...
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What does it take to become a successful writer or artist? Go behind the scenes with amazing professional creatives in a wide variety of fields to find out what, exactly, it took for them to be able to quit the day job and build a creative career fully committed to the work they're most passionate about. As a creative yourself, you know that whenever two artists or writers get together, inevitably the conversation turns to, “No, but seriously, how do you do it?” This show is that conversatio ...
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#135: Mastering Point of View and Voice: Expert Tips From Gabriela Pereira Of DIY MFA
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“You, the writer, have a bigger sphere of knowledge. You know more things than the narrator necessarily knows.” - Gabriela Pereira In today’s episode, I ask Gabriela Pereira of DIY MFA for her thoughts on some of the most commonly asked questions I get about point of view and voice—and she shares some of her favorite tips and strategies for masteri…
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#139: 5 Multi POV Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them)
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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 theme. But with each additional viewpoint character you add to your story, the more room there is for mistakes. In this episode, I'm sharing the 5 most common multi POV mistakes writers make and how …
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#138: How To Manage Your Creative Anxiety With Rhonda Douglas
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“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 or feel prepared for an earthquake, surely I can do that for writing.” - Rhonda Douglas Ever found yourself staring at the blank page, trying to write but unable to find the right words? You’re not alone! T…
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#137: 5 Tips For Writing Better Fiction (Even If You're Just Starting Out)
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“Focus your pre-writing and drafting and revising efforts on the present moment of your story.” - Daniel David Wallace I asked five of my peers to share one of their favorite writing tips, and boy, did they deliver! Tune in to hear 5 editors and coaches talk about their favorite tip and why it’s so helpful. Here’s a preview of what’s included: [01:…
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#136: First Chapter Analysis: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
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“Usually stakes start personal and they become public. That's a way of raising stakes, regardless of the genre.” - Savannah Gilbo We’re diving deep into Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins to see how and why it works. Join me and Abigail K. Perry as we break down this first chapter to see how it hooks our interest and pulls us into the story! Here's a…
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#134: How To Stop Procrastinating: 5 Productivity Tips For Writers
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“It's really important to focus on the big picture story first and not worry about granular details that you can figure out later.” - Savannah Gilbo Get more done in less time, overcome procrastination, and become a master at time management with these 5 super simple productivity tips that I’ve been using daily for the last 10 years. Read the blog …
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#133: A Week in the Life: 7 Days Behind the Scenes with Savannah (March 2024)
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“Sometimes it's easy to take feedback to mean that your story's broken when it's not.” - Savannah Gilbo I’m taking you behind the scenes with me throughout my entire work week! You’ll see how I plan my days, what projects I work on, what I learn from the writers I work with, and so much more! Read the blog post here! Here’s a preview of what’s incl…
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#132: First Chapter Analysis: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
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“In stories that feel society dominant, is survival even worth it if you don't have freedom?” - Abigail K. Perry We’re taking a deep dive into The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins to see how and why it works. Join me and Abigail K. Perry as we break down this first chapter to see how it hooks our interest and pulls us into the story! Read the blog p…
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#131: 5 Steps To Start Planning Your Book Series
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“The key to making books within a series work is to grow, escalate, and complicate the conflict and stakes from book to book.” - Savannah Gilbo A good book series allows readers to immerse themselves in a world and stay there. But how do you write a series that works? To start, here are 5 steps to help you start planning your book series. Read the …
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#130: How to Craft Romantic Chemistry & Tension Between Characters
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“ Flat or boring characters who are underdeveloped are never going to light up a scene, no matter how many tricks you pull.” - Savannah Gilbo If you’re writing romance, the chemistry and tension between your characters can make or break your story. Let’s explore how to create romantic chemistry between two characters in an authentic and compelling …
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#129: Overcoming The Fear Of Marketing With Alexa Bigwarfe
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“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 easier.” - Alexa Bigwarfe In today’s brand-new episode, I’m sharing a conversation with Alexa Bigwarfe about how writers can overcome the fear of marketing their books and what you can do right now to kickst…
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#128: What Are Obligatory Scenes And Conventions?
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“When a story doesn't include these key scenes and conventions of its genre, it's just not going to work.” - Savannah Gilbo Want a framework for your entire story? Learn what readers expect from a story like yours, and then use these obligatory scenes and conventions as a framework to craft a story that works. Read the blog post here! Here’s a prev…
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#127: First Chapter Analysis: The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom
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“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. Perry In this episode, we’re talking about The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom to see how and why it works. Join Abigail K. Perry and me as we break down this first chapter to see how it hooks o…
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#126: Save The Cat! Troubleshooting Common Plot Problems With Jessica Brody
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“Every time you write something hard, it changes you as a writer, and it makes you a better writer.” - Jessica Brody Today I'm sharing a conversation with Jessica Brody where we talk about some of the most common mistakes writers make when outlining, writing, and editing their books using the “Save the Cat” method. Read the blog post here! Here's a…
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#125: Novel Writing Pitfalls: Don't Make These 5 Mistakes
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“ 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 your head.” - Savannah Gilbo Transform your writing as I reveal 5 all-too-common mistakes that plague writers. Learn the savvy strategies to sidestep these blunders and discover my top-notch tips for rectif…
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How to find clients and build your audience without relying on social media, with Meg Casebolt
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What happens to your business when you take an extended break from social media? Will it fall apart? Wither on the vine? What if the answer is…not much? Meg Casebolt is an SEO expert and the founder of Love at First Search, an agency that helps online businesses get found in search results, and to turn new readers into leads, subscribers and sales.…
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#124: Student Spotlight: 5 Lessons Learned from Notes to Novel (Season 3)
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“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 the laptop to write. Everything just seems a lot easier.” - Morgan Schrock In today's episode, I reached out to some of my Notes to Novels Season 3 students and asked them to share the number one thing they learned about …
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#123: How To Overcome The 5 Types Of Imposter Syndrome
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“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 doing anyway.” - Savannah Gilbo Is imposter syndrome holding you back from writing a novel? Here are the EXACT action steps you can take right now to combat your feelings of self-doubt, inadequacy, and…
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475: Craft Jam: Get Your Story to “The End”
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Welcome, today is DIY MFA’s monthly Craft Jam. Once a month, Christa and I jam about the craft. In these episodes, we do a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more. This month’s episode is a deep dive into how to craft the perfect book ending. In this episode Christa and I discuss: The…
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#122: Counting Down The Best Tips From FWME In 2023
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“My point is that you have to do the work to make the mistakes and learn.” - Savannah Gilbo The past year on Fiction Writing Made Easy has been a treasure trove of insights, expert advice, and creative hacks, all neatly bundled up in amazing podcast episodes and interviews. Today, we dive into a delightful countdown, revisiting the very best tips t…
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#121: 5 Takeaways From Coaching Writers in 2023
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“The more work you do up front and the more you get your mindset right, the more likely your chances of success are.” - Savannah Gilbo In this episode, I'm giving you a glimpse behind the scenes and sharing some of the key takeaways I learned from coaching writers this year. I hope that you'll be able to reap some of the benefits of these lessons s…
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#120: First Chapter Analysis: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
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“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?” - Abigail K. Perry Join us today as we embark on a thrilling literary journey through the fantastical world of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yaros. In this episode, I'm joined by Abigail K. Perry and I encourage you to rea…
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How to quit undercharging for your work, with Rauni Higson
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Do you struggle to figure out how to price your work so that it’s actually profitable for you…and then to actually say that price out loud, without mumbling or undercutting yourself? Do you find yourself rushing to offer a discount BEFORE anyone even asks? On this episode, I’m joined by Rauni Higson, one of Britain’s leading silversmiths. When I fi…
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#119: Student Spotlight: How Fern Bernstein Wrote A Dual Timeline Novel Based On The Edies of Grey Gardens
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“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 move the story forward.” - Fern Bernstein In today's episode, I’m sitting down for a conversation with Fern Bernstein to talk about her debut novel, Staunch: The Edie's of Grey Gardens. Here’s a preview of w…
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#118: How To Find The Major Dramatic Question Of Your Story
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“Every story has one main question that it raises in the beginning and answers by the end.” - Savannah Gilbo In this latest podcast episode, we'll explore a fundamental element of storytelling: the Major Dramatic Question (MDQ). From the outset of your story, readers should be gripped by this central question. Here’s a preview of what’s included: […
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#117: Exploring the World of Beta and Sensitivity Reading with Julie Taylor from The Spun Yarn
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“As I kid I was like, I would love to get paid to read.” - Julie Taylor In today’s episode, I’m sitting down to chat with Julie Taylor, Chief Operating Officer at The Spun Yarn - a company that offers paid beta reading and sensitivity reading services to authors. Here’s a preview of what’s included: [06:15] How does The Spun Yarn create a perfect m…
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Welcome, today is DIY MFA’s monthly Craft Jam. Once a month, Christa and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more. This month’s episode is a deep dive into how to Nail Your Narration. In this episode Christa and I d…
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#116: First Chapter Analysis: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
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“In every story, you want to have that internal change because, without internal change, there is no character change.” - Savannah Gilbo In today’s episode, both Abigail K. Perry and I talk about the intriguing world of "Anxious People" by Frederick Backman. Buckle up, because this first chapter exploration is different from any other you've encoun…
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#115: Student Spotlight: How Anne Mortensen Went From Inspiration to Publication (& Indie Published Her Novels)
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“I tried to ignore it, but when inspiration strikes, sometimes the inspiration keeps striking, and it just didn't want to go.” - Anne Mortensen In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Anne Mortensen to talk through what it was like to write, edit, and publish not one, but two of her books. You'll also get an exclusive look at her experience worki…
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#114: 3 Common Dialogue Mistakes (And How To Fix Them)
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“Dialogue is a form of action. We can utilize what's happening around the dialogue to assist what's being said.” - Savannah Gilbo Today, I'm thrilled to talk about the intricate art of dialogue with you once more. We're going to explore three common pitfalls that often lurk in dialogue and learning how to navigate these challenges can truly elevate…
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#113: First Chapter Analysis: The Magicians by Lev Grossman
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“I feel that emotional connection, the emotional struggles here are going to be a big gameplay in how the story is executed.” - Abigail K. Perry Magic has always fascinated us, hasn't it? The mere thought of a world where the impossible becomes possible, where spells are cast, and extraordinary adventures unfold, has captivated readers for generati…
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How to make more money without investing more time, with Samantha Clark
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Samantha Clark is an award-winning artist and lauded author who recently transitioned from an academic career to creative coaching. After a year of hitting her income goals and filling her roster with clients, Sam hit a revenue ceiling. Sam realized she needed to earn more—a lot more. Especially if she wanted to build up her savings and plan for re…
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473: Craft Jam: Revise Your Writing Like a Pro
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Today’s episode is our monthly Craft Jam. This is a new feature at DIY MFA, where once a month, Christa and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building, and more. In this episode, Christa and I discuss: Key aspects and methods …
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#112: 5 Questions Your Reader Shouldn't Have To Ask
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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 they stop reading altogether. In this episode, I share 5 questions your readers should never have to ask—here's a preview of what's included: [01:58] Who is this person? [03:35] Where is the scene takin…
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#111: Student Spotlight: From Messy First Draft to Publishing His Debut Novel With Edward J. Cembal
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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 Monsters In Our Shadows. Here’s a preview of what’s included: [04:00] A quick introduction to Edward J. Cembal (including a timeline of his writing, editing, and publishing journey) as well as a summary of his…
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#110: Is A Writing Course Really Worth it For Beginners?
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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. Here’s a preview of what’s included: [02:15] A good writing course should provide you with more than just “tactics and templates.” It should move you beyond just learning and get you into action. [04:45] A …
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#109: 5 Common Scene Issues (And How to Fix Them)
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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’s included: [02:44] Issue #1: The scene isn’t properly structured and it feels flat. [03:59] Issue #2: The POV character doesn’t have enough agency. [05:57] Issue #3: There’s too much extra stuff crowding the scene…
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#108: Why Your Capacity For Zero is Crucial As A Writer
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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. I call it strengthening your capacity for zero. Here’s a preview of what’s included: [01:25] Your capacity for zero describes how willing you are to start over if something you’re outlining or writing doesn…
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Today’s episode is our monthly Craft Jam. This is a new feature at DIY MFA, where once a month, Christa and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more. This month’s episode is a deep dive into Conferences. In this epi…
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#107: Email List Building Essentials For Authors
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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 list is one of the best ways to build relationships with your readers over time. It’s what helps keep you top of mind the next time readers are looking for a new book to read, or a book to share with their …
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471: A Behind the Scenes Look at How to Craft a Bestselling Thriller Series— Interview
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Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Kathy Reichs. We’ll be talking about her book The Bone Hacker and how to craft a bestselling thriller series. Kathy Reichs’ first novel Déjà Dead, published in 1997, won the Ellis Award for Best First Novel and was an international bestseller. To date, she has written twenty-two novels featuring forensic a…
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#106: 5 Steps to Building Your Author Platform
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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 the foundation for all your future book marketing efforts. You can start building it no matter where you’re at in the writing process! [02:07] Step 1: Define your target audience of readers [03:15] Step 2: Des…
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How to move from intention to action, with ADHD coach Emily Zilber
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If you have a brain that doesn’t work the way it seems like everyone else’s does, or at least the way people tell you it should, that can be challenging. But can it also be a source of strength. On this episode of the Autonomous Creative, we're talking about neurodiversity and how to identify the tools you need to move from intention to action. I’m…
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#105: First Chapter Analysis: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
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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 what we talk about: [03:17] A very quick summary of the first two chapters [06:30] Our analysis of the scene/s within the first two chapters using the "5 Commandments of Storytelling" from The Story Grid […
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#104: 10 Tips For Writing Better Dialogue
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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 included: [02:00] Tip #1: Make sure your dialogue serves a purpose in the overarching story. [03:00] Tip #2: Think of your dialogue as action vs. exposition (or active vs. passive). [06:09] Tip #3: Get clear on each…
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