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

Learn the 5 key elements every scene needs to move your story forward and keep readers turning pages.

Scene structure doesn't have to be complicated. Sure, there are many methods out there, such as Story Grid's Five Commandments, Dwight Swain's Scene and Sequel, and James Scott Bell's LOCK system. And if you've tried learning from more than one method, it can feel like everyone's teaching something comp...

Master the 8 Habits of Mind to build a sustainable, joyful writing practice that helps you finish your book without burnout or self-sabotage.

Building a writing practice shouldn't feel like pushing a boulder uphill. But so many writers get stuck dealing with imposter syndrome, fighting writer's block, and wondering why their routine keeps falling apart.

That’s why in this episode, I sit down with Dr. Bailey Lang, a book coa...

Master the art of writing natural-sounding dialogue by learning how to remove unnecessary lines, shape distinct character voices, and write conversations that feel purposeful on the page.

If your dialogue feels stiff or flat, even when the conversation itself seems clear, there’s usually a specific reason for that.

And it's not because you're bad at dialogue.

In most cases, it comes down to a few subtle craft issues that qui...

Discover the five craft techniques that make morally gray characters impossible to put down—so you can write complex, compelling figures readers will argue about, defend, and love despite everything.

Morally gray characters are some of the most memorable in fiction. Think Cersei Lannister (Game of Thrones), Kaz Brekker (Six of Crows), Severus Snape (Harry Potter), or Amy Dunne (Gone Girl). These are the characters readers can't...

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 tha...

Five writers. Five different starting points. One clear framework that turned stalled first drafts into steady progress.

In today’s episode, I’m sharing real stories from five Notes to Novel students who were stuck in very different ways but wanted the same thing: clarity and forward momentum on their novels.

You'll hear from writers who were buried in craft books, sitting on drafts that didn’t work, rewriting in circl...

Discover how three Notes to Novel™ students stopped guessing their way through drafting and built steady, sustainable momentum toward a finished first draft.

In this short bonus episode, I'm sharing three real case studies from past Notes to Novel students who were all stuck in different ways but wanted the same thing: to finish their first draft. 

You’ll hear how each writer went from stalled, inconsistent drafting to steady mo...

If you've been working on your novel for months—or even years—without making real progress, this episode will help you understand why.

Maybe you've started multiple books but never finished one. Maybe you sit down to write and have no idea what to work on. Or maybe you keep rewriting the same chapters over and over, hoping clarity will finally come.

Here's what I want you to know: this isn't a talent problem or a ...

Learn how a self-proclaimed perfectionist wrote a 114,000-word first draft in just 88 days—while working full-time and without finding more hours in the day.

Poornika didn't have endless hours to write. She had two hours a night after work, some longer weekend sessions, and a chronic illness that sometimes forced her to step away completely. And yet, she finished her novel in 88 days—and went on to sign with her dream agent.

In ...

If you've been trying to write a novel with a full-time job, family, and everything else life throws at you, this episode is for you.

Maybe you squeeze writing into nights or weekends. You may start strong, then lose momentum when things don't go as planned. Or perhaps you keep telling yourself you’ll take your writing seriously when you have more time.

In this episode, I’m sharing five practical shifts to prioritize your n...

The best writing advice sticks because it changes how you approach the page. In this special year-end episode, I’m counting down the top 10 most impactful writing tips from Fiction Writing Made Easy in 2025, pulled from this year's most listened-to episodes.

These are the lessons writers kept coming back to. The ones that helped them stop second-guessing, get unstuck in the middle, and finally make real progress on their drafts...

Learn how a busy parent finished a novel by following a clear roadmap that made it possible to pause, return, and keep moving forward.

Between raising four kids, navigating pregnancy and newborn life, and juggling everything that comes with being a busy parent, Madi didn't exactly have ideal writing conditions. And yet, she finished her novel.

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Madi, a former Notes to Novel student, to ta...

What if the reason you haven't started writing your novel has nothing to do with how much you know?

“I’m not ready yet” is one of the most common things I hear from writers. And on the surface, it makes sense. You want to feel prepared before starting something as big as writing a novel.

But not feeling ready usually has very little to do with knowledge. More often, the root cause is a lack of clarity. 

In this bonus episode, I’m...

Unlock the clarity you need to write smoothly, avoid constant restarts, and finish a stronger first draft in less time.

If you've ever tried to draft quickly and ended up with pages that feel unsalvageable, this episode will help you understand why that happens and what to do instead. 

You'll learn what makes fast drafting possible, how clarity speeds up your process, and why a little prep work often saves months of rewriti...

Discover why “I’m not ready yet” is a fear-driven mindset and learn how to take small, confident steps that move your novel forward.

So many writers get trapped in the feeling that they need more time, more research, or more clarity before they can truly start their first draft. And on the surface, that sounds reasonable. But most of the time, “I’m not ready yet” is a sign that you're scared to make the wrong choice, afraid to ...

Discover the mindset shifts to break out of analysis paralysis, choose progress over perfection, and build your novel layer by layer until it's complete.

Feeling stuck writing your novel? You're not alone. Most writers think they're struggling because they don't have enough time, talent, or discipline. But more often than not, the real issue is actually mindset. In fact, it's the root cause of stuckness: rew...

Discover five practical line editing strategies that sharpen your prose, strengthen emotional clarity, and make each sentence more purposeful on the page.

Line editing can feel intimidating, especially if you're not sure where to begin or how to make meaningful improvements at the sentence level. And if you've ever tried refining lines before your scenes are clear and working, you know how frustrating the process can be.

In...

Learn how to build a focused, authentic author platform to connect with readers early, grow your visibility, and create lasting momentum for your book launch.

In this episode, I’m joined by Shelby Leigh, bestselling author of four poetry books (with over 60,000 copies sold!) and the founder of Marketing by Shelby, where she's helped more than 8,000 authors and creatives learn how to market their books with ease.

Shelby and I tal...

Discover why clarity (not secrecy) is the key to keeping your readers engaged, curious, and emotionally invested in your story.

Writers often think suspense means withholding information, but what if the opposite were true?

In this episode, I'm joined by Daniel David Wallace, author, writing teacher, and founder of the annual Escape the Plot Forest Summit, to discuss why holding back details can leave readers confused or disconn...