Fiction Writing Made Easy

#160. How Tim Grahl Wrote His Best Book Yet In 6 Months


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How do you know if you’re actually getting better at writing?

In this episode, my guest, Tim Grahl, the CEO of Story Grid and the author of multiple books, both fiction and non-fiction, shares his answer to this question. Tim believes that his new book, The Shithead, is the best book he’s ever written—and I happen to agree with him! So, how did he get here? What did he do to become a better writer? And more importantly, what can YOU learn from Tim’s story to become a better writer yourself? 

Tune into this episode to hear things like:

  • [04:26] Where the idea for Tim’s new novel, The Shithead, came from, and how he blended real life with fiction to create a compelling story
  • [13:18] How Tim went from brainstorming to finished draft in about six months—and why spending time upfront to plan the foundational elements of the story saved him a ton of time (and stress) in the long run
  • [15:15] Tim shares what he believes to be the secret to writing the best book he’s ever written (spoiler alert: it’s learning how to write a really good scene!)
  • [32:46] Tim’s plans for launching and marketing this book—you won’t want to miss this part. Tim is the book launch guy, and his insights are golden!

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to become a better writer—and what you can do to practice your craft in a meaningful way—then you’re going to love this episode!

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🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

  • Free Download: 3-Point Scene Writing Checklist
  • Story Grid’s YouTube Channel
  • Story Grid’s Website
  • Tim’s Book The Shithead

Click here to register for my FREE training: 3 Things You Need to Write Your Novel in 2025.

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Fiction Writing Made EasyBy Savannah Gilbo

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