In today's episode, I'm going to walk you through the beginning beats of Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! (STC!) beat sheet so that you can efficiently outline (or write) your novel. Here's a preview of what's included:[01:05] The STC! method highlights 15 “beats” or plot points that each has a specific purpose and serves a particular function within your global story.  [02:25] The average novel is about 80k words, and this section is about 20k of them. If you write 1,500-word scenes, you're look...

#47: Save the Cat! The Beginning Beats

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, whether you're brand new to writing, or a seasoned author looking to improve your craft, this podcast is for you!

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“Human beings want to hear the stories of other human beings. And that's exactly what podcasts do.” - Michelle GlogovacYou have a finished book, now what? Learn how to pitch yourself to podcasts (and create your own podcast book tour!) in this episode.  Here’s a preview of what’s included:[04:47] What is a podcast book tour? And what are the benefits of doing one?[12:20] How to pitch yourself, even if you don’t have a finished book.[31:32] How to repurpose content from your interviews so...

#143. How To Pitch Podcasts With Michelle Glogovac

“I recommend working on your query letter as soon as you feel good enough about the overall shape of your story.” - Savannah GilboAgents and editors must sort through hundreds of query letters to find an outstanding story. So, how do you write a query letter that catches their attention and makes them want to read more? Tune into this episode to learn how to write a query letter that works! Here’s a preview of what’s included:[01:31] What are query letters, and why are they important?[03:46] ...

#142. How To Write A Query Letter That Get Requests

“The object itself didn't cause the conflict. The person who made the choice with the object caused the conflict.” - Randy EllefsonIn today’s episode, we’re going to cover something really fun—how to create believable monsters. And I have a special guest joining me today—someone that knows way more about creating monsters than I do. His name is Randy Ellefson, and he is the author of The Art of World Building.  Here’s a preview of what’s included:[03:48] Randy gives us his definition of ...

#141. How To Create Believable Monsters With Randy Ellefson

“We need to advance the plot and we need to develop the character. When you can marry the two, you have a strong scene.” - Abigail K. PerryWe’re taking a deep dive into Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins to see how and why it works. Join me and Abigail K. Perry as we break down this first chapter of the third book of The Hunger Games trilogy to see how it hooks our interest and pulls us into the story! Here's a preview of what's included:  [04:03] Chapter summary: This opening chapter sets up...

#140. First Chapter Analysis: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

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 to avoid them in your draft.Here’s a preview of what’s included:[2:10] Mistake #1: Including too many POV characters without an intentional reason ...

#47: Save the Cat! The Beginning Beats

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