Essential Guide to Writing a Novel
James Thayer
Hosted by James Thayer, the podcast is a practical, step-by-step manual on how to craft a novel. It presents a set of tools for large issues such as story development and scene construction (Kirkus Reviews said Thayer's novels are "superbly crafted') and it also examines techniques that will make your sentence-by-sentence writing shine. The New York Times Book Review has said Thayer's "writing is smooth and clear. it wastes no words, and it has a rhythm only confident stylists achieve.
- 25 minutes 39 secondsEpisode 203 - Argument makes our dialogue riveting.
Dialogue lets the reader become part of the story, as if the reader is standing next to the characters listening to them talk. Not all conversation between characters is equal: argument is the most engaging dialogue. An argument between characters in our story--the back and forth, the accusations and denials, the evasions and justifications--can be riveting. Here are thoughts on writing the big argument scene.
6 February 2026, 2:00 pm - 27 minutes 17 secondsEpisode 202 - How to have fun while writing.
Writing fiction is work but it doesn't need to be a grind. Here's how we can have fun while we write, things that'll give us a joyful kick, maybe even make us laugh. Also: the important technique of the mini-backstory, which reveals so much about our character in so little space.
Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time price of forty-nine dollars. If you want structured, concise guidance, click the Buy the Master Class link in the show notes to get started.
30 January 2026, 2:00 pm - 28 minutes 18 secondsEpisode 201 - A formula for strong sentences.
Physics loves formulas: E=MC2. How about writing? Here is a formula for writing strong sentences, ones that are clear and have energy. Our setting and character descriptions can also benefit from a formula, one that shows how to engage the reader. That formula is talked about here, too.
23 January 2026, 2:00 pm - 26 minutes 38 secondsEpisode 200 - How can we know if we can write?
Do we have the skill to write a novel or short story? Here are early clues that may let us know. Also, top writers' ten best rules of writing. And J.R.R. Tolkien's techniques for writing fascinating settings.
Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time price of forty-nine dollars. If you want structured, concise guidance, click the Buy the Master Class link in the show notes to get started.
16 January 2026, 5:00 pm - 27 minutes 31 secondsEpisode 199 - Writing a scene with many people and lots of motion.
Sometimes in our story we'll have a scene filled with people where everyone is moving all at once, such as a battle scene or mob scene or festival scene or street scene. Here are techniques on crafting the scene so there's no confusion so readers can focus on the hero. Also, what is the rule of exceptions? And, can something bad happening to us make us better writers?
9 January 2026, 2:00 pm - 27 minutes 11 secondsEpisode 198 - A big way to make our dialogue riveting.
Readers love dialogue, the chance to eavesdrop on the characters. Here is a good way to make that dialogue really worth listening to. Also, here are techniques that can tie our scenes together, which Jack Bickham calls transitions and sequels. In a story, what is a transition and what is a sequel?
Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time price of forty-nine dollars. If you want structured, concise guidance, click the Buy the Master Class link in the show notes to get started.
2 January 2026, 2:00 pm - 24 minutes 26 secondsEpisode 197 - That odd little thing for our character.
How can we make our character memorable for the reader? How can we make the character leap off the page and stay in the reader's memory? Here's how Sherwood Anderson did it. And here are also character descriptions from another master, William Faulkner, showing us how to create big and bold characters.
26 December 2025, 2:00 pm - 26 minutes 23 secondsEpisode 196 - Importance of the character arc.
Readers want a character who can grow and change over the course of the story. Here is a discussion of the character arc: how we can use the arc to develop our character and the plot, giving the reader the big reward at the end of the story of a character who has met the moment with change. Plus, here is how we can show (rather than tell) about a character's thoughts such as confusion and dread.
Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time price of forty-nine dollars. If you want structured, concise guidance, click the Buy the Master Class link in the show notes to get started.
19 December 2025, 2:00 pm - 29 minutes 1 secondEpisode 195 - The adopt a dog technique.
One of the best ways to have readers like our story is to have readers like--maybe even love--our main character. But we usually don't want our protagonist to be a Pollyanna, always sweet and understanding. Rather we want to create a fully-formed character--maybe with some weird or off-putting angles, maybe some flaws and shortcomings--to make the character interesting and believable. Here's a technique to make sure readers will root for our main character even if the character isn't usually endearing. Also, here is how a master writer describes her settings.
12 December 2025, 2:00 pm - 25 minutes 58 secondsEpisode 194 - How to invent a strong plot.
We want to write but we don't have our story fully figured out. What can we do? Here are thoughts on inventing plot, things we can do to shake loose the plot from our brains. Also, the techniques of a master of character description: Margaret Mitchell.
Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time price of forty-nine dollars. If you want structured, concise guidance, click the Buy the Master Class link in the show notes to get started.
5 December 2025, 2:00 pm - 26 minutes 43 secondsEpisode 193 - Plotting: go big or go home.
Fiction's job is to entertain. A main way to entertain is to be bold with our plot. Here are thoughts on how to avoid the dull in our plot and how to create a story that keeps readers turning the pages. Also, how to invent strong metaphors and similes. And avoiding overly-precious, self-conscious writing.
28 November 2025, 2:00 pm - More Episodes? Get the App