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!
“When should I start marketing my book?” This is a question I get asked all the time! Along with other similar questions like, “Do I need to build an email list?” And “What are some effective ways to market my book?”
My guest, Lacy Lieffers of Black Fox Marketing, is here to answer all of these questions (and more) in this podcast episode! Tune into this episode to hear us talk about why marketing matters from day one, how to think about book marketing throughout the entire writing, editing, and publishing process, and so much more.
We’ll also cover things like:
I LOVED this conversation with Lacy because she’s so knowledgeable and passionate about book marketing—and no wonder, with over 16 years of experience helping authors build their personal brands and market their books! If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed or uncertain about book marketing, you’re going to love this episode!
⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts
"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!
Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!
🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:
Interested in becoming a book coach? Check out Author Accelerator's Book Coach Certification program before prices increase in 2025!
👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
Selling 5,000+ copies of a debut novel in 18 months (without a massive social media following) might seem out of reach to most aspiring authors. But, in fact, it’s not. And our incredible podcast guest, Jennifer Lauer, is here to show you how it's done.
When we last spoke, Jennifer was on the brink of launching her debut sci-fi novel, The Girl in the Zoo. Fast-forward to today, and she's sold over 5,000 copies, launched a successful fiction podcast, and released a new paranormal mystery novella series.
In the episode, you’ll hear us talk about things like:
Whether you're gearing up to launch your first novel or looking to breathe new life into your backlist, this episode is packed with actionable strategies you can use today.
⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts
"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!
Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!
🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:
Interested in becoming a book coach? Check out Author Accelerator's Book Coach Certification program before prices increase in 2025!
👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
It’s no secret that one of the biggest roadblocks to getting traditionally published is the dreaded literary agent rejection.
But to find the right literary agent for you and your story, you have to go through the process of querying a handful of agents—which means you should expect to get a handful of rejections before finding your perfect match.
In this episode, I’m sharing the three most common literary agent rejection scenarios and, more importantly, what you can do in each scenario to take the next steps and keep moving forward with your querying journey.
Tune into this episode to hear things like:
If you’ve ever wondered how to interpret the rejection letters you’re receiving (or how to take action on the rejection letters you’re receiving), you’re going to love this episode!
⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts
"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!
Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!
🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:
Interested in becoming a book coach? Check out Author Accelerator's Book Coach Certification program before prices increase in 2025!
👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
Ever wonder what happens when you ditch your agent and decide to self-publish instead? This episode is a must-listen if you're curious about the ins and outs of self-publishing and how it can possibly safeguard your creative control.
In this episode, Stefanie Medrek is back on the podcast—and boy, has her story changed! The last time we chatted, she had just landed an agent and was about to go out on submission. But now she's releasing her debut romantic suspense novel as a self-published author. So what happened?
Tune in to hear why Stefanie parted ways with her agent, how she navigated the world of self-publishing, and what it's like to prepare for a self-published book launch (happening this week).
In the episode, you’ll hear things like:
If you've ever felt unsure about which publishing path to take, or if you're just curious about what goes on behind a self-published book launch, you'll LOVE this episode!
⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts
"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!
Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!
🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:
Interested in becoming a book coach? Check out Author Accelerator's Book Coach Certification program before prices increase in 2025!
👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
You finished your book and now you’re looking for a cover designer, but where do you start? Where can you find a good book cover designer? And how much should you expect to pay them for a quality book cover?
These are all questions my guest, Zoe Norvell, will answer in this week’s brand-new podcast episode! Zoe is the mastermind behind INeedABookCover.com and INeedABookInterior.com—and she’s been designing book covers professionally since 2011 (both for big publishers and self-published authors alike).
Tune into this episode to hear us talk about things like:
If you’ve ever wanted a clear answer to some of the most important book cover design questions, you’re going to love this episdoe with Zoe Norvell.
⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts
"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!
Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!
🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:
Interested in becoming a book coach? Check out Author Accelerator's Book Coach Certification program before prices increase in 2025!
👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
One of the questions I get asked by a lot of aspiring authors is, “What books should I read to learn how to start writing a novel?” I get asked this question so often that I decided to turn my answer into a podcast episode!
Tune in to this episode to hear my take on the 5 best writing books that have had the biggest impact on me and the authors I work with. I’ll share what the books are, why I like them, and what kind of writer they’d be best for.
In other words, you’ll hear me talk about:
If you’re looking for another craft book to add to your TBR pile (that can also make you a better writer), you’re going to love this episode!
⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts
"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!
Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!
🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:
Interested in becoming a book coach? Check out Author Accelerator's Book Coach Certification program before prices increase in 2025!
👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
Have you ever Googled things like “how many words should be in a novel?” Or “how many scenes should a novel have?” If so, you’ve probably gotten answers like “80,000 words.” Or “somewherre between 40 and 60 scenes.”
Easy enough, in theory…But if you’re like most of the writers I’ve worked with, you’ve probably also had trouble sticking to these guidelines because there’s just so much stuff that needs to go into a novel, right?
Well, in this episode, I’m going to help clear up some of the confusion and overwhelm that many writers face when it comes to outlining, writing, and revising. And to do that, I’m going to share everything I know about scene beats.
Tune into this episode to hear things like:
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed creating your outline or trying to fit an entire story into a certain number of words or scenes, you’re going to love this episode!
⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts
"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!
Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!
🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:
Interested in becoming a book coach? Check out Author Accelerator's Book Coach Certification program before prices increase in 2025!
👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
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:
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!
⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts
"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!
Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!
🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:
Interested in becoming a book coach? Check out Author Accelerator's Book Coach Certification program before prices increase in 2025!
👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
Want a peek behind the scenes into my work week? 👀
In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes and sharing what I do as a developmental editor and book coach.
I’ll talk through the projects I’m working on, what I’m excited (or not excited) about, what’s coming up in the next few weeks, what I learn from the writers I work with, and basically anything else that happens during the week!
Tune into the episode to hear me talk about things like:
Thanks for coming on this journey with me, and I hope you enjoy this peek behind the scenes! See you next week!
⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts
"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!
Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!
🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:
Interested in becoming a book coach? Check out Author Accelerator's Book Coach Certification program before prices increase in 2025!
👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
Would you believe me if I said social media could make you a better writer? If you’re shaking your head NO, you’ll want to check out this episode.
My guest, Lara Ferrari, is an Instagram marketing specialist who has helped hundreds of writers grow engaged communities of readers online (and have FUN while doing it).
In this episode, she’s sharing how you can use social media to increase your creativity and motivation, get reader input and feedback, do market research, and find the accountability and support you need to become a better writer.
In the episode, you’ll hear us talk about things like:
If you’ve ever felt unsure about social media, or if social media consistently feels like something that’s just too hard to tackle, you’re going to LOVE this episode with Lara!
⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts
"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!
Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!
🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:
Interested in becoming a book coach? Check out Author Accelerator's Book Coach Certification program before prices increase in 2025!
👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
Earlier this year, I published my first book, The Story Grid Masterwork Analysis Guide to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone—and I learned soooo much about book marketing.
Tune into this episode to hear the ten surprising lessons I learned from my first book launch, including things like:
If you want a peek behind the scenes to hear what worked, what didn’t work, what I’m glad I did, and what I’d do differently next time, you’re going to love this episode!
⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts
"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!
Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!
🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:
Interested in becoming a book coach? Check out Author Accelerator's Book Coach Certification program before prices increase in 2025!
👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
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